Lavinia Thriced Damn sits down with J.T. Fields after sparing the life of his employee to tell the story of how she became known as the Beast of Lonely Creek.
Link to the episode page here: https://www.oldgodsofappalachia.com/episodes/2026-08-13/episode-105_the-builder/202608121951194541
The final chapter of Devon's and Casey's lives in that spooky old house comes to a close as Casey's old friend brings in an expert on their problem, Mabel Jesse. Poured from a similar mode as most Appalachian grannies with knowledge of the Dark, Mabel guides the pair through rituals and steps to clean their home once and for all of the haunting darkness.
Note: There was sort of a discussion post made, but since it did not specifically say "Discussion Post" some folks may have overlooked it. Hence, this one in our usual format!
Note 2: For those speculating at Mabel's ancestry, here's what she shared in the episode: Mabel Elizabeth Jesse, daughter of Ruth Ann Kitts (Hagy - married name), daughter of Mary Helen Kitts. Time-wise, if Mabel is in her 70s (a guess) in 1974, then she would have been born around 1900ish, her mother Ruth around 1870 to 1880ish, and her mother Mary, probably around 1850s to 1860s. That puts us in the Black Mouth Dog/Familiar and Beloved territory, but I haven't a recollection of Kitts in those stories or anything more recent. I'm also being conservative on the age when children were born. My parents' (about Casey/Devon age) grandparents (Mabel's age/generation) were all born in the 1880s and 1890s.
For our final story arc of Season 6, Jack's man Tony finds himself sent to Boone, North Carolina, and the grounds of Appalachia State in hunt for an artifact recently obtained by a professor of Appalachian Studies. Tony succeeds in his mission, only to be confronted by the original owner of the artifact on his bus ride escape.
Episode Page can be found here.
And yes, as the good storyteller Steve suggests at the end of the episode, it sure would not hurt at all to drop a few coins to listen to The Holler's "The Door under the Floor."
An old friend of Casey's visits for dinner and shares the dark background of their home with Casey and Devon. Also, a shotgun is introduced.
Marlena Locke travels to sooth the widow of Brutus Locke with the intent to make sure she is deemed mentally unfit to inherit her husband's holdings, but finds the widow and everyone else on their estate missing. Elsewhere, Rachel finally arrives at the Locke's grand estate to meet Jonah Hellbender Solomon Locke again for the first time in ten years and accidentally triggers something dangerous inside the Locke scion. Meanwhile, Haman continues to try and confirm the nature of Brutus' potential negotiation with the Beast of Iron and Blood.
Episode page with link to transcript here.
In a recent post, I noted I thought it was pretty common for families to use the car as a backdrop before a photograph; in part because owning a car was a big deal. Well, not one to talk the talk and not walk the walk, here's my great grandfather Oscar Widener, his daughter Clarice (my grandmother), and his son Conley; along with a cousin whom I have forgotten their name. It's the cousin's car, as Oscar, a lifelong tobacco farmer, never owned a car his entire life. He either walked to town (Damascus, VA) or someone gave him and/or his wife Myrtle a lift for doctor appointments and so on. He notably would not hitch his horse to a wagon for the trip because "he worked all week and deserved the rest."
Cam and Steve are back with the third installment of Unhallowed Grounds, "Complications," as part of The Holler's exclusive content. In this episode, Casey reaches out to an old friend while his partner Devin continues to experience problems with the old fixer upper.
(I haven't listened yet, so apologies for the less than detailed description!)
Hey there Family!
OGOA hits its 100th episode with "One Way Ticket," as we dive deeper into the story of Rachel on a Train and Solomon in a building. After I actually finish listening, I'll try to come back around for a better synopsis.
Here is the episode page: One Way Ticket
And if you need to dive into the words themselves, here is the direct link to the transcript.
The Holler episodes come with a paid subscription to The Holler (link for details!)
Unhallowed Grounds represents the second story arc for subscribers of The Holler this season, following Grave Concerns. The previous episode was titled "Homecoming," and introduced us to Casey Addison and his partner, Devin Roberts, who move to Casey's hometown in Mavisdale, VA in 1974. The pair moved back from New York City after Roberts lost his job teaching writing and directing and Casey flunked out of school due to financial stress. Back home in Mavisdale, Casey's parents help him pick up work at the family diner, while Roberts waits to start work at a local college.
The couple move out of Casey's parents house into an old farm house with a low rent and promise to make updates and repairs. At first, their new life seems to be off to a good start minus a disembodied voice warning Devin not to proceed into the basement in search of a circuit breaker box when the power is mysteriously off in the middle of the night. While Casey works during the day, Devin takes up renovating the house, but something in the house wants things to stay just the way it.
Howdy family!
I know some, if not all, who frequent this sub are members of the Holler; which is currently releasing episodes from and expanded upon the Unhallowed Grounds live tour. Would those who are members like to see discussion posts for those episodes, too?
Brutus Locke learns the price and makes a deal with the Beast of Tie and Rail in an attempt to foil his half-brother's maneuverings to take control of the family business. In Philadelphia, Solomon Locke, formally Jonah Hellbender, continues his education under a dark mentor and displays the extent of his powers, while awaiting the arrival of his old friend and potential bride.
Edited to add link to the episode page here and transcript page here.
