307 episodes

The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That’s what co-hosts Scott & Forrest, and their producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have shown that exploring and embracing the wonders of our world can be not only enlightening but exciting.  Welcome to Astonishing Legends!

Astonishing Legends Astonishing Legends Productions

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.6 • 9K Ratings

The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That’s what co-hosts Scott & Forrest, and their producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have shown that exploring and embracing the wonders of our world can be not only enlightening but exciting.  Welcome to Astonishing Legends!

    The Third Man Syndrome Part 1

    The Third Man Syndrome Part 1

    A strange occurrence often happens to people engaged in an adventurous activity or who fall victim to an unfortunate circumstance.  They find themselves with a companion whose presence would typically be impossible.  Usually, the person is at a critical moment in a life-or-death situation in an extreme and unusual environment.  When they are weakened and dying from exposure, suffering privation of sustenance, lost and alone, when they are about to lose all hope and accept their demise, that’s when this otherworldly friend suddenly appears to render aid and encouragement, giving them a superhuman will or strength to survive.  Psychologists label this a “sensed presence experience” but are at a loss for a simple explanation.  These presences may be seen, heard, and sometimes even touched.  They appear in dire situations to people from all walks of life.  They may materialize as a known friend, a deceased relative, a religious figure, or an indeterminate benefactor.  Still, whatever their form, there is no doubt to the one in danger that this being is real and there with them.  Although this sensed presence appears most often to mountain climbers, sailors, divers, and polar explorers, it can also happen to astronauts, prisoners of war, and disaster survivors.  One of the most intriguing aspects of the sensed presence experience is that the ethereal saviors aren’t just there to provide comforting words; they actually help with knowledgable advice or guidance or can even seemingly take over the actions of the afflicted – whatever is necessary to increase the odds of survival.  Join us as we explore a phenomenon more common than you might think, a syndrome also known as the “Third Man.”

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    • 2 hr 26 min
    The Lost City of Akakor with Kinga Philipps Part 2

    The Lost City of Akakor with Kinga Philipps Part 2

    Kinga Philipps is back with us for part two of our investigation into the legend of the lost city of Akakor.  In this episode, we look closer at the facts in this case, attempting to separate them from the fiction.  Kinga has a specific and knowledgeable insight into Tatunca Nara’s point of view as she and J.J. Kelley interviewed him at his home in Barcelos, Amazonas, in 2019 for their Travel Channel show, Lost in the Wild.  In the 1980s, at least three people hired Tatunca as a guide to find Akakor.  Two were never seen again, and one was found with a bullet hole in the back of their skull.  Did they insist on venturing into the jungle alone, as Tatunca claimed?  What became of the journalist Karl Brugger, whose book The Chronicle of Akakor could be considered the catalyst to this series of events?  Is this mystery more natural, supernatural, or criminal at its core?  Whatever the truth at the heart of this darkness, the fact is that an incredible account, a fantastic fable, mere words can spark quests and tragedy.

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    • 1 hr 52 min
    The Lost City of Akakor with Kinga Philipps Part 1

    The Lost City of Akakor with Kinga Philipps Part 1

    Typically, when the concept of a Lost City captures the public’s imagination, it’s because archaeologists have discovered evidence of its ancient existence or rumors have passed down generations and inspired expeditions.  But what happens when a single, modern man’s story, documented in a book, encourages a few adventurous souls to seek an elusive utopia in a treacherous locale?  This is the case with the legend of the lost city of Akakor.  In the early 1970s, journalist Karl Brugger met with a man who called himself Tatunca Nara, a self-proclaimed tribal chieftain and prince of the Ugha Mongulala tribe.  Tatunca told Brugger an incredible tale of Akakor, a Shangri-la-like city mostly underground and hidden in caves in the Amazon jungle.  Akakor was home to a magnificent and enlightened society, rich and resplendent with treasures and ancient wisdom thousands of years old.  Not only did Tatunca know the location of the secretive city, but he was also one of its royalty.  Although initially incredulous, Brugger became intoxicated with Nara’s story and decided to document it and publish a book about it in 1976 titled The Chronicle of Akakor. Exhilarated by the fantastic descriptions, amateur adventurers came from all over the world to try and find Akakor and see it for themselves, often hiring Tatunca to guide them there… but at least 3 of them would never make it back home.  Some believe they fell victim to the dangers of the environment, while others believe they were silenced to keep Akakor hidden from the world.  However, we can safely navigate this legend because we have the great fortune of being joined by Kinga Philipps, journalist, adventurer, Shark Week host, and fellow at the prestigious 120-year-old Explorer’s Club.  Kinga and her Explorer’s Club colleague JJ Kelley co-hosted a series called Lost in the Wild on the Travel Channel.  The show was dedicated to examining cases of missing persons that have taken place in exotic locations.  In one episode, the duo traveled to Brazil to investigate the story of Akakor and Tatunca Nara, and tonight, Kinga Philipps will share what they uncovered on that harrowing quest.

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    • 1 hr 45 min
    The Ghosts of Versailles Part 2

    The Ghosts of Versailles Part 2

    In part 2 of our series on the Ghosts of Versailles, we’re looking into what transpired in the years following the initial incident. Charlotte Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain conducted intense research to figure out who or what they may have been interacting with on August 10th, 1901. That research led them, among many other things, to discover there was an insurrection on that exact day in 1792, 71 years earlier to the day. The Tuileries Place is not in Versailles but in Paris, 11 miles away. Revolutionaries with weapons wanted the Monarchy abolished. They waged an intense attack on the palace that Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were now living in on lockdown. On that day, 650 of the Swiss Guard were massacred by Jacobins and a group known as the Paris Commune. Once the Swiss Guard ran out of ammunition, they were slaughtered, and their bodies dismembered and paraded about the palace grounds. King Louis and Marie Antoinette had moved to a safer location in the Legislative Assembly Building. Moberly and Jourdain wondered if they might have somehow intersected with what no doubt would have been Marie Antoinette’s fearful and saddened state of mind that day. Is it possible she was reminiscing about happier times at her favorite place in the world, Le Petit Trianon? Could Moberly and Jourdain have somehow crossed paths with Antoinette's ghostly memories of happiness on the anniversary of the day that would mark the beginning of the end, not only for the King and herself but the Monarchy, too? We’ll discuss that and our theories about what may have happened and how the Ghosts of Versailles evolved into the story it is today.

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    • 1 hr 37 min
    The Ghosts of Versailles Part 1

    The Ghosts of Versailles Part 1

    In the late summer of 1901, two women journeyed to the renowned Palace of Versailles, a few miles west of Paris. This breathtaking royal home, once the epitome of the French Monarchy during the reigns of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI, was an unfamiliar territory to them. Yet, the palace grounds seemed eager to impart a history lesson they had not anticipated. While exploring the vast estate, Charlotte Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain found themselves amidst various characters adorned in peculiar attire. They noticed buildings, structures, and anachronistic farm tools from a past era. It was as if they had inadvertently stepped through a portal into a bygone era. The highlight of their uncanny experience may have been an encounter with a spectral figure of what may have been Queen Marie Antoinette herself. The bewildering events of that summer day left Moberly and Jourdain perplexed. Over time, they gradually pieced together the puzzle of their extraordinary visit. Years were devoted to delving into Versailles' rich history, with additional visits undertaken to comprehend the mysterious occurrences they had witnessed. Despite being mocked by many, they remained steadfast in their quest to understand what they had seen in 1901. Today, their astonishing experience, known as the Moberly-Jourdain Incident or The Ghosts of Versailles, continues to fascinate fans of timeslips, time travel and encounters with ghosts of events that happened long ago. Tonight, Scott is joined by special guest co-hosts Richard Hatem and Marie Mayhew to dive into this bizarre tale.

    Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

    • 1 hr 26 min
    Astonishing Junk Drawer 021 - Main Feed Edition

    Astonishing Junk Drawer 021 - Main Feed Edition

    Enjoy episode number 21 of the Patreon-exclusive Astonishing Junk Drawer! 

    • 2 hr 1 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
9K Ratings

9K Ratings

SavannahJD03 ,

Long time listener - this is a quality podcast

So many self important people leaving reviews saying that their time is so valuable (really? You're listening to a podcast!) and the butthurt MAGAts getting upset when anyone presents real facts and whine on and on about the hosts being to political. Give me a break. You call anything political if it has even the slightest basis in facts and reality - you have to, because in order to be in the butthurt MAGAt cult, you have to suspend belief and all semblance of common sense.

Yes, they can be a bit long winded, but they are journalists who dive deep into a topic. If you have the attention span of a gnat and don't listen to podcasts to relax, then no, you won't like this podcast, but to think you are so special and will be missed - here's a hint - you won't be. I, along with many long time listeners, appreciate this podcast and since I've started listening in 2015 to now, have seen them weather and withstand whiners like these latest few negative reviewers by staying true to long form investigative looks at a topic and maintaining a strong following. I look forward to their new episodes. If you are interested in a balanced and in depth review of the paranormal, you'll likely like AL. Good riddance to those fools!

jordynrynn ,

Thorough, excellent

I decided to stop listening to “true crime” a couple years ago, it’s taken some time to break the habit but astonishing legends has really taught me what intelligent reporting about interesting topics can look like. It’s taken me a few years to understand what “ethical podcasting” could be and this show is a shining example. The hosts truly just tell the truth of the reported story and constantly remind you where their research came from. I used to not like podcasts with long interviews but AL has completely changed me in that respect, they want you to know the story from the source whenever possible, their guests and interviews are so interesting and give so much to the story. I just started some of the older episodes and made it to the “Sallie house” episode, when they announce theres an interview that’s OVER AN HOUR I thought I couldn’t do it, but that interview with Debbie and Tony was so fascinating I could have listened for several more hours. Love the show guys, thank you.

npgirl64 ,

Too Long Winded

Many of the topics sound good, but get buried under the considerable amount of just useless OR repetitive info. Rarely does a topic need more than 2 Parts or 2 Hrs, but that’s what many get. The hosts’ egos have grown along with the show, and their Political views often get thrown in at the expense of the story. Just give us the facts & the story… not endless banter that can be done on your own time. Six 2 HR Episodes on the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film? Resurrection Mary Parts 1-4?? No Thank You.

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