The Vanquisher‘s Guide

Bloody Mary and the Demon Valak, a Halloween Special

In this special episode we find ourselves at the end of the spooky month of October exploring a variety of horrifying and terrible monsters, lurking in abandoned monasteries and dusty mirrors. From the viscously brutal Bloody Mary to the twisted demon Valak from the Conjuring movie series, we explore this wide variety of creatures of the night that the festivities of Halloween remind us of. Join us as we celebrate the end of our horror themed month, and perhaps you too will learn more than you bargained for.

Necromorphs, Relentless Reanimated Flesh from Dead Space

What makes for a worst case scenario in a zombie type infection? A high infection rate, extreme aggression and durability, flat out horrifying disgusting creatures? Take all of these aspects and turn them up to eleven and you get Dead Space, a legendary Sci-Fi series that has showed us perhaps the bleakest zombie outbreak possible. Join us as we dive into the mysterious lore of the markers, explore the stages of a Necromorph outbreak, and gaze at the horrifying possibilities of what the Necromorphs are trying to achieve.

 

Frankenstein’s Monster, a Misunderstood Tragic Experiment

The horror genre is a familiar sight to many; meant to shock, scare, and even repulse the audience. But many years ago, this category of media was not nearly as developed, and the now well-known sense of dread was but an idea. From this era came a timeless classic story so popular that it has carried through the centuries sense its creation. Join us this week on The Vanquisher's Guide as we revitalize the story of Frankenstein's monster. Is he a blood thirsty monster out to destroy humanity or simply a lonely, misunderstood creature trying to find his place in the world. Find out in another week of our Halloween special episodes for the spookiest month of the year.

Pennywise, the Dancing Clown

There are few things in our world that bring with them deep feelings of either terror or joy. Clowns are one such entity that illicit these feelings. For this spooky Halloween season, we wanted to talk about probably the most horrifying clown to hit the big screen. Pennywise is more than just a scary clown and in this episode we sail right into the deep lore of Steven Kings universe. How do you feel about clowns? Do they elicit feelings of happy nostalgia or summon an intense repulsion and terror?  

Jinn, Malevolent Trickster Gods?

Largely due to modern movies and other media most people are familiar with the magical blue man that grants you wishes called a genie. But that is not what they used to be called or even how they looked or acted. In fact, the original genie was much different than you, I, or Aladdin know and love it today. Join us this week on the vanquishers guide as we look back in history to the origins of the elusive race called the Jinn, and how they became one of Disney’s most iconic lamp residents.

Leviathan, Serpent of Theology

Imagine a god battling and killing a sea monster, do you picture Thor fighting Jörmungandr at Ragnarök? While that is a story, we have record of a second massive and possibly world ending sea monster. The Leviathan is a biblical creature that threatens the mortal world, and the Abrahamic God kills it to save the world. Join us for this episode as we look at biblical texts to find out more of this torturous serpent!

Big Daddies, Lumbering Brutes of Bioshock

At the bottom of the cold depths of the Atlantic Ocean lies the shattered hopes and dreams of one man's utopia. Join us as we venture into the failed city of Rapture to see everything from the construction of Andrew Ryan's secret city, to how ADAM lead a genetic revolution that pushed the definition of what is human as well as moral limits, to the ultimate spiral of a once prosperous city into a warzone where genetic abominations had to guard their "little sisters" from ADAM crazed lunatics. This week we remember Bioshock and how it brought us one of video gaming's most iconic creatures, the Big Daddy

The Jackalope, and Other Bizarre and Vicious Critters

Though it can’t quite be considered a cryptid this furry monstrosity is found in the category of the fearsome critters. A distinction that it has rightfully earned through many a mauled ankle and torn up gardens, to be sure. Come with us this week as we hunt the wild stories of the Jackalope and discover where it comes from. A strange creature that is based in reality but who’s story grew larger than anyone could have predicted.

The Grim Reaper, Visage of Death

One of the oldest questions in life is why we die and what happens after death. Civilizations have toiled and exhausted themselves over understanding this impossible question. Every culture seems to have personified death to try and understand its mysteries. One of the most famous examples is the Grim Reaper, the cloaked skeleton with the scythe who shepherds the dead to the afterlife. Today we take on this deep question to uncover more stories from around the world.

Ra, the Egyptian Sun God

History is full of a wide variety of Gods and Goddesses, each of them wielding epic and world shaking power worthy of the worship and praise they received. But their is one god that definitely stands out in power as well as popularity, Ra the Egyptian God of the Sun. The Ancient Egyptians had a plethora of diverse myths featuring this luminous god, from creating the world to causing the deaths of countless humans. Throughout all of his myths its clear that this is one god that was pivotal to life and survival, earning him the adoration of millions over hundreds of years.