"It Happened on the Mysterious Isle of Seacliffe" was first presented as HorrorBabble's fourth Twelve Days of Christmas special, from December 26th, 2020, through to January 6th, 2021. In the last days of 1990, a writer sets out to explore a shadowy island in the North Sea. The little-known Isle of Seacliffe has long haunted the dreams of the middle-aged author-will his long-awaited excursion scratch a lifelong itch? Chapters: 0:00:00 - Title 0:00:24 - On Seacliffe 0:02:58 - Introduction 0:03:18 - Part I: An Island in the Darkness 0:12:32 - Part II: Sirens 0:19:56 - Part III: Market Day 0:29:16 - Part IV: The Pier Pirate 0:40:04 - Part V: The Seven Sisters 0:52:16 - Part VI: The Critters 1:02:10 - Part VII: A Blood Moon Rises 1:10:34 - Part VIII: The House on Silver Street 1:18:34 - Part IX: Crimson Waters 1:26:42 - Part X: The Silhouettes 1:34:22 - Part XI: The Call 1:45:06 - Part XII: The Return of the Sleeping King 2:04:09 - Further Listening Bandcamp link: horrorbabble.bandcamp.com/album/it-happened-on-the-mysterious-isle-of-seacliffe Written and Narrated by Ian Gordon for HorrorBabble Music and Production by Ian Gordon & Jennifer Gill Become a HorrorBabbler here on RU-vid: ru-vid.comjoin Support us on Bandcamp or Patreon: horrorbabble.bandcamp.com www.patreon.com/horrorbabble HorrorBabble MERCH: teespring.com/stores/horrorbabble-merch Search HORRORBABBLE to find us on: AUDIBLE / ITUNES / SPOTIFY Home: www.horrorbabble.com Rue Morgue: www.rue-morgue.com Social Media: facebook.com/HorrorBabble instagram.com/horrorbabble twitter.com/HorrorBabble
The Little Men of County (phonetically) Bravadas are haunting me. This is not the first, maybe only the latest video of yours in which they are mentioned. Another is (If I Recall Correctly) _the Things That Came From Winter Hill_ . I've tried looking for that name, and haven't found it. I've begun to assume it's a story you have in mind to write but have not written yet-- unless it's special content of yours through Patreon? I'm really going to start worrying if I see them out in the fields, or the woods, or out of the corner of my eye... But seriously, just the name reminds me of the legendary Rocky Mountain Pygmies of NA.
Yep- this is easily, and by far, the best horror (eldritch and otherwise) audio channel on RU-vid! From the old school of Weird Tales and Amazing Stories, to Ian's great original stories (The Van Melson series in particular) this channel is, IMHO, fantastic!
Ian’s stories are ‘A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma...’ ‘...deep fried in a crispy taco shell and served with tangy homestyle guacamole’
Listened to each one as they were released, now listening to the entire thing through again. Am I addicted? Yes...yes, I'm addicted. More visits to Seacliffe, please, Ian!
I must say this is in my opinion one of your best yet! I especially like how the main character has a clear drive and reasons to linger and experience a sense of calmness in reaction to all of the bizarre events and how his sense of familiarity grows as the story progresses. It reminds me of Shadow over Innsmouth, but the perspective of the narrator is different, which gives this story it's own unique feel.
I'm fairly certain that the personality of Mr Gordon has actually been replaced by those of Lovecraft, Ashton Smith, Bloch and Derleth, through some occult ritual. Superb story.
Bravo! This was great fun. I love the themes from different horror eras, like innsmouth and wicker man, and that the island had so many different weird and uncanny things happening. I deeply appreciate the curious kids, possessed statue, and the unexplained mysteries, like the end. This has enough going on for more stories and, like many great and vivid stories, an appeal that would work on-screen. I think this could be adapted to a limited series. THIS IS NOT that annoying suggestion to write a script for the screen, that's a crazy difficult field to get attention, much less a greenlit show. Merely an observation that there's ample material here and enough strangeness and unexplained to have a pair of 8 episode limited series. I would be interested in this work expanded to an audio drama, though... I love what you do, and I look forward to more. Thanks.
THANK YOU IAN for acknowledging Dagon's humble origins as a fertility god. Did not at all expect that, and after a long and stressful day now relaxing to your voice this small detail made me smile (something I needed badly)!
Absolutely gripping from start to finish, with the suspense building at a perfect pace. I love hearing a narration by the author because you know it is being read exactly as intended. Have just recommended this story to a friend.
I often find myself listening to your channel as I walk on the trails here, sometimes walking fifteen miles or more lost in your masterful storytelling! Brilliant work👍👍 two thumbs up
Overall pretty amazing, its like The Shadow of Innsmouth but filled with community and friendly faces instead of dread and decay. In a way that only makes it more disturbing. I really do not understand the plastic pirate however.
But I love that! Unsolved mysteries keep it eerie even when you know the story about the god. Why not an agent of another being? Could it be the cosmic enemy of "Two-on-one" sending an agent to slowly eliminate the population and leave him with no food to sustain himself? Is it an uncanny guardian who was left to his own devices running amok from the surge of Eldritch energy accompanying the advent of the god? Is it really plastic or just a cosmic predator with local camouflage? Is it possessed by a ghost like a creepy doll? Is a demon bound to this plastic form, its contract broken and requiring blood of the living to slip its bonds and return to its own realm? Or is it simply the way the god removes loose ends like the man who refused to offer himself and could reveal his secrets or again leave?
This was absolutely fantastic!! Can’t wait for more from you. I was thrilled the entire time, and with the rising if the sleeping king I found myself trembling in horror.
Listening for a second time confirmed that this is the very best of your Christmas specials. The plot holds together perfectly, and the balance between the human and the weird kept me gripped throughout.
Woot woot! I've held off listening to this so I could listen in it's entirety. Thank you for immortalizing me, Ian! As always a fantastic original work.
I just wanna say your work has had a big impact on my life and it means a lot. Ive began to dabble in readings myself, even putting out my own version of the black kiss. On top of that it has inspired me to write the horror anthology that began building in my mind as i got started. Truly the best reader on the site! Keep on pushing forward and may your works get even more recognition!
Nice ending soundtrack...so nice...TY *HorrorBabble* 🎼🎼🎼🎶🎵👍👍👍👍👍 I had to get one of my cats to a vet ...hour there & hour back & so glad for the morning appt...so hot where we are in afternoon...been a terrible day after a terrible night but we found out what is wrong w/her so not as awful as we thought...we luv our fur babies😻😻😻😻😻😻😻
A great story and very well told. A pity the author didn't find a happyish ending among his folk in Seacliffe. One of the best tales and tellings I've listened to in this channel.
Since day one, I've been a fan of Ian's narrations. His writing has increasingly amazed me as I've encountered it here in this amazing collection. I would very much like to work with Ian in collaboration with creating a figure of his Sleeping King to go along with my plans of making large figures of Dagon and Cthulhu.
I kinda took a break from horror babble for awhile, found this the other day, probably listened to it several times already, it was fun, thank you for your time into this.
Really enjoyed this - I remember a most pleasurable holiday at Runswick Bay a few years ago, we visited Staithes, I found many fossils at Runswick.....I wish I'd gone to the isle of Seacliffe as well!!! But now I have, thankyou
I feel like this is a well written wintertime "sibling" story to The Wicker Man that follows a clear Lovecraftian route. It takes place on the Isle of Seacliffe during winter, the story is inspired by/using the Cthulhu mythos (Dagon and Shadow of Innsmouth), replacing celtic paganism. The characters, the plot and the writing are spot on, making this story comprehensively different from The Wicker Man beyond the basic idea. Really really good, I really enjoyed this.
Oh my God...you finally brought my part of the world into your mythos, thanks so much for this Ian, absolutely brilliant, I drive out to Port Mulgrave at least once a week to go on fossil hunts, I can almost imagine I am going to see Seacliffe from the coast next time...
@@HorrorBabble funnily enough I happened to be watching a wilderness walks type vid and he was very close to Winter Hill...How's about that for synchronicity? Loved the Seacliffe stuff, you have officially out Lovecrafted Lovecraft on that one...and small detail but I love that all the the street names were Whitby streets, much love to you!
This one is EXCELLENT Thank you for creating and sharing Sorry for the delay in response I had waited until the entire series was posted ,intending to do a Binge listen as a Christmas treat to myself But I was unable to arrange for suitable block of time until recently Really enjoyed this offering It has become one of my faves of your inventory I REALLY like the idea / concept that the Sleeping King was not the usual malign entity bent on the destruction of the earth and / or the subjugation of humanity Instead he was a refugee driven from his home and finding safe harbor and acceptance among the people of Earth / the inhabitants of Seacliffe To my mind that is a WONDERFUL idea I really do like the idea/ concept of willing sacrifices and that such offerings are the only ones the entity will accept I wish these ideas were more common in the crop of fiction Well Done I happily note the appearance of James Johnston character in Chapter Six and his pink fronted cottage and lounge / front described as" a shrine to all things trash " and was pleased to see that he was one of the willing sacrifices I thought those eight sided plates was a nice detail I did enjoy all the references to food ( at the market , the complimentary breakfast at the Golden Crab ) I thought the nazi pilot's encounter with the Sleeping King was an excellent detail and a nice bit of story construction I thought the statement ( Chapter Five) that Seacliffe was now the Sleeping King's home makes a very good point that I was very happy and pleased to note Those narrow winding streets made for another great detail In closing GREAT story Thank you for it
Please, where can I hear and download the music at the end of the story, I think its wonderful, so evocative, everything is so well done, congratulations on a fantastic job. You have become my continuos companion while I work on my paintings. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your efforts.
Thank you, Bernardo! You can listen to that particular piece and a selection of other HorrorBabble pieces, here: iangordon.bandcamp.com/album/exercises-in-audible-dread-2022 The piece in question is called "The Return of the Sleeping King".
@@HorrorBabble You are so kind, thank you very much, and keep-up the great work. I've been struggling economically for the past few years, but I would like nothing better than to be able to help you continue with this great project.
Ian I'm a great admirer of your work. But this one has left me chomping at the bit for an answer that maybe I'm too dense to see. What was the significance of the pirate? Can you or someone else tell me if I missed something? I've listened twice now and am can't shake the feeling that something is right in front of me.
same here! especially with the plastic arm found at the end...I cant figure out if its a reference or an inside joke..who is the pirate?!why was the writer never found(presumed dead) if he was one of them?!noone would have believed his story anyway so why kill him?..usually I love unanswered questions in Lovecraftian works but this is kinda bothering me.haha!
I must have missed this when it came out. I love it. But did you have to make the bloody food sound so good? I'm trying to sleep. I don't need to be up and hunting for sausages. Pure gastronography.
Excellent story. The only thing I am confused about is the Blackbeard statue. What are who was he and what was his purpose? Any help from you all out there would be very appreciated.
If it weren't for small additions like 'fabric softener' and (happily) the lack of xenophobia, I'd have thought this was a work by Lovecraft himself! :D The details are terrific, and I especially loved all the cultural details in the the market scene.
And without further ado, I am going to listen to them all .... Thanks Ian....! By the way, I recently stumbled across a little book (a Star book, published 1977, London) called Weird Legacies, with nine stories from Weird Tales. The oldest from 1929 up to 1973. Therein I found a few Stories written in collaboration by a few great names I never knew had collaborated...! Clark A. Smith and Lin Carter with "The Utmost Abomination". And my favorite: Robert Bloch and Henry Kuttner with "The Black Kiss" A real Cthulhu Myth story. "The Survivor" by H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth I didn't know either and is a jewel of a story. I wonder if you know these stories. I never came across them before. All the best and stay healthy in these strange times.
Thanks Roland! I'll do a bit of digging. There are usually copyright issues associated with Carter, Bloch, Kuttner and Derleth, but you never know... occasionally we get lucky! Ian
Hello Mr. Horrorbabble, I was wondering if you could do a reading of "A desert episode" by Algernon Blackwood. Such a beautiful story but the only audio out there is very monotone.
