Meet Our Cousins: The Gentleman from Hell

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Speaker 2 Well, hey there, family. Steve Schell from Old Gods of Appalachia.

Speaker 2 We are still on our little break in between arcs one and two of season five, but we thought we'd take this moment to introduce you to some rusty quill adjacent family of ours.

Speaker 2 And I'm talking about the gentleman from hell.

Speaker 2 The largest disappearance on record. An entire town gone without a trace 24 years ago.

Speaker 5 Cold Sparrow vanished.

Speaker 2 Every resident, including eccentric billionaire Benjamin Vere, simply disappeared.

Speaker 3 No clues.

Speaker 2 No answers. Now three renowned investigators celebrated for toppling a deadly cult dare to unravel this chilling mystery.
Whispers hint at something beyond our world.

Speaker 10 Perhaps even

Speaker 3 infernal.

Speaker 2 If you like cosmic horror, mystery, and supernatural horror, which I know y'all do, I invite you now to check out The Gentleman from hell.

Speaker 2 No

Speaker 2 Are you confi

Speaker 2 the sigh

Speaker 2 tonight on Call of the Weird

Speaker 18 the enduring mystery of the cold sparrow mass mass disappearance of 1999.

Speaker 18 In a bizarre and chilling case that has perplexed authorities and experts for over two decades, the small country town of Cold Sparrow experienced one of the largest mass disappearances in modern history, leaving behind only unanswered questions and a lingering sense of unease.

Speaker 18 Cold Sparrow, once a quiet and unassuming town, found itself at the center of global attention 24 years ago when every single one of its inhabitants vanished without a trace.

Speaker 18 Among them was its most conspicuous resident, billionaire Benjamin Veers, known for his eccentricities and reclusive lifestyle.

Speaker 18 The disappearance of Veers, along with the entire population, turned Cold Sparrow from a mere speck on the map to the subject of one of the most baffling mysteries the world has ever seen.

Speaker 18 Despite extensive investigations, the authorities remain as baffled today as they were on the day the town's population disappeared.

Speaker 18 Over the years, theories have ranged from cult activity to mass kidnapping, but none have brought investigators any closer to understanding what happened to the residents of Cold Sparrow.

Speaker 18 The case, which has seen numerous leads and tips over the years, none of which have panned out, continues to be a source of speculation and intrigue.

Speaker 18 Experts in various fields have tried to piece together the puzzle, but the lack of evidence and the sheer implausibility of the situation have left even the most seasoned detectives and researchers at a loss.

Speaker 18 As the years have passed, the story of Cold Sparrow has become something of a legend, a modern-day mystery that challenges our understanding of what is possible.

Speaker 18 The disappearance of an entire town, especially one with a figure as enigmatic as Benjamin Veerce, remains a haunting reminder of the limits of our knowledge and the enduring power of the unknown.

Speaker 19 The false door was right where Phyllis said it would be.

Speaker 20 The vault it revealed was massive, filled with all sorts of books, cassettes, journals, even what looked like some sketchbooks.

Speaker 3 This was exactly the motherlord we were looking for. We'd traveled a long road to get here, the V's mansion.

Speaker 19 Between this moment and the start of the whole thing were a ton of false starts and dead ends, but we'd soldier through it all.

Speaker 19 Primarily because the money was good and the story was compelling, which for me is a prerequisite for taking a job. It's hard to pay attention to details when the story's a snoozer.

Speaker 19 And I was getting up in age, so I needed to keep things interesting.

Speaker 3 When I sorted through the spoils, I couldn't help but side-eye the surroundings.

Speaker 22 The place had been abandoned for a while, but not long enough to take a look of a right and proper haunted mansion.

Speaker 19 And mansion was an understatement for the place, which is more on the order of a castle than anything else.

Speaker 22 Yet, even though the aesthetic wasn't sufficiently morose to compel a belief in ghosts, there was something to the sprawl of the interior.

Speaker 3 Behind him, maybe.

Speaker 19 That despite its size, it was keeping a secret even bigger than itself.

Speaker 22 For the first time in a string of Blue Mondays, I was about to know something of the mind of the guy I gone through so much trouble to find.

Speaker 19 I sifted through stacks of media looking for something suitable for a proper introduction. It took me a bit, but at least some of the stuff was dated.

Speaker 20 I eventually came to a journal marked, a brand new chapter.

Speaker 19 According to the date, it should have been written around the same time Ben inherited his father's wealth, which was a blind spot I was looking to clear up, so perfect place to start.

Speaker 5 I arranged for a one,

Speaker 20 the first of any consequence.

Speaker 3 Despite embracing risks and leveraging what I believed to be my talents,

Speaker 3 my achievements were no greater than those of someone who had spent 35 years idly.

Speaker 5 The only distinction between such a person and me was my persistent illusion of hope.

Speaker 17 I was certain that with enough grit, a fleeting opportunity, or perhaps a stroke of luck, my moment would come.

Speaker 17 But it never did.

Speaker 1 I was a writer without a single published work, a man whose name faded from memory before it could ever matter.

Speaker 11 In the end, I was nothing more than static, the white noise of flesh, blood, and bone.

Speaker 29 Thirty years of life, and my efforts barely caused a ripple, followed by the still waters of a sea I never truly dared to cross.

Speaker 27 The letter had lingered on my counter for some time, forgotten in a haze of neglect.

Speaker 26 I usually tossed my mail without a second glance. No news was good news, even if it meant erasing the news altogether.

Speaker 1 This letter, though, caught my eye.

Speaker 11 It came from Charlie Prist, Esquire, which almost guaranteed it was a bill.

Speaker 17 But what finally pushed me to open it was the handwritten address, a personal touch that hinted at either a crafty or cash-strapped lawyer.

Speaker 17 The letter read, Dear Benjamin, I hope this letter finds you well.

Speaker 15 I'm writing to share some important and unexpected news regarding your family, which I understand may be difficult to receive.

Speaker 1 Regrettably, your father, Edward, has recently passed away.

Speaker 11 Time often brings changes we cannot foresee, and in the wake of his passing, I must inform you that he has named you the sole beneficiary of his estate, which includes a considerable fortune.

Speaker 17 Given the estrangement in your relationship, I realize this news may stir a range of emotions.

Speaker 27 You may need time to process not only his death, but also this sudden change in your circumstances.

Speaker 11 It's my hope that this inheritance might serve as an opportunity to reconnect with a part of your father's legacy and offer a chance for reflection or healing.

Speaker 11 As the executor of his will, I'm here to guide you through the legal process at a pace that feels right for you.

Speaker 17 If you'd like to discuss the details, we can arrange a meeting or a phone call, whichever suits you best. Take all the time you need, and know that I'm here to support you however I can.

Speaker 27 Sincerely, Charlie Prist.

Speaker 6 Hello, sir.

Speaker 30 Can I help you?

Speaker 11 Yes, my name is Benjamin Viers.

Speaker 10 I called earlier.

Speaker 30 Yes, of course. Please head right through that door.
Mr. Prist is waiting for you.

Speaker 25 Thank you very much.

Speaker 5 Mr. Prist,

Speaker 31 I'm Benjamin Viers. We spoke on the phone.

Speaker 28 Well, hello, Benjamin.

Speaker 32 Please come right in and take a seat, won't you? Thank you very much.

Speaker 28 Please call me Charlie.

Speaker 32 You know, I hope you don't mind me saying, but you look just like your father, right down to the stubble and spectacles.

Speaker 1 I don't mind at all, because I can't say if that's a good or bad observation.

Speaker 31 You see, I didn't really know the man, to be quite honest.

Speaker 32 Well, to be equally honest, I didn't even know the old so-and-so had a son, so we're even.

Speaker 5 So,

Speaker 15 what are the formalities in a situation like this?

Speaker 32 Just some signatures.

Speaker 10 Here and there.

Speaker 32 Well, that seems easy enough. There are a few things, though.
Just stipulations that are odd, but by no means troublesome.

Speaker 3 Considering.

Speaker 17 Considering.

Speaker 3 Considering.

Speaker 32 After this, you're damn near the richest man in the county, if not the state. Your father was a bit of a eccentric, I guess.
He wanted to make sure you stayed in the house.

Speaker 28 You know, lived where he lived.

Speaker 32 He insisted upon it in several places throughout the will.

Speaker 31 Well, there's no problems there. I fully intend on moving into the house.

Speaker 32 Oh, well, that's easy enough then.

Speaker 10 I just thought, well, with the accent and all.

Speaker 31 I left England some time ago. I, um, came here for my schooling.

Speaker 1 Well, there you have it then.

Speaker 32 The only other thing was that you listened to, um, in private, an audio tape that your father left for you.

Speaker 31 I take it that's not customary to the traditional process.

Speaker 32 Not really, but I've heard stranger requests. Anyway, I readied a room for you shortly after you phoned, so once we're all done with crossing T's and dotting I's, I'll get you right in there.

Speaker 27 That sounds fine.

Speaker 32 Well, then, let's get down to business.

Speaker 32 After you turn the player on, you can have a seat right over there on the couch. I'll be in my office when you finish.
Would you like a drink or anything while you listen?

Speaker 31 No, no, that's very kind of you, but

Speaker 31 would you mind terribly if I smoked while I listened?

Speaker 28 Not at all, sir.

Speaker 29 Smoke them myself.

Speaker 32 That's why all the fire detectors have expired batteries.

Speaker 8 Hmm.

Speaker 24 Well, I'll um see you shortly then. Yes, sir.

Speaker 24 It didn't take long for the lawyer to start cozying up to me.

Speaker 31 No doubt hoping I'd secure his services, as my father had. But to be quite honest, I was as ignorant of legal formalities as I was of opulence.

Speaker 26 But I suppose I'd learn my way about both in time.

Speaker 24 There was an ominous quality to the moment, waiting to hear my father's voice for the first time.

Speaker 31 I didn't want to make a moment out of it, so I simply pushed play on the machine and took my seat upon the sofa, cigarette in hand.

Speaker 31 My son,

Speaker 31 you have every right to your apathy and or dislike of me.

Speaker 8 And the fortune I am bequeathing to you.

Speaker 8 All, no doubt, have been well earned.

Speaker 8 You should be aware that, while you know nothing of me, I have been watching you. I am aware of your trials.

Speaker 8 It has pained me to leave you to them, unfortified by the good fortune I have known my entire life.

Speaker 8 But I believe wealth is no healthy means by which to come into the world.

Speaker 8 I speak from experience, certainly. No good has come from my fortune.
Only the cloistered obsessions of the idle rich, the doldrums of a will unchallenged. But you, my boy,

Speaker 8 you have vision, and the will to see it done.

Speaker 8 And now you have the means.

Speaker 8 There are no more limitations, Benjamin, save this.

Speaker 8 You must stay in the house for at least one year.

Speaker 8 There are secrets you must learn, so that,

Speaker 8 in time,

Speaker 8 you will understand.

Speaker 31 As I listened to the voice of my dead father, I began to feel strange, mildly dizzy.

Speaker 26 And there was something else, too.

Speaker 7 In the background of the recording, a murmuring, even a chanting, barely perceptible i assumed it to be an artifact of vintage technology

Speaker 8 but

Speaker 8 on this point

Speaker 8 we share an experience a clinical desire to understand it all

Speaker 8 if only to dispel the dread of not knowing

Speaker 8 your most recent manuscript

Speaker 8 Beneath it all, a search for answers,

Speaker 8 reads as if a page torn from my very mind. Though, after inspecting it, I can see that your mind is by far the keener between us.

Speaker 8 Still, I can see that my...

Speaker 8 obsessions have become you as well.

Speaker 8 But perhaps, unlike myself,

Speaker 8 You will acquire some peace with them by satisfying them once and for all.

Speaker 8 this

Speaker 8 my lost son is my gift to you the possibility of final clarity

Speaker 8 i wish you well on the rest of your journey for if you are listening to this

Speaker 8 mine has at last come to an end

Speaker 8 farewell benjamin Perhaps we will meet again in a world more welcoming than this one.

Speaker 31 The first time I'd ever heard my father's voice, and all he really had to say to me was

Speaker 3 goodbye.

Speaker 3 You gonna keep me in suspense, or are you gonna tell me what you found?

Speaker 21 About a metric ton of men's personal journals, all sorts of cassettes and whatnot. Just what Phyllis said they'd be.

Speaker 20 Going through all this stuff's gonna take forever.

Speaker 9 How's the city look?

Speaker 33 You know, you've seen one ghost town, you've seen them all. Though, the place does look pretty good for being abandoned as long as it has.

Speaker 33 By the way, I found the spot where the FBI set up shop while they collected evidence. Probably been gone through by every thrill seeker and legend tripper within a hundred miles of here.

Speaker 33 I doubt there's anything left to find.

Speaker 19 Yeah, but it does like to check.

Speaker 5 You never know.

Speaker 22 Not like someone couldn't drop evidence on their way out of a crime scene.

Speaker 8 Jesus Mace, am I ever gonna hear the end of that?

Speaker 33 And I wonder who it was that caught Laszlo. You or me?

Speaker 19 Yeah, yeah, I never doubted your business acumen for a second. Anyway, I'm gonna head out and set up the generator.

Speaker 21 Keep an eye out for Phyllis.

Speaker 19 I told her to meet us at the mansion, but the city's set up like a maze.

Speaker 22 I might have even had to consult the map a few times myself to find the place.

Speaker 22 Well, she is a psychic, so I'm thinking she'll manage.

Speaker 22 Come on, pick up.

Speaker 22 Pick up.

Speaker 22 Hello, you've reached Leon Oates of Apex Intelligence Solutions. I'm currently unavailable, but please please leave a callback number and a brief message, and I'll be sure to return your call.

Speaker 8 Thank you.

Speaker 34 Ugh, it's me, Phyllis. I must have turned down the wrong road.
I can't be more than a few minutes away from you two. I'm just outside of Cold Sparrow, somewhere in the Pitch Pot Woods.

Speaker 34 Call me back as soon as you get this.

Speaker 34 I don't care if I quit. If I'm going to be lost in the woods, I'm at least going to have a cigarette.

Speaker 3 Hurry up, boys.

Speaker 34 Call me back, won't you?

Speaker 34 What the?

Speaker 34 Is

Speaker 1 someone

Speaker 3 out there?

Speaker 3 Easy sent at your shoulders.

Speaker 3 Jesus!

Speaker 3 Hey, Phyllis, called you as soon as I got the message. Perception is garbage out here.

Speaker 34 So I'm realizing that, and once you turn on to Pitch Point Drive, there's no online maps of these other roads.

Speaker 3 Thus,

Speaker 34 I'm afraid I have no idea where I am.

Speaker 33 Don't sweat it, Phil. I'll find you soon enough.

Speaker 8 And is that a sig?

Speaker 33 I hear you puffing on. I thought you'd quit.

Speaker 34 I'm very particular about how I choose to quit things. Now, please, just hurry up and come get me, won't you?

Speaker 33 Sure thing.

Speaker 8 Be there in a s- Leon

Speaker 34 damn lousy service.

Speaker 26 Phyllis, my dear.

Speaker 34 I've a feeling you're not going to enjoy this one.

Speaker 34 Come on, you.

Speaker 3 How'd you do it? Hello, water in power.

Speaker 3 Uh, Phyllis got herself lost in the woods.

Speaker 33 Apparently, zigged when she should have zagged. Headed out to bring her in now.

Speaker 21 So much for being psychic.

Speaker 19 I got the journey up and running, so I'll be inside when you get back.

Speaker 19 Sure thing.

Speaker 33 Be back in just a few.

Speaker 7 The three of us had worked a lot of cases together, but nothing like this one.

Speaker 21 You generally don't see an entire town of people go missing.

Speaker 3 Not since the lost call in the Aroanoke, at any rate. Anyway, we were only being paid to hunt for the one guy, the rich one, Ben Veers.

Speaker 19 And after the snippet I'd read from one of his hidden journals, it was about time I heard the guy's actual voice.

Speaker 7 The mini cassettes were in no particular order, so I just swiped the first one that caught my eye.

Speaker 19 It was titled, Existential Obsessive.

Speaker 8 Loneliness is the inordinate sum of absences one experiences as an outlier. The loss of faith, trust, camaraderie.
or even truth. I am alone because I cannot make peace with my own ignorance.

Speaker 8 The ignorance that all of us must reckon and eventually yield to.

Speaker 8 I have not

Speaker 8 because I cannot. My stubbornness is inscribed upon my very genes, or so current science would have us all believe.

Speaker 8 Disorder, they say. My need to know more than anyone could, or probably should, for that matter.

Speaker 8 One medicine after the next, and still that yawning vacancy.

Speaker 8 I must know why.

Speaker 8 Where do we come from?

Speaker 8 Why are we even here?

Speaker 8 Where will we go when the sun ceases to rise?

Speaker 8 Is there a heaven? Or, God forbid,

Speaker 8 a hell?

Speaker 35 The Gentleman from Hell is a Meltopia production. Today's episode was written by Mark Anzalone and performed by Stephen Zivik, Sam Stark, Aubrey Ackers, and Mark Anzalone.

Speaker 35 Sound editing was completed by Stephen Anzalone, and script editing was conducted by Walker Kornfeld. Be sure to rate and review us on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Speaker 35 And follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at Meltopia. If you want unique art and animations of Meltopia's stories, visit our YouTube page or click on the link in the show notes.

Speaker 35 And for more exclusive content, such as additional lore, stories, and art, be sure to check out our Patreon at www.patreon.com forward slash Meltopia.

Speaker 7 Trust. It's not just given.

Speaker 6 It's earned. Earned in the early mornings, in the late nights.

Speaker 7 Earned by generations of real California dairy families who care and carried on by even the littlest ones.

Speaker 6 Care for their cows, for their land, for their community, and care for you.

Speaker 7 Because when 99% of our dairy farms are family-owned, you're getting generations of tradition you can trust.

Speaker 9 Real California milk.

Speaker 7 Look for the seal.

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