Tales Under A Broken Sky

A Tale Form The Hearth | The Changeling | A Folk Horror Story of Family, Folklore, and Unspoken TruthsA brother who changed.A mother who knew.And a truth still buried.A man reflects on the life of his twin brother, recalling a childhood shaped by sudden shifts. A brief illness. A change in temperament. And a growing sense that something was no longer quite right. Over time, those small fractures widened into something that strained his family to breaking point.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, a lifetime of unease is pieced together through memory and the final confession of a dying mother. Her private writings tell a different version of events, one rooted in folklore, suspicion, and a belief she carried to her grave.The Changeling is a slow-burn gothic horror story about identity, grief, and the quiet ways fear can take hold within a family. It explores the tension between rational explanation and inherited belief, and the cost of confronting a truth that may be impossible to accept.Expect lingering unease, fractured recollections, and a story where the answer is never as simple as it first appears.If you’re drawn to psychological horror, Irish folklore, and stories that leave space for doubt, this episode is for you.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy and speculative fiction, released fortnightly.Content Warning: Death, TortureTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:35 - The Changeling00:15:27 - Background Discussion00:19:10 - Listener Support00:19:53 - Outro

Classic Reading | The Masque of the Red Death | A Gothic Meditation on Decadence and DenialA barricaded gate.A masquerade in the shadow of a plague.And an illness that cares not for boundaries.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to the fevered imagination of Edgar Allan Poe with a reading of The Masque of the Red Death.As Prince Prospero withdraws into his fortified abbey, sealing himself away with music, wine, and masked revelry, the suffering outside becomes distant — almost abstract. Behind gilded walls and carefully curated chambers, decadence becomes distraction. Privilege becomes insulation. And denial begins to look like strategy.But ignorance does not mean inoculation.This classic reading explores moral rot beneath luxury, the arrogance of believing oneself untouchable, and the quiet horror of inevitability. Expect mounting tension, symbolic dread, and the slow realization that some debts cannot be avoided.Only postponed.If you’re drawn to gothic allegory, plague-haunted atmospheres, and stories that strip away illusion, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Death, DiseaseTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:50 - They Come in the Dark00:18:25 - Background Discussion00:21:11 - Listener Support00:21:55 - Outro

They Come in the Dark | A Folk Cult Horror Story of War, Faith, and HungerAn army on the march.A road that grows emptier each night.And something watching from beyond the firelight.When a young country noble joins the army in service of crown and country, he writes faithfully to his parents, recording the hardships of the road, the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers, and his devotion to duty and faith. But as the march continues, soldiers begin to vanish. Veterans. Camp followers. Officers. Gone without trace.What begins as unease becomes certainty.What becomes certainty becomes terror.And terror gives way to something far worse.This episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, unfolds through a series of letters that chart a steady psychological descent, from discipline and belief to isolation, dissociation, and hunger. As the army collapses and faith fractures, the narrator is forced to confront not only an inhuman threat, but what survival demands of him.They Come in the Dark is a bleak folk horror story about the erosion of identity, the corruption of faith under unbearable strain, and the moment where duty gives way to instinct. It is a tale of dark forests, unseen hunters, and the terrifying question of what remains when the gods fall silent.Expect creeping dread, ritual violence, and a slow unraveling that does not end with death, but with transformation.If you’re drawn to epistolary horror, psychological collapse, and stories where survival carries a terrible cost, this episode awaits you in the darkness.Content warnings: death, violence, torture, gore, cannibalism, psychological breakdownEpisode Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:00:38 - They Come in the Dark00:36:41 - Background Discussion00:40:13 - Listener Support00: 40:57 - Outro

Malevolency | A Gothic Horror Story About Twisted Faith and Buried SecretsA silent church.A ruin left untouched.And a presence that refuses to be forgotten.St Matthew’s Church of the Eternal Redemption has stood abandoned for decades. Its records are gone. Its history erased.And yet it remains.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, an urban exploration blogger discovers the church and sees an opportunity for viral fame. A story no one else has told. A place inexplicably overlooked.But some secrets don’t want to be uncovered.And some places remember.Malevolency is a slow-burn gothic horror story about religious symbolism, forgotten spaces, and the dangerous pull of places left to decay. This marks my first full dive into religious horror, shaped slowly over months and brought to life through metaphor, atmosphere, and creeping dread.Expect ruined sanctuaries, unsettling revelations, and the sense that not every silence is empty.If you’re drawn to quiet gothic horror, strange ruins, and stories that linger long after the final line, this one is for you.Content warnings: death, violence, mentions of child death, torture and abuse, explicit language, religious symbolism, body horror.Episode Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:00:36 - Malevolency00:35:52 - Background Discussion00:38:53 - Listener Support00: 39:32 - Outro

The Muse | A Psychological Horror Story About Ambition and Faustian BargainsA blank page.A chance encounter.And the moment ambition becomes predatory.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to original fiction with The Muse, a story that recently appeared in Volume Four of The Dark CornerThis one is close to my heart.Written during a bout of post-holiday writer’s block, inspired by a random prompt, and drafted in fragments on buses and in a tattoo chair, this was the story that pulled me out of a creative slump and reminded me why I do what I do.In The Muse, a struggling writer is on the edge of breakdown when a chance meeting with a devoted fan changes the course of his career. What begins as encouragement quickly becomes opportunity. And opportunity becomes temptation.But sometimes a deal is too good to be true.The Muse is a slow-burn horror story about artistic desperation, external validation, and the quiet horror of discovering what you’re willing to sacrifice for success. Expect creeping tension, psychological unease, and the realization that inspiration doesn’t always arrive alone.If you’re drawn to creative obsession, dangerous bargains, and stories that linger like unfinished sentences, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Death, violence, substance abuse, depictions of child death, explicit languageTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:38 - The Muse00:30:21 - Background Discussion00:33:40 - Listener Support00:34:03 - Outro

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Final Part) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted LoveA truth fully spoken.A ruin waiting in silence.And the end of a long journey.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we reach the conclusion of our reading of Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.General Spielsdorf completes his account, finally revealing the mystery behind his niece’s death and the strange journey that followed. As the truth comes into focus, the group gathers in the ruins of Karnstein Castle, where recognition replaces doubt and Carmilla is forced to flee.With the aid of a mysterious stranger, they pursue her into the dark and attempt to bring an end to what has been quietly feeding on them all.This final chapter brings Carmilla to its close, where long-buried knowledge meets decisive action, and an ancient horror is confronted at last. Expect gothic ritual, emotional resolution, and the sense that some endings carry echoes long after the danger has passed.Not every victory feels like triumph.Some simply feel like survival.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, haunted ruins, and stories where revelation finally gives way to release, this chapter is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like A Deal With The Devil or Eternal Sunshine, original stories exploring similar themes.Thank you for listening, for following along, and for joining me by the hearth.Original stories return soon. Until then, thank you for walking in the dark with me.Content Warning: DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:35 - Carmilla - Chapter Fourteen00:10:00 - Carmilla - Chapter Fifteen00:16:46 - Carmilla - Chapter Sixteen00:23:54 - Background Discussion00:25:52 - Listener Support00:26:215 - Outro

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Five) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted LoveA story finally told.A pattern made visible.And the silence before something returns.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we reach the penultimate chapter of our classic reading of Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.General Spielsdorf recounts the events surrounding his niece’s death, a tale that bears chilling similarities to what is unfolding in Laura’s household. As his testimony draws lines between past and present, unease hardens into recognition. What once felt coincidental now reads as inevitable.The atmosphere tightens. Truth gathers weight. And the group waits for Carmilla to awaken.This chapter brings Carmilla to the edge of confrontation, where grief clashes with hard-earned knowledge and the cost of denial becomes impossible to ignore. Expect confession, mounting tension, and the sense that revelation doesn’t bring relief.It brings urgency.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, converging timelines, and stories where testimony becomes warning, this chapter is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like A Deal With The Devil or Eternal Sunshine, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:37 - Carmilla - Chapter Eleven00:09:21 - Carmilla - Chapter Twelve00:18:05 - Carmilla - Chapter Thirteen00:27:08 - Background Discussion00:29:08 - Listener Support00:29:27 - Outro

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Four) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted LoveAn empty room.A body growing weaker.And the moment doubt becomes certainty.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we continue our classic reading of Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, exploring Chapters Eight, Nine, and Ten.As Carmilla vanishes from her room, unease gives way to alarm. A search is launched. A doctor arrives to examine Laura’s growing lethargy and disturbing weakness. And with the return of General Spielsdorf from his long and unsettling travels, new knowledge enters the house, bringing with it the weight of hard-earned experience.What was once unspoken now demands attention.This chapter marks a turning point in Carmilla, where suspicion sharpens into recognition and the cost of inaction becomes impossible to ignore. Expect rising tension, gothic investigation, and the sense that the walls themselves are listening.The stakes are no longer distant.They are high.And imminent.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, encroaching dread, and stories where revelation tightens the noose rather than loosening it, this chapter is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like A Deal With The Devil or Eternal Sunshine, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:36 - Carmilla - Chapter Eight00:07:54 - Carmilla - Chapter Nine00:17:49 - Carmilla - Chapter Ten00:23:48 - Background Discussion00:25:52 - Listener Support00:26:11 - Outro

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Three) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted LoveRestless sleep.Shared unease.And the feeling of being watched from inside the room.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, continuing our classic reading through Chapters Six and Seven.As the household settles into an uneasy routine, strange dreams begin to trouble Laura, vivid, intimate, and disturbingly similar. At the same time, Carmilla’s behavior grows harder to ignore. Small inconsistencies surface. Private moments feel staged. And gestures once read as affection begin to carry sharper implications.What was once merely unsettling now feels deliberate.This chapter deepens Carmilla’s gothic meditation on corruption and control, where influence works quietly and boundaries erode in sleep and silence. Expect hushed tension, literary horror, and the slow realization that danger doesn’t always arrive with violence.Sometimes it arrives with familiarity.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, haunted interiors, and stories that unfold like secrets shared in the dark, this chapter is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like A Deal With The Devil or Eternal Sunshine, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:38 - Carmilla - Chapter Six00:09:09 - Carmilla - Chapter Seven00:20:11 - Background Discussion00:21:42 - Listener Support00:22:03 - Outro

Dawn and the Spectre of Death | A Quiet Horror Story of Grief and SurvivalA pale light on frozen stone.A body pushed past its limits.And the realisation that morning doesn’t mean safety.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we take a break from classic readings and return to original fiction with Dawn and the Spectre of Death, a story that appeared in Volume Three of The Dark Corner.As first light begins to creep across the mountainside, a lone stranger finds themselves stranded far from help. Cold seeps into muscle and each step becomes a negotiation. With the dark finally loosening its grip on the sky, something else begins to draw closer.What starts as a fight against exhaustion and exposure becomes something far more intimate.This is a slow-burn horror story about isolation, endurance, and the thin line between survival and surrender. Expect stark landscapes, creeping dread, and the sense that sometimes the most terrifying thing you can meet on a mountain is what follows you into the morning.If you’re drawn to wilderness horror, quiet desperation, and stories that linger like frost on skin, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Demonic Presence, Death, depictions of self-harm, tortureTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:37 - Dawn and the Spectre of Death00:09:02 - Background Discussion00:10:38 - Listener Support00:10:58 - Outro

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part Two) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted LoveA guest who lingers too long.A kindness that feels rehearsed.And the slow certainty that something isn’t right.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, continuing our classic reading through Chapters Three to Five.As Carmilla settles further into her host’s life, we begin to learn more about her temperament and her strange, unsettling way of moving through the world. What first appeared as fragility now carries sharper edges. Familiarity deepens. Boundaries blur. And beneath every quiet exchange, a creeping sense of wrongness begins to grow.This chapter explores influence, proximity, and the unease that arrives when affection feels too carefully placed.Carmilla continues its gothic meditation on desire and control. Expect hushed tension, literary horror, and the gradual realization that danger doesn’t always announce itself.It waits.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, uneasy intimacy, and stories that unfold like secrets shared too close to the ear, this chapter is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like A Deal With The Devil or Eternal Sunshine, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:45 - Carmilla - Chapter Three00:15:36 - Carmilla - Chapter Four00:37:32 - Carmilla - Chapter Five00:45:02 - Background Discussion00:47:46 - Listener Support00:48:09 - Outro

Classic Reading | Carmilla (Part One) | A Gothic Meditation on Desire and Tainted LoveA quiet estate.A stranger in the night.And a presence that arrives softly.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we begin a new classic reading with Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, one of the foundational works of gothic vampire fiction.Part One invites us into a world of lingering glances, half-spoken fears, and intimacy threaded with danger. Long before modern horror found its voice, Carmilla was already exploring obsession, repression, and the quiet terror of letting the wrong person too close.This opening chapter sets the stage for a story that has inspired generations of dark fiction, where innocence blurs into longing and something ancient begins to move beneath polite society.Carmilla is a gothic meditation on vulnerability and influence. Expect hushed atmosphere, literary horror, and the slow realization that some horrors don’t announce themselves.They wait.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, haunted estates, and stories that unfold like whispered secrets, this one is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like A Deal With The Devil or Eternal Sunshine, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:36 - Chapter One00:11:24 - Chapter Two00:25:52 - Background Discussion00:28:38 - Listener Support00:29:00 - Outro

A Tale From the Hearth | The Banshee | A Folk Horror Story of Family and ForewarningA quiet fire.An old voice carrying tradition.And memories wrapped in wood fire and peat smoke.This week, we begin something new.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, I introduce A Tale From the Hearth: short stories told by firelight, meant to keep company with long winter nights.In The Banshee, a grandfather shares the history of his family’s banshee with his grandson as they sit together by the hearth. What begins as folklore becomes confession, as generations of grief, loss, and quiet omens surface in the warmth of the room.This is a short folk horror tale about inherited memory, ancestral warnings, and the strange comfort found in knowing what comes before it arrives. Expect hushed atmosphere, old-world dread, and the sense that some stories are told not to entertain, but to prepare.If you’re drawn to fireside folklore, family ghosts, and stories that linger like smoke in woolen clothes, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and speculative fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Cursing, DeathTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:41 - The Banshee00:07:38 - Background Discussion00:10:07 - Listener Support00:10:29 - Outro

Eternal Sunshine | A Science Fiction Horror Story of Survival and DescentA tortured planet.A missing team of researchers.And the echo of something waiting below.This episode is a special one for me.Earlier this year, Eternal Sunshine became my first accepted short story submission, and the first piece of writing I was ever paid for. Recording and producing this one was intense, but I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, the sole survivor of a rescue mission to a distant, tidally locked planet struggles against the infernal heat of the tortured atmosphere. Following the trail of those they were sent to save, they descend into the heart of the world, driven by duty, desperation, and the need for answers.What they find beneath the surface is far worse than anything waiting above.Eternal Sunshine is a slow-burn science fiction horror about isolation, perseverance, and the terrible discoveries that lie at the end of unfinished journeys. Expect hostile landscapes, creeping cosmic dread, and the revelation of what lies at the core of a dead planet.It reaches.If you’re drawn to deep-space survival, ancient horrors, and stories that linger like heat on scorched skin, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and speculative fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Cursing, Violence, Death, Cosmic Horror, Body HorrorTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:46 - Eternal Sunshine00:26:44 - Background Discussion00:29:16 - Listener Support00:29:40 - Outro

The Witches of Killdanoe | Chapter Two | A Folk Horror SerialA body beneath dark water.A town holding its breath.And the truth beginning to surface.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to Killdanoe as the search for Julia Burns continues.While divers work to recover her body from the lake, James Galvin revisits the details of the case and uncovers something deeply unsettling. Meanwhile, Maisie Horgan comes home after learning of her best friend’s mother’s death, only to find a community on edge, where grief has hardened into anger and familiar faces now feel divided.What was once quiet concern has become something sharper.As tensions rise and old loyalties begin to fracture, it becomes clear that this town is standing on the edge of irreversible change.The Witches of Killdanoe is a slow-burn folk horror about collective grief, buried truths, and the moment a community crosses from mourning into blame. Expect creeping unease, emotional fallout, and the realization that once suspicion takes root, it rarely leaves without taking something with it.If you’re drawn to small-town reckonings, social collapse, and stories that unravel through silence and fury, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Cursing, Violence, Death, MurderTable of Contents:Chapter OneChapter TwoTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:49 - James Galvin0011:04 - Maisie Horgan00:19:54 - Background Discussion00:21:55 - Listener Support00:22:21 - Eternal Sunshine (Trailer)00:22:56 - Outro

Behind the Broken Sky | Feeding the FlamesA pause in the schedule.A look behind the curtain.And a seat by the hearth.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, I step away from fiction to share a behind-the-scenes look at how an episode comes together, from first spark to final edit.Life and work caught up with me this week, so instead of a new story, I’m opening the door on my creative process: how I write, record, edit, and produce the show, what I’ve learned over the past year, and how my workflow continues to evolve.Consider this a quiet fireside chat about craft, curiosity, and the messy, rewarding reality of making something alone.Thank you for listening, for following along, and for joining me by the hearth.Regular stories return soon. Until then, thank you for walking in the dark with me.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:43 - Introduction00:02:13 - Writing & Scripting00:09:45 - Recording & Production00:17:11 - Proofing00:18:36 - Final Thoughts00:21:29 - Listener Support00:22:01 - The Witches of Killdanoe - Chapter Two (Trailer)

The Possessed | Chapter Two | A Dark Religious Fantasy SerialA dark presence casting shadows across history.A world quietly slipping its seams.And the cost of knowing too much.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to The Possessed.Picking up where we left off, our cast of characters struggles to come to terms with the celestial forces now influencing their lives.A shadowy figure watches from the margins.A history professor spirals further into madness.A former priest reexamines everything he once believed.A psychologist confronts his own inner demons.And a nurse endures an encounter that will not loosen its grip.As their lives begin to diverge from everything they once knew, the weight of what’s unfolding becomes impossible to ignore.This is a slow-burn dark religious fantasy about spiritual collapse, fragile conviction, and the unbearable pressure of being human in the shadow of something divine. Expect creeping dread, fractured perspectives, and the realisation that the end of the world doesn’t arrive with fire.It arrives quietly, one person at a time.If you’re drawn to fallen faith, psychological unraveling, and stories where ordinary lives brush against cosmic consequence, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Swearing, Depiction of Blood, Violence & Death, Mental Health Issues, War, FascismTable of Contents:Chapter OneChapter TwoTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:45 - The Dark Stranger00:03:25 - The Continued Agony of Martin Hill00:13:06 - Justin Shaw Contemplates His Faith00:22:39 - Tim Masters' Inner Demons00:32:08 - Maria Deteriorates00:36:35 - Background Discussion00:41:49 - Listener Support00:42:14 - The Witches of Killdanoe - Chapter Two (Trailer)

Behind the Broken Sky | Reflections on Horror, Fantasy, and Science FictionTwenty episodes in.A pause between stories.And a moment to step out from the shadows.In this special milestone episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, I take a break from fiction to reflect on the journey so far. I share my thoughts on the podcast, what fantasy, horror, and science fiction mean to me as genres, and why I believe they still matter in a world that often feels stranger than any story.This also marks the first video episode of the show. It’s rough around the edges, recorded without fancy gear or polished editing, but it felt right for a more personal conversation.Consider this a quiet fireside chat about storytelling, imagination, and the role speculative fiction plays in helping us understand ourselves.Thank you for listening, for following along, and for joining me by the hearth.Regular stories return soon. Until then, thank you for walking in the dark with me.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:32 - The Podcasting Adventure So Far00:07:30 - Fantasy00:12:30 - Science Fiction00:17:55 - Horror00:24:17 - Diversity in Fantasy, Horror & Science Fiction00:26:05 - Listener Support00:26:30 - The Possessed - Chapter Two (Trailer)

The Devil's in the d20 | An Urban Legend Horror Story About Chance and ConsequenceA rumor passed between strangers.A game that isn’t on the schedule.And the moment you realise some games are for keeps.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, a late-night gamer at a convention learns the truth behind a longstanding myth. The rumours of special late-night games. The friend of a friend who vanished from the circuit. The stories about the Devil himself presiding over a table where every roll of the dice carries a price.It all sounds like convention folklore. A marketing myth. Something designed to make after-hours feel dangerous and exciting.Until it isn’t.Drawn into a game they never meant to play, our narrator discovers that some legends survive because they’re useful. And some survive because they’re true.This is a slow-burn horror story about temptation, chance, and the terrible clarity that comes when you realize you’ve already placed your bet. Expect creeping tension, confessional dread, and the sense that some games don’t end when you leave the table.If you’re drawn to urban myths, cursed bargains, and stories that linger like dice still rolling in the dark, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Blood, Profanity, Gore, Cosmic HorrorTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:48 - The Devil’s in the d2000:17:07 - Background Discussion00:20:15 - Listener Support

Pretender | Chapter Two | A Dark Urban Fantasy SerialA battle won.A kingdom starving.And the terrible weight of being responsible for both.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to Pretender.Former Prince Cassian has secured a crucial victory, tightening his grip on the heartland of the empire. But triumph brings no peace. War has hollowed out the countryside. Disease and hunger spread through emptied towns, while the usurper conscripts relentlessly, stripping whole communities of their young and their hope.Despite Cassian’s efforts to aid his people, every advance seems only to deepen their suffering.As threats gather from within his own ranks and beyond the borders of his campaign, the fragile future of the kingdom hangs in the balance. Winter is fast approaching, and Cassian is forced to confront a truth no ruler escapes.Some victories cost more than they give.Pretender is a slow-burn dark fantasy about leadership under pressure, the cruelty of impossible choices, and what happens when doing your best is no longer enough. Expect war-worn landscapes, moral fatigue, and the creeping realization that reclaiming a throne does not mean saving a nation.If you’re drawn to fallen rulers, fractured empires, and stories that unravel through sacrifice and consequence, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Violence, Bloodshed, Death, GoreTable of Contents:PrologueChapter One - Biting The HandChapter Two - A Royal VictoryTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:50 - A Royal Victory00:24:14 - Background Discussion00:27:36 - Listener Support

The Old Gods Are Dying | Chapter Two | A Dark Mythic Fantasy SerialTen years away.A summons home.And the weight of everything left unsaid.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to The Old Gods Are Dying.After a decade spent running from his past, Fiachra is called home by his grandmother Maeve to sit beside his dying grandfather. Back in the small farmhouse of his childhood, memories surface uninvited. Old wounds reopen. And grief settles into his bones as he keeps vigil at Domhnall’s bedside.As night falls and silence stretches long between breaths, Fiachra is forced to confront the years he cannot reclaim, the words he never spoke, and the quiet legacy of a family shaped by ancient promises.This is a slow-burn dark fantasy about coming home, inherited sorrow, and the unbearable tenderness of farewell. Expect hushed atmosphere, emotional weight, and the sense that some goodbyes echo far beyond the room they’re spoken in.If you’re drawn to ancestral stories, fractured families, and tales that linger like smoke in cold air, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Supernatural HorrorTable of Contents:PrologueChapter One - A Long WinterChapter Two - Returning HomeTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:44 - Returning Home00:24:33 - Background Discussion00:28:00 - Listener Support00:28:27 - Pretender - Chapter Two (Trailer)00:32:48 - Outro

A Deal With the Devil | A Psychological Horror Story About Desperation and ChoiceA broken routine.A darkened alley.And the moment help arrives wearing the wrong face.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, Mark Winthrop is having a bad day. Tired, hungry, and pushed out of his carefully ordered life by a string of small misfortunes, he finds himself mugged and bleeding in the shadows of the city.That’s when a stranger steps forward.And Mark learns that nothing is ever truly free.This is a slow-burn horror story about vulnerability, temptation, and the terrible clarity that comes when you realize every choice has a price. Expect creeping tension, quiet dread, and the sense that some bargains are made long before you agree to them.If you’re drawn to shadowed streets, dangerous kindness, and stories that linger like pain beneath the skin, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Blood, Bodily Harm, Cursing, Supernatural HorrorTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:47 - A Deal With The Devil00:46:47 - Background Discussion00:49:40 - Listener Support00:50:05 - The Old Gods Are Dying - Chapter Two (Trailer)00:52:58 - Outro

The Forest of the Red Wolf | A Folk Horror Story About Inheritance and Rejected WarningsA foolish bet.A forest after midnight.And the sound of a legend turned real.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, James Stanley finds himself alone in the old woods, cold, frightened, and far from home. What begins as bravado quickly gives way to panic as he realizes he is no longer alone.Stalked through the trees by a creature he once believed lived only in his grandfather’s stories, James is forced to confront both the beast that hunts him and the memories he’s spent years trying to outrun.The Forest of the Red Wolf is a slow-burn folk horror tale about inherited fear, buried pasts, and what happens when childhood warnings finally come calling. Expect creeping tension, shadowed forests, and the realization that some legends don’t fade.They wait.If you’re drawn to dark woods, family ghosts, and stories that linger like breath in cold air, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Blood, ProfanityTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:48 - The Forest of the Red Wolf00:23:20 - Background Discussion00:29:05 - Listener Support00:29:37 - A Deal With The Devil (Trailer)

Classic Reading | The Tell-Tale Heart | A Gothic Descent into Guilt and MadnessA careful plan.A watching eye.And a secret that refuses to stay unheard.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to one of the true classics of horror: The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe.This reading explores obsession, control, and the slow unraveling of a mind convinced of its own clarity. It is a masterclass in quiet tension, building patiently until certainty fractures and everything begins to come apart.For many, this is a first doorway into horror. For others, a story that never quite loosens its grip.The Tell-Tale Heart is a chilling meditation on guilt and self-deception, told through tightening rhythm and creeping dread. Expect literary horror, claustrophobic atmosphere, and the sense that madness doesn’t arrive suddenly.It accumulates.If you’re drawn to classic gothic fiction, unreliable narrators, and stories that echo long after the final line, this one is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like The Muse or Virtual Hell, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Murder, MadnessTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:48 - The Telltale Heart00:23:20 - Background Discussion00:29:05 - Listener Support00:29:37 - The Forest of The Red Wolf (Trailer)

The Witches of Killdanoe | Chapter One | A Folk Horror SerialA woman goes missing.A body is discovered.And a town begins to turn on itself.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we enter Killdanoe, an idyllic small town about to fracture.What begins as concern curdles into suspicion. A shocking arrest sends shockwaves through the community, and long-buried truths begin to surface. As tensions rise, anger, betrayal, and prejudice seep into every conversation, every glance, every closed door.The Witches of Killdanoe is a new serialised horror tale exploring a fictional modern-day witch hunt, where fear moves faster than facts and grief becomes fuel.This is a slow-burn story about collective blame, fragile trust, and the devastating cost of choosing sides. Expect creeping unease, moral collapse, and the realisation that sometimes the most dangerous thing in a town is what people are willing to believe about each other.If you’re drawn to small-town secrets, social paranoia, and stories that unravel through rumor and rage, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Cursing, Violence, Death, MurderTable of Contents:Chapter OneChapter TwoTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:42 - The Witches of Killdanoe00:22:40 - Background Discussion00:26:25 - Listener Support00:26:53 - The Telltale Heart (Trailer)

Pretender | Chapter One | A Dark Urban Fantasy SerialA plan drawn in whispers.An apprentice watching every door.And the creeping paranoia that things are too good to be true.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we continue Pretender.Darian, former member of the Thieves Guild, turned fugitive, prepares to rob the estate of a wealthy merchant alongside his young apprentice, Dog. Doubt shadows every step. Paranoia coils tighter with each passing hour. Yet despite his misgivings, Darian commits to the job, convinced he can still outthink whatever waits on the other side of the door.He can’t.As the night unfolds, alliances blur and intentions fracture. What begins as a careful heist becomes something far more dangerous, and Darian discovers that in a city built on secrets, nothing is ever what it seems.Pretender is a slow-burn dark fantasy about trust under pressure, the cost of mentorship, and the quiet cruelty of traps that don’t announce themselves. Expect shadowed corridors, shifting loyalties, and the creeping realization that some games are rigged from the start.If you’re drawn to thieves’ guilds, dangerous apprenticeships, and stories that unravel through betrayal and blood-bound promises, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Violence, Bloodshed, Death, GoreTable of Contents:PrologueChapter One - Biting The HandChapter Two - A Royal VictoryTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:50 - Biting The Hand00:30:30 - Background Discussion00:33:12 - Listener Support00:33:38 - The Witches of Kildare - Part One (Trailer)

The Old Gods Are Dying | Chapter One | A Dark Mythic Fantasy SerialA mountain swallowed by fog.A house left waiting.And a winter that refuses to pass.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we return to The Old Gods Are Dying.When Maeve’s husband and grandchild fail to return from a journey up the mountain, she is left to face the long winter alone. Cut off from the world and surrounded by silence, she does what she can to endure, drawing strength from the old teachings her husband once shared with her.But something watches from the margins.As days blur into nights and the cold presses closer, an unseen presence begins to make itself known. Memory becomes refuge. Faith becomes armor. And survival turns into an act of quiet defiance.This is a slow-burn dark fantasy about grief, resilience, and what it means to stand your ground when the gods have gone silent. Expect creeping dread, wintry atmosphere, and the sense that some battles are fought not with weapons, but with will.If you’re drawn to isolated landscapes, ancestral knowledge, and stories that unfold like frost across glass, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Supernatural HorrorTable of Contents:PrologueChapter One - A Long WinterChapter Two - Returning HomeTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:43 - A Long Winter00:21:54 - Background Discussion00:26:12 - Listener Support00:26:42 - Pretender - Chapter One (Trailer)

The Possessed | Prologue | A Dark Fantasy SerialAn ancient war in the heavens.A victory soaked in shadow.And a world that doesn’t yet know it’s already been changed.This episode begins a new serialised dark fantasy tale within Tales Under A Broken Sky, set against the backdrop of a celestial conflict fought between angels and demons, with humanity caught unknowingly in the middle.An evil presence savours its triumph.A history professor wakes to pain and ruin.A former priest receives an unexpected visitor.A psychologist discovers that their patient is far more than she appears.Their lives begin to converge as something ancient moves quietly through the cracks of the world.This is a slow-burn fantasy horror about divine manipulation, fractured faith, and the terrible cost of being collateral in a war you never agreed to fight. Expect mythic scale, intimate suffering, and the creeping realisation that fate doesn’t arrive all at once. It unfolds.If you’re drawn to fallen angels, hidden demons, and stories where ordinary people stand on the edge of cosmic consequence, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Swearing, Depiction of Blood, Violence & Death, Mental Health Issues, War, FascismTable of Contents:Chapter OneChapter TwoTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:49 - The Dark Stranger00:04:14 - The Agony of Martin Hill00:12:38 - Justin Shaw has a visitor00:23:22 - Maria is no longer Maria00:37:39 - Background Discussion00:40:54 - Listener Support00:41:23 - The Old Gods Are Dying - Chapter One (Trailer)

Classic Reading: Christabel | Part Two | A Gothic Meditation on Influence and BetrayalA guest who lingers too long.A father’s trust quietly redirected.And a daughter pushed into the margins.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we continue our reading of Christabel, the gothic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.As the story unfolds, Geraldine’s insidious presence begins to surface more clearly. Affection is manipulated. Loyalties are gently rearranged. And Christabel finds herself slowly estranged from her father, while something dark settles ever deeper into the household.This classic reading explores influence, possession, and the quiet violence of emotional control, where kindness is weaponized and innocence is made to yield.Christabel  is a chilling meditation on power and vulnerability, told through dreamlike imagery and creeping dread. Expect literary horror, corrupted intimacy, and the sense that something unwelcome has taken root where it was once invited.If you’re drawn to classic gothic poetry, dangerous interlopers, and stories that linger like a half-remembered nightmare, this chapter is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like Spiders or Come To Me, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Part 01 Available HereTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:45 - Christabel - Part Two00:19:16 - Background Discussion00:24:42 - Listener Support00:25:09 - The Possessed (Trailer)

Classic Reading: Christabel | Part One | A Gothic Meditation on Innocence and the UnknownA quiet forest.A wounded stranger.And the moment trust begins to fracture.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we step into the tense opening of Christabel, the long gothic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.This classic reading explores innocence, intrusion, and the slow creep of the supernatural, where kindness becomes vulnerability and the dark arrives softly, wearing familiar faces. As with many gothic works, atmosphere carries as much weight as action, and unease grows in the spaces between words.Christabel is a chilling meditation on influence and loss, told through dreamlike imagery and hushed menace. Expect literary horror, disturbed silence, and the sense that something ancient has slipped across a threshold.If you’re drawn to classic gothic poetry, corrupted innocence, and stories that linger like a half-remembered nightmare, this one is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like Spiders or Come To Me, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Part 02 Available HereTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:44 - Christabel - Part One00:20:36 - Background Discussion00:24:34 - Listener Support00:25:02 - Christabel - Part 02 (Trailer)

Come To Me | A Paranormal Horror Story About Curiosity and PossessionA foolish dare.A crumbling house.And the moment you realise you are not alone.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, a young woman drunkenly accepts a challenge to enter an abandoned, supposedly haunted house. An ardent skeptic, she laughs off the stories and slips inside, determined to prove her friends wrong.But fear has a way of taking root.As the walls close in and silence grows heavier, the house begins to work its way beneath her skin. Doubt gives way to unease. Unease becomes fixation. And slowly, something forgotten starts to make a home in her thoughts.Come To Me is a slow-burn horror story about curiosity, vulnerability, and what happens when a place refuses to let you leave unchanged. Expect atmospheric tension, psychological unraveling, and the creeping realization that some doors should never be opened.If you’re drawn to haunted spaces, unreliable courage, and stories that linger long after the final line, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Foul Language, Supernatural HorrorTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:50 - Come To Me00:20:20 - Background Discussion00:23:22 - Listener Support00:23:53 - Christabel - Part One (Trailer)

Pretender | Prologue | A Dark Urban Fantasy SerialA city that never forgets.A master who never truly releases his hold.And a debt that refuses to stay buried.This episode begins a new serialised dark fantasy tale within Tales Under A Broken Sky, set in a world shaped by war, politics, and the quiet violence of ambition.Darian is a former member of the Thieves Guild, and once protégé to the infamous Thiefmaster Alaric. Having abandoned the city and the life he left behind, he swore never to fall beneath his mentor’s shadow again.But when a job goes wrong, he is pulled back into a world he thought he had left behind.In alleys thick with whispers and halls lined with secrets, treachery waits behind every familiar face. And Alaric’s designs, as always, are never what they seem.Pretender is a slow-burn dark fantasy about loyalty, manipulation, and the cost of walking away from who you used to be. Expect shadowed streets, shifting alliances, and the creeping realization that some masters never stop pulling strings.If you’re drawn to thieves’ guilds, dangerous mentors, and stories that unfold through betrayal and blood-bound promises, this chapter is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Violence, Death, Blood, Gore, CursingTable of Contents:PrologueChapter One - Biting The HandChapter Two - A Royal VictoryTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:48 - Prologue00:17:34 - Background Discussion00:22:24 - Listener Support00:22:53 - Come To Me (Trailer)00:25:07 - Outro

The Old Gods Are Dying | Prologue | A Dark Fantasy SerialThe old gods are dying.An ancient evil stirs. And somewhere in the fog, a child stands alone.This episode marks the first chapter of a new serialized dark fantasy tale, inspired by the myths and legends of Ireland.Few remain who remember the old ways or the last coming of the darkness. Fewer still possess the knowledge or strength to face it.A young boy finds himself lost on a mountain, surrounded by mist and the distant echoes of an ancient battle.In desperation, an oath is sworn to a god who would have been better left forgotten. And a new chapter in an old story begins.The Old Gods Are Dying is a slow-burn fantasy horror about forgotten deities, inherited darkness, and the quiet weight of promises made too soon.Expect mythic atmosphere, creeping dread, and the sense that some legends never truly end.If you’re drawn to ancient folklore, cursed oaths, and stories that unfold like half-remembered myths, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Supernatual Evil, Battle, DeathTable of Contents:PrologueChapter One - A Long WinterChapter Two - Returning HomeTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:49 - Prologue00:15:47 - Background Discussion00:20:16 - Listener Support00:20:43 - Pretender (Trailer)

Virtual Hell | A Psychological Horror Story About Control and DespairA case without answers.A body count that refuses to make sense.And the moment you realise you're no longer the hunter.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, a police officer investigating a series of unexplained deaths awakens to the knowledge that his search for truth has gone horribly wrong.Taken captive and subjected to relentless torment, he finds himself trapped between waking life and nightmare, where time fractures and suffering becomes ritual. As the boundaries of reality begin to dissolve, he must confront what remains of himself in a place where mercy no longer exists.Virtual Hell is a slow-burn horror story about control, virtual reality, and the brutality of technology in the wrong hands. Expect atmospheric tension, psychological dread, and the creeping realisation that some investigations don’t end.They become nightmare.If you’re drawn to psychological horror, fractured realities, and stories that linger long after the final line, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Violence, Death, Torture, References to Suicide and MurderTimestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:48 - Virtual Hell00:17:24 - Background Discussion00:22:07 - Listener Support00:22:29 - The Od Gods Are Dying (Trailer)

Classic Reading: The Raven | A Gothic Meditation on Love, Loss, and ObsessionOnce upon a midnight dreary...A knock at the door.A dark messenger.An obsession that refuses to rest.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, we step into the shadowed world of The Raven, the seminal poem by Edgar Allan Poe.This reading explores grief, obsession, and the quiet madness of longing, where love lingers beyond the grave and a quiet herald bears truths we may not be ready to hear.The Raven is a gothic meditation on loss and desperation. Expect melancholy atmosphere, literary horror, and the slow unraveling of a mind caught between devotion and despair.If you’re drawn to classic dark poetry, haunted interiors, and stories that echo long after the final word, this one is for you.If you enjoyed this, you might also like Dawn and the Spectre of Death or Ghosts, original stories exploring similar themes.Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and reflective audio fiction, released every two weeks.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:47 - The Raven12:40 - Background Discussion18:47 - Listener Support19:12 - Virtual Hell (Trailer)

Tales Under A Broken Sky - Trailer

Ghosts | A Quiet Horror Story About Belonging and LossThey appear in doorways.In crowded streets.Each one has a story to tell.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, a young man begins to see ghosts everywhere he goes. At first, fear follows him through each encounter. But as the months pass, his unease gives way to something unexpected: companionship, familiarity, and a fragile sense of belonging.Until one quiet day, when everything changes.Ghosts is a slow-burn horror story about loneliness, connection, and what happens when you grow too comfortable in the presence of the unseen. Expect atmospheric tension, reflective melancholy, and the creeping realization that some relationships are never meant to last.If you’re drawn to quiet dread, fragile connections, and stories that linger long after the final line, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:50 - Ghosts22:47 - Background Discussion26:53 - Listener Support27:20 - The Raven (Trailer)29:29 - Outro

Spiders | A Quiet Horror Story About Guilt and IsolationA lone drive.An empty stretch of road.And the sudden certainty that something has gone terribly wrong.In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, a young man fears he may have hit someone while driving late at night. He returns to the scene searching for answers, but what waits for him in the dark is far worse than he imagined.Spiders is a slow-burn horror story about guilt, isolation, and the consequences of drawing the attention of things best left undisturbed. Expect atmospheric tension, creeping unease, and body horror as the night unfolds.If you’re drawn to quiet dread, forgotten roads, and stories that linger long after the final line, this one is for you.Follow the show for more original horror and dark fantasy, released every two weeks.Content Warning: Body HorrorTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:43 - Spiders14:35 - Background Discussion19:06 - Listener Support19:33 - Ghosts (Trailer)

Join us by the hearth...I speak briefly about why this show exists, what first drew me to audio storytelling, and the kind of fiction waiting in Tales Under A Broken Sky: surreal moments, dark fantasy, speculative horror, and reflective tales shaped by mood, metaphor, and voice.If you’re drawn to forgotten places, slow-burning unease, and stories that linger like mist after the final line, consider this your invitation.New episodes of Tales Under A Broken Sky arrive every two weeks.Timestamps:00:00:00- Intro00:00:44 - An Invitation00:07:17 - Spiders (Trailer)00:08:35 - Outro