Mysterious Death near Lake Hehewuti

[DarKnyht]

I just woke up this morning and heard something interesting on the radio. Apparently two men were found dead in the lake today. Reports are saying that they were found face down in 2 feet of water, and a source is saying there were no signs of struggle. As he put it, “It was as if they laid down face first in the water and fell asleep.”

The interesting part is the name of the location where they died, “Widowmaker Shore”, and the references to multiple past mysterious deaths at the location. Perhaps there is more to Caleb's Point than it first lets on. Since I cannot get to the location right now to look around, I will be visiting the library after work to read more on this local legend after work.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

What on earth . . .? “Widowmaker’s Shore?” How . . . odd. I’ve heard legends about such tales near water, but maybe you better do some of that research, first? It sounds so . . . I’m not sure. Strange. Familiar, even.

[skeptic]

Consider that they were dead before being dumped in an odd manner.

[DarKnyht]

I just spoke with a co-worker before leaving to take lunch. The name "Widowmaker Point" is a local name and was given to the location about 10 years ago. He thinks that it is just some local pot growers that don't want people wandering around on that side of the lake. Apparently there has been quite a few odd deaths and disappearances that have happened there over the past 30 odd years.

I will know more once I can get to the library and look at the newspaper archives.

[Natasha]

DarKnyht when you get the opportunity after going to the library give me call. In case you've lost it, I've sent you my mobile number. Call anytime. What I say next depends upon the results of your research but I don't want to jump to conclusions. At least not yet.

I've a monster in mind...

As skeptic likes to remind me, there's a reason why it's called folklore: it's not always true. But sometimes it is true.

[DarKnyht]

My research at the library has brought up an interesting pattern, but I am unsure what to make of it. It seems that there have been a lot of disappearances and drownings in that area since 1971. It seems the number dropped off quickly as locals learned to stay away that part of the lake. Here are the four that seem to stand out more than the others.

January 26, 1971 – first mysterious death of fisherman. He was found in the water near his gear naked, with his clothes in a pile near the gear. There was no look or signs of struggle and most witnesses of the body said he looked extremely peaceful.

April 18, 1977 – Second fisherman is found floating in the water near the same spot that the first back in '71 was found. There have been numerous disappearances and drownings at the lake in general since 1971 but this is the first to show the identical signs of the original. Family members say he looked like he had aged 10 years, but otherwise looked more peaceful than ever.

September 14, 1984 – A teenage boy was found dead near the area of the lake that has begun to be thought of as cursed. Like the previous victims he was found without his clothes on. He is alleged to have been drinking with other minors in the area and was separated away from the group after claiming to see a naked woman in the woods. All the boys went to search for her but the boy never came back.

July 23, 1998 – a visitor to Caleb's Point was found drowned off the now infamous drowning spot of Lake Hehewuti. While it appears accidentally there have been numerous drownings and disappears at this spot for the last 27 years. Robert Finchum was found trapped underneath his capsized boat just off the shoreline. It appears his foot got trapped in the seat of the boat when the boat capsized.

I am definitely interested in looking around there once the police wrap up over there.

Also here is the official summary of todays events. They apparently found another body a little ways off from the first. They didn't initially release this information because this is the first time two people have been found at the same time.

July 3rd, 2008 – Two men from out of town were found dead face down in 2 feet of water off Widowmaker shore. Both men showed no signs of struggle and one source claimed it was as if they just decided to take a nap face down in the water.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

All men . . .?

[GhostSpider]

Interesting, they're all men.

I wonder if its...

DK, find out if any women died, or better yet were murdered, at that lake. Make sure it was before the first deaths.

[DarKnyht]

Going back to 1966 there were no deaths or disappearances of any women, only men. That is as far back as the easy access archives go. If I want anything further back I have to submit a request to the main office out of town or visit them (which I currently cannot do).

[Natasha]

I agree with GS. You're looking for a female that died there, to include accidental or natural deaths not just murders. It's worth digging deeper in the archives. But she could have died a very long time ago.

If you know anybody that can do psychometry or, better, is atuned to the spirit world and a little sensitive to those times and events surrounding a person's death that'd help you even further understand what's going on.

Unfortunately, water smooths out impressions left in the etheric, but it's a lake which means the water isn't moving too much, so there could still be something detectable there perhaps.

[DarKnyht]

I will make the request for an archive search. It may take some time to get back though.

I went up there just after the police cleared out. I took a camera and acted like I was going up to get photos of the lake. After walking around aimlessly taking pictures, I slowly worked my way over to the location.

The entire time I was there I felt like there were eyes watching me. After a few minutes I managed to open myself up. As soon as I did I could feel something wrong about the area. I am fairly sure something was there but couldn't pinpoint it. It was then that I noticed that there was an old lady standing nearby.

She didn't notice me at first because she was just staring out over the water. I could hear her faintly crying. Finally she realized that she wasn't alone and turned and faced me. Before I could get a word out of my mouth, she was screaming for me to get away. Next thing I know she is pulling her phone out to call someone. I didn't stick around to find out.

I managed to see her going back to her car and followed her back to her place without being noticed. I think tomorrow I will stop by and try to ask her why she was so insistent I leave a public space.

That said I think something is there, I am just not sure what. GS or Natasha want to go into more details on your theory? Also does anyone else have some ideas?

[Bearshaman]

I remember faintly stories of spirits of murdered women who were drowned by their husbands. The come back to drown men and are usually crying. All I can remember at moment.

[Natasha]

The old lady. You can probably use library's resources to get her name from her address; it's like a phone book, sometimes called a Criss-Cross Book or something like that. My guess is that she's the mother of one of the victims.

As for the eyes and the presence you felt and your request for elaboration. Well I'm just going to come out and say it: undine nymph, in some lore named a rusalka. The boys are the only eye witnesses, although they were drunk, it fits the pattern. If I had to bet, I'd bet rusalka.

[DarKnyht]

Thanks Natasha, I will do some research on the topic and hopefully it will help me be prepared if that is what I am dealing with. If anyone has any extra information on Rusalkas it would be appreciated because I've never even heard of them.

I'll see what I can dig up on the lady, and perhaps I can locate some of the teenagers (well they would be adults now I guess). Maybe they can give me something the papers left out. Unfortunately, I think this is going to require some ground work that will take some time.

I will try to keep everyone posted.

[Natasha]

No problem. Let me know if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them.

In any case, please, be very careful with this monster. She's very dangerous.

[DarKnyht]

Well, it will at least be another day before I can do anything in terms of library research. This town pretty much shuts down for the Fourth of July. At least I will be able to enjoy a fireworks show later this afternoon.

However, since I found out I get a day off I will be looking up what I can on Rusalka today. Just in case, I will look around for other possible theories too.

One of the ones I already came across that I am wondering about is a Succubus. Couldn't a Succubus work in a similar fashion (only harming men, disappears after killing)?

[Eilonwy Solstice]

Yes, a succubus could be possible, I suppose. But don’t discount anything. I’ve heard tales of witches that unleash their anger against men, too.

Oh, and have a happy Fourth, Erik.

[Natasha]

Succubus? It's possible, of course. But succubi are demons which leads me to conclude they'd be much more evil and cruel than what seems to be going on here. Rusalki are disgustingly vile and evil monsters but they're not exactly demons; they're hold overs from our world, so to speak. What you have is something more or less quietly killing off people without much evidence of demonic pleasure but mere (for lack of better terms) natural behaviour. Proximity also seems to be rather key here. There's not much of a reason for a succubi to spend her time at a lake in a small community (not to say she wouldn't, but it's flimsy at best), but a rusalka really has no choice as it's her nature. I'd still put my money on a rusalka.

[DarKnyht]

It actually turned out to be a fairly nice day. Small town parade and a decent fireworks display made for a nice day. The only bad thing was some kids caught a playground on fire nearby, but it was put out before it got really bad.

I think I've gathered up everything I could find online on the Rusalka, Succubus, Lilin, Dryads, Kodama, Naiad, and even Sirens. I am starting to agree with Natasha and GhostSpider that it is a Rusalka, but I would rather be over prepared than caught facing something else. Been reading it off and on all day today while sitting over at the coffee house.

Hopefully tomorrow I can get more answers at the library.

[Natasha]

If it has a physical body that rules some spirit world creatures out, such as mavki.

[DarKnyht]

Getting ready to head over to the library right now. I have to be quick with my searches though because they are only open for a half-day.

[Natasha]

Try to befriend one of the Reference workers; they can prepare stuff for you and depending upon friendliness actually do some research for you. You just never know in those small towns.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

I hope you had fun, Erik, and I hope you listened to Natasha, too. Reference workers can be a big help.

[DarKnyht]

Try to befriend one of the Reference workers; they can prepare stuff for you and depending upon friendliness actually do some research for you. You just never know in those small towns.

The odds of befriending the old lady that is the librarian here would take a small miracle. I think she enjoys inflicting misery on everyone too much. I've never gotten a tounge-lashing like that since I was five and staying with my grandmother, and all I did was set a book down for a second while looking up something.

The good news is I copied all the dates of all the attacks and disappearances. There have been four girls that have disappeared in town during the timeframe, but two were in other parts of town, one was found alive, and the other was shot by an angry husband. Once I get all the dates in order, I will get them online here.

I also submitted the forms for the archive papers. They told me it can take up to 5 business days for a response. In the meantime, I have a name and address for the old lady. I think I will wait until Monday to pay the lady a visit. I also plan on heading over to the high school and see if I can get information on the teenagers since I am starting a website on the strange and weird (wink, wink). We will see where we can get with that.

[Natasha]

Well, I'll trust your judgment DK.

As always, call if you need to chat or anything else. I'll try to help you.

[Technocrat]

This sort of reminds me of the sirens from the Odessy.

Except that those boys claim to have seen her on land.

I've heard about Succubi but those other terms are new to me.

[DarKnyht]

They were new to me until just recently. It is amazing how many legends and folklore started in different parts of the world are similar. All those I described were variations of female spirits/creatures that lived near or in water. Their origins were from all over (Scottish, Greek, Japanese, Jewish, and Slavic).

I never even got into possible African, Australian or South American traditions that could match. Perhaps if I get time I will start a search on legends in that area. The internet is a great tool, but you have to remember that half or more of what you get back is generally crap (Fantasy writings, made-up stories, and poorly done research).

[Technocrat]

Are there any North American legends that would explain this sort of activity?

[Natasha]

Only the name is different when you start digging into regional or ethnic lores. Once you know the general details you can drill down into the specifics. For example, it has a physical manifestation so you deal with it one way. If it were etheric then you'd have to deal with it another way. I wouldn't obsess over giving this monster a name, rather I would figure out the details of its nature and what can be done to combat it.

[Chen Lung]

January 26, 1971 – first mysterious death of fisherman. He was found in the water near his gear naked, with his clothes in a pile near the gear. There was no look or signs of struggle and most witnesses of the body said he looked extremely peaceful.

April 18, 1977 – Second fisherman is found floating in the water near the same spot that the first back in '71 was found. There have been numerous disappearances and drownings at the lake in general since 1971 but this is the first to show the identical signs of the original. Family members say he looked like he had aged 10 years, but otherwise looked more peaceful than ever.

September 14, 1984 – A teenage boy was found dead near the area of the lake that has begun to be thought of as cursed. Like the previous victims he was found without his clothes on. He is alleged to have been drinking with other minors in the area and was separated away from the group after claiming to see a naked woman in the woods. All the boys went to search for her but the boy never came back.

July 23, 1998 – a visitor to Caleb's Point was found drowned off the now infamous drowning spot of Lake Hehewuti. While it appears accidentally there have been numerous drownings and disappears at this spot for the last 27 years. Robert Finchum was found trapped underneath his capsized boat just off the shoreline. It appears his foot got trapped in the seat of the boat when the boat capsized.

July 3rd, 2008 – Two men from out of town were found dead face down in 2 feet of water off Widowmaker shore. Both men showed no signs of struggle and one source claimed it was as if they just decided to take a nap face down in the water.

I would venture to say that, due to the nature of the 1998 event, his death may not be related to the creature of which you speak. Too many inconsistancies from the others. However, keep your wits about you while investigating this. My Order lost three, good, well-trained agents five years ago to a psychic serial killer who would lure her victims to a secluded spot in the Rockies (near Yellowstone) with dreams of her in trouble, then she would show them an image of her naked in the forest, at which point they believed they were having sex with her as she psychically drained them. It is possible that you have something similar; although where mine was disemboweling her victims, yours is laying them in the water to drown?

It is an option to keep in mind. Even if it is some other creature, it targets men, so watch yourself nonetheless. Maybe invite a female investigator to accompany you.