Where did the Dark Academia aesthetic come from with it’s Gothic architecture and dark libraries? What if we told you there is a school, straight from Transylvanian folklore, that might have spawned the whole idea? And that Dracula himself went there?? Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of child endangerment, and imperialism.  Housekeeping - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books - Call to Action: Get our new Old Wives’ Tale Teller Corduroy Hat! - Submit Your Urban Legends Audio: Call us! 617-420-2344 Sponsors - Saily: Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code spirits at checkout. Download Saily app or go to https://saily.com/spirits  Find Us Online - Website & Transcripts: spiritspodcast.com - Patreon: patreon.com/spiritspodcast - Merch: spiritspodcast.com/merch - Instagram: instagram.com/spiritspodcast - Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiritspodcast.com - Twitter: twitter.com/spiritspodcast - Tumblr: spiritspodcast.tumblr.com Cast & Crew - Co-Hosts: Julia Schifini and Amanda McLoughlin - Editor: Bren Frederick - Music: Brandon Grugle, based on "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod - Artwork: Allyson Wakeman - Multitude: multitude.productions About Us Spirits is a boozy podcast about mythology, legends, and folklore. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy retellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every week, on Spirits. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.