The Plague Doctor: From The Black Death to Modern Goth Icon

By Cade Shadowlight

If you’ve ever scrolled through gothic art or stumbled across a creepy beaked mask in a horror game, you’ve met the plague doctor. A haunting figure that’s equal parts historical and mythical, this eerie icon perfectly blends the dark aesthetic of goth subculture with a chilling slice of real history. But where did this trope come from, and why does it still captivate us? Let’s dive into the origins of the plague doctor and uncover how this medieval figure laid the groundwork for modern science.

The Plague Doctor’s Origins

Plague Doctor on Amazon

The plague doctor emerged during Europe’s deadliest pandemics, most notably the Black Death (1347–1351), a devastating outbreak of the plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This disease wiped out up to 50% of Europe’s population, leaving a traumatized society in its wake. To treat the infected, doctors donned a bizarre outfit: a long waxed coat, gloves, and a beaked mask with glass eye openings, stuffed with herbs or vinegar-soaked sponges. The look was practical yet terrifying, like a grim reaper crossed with a bird. The beak was designed to filter “bad air,” based on the miasma theory, which posited that disease spread through foul odors. While technically wrong, this theory was a crude precursor to germ theory, which later revealed that microorganisms, not bad air, carry diseases like plague. Those herbs might not have stopped plague germs, but the concept of filtering air foreshadowed modern respirators.

The gear itself was a proto-version of today’s personal protective equipment (PPE). The waxed coat and gloves created barriers against fleas (a key plague carrier), and the cane let doctors poke at patients without touching them. It wasn’t perfect, and many plague doctors died, but it was a bold stab at infection control, centuries before we understood germs. Today’s hazmat suits and N95 masks owe a nod to these early efforts, proving the plague doctor’s gear wasn’t just theatrical but practical.

 

A Cultural Juggernaut

 

Born from necessity, the plague doctor became a cultural juggernaut. By the 17th century, physicians like Charles de Lorme, who served French royalty, popularized the outfit. Its haunting image of dark robes and a beaked face stuck in Europe’s psyche, appearing in art, literature, and later, the Venetian carnival. Fast forward to now, and the plague doctor is a goth subculture staple, popping up in steampunk fashion, horror flicks, and games like Darkest Dungeon and A Plague Tale. And, of course, as Hallooween costumes for both kids and adults (Amazon link).

Next time you see that iconic mask, remember: the plague doctor isn’t just a spooky trope. It’s a snapshot of humanity’s fight against a microscopic killer, a bridge between medieval fear and modern science, and a timeless symbol of mortality that still gives us chills.

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The Gettysburg Address Mystery: The Five Versions Lincoln Wrote

By Cade Shadowlight

Did you know that there are five different versions of the Gettysburg Address, and we do not know which one President Lincoln actually delivered?

Contrary to folklore, Abraham Lincoln did not dash off the Gettysburg Address while on a train, before delivering it at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863. Instead, Lincoln carefully crafted and refined the speech. In fact, he hand-wrote at least five different versions, all still preserved today. The exact version Lincoln delivered remains unknown.

 

The five hand-written copies all have slightly different wording, and are named after the people that first received them. The most famous version, known as the Bliss copy (named after Colonel Alexander Bliss), is the one inscribed on the walls of the Lincoln Memorial. 

The Gettysburg Address (Bliss copy)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

The Gettysburg Address (Hay copy)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Gettysburg Address (Nicolay copy)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that “all men are created equal.”

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow, this ground – The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here.

It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Gettysburg Address (Everett copy)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here, have, thus far, so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Gettysburg Address (Bancroft copy)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

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The Pine Tree Riot: A Forgotten Prelude to American Revolution

By Cade Shadowlight

If you've studied American history, you've probably heard about the Boston Tea Party. But have you heard about the Pine Tree Riot?

Though not as well known as the Boston Tea Party, the Pine Tree Riot of 1772 was one of the more important, and earliest, acts of resistance by the American colonists leading up to the Revolutionary War. Like the Boston Tea Party, the Pine Tree Riot was a form of resistance against taxation that the colonists considered unjust. In the case of the Pine Tree Riot, the tax was placed on certain pine trees that the colonists wanted to harvest.

Important Concept: The  colonists realized that it is not possible to have political and personal freedom without also having economic freedom. This is why they kept resisting unjust taxes. 

During the colonial period, white pines (which often grew over 150 feet tall) were used to construct ship masts. This quickly became an important export for the colonists. England realized the importance of these pines  and claimed ownership of all white pines of 24-inch or greater diameter in the colonies (the Mast Preservation Clause in the Massachusetts Charter in 1691). Over time, additional acts were passed reinforcing their claim, and in some areas even reducing the size of the claimed pines to as little as 12-inches in diameter.

A surveyor of the King’s Woods and his deputies worked for the Crown, identifying and marking those pines claimed by the Crown by carving a special arrow symbol into them. In order to harvest those pines, the colonists had to purchase a special royal license, even if the pines were on property owned by the colonists. This created resentment among the colonists, who often would harvest the pines without the license.

Important Concept: Not only was the tax on these pines a form of taxation without representation, the colonists also considered it a violation of their private property rights. 

In New Hampshire, in 1772, the English tried to enforce this tax on mill owners who refused to pay for the royal license. Several mill owners, joined by local townsmen (all with their faces blackened with soot), assaulted the sheriff and deputy sent to arrest one of the mill owners,. They gave them one lash for every tree being contested and ran them out of town through a jeering crowd.

The sheriff later returned with reinforcements, and eventually eight men were charged with rioting, disturbing the peace, and assault. They were found guilty and fined 20 schillings apiece, plus court costs.

Several of the rioters (Timothy Worthley, Jonathan Worthley, and William Dustin) later fought for the American side in the Revolutionary War, and the sheriff (Benjamin Whiting) fought for the British side.

Importance: The Pine Tree Riot was one of the earliest acts of physical resistance against the British by American colonists, and is considered by many historians as inspiring the Boston Tea Party almost two years later.

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Aokigahara: Japan’s Haunting Sea of Trees

The Suicide Forest’s Dark Allure

By Cade Shadowlight

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Aokigahara Forest

Tucked beneath the shadow of Mount Fuji on Japan’s Honshu island, Aokigahara, the “Sea of Trees,” sprawls across 30 square kilometers of gnarled, volcanic wilderness. Born from the molten scars of Fuji’s 864 CE eruption, this forest in Yamanashi Prefecture feels like a world apart. Its twisted roots claw through blackened lava, and the dense canopy swallows sound, creating a suffocating silence that unnerves even the boldest hiker. Just two hours from Tokyo by car or a train ride to Kawaguchiko Station followed by a short drive, Aokigahara lures thrill-seekers to its trails and caves like Narusawa’s icy depths or Fugaku’s wind-carved hollows. But beneath its beauty lies a chilling nickname: the Suicide Forest, a place where shadows whisper of despair and the lost never return.

Why It’s Called the Suicide Forest

Aokigahara’s darkness runs deeper than its roots. Legends paint it as a realm of yūrei—vengeful ghosts who wail through the trees—tied to tales of ubasute, where the elderly were once abandoned to die in its depths, though history blurs the truth. By the 1960s, the forest’s grim reputation took hold, amplified by Seichō Matsumoto’s 1961 novel Nami no Tō, where a character ends their life among the trees. Wataru Tsurumi’s 1993 book The Complete Manual of Suicide sealed its infamy, calling it a “perfect” place to vanish. The forest’s labyrinthine terrain, where compasses spin uselessly due to magnetic volcanic rock, traps wanderers in its eerie grip. Though authorities stopped releasing numbers to curb its allure, past reports haunt: 105 bodies found in 2003, 54 suicides in 2010 out of over 200 attempts. Signs at the forest’s edge plead, “Your life is precious,” but the silence beckons those consumed by despair, drawn to a place where the world fades away.

Creatures of the Shadows

Aokigahara’s spectral reputation extends beyond yūrei to whispered tales of cryptids lurking in its depths — its haunting aura fuels stories of unnatural beings. The konoha-tengu, a bird-like yōkai with wings and a long-nosed, red-faced visage, is said to haunt Japan’s mountain forests, including Aokigahara. These trickster spirits, rooted in Shugendō mysticism, might guide or mislead wanderers, their feather fans stirring unnatural winds through the trees. Some locals speak of shadowy entities — possibly obake — that shapeshift among the vines, watching from the gloom. Others claim sightings of strange, animal-like figures, perhaps linked to the forest’s dense ecosystem or mistaken glimpses of its rare wildlife, like the Japanese mink or dwarf flying squirrel. The forest’s magnetic anomalies and oppressive silence amplify these tales, blurring the line between myth and reality, as if the trees themselves guard secrets too dark to name.

A Cinematic Descent into Darkness

Aokigahara’s spectral pull has bled into cinema, captivating those who crave the macabre. The 2015 film The Sea of Trees, directed by Gus Van Sant, stars Matthew McConaughey as a man lost in the forest’s suffocating embrace, grappling with grief and ghostly encounters. Its somber tone mirrors the forest’s weight. In 2016, The Forest, a horror flick with Natalie Dormer, dives into the supernatural, conjuring yūrei to stalk a woman searching for her sister in the haunted woods. Though criticized for glossing over Japan’s complex relationship with suicide, it leans hard into Aokigahara’s unsettling aura. Documentaries, like Vice’s 2010 short featuring geologist Azusa Hayano patrolling for the lost, and Jhené Aiko’s 2017 track “Jukai,” weave the forest’s darkness into art. Yet, its portrayal hasn’t always been respectful—Logan Paul’s 2017 video, filming a victim, sparked outrage, a reminder of the forest’s real pain beneath its cinematic shadow.

The Abyss and Attempts to Break It

The Suicide Forest’s pull reflects Japan’s struggles with mental health stigma, crushing societal pressures, and economic despair. Its isolating silence offers a grim escape for those who feel invisible. Volunteers and police patrol yearly, and cameras watch entrances, but the forest’s legend grows, fed by media and myth. It’s a stark reminder of a darkness that lingers beyond the trees, urging us to confront the pain driving so many to its depths.

A Paradox of Life and Spirit

Raccoon Dog

Even in its gloom, Aokigahara pulses with life and sacred weight. Asian black bears, Japanese Raccoon Dogs, and flying squirrels prowl its shadows, while birds like the Japanese White-Eye and the Oriental Turtledove flit through ferns and mosses clinging to volcanic stone. Over 60 bird species and plants like Artemisia princeps thrive in this otherworldly ecosystem. Beyond its darkness, the forest holds cultural reverence, tied to Mount Fuji’s spiritual aura in Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Its caves and trails draw those seeking not death, but connection to Japan’s ancient soul. Aokigahara is no mere graveyard—it’s a haunting paradox, where life and loss intertwine in an eternal, eerie dance.

Sources and Photo Credits.

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