The Somerset and James Shelby Downward Mysteries w/ Penny Royal & Recluse (Patreon)

I know I promised you guys an examination of AMORC with Al from Forum Borealis, but this show is too hot to sit on for a month. Joining me here are some of my favorite guests: the Penny Royal crew. They're coming to us from the mysterious Somerset, Kentucky, first popularized in the second season of the paranormal series Hellier. Making their sixth appearance on The Farm are Nathan Paul Isaac, Darin West, and Kyle Kadel, the creative force behind the Penny Royal podcast, which explores all the incredible high weirdness and parapolitical madness surrounding Somerset. Presently Penny Royal is in the process of rolling out season two. You guys will surly want to sign up after this show.

We start off by exploring another mysterious Kentuckian: Charles "Chuck" Hayes. And no, this is not the basketball player that I'm talking about. This figure claimed to be a former CIA operative who established a "White Hat" hacker collective dubbed the "Fifth Column" during the late 1980s. Through these efforts, he became involved in the PROMIS scandal and efforts to destabilize the US government.

Even more interesting is the man who became one of his staunchest backers: J. Orlin Grabbe. A noted economist credited with creating the derivatives market and suspected of being one of the creative forces behind cryptocurrencies, Grabbe is also an arch Discordian. The adventures of Hayes and Grabbe with PROMIS and Somerset are worth the price of admission alone.

And that's just the first half. For the second, we offer up some of the most original and in-depth research on the mysterious James Shelby Downard yet released. Was Downard being used as a kind of medium by the circle surrounding him? Was Michael A. Hoffman II a member of the OTO during his profane youth and did the Downard mythos grow out of this? When did this circle come into contact with the Discordians? And did the followers of Kenneth Grant and Peter Levenda intersect with this rogue's gallery?

And hey, you guys even get some philosophical musings to round out this installment. As always, I hope you guys enjoy and thank you so much for your support! And don't worry, the epic exploration of AMORC is coming.