The history and folklore of Supernatural horror are filled with accounts of individuals and events so brutal, macabre, or unexplained that they have become synonymous with "real-life" horror. These figures and periods, ranging from the 15th-century Romanian "dracula" to modern American serial killers and Haitian dictators like Papa Doc Duvalier, frequently intersect with tales of the supernatural, demonic possession, and profound evil. The stories of possession often involve violent, superhuman strength, speaking in tongues, and intimate knowledge of observers' sins. These are often rooted in deep-seated fears of the unknown. The use of Voodoo in political repression in Haiti created a lasting image of a "living dead" army, blurring the lines between political brutality and spiritual nightmare. A creature that terrorized the Gévaudan region of France, killing over 100 people. While often believed to be a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid, the sheer scale of the carnage led to rumors of a supernatural entity, a werewolf, or a creature sent by God. Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and Richard Ramirez are often discussed in the context of extreme evil, with some, particularly Ramirez (the "Night Stalker"), openly claiming influence from demonic forces. Charles Manson is another figure often associated with cult-like, apocalyptic evil.
