12 Terrifying Ghost Stories From Around The World
5. Polish Nobleman Makes A Faustian Pact
A man loyal to his king and country, a military commander who dedicated his civilian life to investing and developing his home country, Stanisaw Warszycki was well regarded during his lifetime. In 1632 he helped fortify his village to see off the attacks of the Swedish army, and his tactics were adopted by other battlements across Poland.
He stayed loyal to his country when other business magnates and noblemen such as he were defecting to their enemies. For this Stanisaw was rewarded with military powers and the friendship of the royal family. After his death, however, rumours spread of a different side to Warszycki. Less a war hero, more of a sadistic torturer type, treating peasants poorly and straight up murdering a dude he suspected his wife of having an affair with; either through poisoning, public flagellation or even exploding a whole castle with the philanderer inside, in more colourful interpretations.
Other legends suggested the the famously wealthy Stanisaw kept vast caves full of his treasures, and even more outrageously, that all his fame and good fortune was the result of a deal with the Devil. Having sold his soul to Satan Stanisaw was therefore damned either to hell or to walk the Earth for the rest of his days, which is where the ghost story part of this particular legend comes into play (AT LAST).
The bloodthirsty spirit of Warszycki supposedly roams the armaments of the Ogrodzienic and Olsztyn castles, rattling chains, leading black dogs, and generally being a translucent, insane spectral murderer you wouldn't wanna meet when he was alive, let alone now he's a g-g-g-ghost.