The Adventure Story Podcast: For lovers of Adventure, Archaeology, and Historical Mysteries.

Freemasonry has existed in the shadows of history for centuries.
To some, it’s a charitable fraternity built on tradition, symbolism, and community. To others, it’s something far more secretive — a hidden network tied to power, knowledge, and influence.
So what is it really?
In this episode of the Adventure Story Podcast, I’m joined by returning guest Guy Anderson — a former Freemason who offers a rare perspective from inside the organisation. Guy shares his personal journey: what drew him in, what he found as he progressed through the ranks, and why he ultimately chose to leave.
We explore the rituals, symbolism, and structure of Freemasonry, as well as the wider question that sits at the heart of it all:
👉 What does secrecy protect — and why does it matter?
This is a conversation about curiosity, belief, and the stories we tell ourselves about hidden systems and power.
In this episode, we explore:
What Freemasonry actually is — beyond the myths
Why people are drawn to secret societies
The role of ritual, symbolism, and tradition
Guy’s personal experience inside the lodge
Why he chose to leave
The fine line between curiosity and belief
What secrecy really protects

Listen to Guy’s previous episode:
If you enjoyed this conversation, you can also hear Guy in Season 1, where we explore the mystery of Tartaria.
Check out Guy's book, Tesla & The Cabbage Patch Kids: The Fall of The Tartarian Empire & Reset of 1776.
Links referenced in this episode:
thetartarianempire.co.uk
lukerichardsonauthor.com
lukerichardsonauthor.com/adventuresociety

Got a Story Idea?
If you have a mystery, legend, or adventure you’d like me to explore, drop a comment or email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

Join the Adventure Society!
Need more adventure in your life? (And let’s be honest, who doesn’t?) Join The Adventure Society, my weekly newsletter, where I share real-world explorations, book updates, and exclusive podcast insights. Sign up at:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/AdventureSociety

Get a Free Adventure Thriller!
A missing Picasso... A master thief... A thrilling race against time!
When a priceless Picasso disappears in Paris, legendary thief Bernard Moreau is the prime suspect. But as two unlikely allies—Eden Black and Adriana Villa—hunt him down, the chase turns deadly. It’s a race through the shadowed streets of Paris, where every twist is as unpredictable as the city itself.
Grab your FREE COPY of The Paris Heist here:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/Paris

Love Adventure Stories?
If you enjoyed today’s episode, you’ll love my books—fast-paced thrillers packed with action, history, and mystery.
Check them out at LukeRichardsonAuthor.com

Thanks for tuning in! See you in the next episode of The Adventure Story Podcast. 🏆🎙

Come on the trail of the Knights Templar with us in Portugal. Tap here for info and to secure your spot.
In 1314, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar was burned at the stake in Paris. He cursed his executioners as the flames rose. Both the King of France and the Pope were dead within the year.
But the order he led? They didn't die with him.
In this episode, we follow the Knights Templar from their extraordinary beginnings — nine penniless knights in Jerusalem who grew into one of the most powerful military and financial forces the medieval world had ever seen — through their dramatic fall at the hands of a greedy French king, and into the one country where they didn't just survive. They thrived.
Portugal.
We explore the real history behind my novel The Templar Enigma — including the Templar fortress at Tomar that still stands after 800 years, the island castle of Almourol rising straight out of the River Tagus, and the mysterious spiral wells of Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, built not for water, but for secrets.
You'll discover how the Templars essentially invented modern banking, why Friday the 13th has haunted Western culture ever since October 1307, and how one defiant Portuguese king outwitted the Pope to keep the order alive under a new name — and how their legacy went on to fund the discovery of the modern world.
This is history that reads like a thriller. Which is exactly why I wrote one.
The Templar Enigma is available now wherever you buy your books.
Here's what the Templar Enigma is all about:
A TEMPLAR CURSE
AN ANCIENT PROPHECY
A PULSE-POUNDING RACE AGAINST TIME
In 1314, Jacques de Molay, the last Templar Grand Master uttered a curse as he burned at the stake. Within months, both men responsible for his downfall, the King of France, and the Pope, lay dead.
Centuries later, a Templar descendant discovers the key to unleashing the curse's power: The legendary Seal of Solomon. Learning of the relic’s power, he plans a cataclysmic event which will return civilization to the Dark Ages.
Enter Eden Black. As the countdown begins, Eden is thrust into a web of intrigue that spans centuries, from the final days of the Knights Templar to the shadowy activities of a modern secret society.
But, learning just how deep this conspiracy goes, and who exactly is involved, Eden realizes things are much more deadly that she first thought.
From the crypt of a long-dead templar knight, to the shifting sands of the Sahara, and on to the palaces of Portugal, she uncovers shocking truths about her own destiny and the role she must play in the coming apocalypse.
The Templar Curse
I did an episode about the Templar Curse in the last season of the Adventure Story Podcast. Listen here.

Takeaways:
The execution of Jacques de Molay marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Knights Templar, as he cursed both the King of France and the Pope before his death.
The Knights Templar, originally formed to protect pilgrims, evolved into a powerful military and financial organization throughout the medieval period.
King Philip IV of France orchestrated the downfall of the Templars by accusing them of heresy and dissolving their order in 1312, which was a significant political maneuver.
Despite the official dissolution of the Knights Templar, their legacy persisted through the Order of Christ in Portugal, which retained many of their secrets and wealth.
The Templars significantly influenced the modern banking system by introducing concepts like travelers' checks and international money transfers, which were revolutionary for their time.
The architectural and historical remnants of the Templars can still be seen in Portugal today, exemplified by sites such as the Convento di Cristo in Tomar.

Come on the trail of the Knights Templar with us in Portugal. Tap here for info and to secure your spot.

Links referenced in this episode:
lukerichardsonauthor.com
lukerichardsonauthor.com/adventuresociety
helloukerichardsonauthor.com

Got a Story Idea?
If you have a mystery, legend, or adventure you’d like me to explore, drop a comment or email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

Join the Adventure Society!
Need more adventure in your life? (And let’s be honest, who doesn’t?) Join The Adventure Society, my weekly newsletter, where I share real-world explorations, book updates, and exclusive podcast insights. Sign up at:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/AdventureSociety

Get a Free Adventure Thriller!
A missing Picasso... A master thief... A thrilling race against time!
When a priceless Picasso disappears in Paris, legendary thief Bernard Moreau is the prime suspect. But as two unlikely allies—Eden Black and Adriana Villa—hunt him down, the chase turns deadly. It’s a race through the shadowed streets of Paris, where every twist is as unpredictable as the city itself.
Grab your FREE COPY of The Paris Heist here:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/Paris

Love Adventure Stories?
If you enjoyed today’s episode, you’ll love my books—fast-paced thrillers packed with action, history, and mystery.
Check them out at LukeRichardsonAuthor.com

Thanks for tuning in! See you in the next episode of The Adventure Story Podcast. 🏆🎙

Adventure stories rarely begin with pure imagination.
More often, they start somewhere real.
A forgotten road that once crossed the known world.
A hidden city carved deep beneath the earth.
A scientist attempting to harness lightning itself.
Or the simple idea that adventure might be waiting just a few miles from home.
In Season Two of the Adventure Story Podcast, author Luke Richardson explores the places, legends, and real-world experiences that inspire adventure fiction.
From the Silk Road to the astonishing underground city of Derinkuyu Underground City, from Nikola Tesla’s experiments in Colorado Springs to the philosophy of everyday adventure, each episode explores one powerful idea with authors, explorers, and historians.
If you love adventure fiction, ancient mysteries, and the real stories behind the legends, this podcast is for you.
Because the best adventure stories begin somewhere real.
Subscribe now so you don’t miss the new season.
Takeaways:
Adventure stories often originate from tangible, real-world experiences rather than mere imagination.
This season delves into captivating places and histories that inspire adventure fiction narratives.
The podcast features discussions with authors, explorers, and historians about their sources of inspiration.
Listeners will discover how legends and real histories intertwine to create compelling adventure tales.
Each episode focuses on a singular idea that has influenced the guest's work in profound ways.
We explore the notion that adventure may be found in proximity to one's own home.

What if we’ve been searching for Atlantis in the wrong place?
In this episode, I take you with me into one of archaeology’s most intriguing possibilities: maybe Atlantis didn’t sink into the sea at all… maybe it vanished beneath the sands of the Sahara.
At the center of this mystery sits one of the most striking formations on Earth — the Richat Structure in Mauritania. A perfect, 25-mile-wide bullseye carved into the desert.
Scientists still can’t agree on how it formed… and maybe that’s because it wasn’t shaped by nature at all.
And when you compare it to Plato’s description of Atlantis?
The similarities are impossible to ignore.
In this episode, I connect the threads of myth, geology, and ancient memory — and together, we’ll explore the possibility that Atlantis didn’t sink… it dried up.
The Sahara Event
This is exactly the kind of idea that gets under my skina nd shows up in my fiction. My new book, The Sahara Event, takes the question we’ve been asking — what if we’ve been looking for Atlantis in the wrong place? — and runs with it.
Here's what The Sahara Event is all about:
When an archaeologist dies protecting an impossible secret, her final message sends Eden Black racing to uncover an ancient crystal encoded with the knowledge of a lost civilization — a power that once turned a paradise into a wasteland.
From high-speed chases through Marrakech to an underground chamber older than recorded history, Eden must face a rogue scientist determined to use the crystal to reshape the world.
The last time it awakened, the Sahara was born.
This time… it could end everything.
Available in paperback and eBook.
Takeaways:
The Richat Structure, located in Mauritania, may hold the key to Atlantis's location.
Plato's description of Atlantis aligns remarkably well with the features of the Richat Structure.
Ancient civilizations may have thrived in the Sahara when it was a lush green landscape.
Legends such as Zerzura suggest that historical memories may echo through time, connecting cultures.

Got a Story Idea?
If you have a mystery, legend, or adventure you’d like me to explore, drop a comment or email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

Join the Adventure Society!
Need more adventure in your life? (And let’s be honest, who doesn’t?) Join The Adventure Society, my weekly newsletter, where I share real-world explorations, book updates, and exclusive podcast insights. Sign up at:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/AdventureSociety

Get a Free Adventure Thriller!
A missing Picasso... A master thief... A thrilling race against time!
When a priceless Picasso disappears in Paris, legendary thief Bernard Moreau is the prime suspect. But as two unlikely allies—Eden Black and Adriana Villa—hunt him down, the chase turns deadly. It’s a race through the shadowed streets of Paris, where every twist is as unpredictable as the city itself.
Grab your FREE COPY of The Paris Heist here:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/Paris

Love Adventure Stories?
If you enjoyed today’s episode, you’ll love my books—fast-paced thrillers packed with action, history, and mystery.
Check them out at LukeRichardsonAuthor.com

Thanks for tuning in! See you in the next episode of The Adventure Story Podcast. 🏆🎙

What if the greatest archaeological discovery in human history has been hiding in plain sight for over 140 years—disguised as a Victorian novel?
In 1876, a brilliant translator named George Smith reportedly died in the Syrian desert. But two years later, an anonymous manuscript surfaced in America… filled with knowledge no one should’ve had.
Today, we’re following a trail of stolen tablets, faked deaths, and forbidden secrets—clues that suggest one of archaeology’s most explosive discoveries was deliberately buried. And the evidence? It might still be out there, waiting to be uncovered.
This episode wraps up Season One of the Adventure Story Podcast. Over the past few months, it's been an absolute blast sharing more than 20 incredible stories with you.
A show like this takes a lot of time and heart to create, so I want to thank the small but mighty team who’ve helped bring it to life. But most of all—thank you. Your support means everything to an independent creator like me.
For now, I’m stepping back to focus on my writing. I’ve been working on Eden Black’s next adventure, along with a few other exciting projects that need my full attention.
But don’t worry—the adventure isn’t over. The Ark Files and my other novels are available wherever you get your books. And if you prefer to listen, I’ve got a growing selection of audiobooks on Audible. Just search for Luke Richardson—and you’ll find me there.
Until next time—keep exploring.
Like the sound of this story - read THE ARK FILES today!
A secret society... An ancient manuscript... One woman to save the world...
Professional treasure hunter EDEN BLACK discovers that her father's death wasn't an accident - it was murder. Everyone involved in an archaeological dig twenty years ago has met with a similar untimely end. Everyone except Eden, who was ten at the time. When her father's house is raided and burned to the ground, Eden realizes she's next. To survive and learn the truth, she must uncover a manuscript that powerful people will do anything to keep buried. But this time the world is watching, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
THE ARK FILES is the first in a pulse-pounding archaeological thriller series that asks: what if the greatest discoveries in human history are the ones we're not allowed to know about? Fans of Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, and Ernest Dempsey will devour this in hours!
Check out THE ARK FILES now ➡️➡️➡️
Got a Story Idea?
If you have a mystery, legend, or adventure you’d like me to explore, drop a comment or email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

Join the Adventure Society!
Need more adventure in your life? (And let’s be honest, who doesn’t?) Join The Adventure Society, my weekly newsletter, where I share real-world explorations, book updates, and exclusive podcast insights. Sign up at:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/AdventureSociety

Get a Free Adventure Thriller!
A missing Picasso... A master thief... A thrilling race against time!
When a priceless Picasso disappears in Paris, legendary thief Bernard Moreau is the prime suspect. But as two unlikely allies—Eden Black and Adriana Villa—hunt him down, the chase turns deadly. It’s a race through the shadowed streets of Paris, where every twist is as unpredictable as the city itself.
Grab your FREE COPY of The Paris Heist here:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/Paris


A Huge Thanks to My Patrons!
This podcast, my books, and all my creative projects are made possible by my amazing supporters on Patreon. Want to support the show and get some awesome perks including:
🎧 Ad-free podcast downloads
📚 Early and free access to my books
🎁 More fun stuff as I invent it!
Join the crew on Patreon:
LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/Patreon

Love Adventure Stories?
If you enjoyed today’s episode, you’ll love my books—fast-paced thrillers packed with action, history, and mystery.
Check them out at LukeRichardsonAuthor.com
Thanks for tuning in! See you in the next season of The Adventure Story Podcast. 🏆🎙

Mentioned in this episode:
What if we’re looking for Atlantis in the wrong place?
When an archaeologist dies protecting an impossible secret, her final message sends Eden Black racing into the Sahara — to track down an ancient crystal encoded with the knowledge of a lost civilization — a power that once turned a paradise into a wasteland.

From high-speed chases through Marrakech to an underground chamber older than recorded history, Eden must face a rogue scientist determined to use the crystal to reshape the world.

The last time it awakened, the Sahara was born.
This time… it could end everything.

Available now in paperback, ebook, and audiobook — wherever you get your adventures.