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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering alum Kip Polley has a cryptic knack for creating graphic effects and horrifying characters that can send chills down a person’s spine. The entrepreneur is frightening Southern Illinoisans at Raven’s Curse Haunted House, a new attraction located in Centralia.

The 2005 SIUE graduate founded Pale Night Productions, a special effects production company, while completing his bachelor’s in manufacturing engineering. Polley and his crew travel the globe building turnkey haunted houses. Now he has created the most technologically advanced haunted attraction in Southern Illinois.

“Many of the skills that I learned at SIUE are what we put into everything we do for this industry,” Polley said. “Our type of work is very tech-oriented. We create a lot of characters, and there are many effects, both requiring extensive design and programming work.”

Legend has it that wealthy Dr. Alexander Hemsworth, lived in Raven’s Curse Haunted House with his family. The spirits of his patients and family haunt anyone who ventures on the grounds.

Raven’s Curse Haunted House, located at 302 Swan Ave. in Centralia, is open 8 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays through the first weekend of November. The attraction is also open Thursdays and Sundays the final two weekends in October. Tickets are $18, or $15 with a coupon or SIUE ID.

The attraction also features a separately ticketed escape game. Six to eight players at a time are locked in a room and have 20 minutes to solve puzzles and find clues if they want to escape alive. Brave visitors can also visit the gift shop and watch episodes of Tales from the Crypt by outdoor fire pits.

Photo: Kip Polley stands outside of Raven's Curse Haunted House.