recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Agathos

**Also known as:** Agatho Daemon

The Romans and Hellenistic Greeks did not like deities in the shapes of animals. They liked their spirits to resemble humans. Adopted Egyptian spirits thus adapted in form.

* Agathos may be Agathodaemon in human form.
* He may be an emanation of Agathodaemon who developed into an independent spiritual entity.
* He may always have been a distinct spirit.

Agathos is Lord of Vineyards and watches over fields of grain, peace, prosperity, and plenty. He bestows wisdom, good health, and good luck. Agathos was venerated at home, traditionally by a family together. He shows his favour via a family’s good fortune (or lack thereof). Agathos guarantees that a family has sufficient food and drink.

**Favoured people:** Barkeeps; those who own vineyards or grow artisanal grain

**Manifestation:** Agathos manifests as a snake or a handsome young man.

**Attributes:** Goblet; ear of wheat; poppies; cornucopia; staff or wand entwined by a snake

**Consort:** Agathos may be married to Tyche Agatha, spirit of good fortune.

**Offering:** Toast Agathos with a glass of wine at each meal; if you’re not drinking, then just set one aside for him.

**See Also:** Agathodaemon; Tyche

## Information Sources

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Bossu

**Also known as:** Bosou; Bosou Twa Cornes

**Classification:** Lwa

Bossu may descend from an ancient bull spirit who guards the King of Dahomey. Alternatively he may be of European descent, deriving from the triple-horned bull spirits once very popular in Pagan Gaul (France) where bulls were identified with power, virility, fertility, victory, invincibility, and good luck. Images of the Gaulish three-horned bull are found in healing shrines and graves.

Bossu, spirit of primal male vigor, usually manifests in the form of a three-horned bull. He is the spirit of the masculine life-force, similar to that other sacred bull, the biblical Ba’al. Like Ba’al, Bossu is volatile, manifesting the potential dangers of excess testosterone.

He is the lwa of aggressive action. Bossu is considered among the more volatile lwa and among those identified as patrons of less ethical mages. He is invoked to control Baka. Although aggressive and capable of violence, he can be a spirit of incredible generosity.

* Bossu is a powerful guardian able to remove tough obstacles from devotees’ paths.
* He is petitioned by men and women for enhanced personal fertility.
* He is petitioned by men for increased potency and to remedy erectile dysfunction.
* Bossu can bestow psychic ability.
* He guards his devotees at night, especially when they are traveling.

**Iconography:** Haitian depictions of Bossu in bull form are readily available.
Images of Saint Vincent de Paul to whom he is syncretized or the
Minotaur may also be used to represent him.

**Altars:** Decorate with horns.

**Day:** Tuesday

**Colours:** Red, black

**Offerings:** Rum, especially overproof rum; cocktails made with Red Bull energy drink; whisky; burn red penis candles in his honour and to petition him for fertility and/or virility; feed him fried beef or steak; add Tabasco sauce to his food (other hot sauces may be substituted but Tabasco’s bottle is Bossu red).

**See Also:** Ba’al; Lwa; Pasiphae

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Atete

**Also known as:** Maram; Mariam

**Origin:** Oromo (Galla), Ethiopia

**Classification:** Ayana

Atete is an Oromo goddess with dominion over reproduction and women. She controls fertility and can bestow or remove it. Atete is venerated by Christian and Muslim Oromo as well as those who maintain their traditional religion.

For Christians, Atete is profoundly identified with Mary, perhaps inseparably so. She is addressed by the Ethiopian variant of Mary, not her traditional Oromo name. Although rituals stem from Pagan Oromo tradition, Christian devotees perceive that they venerate the Mother of Christ and only the Mother of Christ. In addition to her traditional functions, within a Christian context, she serves as an intercessor with God. Regardless of a devotee’s primary spiritual orientation, Atete is venerated mainly by women and is petitioned for conception, safe childbirth, and healthy children.

**Sacred time**: Atete has two major annual ceremonies, each lasting for three days: one in July corresponds to the season of volatile, dangerous weather when she is petitioned for protection. The second corresponds to the Ethiopian New Year, usually in September, and offers thanks for surviving the previous year.

**Day**: Friday

**Colour:** Black

**Element:** Water

**See Also:** Black Madonna; Boldog Aszony

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Imarei

*Voir aussi: La Magie sur Myyh, Tessera, Villya*

Imarei est une des trois Écoles de Magie existantes sur Myyh. Elle se concentre sur ce qui est spirituel, sur le mental, les sensations, le Destin. Elle est associée à la déesse elfique Alatariel et au concept d'Esprit.

La majorité des sortilèges d'Imarei s'infiltrent dans l'esprit d'un individu. Si celui-ci n'est pas consentant, il rejettera naturellement l'intrus, et c'est au Mage de combattre cette barrière et s'imposer. Pour le fonctionnement de cette mécanique en jeu, voir Mysticisme(MYS).

## Principe

Imarei est la discipline magique de l'esprit, du mental, du Destin. Elle demande au Mage de manipuler ses Arcanes avec logique, planification, enchaînement, formalisme rigoureux, afin de créer des réseaux et des chaînes d'information parfaitement programmées. Cette école nécessite un travail conséquent de concentration pour relier correctement les Arcanes entre elles sans faire la moindre erreur, tout en connaissant sciemment la cause et la conséquence de chaque action.

Les glyphes d'Imarei sont très simples à aborder seules, seulement c'est l'organisation complexe d'un grand nombre de ces glyphes et de liens qui fait de cette discipline ce qu'elle est. Le Mage doit incanter les Magigraphes d'Imarei comme il réciterait un code de programation avancé, rendant la chose parfois longue, pénible, et source d'erreur. En contrepartie, cela rend l'utilisation du sortilège très rentable d'un point de vue énergétique, les Mages d'Imarei ont l'avantage de ne traiter que de l'information volatile et ainsi économiser plus d'énergie arcanique que leurs confrères de Tessera ou de Villya.

## Magigraphes

Ils sont formés d'une glyphe Imarei et de triangles interconnectés en réseau, chaque glyphe se trouvant aux sommets d'un triangle. Les liens entre les glyphes forment les triangles et contiennent un tas d'informations comme des conditions ou des inverseurs. Les triangles deviennent de plus en plus nombreux quand le niveau du Magigraphe augmente.
Au niveau Mei, 3 triangles pour 9 glyphes est dessiné, au niveau Fyr, 27 triangles pour 81 glyphes. Les Magigraphes d'Imarei prennent plus de place que les autres, et sont plus longs à lire et décrypter, mais la consommation en Arcane reste toujours la plus faible des trois écoles de Magie.

## Magies

Imarei comporte 6 domaines de Magie, toujours appartenant au spirituel, au mental, aux sensations:

### Psychomancie

Agit sur l’activité cérébrale consciente et inconsciente

### Mémomagie

Crée, lit et altère les souvenirs. Crée et édite une mémoire magique.

### Infomagie

Acquiert, analyse, calcule et traite un grand nombre de données à partir du Mage.
Ba Den

*The Black Lady; Holy Mother of the Sacred Mountain*

**Also known as:** Linh Son Thanh Mau

**Origin:** Cambodian (Khmer) or Vietnamese depending on version of her myth

Ba Den, literally the “Black Lady,” is a small, dark-faced porcelain image venerated by Vietnamese and Cambodians. Both ethnic groups claim her. Since the nineteenth century, her shrine at Ba Den Mountain has been among the most popular pilgrimages in the region.

There are different legends of how Ba Den became a goddess. All end sadly. She may have committed suicide to avoid an arranged marriage or died resisting rape. She may have fallen to her death from a cliff or been attacked by a tiger on the mountain. Regardless of cause, after she died, people saw her walking on the mountain, chanting Buddhist mantras and prayers.

Black Lady Mountain was a guerilla base during the second Indo-Chinese war. There was so much fighting in the region during the American-Vietnam war that pilgrimage routes were blocked. Many devotees visited Ba Chua Xu’s shrine in the Mekong Delta instead. Ba Chua Xu is now enshrined with Ba Den on the main altar at Black Lady Mountain.

Renowned for healing illness, protecting from danger, and bestowing good fortune and success, she has a similar generous but volatile nature as her sister goddess, Ba Chua Xu. Make sure to fulfill all vows made to Ba Den. Ba Den is sometimes identified with Hindu goddess Mariamman.

**Sacred sites:** Ba Den has two primary shrines:

* A mountain shrine in Tay Ninh province near the Vietnamese-Cambodian border northwest of Ho Chi Minh City (Ba Den Mountain)
* A Khmer monastery called the Bat Pagoda in Soc Trang Province (named for its huge colonies of bats); this manifestation of Ba Den (who may or may not be the same spirit as the one enshrined on the mountain) is famed for providing traffic safety and preventing accidents. The monks bless vehicles with Holy Water from Ba Den’s altar.

**Time:** Pilgrimages are traditionally made on the 15th day (full moon) of the 1st, 9th, and 10th lunar months.

**Offerings:** Wealthy devotees have been known to offer bars of silver or gold at her shrine; the less wealthy offer the fruits of their labour, often literally.

**See Also:** Arang; Ba Chua Kho; Ba Chua Xu; Black Madonna; Ma Zu; Mariamman

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Atlas

**Origin:** Greece

**Classification:** Titan

Atlas is the Lord of Dangerous Wisdom. He plumbs the depths of the sea. He knows the mysteries of the universe. He once owned the pillars that held Earth and Sky asunder. (It was believed that Gaia and Uranus sought to reunite and had to be kept apart lest the entire world be crushed by their embrace.)

Atlas, a powerful and primordial spirit, led the Titans in their war against Zeus. When the Titans lost, most were cast into the pit of Tartarus, but Atlas was condemned to stand at the world’s end and either carry the entire world or hold the sky up so that Uranus and Gaia, Sky and Earth, could not resume their embrace. (In some versions, Atlas is Uranus and Gaia’s son so he is essentially keeping his parents apart.)

Atlas can no longer roam or wander; he must bear this weight for eternity (unless he can get someone to replace him; he had a momentary respite from Heracles). Atlas suffers at the western edge of the Greek world; his brother, Prometheus, suffers at the eastern edge.

Atlas’ name may derive from the root verb Tlao, which means “to carry.” His consort may be Phoebe, Titan of the Sun. Atlas may be the spirit of the moon. His sons include Hesperus and Hyas. His daughters include the Hesperides, Pleiades, and Hyades. Through his daughter Maia, he is Hermes’ grandpa.

**Iconography:** A huge, powerful man bearing Earth on his shoulders

**Sacred Sites:** A two-ton art deco statue of Atlas is in New York City’s Rockefeller Center, not far from a statue of Prometheus.

**See Also:** Gaia; Heracles; Hermes; Hesperides; Maia; Prometheus; Titan; Zeus

## Appearances in Modern Media

From SmiteFrom Age of MythologyFrom Rage of BahamutFrom Shin Megami TenseiFrom Eiyuu Senki
## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Ananke

*Necessity*

**Also known as:** Anance; Anankei

**Origin:** Greece

Ananke, spirit of destiny, is the goddess of whatever is “necessary” and cannot be amended. In the context of Ananke, necessary refers to unalterable fate. It is not a synonym for “desirable” or for what one thinks one needs.

Her history and family background is mysterious and subject for debate. She might be the daughter of Kronos and Tyche. She might be the mother of the Fates (Moirae).

According to the Orphics, ancient devotees of the teachings of Orpheus, Ananke needs no parents: she is the self-generated primordial mother who emerged at the beginning of time. A serpentine being, her first act was to embrace her male counterpart, a serpentine being the Orphics called Khronos, “Time,” who may or may not be the same spirit as the Titan Kronos. (Different spellings are used here to distinguish them.) Entwined, they resemble a strand of DNA. Together they form the world. Ananke and Khronos, forever entwined, are the driving force of the universe, controlling the fate of all living beings, including spirits.

In Plato’s Republic, a soldier, miraculously returned from the dead, describes what he saw in the afterlife: Ananke turns a spindle of diamonds while the Sirens sing in perfect harmony.

**Place:** Ananke once had a shrine on the Acropolis at Corinth.

**See Also:** Enki; Gaia; Khronos; Kronos; Moirae; Orpheus; Sirens; Titan; Tyche; Zeus

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Brussels Sprouts

(Brassica spp.)

Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Energies: Protection

Lore:

Legend has it that Brussel sprouts were created from wild forms of cabbage growing in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar relied on cabbage to prevent or to cure the hangovers that usually resulted from his fabulous, excessive feasts. He was naturally disturbed that no fresh cabbage was available during the winter.

According to this myth, he ordered his head gardener, Brussel, to devise a method of growing cabbage year-round. By hybridizing, Brussel eventually succeeded in creating today’s Brussel sprouts, which, indeed, are small cabbages and belong to the cabbage family.

Magical uses:

Eat Brussels sprouts as a part of protective diets. Adding a bit of salt to them is fine since salt is also a protective substance, but too much of anything (especially salt) results in ill health. Ill health leads to a lack of our body’s normal psychic protections. As an alternative to salt, try basil, dill weed, and mustard, all of which are protective flavourings.
Akalli

**Also known as:** Acacallis; Akakallis; Acalle

**Origin:** Minoan; Cretan

Akalli, Ariadne’s older sister, is the eldest of Pasiphae and Minos’ children. While still a young teenager, she met the youthful Apollo while he was undergoing purification rituals. Instantly smitten, he seduced her: she is described as his “first love.”

Akalli conceived, but instead of being pleased, her parents were livid, apparently perceiving Apollo as not good enough for their daughter. Akalli was forbidden to marry him or continue the relationship. She is the mother of various sons whom she did not raise but who became founders of cities, heroes of Crete and North Africa.

Akalli’s own personal myth is curious and complex. In addition to Apollo, she had relations with Zeus and/or Hermes. Although deities now considered important and powerful pursue her, her parents are always displeased. One myth suggests that, while pregnant, Akalli was banished to Libya to live incognito. The son born to her there is sometimes called “the first man,” implying that she is the primordial mother.

Implicit in her myth is that none of these deities are worthy of her; Apollo is described as very young and a newcomer to the region. Akalli may be a very ancient and powerful, pre-Hellenic goddess venerated in the region before any of her suitors. The Olympian deities’ enthusiasm for her may indicate their desire to align themselves with her, to absorb her spiritual power and constituency. Her parents’ dismay may indicate an attempt to maintain independence or indigenous traditions. Akalli’s sojourn in Libya may reflect history: Cretans fleeing invaders are believed to have established colonies in Libya. Her name has two meanings:

* Without walls, as in traditionally unwalled Minoan cities or a vulnerable, undefended woman
* A narcissus flower

**Offerings:** Narcissus flowers, especially wild narcissus; honey

**Shrine:** She was venerated at Lera Cave, Crete.

**See Also:** Apollo; Ariadne; Hermes; Narcissus; Nymphs; Pasiphae; Zeus

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Aoife

**Origin:** Ireland

Aoife is the second of Ailill of Aran’s three beautiful daughters. He offers them in marriage, one after the other, to Lir, Lord of the Sea. When her older sister dies, Aoife weds Lir, becoming stepmother to her sister’s children, two boys and a girl. She is jealous or feels threatened, and so, just like the proverbial “wicked step-mother,” she plots their demise. She transforms them, via enchantment, into swans, cursed to spend three hundred years on Ireland’s Loch Darravagh, three hundred years in the strait between Ireland and Scotland, and three hundred years over islands in the Atlantic. When her crime is revealed, Aoife’s enraged foster father transforms her into a Demon of the air.

For the warrior spirit, mother of Cu Chulain’s son, please see Aife.

**See Also:** Aife; Lir; Sidhe

## Aoife (2)

Two women loved the same man, son of Manannan and grandson of Lir, Lord of the Sea. Iuchra decided to eliminate her competition, transforming her rival, Aoife, into a crane in which form she must remain for two hundred years. During that time, Aoife can never reach land.

Aoife, the enchanted crane, lived in Manannan’s Otherworld realm. The full impact of the curse is that she can’t live either a woman’s life or that of a true crane, flying free. Instead she is a liminal being, neither here nor there. When she dies, Manannan skins the crane, using her skin to fabricate his magical crane bag, the treasure in which he places his other precious treasures (and gods of the sea inevitably possess wonderful treasures). Although not explicitly stated in the myth, clearly Manannan recognizes that this crane is no ordinary crane and may even be complicit in Aoife’s transformation.
In Celtic lore, cranes, traditionally associated with shape-shifting women, are considered aggressive, protective birds of sea, land, and sky. Was Aoife forcibly transformed into a crane, or was she exposed for the ancient crane spirit that she already was?

* Appeal to her to assist with shape-shifting, whether magical or metaphoric.
* Those requiring new identities in which to lay low may request her assistance.
* Ask her to protect you from jealous rivals.

**Offerings:** Many crane species are severely endangered; efforts on their behalf are an appropriate offering.

**See Also:** Manannan

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Brigantia

Brigantia was the presiding spirit of the Brigantes, the most populous Celtic tribe of Britain. They ruled a broad swathe of Northern England and the Midlands with their capital at York. Brigantia’s name is usually interpreted as Queen. The Romans identified her with Minerva and Victoria. She is generally considered to be the same spirit as Brigid and the Gaulish Brigindo.

**See Also:** Brigid; Minerva; Victoria

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Bakasura

**Pantheon**: Hindu

**Title**: The great devourer

## Smite Lore

A horrendous demon with a bottomless appetite for human flesh, Bakasura is a nightmare come to life.

After committing countless atrocities, Bakasura has demonstrated no end to his depravity, no limits to his brutality, no sating his desire to slurp human meat, crunch bone, and guzzle hot blood. So many are his vile victories over mankind that they cannot be relayed here, yet his defeat at the hands of a man that is worth the telling.

According to the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, the famous Pandava brothers were travelling in exile with their mother, Kunti, when they came to the village Ekachakra. Disguised as brahmins, they sought alms from the villagers in order to sustain themselves. They soon learned that a demon, Bakasura, was living outside the village, devouring the people as they passed through the woods. The chief went to the demon and begged that the feasting stop. In return, a cart of food would be sent to Bakasura each day. Bakasura consumed not only the provisions, but the person that brought the cart as well.

After hearing this tale from a weeping woman whose son would bear the cart on the morrow, Kunti declared that her son Bhima, who possessed impossible strength and had slain demons before, would take the cart instead, as repayment to the kindness the villagers had shown their family.

Once in the forest, Bhima nonchalantly ate the food intended for Bakasura. Furious, Bakasura threatened to eat Bhima, which he just laughed off, goading the demon to attack him. All-day they battled until Bhima finally slew the demon, tied him to the cart and dragged the body back to the village, where the people celebrated the victory in bewilderment.
Asteria

*Starry One*

**Also known as:** Astraea; Astraia

**Origin:** Greece

**Classification:** Titan

Zeus got Leto pregnant. Hera, his enraged wife, cursed Leto so that she couldn’t give birth anywhere the sun had ever shone. Leto’s pregnancy stretched on interminably. Zeus’ wandering eye moved from Leto to her sister, Asteria, who attempted to evade Zeus by transforming into a quail and flying away. His interest piqued by what he considered a game of hide-and-seek, Zeus transformed into a predatory eagle, pursuing the little quail.

Asteria transformed into a stone and dropped into the sea, where she quickly transformed again, this time into Delos, the small rocky island where Leto was finally able to give birth. (The sun hadn’t yet shone on Delos.)

Asteria is the goddess of the magic powers of night. She has dominion over various magical arts, including astrology, divination, dreaming, and necromancy. She is an oracular spirit and may be requested to send prophetic dreams. Like mother, like daughter: Asteria may be Hekate’s mother.

**Favoured people:** Those practicing her arts or seeking to learn them

**Sacred site:** Delos

**Bird:** Quail

**Offerings:** Fragrant incense; divination tools; pilgrimage to her sacred island

**See Also:** Astraia; Hekate; Leto; Zeus

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Anuket

*The Clasper;The Embracer; Bestower of Life; Lady of Nubia*

**Also known as:** Anukis; Anoukis; Anqet

**Origin:** Nubia

Anuket’s name, interpreted as “the embracer,” indicates the way Nile waters hug land, leading to fertility and joy. Anuket is a river goddess with dominion over prosperity and sexual delight; references to “clasping” and “embracing” are also intended in the sexual sense. She grants fertility to humans and animals.

Anuket first emerged in Northern Nubia. Her origins date back at least to the Old Kingdom. She and Satis may originally have been sisters, but they were incorporated into the Egyptian pantheon as mother and daughter. Depending on the version of the myth, Anuket is Khnum’s second wife and Satis is their daughter, or Satis is the wife and Anuket the child. Either way, they are happily venerated together or as a triad with Khnum.

**Manifestations:** She manifests as a beautiful woman or a gazelle, her sacred animal.

**Iconography:** Anuket may be portrayed with four arms, representing the union of
he male and female principles. She wears a crown of reeds, topped with ostrich feathers.

**Attributes:** Papyrus scepter; cowrie shell

**Element:** Water

**Bird:** Red Parrot

**Places**: Her sacred shrine was on the isle of Seheil, by the Nile’s first cataract. Anuket shares residence with Khnum and Satis at Elephantine.

**See Also:** Heket; Khnum; Satis

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Barley

Planet: Venus

Element: Earth

Energies: Money, fertility, sex

### Lore:

Barley was an important grain to the ancient Egyptians, who used it as a medium of exchange and stocked it in tombs, most notably that of Tutankhamun. Thutmose III offered barley to Ra every day, as well as on the New Moon and on the sixth day of every month. According to one Egyptian legend, barley grew out of men (as wheat grew out of women). This was apparently linked to the genders of the words in the ancient Egyptian language.

The Sumerians made barley a staple of their diet. Eight different types of barley beer were made. This drink was manufactured under the auspices of the goddess Ninkasi.

In ancient India, barley was sacred to Indra, known as “He who ripens barley.” This grain was used for rituals relating to childbirth and marriage, and played a role in funerals as well.

The Vedas state that barley was also used with freshwater for healing ceremonies.

The Babylonians were brewing beer with barley as early as 2800 B.C.E., and the Greeks planted it around temples to Demeter while asking for human fertility. In China, barley is a symbol of male sexual potency.

### Magical uses:

As a wholesome food, barley is currently experiencing new popularity. It is useful for prosperity diets—those designed to bring additional money when needed or to generally boost your financial state. Awaken this energy through visualization while preparing and eating barley dishes. Add barley to diets if fertility or male sexual potency is a problem.
Boann

**Also known as:** Boand

**Classification:** Tuatha Dé Danaan

Boann is the spirit of Ireland’s Boyne River, responsible for its creation. Her myth is documented in the twelfth-century History of Places. Boann, whose name is interpreted as “White Cow,” is married to Nechtan, owner and guardian of a Well of Wisdom, which he forbids her to visit. She defies him and walks around it counterclockwise (widdershins). The water in the well reacts explosively, churning and surging upward, turning into a raging river and racing to the sea. Engulfed by the waters, Boann loses an arm, an eye, and a leg and finally, her life. She is transformed into the spirit of the river. It’s a mysterious myth:

* Is the well’s reaction her punishment for breaking a taboo?
* Was she forbidden to visit the well because Nechtan knew what would happen if she did?
* Is the story a later rationale for why Boann is the spirit of the river that bears her name: the story of a defiant, disobedient wife who is drowned is preferable to acknowledging a primordial Pagan river goddess?

**Animal**: Cow

**Sacred site:** The Boyne River; her son Angus, Lord of Love, has his palace on her banks.

**See Also:** Angus Mac Og; Caer Ibormeith; the Dagda; Nechtan; Sinnann

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Bean Nighe

*The Little Washer Woman*

**Origin:** Scottish Highlands, Ireland

**Classification:** Washer at the Ford

The Bean Nighe is witnessed in lonely places beside streams or pools of water washing the linens of those fated to die soon. The Bean Nighe is a category of spirits, not a single individual. According to one tradition, the Bean Nighe are women who died in childbirth, thus dying before their originally allotted time. They are fated to keep laundering clothes until the time originally allotted for their true lifespan arrives and they are released. Needless to say, they are grouchy spirits. Would you wish to spend what seems like eternity doing laundry?

Seeing the Bean Nighe is a harbinger of death, possibly but not necessarily for the person who sees them. The doomed may be the eyewitness or someone who is known to them, possibly family or friends but also someone famous who is familiar although not personally known.

People fear seeing the Bean Nighe because of her associations with death, but the true danger lies in whether or not she sees you. Allegedly if she sees you before you see her, she may inflict serious bodily harm. On the other hand, some welcome a sight of the Bean Nighe, even prowling the highlands looking for her as she is a wish-giving spirit providing proper rituals are performed. Various versions exist:

* Catch hold of her with your left hand before she sees you, and she will grant your wish.
* Catch hold of her but don’t stop there: nursing at her breast transforms you into her foster child. Not only will she grant your wish but she will be your guardian spirit.
* Catching hold of her from the back garners you one wish, but if you can get between her and the water and catch hold of her with your left hand, she will grant you three.

There’s yet another variant: She’ll grant three wishes but in exchange you must truthfully answer three questions. If you lie or are somehow less than fully honest, she will know and those wishes are forfeit. Plus you’re stuck beside this very grouchy spirit.

The Bean Nighe of the Isle of Skye does not grant wishes, but if you catch and hold on to her, she will reveal your own fate and destiny.

**Manifestation:** Not every Bean Nighe is identical. In general, they are described as petite women usually dressed in green. She may have red webbed feet; long, pendulous breasts; or swollen breasts leaking milk like a woman who has just given birth. She may be very pretty but there is a grotesque quality to many Bean Nighe: she may have one nostril or one incredibly large, protruding front tooth.

**See Also:** Washers at the Ford

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Alberich

**Origin:** Frankish

Alberich’s history and identity are mysterious as befitting someone with his possible family connections. His name means “Elf Ruler” or “Elf King,” and he may, in fact, be an Elf. The name may also indicate a human who is the master of Elves in the same way that King Solomon is a master or king of Djinn.

* Some legends describe Alberich as a spirit.
* Others suggest that he was an incredibly powerful Frankish sorcerer, perhaps able to attain immortality.

Elf or human, he is described as the brother of Merovech, founder of France’s Merovingian royal dynasty. Although his mother is known, the identity of Merovech’s father has always been mysterious. Rumors have swirled regarding possible Otherworldly parentage. Those identified as candidates for paternity include Neptune, Wotan (Odin), or a sea monster. Alternatively as readers of The Da Vinci Code or Holy Blood, Holy Grail know, Merovech is long rumoured to be descended from Jesus, whose Davidic lineage is shared by King Solomon. Where Alberich fits into this family tree is unclear.

Alberich is subject of lore and legend, sometimes considered King of Dwarves, too. A character named Alberich appears in various Richard Wagner operas. Wagner was no stickler for mythic accuracy: his Alberich is a composite of Alberich and Andvari.

**Realm**: Alberich lives in a beautiful, luxurious subterranean palace.

**See Also:** Andvari; Djinn; Dwarves; Elves; Oberon; King Solomon

## Appearances in Modern Media

From Blood BrothersFrom Force of WillFrom Rage of BahamutFrom Dawn of Gods
## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Ascalaphus

**Also known as:** Askalaphos

**Origin:** Greek

**Classification:** Chthonian spirit

Ascalaphus is the chief gardener of Hades, son of Acheron and an infernal Nymph, maybe Gorgyra or Orphne. The one bright spot in gloomy Hades is an orchard of pomegranate trees. Persephone, Spirit of Spring Flowers, took comfort there during her captivity. Ascalaphus handed her some pomegranate seeds and bade her eat them. When she had the opportunity to leave Hades provided she had consumed nothing, it was Ascalaphus who revealed that she had eaten the seeds.

Demeter took revenge: she transformed him into a lizard and buried him beneath a rock. Eventually Heracles moved the rock and he escaped, but Persephone then transformed Ascalaphus into a screech owl. In that shape he remains, seated on Hades’ shoulder or serving as Hades’ spy. Those seeking a traditional poison garden might request Ascalaphus’ assistance and gardening tips.

**See Also:** Demeter; Hades; Heracles; Lampades; Persephone

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Black Cat Protection Spell

A good spell to ward off the evil intentions of another, block a psychic attack, or turn your luck around.

Items needed:

One black cat candle, black cat oil (composed of patchouli and frankincense), and a mirror.

On the night of the waxing moon, as close to midnight as possible, begin the spell. On your altar or a small table, place the mirror reflecting side up. Dress the black cat candle with the black cat oil. As you do this, visualize your luck changing and good things coming to you.

Next, place the cat candle on the mirror and light it as you chant the following:

Black cat power
From this hour
Reflect the light
Make things right.

Allow the black cat candle to burn for one hour. Repeat this spell every night, at the same time, until the full moon.

On the night of the full moon, place the mirror with the black cat on it in the moonlight.

Repeat the chant, and allow the candle to burn out.

When the candle has been consumed, discard any wax left and put the mirror away.
Arnemetia

*Lady of the Grove; She Who Dwells by the Sacred Grove*

**Origin:** Celtic

Arnemetia is the goddess of the healing springs of Buxton, Derbyshire, England. The spa at Buxton is unique as there are actually two springs situated closely together, gushing out two kinds of water. The Romans and the Celtic people they conquered may have disagreed on many things, but they shared a love of thermal baths and the spirits who preside over them. The Romans established a settlement near Arnemetia’s springs circa 78 CE, calling the sacred spa Aquae Arenemetiae: Waters of Arnemetia.

Beyond some limited archaeological evidence and Roman inscriptions, little else survives regarding Arnemetia. Her name contains the Celtic word nemeton, meaning “sacred grove.” She had a temple by the spring presumably complete with grove. Drinking her waters is believed to alleviate illness, especially chronic wasting diseases. The site remained sacred post-conversion to Christianity, but the waters were rededicated to female saints. Saint Ann’s Well, as it was renamed, was a major pilgrimage site until the Reformation. It is still the site of an annual well-dressing festival.

**Element:** Water

**See Also:** Coventina; Sequana; Sulis

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Awilix

**Pantheon**: Mayan

**Title**: Goddess of the Moon

## Smite Lore

Pale white shines the light from her sentinel high above Earth. She watches, the eye that pierces shadow, and listens with the ears of birds and beasts that use the darkness to hunt and revel. As Queen of the Night, she is known; the Goddess of the Moon, Awilix.

They say the sun is her lover, and from his light does she shine, but those that say so have never beheld her. Left unrestrained, the sun burns skin, scorches the land, blinds the eyes. Moonlight does no such thing. Like soft white petals it blankets the night, casting the world into mystical illumination. Never has it brought calamity or ruin, only the chance to see where once there was none. She is no different. Her mysterious radiance needs no other to shine.
Aido-Hwedo

**Also known as**: Aïdo Wedo

**Origin:** Dahomey (Benin)

Aïdo-Hwedo, the primordial cosmic serpent, is the primeval creative force, the power that enabled the Creator to form the universe. Aïdo-Hwedo existed before Creation. Because Mawu-Lisa, Dahomean creator, was carried in Aïdo-Hwedo’s mouth during the process of Creation, Earth’s shape corresponds to a serpent’s movements. When Earth was complete, Mawu realized there was too much; Earth was too heavy and required something on which to rest. Aïdo-Hwedo was directed to coil into a circle and become a cushioning support for Earth.

Earth is extremely heavy; Mawu created the sea so that Aïdo-Hwedo may rest in comfort. When Aïdo-Hwedo shifts, Earth quakes. S/he eats iron bars forged by red undersea monkeys. When all the iron bars are gone, as eventually they will be, hunger will drive Aïdo-Hwedo to eat her own tail and Earth will collapse into the sea.

Dahomean Aïdo-Hwedo encompasses both male and female: two serpents so intensely bonded and inseparable that from an esoteric perspective they are one even though they are also a pair (in the same sense that marriage unifies two individuals). One serpent supports Earth; the other lives in the sky as the Rainbow. Arriving in Haiti amid the slave trade, Aïdo-Hwedo split into two, although the two parts remain inseparable:

* Damballah Wedo: male snake
* Ayida-Wedo: female rainbow serpent

**See also:** Ayida-Wedo; Damballah; Matronit; Shekhina

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Apparition

An *apparition* is an actual sighting of a spirit that occurs while awake (as opposed to seeing spirits in dreams). The spirit is seen with your actual eyes, not in the mind's eye. The word derives from the Latin *apparere* and is related to *appearance*. Rather than just any old appearance, apparition usually indicates a ghostly, unusual, or unexpected appearance. If you have seen a ghost, then you have witnessed an apparition.

By definition, apparitions are visual. Disembodied voices or fragrances may indicate the presence of a spirit but are not apparitions. Apparitions may be witnessed by one person alone, as is frequently the case with ghosts. (Classic fictional example: when Scrooge encounters the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future in Charles Dickens' 1843 novel *A Christmas Carol*, he does so alone. No one else sees them. ) Apparitions my also be simultaneously witnessed by more than one person, sometimes by crowds.

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Amberella

**Origin:** Baltic

The beautiful princess Amberella fell in love with the Prince of the Sea and joined him in his underwater palace, abandoning human life for immortality. Sometimes she misses her old life, though, and has regrets. When she does, she sends gifts to those she left behind: pieces of amber.

Alternative versions of her myth are less happy. One version suggests that she was no human princess but the daughter of Perkunas, the Thunder Lord. He did not approve of her eloping with a sea spirit and sent a thunderbolt crashing down, destroying the prince’s castle, constructed from amber. Bits of that palace are still washing ashore.

Although amber is the product of trees, because it was often found tossed up by waves, it was associated with the sea. Amber is the vehicle with which to communicate with Amberella. She is a completely benevolent spirit and may be requested to assist with love (especially forbidden love), fertility, pregnancy, and relief from poverty.

In another legend, Amberella is no princess at all but the beautiful daughter of a poor fisherman, abducted by the Prince of the Sea. When she begs to see her family one last time, he carries her up to the surface of the waters but will not permit her to come closer. All she can do is throw pieces of precious amber to shore to Demonstrate her love. Now, whenever her husband causes tempestuous, destructive waves, she signals her compassion and sympathy through gifts of amber.

Amber is considered magically beneficial during pregnancy. Place amber jewellery on an altar dedicated to Amberella, requesting her blessings before you wear it.

**Manifestation:** Beautiful Amberella may have legs or a mermaid’s tail. She wears an amber crown and is bedecked with amber jewellery

**Altar:** Decorate her altar with sea treasures (shells, sea glass, small stones), as well as images of mermaids and sea creatures. Add amber to personalize it for her.

**See Also:** Ausriné; Mermaid; Perkunas

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Bahlindjo

**Also known as** Balandjo; Balendjo

**Origin**: Yoruba

**Classification:** Orisha

Bahlindjo is the resident spirit of the Ogun River in what is now Nigeria. He once shared this river with Yemaya, who is now associated with the sea, but the two remain closely associated. Bahlindjo is a spirit of fertility and healing.

Bahlindjo may or may not be an aspect of Ogun, but he has largely been absorbed by that dynamic orisha in his path as Ogun Balendjo. Bahlindjo may or may not be an independent spirit.

**See also:** Ogun; Yemaya; Path

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Amaru

**Origin:** Andean

The Amarus (plural) are ancient Andean snake spirits, guardian deities of the Incas. Amaru is a Quechua word literally translated as “snake,” but they may be dragons. Spirits of wisdom, the Amarus served as advisors to the Incas and their predecessors.

Legend has it that Amarus continue to protect the Incas. Following the Spanish conquest, a party of Incas fled from Cuzco, their capital city, and travelled east through the mountains, carrying sacred artifacts, building bridges as they went. Enchantments were placed upon these bridges so that no one could follow in their footsteps. (Attempts to follow them produce enchanted eternal sleep, à la Sleeping Beauty.) These Incas ventured deep into the rain forest, building a secret hidden fortress-city called Paititi (“Home of the Jaguar Father”), guarded by Amarus in conjunction with giant felines. (Conspiracy theorists claim that the Vatican knows the location of the city.)

Someday, it is prophesied, the Incas will return, retracing their route back to Cuzco. Their return will be accompanied by devastating natural phenomena, such as earthquakes and hailstorms. The Amarus will roar, frightening away those who have usurped the Incas’ power, and once again the Incas will rule.

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Achachilas

**Origin:** Aymara

The Achachilas are mountain spirits, protective ancestral spirits of the Aymara whose ancestral home is the Andes Mountains. The Achachilas are ancestors who keep a vigilant eye over their descendants, offering assistance as needed and requested. They appear in dreams and offer warnings so that unfortunate or dangerous situations may be averted. They also have power over precipitation: rain, hail, frost, and so forth.

**Manifestation:** An old man dressed in traditional Aymara clothing

**Favoured people:** Their descendants, the Aymara people, although others with powerful affiliations may attempt a request

**Realm**: They live in caverns within the Andes.

**Offerings:** The Achachilas are propitiated by feeding stray dogs and by libations of water and alcoholic beverages poured on mountainous ground.

## Protection ritual while travelling in the Andes

1. Request that the Achachilas guard your vehicle on hazardous roads.

2. While petitioning, sprinkle the tires with an alcoholic beverage.

3. The Achachilas are present in the Andes; if you already have a bond with them, they may be petitioned for assistance elsewhere, too.

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes
Ascended Masters

The term Ascended Master refers to incredibly spiritually evolved individuals who serve as teachers of humanity, our spiritual guides. The concept arose amidst Theosophy and the writings of Helena Blavatsky, although she did not use that term. She described the evolved beings she encountered as Mahatmas or Hidden Masters of Wisdom.

The Ascended Masters are so highly evolved that they have achieved immortality and are able to defy and manipulate ordinary laws of matter. According to Madame Blavatsky, their headquarters is in the Himalayas although others claim that the Ascended Masters are chthonic spirits living within Earth, especially within California’s Mount Shasta.
Different modern esoteric spiritual traditions understand (or experience) Ascended Masters differently. Some describe a set, defined number of Ascended Masters; others say that the ranks are always expanding. Some define Ascended Masters as humans who ascended to spiritual heights, but other traditions suggest that Ascended Masters are sacred souls who repeatedly assume human form. Souls pass from one incarnation to another. Thus Arthurian Rowena may have later incarnated as the Roman Catholic Saint Teresa of Avila. Alternatively, some Ascended Masters walk the Earth and never die or leave, such as the allegedly immortal Comte de Saint-Germaine.

Ascended Masters derive from any and all religious or spiritual traditions. The Ascended Masters are on Earth to save us from ourselves and to lead people toward enlightenment, love, and expanded esoteric knowledge and existence. Alchemists of the soul, they are petitioned for help with spiritual and occult knowledge as well as for actual physical protection and rescue. Among those considered Ascended Masters are Jesus Christ and Buddha.

**See Also:** Madame Helena Blavatsky; Great White Brotherhood; Hidden Company; Morya; Serapis Bey

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes