recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Klugyalmo Sripe Tanla Phapa

*The Klu Queen Who Set the Universe in Water*

**Origin:** Tibet

In the beginning, Klugyalmo Sripé Tanla Phapa the water snake emerged from the primeval void. Her body became and is the universe:

* Her flesh is Earth
* Oceans are her blood
* Rivers are her veins
* Mountains are her bones
* The top of her head is the sky
* Clouds are her breath
* Her left eye is the sun
* Her right eye is the moon
* Four of her teeth became Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn
* The rest of her teeth form the Mansions of the Moon

When you step on the ground, you’re standing on a gigantic snake. If you take a dip in the sea, you’re swimming in her blood. Look outside: daytime means Klugyalmo Sripé is awake. When she sleeps, it’s night.

**See Also:** Ayida-Wedo; Damballah; Eurynome; Jahi; Klu; Nyx

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Baltic

The Laimos are Baltic destiny spirits and Birth Fairies. Their leader is Laima. The Laimos are spinners and weavers: their thread is human lives. There are apparently seven Laimos but in their capacity as Birth Fairies, only three appear at a time. They may be distinct, individual spirits or they may be multiples of Laima. She may be able to manifest as one spirit, three or seven. The Laimos appear at the moment of the birth:

* One decides if the child will live at all
* One decides when the child will die
* One determines the quality of life during this allotted time

**Manifestation:** Laimos manifest as women, cuckoos or swans. Allegedly, if you can capture one in swan from, she’ll transform into a woman, engage in sacred marriage and bring you wealth and success.

**See Also:** Birth Fairies; Laima; Swan Goddesses

## Information Source

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

King of the Land of Promise

**Origin:** Isle of Man

Manannan, son of the ancient sea deity Lir, is a sea spirit, too. Ocean waves are his horses. The sea is his cloak. He is a trickster, a master of true magic, illusion, and sleight of hand. He controls the weather. Manannan presides over an Other-world realm named Mag Mell, a joyous paradise populated by dead souls and other members of the Tuatha Dé Danaan. He serves as a psychopomp, ferrying souls to his realm. Although Manannan is classified among the Tuatha Dé Danaan, it is widely acknowledged that he is older than that family of spirits. He may be among the primordial spirits of Earth.

Manannan possesses a magical crane-bag filled with treasures:

* He owns a boat that requires no sails or oars but obeys the thoughts of its captain.
* He owns a horse that rides equally well on land or water.
* He owns a magic sword named Fragarach (“The Answerer”) that penetrates any armor.
* He owns pigs that are slaughtered and consumed but are then reborn, fully grown the next day so that they can be eaten over and over again.

**Manifestation:** His cloak of mist enables him to be invisible when he chooses. He wears a flaming helmet. Often envisioned as an older man with long, flowing white hair and beard, he is a master shape-shifter and full of surprises.

**Emblem:** Some scholars think the Triskelion, the three-legged wheel which is the emblem of the Isle of Man, represents Manannan.

**Element:** Water

**Sacred Sites:** He was the first king of the Isle of Man, named in his honor and still serves as the island’s spirit guardian. In addition, the spirit realm Manannan rules lies beneath the waves.

**Day:** Midsummer’s Eve or the summer solstice

**Altar:** Decorate his altar with marine imagery

**Offerings:** Flowers, bundles of reeds and/or alcoholic beverages including Okell’s Mac Lir wheat beer, which features his image on the label.

**See Also:** Aoife; Cliodna; Fand; Lir; Llyr; Manawydan; Psychopomp

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Siberia

The moon exerts its pull on Earthly tides and women’s menstrual cycles. Kaltes is the beautiful spirit who mediates this relationship between Earth, the moon and women. Kaltes first manifested to the Ugric tribes of Western Siberia such as the Mansi, formerly called the Voguls, who traditionally inhabited the forests and swamplands near the Ob River and who are linguistically related to the Finns, Saami and Hungarians.

Once upon a time, Kaltes lived in the sky with her husband, Numi-Tarem the Sky Master who may be a bear spirit. (She may also be his sister or daughter.) Kaltes had a secret love affair with Xul-Ater, Prince of the Underworld but her husband found out. He drew his sword to stab Kaltes but their eldest son stopped him. Later, when he had the opportunity, the enraged Numi-Tarem threw Kaltes to the ground three times; then dropped her to Earth through a hole in the sky. While falling, she gave birth to the spirit-child who would become World Surveyor Man, the Gander Prince.

Kaltes (the very same spirit or her double) serves as World Surveyor Man’s foster mother. Yes, she is also his real mother. When he comes of age, depending on the version of the myth, World Surveyor Man may or may not marry Kaltes or her avatar.

Kaltes resembles those Russian dolls, which appear identical except for size and which fit one inside the other. There are seemingly a dizzyingly endless number of Kaltes who may be one and the same or reflections of each other, sort of the way rabbits legendarily multiply. Fittingly, Kaltes is the Lady of the Rabbits, her sacred creature and messenger. She is a goddess of fertility, childbirth, and women’s reproductive health.

**Manifestation:** Kaltes appears as a beautiful woman, a rabbit or a goose. She is intensely associated with rabbits; even when she appears in another form, some reference to rabbits may still exist, giving the clue to her true identity.

**Planet:** Moon

**Sacred tree:** Birch

**Animal:** Rabbit

**Bird:** Goose; swan

**See Also:** Swan Goddesses; World Surveyor Man

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** India

Kamakhya is a Tantric goddess who presides over a famous shrine in Assam, northeastern India. The Kamakhya shrine is among the fifty-one Shakti Peethas: holy shrines located where the different parts of Sati’s body fell. The Kamakhya Shrine is special as it is located on the spot where:

* While still alive, Sati engaged in erotic delights with Shiva
* Her vulva fell to Earth

Kamakhya may be another name for Sati. She may also be a pre-Hindu Assamese goddess who has been absorbed into Hinduism as an avatar of Sati. (Kamakhya is also occasionally identified with Tantric Hindu Tara.) Although there are different facets and interpretations of her myth, one way or another, Kamakhya is a spirit of women’s generative power and death.

She is the menstruating goddess who radiates supreme female generative, reproductive power, which means she may be petitioned for personal fertility but also that she has the power to banish evil spirits, especially malevolent ghosts and the walking dead. The meaning of her name is unknown. It is sometimes translated as one who is worshipped by Kama; because according to myth, Kama regained his body at her shrine (following a curse cast by Shiva, which rendered him formless). Other etymologists suggest that the name is not Sanskrit and may relate to words for “corpse” or “ghost.” Kamakhya presides over ghosts and spirits and prior to the construction of her temple may have been worshipped in cremation grounds. (The present temple structure dates from the 16th century and is formed in the shape of a bee hive.)

The Kamakhya Temple is considered the highest seat of Tantricism. Devotees come to venerate the goddess but also to seek out the many mystics and holy people who congregate here in order to request their assistance with healing, romance, fertility and changes in fortune.

**Iconography:** Kamakhya is not personified. She is venerated in the form of a vulva-like stone over which a spring of water flows

**Colour:** Red

**Sacred site:** Kamakhya Temple, Nilachal Hill in Assam, India

**Sacred times:** Festivals honouring Kamakhya are held throughout the year; this is an exceptionally popular temple; the center of Tantric India; a particularly popular festival occurs on the 7th day of the Hindu month of Ashaad, corresponding in time to the astrological sign Cancer. This festival honours the goddess’ menstrual cycle: the water in the springs turns red, possibly with the help of some vermillion powder.

**Offerings:** Flowers, incense, pilgrimage

**See Also:** Kama; Sati; Shiva; Tara

## Information Source

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

*The White Goddess*

**Also Known As:** Leukotheia; Leucothia

**Origin:** Greece

Leucotheia is the sea goddess who, in Homer’s Odyssey, saves Odysseus from drowning. She lent him her veil, which he wore like a belt, enabling him to escape his wrecked ship and swim to shore. Once safely aground, he returned the veil by throwing it into the sea. (This veil was allegedly identical to the purple cloth given those initiated into the Cabeirian Mysteries of Samothrace as protection from the sea.)

There are at least two sea spirits called Leucotheia, literally “white goddess”:

* Halia, a Nymph from the island of Rhodes, was the sister of the Telchines and the beloved of Poseidon to whom she bore six sons. When Aphrodite was first born from the sea and seeking dry land, she sought to land on Rhodes but was denied permission by Halia’s sons. In revenge, Aphrodite struck them mad and they raped their mother. Halia threw herself into the sea and emerged as Leucotheia, the White Goddess.

• Ino, daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes married Athamas, king of the prehistoric, pre-Hellenic Minyan people of Boeotia. Ino may be Semele’s sister. When Zeus needed to hide Dionysus, his son with Semele, Ino and her husband sheltered the baby, Ino serving as his wet-nurse. They incurred the wrath of Hera who infected Athamas with a murderous rage. After he killed one of their children, Ino grabbed the other and sprang into the sea. (Alternatively, Ino was struck mad and she threw herself and the children into the sea.) She emerged from the waves, however, transformed into Leucotheia.

Leucotheia is also an honorific used for Greek river goddesses and the inspiration for poet Robert Graves’ 1948 epic study of the psychological and mythological origins of poetry, The White Goddess.

Ino was venerated throughout Greece unlike Halia whose veneration was more localized. An oracular shrine was dedicated to Ino in Laconia: questions or petitions were accompanied by barley cakes tossed into her sacred pool.

* Offerings that sank indicated an affirmative answer: Ino favoured you
* If they float, you and your petition have been rejected

Leucotheia protects against the dangers of the sea, especially drowning.

**Favoured People:** Sailors; travelers on the sea; swimmers; children

**Bird:** Seamew

**Plant:** Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis: literally the rose of the sea)

**See Also:** Aphrodite; Arachne; Cabeiri; Hera; Nymph; Poseidon; Semele; Telchines; Zeus

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Korea

A Kumiho is a type of fox spirit. Like her compatriots, the Japanese Kitsune and Chinese Huli Jing, the Kumiho is associated with rampant, unbridled female sexuality. Unlike other types of fox spirits, however, there is nothing ambiguous about the Kumiho. Korean lore paints her as a wholly negative spirit.

“Kumiho” literally means “nine-tail”. The true form of this spirit is believed to be a nine-tailed fox spirit. Unlike other types of fox spirits, the Kumiho rarely, if ever, engages in spirit possession. Instead she murders her victims. Sometimes she even eats them. Although young virile men are her favourite prey, stories sometimes describe Kumiho snacking on children.

The Kumiho transforms into the guise of a sexy, seductive woman in order to capture her prey and then vampirically drains male life essence (yang energy) during sex. She may vampirically drink blood, too. Encounters with the Kumiho tend to be fatal. Some Kumiho are stealth operators as in the legend of the Kumiho who disguised herself as a beautiful woman and married a Chinese emperor’s son. She successfully maintained her disguise with her husband and his family but meanwhile young male members of the court began to mysteriously disappear.

Legends suggest that the Kumiho will desist and flee if her true identity is exposed. Apparently, in the dark, the Kumiho is indistinguishable from human women. A good, long look at her in the hard light of day will reveal her foxy characteristics. Dogs can see through the Kumiho’s disguise and will be hostile toward her. Once the Kumiho suspects that her cover is blown, she will usually run away. Appeals to Inari may serve to protect against the Kumiho.

**See Also:** Kitsune; Hone-Onna; Huli Jing; Inari; Lamiae; Vampire

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Roman region

**Feast:** 11 January

Juturna is a spirit of fresh water. Although described as a Roman goddess and now integrated into the Roman pantheon, she actually predates the Romans in the area. Her brother, Turnus, King of the Rutuli, an Italic tribe, was chief rival of Aeneas, progenitor and ancestor of the Romans. Juturna was allied with her brother in his fight against Roman domination. Her brother was killed during the hostilities but Juturna was too important to be banished.

Although a spirit of fresh water in general, Juturna was specifically associated with two sources of fresh water: a sacred well in Lavinium and a spring now in the Roman Forum, probably the primary source of fresh water for the earliest inhabitants of the Palatine Hill. (It remained so until aqueducts were first built in 312 BCE.) Water from Juturna’s spring was used by the Vestal Virgins as ritual water. The water is also believed to have healing properties.

Although Juturna is wed to Janus, she also had an affair with Jupiter, conducted secretly until betrayed by the Nymph, Lara. This myth may be interpreted as Jupiter attempting to move in on the ancient deity, Janus’ turf and being foiled.

**Consort:** Janus; their son is Fontus, Spirit of Fountains, Wells and Springs

**Spirit allies:** Juturna is closely affiliated with the Dioscuri

**Sacred Sites:** The spring of Juturna in the Roman Forum; she also had a Roman temple

**Sacred day:** The Juturnalia celebrated on 11 January marks the dedication of her temple in the Campus Martius.

**See Also:** Dioscuri; Janus; Jupiter; Lara; Nymph; Vesta

## Information Source

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

There are lady barons, too. In Dominican Vodou, La Barona is Queen of the Cemetery. To some extent her role corresponds to that of Madame Brigitte or Oya. She may be invoked in the cemetery at midnight, with or without her husband.

**Consort:** Baron Del Cementario

**Attribute:** La Barona carries a bag filled with magical herbs and poisonous plants.

**Daughter:** Gedelia

**Colour:** Purple

**Gem:** Jet

**Offerings:** Red wine, black coffee, traditional mourners’ jewellery

**See Also:** Baron Del Cementario; Madame Brigitte; Gedé; Oya

## Information Source

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

For a Wiccan, this is “cakes and ale” and is a sharing of food and drink that has a great deal of symbolism and meaning attached to it. For the Traditional Crafter, this goes deeper still. Known most often by its Cornish name of “Houzle”, the coming together of white bread and red wine or dark ale is seen as honouring the blood and bone of the Ancestors. This is a complex piece of symbolism, considering how simple the practical technique itself it. The libator dips the bread in the wine or ale, and toasts the Ancestors, the Gods, old Hornie, and whoever else they need to honour. In a group, the participants take turns. It seems very simple, but the symbolism runs very deep, as in addition to the act of symbolic theophany that can be seen in the Catholic Mass, there is also the nature of blood and bone to take into account. Frequently the blood is seen as the lineage itself — the Witch-Blood — and the bone is the body of Lore that both sustains the blood and enables us to discover and connect with it.

Traditionally, the Houzle is performed with a horn cup, which — depending on the tradition — can be an actual cup made of horn or a stirrup cup (the cups designed originally for members of the fox hunt to drink their libation before the hunt. They do not have a base, but rather are stored upside down, and are frequently made in the shape of animals, especially stags and foxes.)
KTRT

*The Swallow-Like Daughters of the Crescent Moon*

**Origin:** West Semitic: Canaan; Phoenicia

Semitic languages traditionally have no written vowels and so only the consonants of these sister goddesses survive: KTRT. Among the suggested pronunciations of their names are Katirat; Kotarot and Kotharat; however these are all guesses. Their name derives from a root word indicating skill or wisdom.

The KTRT are goddesses of sexual delight, conception and childbirth. They are seven in number. In the Ugaritic myth, the Epic of Aqhat, when a child is desired, the KTRT are feasted for seven days. By the time they depart on the seventh day, pregnancy has been achieved. In the mythic epic poem, “Nikkal and the Kathirat”, the seven sisters are summoned to provide what is necessary for the wedding and are requested for their blessings. The KTRT are reminiscent of the Seven Hathors.

**Planet:** Moon, especially crescent

**Sacred bird:** Swallow (associated with fertility in Egypt and Semitic West Asia)

**See Also:** Lady Asherah; Hathor; Kadesh; Kothar wa-Khasis

## Information Source

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

(Alliurn spp.)

Planet: Mars
Element: Fire

Energies: Protection, physical strength

### Lore:

Leeks are steeped in myth and folklore. In twelfth-century Persia they were worn over the left ear to prevent intoxication. Gerarde, who lived in sixteenth-century England, thought they produced nightmares. In his time, a leek was hidden inside a black cloth and placed under the pillow of an ill person to effect a cure. Leeks were also regarded as solemn protection against fire and lightning.

### Magical uses:

Leeks are good protectants, as you might expect from a member of the onion family. Make leek soup or add leeks to a stew for this purpose. Additionally, they can be eaten for increased physical strength. According to tradition, Welsh soldiers rubbed fresh leeks on their bodies for success and vigour in battle. They also believed that the magic juice would protect them from wounds. The leek is still a national symbol of Wales.
Shaman

A *shaman* is a person who can travel back and forth between the human realm and realms of spirits. Don't buy a bus ticket; that isn't how it's done. Although it can be physically strenuous, this is spiritual travelling. Shamanism involves soul journeying, usually while entranced.

What does it mean to soul journey? It means literally to send one's soul. The individual is believed to possess various souls: the shaman develops and exerts extraordinary control over a travelling soul, which can leave the body and consciously travel, communicate, and bring back messages.

What do shamans do while they're away? They may battle or socialize with spirits. They retrieve missing pieces of other people's souls. They travel to other realms to obtain needed information, like how to heal illness or avert disasters.

Some shamanize just to commune with spirits, but shamans also serve their communities. Traditionally, communities provided economic support for a shaman so that they were able to devote themselves to the task full-time. (The flip side of the economic support is that the shaman may be on call around the clock, 24/7.) It is an eminently practical system: as with spirits, shamans are patronized as long as they demonstrate results. If the ailing consistently fail to recover, if the weather is consistently bad, if the crop fails, if the spirits seem unhappy, another more successful shaman will be found.

The word *shaman* is a Tungus word (Tungus is an indigenous Siberian language), and shamanism is closely identified with cultures of the extreme north. However, shamans exist wherever people do. There is no specific English word to express this concept, and so the Tungus word has entered our language and become somewhat generic.

Shamans are traditionally called by the spirits to work with them; they are chosen. Lengthy preparation and study is typically involved. This is not something that can be learned over a weekend, although certainly some techniques may be relatively easily acquired.

* Shamans may learn secret spirit languages
* They may possess special songs or chants that open gates of spirit realms.
* They may work with their own personal spirit guides, unknown to other people.

Shamanistic literature, including fairy tales and myths may be considered the equivalent of road maps. They advise what to expect and what to do at specific junctures of the journey. These descriptions may be incorporated into visualization.

## Information Source

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

**Welcome to the Kaleidoscopic Path Wiki!**

**As of November 30th 2021, the Kaleidoscopic Path wiki is 2 year old.**

 This is the official wiki for the Kaleidoscopic Path. We seek to create a community of diverse beliefs and promote analytical thought and discussion about belief and encourage each individual to grow spiritually. I will be using pictures from anime and video games throughout this wiki to portrayal the various deities and figures on here, this is done to demonstrate how these figures are still a part of our collective culture and continue to grow with us.

This wiki is currently in the **Gathering and Formatting Phase** which entails creating many pages with information gathered from external sources. The goal is to create a solid foundation that will be expanded on later. As time goes on and more information is gathered it will be merged together to create something original. The sources of the information will be at the bottom of the page under **Information Source** and readers are advised to visit the original sources of the information.

Part of the goal of the wiki is to provide people with access to the wide range of information on Paganism and the variety of beliefs held by many people from around the world. There is a wide array of information and wisdom out there that remains hidden from those looking for it because it is split up among various websites or books that might not be widely known to those searching. It is my goal to gather all of this information and build a source of knowledge for those who are interested in learning more about the occult and esoteric. If you have any information that may be useful feel free to add it or get in touch with the Founder.

For those wondering What is Paganism?

## Dedication

This wiki is dedicated to:

Wisdom:Thoth, Odin, Prometheus, Coeus, Chiron and the Muses

Magic: Hekate, Circe, Medea, Isis, Angerboda, Cerridwen, Bruxa Evora, Diana

Other: Hermes, Anansi, Ganesha, Astraea

## The Kaleidoscopic Path

AboutInformation SourcesHolidaysHierarchyBeliefs & RulesWhy it's not a cult
## Beliefs

SpiritsMagicWhite MagicBlack MagicAlchemyAstromancyCrystals, Gems, MineralsKitchen MagicHearthcraftShamanismNumerologyMeditationNaraka
## Important Pages

MythPantheonThe GoddessMysteryAstral PlaneGrimoiresHexPotionAscended Masters
## Pantheons

Greek/Roman PantheonEgyptian PantheonNorse PantheonShintoChinese PantheonHindu PantheonCeltic PantheonMesopotamian/Sumerian PantheonMesoamerican
## Additional Pages

MarriageTheban AlphabetCroneMorgan le FayMermaidJack-o'-Lantern
Johann Mylius

Johann Mylius (16th–17th c.) German philosopher and student of Alchemy, known for his books of alchemical emblems.

Johann Mylius’s best-known work is *Philosophia reformata* (“Philosophy Reformed”), published in 1622, a 700-page illustrated book discussing the concepts, metals, and stages of alchemy. His last work, Anatomia auri (“The Anatomy of Gold”), was published in 1628 and discusses the physical and spiritual properties of gold.

## Information Source

The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley
Love Drawing Potion

Items needed: One glass sauce pan, dove’s blood ink, a small paint brush, sweet red wine, a metal tea ball, one cup honey, and the following herbs: 3 fresh mint leaves, 7 rosebud petals, 1 pinch orange zest (orange peel), 1 pinch coriander, and 1 pinch basil.

Put the herbs into the tea ball and set aside. On the outside of the glass pan, write the name of the person you desire seven times. On the inside of the pan, inscribe the symbol for Venus.

Fill the pan with two cups of spring water. Bring the water to a boil, insert the tea ball, turn off the heat, and allow the brew to steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea ball and add the honey. Bring the liquid back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. When the liquid has turned into a thick, yellow syrup, turn off the heat and allow it to cool. Pour the syrup into a bottle and label. Add several drops of the syrup to the wine, juice, or food you plan to serve your loved one.

If you are feeling brave, invite your loved one to join you in a candlelight supper. Arrange a centrepiece of red, white, and gold heart shaped candles anointed with love-drawing oil, and small vases of pink rose buds. Burn love-drawing incense and wear your most alluring outfit.
Iron

In folklore, one of the best charms against witches, sorcerers, demons and other evil spirits. In Europe, folklore holds that witches cannot pass over cold iron, and burying an iron knife under the doorstep of one’s house will ensure that no witch will ever enter. In some rural locales, iron has been used to protect entire villages. In India, iron will repel evil spirits; in Scotland, Ireland and Europe, iron also keeps away mischievous and malicious fairies. In some parts, iron keeps ghosts away as well. In some cultures, iron has been sacred. The ancient Babylonians, Egyptians and Aztecs believed it came from heaven, perhaps because meteorites are comprised of iron and other metals.

In ancient Greece and Rome, iron was forbidden inside temples and for use by priests. The ancient Saxons would not put iron rune wands in cemeteries because they feared the iron would scare away the departed spirits. Iron has been used to make amulets to protect against danger, bad luck and the evil eye, as well as against evil spirits and witches. Baylonian and Assyrian men wore amulets fashioned of iron in the belief that they would enhance their virility; the women rubbed themselves with iron powder in order to attract men. Ancient Egyptians inserted iron amulets in the linen wrappings of a mummy in order to invoke the protection of the Eye of Horus. In some parts of Burma, river men still wear iron pyrite amulets as protection against crocodiles.

The 18th-century magnetist, Franz Anton Mesmer, used iron in his attempts to heal illness. Patients sat in tubs filled with water and iron fillings, with protruding iron rods. Mesmer believed the iron conducted animal magnetism, the vital energy he said was in every human body.
Long Mau

**Origin:** Vietnam

Long Mau, daughter of the King of the Sea, protects mothers and new born babies. She may be invoked for assistance during every step of the conception/pregnancy/birth process. She is venerated alongside Ma Zu and Me Sanh, Goddess of Fecundity in temple shrines as well as on home altars.

**Manifestation:** Long Mau appears as a beautiful, serene woman in an elaborate headdress.

**Colour:** Red

**Sacred site:** Long Mau is enshrined in the Thien Hau Temple in Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City.

**Offering:** Incense

**See Also:** Dragon Kings of the Sea; Dragon Queens; Ma Zu

## Information Source

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

**Pantheon**: Norse

**Title**: The World Serpent

## Smite Lore

Armageddon. Apocalypse. The end times. All myths and legends contain forewarnings of a great, singular catastrophe, when the stars fall from the sky and the very earth breaks apart into nothingness. Among these days of judgement, none are eclipsed in their scale of horror and destruction foretold of more than Ragnarok, the prophesied disaster of the Norse pantheon.

There is a single being who acts as the herald of Ragnarok, the god known as Jormungandr, the World Serpent. A son of Loki, he is an immense, serpentine dragon, massive enough to encircle the entire world and blot the light from the sun. Dark omens are whispered of when the World Serpent will rise, casting his noxious poisons out to engulf the whole of the earth.

The time Jormungandr bestrides the earth is one of unmatched calamity, the days of Ragnarok where the oceans boil and the land quakes. They are days of incredible violence, where both mortal and divine blood shall soak the ground, and the World Serpent will mete out destruction with a fanatic's zeal. He will swim through the earth and seas alike with vast snapping jaws and caustic venom, sweeping away any opponent brave enough to stand against him.

One such champion is Thor, the mighty God of Thunder. Long has his destiny been written that he will confront the World Serpent in the nightmarish days of Ragnarok. It is a clash that will shake creation, rivalling any battle in history, and one that neither Thor nor Jormungandr may ever walk away from.

Woe to any who hears the trumpets of Ragnarok, for they herald the coming of Jormungandr, the instrument of their annihilation. The World Serpent exists as the bearer of the end times, the collapse of all creation. Who could hope to oppose such power?
Kama

*Lord of Love; Churner of Hearts; Stalk of Passion; Lord of All Seasons*

**Also Known As:** Kama Deva; Manmatha

**Origin:** India

Kama Deva is India’s Lord of Desire and Love; the Hindu equivalent of Eros. Kama, too, has a bow and arrows but his bow is formed from sugar cane, strung with a line of honey bees and his arrows are flowers. Kama’s parents are Lakshmi and Vishnu. He is honored by those seeking love, happiness and sensual pleasure.

**Manifestation:** He’s very handsome. Kama Deva may signal his presence with a gentle breeze. Consort: Rati

**Spirit allies:** Kama is served and attended by the Apsaras

**Birds:** Parrots; parakeets; love birds Sacred creature: Honeybees

**Mount:** Parrot

**Time:** Kama Deva is at the peak of his power in spring

**Tree:** Mango (Mangifera spp.); Ashoka (Saraca indica): ashoka means without grief

**See Also:** Apsaras; Eros; Lakshmi; Rati

## Appearance in Modern Media

From Shin Megami TenseiFrom Fate Grand OrderFrom Age of Ishtaria
## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Greece

Naiads are fresh-water Nymphs. Theoretically each spring, well, fountain, lake, pond, or river is home to at least one Naiad. Naiads also reside in areas near or dominated by water. Their name is related to a Greek verb meaning “to flow.” They are weaving spirits, indicating that they have power over fate.

**Offerings:** The Greeks traditionally sacrificed lambs and goats to the Naiads and poured libations for them of honey, wine, and olive oil. Dolls and ex-votos in the forms of people were placed in wells and springs.

**See Also:** Cymbee; Lara; Nymph; Oinone

## Appearance in Modern Media

From Tower of SaviorsFrom Rage of Bahamut
## Information Source

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

**Also Known As:** Papa Loko; Papa Loco; Loko Atisou; King Loko

**Origin:** Dahomey (Benin)

**Classification:** Lwa

**Feast:** 19 March

Papa Loko, a primal root lwa, is the spirit of the very first Vodou priest (houngan), a master magician and healer. He is the presiding spirit of Vodou and is now also associated with ceremonial magic. Papa Loko is a ritual specialist and an authority on esoteric arts and history. He is the guardian of sacred sanctuaries and religious secrets; the lwa of vegetation and discipline. Botanicals including herbs and trees communicated directly to him, revealing their secrets and powers.

In Africa, Loko is perceived as an ancestor of the royal family. His veneration was limited to the priest-kings; he is not a spirit of the masses. Having arrived in Haiti with victims of the slave trade, however, Papa Loko evolved into a more generalized spirit, associated with religion, rather than royalty.

Loko is an ancient African name and has nothing to with the American slang word “loco” meaning crazy or insane, which entered common usage in the 19th century. Papa Loko is an extremely erudite, sane spirit who must always be treated with respect.

Papa Loko is a ritual specialist. He is not overly concerned with independent practitioners and is not usually their patron. However, he offers spiritual guidance to those considering or seeking formal initiation into Vodou and may be invoked as needed. He is also petitioned for healing and empowerment.

Papa Loko is syncretized to Saint Joseph and is feted on Joseph’s feast day. Like Joseph, Loko assumes the paternal role for those who may not literally be his children. Papa Loko travels in the company of Papa Legba.

**Favoured People:** Vodouistes; Papa Loko is especially sympathetic toward men

**Attribute:** Keys

**Consort:** Ayizan may be his wife

**Colours:** Gold; yellow; white; sometimes red and white

**Sacred creatures:** Butterfly; roosters, especially fighting cocks; snakes

**Sacred tree:** Mapou (the Haitian revolution began under a Mapou tree during a Vodou ceremony at Bois Caiman)

**Offerings:** White rum; white rice; white foods; healing herbs; efforts on behalf of the reforestation of Haiti (i.e. plant trees)

**See Also:** Ayizan; Eshu Elegbara; Gran Bois; Legba; Xtabay

## Information Source

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

You may not know his name but if you have ever been to the southwestern United States, then you know Kokopelli’s image. He is ubiquitous throughout the southwest region called the Four Corners, encompassing parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Kokopelli may be among the most commodified of all spirits: his image has become a virtual emblem of the southwest. It appears in advertising; on food packages; as trail markers for hikers. Wrought-iron Kokopellis replace garden gnomes or lawn jockeys in the southwest. It can be easy to forget that his origins lie in sacred mysteries.

Kokopelli’s image scratched, pecked, painted and carved on canyon rocks and walls appears with greater frequency than any other identifiable figure amidst the pictographs and petroglyphs near sites inhabited by the Anasazi, the mysterious ancestors of the Pueblo Indians. Kokopelli appears in modern Hopi ceremonials, too. There is scholarly speculation that he may be among the most primeval of all southwestern deities.

Who is Kokopelli? Good question. Either no one is entirely sure or there are a lot of opposing theories. Kokopelli is a trickster spirit and he may take pleasure in sowing confusion among those who attempt to interpret his image. He is a sacred mystery.

The standard Kokopelli image is a hunchbacked stick figure blowing a vertical flute. Old images frequently depict him with a big, erect penis; newer images tend to be neutered. There are variations amongst the images:

* Sometimes he has a clubfoot as well as a hump
* He may have antennae or feathers on his head
* He may lead a flock of mountain sheep

As best as can be made out, the name used to describe this image is a compound derived from two unrelated languages:

* Koko, a Zuni word, indicates a kind of spirit
* Peli is Hopi for “hump”

Kokopelli’s image tends to revolve around his capacity to bring or to enhance: he brings gifts, rain, babies, prey animals, especially those mountain sheep. He is interpreted as a fertility spirit, a musician, hunter, warrior or trader. He may not actually be hunchbacked; the hump on his back may be a big bag, so heavy he must bend over. Kokopelli’s image may resemble ancient traders who wandered between Mexico and the Anasazi carrying their packs on their backs. Some feel very strongly that he’s an insect; very likely a locust although other identifications are made, too. (Hopi mythology features flute-playing sacred locust spirits although the Hopi do not identify them as Kokopelli.)

Look around. You may already have an image of Kokopelli. If not, he’s easy to find; not an endangered spirit at all. (The first time someone ever encountered Kokopelli was in a catalog selling southwestern-style furnishings.) Ask him to do more than just be a souvenir. Kokopelli can bring fun, magic, fertility, conception, abundance and joy

**Attributes:** Flute; staff; (the flute might sometimes be a blow gun)

**See Also:** Ganaskidi; Gobbo; Kachina; Koko; Tanuki

## Information Source

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

The Lifter

**Origin:** Rome

Levana has dominion over newborn babies. Her name refers to a Roman birth ritual:

1. The mother placed the brand new baby on the ground.
2. The father could acknowledge paternity (or not) by lifting the baby or not.

The Roman paterfamilias ruled his family like a god. He could acknowledge and claim a child or he could deny the child his home or have it abandoned and exposed to face virtual certain death. Levana’s name derives from the Latin verb levare, “to lift up” as in levitate or elevate. Levana is the spirit who lifts up the baby; the paterfamilias performs the ritual but he is the proxy for Levana.

With the abolition of Roman religion, Levana faded into obscurity. She is the subject of Thomas de Quincey’s prose poem, “Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow.” According to de Quincey, Levana only reveals her face in dreams.

Women may invoke Levana to instill paternal instincts into the fathers of their children.

**See Also:** Laverna

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Venezuela

Sometimes it takes a thug to beat a thug. Malandros are spirits of criminals (thieves, hoodlums, murderers) petitioned to protect people against their living human equivalent. They are invoked and venerated by those who cannot avoid dangerous streets, neighbourhoods, and locations. The Malandros are petitioned to travel beside you, serving as a spiritual bodyguard and protecting from all danger. They are also invoked for justice, legal or otherwise. Because they are criminals, the Malandros are sometimes asked to fulfill petitions other spirits might reject. They form a Maria Lionza court.

**See Also:** Maria Lionza

## Information Source

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

The Hyena

**Origin:** Hausa

**Classification:** Bori

Kure, son of the Head of the Seventh House of Bori spirits, was adopted by Sarkin Zurkalene whose sister, Hawa’u he then married. Kure also married Amina and Maimuna, two daughters of the Chief of Butchers. When the Butcher Chief retired, Kure inherited his position.

His association with hyenas is not considered complimentary. Hyenas are very much feared in Hausa folklore not only as fierce animals but because of associations with witchcraft. (Hyenas are often believed to be witches in disguise or vice versa.) Kure’s association with hyenas indicates his importance in pre-Islamic shamanic traditions as well as modern associations with blood.

Kure is a lurker and a watcher. His favoured spot is lingering outside royal palace gates. He witnesses a lot and is a font of information although not necessarily inclined to share. Kure is a nocturnal spirit and most likely to be encountered at night.

**Favoured People:** Butchers

**Manifestations:** Kure may manifest as a man but at night he often wanders in the form of a hyena. He lingers by thresholds and gates. Should you desire to meet him, soul journey to the gates of the palace of Jangare at night. He will, eventually, appear.

**Affliction:** Kure inflicts headaches, nose bleeds and inexplicable choking (no physical cause).

The key magical ingredient to healing Kure’s afflictions is dust gathered from outside the gates of any royal palace. That’s where Kure lurks; the dust contains his essence.

**Sacred tree:** Doka (Isoberlinia doka)

**Colour:** Red

**See Also:** Bori; Sarkin Zurkalene

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Polynesia

Hina is the moon. She has countless aspects, but her lunar connection remains consistent. Allegedly when the moon is full and shining, you can see Hina sitting on its surface making tapa cloth from the branches of the lunar banyan tree. Hina rules the procreative powers of women.

Hina is the subject of complex, mythic cycles. There are multiple Hinas or aspects of Hina who may or may not all be one. Hina is the first woman. She is the guardian of the land of the dead. Hina dispenses both life and death.

The different aspects of Hina include:

* Hina-Hau-One: “The Earth-Formed Girl,” the very first woman, created by Kane from red beach sand
* Hina-Titama: “Dawn Maiden,” first child of Hina-Hau-One and Kane
* Hina-Nui-Te-Po: “Great Goddess of Darkness
* Hina of the Scented Herbs, who is invoked by firewalkers during fertility rituals
* Hina Lau Limu Mala: mermaid Hina, most gorgeous of all mermaids, who lives on the sea floor
* Hina-the-Canoe-Pilot: who sailed off around the world with her brother; once, during a full moon, she visited the moon and liked it so much that she stayed, evolving into:
* Hina the Watchwoman: guardian of travelers

**Favoured People:** Hina is the matron of all artisans, especially those who create crafts traditionally associated with women; she is the matron of women in childbirth and guardian of the dead. Hina is also the matron of traditional healers (kahuna) who specialize in medicines derived from the sea.

**Manifestations:** Woman, mermaid, coral reef

**Spirit ally:** Ku

**Trees:** Banyan, breadfruit tree

**Plant:** Sweet potato

**Creature:** Anae (mullet), dogs

**Bird:** Mud hen

**Tree:** ‘Ohi’a lehua (Metrosideros macropus)

**Offerings:** Lei made from ‘ohi’a lehua flowers.

**See Also:** Haumea; Kane; Ku

## Information Source

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

**Plural:** Larvae

**Origin:** Rome

Larvae are ghosts; Roman spirits of the dead. The Romans had various categories of ghosts and ancestral spirits: although there is plenty of speculation, the distinctions between them are now not always clear. The Larvae may or may not be identical with Lemures. Larvae are generally assumed to be malevolent ghosts who take pleasure in scaring or harming humans.

Larva literally means “mask” and they may have been celebrated, dispersed or invoked via masking rituals. During the Middle Ages, the Latin term Larvatus was used to indicate anyone wearing a mask and/or possessed by spirits.

A spirit named Larva appears in the manga/ anime Vampire Princess Miyu but he is identified as a shinma, translated as “god-Demon”.

**See Also:** Ghost; Lemures; Manes

## Information Source

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

*He of the Writing*

**Origin:** Maya

Itzamna is the preeminent deity of the Mayan Yucatan peninsula. Itzamna is the Lord of Night and Day; the Lord of Healing and Medicine. Itzamna may be a deified first priest, the founder of Maya culture. He invented the Mayan calendar, mathematics, and the arts of calculating and writing. He is a healer and diviner. Among the other gifts he brought the Maya are maize and cacao. He is the patron of scribes. (Make him a book to request his favour.) Itzamna vehemently rejects anything to do with violence or destruction.

**Manifestation:** An old man or a caiman

**Attribute:** An obsidian mirror with which to scry

**Consort:** Ix Chel

**Sacred animals:** Caimans, lizards, fish

**Offerings:** Tamales

**See Also:** Ix Chel

## Information Source

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