recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Albert Aluys

Albert Aluys (18th c.) was a French fraudulent alchemist. Albert Aluys (also given as Alnys) was stepson to the alchemist Jean Delisle.

Little is known about Aluys’s life prior to the involvement of his mother with Delisle, whom she met in a roadside cabaret. She left her husband and departed with Delisle, remaining with him for five or six years and eventually marrying him. Some sources say that Albert Aluys was Delisle’s illegitimate son, but Delisle took on the role of stepfather.

Aluys learned the fraudulent alchemical trade from Delisle and spoke the jargon with the best of them. Upon Delisle’s death in about 1711–12, Aluys let it be known that he had inherited the secret of the philosopher’s stone. His mother helped him commit fraud. Their goal was to deceive wealthy patrons into supporting them in a lavish lifestyle.

Aluys and his mother left Provence, France, and traveled about Europe sponging off credulous victims, and performing phony transmutations with the help of double-bottomed crucibles. By 1726 the mother was dead, and Aluys journeyed to Vienna, where he presented himself to the Duke of Richelieu, the French ambassador. Richelieu was duped, witnessing on several occasions the apparent transmutation of lead into gold. He even made an iron nail turn into silver. The duke boasted of his deeds but disappointed Aluys by not giving him funds. Rather, the duke expected Aluys to transmute all of his base metals, including every common tool and implement, into precious metals, simply for the pleasure of it.

Aluys decamped for Bohemia, taking with him a student and a girl who was in love with him and whom he married. There he successfully deceived a number of nobles by presenting them with a gift of transmuted metal and promising them riches, if only they would provide lodging, meals, and expenses.

He returned to France, but in Marseilles he was arrested and imprisoned on charges of coining, or counterfeiting. He ingratiated himself with the daughter of the jailer and after a year was able to make his escape, leaving the jilted girl behind.

Joined by his wife, Aluys went to Brussels, where he set up a laboratory and publicized that he knew the secret of the Stone. People flocked to him and believed him. Aluys duped a wealthy man for a year, and when the man discovered that Aluys was a fraud, he demanded his money back. Aluys refused and was taken to court. But the case was never prosecuted because the patron died suddenly. Rumour had it that he had been poisoned by Aluys. Sentiment turned against the alchemist, and he fled the city for Paris. There he lived quietly. His fate is not known.

## Information Source

The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy  Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley
Baron Cimitiere

**Also known as:** Bawon Simityé; Baron Cemetery

**Classification:** Lwa; Baron

Baron Cimitière is a grand magician, master magus, and healer extraordinaire. He holds court in the cemetery at midnight. He is part of a triad of mages with his compadres, Gran Bois and Maitre Carrefour. Traditional lore suggests that in order to receive Baron Cimitière’s blessings of healing, magic, and knowledge, one must first propitiate Maitre Carrefour. (It is not as simple as it sounds: Maitre Carre-four, a.k.a. Master Crossroads, is a dangerous and wily spirit.)

**See Also:** Maitre Carrefour; Gran Bois

## Information Source

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

Apollonius of Tyana (first c. C.E.) One of the most reputed Adepts of the Roman Empire, skilled in healing, Magic, and Alchemy. A romantic but unreliable account of his life, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, was written by Philostratus in the third century C.E. Though little is known about his life for certain, it is evident that Apollonius was a popular hero, at least by the second century. He is sometimes identified with another figure of the same period, Balinas.

Apollonius was born on an unknown date in the first century in Tyana, Cappadocia, now part of Turkey. He may have studied with the neo-Pythagorean branch of philosophy. A charismatic, he gained fame throughout Asia Minor as a magician or miracle worker and a teacher. He wrote at least one book, On sacrifices, though other books are attributed to him, including a four-volume work titled On astrology and a work on Pythagoras and his doctrines.

Philostratus, a Greek sophist born circa 170 c.e., sought to portray Apollonius as a champion of Greek culture. According to Philostratus, Apollonius travelled widely throughout the ancient world with his disciple and travelling companion, Damis, and had numerous adventures. He learned the Hermetic knowledge. Apollonius had regular contact with the Magi and influenced the king of Babylonia. In India, the sages taught him magical and mystical arts. He visited Pergamum, the shrine of Asclepius, and Troy, and conversed with the ghost of Achilles. He saved a pupil, Menippus, from his vampire bride and banished Demons. In Rome, Apollonius fell in and out of favour with the emperor Nero. In Alexandria, he advised the new emperor Vespasian.

Traveling on to Ethiopia, he spent time with the gymnosophists, who he considered to be inferior in wisdom to the Indians. The tyrannical emperor Domitian, whom Apollonius opposed, had him imprisoned and put on trial. Apollonius was acquitted at the trial and miraculously disappeared from the court. Later while in Ephesus, he observed by Clairvoyance or remote viewing the murder of Domitian in Rome. He declined the request of the succeeding emperor, Nerva, to act as his adviser, sending Damis instead. After his death, Apollonius appeared in a dream to a young man to confirm the immortality of the soul. According to Philostratus, throughout this action-filled life, Apollonius performed numerous healings and miraculous acts.

Letters of Apollonius is a collection of more than 100 letters allegedly written by him. Most are known to be written anonymously. Some are older than Philostratus’s account and seem to be based on information known about Apollonius. In two letters, Apollonius acknowledges being a “magician.”

In the 19th century, magician Eliphas Levi attempted to conjure the spirit of Apollonius in a necromancy ritual. A spirit appeared and terrified Levi, but he never acknowledged whether or not it was indeed Apollonius. Francis Barrett described Appollonius as “one of the most extraordinary persons that ever appeared in the world.”

## Information Source

The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley
Bragi

**Classification:** Aesir

Bragi (to shine, leader) is the Norse Lord of Poetry, renowned for his wisdom and eloquence; married to Iduna; considered to be the first skald. Bragi always knows the right words and the right way to express them. He may be invoked for advice and assistance. Bragi is apparently Odin’s son. His mother is unknown. She may be Gunlod, guardian of the mead of poetry who was seduced by Odin. Bragi and Loki are enemies.

Some scholars believe that Bragi might be a deified ninth-century poet named Bragi Boddason or merely another name for Odin, chief of the gods, since both Odin and Bragi are called Long-Bearded. Both are associated with the cult of the dead. When a king died, a feast was held, and a cup, called Bragarfull (cup of Bragi), was drunk from in his honour. Each guest pledged some great deed at the time.

Some connect Bragi’s name with the English “to brag.” Northern poets were often called Bragamen and priestesses Braga-women. Bragi was portrayed as an elderly man with a long white beard, holding a harp. At the sound of his music trees bloomed. Bragi greeted the slain heroes in Valhalla.

**Consort:** Idunn

**Offerings:** Mead; poetry; stories and beautiful writing

**See Also:** Aesir; Idunn; Loki; Odin

## Appearances in Modern Media

From Age of MythologyFrom Dawn of GodsFrom Age of Ishtaria
## Information Source

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

Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
Arion

**Origin:** Greek

Poseidon and Demeter coupled in the form of horses. (Whether this was consensual on Demeter’s part depends on the version of the myth.) From this union, Demeter birthed twins, Despoena and Arion.

Arion is a beautiful, oracular, immortal talking stallion. Invoke him for information. Some speculate that vestiges of his veneration survive in the talking horse head of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, The Goose Girl.

**See Also:** Demeter; Despoena; Poseidon

## Information Source

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

**Origin**: Babylonia

**Pronunciation:**  AH-loo

Alu are a type of Babylonian spirit. Their name may be translated as “Storm” or “Tempest” but is also sometimes considered a synonym for Demon. In addition to destructive storms, they cause illness and nightmares, including night paralysis. The Alu’s presence may be sufficient to cause this effect, or it may physically press down heavily or otherwise suck out the sleeper’s breath. Alu roam the streets at night looking for trouble. They lurk in dark corners, desolate places, and ruins.

According to Akkadian mythology, this creature is in fact not entirely a vampire but rather is considered to be a Cambion, a being that is half human and half demon. Described as being faceless, it is conceived when a Succubus has intercourse with a man. Assuming that the man survives his encounter with the succubus, as the time of his natural death draws near, his demonic son will return and linger at his bedside. Just as the father expires, the cambion snatches up the soul and enslaves it. Allu are particularly vicious and seek to destroy everything.

**Manifestations**: Alu commonly manifest as black dogs, but they may appear in half-human/half-animal form.

**See also:** Al; Demon

## Information Source

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

Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology by Theresa Bane
Au Co

**Origin**: Vietnam

Au Co, a beautiful mountain Fairy, and Lac Long Quan, Dragon Prince of the Sea, fell in love. Au Co bore an egg sac from which one hundred children hatched. Au Co and Lac Long Quan loved each other passionately but could not live together; she longed for the mountains, he for the sea. Eventually they split up, each taking half the kids. The fifty children who stayed with Au Co became the Vietnamese people. One son became the first Vietnamese emperor. Au Co protects Vietnam and its people.

**See also**: Dragon King of the Sea; Skadi

## Information Source

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

A Bodhisattva is a lover of enlightenment, literally an enlightenment hero or heroine. Bodhisattvas come in many forms: female, male, animal, human, and divine. Although they have reached a level of spiritual enlightenment permitting them to break cycles of incarnation, the Bodhisattva resolves to transform the entire universe into a realm of abundance, peace, and happiness for all. Because of purity of soul, goodness, and love, the Bodhisattva postpones his or her own personal salvation for the benefit of all.

Bodhisattvas vow to save all living beings from suffering and to persist in this quest for as long as it takes: through many lifetimes, if necessary. Bodhisattvas differ from Arhats in that they seek not only their own personal enlightenment, salvation, and freedom, but that ofthe entire world.

**See Also:** Avalokitesvara; Ksitigarbha; Kwan Yin; Manjusri

## Information Source

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

The Aesir are a pantheon of Norse spirits. Their realm is Asgard. Among the central themes of surviving Norse mythology is the confrontation and eventual merger of two pantheons, the Aesir and the Vanir. Norse mythology is generally told from the perspective of the Aesir, or rather from the perspective of later Christian chroniclers who identified more with the Aesir than the Vanir. Aesir is believed cognate with Asia. Many scholars believe they originated in what is now Turkey. Alternatively, the word is seen as related to Ashura. Important Aesir spirits include Odin and Thor.

**See also:** Angerboda, Ashura, Balder, Freya, Freyr, Frigg, Jotun, Loki, Sif, Skadi, Vanir
Ate

**Origin:** Greece

Até literally means delusion and ruin, the usual result of encounters with Até, Spirit of Mischief and Trouble. Até is the daughter of Eris, Lady of Strife. There’s little point petitioning her: what she likes most is stirring up trouble, making people (and other spirits!) do stupid, delusional things. If invoked to torment another, she may do it for nothing, only her own pleasure, but is also likely to stick around and play havoc with you and yours, too.

Até causes reckless judgment. According to myth, she first plagued the spirits on Mount Olympus, but when Zeus realized the tricks she played on those he loved, he flung her down to the mortal realm where she has plied her arts ever since.

**See Also:** Eris; Zeus

## Information Source

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

*Ever Close Follower of the Flocks; The Honey Lord; The Bee King; The Best*

**Also known as:** Aristaios

**Origin:** Berber or Greek

Aristaeus, son of the Nymph Cyrene and Apollo, was born in Libya and raised in Thessaly. There are different versions of exactly who raised Aristaeus, but perhaps they collaborated or took turns:

* Gaia and the Horae
* Chiron and the Muses
* Nymphs

Chiron had prophesied that Cyrene and Apollo would bear a Divine Child, destined to be the best of deities: a new, improved, undefiled Zeus or Apollo. Chiron taught Aristaeus hunting and warfare, but Aristaeus preferred the pastoral life, especially beekeeping.

Aristaeus is described as inventing beehives and beekeeping; cheese making; and the oil press (and by extension, olive oil). This is not quite true. Aristaeus learned all these arts from Nymphs. However, Aristaeus was the one who took these previously secret, sacred arts and taught them to people. He is responsible for our knowledge, for our ability to spread honey on toast. In addition to the other arts of which he is master, the Muses taught Aristaeus healing and divination.

Aristaeus married the Nymph Autinoë, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. They have several children, including two daughters, Makris and Nysa, who helped hide and rear baby Dionysus and a son, Actaeon, famous for his fatal encounter with Artemis.

Aristaeus’ epithet, “Ever Close Follower of the Flocks,” technically refers to his function as guardian of herds. It also describes his relationship with devotees: he keeps an ever-watchful eye for danger. He is a generous, benevolent deity. If you seek to learn any of the arts of which he is master (or if you labour in those fields), he is a spiritual sponsor. He protects women, children, and nature.

**Favoured people:** Beekeepers; cheese makers; those who grow olives or produce oil; those raising sheep, goats, and cattle (especially on artisanal levels)

**Animals:** In addition to herds and flocks, Aristaeus is the Bee King.

**Sacred sites:** Aristaeus lives in a cave on a mountain on the island of Euboia. He was venerated throughout Sicily. His statue stood within a temple of Dionysus in Syracuse.

**Offerings:** The food he loves: honey, Greek cheese; fine olive oil. Cook Greek dishes for him. Serve wine, retsina, and spring water. Sponsor beekeepers.

**See Also:** Apollo; Chiron; Dionysus; Gaia; Horae; Kura; Muse; Nymph; Zeus

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Wales

Arawn is King of Annwn, a Welsh paradise described in the First Branch of the Mabinogi. Annwn is a realm of death, a dwelling place and way station for those who have completed their earthly incarnation, but it is not the only Other-world. As Otherworlds go, it is particularly pleasant. Arawn is a hospitable and gracious host.

According to Welsh myth, Arawn is a loyal and beneficial ally. Following his advice allegedly always leads to prosperity. Post-Christianity, Arawn transformed into a Wild Hunter, flying through the sky on winter nights.

**Attribute:** Arawn owns a huge diamond- and pearl-studded cauldron fueled by the breath of nine virgin girls. This cauldron will not cook food for cowards. It was eventually stolen at great cost by a party that included King Arthur.

**Animals:** Pig, dogs

**Dates**: Arawn travels with his Wild Hunters and hounds during the Yule season. He also favours eves of saints’ feasts, including Saint Agnes’ Eve; Saint David’s Eve (David is patron saint of Wales); Michaelmas; Saint John’s Eve, and Saint Martin’s Eve, not to mention, of course, All Souls Eve.

**See Also:** Hounds of Annwn; Hafgan; Rhiannon; Wild Hunt

## Information Source

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

*He Who Washes Away Care*

**Origin:** Greek

Achelous, son of Oceanus and Tethys, In Greek mythology was the oldest of the river gods and is king of Greece’s river spirits. He was venerated throughout Greece and southern Italy. Achelous’ primary role was to ensure the successful maturity of young men. Achelous was the eldest of the 3,000 sons of Oceanus and Tethys and was the father of the Sirens. As a water god, Achelous was capable of metamorphosis and could turn himself into a serpent or an ox. He also begets bodies of water, including streams, rivers, and springs, and so is the spirit to petition if you desperately need a new source of water.

River spirits are traditionally associated with fertility, and Achelous is certainly fertile. He is the father of Nymphs, Sirens, and *many* sea spirits. Achelous and Heracles competed for possession of Deianira. While battling, Heracles ripped off one of Achelous’ horns, which was later returned in exchange for the horn of Amalthea. (That he was capable of battling Heracles is testament to Achelous’ own power.) Achelous’ blood spilled on Earth, fertilizing her: the Sirens emerged from this union in similar fashion to the birth of Aphrodite. (Alternative myth: Achelous is their father; their mother was a Muse; and they were conventionally conceived.) Achelous was an extremely important spirit:

* Zeus himself instructed that offerings be made to Achelous.
* Achilles is described as venerating Achelous.

Achelous was worshipped all over Greece and its colonies, especially Rhodes, Italy, and Sicily. Masks were made in Achelous’ image. Small images of his head were worn as amulets. A spirit of prosperity, some theorize that his is the true horn of plenty. At Dodona the oracle’s answers always contained an injunction to sacrifice to Achelous. Ovid’s Metamorphoses (book 8) tells of the god.

Milton refers to the horn of Achelous in his Animadversions Upon the Remonstrant’s Defence, in which he writes: “Repair the Acheloian horn of your dilemma how you can.” Rubens portrays the god in his painting The Feast of Achelous.

**Manifestations:** He typically appears as a bull with a human face, but he is a skilled shape-shifter, sometimes appearing as a man with a bull’s face. He is a horned spirit, but one horn is broken or missing. He may appear in the guise of a merman with a long, curved fish tail or a long snake tail. Water flows from his long beard like a waterfall.

**Altar:** Achelous doesn’t like being alone. He is traditionally honoured together with his daughters, the Nymphs. Alternatively, surround him with mermaids or Sirens.

**Attribute:** A single horn Animal: Bull Offering: Young men used to cut their hair and dedicate it to Achelous in exchange for guidance and protection or as fulfillment of a vow made to him.

**See Also:** Achilles; Nymphs; Sirens

## Information Source

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

Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
Bukwas

*The Wild Man of the Woods*

**Also known as:** Bakwas; Bukwis

**Origin:** Kwakiutl

The Kwakiutl are the indigenous people of Vancouver Island and the adjacent Canadian mainland. Bukwas lives in the deep forests of the Pacific Northwest. He is a spirit of the dead identified with an afterlife realm inhabited by various ghosts, especially the souls of those who have drowned. Bukwas may serve as the psychopomp between realms. (Depending on the myth, Bukwas may also contribute more directly to their deaths.)

Bukwas lingers at the forest threshold or by forest paths, offering assistance and food to people who are lost. He seems helpful, but the end result is that people are lured to his Otherworld and may not return, at least not alive.

Bukwas emerges from the forest very early in the morning before too many people are about. He goes to the seashore to collect his favourite food, cockles, and other shellfish. If it’s crowded, he will retreat to the woods, but he may approach a lone person and offer to share his food. Don’t accept. Those who eat Bukwas’ food end up in Bukwas’ realm of the dead.

In traditional Kwakiutl cosmology, Bukwas is clearly a spirit. He is the subject of carved shamanic masks and appears during rituals, especially the traditional winter dance. However, he is now sometimes also identified with Bigfoot or Sasquatch and thus assumed to be a cryptid, an as yet unidentified living being.

**Manifestation:** He resembles a gaunt, haggard wild man, dressed in ragged garments and with long, dishevelled hair. (When identified as Bigfoot, he is described as being ape-like.)

**Iconography:** Bukwas is depicted in the form of carved, wooden masks and statues.

**Favourite foods:** Cockles; shellfish

**See Also:** Ghost; Psychopomp

## Information Source

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

**Classification:** Keshalyi; Fairy

**Origin:** Romani (Gypsy)

Ana is the beautiful, kind, generous, benevolent Queen of the Keshalyi. She lived happily in a fabulous castle in her Transylvanian mountain paradise until the King of Demons fell in love with her. (These aren’t Christian “Demons,” but malevolent spirits called Loçolico in Romani.) She spurned his advances and marriage proposal until the king and his evil horde stormed her palace and began literally devouring her Fairy entourage. To spare the rest, she agreed to be his bride.

A goddess of fertility, Ana is marvelously fertile herself. Unwillingly, she conceived, over and over again. The fruits of her union with the King of Demons are horrific disease spirits. A lengthy horror story/fairy tale cycle recounts each pregnancy, naming the child and the diseases it causes. (Details found in individual pages.)

Utterly horrified and in despair following the births of her ten children, Ana finally convinced the King of Demons to liberate her. In exchange, she agreed that whenever a Keshalyi reaches 999 years of age, she will marry one of his Loçolico. Consumed with remorse and shame, utterly degraded, Ana now hides within her palace, only occasionally venturing out and only in the form of a golden toad. However, if encountered, recognized, and approached with veneration and gentle, good manners, Ana can fulfil any wish. She bestows fertility to even the most infertile and can heal any illness, including those caused by her children.

The saga of Ana and the King of Demons is the history of the introduction of disease. However, the detailed saga is also used by shamans and Fairy magicians for diagnostic purposes and to affect magical cures via negotiation and control of the spirits.

**Realm**: Her castle is in the Carpathian Mountains.

**See Also:** Bitoso; Keshalyi; Lilyi; Loçolico; Lolmischo; Melalo; Tçulo

## Information Source

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

*The Holy One; The Pure One*

**Origin:** Crete

Ariadne is most famous as the Minotaur’s sister. She fell in love with Theseus and betrayed her brother, family, and kingdom by helping Theseus enter the labyrinth, kill the Minotaur, and escape. Ariadne holds the end of the spool of thread that rescues Theseus from the labyrinth. He rewards her by abandoning her on the deserted isle of Naxos, where Dionysus finds and marries her and they live happily after.
The tale of Ariadne, Theseus, Dionysus, and the Minotaur is the subject of operas, comics, and philosophy books. An illustrated retelling is found in Doris Orgel’s Ariadne, Awake! (Viking, 1994).

Beneath the classical myth lies a goddess. Ariadne is a pre-Greek goddess of Minoan Crete, possibly a snake and/or spider goddess. Perhaps after the fall of Minoan civilization, she decided to leave home and see the world. That’s what she does with Dionysus: their marriage is described as fruitful and joyful. They travel together, teaching the art of making wine. In some versions, Ariadne is immortal and they’re travelling still. The Ariadne of Minotaur fame may be this goddess, her avatar, or her high priestess.

In other myths, she eventually dies, either of old age or in childbirth. Dionysus commemorates her by placing her crown in the sky. Alternatively, when he retrieves his mother from Hades, Dionysus simultaneously resurrects Ariadne.

Ariadne is invoked for assistance with true love, marriage, and childbirth. She is considered an ameliorating influence on Dionysus and may be petitioned for relief of alcoholism.

**Iconography:** Ariadne, happily in company with Dionysus, was a favourite subject of ancient Greek vase painters. Victorian painters preferred to pose her alone. She is often portrayed as a sleeping goddess. Artist John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) envisioned Ariadne dressed in deep saffron hues, sleeping in the company of leopards and poppies.

**Spirit allies:** Ariadne is venerated alongside her husband, mother-in-law, satyrs, and any of the spirits in Dionysus’ entourage. In addition, she was also traditionally venerated together with Aphrodite in Cyprus.

**Plant:** Ivy, which twines like snakes; potentially a mild intoxicant; symbolic of eternity

**Animal:** Snake

**Bird:** Crane. (Ariadne was venerated with crane dances.)

**Emblem:** She is associated with both the lab-yrs and the labyrinth.

**Constellation:** The Corona Borealis (Northern Crown) is her crown.

**Offerings:** Wine; flowers

**See Also:** Akalli; Aphrodite; Dionysus; Pasiphae; Semele

## Appearances in Modern Media

From Age of IshtariaFrom Shin Megami Tensei
## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Oromo (Galla)

The Ayana are spirits of the Oromo (also known as Galla) people of Ethiopia and Kenya. Ayana can be benevolent or malicious. A relationship with a spirit may be passed down from mother to daughter in similar manner to Zar. Some theorize that the Ayana are a branch of the Zar family. Like Zar, the Ayana are possessing spirits. Ceremonies in which the Ayana come down and possess devotees occur throughout the year for purposes of healing or just to celebrate the Ayana.

**See Also:** Atete; Zar; Possession

## Information Source

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

Although technically Baron Del Cementario’s name is the Spanish version of the French Baron Cimitière, they are not the same spirit. In the Vodou traditions of the Dominican Republic, the first man buried in a cemetery becomes that cemetery’s Baron Del Cementario. To identify or contact him, locate his grave.

In Dominican tradition, Baron Del Cementario is the Baron with the closest relations with the living, perhaps because he, unlike most Barons, has had a relatively recent human incarnation. Baron Del Cementario is contacted or invoked in the cemetery at midnight. Enter by one gate; make your offerings and petition, then leave by another gate, not the one by which you entered. Throw nine coins over your left shoulder (have them ready in your pocket) and then go home via a circuitous route without looking back.

It is especially crucial to be exceptionally clear when speaking with Baron Del Cementario and to be incredibly specific and articulate in terms of negotiations and offerings. (Dominican Vodo is very influenced by Roman Catholicism; in that context, Baron Del Cementario may be perceived as craving souls.)

Baron Del Cementario is syncretized to Saint Elias and shares his feast day of 20 July.

**Manifestations:** Baron Del Cementario resembles the traditional Baron (black wardrobe; sunglasses) but also appears in dreams as a large black bull.

**Consort:** La Barona

**Day:** Monday

**Number:** 9

**Offerings:** Black coffee; anything you’d give the other Barons

**See Also:** Barons; Baron Cimitière; Baron Samedi; La Barona

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Greece

**Classification:** Nymph

The name Alseid derives from Alsos, literally “grove.” Technically, Alseids are Nymphs of groves but are also sometimes associated with grassy meadows, mountain glens, and lightly forested areas. Groves are groupings of trees and Alseids tend to appear in groups, too, as opposed to more solitary Nymphs. They have a good time together: they have a reputation as pranksters and enjoy playing tricks on travellers.

Eurydice, Orpheus’ love, may be an Alseid.

**See Also:** Nymph; Orpheus

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Japan

**Classification:** Kami

Uzume didn’t lure Amaterasu out of her cave alone; she had help. The mirror used to entrance Amaterasu didn’t appear out of thin air, nor was it an ordinary mirror.

It was crafted by celestial kami smiths, including Amatsumara. Without him, the world might still be in darkness.

Amatsumara means “eye divination,” an indication of the sacred function traditionally played by mirrors. His other, longer name, Amenomahitotsu no kami, literally means “the one-eyed celestial iron-working kami,” reminiscent of those other smith spirits, the Cyclopes.

Amatsumara, an iron-working smith kami, refined the iron used for making mirrors. Together with kami Ishikoridome, he forged the sacred mirror that lured Amaterasu from her cave. They are ancestral kami of smith and mirror-working clans.

**Favoured people:** Ironworkers, metalsmiths, mirror makers, and diviners

**See Also:** Amaterasu; Kajishin; Kami; Uzume

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Ireland

Becuma was the wife of Conn, King of Ireland, who first saw her mysteriously emerging from a magical boat dressed in silk and satin. She remains as mysterious today. Her identity is unclear. She may be a member of the Tuatha Dé Danaan, or she may belong to an older, even more primordial pantheon.

Her first husband (at least as far as is known) belonged to the Tuatha Dé, but she cheated on him with a son of sea spirit, Manannan mac Lir. They were caught and Becuma was punished.

Manannan decreed that she either be burnt or banished, and so she was placed in a coracle (small boat) and set out to sea. Alternatively, fairy tales describe her as banished from her own magical realm, denied access to other spirit realms, and thus forced to live amongst people. (This may be a post-Christian slant; ancient Ireland’s goddesses were sexually autonomous. They slept with who they chose. It’s unclear why Becuma is punished so harshly.)

The heartbroken, recently widowed King Conn was enchanted by her. He married her and brought her to his court. He’s happily under her spell, but their marriage signals hardship and tragedy for Ireland. Crops fail; all manner of abundance and fertility shrivels. Ireland’s kings ruled by virtue of their relationships with goddesses of sovereignty. Whatever Becuma is, she seems not to be that. Although everyone but her husband blames her for the calamity that has befallen Ireland, Becuma refuses to accept culpability.

When Becuma first met Conn, she told him her name was Delvcaem. When Conn’s son and her rival, Art, loses a game of chess to her (with a little magical help from her foster sister, Aine), Becuma sends Art to retrieve another spirit named Delvcaem. After much hardship and adventure, Art does so, in the meantime falling in love with Delvcaem. Delvcaem is a more powerful spirit and sorceress. When she arrives at court, Becuma is forced to leave. In some versions, she gets back in her coracle and drifts off to parts unknown. In others, she goes to England and is held responsible for fomenting hatred against Ireland.

**Manifestation:** Becuma has yellow waving hair and grey eyes and wears a red satin
smock, a green silk cloak with long golden fringes, and bronze sandals.

**Attributes:** Coracle; magical boat; chess set

**See Also:** Aine; Delvcaem; Maeve; Manannan; Tuatha Dé Danaan

## Information Source

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

A magical spell consisting of a single word, which was popular in medieval times to get rid of illness, misfortune or demons. The word is inscribed on an amulet or written out on paper in a magical inverted triangle, in which one letter of the word is dropped in each succeeding line, until nothing is left. The evil is supposed to fade away just as the word does. The diminishing word technique is used in many other spells for the same purposes.

In medieval times, abracadabra was believed to ward off the plague. The triangle was written on a piece of paper, which was tied around the neck with flax and worn for nine days, then tossed backwards over the shoulder into a stream of water running toward the east. The word’s origin is unknown. It is said by some to have been invented around 208 by Quintus Serenus Sammonicus, physician to the Roman emperor Severus, as a cure for fever. Some hold that Sammonicus merely borrowed a formula that was much older.

According to others, the word comes from the old Aramaic phrase, abhadda kedhabhra, “disappear like this word,” or the Hebrew phrase abreq ad habra, “hurl your thunderbolt even unto death.” It is also said to be derived from the name Abraxas, the Gnostic god who appears on charms against the evil eye dating from the second century. Another possibility is that it is the name of some long-forgotten demon. Increase Mather dismissed it as a “hobgoblin word” that had no power at all. Aleister Crowley, on the other hand, said it is a magical word of great power and that its true form is abrahadabra.
Baku

*The Dream Eater*

**Origin:** China, Japan

Have bad dreams? Suffer from nightmares? Have no fear, Baku will eat them. Baku is a fierce, protective spirit who can permanently eliminate nightmares. No dream is too tough for Baku, whose other dietary mainstay is metal. (Baku is also commonly referred to as “the Baku”.)
Dreams pass through Baku’s digestive system to be eliminated in the form of good luck. He removes your torment, leaving blessings in its place. Baku may spontaneously consume dreams, but he generally must be requested to do so. Allegedly, if you cry out, “Eat it, Baku!” or words to that effect three times, Baku will immediately devour all traces of a nightmare. Tell children about him for reassurance: no need to suffer bad dreams when Baku can be called.

Of course, from a metaphysical perspective, nightmares are more than just unpleasant moments: some are harbingers of disaster. By eating nightmares, Baku can change and improve fate.

Images of Baku or stuffed Baku toys (he’s cute!) are placed in children’s bedrooms or in those of anyone suffering chronic nightmares. His name painted on headboards or placed in the bedroom may be sufficient to promote peaceful, secure, uninterrupted sleep.

**Manifestations:** Baku is among those composite creatures classified as lion-dogs. His appearance is hazy; he may manifest differently for different people. He is a hybrid creature featuring elephant, rooster, horse, bear, ox, lion, dog, and possibly other animal components.

**See Also:** Faunus

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Italy

Aurora (dawn) In Roman mythology, the dawn; daughter of Hyperion and Thia (or Thea); married to Astraeus; mother of the wind and the stars; called Eos by the Greeks. Aurora’s chariot, drawn by white horses, raced across the heavens and caused the constellations to disappear at her approach. The subject is found frequently in Baroque paintings, including works of Carracci, Guercino, and Guido Reni.
Aurora is the Spirit of Dawn. Roses fall from her hair to Earth. Every morning she signals the day by riding across the sky in her chariot. Her siblings are Sol the sun and Luna the moon. In the Aeneid, Virgil describes Aurora leaving her “saffron bed.” The image of the saffron bed is very erotic. In addition to its use as an important medicinal, dye, perfume, and cosmetic, saffron was perceived as a potent aphrodisiac. Aurora’s throne and robes are the colour of saffron, as is perhaps the goddess herself.

In literature, Shakespeare refers to the dawn in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as “Aurora’s harbinger,” (3.2.380), and Spenser in The Faerie Queene (book 1) writes: “And fayre Aurora from the deawy bed / Of aged Thitone gan herselfe to reare.” Thitone is Spenser’s spelling of Tithonus, the old lover of the goddess. Ancient references are found in Homer’s Odyssey (book 10), Vergil’s Aeneid (book 6), and Ovid’s
Metamorphoses (book 3).

**Flower**: Saffron crocus (Crocus sativa); meditate on a saffron crocus flower and you will understand its associations with dawn. The flower’s centre is the intense yellow of the Mediterranean sun, while its petals are the colour of dawn’s purple clouds.

**Offerings:** Roses; crocuses; foods cooked with rosewater or saffron, still Earth’s most expensive spice

**See Also:** Ausriné; Eos; Ushas

## Appearances in Modern Media

From Kamihime ProjectFrom Rangers of OblivionFrom Rage of Bahamut
## Information Source

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

Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
Pathomancie

La Pathomancie fait partie des Magies les plus simples à apprendre, et beaucoup en tirent parti pour s'initier rapidement et jouer avec les émotions.

Les sorts de Pathomancie sont disponibles ici: Catégorie:Sorts Pathomancie

## Principe de base

Cette Magie utilise des glyphes de sensation, de connexion, d'émotion, de mémoire, d'instinct. Elle permet de lire les émotions ressenties par la cible et les changer en touchant directement son humeur et en la tirant dans un sens ou dans l'autre. Elle peut aussi relier une émotion particulière à une sensation, une notion, un objet ou une personne, et ainsi changer les sentiments de la cible envers quelque chose. Bien entendu, la Pathomancie tire les émotions dans un sens, mais comme pour un élastique, elles reviennent à la normal une fois le sortilège estompé, et plus l'émotion est lointaine de l'originale, plus l'énergie consommée est grande.

## Usages

On pourrait penser qu'une pareille Magie soit peu appréciée par la majorité, à la fois peu utile, mais aussi très sournoise et manipulatrice. Cependant, on trouve beaucoup de Pathomanciens qui se promènent, veillant à faire régner la paix et le calme, éviter les conflits inutiles. D'autres essaient de jouer les cupidons, et d'autres encore l'utilisent de la façon qui vient premièrement à l'esprit: manipuler autrui.

## Objets d'Arcane

Les créations chargées d'émotion font de bons objets d'arcane, mais ils sont toujours difficiles à trouver et surtout à repérer. Certains Pathomanciens choisissent un objet auquel ils sont très attachés émotionnellement, d'autres des écorces aphrodisiaques ou autres plantes aux vertus calmantes et excitantes. Les Catalyseurs sont prisés, puisqu'ils rendent les changement d'humeur plus puissants.
Bizango Spirits

**Origin:** Haiti

Bizango has two meanings:

* Secret mystical societies with a sometimes sinister reputation for social enforcement (including creation of zombis)
* The spirits served by these secret societies

The Bizango spirits are a subset of lwa. They may be understood as maximum, extreme Petro spirits. They are fierce, powerful, fast, and effective but also potentially dangerous. Attributes and symbols characterizing Bizango spirits include skulls, coffins, crosses, and crucifixes.

**See Also:** Baron Kriminel; Ezili Zandor; Lwa; Marinette; Petro; Rada

## Information Source

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

**Also known as:** Aljani; plural: Aljanu; feminine: Aljana

**Origin:** Hausa

Aljan technically is a local pronunciation of Djinn, but is usually intended as a synonym for Bori spirits. Urban Hausa people often prefer to identify Bori spirits as Aljanu, implying that Bori spirits are Djinn, giving them a Muslim context as opposed to names that hark back to traditional Hausa religions.

**See Also:** Bori; Djinn; Sarkin Aljan

## Information Source

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

Aglauros, eldest of the Aglaurides, was Athena’s first Athenian priestess, but she was also the subject of a Mystery tradition. Scholars theorize that Aglauros was venerated at the Acropolis before Athena took up residence. (Thus, the earlier spirit had to “die” in the myth to make room at the top for a new spirit.) She may be obscure now, but Aglauros was once widely venerated, not only in Athens but also in the city of Salamis, Cyprus, and the island of Salamis in the Saronic Gulf.

Having jumped to her death, Aglauros was venerated as guardian of those willing to give their lives for the good of others, particularly young soldiers. (An alternative version of Aglauros’ myth has her giving her life to save Athens.) Athenian youths swore their oath of arms in Aglauros’ sanctuary. In Cyprus, young men were sacrificed to her: they were made to run around her altar until impaled by a priest with a lance.

Aglauros shared her shrines with Diomedes, her husband. She also engaged in a secret love affair with Ares, Athena’s competitor, which produced a daughter, Alkippe (“Bold Mare” or “Courageous Mare”) who was allegedly an exact double of her mother, a perfect replica.

Aglauros is a friendly spirit; aside from Ares and Diomedes, she is also venerated alongside Aphrodite, Ariadne, and Dionysus.

**Sacred animal:** Snake

**Sacred site:** A cave on the eastern side of the Acropolis

**See Also:** Aglaurides; Aphrodite; Ares; Ariadne; Athena; Dionysus; Pallas

## Information Source

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

**Also known as:** Avléketé; Avréketé

**Origin:** Benin (Dahomey)

Afréketé is the youngest child of Aghueh and Naéte of the Dahomean sea pantheon. A town named Avléketé near a saltwater lagoon just east of the port city of Ouidah (Whydah) is named in her honour. She is a guardian deity, offering protection to those travelling over the water plus gifts of abundance, knowledge, and fertility. She protects the treasures of the sea.

Although originally a female spirit, African-Diaspora traditions in the Western Hemisphere may consider her male. Something of a trickster, she plays a similar role to Elegba in some of these traditions.

She is syncretized to Michael Archangel.

**Favoured people:** The multidigited: those born with extra fingers and/or toes. Extra digits are considered marks of her favour and bring good luck and wealth.

**Manifestation:** Afréketé may appear as a woman or a mermaid.

**Altar:** Decorate an altar with the motifs of the sea.

**Element:** Saltwater

**Colours:** Blue, white

## Lucky Hand Root

Lucky Hand Root is the folk name given the roots of certain orchids that resemble little human hands with extra fingers. These roots are carried as amulets to attract wealth and gambler’s luck. Place a lucky hand root on an altar dedicated to Afréketé and request that she bless and empower it for you. Tell her explicitly what you would like the amulet to do. Under her dominion, this root can also be used as a traveller’s charm. Place it in a blue cloth charm bag, tied with a white ribbon, and carry for good luck. Use a percentage of your winnings or money obtained through the use of the charm to honour Afréketé.

**See Also:**Agwé; Eshu Elegbara; Michael

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Congolese

The term Baka, most commonly associated with dangerous spirits of Haitian Vodou, is variously used but is almost always negative or pejorative:

* Baka may be a synonym for minor Demons.
* Baka may indicate malevolent, tricky souls of the dead.
* Baka most commonly refers to powerful spirits willing to contract with sorcerers.

Baka is an evil loa or god in Vodoun who can only be evoked and commanded by the most powerful magical adepts, a houngan or mambo. Baka is summoned to curse others with misfortune, havoc, and death. He is appeased by blood sacrifices of a black rooster or a black goat or sexual play with a virgin. In such appeasement rituals, the priest takes the role of the loa.

Baka and magus are both independent contractors. The Baka is not a member of a pantheon but a free spirit; the sorcerer works for him- or herself. Each represents only their own desires. The Baka will do whatever the magus/shaman/sorcerer seeks as long as the price is right. Thus the Baka could theoretically be commanded to perform good works, although this is generally not believed to be the case.

Haitian Baka derive from Congolese spirits described as dead souls wandering the forest or as small malevolent spirits who wreak havoc. Baka also names an ethnic group: Baka Pygmies, nomadic hunter-gatherers who still live in the diminishing rain forests of Cameroon, Congo, and Gabon. They have historically been persecuted by settled Bantu neighbours who traditionally perceive Baka Pygmies as possessing profound magical knowledge. Using the name Baka to refer to malevolent forest spirits reflects Bantu fear of these forest dwellers.

In the context of Haitian Vodou, individual Baka make deals with individual magical practitioners. They are typically asked to provide or guard wealth, reveal hidden treasure, or do revenge work. They are not patient spirits but clever tricksters who will turn on you in an instant if you fail to live up to your end of the bargain or their interpretation of your end of the bargain. They are dangerous and should be avoided.

**Manifestation:** Baka may have horns.

**See Also:** Bossu

## Information Source

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

The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy by Rosemary Ellen Guiley