recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Jacques Coeur

Jacques Coeur (15th c.) was a French fraudulent alchemist. Jacques Coeur was a flamboyant man who enjoyed prestige in the court of King Charles VII of France. He attempted to disguise his ill-gotten riches by pretending to have created them through Alchemy.

Coeur was born in Bourges in the early 15th century. His father was a goldsmith. The family had no money to pay for Coeur’s training in goldsmithing, and in 1428 he went to work in a low-level job at the Royal Mint of Bourges. The young Coeur distinguished himself with his quick learning of metallurgy. He gained the patronage of Agnes Sorel, a mistress of the king. He advanced quickly in his career and was made Master of the Mint and Grand Treasurer of the royal household.
Coeur exhibited a skill in finances and with the advantage of his position, amassed a fortune. He bought stocks of grain, honey, wine, and other produce, creating shortages and then sold them at maximum price. He became the richest man in France and was a trusted adviser of the king. In 1446, Charles sent him on diplomatic missions to Genoa, Italy, and to see Pope Nicholas V. His stellar performance earned him even more riches.

In 1449, war broke out between the French and the English over Brittany, and Coeur financed the French fighting. The French were victorious, which made Coeur nearly invincible against his critics and detractors.

At the close of the war, Coeur returned to business. He initiated trade with Genoa and bought up large estates throughout France. He procured for his religious son the office of archbishop of Bourges.

Coeur’s jealous detractors circulated rumours that he had debased the currency and forged the king’s signature to a document that fraudulently made him wealthy. Coeur attempted to dispel these rumours by letting it be known that he had in fact discovered the secret of the philosopher’s stone, which was not true. He built lavish houses in Bourges and Pontpellier, decorating both with alchemical symbols and invited foreign alchemists to live with him. Coeur wrote a treatise in which he stated that he knew how to transmute base metals.

His efforts in vain, Coeur was arrested in 1452. Of the several charges brought against him, he was acquitted of only one—that he had been an accessory in the poisoning death of his patroness, Agnes Sorel. He was found guilty of debasing the currency, forging the king’s signature, and supplying the enemy Turks with arms and money. He was fined 400,000 crowns and was banished from France. King Charles VII believed him to be innocent of all charges but was able only to reduce his fine and have him imprisoned.

After some time, Coeur was released. It was said that Charles secretly gave him a handsome sum of money with which Coeur retired to Cyprus and lived an opulent life. Coeur died in about 1460.

## Information Source

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

Lady of Heaven; The Holy One

**Also Known As:** Qadesh

**Origin:** Levantine

Kadesh is the holy whore; the Scarlet Woman; the Lady of Pleasure. Her name literally means holy or sanctified. She is a spirit of power, beauty, joy, ecstasy and sexual pleasure. She is from the Levantine: the Semitic coast of West Asia encompassing Syrians, Phoenicians, Jews and Canaanites. It is unknown from which of these groups she originates; she was venerated by all of them as well as by the ancient Egyptians who recognized her as a foreign, Semitic spirit and adored her anyway. (The Egyptians did not adopt many spirits; generally preferring their own.)

Terra cotta figurines and plaques identified as Kadesh have been dated as far back as the Middle Bronze Age (2000–1500 BCE). Little is now known of her veneration other than that sacred prostitution was among her temple rites.

**Iconography:** Kadesh was depicted as a naked woman, sometimes pregnant; sometimes not.

**Attributes:** Stalks of wheat; lilies; snakes; she may stand atop a lion and wear the crescent moon in her hair

**Consort:** Resheph

**Sacred animals:** Lions; snakes

**Plants:** Lotus; papyrus plants; lilies; wheat

**Planet:** Crescent moon

**Offerings:** Lilies; stalks of wheat; aphrodisiacs especially erotic perfumes and incense; spring water; candles in the form of genitals; images of snakes and lions

**See Also:** Aisha Qandisha; Aphrodite; Astarte; Resheph

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Yoruba

**Classification:** Orishas

The Yoruba people who live in what is now modern Nigeria have the highest rate of multiple births on Earth. The Ibeji are the sacred twins of the Yoruba pantheon. The Ibeji bring joy, vitality, prosperity, good health, and good fortune to their devotees and to homes in which they are honoured. They may be invoked to protect all children. Parents of twins, triplets, or other multiple births may consider the Ibeji the guardian of their children and invoke them for all issues of health and protection.

The Ibeji’s names are usually given as Kainde and Taino. In Brazil, the Ibeji may be accompanied by a third child, named Doum. He may be the child born after the twins, or the twins may, in fact, be triplets. Depending on the version of the myth, the Ibeji’s parents are:

* Oshun and Ochossi
* Oshun and Shango
* Oya and Shango

The Ibeji are rambunctious, childlike spirits, full of fun. If bored, they may pull pranks, but these tend to resemble a small boy’s mischief, rather than the sometimes malicious practical jokes of tricksters like Loki, Eshu Elegbara, or Hermes. At worst, it is like having a house full of bored, energetic, and sometimes petulant little boys, potentially annoying, but not terrifying.

However, do not underestimate the Ibeji. They are not children. They are powerful spirits who appear in the guise of children and have fun playing at being children. The Ibeji’s oracles and advice are reputedly consistently reliable. They have a history of healing illness, especially mental disorders, and of rescuing endangered children. (To keep the Ibeji from entertaining themselves, keep the atmosphere in your home lively and interesting. Good food, good conversation, music, and entertainment should keep the Ibeji occupied and happy. Alternatively, if they’re giving you a hard time, threaten to tell their parents and do so, if necessary.) The Ibeji are syncretized to Saints Cosmas and Damian.

The Ibeji offer special comfort and protection to surviving twins who have lost a sibling.

**Favoured People:** Twins and their families; people whose families have a history of twins are considered automatic devotees; the Ibeji are also guardians of children in general.

**Iconography:** Twin dolls represent the Ibeji; also images of Saints Cosmas and Damian

**Animal:** Monkeys in general, and especially Colobus monkeys. (Twins, their families, and devotees of the Ibeji are forbidden to eat monkey flesh or harm monkeys.)

**Feast:** 27 September (Feast of Cosmas and Damian)

**Offerings:** They’re kids! Give them toys, sweets, and fun stuff. Some construct doll houses for the Ibeji. The Ibeji traditionally enjoy sugarcane, fruit, yellow rice, okra, and black-eyed peas. Puree cooked black-eyed peas; drizzle with red palm oil and serve. Offer the Ibeji fizzy drinks or fruit juices.

**See Also:** Orishas; Santería; Dioscuri; Marassa; Ochossi; Oshun; Oya; Shango

## Information Source

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

The Fairy Lover

**Also known as:** Leanhaun shee

**Origin:** Ireland; Isle of Man

**Classification:** Sidhe

The Leanan Sidhe, translated as “Fairy lover”, are beautiful Fairies who haunt wells and springs in search of human lovers. Should they accept her love, they are hers forever. Unfortunately, that’s usually not very long, at least not among the living.

The Leanan Sidhe’s lovers aren’t long-lived but there is compensation: the Leanan Sidhe magically infuses them with poetry and literary skills. The Leanan Sidhe is blamed for the brief lives of many of Ireland’s greatest poets but credited with bestowing or enhancing talent.

It is not entirely clear whether the Leanan Sidhe consciously, vampirically saps the life essence from her lovers; whether contact with her simply proves too life-draining for mortals or whether the Leanan Sidhe brings her lovers to live with her in an Afterlife.

**Manifestation:** Leanan Sidhe manifest as women; white does or fawns

**See Also:** Aisha Qandisha; Fairy; Green Fairy; Gunlod; Sidhe; Vampire

## Appearance in Modern Media

From Shin Megami TenseiFrom Rage of Bahamut
## Information Source

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

**Also Known As:** Kalvaitis; Kelvelis

**Origin:** Baltic (Lithuania; Latvia)

Kalvaitis, the celestial smith, lives by the water’s edge at the end of the world where he hammers out a new sun every morning. In 1431, the missionary Jerome of Prague complained that the Lithuanians not only worshipped the sun but also an exceptionally large iron hammer, which helped rescue the sun from imprisonment. Among the sacred treasures forged by Kalvelis is Ausriné’s crown.

**Attribute:** Humongous hammer

**See Also:** Ausriné; Dwarves; Gabija

## Information Source

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

Manitou is a word for “spirit” used by the Anishinaubae (Ojibwa/ Chippewa) people of North America. Manitou literally means “mystery” or “essence.” The word refers to spirit beings but also to a quality, energy, or sacred power. There are countless Manitous. Like Orishas and Lwa, some are concerned with people, but many others are not. Manitous may be benevolent, malevolent, or anything on the spectrum in between. Many are guardian spirits of regions or specific departments of life.

**See Also:** Lwa; Mishepishu; Nebaunaubae; Orisha; Windigo

## Information Source

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

John de Rupecissa, Jean de Roquetaillade (14th c.) French monk and alchemist of dubious reputation. John de Rupecissa was a Franciscan who gained fame in about the mid-14th century, especially for his alleged prophecies. Pope Innocent VI found his prophecies so offensive that he had him arrested and imprisoned in the Vatican dungeons. According to lore, de Rupecissa died there. His alchemical treatises are De Confectione Lapidis, his major work, and Book of Light, Five Essences, and Heaven of Philosophers. De Rupecissa was regarded as a pretender by other alchemists. Bernard of trèves, however, took his work seriously.

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Rome

**Feast:** 24 August

The Manes are Rome’s deified ancestors. A modern term for “ancestor worship” is manism. Their name may mean the “kindly” or “goodly ones,” possibly an attempt to soothe and propitiate difficult spirits, sort of like hopefully addressing a snarling hound as, “Good doggy!” The goddess Mania presides over this host of infernal spirits.

The Manes were originally envisioned as the benevolent dead, who must be consistently propitiated to stop them from becoming the threatening dead like the Lemures. Manes eventually became a looser term, incorporating spirits associated with death like tomb and cemetery guardians in addition to dead souls.

**Spirit allies:** Mania and Ceres are venerated alongside the Manes.

**Day:** 24 August, the Roman Festival of Mania. On this day the cover that shielded the entrance to Hades was lifted so that the ghosts had easy access. Just to be on the safe side, however, the Manes are also traditionally honored and propitiated throughout the entire year.

**Offerings:** Beans, bread, eggs, honey, milk, oil, wine, and roses

**See Also:** Ancestors; Ceres; Ghosts; Lemures; Mania

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Sumeria

The Lillu are a clan of primordial storm and wind spirits, many of whom developed a reputation as being vampiric or are described as incubi and succubi. Among these related spirits are:

* The Lillu, male spirits; Sumerian hero Gilgamesh’s father may have been a Lillu
* Lilitu (Sumerian name for Lilith)
* Ardat Lili (possibly Lilith’s handmaiden)
* Irdu Lili (Ardat Lili’s male counterpart; possibly Lilith’s servant)

**See Also:** Ardat Lili; Lilith; Vampire

## Information Source

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

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Energies: Physical energy

### Lore:

After they’d arrived in what is now known as Mexico, the Spaniards observed the Aztecs eating what was described as “green foam” or “green mud.” The custom disappeared as the lakes surrounding what is now Mexico City were drained, and the food remained a mystery for hundreds of years. It seems that the Aztecs ate large quantities of spirulina, the “modern” wonder algae that thrived in the lakes. Spirulina, which is nearly 70 percent protein contains all the amino acids necessary for human life, as well as seven vitamins.

### Magical uses:

Spirulina is available in tablet and powder form. It can be added to food or eaten alone, with visualization, to boost physical energy. All health food stores stock it.
Kukulkan

**Pantheon**: Mayan

**Title**: Serpent of the Nine Winds

## Information

Kukulcan is the Mayan plumed or feathered serpent. Is he the same spirit as Quetzalcoatl? That’s subject to debate.

* Kukulcan may be the Mayan name for Quetzalcoatl; Kuk means quetzal
* Kukulcan may be a distinct spirit; one of several feathered snake spirits like Quetzalcoatl and Kolowisi
* Kukulcan and Quetzalcoatl may initially have been distinct spirits but eventually influenced each other to the extent that they are now impossible to disentwine

**Iconography:** Rattlesnakes were sometimes used to represent Kukulcan

**Sacred site:** The step Pyramid of Kukulcan, also known as El Castillo (The Castle) in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

**Sacred time:** Vernal Equinox

**See Also:** Kolowisi; Quetzalcoatl

## Smite Lore

Upon the high winds of Mayan lands rides the feathered serpent, Kukulkan. Awesome and terrible to behold, majestic yet sinister, Kukulkan embodies the danger and beauty of a double-edged sword.

Time has worn away knowledge of this God like the breeze over stone. Perhaps Kukulkan prefers this. He is known by many names and worn the face of man and beast - and worshipped with the kind of reverence born of fear.

Dotted across the vast forests of the Mayan lands stand great pyramids bearing his serpentine likeness, architecturally perfect so as to catch the light and bring to life those slithering stone statues. Painted in blood, sacrifices were made upon these sites to appease Kukulkan. He is the lord of death and rebirth.

To the world, he brought the four elements, but of wind he keeps control. A great gem, worn about his sinuous neck is said to be the source of all air.

To the people, he brought the calendar. That glorious, portentous stone disk, which counts time to a distant future, only to stop abruptly and with horrifying finality.

## Appearance in Modern Media

From SmiteFrom Fate Grand OrderFrom Rage of Bahamut
## Information Source

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

**Also Known As:** Koyasu-sama; Koyasu-gami: Koyasu Kannon

**Origin:** Japan

**Classification:** Kami; Bosatsu

Koyasu protects children and facilitates safe, easy, successful childbirth. Koyasu-sama is another name for Konohana Sakkuya Hime, Goddess of Mount Fuji, renowned for her powers over childbirth. With the advent of Buddhism, the name Koyasu became attached to Bodhisattvas or spirits who also facilitate childbirth. Eventually identities were merged and it can be hard to disentangle the various female deities addressed by this name. Among these spirits are:

* Koyasu Kannon, one of Kannon’s thirty-three paths or manifestations, venerated in Shinto shrines dedicated to Konohana Sakkuya Hime.
* A theory suggests that Koyasu Kannon is really a Japanese version of Hariti, the reformed child-gobbling Demon whose image has been softened so much that she passes for Kannon
* The bodhisattava Ksitigarbha is sometimes venerated as Koyasu Jizo

**See Also:** Bodhisattva; Hariti; Kannon; Konohana Sakkuya Hime; Ksitigarbha

## Information Source

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

*Son; Young Man; The Boy*

**Also Known As:** Maponus

**Origin:** Celtic

Mabon, a hunter spirit whose myth appears in the Welsh epic tale of “Culhwch and Olwen”, is the son of Modron, whose name literally means “mother.” There’s no mention of any father. Mabon, child of Modron literally means “Son, child of Mother.” He is the divine child, and like so many divine children he was menaced, then rescued.

Stolen from his mother at three nights old, Mabon disappeared for many years, held captive in the Underworld. King Arthur and his cousin, Welsh hero Culhwch, searched for him, finally discovering and rescuing him from Gloucester Castle. By the time they released him from his enchanted imprisonment, Mabon was the eldest of all living creatures. Mabon is a paradox: simultaneously the youngest and oldest of souls.

Mabon is generally considered to be identical to Maponus who was venerated in Britain and Gaul. The Romans identified Maponus with Apollo. His name is invoked on ancient curse tablets.

**Sacred Sites:**

* Roman soldiers venerated Apollo Mapo nus near Hadrian’s Wall.
* Maponus’ sanctuary at Chamalières, now modern France, featured a therapeutic spring.

**Day:** Mabon, the harvest festival and Wiccan sabbat, coincides with the autumn equinox.

**See Also:** Mothers; Rhiannon

## Information Source

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

**Origin:** Hungary

Ildiko, goddess of love, hunting, fertility, and death, bestows life and takes it. Ildiko controls gateways between realms: she may be petitioned for fertility as well as for easy, painless death. The name Ildiko may be a Hungarian variant of the Germanic Hilda, meaning “battle” and a name associated with Valkyries. (It may also be related to a word for “moon”.) Ildiko was the name of Attila the Hun’s wife although whether she was named for the goddess is now unknown.

As a hunting goddess, Ildiko governs the balance between the needs of animals and hunters, simultaneously providing for hunters while protecting animals. Ildiko, like Artemis, is a deer hunter and the guardian of wild forest animals. A shamanic goddess, post-Christianity, Ildiko was identified with witchcraft.

**Iconography:** Hungarian art nouveau tapestry artist Sandor Nagy (1860–1950) portrayed Ildiko in the guise of a falconer.

**Attribute:** Bow and arrows

**Planet:** Moon

**Animals:** Bear, deer

**See Also:** Artemis; Faunus; Valkyries

## Information Source

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

*Bone Woman; Skeleton Woman*

**Classification:**Yokai; Obake; Vampire

**Origin:** Japan

Men see a beautiful, alluringly dressed woman provocatively walking the streets and assume that she is a streetwalker. In fact, she is not averse to a sexual relationship and may even initiate the tryst. She doesn’t want money, though. What Hone-Onna seeks are lives. She is, in fact, not a prostitute nor is her beauty real. It is an illusion, a magical glamour that she is able to cast in order to veil her true identity. Hone-Onna is really an animated skeleton dressed in sexy clothes. She is a vampire but not the blood-sucking kind. Hone-Onna drains men of their vital life essence during sex, leaving them desperately weakened, ill or even dead.

Maintaining the illusion of herself as a flesh-covered beauty may tire her. Once the man has been entrapped or after sex is over, Hone-Onna usually abandons the illusion, allowing her true skeletal form to show.

Hone-Onna is a creature of the Yin world, the world of ghosts. She craves yang energy, absorbed via sexual intercourse with men. She is not otherwise aggressive, although she can be scary. Hone-Onna may chase away those who do not serve her purposes such as women or men already in a weakened state by allowing her true form to be seen. Generally, people freak out and flee, allowing Hone-Onna to hunt for more desirable victims.

Once engaged in sex with her, there is little one can do to protect oneself. The best course is avoidance. (Hone-Onna solicits and seduces but she does not rape. Her victims are initially willing.) Stories of Hone-Onna are used as cautionary tales to encourage young men to avoid prostitutes or at least unfamiliar ones.

Hone-Onna is among the Yokai portrayed by 18th century artist Toriyama Sekien. She is a major and sympathetic character in the 21st century Japanese anime Hell Girl, which creates a mythos for her. Originally an abused, exploited, and finally murdered woman, Hell Girl’s Hone-Onna becomes a vampiric Yokai en route to becoming a sometimes compassionate spirit of justice and vengeance.

**Manifestations:** Hone-Onna may temporarily appear as a beautiful woman but eventually reveals herself as a skeleton instead. Alternatively, parts of her body may retain the guise of living flesh while other parts appear cadaverous with visible bones and rotting flesh.

**See Also:** Aisha Qandisba; Diablesse; Harionna; Hel; Hsi Wang Mu; Huli-Jing; Kuchisuke-Onna; Obake; Vampire; Wanyudo; Yokai; Yuki Onna

## Information Source

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

These are the rankings in the Kaleidoscopic Path from the beginning position to the highest position. These rankings are to provide structure and order to the Organization as well as providing what needs to be done to move up to a higher ranking.

Ascending to higher ranks require a deeper understanding of the key concepts and beliefs that make up the Kaleidoscopic Path. The initial ranks require reading and understanding of key books that make up the beliefs of the organization as well as knowledge of theology, philosophy, and mythology.

## Initiate

An initiate is an individual who has recently joined the Kaleidoscopic Path and have started to explore the wiki as well as their own beliefs.

Responsibilities:

## Grand Magus

Responsibilities: To lead and grow the Society while looking after the well being, spiritual and mental development of members of the Kaleidoscopic Path.
King Arthur

**Country of Origin**: Britain

**Venerated for**: Leadership

**Title**: Wielder of Excalibur

## Smite Lore

It is often in the time of greatest strife, when a land and its people rest on the precipice of destruction, that a hero shall rise to deliver them from ruin. So it was in the ancient land of the Britons, a realm torn asunder by darkness and war, that the greatest king they would ever know would come. He was Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, King and Warden of Camelot.

His coming was prophesied by the great wizard Merlin, glimpsed in a comet burning through the night sky, herald of the monarch who would unite all Camelot and usher her into a new age of peace and prosperity. Though little older than a boy when King Uther fell and the mantle of ruler was passed down to him, Arthur would rise and take hold of his destiny as saviour of his people. Benevolent and adept in statecraft, honourable and cunning in war, Arthur was the symbol of a new Briton.

In his hand is Excalibur, that mythic blade of divine power that only the most just of rulers may wield. Ever since the fateful day she first came into his possession, the sword has never left Arthur's side, and countless are the foes he has brought low with her, the blade's power amplified even further by his exemplary prowess in battle.

Arthur has withstood any foe who has sought Camelot's downfall, be it the numberless hordes from beyond the seas or the sinister plots of those from within his own house. No matter the scheme, or the enemy, with the aid of his mage Merlin and his knights, Arthur has prevailed, for so long as he draws breath, Camelot's lord shall not rest until her safety is won.
Lada

**Origin:** Slavic

Spirit of love, beauty and spring, Lada was widely venerated throughout Slavic Europe as well as Baltic Lithuania. She was and remains an extremely popular and beloved goddess. Lada lives inside Earth like a hibernating bear but emerges with the Vernal Equinox. (Archaic myths of Persephone, prior to the advent of the Olympians, may have been similar.) Migrating birds signal her imminent arrival. Lada is the spirit of the awakening Earth. She is the spirit of awakening desire, too. Lada inspires people and animals to seek companionship and sex. She inspires happiness, harmony and bliss.

**Iconography:** Lada is depicted in the company of birds and is often shown pregnant.

**Consort:** Lada’s husband and male counterpart is Lado. Their children are Lel and Lelya.

**Birds:** All birds serve as her messengers but especially larks

**Tree:** Linden

**Sacred time:** Spring equinox

**See Also:** Lado; Persephone

## Information Source

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

Mother of the Waters; Ruler of the Waters

**Also Known As:** Yara; Vira; Mae d’Agua

**Origin:** Brazil (Tupi)

The Iara are spirits of the Amazon River. Their name may derive from a Tupi word meaning “Ruler of the Waters.” The Iara most typically manifests as a beautiful woman sitting on a big rock by the river, singing and seductively combing her long hair. Her voice is irresistible. Iara are flirtatious. Men are smitten and feel compelled to abandon everything and anyone in order to join the Iara, possibly with fatal results. Iara epitomizes the magnetically irresistible and charismatic and is a popular name for Brazilian women. Iara appears in the influential 1928 novel Macunaima by Brazilian author Mario de Andrade.

**See Also:** Jurema; Lorelei; Mermaids; Al Naddaha; Siren

## Information Source

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

**Also Known As:** Larunda; Muta; possibly Mana

Lara was a beautiful Italian Naiad who talked too much. She revealed Jupiter’s secret affair with Juturna to his wife, Juno who put an end to the liaison. Jupiter punished Lara by cutting out her tongue, rendering her mute, hence her secondary name, Muta. Muta is a fierce, frightening spirit who sometimes visits in dreams. She doesn’t speak and she doesn’t actually cause harm but her presence is so menacing and wrathful, that she is the stuff of nightmares.

Lara and Mercury are the parents of the guardian spirits, the Lares who may have been conceived and born prior to Lara’s run-in with Jupiter. An alternative version, suggests that rendering this talkative spirit speechless wasn’t deemed sufficient punishment: Jupiter transformed her from a water spirit to a spirit of the dead. Jupiter ordered Mercury to conduct Lara to the Underworld. Mercury, too, is known for his loquacious nature: perhaps Lara’a plight touched his heart. He took his time transporting Lara and that’s when the Lares were conceived and born.

**See Also:** Juno; Jupiter; Juturna; Lares; Manes; Mania; Mercury; Naiad

## Information Source

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

John Damian (15th–16th c.) was a Scottish alchemist who assisted King James IV (1473–1513). John Damian apparently lacked great alchemical knowledge but made up for his deficiency in brashness and daring. He convinced James to set up an alchemical laboratory in Stirling Castle where Damian spent huge sums of money for years trying to make Gold. James eventually tired of the expense and made Damian an abbot. Damian continued to borrow money from the king to supplement his abbot’s salary. He was fond of elaborate clothing and whiskey and wine. Despite his lack of alchemical success, Damian remained on good terms with James and played dice and cards often with him.

Once while still at Stirling Castle, Damian attempted to fly by fastening wings made of feathers to himself and leaping off the castle battlements. He fell to the ground and broke a leg. He explained away his failure by the fact that some of the feathers were from barn-door birds who seldom flew much.

## Information Source

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

**Also known as:** Giants; Etin

**Origin:** Norse

The Norse term Jotun is traditionally translated as “Giant” as in the giants who lurch through fairy tales, like the one in Jack and the Beanstalk. Fairy tale giants are crude, often blood thirsty and usually not too bright. The Jotuns are far more complex, playing significant but contradictory, mysterious parts in Norse mythology.

The very first being in the cosmos was the frost-giant, Ymir. Jotuns emanated from parts of his body. The first deities (Odin and his brothers) destroyed Ymir, grinding his corpse up in a mill and fashioning the universe from it. The Jotuns are enemies of the Aesir but also their parents, teachers, lovers and spouses. Unlike the Aesir spirits, the Jotuns are permanent and eternal: spirits who are destined to survive the apocalyptic battle Ragnarok are at least half Jotun.

Norse mythology was not written down until the 13th century; its scribes were mainly Christian scholars who identified and empathized with the Aesir gods and so Norse mythology is re-told from their perspective. The Jotuns were the enemies of the Aesir and so come off badly: other names for them include trolls and ogres. Female Jotuns are called troll-hags and ogresses, both words eventually synonyms for “witch.”

Jotuns are wild, nocturnal beings, identified with ice, stone and hailstones. They hurl boulders and hailstones as weapons.

**Manifestation:** Male Jotuns are stereotypically depicted as ugly, fierce, harsh and haggard; but many giantesses are very beautiful in a huge, wild, powerful kind of way. Female giants manifest as fierce hags but also as beautiful warriors and nurturing mothers. Jotuns generally are master shape-shifters; favoured forms include eagles and wolves.

**Realm:** Jotunheim (literally Giant’s Home), a mountainous, freezing, harsh realm. Many, if not all, Jotuns may originally have been mountain spirits.

**See Also:** Aesir; Angerboda; Gerda; Grid; Gunlod; Heimdall; Skadi; Thor; Vanir

## Appearance in Modern Media

From Fate Grand OrderFrom Divine GateFrom Monster StrikeFrom Puzzle & Dragon
## Information Source

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

**Pantheon**: Hindu

**Title**: Seventh Avatar of Vishnu

## Smite Lore

Ravana's immortal reign subjugates the people. Shiva's boon grants the demon-king invulnerability against gods and beasts. Only mortal men stand a chance of defeating him, but Ravana's might is too potent for a mere man to overcome. All seems lost.

To save us, Vishnu took human form. Rama, prince of Ayodhya.

At age 16 he was already the perfect embodiment of man. Strong, humble, handsome, patient, devout; he is what mankind strives to be, yet, for all our flaws, can never reach.

When a neighbouring kingdom, cursed by Ravana's magic, asked for aid, Rama answered, despite the misgivings of his father. With his rother Laksharma, Rama set out and slew a horde of demons. At the palace, Rama cleansed the curse by freeing the queen from stone. The city celebrated and Rama was invited to string Shiva's bow – with the prize princess Sita's hand in marriage. Shiva's bow could not be lifted by any man, let alone strung, but Rama broke the bow in half. He and Sita wed immediately.

Returning home, Rama was to be crown prince, but the jealousy of queen Kaikeyi forced Rama into exile, where he's remained these past fourteen years.
Jahi

*The Harlot; The Whore*

**Origin:** Mesopotamia

Jahi is a primordial spirit who may have begun her incarnation as a Creatrix. Jahi is the first goddess and the first woman. She emerged from the void, then brought forth a serpent from herself. She and the snake made love, conceiving the whole world. That first sexual encounter with the serpent caused menstruation. (In some parts of the world, the phrase “bitten by a snake” remains a euphemism for menstruation, especially a girl’s first period.) So in addition to the universe in general, Jahi is specifically credited with inventing snakes, sex, and menstruation.

Once upon a time, a really long time ago, she was considered the holiest of the holy. But times change, and Jahi was reappraised. Much of what is documented about her derives from the perspective of Zoroastrian holy texts in whose context she is considered among the worst of the worst. Zoroastrianism describes Jahi as the Demon of Lasciviousness, the cause of menstruation; a “polluting whore” whose temptations must be resisted. She is the consort of Ahriman, the dreaded spirit of destruction. Although she is no longer considered the creator of the universe or a celestial power, Zoroastrianism still assigns Jahi dominion over menstruation and sex (especially illicit sex or sexual acts perceived as polluting).

Jahi is the spirit of flesh and fluids. To comprehend Zoroastrian disapproval of Jahi, one must appreciate that she is a spirit of wet dampness in the context of a spiritual tradition that deifies and venerates fire. Jahi is described as offending fire. Her presence threatens to diminish or extinguish it.

The resemblance of Jahi’s name to at least some of the names ascribed to the Jewish god is impossible to ignore. Many also perceive resemblances between Jahi’s myth and the biblical story of the Garden of Eden.

Jahi is the primordial mother. Those exploring women’s mysteries or specifically menstrual magic and mysteries may invoke her sponsorship and assistance.

**Manifestation:** Jahi is moist: her vagina is wet and/or bloody; she perspires; her ringlets are described as dripping, whether water or sweat; she may be felt as a damp emanation. She is an intensely yin spirit.

**Planet:** Moon

**Element:** Water

**Colour:** Red

**See Also:** Eurynome; Hsi Wang Mu; Jezi baba; Kurukulla; Nyx; Xochiquetzal
Jurojin

*Longevity Old Man*

**Origin:** China; Japan

Jurojin is a Taoist Master, Lord of Longevity; adopted into the Japanese pantheon as one of the Seven Spirits of Good Luck, the Shichi Fujukin. Longevity means long life but Jurojin bestows more than that: his blessings include happy, healthy, serene old age. He is also a spirit of general good fortune and is particularly invoked for academic success. Request his blessings of longevity and health if someone is ailing.

**Manifestation:** Jurojin is an elderly man with a long, white beard. He is usually accompanied by a white stag who serves as his messenger.

**Attributes:** Jurojin carries a staff with a scroll attached to it, on which is inscribed the life spans of all living beings; he may also carry a fan

**Sacred animals:** Crane; tortoise; deer

**Tree:** Plum tree

**Offerings:** Sake (and lots of it!); cooked rice; fresh fruit

**See Also:** Fukurokuju; Shichi Fukujin

## Information Source

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

Holda (also Holde, Hulda) Fierce Germanic goddess of the sky whose nocturnal rides with the souls of the unbaptized dead led to the Christian association of her with the demonic aspects of the Wild Hunt. Holda was beautiful and stately, and bold as a Valkyrie. She also was goddess of the hearth and motherhood and ruled spinning and the cultivation of flax.

As host of the Wild Hunt, Holda was said to be accompanied by witches as well as the souls of the dead. They rode uncontrollably through the night sky, shrieking and crying. The land over which they passed was said to bear double the harvest.

Holda, like other pagan deities, was linked to the Devil by Christians. In medieval times, she was transformed from a majestic woman to an old hag, with a long, hooked nose, long stringy hair and sharp fangs. In folklore, she has been reduced to a bogey, a low-level bad spirit, and a tender of sheep or goats.
Hutash

**Origin:** Chumash

Hutash, powerful deity, lived alone on Limuw Island, off the coast of California, now Santa Cruz Island. She was lonely; her husband, the Sky Snake, lived in the sky and so she decided to create people in her own image, forming them from magic seeds. Hutash took good care of her people, the Chumash, teaching them skills and providing for them. They flourished, multiplied, and eventually Limuw became crowded and noisy, so noisy that Hutash couldn’t sleep and was irritated. She decided that some of the people must move to the California mainland. Hutash created a very high, very long rainbow bridge on which the Chumash could walk from the tallest point on Limuw to a tall mountain near what is now Carpinteria. Some made the journey with ease, but others, looking down, became disoriented and dizzy and fell. Hutash did not want them to drown. She felt responsible: she had advised the journey and provided the bridge, and so she transformed those who fell into dolphins.

The Rainbow Bridge by Audrey Wood (Voyager Books, 1995) is a lavishly illustrated retelling of this Chumash creation myth.

**Sacred time:** An almost week-long annual festival honoring Hutash is scheduled after the autumn harvest.

**Sacred animal:** Dolphin

## Information Source

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

A sacred image, documented as far back as the Neolithic era, depicts a woman surrounded by animals. This is often a stylized image: the animals tend to be those which would not normally congregate peacefully together. In the company of the Lady of the Beasts, as she has been dubbed, lions lie down with lambs; predators play nicely with each other; birds perch safely on cats. The Lady of the Beasts is a spirit of peace and prosperity. She is often, although not always, depicted pregnant. She may be a spirit of nature’s bounty.

There may be one primeval Lady of the Beasts or many. Various goddesses fit the archetype. Lady of the Beasts is an anthropological term coined to describe images and the concept it evoked. However, the term has since entered the lexicon of modern goddess devotees. Votive images, both traditional and modern, of the Lady of the Beasts are readily available as, for instance, one painted by artist Hrana Janto and included in Amy Sophia Marashinsky’s Goddess Oracle. Ladies of the Beasts include Aphrodite, Artemis, Baba Yaga, Khadiravani, Kwan Yin, Cybele and Miao Shan.

The Lady of the Beasts is the beast master. She commands, controls and protects them. Those who work closely with animals may seek her protection and matronage. The Lady of the Beasts may also be a priestess or shaman. Those who work closely with animal spirits may assume the role in visualizations. (Just always be aware that flesh-and-blood beasts may not behave like spirit animals; always use common sense and safety precautions to avoid injury to yourself and the animals.)

**Manifestation:** You will know the Lady of the Beasts by the animals that surround her.

**Altar:** Find an image that corresponds to your vision of the Lady of the Beasts and surround her with images of living creatures.

## Information Source

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

*Red Eel Woman*

**Origin:** Polynesia

Powerful and unpredictable, Kapo has dominion over fertility, childbirth, miscarriage, abortion and death. She is a spirit of witchcraft, and prophesy, famed for being able to reverse any curse or malevolent spell. Kapo is admired and respected but also feared. She is among the preeminent spirits of hula dancing, which originally derives from sacred ritual. Some legends credit her with the invention of hula although others suggest that the primary sacred matron of hula is Laka, Hawaiian Spirit of Beauty.

The exact relationship between Kapo and Laka is unclear. They may be sisters or Kapo may be Laka’s mother but the most widely accepted theory is that they are aspects of one being, two sides of one coin with Laka as the consistently benevolent life affirming aspect and Kapo as the volatile, shadow side.

Kapo’s mother is the lunar spirit Haumea; her more famous younger sister and sometime traveling companion is volcano spirit, Pelé. Kapo was born in Tahiti but was already in Hawaii when Pelé arrived. Upon her own arrival, Kapo is rumored to have established a hula school on each Hawaiian island.

Invoke Kapo to help further and inspire your magical skill and power. Kapo possesses the power to break any hex or curse. She can help control your fertility, as you desire; encouraging conception or protecting from pregnancy.

**Favoured People:** Sorcerers; shamans; magical practitioners; hula dancers; midwives and abortionists

**Manifestation:** Like the other Hawaiian deities, Kapo manifests in any form she chooses, human, animal, botanical or mineral. She can be stormy and fearsome or alluringly beautiful. In addition to beauty, Kapo possesses a magical detachable flying vagina that she flings and retrieves at will.

**Sacred plant:** Pandanus (hala)

**Creature:** Eel

**Sacred Sites:** Kapo was widely adored throughout Hawaii, especially in Molokai, once renowned for its powerful sorcerers. The imprint of her flying vagina is still seen on the eastern side of the hill Kohelepelepe (literally detached vagina) at Koko Head, Oahu.

**See Also:** Haumea; Laka; Pelé

## Information Source

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

*Queen of the Fairies*

**Origin:** Romania

Irodeasa is the beautiful but possibly dangerous Romanian witch-goddess and Queen of the Fairies. Her name is the Romanian form of Herodias.

* She may be a goddess branded with the name of the New Testament’s “wickedest woman” and whose original name is now unknown or secret.
* She may be Herodias herself.
* She may be a Romanian path of Diana.

Irodeasa presides over the Romanian men’s mystery dance/healing/possession society known as the Calus and their annual rituals. Similar societies once extended through the Balkans, as well. She leads the Fairies known as Ielle. Irodeasa can raise and soothe storms. She is the queen of the forest. She can heal and cause illness. Scholars suggest that she may originally have been a goddess of death.

Gail Kligman’s Calus (University of Chicago Press, 1981) offers detailed information regarding the history and rituals of the Calusari, members of the Calus.

**Number:** 9

**Offerings:** Pour libations for her.

**See Also:** Diana; Fairy; Herodias; Ielle

## Information Source

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

Time; Fate; Destiny

**Also Known As:** Menat; Manathu

**Origin:** Arabia

Manat is among the three pre-Islamic goddesses mentioned in the Koran. Less information about her survives than about her compatriots Allat and Al-Uzza. Manat is a spirit of destiny and fortune, whether good or bad. The Greeks identified her with Tyche. Manat’s shrine, located between Mecca and Medina, was destroyed by order of the Prophet Muhammed.

**Manifestation:** A large black, uncut stone

**Planet:** Moon

**See Also:** Al-Uzza; Allat; Tyche; Identification

## Information Source

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

**Also Known As:** Tangaroa

**Origin:** Polynesia

**Classification:** Akua

Kanaloa is the spirit of the sea. Kings of the sea are important in all pantheons but especially so in Polynesia, which means “Many Islands” and consists of groupings of islands, many quite isolated, spread over vast expanses of the southern and central Pacific Ocean. Kanaloa is his Hawaiian name; Tanga roa is the Maori pronunciation. Kanaloa is venerated throughout Polynesia and is always associated with the sea but may otherwise manifest differently in different locations.

In Tahiti, he is the supreme creator and deity. Kanaloa and Kane traveled together from Tahiti to Hawaii bringing food plants so that the Hawaiians would survive. As Lord of the Sea, Kanaloa is a spirit of abundance, fertility and procreation. He is a master healer and magician who can transmit sacred and secret knowledge.

**Favoured People:** Those who fish; those who make their living from the sea (presumably without harming his domain); carpenters; house builders

**Iconography:** Tiki carvings representing Kanaloa are available

**Spirit ally:** In Hawaii, Kane and Kanaloa are perceived as partners; in Fiji, Tane and Tangaroa may have a contentious, competitive relationship

**Sacred animal:** Specifically octopus and squid but also sea creatures in general.

**Direction:** West

**Sacred site:** The Iao Needle, the sacred mountain peak, now in Iao Valley State Park, Maui, Hawaii embodies Kanaloa’s generative, procreative energy

**See Also:** Aukua; Kane

## Information Source

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

**Also known as:** Lajabless

**Origin:** Caribbean

La Diablesse is a nocturnal spirit from the islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. During the day, she hides in the big root buttresses of kapok trees. At night, she emerges to roam around, usually on quiet roads, but she may come into populated areas, too, as the desire takes her. She may or may not be a tree spirit.

La Diablesse resembles a beautiful woman dressed in a long, romantic, flowing dress and a big, floppy hat. Her clothes may sound old-fashioned, but it’s a daring, sexy outfit: her skirt is slit high on one side to reveal a shapely feminine leg. Of course, the clue to her identity is the other leg, the one hidden by the voluminous fabric. That’s the leg with the cloven foot. Some manifestations of La Diablesse may have an entire donkey’s leg.

La Diablesse lures men to secluded areas near the tops of cliffs. They’re anticipating romantic assignations or some easy sex: instead she finally removes that big hat, revealing a grinning skull and then kicks her victim off the cliff with her powerful cloven hoof. It is unclear whether her attacks are random or whether she targets specific victims for vengeance, justice, or less commendable reasons. She strongly resembles goddesses Aisha Qandisha or Lilith, who lure men sexually only to punish them, often fatally.

**See Also:** Gran Bois; Hone-Onna; Lady Banana Ghost; Xtabay

## Information Source

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