Volterra Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy. History[edit] The town was a Neolithic settlement and an important Etruscan center (Velathri or Felathri in Etruscan, Velàthre, Βελάθρη in Greek) with an original civilization. Persius, the Roman satirist of Etruscan stock, and the Mannerist painter Daniele da Volterra, were both natives of Volterra. The poet Jacopo da Leona was a judge at Volterra in the 13th century. When the Florentine Republic fell in 1530, Volterra came under the control of the Medici family and later followed the history of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Points of interest[edit] Outside the city, in direction of Lajatico, is the Medici Villa di Spedaletto. Volterra in popular fiction[edit] Rosso Fiorentino. Transport[edit] Volterra has a station on the Cecina-Volterra Railway, called Volterra Saline - Pomarance due to its position, in the frazione of Saline di Volterra. Events[edit]
Ghoul A ghoul is a folkloric monster or spirit associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights.[1] The term was first used in English literature in 1786, in William Beckford's Orientalist novel Vathek,[2] which describes the ghūl of Arabian folklore. By extension, the word ghoul is also used in a derogatory sense to refer to a person who delights in the macabre, or whose profession is linked directly to death, such as a gravedigger ("graverobber"). Early etymology[edit] Ghoul is from the Arabic الغول ghul, from ghala "to seize".[3] The term is etymologically related to Gallu, a Mesopotamian demon.[4][5] In Arabian folklore[edit] In ancient Arabian folklore, the ghūl (Arabic: literally demon)[6] dwells in burial grounds and other uninhabited places. A ghul is also a desert-dwelling, shapeshifting, evil demon that can assume the guise of an animal, especially a hyena.
Psychopomp In Jungian psychology, the psychopomp is a mediator between the unconscious and conscious realms. It is symbolically personified in dreams as a wise man or woman, or sometimes as a helpful animal. In many cultures, the shaman also fulfills the role of the psychopomp. This may include not only accompanying the soul of the dead, but also vice versa: to help at birth, to introduce the newborn child's soul to the world (p. 36 of).[2] This also accounts for the contemporary title of "midwife to the dying", or "End of Life Doula" which is another form of psychopomp work. By region[edit] Africa[edit] Dead ancestors Egypt[edit] Nigeria[edit] Americas[edit] Aztec[edit] Xolotl Cahuilla[edit] Muut Inuit[edit] Mayan[edit] Ixtab United States[edit] Asia[edit] China[edit] Japan[edit] Shinigami Mesopotamia[edit] Namtar Persia[edit] Mithra Philippines[edit] Europe[edit] Anglo-Saxon[edit] Wōden Celtic[edit] Etruscan[edit] Greek[edit] Norse[edit] Roman[edit] Slavic[edit] Spanish[edit] Santa Compaña Welsh[edit] Gwyn ap Nudd Polynesia[edit]
Volturi The Volturi are the largest and most powerful coven of vampires. They enforce the laws of the vampire world. The equivalent of royalty in the vampire world, the Volturi consists of 5 core members: Aro, Caius, Marcus, Aro's wife Sulpicia, and Caius's wife Athenodora. Marcus's wife (and Aro's sister) Didyme was also a member before she was killed by her brother. Aside from these head members, it also consists of a collection of powerfully imposing vampires, known as the "Volturi guard", the most powerful being Chelsea, Jane and Alec. Purpose The Volturi act as the unofficial royalty in the world of vampires, and are an incredibly influential coven. Laws Throughout the centuries, the Volturi have established and enforced a number of laws that all vampires are expected to obey or get sentenced to death if they don't. The laws are not written down; to write them would in itself be an infraction. History The Volturi were founded by Aro, Caius and Marcus, along with Caius's wife Athenodora.
Zombie Zombies have a complex literary heritage, with antecedents ranging from Richard Matheson and H. P. Lovecraft to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein drawing on European folklore of the undead. George A. Romero's reinvention of the monster for his 1968 film Night of the Living Dead led to several zombie films in the 1980s and a resurgence of popularity in the 2000s. The English word "zombie" is first recorded in 1819, in a history of Brazil by the poet Robert Southey, in the form of "zombi".[3] The Oxford English Dictionary gives the origin of the word as West African, and compares it to the Kongo words nzambi (god) and zumbi (fetish). Folk beliefs[edit] Haitian tradition[edit] It has been suggested that the two types of zombie reflect soul dualism, a belief of Haitian Vodou. The Haitian zombie phenomenon first attracted widespread international attention during the United States occupation of Haiti (1915 - 1934), when a number of case histories of purported "zombies" began to emerge. The actor T.
Nāga Naga stone worship at Hampi Nāga (IAST: nāgá, Burmese pronunciation: [naːɡá]) is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for a deity or class of entity or being, taking the form of a very great snake—specifically the king cobra, found in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. A female Nāga is a nāgī or nāgiṇī.[1] Etymology[edit] Mahabharata[edit] In the great epic Mahabharata, the depiction of nagas tends toward the positive. The epic frequently characterizes nagas as having a mixture of human and serpent-like traits. Enmity with Garuda[edit] The great nemesis of the nagas in the Mahabharata is the gigantic eagle-king Garuda. Kadru[edit] In accordance with Kadru's curse, Janamejaya prepared a snake sacrifice of a type described in the scriptures, the Puranas. Other mentions[edit] The serpent king Vasuki helped the gods to recover amrita, the elixir of immortality, from the Ocean of Milk by serving as the cord they wrapped around Mount Mandara in order to churn up the depths of the ocean. Hinduism[edit]
Alec "Their offensive weapons are too powerful. No one could stand against Jane.""Alec's even worse." ―Jasper's and Alice's words on Jane and Alec. Alec is a member of the Volturi guard, serving as one of the highest ranked guards. Jane and Alec are the Volturi's most powerful offensive weapons as they both hold abilities capable of taking down an opponent, regardless of size. While Jane is useful in making an audience fear the Volturi, Alec is their most offensive weapon in battle. He is portrayed by Cameron Bright in the movie adaptations. Biography Edit Early life Edit Alec was born in England around 800 A.D, the son of an Anglo-Saxon woman and a Frankish soldier. Aro had shown interest in Alec and his sister since they were toddlers, but decided to wait until they were old enough to turn them (the Volturi had already instated its rules about immortal children) and so left them in the care of their parents. Aro was apprised of the situation by a nomad who knew of Aro's interest in the twins. Aro
Draugr "Sea-troll" of modern Scandinavian folklore as depicted by the Norwegian painter Theodor Kittelsen The draugr or draug (Old Norse: draugr, plural draugar; modern Icelandic: draugur, Faroese: dreygur and Norwegian, Swedish and Danish draugen), also called aptrganga, literally "again-walker" (Icelandic: afturganga) is an undead creature from Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology. The Old Norse meaning of the word is a revenant. "The will appears to be strong, strong enough to draw the hugr [animate will] back to one's body. Draugar live in their graves, often guarding treasure buried with them in their burial mound. A cognate is Old English: dréag "apparition, ghost".[2] Irish: dréag or driug, meaning "portent, meteor", is borrowed from either Old English or the Old Norse.[3] Traits[edit] Draugar possess superhuman strength, can increase their size at will, and carry the unmistakable stench of decay. The draugr's victims were not limited to trespassers in its howe. Folklore[edit]
elves tag Jane "This may hurt just a little." Jane is a high-ranking member of the Volturi guard in the Twilight Saga. She is the twin sister of Alec, and together they are the Volturi's most powerful offensive weapons. Jane has the ability to induce a crippling, although illusory, pain in other people's minds, which serves greatly in instilling fear and maintaining order to confrontations. She is portrayed by Dakota Fanning in the movie adaptations. Biography Early life Jane was born in England around 800 A.D, the daughter of an Anglo-Saxon woman and a Frankish soldier. Aro was made aware of Jane and her brother through the thoughts of a visiting nomad. Due to the pain Jane experienced while burning at the stake and the anger she felt towards the villagers, her power took on a sharper form after her conversion into a vampire; she gained the supernatural talent of inflicting the same burning pain on others in the form of illusion. New Moon Main article: New Moon ―Bella[src] Eclipse Main article: Eclipse Alec
Revenant A revenant is a visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed to return from the grave to terrorize the living.[1] The word "revenant" is derived from the Latin word, reveniens, "returning" (see also the related French verb "revenir", meaning "to come back"). Vivid stories of revenants arose in Western Europe (especially Great Britain, and were later carried by Anglo-Norman invaders to Ireland) during the High Middle Ages. Though later legend and folklore depicts revenants as returning for a specific purpose (e.g., revenge against the deceased's killer), in most Medieval accounts they return to harass their surviving families and neighbours. Revenants share a number of characteristics with folkloric vampires. Many stories were documented by English historians in the Middle Ages. Analysis[edit] Medieval stories of revenants have common features. Comparison to other folkloristic and mythological undead[edit] Selected stories[edit] William of Newburgh[edit] William of Newburgh (1136?
German Changeling Legends translated and edited by D. L. Table of Contents How to Protect Your Child, Jacob Grimm, German MythologyThe Elves, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Children's and Household TalesThe Nixie Changelings from the Saal River, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German Legends The Changeling, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German LegendsChangelings in the Water, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German Legends A Changeling Is Beaten with a Switch, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German Legends Keeping Watch over Children, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German Legends The Rye-Mother, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German Legends The Two Underground Women, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German Legends The Nickert, A. How to Protect Your Child Jacob Grimm, German Mythology Placing a key next to an infant will prevent him from being exchanged. Source: Jacob Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, 4th ed. (1877), v. 3, pp. 450-460 (items 484, 509, 510, 744). The Elves Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Children's and Household Tales And he began laughing about it. The Changeling