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Category Archives: monsters

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lāð-getēona

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Hana Videen

lāð-getēona, m.n: evil-doer. (LAWTH-yeh-TAY-on-ah / ˈlaːθ-jɛ-ˌteːɔ-na)

Medieval manuscript illustration of Christ sitting on a hill, a scroll with Latin writing coming from his hand, and standing before him a tall monstrous figure with four wings, red eyes, hooked nose, tail and taloned feet.
First Temptation of Christ in a Psalter; England (Oxford), c. 1200-1225; British Library, Arundel MS 157, f. 5v. [blogs.bl.uk]
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helle-brōga

Posted on October 31, 2024 by Hana Videen

helle-brōga, m.n: terror of hell. (HEL-luh-BRO-ga / ˈhɛl-lə-ˌbroː-ga)

Read this month’s Mōnaþ-spell (monthly update) on Patreon.

Medieval manuscript image of a beast’s mouth, toothy and filled with flames, into which naked people are being cast by hairy, horned demons.
Taymouth Hours; England, 14th century; British Library, Yates Thompson MS 13, f. 142r. [blogs.bl.uk]
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heoloþ-cynn

Posted on October 26, 2024 by Hana Videen

heoloþ-cynn, n.n: concealment-kind, the inhabitants of hell, possibly ‘race living in concealment or darkness’. (HEH-oh-loth-KUEN / ˈhɛɔ-lɔθ-ˌkyn)

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nicor-hūs

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Hana Videen

nicor-hūs, n.n: home of a nicor (water-monster). (NICK-or-HOOS / ˈnɪ-kɔr-ˌhuːs)

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brōga

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Hana Videen

brōga, m.n: terror, horror, danger. (BRO-ga / ˈbroː-ga)

Medieval manuscript image of a dragon, mouth open, red forked tongue emerging, above beginning of text about dragons.
Li livres dou trésor; France, early 14th century; Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.814, f. 63r. [ica.themorgan.org]
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sǣ-draca

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Hana Videen

sǣ-draca, m.n: sea-dragon. (SAE-DRAH-ka / ˈsæː-ˌdra-ka)

Medieval manuscript image of a sea dragon swimming in the water, a creature with long ears, snout, long tail, and webbed feet.
Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 114r. [portail.biblissima.fr]
Posted in animals, deorhord book, monsters, water Leave a comment

basilisca

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Hana Videen

basilisca, m.n: basilisk. (BA-zih-liss-ka / ˈba-zɪ-lis-ka)

Medieval manuscript image of a basilisk — a serpentine creature with bird’s wings and talons wearing a crown — with three lesser snakes paying homage.
Bestiary; England, 1226-1250; Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 764, f. 93v. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]
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bryne-brōga

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Hana Videen

bryne-brōga, m.n: fire-terror. (BRUE-nuh-BRO-ga / ˈbry-nə-ˌbroː-ga)

Medieval manuscript image of a dragon-like creature with enormous teeth protruding up and down from its jaws and long wavy horns, breathing fire as it stands in the water.
Liber Floridus, by Lambert, Canon of Saint-Omer; France, 1121; Ghent University Library, Ms. 92, f. 62v. [lib.ugent.be]
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sǣ-brōga

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Hana Videen

sǣ-brōga, m.n: sea-terror. (SAE-BROH-ga / ˈsæː-ˌbroː-ga)

Medieval manuscript image of a haloed man holding a flag and looking behind him at the sea, which is filled with a variety of monsters.
Petrus de Ebulo, De balneis puteolanis; Italy (Naples), 14th century; Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Latin 8161, f. 6r. [gallica.bnf.fr]
Posted in monsters, water Leave a comment

wæter-brōga

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Hana Videen

wæter-brōga, m.n: water-terror, terror of the deep. (WAT-er-BRO-ga / ˈwæ-tɛr-ˌbroː-ga)

Medieval manuscript image of a frightening-looking fish with a saw-like horn protruding from its head, sharp teeth in its mouth, and a large fan-like fin along its back.
Swordfish in a bestiary; N France (Picardy), early 14th century; British Library, Yates Thompson 19, f. 48r. [bl.uk]
Posted in deorhord book, monsters, water Leave a comment

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