Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
1984 - Grandparents' house
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Unearthly Fables
The beauty of horror. Tales from unseen and forbidden realms...
-Until soon-
By doc. stranger
Unearthly Fables
The beauty of horror. Tales from unseen and forbidden realms...
-Until soon-
By doc. stranger
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Mystic fiend: Dormammu
Dormammu is a 6-foot humanoid with a flame-cloaked head, he was "born" an energy creature known as a Faltine, with his twin, Umar, from their "genitor," Sinifer. The universe of the Faltine has no matter, only energy. However, Umar and Dormammu lusted for matter and would gather as much of it as they could. Among the Faltine, this was considered a most obscene perversion. When Sinifer moved to stop the twins' hoarding of matter, Dormammu and Umar murdered him. For this crime, the Faltine exiled Dormammu and Umar from their universe forever. Dormammu and Umar took on humanoid forms, Dormammu becoming male and Umar female. They wound up in the Dark Dimension, a cosmic backwater that had once been feared for its many conquests. Olnar, the wizard king, longed for a return to those glorious times and, with the twins' arrival, saw a chance to revive his fortunes. Rather than invade other dimensions, Olnar learned how to break down barriers and simply absorb those dimensions into his own. With the power of two deities, he seemed to be within reach of his dreams, despite the objections of his wizards.
When the three annexed the dimension of the Mindless Ones, however, those unstoppable monsters advanced into the Dark Dimension. Many (conveniently) died in the conflict, including Olnar and many of the wizards who had opposed Dormammu and Umar. The twins finally erected a mystic barrier that stopped the Mindless Ones, at the cost of a permanent drain on their powers. In gratitude, the people of the Dark Dimension made them their new rulers.
Dormammu soon merged himself with the mystical energies of the Dark Dimension and partially reverted to his Faltinian form. Umar threatened Dormammu but failed to unseat him. As a consequence, he banished her to a pocket universe.
Years later, to defeat its enemy, the Old one; Dormammu had established an alliance with Baron Mordo, its disciple. Mordo was discovered by Stephen Strange, a foreigner who had sheltered itself there. Strange was gaged mystically by Mordo, but he was decided to study mystical arts and, when its knowledge was complete defeated to Mordo, frustrating the plans of Dormammu.
Dormammu reappeared soon, being defeated per Eternity, and, when he returned after that battle kidnapped to Victoria Bentley and to Clea, but then Stranger took part and he released causing them the return of Dormammu to the Dark Dimension.
Dormammu was allied later with Loki, that at that time was blind to obtain the Diabolic Eye, a device of great power for which it used the Defenders. But Loki, supposing its treason alerted to the Avengers, both groups faced to obtain the Eye and, in the end Dormammu was absorbed by this one.
Dormammu was reincarnated in the terrestrial crust, where it faced the Scarlet Witch, the Vision and Agatha Harkness. It lost this battle since during a time her traicionera sister robbed her powers to him, that later were given back to him.
The following ruse of Dormammu was to return back in the time to take possession from the body from the Viscount Crowler, but Strange it also traveled to that time and it was able to frustrate its plan. Dormammu returned time later and absorbed the energy of its sister and Baron Mordo to reconquer the Dark Dimension imprisoning to Umar in another dimension again.Dormammu tried to conquer the Earth, but it was defeated again by Doctor Strange.
Dormammu tried to invade also the different regions of Hell, being revealed to him from the repulsive Satannish that was not but I generate his, whereas Satannish revealed that he was the father of Daimon Hellstrom, establishing a familiar bow between Dormammu and this one. The plan of Dormammu failed but Satanish was eliminated by Mephisto, with which Dormammu left to Hellstrom in charge of the infernal region of Satannish.
Dormammu possesses vast magical and cosmic energies, which are supported and replenished by worship of him throughout the cosmos. His powers are so vast that he is capable of interdimensional travel, time travel, and teleportation over vast stretches of space and time.
Dormammu is apparently indestructible, and commands enhanced strength, reflexes, speed, and stamina. His corporeal form, while enhanced, is significantly weaker than that of an average super-hero, like Captain America. Dormammu is an excellent hand-to-hand combatant; he is highly trained in a type of extradimensional fighting style. However, Dormammu is no physical match for someone such as Spider-Man; Dormammu's chief strengths are his vast magical powers and his incredible intellect.
Status: alien deity (level of godhood has varied from godling to all-father)
Pantheon: unaffiliated
Place of Birth: Universe of the Faltine
Known Relatives: Sinifer (genitor), Umar (twin), Clea (niece), Satannish
Occupation: interdimensional conquerer, (usually) ruler of the Dark Dimension
Hails From: Dark Dimension
Vassals: Orini, Karl Mordo, Nicholas Scratch
Enemies: Agamotto, Doctor Strange, Clea, Odin
First Appearance: Strange Tales, Volume 1, #126
Sources: Marvel Database Project; Marvel Publications
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Mystic token: The Mandrake (Part two)
The natural mandragore is a filamentous root which, more or less, presents as a whole either the figure of a man, or that of the virile members. It is slightly narcotic, and an aphrodisiacal virtue was ascribed to it by the ancients, who represented it as being sought by Thessalian sorcerers for the composition of philtres. Is this root the umbilical vestige of our terrestrial origin. We dare not seriously affirm it, but all the same it is certain that man came out of the slime of the earth, and his first appearance must have been in the form of a rough sketch. The analogies of nature make this notion necessarily admissible, at least as a possibility. The first men were, in this case, a family of gigantic, sensitive mandragores, animated by the sun, who rooted themselves up from the earth; this assumption not only does not exclude, but, on the contrary, positively supposes, creative will and the providential co-operation of a first cause, which we have reason to call God.
The leaves are quite harmless and cooling, and have been used for ointments and other external application. Boiled in milk and used as a poultice, they were employed by Boerhaave as an application to indolent ulcers. The fresh root operates very powerfully as an emetic and purgative. The dried bark of the root was used also as a rough emetic. A tincture is used in homoeopathy today, made from the fresh plant.
Mandrake was used in Pliny's days as an anaesthetic for operations, a piece of the root being given to the patient to chew before undergoing the operation. In small doses it was employed by the Ancients in maniacal cases.
Among the old Anglo-Saxon herbals both Mandrake and periwinkle are endowed with mysterious powers against demoniacal possession. At the end of a description of the Mandrake in the Herbarium of Apuleius there is this prescription:'For witlessness, that is devil sickness or demoniacal possession, take from the body of this said wort mandrake by the weight of three pennies, administer to drink in warm water as he may find most convenient - soon he will be healed.'
Josephus says that the Mandrake - which he calls Baaras - has but one virtue, that of expelling demons from sick persons, as the demons cannot bear either its smell or its presence. (Wars of the Jews, book vii, cap. vi.)
As an amulet, it was once placed on mantelpieces to avert misfortune and to bringprosperity and happiness to the house. Bryony roots were often cut into fancy shapes and passed off as Mandrake, being even trained to grow in moulds till they assumed the desired forms. In Henry VIII's time quaint little images made from Bryony roots, cut into the figure of a man, with grains of millet inserted into the face as eyes, fetched high prices. They were known as puppettes or mammettes, and were accredited with magical powers. Italian ladies were known to pay as much as thirty golden ducats for similar artificial Mandrakes.
The roots of the Mandrake are very nearly allied to Belladonna, both in external appearance and in structure. The plant is by modern botanists assigned to the same genus, the root contains a mydriatic alkaloid, Mandragorine (Cl7H27O3N), which in spite of the name and formula which have been assigned to it, is probably identical with atropine or hyoscyamine.
Mandrake can be propagated by seeds, sown upon a bed of light earth, soon after they are ripe, when they are more sure to come up than if the sowing is left to the spring. When the plants come up in the spring, they must be kept well watered through the summer and kept free from weeds. At the end of August they should be taken up carefully and transplanted where they are to remain. The soil should be light and deep, as the roots run far down - if too wet, they will rot in winter, if too near chalk or gravel, they will make little progress. Where the soil is good and they are not disturbed, these plants will grow to a large size in a few years, and will produce great quantities of flowers and fruit.
Culpepper tells us the Mandrake is governed by Mercury. The fruit has been accounted poisonous, but without cause.... it really resembles a carrot or parsnip.
By Dr. Stranger
Sources : Various
The leaves are quite harmless and cooling, and have been used for ointments and other external application. Boiled in milk and used as a poultice, they were employed by Boerhaave as an application to indolent ulcers. The fresh root operates very powerfully as an emetic and purgative. The dried bark of the root was used also as a rough emetic. A tincture is used in homoeopathy today, made from the fresh plant.
Mandrake was used in Pliny's days as an anaesthetic for operations, a piece of the root being given to the patient to chew before undergoing the operation. In small doses it was employed by the Ancients in maniacal cases.
Among the old Anglo-Saxon herbals both Mandrake and periwinkle are endowed with mysterious powers against demoniacal possession. At the end of a description of the Mandrake in the Herbarium of Apuleius there is this prescription:'For witlessness, that is devil sickness or demoniacal possession, take from the body of this said wort mandrake by the weight of three pennies, administer to drink in warm water as he may find most convenient - soon he will be healed.'
Josephus says that the Mandrake - which he calls Baaras - has but one virtue, that of expelling demons from sick persons, as the demons cannot bear either its smell or its presence. (Wars of the Jews, book vii, cap. vi.)
As an amulet, it was once placed on mantelpieces to avert misfortune and to bringprosperity and happiness to the house. Bryony roots were often cut into fancy shapes and passed off as Mandrake, being even trained to grow in moulds till they assumed the desired forms. In Henry VIII's time quaint little images made from Bryony roots, cut into the figure of a man, with grains of millet inserted into the face as eyes, fetched high prices. They were known as puppettes or mammettes, and were accredited with magical powers. Italian ladies were known to pay as much as thirty golden ducats for similar artificial Mandrakes.
The roots of the Mandrake are very nearly allied to Belladonna, both in external appearance and in structure. The plant is by modern botanists assigned to the same genus, the root contains a mydriatic alkaloid, Mandragorine (Cl7H27O3N), which in spite of the name and formula which have been assigned to it, is probably identical with atropine or hyoscyamine.
Mandrake can be propagated by seeds, sown upon a bed of light earth, soon after they are ripe, when they are more sure to come up than if the sowing is left to the spring. When the plants come up in the spring, they must be kept well watered through the summer and kept free from weeds. At the end of August they should be taken up carefully and transplanted where they are to remain. The soil should be light and deep, as the roots run far down - if too wet, they will rot in winter, if too near chalk or gravel, they will make little progress. Where the soil is good and they are not disturbed, these plants will grow to a large size in a few years, and will produce great quantities of flowers and fruit.
Culpepper tells us the Mandrake is governed by Mercury. The fruit has been accounted poisonous, but without cause.... it really resembles a carrot or parsnip.
By Dr. Stranger
Sources : Various
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Mystic token: The Mandrake (First part)
Mandrake is the common name for members of the plant genus Mandragora belonging to the nightshades family (Solanaceae). Because their curious bifurcations cause them to have a semblance to the human figure (male and female), their roots have long been used in magic rituals, today also in neopagan religions such as Wicca and Germanic revivalism religions such as Odinism. It is a native of Southern Europe and the Levant, but will grow in gardens if given a warm situation, though otherwise it may not survive severe winters. The name Mandragora is derived from two Greek words implying 'hurtful to cattle'; the Arabs call it 'Satan's apple.'
The Mandragora officinarum, is a plant called by the Arabs luffâh, or beid el-jinn ("djinn's eggs"). The parsley-shaped root is often branched. This root gives off at the surface of the ground a rosette of ovate-oblong to ovate, wrinkled, crisp, sinuate-dentate to entire leaves, 6 to 16 inches long, somewhat resembling those of the tobacco-plant. There spring from the neck a number of one-flowered nodding peduncles, bearing whitish-green flowers, nearly 2 inches broad, which produce globular, succulent, orange to red berries, resembling small tomatoes, which ripen in late spring. They are succeeded by a smooth, round fruit, about as large as a small apple, of a deep yellow colour when ripe, full of pulp and with a strong, apple-like scent. All parts of the mandrake plant are poisonous.
Over the ages, the mandrake has been endowed with a wonderful and mystical aura. Examples are superstitions regarding harvesting of the plant. While being torn from the ground, the mandrake would emit a horrible shriek that would be fatal to the unprotected harvester who hears it. So, if someone simply pulled the plant, they would either die, deafen, go mad. The occult literature includes complex directions for harvesting a mandrake root in relative safety; to avoid a horrible fate, the plant could be partially dug with a few remaining roots staying in the ground.
Then a starved black dog was tied to the mandrake with a rope. The harvester, with plugged ears, would throw some scraps to the hungry dog. When the unsuspecting animal lunged for food, the mandrake would be completely unrooted and the ensuing shriek would kill the dog and spare the man.
According to different legends quoted by Theophrastus and Pliny the Elder, other dire consequences of unrooting a mandrake could be avoided by making circles around the plant on the ground with a sword and then facing west while digging. If there were a true Anaesthetic of Antiquity it would have been mandragora. Dioscorides describes how the wine made from mandragora produces anaesthesia: Using a cyathus of it on those who cannot sleep, or are grievously pained, or are being cut, or cauterized they will not feel pain. Here Dioscorides used for the first time the word anaesthesia as absence of sensation as we mean it today.
It was a common belief in some countries that a mandrake would grow where the semen of a hanged man dripped on to the earth; this would appear to be the reason for the methods employed by the alchemists who "projected human seed into animal earth". It was said that mandrake increased fertility in women, but this is an under-studied subject.
Mandrake was much used by the Ancients, who considered it an anodyne and soporific. In large doses it is said to excite delirium and madness. They used it for procuring rest and sleep in continued pain, also in melancholy, convulsions, rheumatic pains and scrofulous tumours. They mostly employed the bark of the root, either expressing the juice or infusing it in wine or water. The root finely scraped into a pulp and mixed with brandy was said to be efficacious in chronic rheumatism.
In Genesis: 30, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah finds mandrakes in the field. Rachel, Jacob's second wife, the sister of Leah, is desirous of the mandrakes and she barters with her sister for them. The trade offered by Rachel is for Leah to spend the next night in Jacob's bed. Soon after this Rachel, who was previously barren, gives birth to a son, Joseph. There are classical Jewish commentaries who suggest that mandrakes help barren women to conceive a child. Mandrake in Hebrew is דודאים, meaning “love plant”. It was believed by Asian cultures to ensure conception...
Sources: Various
The Mandragora officinarum, is a plant called by the Arabs luffâh, or beid el-jinn ("djinn's eggs"). The parsley-shaped root is often branched. This root gives off at the surface of the ground a rosette of ovate-oblong to ovate, wrinkled, crisp, sinuate-dentate to entire leaves, 6 to 16 inches long, somewhat resembling those of the tobacco-plant. There spring from the neck a number of one-flowered nodding peduncles, bearing whitish-green flowers, nearly 2 inches broad, which produce globular, succulent, orange to red berries, resembling small tomatoes, which ripen in late spring. They are succeeded by a smooth, round fruit, about as large as a small apple, of a deep yellow colour when ripe, full of pulp and with a strong, apple-like scent. All parts of the mandrake plant are poisonous.
Over the ages, the mandrake has been endowed with a wonderful and mystical aura. Examples are superstitions regarding harvesting of the plant. While being torn from the ground, the mandrake would emit a horrible shriek that would be fatal to the unprotected harvester who hears it. So, if someone simply pulled the plant, they would either die, deafen, go mad. The occult literature includes complex directions for harvesting a mandrake root in relative safety; to avoid a horrible fate, the plant could be partially dug with a few remaining roots staying in the ground.
Then a starved black dog was tied to the mandrake with a rope. The harvester, with plugged ears, would throw some scraps to the hungry dog. When the unsuspecting animal lunged for food, the mandrake would be completely unrooted and the ensuing shriek would kill the dog and spare the man.
According to different legends quoted by Theophrastus and Pliny the Elder, other dire consequences of unrooting a mandrake could be avoided by making circles around the plant on the ground with a sword and then facing west while digging. If there were a true Anaesthetic of Antiquity it would have been mandragora. Dioscorides describes how the wine made from mandragora produces anaesthesia: Using a cyathus of it on those who cannot sleep, or are grievously pained, or are being cut, or cauterized they will not feel pain. Here Dioscorides used for the first time the word anaesthesia as absence of sensation as we mean it today.
It was a common belief in some countries that a mandrake would grow where the semen of a hanged man dripped on to the earth; this would appear to be the reason for the methods employed by the alchemists who "projected human seed into animal earth". It was said that mandrake increased fertility in women, but this is an under-studied subject.
Mandrake was much used by the Ancients, who considered it an anodyne and soporific. In large doses it is said to excite delirium and madness. They used it for procuring rest and sleep in continued pain, also in melancholy, convulsions, rheumatic pains and scrofulous tumours. They mostly employed the bark of the root, either expressing the juice or infusing it in wine or water. The root finely scraped into a pulp and mixed with brandy was said to be efficacious in chronic rheumatism.
In Genesis: 30, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah finds mandrakes in the field. Rachel, Jacob's second wife, the sister of Leah, is desirous of the mandrakes and she barters with her sister for them. The trade offered by Rachel is for Leah to spend the next night in Jacob's bed. Soon after this Rachel, who was previously barren, gives birth to a son, Joseph. There are classical Jewish commentaries who suggest that mandrakes help barren women to conceive a child. Mandrake in Hebrew is דודאים, meaning “love plant”. It was believed by Asian cultures to ensure conception...
Sources: Various
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