#volkodlak

[faery-berry-blast]

Fun fact: in some folklore, there is little distinction between werewolves and vampires, both fulfilling the same role (seducer of women and malicious force disguised as loved one) and in fact later combining into our modern view of ‘vampire.’

This is the case of the slavic upyr (vampire) and volkodlak (werewolf or wolf skin wearer). They were very similar creatures, both disguising themselves posing as people’s loved ones, both needing to devour blood, both having glowing ‘wolf-like’ eyes, both being dark evil unnatural unholy undeadbcreatures. Today, the word wurdulac/wurdalak/verdilak/vurdulak (referring to slavic vampire) can be attributed to both upyrs and volkodlak, regardless of the minor but existent differences between the two (a werewolf being a creature that wears a wolf’s hide or turns into a wolf) This speaks to their similarities and overlapping roles and characteristics.

Upyr’s can be created in several ways, a couple being: a soul that returns to the body sometime during the 40 days after death when soul’s wander around (if the proper burial rites arent followed), women who die in childbirth (notably childbirth is unclean), unchristened babies, a particularly evil witch or sorcerer, or a particularly evil werewolf. These all similarly make the soul unclean, and therefore potentially apt to take revenge on the living.

But anyway, vampires and werewolves are basically the same thing sometimes and you should join a union

There's something hilarious about how so much subsequent media has positioned Vampires and Werewolves as, like, binary opposite entities, and then you read Dracula (1897) and realize that wolves are that guy's preferred solution to every problem. You'd say something to Dracula about "ah yes, werewolves, vampires' great eternal enemies," and he'd just be like "you mean my subcontractors?"

[clairethecutepup]

I just realized I hate doing reference sheets... From now on, short/sweet and to the point. Finally, the last antagonist of The Dreams and Nightmares We Share... done. I'll admit, she's not as creepy nor intimidating as Azariah and Simeon, or Saniyah and Josue; however, I think her actions and words can speaker louder than appearances.

Besides, is it all that bad she admittedly looks the hottest of them instead?

[misterradio]

choosing to believe this is what happened 2 that guy Harlan in amulet

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

IDK but i really want Izoda lecturing Bruce like hes a little kid again

Bruce stood, waiting. Not sure why Izolda was regarding him.

"I saw about the hunters," he said.

"And you should have run faster," she sniffed. As a child you had killed a company. "They will be dealt with."

"Dealt with how?" he asked.

"In a way that won't leave bodies," she said.

"Izolda."

"Do not presume to lecture me, pup," she snapped. "I do not forget that when it suited them, the volkodlak became willing hounds. And that they chased my sisters to their deaths."

Bruce exhaled slowly. Old wounds. Like still waters, ran deep. The supernatural community had long memories. "I can smell lies," he said instead.

"I've told no lies," she said simply. "When they came last, they came for a child." My child, she thought. "And so we're dealing with it as we see fit."

"Where is Y/N?" he asked, looking around.

"With Sana," she said with an impetuous gesture, sipping tea. "Searching."

"Just with Sana?" Bruce challenged.

"She's a lot stronger now then she was at 12," Izolda said confidently. "I pity the hunter who tries to take aim at her."

[connectparanormal]

Werewolves in Ancient Warfare

Werewolves show up in a lot of different types of ancient war stories. They were both scary mythical creatures and symbols of the wild power and supernatural skill that fighters tried to embody. From the cold Norse lands to the dense forests of Eastern Europe and beyond, these stories show that people have always been interested in the idea that humans can get past their natural limits by calling on animal power.

When it comes to the Norse, the berserkers and úlfhéðnar (wolf coats) are two of the best examples of this. The berserkers, whose name derives from the word "bear-shirts," were fighters who wore bear skins and were thought to be so angry that they could almost not be hurt in battle. They were known for being very strong, not feeling pain, and becoming enraged very quickly, which made them fight like wild animals. Similarly, they wore wolf coats and were believed to possess the wolf's spirit. People thought that these fighters had sharper senses, were very strong, and were always hunting. Historical accounts and sagas recount the amazing feats these fighters accomplished, seemingly beyond human comprehension. People often attribute their strength to divine intervention or a supernatural change.

The link between the berserkers, the úlfhéðnar, and the god Odin emphasizes the spiritual side of these changes. Odin was a god of war, magic, and knowledge. People often depicted Odin with wolves and ravens. People saw the berserkers and úlfhéðnar as his chosen fighters because they were empowered to go beyond human limits and connect with nature's basic forces. This connection to the gods not only raised their status as fighters, but it also gave the idea of turning into a werewolf a holy and scary quality.

King Lycaon's story is the best example of lycanthropy in Greek and Roman mythology. Lycanthropy means changing into a wolf. The story goes that Lycaon, king of Arcadia, tried to trick Zeus by giving him food made from the flesh of a child who had been killed. As a punishment, Zeus turned Lycaon into a wolf and threw him out into the wild to live as a wild animal. The mythological background of the word "lycanthropy" underscores the connection between unkindness towards others and the loss of humanity, symbolized by the transformation into a wolf. Even though it has nothing to do with war, the concept of lycanthropy led to later ideas about fierce fighters who seemed to channel the spirit of the wolf in battle. People still thought that fighters had wolf-like traits, which meant that individuals who were very violent and strong might be channeling a wolf spirit and blurring the lines between humans and animals.

The ancient Gauls also believed that warriors could change, especially through their druidic practices. The Druids, as the spiritual leaders of the Gaulish tribes, were thought to know a lot about nature and be able to change their appearance. Some warriors believed that they had a strong link to nature because they could change into wolves. People believed that the warriors possessed the cunning, power, and wildness of wolves, indicating that these transformations were not merely physical. They were also spiritual. People feared them in battle not only because they were skilled fighters but also because they believed they possessed magical powers that gave them an advantage over ordinary men.

The volkodlak, or werewolf, was both feared and adored in Slavic mythology. People thought that Slavic fighters, especially those who could turn into wolves, were almost unbeatable. Some believed the volkodlak to be a powerful entity capable of transforming into a wolf in times of need or danger. People believed that God guided these changes, or that they demonstrated the fighter's strength and connection to the spirit world. People who were volkodlak had enhanced awareness, superhuman strength, and unmatched resilience, which made them very dangerous in battle. Not only did people fear and respect these fighters for their strength, but also for their perceived connection to supernatural forces of nature.

The idea that fighters can change into wolves is common in all of these different cultures. It comes from a deep-seated belief in the power of nature and the idea that humans can go beyond their limits by connecting with basic forces. People often view animals resembling werewolves as the epitome of the best warriors, as they embody a deep connection with nature, possess extraordinary abilities, and inspire such fear in their enemies.

These stories also underscore the notion that these transformations brought forth both positive and negative outcomes. Being a werewolf gave warriors a lot of power and skills that helped them win battles, but they also ran the risk of losing their humanity. It became harder to tell the difference between man and beast, which made people wonder about power, control, and the price of having such supernatural powers.

[sivethgentlejester]

Lyrics

The moon is the lady, the volkodlak of evil

Luna est dominae, volkodlak malorum

Arts and lost, lycan incarnate

Artes et perditae, lycan incarnatus

The moon is the lady, the volkodlak of evil

Luna est dominae, volkodlak malorum

Arts and lost, lycan incarnate

Artes et perditae, lycan incarnatus

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death, life

Mare, dracul, morte, vita

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death, life

Mare, dracul, morte, vita

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death, life

Mare, dracul, morte, vita

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death... Aaah

Mare, dracul, morte... Aaa

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death, life

Mare, dracul, morte, vita

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death, life

Mare, dracul, morte, vita

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death, life

Mare, dracul, morte, vita

Wheel, life, Mara, vein

Rota, vita, Mara, vena

The sea, the dragon, death... Aaah

Mare, dracul, morte... Aaa

wheel

Rota

Life

Vita

By death

Morte

Come on

Vena

wheel

Rota

Life

Vita

By death

Morte

Come on

Vena

wheel

Rota

Life

Vita

By death

Morte

Come on

Vena

Blood

Sanguinus

wheel

Rota

Life

Vita

By death

Morte

Hail Dracula

Ave Dracula

Night Of The Wolf - Nox Arcana (Vampire Exorcism) - SoundCloud

Listen to Night Of The Wolf - Nox Arcana (Vampire Exorcism) by a1i579 on #SoundCloud

[mommylilith]

Diablo IV Monsters: Gale Valley (Fractured Peaks) Monsters encountered in each sub-zone (elites in bold)

ZELENY LOWLANDS Ghoul Skeleton Skeleton Archer Skeleton Corpse Axe Giant Bat

MISTRAL WOODS Giant Bat Storm Warg Volkodlak Wood Wraith

DARKENED HOLT (Dungeon) Wood Wraith Wrathful Phantom Wraith Tainted Wood Wraith (Plaguebearer) Wretched Wood Wraith (Poison Enchanted) Grave Wood Wraith (Waller) Hellcaller Wood Wraith (Summoner) Snowy Wood Wraith (Tempest) Shivering Wraith (Cold Enchanged) Wretched Wrathful Phantom (Poison Enchanted) Bloodthirsty Wraith (Vampiric)

HORADRIM VAULT Giant Bat Quillrat Hellion Infernal Sister Burning Dead Burning Dead Captain Burning Dead Corpse Axe Ruinmaw Skeleton Skeleton Captain Skeleton Archer Tainted Burning Dead Corpse Axe (Plaguebearer) BOSS: Tchort, Herald of Lillith

WINDFALL HOLLOW Risen Miner Skeleton Skeleton Captain Skeleton Archer

CONDEMNED MINES (cellar?) Ghoul Skeleton Skeleton Captain Skeleton Archer Giant Bat Vampire Bat Revenant Vile One Vile Overseer Snowy Skeleton Captain (Tempest) Thundering Skeleton Captain (Teleporter) Shattering Blood Magus (Frozen) Bloodthirsty Skeleton Archer (Vampiric) Snowy Skeleton (Tempest)

CRADLE / PATH OF THE FIRSTBORN (dungeon?) Vile One Vile Overseer Vile Lunatic Flesh Thrasher Bilefiend Succubus Crusher Opressor Helion Pit Lord Tainted Vile Overseer (Plaguebearer) Dreadful Vile Overseer (Terrifying) Hellcaller Vile Shaman (Summoner) Dreadful Vile Shaman (Terrifying) Dreadful Crusher (Terrifying)

[s-pendragon7]

Hello! You didn’t tag me but I’d like to play!

My words are moment, idea, road, and health!

Anyone who wants to play, your words are: catch, flash, apple, poison

Please read below the cut!

TW: violence, blood, pregnancy

Moment:

“Little crow,” the Volkodlak crooned in a raspy voice, “won’t you bleed for me?”

Katsurou’s skin crawled, even as his mouth opened without his brain fully catching up.

“Well, you’ll have to catch me first.”

That was possibly the stupidest thing he could ever say to Volkodlak. He shouldn’t have spoken at all, really, but baiting a wolf to catch him?

Once again, the hysterical part of his brain quipped that he probably deserved to die for that bit of dumbassery.

Then there wasn’t time to think, the Volkodlak flashing forwards, claws outstretched.

Katsurou side-stepped, grabbing one of the Volkodlak’s arms with one of his flaming hands.

The man howled as the smell of cloth and skin burning erupted around them. He didn’t falter though, instead using his other hand to try and gut Katsurou once again.

Katsurou cursed and released him to avoid the claws and shifted at the last MOMENT. Nails screeched across the armor plating his shoulder.

Idea:

Katsurou came into consciousness slowly.

It was like floating up through warm syrup, almost.

His eyes pried open and he stared up at a ceiling that most certainly wasn’t his, and his body tensed up.

Bad IDEA, his side flared in pain and he grunted.

Road:

Darrogh opened his mouth again. “No, I’m not telling you where I’m going,” said Rian. “I will tell you it shouldn’t be more than 2 weeks. You can keep the fortress from burning down for that long, can’t you?”

“…probably.” Darrogh glanced away sheepishly while Rian raised his eyebrows.

“Very comforting. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to bribe Aisling for medication so I don’t die on the ROAD.”

Health:

“I was worried, yanno?” Rowan rambled.

“Oh?” Xenia noted down the woman’s vital signs and basic HEALTH number in her notebook. About six months along, the babe had gone through a growth spurt or something in the womb since the last time Xenia had seen it, Rowan plumper than most women at this period of pregnancy.

Find the Word Tag!

thank you @honeybewrites for the tag!

My words were: Vibrant, Resilient, Water, Flower

You can read all my snippets below the cut, I'll tag some people first though

@illarian-rambling @mk-writes-stuff and @diabolical-blue

yalls (and anyone else who wants to do this) words are: moment, idea, road, health

TW: Drowning

Vibrant:

I spend the day waking up in a daze for brief moments of time before slipping back into unconsciousness. My body is on fire but I can't get warm enough no matter how many blankets I hide myself under. All my dreams turn into nightmares of drowning. I’m at work, the store, a party before I'm plucked from my dream environment and randomly chucked into the ocean with blocks of concrete tied to my ankles. I struggle until my lungs fill with water and my body becomes dead weight, I wake to varying degrees of sunlight peeking through my windows before rolling over and drifting off once more. It's a never-ending horrific cycle I find myself a prisoner to. 

The next morning I'm unable to fight against my bursting bladder and empty stomach any longer and manage to pull myself out of bed. After washing my hands I attempt to slick my hair down with some water and avoid looking in my own eyes. The veins in my hand are vibrant beneath my pale skin. 

I manage to force down a piece of toast and a cup of coffee before Layla makes her way to the kitchen. 

"Glad to see you are up." She chirps. "Hell of a hangover I guess. I didn't think you drank that much." 

"I didn't." My voice cracks when I try to speak. 

She looks at me then, really looks at me. She catches my eyes and I turn away, afraid she might see something she's not supposed to.

I don't have anything with Resilient sorry :( (one big theme of HtD is resilience though, if that's any consolation)

Water (ive used this word a lot so here some angst):

Her comforting voice gets zoned out by the intense buzzing that fills my brain, much like if bees actually made a hive out of my brain cavity I vibrate uncontrollably with each strained breath I take in. My voice makes up words as a response to the woman. Her words are lost on me, simply bouncing around the bee hive until the bees kick each word out of my head and continue their buzzing. 

I drop my cellphone, or Nicolas takes it from my hand, I am not entirely sure but the conversation ends barely after it began. In the course of one phone call it all comes crashing down. For weeks I had been treading water, and now I am sinking to the bottom of the deep end. 

There's a hand on my arm, soft pressure. I feel another graze my cheek. "Cas?" I hear from behind the blanket of smoke covering my eyes. "What's happened?" 

Flower:

Nicolas leads the way to the door and pulls a key out from the top of the doorframe to unlock the door. "Oh, don't let Mouse out. He likes to hide in the cabinets." 

Nicolas pushes open the door and waves me through before him. A washing machine and dryer sit to my right alongside two pet bowls, one filled with water, presumably for Mouse the cat. The wallpaper is an old flower design, straight out of the 80's. A big bundle of fluff peeks out from behind the storage shelf and darts at me, screaming all the way. The cat weaves between my legs until I reach down to pet him. I get one small scratch on his forehead before he takes off for the kitchen and urges me to follow. 

"And that would be Mouse. He screams at you if he likes you." Nicolas smiles at me. 

[purring-tiefling]

my werewolf oc, Darcy

[geminineart]

Another character from another story that may or may not see the light someday! 😆 Human girl Irina was sent to the forest to be devoured by demon wolves, but things didn't turn out exactly as anybody expected... Would you like to know more...? >w>

[shammikorn]

wilkołak

[clairethecutepup]

"Rip(?)" Bible: A Group Escape from "Limbo"!

What originally started out as “The Dreams and Nightmares We Share…” has become something a bit more refined: still a crossover involving Sarah and Jimmy (“Ed Edd n Eddy” and ”Peach Creek”), Seve and Alexis (“Corn Kidz 64”), and Claire (“Tykes at Heart”), but with a more thought-out terrain and all to endure/traverse. However, it’ll all still be as frightening and tense as before, but with care still given to avoid a purely bleak and miserable experience. Do you dare accompany a restarted journey of attempting to wake up back home, before demons “absorb” your soul and take your body instead?

Characters:

Claire: from a world of other animal-hybrids and full-humans, this timid little pup needs to truly be the most loyal sidekick to help everyone get back home-- and not be afraid to show those teeth and claws.

Sarah: now a grown woman, she’s determined to return home to right all her past wrongs. Her strength may help, but it’s no guarantee of protection-- but her temper certainly won’t help, so she’d best learn that doing right by those recently met is just as important as redemption.

Jimmy: now a grown man, he’s haunted by his indirect responsibility in what happened to Ed by ensuring he ran away-- as well as a few other things resulting from his more manipulative and cunning days as a teenager (courtesy of Eddy’s teachings and his growing vindictiveness). Hopefully, he can put his calculating mind to better use against their foes, for he cannot be indirectly responsible for anyone else’s cruel fate by failure.

Seve: a teenage buck who’s not shy about rebellion nor literally butting heads, but he’ll need to learn to listen and get along with those he might not like (especially Sarah) to make it back home.

Alexis: a peppy teenage doe who’s about to risk her entire self being up and in the clouds, instead of just her head-- and death is the LUCKIEST fate possible. Hopefully, she can properly utilize the same abilities she often has in dream realms, given “Limbo’s” similar enough…

Chessa: a wolfish spirit/shapeshifter of Slavic folklore, known as a “Volkodlak.” True to the entity’s mythos, she’s the canid embodiment of evil within the human soul-- and both a Scourge the Hedgehog and Melon the Hybrid wannabe… Still, she has every right to be cocky because of her capabilities. Claire is her target, as such a cute face and Claire’s “retarded” nature in the waking world makes her perfect for the poster psychopath for schadenfreude: Chessa can ruin lives, end them, and so on with none the wiser, until she’s bored and ready to cause amusing mayhem in a different world.

Josue and Saniyah: known as, “The Masculine and Feminine Shapeshifters” (NOT “male and female shapeshifters”), these Je-Rouge spirits prove why Haitian mythos can be terrifying… Their brains are as sharp as their claws and teeth, with a devilish shiftiness not even Sarah and Jimmy could’ve dreamed of in their more brattier/hateable moments… They’re creatures after a human feast, particularly one of younger “entrees.” It’s been a while since they’ve had vessels that could be argued as “kindred spirits,” so perhaps they’ll feel right at home in these new skins.

Azariah and Simeon: the fiercest hounds of Hell that eternal damnation could offer, despite seeming more like the infamous Cadejos of Hispanic folklore (BOTH black and white are evil here). When not hunting high priority targets nor simply guarding Hell itself, they’re stealing disguising bodies to collect jello ingredients for their master’s sacrificial rituals: skinning whatever they can and ripping the bones from it, as that’s what jello ingredients consist of. They mostly haunt people within their dreams, hence the title: “The Maddening Dream.” Therefore, anyone with “dream powers” is a threat to THEIR power, and since goats like Seve and Alexis have “corn powers” that give them abilities in dream realms… They only need to see the singular horns to target the two kids.

Synopsis:

Those of different worlds come together in an odd purgatorial landscape, needing to band together to increase their chances of returning to their bodies. However, malicious beings wish to awaken as them instead, to wreak havoc upon their respective worlds… Can the quintet return home or will they, and possibly others, wind up…

Full Synopsis:

After Sarah and Jimmy’s car crash; Seve and Alexis’ botulism from bad convenience store nachos; and Claire's sacrifice in a pedestrian crossing, the quintet find themselves in the realm that holds the souls of those “in between.” However, it's no safe haven-- not anymore.

The grim reaper warns them about the demons who tarnished this place: those who would “absorb” their souls and thus gain access to their bodies. They accept the risks, wanting to head back home for their own personal reasons. Unfortunately for them, they manage to obtain the attention of the more dangerous demons in wait. Now, they must work together, each with their own strengths, to make it safely back to their own worlds. Otherwise, something else may just wake up as “them” instead… It’s not just the demons who are the only threat, however, as some individuals are also allied against them.

Can they return home alive-- or at least prevent their pursuers from doing so instead?

Setting Notes:

It’s essentially just one big realm serving as “Limbo,” just far less hellish. At least, it’s not so “hellish” in appearance… There are some villages and other shelters that the “residents” set up for themselves, sometimes also any souls they’re willing to help. The original idea for this place WAS to host lost souls that weren’t yet ready to pass on, until the “invasion” happened… It’s now a prison to those on the losing side, and hunting grounds to the victorious side-- and not all “prisoners” share the same fates that resulted. At the end of the realm exists the boundary that can allow lost souls a return home-- or a successful demon access to it instead.

The quintet themselves have their own worlds as part of the same universe: their “alternate realities” are actually different planets that allow for different evolutionary conditions and all. Instead of “dimensional boundaries” or whatever you want to call it, it’s really just living in separate galaxies and regions of space’s infinite territory; therefore, they’re able to share the same realms of afterlife or what’s “in between.” Not much mind will be given to the settings of each character’s world, outside of the flashbacks often accompanying death, they’re not the main focus of interest.

Misc. Notes:

*The characters are still tethered to their bodies by means of bright white strings attached to their index fingers. If it’s cut, they’re doomed to pass on regardless; however, demons also need them to have access to the body they wish to possess. “Souls may not always realize when they’re dead, but the body itself knows it’s dead. It’s why you see ghosts wandering long after their physical forms may have decayed. Those monsters would give themselves away by being little more than reanimated and decomposing corpses.”

*The inhabitants of the realm come in a variety of appearances: anthropomorphic animals, full-humans, hybrids… There’s a reason the crew may not instantly be recognized as literal lost souls.

*Those in league with the demons wear the appropriate robes, as one would expect of “cultists,” and are motivated by the perks offered.

*Alexis and Seve can still use their dream or “corn” powers because it’s similar enough to a dreamscape: the idea that such realms exist as their own thing, but rely on a basis of astral or “soul” projection to enter. Therefore, existing as souls or “projected self-images,” thus able to use said abilities. Everyone else manages to retain their standard abilities too, since their souls are basically their “bodies” now-- whether Sarah’s fierce strength or Claire’s canine capabilities.

*While in this purgatorial realm, our wandering souls cannot “die” a second time… but they will suffer the physical consequences of any injury and all. The “inhabitants” of this place will still die and such, since this is their “real world” now.

*The use of skins and fern leaves helps hide souls from demons: they’ll appear as fellow demons in their eyes and disappear from any alternative senses. However, the skins can be pulled off and imposters can be detected, so long as the demon is smart enough to realize and tear it off. The skins can also prevent any “magic” or similar from impacting the souls wearing them, especially preventing possession/”absorption.” However, the skins are only useful when they still have leaves on them…

*The antagonistic demon quintet have history together, each doing their own part in the “invasion” that changed this realm forever. They are not friends, but each others’ means to an end-- not even the two personal duos are comrades amongst themselves.

*Sarah and Jimmy are adults now, while everyone else is their canonical age within their originating series: Seve’s 14, Alexis is 15, and Claire’s in her 20’s.

[nyxshadowhawk]

Best of Nox Arcana Playlist -- updated!

I’ve made some changes since I last posted it. It now represents every major album! (It excludes most EPs, the collab albums and the Doctor Arcana soundtrack.) I also added “Mystic Circle” and “Ancient Flame” back in, and there are still tracks that I like that I didn’t include so for all I know I might keep updating it. Currently, this list is 3h 33m long, so strap in!

The tracks are arranged in the order that sounds the best in a playlist. They’re not ranked.

We Are Legion, Legion of Shadows: Every Nox Arcana album begins with a narration track that introduces the album’s theme and story. Of all of them, I decided to go with this one for the “Best Of” playlist, because I think that it encapsulates Nox Arcana and those who love it.

Night of the Wolf, Transylvania: Nox Arcana’s most famous track, by far. Also one of their most distinctive! The lyrics translate as, “The moon is the mistress, werewolves of evil / powers and destroying, incarnated wolf. / Wheel [or chariot], life, nightmare, vein / Sea [or likely “nightmare” again], devil, death, life.” (volkodlak, which means werewolf, is Slavic. “Mara,” meaning nightmare, is Germanic. “Dracul” speaks for itself. The rest is Latin)

Labyrinth of Dreams, Grimm Tales: My personal favorite Nox Arcana track, which I first discovered through this video. It is so ethereal and haunting, and absolutely screams “Halloween” to me. It is simply magical.

Into the Night, Legion of Shadows: Another personal favorite of mine, and a really spooky piece. I love it for its fast pace, and I think it sounds both unsettling and exciting.

When Darkness Falls, Blackthorn Asylum: This track is used in the Grimstone Manor puzzle on youtube, from last Halloween, and that’s how I encountered it for the first time. It’s relatively simple, but it’s got the creepy piano and the chimes and the one-woman wail. What’s not to love?

Shadow Dance, Season of the Witch: This is the best Season of the Witch track, in my opinion, and that’s a tough call. I like a lot of Season of the Witch tracks. Season of the Witch sounds kind of like a Spiritual Successor to Grimm Tales, with that same distinctly autumnal and Halloweeny atmosphere. This piece in particular epitomizes that.

The Quest Begins, Blood of the Dragon: Nox Arcana has a tendency to start sounding the same after a while, but about once per album there’s a piece like this one, that sounds completely unlike anything else they’ve written. This piece is unique for how unusually optimistic it sounds. If you knew nothing about this piece, you could easily guess that it was about noble knights setting off on a quest, couldn’t you? I love the drums, and the dramatic vocals work really well.

Legacy of Sorrow, Shadow of the Raven: When I discovered this piece, it quickly became one of my absolute favorite Nox Arcana tracks. The title of this piece sounds like it could be Part 3 of Soma Cruz’s story, but I think it’s kind of an underrated gem. I like its melancholy, lilting melody, and I also like the organ that underscores it in places. This piece is just everything you’d expect in a Nox Arcana track.

Echoes of Elise, Ebonshire: Nox Arcana’s haunting rendition of “Fur Elise,” which sounds very ethereal and eerie. It also has the same “aesthetic” of silent falling snow that permeates this album. It’s really beautiful.

The Hidden Realm, Legion of Shadows: One of two pre-existing tracks to be used on the Doctor Arcana soundtrack. It’s spooky, but also kind of calming and peaceful. It’s also definitely got a fantastical flavor to it, like you’re exploring secret parallel dimensions with dark fairy-tale castles.

The Raven, Shadow of the Raven: The title track, named for Edgar Allan Poe’s classic poem. This was the first Nox Arcana track I downloaded once I rediscovered it, almost by accident. I love this piece. Its melody is simple and repeats over and over again, but it works, almost resembling the verse-refrain structure of a song (or the meter and rhyme of the poem). I love the violin solo in the middle, which sort of acts as the “bridge.” My one complaint is that it’s much too short to actually recite “The Raven.”

Ebonshire, Winter’s Knight: Back before Ebonshire was an album unto itself, there was this track from Winter’s Knight. This piece definitely calls to mind the image of a spooky, silent forest with tall, straight black trees and slight snowfall. It’s a very different vibe from the autumnal forest of Grimm Tales and Season of the Witch. It’s also peaceful and mystical, like “The Hidden Realm.”

Hearthside Lullaby, Ebonshire: What a gorgeous piece. This is another outlier among Nox Arcana’s music in that, while it’s still a haunting piece, it isn’t grim or sinister. It’s soft, almost cozy, like snuggling into a blanket by a fire when there’s a snowstorm outside, and drifting off to sleep. It’s another one that sounds like it should have lyrics. This is my favorite Ebonshire track.

Masque of the Red Death, Shadow of the Raven: “There were much glare and glitter and piquancy and phantasm […] There were delirious fancies such as the madman fashions. There were much of the beautiful, much of the wanton, much of the bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust.” The lilting waltz, the spooky organ, the sinister chiming of the clock. The multitude of dreams! This is the ultimate dark masquerade music, if you ask me. It totally does Poe’s story justice. You can easily imagine the masked dancers twirling, the dimly lit variously-colored chambers, the infiltration of the deadly disease… you know what, never mind, that hit a bit too close to home.

Haunted, The Dark Tower: I think The Dark Tower is my favorite album, because there are more tracks from that album on this list than almost any other one (it’s tied with Legion of Shadows). This is among the Nox Arcana pieces that I would call genuinely unsettling, as opposed to just spooky or dark. This piece is creepy and almost threatening, like something is out to get you. Like you’re wandering the cold, decrepit, and cobwebbed corridors of a castle and you know there’s a ghost because you can feel it following you, but you see and hear nothing.

Haunted Carousel, Carnival of Lost Souls: One of the highlights of this album for me! Carnival is definitely the most unsettling album. Listening to “Calliope” alone in the dark put such disturbing images in my head that I actually stopped listening, which is saying something. That’s not on this list because I don’t like to listen to it, but this one is, because I like this one a lot better. It’s plenty creepy, and it just sounds like a nightmarish carousel. Even if you didn’t know the context of the album, you’d know after listening to this.

The Dark Tower, The Dark Tower: ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE. The title track of The Dark Tower, and an awesome track in every sense. This just perfectly encapsulates the sinister majesty that is the Dark Tower and all the lore that goes with it. It also has a slight edge of heroism to it — the crusader who sacrificed his humanity, and became a powerful vampire, to delve into the dark and protect mankind from an ancient evil.

Magic and Moonlight, Winter’s Eve: I think most fans agree that this track is one of the best on this album. What really needs to be said? It’s all in the title. I have to say that some of the most breathtaking moons I’ve seen have been at the beginning of February, with fresh snowfall. There is nothing like the shadows of trees on snow in the moonlight. You just know that the gods are meeting up to dance in it when you’re not watching.

Crimson Thirst, The Dark Tower: Why did I put this one on here? It’s pretty unremarkable, since there are a lot of other tracks like it, but this one sticks with me. This one gets stuck in my head and haunts me through the rest of the day. Honestly, all the Dark Tower tracks are excellent.

Mystic Circle, Season of the Witch: I didn’t originally include this piece on the “Best Of” list, but I decided to put it on because I just love it that damn much. It’s the perfect piece to dance around a fire and cast spells on Samhain with your witch brothers and sisters. It’s lighter and softer than “Ritual of Fire,” spooky but not sinister.

Necromancer, Theater of Illusion: Theater of Illusion is a great album, and I’m really glad it’s getting more of a presence (and maybe even new lore?) in the Doctor Arcana games. I love the “secret occult society of wizards who are also stage magicians” premise! This is another really fast-paced piece. I think the very beginning with just the fast chimes is the best part.

Born of the Night, The Dark Tower: I mean, come on, it’s “Born of the Night”! It kind of speaks for itself, doesn’t it? Creatures of the Night rising to take over the world, shadowy choirs, the hordes of nocturnal beasts silhouetted against the moon, a Dark Lord or Dark Lady commanding them all from his/her castle, young vampires swooning in the rapture of fresh blood… There’s something so ecstatic about this piece.

Virtuoso, The Haunted Symphony: The Haunted Symphony is Nox Arcana’s most recent album as of this writing, and I’ve been slowly warming up to it. Its soundscape is similar to The Dark Tower and Legion, with a truly gothic flavor. This piece is just so impassioned. I can completely believe that it expresses the mad inspiration of a tortured artist, as it’s meant to in-universe. I wouldn’t be surprised if this piece were Vargo’s ode to music itself, or the process of composing it.

Dark Desire, The Dark Tower: What is this piece about? Lost love? Insatiable lust? A forbidden romance? Bloodthirst? All of the above? Whatever it is you desire, it’s clear that you’re fighting it, and you’re losing. It’s going to overtake you soon, and when it does, you’d better pray to whatever god you believe in that it doesn’t end badly for you. This desire will corrupt your soul.

Tapestry of Decay, Blackthorn Asylum: I really like the spooky harpsichord pieces, and this one has a one-woman-wail and organ to accentuate it. It’s an incredibly gothic and atmospheric piece, even by Nox Arcana’s standards. It puts me right into a ruined castle; depraved rituals are definitely happening down in the dungeons somewhere.

Lords of the Night, The Haunted Symphony: This one’s along the same lines as “Born of the Night,” but stately, rather than frenzied. This one is more like vampire lords and ladies gathering on a hilltop on black horses, preparing to tear off across the countryside in pursuit of prey.

Noctem Aeternus, The Dark Tower: This is the only concluding track from an album that I’ve put on this list, and if you’re familiar with Nox Arcana, you know what that means. I was genuinely spooked the first time I listened to this all the way through. I remember I was lying in bed reading Tales From the Dark Tower, and it went quiet, and… well, I won’t spoil it.

Nocturne, Transylvania: This is one of my favorite Nox Arcana tracks. It’s just perfect. It’s dark and sinister, it’s atmospheric, it’s memorable, and it comes right out of the darkest depths of Überwald.

Pandora’s Music Box, Carnival of Lost Souls: Definitely one of the best Carnival tracks, and also one of the best of Nox Arcana’s wide selection of creepy music box pieces. It has such a distinctive melody. Slowly, other instruments and vocals arise to compliment the music box, keeping things interesting even as it repeats itself.

Velvet Darkness, The Haunted Symphony: Another harpsichord piece! The first thing that comes to mind when I hear this piece is an empty candelabrum covered in cobwebs, sitting in front of a mirror in a corridor that is completely dark except for a bit of pale, diluted moonlight coming through clouds. I take the candelabrum almost instinctively, even though it has no candles in it, and walk down the corridor…

Castle Dracula, Transylvania: What an underrated piece! I actually like this one better than “Night of the Wolf.” It screams “vampire.” It perfectly captures the dark majesty of Dracula’s Castle, it’s towers, its dusty halls, its freezing crypts, its gothic windows, its flickering sconces and floor candelabra that are just begging to be hit with a whip… And the Dark Lord on his throne, with a wine glass…

Ritual of Fire, Season of the Witch: This piece is oddly catchy. It has a great rhythm to it, and I like the percussion. It sounds like dancing naked around a Samhain bonfire somewhere deep in a secluded wood, with a bunch of other witches and maybe an incubus or two, or five… We’re definitely summoning or worshipping something in our dark ecstasy, probably something with horns. But ultimately, it’s just a party. It’s sinister, but a fun kind of sinister.

Rogue’s Hollow, Blood of the Dragon: I was pleasantly surprised when I found this piece. I love medieval-style music. This sounds like the kind of thing your Bard would play when you and your party are resting around a fire in the woods, in the middle of an epic quest. It’s peaceful. It’s a breather, maybe even a calm before the storm. It would be really easy to do a simple circle dance to.

The Forgotten Path, Grimm Tales: This piece sounds very… mystical? Mystical and seductive. I don’t know. It sounds a little like you enter a dark, smoky, perfumed tent and are seduced by scantily-clad women who probably want your blood, or your soul… It also sounds a bit like being escorted to an initiation ceremony by veiled women down a dark forest path, with little golden lights twinkling around you… It would make a great belly-dance piece. It’s a bit of a departure from the general fairy tale theme of the rest of the album.

Unhallowed Halls, Gothic: I think this is my favorite piece from Gothic. I don’t know why, it just is. It’s got a nice mix of piano, organ, strings, and harpsichord. And spooky vocals, because of course. Overall it’s a pretty standard Nox Arcana piece, but like “Crimson Thirst,” it stuck with me.

Mysterium, Theater of Illusion: This is the piece from Theater, and I will never understand why it wasn’t used anywhere on the Doctor Arcana soundtrack. (There isn’t a single track from Theater on Arcana’s soundtrack, even though the game ties into the lore of Theater.) Anyway, this track should have been there, because it just sounds occult. It’s distinctly mystical, eerie, vaguely threatening but more weighty and ceremonial (like an initiation) than unsettling. This is an auspicious ritual. You’re here to witness its secrets and become an acolyte of the Arcanum.

The Nameless City, Necronomicon: This track really stood out to me and stayed in my head when I first heard it. It’s based on Lovecraft’s story of the same name, in which an explorer finds an ancient, ruined city and descends into its catacombs to discover it belonged to a lost civilization of pre-human reptile people. Because Lovecraft. This piece really sounds like film soundtrack, the track that plays when you’re on the cusp of discovering the information mankind was not meant to know. The paranoia that permeates all of Lovecraft’s work is definitely there, but it’s kind of exciting, too. You just have to know! It builds and builds until it ends with a gong.

Twilight, Grimm Tales: This is what I meant by “autumnal.” You can hear it, can’t you? It’s sunset in the woods, and the orange glow of the setting sun is magnificent through the mostly bare trees. The leaves crunch underfoot, with their distinctive crisp smell of decay. The night creatures are coming out, some benign, others not so much.

Once Upon a Nightmare, Grimm Tales: This is one of my favorite tracks from Grimm Tales. I don’t know why I love it so much. It slowly gets more dramatic, alternating between the glockenspiel and the strings, with male backing vocals for once. It’s just the right mixture of adventurous and spooky. I love listening to it in the forest at dusk.

Memento Mori, Transylvania: One of the best chime/music box pieces, in my opinion. It’s not quite as good as “Pandora’s Music Box,” but it really grew on me after I started listening to Transylvania.

Saturnalia, Winter’s Majesty: This is such a great piece to dance to. I love how it starts as a slow, medieval-ish circle dance and then picks up! There’s even clapping sounds on the rhythm. Although it’s still spooky, it has all the atmosphere and energy of a fun winter festival. Io, Saturnalia!

Gifts of the Magi, Winter’s Eve: I don’t actually know why I picked this one. I like a lot of tracks on Winter’s Eve, and “lighter” Nox Arcana pieces in general. (My favorite is “Greensleeves,” but that one felt too Christmasy for this list.) This one is spooky and mystical whilst still being on the lighter end. It sounds like it casts the Magi more as wizards than as kings or priests.

Veil of Darkness, Darklore Manor: One of only two tracks on this list from Nox Arcana’s debut album. It’s a pretty standard spooky Nox Arcana piece, but a good one nonetheless.

Lullaby, Winter’s Knight: Another one of my favorite chime/music box pieces. Unlike “Hearthside Lullaby,” it sounds less like an actual lullaby, and more like a tinkling tune to accompany an animatronic ballerina.

Nightshade (Single): One of the newest wintery pieces from Nox Arcana. I like this one almost as much as “Hearthside Lullaby.” It’s also on the lighter side of things, but I like that it’s more otherworldly than spooky. It’s like exploring a frosty garden during a light snowfall.

Undying Love, The Dark Tower: Wow, what an unnerving piece to be titled “Undying Love.” It sounds downright threatening, and maybe a little tragic. That handsome vampire you’re dancing with is definitely going to sink his fangs into your neck. Or maybe this vampire’s sunk into despair because the humans killed his wife again.

Brides to Darkness, Transylvania: Speaking of vampires and their loves, there’s this haunting tribute to Dracula’s brides. They are beautiful, ethereal, and dangerous. I love that this piece is almost entirely vocals in the first half, and then the creepy harpsichord comes in.

Legion of Shadows, Legion of Shadows: The title track. Plenty spooky with that organ. Similar to “Born of the Night” in that the night creatures are rising up to take over the world or get vengeance, but this time you’re the night creature and it’s something to be proud of. Honestly, I wish this album had more context. Who’s Lorelei, and what happened to her?

The High Seas, Phantoms of the High Seas: This was one of the standout tracks from this album for me. Like “The Quest Begins,” it sounds distinctly adventurous, but more sinister than optimistic. We’re setting out over sea instead of land this time, and the sea is brutally unforgiving.

Dreamscape, Legion of Shadows: Another really spooky piece that’s unlike anything else Nox Arcana has produced. It definitely has the quality of exploring an eerie, surreal landscape, like an alien planet. This isn’t the Poe album, but it sort of reminds me of Poe’s poem “Dream-Land,” which I think is super underrated.

Black Sails, Phantoms of the High Seas: Another piece from this album that really stood out to me. I really like the instrumentation. I like the harp, and the stringed instrument in the middle that sounds like the guitar used in the “winter” pieces… is that what it is, a guitar? Whatever it is, it has such a unique sound.

Threshold of Madness, Blackthorn Asylum: A really classic Nox Arcana track, dark and energetic with its piano, violins, vocals, and chimes. It builds a steadily mounting sense of terror, but at the same time, it’s kind of fun to listen to. It reminds me of some tracks from the Castlevania: Lament of Innocence soundtrack. Insanity is fun, guys! Of all the Nox Arcana albums, Blackthorn has one of the most disturbing premises, and that really comes through in its composition.

Grimstone Manor, Gothic: This piece lives up to the album’s name. That church organ really hits you. This is another classic example of Nox Arcana, with the organ and piano and vocals and everything. It’s one of the best pieces from Gothic.

After Hours, Carnival of Lost Souls: I wasn’t really sure if I should put this one here, but honestly, its clock-like, rhythmic chiming so jarring that it doesn’t matter where I put it. It definitely stands out. This is another really unsettling piece, both because of the chiming and also because of the creepy whispers, and I’m not exactly sure what it makes me think of. Wandering a dark labyrinth, probably. In some ways, it reminds me of The Night Circus, although Le Cirque des Rêves isn’t sinister.

Shadowplay, Theater of Illusion: This is definitely my favorite piece from Theater, and one of my favorite Nox Arcana pieces overall. I love how energetic and fast-paced it is, and I can easily imagine an umbrakinetic dancing on a stage, manipulating the shadows on the wall as they do. They conjure writhing tendrils, shadowy dragons, swarms of bats and crows that they send out into the audience with a flourish… I think this piece is just so much fun!

Gypsy Caravan, Transylvania: There are a lot of these types of pieces across Nox Arcana’s albums. Like “The Forgotten Path,” it sounds seductive and smoky. This would also make for a great belly-dance piece, and it’s fun to listen to while reading Vargo’s Gothic Tarot or the Madame Endora deck.

Highland Storm, Blood of the Dragon: What’s this? Bagpipes? There is absolutely nothing else like this in Nox Arcana’s repertoire. It sounds so unlike their usual work, I probably wouldn’t guess it was Nox Arcana if I didn’t know better. I love it. It makes for a great medieval-battle-style piece, and was a lot of fun to listen to in Scotland.

Ancient Shadows, Necronomicon: Another new addition. I’ve come to really like this piece! It definitely sounds like ecstatic worship of the Elder Gods of the Void to me. It sounds similar to “Ritual of Fire,” but with an (appropriately Lovecraftian) apocalyptic edge. Dance around the altar and scream at the sky for the eldritch gods to come and take you!

Temple of the Black Pharaoh, Necronomicon: This is a really spooky Egyptian-style piece, that instantly transports you to dusty sealed tombs that almost certainly have curses. The whispered chanting consists of the names of Egyptian gods, and Nyarlathotep. (Nyarlathotep, Atum, Osiris, Set, Amun-Ra. Nyarlathotep, Khonsu, Anubis, Set, Amun-Ra.)

Ancient Flame, Legion of Shadows: I originally left this one off the list, too, and I have no idea why. I love this piece! It’s got the same kind of temple aesthetic as the previous one, but with the ceremonial feel of “Mysterium.” I’m imagining four pillars surrounding a circular dias with a magical brazier on it, from which the Black Phoenix will be born.

Sanctuary of Shadows, Darklore Manor: Another really creepy organ piece, and the other one I have from Darklore Manor. I’m not sure whether it makes me think of the atrium of a haunted Victorian mansion, or another secret temple where shadowy people conduct rituals, or vampires and their attendant beasts, or what. Actually, I think I’d put it in a twisted version of a chapel, where the stained-glass windows are not made to let in light, where dark gods with splendid statues are worshipped, and where the congregation all feed on the human sacrifice.

Autumn Dusk, Season of the Witch: I don’t know why I chose this one over “Bell, Book, and Candle” or “Book of Shadows.” I guess the clue is in the name. Like “Twilight” and “Shadow Dance,” it just sounds like autumn. Like the setting in Over the Garden Wall, but even spookier. I love listening to it when wandering in the forest around evening.

Pax Terra, Winter’s Eve: Another piece that sounds unlike anything else Nox Arcana has produced. It’s almost entirely choral, except for the sound of church bells, and it’s pretty. It has a kind of bittersweet optimism to it. It’s so moving, I’ve actually cried listening to it. Its lyrics are Latin, and translate as: “Everlasting God, life on the forest floor, holy eternal earth – Everlasting God, Nourishing mother of life, eternal sacred earth – Rightly incarnate, blessings, hail, glory to Nox Arcana [night secrets] – To the threshold of time, follow the song, glory to Nox Arcana!” The grammar isn’t perfect, but it’s still beautiful, profound, and usually uplifting.

Dark Embrace, The Haunted Symphony: I remember when this album was released, and I thought to myself, “Have they seriously not written a piece called ‘Dark Embrace’ yet?” And man, what a piece for that title! This is definitely my favorite track from this album. It starts with the same melody as “Virtuoso,” but with different instrumentation, then becomes something else. I love the fast-paced strings, and wish they carried through more than just the beginning! Both tracks are unique and striking.

Toccata, Legion of Shadows: What better to close off with than “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”? I actually have no idea how this piece came to be associated with vampires; its first use in film was for a Jekyll and Hyde adaptation, meanwhile the famous Bela Lugosi Dracula film begins with… the Swan Lake theme, of all things??? However this became the “vampire music,” I’m glad it did. Nox Arcana’s cover begins with the classic organ, but most of it is piano with some strings, eventually bringing in harpsichord before returning to the organ. There are spooky vocals and some tolling bells for effect.

If you made it to the end of this list, I commend you, and I’m interested to hear what everyone else’s “best of Nox Arcana” playlists include. Nox Arcana is the best!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OMtxtXuziO0Cgsubwmcjf?si=VjXdlM02QCuX-0zx1kvn4Q

[eldesperadont]

If you're still wanting to hear about wrestling OCs, I offer you an abridged summary of my wrestle-sona of sorts! ( their look does tend to change a lil' as my blorbos change, but their overall theming and personality stays the same so I'm finally working on a proper ref sheet for em! ) Put under a read more cause I'm awful at summarizing!

Their gimmick is tied heavily to Old Slavic folklore, given I'm half Russian, and they take particular inspiration from the Slavic equivalent of werewolves - the Volkodlak. Much different from Western werewolves, volkodlaks both willingly become inflicted by their curses by hunting and skinning a wolf, then wearing the pelt - along with being able to change not only into a wolf, but a bear. This manifests as my wrassler tending to steal "trophies" from their opponents when they win, whether it be a scrap of gear, an accessory, or even something like blood/hair that they use to partially "become" their opponent (essentially a psychological game they play since I don't want them to be tooooo supernatural) They have two separate base gear designs, one for when they're "normal" and one for when they're "transformed" (put in quotation marks because they don't like, actually transform, it's more a metaphorical thing like "oh someone fucked up BIG time to get this bitch out here"), their traditional one being akin to old Slavic bear hunters clothing with a mask designed similar to a muzzle as a representation of keeping their wild shit held back. Their other gear tends to feature various animal pelts and skulls with charms made of bones and such, along with the muzzle-mask being gone and elaborate face paint to match! Their wrestling style changes given their form as well, their normal style being a more refined technical approach, and their transformed aspect being a brawler! They specialize mainly in deathmatches though no matter their "form" and always carry a sovnya inscribed with various old slavic phrases on them :)c I've been referring to them as "Maneater" as there is a version of volkodlak lore that involves them being a strictly femme monster, but my sona is nb and they'll fight any gender any place lmao. They tend to be stuck in the tween zone as they adapt to whomever they're feuding with, but overall have a reception similar to Mox or Kingston where even though they're a brutal motherfucker, they're the good guy!! I'm absolute shit at explaining things in writing so I hope this all makes sense :,) I love your wrestling OCs so much and absolutely will be drawing them in the future!!

That is such an awesome concept oh my god - using your culture/folkore for wrestling personas 🤝🤝 hell yeah

[bardsketchbook]

Faolán Dreadsong my San'layn based off volkodlak/vrykolakas with some baobhan sith mixed in. That's actually a worgen skull and pelt they have on.

[maverick-werewolf]

Random Werewolf Fact #26 - Vrykolakas

Time for a loaded subject - vrykolakas.

Slovenian postage stamp entitled “volkodlak”; isn’t it way cooler than anyone else’s postage stamps!?

So what the heck is are vrykolakas, anyway?

There’s a lot of dispute over exactly where the term comes from and what on earth it’s referring to. Ask any scholar in the field and they’ll give you at least three different answers. It’s a tangled web.

So let’s go over a few:

If you ask one scholar, Sabine Baring-Gould, the vrykolakas were essentially werewolves and vampires. A werewolf in life, a vampire after death.

But they weren’t “werepires” (please do not use that word in my presence) in the sense of “werewolf-vampire hybrids,” i.e. werewolves that drink blood and have bat wings or, if you’re Underworld, blue-skinned people with black eyes who seem to have the qualities of neither creature.

BUT other scholars dispute even this, such as H. F. Tozer, who says that this is a mistake and “in the great majority of cases the werewolf superstition is wholly independent of this belief ... [and] one writer, who has carefully collected authorities on the subject, expresses his opinion that the nature of the werewolf is no longer to be recognized in the modern Greek Vrykolaka.” Who is this writer, and what authorities he has collected, we don’t get the benefit of knowing.

Tozer discusses various possible ways this mistake could have been made, such as that in Greek myth, people could turn into vampires after death by eating lamb killed by a wolf. But he, of course, acknowledges that werewolves have been well-established in Greek myth since classical antiquity.

Then we have a fellow named M. Robert, who said that, essentially, there were “voukodlaks” that were vampires, and he cites the word as meaning “werewolf.” But he describes them as vampires that turn into wolf-men during the full moon, and go out to drink blood. Sources? No idea. I take this one with a grain of salt.

And then you also have scholars arguing vehemently (and I of course agree) that all of this confusion doesn’t mean that there is not a very clear distinction between vampires and werewolves - vampires are “dead [bodies] which continue to live in the grave, whence it issues by night for the purpose of sucking the blood of living persons, and thereby indefinitely preserving its vitality and securing the carcass from decomposition” (as Montague Summers says in his book, Werewolf, page 151), going on to describe his personal idea of werewolves.

Then you have another scholar, Lawson, who says that “The Slavs brought with them into Greece two superstitions ... The old Hellenic belief in lycanthropy was apparently at the time weak--confined perhaps to a few districts only--for the Greeks borrowed ... the word vrykolakas in place of the old [word], by which to refer to the idea of a ‘werewolf.’” (Werewolf, Summers, 151).

Then, Serbians and Croatians have a creature, ‘vukodlak’ or ‘volkodlak,’ mentioned in a previous post or two, and that word essentially means “wolf’s hair.” Does this refer to werewolves or to vampires? Who knows? The postage stamp pictured at the top of the post argues that a volkodlak is a werewolf, but scholars are still all in a tizzy about it.

So what the heck is a vrykolaka? Who knows? Maybe it’s a werewolf. Maybe it’s a vampire. Maybe it’s a werewolf that turns into a vampire after death.

We really have absolutely no way of knowing, with all this confusion! Welcome to the world of folklore studies. But from the look of things, it seems that, in Greek, "vrykolakas” may no longer refer to werewolves (although this is disputed!) and instead refers to a vampire of some kind and possibly one related to wolves somehow, either in how they became a vampire or that they are a vampiric wolf.

But, in Eastern Europe, similar term “volkodlak” refers to a traditional werewolf, as seen on the postage stamp.

But what do these words themselves actually mean, etymologically? They both technically mean werewolf.

(If you like my werewolf blog, be sure to check out my other stuff!

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