A grimoire is a textbook of magic (also known as a spell book). Back in the day, these books weren’t mere symbols in fiction; they were real life reference books for ancient people holding practical medical advice, myths entwined with Christianity and Judiasm, and even science.
But they were also filled with creepy monsters and curses. Here some of the eeriest books ever to be printed and read by the dark warlocks of this realm.
The Necromancer’s Manual.
“The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic” (more affectionately as “The Necromancer’s Manual”) is filled with spells that can make enemies see armies that aren’t there. It’s also kind of a freaky monster cookbook, and shows its readers how to sacrifice mythological creatures like this beauty.
The Picatrix.
This 11th century grimoire is the largest at 400 pages. It’s also decidedly the grossest. Almost every concoction this book asks you to drink will help you achieve immense power, but the catch is you have to mix poop into it. Or blood. Or semen. Worth it?
Galdrabok.
This Icelandic grimoire features spells like the others, but also runes carved onto ornaments and worn on the body. The power these runes inflict range anywhere from killing your enemies’ war animals to making your enemies (and I quote from the Galdrabok itself) “plague thy belly with great farting . . . may thy farting never stop.”
Sworn Book Of Honorius.
Written by the never-quite-identified Honorius of Thebes, this ancient books loftily demands of its readers that only 3 copies of the books should exist and that its readers should never mate with a woman. On the plus side, it allows you to conjure floods to inflict damage upon your enemies’ kingdoms.
Pseudomonarchia Daedonum.
This book catalogs all 69 of the devil’s favorite demons and how one would go about conjuring them for devious deeds. There’s even a whole demon dedicated to stealing horses, if that’s your kind of mischief.
The Book Of Abramelin The Mage.
A Jewish traveler in the 15th century supposedly came across the mysterious Abramelin the mage, who gave him his personal book of spells. The main crux of it includes an 18 month ritual unleashing the readers’s personal guardian angel. This angel can give him psychic powers, visions of the future, and even control of the weather.
I can’t believe these things still exist. I’m terrified but also interested to read them. Though this is also how I feel about reading the Twilight series, so I’m in no rush.
