Lacnunga
| Author | Anonymous |
|---|---|
| Language | Old Otani, Old Ælfish |
| Genre | Spellbook |
| Known Copies | One |
| Format | Loose Pages |
| Year Written | Before Erasure |
| Magical | Very likely |
| Religion | Related to Wodenism |
| Pages/Scrolls | 175 |
The Lacnunga ('Remedies') is a collection of miscellaneous Ortalyk medical texts and prayers, written mainly in Old Otani. The title Lacnunga, an Old Ortalyk word meaning 'remedies', is not in the manuscript: it was a name given to the collection by the clerics of the Temple of Woden, where all known pieces of the manuscript are held.
The Lacnunga contains many unique texts, including numerous charms, some of which provide rare glimpses into lost and powerful clerical healing practices. Among the charms are several incantations in alliterative verse, the most famous being those known as For Delayed Birth, the Nine Herbs Charm and Wið færstice ('Against a sudden, stabbing pain'). There are also several charms in corrupt Old Ælfish.
Among the prayers, the longest is a redaction of the Lorica of Laidcenn. This ancient poem, is a member of the genre of protective prayers. This instance takes the form of an extended litany of body parts for which the speaker seeks the protection of Woden from the assaults of demons.
Player's Notes[edit]
"... the Temple of Woden, where all known pieces of the manuscript are held." Except maybe one piece, of course.
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