Threads of the Underworld: The Potent Uses of Trollhár in Old Norse Black Sorcery.

Warning: This knowledge is rooted in the ancient art of Norse svartkonst, not modern Wicca or “light” witchcraft. It is a solemn, powerful practice—never to be undertaken lightly. If you are under the influence of any substance, or suffer from serious mental health conditions such as psychosis or severe anxiety, do not attempt these rites. Trollhár and related workings demand clarity of mind, unwavering will, and physical and spiritual strength. Only the disciplined, the resolute, and those prepared to bear the weight of their own pact should proceed.

In Old Norse society, the practice of black magic—particularly seiðr—was both deeply feared and socially condemned. Seiðr, a form of magic associated with prophecy and altering fate, was often linked to female practitioners known as vǫlur or seiðkonur. While seiðr was a recognized aspect of Norse spirituality, those who practiced it, especially men, faced significant stigma and were sometimes exiled from their communities due to the perceived threat they posed.

One of the most feared elements in Norse black magic was the use of "trollhår" (troll hair). Trollhår was believed to be a potent ingredient in various magical practices, including curses and protective spells.

The crafting of trollhår involved collecting strands from areas frequented by trolls, such as dense forests, caves, and swamps. These strands were then woven into cords or threads, often combined with other natural elements like bog iron or specific herbs known for their magical properties. The process was meticulous and required precise timing, typically during specific lunar phases or seasonal changes, to harness the maximum magical potency.

Trollhair—known in Old Norse as seiðrband or Trǫllhár—is a historically rooted magical implement within the Norse tradition of black magic, where trolls were considered formidable beings with immense strength and magical abilities. Trolls were often depicted as dwelling in remote mountains, caves, and forests, embodying the untamed forces of nature. This form of magic, practiced during the Late Scandinavian Iron Age, involved shamanistic rituals aimed at discerning and influencing fate. The term seiðr itself is believed to derive from Proto-Germanic saiðaz, meaning "cord" or "string," highlighting the significance of binding and weaving in these magical practices.

The most horrific troll in Old Norse folklore is often considered to be the "Skogsrå," a forest-dwelling creature known for luring men to their doom. Legends describe the Skogsrå as a seductive female figure with a hollow back, resembling a rotting tree, who would enchant men and lead them into the forest, never to return. The fear surrounding such creatures underscored the dangers associated with the wild and the unknown, reinforcing the taboo against engaging with black magic and its components like trollhår.

Krákualjóð: The Black Tongue Rite of Raven-Calling in Norse Troll Witchcraft.

 𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍-𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆

—For the Summoning of Corvid Spirits & Trollish Familiars in the Black Tongue of the North—

This ritual pertains to the summoning and command of raven-spirits, both flesh-bound and spirit-wrought, through the old arts of black Norse magic. It is not symbolic, nor metaphorical. It is functional sorcery—troll-seiðr wrought in accordance with the laws of blood, breath, and ancestral current.

The raven holds a high seat in the tradition of svartkonst and northern baneful magic. Known in the tongues of our dead kin as hrafn, it is not merely a creature of the battlefield, but a bearer of fetches, a scout of the unseen roads, and an enforcer of the sorcerer’s will.

To the old ones, ravens were not pets or totems, but servants and watchers—beings that walked between the corpse-road (helvegr) and the breath-road (öndveg) with ease.

They consume the eyes of the fallen to see what lies beyond. They speak not in riddles, but in clear signs—if one is trained to listen properly.

This rite—Krákualjóð, “The Chant of the Raven’s Maw”—is not for novices, nor those seeking gentle counsel. It is for those who require the eyes of the raven in the dark, the claws of the raven in their working, and the call of the raven to pierce the veil between worlds. This is true summoning, not symbolic. It draws upon ancient trollkunnig methods from the hinterlands, where animal-bond, blood, ash, and binding are used to enforce obedience from the spirits summoned.

The rite must be performed under correct conditions or not at all. The place must be wild, preferably a high or liminal site—such as beneath bare rock, at the edge of bog or forest, or near a carrion place. It must be conducted beneath a waning moon, ideally on the thirteenth night before the dark moon, in the hour before midnight. The time is chosen to fall within the svartvindur—the black wind—when the boundary between the breath-world and the under-roads thins, and the hrafn may cross freely.

This chapter provides the correct construction of the rite, including tools, ingredients, vocal methods (throat-sung overtones), protective boundaries, and instructions for binding a raven-ally into service. This is not Wiccan fluff, and it contains no rhymes or false light. It is ancestral, brutal, and effective.

If you proceed, do so knowing the raven remembers all. It watches the hand that calls it—and it punishes the hand that misuses its trust.

Proceed with discipline. Or not at all.

The Casting of Bones in Trolldómr – Ráðbeining Bein (Counselling Bones)

What Are the Ráðbeining Bein?

Pronounciation- 

"Ráðbeining": Rath-bay-ning
"Ráð"pronounced like "rath" with a rolled "r."
"Beining" sounds like "bay-ning" with the "e" in "bay" sounding long.
Bein: Bane
"Bein" is pronounced like "bane," rhyming with "rain."
So, it would sound like: "Rath-bay-ning Bane."

 

The practice of casting bones—known as Ráðbeining Bein, or "Bones of Counsel"—is an ancient and sacred form of divination. This ritual was once employed by seiðfolk, cunning folk, and the solitary witches who roamed the northern wilds. It is believed that the bones, once marked and empowered by those who wielded the craft, carried the whispers of the spirits from the animals they came from. These bones became more than mere remnants of life; they were the vessels through which the hidden forces of the universe were called upon. They became oracles—quiet, powerful, and sometimes cryptic—offering answers to questions of fate, death, omens, and the unseen truths that weave through the fabric of reality.

The practice of bone casting is deeply intertwined with the animistic beliefs of the Norse and other pre-Christian cultures of Scandinavia. These beliefs held that every part of a living being—their bones, blood, and breath—possessed intrinsic power. In this view, the very essence of a creature lived on in its bones, even after the flesh had rotted away. The bones were not simply fragments of the dead; they were sacred relics, imbued with the spirit of the creature that once inhabited them. This belief extended beyond the realm of animals—human bones, too, could be used in divination, provided the spirit of the deceased gave its consent. Thus, bones gathered from the wild were treated with the utmost reverence, carefully marked and inscribed with runes or sigils to empower them for their role as messengers of fate.

Bone divination was not a common practice in the halls of kings or the courts of learned scholars. It was an art kept largely in the shadows, practiced by those on the fringes of society—hermits, outcasts, and those who sought knowledge hidden from the eyes of the world. In a time when the wild and untamed lands of the North were believed to be teeming with spirits—both benign and malicious—the casting of bones was seen as a powerful method of communion with the unseen. To cast the bones was to open oneself to the wisdom of nature itself, listening to the subtle guidance of animal spirits, ancestors, and the forces of the land.

Myrkrseiðr— The Black Seidr.

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Náttgaldur: The Shadow Witches and Dark Sorcery of the Old Norse.

Old Norse Shadow Witchcraft, a dark and mysterious tradition woven into the fabric of ancient Scandinavian cultures, was not merely a system of spells and rituals, but a potent, intricate form of sorcery deeply connected to the forces of darkness and the unseen realms. Known by various names throughout the ages, including "seiðr" and "galdr," it was often feared, misunderstood, and vilified, particularly in the context of its association with black magic. The Old Norse word for black magic, "blót" or "svartkúnstr" (translated as "black art"), represented a deeper engagement with the forces of darkness, mysticism, and shadow, where power was drawn from sources that lay beyond the light of the gods and humanity.

In Old Norse traditions, magic was a tool not just for divination, but for manipulation, control, and even the summoning of the darker forces of nature. These practices were as much about survival as they were about dominion over the forces of fate. The word “svartkúnstr” is often used to refer to practices that delved into these darker realms, particularly seiðr—a form of magic that was mostly associated with the god Odin and the völvas (female shamans or seeresses) who wielded it. However, seiðr was not exclusively benevolent magic; it often involved the conjuring of spirits and forces that could be used to curse, bind, or control others, making it a form of magic that could easily slip into the domain of black magic.

The origins of shadow witchcraft in Norse traditions are linked with the primordial powers that governed the world before the gods emerged. The Old Norse mythology reveals a rich pantheon of beings who represented the forces of chaos and darkness. These included the trolls, giants, and other creatures that existed before the Aesir and Vanir gods set their rule. Trolls, known for their mischievous and sometimes malicious nature, were often seen as embodiments of untamed, chaotic energies, while the giants (Jötnar), who inhabited Jotunheim, symbolized a primordial power that was not necessarily evil but existed outside the bounds of divine law and order. To practice shadow witchcraft in Old Norse times meant to work with these primal and often terrifying forces that were beyond human comprehension and control.

Trolldómr in Old Norse Tradition: The Shadowed Art of Sorcery.

Trolldómr, the Old Norse term for witchcraft and sorcery, was a feared and powerful practice that spanned from the time of the Viking Age through medieval Scandinavia. Unlike seiðr, which was often associated with prophecy and fate-weaving, trolldómr was viewed as a darker, more malevolent form of magic—one that involved curses, spirit-binding, shape-shifting, and direct manipulation of natural and supernatural forces.

It was the magic of outlaws, witches, giants, and those who walked in the shadows of the wilds. The word trolldómr itself comes from "troll," referring not only to the supernatural beings of Norse mythology but also to magic-workers who operated outside of societal norms. 

This was magic that belonged to the wilderness, to those who invoked the forgotten gods, the dead, and the dark places of the world.