Familiar spirit

In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits (sometimes referred to simply as "familiars" or "animal guides") were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to the records of the time, they would appear in numerous guises, often as an animal, but also at times as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as "clearly defined, three-dimensional… forms, vivid with colour and animated with movement and sound" by those alleging to have come into contact with them, unlike later descriptions of ghosts with their "smoky, undefined form[s]".

When they served witches, they were often thought to be malevolent, while when working for cunning-folk they were often thought of as benevolent (although there was some ambiguity in both cases). The former were often categorised as demons, while the latter were more commonly thought of and described as fairies. The main purpose of familiars is to serve the witch or young witch, providing protection for them as they come into their new powers.

Familiar (disambiguation)

A familiar is a supernatural entity believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic.

Familiar may refer to:

Familiar (Dungeons & Dragons)

A familiar is a fictional creature in the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. A familiar is based on the concept of the familiar spirit or familiar animal, and serves spellcasting characters as a magical companion and servant.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons

In both first and second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, a familiar was summoned through the use of the spell find familiar.

Third edition Dungeons & Dragons

Familiars are companions of wizards and sorcerers. A Druid or Ranger cannot summon a familiar, but can summon an Animal Companion instead. Familiars can be summoned once per day. Multiclass ranger/druid with arcane user can summon both a familiar and an animal companion. These can be normal animals like panthers and pigs, but they can also be the strange creatures (Imps, Mephits, pixies, giant spiders, eyeballs, small dragons, etc.) Unlike creatures summoned by arcane or divine spell (Elementals, Planar Allies, Undead...), familiars do not unsummon while player is resting. They remain summoned until they are killed or unsummoned by player. When familiar is killed, his summoner receives some damage but he can summon new familiar, if he rested before combat.

Keren

Keren may refer to:

Keren (קרן) is the first name of:

References

Keren, Eritrea

Keren, formerly known as Cheren and Sanhit, is the second-largest city in Eritrea. It is situated around 91 kilometers northwest of Asmara, at an elevation of 1,390 meters from sea-level. The town sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granitic mountains on all sides. It serves as the capital of the Anseba region, and is home to the Bilen ethnic group.

History

Keren grew around the Eritrean Railway to Asmara. The railway was later dismantled because of the war, although there are plans to rebuild it. It is an important commercial centre and was the scene of regular battles in both World War II and the Eritrean War of Independence. Keren was the site of a key battle between Italian and British troops in February – March 1941.

Demographics

As of 2010, Keren has a population of around 146,483 inhabitants. Residents belong to various, mainly Afro-Asiatic-speaking ethnic groups, of which the Bilen and the Tigre are predominant. The Tigrinya also have a presence.

Climate

Keren's climate is semi-desert hot during summer and cold during winter. The rainy season extends from mid-June to mid-September. From October to February, the town experiences the cool winter season. The climate heats up from March to June, though the nights are pleasant.

Keren (kabuki)

Keren (外連（ケレン）, lit. "outside party") are stagecraft tricks used in Japanese kabuki theater, making use of trapdoors, revolving stages, and other equipment.

Often translated as "playing to the gallery," many drama enthusiasts consider these sorts of adaptations to be demeaning to the art of kabuki. According to one scholar, "Rapid 'trick' appearances and disappearances of the actor are relatively few and are held in low esteem by the Kabuki connoisseur, who refers to them as keren (playing to the gallery)".

Primary forms of Keren

References