Grand Grimoire
The Grand Grimoire is a number of black magic[1] grimoires (4 known, the least dark is the Key of Solomon) believed to date back to 1522. It was possibly written some point after the 18th century[2] but may also represent a translation of The Sworn Book of Honorius, a 13th-century text.[3] It was ostensibly published in Cairo by a person known as Alibek the Egyptian. Also known as "The Red Dragon", this book contains instructions purported to summon Lucifer or Lucifuge Rofocale, for the purpose of forming a Deal with the Devil. The book is called "Le Veritable Dragon Rouge" ("The True Red Dragon") in Haiti, where it is revered among many practitioners of Voodoo.[citation needed] It is claimed they were placed under King Solomon's throne by the devil to tempt him.[citation needed]
In popular culture
Sword and sorcery author Lin Carter routinely used the term "karcist," used in the Grand Grimoire, as a synonym for "magician", "sorcerer" in several of his works. In Thongor in the City of Magicians he uses it to indicate a mage requested to serve as "controller" of a magic ritual enacted by a cabal of his colleagues.
In the video game Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, the Grand Grimoire is a magical book that survived the Flood on Noah's Ark, but whose value was forgotten; the book is found in a used book shop. It is bought by one of the main characters, Mewt.
In the 1989 motion picture, Warlock, actor Julian Sands plays a warlock trying to find the five Grand Grimoires, combined purportedly contains the name of God. In the story, the book had truly supernatural properties and was therefore separated into three sets of pages so as to prevent its evil power from being misused.
In James H. Brennan's Sagas of the Demonspawn series, Lucifuge Rofocale is the name of the demon incarnated in the sword named Doom Bringer.
Dutch metal band God Dethroned have an album called The Grand Grimoire (1997).
References
- ^ A.E. Waite, "Of Black Magic and Of Pacts", from the Introduction to The Grand Grimoire.
- ^ http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm20.htm#page_97 and http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm23.htm#page_109 A.E. Waite, "The Book of Ceremonial Magic"
- ^ http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm20.htm#page_97 and http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/bcm23.htm#page_109 A.E. Waite, "The Book of Ceremonial Magic"