![]() A draugr's presence may be shown by a great light that glowed from the mound like "fox-fire." This fire would form a barrier between the land of the living and the land of the dead. While the draugr certainly preferred to be active during the night, it did not appear to be vulnerable to sunlight like some other revenants. Draugar also brought disease to a village and could create temporary darkness in daylight hours. Then Thrain turned himself into a troll, and the barrow was filled with a horrible stench and he stuck his claws into the back of Hromund's neck, tearing the flesh from his bones.ĭraugar have the ability to enter into the dreams of the living, "but it generally happens even so that they leave beside the living person some gift, by which, on awakening, the living person may be assured of the tangible nature of the visit." Draugar also have the ability to curse a victim, as shown in the Grettis Saga where Grettir is cursed to be unable to become any stronger. The draugr Thrain shape-shifted into a "cat-like creature" (kattakyn) in Hromundar saga Greipssonar: Among the creatures that a draugr may turn into are a seal, a great flayed bull, a grey horse with a broken back but no ears or tail, and a cat that would sit upon a sleeper's chest and grow steadily heavier until the victim suffocated. One day that Fall neither sheep nor shepherd came back to the farmĭraugar are noted for having numerous magical abilities (referred to as trollskap) resembling those of living witches and wizards, such as shape-shifting, controlling the weather, and seeing into the future. The shepherd at Hvamm often came racing home with Thorolf after him. the oxen which had been used to haul Thorolf's body were ridden to death by demons, and every single beast that came near his grave went raving mad and howled itself to death. Shepherds, whose duties to their flocks left them out of doors at night time, were also particular targets for the hunger and hatred of the undead: ![]() The roaming ghosts decimated livestock by running the animals to death while either riding them or pursuing them in some hideous, half-flayed form. The draugr's victims were not limited to trespassers in its howe. Draugr are also noted as being able to drive living people insane. Thorolf, for example, caused birds that flew over his howe to drop dead. ![]() Animals feeding near the grave of a draugr may be driven mad by the creature's influence They may also die from being driven mad. In folklore the draugar slay their victims through various methods including crushing them with their enlarged forms, devouring their flesh, devouring them whole in their enlarged forms, indirectly killing them by driving them mad, and drinking their blood. swollen to the size of an ox," and his body was so heavy that it could not be raised without levers They are also noted for the ability to rise from the grave as wisps of smoke and "swim" through solid rock, which would be useful as a means of exiting their graves. Thorolf of Eyrbyggja Saga was "uncorrupted, and with an ugly look about him. The draugr's ability to increase its size also increased its weight, and the body of the draugr was described as being extremely heavy. They exist either to guard their treasure, wreak havoc on living beings, or torment those who had wronged them in life. They are undead corpses from Norse/Icelandic mythology, that appear to retain some semblance of intelligence. Draugar possess superhuman strength, can increase their size at will, and carry the unmistakable stench of decay. ![]()
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