Scandinarnia

Werewolves in Scandinavian mythology

The wolf waits at the edge of the firelight. In this episode, we venture deep into the forests, mountains, and forgotten folklore of Scandinavia to uncover the chilling history of the werewolf. Long before Hollywood gave us silver bullets and full-moon transformations, the North was haunted by tales of men who donned enchanted wolfskins, berserk warriors who fought with the fury of beasts, and cursed souls condemned to roam the wilderness between human and animal. Drawing upon medieval sagas, folklore collections, witch trial records, and ancient beliefs, we explore the mysterious ulfheðnar, shape-shifting magic, outlaw legends, and the enduring fear of becoming something wild and uncontrollable. Were these stories warnings about violence and isolation? Echoes of forgotten shamanic practices? Or evidence of something far stranger lurking in the Scandinavian imagination? Join me as we follow the tracks of the werewolf through Norse mythology, Swedish and Norwegian folk traditions, and the dark borderlands where civilisation ends and the forest begins. Lock your door. Keep the fire burning. The wolf may already be closer than you think.

The Deildegast Ghost

Tonight on Scandinarnia, we wander into the shadows of old Scandinavian folklore to meet one of its strangest and most unsettling spirits: the Deildegast. Born from greed, betrayal, and cursed boundaries, this spectral figure was said to haunt the edges of fields, forests, and forgotten roads — forever condemned to guard the land it once stole in life. In this eerie episode, we explore the origins of the Deildegast in Nordic folk belief, the fear of land disputes in rural communities, and the chilling tales of ghostly figures dragging chains through the mist at night. Part ghost story, part history lesson, and part descent into the darker corners of the Scandinavian imagination, this is folklore at its most haunting. Light a candle, keep close to the fire, and listen carefully… because some boundaries were never meant to be crossed

The «Wannabe Vikings» and my views on them as a Norwegian academic

Why do so many Scandinavians hate on these «wannabe Vikings» that so proudly dress up as Norsemen and learn the Runic alphabet so they can tattoo their favourite Odin quote on their skin? I use this episode to reflect upon this … and also recommend my favourite cartoon

Ghosts and the paranormal.. general thoughts and reflections

In this episode I reflect upon ghosts and encounters with them… not a scary episode this time- just some general thoughts from a sceptic who really wants to believe 👻

The Black Books- Svartebøkene. Magic, Recipes, Prayers and Life Saving Rituals

Deep in the forests of Scandinavia, hidden beneath church floors, tucked inside farmhouse walls, and whispered about in candlelit kitchens, there existed forbidden books known only as Svartebøkene — The Black Books. Grimoires of curses, healing charms, love magic, demon bargains, and strange prayers half-Christian, half-pagan. In this episode, we descend into the shadowy world of Scandinavian folk magic and the terrifying legends surrounding these mysterious books. Who wrote them? Why were they feared? And did ordinary people truly believe the Devil himself helped create them? From cunning folk and wandering priests to whispered rituals for invisibility, revenge, protection, and speaking with the dead — this is a journey into the darkest corners of Nordic folklore, where superstition, faith, and magic collided. A chilling, atmospheric episode filled with real history, strange archival accounts, and the unsettling feeling that some books were never meant to be opened.