Iceland

Iceland
Appeared In:	Ghostbusters International #5 Ghostbusters International #10
Address:	Iceland
Entities Encountered:	Spirits of the Ocean Ghost Priests Gottskalk Nikulausson

Iceland is country located in northern Europe.

History

In the 1500s, Gottskalk Nikulausson placed a spell of protection on the Rauoskinna to make sure the book would never fall into the wrong hands. Spirits were bound to the book. It was later buried with Gottskalk in a secret tomb. Clues were left and hidden around the world by a secret society associated with the church in hopes they could one day use the book to control The Devil during Armageddon. Nearly 200 years later, in the 1700s, the clues were deciphered by Loftur Þorsteinsson. He found the tomb and book but was attacked by the Spirits of the Ocean when he tried to leave Iceland. He was presumed lost at sea and the book was recovered after it washed ashore then returned to Gottskalk's tomb. Erland Vinter was born in Iceland in the twentieth century but moved to Norway in his teens. Egon Spengler was fascinated by the legend of the Rauoskinna and invented the P.K.E. Meter in his search for it but concluded it was better to leave well enough alone.

After the key and Map to Nikulausson's Tomb were discovered on Chiloe Island and in Aokigahara Forest respectively, the Ghostbusters located Gottskalk's hidden tomb within 50 miles of Holar. Upon entering they saw the Ghost Priests they previously encountered briefly at the United Nations Building and the ghost of Gottskalk who was clutching the Rauoskinna. Winston Zeddemore suggested to the parallel dimension Egon Spengler that he use his Destabilizer to blast the book out of Gottskalk's hands. Ray Stantz lowered Egon's power flow by 30% and it worked. Winston jumped for the book but he was stomped and kicked by the Ghost Priests. Instead of helping right away, Peter Venkman milked it but Gottskalk fired lightning from his fingertips at the Ghostbusters. Winston opened his Trap and captured all of the ghosts. Ray became alarmed since their equipment wasn't equipped to hold that much psychokinetic energy. They quickly vacated the tomb and ran for their rental car. An amalgamation of the ghosts arose from the tomb and chased after them. Peter sprayed the Rauoskinna with a Slime Spritzer and severed the ghosts' tether to the book then Egon dispersed the entity with a Proton Grenade. He theorized the ghosts would be confined back to the tomb when they reformed. Erland Vinter passed on new orders to his operative Gunnar to allow the Ghostbusters to leave Akureyri with the book.

Trivia

• On page 4 of Ghostbusters International #5:
  • In panel 2, various Icelandic magical staves and references are on the white board:
    • In the upper right corner is the "Að unni" stave for "So a girl loves a man"
    • To the left of the "Að unni" stave is the Ægishjálmur (or Helm of Awe), an Icelandic magical stave said to induce fear and to protect against abuse of power.
    • Below the Helm of Awe stave is the "Draumstafir" stave to "dream of unfulfilled desires"
    • Below the "Að unni" stave is the "Brýnslustafir" stave for use on whetstones
    • Southwest of the "Draumstafir" stave is the "Angurgapi" stave carved on the ends of barrels to prevent leaking
    • Right of the "Angurgapi" stave is the "Herzlustafir" stave, both the obverse and reverse. They are for strengthening, hence the words "Power Courage Outcome" written between them.
    • Below the obverse "Herzlustafir" stave is "The Black School" - a legendary school in Iceland near Wittenberg where witchcraft and magic were taught.
    • Below the obverse "Herzlustafir" stave is a Victory stave
    • Right of the Victory stave is the "Dreprún" stave to kill an enemy's cattle.
    • Under the "Dreprún" stave is a stave "to win a debate" hence "Argument debate" written near it
    • Under the argument stave is "Gottskalk" - a nod to the bishop Egon talks about in the legend.
    • Under the debate stave is a stave designed to "return to sender" or as written near it "return negative energy"
    • Right of the return stave is a "End strife" stave
    • Holar is a location in northern Iceland where Gottskalk Nikulausson served as bishop from 1496 to 1520.
    • Right of the reverse "Herzlustafir" stave is "Graskinna" and "Grayskin" - another famous book of magic from Icelandic folklore. It was said to be divided in two parts. The first part is in plain runes and contains harmless information such as palmistry and tricks for use in wrestling. The second part is in secret runes and contained evil spells that only evil men would use.
    • Right of the reverse "Herzlustafir" stave is a spell from the Galdrabók spell book.
    • Below the spell are three more sets of spells from the Galdrabók. One is 4 lines. The second, under it, is 2 lines. The third, under that, is one line and one character below it.
  • In panel 4, the Helm of Awe rune also appears on Egon's red book.
• Gottskalk Nikulausson was an actual Bishop of Hólar who lived from 1469-1520 and served from 1496 to December 8, 1520. He also did have the Nikulausson the Cruel nickname.
• Loftur Þornsteinsson and the story of his search for the book and being dragged underwater from his fishing boat was the subject of actual legend. Some claim it was suicide instead. He was never heard of after 1722 according to record.
• In Ghostbusters International #5, the issue misspells Loftur's last name is a "B" instead of a "Þ" as well as other minor lettering issues with Icelandic terms and names.
• On page 4 of Ghostbusters International #5, in panel 4, the rune that Loftur finds is the Ægishjálmur.
• In Ghostbusters International #10, on the Regular Cover, at the bottom of the cover, Iceland's capital Reykjavik is referenced.
• In Ghostbusters International #10:
  • On page 11, Erland mentions Akureyri, a small city in northern Iceland considered the country's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality.
  • On page 16, written on the Post-It Note are:
    • Holar, the town in northern Iceland were the issue begins near, one of the two episcopal seats, and in this case associated with Gottskalk and the Rauoskinna.
    • Skálholt, an important cultural and political center in southern Iceland that was one of two episcopal seats, the other being Holar in the North.
    • Eirikur, or Eirikur Magnusson, an Icelandic priest who used magic for good. In a myth, "How Eírikur Learned His Arts At School," Eirikur and two friends compiled the grimoire Gráskinna in Skálholt
    • Red Skin, the translation of "Rauoskinna"
  • On page 16, in panel 1, the two pages of the Rauoskinna are borrowed from approximately page 23 and 25 of the Galdrakver ("Little Book of Magic"), a 17th century book of staves, sigils, prayers and charms written on animal skin once owned by Icelandic Bishop Hannes Finnson (1739-1796), a collector of magic texts.
  • On page 16, on the white board are:
    • Next to the Werecat Ghost photo is the Aegishjalnur stave for protection in battle
    • Next to the Aegishjalnur is Odin's Illusionary Rune
    • Right of Odin's Illusionary Rune is the Lasabrjotur stave for breaking locks
    • Right of the lock breaking rune is the Gapaldur stave for success in battle
    • Under the Gapaldur is a healing stave
    • Under the healing stave is a peace stave
    • Under the peace stave is a good health stave
    • Under the good health stave is the powerful binding stave
    • Next to the Venetian Shop Ghost photo is a Svefnthorn stave for restful sleep
    • Between Odin's Illusionary Rune and the Svefnthorn is the Ottastafur stave to induce fear in the enemy
    • Next to the Ottastafur is the Hraethigaldur spell to put fear in the enemy
    • Next to the Plague Doctor Ghost photo is the end strife stave.
    • Under the Plague Doctor photo is the Vegvisir stave to prevent from getting lost
• On the Regular Cover of Ghostbusters International #11, in the bottom left is the Hraethigaldur rune used to cause fear in an enemy.
• On page 3 of Ghostbusters International #11, in panel 2, the rune Loftur casts is the Ægishjálmur (or Helm of Awe) seen in previous issues.
• On page 4 of Ghostbusters: Interdimensional Cross-Rip, Iceland is mentioned in the Introduction.

Appearances

IDW Comics

• Ongoing Series
  • Volume 3
    • Ghostbusters International #1
      • Mentioned by Winston on page 15
    • Ghostbusters International #5
    • Ghostbusters International #10

Gallery

As seen in Ghostbusters International #5

As seen in Ghostbusters International #5

As seen in Ghostbusters International #10

As seen in Ghostbusters International #10

As seen in Ghostbusters International #10

As seen in Ghostbusters International #10

As seen in Ghostbusters International #10

As seen in Ghostbusters International #10