The Slavic pagan pantheon includes a variety of major and minor deities, as well as a host of lesser entities worshipped in specific localities. Those listed here, which are derived from those listed in The Dragon and The Bear (182-182), are those revered over a wide area of Slavic cultures. Major deities are listed in boldface; some have alternate names listed after. Additional information may be found in TDaTB.
Each deity has a domain listed, which includes one or more aspects. A Sympathy Trait for that deity subsumes the aspects listed, as well as connotative meanings within Slavic culture. As with other Slavic faeries, those associated with the Sun ('gold court') are generally positive and life-giving, while those associated with cold and winter ('white court') are generally negative.
Slavs maintain some animistic practices as well, honoring spirits of their ancestors as well as those inhabiting the natural world, in animals, plants, and places. They do not always distinguish between Faerie and Magic entities, although Volkhvy are more attuned to dealing with Faerie entities.
|
| Deity |
|
Relationships |
|
Appearance |
|
Domain |
| Svarog |
|
father to Svarozhich, Dazhdbog, & Khors |
|
gold-haired patriarch |
|
fire, sky, creation |
Perun
(Pehrkuns) |
|
|
|
human |
|
war, thunder & lightning |
Mati
(Syra, Zemlya) |
|
|
|
the world |
|
earth, women, spinning/weaving |
| Svarozhich |
|
son of Svarog |
|
a blaze |
|
fire |
| Dazhdbog |
|
son of Svarog |
|
sun-eyed youth |
|
fire, creative light, expelling demons |
| Khors |
|
son of Svarog; husband of Myesyats |
|
the sun |
|
sun, mysteries |
| Myesyats |
|
wife to Khors; mother of the stars |
|
the moon |
|
moon |
| Iarilo |
|
son of Dazhdbog |
|
Dionysian |
|
fertility, eroticism |
| Krukis |
|
son of Dazhdbog |
|
burly smith |
|
blacksmiths |
| Ersvorsh |
|
father of Stribog |
|
clouds & rain |
|
weather |
| Stribog |
|
son of Ersvorsh; father of Varpulis & Dogoda |
|
cloud-haired patriarch |
|
wind & air |
| Varpluis |
|
son of Stribog; father of wild winds |
|
wild warrior |
|
storms |
| Dogoda |
|
son of Stribog; father of mild winds |
|
youthful poet |
|
west wind, poetry |
| Kupala |
|
daughter of Mati |
|
pregnant woman |
|
fertility, birth, women |
| Beilbog |
|
daughter of Mati |
|
maiden |
|
purity, healing |
| Chernobog |
|
son of Mati |
|
wolf-headed man |
|
darkness, evil |
| Jarovit |
|
|
|
berserker |
|
war |
| Kolyada |
|
enemy of Perun |
|
ice spirit |
|
winter |
| Proven |
|
|
|
venerable patriarch |
|
justice |
| Utrennyaya |
|
a Zorya |
|
beautiful child |
|
dawn |
| Vrechernyaya |
|
a Zorya |
|
mature shieldmay |
|
dusk |
| Lada Dernyaay |
|
a Zorya |
|
bright-eyed crone |
|
midnight, prophecy |
| (Nameless) |
|
Guarded by the Zorya |
|
loathesome beast |
|
polar night, demons |
| Baba Yaga |
|
|
|
kindly matriarch |
|
death |
| Walgino |
|
|
|
bull-headed man |
|
cattle |
| Devana |
|
|
|
woman or wild hart |
|
hunting |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| North Russia Region |
| Volos |
|
|
|
merchant |
|
money, commerce, cattle, oracles, poetry |
| Mokosh |
|
|
|
ragged beggar woman |
|
liberation, healing |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
While most Slavic pagan priests are Volkhvy, some who serve the darker deities, such as Chernobog or the Nameless One, are Kolduny (Hedge Magic, 77). Even some who serve violent but otherwise beneficent deities such as Perun or Varpulis may actually be Kolduny. However, both Volkhvy and Kolduny both draw on the power of Faerie, albeit in different ways.
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