[B0rsuk]

Misc/background:
This post serves as a source of inspiration. Information I write here isn't directly related to the mod, but may prove useful. At the end of this post you'll (soon) find links to pages full of slavic information and/or galleries.

I'll start with ancient slavic gods.Tip: I use mostly polish spelling, pronounce "j" as "y"

There were many slavic gods, basically. Depending on period and source, some of them are or aren't considered major; that's not the point. I tried to select most common gods who "overlap" in different sources.
Perun was usually considered the highest god. He was the god of thunder, war, strenght. His holy tree was oak. Places struck by lightning were holy to Slavs - especially Oaks. I vaguely remember a tale of a criminal who fled to a tree recently struck by lighning, knowing that Slavs wouldn't dare to follow him. Other symbols of Perun were mountain, sometimes weapons (trio: axe, spear, bow). The god resembles Thor from the north. Before Scandinavian influences we was supposed to be less war-related. His domain used to be defense rather than offense.
He was supposed to be opponent of Veles and Zmij (Zmey).
In one tale, Perun felt in love in baltic godess of sea Jurata (Yurata). She had a palace in the deeps made entirely of amber. Unfortunately for him she preferred a simple fisherman. Angered Perun destroyed the palace with his lightning, shattering it and killing the godess. The tale explains genesis of amber.
Priests of Perun were keepers of the sacred fire; they would be killed should the fire die. Miniature axes associated with Perun worked as pendants for good luck/health. They were also placed in beds of small children, to make them grow strong.
Christianity replaced Perun with Saint Elijah the Thunderer.
Swietowit(Sventevith, Zvanthevith)
Was another major god, quite possibly another name for Perun. His name means more less "Holy One".
Along with Veles, he is present in a myth of world creation.
His domain was fire, sun, war.
He was depicted as an armed, 4-faced/headed man. Each head would face one side of the world.
Rujewit
God of war, fertility. His symbol was a swallow. A tall god with seven (!) faces. He was supposed to carry seven swords behind his belt, and the eighth in his hand.
Jarowit/Jaryla
Another god of war. He carried golden shield, symbol of sun and victory.
Jaryla was present more on the east, and was more about fertility...
Swaróg(Svarog)
The sun god; depicted as sun itself. Among Slavs it was forbidden to point at sun with your finger. While working on a field, you were not to turn your back to the sun. At dawn, Slavs would bow their head and pray. It should be noted that many Slavs, especially north and east ones, lived in rather cold climate. Sun would protect you from cold and wild animals. The god was worshipped among all slavs.
Svarozyc
Son of Svarog - son of the sun ! He was god of fire. Deceased people were burned as a sacrifice to him. If angered, he would punish by sending a wildfire. Respected and feared.
Searing coals were at all times kept among ashes of fireplace. They would be taken to a new home, or given to sons coming out of age
Radogost (Radegast, Radigast - sounds familiar ?)
Fire, crops, hospitality.
Dadzbog(Dabog)
Fire, wealth, sun, good luck.
Veles
Depending on source - god of magic, oaths, cattle; dwells underworld in the middle of a swamp. Lord of the underworld; Hell's Caretaker if you will ;-).
He's an opponent of Perun, and while not as strong as the thunder/fire/sun god, Perun can't defeat him. There is some kind of balance between good and evil in slavic myths. Some sources claim he was second most worshipped god after Perun.
There's one amusing tale explaining how witches gained their ability to cast spells. Once upon a time there was a girl traveling through forest. Suddenly it started to rain. Not willing to get her clothes wet she took them off and placed in her basket. Once the rain passed, she dressed herself and shortly after met Veles.
Veles asked here what powerful spells did she use to avoid the rain. She said she would tell him, but only after Veles tells her his magic secrets.
Veles was apparently a good friend ot Zmij/Zmey.
Mokosz(Mokosh)
The only godess in pantheon of major gods. She was basically patron of women, fertility, water, earth.

At this point it should be apparent that fire/sun was very, very important to Slavs. Fire/sun symbolised (mostly defensive?) war, strenght, health, good luck, wealth. There were multiple fire gods. For these reasons it was very hard for Slavs to grasp the concept of christian Hell - for Slavs, cold was bad, fire was protection. Oh, and does Sunday ring any bells for you ?
At the same time they were close to nature. I'll cover "nature" part later.

Lesser gods:
Srzybóg(Stribog)
God of winds, depicted as a winged giant with swollen face. Slavs never liked winds too much, they thought each wind was a demon. They either tried to banish/kill them with throwing knives, rocks etc or bribe with offerings.
Stribog was sometimes said to have four children - four winds, one for each direction/side of the world.
You know how wind can make fallen leaves dance and form a moving, swirling circle ? Ukrainians would say it's an evil spirit and (post-christianisation) throw blessed knives into the circle.
Rod (+Rodzanice)
Spirits/gods of familily bonds, tribe...They would determine newborn child's fate by making an invisible mark on its forehead. They would be offered food during various family celebrations, birthdays etc.
They would often even get their separate table. It seems likely that this is where the custom of keeping one empty seat on Xmas comes from (no idea how spread it is, but it's certainly known in Poland).
Appearance: invisible.
Dola
Godess of fate,homestad, wellfare, luck. A son could "inherit" her from his father. Usually invisible, but sometimes depicted as a beautiful young woman in wedding clotches, or an old, solemn woman with a shiny ring.
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Spirits/demons
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Wilderness/nature
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Poludnica(Przypoludnica, przeludnica, zytniczka, zytnia baba, miawka)

Takes care of fields and field flowers. She appears on fields on sunny summer afternoons. She roams around fields cursing people with heat strokes, blackouts, headaches, pain of spine, muscles, general weakness, or even death. If she met someone she'd ask him a strange question or riddle. In case of wrong answer she'd force victim to take care of her long, "windy" hair - or she'd tickle him/her to death.
Poludnice (plural) would sometimes dance in rings. There would be no escape for someone caught in such a ring. They were especially dangerous for children left on their own - they could eat the child or bury it alive.
Appearance: Usually a tall, young woman with harsh, pale face, dressed in white dress. Sometimes with a scythe in her hand. Alternatively they would appear as a subtle, blue-grey mist floating in the air, coming down on fields and causing sea-like waves.
Defence: avoid fields around noon. Hide somewhere.
Genesis: Probably souls of girls who died before getting maried.

Polewik
Male counterpart of Poludnica, especially among south Slavs. Keeper of fields. Appears on noon or dusk. Unfriendly to humans; he would love to confuse them and make them lost. He would try to strangle sleeping people. He was especially hostile to drunkards.
Appearance: varies; a human dressed in white or black, or a dark-skinned dwarf with hair of grass and eyes of different colors.
Defence: Before working in a field you should have somewhere close a cock who cannot sing and two eggs.

Leszy(lesny, lesnik, laskowiec, gajowik, borowy, lesij, lesawik)
Unfriendly demon of woods. He would travel through forests in search of humans, and then make them lose their way. Ruler of forests and animals inhabiting them. Rather than spotting him, it was easier to hear him - he would whistle, sing, and laugh.
Appearance: Like a man living in forest. Sometimes with deer horns on his head. He could take a form of a wolf, owl, boar or hare.
Defence: You should put your clotches on "inside out" or, ummm, what's the word... off by 180 degrees ? :-). If you meet him face to face, you should run and/or make him laugh. Sacrifices/offerings would work, too.
Genesis: Ghosts of hermits or people who died in forest (sudden death).

Dobrochoczy (from Belarus)
Little sources on this one. Similar to Leszy, but more friendly to humans. He would cause good luck to hunters and protect animals. Would help people of pure heart, and punish evil ones with diseases. He would lead lost people back on track.
Appearance: a bear (!), lynx, deer, whirlwind. A shapeshifter; as he travels through woods he's always as tall as a tree next nearest to him.

Odmienica (Mamuna, dziwozona, babula, boginka/bogunka, albasta, lauma, lojma, lisyvka)
A very dangerous female forest demon living near bodies of water. Their favorite mischief would be to kidnap small children. They would swap them with their own ugly offspring. Odmienica would, much like a thief, observe its target for a while first. Sometimes she would try to lure the mother out of the homestad.
Odmienica's child (Odmieniec - changeling) would have ugly body, could have some physical disabilities. Rude behaviour. Big stomach, too big or too small head, thing arms and legs, very hairy body, long fingernails. Such a child would be very malicious, would be afraid of the mother, produce lots of noise, sleep very little, and eat a lot including alcohol. The child would usually die young, but if not it would be crippled, didn't trust anyone and talk in gibberish.
Appearance: Odmienica would usually appear as an ugly old woman, with breasts so big and long she could carry them on her back. Very hairy body, long and straight hair, red hat.
Defence: Wrap child's hand in a stripe of red material; dress it in red hat; prevent child's mouth from coming into contact with moonlight. A mother shouldn't wash child's clotches after nightfall; never leave the child on it's own; sleep with face to her child.
It could also work to take odmienica's child to a junkyard and whip it with a birch branch. It would cause Odmienica to run to help her child, and give the stolen child back.
Genesis: a woman who died as a maiden; an unmarried mother; pregnant woman who died before giving birth.

Wodnik (topielec, utopiec, plywnik, wodanoj, vodnik, vodny, ondyn, nykus)
A male demon inhabiting a body of water. Wodnik is very malicious and unpredictable. He excelled at ambushing and drowning people - he would pull them into whirlpools. Especially people bathing after nightfall. Overflowing rivers , lakes, damaged fishing nets and "tripping over" boats were attributed to Wodnik.
Appearance: a naked young man with green, slender body, dark hair and pale eyes. Always dripping with water.
Genesis: spirits of drowned people and children cursed by their mother.

Topielica(wodnica, brodawica, rusalka, wodjanicha)
Female water demon, counterpart of Wodnik. They liked to seduce, then kill bathing men with their body and beautiful singing.
They would appear mostly in full moon - they were said to gain strenght from its light. They would sit on trees whose branches lean over water. Inactive in winter.
They would cause good luck to fishermen or damage their nets and ambush boats - when they felt like it. They could often be seen over bodies of water taking care of their long hair. They would love to dance and sing. Rings formed by dancing rusalki were dangerous, just like Poludnica.
Appearance: Beautiful, young girls, naked ( ) or dressed in white and light-green skirts. Pale, with long wavy hair (green, dark or light). On head they wore (wossname) rings made of herbs/flowers.
Defence: sacrifice eggs, wrap strings of material around branches which lean over water.
Genesis: maidens who died by drowning.
EDIT
Some sources I found claim rusalka would die if her hair would ever dry.
The same source points out that free, unkept long hair of rusalka are very important. "Hair rules" for slavs were quite clear - young women/virgins were to keep their hair in one braid and weren't required to cover them.
!= virgin and older women were to keep their hair in two braids and/or covered with a white or red kerchief. Therefore (shortcut here) Rusalka's hair are symbol of freedom. An interesting read: http://www.virginia.edu/slavic/seefa/RUSALKA.HTM

Syrena(generic mermaid)
Groups of them would lure sailors onto rocks with their beautiful songs.
Apparance: Young, well-built women with fish tails instead of legs. Light, dark or green hair.
Defence: Avoid them.

Planetnik (chmurnik, planitnyk, oblocznik)
A demon of clouds bringing rain, storms and hail. It would cast thunders, control clouds, or take water from rivers using the rainbow. They would shatter ice in lakes to make hail out of it.
Appearance: a small boy or young man - tall, skinny, pale.
Defense: to banish Planetnik away from a village, take pitchforks, brooms, baking shovels etc outside and lay them on the earth. It helps to make a lot of noise with hammers, metal objects, bells.
But if you want to attract rain, take a maiden and lead her around fields struck by drought while showering her with water.
Genesis: Quite interesting. A living man could become a Planetnik - you'd be kidnapped during by a storm, taken high into the clouds, and return as a Planetnik.

Latawiec (female form - Latawica)
A male or female night/air demon. There was a connection between falling stars and Latawiec/Latawica. The demons excelled at seducing wives and husbands. Latawiec(-ica's) victim would quickly become obsessed with love, would avoid home and family, dance and singing. He/She would often visit the place of first meeting with Latawiec/Latawica, or wander around aimlessly. The love could drive victim insane, and he/she usually soon died.
Appearance: beautiful, young, charming men and women. No one would be able to reject them.
Defense: carry garlic with you.
Genesis: souls of young men and women.

Zmij (russian zmej)
Air dragon living in dark clouds. You could see outline of Zmij in such clouds if you looked carefully. It comes in various incarnations - some are friendly, and some hostile to humans. It could either protect field or badger people with intensive rain.
Another source suggests Zmij was related to Veles and lived in the roots of World Tree.

Ogniki(swiecniki, swieczniki, swicki, swietliki bagienne)
After sun's gone, they would float above swamps and marshes, luring careless travelers with their blinking. They could lead someone away from correct path and cause him to wander around swamps without hope. But sometimes, out of pity, they would lead lost traveler back on path.
Apparance: blinking, floating lights. (will-o-wisp)
It may be important that Ogien means fire in polish.
Genesis: Souls of unjust, evil and cruel people. They are being punished for their sins.

Bledyblednice)
They would usually hide in forests. Mischievous and malicious. They would confuse travelers and lead them away from correct path, especially from short and supposedly foolproof path.
Appearance: Invisible

Other:

Wampir/Upior(Wapierz, wampierz, wypior, upyr, opyr, vupar, upir, vampir, vaper)
An animated body of a deceased man. Wampir would hate sunlight and leave his grave only during night. It would hunt people and saaaakhhh their blaaaaahhd. That's why they don't decompose. They have short, pointy teeth and fangs used to bite into someone's neck. Belarussian Wupars would instead use their deadly sharp tongues to pierce chests of their victims.
Appearance: Before death they were != pale (sorry for my english), with big heads, and connected eyebrows (I mean the hair). Some believed them to have two hearts - one would die with death of the "vampire-to-be", but the other would keep working. Vampires could take various shapes, but usually bats. The "pir" or "pyr" suffix suggests ability to fly.
Defence: This is where the fun starts.
The most common was wrapping vampire's body with a rope and turning it face to the ground.It was also common to decapitate the body and place its head between its legs. Sometimes they were pierced with sharp objects, like a wooden stake. It would help to put iron into vampire's mouth; altearnatively some stones or coins. Another idea is to put a lot of blades (scythes, knives, sickles) into the coffin so that vampire cripples itself badly when getting up. It could also help fill the coffin with seeds of field poppy - a vampire would cound the seeds before going on a hunt, which should buy you a lot of time. Another idea is to cripple vampire's heels, or stack a lot of heavy boulders on top of vampire's grave. Sometimes they would just cremate the body.
Vamprires were supposed to hate the smell of garlic; and be afraid of silver and plants with thorns.
Genesis: someone dying a sudden death - suicide, plague. Evil and cruel people could become vampires, also witches and sorcerors. It also helps if you have too many teeth.

Strzyga (male form - Strzygon, strzyz, strzyzen); striga,
Sometimes believed to be an early version of a vampire. It would come to human settlements during nights to strangle them and/or suck their blood. It would kill cattle and pigs, too. Favorite work hours - midnight.
Appearance: A dangerous owl-like demon with large wings and claws.
Genesis: souls of small children, especially born before marriage or ones that died during birth.
Defence: find the body of the child, and basically destroy/cripple it.

Karzelek(Skarbnik)
Spirit of a mine. Keeper of miners' customs. He also guarded treasure/riches of the earth. He caused bad luck to unhonest, greedy and lazy miners, and when bad luck hits you in a mine it usually hits you in the head. He aids honest and truthful miners. His appearance would be perceived as a warning.
Appearance: an elder with long white beard or a miner with dirty face and strange eyes, dressed in a miner's uniform. Sometimes comes in a form of an animal such as mouse, black dog or cat.
Defense: do your job well as a miner and Skarbnik won't harm you.

Wilkolak (wilkok, vlkodlak)
A human capable of taking shape of a wolf at specific time - for example at full moon. He'd become dangerous and agressive, attacking people in murderous frenzy. After the rage was over, the person wouldn't remember anything.
Appearance: Depicted as huge wolves with glowing eyes, sometimes able to speak; or half-men / half wolves.
Protection: They hate silver. Nothing but silver can kill a werewolf.
Genesis: A human could be born with it; or would become a werewolf as a result of being cursed. A person bitten by a werewolf would become werewolf, too.

Czarownica (wiedzma, jedza, baba, ciota, gulnica, matocha)
Wiedzma (vedma) - slavic word for a witch means a person who _knows_. This term was used to describe a person capable of healing, divination, predicting future, spellcasting. It is believed that initially they were deeply respected. Later, especially under christian influence, they became synonymous with evil. They were said to cause hailstorms, droughts, storms, floods, and spread vermin. They could heal as well as harm, cause diseases, and even death. They could cast charms on neighboors or their animals - for profit, or as a revenge for mischief done to them. They could possess a man by using so-called "evil eye".
Appearance: Usually old, skinny and ugly women. Sometimes with iron legs or teeth. They were able to shapeshift into young women, or any animal.
Genesis: Mysterious/lonely women, herbalists etc were perceived as witches.
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STORIES
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Origin of Witchcraft

Long ago, when the world was still fairly new, a young woman ventured into the woods to pick mushrooms. In no time at all, the skies opened up upon her and narrowly escaping the rain, she ran beneath a tree, removed all of her clothing, and bundled them up in her bag so they would not get wet. After some time, the rain stopped and the woman resumed her mushroom picking. Weles, Horned God of the forest happened upon her, and asked her what great magick she knew in order to have kept dry during the storm.

"If you show me the secret to your magick, I will show you how I kept dry." she said. Being somewhat easily tempted by a pretty face, Weles proceeded to teach her all of his magickal secrets. After he was done, she told him how she had removed her clothing and hid under a tree.

Knowing that he had been tricked, but had no one but himself to blame, Weles ran off in a rage, and thus, the first Witch came into being.

What's important here (for me) is that it's one of things proving Veles a major god; It is clear that magic is of godly origin !

Totems
Like the native Americans, each Slavic tribe had a totem animal that the clan was usually named after. It was considered taboo to kill or eat this animal except for specific religious rituals. Each member of the tribe was thought to have an animal twin, and the death of that twin could cause the death of the tribe member

Insightful. What's more, I can get nation/holy units ideas from here.

Dualism & The Origins of Slavic Belief

The origins of Slavic belief, like that of the rest of the world's, rest in animism and ancestral worship. The first two types of spirit were called the beregyni - female spirits that bring life and are the forerunners of the Rusalki, and Upyr - the spirits of death who eventually became our modern Vampire (Wampyr). From this original dualism sprang belief in all of the nature spirits, and eventually in the Rod and Rozhenitsa, the God and Goddess who imbue the newborn child with a soul and his/her fate. Although nearly all deities were originally ancestral, Rod and Rozhenitsa eventually pulled the Slavic mind out of that way of thinking and opened the doorway for the later "Indo-European" way of thinking, although the original "Old European" way of thinking kept a stronger hold on the average Slav.

Dualism permeates all of Slavic Pagan spirituality and actually seems to be the basis for most of it. This should not be confused with the dualistic good against evil beliefs of the Christian religion which have unfortunately seeped into the Slavic spirituality of today. It is a system of complimenting opposites such as darkness and light, winter and summer, female and male, cold and hot more similar to the yin/yang. The God-brothers Bialybog "white-god" and Czarnebog "black-god" who rule the light half and dark half of the year respectively, are further illustrations of this polarity. Unfortunately, because of the introduction of Christianity, these two gods later became confused with "God" and Satan.

Other examples of dualism are - the two Rozhinitsy, the mother and daughter fates, the spirits of midnight, Polunocnitsa and noon, Poludnitsa - both times seen to be equally as frightening, and the Zorya - Goddesses of dusk and dawn.

I think it's important for designing spellcasters and/or holy units. I may design two holy counterparts, for instance.

The Elements

The ancient Slavs had a deep sense of reverence for the four elements. Fire and Water were seen as sacred dualistic symbols on the horizontal or earthly plane. Earth and Sky were seen as a more vertical system of duality. High places such as mountaintops or treetops, especially birch, linden and oak, became sacred as meeting places the Sky father and the Earth mother. Where they met, they would join their procreative forces, usually in a flash of lightening and clap of thunder.

The winds were seen as the grandchildren of the God, Stribog. Water was refered to in mythology as the water of life and death and rivers were treated with respect lest they should drown you on your next visit. There are records of human, as well as other sacrifices being made to rivers such as the Dneiper and the Volga. Although many bodies of water had their own deities, most bodies of water were ruled by spirits known as Rusalki or Vodanoi. Fire was personified by the god, Svarozhich and it was considered nearly criminal to spit into a fire. Mati Syra Zemlja or Mother Moist Earth, however, seems to have been given the greatest amount of respect.

No one was allowed to strike Mati Syra Zemlja with a hoe, until the Spring Equinox, Maslenica, as she was considered pregnant until then. Earth was considered so sacred that oaths were sworn while holding a piece of her, sometimes in the mouth and ancient wedding vows were taken while swallowing a small clump of Earth or holding it on the head. The custom of asking the Earth's forgiveness before death was still being observed far into the 20th century and when a priest could not be found it was considered appropriate to confess sins to the Earth.

Elemental random deffinitely makes sense for one of casters.My idea is to have at least 4 elemental/nature summons.

Up to this point all quotes come from this site: http://members.aol.com/HPSofSNERT/beli.html



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MISC
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Modern polish words for spellcasters (male/female)
Wiedzmin/wiedzma, Czarownik/czarownica, mag/NA, Wrozbita/Wrozka, Czarnoksieznik/NA, Znachor/Znachorka, Zielarz/Zielarka(a bit of stretch, it means "herbalist"), Guslarz/Guslarka, Czarodziej/NA, Zaklinacz/NA
(NA's may be a bit misleading: female witches are actually more widely known)

Sunday was a holy day long before Christianity assimilated it in 321 A.D.

Altars in christian churches are usually placed on the east side of the building. Ancient Slavs used to bow to raising sun and praise it.

Christmas Tree is a remnant of ancient Slav tree worship. They used to decorate homestads with green branches to discourage evil spirits.

Slavic new year starts with winter/spring solstice.
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Sources:

(I'm in the process of reading this one, looks quite good)
http://www.mythinglinks.org/euro~east~panSlavic.html

(low hourly transfer limit, and in polish)
http://slowianie.republika.pl

Swastika, the symbol of good, fire, sun (pl)
http://free.of.pl/s/swarzyca/ksiegi/swasta.htm

PICTURES:

(low hourly transfer limit... but there are some very cool pictures by Andriej Klimienko I couldn't find anywhere else)
http://slowianie.republika.pl/malarstwo.htm

(very cool)
http://www.bolchazy.com/gallery/slav...slidemain.html

http://fantalov.tripod.com/slav1.htm

A lot of thanks goes to RedRover for his contributions.