Global Mythologies

[Yastreb]

Maglor, I found your list of great interest. In my Dragonhost Saga, the main character is from a culture much like Old Russia, and in the first volume, Earthfire, he travels through the neighbouring land, which is based on Serbia. Both lands share the Twelve Gods, as follows.

Svarok, the Lord of Battles
Byelovoi, the Lord of Light
Kolyada, the Beautiful, the Beloved
Morena, the Merciful
Lara, the Bountiful
Svarog, the Maker
Volos, the Keeper of Oaths
Chernovoi, the Dark Lord, the Lord of Strife
Makosh, the Dark Mother of Fate
Perun, the Bringer of Storms
Triglav, the Lord of the Underworld
Stribor, the Lord of Winter

[Maglor]

Huh, you swapped Magozh and Mara... interesting)

[Yastreb]

Dunno if the Makosh-Mara switch is down to me or my source.

In Book 2 (Stormblade) we find the deities of the neighbouring realm of Caillor...

Valsar the Defender
Bellor the Just, the Light-bearer
Convira the Beautiful
Kalevara the Mother
Myrath the Bountiful
Skandra the Maker
Ervan the Oath-Maker

There is also the realm of Ironvale, whose inhabitants are basically Norse. They hold to the Aesir; those specifically mentioned are Wotan, Tyr, Freyja, Skadhi, Frigga and Hela.

Finally, there's the realm of Zantria, the remnant of an ancient Empire. Their faith can be explained by this exchange.

 “What Gods do you worship?” Yastreb asked suddenly.
Tavrenn looked briefly surprised, and then replied cautiously, “What do you think the answer is? I believe you know already.”
“You swear by the Dragon. You curse in the name of... of the Destroyer,” Yastreb replied with equal caution. “So you don’t believe in the Gods...”
Tavrenn gave a slight chuckle. “Oh, there are Gods, and we don’t deny their existence. We have proof enough that they exist. But we don’t give them worship. What we give honour to is Life. What we turn away from is Destruction. Life is all we are. Life is what defines us. In the end, Life is the answer.”

[Maglor]

Bestiary.

Domovoy aka Boroota. The Housekeeper. Kind trickster spirit, that keeps house safe. Can behave like a polterheist when angry on householders, of just feel like it.

Kekemora. Domovoy's or Leshy's wife. A huge b*tch.

Leshy. The Forestkeeper. Most oftenly is hostile to human-beings.

Vodyanoy. The Waterguy. A spirit of any natural reservoir.

Veey. A one-eyed demon, capable of killing people and destroying the hole cities by just looking at them. His eyelid is so massive he needs assistance from lesser demons to actually fire that cannon.

Beregeenya. The Caretakeress/Coastmaid. Benevolent female spirit, guarding any natural water sources and people near them.

Veela. Ghost of an unbaptized virgin girl. Ambigous creature very close to celtic Fairy.
Samoveela aka Samodiva. Evil version of Beregeenya. VERY evel. Known to steal infants, build houses of people and doing other Tzimisce stuff.
Poludnitsa. Noonwraith. Malevolent spirit, belived to be responsible for so called Horror of Noon and a heat stroke.
Oopyr'. Ghoul. Nuff said.
Roosalka. Undead. Ghost of someone (most oftenly - woman), who died violently, through suicide, drinking, or especially - tragic love. Couses troubles for lonely travelers, lure men yo a swamp or lake to drawn them and then - eat. In modern Russian language also - Mermaid.

Mavka. Poltergeist. Ghost of an unbaptized infant.
Lamia. Evil dragon.
Zdookhach. A benevolent land guardian, capable of taking forms of a dragon, horse or a humanbeing.
Huluh aka Shakran'. Ever-hungry threheaded dragon. Sometimes try eating the Sun.
Baba-Yaga. Ol' Ogg/Hag. Female spirit/deity/humanbeing of an extraordinary magical talent. Guardian of the forest and also - the border between Yav' and Nav'. One of her legs is skeletal in order to put it in Nav'. Ambiguos character, Baba-Yaga is said to play an important role in keeping the peace and balance, though been grumpy and noxious on the exterior.
Ol' Ogg lives in a small hut, built on a chicken legs - an image, that goes back to slavic tradition of burying dead in a special buildings, built on a high fundament.
Depending on a plot or a context Ol' Ogg can play a role of any of the Three Hecate's faces: helper (cold on the exterior but wery kind inside), antagonis (a classical evil witch) or a warmaidenbabooshka when it's about any threat from Nav'.

Koschey the Undead. Archlich. Nuff said. In most of Russian fairytales Koschey posses a classical filactery - his death is on the tip of a needle, the needle is in the egg, the egg is in the duck, the duck is in the hare, the hare is in the chest, and the chest is on the top of a huge well secured oak, growing far-far away (let us not forget, that in slavic mythology far-far away=afterworld).

Alconost, Gamayoon, Stratim and Siren. Harpies, who are not actually that evil, but can drive one mad with their song.

Chort aka Bes. Imp. In modern Russian language - lesser demon.
Leekho. Forest deity, personification of natural disaster, trouble, danger, forest predators. Could be also smth like Vendigo.
Leekhoradka. aka Daughters of Herod. Modern Russian word for Fever. An evil deity of desieses. Always appears in a multiple form.
Bannik. The Saunakeeper. Similar to Domovoy, but nastier. It is said, that Bannik can kill a person who shows disrespect, or bang a girl who went alone in a sauna just for the sake of fun (and/or if she's asking for it ).

Dvorovoy. The Yardkeeper.
Ovinniy. The Barnkeeper.

[Maglor]

Sorry for leaving those articles so unstructurized. I'll work it over later.

Winter.
An important element of ethnogenesis of ours, and the biggest part of Russian stereotype complex we call Klukva.
Here be all the mythological charachters, connected to winter.

Karachoon. Tough, rough malevolent god of winter/evil sorcerer-cryomancer. A god of frost, darkness, underworld and dying young. Karachoon is not necessarily evil, he can spare some gifts, but most of the time he's a disaster. Possible source material for Koschey.

Moroz. Freeze. An ambiguos perconification of winter, strict but kind. Since XIX century Moroz merged with st.Nicolas, becoming - that's right! - Dead Morose (lol). Gran' Freeze. Russian Santa. Oftenly accompanyed by forest beasts and his (grand)daughter Snegoorocka (more of her later).

Zyuzya. One more personification of winter. Trickster. Those who nevermind the cold gets his gift of strong health. But Zyuzya can punish those who are too grumpy about the weather or - especially! - drunk. In modern Russian language the word "Zyuzya" (Зюзя) is used for desribing a drunk person.
Snegoorochka. A Snow Maiden with long and dark history. Desperate times - desperate measures: there are few but well confirmed evidences, that our ancestors knew human sacrifaces. Snegoorochka - is a virgin, murdered via freezing to deth as a sacriface to cajole Karachoon.
Later the image of Shegoorochka gets a bit brighter. She's a lesser deity now, an unwanted daughter of Moroz/Karachoon and The Beatifull Spring (Magozh?). She lives with common people and is so pretty it casuses problems. At the end of a complicated lovestory with a strong sexual implication Snegoorochka gets under the bright sun beam and dies, thus being - again! - sacrifaced, this time - to Yareelo.
Then - another softening. Snegoorochka - is a snow golem, built by an old childless couple. She's doing just fine until she gets into an old Russian amusement - jumping over a big fire. The end is kinda predictable.
Nowadays she's a daughter or a granddaughter of Gran' Freeze with no deep background.

Kolyada. A godess of time, cycles, beginning and the end. Her time is winter equinox.

[Jitter]

Thank you Maglor! Very interesting, and the pictures are cool! As a Finn, I notice I know too little of the Russian paganism although I also recognized some elements from our mythology

[Maglor]

I also recognized some elements from our mythology

Yep. Moroz, for instace, have his place in Kalevala as Pakkanen.
But the biggest bridge to foreing mythologies is of course Mara.

[Jitter]

We also have Housekeepers (kotitonttu), and sauna keepers and keepers of the drying barn, and the animal barn, etc.

[Maglor]

Mythological Warriors.

Svyatogor. Holy Mountain. An ancient giant, so heavy, he can't stand without breaking the land under his feet. In one of the legends he transmits his power to Ilya Muromets and dies that symbolizes baptizing Rus'.
Vol'ga Svyatoslavich. Wolf Svyatoslavson. Accident son of a princess Martha and a sapient serpent. Known for trickiness, and gift of animalism.
Meekoola Selyaninovich. Nicolas/Michael Villageson. Collective image of all the paisants together, strong enough to lift up the bag, filled with "the weight of Mother-Earth herself" that even Svyatogor could't do.
Samson. The biblical Samson I mean. It appers he also found his place in slavic epos.
Polkan. Pulicane. Came to us from "I reali di Francia" by Andrea de Barberino. Cantaur or a cynocefal.
Doonuy Ivanovich. Danube Johnson. A tragic example of difficulties of a family life with polyanitsa (war-maiden). During his wedding Doonuy is competing his wife in archery and eventually poor woman gets an accidental headshot. Miserable Doonay commits suicide, and dies near his wife. His blood gives the beggining of Danube river.
Eedolische Poganoye. The Nasty Idol. Collective image of the Mongolian invasion, nemesis of Ilya Muromets.
The golden trio:
Ilya Muromets. Elijah of Murom. Our Hercules, Arthur, Gilgamesh, etc, etc. The main character of Russian epos. There's simply too much to write about him.
Alyosha Popovich. Lex Popeson. Trickster. Described as relatively week but very smart and catchy.
Dobrynya Nikitich. Described as a peacefull giant - very strong warrior and a good diplomat. Said to be the closest to the noble family.
Vasilisa Meekulishna. Basilica Michaelson. Elder daughter of Mekoola Selyaninovich, she inhereted his supernatural fisical might and modesty. Has had to save her husband Stavr from troubles, caused by his showing off. The lesson of her story and a character is that the true strenght is about posessing might rather than applying it.
Nastasya Meekulishna. Anastasia Michaelson. Wife of Dobrynya. First met him in combat, well of course...
Nastasya Korolevishna. Anastasia Kingson. Poor wife of Doonuy.
Zlatygorka and Savishna. Golden Hill and Savson. Wifes of Ilya Muromets.
Marya Morevna. Mary Marson. The only battle mage between those warriors. Known for imprisoning Koschey via magic and intrigue. Still - a woman for a hero to get. An interesting detail about Mary Marson: thogh "Morevna" or "Marson" most certainly means "The daughter of the Marine (Sea) king" she came from the steppe. Russian early medival society was pretty much like Scandinavian, especially when it comes to female rights: both Rusian and Scandinavian women had much more rights than an average medival woman. That also implies a right for a military career. On the other hand, while it's uncertain to me, what was about it in a Golden Horde, it's known, that mongolian women also could take their part in a battle. Mary Marson, as a legend, thus can be a way for our ancestors to reflect those new data about foreing cultures: she's a daughter of a sea king (Scandinavian part), she's a rider, that came frome the steppe (Mongolian part), and she's kick-ass (common part).

[Yastreb]

Maglor, those lists are fascinating, and they make me almost ashamed to admit the liberties I've taken with Russian mythology in writing Earthfire in particular.

In Earthfire, Koschei the Undying and Baba Yaga are the First Guardian and the Second Guardian of Tunguska, the realm where Yastrebm, the main protagonist, comes from.
Koschei is "a tall, thin man in black robes and tall hat, all trimmed with white fur. His eyes, set in a narrow face seamed with wrinkles, were like the night; glimmering black, with silver pinpoints." He justice is harsh, as shown in the second chapter, when he burns alive two men, one a young nobleman, who had raped a girl who later hanged herself.
Baba Yaga is "small, buxom, and ruddy-faced, in plain brown blouse and skirt under a green cloak edged with falcon feathers. Her features somehow showed both faint lines of age and the fairness of youth. Her flowing hair was rust-red, confined by an unadorned silver circlet, and her eyes were bright blue."  She is jovial and good-natured by comparison with Koschei.

There are the Domovoi and Kikamoroi; in Yastreb's telling, "the male and female spirits of inhabited places. All homes have one; a few lucky ones, the couple. We called them the Goodfolk and left presents for them on days of celebration; and they would happily help with little chores while the family was asleep. And if you are wondering, they would never do all the work; a lazy family would never get their help. I had seen the Domovo of my family home three times, each on my birthday, as it happened. I remember each time the present I was given was especially fine. He was a little man with sleek brown fur, who could change into the shape of a small dog."

[Maglor]

In Earthfire, Koschei the Undying and Baba Yaga are the First Guardian and the Second Guardian of Tunguska, the realm where Yastrebm, the main protagonist, comes from.

That's... you're missing a lot here. Podkamennaya Tunguska river is situated in Siberia and thus is an oject of a turkic mythology, not slavic. It's gonna be long till I get to our turks, so to you I propose to ggogle about Far East and Siberia's locals.

[Yastreb]

Acknowledged about Tunguska; I might reconsider the name in a future draft.

[Maglor]

Russian ugoric mythology. See if you can find any similarities in names.

Karelia republic.
Karels aka White-eyed chood'.

Spoiler: show

Ukko. Thunder god, head of the pantheon.
Ukko №2. A god of husbandry. It seems that Karels sees two different gods, where Finns sees one.
Rauni. Mother-godess, a wife of Ukko №2.
Ilmailine aka Ilmoiline, Ilmarinen. The god of thunder.
Hiisi. The god of hunt.
Veden-ema. The god of fishers.
Kekri. Guardian of a cattle.
Tuoni aka Mana. Hades, the ruler of Manala aka Tuonela.
The rest of mythology is pretty similar to that of Finland.
Vepses aka Ves', Chood', Vepsläižed, Lüdinikad

Spoiler: show

Jumou. Thunder god, the head of a pantheon. Later is associated with st.Elijah.
Turzas. God of water.
Mecižand aka mecanuk, mecanmez’, mechiine, korbhiine. Spirit of the forest.
Mecanak aka Mecanemäg. His wife.

Morodovia republic.
Common elements.
The initial state of the word is an ocean, called Ineved'. World creation happens via hero in a shape of a duck dive into the Ineved' and yeah, Kalevala again, folks.
Common is belief in ancestor animals, mostly - bears.
Vir'-ava. Mother of the forest.
Varma-ava. Mother of the wind.
Norov-ara aka Paxäva. Mother of the field.
Tol-ava. Mother of the fire.
Ved'-ava. Mother of the water.
Moksha aka Mokshet, Mordva (subethnos).

Spoiler: show

Mokshen' coy is a neopaganistic religion, recovered from what used to be their traditionaal beliefs.
Shky aka Shkabavaz. The Demiurg. Is honored in modern Mokshen' coy.
Idemävoz'. The Devil.
Kardazava and Kardazon kirdi. Yard-keepers.
Ürkhtava. Goddes of family and hearth.
Velen' kirdi ürkhtava. Guardian of the village.
Yakshamatä andYakshamava. God and goddes of cold.
Vazava. Cattle-keeper.
Varman' kirdi and Varmava. God and godess of wind.
Virälä and Viräva. God and godess of forest.
Vedälä and Vedäva. God and godess of water.
Aksha kal, Aksha loxti and Aksha kelu. White fish, white swan, and white bark. Functions unknown. Are honored in modern Mokshen' coy.
Tumashky. God of oak. Is honored in modern Mokshen' coy.
Lepeshky. God of alder. Is honored in modern Mokshen' coy.
Atämshky. Thunder god.
Soltan. God that holds the Earth.
Tolava. Godess of fire.
Kovatä and Kovava. God and godess of Moon.
Mastoratä. God of underworld and/or underground.
Modava. Godess of land.
Kudava. House-keeper.
Erzä aka Erzät, Mordva (subethnos).

Spoiler: show

Baptized unvillingly, those people came to profess a mix of a paganism and an ortodoxal christianity.
Nishke aka Nishke paz, Inishke paz. The demiurg.
Chi paz. Solar god.
Pur'gine paz. God of thunder.
Yendol paz. God of lightning.
Mastorava. Godess of land.

TBC

[Róisín]

Tumashky is an interesting one. Maglor, can you tell me anything about the origin of the name?

[Maglor]

Tumashky is an interesting one. Maglor, can you tell me anything about the origin of the name?

Only that "Shky" apparetntly means "God" or "genius".