Slavic/Russian Gods?

[Delta]

Did anyone ever stat up the Slavic/Russian pantheon in 1E/OD&D, with gods like Perun, Veles, Jarilo, Morana, Svarog, etc.?

I have the Dragon Magazine CD archive, and I'm surprised that I can't find any trace of such a mythology being worked up (especially given all the pantheons that were written up at some point; plus all the times that legends like Baba Yaga were referenced in 1E, etc...)

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there Delta!

Never saw them myself.

I am just wondering were they statted in Hackmasters Gawds & Demi-Gawds? I have been meaning to pick that book up.

I have been considering some 3E interpretations of the Slavic Gods myself. Its one of those pantheons people are not that familiar with.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

I have no desire to see gods "statted" per se, but I did give portfolios and domains to Czernobog and Bielebog IMC.

 

[Choranzanus]

I don't need any god stats too, but if you happen to come on some portfolios and domains I would like to see it.

 

[Nyeshet]

Um, if you are not stat'ing them then it shouldn't be that hard for you to determine their portfolios, domains, etc yourself.

Portfolios are easiest - just look at whyever the deities were prayed to. Did someone pray to deity _____ for a good harvest? Chances are that 'harvest', 'agriculture', etc could be a portfolio. Same with praying for a safe return and journeys, success in battle and warfare, and so forth. Where they rarely prayed to, just seen as a deity of the wilderness? That also suggests a portfolio - animals, plants, and other nature based ones. Perhaps they were offered sacrifices prior to a sea voyage? That suggests a deity of the sea, of storms, etc. Maybe they were considered more powerful during a certain season? Add that season to their portfolio, along with any portfolios typically associated with that season (cold for winter, etc).

Domains should follow directly from these.

 

[Storm Raven]

Dragon 290 had a write-up for several slavic deities - Dazhbog, the Death Crone, Gabija, Jarilo, Jurate, Lunt-Ater, Meness, Mokosh, Perun, Rod, Saule, Stribog, Svantovit, Svarog, Svarozic, Ukko, and Volos.

 

[grodog]

I studied Russian Folklore as part of my mythology minor as an undergrad, and had the pleasure of taking classes from Linda Ivantis (author of Russian Folk Belief @ http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Folk-...f=sr_1_1/103-8426384-5690209?ie=UTF8&s=books). If you're a fan of the Russian/Slavic myths/folklore, it's well-worth checking out (along with Afanansev's Russian Fairy Tales @ http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Fairy...394730909/ref=pd_sim_b_1/103-8426384-5690209).

On the gaming front, there were at least two articles in the Dragon's print run on the CD that covered Russian myths:

• "The Bogatyrs of Old Kiev" by Dave Nalle in Dragon 53
• "The Dancing Hut" by Roger E. Moore in Dragon 83

I thought there was another article, but if so, I can't seem to find it (perhaps from the old "Giants in the Earth" series?). FWIW, GURPS Russia is pretty good, too.

 

[Alzrius]

It's for questions like this that I created The Gods List.

 

[Alzrius]

I am just wondering were they statted in Hackmasters Gawds & Demi-Gawds? I have been meaning to pick that book up.

Unfortunately, they're not.

Gawds & Demi-Gawds does cover the Aldrazar (Hackmaster), Babylonian, Celtic, Central American, Cerilian, Chinese, Drow, Dwarven, Egyptian, Elven, Fading Realms (Forgotten Realms), Finnish, Gnomish, Greek, Halfling, Japanese, Krynnish, Kuchooloo (Mythos), Mystaros (Mystara), Native American, Non-Human, Norse, Oerth, Sumerian, Tellene (Kingdoms of Kalamar), an Zakharan (Al-Qadim) pantheons though.

Before you get too excited, however, each of these gods basically just has stats and a few paragraphs of description. It is still an impressive list, though.

 

[Clueless]

Planewalker does have an article on the Slavic Pantheon if a fan-work would suffice for you in the face of a lack of printed material.