vaesna:

Slavic mythological figures [6/?]
↳ Koschei, Koščej

A figure from Slavic folklore, Koschei (Russian: Коще́й, also Kashchei or Kashchey; Ukrainian: Костій,Kostiy; Polish: Kościej; Czech: Kostěj)  the Deathless was known for his titular characteristic: his inability to die. What is most interesting about this figure, however, is that his immortality was not foolproof. It was said that when Koschei cast the magical spell to protect and defend himself, he accidentally left room for error.He preferred to kidnap his female victims in the form of a whirlwind tornado. 

The most important aspect of this mythical being, however, was his absolute terror of death. This fear left him open to making mistakes, and his most fatal mistake was the imperfect spell he cast to protect himself from harm.Koschei maintained his life and immortality through the removal of his soul.  Taking it from his body, it was said he hid it in a needle, inside an egg, in a duck, in a rabbit, then locked it in an iron or crystal chest, and buried it under a green oak on an island.Koschei the Deathless further safeguarded his soul by ensuring his animal vessels, or seals, could get away.

Legend has it that if the chest was ever dug up and opened, the duck would try to flee.  If the duck was killed, the rabbit would try to run.It is only once his opponent reached the egg that Koschei’s life was truly endangered. The egg contained the needle which held the heart of his power.  According to myth, possession of the egg was enough to gain control of the demon.  Furthermore, should the egg break, the needle within it would break as well, forcing hundreds of years of age down upon Koschei 

vaesna:

Slavic mythological figures & places [7/?]
↳ Bujan, Alatyr

Bujan (Буя́н) is an oceanic island described by some as paradise. The home of the North, East and West winds, the soft West wind being known as Dogoda. These winds were the attendants of the Sun who according to some also lived on the island. Bujan is sometimes described as the home of the two Zorya, the daughters of Dažbog - Zorya Utrennyaya and Zorya Wechernyaya. Other sources tell thet Bujan  was a silent, subterranean city that was the eternal, peacful home of the dead.  Historical documents say there was  a big oak on this island, something the ancient people worshiped as a deity and sacrificed cocks to. Also it is said that Koschei the Deathless keeps his soul hidden there, secreted inside a needle placed inside an egg in this tree.  Other legends call the island the source of all weather, created there and sent forth into the world by the god Perún.

Alatyr (Алатырь) is a white fiery, glowing and hot stone with healing and magic powers located in the center of the world, surrounded by seas and oceans on the island of Bujan.This stone  is the father and mother of all stones.  It can be small or big as a mountain. It was used by god Svarog to create planet Earth, oceans and life as we know it.Alatyr is also sometimes equated with Amber, because of the similar characteristics. Even the Baltic sea as a rich source of amber in Russia used to be called “Alatyr sea”.  A legend says  this stone marks the center of the Universe. Those who succeed in finding it will always be happy.

mropheus:

A SLAVIC MYTHOLOGY DEITY | requested by aestreae​
“The heavenly bride, goddess of beauty and morning. At dawn her worshippers greeted her as “the brightest maiden, pure, sublime, honorable.”

facinaoris:

marzanna, slavic goddess of death, winter, and nightmares. 

tanaquil:

GRAPHIC BATTLE. ----> II: A MYTHOLOGY

SLAVIC MYTHOLOGY: Slavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs before Christianisation. The religion possesses many common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion. Old Slavic religion evolved over more than a thousand years and some parts of it were from neolithic or possibly even mesolithic times. The Earth was worshipped as Mat Zemlya and there were no temples. Rituals were performed in nature.

marzaenna:

Slavic Mythology: Marzanna

There is winter in her bones, a cold gaze reflected from dark eyes. She is a fatal beauty, winter and death incarnate. All things must come to an end and when they do she will be the last sight to behold.

marlingra:

vaesna:

Slavic mythological figures [3/?] 
↳ Zorja / Zora, Zarja, Zvezda, Zwezda, Danica.

 In Slavic mythology, the Zorya are the three guardian goddesses, known as the Auroras or as the Morning Star,  Evening Star and the Midnight Star. The sisters serve the sun god Dažbog, who is in some myths described as their father. The Morning Star opens the gates to his palace each morning for the sun-chariot’s departure. At dusk, the Evening Star closes the gates once more after his return. Each night, the sun dies in the Midnight Zorja’s arms and is then restored to life.  They guard and watch over the doomsday hound, Simargl, who is chained to the star Polaris in the constellation Ursa Minor, the “little bear”. If the chain ever breaks, the hound will devour the constellation and the universe will end. 

The Zorja are said to control the time and protect the world from evil.  They represent the dawn, the noon, and the evening as well as the past, present, and future.  They are sometimes associated with the Triple Goddess—maiden, mother, and crone. 

facinaoris:

trickster week |

↳ day one: the leshy

the leshy is a male woodland spirit in slavic mythology who protects wild animals and forests. he is humanoid in shape, has a manly appearance and, on some accounts, is described as having a wife and children. he is roughly analogous to the woodwose of western europe and the basajaun of the basque country.

kostromas:

jarilo, the slavic god of spring and morana, the slavic goddess of death and winter.

aestreae:

MYTHOLOGY MEMES - [BALTIC // SLAVIC] Morena 

Morena {Czech, Slovak, Russian}, Marzanna {Polish}, Moré {Lithuanian}(also known as Mara, Maržena, Morana, Moréna, Mora or Marmora) is the Baltic and Slavic goddess of witchcraft, winter and death. She is also associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death, rebirth of nature and nightmares. The end of winter is celebrated by throwing an effigy of Morena into the river on the first spring day in March. Some medieval Christian sources such as the Czech 9th century Mater Verborum compare her to the Greek goddess Hecate, therefore associating her even more with sorcery. 15th century Polish chronicler Jan Długosz likened her to Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.

Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov and Vladimir Toporov supposed her name was derived from the same root as the name of Roman god of war Mars, originally an agricultural deity. Other theories claim her name is derived from the same Indo-European root as Latin mors ‘death’ and Russian mor ’pestilence’. Some authors also likened her to mare, an evil spirit in Germanic and Slavic folklore, associated with nightmares and sleep paralysis. In some Russian dialects the word ‘mara’ means ‘phantom’, ‘vision’, ‘hallucination’.

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