Perun
Perun hurls lightning and rules the sky, oaks, and war. He battles the serpent Veles, defending order; sworn oaths invoke his bolts, and sacred groves mark his presence across Slavic lands.
Story beats
- 1) Perun dwells atop the sky or holy oak; Veles hides in roots and rivers, stealing cattle or people.
- 2) Lightning strikes are Perun’s blows trying to hit Veles, carving the landscape with thunderstones.
- 3) Annual storms reenact their feud, ensuring rain and balance between above and below.
- 4) Warriors and rulers swear by Perun; breaking oaths risks his wrath.
Context & symbolism
Perun embodies lawful force against chthonic trickery. Oak trees, axes, and arrows connect him to grounded power; thunderstones (prehistoric axes) link myth to artifacts found in fields.
Christianization mapped him to saints like Elijah, but lightning rites persisted—reflecting enduring awe of storms.
Motifs
- Lightning bolts/axes/arrows
- Holy oaks and hilltops
- Storm duel with Veles
- Oath-enforcement by thunder
Use it in play
- Swear an oath at an oak shrine; breaking it calls down storms.
- Mediate between Perun’s sky followers and Veles’ earth cult to stop endless storms.
- Collect thunderstones as relics; each retains a spark of lightning.
- Fight in a storm where bolts choose the righteous—or the quickest to dodge.