Loa (4e Pantheon)

It is incorrect to think of the loa as simply being the gods worshipped by witch-doctors, hex priests or shadow hunters; rather, the loa includes any being that has experienced and transcended death. There are six deities that are commonly worshipped universally:

• Dambala
• Legba
• Lokou
• Ogoun
• Samedi
• Shango

Worship

The Loa are most commonly worshipped by jungle-, swamp- and archipelago-based tribal cultures, usually headed by a shaman referred to as a Witch-doctor, Hex Priest, or Shadow Hunter. Although they each hold a different religious use: a witch-doctor would have a greater focus on alchemy and rituals, imbuing allies with enchantments, and cursing their foes with potions and wards, and act as tribal wisemen and leaders. A hex priest or hexer calls the spirits to their bidding through music, chanting, dances or other performances: they often live as hermits or in small communities of hex priests. Shadow hunters call the power of the loa deities to achieve a greater good by balancing both the light and the dark: shadow hunters consider themselves to be living conduits of the loa. Whilst witch-doctors and hexers invoke the loa as needed, the shadow hunters instead live with the constant presence of the loa surrounding them.

Deities

There are some tribes which worship their own loa deities, often represented through sacred animals.

Dambala

The Loa deity of serpents and treachery. Voodoo practitioners may do so to induce silence and cunning, and is often represented by snakes.

Legba

The Loa deity of swift motion. Voodoo practitioners who invoke Legba to bestow speed and grace. He is sometimes also attributed with trickery and messengers.

Lukou

The Loa deity of healing and respite. Voodoo practitioners would call her power to create or soothe a living creature, or empowering with valour, morale and high spirits.

Ogoun

The Loa deity of war. Voodoo practitioners use Ogoun's name to cause hexes. He is also attributed with fire, iron, hunting and politics.

Samedi

The Loa deity of the dead. Voodoo practitioners call upon him during funeral rituals and when cursing someone of doom. He precides over cemeteries and restful sleep.

Shango

The Loa deity of storms. Voodoo practitioners who follow him often do so to follow his unpredictability or fury. He is the guardian of the secrets of lightning and mayhem, and is often referred to as the Sky Father.

4e Class Representation

Voodoo-based classes would be using either divine or arcane power source. Most probable arcane classes to be used would be a Bard for a witch-doctor or hex priest class and Wizard (Witch) as any. Divine classes are most likely to be Invoker or Avenger, both of which work well for a Shadow-hunter class; Rune-priest would also work very well as a witch-doctor class. Cleric and Paladin, although could work, would have much less applicability as a loa-worshipping class. Primal Shaman would work very well as either a witch-doctor or shadow hunter; druid and warden classes would have less use, but could still be considered for loa-based rolls.

Although any race could worship the loa spirits, the most applicable race would be human. Although based on the geographical themes of the cultures that worship the loa, any swamp, archipelago, island or jungle denizens are applicable to worship the loa.

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