Chernobog (Proto-Slavic *čĭrnŭ "black" and *bogŭ "god"), also spelled as Czernobog, Tchernobog is a Slavic deity, whose name means black god,
Roles[]
Much has been speculated but little can be said definitively. The only historical sources, which are Christian ones, interpret him as a dark, accursed god, but it is questionable how important (or evil) he was really considered to be by ancient Slavs.
About Chernobog, there was just one written document named Chronica Slavorum from Saxon missionary Helmold that says:
„Est autem Slavorum mirabilis error; nam in conviviis et compotationibus suis pateram circumferunt, in quam conferunt, non dicam consecrationis sed execrationis verba sub nomine deorum, boni scilicet atque mali, omnem prosperam fortunam a bono deo, adversam a malo dirigi profitentes. Unde etiam malum deum lingua sua Diabol sive Zcernoboch, id est nigrum deum, appellant."
Translated as:
Among Slavic people, there is one weird belief that is kept in their drinking fests and feasts. They at same time bless and curse under names of their Gods, respectively in the name of good One and evil One, saying that good things come from good God and evil comes from evil One. In their language they call evil God "Chernobog," or "black God."
This text takes an important role in understanding Slavic beliefs. But since this text represents only Polabian Slavs, it is unknown if Chernobog is known among other Slavic tribes. There is no historian that denies his existence, but they assume that, according to Helmold's script, he is not original Slavic God, but rather created under Christian influence and he is equivalent of Christian devil.
Chernobog appears in Helmold's Chronicle as a god of misfortune worshipped by the Wagri and Obodrites, while Belobog is not mentioned
Myths & Legends[]
Unfortunately, Slavic mythology originated in the days when writing was not a standard, and therefore it has never been officially recorded by Slavs, but by Christian chroniclers. Luckily for us it is possible to restore some of the ancient legends thanks to oral folklore, rituals, folk beliefs and notes of ancient chroniclers.
Legends[]
How Chernobog wanted to capture the universe[]
Originating in ancient times, the evil god Chernobog; the lord of darkness, had his mind overwhelmed by injustice and gloomy thinking. He succumbed to the temptations of the world and planned to subdue it, so he became the Black Serpent and left his lair.
Svarog was the god who kept an eye on the world, as he felt something was wrong he did not go to his forge and caressed his mighty hammer against the burning forge to create himself more gods to help him.
The first to be born from the fire of the forge was Dazhbog, then Horse, Stribog and Simargl. While new gods were being created, the Black Serpent crawled over the land to corrupt it and the men who lived on it. Svarog sent Dazhbog and Simargl to see what is happening in the land of men, and seeing that they had something to do, many have already been corrupted by Chernobog and a war was about to begin.
Returning to the Nav Svarog was informed by his sons that a war between good and evil will begin. Svarog heard them and began to strike his celestial forge to arm his army, because to defeat Chernobog he had to fight with luminous intensity.
Chernobog so corrupted men that he and his evil forces of the world finally fought their way into the celestial palace at the top of the world tree, in their madness they began to invade the world of Svarogs forge himself.
Quickly Svarog created a magic chest and as soon as Chernobog appeared at the door of the forge, Svarog called upon the help of his sons’ gods and together they defeated the serpent.
Finally capturing Chernobog in the chest, the cursed black god was defeated, and in his misery he asked Svarog to spare his evil offspring, the men of this world. Svarog decided to spare men in his justice and because in the end he himself created men flawed as they are.
However, there was one condition to spare them, he told Chernobog that never again could the world be controlled by darkness in its entirety, and Chernobog had to agree.
The world of men was restored and half of the world was again covered by daylight shining from the burning forge of Svarog, while the other half remained in darkness, thus the cycle of night and day came to the world of men.
In Pop Culture[]
Chernobog has made appearances in various media. As Chernabog, he features in the "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence in Disney's Fantasia (1940), as a gigantic black demon who summons ghosts and demons. In an interview, Walt Disney referred to him as Satan himself. This rendition also appears in the video games Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, in both, as a boss character.
Symbol of Chernobog used by modern Slavic polytheists
In literature, he appears in American Gods by Neil Gaiman, as "Czernobog, and is the demon possessing the Tsar in Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. In the alternate history novel The Peshawar Lancers, the Russian Empire turns to Chernobog worship after a comet impact causes widespread famine and cannibalism. Chernobog is also the main antagonist in the Heirs of Alexandria series by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint, and Dave Freer. A version of Chernobog is also used in Richard Kadrey's third novel in the Sandman Slim trilogy, although it is spelled as "Chernovog." Chernobog is mentioned several times in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, his volhv (priest) is a regular character in the series, and Chernobog appears in the penultimate book of the series, where he is invoked on a battle field.
He also appears in a number of video games, usually as a villain. In the Blood series (where the name is spelled as "Tchernobog") he is depicted not as a person but as an essence of a force that keeps the realities together and must be used by persons incarnating the god. The first game features an incarnation as the main villain, and the second game's plot revolves around the main character Caleb actually being the god. He has also appeared as a recurring demon in the Megami Tensei series.
Chernobog inspired the character of Avoozl the Dark One, the dark master of the penultimate antagonists Katrina and Ad-Avis in the Sierra Entertainment adventure-rpg Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness in which he is worshipped by a cult of horrendously mutated priests called "The Chernovy"
Chernobog appears in MOBA game called Smite as very first playable God of Slavic pantheon. In game, he is represented as demon-looking winged being with crystallized hands, feet, horns and place on chest where heart is supposed to be, wearing purplish-red loincloth with his symbol painted on it.
Gallery[]
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Videos[]
