Velinas : The God of the Dead

Velnias or Velinas is a god of the Latvian velis or Lithuanian vles, which which can be compared to a modern day zombie. He is a one-eyed prophet who can raise whirlwinds and lead the souls of the dead through the skies. Like the Nordic or Germanic Wodan, he is similar to the Pickollos or Patollos from the Old Prussian and Lithuanian traditions.

Velnias was the assistant of the gods but his legend contains more than that. In the earliest layer of Baltic mythology, Velnias was seen as one of the cosmological creator beings and as one of the creators of the material world. His connection to death and reincarnation dates back to prehistoric times and Baltic ancestral worship.

Velnias could appear in various forms, and in most Baltic folk tales, shape sifting is a common element. He was associated with reptiles, birds, and animals. He could also take the form of people from different professions and ages.

In folk tales, Velnias was described as a physically attractive man who seeks the love of women and sometimes even married them. Stories about Velnias and his relationship with women were very much disapproved by Christians which later on increased his questionable reputation.

In folklore, Velnias is regarded as a creature that's capable of being both clever and stupid. Most commonly, it's described as an anthropomorphic creature that features a tail, horns, and a pair of hooved feet. However, since the devil in Christian beliefs was also depicted in this form, it's hard to tell the difference between the real and post-Christian version. Velnias is said to live in various locations, such as barns, ponds, caves, and marshlands. In folk tales, he is associated with stones, and he carries it in an attempt to throw it into a church.

Read more at https://mythlok.com/velinas/