After last week’s jump to the god Dadźbóg (Dažbog/Dazhbog), we return to our series of mythological protectors this Slavic Saturday with one who plays an essential role in my books: the Płanetnik (also known as the Zduhać or dragon man).
(June 2021 Updated) Note: If you enjoy Slavic mythology, check out A Dagger in the Winds, the first book in my Slavic fantasy series called The Frostmarked Chronicles. You can also join my monthly newsletter for updates and free novellas (such as the prequel, The Rider in the Night) set in the world of the series.
Płanetniks have a unique and fascinating mix of stories told about them. They can be both demons – the spirits of hanged or drown people – or men with the power of the weather themselves. Regardless of form, Płanetniks had power over the winds and weather. Human Płanetniks (also known as a Ziemski Płanetnik, or earthly płanetnik, in Polish) with the power were known as protectors of villages against storms, while demonic Płanetniks could either protect or do harm, particularly causing hailstorms.
Descriptions of demonic Płanetniks ranged from an ugly hobgoblin to that of an old man wearing traditional clothes of white linen. Both demonic and not, they always wore a straw hat as well to protect them from storm and sun. Ziemski Płanetniks, on the other hand, were practically impossible to tell apart from the normal person. They worked the farm like anyone else. The only difference was that they were thought to be born with a caul and that they were sleepy during the day.
Why were they sleepy? Their lack of sleep was because the Ziemski Płanetnik’s soul left their body when they slept. In the day, they lacked their power, but during the night, they would fly with the winds and fight bad weather. Particularly, they were believed to fight demons known as Chała (or Ala), who caused massive storms. They could also fight other Płanetnik as well when deflecting storms out of the way of their own village. Typically, Płanetniks would then meet on top of a mountain to fight, causing massive storms to rage between them as they fought. The winner grew in strength and riches, but the loser died, never returning to their body. In addition, if someone moved the Płanetnik’s body during their sleep, it was possible they would never wake.
Płanetniks didn’t typically have weapons of their own. Instead, they used the powerful winds to uproot trees or other objects and hurling them at their opponents. This, in combination with their ability to control the storms, made them incredibly powerful.
Ziemski Płanetniks were all thought to have similar powers, but in some stories, demonic ones had orders within their ranks. Some produced lightning. Others turned fog into rain, hail, or snow clouds. And the most powerful Płanetniks then directed these storms, either to good or ill. In general, these demons were believed to be friendly, but if you angered them, they called powerful storms upon villages.
In general, the power of both types of Płanetniks gave them a positive reputation (as long as they used their power well). People would throw flour into the air and burn offerings of herbs for them during the night. If a Płanetnik visited your house, usually soaked from a storm, you were expected to give them good hospitality and a place to live for the night. It was also forbidden to ask them their name.
Now, I mentioned that Płanetniks are important for A Dagger in the Winds, and perhaps the name of the book can be a hint there. One of the book’s protagonists, Wacław, has always wandered in his soul at night. He’s never known why, but when the goddess Marzanna sends a zmora to force him to fight, he’ll find a power within himself he never knew was there.
That’s all for this week’s Slavic Saturday. Be sure to keep a lookout for more posts next week, and if you haven’t seen the full series of posts, be sure to check them out.
*As always just a quick disclaimer. Slavic mythology is broad and not written in many if any primary sources, so there’s a variety of interpretations. The interpretations I’m using here are from the sources I’ve found to be reliable and as well as some creative freedom for my book series.