Vodyanoy|Extended Practice

For this project I've looked at various Slavic myths and folk tales. After futher consideration I've decided to go with Vodyanoy character, as he appears in multiple tales and leaves a lot of creative freedom when writing a script. Moreover, he is the villain of the story, type of character I don't usually work on.


Vodyanoy (definition from Dictonary.com)

in Slavic mythology, the water spirit. The vodyanoy is essentially an evil and vindictive spirit whose favourite sport is drowning humans. Anyone bathing after sunset, on a holy day, or without having first made the sign of the cross risks being sucked into the water by the vodyanoy. He can assume many different forms that enable him to deceive and trap his victims. The vodyanoy lives alone in his particular body of water and is known to favour rivers with strong currents and swamps.

Vodyanoy is usually presented as a naked old man with frog-like facial features. His body is covered in algea, muck and fish scales, has a greenish beard and long hair. 

This character appeared in many different source, e.g. China Mievielle novel serie titled Bas-Lag and Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher book series (and later game series under same title created by CDProjectRed). Vodyanoy is also a main character of a Soviet cartoon Wodnik Szuwarek created by Zdenek Smetana.

The believe in water demons like Vodyanoy is very strong in Slavic culture and is connected with a Kupala Night (also known as Ivan Kupala Day). During Summer Sosltice, when nights are shortest, taking baths in rivers and lakes were prohibited as it's the time when Vodyanoy is the most active. Kupala Night also connects with multiple folklore and religious beliefs, including being the only night when fern flower blooms.