veles is the slavic ruler of the underworld and the lowlands. at first thought, one might associate him to dark and menacing figures from other mythologies, such as the christian devil, but there is way more to him.

like much in slavic myths, his nuanced representation goes far beyond the manichean concepts of good and evil. therefore, although he is pictured as a mischievous deity and perun's main antagonist, he was still subject of great worship and respect, as he was seen as the god from whom people sought survival, since he was also responsible for the harvests, the fields, the animals, both wild and domestic, and the bodies of water.

moreover, because of his role as the ruler of departed souls, veles became naturally associated with other supernatural matters, such as magic and communion with spirits. therefore, he was also the god to whom witches, sorcerers, shamans and magicians turned to.

his tool for connecting between worlds was music. he used mantras, chants and melodies to help guide willing souls to enter altered or trance-like states, so as to allow them to travel beyond their bodies. he is also related to wisdom, magic, poetry and music, what makes him a truly complex entity.