Zariya

The zariya are the animal spirits worshipped by the Vargaldi. The word, Zariya, refers both to deities, the small gods of the northern forests that take messages and prayers to the Divine Presence, and to souls, the animal spirits of the Vargaldi people, that manifest when they shape-shift or summon animal companions.

As a religion, the folk worship of the Zariya bears many similarities to the other descendants of the early northern folk religions, such as Tanshi Worship and the Kestavo, with the notable distinction that the small gods are strongly tied to animal forms.