Loa

Zanza the Restless, a Zandalari loa.

Loa is the name given by trolls to the beings they worship, including some Wild Gods, spirits who have been a part of Azeroth since the ordering of the world. Countless loa exist, most weak, but some very powerful. Most are shapeless, whereas others have animal or creature forms.

Interactions

The loa can grant wondrous boons or inflict terrible punishments to trolls. Tales abound in troll culture, of those blessed by the loa with extraordinary regenerative abilities, strengthening their already powerful, natural regeneration. The tale of Vula'jin the Void speaks of how he regrew almost his entire body after standing in a pool of shadowflame. But just as the loa can bless, they can also curse; troll children are taught legends of those cursed by the loa, such as Gri'lek, unable to heal even flesh wounds, to instill the proper respect for their patron spirits.

Zandalari (as well as Darkspear) families often worship their own family loa, cities usually have their own civic deities, and the greatest loa are worshiped by the nation as a whole. Powerful, enlightened Zandalari can become loa upon their death - or so it is believed. Multiple troll loa exist such as Zanza the Restless and Bwonsamdi. Different troll tribes may call upon different sets of loa.

Early troll tribes, though varying wildly in customs and traditions, all shared a common religion: the worship and reverence for the Wild Gods. The mountain range of Zandalar in southern Kalimdor was home to many loa, and was thus treated as being sacred.

Troll druids visiting the Moonglade have been overheard calling the wisps who reside there loa, just as they refer to Goldrinn, Aviana, and the other returned Ancients as loa. Night elves and tauren have tried to counsel these trolls on "correct" druidic nomenclature, but the trolls thus far have been stuck in their ways. The loa were later confirmed to be the same type of being as the Ancient Guardians.

After Vol'jin was mortally wounded during the battle at the Broken Shore, the Loa spirits spoke to him, claiming that the death will come soon. They also whispered the name Sylvanas Windrunner. Vol'jin thus named her Warchief of the Horde with his last breath.

Known loa

Amani loa

• Nalorakk, the Bear.
• Akil'zon, the Eagle.
• Jan'alai, the Dragonhawk.
• Halazzi, the Lynx.

Bloodscalp totemic spirits

• Mahamba, the Water Spirit.
• Tsul'Kalu, the Earth Spirit.
• Pogeyan, the Fire Spirit.

Darkspear loa

• Bwonsamdi, the Guardian of the Dead.
• Samedi, the Loa of the Grave.
• Shango, the Loa of Storms.

Originally part of the Gurubashi Empire, the Darkspear also continue to worship many of the Gurubashi loa:

• Shirvallah, the Tiger.
• Hir'eek, the Bat.
• Elortha no Shadra, the Spider, God of Spiders, The Venom Queen, Mother of Venom, Silk Dancer, Death's Love.

Drakkari loa

• Akali, the Rhino.
• Har'koa, the Snow leopard.
• Mam'toth, the Mammoth.
• Quetz'lun, the Wind serpent.
• Rhunok, the Arctic Bear.
• Sseratus, the Serpent.
• Tharon'ja, the Skeletal wind serpent.

Drakkari gods

These were called gods and not loa.

• Dubra'Jin
• Zim'Abwa
• Zim'Rhuk, the Wise One.
• Zim'Torga, the Mother of Prosperity.

Gurubashi loa

• Hakkar, The Soulflayer, The Blood God, The Faceless One, The Loa of Blood.
• Bethekk, the Panther.
• Hir'eek, the Bat.
• Hethiss, the Snake.
• Elortha no Shadra, the Spider, God of Spiders, The Venom Queen, Mother of Venom, Silk Dancer, Death's Love.
• Shirvallah, the Tiger.

Sandfury loa

• Eraka no Kimbul, God of Tigers, Lord of Beasts, King of Cats, the Prey's Doom.
• Ueetay no Mueh'zala, God of Death, Father of Sleep, Son of Time, the Night's Friend.
• Elortha no Shadra, the Spider, God of Spiders, The Venom Queen, Mother of Venom, Silk Dancer, Death's Love.

Vilebranch loa

• Akil'darah, the eagle spirit of the Hinterlands.

Witherbark loa

• Elortha no Shadra, the Spider, God of Spiders, The Venom Queen, Mother of Venom, Silk Dancer, Death's Love.

Zandalar loa

• Zanza, worshiped by the Zandalar Tribe.
• Gonk the Great Hunter, is an ancient spirit in Zandalarian tales.
• Grimath, an old loa.
• G'nathus, presumed to be a loa.
• They also worship five unknown loa represented by the direhorn, hawk, hydra, ravasaur, and serpent. (Grimath could be one of these)
• They are referred to as ancient Zandalari gods, Ancient Zandalari Guardians, and the Zandalari Ancients.

Other loa

The trolls respect and consider the following to be loa.

• Wisps
• The Ancients worshiped by the night elves
  • Aessina
  • Aviana
  • Cenarius
  • Goldrinn
  • Malorne
  • Tortolla

Servitors of the loa

High priests

• Arlokk, high priestess of Bethekk.
• Hawinni, high priest of Quetz'lun.
• Jeklik, high priestess of Hir'eek.
• Kilnara, high priestess of Bethekk.
• Mar'li, high priestess of Shadra.
• Mu'funu, high priest of Quetz'lun.
• Thekal, high priest of Shirvallah.
• Tua-Tua, high priestess of Quetz'lun.
• Venoxis, high priest of Hethiss.

High prophets

• Gal'darah, high prophet of Akali.
• Moorabi, high prophet of Mam'toth.
• Slad'ran, high prophet of Sseratus.
• The Prophet Tharon'ja, high prophet of Tharon'ja.

Drakkari prophets

• Prophet of Akali.
• Prophet of Har'koa.
• Prophet of Quetz'lun.
• Prophet of Rhunok.
• Prophet of Sseratus.

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

All trolls worship a pantheon of primal forces; a sacred animal represents each aspect of the pantheon.

The trolls draw power for their voodoo magics by performing rituals and invoking the Primal Gods, Old Gods, forest spirits, and ancestral spirits: their Loa spirits and gods.

Loa spirits are more powerful than the elementals, but not as powerful as gods. Supposedly, these spirits are mighty entities that grant the faithful extraordinary powers. By calling upon these voodoo spirits, the shadow hunter gains special blessings with which he can combat darkness and help those in need. The abilities granted vary according to the Loa the shadow hunter calls upon. Almost any being who has died and transcended death can be worshiped as a loa, including Forsaken shadow ascendants.

The shadow hunters' faith and communion with the Loa gods grants them shadow and healing magic, and other abilities. Shadow Hunters learn magic that hinders enemies and aids allies, gaining a unique mix of spells that delve into the more occult aspects of the Loa.

The trolls of Zul'Aman worship primal beings they call the Forest Gods.

Loas

• Ula-tek, Goddess of Serpents. (Never stated to be a Loa)
• Shadow ascendants
• Shadowhunter
  • Legba, Loa of Speed.
  • Lukou, Loa of Healing and Respite.
  • Ogoun, Loa of War.
  • Dambala, Loa of serpents and treachery.

Notes & trivia

• While weaving her garb, Shadow Hunter Bwu'ja communed with the loa.
• The spirit of a loa cannot be slain, resulting in a loa being unable to die.

1. This is also supported by how Hakkar has kept on returning, loa spirits cannot die, their physical manifestations can (Drakkari loa are evidence to that as well), but they can all return, if they were to find a suitable vessel (exception: Mam'toth).
2. Few exceptions to this rule exists. Mam'toth is the only known loa to be truly dead, as he imploded his spirit on his temple and the ground around it, forming Mam'toth Crater. Thus, the only way a loa spirit can die, as we know of right now, is by suicide.
3. The other Drakkari loa live on in the spirit realm.

• Some loa prefer being the only one worshiped by an individual troll, rather than said troll worshiping multiple at a time. Though this seems to not always be the case.

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

• From the conversation you have with Zen'tabra in the troll starting zone, it can be assumed that the loa, or at least the primal loa like Gonk, either reside in or have access to the Emerald Dream.
• Sen'jin has been hinted at in Vol'jin's short story The Judgment to possibly be among the loa.
• Oacha'noa, a sea-goddess revered by the tuskarr, wonders if the player was instead sent by the Drakkari trolls of Zul'Drak to kill her in order to take her power as their own, apparently aware of the fate of the Drakkari loas. This likely means that she is a loa herself.
• Some Pandaren believe G'nathus to be an ancient Zandalari Loa left behind to guard the waters south of Lei Shen's island citadel.
• Something that seperates Loas from all other Godlike entities of the World of Warcraft universe is that they gain power from the amount of worshipers they have, combined with various other means. This is the reason why family Loas are the less powerful ones while Loas such as Zanza, who are worshipped by various Empires and tribes are much more powerful. Of course, this would pull them apart from the August Celestials and the Ancient Guardians.
• Loas may have a "base" power from when they die and ascend into Loahood. For example, an alpha wolf would have a larger base power than a pack wolf. Why? Because the alpha wolf has a higher status within the pack and is most likely also physically stronger. This all reflects upon his spirit which upon his death ascended. But if the above speculation is correct, then the simple pack wolf Loa could in time become much more powerful than the alpha if he gains enough followers.
• The author of the  [Blood-Spattered Zandalari Journal] writes how they were tormented by loa, hungry for blood and hate, who talked to them and told them to give up. This likely means that they were not true loa, but sha.
• The markings on the  [Crumbling Ceremonial Vestments] resemble both the sign of Elune and several venerated loa spirits. This seems to imply that some trolls used to or still do revere Elune as a loa, and may be intended to represent a transition phase between the loa worship of the original dark trolls and the Elune worship of the night elves.

Inspiration

The names of the Loa gods are inspired by the true Haitian Vodoun Lwa. Some of their attributes are correct also, but others are pure creative license.