Loa

Loa is the name given by Trolls to the beings they worship, such as the Wild God beings such as Kith'ix or G'huun, or spirits like wisps. Countless loa exist, most weak, but some very powerful. Most are shapeless, whereas others have animal or creature forms. Powerful, enlightened Zandalari can become loa upon their death - or so it is believed.

=Background=

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 priests are devoted to only one loa per troll, while troll druids use the powers of several loa at once. This is something the loa do not like, as they prefer to be worshiped one at a time. Shadow hunters commune with multiple loa as well, and the loa can even channel themselves through the shadow hunters when they use their ceremonial rush'kah masks.

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. An example of such a case is Zanza the Restless. Different troll tribes may call upon different sets of loa.

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 was 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.

Some jungle trolls of the Darkspear Tribe consider bird spirits to be weak, capricious, undeserving of their worship, and best left to the Amani.

Loa gain in strength and power the more worshipers, offerings, idols, and sacrifices they receive. Bwonsamdi also grows in power with every soul under his care.

=Known Loas=

Akali
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Drakkari
 * Status:

Akil'zon
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Amani, Zandalari
 * Status:

Akunda
 * Titles: Loa of storms and new beginnings
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Bethekk
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Gurubashi, Zandalari
 * Status:

Bwonsamdi
 * Titles: Guardian of the Dead
 * Worshipers: Darkspear, Zandalari
 * Status:

Dambala
 * Titles: Guardian of the Dead
 * Worshipers: Darkspear, Zandalari
 * Status:

Elortha no Shadra
 * Titles: God of Spiders, The Venom Queen, Mother of Venom, Silk Dancer, Death's Love, Mistress of Spies
 * Worshipers: Darkspear, Vilebranch, Witherbark, Gurubashi, Farraki, Zandalari
 * Status:

Eraka no Kimbul
 * Titles: God of Tigers, Lord of Beasts, King of Cats, the Prey's Doom
 * Worshipers: Farraki, Zandalari, Tortollan
 * Status:

G'huun
 * Titles: Blood God
 * Worshipers: Blood Trolls
 * Status:

Gonk
 * Titles: The Great Hunter, Lord of the Pack, Loa of the Hunt
 * Worshipers: Zandalari, Darkspear
 * Status:

Gral
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Grimath
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Halazzi
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Amani, Zandalari
 * Status:

Hakkar
 * Titles: The Soulflayer, The Blood God, The Faceless One, The Loa of Blood
 * Worshipers: Gurubashi, Vilebranch
 * Status:

Har'koa
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Drakkari, Zandalari
 * Status:

Hethiss
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Gurubashi, Zandalari
 * Status:

Hir'eek
 * Titles: Lord of the Midnight Sky
 * Worshipers: Blood Trolls, Drakkari, Zandalari, Gurubashi
 * Status:

Jani
 * Titles: Patron of Scavengers, the Lord of Thieves, the God of Garbage, Master of Minions, the Keeper of Secrets
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Jan'alai
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Amani, Zandalari
 * Status:

Kith'ix
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Zando's Followers
 * Status:

Krag'wa
 * Titles: The Huge, The Terrible
 * Worshipers: Zandalari, Darkspear
 * Status:

Lukou
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Zandalari, Darkspear
 * Status:

Mam'toth
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Drakkari
 * Status:

Nalorakk
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Amani, Zandalari
 * Status:

Pa'ku
 * Titles: Loa of Winds
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Quetz'lun
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Drakkari
 * Status:

Rezan
 * Titles: Loa of Kings, King of Kings, God of the Hunt
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Rhunok
 * Titles: Bear of the North
 * Worshipers: Drakkari
 * Status:

Samedi
 * Titles: Loa of the Grave
 * Worshipers: Darkspear
 * Status:

Sethraliss
 * Titles: None
 * Worshipers: Zandalari, Sethrak
 * Status:

Shango
 * Titles: Loa of Storms
 * Worshipers: Darkspear
 * Status:

Shirvallah
 * Titles: Loa of Storms
 * Worshipers: Darkspear, Gurubashi, Zandalari
 * Status:

Sseratus
 * Titles: God of Snakes
 * Worshipers: Drakkari
 * Status:

Tharon'ja
 * Titles: God of Snakes
 * Worshipers: Drakkari, Zandalari
 * Status:

Torcali
 * Titles: The Moving Mountain, The Wandering Bulwark
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

Torga
 * Titles: Wise and Benevolent
 * Worshipers: Zandalari, Tortollen
 * Status:

Ueetay no Mueh'zala
 * Titles: God of Death, Father of Sleep, Son of Time, the Night's Friend
 * Worshipers: Farraki
 * Status:

Zanza
 * Titles: The Restless, Loa of Zandalar
 * Worshipers: Zandalari
 * Status:

=Other Loas=


 * Wild Gods
 * Wisps
 * The being that the Lun'alai worship.
 * The Fetid Devourer was a chimera-like creature created by G'huun from the corpse of several loa who inhabited the forests around Zandalar and who were experimented upon in Uldir by the titanic watchers. After the experiments proved lethal, the loa's remains were improperly disposed of. Its three heads are reptilian, avian and leonine, and it possesses hooves on its back legs, hints of the species of loa it was made of.
 * Guardian Tak'u, a Zandalari golem sentry, had the power of four different loa channeled into it by the Priest of the Direhorn, the Priest of the Serpent, the Priest of the Hydra and the Priest of the Hawk.

See Wowpedia