Loa

The loa (called dakina by the Native Americans) were a type of spirit in voodoo/vodoun religions. Unlike other spirits, they existed alongside humankind, rather than above it, and were treated as friends rather than gods. (PROSE: Interference)

Faction Paradox often used the loa as spiritual tools, summoning them so the loa would invest them with that loa's particular abilities. Godfather Morlock was known to have summoned loa out of thin air when he needed them. (PROSE: The Book of the War) Godfather Avatar was a loa and was capable of riding a human psyche. (PROSE: Of the City of the Saved...)

From the perspective of the Great Houses, who saw history as a quantifiable string of equations, loa did not exist. (PROSE: Weapons Grade Snake Oil) When Mother Tarra invoked the loa among a coven of young Gallifreyans, Kellen preferred to refer to them as equations. (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell) However, Faction Paradox was against this formulation, defining history as an ever-changing pattern, and just as shapes can be seen in clouds in the sky, the loa could be seen in time. (PROSE: Weapons Grade Snake Oil)

Particular loa protected the Eleven-Day Empire. (AUDIO: The Eleven Day Empire) Father Christèmas created a loa to protect Bankside by conducting an elaborate ritual involving the Chance Coteries.

Godmother Kumo wrote on loa evocation for The Book of the Truce, comparing stage-hypnosis to the Faction's use of ritual to appease, communicate, and bargain with the loa: as long as the volunteer is playing along (whether for fun, to avoid embarrassment, out of a sense of duty, or due to genuine hypnosis), the task will be performed, and the desired action will result. (PROSE: Weapons Grade Snake Oil)

The Faction noticed that the concept of a celebrity was similar in that they could be viewed by transmissions but remained apart from people and they could become the face of their ideas. On the human colony world Ordifica, the Faction fully infiltrated the media-obsessed culture within a couple years to create loa in the medianet. The Remote carried on a belief in loa. They referred to powers that Rassilon barred from entering N-Space as loa, including the Cold. In their dramatisation of the Yssgaroth breaking into N-Space, the Engineer referred to them as loa. (PROSE: Interference)

In 18th century Saint-Domingue, "new and hungry" loa of the Revolution were created by followers of the revolutionary Makandal, who himself was believed to have become a spirit after his execution. (PROSE: The Adventuress of Henrietta Street, COMIC: Bêtes Noires & Dark Horses) In the 20th century, Baron Samedi and the Petro gods were worshiped as evil gods in Haiti. (PROSE: White Darkness) At the same time, Makandal's followers incorporated much of the Catholic Church's mythology and continued to honour their saints while practicing other rituals; (PROSE: The Adventuress of Henrietta Street) in 20th century Haiti, the Rada Loa included Saint Patrick. A small group in Haiti originating from Dahomey also worshiped the Great Old Ones, including Cthulhu. (PROSE: White Darkness) Hermes suggested that the gods of Haiti were Immortals. (PROSE: Deadly Reunion)

Dreekan voodoo had Treeka'dwra, a messianic beast-god. (PROSE: Storm Harvest)

Certain Swimmers, such as Spinning Jenny, Baron Samedi, and Maman Brigitte, were considered loa by Elizabeth Howkins and Cousin Isabella. These Swimmers were said to contain every soul they have ever devoured inside, slaved to the Loa's will. One such Swimmer, Spinning Jenny, was created by a magic ritual and the sacrifice of humans. (PROSE: Spinning Jenny)