Perhaps no tradition besides Blood Magic has been as maligned as Vodou, though in Blood Magic’s case the defamation is usually warranted. Vodou has years of baggage connecting it to frenetic, out-of-control practitioners and dolls crafted with an intent to do harm at a remote distance. While these images perhaps touch on some aspects of Vodou, they miss the larger picture.

The centerpiece of Vodou is the concept of les invisibles, the unseen beings that populate the spirit world. The spirits are referred to as loa, and they are what the Vodou Awakened serve. There are degrees of loa, both major and minor. The general goal in Vodou is to gain the favor of a major loa, either by interacting directly with that spirit or by gaining influence within that spirit’s court. One good way to get on a loa’s good side is to give them some time to play around on the material plane, which in the Vodou tradition is accomplished by allowing them to possess the body of the summoner or of one of their servants (or perhaps the body of some lunkhead the Vodou conjurer brought along for just that purpose). The loa like to live it up during their possession time, which partially explains some of the wilder and more exuberant aspects of Vodou rituals.

Vodou practitioners are not just respectful to the spirits they summon—they are deferential. In their view, their magical abilities hinge on keeping the loa happy, so they will do everything in their power to please these beings, including engaging in flattery or obsequiousness. A Vodou conjurer would never refer to a spirit owing her “services.” Instead, she would say that the spirit has granted her gifts, or some other phrasing that makes her subservient relationship to the spirit clear.

Conjurers are by far the most common type of Vodou practitioner, though their focus on material objects to use in their rituals means that enchanters have a place in their ranks as well. Spellcasters play an important role in the rituals of the tradition, though this role is often filled by strong conjurers who have also built up a bit of spellcasting prowess. Adepts are rare in Vodou; they work so hard to get the utmost control over their bodies that they often don’t like the idea of turning that control over to les invisibles.

Benoit Delatour of Port-au-Prince is not going to be the one to quash any stereotypes about Vodou theatrics. Fond of brightly colored, beaded robes and often accompanied by snakes, Delatour is only too happy to court the attention of onlookers. He practically carries an “Ask me about Vodou” sign; if you do so, he will regale you with lectures about the evils of greed, the importance of unity, and the right loa to beseech for any favor you may need. As it turns out, his knowledge of loa is more than encyclopedic, and anyone wanting to increase their knowledge of the denizens of other planes would do well to talk to him.