# Tuoni — The Kalevala character guide

> Tuoni in The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0019-rune-xvi-wainamoinen-s-boat-building

## Who they are

God of the underworld, ruler of the dead in Tuonela.

## Relationships

### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen)

_rivalry_

Tuoni, the god of death, opposes Wainamoinen's attempts to enter the underworld and retrieve magical knowledge.

### [Mana](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/mana)

_professional_

Mana is the ruler of the underworld, often conflated with Tuoni, and they share dominion over the dead.

### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen)

_rivalry_

Tuoni, the god of death, opposes Wainamoinen's attempts to enter the underworld and retrieve magical knowledge.

### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen)

_rivalry_

Tuoni, the god of death, opposes Wainamoinen's attempts to enter the underworld and retrieve magical knowledge.

## In the story

### [Rune XIV: Death of Lemminkainen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xiv-death-of-lemminkainen)

The god of the underworld; his river is the location of Lemminkainen's final, fatal test.

### [Rune XV: Lemminkainen’s Restoration](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xv-lemminkainen-s-restoration)

Ruler of the death-realm; his river and kingdom are central to the chapter.

### [Rune XVI: Wainamoinen's Boat-Building](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xvi-wainamoinen-s-boat-building)

Ruler of the underworld; his daughter and hostess (Tuonetar) interact with Wainamoinen during his visit to Manala.

### [Rune XXVI: Origin of the Serpent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxvi-origin-of-the-serpent)

Referenced as the source of the serpent's entrails (death-belt of Tuoni) and as the ruler of the underworld river Lemminkainen once nearly drowned in.

### [Rune XXXII: Kullervo as a Shepherd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxii-kullervo-as-a-shepherd)

Referenced in the context of Tuoni's empire and the river of Tuoni.

### [Rune XXXIII: Kullervo and the Cheat-Cake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxiii-kullervo-and-the-cheat-cake)

Referenced as the ruler of the Death-land (Tuonela) where the hostess fears to sink.

### [Rune XLV: Birth of the Nine Diseases](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xlv-birth-of-the-nine-diseases)

Father of Lowyatar, associated with the Death-land and the origin of the diseases.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/tuoni
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters