Norse Mythology

I’m not sure how many people know or don’t know about Norse mythology, but I thought I’d state it myself. I tend to identify with Brunnhilde because she was a fighter for honor and love of family. She was also an example that women could fight too, and in an early belief system. While the Viking men went out and fought, the women would guard the homes. I thought I would look up more information about the Vikings’ belief system before they switched to Christianity.

I’ll start with the Aesir, Odin’s race and family, including Frigg.

Odin was the king of the gods and had multiple children, most of whom were by his wife, Frigg. He was killed by Fenrir.

Hermodr was one of Odin’s sons and the messenger god.

Heimdallr was the gold god. He had foresight and keen eyesight and hearing. He was foretold to kill Loki at the same time as Loki killed him during Ragnarok.

Baldr was one of Odin’s children by Frigg. He was later killed due to Loki tricking his blind twin brother, Hodr, into shooting him with a mistletoe arrow.

Thor was another of Odin and Frigg’s children. He was also the god of thunder, and used his hammer to conduct lightning. He was considered so pure (good and strong) that only he could wield it. The runes on it were runes of Viking Purity—as in they measured it.

Brunnhilde was the only daughter, also of Odin and Frigg. She was the leader of the Valkyrie, the group of goddesses that protected Odin’s person and the dwellers of Midgard.

Vidarr was considered the aspect of vengeance, and was Odin’s son by the jotunn Gridr. It was foretold he would avenge Odin’s death during Ragnarok by killing Fenrir.

Vali was the son of Odin and the female giant Rindr. He was born for the sole purpose of avenging Baldr’s death and grew to adulthood in 24 hours. He bound Loki with his own son’s (Narfi’s) entrails.

Loki was the god of mischief. He was a foundling at Odin’s doorstep and was the only adopted child. He was born of Hel and a jotunn.

Fenrir was Loki’s wolf/helhound form.

A helhound was a hound native to the realm of Hel.

Sleipnir was Odin’s eight-legged horse and the son of Svadilfari and Loki in the form of a mare.

Midgard was the Norse term for the Earth realm. It was one of many realms that grew along the branches and roots of Yggdrasil, the realm/world tree that was formed from Odin’s killing Ymir (primordial god and father of all beings) and his parts being repurposed into the tree.

Jotunnheim was where the Jotunn (giants and enemies of the Aesir) came from.

Hel was the realm where the dead who are not pure go. The enemies of the Aesir, Vanir, and heroes went there. It was ruled by the goddess of the same name.

Valhalla was the final resting place of all pure heroes.

Asgard was the palace of the Aesir.

The rainbow realm bridge ran from Asgard to Midgard.

Vanaheim was the home of the Vanir.

Niflheim was the cold realm.

Muspelheim was the hot realm.

Svartalfheim was the realm of the dark elves, the drow.

Alfheim was the realm of the elves.

Jormungandr was the serpent coiled around Midgard.

The Vanir were the gods associated with wisdom, fertility, and telling the future.

Freja was a Vanir and a goddess associated with love, sex, beauty, fertility, gold, war, death, and seidr.

Seidr was a shamanic magic that some Vikings practiced. Most were women and some were persecuted for it.