With the return of the dragons, and the rise of Dragon Hunters as a result, the need for Dragon Riders has never been greater. Hiccup and the rest of the original Dragon Riders have started training the next generation to fulfill their mission: ensure the safety of the dragons. A whole new set of Dragon Riders will be in charge of the safety of the archipelago. They will explore further and discover even more new dragons while protecting their home.
In this thread, you can find more information on the HTTYD franchise and Vikings. Below you will find information on some of the most notable tribes in the HTTYD universe, holidays, festivals, and events both in the HTTYD franchise and Viking lore, and the gods of Norse Mythology. To keep this page relatively short, we have not included everything there is to know about tribes, holidays, or the gods, but we have tried to include those most relevant to our roleplay and most prevalent in Viking lore and Norse Mythology. If you want to read more, I suggest taking a look at Norse Mythology for Smart People. This website has a lot of information about the gods, creatures, worlds, and tales in Norse Mythology.
Territory:New Berk, Isle of Berk, Dragon's Edge, School of Dragons Political System: Chiefdom Leader: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III Allies: Berserker Tribe, Defenders of the Wing, Wingmaidens Enemies: Hysteric Tribe, Outcast Tribe, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Flyers Mission: Rescue and protect dragons Dragons: Dragons are viewed as companions and treated much like pets. A specialized team of Dragon Riders works with their dragons to defend their home and rescue dragons from Dragon Hunters. Offensive: This tribe is actively fighting against aggressors.
The Hairy Hooligan Tribe, or Hooligans, is a tribe that settled on Berk (now called the Isle of Berk) over 300 years ago. With the threat of Grimmel the Grisly and Berk’s unsustainable population, the Hooligan tribe set out to find the mythical Hidden World of dragons. On the way, they set down on a large island for rest. After the dragons leave, the Hooligan tribe decided to stay on the island that they have called “New Berk.”
As sea-faring people on an island, fishing provides a large source of food for Berk and their dragon companions; known species include cod, salmon, sturgeon, mackerel, tuna, trout, and eel. Their animal husbandry includes yaks for milk, fur, and beef, sheep for wool and mutton, and chickens for eggs and meat. They have farms that grow vegetables like cabbage and cereal grains for bread.They hunt the aggressive wild boars that live in the forests for food and forage for wild fruit and foodstuffs like apples and lingonberries from the forest.
This tribe originally fought against dragons on their own isle, but eventually, both sides made peace. When the threat of Grimmel and the Warlords were dealt with, the Hooligan Tribe realized the constant danger of keeping their dragons with them and decided to send them all to the Hidden World to protect them. With dragons no longer around, the Hooligan Tribe returned to their old lifestyle.
Berserker Tribe
Territory:Berserker Island Political System: Chiefdom Leader: Dagur the Deranged Allies: Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Defenders of the Wing Enemies: Hysteric Tribe, Outcast Tribe, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Flyers Mission: Rescue and protect dragons Dragons: Dragons are viewed as companions and treated much like pets. A specialized team of Dragon Riders works with their dragons to defend their home and rescue dragons from Dragon Hunters. Offensive: This tribe is actively fighting against aggressors.
The Berserker Bewilderbeast has apparently been living beneath Berserker Island for some time, as the underground caverns were filled with her ice formations. Though she spends her time in a deep sleep, her presence nonetheless causes partial disruption by making any mature dragons unable or unwilling to fly into the center of the island. Fortunately, due to the more vertical nature of the island, stables were able to be built at a higher altitude where the dragons are not affected.
The previous chief, Oswald the Agreeable (formerly known as Oswald the Antagonistic) suddenly invades Berk and wants to take it as his own. After some time, presumably after the birth of his daughter Heather, Oswald has a change of heart and the two tribes eventually become allies. Oswalds son, Dagur, becomes the leader of the tribe after his father "retires". He travels to Berk to sign the peace treaty between the two tribes, and after a chaotic visit, Dagur tells the Hooligans to consider the treaty signed. However, he later learns of Hiccup and Toothless and sees Hiccup's possession of a dragon as a violation of their peace treaty and reignites the war with the Hooligans. The Berserkers and Outcasts ally together and agree to attack the Hooligans together, but Dagur betrays Alvin and takes over his forces. Alvin returns to Berk and allies with the Hooligans to defeat the Berserkers. Dagur is imprisoned on Outcast island for 3 years until he escapes. Dagur, and his sister Heather, join forces with the Dragon Hunters, who are searching for the Dragon Eye and its lenses. When Dagur learns that Heather is working with the Dragon Riders, he locks her up, though she is able to convince him to let her go. The leaders of the Dragon Hunters maroon Dagur for releasing Heather, where he spends some time in isolation and eventually has a change of heart. He returns to Hiccup allies himself with the Hooligans. With the help of the Dragon Riders, Dagur and Heather return Berserker island to its former glory and search for their father Oswald.
Defenders of the Wing
Territory:Caldera Cay Political System: Monarchy Leader: Queen Mala Allies: Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Berserker Tribe, Wingmaidens Enemies: Hysteric Tribe, Outcast Tribe, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Flyers Mission: Protect the dragons Dragons: Dragons are worshipped as holy beings. The tribe has a vast knowledge of dragons, but any contact is strictly forbidden. Tribe members usually do not bond with or train dragons. Defensive: This tribe is not actively fighting and is more likely to defend than attack. However, they will join their allies if the need arises.
The Defenders of the Wing are a proud people. They have an unshakable faith in the Great Protector, an Eruptodon that lives above their village. Unlike the other tribes, the Defenders are not traditional Vikings and are more of an Asian civilization, with a lot of Chinese and Japanese elements in their clothing, weaponry, and architecture. The Defenders are a monarchy, ruled by Queen Mala who is very protective over her kingdom and all dragons, which the Defenders see as holy beings. Especially the Eruptodon, a Boulder Class dragon that lives inside a volcano on Caldera Cay and prevents it from erupting. The Defenders frequently offer it tribute, like food and flowers.
One of the most important celebrations of the Defender of the Wing tribe is "Changing of the Guard". Once the Eruptodon grows too old to be able to protect the island, the position of "The Great Protector" passes down to the next generation. The old Eruptodon then leaves for Vanaheim, the final resting place for all the dragons.
Wingmaidens
Territory:Wingmaiden Island Leader: Atali Allies: Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Defenders of the Wing Enemies: Hysteric Tribe, Outcast Tribe, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Flyers Mission: Raise and protect baby Razorwhips Dragons: This tribe specializes in raising baby Razorwhips, who stay on the backs of the Wingmaidens until they are old enough to defend themselves. Tribe members usually do not bond with other species of dragons. Passive: This tribe is not actively fighting and will only defend itself.
The Wingmaidens are a tribe of women who care for hatchling Razorwhips in place of the dragon mothers to prevent male dragons from killing them. It is said that about a thousand years ago, Razorwhips nearly went extinct because male Razorwhips continually killed the offspring of rival dragons. So the Wingmaidens, at the request of Freya, vowed to help the species out, offering to care for the hatchlings and help defend them from any male presence. As the dragons are born blind, the women train them by having them fly on their backs until they can see and take care of themselves. Each of the Wingmaidens is outfitted with her own clothing made out of Razorwhip scales. This is possibly done to help the young Razorwhips in feeling comfortable with their presence.
Men are typically not allowed on Wingmaiden Island and are usually chased off, except in rare cases when they rescue someone injured or lost at sea. In these cases, the men are confined to the Wingmaidens' village and are forbidden to enter the nesting grounds of the Razorwhips. Women, however, are treated as guests and welcome to feast and explore the island.
Hysteric Tribe
Territory:Hysteria, Dragon Hunter Island Political System: Dictatorship Leader: Borgar Skallagrim Allies: Outcast Tribe, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Flyers Enemies: Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Berserker Tribe, Defenders of the Wing, Wingmaidens Mission: Eradicate dragons & take over the Archipelago Dragons: Dragons are feared and hated; tribe members with the highest prestige are typically highly successful Dragon Hunters. Tribe members usually do not bond with dragons, though they may be studied or used as tools or weapons. Dragons are not allowed anywhere inside the Hysteric village. Aggressor: This tribe is actively attacking the other tribes.
The Hysteric Tribe is a tribe native to the island of Hysteria. Hysterians are known around the Archipelago for being extremely aggressive, even more so than the standard Viking. They "were renowned for killing you first, and asking questions later". However, they are bound to their island for much of the year and therefore do not cause much trouble to other Tribes. Hysteria has very high cliffs and the Northern portion of the island is patrolled by a dangerous Doomfang, making passage by sea difficult. However, during Winter when the seas are frozen over, they may make excursions to neighboring islands such as Villainy for hunting game.
The Hysterians also demonstrate inventiveness, creativity, and the ability to "think outside the box", compared to most other Viking tribes. They are attributed with making many inventions such as the Ticking Thing and the Scare-away-the-big-sea-creatures-and-keep-the-boat-from-sinking-machine.
Hysterians have a type of trial system in place to decide the fate of suspected criminals. Sentencing often includes death. The trial is unsophisticated. The sentence is decided by tossing the Axe of Doom into the air and seeing how it lands, much like the toss of a coin. The criminal's fate is believed to be managed by a deity, rather than randomness.
Outcast Tribe
Territory:Outcast Island Political System: Chiefdom Leader: Revna "Ragnar" the Unseen Allies: Hysteric Tribe, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Flyers Enemies: Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Berserker Tribe, Defenders of the Wing, Wingmaidens Mission: Regain their reputation for being vicious Dragons: Dragons are typically hunted, though some may be caught and sold. Tribe members do not usually bond with dragons, though some individuals may keep a dragon with them to hunt other dragons. Aggressor: This tribe is actively attacking the other tribes.
The Outcasts are a tribe of Vikings that have been banished from various tribes, particularly the Hooligan Tribe. Not much is known about how the Tribe got started or how they arrived on Outcast Island.
The previous chief, Alvin the Treacherous, was once a member of the Hooligan Tribe and friends with Stoick the Vast. One night, during a dragon raid, they encounter a Monstrous Nightmare - the deadliest Stoker Class dragon. Alvin and Stoick get into a heated argument on how to fight the dragon and evacuate the citizens of Berk. Alvin defies Stoick's direct order and acts on his own, resulting in several casualties of Berk citizens. Alvin is banished, forcing him to live out the rest of his days on Outcast Island. Alvin returns to Berk in search of "the dragon conquerer" and vows that one day he will learn Hiccup's secrets and learn to ride dragons. Alvin and the Outcasts ally with the Berserkers against the Hooligans, but Alvin is betrayed by Dagur, who takes over the Outcast army and armada. Alvin returns to Berk and joins the Hooligans to fight against the Berserkers. With the Berserkers defeated, Dagur is imprisoned on Outcast Island for three years before he escapes.
Dragon Hunters & Dragon Flyers
Territory:Dragon Hunter Island Allies: Hysteric Tribe, Outcast Tribe Enemies: Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Berserker Tribe, Defenders of the Wing, Wingmaidens Mission: Capture and sell dragons to the highest bidder Dragons: Dragons are seen as nothing more than merchandise. Dragon Hunters do not typically keep dragons for themselves, though there may be some individuals who keep a dragon to help them hunt other dragons. Neutral: This tribe is not actively fighting other tribes.
The Dragon Hunters are a group of men and women that have hunted dragons for hundreds of years. They came into possession of the Dragon Eye, a spyglass-like instrument that uses the fire of dragons to show information on dragons or locations. The Dragon Eye was eventually lost at sea, and it became their mission to find it and the other lenses that contain more dragon secrets.
The Dragon Hunters have separate sects, including the Dragon Flyers and the Loyal Order of Ingerman. A group of Dragon Hunters settled on Dramillion Island, and among them was Ingar Ingerman, who developed the "Ingerman Method". Ingar Ingerman trained Dramillion dragons to replicate the fire of other dragons and used them to unlock the secrets of the Dragon Eye. The Dragon Flyers are a group of Dragon Hunters and a part of the Northern Alliance who fly on the back of dragons. Unlike the Dragon Riders they force the Dragons to fly where they want and to shoot at targets. The Dragon Flyers primarily use Singetails to carry out their missions.
The ancient Germanic/Norse year was divided into two seasons: Summer and Winter. Summer began at the festival of Ostara, close to the Spring Equinox, and Winter began at the festival of Winter Nights, close to the Autumn Equinox. Between these two festivals was the festival of Midsummer at the Summer Solstice, and the festival of Yule, at the Winter Solstice.
Náttleysi
Nightless days, or Summer months
Harpamid-April to mid-May
Skerplamid-May to mid-June
Sólmánuðurmid-June to mid-July
Heyannirmid-July to mid-August
Tvímánuðurmid-August to mid-September
Haustmánuðurmid-September to mid-October
Skammdegi
Short days or Winter months
Gormánuðurmid-October to mid-November
Ýlirmid-November to mid-December
Mörsugurmid-December to mid-January
Þorrimid-January to mid-February
Góamid-February to mid-March
Einmánuðurmid-March to mid-April
Holidays, Festivals, and Events
Franchise Holidays & Events
FebruaryFreya's Blessing Feast
Freya's Blessing Feast is a multi-day, annual celebration of love, fertility, and the passage of Winter to Spring. During this time, Berkians decorate the village with early spring flowers such as Freya's Flowers, and other red and purple shaded decorations. Vikings also become more amorous and express affection to love interests. As is often seen, villagers also hold ample feasts.
MarchThawfest Games
Originally, the Thawfest Games consisted of three events. Once the Vikings and Dragons made peace, three events that were created specifically for Dragons were added. To compete in the Thawfest Games, a contestant must be a young Viking. In the Thawfest Games, There are three events that determine strength: The Sheep Lug, Axe Throwing, and The Log Roll. After the Dragons made peace with the Vikings, three additional events were added to the Thawfest games: The Fly and Shoot, The Freestyle, and The Hurdles.
AprilLoki Day
Loki Day is celebrated simply by playing mischievous pranks on others
JuneThor'sday Thursday
One year after the defeat of the Red Death, Chief Stoick decrees Thors'day Thursday a day to commemorate the end of the war with dragons and of Vikings and Dragons working together. The main event is to be a Dragon Training Tournament. The victor will be dubbed the "Dragon Master".
AugustGripe Day
Gripe Day is a day for the Chief of Berk to listen to the grievances of his people individually. Grievances appear not to need to be related to governance, but anything. The Chief then suggests a solution to the presented issue. Grievances are heard one at a time in the Great Hall, with the Chief sitting on his throne.
OctoberDreadfall
During this nightmarish time of the year, the fluttering of bat wings fills the air and spiders scurry out of hidden crevices to weave intricate webs. In the midst of all of the frights and mischief, the Vikings of Berk get into the spirit of the season with ghoulish farm animals, frightful decorations, and an all-new maze that is sure to get your knees knocking!
NovemberBork Week
Bork Week is a festival on Berk that celebrates the findings of Bork the Bold, the very first author of the Dragon Manual. The celebrations last a week, and include feasting, decorating the village, and general celebrations of Bork's life and work. They generally display Bork's relics as a part of the celebrations, including his dagger and his old notes.
NovemberThanksgiving
Upon returning from his expedition to Vinland, Leif Erikson brought back stories of the Thanksgiving traditions of the people to the Barbaric Archipelago. However, lacking many essentials of the Thanksgiving holiday in Vinland, including pumpkins or turkeys, the Vikings of Berk were forced to celebrate the holiday with only the most basic understanding of the Vinland traditions. Fishlegs Ingerman later developed a particular love for the holiday and obsessively studied the people of Vinland in order to celebrate Thanksgiving in the most accurate manner possible. Fishlegs understands the Thanksgiving holiday as being a celebration of feasting for the sake of feasting. Months in advance of the holiday, he trains himself in overeating endurance trials until nauseous, hoping to expand the capacity of his stomach so as to handle as much food as possible during the holiday.
DecemberBlack Plague Friday
Black Plague Friday is celebrated on the last Friday before Snoggletog. People do nothing during the celebration except shopping and coughing.
DecemberSnoggletog
Snoggletog is the most significant holiday in Berkian culture and is greatly looked forward to by the Hooligan Tribe. Originally created to celebrate the short time dragons would disappear from Berk each year, it was later repurposed to remind everyone on Berk of significant events, such as the ending of the war between Vikings and Dragons, or influential Berkians like Stoick the Vast.
Snoggletog Pageant: To celebrate the week where the dragons would leave Berk in peace, the village kids would put on a pageant. It showcased Viking warriors massacring dragons and the exuberance of triumph in the end. But after the dragons and Berkians became friendly, the pageant, and all the violence in it toward dragons, was sidelined in favor of more dragon-friendly activities.
Decorations: People will decorate the exterior of their homes and help do so with outdoor public structures.
Making Yaknog: Astrid comes up with a recipe to make a drink called Yaknog to bring out the festive cheer of Snoggletog. It's found to be horrible and barely palatable.
Preparing Gifts: Similar to how Santa places his gifts in children's socks, Vikings are to present gifts in helmets, boots, or other places for little children. They believe the gifts come from the god Odin.
Building Snoggletog Trees: In the center of the village during Snoggletog, a giant tree form, made with treetrunk pole supporting a cone-shaped framework, is then covered with wooden planks painted green and decorated with shields.
Gathering at the Great Hall: Vikings of Berk gather at the Great Hall to celebrate, eat, and catch up with friends. The Great Hall is decorated with items such as colorful lanterns, jingle bells, and other colorful festive ornaments. People gather there and wear festive clothes.
DecemberHogmany
Hogmany marks the point where the sun rises above the horizon for the first time since the Winter Solstice, meaning that Vikings and dragons spend part of the holiday watching the sunrise for the first time in two weeks. During Hogmany, Vikings twist wire and paper into small balls, which are then lit on fire by dragons, setting the sky ablaze with light leading down towards the sea.
Norse Holidays & Festivals
January 14Þorrablót / Thorrablot
Þorrablót is an evening with dinner where participants hold speeches and recite poems, originally to honor the Norse god Thor. It is sacred to Thor and the ancient Icelandic Winter Spirit of Thorri. On this day, practitioners perform a blot to Thor and invite the mighty Asaman to the feast.
January 31Disting / Dísablót
Also called "Charming of the Plough/Plow". This is a feast of new beginnings, at which the work in the fields for the growing season to come is blessed. For Charming of the Plough/Plow, the equipment would be “charmed,” as well as the field and seed, so the crops would be in abundance. The Landvættir/land wights would be honored and thanked for their help in the planting, growing, and eventual harvest.
February 2Barri
In Norse mythology, Barri is the place where Freyr and Gerðr are to consummate their union. This is the day to celebrate the wooing by Ingvi Freyr of the maiden Gerðr, a symbolic marriage of the Vanir God of Fertility with Mother Earth. It is a festival of fertility, the planted seed, and the plowed furrow.
March 21Ostara / Summer Ending
Ostara is celebrated on the spring equinox around March 21. This feast marks the beginning of the summer half of the year. It's a celebration of fertility and was known as a fire festival (fire is used to represent the sun). The holiday is a celebration of the rejuvenation of the earth, fertility, and growth; traditional decorations include budding boughs, flowers, decorated eggs, and the rabbit motif.
April 15Sigrblot / Sumarsdag
This day is to celebrate the first day of Summer.
April 22Yggdrasil Day
Beginning on Earth day and ending on May Day, this festival is a raucous celebration to herald the beginning of summer and new life. The nine days and nights leading up to May Day are observed for the days and nights Odin sacrificed himself on Yggdrasil, the world tree, for the knowledge of the runes to share with humanity. May Day celebrations are conducted outside, where Bale/Bon fires are lit, Maypole Dances are performed, and other frivolity is enjoyed. Deities of fertility, life, and the earth are honored as well as Odin.
April 31stMay Eve / Waluburgis Night
This holiday is associated with the god Frey and goddess Freya. It's a celebration of love, fertility, and the coming of Spring. It's the equivalent of Valentine's Day and a night of love: young men are expected to go out into the woods to gather green branches and wildflowers, with which they decorate the windows of their beloveds.
May 1May Day
The first of May is a time of great celebration across Europe, as the fields get greener and the flowers decorate the landscape with colorful confusion. Freya turns her kindly face to us after the night of Walburg, so celebrate the birth of Spring and the gifts of Freya on this day.
June 21Midsummer
Midsummer is the religious celebration held at the summer solstice. This feast usually falls around June 20-21. Certain celebrations take place on the evening of the summer solstice. Great roaring bonfires, speeches, songs, and dancing are most traditional. Folk traditions include the making of wreaths, the kindling of fires, the burning of corn dollies (human figures made of straw), and the adornment of fields, barns, and houses with greenery. Midsummer is particularly a time to make blessings to Baldur. Model Viking ships are also sometimes made from thin wood, filled with small flammable offerings, and burned.
August 1stFreyfest / Freyfaxi / Lammas
This feast is thought of as holy to Freyr as a fertility god, Thor as a harvest god, and his wife Sif, whose long golden hair can be seen in fields of ripe grain. The warriors who'd gone off to fight at the end of planting season came back, loaded with a summer's worth of plunder and ready to reap the crops that had ripened while they were gone. Loaf-Feast is the end of the summer's vacation, the beginning of a time of hard work, which lasts through the next two or three months while they ready themselves for the winter. Any grains harvested are made into bread, and other seasonal fruits and vegetables are included in the feast. Preserving foods from the harvest is also done this time of year. Some groups gather to help each other preserve food for the winter.
September 21stFall-Feat / Haustblot
Fall-feast / Haustblot is another joyous festival and falls on the Autumn Equinox, and is the beginning of autumn. Also called Winter Finding, Fall-feast represents the second harvest of the season. Bonfires, feasting, and dancing played a large part in the festivities. With the bonfire ablaze, the villagers extinguished all other fires. Each family then lit their hearth from the common flame, bonding the families of the village together.
October 14Winter Nights / Vetrablot
Winter Nights celebrates the bounty of the harvest and honors Freya and the fertility and protective spirits called Disir that she leads. Give glory to Freya, and pour a libation of ale, milk, or mead into the soil an offering to the Disir and the earth itself.
October 31stWinter Nights / Vetrnaetr
Winter nights marked the last of the harvest and the time when the animals that weren't expected to make it through the winter were butchered and smoked or made into sausage. This festival and feast celebrated the accessibility, veneration, awe, and respect of the dead. Starting on this night, the great divisions between the worlds are somewhat diminished, which allow the forces of chaos to invade the realms of order, the material world conjoining with the world of the dead. This is when the Wild hunt began, in which the restless spirits of the dead and those yet to be born walked among the living. The dead could return to the places where they'd lived, and food and entertainment were provided in their honor.
December 20Yule / Yuletide
Yuletide is the pre-Christian Germanic Midwinter celebration. The commencement of the Yuletide celebration has no set date but is traditionally 12 days long with the start of the festivities beginning at sunset on the winter solstice.
The first night of Yule is called Mothernight when Frigga and the Disir are especially honored. This is the date with the shortest day and the longest night of the year. A traditional vigil from dusk to dawn is held on Mother's night to make sure the sun will rise again, and welcome her when it does.
Yule is the season when the gods and goddesses are closest to Midgard. Yule is also the season during which the dead return to earth and share the feasts of the living. Yule is the time of the year at which the Wild Hunt, Odin's host of the restless dead, rides most fiercely; it's dangerous to meet them, but gifts of food and drink are left out for them, for they can also bring blessings and fruitfulness.
The tree, on which holy gifts are hung, represents Yggdrasil. The Yule-log was supposed to burn all night during the longest night of the year to symbolize life lasting even in the time of greatest darkness, its fire rekindling the sun in the morning. Its ashes or pieces were used as protective amulets during the rest of the year.
The 12 days of Yule is largely devoted to baking cakes, cookies, bread, and making the unique decorations that beautify every heathen home during this holiday season. There are, for example, intricate paper cutouts to make and put on the walls, plus stars, wooden toys, straw goats, and wild boars to hang on the Yule tree.
December 31Twelfth Night
This culminates the traditional twelve days of Yule, each day representing a month of the preceding year in miniature. It is a night to reflect on the past year.
Odin The AllfatherGod of War, Sovereignty, Poetry, The Dead, Wisdom, Magic, and Shamanism
The God of War, protecting those who please him and ruling over Valhalla where he welcomes the fallen who died a worthy death and are brought to him by his valkyries. The most worshipped god and father of all. He is recognized as the ruler of Asgard, husband of Frigg, father of Thor and Baldur, and grandfather of Magni. Odin is associated by the Vikings of and outside the Archipelago with wisdom, knowledge, and poetry. So deeply ingrained in Viking society, Odin is often prayed to or presented with offerings, as well as mentioned often in exclamations, although to avoid the superstitious bad luck that comes with saying his name in vain, many use the alias of "Woden".
Frigg / FriggaGoddess of Motherhood and Marriage
She is wife to Odin and mother to Baldur. She is known to represent beauty, love, and fate. Vikings pray to her for blessings related to family and love, most notably to bless a marriage or protect children. Like Freya, Frigg is depicted as a völva, a Viking Age practitioner of the form of Norse magic known as seidr. Seidr involved discerning the course of fate and working within its structure to bring about change, often by symbolically weaving new events into being.
BaldurGod of Light, Purity, and Joy
He’s loved by all the gods, goddesses, and beings of a more physical nature. So handsome, gracious, and cheerful is he that he actually gives off light. Baldur is said to represent kindness and fairness and is generally prayed to in hopes of receiving blessings of joy and good fortune. The most common time to pray to Baldur is when a child is born, in the hopes of giving the child a joyous life, alongside praying to Frigga for her protection. He is also prayed to alongside Thor in the hopes that his light will bring about a good harvest.
ThorGod of Weather, Thunder, Fertility, and Agriculture
Although not the ruler of Asgard, Thor is seen as the ideal Viking and the protector of both Asgard and the human realm. Although he is associated with justice as well as thunder, giving him a reputation of bringing thunder and lightning down upon those who anger him, he is also seen as a friendlier god. Thor is often prayed upon to bring justice to one's enemies and to bless the land with good weather, such as good winds and calm seas for sailing, or plentiful rain for crops. Much like Odin, he too is often mentioned in phrases or exclamations.
LokiGod of Mischief and Thievery
Loki is known for his bringing of chaos and the inspiring of pranks. Although he is at times thanked when Vikings survive strange and seemingly otherworldly encounters or prayed to in the hopes of accomplishing a risky or ill-planned scheme, he is much sooner blamed for chaotic and unnatural happenings. Few appear to worship him, but those who dedicate themselves to chaos or have a bit of a crazy streak themselves do. He is largely seen as an untrustworthy god.
HeimdallWatchman of the Gods
Heimdall is one of the Aesir gods and the ever-vigilant guardian of the gods’ stronghold, Asgard. His dwelling sits at the top of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that leads to Asgard. He requires less sleep than a bird. His eyesight is so keen that he can see for hundreds of miles by day or by night, and his hearing is so acute that he can hear the grass growing on the ground and wool growing on sheep. Here he watches and listens, holding at the ready the horn Gjallarhorn, which he sounds when intruders are approaching.
Sol and ManiGoddess of the Sun and God of the Moon
Sol and Mani form a sister and brother pair. They ride through the sky on horse-drawn chariots. They ride swiftly, as they’re pursued through the sky by the wolves Skoll (“Mockery”) and Hati (“Hate”), who will overtake them when the cosmos descends back into chaos during Ragnarok.
Freya (aka Freyja or Freja)Goddess of Fire and Fertility
Freya is famous for her fondness of love, fertility, beauty, and fine material possessions. Freya is seen by some at one with Frigga, and others as a separate Goddess. When Odin takes dead warriors to Valhalla, she takes those who remain to Folkvang. Due to being the Goddess of Fire, some see Freya as the mother of dragons, most especially the Stoker class. She is prayed upon to bless parents attempting to conceive a child, and to either strengthen or take away a dragon's flame, although the latter seems not to be an answered prayer. Alternatively, some thank her for allowing them to survive a dragon's flame.
HelGoddess of the Underworld
Hel is the daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda, and therefore the sister of the wolf Fenrir and the world serpent, Jormungand. Hel is generally presented as being rather greedy, harsh, and cruel, or at least indifferent to the concerns of both the living and the dead.
Other Beings and Creatures
Giants
The giants are a tribe of spiritual beings whose power equals that of the two tribes of gods, the Aesir and the Vanir. Their character, however, is very different from that of the gods – and, in fact, the giants and the gods correspond to opposing, but intertwined cosmological principles. While the Aesir are the benefactors and protectors of civilization, the giants (or devourers) are constantly trying to drag it back to primordial chaos. They’re forces of destruction, entropy, and decay.
Elves
The elves are luminous beings, “more beautiful than the sun,” whose exalted status is demonstrated by their constantly being linked with the Aesir and Vanir gods. The elves also have ambivalent relations with humans. Elves commonly cause human illnesses, but they also have the power to heal them, and seem especially willing to do so if sacrifices are offered to them.
Dwarves
The dwarves are most often noted for being extremely skilled smiths and craftspeople. Among the many irreplaceable treasures created by them are: Mjollnir, the hammer of Thor; Gleipnir, the chain that bound the wolf Fenrir when all other fetters failed; Skidbladnir, a ship which belongs to Freyr and always has a favorable wind; Gungnir, the spear of Odin; Draupnir, a ring owned by Odin; the Brisingamen, a magnificent necklace owned by Freya; and the long, golden hair of Sif, Thor’s wife. They’re also extremely knowledgeable, wise, and magically powerful. The dwarves are pitch-black in appearance and live underground in Svartalfheim, a place that is thought of as a labyrinthine complex of mines and forges. They turn to stone if exposed to the rays of the sun.
Land Spirits
Land spirits are, as the name implies, the spirits who dwell within particular places or features of the land. They wield considerable influence over the well-being of the land and all who depend on it. They can bless or curse those who live or travel within their land, and be blessed or cursed by them in turn. They’re fierce protectors of their native lands, seldom tolerant of mistreatment and dishonor, and seem to have a very passionate disposition in general.
Valkyries
A valkyrie is a female helping spirit of the god Odin. Often mentioned in funerals or before a potentially deadly battle, the Valkyries are the winged demi-god maidens who bring slain soldiers to Valhalla, where Odin will watch over them in death. The meaning of their name, “choosers of the slain,” refers not only to their choosing who gains admittance to Valhalla, but also to their choosing who dies in battle and using malicious magic to ensure that their preferences in this regard are brought to fruition.
The Norns
Norse mythology, the Norns are female beings who create and control fate. This makes them the most terribly powerful entities in the cosmos – more so than even the gods, since the gods are subject to fate just like any and all other beings. There are exactly three of them, and their names suggest their ability to construct the content of time: one is Urd (“The Past,” and a common word for fate in and of itself), the second Verdandi (“What Is Presently Coming into Being”) and the third Skuld (“What Shall Be”). They live in a hall by a well beneath Yggdrasil.
Ask and Embla
Ask and Embla are the first humans – male and female, respectively – to be created. Not too long after the world itself was created, Odin was walking along the coast of one of the new land masses. With him were two other gods: his brothers Vili and Ve. The three deities found two tree trunks, perhaps pieces of driftwood, lying on the beach. They were shaped like a man and a woman, but they were lifeless and powerless. So the three gods decided to give them what they lacked and make them true humans. Odin blew into them the breath of life, while his two companions imparted inspired mental activity, a healthy complexion, and the ability to speak, hear, and see. Ask and Embla were then given Midgard, the world of human civilization, for their dwelling-place. They became the father and mother of the entire human species.
The Einherjar
The einherjar are the band of the spirits of deceased elite warriors who dwell in Valhalla, the magnificent hall of the god Odin. Noble Viking warriors aspire to become one of the einherjar after they die. All-day long, they fight one another, doing countless valorous deeds along the way. But every evening, all their wounds are healed, and they are restored to full health. They surely work up quite an appetite from all those battles, and their dinners don’t disappoint. Their meat comes from the boar Saehrimnir, who comes back to life every time he is slaughtered and butchered. For their drink, they have mead that comes from the udder of the goat Heidrun. They thereby enjoy an endless supply of their exceptionally fine food and drink. They are waited on by the beautiful Valkyries.
Yggdrasil is the mighty tree whose trunk rises at the geographical center of the Norse spiritual cosmos. The rest of that cosmos, including the Nine Worlds, is arrayed around it and held together by its branches and roots, which connect the various parts of the cosmos to one another. Because of this, the well-being of the cosmos depends on the well-being of Yggdrasil. When the tree trembles, it signals the arrival of Ragnarok, the destruction of the universe.
Valhalla
Valhalla is the hall where the god Odin houses the dead whom he deems worthy of dwelling with him. The roof of the “gold-bright” Valhalla is made of shields and has spears for its rafters. Seats made of breastplates surround the many feasting tables of the vast hall. Its gates are guarded by wolves, and eagles fly above it.
Bifrost
Bifrost is the rainbow bridge that connects Asgard, the world of the Aesir tribe of gods, with Midgard, the world of humanity. Bifrost is guarded by the ever-vigilant god Heimdall.
The Nine Worlds
Asgard is located in the sky and is connected to Midgard, the world of humanity, by the rainbow bridge Bifrost. Asgard is the home and fortress of the Aesir, one of the two tribes of gods. The -gard element in Asgard’s name is a reference to the ancient Germanic concept of the distinction between the innangard and utangard. That which is innangard (“inside the fence”) is orderly, law-abiding, and civilized, while that which is utangard (“beyond the fence”) is chaotic, anarchic, and wild. Asgard is the ultimate model of the innangard, while Jotunheim, the “Homeland of the Giants,” is the epitome of the utangard.
Midgard is the inhabited world, and roughly corresponds to the modern English word and concept of “civilization.” When the gods gave the world its initial shape, they slew the giant Ymir and created various parts of the world from his body parts. In order to protect Midgard and humanity from the giants, they built a fence around Midgard out of Ymir’s eyebrows. Building fences around farms repeated this paradigmatic act, marking off that which was within the fences as innangard and that which was outside the fences as utangard.
Vanaheim is the home of the Vanir tribe of deities, who tend to be somewhat more associated with fertility and what we today would call “nature” than the other tribe of Norse deities.
Jotunheim is also known as Utgard, a name that establishes the realm as occupying one extreme end of the traditional Germanic conceptual spectrum between the innangard and the utangard. Jotunheim is the home of the giants; the dwelling-places of the giants are described as deep, dark forests, mountain peaks where winter never eases its grip, and similarly inhospitable and grim landscapes.
Niflheim is the homeland of primordial darkness, cold, mist, and ice. As such, it’s the opposite cosmological principle of Muspelheim, the world of fire and heat.
Muspelheim is the home of the fire giants. Muspelheim features in both the creation of the world and its downfall. Fire from Muspelheim and ice from Niflheim meet in the middle of Ginnungagap and forge the giant Ymir, the first being from whose corpse the world was eventually shaped. During Ragnarok, the fire giant Surt arrives from the south with a flaming sword to slay the gods and burn the world.
Alfheim is the world inhabited by the elves, a class of demigod-like beings. The Vanir god Freyr is said to be the ruler of Alfheim.
Nidavellir / Svartalfheim is the home of the dwarves. The dwarves are master smiths and craftsmen who live beneath the ground. Accordingly, Nidavellir or Svartalfheim was probably thought of as a labyrinthine, subterranean complex of mines and forges.
Hel is the most general name for the underworld where many of the dead dwell. Like physical graves, Hel is thought to be located underground. The dead in Hel spend their time doing the same kinds of things that Viking Age men and women did: eating, drinking, fighting, sleeping, and so forth. It wasn’t a place of eternal bliss or torment as much as it was simply a continuation of life somewhere else.
Before there was soil, or sky, or any green thing, there was only the gaping abyss of Ginnungagap. This chaos of perfect silence and darkness lay between the homeland of elemental fire, Muspelheim, and the homeland of elemental ice, Niflheim. Frost from Niflheim and billowing flames from Muspelheim crept toward each other until they met in Ginnungagap. Amid the hissing and sputtering, the fire melted the ice, and the drops formed themselves into Ymir, the first of the godlike but destructive giants. Ymir was a hermaphrodite and could reproduce asexually; when he slept, more giants leaped forth from his legs and from the sweat of his armpits.
As the frost continued to melt, a cow, Audhumla, emerged from it. She nourished Ymir with her milk, and she, in turn, was nourished by salt-licks in the ice. Her licks slowly uncovered Buri, the first of the Aesir tribe of gods. Buri had a son named Bor, who married Bestla, the daughter of the giant Bolthorn. The half-god, half-giant children of Bor and Bestla were Odin, who became the chief of the Aesir gods, and his two brothers, Vili and Ve.
Odin and his brothers slew Ymir and set about constructing the world from his corpse. They fashioned the oceans from his blood, the soil from his skin and muscles, vegetation from his hair, clouds from his brains, and the sky from his skull. Four dwarves, corresponding to the four cardinal points, held Ymir’s skull aloft above the earth. The gods eventually formed the first man and woman, Ask and Embla, from two tree trunks, and built a fence around their dwelling-place, Midgard, to protect them from the giants.
Someday – whenever the Norns, those inscrutable spinners of fate, decree it – there shall come a Great Winter unlike any other the world has yet seen. The biting winds will blow snows from all directions, and the warmth of the sun will fail, plunging the earth into unprecedented cold. This winter shall last for the length of three normal winters, with no summers in between. Mankind will become so desperate for food and other necessities of life that all laws and morals will fall away, leaving only the bare struggle for survival. It will be an age of swords and axes; brother will slay brother, father will slay son, and son will slay father.
The wolves Skoll and Hati, who have hunted the sun and the moon through the skies since the beginning of time, will at last catch their prey. The stars, too, will disappear, leaving nothing but a black void in the heavens. Yggdrasil, the great tree that holds the cosmos together, will tremble, and all the trees and even the mountains will fall to the ground. The chain that has been holding back the monstrous wolf Fenrir will snap, and the beast will run free. Jormungand, the mighty serpent who dwells at the bottom of the ocean and encircles the land, will rise from the depths, spilling the seas over all the earth as he makes landfall.
These convulsions will shake the ship Naglfar free from its moorings. This ship, which is made from the fingernails and toenails of dead men and women, will sail easily over the flooded earth. Its crew will be an army of giants, the forces of chaos and destruction. And its captain will be none other than Loki, the traitor to the gods, who will have broken free of the chains in which the gods have bound him. Fenrir, with fire blazing from his eyes and nostrils, will run across the earth, with his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw against the top of the sky, devouring everything in his path. Jormungand will spit his venom over all the world, poisoning land, water, and air alike.
The dome of the sky will be split, and from the crack shall emerge the fire-giants from Muspelheim. Their leader shall be Surt, with a flaming sword brighter than the sun in his hand. As they march across Bifrost, the rainbow bridge to Asgard, the home of the gods, the bridge will break and fall behind them. An ominous horn blast will ring out; this will be Heimdall, the divine sentry, blowing the Gjallarhorn to announce the arrival of the moment the gods have feared. Odin will anxiously consult the head of Mimir, the wisest of all beings, for counsel.
The gods will decide to go to battle, even though they know what the prophecies have foretold concerning the outcome of this clash. They will arm themselves and meet their enemies on a battlefield called Vigrid. Odin will fight Fenrir, and by his side will be the einherjar, the host of his chosen human warriors whom he has kept in Valhalla for just this moment. Odin and the champions of men will fight more valiantly than anyone has ever fought before. But it will not be enough. Fenrir will swallow Odin and his men. Then one of Odin’s sons, Vidar, burning with rage, will charge the beast to avenge his father. On one of his feet will be the shoe that has been crafted for this very purpose; it has been made from all the scraps of leather that human shoemakers have ever discarded, and with it Vidar will hold open the monster’s mouth. Then he will stab his sword through the wolf’s throat, killing him.
Another wolf, Garm, and the god Tyr will slay each other. Heimdall and Loki will do the same, putting a final end to the trickster’s treachery, but costing the gods one of their best in the process. The god Freyr and the giant Surt will also be the end of each other. Thor and Jormungand, those age-old foes, will both finally have their chance to kill the other. Thor will succeed in felling the great snake with the blows of his hammer. But the serpent will have covered him in so much venom that he will not be able to stand for much longer; he will take nine paces before falling dead himself and adding his blood to the already-saturated soil of Vigrid. Then the remains of the world will sink into the sea, and there will be nothing left but the void. Creation and all that has occurred since will be completely undone, as if it had never happened.
Some say that that is the end of the tale – and of all tales, for that matter. But others hold that a new world, green and beautiful, will arise out of the waters. Vidar and a few other gods – Vali, Baldur, Hodr, and Thor’s sons Modi and Magni – will survive the downfall of the old world, and will live joyously in the new one. A man and a woman, Lif and Lifthrasir, will have hidden from the cataclysm in a place called the “Wood of Hoddmimir”, and will now come out and populate the lush land in which they will find themselves. A new sun, the daughter of the previous one, will rise in the sky. And all of this will be presided over by a new, almighty ruler.
The Vanir goddess Freya was always the foremost practitioner of the art of seidr, the most terribly powerful kind of magic. Like historical seidr practitioners, she wandered from town to town plying her craft for hire. Under the name Heiðr, she eventually came to Asgard, the home of the Aesir. The Aesir were quite taken by her powers and zealously sought her services. But soon they realized that their values of honor, kin loyalty, and obedience to the law were being pushed aside by the selfish desires they sought to fulfill with the witch’s magic. Blaming Freya for their own shortcomings, the Aesir called her “Gullveig” and attempted to murder her. Three times they tried to burn her, and three times she was reborn from the ashes.
Because of this, the Aesir and Vanir came to hate and fear one another, and these hostilities erupted into war. The Aesir fought by the rules of plain combat, with weapons and brute force, while the Vanir used the subtler means of magic. The war went on for some time, with both sides gaining the upper hand by turns. Eventually, the two tribes of divinities became weary of fighting and decided to call a truce. As was customary among the ancient Norse and other Germanic peoples, the two sides agreed to pay tribute to each other by sending hostages to live among the other tribe. Freya, Freyr, and Njord of the Vanir went to the Aesir, and Hoenir and Mimir went to the Vanir.
Njord and his children seem to have lived more or less in peace in Asgard. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of Hoenir and Mimir in Vanaheim. The Vanir immediately saw that Hoenir was seemingly able to deliver incomparably wise advice on any problem, but they failed to notice that this was only when he had Mimir in his company. Hoenir was actually a rather slow-witted simpleton who was at a loss for words when Mimir wasn’t available to counsel him. After Hoenir responded to the Vanir’s entreaties with the unhelpful “Let others decide” one too many times, the Vanir thought they had been cheated in the hostage exchange. They beheaded Mimir and sent the severed head back to Asgard, where the distraught Odin chanted magic poems over the head and embalmed it in herbs. Thus preserved, Mimir’s head continued to give indispensable advice to Odin in times of need.
The two tribes were still wary of fighting a war that was so evenly matched, however. Rather than renewing their hostilities over this tragic misunderstanding, each of the Aesir and Vanir came together and spat into a cauldron. From their saliva, they created Kvasir, the wisest of all beings, as a way of pledging sustained harmony.
Baldur was one of the most beloved of all the gods. The son of Odin, the chief of the gods, and the benevolent sorceress goddess Frigg, Baldur was a generous, joyful, and courageous character who gladdened the hearts of all who spent time with him. When, therefore, he began to have ominous dreams of some grave misfortune befalling him, the fearful gods appointed Odin to discover their meaning.
Baldur’s father wasted no time in mounting his steed, Sleipnir, and riding to the underworld to consult a dead seeress whom he knew to be especially wise in such matters. When, in one of his countless disguises, he reached the cold and misty underworld, he found the halls arrayed in splendor, as if some magnificent feast were about to occur. Odin woke the seeress and questioned her concerning this festivity, and she responded that the guest of honor was to be none other than Baldur. She merrily recounted how the god would meet his doom, stopping only when she realized, from the desperate nature of Odin’s entreaties, who this disguised wanderer truly was.
And, indeed, all that she prophesied would come to pass.
Odin returned in sorrow to Asgard, the gods’ celestial stronghold, and told his companions what he had been told. Frigg, yearning for any chance of saving her treasured son, however remote, went to every entity in the cosmos, living or nonliving, and obtained oaths to not harm Baldur. After these oaths were secured, the gods made a sport out of the situation. They threw sticks, rocks, and anything else on hand at Baldur, and everyone laughed as these things bounced off and left the shining god unharmed.
The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief. In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, carved a spear out of it, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game.
He approached the blind god Hodr and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot. The gods found themselves unable to speak as they trembled with anguish and fear. They knew that this event was the first presage of Ragnarok, the downfall and death, not just of themselves, but of the very cosmos they maintained. At last, Frigg composed herself enough to ask if there were any among them who were brave, loyal, and compassionate enough to journey to the land of the dead and offer Hel, the death-goddess, a ransom for Baldur’s release. Hermod, an obscure son of Odin, offered to undertake this mission. Odin instructed Sleipnir to bear Hermod to the underworld, and off he went.
The gods arranged a lavish funeral for their fallen friend. They turned Baldur’s ship, Hringhorni, into a pyre fitting for a great king. When the time came to launch the ship out to sea, however, the gods found the ship stuck in the sand and themselves unable to force it to budge. After many failed attempts they summoned the brawniest being in the cosmos, a certain giantess named Hyrrokkin. Hyrrokkin arrived in Asgard riding a wolf and using poisonous snakes for reins. She dismounted, walked to the prow of the ship, and gave it such a mighty push that the land quaked as Hringhorni was freed from the strand. As Baldur’s body was carried onto the ship, his wife, Nanna, was overcome with such great grief that she died there on the spot, and was placed on the pyre alongside her husband. The fire was kindled, and Thor hallowed the flames by holding his hammer over them. Odin laid upon the pyre his ring Draupnir, and Baldur’s horse was led into the flames. All kinds of beings from throughout the Nine Worlds attended this ceremony: gods, giants, elves, dwarves, valkyries, and others. Together they stood and mourned as they watched the burning ship disappear over the ocean.
Meanwhile, Hermod rode nine nights through ever darker and deeper valleys on his quest to rescue the part of Baldur that had been sent to Hel. When he came to the river Gjoll, Modgud, the giantess who guards the bridge, asked him his name and his purpose, adding that it was strange that his footfalls were as thundering as those of an entire army, especially since his face still had the color of the living. He answered to her satisfaction, and she allowed him to cross over into Hel’s realm. Sleipnir leaped over the wall around that doleful land.
Upon entering and dismounting, Hermod spotted Hel’s throne and Baldur, pale and downcast, sitting in the seat of honor next to her. Hermod spent the night there, and when morning came, he pleaded with Hel to release his brother, telling her of the great sorrow that all living things, and especially the gods, felt for his absence. Hel responded, “If this is so, then let every thing in the cosmos weep for him, and I will send him back to you. But if any refuse, he will remain in my presence.” Hermod rode back to Asgard and told these tidings to the gods, who straightaway sent messengers throughout the worlds to bear this news to all of their inhabitants. And, indeed, everything did weep for Baldur – everything, that is, save for one giantess: Tokk, who was none other than Loki in another disguise. Tokk coldly told the messengers, “Let Hel hold what she has!”
And so Baldur was condemned to remain in Hel’s darkness, dampness, and cold. Never again would he grace the lands of the living with his gladdening light and exuberance.
The gods had arranged a lavish feast with Aegir and Ran, two gracious and hospitable giants who dwell beneath the sea. Aegir and Ran offered to host the banquet, but only if the gods could provide them with a kettle big enough to brew mead for all of the invited guests. The gods knew that, of all the beings in the Nine Worlds, only the giant Hymir possessed a cauldron large enough for this purpose. Thor, the brawniest and bravest of the gods, as well as the one most accustomed to dealing with the giants – not all of whom are as friendly to the gods as are Aegir and Ran – volunteered to obtain this cauldron from Hymir. Upon the god’s arrival at his house, Hymir slaughtered three bulls for provisions for the two during Thor’s stay. The giant was shocked and dismayed, however, when Thor ate two of the bulls in one sitting to assuage his legendary hunger. Because of this, the angry giant declared, they would need to go fishing in the morning for the next day’s food.
In the morning, Hymir sent Thor to procure bait for their hooks. Thor went to Hymir’s pastures and slaughtered the biggest of the giant’s remaining bulls, intending to use the head as bait. Hymir was now more irritated than ever at the rash youngster but hoped his strength and daring would be of help on their fishing trip. The two got into the boat, with Thor in the stern. The god rowed them out to Hymir’s usual fishing grounds, where the giant, to his delight, caught two whales. But then, Thor began to row the boat further out from land. His companion grew fearful and demanded that they row back at once, “because,” he reminded Thor, “Jormungand lurks below these wild waves.” Thor, the age-old enemy of that monstrous sea serpent, refused.
At last, Thor dropped the oars and cast his line into the water. After an ominous silence and calm, Thor felt a mighty tug on his line. As he reeled it in, a violent rumbling shook the boat and whipped the waves. The giant grew pale with terror, but Thor persisted. His feet were planted so firmly in the bottom of the boat that the planks gave way and water began pouring in. When the serpent’s head, with the hook in his venom-dripping mouth, at last came up above the water, Thor reached for his hammer. At this moment, Hymir panicked and cut the line. The howling snake slunk back down into the ocean. Thor, enraged at having missed this opportunity to end his greatest foe, heaved Hymir overboard.
Thor, with the two whales slung over his shoulders, waded back to land, picked up Hymir’s cauldron, and returned home to Asgard.
One morning, Thor awoke to find his hammer, Mjollnir, missing. This was no small matter; without the thunder god’s best weapon, Asgard was left vulnerable to the attacks of the giants. In a rage, he searched everywhere for his most prized possession, but it was nowhere to be found. The goddess Freya owned falcon feathers, with which one could change one’s shape into that of a falcon. She lent these to Thor and Loki so that the hammer could be located. Loki, who knew how to shift his shape, donned the feathers and flew off in search of the treasure. He quickly surmised that it had probably been stolen by the giants, so he rode the winds to their homeland, Jotunheim.
Upon his arrival, he changed back into his god-form and approached the chief of the giants, Thrym. When questioned regarding the hammer, Thrym answered that he had indeed taken it, and that it was buried eight miles below the ground. And, added the lonely, ugly giant, he had no intention of returning it until Freya was made to be his bride.
Loki flew back to Asgard and told this news to his fellow gods, who were alarmed and furious – especially Freya. As they sat in council, Heimdall put forth the following solution: that Thor go to Jotunheim disguised as Freya, and thereby win back his hammer and take vengeance on its thieves. Thor protested, saying that this was a dishonorable and unmanly thing to do and that all of the inhabitants of Asgard would mock him for it for the rest of his days. Loki pointed out, however, that if he didn’t consent to Heimdall’s plan, Asgard would be ruled by the giants. The gods thereby obtained Thor’s acquiescence. No detail was spared in the assemblage of Thor’s bridal dress. After the humiliated god had donned the costume, Loki offered to go with him as his maid-servant. The pair climbed into Thor’s goat-drawn chariot and made their way to Jotunheim. When they arrived, they were welcomed by the Thrym, who boasted that the gods had, at last, brought him the prize he was due.
At dinner, Thor and Loki found themselves in trouble. Thor singlehandedly ate an entire ox, eight salmon, and all of the dainties that had been prepared for the women – not to mention the many barrels of mead he drank. This made Thrym suspicious, and he declared that he had never in his whole life seen a woman with such an appetite. Loki quickly devised a response: “The fair goddess has been so lovesick for you,” he claimed, “that she hasn’t been able to eat for a week.” Thrym accepted this answer and was overcome by a desire to kiss his bride. When he peeled back the veil, Thor’s eyes glared at him so intently that they seemed to burn holes right through him. He exclaimed, “Never have I seen a maiden with such frightfully piercing eyes!” Loki, the master of deceit, explained to the giant that while Freya had been unable to eat, she had also been unable to sleep, so fierce was her longing for him.
The ceremony soon followed. As was customary, Thrym called for the hammer to hallow their union. When Mjollnir was laid in Thor’s lap, he grabbed its handle and slew first Thrym, then all of the guests before contentedly returning to Asgard and changing back into his preferred clothes.
Loki had always been more of a burden than a help to the other gods and goddesses. But after his contriving the death of Baldur and ensuring that that fair god would remain in the underworld until the cosmos is destroyed during Ragnarok, he went about slandering the gods at every opportunity. At last, the gods decided that his abuse had become too much, and they went to capture him. Loki ran far away from Asgard. At the peak of a high mountain, he built for himself a house with four doors so that he could watch for his pursuers from all directions. By day he turned himself into a salmon and hid beneath a nearby waterfall. By night he sat by his fire and weaved a net for fishing for his food.
The far-seeing Odin perceived where Loki now dwelt, and the gods went after him. When Loki saw his former friends approaching, he threw the net in the fire and hid himself in the stream in his salmon form so as to leave no traces of himself or his activities. When the gods arrived and saw the net smoldering in the fire, they surmised that the wily shapeshifter had changed himself into the likeness of those he intended to catch for himself. The gods took up the twine Loki had been using and crafted their own net, then made their way to the stream. Several times they cast their net into the stream, and each time the salmon barely eluded them. At last, the fish made a bold leap downstream to swim to the sea, and while in the air he was caught by Thor. The salmon writhed in the war-god’s grasp, but Thor held him fast by his tail fins. This is why, to this day, the salmon has a slender tail.
Loki was then taken, in his regular form, to a cave. The gods then brought in Loki’s two sons and turned one into a wolf, who promptly killed his brother, strewing his entrails across the cave floor. Loki was then fastened to three rocks in the cave with the entrails of his slain son, which the gods had turned into iron chains. Skadi placed a poisonous snake on a rock above his head, where it dripped venom onto his face. But Loki’s faithful wife, Sigyn, sat by his side with a bowl that she held up to the snake’s mouth to catch the poison. But every so often, the bowl became full, and Sigyn would have to leave her husband’s side to dispose of its contents, at which point the drops that fell onto the unrepentant god’s face would cause him to shake violently, which brought about earthquakes in Midgard, the world of humanity. And this was the lot of Loki and Sigyn until, as fated, Loki will break free from his chains at Ragnarok to assist the giants in destroying the cosmos.
The Norse pseudo-god Loki, who is by turns the friend and the enemy of the other gods, had three fearfully hideous and strong children with the giantess Angrboda. The first was the serpent Jormungand, and the second was the death-goddess Hel. The third was the wolf Fenrir.
The gods had terrible forebodings concerning the fate of these three beings. And they were absolutely correct. Jormungand would later kill the god Thor during Ragnarok, the downfall of the cosmos, an event which would be largely brought about by Hel’s refusal to release the radiant god Baldur from the underworld. During these cataclysmic events, Fenrir would devour Odin, the chief of the gods. In order to keep these monsters at bay, they threw Jomungand into the ocean, where he encircled Midgard, the world of humankind. Hel they relegated to the underworld. Fenrir, however, inspired too much fear in them for them to let him out from under their watchful eyes, so they reared the pup themselves in their stronghold, Asgard. Only Tyr, the indefatigable upholder of law and honor, dared to approach Fenrir to feed him.
Fenrir grew at an alarming rate, however, and soon the gods decided that his stay in Asgard had to be temporary. Knowing well how much devastation he would cause if he were allowed to roam free, the gods attempted to bind him with various chains. They were able to gain the wolf’s consent by telling him that these fetters were tests of his strength, and clapping and cheering when, with each new chain they presented him, he broke free. At last, the gods sent a messenger down to Svartalfheim, the realm of the dwarves. The dwarves, being the most skilled craftspeople in the cosmos, were able to forge a chain whose strength couldn’t be equaled; it was wrought from the sound of a cat’s footsteps, the beard of a woman, the roots of mountains, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird – in other words, things which don’t exist, and against which it’s therefore futile to struggle. Gleipnir was its name.
When the gods presented Fenrir with the curiously light and supple Gleipnir, the wolf suspected trickery and refused to be bound with it unless one of the gods would lay his or her hand in his jaws as a pledge of good faith. None of the gods agreed, knowing that this would mean the loss of a hand and the breaking of an oath. At last, the brave Tyr, for the good of all life, volunteered to fulfill the wolf’s demand. And, sure enough, when Fenrir discovered that he was unable to escape from Gleipnir, he chomped off and swallowed Tyr’s hand. The fettered beast was then transported to some suitably lonely and desolate place. The chain was tied to a boulder and a sword was placed in the wolf’s jaws to hold them open. As he howled wildly and ceaselessly, a foamy river called “Expectation” flowed from his drooling mouth. And there, in that sordid state, he remained – until Ragnarok.