Civilization -Norsemen

Civilization

Mannheim as it was named by the Norsemen was home to many cultures, but the Norsemen now control most of the land and thus this book focuses mainly on their point of view and beliefs.

Norse upbringing

You grew up in a village on the banks of a fjord somewhere in Midgard. (You and your group can agree to get more specific about your homeland if you want, using the information given later in this chapter on regional differences between Norse cultures.) Since childhood you have thrilled to the tales told by the men of your village when they return from their raiding expeditions. The raiders, led by a chieftain, would be your village's most admired men even if they didn't go off to engage in wild and bloodthirsty adventures.

They're the brave and able bodied men from the village 's richest families, who can afford the silver needed to equip them with weapons, armor, ships, and horses. Luckily, your own ancestors assured your family a small bit of wealth, by risking their lives in foreign lands and in the Underground. Now that you are old enough to swing a sword and to attract the attention of watchful Odin and battle-eager Thor, you intend to join their ranks.

Your village houses a few hundred people. They live together as extended families in large wooden buildings called steads or longhouses. These houses have few interior walls; everybody lives, eats, drinks, and farts together, in a spirit of true Viking togetherness. You grew up in these crowded, raucous circumstances, with a roof of turf above your head. You would feel strange if forced to sleep in a room all your own. Only the wealthiest villagers sleep in beds; the floor and a blanket is enough for any sturdy young warrior.

The village women take wool sheared from the sheep baa-ing on the pastureland outside your village and weave it into clothing. Men wear cloth trousers and leather jerkins over long woolen shirts. Women wear dresses of pleated linen. When it is cold, you don fur hats and heavy cloaks for warmth. When a man dons a blue cloak, it means that he intends to murder an enemy.

Jarls, Carls, and Thralls

There are three types of people in your village: jarls, carls, and thralls. You are lucky enough to be the son of a jarl, the wealthy class that equips its young men and sends them out raiding. One day you might be the leader of your village, or a gray-bearded priest of Odin and the other Aesir gods. If you live that long. Because only one son from any family can fully inherit its lands and silver, it is perhaps convenient that many young men of this favored class meet premature ends at the hands of wild beasts or their own kin.

Killing a member of the jarl class is a major crime — one likely to start a feud between villages. Only by paying a hefty fee of compensation, called wergild, numbering many coins, horses or thralls, can tempers be cooled and years of bloodshed averted.

Another layer of authority knits together your village with those around it. You are ruled by a king, elected by the jarls of each village, who in turn must listen to the voice of the village assembly, or thing.

Both jarls and kings must take care to rule wisely, and with the consent of the freemen under them, or they'll be deposed. Although it is good to be wealthy and to descend from a line of valorous leaders, authority means nothing unless it is properly used.

Carls are the peasants who work the land. Like the jarls, they are landowners, but their holdings are small. They take up sword and shield to defend the village from enemies, but rarely go out raiding. Though they are laborers, they are also free men, and can vote when the village meets in its things. At the thing, the villagers decide matters of law, choose targets for the jarls' sons to raid, and, on rare occasions, depose foolish leaders.

The murder of a carl is a serious matter, but the compensation due for it is rarely more than a few coins, one horse or thrall. Feuds that erupt over slain carls tend to remain in families, and won't necessarily embroil entire villages, but they could.

Thralls are indentured laborers who enjoy few rights. They may be captured hostages from foreign lands or rival villages, outlaws stripped of their free status, or unfortunates born to this wretched status. A thing may grant an especially admired or worthy thrall the status of a carl, but it will mean little change in his circumstances unless he can also somehow acquire a small landholding. Thralls are not trusted with weapons and don't participate in village defense. The murder of a thrall is treated as a property crime against the jarl or carl holding his indenture; it is more serious to kill a man's horse than to slay one of his thralls.

In their skalding (satiric verse) contests, jarls mock carls as cowardly, bumpkinish peasants. Carls in turn make fun of the jarls' arrogant airs and adventure-shortened lifespans. However, the power of each group is well-balanced, and the people you grew up with accept their respective lots in life.

Thralls, naturally, are excluded from such considerations; if one of them engaged in satiric verse against his better, he'd be slain out of hand.

HOLMGANGS AND BLOOD EAGLES

As you grew up, you learned that the best way to settle disputes between equals was through a duel, which is called a holmgang. This roughly translates as "going off to an island to beat the crap out of each other and settle it like men." Your people have developed many variant rules for holmganging; sometimes they tie t h e opponents to stakes so that no cowardly running can interfere with the proper laying on of the harm. In other instances, they make a sort of primitive boxing ring out of cowhide strips.

Sometimes the combatants trade blows one at a time, to see who can take the most punishment. In other duels, they slash away at each other in freeform style, just as they would in a fight to the death. The blood eagle is an especially gruesome form of execution favored by some Viking cultures. It involves the opening of the screaming victim's chest cavity so that the two sides of his rib cage can be pulled out and exposed.

Your Religion

Worship of the Aesir has been a big part of your life ever since you can remember. You learned the grim tale of how Odin cast out his eye for wisdom. You've thrilled to various tales of Thor's exploits, which may cast him either as staunch hero or muscle-bound buffoon. Mention of the gods and their myths appear throughout this book, so we won't repeat them in detail here.

PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES

Priests and priestesses are usually of the jarl class. No one chooses to be a priest. A high Divine Awareness ability is something that settles on a person, whether he likes it or not. Although priests are respected for the important tasks they fulfill in performing necessary rituals, the position is sometimes a terrifying one. Even the good gods, like Odin, can be terrifying to confront. Priests sometimes meet the gods face to face, in dreams and visions. Priests are often retired heroes, because the Aesir invest those who destroy their foes with great powers. Priests never specialize in the veneration of a single deity. A priest represents all of the male gods; a priestess calls upon all of the female gods.

Their most important duty is the performance of fertility rituals to bless crops and domestic animals. When the gods are strong, and Loki's minions are weak, food will be plentiful. When Loki is on the rise, the forces of death and madness strengthen, withering grain plants and drying up the wombs of cows and mares. Often the best way to strengthen village magic is to send mighty young warriors off to slay Loki's minions. Priests and priestesses are also called upon to remember the stories of the gods, and to supply counsel to the troubled and weary. Their voices carry great weight at the village assembly. If they say Odin wishes something to be done, the people tend to believe this. However, villagers carefully watch a priest's behavior to make sure he hasn't been corrupted by Loki. Those who succumb to trickster are subject to blood eagle.

Among jarls and carls, women are accorded great respect. At the thing, their voices are at least as important as the men's. In the world of Nordica, a jarl's daughter is as likely to don armor and clank off into the trap-laden byways of the Underground as his son.

No one has trouble believing the stories of the fierce, winged Valkyries, because everyone knows a warrior woman he wouldn't dare face on the field of battle.

THE VILLAGE RUNE

In a central courtyard stands your village Rune, an artifact gifted to your ancestors in the ancient past by Odin himself. It is a large slab of rock with one of the letters of Odin's runic alphabet carved into it. When the gods are near, or when Loki's machinations bring Ragnarok another step closer, the rune pulses and glows. By giving his people proof of his existence and concern for them, Odin strengthened his position against Loki. Perhaps it is true that the gods depend as much on their worshipers as the other way around, and that, without belief and prayer, they would wither and die.

This could be why Loki recently sent his Dark Vikings to attack nearby villages and destroy their Runes. Stone carvers throughout Mannheim now work to recreate the Runes, in the hopes that rituals by village priests can reach Odin's ears and cause their power to be rekindled. The few villages still guarding intact Runes now protect them with added ferocity, for fear that Loki might finish the job before the new Runes can be finished and properly dedicated, especially after the Great Flood in which countless Rune stone location’s were lost.

CHILDHOOD

When you listened to the Viking raiders of your father's generation, you learned of the other places in the world. Your sense of geography is determined by which places are good to raid, and which are not. When you play a Nordica hero, you must forget your modern conception of geography. You know that the world is flat, and that Mannheim is the center of the world. Ringing the Viking lands are a number of foreign places, which are good to raid. They are ringed in turn by the realms of myth, from dwarfish Nidavellir to dread Nifleheim. The exact relationships between these places is unknown, though, and complicated by the fact that they are best reached through shortcuts that run through the Underground. By tramping through subterranean passageways, you can reach the land of the giants faster and more safely than you'd get to Kanum-Kotan or to Angul-law, which require journeys across treacherous, storm-tossed seas. This chapter presents the most interesting lands of Mannheim from the perspective of adventurers, focusing on the areas from which such characters are likely to hail. Each section contains the following information ✦ Common Knowledge: General facts about the place that every resident of the region knows, including an overview of the region’s notable features, both civilized and natural.

✦ People of the Region: A look at the region’s populace.

Viking Raids

Just because a neighboring land is Viking is no reason not to raid it. Maybe it's bad to raid other Aesir-worshippers when Loki is strong. But when Odin has the upper hand, your neighbors are as good a target as any. If you can successfully raid them, that means they're weak. Once you're long gone, and their women are done lamenting the destruction you've left in your wake, they'll strengthen their defenses and better train their young men. You're doing them a favor, really.

Runes

Runes

First the rune name is given, then its phonetic value, it’s symbolic image, and finally the esoteric meaning used in divination. Rune users disagree on whether or not to place a different meaning on a rune that falls in an inverted or reversed position. Some runes look the same upside down and right side up.
These cannot be "reversed". Nevertheless, any of the runes may appear as a "merkstave" (which literally means "dark stick" and implies a "dark" meaning), depending on how the runes are cast. Note that a "reversed" or "merkstave" meaning is not the opposite of its primary meaning, but usually has a more negative connotation.

Rune Benefits

Rune benefits come in the form of runic boons, these are either acquired by choosing the Rune Child background or by a deity noticing your deeds and granting you a runic boon. Here is a list of all boons that can be obtained, however their mechanical representation are in the Character Builder.

Freyr’s Aett

Fehu (F: Domestic cattle, wealth.) Possessions won or earned, earned income, luck. Abundance, financial strength in the present or near future. Sign of hope and plenty, success and happiness. Social success. Energy, foresight, fertility, creation/destruction (becoming). Fehu Reversed or Merkstave: Loss of personal property, esteem, or something that you put in effort to keep. It indicates some sort of failure. Greed, burnout, atrophy, discord. Cowardice, stupidity, dullness, poverty, slavery, bondage.

Uruz: (U: Auroch, a wild ox.) Physical strength and speed, untamed potential. A time of great energy and health. Freedom, energy, action, courage, strength, tenacity, understanding, wisdom. Sudden or unexpected changes (usually for the better). Sexual desire, masculine potency. The shaping of power and pattern, formulation of the self. Uruz Reversed or Merkstave: Weakness, obsession, misdirected force, domination by others. Sickness, inconsistency, ignorance. Lust, brutality, rashness, callousness, violence.

Thurisaz: (TH: Thorn or a Giant.) Reactive force, directed force of destruction and defense, conflict. Instinctual will, vital eroticism, regenerative catalyst. A tendency toward change. Catharsis, purging, cleansing fire. Male sexuality, fertilization. (Thorr, the Thunder god, was of Giant stock.)Thurisaz Reversed or Merkstave: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. Rape?

Ansuz: (A: The As, ancestral god, i.e. Odin.) A revealing message or insight, communication. Signals, inspiration, enthusiasm, speech, true vision, power of words and naming. Blessings, the taking of advice. Good health, harmony, truth, wisdom. Ansuz Reversed or Merkstave: Misunderstanding, delusion, manipulation by others, boredom. Vanity and grandiloquence. (Odin is a mighty, but duplicitous god. He always has his own agenda.)

 Raidho: (R: Wagon or chariot.) Travel, both in physical terms and those of lifestyle direction. A journey, vacation, relocation, evolution, change of place or setting. Seeing a larger perspective. Seeing the right move for you to make and deciding upon it. Personal rhythm, world rhythm, dance of life. Raidho Reversed or Merkstave: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.

Kenaz: (K: Beacon or torch.) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. Vital fire of life, harnessed power, fire of transformation and regeneration. Power to create your own reality, the power of light. Open to new strength, energy, and power now. Passion, sexual love. Kenaz Reversed or Merkstave: Disease, breakup, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, loss of illusion and false hope.

 Gebo: (G: Gift.) Gifts, both in the sense of sacrifice and of generosity, indicating balance. All matters in relation to exchanges, including contracts, personal relationships and partnerships. Gebo Merkstave (Gebo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Greed, loneliness, dependence, over-sacrifice. Obligation, toll, privation, bribery.

 Wunjo: (W or V: Joy.) Joy, comfort, pleasure. Fellowship, harmony, prosperity. Ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but also the possibility of going "over the top". If restrained, the meaning is general success and recognition of worth. Wunjo Reversed or Merkstave: Stultification, sorrow, strife, alienation. Delirium, intoxication, possession by higher forces, impractical enthusiasm. Raging frenzy, berzerker.

Heimdall’s Aett

 Hagalaz: (H: Hail.) Wrath of nature, destructive, uncontrolled forces, especially the weather, or within the unconscious. Tempering, testing, trial. Controlled crisis, leading to completion, inner harmony. Hagalaz Merkstave (Hagalaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Natural disaster, catastrophe. Stagnation, loss of power. Pain, loss, suffering, hardship, sickness, crisis.

 Nauthiz: (N: Need.) Delays, restriction. Resistance leading to strength, innovation, need-fire (self-reliance). Distress, confusion, conflict, and the power of will to overcome them. Endurance, survival, determination. A time to exercise patience. Recognition of one's fate. Major self-initiated change. Face your fears. Nauthiz Reversed or Merkstave: Constraint of freedom, distress, toil, drudgery, laxity. Necessity, extremity, want, deprivation, starvation, need, poverty, emotional hunger.

 Isa: (I: Ice.) A challenge or frustration. Psychological blocks to thought or activity, including grievances. Standstill, or a time to turn inward and wait for what is to come, or to seek clarity. This rune reinforces runes around it. Isa Merkstave (Isa cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Ego-mania, dullness, blindness, dissipation. Treachery, illusion, deceit, betrayal, guile, stealth, ambush, plots.

 Jera: (J or Y: A year, a good harvest.) The results of earlier efforts are realized. A time of peace and happiness, fruitful season. It can break through stagnancy. Hopes and expectations of peace and prosperity. The promise of success earned. Life cycle, cyclical pattern of the universe. Everything changes, in its own time. Jera Merkstave (Jera cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Sudden setback, reversals. A major change, repetition, bad timing, poverty, conflict.

 Eihwaz: (EI: Yew tree.) Strength, reliability, dependability, trustworthiness. Enlightenment, endurance. Defense, protection. The driving force to acquire, providing motivation and a sense of purpose. Indicates that you have set your sights on a reasonable target and can achieve your goals. An honest man who can be relied upon. Eihwaz Reversed or Merkstave: Confusion, destruction, dissatisfaction, weakness.

 Perthro: (P: Lot cup, vagina.) Uncertain meaning, a secret matter, a mystery, hidden things and occult abilities. Initiation, knowledge of one's destiny, knowledge of future matters, determining the future or your path. Pertaining to things feminine, feminine mysteries including female fertility, and vagina. Good lot, fellowship and joy. Evolutionary change. Perthro Reversed or Merkstave: Addiction, stagnation, loneliness, malaise.

 Algiz: (Z or -R: Elk, protection.) Protection, a shield. The protective urge to shelter oneself or others. Defense, warding off of evil, shield, guardian. Connection with the gods, awakening, higher life. It can be used to channel energies appropriately. Follow your instincts. Keep hold of success or maintain a position won or earned. Algiz Reversed: or Merkstave: Hidden danger, consumption by divine forces, loss of divine link. Taboo, warning, turning away, that which repels.

 Sowilo: (S: The sun.) Success, goals achieved, honor. The life-force, health. A time when power will be available to you for positive changes in your life, victory, health, and success. Contact between the higher self and the unconscious. Wholeness, power, elemental force, sword of flame, cleansing fire. Sowilo Merkstave (Sowilo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): False goals, bad counsel, false success, gullibility, loss of goals. Destruction, retribution, justice, casting down of vanity. Wrath of god.

Tyr’s Aett

 Tiwaz: (T: Tyr, the sky god.) Honor, justice, leadership and authority. Analysis, rationality. Knowing where one's true strengths lie. Willingness to self-sacrifice. Victory and success in any competition or in legal matters. Tiwaz Reversed or Merkstave: One's energy and creative flow are blocked. Mental paralysis, over-analysis, over-sacrifice, injustice, imbalance. Strife, war, conflict, failure in competition. Dwindling passion, difficulties in communication, and possibly separation.

 Berkano: (B: Berchta, the birch-goddess.) Birth, general fertility, both mental and physical and personal growth, liberation. Regenerative power and light of spring, renewal, promise of new beginnings, new growth. Arousal of desire. A love affair or new birth. The prospering of an enterprise or venture. Berkano Reversed or Merkstave: Family problems and or domestic troubles. Anxiety about someone close to you. Carelessness, abandon, loss of control. Blurring of consciousness, deceit, sterility, stagnation.

 Ehwaz: (E: Horse, two horses.) Transportation. May represent a horse, car, plane, boat or other vehicle. Movement and change for the better. Gradual development and steady progress are indicated. Harmony, teamwork, trust, loyalty. An ideal marriage or partnership. Confirmation beyond doubt the meanings of the runes around it. Ehwaz Reversed or Merkstave: This is not really a negative rune. A change is perhaps craved. Feeling restless or confined in a situation. Reckless haste, disharmony, mistrust, betrayal.

 Mannaz: (M: Man, mankind.) The Self; the individual or the human race. Your attitude toward others and their attitudes towards you. Friends and enemies, social order. Intelligence, forethought, create, skill, ability. Divine structure, intelligence, awareness. Expect to receive some sort of aid or cooperation now. Mannaz Reversed or Merkstave: Depression, mortality, blindness, self-delusion. Cunning, slyness, manipulation, craftiness, calculation. Expect no help now.

 Laguz: (L: Water, or a leek.) Flow, water, sea, a fertility source, the healing power of renewal. Life energy and organic growth. Imagination and psychic matters. Dreams, fantasies, mysteries, the unknown, the hidden, the deep, the underworld. Success in travel or acquisition, but with the possibility of loss. Laguz Reversed or Merkstave: An indication of a period of confusion in your life. You may be making wrong decisions and poor judgements. Lack of creativity and feelings of being in a rut. Fear, circular motion, avoidance, withering. Madness, obsession, despair, perversity, sickness, suicide.

 Ingwaz: (NG: Ing, the earth god.) Male fertility, gestation, internal growth. Common virtues, common sense, simple strengths, family love, caring, human warmth, the home. Rest stage, a time of relief, of no anxiety. A time when all loose strings are tied and you are free to move in a new direction. Listen to yourself. Ingwaz Merkstave (Ingwaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Impotence, movement without change. Production, toil, labor, work.

 Dagaz: (D: Day or dawn.) Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. Daylight clarity as opposed to nighttime uncertainty. A time to plan or embark upon an enterprise. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Hope/happiness, the ideal. Security and certainty. Growth and release. Balance point, the place where opposites meet. Dagaz Merkstave (Dagaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): A completion, ending, limit, coming full circle. Blindness, hopelessness.

 Othala: (O: Ancestral property.) Inherited property or possessions, a house, a home. What is truly important to one. Group order, group prosperity. Land of birth, spiritual heritage, experience and fundamental values. Aid in spiritual and physical journeys. Source of safety, increase and abundance. Othala Reversed or Merkstave: Lack of customary order, totalitarianism, slavery, poverty, homelessness. Bad karma, prejudice, clannishness, provincialism. What a man is bound to.

Languages

LANGUAGES

The Mannheim was home to many cultures and nations, and the inhabitants speak a multitude of languages and dialects. Many races speak their own languages, with regional differences in dialects, though some (such as hobgoblins and goblins) share a language, suggesting a mutual ancestry, a common history, or some other close relationship.

Modern sages recognize four primary groupings of active human languages in Mannheim. The first, Norse, is spoken by the Norsemen. The second, Gaulish, spoken by the Gauls. The third, Breton, spoken by the Sasainns. The last, Monyuu, spoken by the Alukhais.


Norse

It is said  that the runes were created by the gods and Odin passed it down to elves and warves, then they passed it down to the humans. These three races share the same scripture, but both the elves and the dwarves have their own language. The Elder Futhark, used for writing Proto-Norse, consists of 24 runes that are often arranged in three groups of eight; each group is referred to as an Ætt. Each rune most probably had a name, chosen to represent the sound of the rune itself. The names are, however, not directly attested for the Elder Futhark themselves.


Breton

Gaulish

Gaulish Runes

Similar to the norsemen's runes. the feature of the runes is that each one has polarity. If you drag the rune down across the line it will match the oposite rune. Each rune also has a number value, when the rune is drawn down to it's opposite it equals the number nine. If you notice, the polarity of the runes creates a pentacle, which is the symbol for ether (the combining substance within the universe).

Finally, the runes can actually be set up to be used as a horizon astrology chart. Let's say you lay them out on the ground around you and sit down. Each one represents ten degrees within the three-hundred and sixty degree circle... thus you can keep track of where the stars come up as the year progresses and keep track of events that happen in your lifetime.

The Gauls also use worknots to write messages, these knots use the Sasainn's alphabet, mixed with theirs and it requires an insight check to figure out. If the person speaks both Gaulish and Breton, it has no penalties to the insight check.

Monyuu

The Common Tongue

Common is widely spoken across Manheimm, though sometimes with limited proficiency. It is a straightforward language best suited for trade and negotiation. Manheimm’s common tongue is closely related to the human language Breton and Norse.

Lore of the Land

Lore of the Land

Runic Calendar

The runic calendar was implemented by the Norsemen, however it is rumored that the gods gave the calendar to elves and dwarves as means to track time and to know when to workship them, they in return passed the calendar to humans (Norsemen) when then in return spread it to all cultures. The calendar consists of 12 months and are marked by the Golden Numbers. The seven-day and nineteen year (The Golden Number) cycles is a system of numbers known as stave numbers, the old numerical notation of the Norsemen.  The inscribed these calendars in stones, staffs, and weapons

Ever wonder how we got our week of seven days?

A fortnight was 14 days long and two fortnights made up the duration of a moon cycle which is approximately 28 days.  The day was also broken down into tides since they did not keep a clock to tell time like we do today:

Days of the Week
Norsemen	Gaul	Sasainns	Alukhais
Sunnudagr	Sunna's Day	Sunday	Davaa Garig
Mánadagr	Manis Day	Monday	Mjagmar Garig
Týsdagr	Tyrs Day	Tuesday	Lxagva Garig
Óðinsdagr	Woten Day	Wednesday	Purev Garig
thórsdagr	Thors Day	Thursday	Baasan Garig
Frjádagr	Freya-Frigga Day	Friday	Bjamba Garig
Laugardagr	Laugardagr	Saturday	Njam Garig

Hours	Name
4:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.	Morntide
7:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m.	Daytide
10:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m	Mid Day
1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.	Undorne
4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.	Eventide
7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.	Nighttide
10:30p.m.-1:30 a.m.	Midnight
1:30 a.m.-4:30 a.m.	Uht

Month Names by Moon
January	Thurseblot (Thor's Feast)
February	Disting (Financial Count)
March	Walpurgis (Festival of revelry and Darkness)
April	Ostara (Feast of the Spring Goddess)
May	Einherjar (Memorial Day)
June	Midyear (Midsummer Festival)
July	Sigurdsblot (Honoring Dragon Slayers)
August	Lithasblot (Harvest Festival)
September	Mabon (End of harvest)
October	Samhein (Remembering the Dead)
November	Samhiunn (End of remembrance)
December	Jol (New year, birth of Baldur)

Cosmology - Norsemen

The Asgardian pantheon is a fantasy interpretation of the religions of historical Scandinavia in ancient times. It includes deities appropriate for use in a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, arranged in a cosmology and theology that make sense from the perspective of the game. Separated from their historical context in real-world Scandinavia, these gods are united into a tight pantheon that serves the needs of D&D clerics, rune priests and other player and nonplayer characters in the game .

Asgardian myth

Before the gods arose, the great gaping void of Ginnungagap lay between fiery hot Muspelheim in the south and frozen Niflheim in the north. In the midst of Niflheim ran Hvergelmir, a spring from which flowed eleven rivers collectively known as Elivagar. As these rivers flowed away from their source, the poisonous lees they deposited hardened to ice. Vapor rising from the lees froze into rime, layer after layer, until it spread across Ginnungagap. The rime met the hot gusts from Muspelheim and melted, and from the moisture sprang the frost giant Ymir. While he slept, the sweat from his body formed the first of his frost giant offspring. Further melting of the ice created a cow called Audhumla.

Four rivers of milk flowed from her udder, sustaining Ymir and his offspring. For her own sustenance she licked the salty rime stones and over three days uncovered a strong, handsome man named Buri. From descendants of Buri and the giants came Odin, Vili, and Ve, the first of the Aesir gods. They killed Ymir, and his blood drowned all the frost giants except Bergelmir, from whom came a new race of frost giants.
 Odin and his brothers carried Ymir’s body out of Ginnungagap and made the earth from his flesh and the rocks from his bones. Stones and gravel came from the dead giant’s teeth and shattered bones, and the blood filled Ginnungagap, becoming lakes and the sea.

Odin and his brothers formed the sky from Ymir’s skull. Four dwarves named Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Vestri held up the skull. Ymir’s hair became flora, and his brains became clouds. Sparks from Muspelheim became stars. The earth was a great circle surrounded by ocean. Giants lived on the coast while humans lived inland, in a fortification made from Ymir’s eyelashes. Odin gave humans breath and life, Vili gave them consciousness and movement, and Ve gave them form, speech, hearing, and sight. The first man was Ask (ash tree) and the first woman was Embla (elm or vine).

Aesir and vanir

There are two races of Asgardian gods, the Aesir and the Vanir. While the Aesir are part of the creation myth described above, little is known about the Vanir. The Aesir are clearly gods of war and destiny, while the Vanir appear as gods of fertility and prosperity. The two races fought a lengthy war until both sides tired of it. Neither believed it could win. To ensure peace, the races traded hostages. The Vanir sent Njord and his children Frey and Freya. The Aesir sent Honir, a big man they said was best fit to rule, and Mimir, the wisest of the Aesir.
The Vanir became suspicious of Honir, believing him to be less fit than the Aesir claimed and noticing his answers were less authoritative when Mimir wasn’t present to advise him. When they realized they had been cheated, the Vanir cut off Mimir’s head and sent it back to the Aesir. Apparently, the Aesir considered this fair repayment for cheating the Vanir, because the two sides stayed at peace. Odin placed Mimir’s head in the well beneath Yggdrasil’s root in Midgard, making it a source of great wisdom. Over time, all the Vanir deities integrated with the Aesir.

YGGDRASIL

A great ash tree also known as the World Tree, Yggdrasil’s branches wave above Asgard. Its three roots extend to each of the three planes of existence. The well of Urd (fate) is beneath the root in Asgard. The gods meet at Urd every day to hold their council. The Norns tend Yggdrasil at this well. The well of Mimir lies beneath the root that reaches Jotunheim on Midgard, which is also the site of Mannheim.

The well of Mimir is a source of great wisdom. Odin sacrificed an eye to the well to gain secret knowledge. The third root reaches Niflheim. Beneath it still flows Hvergelmir, the source of the rivers that contributed to the world’s creation, where the great serpent Nidhoggr chews its roots. This constant chewing is why the Norns must tend the tree, and how the tree understands mortal suffering.

ASGARD

Home of the gods, Asgard is the closest plane to the branches of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Many of the gods’ homes featured prominently in Asgardian myths, and so had their own names. Odin has two halls in Asgard, Valhalla and Valaskjalf.

Valhalla

Valhalla is home to all those slain in battle, the einherjar. It has five hundred forty doors, each wide enough for eight hundred men to walk through shoulder to shoulder. The rafters are spears, the hall is roofed with shields, and breastplates litter the benches. A wolf guards the western door, and an eagle hovers over it. Every day the rooster Gullinkambi (“Golden Comb”) wakes the einherjar, and they venture out to fight each other in training for Ragnarok, the final battle. Every evening those killed in the battle rise, whole and healed. They feast in the hall from the meat of Saehrimnir, a boar whose flesh renews every day, and mead from Hedirun, a goat that stands atop Valhalla chewing the leaves of the tree Laerad.

Valaskjalf

Valaskjalf (“Shelf of the Slain”) contains Odin’s High Seat, Hlidskjalf, from which he can see anywhere in Asgard, Midgard, or Niflheim. He permits no other god but Frigga to sit there.

Other Halls

Thor’s hall, Bilskirnir, is in a region of Asgard called Thrudvangar. Baldur’s hall is called Briedbalik (“Broad Splendor”). Forseti’s hall, Glitnir, has golden pillars and a silver roof. All those who enter Glitnir leave with their legal disputes resolved. Freya’s hall Sessrumnir is so tightly constructed that Loki had to become a needle in order to sneak in.

Half of all men slain in battle, and all women so slain, come to Freya’s hall. Frigga spends her time in Valaskjalf or in her own hall, Fensalir. Heimdall’s hall, Himinbjorg, stands next to Bifrost. Uller’s hall is called Ydalir. Finally, the hall called Gimli in Asgard is considered the most beautiful building anywhere. Prophecy says all the gods would live there in peace after Ragnarok. The Aesir have two communal halls, Gladsheim and Vingolf, where they assemble to discuss events and decide important issues.

Other Locations in Asgard

Asgard is also home to Vanaheim, home of the Vanir; Alfheim, home of the light elves (Lios Alfar) and site of Frey’s hall; and Vigrid, the field where gods and giants are destined to fight when Ragnarok comes.

BIFROST

Asgardian storytellers say rainbows represent the appearance of Bifrost on Midgard. For this reason, Bifrost is known as the Rainbow Bridge. Bifrost links Asgard and Midgard.

MIDGARD

Midgard is the mortal realm of Asgardian cosmology. In addition to Mannheim, it holds Jotunheim, the land of the frost giants; Muspelheim, the land of the fire giants; the dwarf realm of Nidavellir; and Svartalfheim, the domain of the dark elves (Svart Alfar).

NIFLHEIM

The lowest of the three worlds in Asgardian cosmology, Niflheim is home to Hel. Hel is both the land of the dead and the name of the deity who rules it. Those who die of sickness, old age, or accident come to Niflheim for judgment by Hel in her hall Eljudnir.

They must pass through Gnipahellir, the cave at the entrance to the underworld, guarded by the monstrous hound Garm. Garm has four eyes and a chest drenched with blood. Anyone who gave bread to the poor in life could appease Garm with a piece of cake soaked in his or her own blood. The river Gjoll encircles the land of the dead, flowing from the spring Hvergelmir.

RAGNAROK

The Asgardian gods lived with a prophecy about the end of their world. They knew that Ragnarok would come and they would fight their final battle against the giants during which Surtur would burn down the world. They spent their time preparing for the battle rather than worrying about it or trying to prevent it. They did so because they knew Ragnarok was never meant to be the end of everything. Rather, Ragnarok marked the turning of a cycle, a point where the world remade itself and began again. Several gods, including Baldur, Hod, Thor’s sons Modi and Magni (who possesses Mjolnir), and Odin’s sons Vali and Vidar, were prophesied to survive Ragnarok and rule the resulting new world.

WYRD

Asgardians believe the Norns mark out their fate, or wyrd, at their birth. The myth of Ragnarok reflects this. Odin and his brothers knew when they created the world that it was destined to end, taking them with it. Asgardians face their fate with courage and resolution. They seek to surpass legendary heroes so that bards and skalds sing of their deeds long after they die.

The Norns

Urd (“fate”), Verdandi (“being”), and Skuld (“necessity”) were the three primary Norns, but there were many others of lesser rank, some of whom were elves or dwarves, and some were good while others were malevolent. Some myths say that each person has an individual Norn. The Norns tend Yggdrasil at the well of Urd on Asgard, and they measure out the fates of other beings in the cosmos. The Norns teach nothing to mortals, dispassionately measuring out each person’s wyrd. Those who seek hidden knowledge may gather to pray to the Norns for assistance. Some monastic orders seek to emulate their devotion to maintaining the laws of the cosmos.

THE ASGARDIAN PANTHEON

The Asgardian pantheon is a tight pantheon, with Odin as supreme ruler. Though the gods generally make decisions in council, Odin casts the deciding vote even if it contradicts the majority. The Asgardian religion worships all the gods, but many people belong to cults dedicated to a specific member of the pantheon. Worshiping a “patron deity” is not exclusive. Followers of individual deities still worship the entire pantheon; they just have a special relationship with a deity who exemplifies some belief or role important to them as mortals.

Since the Asgardian deities form a tight pantheon, clerics may choose the entire pantheon as a patron rather than a specific deity in the pantheon. In fact, all mortals are required to revere all the Asgardian deities as a pantheon.

ASGARDIAN GODS IN OUR TERMS

The Aesir accepted giants into their ranks, indicating that the Asgardian pantheon allows for an infinite amount of divine rank. Gods are born with their powers and divine status, and the council of the Aesir seems able to bestow divine rank on giants or others they deem worthy. While the gods are independent of the power of their worshipers, they are clearly active in Midgard. The gods are benevolent, indifferent, or hostile depending on their alignment, the alignment of the mortal, and how the mortal approaches the god. Mortals worship the gods out of love, gratitude, and fear depending on the deity. Asgardian gods can die. They dwell in a modified cosmology, with the Asgardian gods as the creators of their universe. The gods who remain after Ragnarok are inheritors rather than usurpers.

ODIN
All-Father, Father of the Slain, God of the Hanged, God of Prisoners, God of Cargoes, The High One, The Inflamer, Swift Tricker, Father of Victory, the Blind One, Shifty Eyed, One with a Magic Staff, Destroyer, Terror.

Odin (oh-din) has one eye that blazes like the sun, having lost his other eye in payment for a drink from the well of Mimir. He once stole the mead of poetry, and some myths say he grants poetic ability and inspiration to mortals. Odin hung himself on Yggdrasil for nine days, pierced by his own spear, until by virtue of his suffering he was able to reach down and seize magical runes that were the source of wisdom and magical lore. His suffering so impressed the son of the giant Bolthor that he taught Odin nine magical songs that allowed him to master eighteen magical spells previously unknown to any man or woman. Odin is fated to be swallowed by Loki’s son Fenrir at Ragnarok, but his own son Vidar will avenge him. Wearing a dark, wide-brimmed hat that casts a shadow over his face, Odin travels as a mortal wanderer. As a god of magic, war, and wisdom, he visits Midgard to distribute knowledge and victory in battle. His many titles hint at his various roles.

Dogma

The cult of Odin places a premium on canny strategy and cunning solutions to problems. Followers of Odin constantly seek new knowledge as an advantage over their foes. Paradoxically, the cult promotes self-reliance by relating tales of Odin turning against favored kings and generals in the midst of battle. The cult practices ritual hanging and piercing by spears in emulation of their patron deity, but in reality the hangings and injuries are purely tests and cause no lasting harm. Purposely destroying or removing an eye to emulate Odin is shameful to the cult, though an eye’s loss in battle

is considered a mark of favor from Odin.

The cult makes and loses allies easily. If a ruler takes an advisor from the cult lightly or disregards advice, the advisor may leave without warning or even switch sides to the ruler’s enemy.

Odin’s clerics generally wear dark, wide-brimmed hats, cloaks decorated with or made entirely of raven’s feathers, and patches over their (intact) left eyes. They permit no one to lift or touch these patches. They share their knowledge sparingly, and generally only to those who demonstrate that

they come to the cult as a last resort, after all other avenues have been explored. Odin’s temples are generally large, raucous halls. Those not distracted by the noise, carousing, and brawling notice the thickness of the walls, the lack of windows, and the heavy bars ready at each door. If the faithful close and bar the doors, the halls become sturdy forts. Private areas of the temples include libraries and extensive collections of scrying devices. Outside civilized areas, shrines to Odin are common in wild places that offer wide vistas of the surrounding country. Visitors to Odin’s temples receive a warm welcome, a tankard of mead, and a plate of food. They rarely attract more attention than that unless they’ve come to sell or trade spells, knowledge, or magic items. Consequently, sorcerers and wizards receive the best treatment and can usually find free meals and a free place to sleep as long as they can demonstrate their contributions to the advancement of magic.

AEGIR
God of the Oceans

Aegir (ay-jeer) and his wife, Ran, hold themselves apart from the Aesir and Vanir. Rather than living on Asgard, they reside on Midgard, at the bottom of the ocean. Aegir’s realm is the deep ocean, far from land, where navigation and fishing are difficult and full of danger. He appears as a fierce man with a long, gray beard and fingers like claws. He appears on the surface of the sea to destroy ships that fail to sacrifice to him, yet is well known for the bounty of the feasts he arranges for his fellow gods.

   Ran, his wife and equal partner, drags drowning men down to her hall beneath the sea. She holds similar responsibilities to Freya and Hel in that regard, since the drowned do not go to Valhalla, Sessrumnir, or the underworld. Aegir and Ran have nine daughters, each of whom represents a different type of ocean wave.

Dogma

Cults of Aegir thrive in seaports. Cultists do not attempt to fit in or to make friends. They teach that those hoping for safe voyages across the sea must appease Aegir. Members of the cults tend to be crews of trading and fishing vessels that sail out of sight of shore. Their membership doesn’t reflect a shared preference for evil, but rather a healthy fear of Aegir. Clergy and Temples Aegir’s clergy are few in number and known for their cruelty. Fortunately, they reserve that cruelty for those who fail to properly honor Aegir. Rumors suggest they have burned ships when their captains bragged of sailing the deep sea without first appeasing the stormy god. Aegir’s temples are openly fortified against the works of mortals and against the elements of nature. Townsfolk and travelers can find shelter from tidal waves or flooding in a temple to Aegir, provided they offer the proper respect (and gold). Despite all the offerings, Aegir’s temples are rarely wealthy. Seeking to emulate the god, they host regular feasts for their communities. The temples contain kitchens, pantries, prayer rooms, and the armories typical of Asgardian temples. Visitors to Aegir’s temples receive a chill welcome. Those planning a sea voyage who make offerings find the clergy can be jolly folks who love food, ale, and jokes as much as anyone. Those who do not make offerings find the clergy menacing. Everyone is welcome on feast day, however.

BALDER (BALDUR)
God of Duty

The son of Odin and Frigga, Baldur (bald-ur) was the favorite of the gods. Renowned for his beauty, Baldur led an idyllic life until he became troubled by ominous dreams. The gods so loved Baldur that they sent Frigga to extract an oath from all things, animate and inanimate, that they would not harm him. She overlooked the mistletoe, thinking it too weak to harm anything. The gods delighted in Baldur’s invulnerability and amused themselves by throwing things at him. Loki discovered his weakness and tricked Hod, Baldur’s blind twin, into throwing a sharpened dart of mistletoe at Baldur, guiding Hod’s hand so it aimed at his brother’s heart. The dart killed the god of beauty, and Frigga suggested that someone journey to the underworld to ransom her son. Hermod, messenger of the gods, volunteered to go. Hel agreed to release

Baldur if all of Asgard shed a tear for him (some myths say that all creation had to cry). Loki refused to shed a tear, and Baldur’s spirit remained in the underworld. When the gods placed his body on its funeral pyre, his wife Nanna joined her husband on the fire. Baldur was prophesied to return after Ragnarok as one of the gods who would rule the new creation.

Dogma

Baldur’s cult has two facets. One teaches that the mental and emotional state achieved while creating beautiful objects brings the artist closer to the gods. It also teaches that the gods deserve reverence and gratitude as the sources of artistic inspiration. The other facet teaches that out of great tragedy come new growth, new opportunity, and new hope for the future.

It focuses on renewal and rebirth by reminding mortals that even the beautiful and beloved Baldur had to suffer in order to become a god when the cycles changed. As with other Asgardian cults, Baldur’s worshipers teach acceptance of fate, but in their case, they try to accept it with a smile and laughter.

 FORCETI

God of justice and peace.

The son of Baldur and Nanna, Forseti (for-set-ee) has never told a lie. The gods call on Forseti to -be impartial.

Dogma

Forseti’s cult believes that ethics and morality originate from the lawmakers and rulers. True justice can only come from staying impartial. His worshipers teach the value of judges and arbitrators

to society, and seek to develop the same unbiased sense of justice through Forseti’s teachings.

FREY

God of Sunlight and the elves

Son of Njord and husband to the female giant Gerd, Frey (fray) is the chief god of agriculture. Weapons are banned outright in his temples, and bloodshed in places sacred to him is taboo. Despite this peaceful portfolio, Frey is fated to fight Surtur at Ragnarok with his bare hands, having given his dwarf-forged magic sword to his shield-man Skirnir. (If the DM sets a campaign earlier in the Asgardian cycle, Frey could still have his sword.)

Dogma

Frey’s cult concerns itself with the daily affairs of those who live off the land. The clergy work in the fields and forests alongside the faithful, providing good examples of proper stewardship. They freely dispense advice when asked, but look favorably on those who learn from their example rather than their words. Frey expects his worshipers to learn from the clergy and to practice efficient use of the available land. He despises waste and teaches his followers to respect and cherish the bounty of the land.

FREYA
Goddess of Love and Fertility

Freya (fray-ah) is the deity of erotic and sensual love, adept at the practice of magic. Some myths say she taught the Vanir art of witchcraft to the Aesir. Freya is the daughter of Njord and the twin sister of Frey. She delights in romantic poetry and is considered the most magnanimous of the goddesses. Freya weeps tears of gold when her husband, Odur, goes on his journeys.  She possesses the Necklace of the Brisings, sometimes called Brisingamen, a fantastically beautiful and priceless piece of jewelry crafted by the dwarves. She rides to battle in a chariot pulled by twin lions. Half those slain in battle, and all women so slain, come to Freya’s hall Sessrumnir.

Dogma

Freya’s cults tend to be exuberant and passionate. Whatever they do, they do with full enthusiasm. Racially and culturally one of the most diverse Asgardian cults, they find beauty in magic and vice versa. Physical appearance is irrelevant to those seeking initiation. Instead, they must demonstrate the kind of ardor promoted by the cult.

FRIGGA
Goddess of the Atmosphere, Queen of the Gods

One of Odin’s several wives, Frigga (frig-ga) is primarily concerned with the household and married love. She is a stately, gracious, and bountiful woman often invoked during childbirth and by those wishing to conceive. Her attempt to protect Balder was one of the few times she acted to change the future she perceived. She has three handmaidens named Snotra (“Wisdom”), Syn (“Denial”), and Vor (so wise nothing can be hidden from her).

Dogma

Frigga’s cult focuses on birth and renewal. Her followers include ranchers, animal farmers, and married couples raising or conceiving children. They are equally comfortable in family homes and in the fields. The cult teaches followers to pay attention to the signs and omens around them in order to prepare for the future. Accepting fate does not mean that followers passively wait for events to overwhelm them.

HEIMDALL

The Bright God, Guardian of Bifrost, Watchman of Asgard, Golden Tooth, The Ram

Some myths say Heimdall (haym-dahl) is the son of giants, while others claim that he is simultaneously the child of all nine daughters of Aegir and Ran. Heimdall visited Midgard in human guise and stayed one night in each of three different houses. Each house treated him differently, and he cursed or blessed their children accordingly. The result was the three social classes of the Asgardian world: thralls or slaves, free peasants, and nobles. Heimdall’s duty primary duty is to sound his horn, Gjallahorn, and alert all the gods to the coming of Ragnarok. Prophesies say that in the last battle, Heimdall’s nemesis Loki will steal Heimdall’s sword. Though Heimdall is destined to kill Loki in Ragnarok, he is fated to die soon thereafter of his own wounds.

Dogma

The cult of Heimdall appeals to those who find themselves on the edge of their community, facing outward and looking for threats. This attracts fighters of all sorts, as well as nobility and officials who believe in a strong defense. The clergy teaches self-discipline, responsibility, and obedience to authority.

HEL

Goddess of Death and the Underworld

The daughter of Loki and the female giant Angrboda, Hel (hell) was confined to Niflheim by the gods. She appears as a gaunt woman whose body is fair and lovely on one side, but dead and rotting on the other. Despite her hideous appearance, she is the least monstrous of Loki’s three children from this union (the other two are Fenrir the wolf and Jormungandr the world serpent).

Dogma

Hel teaches no particular dogma to the living, focusing instead on her dead minions. She does have a cult devoted to her, however. Its members feel that society unjustly imprisoned, exiled, or ignored them, and often seek revenge for real or imagined slights.

HERMOD
Messenger of the Gods, the Nimble

In addition to being the gods’ messenger, Hermod escorts the souls of the dead to the underworld. When the gods needed someone to plead with Hel for Balder’s spirit, Hermod volunteered and Odin lent him Sleipnir for the journey.

Dogma

Hermod’s cult focuses on endurance and physical fitness. It teaches marksmanship, fencing, steeplechase horse racing, foot races of all sorts, and swimming to its members, believing these are key skills for those who must deliver messages.

LOKI
God of Mischief, Strife, and Fire; The Sly One, The Trickster, The Shape Changer, The Sky Traveler

Loki (loh-kee) is an ambiguous figure in Asgardian myth. A handsome and clever young man, he often accompanies the gods on their journeys. Many tales of Thor mention Loki as his companion. The youngest inhabitant of Asgard, some myths state he was the child of the giants Farbauti and Laufey, while others place him at creation with Odin. Loki excels at subverting order and finding solutions and answers the other gods never consider.

Restless and easily bored, Loki often amuses himself by playing practical jokes on the other gods. He can take many different forms and often becomes female. Loki is responsible for most of the gods’ greatest treasures, challenging the dwarves to outdo their gift of Sif ’s hair.

Not until Ragnarok approaches does Loki truly become evil and malicious. For his role in Baldur’s death, Odin turns one of Loki’s sons, Vali, into a wolf and sets him on another son, Narfi.

The gods use Narfi’s entrails to bind Loki in a cave, and they set a poisonous snake over him to drip venom into his wounds. Loki’s wife, Sigyn, stays with him and tries to protect him from the venom. When the venom splashes on Loki, his pained spasms are the source of earthquakes. Loki is destined to break free for Ragnarok.

Dogma

Loki’s cult is generally hidden. Despite having a constructive role in society, the cult commands little respect and known members may find themselves ostracized. The cultists believe they aid people through practical jokes and humor. Though outsiders may consider the jokes cruel, they’re rarely deliberately harmful. Instead, they’re meant to encourage their victims to look at life from another perspective and to gain insight by doing so.

Darker forms of the cult teach assassination, murder, mayhem, and all forms of worldly chaos. These sinister versions of the cult are more common after Balder’s death, as Loki takes sides with the giants against the Asgardians.

NJORD

God of the Sea and Winds

Those who seek wealth or abundance in fishing pray to Njord. A Vanir deity, he is the father of Frey and Freya. Njord married the female giant Skadi while among the Aesir, though they later divorced. As a deity of the mountains, she was uncomfortable on the coastlines, so they could never agree where to live. Their movements between homes created the seasons.

Dogma

Where Aegir’s cult threatens and glowers, Njord’s cult smiles. This cult supports those who make a living from the bounty of the sea through trade, fishing, shipbuilding, or supplying the needs of the other three. Njord’s cult numbers many prominent businesspeople among its members. When Aegir’s cultists mock them for their relatively mean tables and their preference for sailing within sight of the shore, Njord’s worshipers only look at their growing treasuries and smile.

ODUR

God of the Sun

Odur is a mysterious god who may be an aspect of Odin. Odur married Freya and is responsible for the day chariot crossing the sky. Consequently, he is often away from Asgard, causing his wife to weep tears of gold.

Dogma

Odur’s cult teaches that freedom from care and worry comes from accepting responsibility and duty with joy. Worshipers believe that Odur sets out every day to drive the chariot of the sun across the sky with anticipation, finding something new each day. They seek to emulate his wise appreciation for the world around them.

SIF
Goddess of Excellence and Skill in Battle

Sif primarily appears in myths involving the other gods. She is the wife of Thor and the mother of Uller. Her golden hair was made by the dwarves and enchanted to take root and grow on her head after Loki chopped off her natural hair as a joke.

Dogma

Sif ’s cultists are generally excellent fighters of all sorts, and many are weapon masters. Those looking for instruction in the martial arts are well advised to seek one of her cults or temples. Like her husband,

Sif concerns herself with individuals involved in combat. Where Thor emphasizes physical prowess, Sif emphasizes skill. Goodnatured challenges between the two cults are common.

SKADI

Goddess of Mountains, Snowshoe Goddess

Skadi is a female giant and the daughter of the giant who bargained for Freya, the sun, and the moon in exchange for building Asgard’s walls (see Sleipnir in Odin’s entry, above). She came to Asgard seeking revenge against Thor for killing her father.

When she arrived at Asgard in her armor she so impressed the gods they offered her pick of the bachelor gods if she would not go to war against them. The only condition was that she could only see their feet when she made her choice. Thinking the cleanest, whitest feet must belong to Balder, she made her choice only to discover they belonged to the older Vanir Njord, whose feet the sea washed clean every day. Because they couldn’t agree on a place to live, Njord and Skadi moved back and forth between Jotunheim and Asgard. On Midgard, these movements created the seasons. Skadi later divorced Njord and married Uller.

Dogma

Skadi’s cults are common in mountainous regions. Her worshipers include those who make their lives hunting, herding, and mining in the mountains. She loves the cold of winter and the wind on the mountain peaks, and teaches respect for the earth and the mountains to her cultists. She also teaches readiness for battle, believing that the best defense is an impressive offense.

SURTUR

Lord of the Fire Giants

Surtur stands ever alert in Muspelheim, brandishing his sword that shines brighter than the sun. At Ragnarok he will be responsible for setting the world on fire, burning it down to make room for the new one. Prophecies say that he will even destroy Bifrost under his weight and that of his subjects.

Dogma

A few cults of Surtur thrive in Mannheim, often cooperating with Loki’s cult. These cults teach respect for fire, its use as a tool, and its danger when uncontrolled. They teach that fire is a cleansing agent, and point to the new growth after a forest fire as proof. Members of Surtur’s cult seek every opportunity to undermine Thor’s cult, and they have plenty of help and expert advice from Loki’s cult. While Thrym has a similar cult, fire and ice never mix.

THOR

God of Thunder, Guardian of Asgard

Usually portrayed as a powerfully built man with a red beard and eyes filled with lightning, Thor is the strongest god of Asgard. Thor is the son of Odin and a female giant named Jord (“Earth”). Where Odin is complex and crafty, Thor is straightforward and physical. This makes him popular among the common people. Thor ’s greatly enjoys facing giants in contests of strength and martial prowess. His nemesis is Jormungandr the World Serpent, whom he is destined to face at Ragnarok.

Though married to Sif, Thor had two sons with a giant named Jarnsaxa. Those sons, Modi and Magni, are prophesied to survive Ragnarok.

Dogma

Thor’s cult believes that the measure of a person lies in how that person faces and handles challenges. The cult’s focus on selfreliance and individuality often makes them the last to throw their support behind an endeavor, but it also makes them first to congratulate the successful, member and nonmember alike. Those who succeed without the cult’s aid often find the cult singing their praises loudest. The cult also teaches that violent storms are a necessity, since they sweep aside weak structures and wash away detritus. The destruction of a big storm can reveal new resources. In battle, physical prowess is foremost, and Thor’s cult often challenges Sif ’s cult to mock battles and other contests in the neverending argument of power versus skill. Nothing challenges people like combat, according to the cult, so it promotes military readiness and encourages its members to seek martial training of all sorts. Thor’s cult is popular among soldiers, and communities welcome the cult for its strong role in local defenses.

THRYM

Lord of the Frost Giants

Thrym traces his lineage back to Ymir, the first giant and the creature from whose body Odin, Ve, and Vili made the world. The death of Ymir is a grudge the frost giants in particular hold against the Aesir. Thrym once tried to win Freya as his bride by holding Thor ’s hammer hostage. Unfortunately for him, the gods disguised Thor as the bride and Loki as the bridesmaid. When Thrym ordered the hammer brought in to hallow the wedding, Thor snatched it up and laid waste to every giant present, including Thrym.

Dogma

A few cults of Thrym thrive in Mannheim, often cooperating with Loki’s cult. These cults teach that the world will end in the Fimbul Winter, and that cold will triumph after Surtur’s fire burns the world. Members of Thrym’s cult seek every opportunity to undermine Thor’s cult, and they have plenty of help and expert advice from Loki’s cult. Though Surtur has a similar cult, fire and ice never mix.

TYR

God of Courage and Strategy

One of Odin’s sons by Frigga, Tyr appears as a powerful-lookingbearded man who has lost his right hand. He is considered the most senior Aesir after Odin and Thor, and the most courageous of the gods. He wields great power in battle, and like his father can dictate the outcome. Wise warriors invoke Tyr before entering battle. Tyr’s life is tangled up with monstrous wolves. He lost his right hand to Fenrir while the gods bound the son of Loki. At Ragnarok, he and Garm are destined to die fighting each other.

Dogma

Tyr’s cult teaches courage in everyday situations as well as in catastrophes or in battle. This is the courage of those who know their capabilities, not the courage of foolhardiness.

Tyr’s cult understands the value of self-sacrifice,

but differentiates between necessity and throwing one’s life away. The cult teaches sacrifice for others as an ideal, while holding sacrifice for personal glory as anathema. Because of the cult ’s focus on sacrifice for others, it is welcomed in all but the most chaotic communities. Tyr’s temples are tightly organized fortresses with duty rosters and ceremony schedules posted for all to read.

They contain armories and halls, and may own fields where they can train locals in formation fighting and maneuver. Visitors to Tyr’s temples find the schedule will not bend to their needs. Those who actively support the schedule and organization find themselves welcomed. The clergy does not tolerate sloth, disorganization, or chaotic traits.

ULLER

God of Hunting, Archery, and Winter

Beautiful to look at and an accomplished warrior, Uller is often invoked by people entering single combat. The son of Sif and Thor, Uller has particular skill at skiing and archery. His cunning makes him valuable to the council of the gods. When Skadi divorced Njord, she married Uller.

Dogma

Members of Uller’s cult exult in combat as much as any Asgardians, but they see no reason to fight up close when they can use their bows from a distance. When it comes to personal contests, they would rather compete at archery than with swords. The cult guides those who prefer melee to the worship of Uller ’s mother, Sif. As a hunter, Uller teaches respect for wildlife nature. He warns against interfering with the natural balance and urges his followers to act like predators of the animal kingdom, hunting the less fit and leaving the young to carry on and continue the species. Uller’s clergy are often found hunting food for their temple and their community. They often serve as messengers between communities isolated by snow and ice, skiing or driving dog sleds. All carry longbows or shortbows.