Norse Gods and Goddesses Asgard – heaven Midgard – Earth Yggdrasil – World Tree

Viking Maps

Odin/ Woden/ Wotan Chief of the gods Champion of kings, warriors, poets Father of Thor, Balder, and other gods Odin pierces himself with a spear and hangs on Yggdrasil for 9 days and nights to learn the secret knowledge of runes Has one eye because he traded it for a drink from the spring of clairvoyance His two ravens are called Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory)

Valkyries and Valhalla Valkyries are female spirit warriors that ride the battlefields and find worthy slain warriors and takes them to Valhalla where they will train until Ragnarok. The northern lights are light shining off of their shields Valhalla is the Hall of the Slain. It exists in Asgard, home of the gods “Ride of the Valkyries” Richard Wagner

Thor/ Thunor God of thunder and lightning Mjolnir (the destroyer) – an ax-hammer that can destroy giants and mountains in a single blow Has a chariot pulled by two goats. He can kill these goats and eat them and they will come back to life. Is constantly fighting the World Serpent – Jormungand He is capable of drinking an ocean, immense temper Champion of workers and common people Thor’s Helmet

Balder “The Beautiful” and “The Good” Primarily known for his death and resurrection The favorite child

Loki God of mischief and fire Trickster figure Unknown parentage Responsible for Balder’s death and punished by having snake venom drip on his forehead Jormungand, Hel, and Fenrir are his children Will begin Ragnorak

Bragi God of poetry and eloquence Loki calls him “Braggart” and the verb “to brag” comes from his name. Married to Idun

Idun Goddess of immortality Keeps the golden apples of youth Major story deals with a giant who, with Loki’s help, stole the apples, causing the gods to wither

Freyr / Frey God of agriculture, fertility, and plenty Twin to Freyja (they are close) Unlike the other gods, Freyr and Freyja are earth dieties Has a sword that can fight by itself The boar is his symbol

Freyja Goddess of love and fertility Twin sister of Frey Slept with four dwarves to get a flaming necklace, which becomes her symbol of fertility Leader of the Valkyries She takes some of the dead warriors for herself Has a chariot drawn by cats Freyja’s hair

Frigg / Frigga / Frea Mother Goddess Wife of Odin Weaves clouds She knows events in the present and future, but is powerless to change them Learning of her son’s (Balder) death, she makes everything promise not to harm him – except the mistletoe

Tyr God of war and justice Boldest of the gods Lost his hand to Fenrir, Loki’s wolf-son His symbol is the spear which has become a symbol of justice

Heimdall “World Brightener” God of the dawn Great hearing (can hear grass grow) and eyesight Is the look out on Bifrost (the rainbow bridge to Asgard)

Hel Daughter of Loki Giantess Goddess of death and the underworld Half black/ half white Her face and body are human but the legs are of a corpse Has two servants: Ganglati and Ganglot Spread the plague with a rake or a broom

Hel / Helheim The underworld The road to Hel is an icy river (Gjoll) full of weapons Guarded by a large dog (Garm) and Modgud (an ugly goddess) Nothing can leave Hel, not even gods The wicked go here and the people who do not die a glorious death in battle A giant in the form of an eagle sits and flaps his wings, making a freezing wind. His name is Hraesvelg (corpse eater)

Garm Garm guards the entrance to Hel Has four eyes and a bloody chest Could be appeased with cake as long as they gave the poor bread in life Will join the giants in Ragnorak