NORSCAN RELIGION

Thor is honoured throughout the northland and invoked at marriages, child naming, funerals, and at the opening and closing of the Thing.  Thor is the protector god, the god of weather, and the god of farmers.  He is the mightiest warrior of all the gods.  He has glowing red eyes, and a great red beard.   He wears a belt of Giant strength, and gloves of iron, and he carries a mighty magic hammer called Mjollnir, which will return to his hand if he throws it.  Thor is much too large to ride upon a horse, even a divine one, so he either walks or he drives a cart pulled by goats.

Tyr is the lawgiver, and the binder of oaths.  Tyr is also a god of battle, and is renowned for his bravery and for his strategic thought.  He is the giver of strategies and is worshipped by many a Jarl going off to war.

Ull is most honoured in the heavily forested areas and areas where hunting is important.  He is the archer god, and the great hunter.  He is also the god who gave the ski and bow to the Norse.

Odin is King of the gods, master of poetry and the runes, lord of battle victory, of panic, and of death.  He is the god of mystic knowledge, and he is the father of gods and kings.  He is also the god of berserk frenzy.   Odin gave up one of his eyes in exchange for the ability to see the future.   Then he sacrificed himself to the only power he respected, himself.  He hung on the World Tree Yggdrasil for nine days and nine nights, a spear in his side, without food or drink.  This ordeal allowed him to bring back the magic runes.  Odin stole the mead of poetry from the Giants of Jotunheim, which the Dwarfs had made by mixing honey with the blood of Kvasir the Wise.
Norse Kings and poets worship Odin as chief of the gods, father of all the Aesir.   They pray to him for victory in battle, and for inspiration in poetry.   Berserks worship him as the source of the frenzy which allows them to put aside all fear of pain, wounds, and death.

Frigga is the goddess of marriage, hearth and family, Queen of the gods, wife of Odin, and mother of the gods.

Loki is the great trickster, the father of monsters.  He sired the Midguard Serpent, the Giant Wolf Fenris and many other monsters.

Baldur is the most handsome and beautiful of the gods, he is fair and golden-haired.

The Valkyries and Norns

The Valkyries are the choosers of souls of the dead heroes and the gatherers of the warriors of Valhalla who will fight in the final battle Ragnarik.

The three Norns are Urd (Fate), Skuld (Being), and Verdandi (Necessity).  They live by the Spring of Urd in Asgard at one of the roots of Yggdrasil.  They water the Tree with the Spring water and they weave the Fates of both mortals and immortals.

The Vanir

Frey is the god of fertility.  The Norse pray to him at summer's eve in the spring for good crops and healthy herds.  Women pray to him for babies.   People sometimes dedicate a horse or a boar to Frey, and will honour it at winter's eve or Yule.

Freyja's name is the word for Lady.  She is Frey's sister, and Njord's daughter.  She is incredibly beautiful, and every man desires her.  The walls around Asgard were built by a Giant who had been promised Freyja as a bride.   But he was tricked and cheated out of his bride by Loki.

Njord is the god of the sea, and seafarers pray to him before setting forth on any journey.  He is also the father of Frey and Freyja.

Many Elves that have remained in the northern areas of the Old World worship the Vanir, and the Vanir live in an area called Alfheim (Elf Home).