Gods, thunder and lightning. Norse Mythology is packed with action – what’s not to love? Well, nothing really...
Usually set against a dark backdrop of wars between realms, Norse Mythology is a breeding ground for tales of merciless gods and sometimes (well, most of the time) bizarre adventures.
BEFORE ANYTHING, THERE WAS NOTHING
Ásgarðr, more commonly known as Asgard is where the stories start. No, wait... there’s even more nothingness before the conception of Asgard. Let’s take it back even further.
In the beginning, there were two realms, Niflheim which was the realm of mist and ice (brr...) and Muspelheim, the realm of fire. The steam created by the two realms made Ymir, the first jötun. What is a jötun we hear you ask, well it’s a massive giant... like think of the BFG and you’re still not even close.
Things were pretty lonely around here, and eventually, Bor came along – his dad started life as a block of salt – and had three sons, one by the name of Odin. And this is where the nine worlds of Norse Mythology started.
FAMILY FEUDS
Brothers and sisters fight right? Well, none quite compared to the godly siblings of Asgard.
Let’s start with Odin, the father figure rooted in every story. Wise beyond imagination. An old and original character, he and Zeus (from Greek mythology) harness similar traits in that they are the main figure from which other gods stem.
Recognised for his powerful aesthetic, one eye and powerful spear you can find him on Ring of Odin and Odin: Protector of the Realms. And when Odin is around, Thor and Loki aren’t too far away.
Thor, God of Lightning. This hammer-wielding God is one of the greatest to frequent Norse Mythology, we mean, thunder and lightning, what’s not to love? And we kind of love the rivalry that has been created in recent film adaptations.
But, there is far more to Loki than being a rival to Thor. Loki’s mischievous, shape-shifting and elusive ways have left him as one of the most well-known gods in Norse Mythology and greatest tricksters of all time.
If you’re ready for adventure, you can find these in Tales of Asgard: Loki’s Fortune and Tales of Asgard: Freya’s Wedding (coming soon).
Then there’s Freya. She may be the Goddess of Love, but make no mistake, she is not to be trifled with as she’s known for her turbulent temperament. Oh! And we forgot to mention she’s associated with war and death too...You can find her in her very own game, Faces of Freya.
And let’s not forget Heimdall, keeper of the ‘ringing’ horn, Gjallarhorn, Heimdall was known as the watchman of gods. Gjallarhorn could be heard throughout heaven and earth, and Heimdall’s hearing was so good that he could hear the grass growing in the meadow. Impressive, right?
Check out Viking Runecraft Bingo and Viking Runecraft to see him in action.
THE MONSTERS OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY
Now, where would the gods be without some solid enemies causing a raucous? One that comes to mind is Thrym. The dreaded Ice King serves as the latest antagonist of Asgard! A giant deity he is renowned for his obsession with Freya and his evil nature and we’re pretty certain that he’s not the type to back down from a battle.