Baldr is a widely beloved god in Norse mythology, known for his beauty, purity, and invulnerability. Revered as the god of light and goodness, he brings joy to the gods and all of existence. He is the second son of Óðinn, his mother is Frigg and an important deity in Germanic mythology. The most prominent story featuring Baldr comes from the Poetic Edda poem Baldrs draumar [Baldr’s Dreams]. In this story, Baldr is having nightmares and Óðinn decides to investigate this, riding to Hel and resurrecting a vǫlva who tells him of Baldr’s fate.

She tells him that mead is being brewed in Hel for Baldr’s arrival, and then proceeds to tell Óðinn that Baldr will soon die. After learning about this, Frigg sets out to make everything in the world swear to never harm Baldr, everything except for a young and harmless little plant - mistletoe. This mistletoe would ultimately be used by Loki to bring about the death of the beloved Baldr, crafting it into a projectile and deceiving Hǫðr into throwing it, ultimately killing him.

Bragi is a wise beautifully articulate figure in Norse mythology, celebrated as the creativity and inspiration, often depicted with a harp or musical instrument. His wife is the goddess Iðunn, best known for her regenerative fruits which give the gods their everlasting youth. We learn this in Lokasenna.

We’re told that he is a member of the Æsir in Snorri’s Gylfaginning, and he is recognised as ‘the greatest poet’ in the 44th stanza of the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál. Historically, Bragi Boddason was the oldest skald whose works we know of, and it wasnt until 100 years after his death that he would appear as a mythological god, no doubt inspired by his timeless works as a skald.

Dellingr is a god associated with the day in Norse Mythology, with the Poetic Edda and Snorri’s Prose Edda both offering evidence to support this. Confusingly, in Snorri’s Þulur, Dellingr is a name listed as a dwarf, yet in his Gylfaginning he is named as one of the Æsir.

In Hávamál, a dwarf called Þjóðrœrir is said to cast a spell at Dellingr’s door, conjuring power for the gods, courage for the elves and knowledge for Óðinn. In stanza 25 of Vafþrúðnismál, we’re told by the wise giant Vafþrúðnir that Dellingr is the father of the day, and that the waxing and waning of the moon was designed by the gods to help tell the time and season.

Eir is an interesting figure in Norse mythology, traditionally a lesser-known deity, yet one who has gained a lot of reverence by modern pagans. Her name translates to ‘the helper,’ and she is best known for her role as a healer and someone associated with medicine. In Snorri‘s Gylfaginning, we’re told that she is the best healer, and one of the female Æsir goddesses [Ásynjur].

In the poem Fjǫlsvinnsmál she is said to be a handmaiden of a beautiful maiden called Menglǫð, and confusingly, she is listed as a valkyrie in Snorri’s Þulur, not a goddess. It’s likely that she was originally just a valkyrie, and one who Snorri then expanded into a goddess in his works. It could also be entirely possible that Eir is just an alternative name for another well-known goddess, but I couldn’t give you any solid evidence to support that.

Forseti is a god whose name translates to ‘chairman.’ We’re told by Snorri that he is a member of the Æsir in both Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál. He is the son of Baldr and, and his residence is Glitnir, a silver hall with golden walls, pillars and beams. We’re told this in the 15th stanza of the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, and this is backed up in Snorri’s Prose Edda.

Glitnir is said to be the residence where Forseti spends his days settling disputes. His role is something of a conflict-settler for the gods, and is said by Snorri to reconcile all conflicts that the gods may have, thus being a vital force in the interpersonal relationships between the gods and goddesses.

Frigg is the primary goddess of the Æsir tribe in Norse Mythology, and aside from the Vanir goddess Freyja, she is the most important of the Norse goddesses. She is the mother of Baldr, the wife of Óðinn and her home is Fensalir in the marshlands. She is most known for her role in the death of Baldr, where she makes everything in the cosmos swear to never harm him, all but the mistletoe that would eventually be used by Loki in his murder.

In the 26th stanza of Lokasenna, Frigg is taunted by Loki for having slept with Óðinn’s brothers Vili and Vé during her husband’s exile. She responds to this by claiming that if Baldr were there with her, she’d have Loki killed.

Frigg was a widely revered goddess in heathen times, most likely noted as a goddess of women, relationships and possibly love. She was also seemingly well-known outside of Scandinavia, with her Latin counterpart being the goddess Venus.

Fulla and Gná are said to be two lesser goddesses that serve the major goddess Frigg in Norse Mythology, and we’re told this by Snorri in both Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál. Regarding their status as goddesses, we’re only told this by Snorri, and they aren’t mentioned as such in the surviving sources of the Poetic Edda. It’s likely that they weren’t originally goddesses in the earlier mythology, and Snorri gave them this role as a way of padding out his work. Or perhaps he knew something that we don’t.

Fulla’s role as a servant to frigg is to hold her secrets, carry her casket and look after her shoes. She is said to be a virgin, with long flowing hair and a notable golden band which she wears on her head. Gná is Frigg’s messenger, and she is sent out into the world on her horse - Hófvarpnir. It is entirely possible that these names are kennings for other figures, but who those could be is anyone’s guess.

Gefjun is a fascinating figure in Norse Mythology, and her story is recounted in Snorri's works, particularly Ynglingasaga and Gylfaginning. She is renowned for her remarkable feat of plowing the land of Zealand away from Sweden. To achieve this, she transformed her four sons, born to an unknown giant in Jötunheim, into oxen and harnessed them to a plow, which she used to carve out the land.

Her name, sometimes spelled Gefjon, translates to 'the giving one.' Some scholars speculate that this name might be a poetic reference or kenning for a more widely known fertility goddess.

Heimdallr is an important member of the Æsir, best known as being the watchman and the guardian of the gods. He appears in many poems, and one of his notable feats is slaying Loki at Ragnarök, while also being slain by him in the process.

He is said to be the father of mankind, and produces the three classes of men that we know today. This is told in the Eddic poem Rígsþula, in which he takes on the disguise of Rígr, visiting three couples and laying between them. 9 months later, each couple would have a child who would grow up and represent the lower, middle and upper classes respectively.

Snorri tells us a lot more about Heimdallr in his work, describing him as ‘the white god,’ who is born of 9 sisters and has teeth made of Gold. His horse is Gulltopr and he lives in Himinbjörg near the rainbow bridge - Bifröst. He carries the Gjallarhorn which will sound the beginning of Ragnaröok and he possesses senses greater than any being. He can hear the grass growing on the earth and the woll on a sheep, and can see for 100 miles no matter if it’s day or night.

Hermóðr is a significant figure in Norse Mythology. He is the brother of Baldr and it’s not fully known as to wether he is or isn’t a god. In Snorri’s work he is said to be a god, and is the one to Ride to the realm Hel to negotiate with the goddess Hel for the return of Baldr after his murder by the antics of Loki.

In the Poetic Edda, Hermóðr is known as a hero, not a god, so Snorri likely gave him the title of god in his works after taking inspiration from his role in the original poem. Regarding the return of Baldr, Hel agrees to return him on the condition that everything weeps for his return. Everything does, aside from a lone giant - Þökk, who very well could have been Loki in disguise. I personally believe Þökk was Loki in disguise, it's the kind of petty thing that the trickster would do.

Hlín is a figure whose name translates to something along the lines of 'protectress'. In Snorri’s work, she is a goddess mentioned in Gylfaginning and among those listed in the Þulur. She is tasked with protecting mankind by Frigg, but then in the 53rd stanza of the Poetic Edda's Völuspá, Hlín is just another name for Frigg, and the owrd itself is kenning for 'Woman'.

I personally believe that this makes more sense than her being a separate goddess. It’s likely that Snorri listed Hlín as a goddess as a way of padding out the list of Norse Mythology gods and goddesses.

The story of Hǫðr is quite sad and tragic. He is one of the Æsir gods, being one of Óðinn’s sons, and according to Snorri, he is blind. Loki takes advantage of this blindness by discovering Baldr’s one weakness, mistletoe. Loki forms a projectile from a branch of this young plant and deceives Hǫðr into throwing it at Baldr, ultimately killing him. 

The story goes that the gods were all having fun with Baldr’s invulnerability, striking him with weapons and finding him completely unscathed. Loki then taunts the blind Hǫðr, offering him a chance to get in on the action by giving him the mistletoe projectile and steering his aim. When the beloved Baldr dropped dead, Hǫðr was inituially unaware of what he had done. He would subsequently be killed by Váli, the son of Óðinn and Rindr, when he was only one night old.

Hœnir is a relatively lesser-known figure in Norse mythology, often associated with wisdom and decision-making. He frequently appears alongside Óðinn and Lóðurr. Notably, he played a crucial role in the creation of the first humans by giving them their souls. This is told to us in stanza 18 of the Eddic poem Vǫluspá. 

Described as a passive god by Snorri, Hœnir's role in the Æsir-Vanir war concludes with him being offered as a hostage to the Vanir and eventually becoming their chieftain. As a member of the Vanir, he regularly sought wisdom from Mímir. When the Vanir discovered this, they decided to cut off Mímir's head, and it is this head that Óðinn would sacrifice his eye to for a drink from his well of wisdom. 

Iðunn is a goddess in Norse Mythology whose story is best known from Snorri’s Prose Edda. She is the wife of Bragi and the keeper of the fruits which grant the gods their long life and rejuvenation, fruits which are sought after by the giant Þjazi. In this myth, Þjazi appears as an eagle and cunningly causes great harm to Loki, who pleads with him for his life. He agrees to free Loki on the condition that he lures Iðunn outside the walls of Asgard to be captured, a deal that the cowardly trickster would agree to in order to save his own skin. 

Loki does this by telling Iðunn that he found fruits which are much better than hers, and believing him, she follows him outside the walls where she would be kidnapped by Þjazi. When the ageing gods discovered what happened, they were furious, and they forced Loki to rescue her with the aid of Freyja’s falcon suit. He does, and Þjazi, father of Skaði, is ultimately lured back to Asgard and murdered by the gods. In the Poetic Edda poem Lokasenna, Loki teases Iðunn, stating that she slept with the killer of her brother, but not much else is known about this.

Lóðurr is a god in Norse Mythology who played a vital role in the creation of the  human race. Alongside Óðinn and Hœnir, he contributed to the formation of the first humans, imbuing them with their appearance. We’re told this in the 18th stanza of the Eddic poem Vǫluspá. 

There has been some debate as to wether Lóðurr is another name for Loki, however this is most likely not the case, and the connections made are very loose. Ultimately, Lóðurr is a god who played a pivotal role in bringing mankind to life, although outside of this story, mention of this god is scarce at best. 

Lofn is a lesser-known goddess told to us by Snorri in his Gylfaginning. Her name translates to something like ‘the comforter,’ or ‘the mild,’ and she is said to receive permission from Óðinn and Frigg to grant marriages that were previously forbidden. Outside of this tale, her name only appears in Snorri’s Þulur and not at all in the Poetic Edda. 

This could suggest that Lofn could, in fact, be a kenning for one of the more well-known goddesses, given the connection between her character and the concept of love and marriage.  

Loki, the enigmatic Trickster of Norse mythology, is a complex figure known for his cunning and mischievous nature. As a shape-shifter and master of disguise, he weaves a web of chaos and deception among the gods, often leading them into unexpected situations which can have either disastrous  or positive outcomes. Loki provides some much-needed comic relief to the Norse Myths while being a central figure in many of the tales of the gods and giants.

He is the father of the monstrous enemies of the gods - Fenrir, Jǫrmungandr and Hel. On the contrary, he is also responsible for bestowing upon the gods their most powerful weapon - Mjǫllnir. He is an overwhelmingly complex force in the Norse Myths, and despite being a comedic aspect of the tales, he is often quite petty and selfish in his motivations. Loki has no issue throwing somebody else under the bus to save his own skin, as he does in a variety of stories. 

Ultimately though, Loki will face the gods as an enemy at Ragnarǫk. He will break free from an eternity of imprisonment and torment, which he was subjected to for the murder of Baldr, and face Heimdallr in a final duel that will claim both of their lives. 

Magni & Móði are the sons of Þórr in Norse mythology, representing the strength and valour passed down from the thunder god. Magni, meaning 'mighty,’ or ‘the strong one,' and Modi, meaning 'wrath,’ or ‘the angry one,' embody the iconic qualities of their famously fearsome father.

As the next generation of powerful figures, they symbolise the continuation of Þórr's legacy, poised to play significant roles in the intricate tapestry of Norse mythology. Both are personifications of Þórr's characteristics and are said to inherit his hammer Mjǫllnir after Ragnarǫk, which they are of the very few fated to survive. Magni is said to be gifted the Horse Gullfaxi, which Þórr took from the giant Hrungnir after killing him in single combat.

In Norse mythology, Meili is a lesser-known deity. He is the son of Óðinn and thus the brother of Þórr. Meili is named as one of Óðinn’s sons in Snorri’s Þulur, and in the 9th stanza of the poem Hárbarðsljóð, Þórr is referred to by the kenning ‘Meili’s brother.’ 

The translation of Meili’s name is ‘the lovely one,’ which seems to be a stark contrast to Þórr’s more... aggressive characteristics. Aside from this little information, not much else is known about Meili, and he doesn’t appear as a prominent figure in the Poetic Edda or any of the major Norse Myths. 

Mímir is quite the interesting being in Norse Mythology, and quite frankly, a confusing one too. He is a very wise figure that Snorri states is a member of the Æsir in his Ynglingasaga, yet lists him among the names of giants in his Þulur. An alternative written form of his name is Mímr, however, this is always in reference to just the head of Mímir, post being decapitated by the Vanir. 

In terms of his role in the Norse myths, he gave council to Hœnir before being decapitated, and this is also told to us in Snorri’s Ynglingasaga. His dwelling is the well called Mímis brunnr, a spring of wisdom which is mentioned in stanza 28 of the Poetic Edda’s Vǫluspá. It is at this very well, located beneath the great ash Yggdrasill, that Óðinn traded his eye for a drink of the wisdom-giving waters. This is probably the most well-known reference of Mímir. 

Nanna is a goddess in Norse Mythology known for being the wife of Baldr & mother of their son, Forseti. We’re told that she is a goddess by Snorri. She is known for dying of grief after her husband Dies at the hands of Hǫðr, who was deceived and guided by Loki. She is burned on the same funeral pyre as Baldr, a testiment to unwaivering loyalty she shares for her husband. 

Outside of Snorri’s telling of this myth, the name Nanna appears frequently, although it isn’t very clear who she actually is/was. Interestingly enough, according to Saxo’s telling of Baldr’s death in The History of the Danes, she is the wife of Baldr’s killer - Hǫðr. 

Óðinn is a crucial and central deity in Norse Mythology revered for his wisdom, war prowess, poetry and magical abilities. He is often depicted as an older man with a long grey beard, wide brimmed hat and an eyepatch. He is an unbelievably complex figure with a never ending lust for wisdom and insight. His primary motivation is preventing his own death at Ragnarǫk, and he recruits the warriors who have died in battle to join his personal army - The Einherjar. 

Alongside this personal army, he has two ravens - Huginn & Muninn, who travel the nine realms, returning to him with news and wisdom. He also has two loyal wolves and many valkyries who choose those worthy of entering his grand hall - Valhalla. Overall, Óðinn, whose name translates roughly to ‘the mad one,’ is an overwhelmingly complex deity and one of the most present in the Norse myths. There isn’t anywhere near enough space on this page to delve fully into the absolutely insane antics of the wisest being in the Norse cosmos. 

You can read my in-depth post about Odin here

Rindr is a figure briefly mentioned in Norse mythology, playing a crucial role in the aftermath of Baldr's death. She is sought out by Óðinn to conceive a son who will avenge Baldr's murderer. This son is Vali, who avenged his brother by slaying Hǫðr at just one day old. Of course, while Hǫðr was the one to kill Baldr, he was merely deceived and tricked into doing so by Loki.

According to Snorri, Rindr is an Ásanjur, an Æsir goddess. Outside of his work, she is repeatedly mentioned as Vali’s mother in Eddic poetry, and Saxo talks of Óðinn’s wooing of Rindr in great detail in his book - gesta danorum. You can find this book by searching ‘The History of the Danes,’ by Saxo Grammaticus. 

Sága is a little-known goddess best known for drinking with Óðinn in her dwelling which is given the name Sǫkkvabekkr. Not much is really known about Sǫkkvabekkr, other than that it roughly translates to ‘sunken trove/bank.’ Sága could possibly be another name for another lesser-known goddess, but the evidence for this isn’t entirely solid. 

The name Sága appears several times in Skaldic poetry, but none of these references give much depth into her character or role in the broader tapestry of Norse Mythology. 

Sif is an Æsir goddess, known as the wife of Þórr and the mother of the archery god Ullr. Her most distinguishing feature is her lustrous, golden hair, often likened to the ripe fields of grain. The name "Sif" can be translated as "relation by marriage." 

Although she does not hold a prominent place in skaldic poetry outside of Snorri's work, her significance is detailed in Snorri's Prose Edda. In one of the well-known myths, Loki maliciously shears off Sif's hair, setting in motion the forging of Þórr's mighty hammer, Mjǫllnir, along with several other treasured items for the gods. These include Sif's replacement golden hair, Óðinn's renowned spear, Gungnir, his golden arm ring, Draupnir, Freyr's boar, Gullinbursti, and his collapsible ship, Skíðblaðnir.

Sigyn is a goddess known for her unwavering loyalty and compassion. She is listed as an Ásanjur by Snorri, and as the devoted wife of Loki, she stands by him during his imprisonment after causing the death of Baldr. 

Loki’s imprisonment is a horrific one. He is bound in a cave by the entrails of his son, Narfi, who was torn apart by his other son Vali after being transformed into a wolf. These entrails would then be transformed into thick and solid iron, holding Loki in place. The severed head of a snaked was then fastened above him, poised to drip venom onto his face for eternity, at least until he is Freed at Ragnarǫk where he would seek revenge on the gods. 

During this time, his compassionate wife Sigyn will hold a bowl over his head to catch the venom. When the bowl fills, however, she will have to turn and empty it, and in this moment a drop of venom will fall onto Loki’s face, causing him to squirm in agony. It is said that when we experience an earthquake, it is the cause of Loki’s trembling. 

Sjǫfn is a lesser-known goddess mentioned in Snorri’s work as a being who turns people’s senses into love. As such, she could be considered as a goddess associated with marriage and love, and this theme of is shared by the goddess Frigg. It could very much be the case that Sjǫfn is a kenning for another more well-known goddess, given that she doesn’t appear outside of Snorri’s work. 

Sjǫfn is referenced a few times in skaldic poetry, although none of these references give us any additional insight into her character. 

Snotra is a goddess who appears in Snorri’s Prose Edda, and Snorri’s work alone. Her name translates to ‘the clever one,’ and she is listed among other goddesses in both his Þulur and the ‘of the goddesses’ section of Gylfaginning. 

He refers to Snotra as ‘clever and well behaved,’ but outside of this description, nothing else is known about her and she is never mentioned elsewhere. As such, she could possibly be a kenning for a more prominent goddess, but we’ll never know for certain who this could be.

Sól & Máni are the personifications of the sun and moon in Norse Mythology. The story goes that a man by the name of Mundifari had two children so beautiful that he named his son Sól [Sun] and his daughter Máni [Moon]. Máni was given in marriage to a being called Glenr. The gods were angered by this, deciding to take Sól & Máni and put them in the sky, forever driving the horses which pull the chariots of the Sun and the Moon.

Sól would ride the horses Árvakr & Alsviðr, which chariot the sun while being persued by the wolf Hati. Máni steers the moon on unnamed horses, determining it’s phases while being chased by the wolf Skǫll. Both Sól & Máni will be devoured by Skǫll & Hati at Ragnarǫk, plunging the world into darkness. All of this is told to us in Snorri’s Gylfaginning. I find it confusing that Snorri would name the horses that pull the Sun, but not those that pull the Moon. 

Þórr is one of, if not the most well-known and revered gods in Norse Mythology. Admired for his strength and tenacity, he is the protector of the realm of the gods and the realm of the humans. equipped with his mighty hammer - Mjǫllnir, he spends a lot of his time working and fighting the giants that live in Jǫtunheim. Þórr was a widely worshipped god, and archaeological evidence suggests that he was the most worshipped. 

His iconic hammer pendant is still worn by modern pagans to this day, and despite the bullshit that Marvel has shown you, he is depicted as a large, burly and ferocious man with red hair, not blonde. He is the son of Óðinn and Jǫrð, brother to Baldur, and rival of the giant serpent Jǫrmungandr, who he is fated to slay and be slain by at Ragnarǫk. Truthfully, there isn’t enough space on this page to list all of Þórr’s feats and battles. The bindrune above is a recreation of the Sønder Kirkeby Runestone, a Viking-age memorial stone that serves as my historical inspiration for this entire project.  

You can read my in-depth post about Thor here

In Norse mythology, Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr and Irpa emerge as divine figures, prominently featured in the Jómsvíkinga saga, Njáls saga, and Þorleifs þáttr jarlsskálds. While Þorgerðr is further acknowledged in various other texts including Skáldskaparmál, Færeyinga saga, Harðar saga ok Hólmverja, and Ketils saga hœngs, Irpa's name remains confined to those aforementioned sources. Their roles in these narratives alongside the implications of their names have intrigued scholars and sparked discussions.

During the 10th century in Gudbrandsdal, Norway, a temple was created and dedicated to Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr, where she was worshipped alongside Irpa. 

Þrúðr is one of the more notable valkyries in Norse Mythology, being listed as one of the 13 valkyries who serve mead to the Einherjar in Valhalla. This can be found in stanza 36 of the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál. Moreover, she is the daughter of Þórr and his wife Sif. It has been debated as to whether or not the valkyrie Þrúðr is the same being as Þórr’s daughter, but I personally believe that she is.

The name Þrúðr translates to something like ‘strength,’ or ‘power,’ which certainly points towards this lineage, as there are qualities embodied by the thunder god and by both of his sons. 

Týr is a prominent and ancient god, associated with the sky, war, and council. Mythologically he has become associated with discipline and self-sacrifice, being the one to willingly offer his hand in the binding of the Fenris wolf. He is fated to fight with a wolf named Garmr at Ragnarǫk, which could in fact be Fenrir, but that adds confusion to the mythological narrative of Víðarr being the one to slay Fenrir in revenge for the death of Óðinn, his father. 

The poem Hymiskviða indicates that Týr’s father is the giant Hymir, although Snorri calls him the son of Óðinn, which is unlikely. The T rune in the younger Futhark - ᛏ is named after Týr, and his Proto-Germanic name is Tīwaz, the name of the Elder Futhark T rune. 

While Týr is popularly known as a god of war in Norse Mythology, there is actually little evidence to back this up. That being said, there is evidence to suggest that he played a much larger role as a god at some earlier point in history. 

Ullr is a god associated with archery, skiing, and hunting. He stands out for his prowess in outdoor activities. His skills in these pursuits make him a patron of winter sports and a symbol of wilderness expertise. According to Snorri, he is the son of Sif and an unknown father, and thus the stepson of Þórr. 

Ullr’s home is Ýdalir ‘yew-valley,’ a name that makes sense given that the yew wood was used to craft bows. Ultimately though, other than being known as a good archer and skier, not much is known about him, and he doesn’t appear as a prominent figure in the Sagas and Eddas.  

Vali, a lesser-known being in Norse mythology, is the son of Óðinn and Rindr. His birth was a result of Óðinn seeking revenge for the death of his son Baldr at the hands of the blind god Hǫðr, who was unknowingly coerced into it by Loki. I find this fate of Hǫðr to be quite a sombre one, but Loki would not avoid justice, eventually being captured and subjected to a horrific imprisonment. Vali's swift growth enabled him to avenge Baldr’s death at only one day old according to the Poetic Edda.

Saxo Grammaticus writes about Vali, named Bous in his work. A lot more detail is given to his version of this character, who ages normally, studying the art of war in his upbringing and ultimately being killed off after serving his purpose of avenging Baldr’s death. 

Víðarr is known as a god associated with vengeance in Norse mythology. He is the son of Óðinn and the giantess Gríðr, as told to us in Snorri’s Prose Edda. Many poems state that he is fated to avenge the death of his father at Ragnarǫk, by being the one to slay the monstrous wolf Fenrir. According to Snorri, he is a silent god and the second strongest after Þórr. He is also of the generation that will survive the events of Ragnarǫk alongside Baldr, Magni & Móði. 

Snorri tells us of how Víðarr beats the giant wolf, wearing a sturdy shoe that was crafted at the beginning of the world from all of the discarded leather scraps that were cut from the front and heel of the boots of men. If you want to help the Æsir, you should throw away these strips. 

After Óðinn is devoured whole, Víðarr will step into the jaws of the giant wolf with his sturdy boot and tear apart it’s mouth, putting an end to it’s ferocious rage and avenging his father in the process. 

Vili & Vé are the brothers of Óðinn in Norse Mythology, as told in Snorri’s creation myth. According to the Ynglingasaga, Vili & Vé are the lords who assume command over Asgard while Óðinn is in exile, and apparently they even share his wife Frigg during that time. This is something that Loki, of course, taunts Frigg over in Lokasenna. 

In the creation Myth, Óðinn, Vili & Vé create the world from the body of the slain giant, Ymir. Their names translate to ‘will,’ and ‘shrine.’ While they don’t appear frequently in the other myths, they were vital contributors to the creation of the world as we know it. 

Vǫr is a goddess that appears only as a goddess in Snorri’s work. The name Vǫr appears outside of Snorri’s work, but it only appears as a kenning for ‘women,’ which could possibly suggest that this name in reference to a goddess is merely a kenning for another, better-known goddess. Her name means ‘the careful one,’ and this is derived from Snorri telling us that she is so careful that she never misses a thing. 

Wether or not she was actually a goddess is unknown, but I personally think it’s more likely that she is either made up by Snorri, or used as an elusive reference to another being. There are very few Norse goddesses that were actually worshipped, so this is likely an attempt to pad out the list of goddesses, or a unique creation for Snorri’s retelling of the oral Norse Myths that he knew.