#edda-earth saga

[nochiquinn]

book 3 part 3: i yam what i yam & dat’s what i yam

Iset had spread her sheltering hand over Cleopatra and her son, Caesarion, for as long as they were in Egypt. And then they had both left for Rome, where she could barely reach them.

I gotta do those books, too, those are gonna be an experience

Tendrils scored and scraped along Set’s body as he grasped Horus’s wrists, trying to pull him away, with more than just his body. He was trying to send him to the Veil. Where it was safe. Where Horus could recover. No one kills my brother but me, Set snarled. He is mine. We are bound.

I love Egyptian mythology

Some of the more conservative Judean newspapers had headlined this event with the words, Pharaoh, Take Your People Home! which was apparently a reference to something that had occurred some three thousand years ago.

Minori infinitely preferred visiting Prometheus to visiting Sophia Caetia—before or after her final breakdown. Prometheus, she could understand, and respect. Sophia...was simply mad.

be nice, none of this is her fault

“Sig has a centaur admirer,” Adam replied tersely, and took the plate out of Mazatl’s hand with his free one, bracing the door open with his shoulder as he continued to lean on his cane. “He comes and leaves her little tokens of his affection once or twice a year. On the new year and in Aprilis.” The sarcasm dwindled as he went on, leaving his words oddly sorrowful. [...] About all I’ve gotten out of Sig is his name—Nikolaos. [...] Goes into Little Gothia and talks to people about a . . . death-goddess, apparently.”

nikolaos is the exact center of sig’s belief network

“I’ve never quite been able to understand how good people can worship dark gods.” He held up a hand, almost as weathered as Ehecatl’s own. “They said that they were propitiating Shiva. Asking him not to do bad things. Keeping him happy. Sounds like extortion to me.”

Ehecatl snorted and rolled his dice. “Only you, ben Maor, would call worship extortion.”

at least they get some tangible feedback on their worship

“To us polytheists, monotheists seem to be ignoring half of creation, or just hoping that it will go away, if they close their eyes tightly enough. Night isn’t evil. It’s part of the universe. Death isn’t necessarily evil, either. Worshipping a deity of night and death isn’t going to make those things go away. It’s about respect.”

THANK you, Ehecatl

You have always been...my good servant, Serpentshadow...which is why...I protected you...shielded your memory...from the others. Didn’t...deserve their malice...

Quetzacoatl is a good god-dad

Only then did Quetzalcoatl look down at himself, and realized, to his mild surprise, that Ehecatl’s tattoos still showed on his skin. They were, however, made of shining light now, not the heavy black marks that had run and spread with age. Every binding goes both ways, he said, quietly. The binder is bound. And we change each other.

it’s fusion!

Am I the only person left who values being human? Am I the only person on earth who’s choosing to remain what I am?

yes, because you refuse to acknowledge the difference between mortality and humanity.

Nith’s head, the only part of him that could fit inside the tent, lifted slightly as his eyes focused on her.

this is adorable

“He marks the anniversary of Sophia’s attack every year,” Adam told her, his voice hard. “A goddamned horrible thing to celebrate.”

“He’s not celebrating. He’s remembering.”

how does Adam not recognize a memorial

Before you two disappear into the archives to spend the entire night verifying that yes, Nith can read, and that yes, you two do indeed have some two thousand years of missed conversations to make up for... she endured the ice crystals to the back of her neck with what dignity she could muster

I love them

Generations of young bear-warriors have tried to woo pretty girls with the line, ‘Do you not wish to have the might of Thor inside you?’ And quite a few of those have been daughters of my line. Sigrun cleared her mind and turned her face into a mask. Loki cackled. You want to say it. You desperately want to say it.

tell the fucking dick joke, sigrun

You are as much my daughter as Hel was. You hold much of her essence inside of you. You are, in fact, as I hoped she would become. Loki leaned forwards, and brushed a kiss on Sigrun’s hair.

this is very cute and also I love Loki

The Differently-Human Marriage Seminar? We can’t just say ‘cross-species,’ because some of them still can interbreed with regular humans...

I mean, “mixed marriage” is right there.

But male centaur/female human wasn’t going to work out in the long run.

Sex is not necessary for a healthy relationship!

Unless both of you are willing to give up some central human experiences—passion, children, family—and are content with a merely companionate relationship in the early years of your lives, you can’t really expect a committed monogamous relationship from each other, can you?

I hate literally every word in this sentence. Stupid, short-sighted, allonormative bullshit.

Are you going to live my life with me, instead of trying to find ways to live in death?

...yes. Because you ask it of me.

‘cause that’s healthy. she needs therapy, not to hang all her self-worth on Brandr.

We are at least holding our own— The thought was cut off as Ītzpāpālōtl retaliated, arrowing straight for Nith’s face, landing on his snout with all the force of her mass, accelerated to close to the speed of sound.

you jinxed it

He’d flinched at the notion that people were praying to his wife—and more so, at the idea that she was listening to them. That seemed a sure route to arrogance, pride, and believing all this...tripe.

oh, fuck off

Not that you have asked, but I suffered a broken snout, thirty-seven cuts, shattered scales, and a few fractured ribs. Sigrun prevented me from being blinded, for which I thank my lady.

pay attention to nith

I don’t know you, Steelsoul denied. Have I done you some harm, somehow?

You have. You will.

What did I do? What will I do, that you hate me for? Steelsoul was bewildered.

You’ll listen more to your head than to your heart, and you’ll destroy my life and yours. No. I’m not making one of Trueseer’s damnable predictions here. And the thing that kills me—hah—is that you won’t just make that mistake once. You’ll do it again. You’re doing it again.

The Guardian is 100% Adam from a doomed timeline where he fucked everything up by being a tool

Zaya went still as he continued to rub her neck, gently. “You...don’t see any hope, do you?”

Maccis considered lying. But in the end, this was Zaya. She deserved the truth. “I’m sorry. I wish I did, Zee. But I don’t.”

maybe Maccis should not have become a mercenary at 17

And now, the old god and the old man shared a cynical laugh.

I enjoy the mental image of Ehecatl and Quetzalcoatl sitting on a balcony Statler and Waldorf style

Mamaquilla! Odin shouted, his voice echoing across the continent, ringing back from the mountains. Defend your people! The earth will dance today!

From the lonely moon-goddess of Tawantinsuyu, defiance. Let it dance. They invade my lands, they sacrifice my people, for whom my beloved laid down his life? End them! End them all!

I just really like her

The relativity of time’s passage, am I five yet, am I five yet? I can’t wait till I’m ten! Oh, gods, how am I looking at my fortieth birthday already? No, I can’t be sixty-five, I’m not ready to be old...

me, deep in my midlife crisis: mood

I see Stormborn weeping over my body, but her cloak is white, and when I say her name in farewell...it is the first time she has ever heard me.

Nith pre-remembering a doomed timeline

“You, Kanmi?” Adam said, levering himself into a chair. “You’re going to champion humanity’s nature?”

“I always have. It’s just that they keep letting me down.”

that’s a mood

Kanmi exhaled. “Yes. I had a very, very long talk with Matru. I’m building a realm there.” He gave Adam a sidelong glance as the other man stiffened a little.

shut up, Adam, Kanmi’s making a Veil library, he’s living the dream

Sigrun patted her on the shoulder, and left, and was ambushed at the balcony door by Brandr, who picked her up off the ground in a bear-hug. “What’s that for?” she asked, blankly.

hug ur gods

She was suddenly acutely aware of how Nith’s wings caught the wind, the way his body vibrated with the air-flow, which transmitted up through her legs, where she rode, wedged between neck ridges.

👀

They are attempting to follow us, she pointed out.

All things should strive

I love Nith

You see me as I was when I went to the Odinhall. Awkward. Socially inept.” She laughed under her breath. “Adam doesn’t believe in me. Why should you?”

The look of irritation on Erikir’s face was nothing to Nith’s low growl, which shook the ground, shattering every icicle and in the area.

Nith said fuck Adam

Apollo of Rome died.

ONE DOWN ONE TO GO

When Jormangand rose again, the metal poured down from his scales like the blood of the earth.

someone use this as an album cover

None of them knew it then, but neither Eir nor Coyote would re-emerge. Later, they wouldn’t even be certain that the pair had entered the Veil, in the end. If they’d somehow gone to the Aether . . . they’d be lost there, forever. Nameless.

they fell into a coffee shop au

And then Loki turned his mount, and carried Hecate with him back towards Jormangand. You speak as one about to die, he said, quietly.

I hope that such is not the case. But Prometheus does not see me returning. Her tone was unruffled and cool. He tells me, in tones of great grief, that the probability of Jormangand turning on me and devouring me after transit, is great. Greater still is the probability that I will burn out what power I have left, taking the serpent to Mars. I may die. Or I may become no more than a house-spirit. She paused, thoughtfully. We will have to see if I have regained enough of my power to survive.

she’s just. she’s just so fucking cool.

“Burning incense clogs the CO2 filters,” she said, quietly. “But if Mars has any kami after all...please accept my offering.”

There were no mice in Eden. But when she returned to the table ten minutes later, the rice cake was gone.

Hecate, house-spirit of Mars.

Can’t you, just for a little while...be here, in the moment, with me? Be human with me? Being human used to be important to you. But I guess it isn’t, anymore.

the world is burning, Adam

He’d lived his life for Rome. And now, he rather thought that Rome owed him a death.

This is Hadrianus, whom we have not met before now, and immediately he produces this badass line

It might even move out of orbit, and try to consume the sun itself.

that’s Reapers

“Are you happy?” Regin asked, next.

“...I doubt that anyone in the world right now is happy,” Sigrun said, after a moment.

that’s not an answer, Sig

I am a widow before he’s even died.

your wife will be your widow ere you meet her again

Amaterasu began to glow, releasing some of her tightly-controlled power, letting the light radiate out from her. Did you think me weaponless? I come armed with truth in one hand and courage in the other. Did you think me powerless? I am the highest goddess of my people, however scattered they might be.

I choose to believe the badass lines are Minori’s influence.

The Roman goddess remained frozen in place, as all the aching parts of her essence opened up to the phoenix. Felt the love and generosity and empathy of Lassair, and tears began to form in her eyes. She was held captive, enthralled, to someone who held a mirror up to her own heart. Only Lassair’s mirror was not truth, but understanding.

as lassair just fixes a broken goddess, nbd

Her flesh dissolved, and Minori ascended, letting her light join with Kanmi’s. Emotions, thoughts, and power, braiding through each other’s essence. Glorying in each other, and flowing into and through each other. And then they spread out through the city...and got back to work.

Trennus is the only one who hasn’t properly ascended, chop chop Matrugena

Every union between Hades and Persephone had been rape.

This reading of the myth makes sense here bc the Hellene gods are notably insane, violent and unhinged, but it still makes me tired

You do not frighten me, lord of the dead. You are...refreshingly upfront about who and what you are.

This is the newly-widowed Juno to Pluto, and I am probably thinking about it too much when I draw parallels to Adam and Sigrun. (If Sig had been upfront about what was happening, would Adam have been less of a tool? (Unlikely.) If Adam had been treated badly by a former lover, would he have appreciated Sigrun even as a death goddess?)

Hestia had rarely ventured out into the world, other than to curl up in people’s hearth fires, and listen to the words they spoke around her.

that sounds cozy as fuck

Orcus has raped and slain Hestia. She is dead. And I am alone.

Was the rape necessary? Was that a plot point we needed?

“You catch his name?”

“Ehecatl.”

“Named after one of Quetzalcoatl’s aspects. Hah. Probably thought he was a god, too.”

you just admitted you should have listened to him and gotten out before your wife and son were sacrificed, you don’t get to make fun of his name

Loki kept Sigrun from having children to avoid attachments during Ragnarok . . . and this certainly feels like Ragnarok...

(Reginleif just laid an egg.) If Sig had a kid it would have taken her four times as long to eat the fucking apple

What right do I have to judge? He is what I am, writ large. A memory returned to her, unbidden. Freya telling her to control her image, or belief would shape her...as Pluto had, obviously, been shaped.

oh NOW you wanna listen to Freya, when you’re faced with the possibility of being turned into worms.

A birth to a barren mother and a father who is death incarnate, neither of whom could ever have hoped for this, in all the long years of their existence?

🤔

It is good of you to join us at last, little one. I did not know I would ever have always had you.

the fucking Veil

“There have been attacks on the nuclear plants. Persian rockets, mostly. Erida put up a smaller version of the city-wide shield around them. It would be bad if the plants exploded.” [..]

Sigrun froze, in mild horror. “I did not know about that,” she admitted.

Adam turned and gave her a long look. “No,” he told her. “No, you didn’t.”

I HATE saying this, because I know how important Judea is in the long run, but her concerns run a little bit more global now, Adam, so maybe fuck off with the guilt trips.

I just turned eighty-nine, you realize? Compared to all of the gods... she glanced down at Nith, and amended, Compared to all of you...I am an infant.

We are all as old as we think we are.

Age is just a number, especially if you don’t want to see yourself turn to dust after 130 years.

as if someone had jammed a live and panicking tiger into her head

🎶you can’t drive around with a tiger in your car🎶

He’d tell her that her retainer, the dragon, yearned for her embrace. And that the dragon was considering killing her mortal husband, whom she so cherished. In the mood in which the dragon now appeared to be? The mortal child of the northern gods would surely believe him.

they made the pazuzu the gate-guard of sigrun’s realm rather than just banishing him to come back over and over. he is very resentful and also very stupid.

Truthsense caught at her, and she realized, suddenly, what the creature was trying to do. You employ divide and conquer tactics? Here?

The pazuzu is VERY stupid.

Mageslayer was apparently his squad-name.

It’s a cool name, okay. Maccis is far to young to have had to earn it, but it’s a cool name.

“Does the JDF even have that in their manual anywhere? ‘This is how you accept surrender from a Persian. Please do not actually shoot them.’”

instructions unclear, bullet stuck in persian

Wild-heart?

Yes, dear one?

Would you like to have another child?

see, THAT’S how you do that, lassair

We can fix up a nursery, pretend that we don’t know Aunt Lassair at all, and go to doctor appointments, and all the things that normal people do.

I feel like most people try to pretend they don’t know lassair in these instances

The valkyrie will know.

The valkyrie is an unbeliever and a foreigner. She may choose not to care.

Sigrun turned five centaurs into jelly when they hurt Sophia, the fuck chance do you think you have? (This is also Sophia’s broken prophecy but also fuck this nurse in particular)

Why, it’s me, my own, said a male voice, like sun-warmed honey.

fuuuuuuuuuck yooooooooou

And when the instructor’s back was turned, Sophia picked up a pair of shears.

not that anyone in this hospital has shown an ounce of competence, but why in fuck would you turn your back on a sharp object in a psych ward

They were sharp. And they would do very nicely what they were designed to do. I put on my boots, she thought. I remember that. I didn’t remember doing it before, but I did it anyway...

Sophia Deserved Better

And the question came to mind in Kanmi’s voice: ‘So, did you have an incestuous circle-jerk with your uncle-father and your uncle-uncle, for the purposes of producing offspring?’

kanmi is always with you

For a married woman to tell that sort of joke to someone other than her husband seemed a little beyond the pale to her

if being married means giving up dirty jokes I’m never doing it

Pluto’s worms changed course, humming through the air like a swarm of bees.

HELLO, BEES

Primitive people had once believed that malefic spirits could be summoned by writing the Name of a god backwards.

Mxyzptlk

and suddenly, he had Toutatis’ complete attention.

This stupid motherfucker is trying to unName a god, while it is fighting a mad godling, right over his fucking head.

Oh, come, this is hardly the first time I’ve been inside of you. Though the first time so publically, yes.

zhi this is not the time

Sophia smiled, almost giddy. “My answer? My choice?” She paused, savoring it. “I say fuck you, Apollo of Delphi. I die free.”

The look of comic shock on his face warmed her heart, and and gave her almost a full second to get her hand up, sharpened metal in hand, and stab herself in the throat.

Sophia is more badass than you. And she deserved better.

Apollo of Delphi had exactly enough time to turn. For his eyes to widen. And then the shadow behind him materialized fully, and the spear that wasn’t really a spear anymore, so much as an expression of the will of a death-goddess...lashed out.

Apollo deserved worse.

She looked up at Nith, her lashes rimed with ice. Nith, what good is being what I am, if I can’t protect the ones I love? If I can’t save them?

I do not have an answer for that, Nith told her, and spread his wings over her. I think you did everything you could to save her. But I also think that she made the choices that she made. And that she died a death that she chose. Surely, that counts for something.

hi I’m crying over a book at 3 am

She signed the hospital’s statement that they were not liable for Sophia’s death.

I mean they’re not not liable

“So . . . Apollo killed her?”

“I think she killed herself to escape him.”

Adam felt his soul contract, just a little. Suicide was forbidden in his culture. A defiance of god, the destruction of god’s handiwork, the desecration of his god’s greatest gift, which was life. “Her despair finally won, then,” he said, quietly. “I’m so sorry.”

Nith raised his head, and Adam’s own jaw ached, seeing the damage to the dragon’s face. And for the first time, the dragon spoke, with quiet force. I disagree. I heard her words, Stormborn. She said that she died free. The moonfire eyes glowed in the dim room. Surviving for as long as she did? Every day was a victory against Apollo. And her escape, at the end? Her greatest moment of triumph. The dragon pulled himself to his feet, the raw edges of his wounds looking faintly puckered as he healed. I do not tell you not to mourn, my lady. But I believe that she went to her death with joy in her heart, as a captive finally released from prison. And you avenged her death, though there is no punishment dark enough for the ruin that was made of her life.

Nith understands, probably better than anyone else could.

Adam shook his head. “Your people greeted death with orgies and beer.”

there are worse ways to grieve

If there were a king somewhere, Nith said, delicately, a leader whom men would follow into battle, who had been rendered unable to lead, by injury, disease, or age, and if his people brought to him a chalice, a cauldron, or a goddess, and told him Here is your cure, I would think that he would enter into that union. Would restore himself, his lands, and his people. Nith’s tone was weary now. What happens in the tale, when the king pushes aside the cup that is his salvation?

yeah, ADAM, what happens then, ADAM

(I do not agree that Adam should be leading anything but I see where Nith is trying to go)

And while I would like to put her ashes in the ground under the apple tree, Judean law is fairly strict about that.

fuck ‘em. what are they gonna do, arrest you?

You would not believe me even if I told you. Loki’s fox-like grin came and went as he stood, and began to measure out the room with his strides.

I believe the human phrase is ‘try me,’ young trickster.

I enjoy Prometheus

I cursed Sigrun Stormborn. To ensure that she would be ready to fight, as a valkyrie, without reservation. That curse is, incidentally, in abeyance. Loki paused, looking at Sigrun, but she didn’t react. In truth, she didn’t know what to think, or feel about that statement. It seemed trivial; beside the point.

no sigrun pay attention. take notes.

And then a voice in those pre-memories spoke to me, Loki said, quietly. And told me not to fear. That there was a plan.

In my many re-reads, I usually don't get this far, because these books are very long. But getting here now, and actually paying attention for shittalking purposes, my theory is that the mysterious lady-voice is either the God of Abraham or future-Sigrun. Though the God of Abraham has to feature eventually, there’s been too much made of their silence.

And what does gender mean to any of us? Loki asked, with a shrug.

mood

Yes, Embersoul,

oh, Kanmi’s Name changed when he ascended

This is better than Dvalin’s Archives, she told Kanmi. Don’t tell him I said so, though. Ah, blackmail material. Excellent.

kanmi don’t blackmail other gods

I need a Zaya to help me organize this place properly.

just use the existing zaya

Oh, so I’m your responsibility, am I? Certainly. We try to bring our riders home safely. That’s the job. Rig could hear, under the sarcasm, a surprising amount of personal loyalty. And wondered how much of it was the damned dreams, and how much of it was real.

dreams are real, rig

If an amorphous ball of negative energy could be said to regard anything, it seemed to be studying the magus.

fondly regard magus

He could feel the sword devouring the godling from the inside out,

craven edge

Rig was still somehow breathing,

he ate a godling, he’s a god now, I don’t make the rules

[cursecuelebre]

Top Recommendations for Norse Pagans that aren’t Problematic.

There is a lot of books by people who are racist and part of far right side of Heathenry and I’m going to try my best and list the books I have that helped me on my path that isn’t problematic and have questionable intentions. Books and YouTube channels.

Anglo Saxon Socerery and Magic by Alaric Albertson. He is very knowledgeable in his work and path especially on runes which includes the rune poem to make your own interpretation and witchcraft side of things. He even talks about the Elves which I appreciate because not a lot of Norse authors talk about them. It’s more Germanic than Norse but I can’t see any problem adopting certain aspects since they are very similar. I will say he does take himself a bit serious at times but his information is so good and worthwhile. I have not read his first book on Travels through middle earth but it focus on more the pagan side.

Poetic Edda and Prose Edda: it’s what every Norse pagan needs. It’s the foundation of Norse paganism not bibles but myths and tales that can help along our journey. There is tons of translations, but my favorites are Dr. Jackson Crawford Poetic Edda and Anthony Fawkes Prose Edda. But look into other sagas as well like Volsung which Dr Jackson Crawford also wrote about.

Beowulf. More of a Germanic tale but again includes it has roots of Germanic sorcery, traditions, religion like the concept of Wyrd (Fate), the runes, and values within his society like loyalty and mythical creatures. Again there is many translations even Jrr Tolkien did a incompleted version of Beowulf but I think Tom Shippey finished that version I could be wrong. Nonetheless explore more than one, the oneI have is by Seamus Heaney.

Grimm Fairy Tales this mostly German Folklore but it’s still quite important to learn about in German folk magic, creatures and entities in German folklore tends to be very real to the practitioner in their spellwork.

The Way of Fire and Ice by Ryan Smith a very progressive outlook in Norse paganism, he talks about creating communities in Norse paganism and calling out and denouncing Nazis in the community how Norse Paganism is inclusive and how to be open to all types of people. But he has a beginner approach to the deities, beliefs, values within Norse paganism.

Look into a lot of academic sources that’s where you will find a lot of information on Norse paganism and religions.

Tacitus Germania - A Roman historian talking about the Germanic tribes their culture and customs.

Saxo Grammaticus history of the Danes

The Viking Way by Neil Price it goes good in depths about magic in Scandinavia like Seidh

Dictionary of Norse Mythology a quick guide to northern myths, if you are trying to find a specific god and you don’t have time to look up in a book it’s in there with great information to each one.

Children of Ask and Elm: History of Vikings by Neil Price on Scandinavian culture during the Viking age

Some YouTube Channels

The Norse Witch: Bente lives in Germany and their channel encompasses all of Norse paganism more around magic. They do interviews with other Norse witches of folk magic like Icelandic and Danish. Even gives good book recommendations and advice on general spellwork as well!

Freyja Norling: Freyja actually lives in Norway and is a Volva, she focus on so many things within Norse paganism like Trolls, the runes, the gods, knot magic, etc. I love her channel because she actually lives in Norway and very experienced in her work.

Dr Jackson Crawford he is an author but he also has a YouTube channel. He was a professor in Colorado on Norse culture, mythology, and language and now is a full time YouTuber. He did a series of videos on the runes which are more historically accurate. Discusses the myths and the language and what do they mean. Jackson Crawford isn’t a Norse pagan nor he doesn’t care if you are one but just letting you know he isn’t coming from a pagan perspective.

The Welsh Viking also like Jackson Crawford but still has really great knowledge on Viking culture.

De Spökenkyker who is a channel that focus on German Folk magic living in Germany who is a practicing German Folk Witch.

Please feel free to add on any recommendations that are helpful and useful to the Norse pagan Community!

[philomenie]

MOON HILL

4 Beings from a different time, a different world than today. Rivals, friends, allies from the beginning of time. 4 magical beings, long separated, now reunited to save what means the most to them. Moon Hill

Nicholas: Peuchen, vampire-like winged serpent, demon Joakim: Fenris, Fenrir, wolf-like demigod Nick: Kerberus, hellhound Noah: Yokai, demon, Chi o nomu hito, blood-drinker, also Kyuketsuki, vampire

CN Fantasy, Mystery, Mention of Blood, Torture, Killing, Betrayal

FIVE

Reader When Elin leaves the bathroom, Skadi is waiting for her. "Are you going to warn me now too?" "I don't have to warn you, I think you know exactly how risky everything is!" Elin looks at her closely, "Skadi, you're not hiding anything from me, are you? I mean nothing more?" Skadi sighs, "I have a hunch, but no proof, what I do know is that you must be directly descended from the first Völva!" "And what do you suspect?" Skadi chews on her lower lip, thinking about how to tell Elin.

"I'm waiting, Skadi, and I've run out of patience! I want answers!" "I suspect you could be the reincarnation of Hella!" "WHAT?" Elin didn't suspect that now. "Your effect on Noah is just like Hella's, Folio told me all about it. Even your connection to Joakim, say you're attracted to him, right?" "I .... " Elin swallows "Attracted.... I feel comfortable with him, safe, like I've known him for ages. The longer he's here, the stronger the feeling becomes. When I touch him..." she breaks off. Skadi nods thoughtfully "That would fit. Hella and Joakim loved each other very much!" "You mean that's not real? Not my real feelings?" "No, I don't mean that, your feelings are real, your blood remembers him! But that doesn't mean you're at his mercy!" "And him?" Skadi shakes her head, "I don't know and I can't ask him, I think he'd kill me on sight if he had the chance!" "Understandable, I saw what he suffered, felt his pain, how he gave up!" Elin's voice harsh. Skadi looks to the ground "I have to live with this guilt, I can only hope he can forgive me one day. If not, I'll have to accept it, but I won't die without a fight!" "You really think he would kill you?" Elin asks incredulously. "Elin, you've never seen him at full strength, if he's still changing, the Fenris wolf is.... Why do you think Odin wanted to subdue him and then, when that didn't work, render him harmless forever?" Elin swallows. "He's powerful, he's strong and he's a threat to his enemies! You haven't seen them all shapeshifted.... They may seem harmless to you in their human form, but they're not! I know they won't harm a hair on your head, they'll defend you to the death, but don't forget, they're all immortal creatures who have been on this earth for eons!" "Just like you....." Skadi sighs "Just like me, yes!" "As a child, my mother told me the old sagas and stories, the Edda.... I can't remember everything. Especially not about Ragnarök. That's why I'm asking you Skadi, is there anything else I need to know that's important?"

Skadi looks at her sadly, "Yes Elin, there is something else. Something that you probably won't like at all and was another reason for Odin's actions!" "Tell me, everything!" "The Fenris wolf triggers the twilight of the gods, the world conflagration, by killing Odin. He himself is killed by Odin's son Vidar.... That's what the Edda predicts." Elin stares at Skadi, stunned. "But I thought the Nothing threatened everything? That the shrine is under threat, that the imbalance will trigger the end of the world!" "I suspect that the Nothing could take hold of Joakim and use him.... That's why I was prepared to keep him imprisoned!" "But it was your fault that the power imbalance happened in the first place, wasn't it, because you betrayed him?" Elin gets louder and louder.

"Elin, yes, it's that complicated!" "No, it's not complicated, if you had left him alone, nothing would ever have happened!" "You don't know that, the Edda says it just like that.... That it's already underway now, a complication!" "Complication?" Elin gasps. "By keeping him prisoner, you've forced it, damn it! If he's so dangerous and powerful, why didn't you leave him alone?" Skadi lowers her eyes guiltily. "It was a mistake... I..…"

But Elin has heard enough, angrily turns around and leaves Skadi standing there. Elin slips back into the guest room, Joakim is still asleep. She quietly lies back down next to him and just as she is about to take his hand again, he is startled out of his sleep and sits up, his hands raised in defense. With glittering eyes, he stares at Elin, who sits up. "WHO are you?!" Elin shakes her head "I don't know anymore!" She feels tears gathering in her eyes. Joakim slowly lowers his arms and Elin can see his carotid artery pulsating. She carefully places a hand over his. He flinches at the touch, stares at her hand and swallows. "I've felt it too, ever since you were brought here. Gently at first, then getting stronger and stronger. With every touch. It pulses through my veins. I can't explain it, but it's as if I've always known you....." Joakim looks at her wildly, "Hella?!" his voice dies away. Elin shrugs her shoulder, "I don't know, her blood, her spirit.... Something in me remembers you and something in you remembers me, or my blood!" Tears are now streaming down her face. Joakim is still staring at her in disbelief, too afraid to admit the thought. Afraid of feeling nothing but pain again. "It can't be, Hella is dead... I...." Abruptly, he pulls his hand back from her. "I'll go, if that's what you want!" Elin offers. Joakim nods silently and looks away.

Elin leaves the room and lets her tears run free. Damn, why does it hurt her so much when she doesn't even know him. In the kitchen, Skadi and Folio prepare breakfast and Elin leaves the house unnoticed by either of them. Thor and Freya follow her like shadows. She would love to ride out with Asa right now, but Noah and Nicholas..... are in the stables. Will she manage to get her horse and bridle unnoticed? Don't vampires sleep during the day? Oh damn, she has to try! Elin leaves her dogs waiting for her outside the stables, first fetches the saddle and halter, then Asa from her stall. With enough distance to the stable, she saddles her horse, mounts and rides off into the forest, Thor and Freya at her side again. Noah He has rested worse, but also better. He is irritable, he also realizes that he needs blood, he needs to nourish himself. It's broad daylight, but fortunately no direct sun, it's cloudy. Direct sun does not kill him, but it and the heat weaken him and make his transformation more difficult. That is why it prefers the night and coolness.

Nicholas, who is still sleeping on his lounger, has no problem at all with the sun, in fact he loves it. He's more bothered by the cold and wet. Noah twists one corner of his mouth in amusement, ironic that they are limited by such mundane things as sun, cold, wet and heat. Folio and Joakim, on the other hand, don't have to struggle with these things at all. He briefly considers waking Nicholas to go hunting with him, but then abandons the idea. He prefers to let him sleep, to rest. Nicholas and he can also eat human food, but that makes them both rather sluggish. Without blood, they are weakened and do not have their full strength, which they need now. Noah quietly leaves the chamber. When he looks up, he sees that the stable door is open. His gaze wanders over the stalls. Damn, her horse is missing. Surely she won't be foolish enough to ride out alone? Noah's anger boils up. He is in the house in a flash. He hears voices in the kitchen. "Where's Elin?" Folio and Skadi flinch, startled. "At Joakim's!" Skadi is the first to find her voice again. Noah growls out... "Her horse is gone!" "That can't be, I saw her go into his room!" Noah only half hears because he is already on his way to Joakim's room, he pulls open the door, looks around. Joakim sits up immediately, knowing the look "What happened?" "Where is she?" "Elin?" "Yes, Elin, she's not here.... Her horse is gone and she's not here!"

Joakim groans out, "Damn!" "What did you do!" Noah growls, his eyes now blood red. Folio joins in "She's not in the house, I've looked in all the rooms, her bloody dogs are gone too!" Noah snarls, Joakim closes his eyes. "I'm going to find her! Wake up Nicholas, Folio!" Noah's orders short. Joakim wants to get up "I'm coming with you!" "YOU stay here, I have no idea what you did to her or what you said to her, but she's gone now! So you're not going to do anything!" Joakim winces, staring angrily at Noah, "I'm coming with you, you're not going to look for her on your own!" "You're not a help, you're more of a hindrance!" and with that, Noah is gone. "What did you say to her?" Folio's voice calm. "I... She, Folio she's.... I... " Joakim can only stammer. Folio nods, "Her blood, isn't it, I can feel it too, it's like that time...." Joakim nods silently. "Skadi thinks Elin might be a reincarnation of Hella..." Joakim's head snaps up in a flash "SKADI?" he gasps. "Bloody...." Folio grits his teeth. "You're not going to tell me THAT THIS BITCH IS HERE! HERE WITH YOU??" "Joakim, please, calm down....."

But he doesn't want to, too much anger has built up, too much has happened, not tearing Folio's throat out has already taken all his strength, but the fact that Skadi is here is too much. With a furious growl, Joakim lunges at Folio, pulling him off his feet. Folio is stunned by the force and power that is back in his friend. Frozen, he looks at the face distorted by rage, sees the eyes glowing red, hears the deep growl coming from Joakim's throat.

Noah looks around outside the house, where could she have gone? In all directions really... it would take too long to find her on his own. Damn, he needs the help of the others to find this stubborn woman. At the thought of Elin, he feels that sweet desire in his chest again, can feel her under his hands again. He growls, he must either continue to stay absolutely away from her, or he must have her, in any way he can think of, and yes, he can think of many ways to do that.... Noah is the first to wake Nicholas, who is immediately on his feet, his expression worried. "We have to find her, she's not safe alone. Who knows who's looking for us, and then we don't know if the Hollow is aware of her role." "Bloody hell I know! And that blasted wolf is to blame!" "What did he tell her?" "I don't know, but she disappeared after she was with him..... The look on his face when I confronted him.... Something's happened!" "Let's get Folio and Skadi, the four of us will probably find her quicker!" suggests Nicholas. "That was exactly my plan!" When they re-enter the house to get Folio and Skadi, they both realize that the situation has changed somewhat. Folio is lying on the ground, the Fenris wolf with glowing red eyes above him, its mouth around Folio's neck, ready to bite.

"Damn it, Joakim, not now!" Noah is indignant. WHERE IS SKADI! Joakim's voice in all their heads. "Joakim, please, let him go, we have to find Elin first, I know you want your revenge and we won't deny it to you, but not now!" Nicholas' calm voice seems to get through to the wolf, because he pulls away from Folio, growling. I'm coming with you, we'll find Elin and then I'll tear Skadi to pieces! Joakim's eyes glow even more than before. Folio has picked himself up from the ground, glaring at the Fenris wolf, "You won't kill her, I won't let you!" Joakim growls angrily at him. "Joakim....." Skadi steps into the hallway, a mistake. Blind with rage, Joakim lunges at the Asin, tearing her clothes to shreds with his claws, leaving deep gashes on her skin. Folio gasps and rushes after him to prevent the worst, beginning to transform in the process. Noah and Nicholas stare stunned at the scene before them. Joakim has Skadi in his clutches, all he has to do is bite, seal her fate. Folio leaps at his friend from behind, his heads bite into the wolf's back, causing it to yelp and loosen its bite around Skadi's neck. Skadi can then slip away downwards.

Panting, bleeding and with eyes wide open, she looks at her opponents. Joakim snaps at Folio's head, writhing, his claws tearing at the hellhound's chest. Noah finally breaks free from his stupor, grabs Folio and tries to pull him away, Nicholas tries to clutch Joakim. Both fight back vehemently, snatching and scratching. The four bodies are intertwined like a ball, Noah's and Nicholas' fangs extended, ready to bite. Joakim throws himself against the wall with Nicholas clinging to his side to get rid of him. Nicholas gasps in pain, loosens his grip and Joakim shakes him off. He bares his teeth and attacks Folio again with Noah on his back, biting into his shoulder and catching Noah, who sinks his fangs into the Fenris wolf's neck with a snarl. Driven by the pain, Noah transforms, his limbs stretch, become stronger, his clothes tear and fall from his body, his skin snow-white, blood-red, black-rimmed eyes with a piercing gaze. His jaw jumps forward, he tears open his deadly mouth and bites again. Joakim howls in pain. Nicholas has also shifted and shoots like an arrow between Noah and Joakim, preventing Noah from tearing open the Fenris wolf's throat. Noah lets go. Gasping and bleeding, the four stare at each other in rage.

[rhianna]

MYTHS OF NORTHERN LANDS.

CHAPTER I. THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS.

ALTHOUGH the Aryan inhabitants of northern Europe are supposed by some authorities to have come originally from the plateau of Iran, in the heart of Asia, the climate and scenery of the countries where they finally settled had great influence in shaping their early religious beliefs, as well as in ordering their mode of living.

The grand and rugged landscapes of Northern Europe, the midnight sun, the flashing rays of the aurora borealis, the ocean continually lashing itself into fury against the great cliffs and icebergs of the arctic circle, could not but impress the people as vividly as the almost miraculous vegetation, the perpetual light, and the blue seas and skies of their brief summer season. It is no great wonder, therefore, that the Icelanders, for instance, to whom we owe the most perfect records of this belief, fancied in looking about them that the world was originally created from a strange mixture of fire and ice.

Northern mythology is grand and tragical. Its principal theme is the perpetual struggle of the beneficent forces of Nature against the injurious, and hence it is not graceful and idyllic in character like the religion of the sunny South, where the people could bask10 in perpetual sunshine, and the fruits of the earth grew ready to their hand.

It was very natural that the dangers incurred in hunting and fishing under these inclement skies, and the suffering entailed by the long cold winters when the sun never shines, made our ancestors contemplate cold and ice as malevolent spirits; and it was with equal reason that they invoked with special fervor the beneficent influences of heat and light.

Myths of creation.

When questioned concerning the creation of the world, the Northern scalds or poets, whose songs are preserved in the Eddas and Sagas, declared that in the beginning, when there was as yet no earth, nor sea, nor air, when darkness rested over all, there existed a powerful being called Allfather, whom they dimly conceived as uncreated as well as unseen, and that whatever he willed came to pass.

In the center of space there was, in the morning of time, a great abyss called Ginnunga-gap, the cleft of clefts, the yawning gulf, whose depths no eye could fathom, as it was enveloped in perpetual twilight. North of this abode was a space or world known as Nifl-heim, the home of mist and darkness, in the center of which bubbled the exhaustless spring Hvergelmir, the seething caldron, whose waters supplied twelve great streams known as the Elivagar. As the water of these streams flowed swiftly away from its source and encountered the cold blasts from the yawning gulf, it soon hardened into huge blocks of ice, which rolled downwards into the immeasurable depths of the great abyss with a continual roar like thunder.

South of this dark chasm, and directly opposite Nifl-heim, the realm of mist, was another world called Muspells-heim, the home of elemental fire, where all was warmth and brightness, and whose frontiers were continually guarded by Surtr, the flame giant. This giant fiercely brandished his flashing sword, and continually sent forth great showers of sparks, which fell with a hissing sound upon the ice blocks in the bottom of the abyss, and partly melted them by their heat.

11

[child-of-frigg]

Druidism and Asatru¿: Roots Deeper than the Earth Itself.

Though at first it may be difficult to believe, Druidism/Druidry and Asatru go hand in hand. Though terminology differs, much of what we understand as Druidism can be found not only within the Norse faith along with various Caledonian/Celtic faiths, but within similar Indo-European faiths as well, dating back thousands of years.

From the Spring Equinox to the Winter Solstice, these cosmic events have held significance for tribes all across the world since long before written history, and many of their monuments to the solar bodies that inhabit the night sky can still be found to this day. The stars, grass underfoot, all the mysteries of the cosmos and existence itself brought forth the Druidic faith, the first scientists; whose influence spanned nations. Though the common image of a Druid is that of a bearded man clad in long white robes, this portrayal comes to us from the Romans in their observation of the Celtic people, and only shows a portion of what Druidism once was.

Celtic Druidism as it is understood today is the coalescence of various Druidic faiths, including those of Anglo-Saxon tribes. Many Celtic, and Vikine tribes share their ancestry with that of the Anglo-Saxons, a cultural identity born from interactions with Germanic tribes. These Pagan Anglo-Saxon tribes worshipped Gods still referenced in modern Paganism, such as Ēostre and Wotan, who are closely related theologically to much earlier Proto-Indo-European Gods. Likewise, the Gods and Goddesses of Druidic faith, such as Brigid and Badb, were found to have been worshipped among these tribes, likely stemming from the same Proto-Indo-European faiths which had inspired people to build monuments to the stars.

The birth of Asatru (Modern) was brought about in the early days of the Pagan revival, and deals specifically with Forn Sidr (Traditional) which is the first name given to the Norse faiths by Normani tribes. These tribes, along with the Galli (Early Gaulish Nomadic peoples) would make their name as fierce warriors during the Roman Eras, fighting as mercenaries in countless battles across Britannia, and eventually settling in Caledonia, a Tribal Confederacy located in what is now North Britain, equating to Scotland. Here alongside a number of Brittonic, Milesian Scot, and Anglo-Saxon tribes, (as well as later being joined by some Scandinavian tribes from the far North) they would be observed feasting, drinking, and hailing the deities of their faiths by Saint Bede during the eighth century, giving the world its very first written account of the Druidic faiths that had existed for so many centuries prior.

During its revival, the Norse faith would go through a sort of coalescence of its own, combining the beliefs of various Normani tribes in order to give rise to what we know today as Asatru. A reflection of the Northern tribes, the Sagas and Edda's that have helped form the faith are part of a much greater story, a story that continues to unfold even now as our understanding of history grows.

End of Part 1.

[mask131]

Cold winter: More about Siegfried

MORE ABOUT SIEGFRIED

Freely translated from the “Dictionary of Characters and Figures – from Literature, Opera, Cinema and BD”

It is at the age of 35 that Wagner, having just finished “Lohengrin”, took an interest into Siegfried, a mythical character part of various Scandinavian sagas such as the “Song of the Nibelungen” or the Eddas. He wrote for seven whole years the poems that will form the essence of the “Ring of the Nibelungen”, a tetralogy he will only finish at 61 years old: it shows how much he was haunted by this legendary hero, called variously Sigurd, Siegwart or Sigisbert depending on the countries. Wagner’s main textual source seems to have been the trilogy of the German poet Karl de la Motte Fouqué, “The Hero of the North” - he completed his research with “Lied vom Hürnen Seyfrid”, “The Song of Horn-skinned Siegfried”. Another poet of Wagner’s time, F. Hebbel, took an interest to those same texts, and published in 1861 his own “The Nibelungen”.

Siegfried symbolizes youth and the prime of life, with all of its recklessness and levity, but one that is carrying a grand destiny: the victorious fight against the wicked forces that prevent the workings of the world. Siegfried’s sacrifice is supposed to lead humanity towards the reign of an universal love. Present in primitive Irish mythology, as well as in Norway, Greenland, and among the Franks and the Burgundians, Siegfried is always depicted as the lover of Brunehilde, queen of Iceland, who has a divine ancestry and a palace surrounded by a wall of flames.

The Nibelungen are dwarfs that live under the earth and are ruled by Alberich (see Oberon). After having stolen away Alberich’s treasure, which was guarded by the dragon Fafner, Siegfried bathes in the blood of the slain monster, which gives him invulnerability – however, as a sign of his mortality, just like with Achilles, one part of his skin stays vulnerable and mortal, the spot where a basswood leaf got stuck as he took his blood bath. It will be there that Hagen will plant his spear, killing Siegfried. But much before that, he also took the dwarfs’s magical cope which allows him, among many other things, to become Brunehilde’s fiancé after crossing the wall of flames, using the magical cloak. This is the main subject of the third part of the Wagnerian work, “Siegfried”, and the first where the hero actually appears.

The fourth part, “The Twilight of the gods”, shows us a Siegfried carried away by a strong desire to accomplish new exploits. Joining the Burgundians, he meets there Krimehilde (or Gudrun), sister of Gunther (or Gunnar). Like a new Tristan, Siegfried drinks, as a welcome drink, a potion that makes him betray his love for Brunehilde as he gets attracted by Krimehilde (who in turn had fallen in love with him at first sight). A deal is made: Gunther will give Krimehilde to Siegfried if he agrees to help him conquer the woman he desires, Brunehilde. Siegfried uses again his magical cloak, and the whole business is quickly settled – but the happiness of the new couples doesn’t last. Brunehilde, angry at having tricked and betrayed, shows to Gunther the spot where the hero is vulnerable and Hagen kills the hero.

It is interesting to compare another work on the same legend, but part of a different generation and ideology: Fritz Lang also got inspired by the ancient legends, without however passing by Wagner’s work. His Nibelungen, composed of two parts (The Death of Siegfried and The Revenge of Siegfried) is an hymn of vengeance for the hero that will help the Reich get back up from its defeat. A grandiloquent and expressionist work, this movie presents us an Alberich bearing strong anti-Semitic stereotypes, against a very “Aryan” Siegfried. Strong socio-political subtexts were also present in Wagner’s work, where Siegfried was presented as a “good savage” who met his demise at the hand of mediocre and unworthy people, as well as a redemption-figure whose death brought forward the end of the old gods and the creation of a new order. It is however difficult to interpret Siegfried’s character solely as a nietzschean hero before his time, driven solely by a desire for power: after all, the hero will be crushed – for some by capitalism and its sinister deterministic machine (a metaphor of the “gold of the Rhine”), for others because he didn’t had the ability to surpass himself, unlike the grand hero Perceval/Parsifal.

[gremlinmysticaljournal]

Gremlin's Library

I'm still new to witchcraft and pagan religions, and know next to nothing about it outside my own personal views of magic and sacred. So my library right now is basically the result of me trying to learn about the different (and for now, more common) deities and paths I can take my craft and worship. I don't exactly know how good all those books are, but I'll read, learn and hopefully pave my own path on the way to explore the craft and my spirituality.

To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day - by Alaric Albertsson

The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes - Edited by Jackson Crawford

The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker - by Joanna Van Der Hoeven

From the Cauldron Born: Exploring the Magic of Welsh Legend & Lore - by Kristoffer Hughes

The Book of Celtic Magic: Transformative Teachings from the Cauldron of Awen - by Kristoffer Hughes

The Path of Druidry: Walking the Ancient Green Way - by Penny Billington

Greek Mythology: A Concise Guide to Ancient Gods, Heroes, Beliefs and Myths of Greek Mythology - by Hourly History

Celtic Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Sagas and Beliefs - by Hourly History

Egyptian Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Ancient Gods and Beliefs of Egyptian Mythology - by Hourly History

Norse Mythology: A Concise Guide to Gods, Heroes, Sagas and Beliefs of Norse Mythology - by Hourly History

A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic: Wyrdworking, Rune Craft, Divination, and Wortcunning - by Alaric Albertsson

Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals: Identification, Values and Lapidary Uses - by Patti Polk

Traditional Witchcraft and the Pagan Revival: A Magical Anthropology - by Suzanne Ruthven

The Pagan Book of the Dead: Ancestral Visions of the Afterlife and Other Worlds - by Claude Lecouteux

The Big Book of Pagan Prayer and Ritual - by Ceisiwr Serith

A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book - by Ceisiwr Serith

Circle of the Sun: Rites and Celebrations for Egyptian Pagans and Kemetics - by Sharon LaBorde

The Witchcraft Collection Volume One: Dictionary of Satanism, Dictionary of Witchcraft, and Dictionary of Pagan Religions

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-centered Religions - by Joyce Higginbotham and River Higginbotham

The Way of Fire and Ice: The Living Tradition of Norse Paganism - by Ryan Smith

Drawing Down the Moon - by Margot Adler

The Isles of the Many Gods: An A-Z of the Pagan Gods & Goddesses Worshipped in Ancient Britain During the First Millennium CE Through to the Middle Ages - by David Rankine and Sorita D'Este

The Herbal Alchemist's Handbook: A Complete Guide to Magickal Herbs and How to Use Them - by Karen Harrison

The Magick of Food: Rituals, Offerings & Why We Eat Together - by Gwion Raven

The Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft - by Kelden

The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World - by Judika Illes

The Witch's Book of Self-Care: Magical Ways to Pamper, Soothe, and Care for Your Body and Spirit - by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses - by Judika Illes

Sigil Witchery: A Witch's Guide to Crafting Magick Symbols - by Laura Tempest Zakroff

The Witch's Altar: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Sacred Space - by Jason Mankey and Laura Tempest Zakroff

The House Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Space with Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home - by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More - by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Moon Spells: How to Use the Phases of the Moon to Get What You Want - by Diane Ahlquist

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Astrology: The Easy Way to Learn Astrology - by Kris Brandt Riske

Practical Candleburning Rituals - by Raymond Buckland

Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities - by Charles Russell Coulter

Osiris - by Bojana Mojsov

Magical Alphabets: The Secrets and Significance of Ancient Scripts Including Runes, Greek, Ogham, Hebrew and Alchemical Alphabets - by Nigel Pennick

Paganism Explained, Part I: Thrymskvida - by Marie Cachet and Varg Vikernes

Paganism Explained, Part II: Little Red Riding Hood & Jack and the Beanstalk - by Marie Cachet and Varg Vikernes

Paganism Explained, Part III: The Cult of Mithra & Hymiskvida - by Marie Cachet and Varg Vikernes

Paganism Explained, Part IV: Valholl & Odinn in Yggdrasill - by Marie Cachet and Varg Vikernes

Norse Magic and Asatru: An Essential Guide to Norse Divination, Elder Futhark Runes, Paganism, and Heathenry for Beginners -by Mari Silva

The Crystal Bible - by Judy Hall

(September 17, 2022)

Water Witchcraft: Magic and Lore from the Celtic Tradition - by Annwyn Avalon

The Spirit of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses: Their History, Magical Power, and Healing Energies - by Carl McColman

Fairies: A Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk - by Morgan Daimler

The Celtic Golden Dawn: An Original & Complete Curriculum of Druidical Study - by John Michael Greer

Wild Magic: Celtic Folk Traditions for the Solitary Practitioner - by Danu Forest

Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Greek Mythology, Egyptian Mythology and Norse Mythology - by Matt Clayton

The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends - by Peter Berresford Ellis

The Morrigan: Celtic Goddess of Magick and Might - by Courtney Weber

Celtic Tales: Fairy Tales and Stories of Enchantment from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Wales - by Kate Forrester

Celtic Myths and Legends - by T. W. Rolleston

Anam Cara - by John O'Donohue

Celtic Tree Magic: Ogham Lore and Druid Mysteries - by Danu Forest

Celtic Tree Rituals: Ceremonies for the Thirteen Moon Months and a Day - by Sharlyn Hidalgo

A Celtic Miscellany - by Kenneth H. Jackson

Brigid: History, Mystery, and Magick of the Celtic Goddess - by Courtney Weber

Tending Brigid's Flame: Awaken to the Celtic Goddess of Hearth, Temple, and Forge - by Lunaea Weatherstone

Tarot 101: Mastering the Art of Reading the Cards - by Huggens Kim

365 Tarot Spreads: Revealing the Magic in Each Day - by Sasha Graham

Practical Sigil Magic: Creating Personal Symbols for Success - by Frater U. D.

I'm pretty sure Z Library has all those books for free in a variety of formats for easy access (to those like me, that prefer reading a book before buying them).

[thorraborinn]

Who would you say is the Norse god of summer solstice?

I know know one of the reasons people might choose me as someone to ask is because I sometimes come out with very non-obvious answers, but this isn't one of those times: Sól (or Sunna), the sun.

The summer solstice is also approximately the time when Sólmánuður, 'sun-month' begins on an Icelandic calendar (last Monday, the 20th). We don't have a lot of evidence for worship of Sól from around the time of the Eddas and sagas (though, some have argued that Sólarljóð is a syncretic poem and borrows from heathen sun-worship); but it was clearly extremely important in earlier periods of North Germanic religion up and into the Iron Age, even if we don't have good literary sources about it. See: Anders Andrén, Tracing Old Norse Cosmology: The World Tree, Middle Earth and the Sun in Archeaological Perspectives.

As far as written evidence goes, it seems they didn't really celebrate the solstice in a big organized way. They obviously observed it in some capacity (as in, were aware that it happened -- I'm making no guesses about celebrating it), but it wasn't a major blót (höfuðblót).

Though not tied specifically to the solstice, the Alþingi also happened around this time (10th week of summer). This involved religious ceremonies, perhaps including calling on Freyr, Njǫrðr, and the unnamed almáttki áss 'almighty áss,' the three of whom are associated with oath-swearing in Landnámabók. Details of the religious aspects of Alþingi are not abundant unfortunately.

We might also wonder about what the members of the household who didn't make the huge trip to Þingvellir for the Alþing, or those households who paid to sit out, did back at home. We might speculate that they did things like collect healing herbs -- something later associated with St. John's night. St. John's night would eventually become one of the most important holidays of the year and while it's mostly faded away in Iceland now it's still a big deal elsewhere.

[luna-writes-stuff]

luna i am . . . a little confuzzled can you clear something up for me? alright so I’m pretty mad about princess disa not having a beard and that the male elves don’t have long hair, and the whole galadriel situation, but there are soooo many people pissed about the diverse casting ??? I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s because tolkien created middle earth so he could write what he wanted to be English folklore, so most of the characters are white because it’s based on Anglo Saxon stuff but I don’t see why that means there can’t be poc in the cast..

(am I the dumb one?)

The short answer is; Some people turn into giant babies when they see someone with a darker tint having success.

A full answer is; Unfortunately, the Tolkien consists out of a lot conservative and racist people, as J.R.R Tolkien is a high-fantasy writer. In his time (1892-1973) there was very little acceptance for anyone who wasn't white, straight, christian and cis, and those prejudices sadly get passed through generations. The last two generations have thankfully been much more accepting, but conservative people are still hanging around there, and they don't understand the sudden diverse casting, claiming it's "just to get more audience" and that "they are overdoing it". They don't understand that they are not the only people in the world who like fantasy and that representation really matters.

Then we come to the idea that Tolkien wanted to write English Folkore; A bunch of bullshit. Sure, some of his stories are inspired by them and other mythologies, but this does not mean he intended to write English Folkore. Works like The Father Christmas Letters and The Hobbit were originally written for his children as a gift. If anything, the Lord of the Rings was primarely written because his readers wanted to see more hobbits. Besides that, the Lord of the Rings series were inspired by the loss and love of his mother when he turned twelve. Father Morgan (a priest) took him in, making him a giant father figure for Tolkien himself, something he referenced to with Bilbo and Frodo's relation.

Besides the passing of his mother, WWI played a big role for Lord of the Rings as well. He often send letters to his friends who fought, but eventually found out they had all died as well:

"The ring in The Lord of the Rings is a symbol of the burden that Tolkien must have felt after realizing that it was left to him to write something that would preserve the memory and ideas of his fallen friends – to say the things they never had a chance to say and to write the stories they never had a chance to write."

- Literary Yard

If we fall back onto the Hobbit and his other works, we come to the basic fact that Tolkien first created an entire world and language and then realized it might need a story:

"Tolkien was heavily inspired by the writings, languages and fantasies of Icelandic linguistic traditions, particularly Old Norse sagas like the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda."

- Newsweek

The Hobbit was written for his children primarily, as a fairy tale of their own. Though Gothic and Germanic tints are shown in the story, and the use of Slavic names are shown in its lexicon, it is nowhere explicitly written that it was supposed to be a new English Folklore. While writing the story, he did experiment with own writing styles and storylines, but it was meant to be a gift to his children. (Source)

Judging on what we know of Tolkien's life and words, I think he would love to see POC in his own projects. It is the older fans who assume he did not, because they would not want their own idol to work against them. I personally think the diverse casting is one of the only things that makes me happy about the whole Amazon project. I am so relieved to see some more representation in my favorite fandom, even if Amazon is definitely going to fuck up the entire lore. We will finally get some awesome characters who aren't white, male protagonists!

I hope that helped a little bit! And no, you are not dumb. The people who are angered by POC participating in a Tolkien project are. If they truly cared about the whole reveal of the series, they should be more pissed off about princess Dísa's lack of a beard than about her color. They should leave their racism with the rest of 1945❤️

[nochiquinn]

moodtober 15/31 lassair

(edda-earth saga)

[dailylogyn]

Logyn Meta: Loki & Sigyn’s Family in Myth and Marvel (Comparison)

Photo Source: https://www.deviantart.com/youkai-no-shimo/art/Colouring-LOKI-s-FAMILY-260392721

The family that is ready to begin Ragnarok in order to defend your honor. It’s a tragic tale, but family is something worth fighting for!

Follow me as we explore this crazy, wonderful family that is probably the most famous of the Myth’s. 

We may not know much about Sigyn’s side, but Loki’s side is one that legends are made of. 

From the Norse Myths, to Marvel Comics and the MCU, we will see the similarities and differences for each member in the different universes as well as learn facts about each one and why they are important. 

Laufey (or Nál) - Loki’s Mother 

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

She is Loki’s Mother in Mythology.

Mostly mentioned by the matronymic, “Loki Laufeyjarson” meaning: Loki Laufey’s Son.

Her name (Laufey) is typically thought to mean leaves/foilage. Nal means Needle. 

Not much is known about her. We don’t even know if she was a Goddess, human or giant so it is assumed Loki gets his godhood from her. 

In the poem Sörla þáttr, Nál and Laufey are portrayed as the same person: "She was both slender and weak, and for that reason she was called Nál [Needle]." 

Laufey is listed among Ásynjar (goddesses) in one of the þulur, an ancestry that perhaps led her son Loki to be "enumerated among the Æsir", as Snorri Sturluson puts it in Gylfaginning.

Related to nature like forests and leaves.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Laufey is Loki’s Father in this universe. 

As Loki was born small, a motive of embarrassment for his parents, his existence was kept a secret.

A younger Loki sends Laufey into a fateful battle between Odin, leading the All-Father to claim Loki as a son. Laufey was left for dead, wounded, but alive, leaving a future Loki to kill him. 

A group of Frost Giants try to revive Laufey by retrieving his skull. It ends with Malekith performing a spell to resurrect King Laufey. 

Laufey hates Loki and thinks of him as a disgrace

It ends with Loki killing his father again after he tries to steal the Casket of Winters and kill Frigga. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Same as Marvel Comics Counterpart. Appears in the first Thor movie. 

Fárbauti - Loki’s Father

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

He is Loki’s Father in Mythology. 

Attested in the Prose Edda and in Kennings of Viking Age Skalds.

A Jotunn

The Old Norse name Fárbauti has been translated as 'dangerous striker','anger striker',or 'sudden-striker'.

Related to lightning

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Mother of Loki in this universe.

Gave birth to an unusually small child to the annoyance of her husband.

It is said the night Loki was born that she stabbed her own heart with an ice dagger, but Loki suspects Laufey is the one who killed her. 

Appears as a figment taken on by a parasite. She’s mostly deceased in the comics. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Loki Laufeyjarson - Son of Laufey & Farbauti. Lover of Sigyn & Angrboda (and many others honestly)

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Everyone already knows the tales about Loki, so I won’t repeat it all again. It’s pretty lengthy. I’ll just point down the basics for him with it. 

He’s famous for causing trouble among the gods as the Trickster and God of Mischief. Not a bad guy, but misinterpreted that way, although he can be a dick too. Despite how much he causes trouble for them, he also helps them out of situations too. He just wants to have fun, even if he takes it overboard at times.

Some sources put as Jotun and some say he is Half-Jotun, Half-Aesir (on his mother’s side.) 

A well-known Shapeshifter who can be anything: Salmon, Male, Female, Horse. The list just goes on. 

A really handsome being who loved to get it on. *finger guns*

Blood Brother’s with Odin. How? We don’t know. It’s interpreted as a friendship or foster-brothers. It’s unclear really.

Gonna start Ragnarok for valid reasons honestly after having his entire family taken away from him or killed by the Gods. #TeamLoki

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Far too many appearances to document here from 1942 to present. There has been some retcons as well with the fact the current Loki has been reborn in a new incarnation also known as Ikol.

In the comics Loki is the adopted son of Odin and Frigga and Adoptive brother to Thor & Balder. 

He’s depicted as being the God of Evil in the classic comics serval times. In fact, it’s one of his titles. 

Depending on the writer for the classic comics, Loki can have moments of humanity, but all around he causes trouble.

Just wants to rule Asgard and get rid of Thor who is his enemy. 

He’s honestly a bad guy most of the time in the classic comics #VillianTrope

I personally have yet to read any current comics of Loki that aren’t the classics so this is where my knowledge and research stops. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

First off, Tom Hiddleston as Loki is just *chefs kiss* perfection. 

Pretty much the same as comics except for the fact he isn’t really a villain. He plays tricks on people for fun and laughs and truly cares about his family. 

However, things change when he discovers the truth that he is a Jotun and has been lied to about it his whole life despite being told countless stories of how Jotun’s are monsters to be slain (You fucked up a perfectly good kid, Odin. Look, he has anxiety and trauma.) 

He develops major identity problems on top of others things, but despite it, Loki tries to still do best by his family as he wants to belong. Yes, he becomes a villain in The Avengers movie, but not for the hell of it. #Thanos

Honestly, he just deserves better. That’s where this leads. Thank you.

Angrboda - Loki’s Consort/Lover (Fenrir, Jormungandr & Hel’s Mother)

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

She is only mentioned once in the Poetic Edda as the mother of Fenrir by Loki. The Prose Edda describes her as "a giantess in Jotunheim" and as the mother of three monsters: the wolf Fenrir, the Midgard serpent Jörmungand, and the ruler of the dead Hel.

A Jotun known as Mother of Monsters and Giantess of Ironwood. 

In Old Norse, Angrboda means: 'the one who brings grief', 'she-who-offers-sorrow', or 'harm-bidder'.

According to scholars, the name Angrboða is probably a late invention dating from no earlier than the 12th century, although the tradition of the three monsters born of Loki and a jötunn may be of a higher age.

Some scholars say she was a very powerful witch and that she had the ability to see into the future. She was confined to Hel and would not be released from the realm of the dead until Loki was unbound.

In some versions of the Myth’s she knows her children will bring about the end of the world (Ragnarok) as well as being a witch set on fire three times before Loki eats her heart. 

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

A giantess of Jotunheim and a Witch.

Born to Elderspawn Vârcolac and Echidna.

She mated with Loki and gave birth to Fenrir and Jormungadr. Legends say she also gave birth to Hela, but it seems to be nothing more but legends. 

Angrboda died of unknown causes and was sent to the Underworld of Hel. 

When Thor needed to know how to get to Hela's realm because she had been taking mortals to Niffleheim, he went to the Hlidskjalf and summoned Angerboda from the underworld, forcing her to tell him how to get there. Once she revealed to Thor the path he had to follow, she tried to take him with her to the underworld.

Only has one appearance in the comics -- Thor #360 (1985)

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Sleipnir - Loki’s Son

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Attested in the Poetic and Prose Edda. In both Sleipnir is Odin's eight-legged steed and child of Loki by Svaðilfari. He is described as the best of all horses.

The Prose Edda contains extra information saying he is grey. 

Old Norse meaning: Slippy or the Slipper. 

Sleipnir is also mentioned in a riddle found in the 13th century legendary saga Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, in the 13th-century legendary saga Völsunga saga as the ancestor of the horse Grani, and book I of Gesta Danorum, written in the 12th century by Saxo Grammaticus, contains an episode considered by many scholars to involve Sleipnir. Sleipnir is generally accepted as depicted on two 8th century Gotlandic image stones: the Tjängvide image stone and the Ardre VIII image stone.

Scholarly theories have been proposed regarding Sleipnir's potential connection to shamanic practices among the Norse pagans.

Sleipnir was born when Loki shape-shifted into a mare and became pregnant by the stallion of a giant, as is recounted in the tale of The Fortification of Asgard.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

There are two different origins for Sleipnir in the comics: 1. Thor fighting off an army of the undead on Midgard. He promised to help as long as his horses weren’t eaten, however, Thor was betrayed and took his horses remains back to Asgard, coupling it with Asgardian Magic to create Sleipneir. 2. Loki had hastily agreed to let a Frost Giant re-build the wall around Asgard, in exchange for the Moon, the Sun, and Freya, only he had to do it in six months. The Frost Giant had only asked to use his grey stallion, Svadilfari. Right as the last brick was about to be placed, Loki transformed into a beautiful white mare, and lured Svadilfari off. Loki later gave birth to Sleipnir. (Just like in the Myths.) 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Odin’s eight-legged steed. 

Sleipnir’s origins are unknown. He appears in the first Thor Movie. 

Fenrir Wolf - Loki & Angrboda’s Son

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Attested in the Prose and Poetic Edda as the first son of the Jotun couple. He is a wolf destined to kill Odin. So, they bind and seal him when he's still young, with Tyr losing his arm in the process. When Ragnarok comes, he indeed kills Odin, but is killed by Odin's son Vidar in return.

Fenrir is the father of the wolves Sköll and Hati Hróðvitnisson. 

In the Prose Edda, additional information is given about Fenrir, including that, due to the gods' knowledge of prophecies foretelling great trouble from Fenrir and his rapid growth, the gods bound him, and as a result Fenrir bit off the right hand of the god Týr.

No chain can hold him, except for Gleipnir, a rope made by Dwarves containing the roots of a mountain, the breath of a fish, the sound of a cat's footfall, the sinews of a bear, the beard of a woman and the spittle of a bird, all of which were impossible items to obtain.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Pretty much the same as his Mythos with some additional storylines. 

When Raganrok happened, Fenrir was reborn with the other gods on the New Asgard universe on Midgard. No details of his fate on Earth have been revealed.

Fenrir helped the mutant Wolfsbane as she was carrying the child of one of his descendants. 

It is one of the few individuals believed to be more powerful, or equally as powerful, as Dormammu; the others being galactic entities like The Beyonder.

Fenrir is Genderfluid in the comics. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Fenris is a giant Asgardian Wolf who serves under Hela and is portrayed as Female. She resurrects her as they take over Asgard. 

Instead of being her brother, Fenris is her loyal companion and mount. 

Fenris ends up getting into a fight against Hulk as he pushes her off, sending her falling into the void below to her supposed death. 

Appears in Thor: Ragnarok. 

Hel - Loki & Angrboda’s Daughter

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Attested in the Prose and Poetic Edda. She is a giantess/goddess who resides over the Underworld that is also called Hel, a place where many of the dead reside. She is the daughter of Loki and Angrboda, sister to Fenrir and Jormungandr and usually depicted as the youngest of the three.

Goddess of Death and Graves and ruler of Hel who welcomes the souls of those who died of old age, disease or by accident.

Hel is described as having been appointed by the god Odin as ruler of a realm of the same name, located in Niflheim.

The Prose Edda details that Hel rules over vast mansions with many servants in her underworld realm and plays a key role in the attempted resurrection of the god Baldr.

Old Norse Name Meaning: Hidden

She’s mostly mentioned only in passing. Snorri describes her appearance as being half-black, half-white, and with a perpetually grim and fierce expression on her face.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Renamed Hela in the comics.

Allegedly the daughter of Loki and Angrboda, but it’s never made clear or stated. Hela's genealogy is the subject of controversies and retellings. 

Her path pretty much follows her Mythos where she is destined to do terrible things and Odin makes her the ruler over the dead in the realms of Hel and Niflheim until maturity. 

At some point, she was considered the daughter of Odin and of a long-lost goddess.

Honestly, she usually tries to expand her powers, wanting to rule over Vahalla and obtain Asgardian souls. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Appears in Thor: Ragnarok as Odin’s firstborn and only daughter. Sister to Thor and Loki.

Kinda pissed her dad locked her away and wants to rule Asgard and take revenge.

The cause of Ragnarok and supposedly dies on Asgard after everything is said in done in the movie.

Jormungandr - Loki & Angrboda’s Son

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Usually depicted as the middle child of Loki and Angrboda, he is known as the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent who is a giant snake. When Odin takes Loki’s kids away from him, he tosses Jormungadr into the ocean that encircles Midgard. The serpent grew so large that is was able to surround the Earth and grasp it’s own tail. When it releases it’s tail, Ragnarok will begin and he will fight his arch-enemy, Thor. 

The major sources for myths about Jörmungandr are the Prose Edda, the skaldic poem Húsdrápa, and the Eddic poems Hymiskviða and Völuspá. Other sources include the early skaldic poem Ragnarsdrápa and kennings in other skaldic poems; for example, in Þórsdrápa, faðir lögseims, "father of the sea-thread", is used as a kenning for Loki. There are also several image stones depicting the story of Thor fishing for Jörmungandr.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Both Loki and Angerboda were descended from the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and were of humanoid appearance; however, the sons Angerboda bore Loki, Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf, did not. It has been suggested that Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf were born as sentient animals because their parents each had the magical ability to change his or her own shape. Hence, Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf each bear the form of the animal that their parents had assumed at the moment they were conceived.

Jormungandr follows the same as his Mythos to a certain degree with his fate to fight Thor during Ragnarok as the God of Thunder would die from his venom. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Sigyn - Loki’s Wife

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Sadly, not many stories that have Sigyn in them have survived to this day. She is only attested in the followings works: Poetic Edda & Prose Edda. 

The most famous of her story tells of how Loki has been bound by the gods with the guts of his son, Nari, and how his son, Vari, has been turned into a wolf. The Goddess Skadi fastens a venomous snake over Loki’s face, from which venom drips. Sigyn, stated as Loki’s wife, stays by his side and holds a basin under and catches the venom so it won’t drip onto her husband, but when the basin grows full, she pulls it away to empty it, during which time venom drops onto Loki, causing him to wither so violently that earthquakes occur that shake the entire earth.

In the poem, Gylfaginning, Sigyn is introduced in Chapter 31 as being married to Loki and that they have a son by the name of “Narfi or Nari”. She is then mentioned again in Chapter 50 where events are described differently than in Lokasenna; Vali, described as a son of Loki only, is changed into a wolf by the gods and rips apart his brother, “Narfi or Nari.” The guts of Nari are then used to tie Loki to three stones, after which the guts turn to iron, and Skadi places a snake above Loki. Sigyn of course catches the venom in a bowl. This process is repeated until he breaks free, setting Ragnarok into motion.

In the poem, Skáldskaparmál, Sigyn is introduced as a goddess, an Æsir, where the gods are holding a feast for their visitors and in kennings for Loki: “husband of Sigyn” and “cargo [Loki] of incantation-fetter’s [Sigyn’s] arms.”

Old Norse Name meaning: Victory Girlfriend. 

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Lonely and looking for female companionship, Loki ends up coming across Sigyn and plans to make her his. However, she is already engaged to a warrior of Odin’s Crimson Hawks -- Theoric. Hence, Loki sets up a trap to have Theoric killed during a mission so Loki can disguise himself as Theoric. Once they are wed, Loki reveals himself and despite Odin attempting to annul the marriage (which goes against Asgardian Law)), Sigyn tells the Allfather that she will follow the duties of a loyal wife since she is Loki’s now. 

This is when Odin proclaims her to be the Goddess of Fidelity. This was a thing first started by the Marvel Comics.

Sigyn doesn’t have much of an agency in the comics except being a loyal wife to Loki, sometimes going along with his plans or getting on him for it. 

I personally haven’t been able to find any evidence of Sigyn’s parents being Iwaldi and Freya in the comics, so I’m not sure if this fact is Fanon or not. 

Sigyn has suddenly seemed to vanish from the comics with her last official appearance being in 1996. It has been allueded at that she died or was killed during Ragnarok. 

Her relationship with Loki in the comics is...complicated and changes a lot depending on the writer. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

Narvi/Narfi & Vali - Loki & Sigyn’s Sons

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

Not much is known about Narfi and Vali except for being Loki & Sigyn’s sons with Vali being transformed into a wolf by the gods and killing his brother whose inners are used as a chain to bind Loki in the cave. 

Narfi and Vali are referred to in a number of sources. According to the Gylfaginning section of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, he was also called Nari and was killed by his brother Váli, who was transformed into a wolf; in a prose passage at the end of the Eddic poem "Lokasenna", Váli became a wolf and his brother Nari was killed.

Snorri also names "Nari or Narfi" as the son of Loki and his wife Sigyn earlier in Gylfaginning, and lists "father of Nari" as a heiti for Loki in the Skáldskaparmál section of his work.

Narfi’s name could mean “Corpse” in Old Norse, relating to how he was killed by his brother. 

There's no mention of what became of Vali after he became a wolf.

MARVEL COMICS (Earth 616)

Narvi never makes an appearance in the comics and is only mentioned in: Free Comics Book Day Vol 2018 Avengers. 

There is a Vali in the comics called Vali Halfling. He is the son of loki and a unnamed mortal woman. So, I don’t consider this to be the same Vali that is the son of Loki and Sigyn. 

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)

Does not appear or have a reference in the MCU

_________________________________________________

Thanks for reading everyone. This required a bunch of research, but I hope this helps and has been educational. We only have what we can work with considering the surviving myths, but there is so many stories out there that we don’t know of that aren’t clear because of it. 

I tried my best to cover everything I knew about them in Marvel too, but sometimes so many retcons is too much to keep up with. I know there may be some errors in places, but it’s the best I could get this with what we have to work with.

SOURCES:

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Laufey_(Earth-616)

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Laufey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laufey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fárbauti

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Farbauti_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Angerboda_(Earth-616)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angrboða

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Hela_(Earth-616)

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/hel/

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/jormungand/

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Jormungand_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sleipnir_(Earth-616)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleipnir

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Sleipnir

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/fenrir/

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Fenris_Wolf_(Earth-616)

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Fenris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigyn

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sigyn_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Narvi_(Earth-616)

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Vali_Halfling_(Earth-616)

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/loki/

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Loki_Laufeyson_(Earth-616)

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Loki

https://skjalden.com/narfi-and-vali/

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Hela

[divinum-pacis]

Divinum Pacis’s  Reference Guide- UPDATED 2021

Let’s face it, schooling is expensive, and you can’t cram everything you want to know into 4+ years. It takes a lifetime (and then some). So if you’re like me and want to learn more, here’s an organized list of some books I find particularly insightful and enjoyable. NEW ADDITIONS are listed first under their respective sections. If you have any recommendations, send them in!

African Religions  🌍

African Myths & Tales: Epic Tales by Dr. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame Jnr

The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead: Prayers, Incantations, and Other Texts from the Book of the Dead by E.A. Wallis Budge

Prayer in the Religious Traditions of Africa by Aylward Shorter (a bit dated but sentimental)

The Holy Piby: The Black Man’s Bible by Shepherd Robert Athlyi Rogers

The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria by Marta Moreno Vega (autobiography of an Afro-Puerto Rican Santeria priestess)

African Religions: A Very Short Introduction by Jacob K. Olupona

Buddhism ☸

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran (collection of Buddha’s sayings)

Liquid Life: Abortion and Buddhism in Japan by William R. LaFleur 

The Tibetan Book of the Dead by John Baldock (the texts explained and illustrated)

Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield (lovely selection of Buddhist verses and stories)

Understanding Buddhism by Perry Schmidt-Leukel (great introductory text)

Essential Tibetan Buddhism by Robert Thurman (collection of select chants, prayers, and rituals in Tibetan traditions)

Christianity ✝️

The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzales

The Story of Christianity Volume 2: The Reformation to Present Day by Justo L. Gonzales

By Heart: Conversations with Martin Luther's Small Catechism by R. Guy Erwin, etc.

Introducing the New Testament by Mark Allen Powell

Who’s Who in the Bible by Jean-Pierre Isbouts (really cool book, thick with history, both Biblical and otherwise)

Synopsis of the Four Gospels (RSV) by Kurt Aland (shows the four NT gospels side by side, verse by verse for easy textual comparison)

Behold Your Mother by Tim Staples (Catholic approach to the Virgin Mary)

Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary by Miri Rubin (anthropological and historical text)

Systematic Theology by Thomas P. Rausch

Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Romazansky (Eastern Orthodox Christianity)

Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (very spiritual)

The Names of God by George W. Knight (goes through every name and reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Bible)

Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church by Alfredo Tradigo (for those who like art history AND religion)

The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God by St. John Maximovitch (the Orthodox approach to the Virgin Mary)

East Asian Religions  ☯️

Shinto: A History by Helen Hardacre

Tao Te Ching by Chad Hansen (a beautiful, illustrated translation)

The Analects by Confucius

Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell

Shinto: The Kami Way by Sokyo Ono (introductory text)

Understanding Chinese Religions by Joachim Gentz (discusses the history and development of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism in China)

Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong (pretty much everything you need to know on Taoism)

European (various)

Iliad & Odyssey by Homer, Samuel Butler, et al.

Tales of King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table by Thomas Malory, Aubrey Beardsley, et al.

Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Jeffrey Gantz

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology by Snorri Sturluson and Jesse L. Byock

Mythology by Edith Hamilton (covers Greek, Roman, & Norse mythology)

The Nature of the Gods by Cicero

Dictionary of Mythology by Bergen Evans

Gnosticism, Mysticism, & Esotericism

The Gnostic Gospels: Including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Sacred Texts) by Alan Jacobs and Vrej Nersessian

The Kybalion by the Three Initiates (Hermeticism)

The Freemasons: The Ancient Brotherhood Revealed by Michael Johnstone 

Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob (Art and symbolism in Hermeticism)

The Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity by David Brakke

What Is Gnosticism? Revised Edition by Karen L. King

The Essence of the Gnostics by Bernard Simon

The Essential Mystics: Selections from the World’s Great Wisdom Traditions by Andrew Harvey (covers Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Greek, Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions)

The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall (huge book on esoteric and occult religions)

Freemasonry for Dummies by Christopher Hodapp

Hinduism 🕉

The Ramayana by R.K. Narayan

7 Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Vishnu’s various avatars)

7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Hindu goddesses, myths and symbolism)

Hinduism by Klaus K. Klostermaier (good introductory text)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada (trans. from a religious standpoint)

The Mahabharata, parts 1 & 2 by Ramesh Menon (super long but incredibly comprehensive)

The Upanishads by Juan Mascaro (an excellent introductory translation)

In Praise of the Goddess by Devadatta Kali (the Devi Mahatmya with English & Sanskrit texts/explanations of texts)

Beyond Birth and Death by Srila Prabhupada (on death & reincarnation)

The Science of Self-Realization by Srila Prabhupada

Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God (Srimad Bhagavatam) by Edwin F. Bryant (totally gorgeous translation)

The Perfection of Yoga by Srila Prabhupada (about “actual” yoga)

Islam  ☪️

The Handy Islam Answer Book by John Renard (a comprehensive guide to all your questions)

The Illustrated Rumi by Philip Dunn, Manuela Dunn Mascetti, & R.A. Nicholson (Sufi poetry)

Islam and the Muslim World by Mir Zohair Husain (general history of Islam)

The Quran: A Contemporary Understanding by Safi Kaskas (Quran with Biblical references in the footnotes for comparison)

Essential Sufism by Fadiman & Frager (select Sufi texts)

Psychological Foundation of the Quran, parts 1, 2, & 3 by Muhammad Shoaib Shahid

Hadith by Jonathan A.C. Brown (the history of Hadith and Islam)

The Story of the Quran, 2nd ed. by Ingrid Mattson (history and development of the Quran)

The Book of Hadith by Charles Le Gai Eaton (a small selection of Hadith)

The Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali (Arabic to English translation, the only translation I’ve read cover-to-cover)

Mary and Jesus in the Quran by Abdullah Yusuf’Ali

Blessed Names and Attributes of Allah by A.R. Kidwai (small, lovely book)

Jainism & Sikhi

Understanding Jainism by Lawrence A. Babb

The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) by Paul Dundas

The Forest of Thieves and the Magic Garden: An Anthology of Medieval Jain Stories by Phyllis Granoff

A History of the Sikhs, Volume 1: 1469-1839 (Oxford India Collection) by Khushwant Singh

Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction by Eleanor Nesbitt

Judaism  ✡

Hebrew-English Tanakh by the Jewish Publication Society

Essential Judaism by George Robinson (this is THE book if you’re looking to learn about Judaism)

The Talmud: A Selection by Norman Solomon

Judaism by Dan & Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok (introductory text)

The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition by the Jewish Publication Society (great explanations of passages)

The Hebrew Goddess by Raphael Patai

Native American

God is Red: A Native View of Religion, 30th Anniversary Edition by Vine Deloria Jr. , Leslie Silko, et al. 

The Wind is My Mother by Bear Heart (Native American spirituality)

American Indian Myths and Legends by Erdoes & Ortiz

The Sacred Wisdom of the Native Americans by Larry J. Zimmerman 

Paganism, Witchcraft & Wicca

Magic in the Roman World: Pagans, Jews and Christians (Religion in the First Christian Centuries) 1st Edition by Naomi Janowitz

The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells: 2nd Edition by Hans Dieter Betz

Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice by Thea Sabin

The Path of a Christian Witch by Adelina St. Clair (the author’s personal journey)

Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by C.G. Leland

The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, & Witchcraft, 3rd ed. by Rebecca L. Stein

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Christopaganism by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Whispers of Stone by Tess Dawson (on Modern Canaanite Paganism)

Social ☮

Tears We Cannot Stop (A Sermon to White America) by Eric Michael Dyson (concerning racism)

Comparative Religious Ethics by Christine E. Gudorf 

Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson (on racism and Christianity in America)

Problems of Religious Diversity by Paul J. Griffiths

Not in God’s Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (on religious terrorism)

The Sacred and the Profane by Mircea Eliade (difficult but worthwhile read)

World Religions  🗺

Understanding World Religions by Len Woods (approaches world religions from a Biblical perspective)

Living Religions, 9th ed. by Mary Pat Fisher (introductory textbook)

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism & Daoism by Jack Miles, etc.

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Judaism, Christianity, & Islam by Jack Miles, etc.

Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Mary Boyce

The Baha’i Faith by Moojan Momen (introductory text)

Saints: The Chosen Few by Manuela Dunn-Mascetti (illustrated; covers saints from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and more)

The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong (the evolutionary history of some of the world’s greatest religions)

Roman Catholics and Shi’i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, and Politics by James A. Bill (a comparison of the similarities between Catholicism & Shi’a Islam)

God: A Human History by Reza Aslan (discusses the evolution of religion, specifically Abrahamic and ancient Middle Eastern traditions)

A History of God by Karen Armstrong (similar to Aslan’s book but much more extensive)

The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions by Keith Crim

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

so i am back on the grima train and i was reading through your posts (absolutely quality, for which i can only thank you !! 💓) and you mentioned in one about his use of magic that you have a Lot of Feelings about grima in relation to gender and plz i need to hear them!! (if you want to share? 👀)

LOTR: Grima & Gender 

Oh man, so Grima and gender. My favourite topic. Other than Grima and magic - but they’re linked! So, that’s a bonus for us.

I want to thank you so much for asking this question. I have wanted to rant about this for Forever.

This became incredibly long, but the long and short of it is that Grima undermines social expectations of masculinity in Rohan through his disdain for martial achievements, his occupying a more private/passive role within the king’s household rather than the expected “masculine” public/active, his use of spells and potions being an “unmanly” and “cowardly” approach to problem solving, and his reliance on language and soft-power approaches to politics.

All of this works to position Grima within a more feminine role and character - at least within the context of Rohan’s hypermasculine performativity of manliness.

[It does allow us to read Grima as trans with greater ease in terms of fitting into the canon than the usual favourites, other than Eowyn. So, you know, do with that what you will. Eowyn and Grima both want to be queen. Let them be in charge! I’m going to get my ass bit for this.]

-

Grima’s gender performance needs to be quickly situated within the broader context of masculinity in Middle-Earth. Gondor’s ideal of masculinity is the gentler masculinity that everyone focuses on when they talk about men in middle earth being good models of what masculinity can look like. It’s a nurturing masculinity, it’s gentle, it’s healing-focused. Aragorn and others try and take the first off-ramp from violence or conflict whenever they can. There is no enjoyment in warfare or soldiering. It’s done because it’s necessary. Dick-swinging is limited to non-existent etc.

Rohan is different.

Faramir touches on this when he speaks to Frodo of how Boromir was more like the men of Rohan and how he thought that wasn’t a good thing as it meant he was seeking glory for glory’s sake, relishing war and soldiering as an occupation rather than an unfortunate necessity.

Of course, Faramir was also making (some very dubious) racial commentary, but race and gender are often bound up together (e.g. hyper-masculinization of black men and the feminization of East Asian men in the North America).

As R.W. Connell says, “masculinities are congurations of practice that are constructed, unfold, and change through time” — and, additionally, masculinity must be defined in opposition to femininity but, also, other masculinities.

For Rohan, there is a strong, militarized hyper-masculinity that threads through their culture. One of the reasons Theoden was seen as a failing king was his physical decline and inability to continue being a physically strong king. His aging emasculated him, more so when compared to Theodred and Eomer. (Something Theoden believed of himself and Grima capitalized on.)

For this, I’m going to speak of masculinity of the upper classes, since that’s what we see for Rohan. Masculinity, and how it’s to be performed, is contingent on social variables such as, but not limited to: age, appearance and size, bodily facility, care, economic class, ethnicity, fatherhood, relations to biological reproduction, leisure, martial and kinship status, occupation, sexuality etc. and as we never see lower class Rohirrim men it’s impossible to say what the “acceptable” and “expected” forms for a farmer or cooper would be.

Upper class men of Rohan are expected to be militarily capable - ready to ride and fight when called by their king or marshal. They are to be men of action over word, and when language is in play, it’s to be forthright and plain. No riddling. Marriage/Husband-ing is an expected part of manhood. Being strong minded, and capable of taking charge and making decisions is important. Fatherhood is also clearly prized, especially fatherhood that results in son(s).

(Theoden only having one child could be read as another “failure” in living up to Rohirrim ideals when compared to the older kings of his family who were far more prolific.)

The appearance of an “ideal” man is tall, fair, and handsome. Physically strong and capable in all ways (martially, sexually, fertile etc.).

Men should be able to demonstrate that they are capable of being in charge, taking control, defending and protecting families and homes. This slots in with more generalized expectations around bravery, honour and glory.

[Eomer: And that, in summation, is how you are to Be A Man.

Grima: Well that sounds utterly exhausting.]

-

So, with all of that in mind, let’s talk Grima.

First, let’s address the name and character construction as this is the least bound up in how he acts and its tension with Rohirrim ideals of Being a Man. It’s also interesting in that it can give a glimpse into Tolkien and the possible thoughts he had when constructing Grima.

Grima’s Name & Beowulf Stuff

Grima’s name is from old Icelandic Grimr, which is a name Odin takes during the Grimnismal saga.

Here are some lines from Odin in the saga:

I have called myself Grim,

I have called myself Wanderer,

Warrior and Helmet-Wearer,

[...]

Evildoer, Spellcaster,

Masked and Shadowed-Face,

Fool and Wise Man,

[...]

Rope-Rider and Hanged-God.

I have never been known

by just one name

since I first walked among men.

Not only is Grima’s name from Odin, more importantly, it’s the feminine version of that name. No man in the eddas or sagas goes by Grima. Only women. And most often they were seidr-workers or healers/magic practitioners of some kind.

"Other healers include Gríma from Fóstbræðra saga and Laxdæla saga and Heiðr from Biarmiland in Harald’s saga Hárfagra." 

- “Hostile Magic in the Icelandic Sagas,” Hilda Ellis-Davidson

And

"There was a man called Kotkel, who had only recently arrived in Iceland. His wife was called Grima. Their sons were Hallbjorn Sleekstone-Eye and Stigandi. These people had come from the Hebrides. They were all extremely skilled in witchcraft and were great sorcerers." 

- Laxdæla saga

This is most likely something Tolkien was aware of — I would be flabbergasted if he wasn’t. However, did he fully appreciate the implications in terms of gender and subversion of masculinity? Impossible to say, of course, but he certainly knew he was giving his male character a name that has only been used by women in historical texts.

It would be akin to naming your male character Henrietta instead of Henry. It’s a deliberate, explicit decision. And while I don’t think Tolkien expected most readers to track down the origin of Grima’s name, the --a ending, to most anglophone readers, signifies a feminine name, more often than not. At least, it rarely, if ever, signifies masculine.

So the name alone brings in, at a subconscious level to readers, feminine qualities.

Alongside this, Grima is loosely based on Unferth from Beowulf. The entrance of Gandalf et al into Meduseld directly mirrors Beowulf’s into Hrothgar’s hall (complete with Grima lounging at Theoden’s feet the same as Unferth at Hrothgar’s). Indeed, it was clearly Tolkien’s intention to make a call back to Beowulf with that scene. (He was being all “look how clever I am. Also these are Anglo-Saxons on horses. As a general fyi”).

Unferth is a fascinating character in his own right ,and there is much scholarly debate around his role within Hrothgar’s hall, as well as the text more broadly. While there isn’t enough time/space to get into Unferth, I will quickly note that he is another character who subverts his society’s ideas of manhood and masculinity — particularly with regards to expectations of heroism and bravery. Yet, at the same time, Unferth is noted for being very intelligent, cunning, good at riddling, and overall quick witted (also, a kin-slayer. Dude murdered his brothers for Reasons).

Unferth’s contrary behaviour that flies in the face of Anglo-Saxon norms and ideals of masculine bravery is clearly reflected in Grima. Particularly in Grima’s fear of battle and lack of interest in taking up his sword when called by his king.

This leaves us with a character who was given a woman’s name and who is loosely based on another character who is known for his inability to follow through on his society’s expectations for masculine behaviour. 

Grima, from the first moment we meet him, clearly reads more feminine than masculine - this is amplified when he’s contrasted with the likes of Theoden and Eomer. And, not only is his aligned with traditional femininity more than other male characters, he is specifically aligned with the more negative tropes of femininity (i.e. lack of bravery, unreliable, dubious morals etc.).

-

That is a brief overview of the bones of Grima’s construction: name and inspiration. Now for actions and characterization within the text. This will be subdivided into comments on his use of magic and how that interfaces with Rohirrim masculinity then we’ll get into power and language.

Grima’s key point of power is his ability to weave words in so powerful a way he could convince Theoden of his own infirmity and weakness thereby securing control over the king. Alongside this, we know that he was using certain “potions and poison” to further weaken Theoden. Most likely to amp up the king’s physical weakness so it coincided with Grima’s mental magic games.

Magic for Anglo-Saxon and early medieval Scandinavians was heavily rooted in the power of the spoken word. Runes were probably used but the historical support of this is vague. Which is to say, we know they were used, we’re just not certain how and to what extent.

We do know that rune staves were a thing. They were most often used to send your landwights after opponents or wreck havoc on enemies from afar. To make one, a magic-worker would carve the prescribed runes onto a large stave and position it in the ground facing the direction of their enemy. On top of the stave was added the head of a horse. (Lots of horse sacrifice happened for early medieval Scandinavians, alongside some human sacrifice.)

But, the brunt of magic for Anglo-Saxons and early medieval Scandinavians was spoken word. Which makes sense as their society was, like Rohan’s, predominantly illiterate or, at least, para-literate (though, there has been some recent archeological evidence that is starting to call that into question, for what that’s worth).

In particular, Grima’s spellwork aligns most closely with seidr, a fact I’ve gone about ad nausea. And, again, something we can assume Tolkien was aware of, which means he was also aware of the gendered implications of a man practicing the craft.

The mainstay of seidrcraft is, but not limited to, the following:

making illusions,

causing madness and/or forgetfulness,

brewing of potions and poisons,

prophesying,

channeling the dead,

channeling gods,

removal of elf-shot, and

recovering lost portions of someone’s soul.

The first three bullets are things Grima does to Theoden. That kind of magic — the kind that fucks with your mind and your sense of self, the kind that is subtle and quiet and lurks beneath the surface so you don’t know it’s happening, that’s cunning — that kind of magic is what women do.

It was considered unmanly/effeminate for a man to partake in it as it undermined the hypermasculine militarized culture of the time. Winning a battle or a fight through spells and poison was cowardly.

Therefore, in Rohan where we have this hypermasculine culture that so prizes military glory and grandeur and martial might, Grima pursuing his goals through spellcraft and potions/poisons is Grima pursuing distinctly unmasculine, effeminate modes of action.

Indeed, within Rohan it could call into question the entirety of his masculinity. It would make him ragr (adj. unmanly) because his actions are the epitome of ergi (noun. unmanliness).

"In the Viking Age, homosexual men were treated with extreme disdain and a complex kind of moral horror, especially those who allowed themselves to be penetrated. Such a man was ragr, not only homosexual by inclination and action, but also inhabiting a state of being that extended to ethical and social qualities. This complex of concepts has been extensively studied, and in the words of its leading scholar, "the unmanly man is everything that a man should not be with regard to morals and character. He is effeminate and he is a coward, and consequently devoid of honour". [...] What we would call sexual orientation was, in the viking age, completely bound up with much wider and deeper codes of behaviour and dignity, extending way beyond physical and emotional preference." -Neil Price, Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings

Though Price references specifically homosexuality in this passage, a man could be considered ragr for more than just that — and one of the other ways was through practicing seidr.

We see this with Odin, who learns how to do seidrcraft from Freyja, and is then mocked by Loki for how emasculating the practice is for Odin to undertake (as if Loki has any room to talk). Odin’s made himself effeminate, he’s made himself unmanly, he’s allowed himself to learn spells that could enable him to take a cowards way out of a situation, to be dishonourable etc.

Which is a neat tie-back to Grima’s name being one of Odin’s names, particularly when he is in disguise and using seidrcraft and wily ways to escape various unfortunate situations that he ends up in during the Grimnismal saga.

(As Odin says: I have been called Evildoer, Spellcaster, Masked and Shadowed-Face, Fool and Wise Man.)

It also mirrors him to Gandalf - another character who bears an Odinnic name. Gandalf very much represents the masculine, “acceptable” aspects of Odin. Grima embodies the darker, more dubious, and more effeminate, aspects of the god. As I’ve said in other posts, they are two sides of the Odin coin.

Though both are temperamental as fuck.

-

Alongside the spellcraft and potions, Grima’s performance of power does not align with Rohirrim traditions and ideals. He relies on his wits and his skill with language to navigate the world. Succinctly captured in the epithet bestowed upon him: Wormtongue. This is the modernization of Wyrmtunga, or, Dragon’s Tongue.

Wyrm can translate to worm, sure, and we see Saruman doing this on purpose when he refers to Grima as a worm, a creature that crawls in the dirt. But Wyrm, of course, is actually a form of dragon. And in Middle Earth, wyrm is used interchangeably with dragon (Smaug is called both wyrm and dragon), rather than denoting a specific species/categorization of dragon as it does in our world.

Grima’s approach to power is that of a gentle touch. He speaks softly, but doesn’t carry a large stick. He’s not Eomer or Theodred, who are much more traditionally martial, aggressive and forthright in their responses to a situation. Grima is clearly all about influencing those around him either through persuasion/use of words, or through spellcraft. He manipulates, he uses linguistic trickery.

-

Additionally, how he undertakes his role as advisor to the king places him more within the private world of Meduseld and the king’s household than the active, public world of marshals and thanes. And, of course, the private world of households was traditionally considered the woman’s domain while men were expected to occupy the public spaces of the world.

Of course, being involved in court politics is a public role as opposed to existing within a wholly private space (such as Eowyn. Who, in the books, takes a mostly private role until she is required to rule in her uncle’s stead while he and Eomer are off at war, and even then it is clearly considered a temporary situation and part of her duty as a woman). But the manner in which Grima occupies that public position is a more “feminine” one.

We can assume that if Eomer or Erkenbrand or Elfhelm occupied the role as advisor to Theoden, they would have a very different approach to the position. A much more aggressive, active and probably military-focused approach. Less carrot, more stick.

A quick note on his appearance in the film, aside from being entirely in black with black hair in a land full of blonds because he needed to be visually distinct as the Bad Guy. He is dressed in longer tunics and robes compared to Eomer and other Rohirrim men (aside from Theoden, but as soon as he is “healed” of his possession(?) he returns to the Proper Masculine shorter tunics than the Weak and Effeminate longer robes and tunics of before). Grima’s hair is longer than Eomer’s and Theoden’s, he wears only a dagger and not a sword, the furs and quilting of his clothes indicate wealth and status, of course, but also decadence and effeminacy.

-

All in all, Grima’s performance and actions undermine and subvert Rohirrim expectations of masculinity. If not outright transgressing gender norms. He uses spellcraft to achieve his ends which is cowardly and effeminate. When it’s not that, he relies on language and manipulation to ensure his position and rarely, if ever, willingly takes on an active, martial role that would be expected of a man who is in the king’s household and serves as an advisor and a quasi-second-in-command.

Here is a man, occupying a man’s role, but doing it like a woman. Subversive! Scandalous! Underappreciated by fandom!

Grima lives in a liminal, marginalized space that is at once gendered and ungendered but is absolutely Othered.

-

As for my note on Grima and being trans - absolutely a trans woman. Grima suffers from that thing of “I want to be you and sleep with you” re: Eowyn. That’s my hot take. (Similar to me and Alan Grant from Jurassic Park - I want to be him and sleep with him.)

But no, in all seriousness, a strong argument can absolutely be made for Grima being not-cis, however that might look for Grima. Grima and Eowyn are the two, within the trilogies, that have the strongest arguments to be made for not being cis.

(Grima is a bit of a foil for Eowyn, I think, while also being a foil for Gandalf.)

[glorioustidalwavedefendor]

So ... apparntly it’s kind a sorta Lokis fault that christmas boars exist?

Let me explain:

According to Norse tradition, the boar was the sacred animal of Freyr, the god of farming and fertility. (He’s also the reason we have Fridays.) Freyr had a boar named Gullinbursti who was quite magical. Gullinbursti could run and fly at exceptional speeds. As he traveled, he would exude a golden glow so bright it could turn night into day and could even make plants grow. This little trick came in handy, especially in winter when some parts of Norway are getting less than five hours of daylight. He also taught people good plowing techniques by raking the earth with his tusks. If this didn’t make him the best candidate for pig of the year I don’t know what could. Gullinbursti was often used as a symbol of Freyr, and his cute piggy figure came to symbolize abundance and prosperity.

Thanks to Gullinbursti, pigs held a place of prominence in society. It became an annual custom to make sacrifices to Freyr on yule eve with a boar, known as the sonargöltr, as the special guest of honor. (...) The old Norse king's sagas known as the Heimskringla tells us the boar was cooked and eaten (...) according to the Edda, Gothic warriors in the palace of Valhalla enjoy the same dinner. The cook, Andrimmer, has a boar constantly cooking in his pot.

(...)

Eventually, people replaced the real boar with boar shaped cakes known as a yule-boar. This was often made from the last corn of the autumn harvest and stayed on display throughout the entire season. Often it was kept on display until the time of spring sowing. It would then be mixed with seed-corn and eaten by the plow-men and animals in hopes of a good harvest.

Eventually, the Norse realized they liked the weather down south in merry old England. When they moved in they brought their piggy passion with them. Hunting boar wasn’t anything new to the English, but the Norse Yule traditions helped incorporate the custom into the Christian English Christmas feast. The finest halls of England developed their own ceremony just using the boar's head. Being proper people they bedecked the beast with garlands and fruit, then carried him with all the pomp they could muster. A special platter of gold or silver was his chariot; minstrels, servants, and cooks were his escorts.

https://medium.com/focus-on-learning/before-santa-became-famous-there-was-the-christmas-boar-72f1dd6a2214

And what does that all have to do with Loki you ask?

Well you see ...

When Loki had Sif's hair, Freyr's ship Skíðblaðnir, and Odin's spear Gungnir fashioned by the Sons of Ivaldi, he bet his own head with Brokkr that his brother Eitri (Sindri) would not have been able to make items to match the quality of those mentioned above.

So to make gifts to Freyr, Eitri threw a pig's skin into a furnace as Brokkr worked on the bellows, and together they manufactured the boar Gullinbursti which had bristles in its mane that glowed in the dark.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullinbursti

And there you go ... kind a sorta Lokie fault ... who would have thought ...

[dwellordream]

“Freyja, sister of Freyr and wife to Odr, was a central goddess in Norse mythology. She was the only named goddess from the fertility tribe, the Vanir, (Lindow 2001:126) making her the fertility goddess. Freyja is thought to be the equivalent to the Germanic goddess Nerthus. Both had fertility celebrations that involved carts, which seemed to play a large role in fertility symbolism. (Gunnell 1995:53-65; Lindow 2001:237) Freyja/Nerthus, as Mother Earth, would drive her cart bringing life to the land. “To those mortals who, with thoughtful kindness, place a pan of milk in the cornfields for her cats’ refreshment, she was specially gracious, and protected their crops from foul weather or other mishap.” (Howey 1989:59) Freyja’s importance was especially exemplified during the Christian conversion in Iceland, for she was a rallying point for paganism. 

In The Book of Icelanders (Islendingabok Ch. 7) and Njals Saga (Ch. 12), it is recorded that “One of the supporters of the conversion was outlawed for blasphemy at the althingi [National Assembly] because [he called] Freyja a bitch,” (Lindow 2001:128) meaning she was a whore. The outlawed Christian most certainly saw Freyja as a whore because of her strong sexuality. But for the pagans, this trait meant she was good to call on for matters of the heart. (Brodeur 1916:38) Freyja was such a powerful force in the pagan world, that Christianity had a hard time getting rid of her even after the final Conversion in Iceland. (Davidson 1988:133) Freyja’s name was used as a base word in woman kennings and it can be found as many place-names, indicating her worship there. (Foote and Wilson 1970:393- 395; Lindow 2001:128) 

It is thought that Freyja was an elite goddess, most accessible to the nobility. Freyja’s name literally means ‘Lady,’ which can be read as a title, (Davidson 1993:108) enduring in modern Scandinavian female titles. A kenning for ‘Lady’ is ‘she who is richest,’ (Brodeur 1916:236) indicating Freyja’s noble ties. Price suggests the domestic cat, along with the dog, were animals of the elite. (Price 2007:148) It could be argued that because of her power as an elite goddess, Freyja and her elite pets were ostracized when the kings of Scandinavia consolidated their power, eliminating the competition of smaller kings and nobility, and their patron goddess with them. Freyja was not only associated with domesticity, womanhood, and female sexuality, but with magic and sorcery as well. Freyja gave the gods seidr, a special shamanic magic, (Lindow 2001:127) thus turning it into a woman’s trade, with the occasional exception of Odin. (Hayeur-Smith 2004:84) 

She was a shape-changer and was linked with the dead, like the seeresses in the Eddas. She and Odin shared fallen warriors. Half would go with Odin to Valhalla, and the other would go with Freyja to Folkvang. (Lindow 2001:126) Like Odin, Freyja presided over a never-ending battle where warriors killed each other each day only to be brought back to life to do it all over again. Oddly enough, a Christian servant of a great king ended this battle, (Lindow 2001:174-175) just as Christianity sought to end her. “There is some indication that women were welcomed by Freyja after death, possibly after a sacrificial death; in Egil’s Saga a woman who was proposing to commit suicide declared that she would eat nothing more until she came to sup with Freyja… in Freyja we rather see a goddess as queen of the Underworld, at home in the land of the dead.” (Davidson 1993:109) 

She was a goddess of dualities: both of life and death, of love and magic, of peace and war. “The goddesses are figures of tremendous vitality both in generous giving and destruction…” (Davidson 1988:226) The Oseberg ship burial tapestries depict Freyja conjuring both her death and love magic. (Ingstad 1993:232, 249) It is quite possible that Freyja’s duality had opposing sacred and sacrificial animals as well. Battle goddesses, such as Freyja, were depicted on rune-stones with birds, thought to be ravens. (Davidson 1988:99) Perhaps the ravens were for battle magic. Cats and pigs, the latter also sacred to Freyja, could have been used in fertility magic. Cats and pigs, as fertility animals, could also indicate rebirth as Freyja’s dead warriors were brought back to life. Since cats were much more rare and elitist than pigs, the magnitude of the cat is all the more emphasized when they show up in sacrificial/magical contexts. 

The pig was known for its fertility symbolism, but it could also have more to do with war, since Freyja’s boar’s name was Hildisvini, or Battle-Pig. (Lindow 2001:173) Throughout history, cats have been associated with fertility, femininity and sexuality, and magic. The cat’s proliferation most certainly has to do with this association. Its ties to the home and women, as mousers and companions, are also prevalent in their symbolic use. Thus, it is not surprising that the steeds that pull Freyja’s cart are male cats. What comes to mind when trying to understand the male cats driving a female fertility goddess is perhaps some manifestation of Hieros Gamos, which has also been associated with animal disguise in the Viking Age, (Gunnell 1995:76) hence Freyja and her male cats could be interpreted as male and female sexuality combined. There are plenty of examples of Hieros Gamos in Norse material culture, particularly the gold foils that depict heterosexual couples, often interpreted as Freyr and Freyja. (Thrane1993:54-55) 

These gold foils are found at cult houses such as Uppåkra, Sweden, (Larsson 2004:24-25) and are believed to have had a ritualistic function, (Andren 2004:214) perhaps even a magical one. Thus the image of Freyja being pulled by male cats could suggest the movement of a Hieros Gamos magic ritual. A very intriguing connection has been made to cats and the Oseberg ship burial. Ingstad believes the burial belongs to a sorceress, an earthly representative and incarnation of Freyja. (Ingstad 1993:254) There are several reasons she gives for this, but one of the main arguments is that cats are depicted on many of the artifacts found in the burial, most particularly the carts, which will be discussed in VII.D.3, below. Similar to Davidson, Ingstad also makes the shamanic correlation with Thorbjorg, the sorceress with the cat-skin gloves and hat. (Ingstad 1993:254-255) Due to Freyja’s powers over life, death, and rebirth, along with her noble status, cat representations as art or real animals in burials and sacrifices then seem to be attached to Freyja. As such a powerful deity, surely Freyja’s special animal, the cat, must have held an exclusive place in the Norse mythical and everyday worlds.”

- Brenda Prehal, “Freyja’s Cats: Perspectives on Recent Viking Age Finds in Pegjandadalur North Iceland.”

[willowgast]

tag game time!

i was tagged by the lovely @contre-qui, with the aim of tagging nine people to learn about their interests - i'm unlikely to find that many people myself but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it! going under the cut because this is a pretty long(ish) one.

music!

fave genre a little bit of everything but right now especially medieval folk & pop rock

fave artist a strange mixture of måneskin, kraftklub, siames, cavetown, and rainbow kitten surprise

fave song hard choice, but probably 'brothers' by siames & eddy capparelli

most listened to song recently either 'coraline' by måneskin or 'king orfeo' from the child ballads

song currently stuck in your head 'happy pills' by weathers

five fave lyrics oh boy, this is gonna take some thought.

"called to the devil and the devil said / hey! why you been calling this late? / it's like 2a.m. and the bars all close at ten in hell, that's a rule i made / anyway, you say you're too busy saving everybody else to save yourself / and you don't want no help, oh well / that's the story to tell" ('it's called: freefall' by rainbow kitten surprise)

"today i coo, today i caw / i have a pistol party and i kill 'em all / i think i might be scared / of the man and the men with their hands inside / and the women, oh, the women all they do is cry / and i, well i lose my mind" ('little pistol' by mother mother)

"so did you pack your bag, or did somebody pack it for you? / take me to the sad, sad party that you're bound to / whether you're a 'have-not' or a 'have', i got a question / are you living dead, or is this some kind of possession?' ('blast doors' by everything everything)

"but what if i run out of fertiliser? / what if the clouds run out of rain? what if lemon boy won't grow no longer? what if beaches dry of sugar cane?" ('lemon boy' by cavetown)

"now they tell you that you're their muse / yeah, they're so inspired / but where were they when they called your name / and they lit the fire? / when the voices came, you cut your hair / but you're stilled confused" ('joan of arc' by arcade fire)

books!

fave book genre fantasy all the way

fave writer bernardine evaristo, leigh bardugo, madeline miller

fave book oh dear, here we go. 'circe' by madeline miller, 'six of crows' and 'crooked kingdom' by leigh bardugo, 'girl, woman, other' by bernardine evaristo, 'good omens' by neil gaiman & terry pratchett, 'the raven cycle' series by maggie stiefvater, 'oranges are not the only fruit' by jeanette winterson, and a whole lot of old norse literature of dubious authorship (but especially 'gisla saga' and 'hrafnkels saga freysgoða', and pretty much all of the eddic poems in the volsung cycle)

fave book series it's a tie between leigh bardugo's grishaverse novels and maggie stiefvater's 'the raven cycle'

comfort book 'the secret kingdom' by jenny nimmo

rainy day book any of my norse books, sagas or poetry

fave characters nina zenik in the grishaverse, ronan lynch in 'the raven cycle', gisli in 'gisla saga' (not sure if that counts as a character or historical figure, dependent on perspective...?), and circe in, y'know, 'circe'

five quotes from your fave books?

"i thought once that gods are the opposite of death, but i see now they are more dead than anything, for they are unchanging, and can hold nothing in their hands" ('circe' by madeline miller)

"'spreader of swords, it is your own sons' / corpse-bloody hearts you've chewed up with honey, / proud man, you've consumed dead men's meat, / eating it as ale-dainties, sending it to the high seat' [...] with the point of a blade she gave the bed a bloody drink, / with a hel-keen hand, and set the dogs free; / she woke the servants, and in front of the hall-door / she flung a burning brand: she paid them back for her brothers. / to the fire she gave everyone who was inside, / who'd come from myrkheim after murdering gunnar and his men; / the ancient timbers fell, the temples smoked, / the buildings burned of budli's kin, and the shield-maids inside; / their lives stemmed, sinking into hot flames." (gudrun avenges her brother in 'atlakviða', a poem in the old norse poetic and elder eddas)

"you aren't a flower, you're every blossom in the wood blooming at once. you are a tidal wave. you're a stampede. you are overwhelming." ('crooked kingdom' by leigh bardugo)

"from the passenger seat, ronan began to swear at adam. it was a long, involved swear, using every forbidden word possible, often in compound-word form. as adam stared at his lap, penitent, he mused that there was something musical about the ronan when he swore, a careful and loving precision to the way he fit the words together, a black-painted poetry. it was far less hateful sounding than when he didn't swear." ('the raven cycle' by maggie stiefvater)

"but where was god now, with heaven full of astronauts, and the lord overthrown? i miss god. i miss the company of someone utterly loyal. i still don't think of god as my betrayer. the servants of god, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. i miss god who was my friend. i don't even know if god exists, but i do know that if god is your emotional role model, very few human relationships will match up to it. i have an idea that one day it might be possible, i thought once it had become possible, and that glimpse has set me wandering, trying to find the balance between earth and sky. if the servants hadn't rushed in and parted us, i might have been disappointed, might have snatched off the white samite to find a bowl of soup." ('oranges are not the only fruit' by jeanette winterson)

hardcover or paperback | buy or rent | standalone novels or book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or during the day | reading at home or in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

tv and movies!

fave tv/movie genre fantasy, travel/road trip & comedy

fave movie the secret life of walter mitty, supernova, any and all ghibli films, scott pilgrim vs. the world, lord of the rings, the how to train your dragon trilogy

comfort movie the lion king (original), how to train your dragon, from up on poppy hill, kiki's delivery service

movie you watch every year elf, howl's moving castle, love simon

fave tv show she-ra and the princesses of power, skam, bee and puppycat (i guess more of a web series than a tv show?), adventure time, the it crowd

comfort tv show adventure time

most rewatched tv show skam, every october without fail

five favourite characters catra (she-ra and the princesses of power), sana (skam original), marceline (adventure time), moss (the it crowd), inej (shadow and bone netflix adaptation)

tv shows or movie | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or full seasons (22 episodes or more) | one episode a week or bingeing | one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes | subtitles on or off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

tagging (absolutely no pressure, this is a pretty long one!): @crowcaves, @the-obsidian-soul, @natscbi, @somehowmags, @gabrilearnelle, @clockwords, @starsspace... and that's it, that's as close to nine as i'm getting, but if anyone else just feels like doing it then feel free to consider yourself tagged!