The story of the gods of Norse mythology begins, as in many a creation story, with the abyss. In this great chasm, named Ginnungagap, the primordial fire and ice came closer together until eventually meeting in the emptiness, the ice began to melt.
From the drops of melting ice all beings are derived, the greatest of whom is the Allfather himself, wise Odin, half-giant and half god. With his brothers Vili and Ve, Odin creates the Nine Realms of Norse mythology, including both Asgard, as a home for gods, and Midgard as a home for mortals.
Together these first of the Norse gods watch over creation, ready to intervene when needed to protect the worlds they have formed from the vast body of Ymir, the first being of creation. Their pathway to earth from Asgard is the Bifrost, or rainbow bridge, used when their presence among mortals is required.
From creation to Ragnarok
During this great age of the gods Odin is the mighties god of the nine realms. Leading the Aesir and Vanir gods through myriad adventures until the time of Ragnarok. Then the gods shall fall, their world will sink into the sea, and the reign of Odin shall be no more.
However, long before this terrible end of times, countless feats of courage, strength, and bravery take place. The two great tribes of the gods, the Aesir and the Vanir, battle side by side. Sometimes against each other, serve loyally their kinsmen and women, sometimes murder them, carry out magnificent feats of self-sacrifice, and sometimes, acts of dark betrayal.
In order to understand the ancient world of the Norse gods, it helps to understand the gods and their different relationships. Below I have been working on compiling a complete list of all the deities in Norse mythology. This list includes the Aesir and Vanir gods and even some, like the celestial gods, with more unclear backgrounds. I also include mention of some of their best known traits, adventures or stories they are associated with.
List of the Gods in Norse mythology
Below is an alphabetic list of all the Norse gods. If you find something you believe is a mistake, or have suggestions for something to add, please do leave a comment below! Links to the full article on the individual gods is in deep red.
I have also created a Dictionary of Norse Mythology which is much broader, covering all manner of gods, animals, jötnar, dwarves, places and more.
Baldur/Baldr
Baldur, Balder or Baldr, also known as ‘The Shining One’, is the Aesir god of light, nobility, learning, and war.
Known as Phol in the German pantheon of gods. An important figure in the annals, he is the youngest son of Frigga and Odin, and half-brother to the mighty Thor. This is the Norse Apollo, as bright as the summer sun, handsome, wise, merciful, and gracious in all things.
Baldur is married to Nanna, goddess of joy and together they have a son, Forseti.
His home in Asgard, Breidablik is the most beautiful of all the halls of the gods and only the purest of the heart are permitted to cross his threshold. His ship, the Hringhorni is the largest ever constructed in Asgard.
The story of the kindest and wisest of the gods comes to a tragic end. This is when Baldur is mistakenly killed by his blind twin brother Höd, or Hodur, under the trickery of Loki. The ancient sources say that he will be reborn after Ragnarok.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Wisdom, grace, mercy, his ship Hringhorni.
Responsibility
Love, wisdom, advice, gentleness, beauty, loyalty, tragedy, death, and rebirth.
Associated Animals
A golden eagle.
Bragi
Bragi, ‘The Bard’, is the Aesir god of verse and rhyme.
Son of Odin and Frigga, brother to wise Baldur. Bragi is one of the key Norse gods, supremely skilled in poetry he entertains the Einherjar, the fallen warriors brought to Valhalla. There in Odin’s magnificent banquet hall fallen heroes await the final battle call of Ragnarok.
His wife is Idunn, the goddess of youth and he is renowned for his wisdom, wit, and fluency of language. His name has come to embody those who possess eloquence of speech.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Words, the power to entertain, the biting exchange of insults known as ‘flyting’.
Responsibility
The entertainment of the gods, poetry, song, music, the arts, amusement, and good cheer, eloquence, and wit.
Associated Animals
Nine songbirds.
Eir
Eir, ‘help’, ‘mercy’, is the Aesir goddess of the healing arts.
A handmaid of Frigga. She resides in Lyfjaberg, the ‘hill of healing’. Eir is a member of Odin’s host of Valkyrie. The role of these warrior goddesses and servants of the Allfather is to choose from among the injured, who will live and return to health.
Weapon/Domain of Power
The mortar and pestle, healing herbs and instruments, folk medicine.
Responsibility
Childbirth, medicine, and healing.
Associated Animals
A gray jaybird.
Forseti
Forseti, ‘The Chairman’, ‘Bridge-builder, ‘The Presiding One‘, is the Aesir god of justice and law.
Son of Baldur and Nanna. His dwelling place is the gold and silver hall of Glitnir. Forseti presides over disputes among the gods in his magnificent hall.
Weapon/Domain of Power
A golden, double-headed ax, gold, and silver.
Responsibility
Truth, justice, reconciliation, law-giving, law-making, divine judgment.
Associated Animals
A gray wolf, a hawk.
Freyja/Freya
Freyja, or Freya, ‘The Lady’, is the Vanir goddess of destiny, fate, fertility and love, battle and hunting.
A consort of Odin and second in power only to Frigga. Daughter of Njord and Hertha. Twin sister to Freyr. Wife to Odr and mother to Gersemi and Hnoss.
The magnificent Freya was traded with her brother Freyr and her father Njordr to the Aesir in exchange for Vanir hostages. She was accepted among the Aesir and with her family, brought peace to the gods after their great war.
A mistress of the ancient Norse magic of ‘seidr’ or ‘seidhr’, giving her the ability to influence the outcome of future events. A seer associated with beauty and love, wielding subtle power over the thoughts and desires of gods and mortals.
Freya is the ruler of the Folkvang realm of the underworld. It is her power to choose half of those who would die in battle, the other half chosen by the Valkyries to be taken to Valhalla, Odin’s hall of fallen heroes.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Her sacred necklace Brisingamen, runes, her falcon cloak, her chariot drawn by two cats.
Responsibility
Magic, destiny, rune-reading, second-sight, eroticism, opulence, sensuality, physical well-being, cats, flowers, fertility, agriculture, love, trance, wealth.
Associated Animals
Norwegain Fiorest Cats
Freyr
Freyr, ‘Lord’, is the Vanir god of love, fertility, hunting, and harvest.
Twin brother to Freya, goddess of destiny and fate. Son of Njord, the sea-god and Skadi, the frost giantess. Husband to Gorda, father of Fjolnir.
Freyr is the ruler of Alfheim, the realm of the Light Elves.
One of the most renowned and venerated of all the gods. Freyr is originally of the Vanir but was traded, together with his father Njord and his sister Freya in exchange for Aesir hostages during the great war between the godly tribes. Freyr’s adoption among the Aesir helped bring about peace among the gods.
Weapon/Domain of Power
His boar, Gullinborsti the ‘golden-bristled’, his boar-drawn chariot, his ship Skidbladnir which is propelled always by favorable winds and ever finds its way, unguided, to any destination. The magic sword that fights for him unaided. Freyr controls the rain and sunshine to bring forth full harvests. Frequently associated with the Light Elves and Alfheim, he is sometimes known as King of the Elves.
Responsibility
The harvest, virility, wealth, peace, prosperity, marriage, bravery, sensuality, success, and abundance. Hard work and the joy that follows it.
Associated Animals
His trusted wild boar, Gullinbursti.
Frigg/Frigga
Frigg or Frigga, ‘Love’, is the Aesir goddess of love, family, wisdom, and war.
Queen to the gods of Asgard. One of the most revered and famous of all Norse deities. Goddess of the sky. Wife of Odin. Mother to Baldur and Hoor. Skilled in seership.
Despite her power to bring familial happiness to others and her gift of second sight, her tragic story is marked by the loss of her beloved son Baldur through the cunning trickery of Loki.
Frigga is a gifted seer, but though she knows the future, she will not name it.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Visionary foresight, wisdom.
Responsibility
Fertility, second sight, motherhood, hearth and home, marriage, blissful domesticity, children, childhood, childbirth, strategy, war.
Associated Animals
A great-horned owl
Gefion
Gefion, ‘the Giver’, is the Vanir goddess of fertility, virginity, agriculture, virtue, and the unwed.
She is gifted with shape-shifting magic. This mighty goddess created the island of Zealand with her great plow.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Shape-shifting, magic. Her divine plow with which she creates swathes of land and ensures a good harvest.
Responsibility
Luck, land, magic, virginity, faithfulness, prosperity and wealth, the harvest.
Gullveig
Gullveig, ‘The Gleaming One’, is the Vanir goddess of magic.
Handmaiden to Freya and a teacher of ‘seidr’, the old magic of influencing events.
Gullveig’s presence in Asgard sparked the great war between Aesir and Vanir. An attempt was made upon her life by the Aesir gods for her practice of witchcraft. Three times was she burned but each time did she survive.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Magic, witchcraft, sorcery, second-sight, healing, invulnerability to fire.
Responsibility
Witchcraft, ‘seidr’, magic.
Heimdall
Heimdall is the Aesir god of guardianship, vigilance, protection, and light.
The child of nine sisters and the giant Fornjot, grandson of Aegir the giant, son of Vili and nine ocean goddesses. Associated with the sea.
Heimdall is the Guardian of Asgard and watchman of the heavenly Bifrost that connects the human world to the divine. He dwells in his stronghold of Himinbjorg or the ‘Sky Cliffs’, ever watchful over gods and mortals.
As a boy, Heimdall was sent to teach humankind the secrets of fire, the wisdom of runes, civil administration, and crafts to make them prosperous. To accomplish his task he incarnated and lived long among mortals in Midgard, fathering the first ancestors of Norse aristocracy, the farmer class, and the peasantry.
When the day of Ragnarok comes it is Heimdall who will signal the Aesir to defend Asgard. It is foreseen that Loki and Heimdall shall die by each other’s hands in the end times.
Weapon/Domain of Power
The Gjallarhorn, Heimdall’s great ‘resounding horn’ with which he calls Asgard to its defense. His vastly powerful sight as a watchman who surveys with accuracy hundreds of miles about him, his hearing so sensitive that even the growth of wool on a sheep does not escape his notice. Second sight. Vast reserves of energy allow him to forgo sleep, less than a small bird it is said, and thus maintains his post over great periods of time.
Responsibility
Eternal watchfulness over the Bifrost bridge that connects humankind to the divine. Defense of strongholds and fortresses. Endings and beginnings, the first light of morning.
Associated Animals
His loyal horse Gulltoppr.
Hel
Hel, ‘Hidden’, giantess, is the goddess of death, the damned, and of the netherworld.
Daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. She passes judgment on those who enter her domain.
Hel dwells with her siblings, the great wolf Fenrir and the serpent Jormungandr in Helheim, an underworld of eternal shade. Her body remains always in a state of partial decomposition, half living and half dead. Her power is boundless and within her realm surpasses even that of Odin himself.
It is Hel who ultimately decides the fate of fair and wise Baldur, condemning him to dwell in shadows by her side.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Power over life and death, power to decide the fate of all those in her abode, the support of her sibling companions Fenrir and Jormungandr. Helheim.
Responsibility
Magic, death, the afterlife, revenge, judgment, the damned.
Associated Animals
Hermod
Hermod, ‘War-spirit’, son of Odin, ‘Odin’s Sveinn’ or ‘Odin’s boy’ is the messenger of the gods.
It is brave Hermod who travels to Hel’s terrifying abode to plead with her for the release of Baldur. He rides Odin’s eight-legged steed Sleipnir, for nine nights to arrive at Gjoll, the bridge which joins the crossing to the netherworld of Helheim.
Among all the beings of Norse mythology, Odin not excepted, only Hermod succeeds in leaving Helheim after having once crossed over the bridge of Gjoll.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Unmatched bravery, the courage of one who would bargain with Hel and travel willingly into her abode. The skill of negotiation under the direst of circumstances.
Responsibility
Honor, bravery, messages sent and received, negotiation, diplomacy, wayfaring, and voyages into the unknown.
Play Our Quizzes
This article is only a brief overview of the fascinating Norse god stories. You can find more information about each god in their individual articles, but you can also try a different approach: playing games. Our quizzes will test your knowledge and share some fun details about Norse gods.
Sounds interesting? Start with this game:
Then, you can play this one:
Are you getting addicted to these games? In that case, try our other games!
Hlin
Hlin is the Aesir goddess of consolation and compassion.
Handmaiden to Frigga. Hlin comes to those in the midst of grief to ease their pain. She hears the prayers of humankind from the mortal plain and advises Frigga on how best to respond. An agent of Frigga sent to those in need of her protection.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Compassion, mercy, the easing of pain, close association with Frigga, the Queen of the gods.
Responsibility
Consolation, grief, the easing of pain.
Associated Animals
The red-tailed hawk.
Fulla
Fulla is the Aesir goddess of abundance and fertility.
Handmaiden and confidante to Frigga, Fulla is a symbol of prosperity and growth. As Frigga’s loyal companion, she assists the goddess in her duties and helps to manage her affairs. Fulla is also known to guard Frigga’s treasures and valuable possessions.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Abundance, fertility, close association with Frigga, the Queen of the gods, and her secrets.
Responsibility
Promoting fertility, prosperity, and abundance in the world, safeguarding Frigga’s secrets and belongings.
Hnoss/Hnossa
Hnoss, or Hnossa, ‘jewel’, ‘gem’, is the Vanir goddess of beauty, love, lust and desire, of sisterhood, and of treasure.
Twin sister to Gersemi. Daughter to Od and Freya.
Hnoss, like her sister Gersemi, is of indescribable beauty and her name is synonymous with the idea of stunning visual appeal.
Responsibility
Love, desire, lust, sisterhood, friendship, beauty.
Associated Animals
The otter.
Hodr/Hodur
Hodr, also known as Hodur, ‘The Blind God’, ‘Slayer of Baldur’, ‘Companion of Hel’, is the Aesir god of darkness and winter.
Hodr’s brother is Baldur, the god of light. He is the son of Odin and Frigga and one of the twelve leading gods of the Norse pantheon.
Hodur is the great, blind warrior god who is tricked into killing his beloved brother Baldur by the cunning of Loki. During a game in which all weapons are tested against an oath taken by them to never harm the god of light, Loki guides the blind Hodur’s hand with a dart fashioned from mistletoe, the one tree that has not undertaken the vow of peace.
He is slain for his role in the death of the most beloved of all gods but is exonerated and forgiven in the underworld where he becomes his brother’s companion.
It is said that he is one of the gods who will survive Ragnarok and rule by his brother’s side in the time after the great destruction.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Tragedy and its overcoming. A piercing dart of mistletoe.
Responsibility
Darkness, winter, cold, shadows, blindness, the winter solstice.
Associated Animals
A wizened bat.
Hoenir
Hoenir, ‘The Mud King’, ‘The Swift God’, ‘The Silent One’, is the Aesir god of honor, holiness, and sanctity.
Younger brother to Odin, this enigmatic god, though a great warrior and handsome of appearance, was known for his muddled thought. Traded with his uncle Mimir to the Vanir in order to end the great tribal war of the gods, he caused his uncle to lose his head. Based on his good looks the Vanir declared him a chieftain but were soon angered when Hoenir proved himself unable to make any decision in the absence of his uncle.
In their rage at having bargained away the great Freya, Feyr, and Njord for such as Hoenir, feeling cheated, they found it reasonable to sever Mimir’s head from his neck and send it back to Asgard.
Despite his tragic story of ineptitude among the Vanir, Hoenir is said to have endowed mankind with the ability to reason.
He is one of the few gods who is said to survive Ragnarok.
Responsibility
Honor, holiness, the sacred.
Associated Animals
The walrus.
Idunn/Idunna
Idunn, or Idunna, ‘The Rejuvenating One’, ‘ever young’, is the Aesir goddess of youth, immortality, and rejuvenation.
Married to Bragi, god of poetry and bard to the court of Asgard. Sister to Nanna, goddess of joy and love. A member of the Asynjur, the major goddesses of the Norse pantheon.
Known for her long, spellbinding, golden hair, she is possessed of magical fruits that convey immortality to those that consume them. Having exclusive access to these mysterious fruits, it is she upon whom the longevity of the gods depends, providing a key anchor to all their power.
Idunna is tricked into leaving Asgard by Loki, where she is kidnapped and taken to Jotunheim. Her absence among the Aesir causes the gods to begin to wither and grow old until the trickster god is compelled to rescue and return her to Asgard once more.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Her basket of life-giving apples, her long golden hair.
Responsibility
Immortality, long life, rejuvenation, youth, springs, fountains, apples, apple-cider, spring, and dawn.
Associated Animals
The owl.
Lofn
Lofn, ‘The Loving One’, is the Aesir goddess of forbidden love.
A gentle goddess to be invoked by those whose love is frowned upon by others or proscribed in custom and law.
Weapon/Domain of Power
The powerful attraction of the forbidden.
Responsibility
Illicit affairs, adultery, young love, secret liaisons, forbidden marriage, and other unions.
Associated Animals
A pair of wood ducks.
Loki
Loki, ‘The Trickster God’, skilled shape-shifter, is the god of chaos, fire, destruction, lies, deceit, and misfortune.
Son of the jötun Farbauti and Laufey, whos origins are a bit more mysterious. She might be a jötun, but possibly she is an Aesir goddess instead. Brother to Helblindi and Byleist. Husband to Sigyn and father to Narfi and Vali. Stepbrother to great Odin.
Through union with the jötun Angrboda, Loki is father to Hel, goddess of death, and her brothers Fenrir the giant wolf and Jormungand the evil Midgard Wyrm. Through his transformation into a mare, he is mother to Sleipnir, the eight-legged steed of Odin, sired by the stallion Svadilfari.
Loki is a central character in the saga of the Norse gods. Although a child of giants he dwells in Asgard and is considered as one of them. Always scheming, his actions lead to misfortune after misfortune, including the kidnapping of Idunn, goddess of immortality, and the death of Baldur, god of light. His children Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungand are key players in the destruction of Asgard at the time of Ragnarok.
Ultimately, Loki and his kin are responsible for sending many of the gods to their deaths, including Thor, Odin, Tyr and Heimdall.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Shape-shifting, magic, cunning, lies, deception.
Responsibility
Trickery, cunning, quickness of wit, magic, deception, fire, lechery, lies, mischief, destruction, stealth, theft.
Associated Animals
The fire ‘wyrm’ or serpent.
Magni/Magnur
Magni, also known as Magnur, is the Aesir god of brotherhood and strength.
Twin brother to Modi and youngest child, with his twin, of Sif and Thor.
Magnur, when only three years old, was called upon to say farewell to his dying father Thor, who was trapped beneath the enormous leg of the giant Hrugnir, who the thunder god had slain. All of the other gods together could not shift the massive limb, but in one feat of incredible strength, Magnur freed his father from the weight of the defeated giant’s broken leg.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Incredible strength, even by the standards of the gods. Family loyalty.
Responsibility
Brotherhood, family, physical health, and strength.
Associated Animals
A pine marten.
Mim/Mimir
Mim, or Mimir, ‘The Wise One’, is the Aesir god of wisdom, friendship, and good council.
Brother of Bestla and uncle to Odin. Mimir was traded to the Vanir with Hoenir, the indecisive god of holiness, to secure peace between the godly tribes.
During their time with the Vanir Hoenir is appointed to the role of chieftain based upon his superior good looks. When his admirers discover the god’s inability to decide in the absence of Mimir, they find it just to sever the god of wisdom’s head from the neck and send it back to Odin in Asgard.
Having received the head of his beloved Mimir, Odin keeps it near to him for many years, consulting it for wisdom. Finally, he sets it above Mimisbrunnr, the Well of Wisdom, or ‘Mim’s Well’, where Mimir continues to drink, infinitely expanding his legendary knowledge until the end of time.
Weapon/Domain of Power
The Well of Knowledge, speech, learning, lakes, pools, springs.
Responsibility
The pursuit of knowledge, students, wells, fountains, secret lore, advice and wise counseling, friendship.
Associated Animals
The mockingbird.
Modi/Modin
Modi, also known as Modin, is the Aesir god of brotherhood and strength.
Half-brother to Magni and youngest child, with his twin, of Sif and Thor.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Family loyalty, physical strength.
Responsibility
Brotherhood, family, physical health, and strength.
Associated Animals
A pine marten.
Njörd
Njord is the Vanir god of the sea, of wealth, of fair weather and the summertime, and of fertility.
Sometimes husband to both Hertha and Skadi. Freya and Freyr are his children. He is the richest of all the gods of Asgard.
Njord was accepted among the Aesir as part of the exchange of hostages, together with his children Freya and Freyr, that brought peace among the gods after their great war.
The giantess Skadi married by Njord by mistake, seeing only his handsome feet, she mistook him for the beautiful Baldur, god of light. The marriage was a disaster as Njord could not bear her cold mountain home, while she could not stand his coastal home of Noatun, ‘The Place of Ships’.
Failing to find a place they could live together the couple finally went their separate ways. It is clear that they did for some time share a bed, as the marriage, short-lived as it was, gave rise to the birth of the divine twins, Freyr and Freya.
Weapon/Domain of Power
The sea. Ships and ports. Material wealth and gain.
Responsibility
Summertime, fair weather, safe journeys, seafarers and other travelers.
Associated Animals
The Iceland gull.
Odin/Wotan First of the Norse gods
Odin, known to the Germanic tribes as Wotan, ‘Allfather’, grandson of the first being, King of the Aesir, father of all the gods and of humankind.
Odin is primary among all of the gods of Asgard and of both the Vanir and the Aesir tribes and occupies the highest place of worship of all the Norse deities.
The Allfather is gifted with wisdom almost equal to that of Mimir, making him a great leader in both peace and war.
Odin’s powers are diverse and include wisdom, magic, healing, and unmatched strategy in war.
Odin is married to Frigga and he is father to Baldur, and Thor by Jörd, and Vali. by Rind. He is son to Borr the god and Bestla the giantess. His grandfather is Buri, the original Aesir god discovered in a salt-lick by the primeval cow Audhumla.
Odin the wise
Odin seeks knowledge relentlessly and in his search is willing to sacrifice an eye to Mimir, god of wisdom. Deeming the inner sight to be of greater value than the outer, the loss of an eye does not trouble him.
He can travel anywhere within the nine realms in an instant.
His spirit animals are many, among them Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory), a pair of ravens who fly through the world daily, bringing news of events back to the Allfather.
As a general and leader of armies, Odin is a frenzied warrior, showing no mercy to his enemies. Preparing for Ragnarok Odin has his Valkyries choosing the greatest among fallen viking warriors to become Einherjar. They will join Odin in Valhalla and later when the call to battle comes at the time of Ragnarok.
Odin’s magic goes beyond mere tricks and illusion and allows him a hand in shaping the Wyrd, past events that govern the future, as well as the Orlog, future events that influence the past.
When mortals are possessed of the killing frenzy in battle, or of poetic inspiration, or when they see visions in trance, it is Odin’s spirit who moves them.
Weapon/Domain of Power
His vast wisdom. Single-minded determination to achieve his goals. Brilliant strategy. His ability to pass effortlessly between all the worlds of the nine realms.
Responsibility
Royalty and dominion. Civilization. Seership and divination. Fate and destiny. Medicine and healing. Wisdom and knowledge. Poetry, music and prophecy. War-craft, frenzy and battle.
Associated Animals
His two gray wolves, Freki and Geri and his pair of ravens, Muninn and Huginn. His eight-legged gray steed Sleipnir who carried brave Hermod into the abode of Hel.
Odr/Od
Odr or Od, ‘ecstasy’, ‘frenzy’, ‘inspiration’, is the god of desire, sensuality, and love.
Odr is husband to Freya and father to the incomparably beautiful sisters, Hnoss and Gersemi.
Freya was known to weep tears of red gold whenever Odr would leave Asgard to travel the world. She too would travel through the worlds, in search of her husband until his return.
Responsibility
Desire, the granting of wishes.
Associated Animals
A blue jaybird.
Ran
Ran, is the goddess of lakes, springs and rivers, the Norse ‘Mother Nature’ of freshwater.
Husband to Aegir the giant, sister to Fjorgyn and Hertha.
Ran looks after those lost at sea or drowned in rivers and lakes. Sailors were said to carry gold in their pockets as a gift to Ran should they not return to shore.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Water. The net with she ensnares sailors into her realm while at sea.
Responsibility
Lakes, rivers, springs, the sea. Ships and sailors. Those lost at sea or drowned in water.
Associated Animals
The great blue heron, the arctic grayling, the common loon.
Sága
Saga, is the goddess of history, poetry, records, and of stories well told.
History tells us Saga was a great friend to both Odin and Frigga. She lives in Sokkvabekkr where each day she shares a drink with the Allfather, taken from a pair of golden cups.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Books, knowledge, words of wit and wisdom.
Responsibility
Recordkeeping. Poetic inspiration.
Semi/Gersemi
Semi, also known as Gersemi, with her sister Hnoss, is the Aesir goddess of sisterhood, familial love, and treasure.
Twin sister to Hnoss. Daughter to Od and Freya.
Semi, like her sister Hnoss, is of indescribable beauty and her name, like that of her sister, is synonymous with the idea of stunning visual appeal.
Responsibility
Love, desire, lust, sisterhood, friendship, beauty.
Associated Animals
The otter.
Sif
Sif, ‘related by marriage’, is the Aesir goddess of earth, beauty, strength, family and marriage, of autumn and the harvest, of peace-keeping and civil discourse.
Her husband is Thor, her daughter, Trude of the Valkyries.
Sif is a member of the Asyjnur host of high goddesses of Asgard and is known for her entrancingly beautiful, long golden hair. Her tresses are considered to be as valuable to gods in their own way as Thor’s mighty war hammer Mjolnir.
Jealous of her golden locks, Loki conspires to induce sleep in Thor and Sif. While the godly couple slumber, he steals into their bed chamber and shears away the magical strands of hair.
The gods are so enraged at his audacity that he is compelled to redress the injury with a series of compensatory gifts that subsequently become the six treasures of the gods, including Sif’s weaved hair, a magical replacement for her hair that makes her more beautiful than ever, Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, and several other magical items.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Strength. Family. Beauty. Her long waves of golden hair, woven by the race of dwarfs from strands of pure gold.
Responsibility
The bonds of family. Guardianship of the earth, Midgard. Peace-keeping and civil discourse.
Associated Animals
A pair of swans.
Sigyn
Sigyn is the merciful Aesir goddess of compassion, kindness, and loyalty.
Married to Loki, the trickster god, Sigyn is indeed required to have divine patience and compassion with her trouble-making husband.
Upon the death of Baldur due to Loki’s treachery, the trickster god is bound in his son’s entrails below the gaping maw of a serpent that drops stinging venom eternally upon his face. It is Sigyn alone who tends to Loki in this pitiful condition, unable to shield him completely from his fate, but tragically determined to stay by his side, drawing away the worst of the venom from her husband with a bowl as best she can, filling it time and time again. As the bowl fills she must leave the cave in which Loki is bound to empty it, suffering the anger of Loki each time as the poison falls upon his face.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Eternal loyalty. Compassion.
Responsibility
Virtue, loyalty, protection.
Associated Animals
The red fox.
Sjofn/Gefjon
Sjofn, ‘love-longing’, also known as Gefjon, is the goddess of romance and love, of missives, communication, and law.
Sjofn is one of the Asynjur, the host of high goddesses of Asgard. She is a good friend to Odin and Frigga. She inspires the minds of gods and mortals to romantic love.
Weapon/Domain of Power
The power to inspire infatuation, lust, and love.
Responsibility
Matchmaking, courtship, and love.
Associated Animals
A pair of wood ducks.
Skadi
Skadi (Old Norse Skaði) is the jötun born wife of Njord. She became the Norse goddes of winter and skiing.
Skadi is an interesting character in the Norse pantheon as she, like her daughter in law Gerdr, is born a jötun. Both of them gained their goddess status as part of marrying a Vanir god. Skadi however, unlike Gerdr, split with Njord and went back to live in her mountain home.
Skadi represent the power of nature untamed, goddess of skiing and winter.
Syn/Snotra
Syn, also known as Snotra, ‘refusal’, is the Aesir goddess of lawful war, guardianship, thresholds, protection, and law.
Syn is a handmaiden to mighty Frigga and a friend to Odin. Her role among the gods is to stand guard at the doorway of the great halls or at court, blocking the way to unworthy souls. Where she stands guard, no falsehoods will be permitted.
Syn guards the entrance to Sessrumni, Frigga’s royal abode, barring entrance to the uninvited. She is a defender of the slandered, the weak, the falsely accused.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Thresholds and doorways. The truth. The law.
Responsibility
Guardianship of Frigga’s palace. Upholding of the truth.
Associated Animals
A red-tailed hawk.
Thrud
Thrud is the Aesir goddess of storms, beauty, and of battle.
She is a daughter of Thor and Sif, sister to Magni and Modi. Loved and feared in Asgard for her beauty, her strength, and for her stormy, passionate nature.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Her great strength.
Responsibility
Storms, hurricanes. Protection from the elements.
Associated Animals
The black bear.
Thor/Perun/Donar
The mighty Thor, ‘The Thunderer’, ‘The Thunder God, also known as Perun and as Donar, is the Aesir god of storms, thunder, lightning, unmatched strength, and war.
Thor is the eldest son of great Odin, his mother is Jörd, also known as Fjorgyn. His wife is the mighty and beautiful Sif. His daughter with Sif is Thea. With his half-giant father Odin and his giantess mother Fjorgyn, Thor is fully three-quarters giant although equally an Aesir god. He is dedicated to the protection of the Nine Realms from chaos and disorder.
Thor strongest of all gods
Thor is the strongest of all the gods of Asgard. The fearless god visited Jotunheim to test his strength among the giants. When challenged to drain a drinking vessel he lowered the cup with hardly a sip gone. When challenged to lift a giant cat he could scarcely raise a paw. Engaged in wrestling with an old crone he could barely move her and was unable to bring her down.
Despondent with his performance, the giant king explained to him that at the end of the cup was the ocean and that the giants had quaked in fear to see how low the waves had sunk at his draught. The cat was the snake wrapped around the world and to see so much of it raised had equally struck fear and admiration into their hearts. The crone was no ordinary giantess but old age itself whom none can defeat, and yet Thor had pushed her back.
Thor is central to a great many of the tales of the nine realms and is a favoured god among those who worship in the manner of the old ways.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Mjolnir, the great war hammer gifted to him by Loki as recompense for the theft of Sif’s beautiful hair. The lightning generated by Mjolnir. His war chariot drawn by two powerful goats.
Responsibility
War. Power. The thunder and the lightning. The protection of Midgard and all who reside there.
Associated Animals
Two powerful, fleet-footed goats.
Tyr/Tiw
Tyr, also known as Tiw, is the Aesir god of lawful conflict, righteous battle, order, justice, and the rule of law.
Tyr is married to Sunna, the sun goddess.
During the binding of the great wolf Fenrir, brave Tyr offered his hand to the wolf’s mouth as a gesture of good faith while the other gods fettered the enormous beast. In his struggles against his bonds the wolf closed his jaws and severed away Tyr’s hand. Without his great sacrifice, the terrible beast may never have been subdued.
Tyr was once the leader of the Norse gods until supplanted by wise Odin with his great strategy and powerful magic.
Weapon/Domain of Power
His unmatched courage and self-sacrifice.
Responsibility
Victory in war. Justice in legal matters. Order during times of peace.
Associated Animals
The goshawk.
Ull/Ullr
Ull or Ullr, ‘glory’, is the god of combat, of friendly competition, of games and athletic ability, of good sport, of oaths, promises, and contracts.
Ull is the son of Sif and the stepson of Thor. His dwelling place is the hall of Ýdalir.
Always up for sport Ull once sailed across a lake on his shield, giving the name ‘Ull’s ship’ to Viking battle shields thereafter.
Ull once ruled Asgard for ten years in the absence of Odin but was finally chased from the throne by the unhappy citizens of Asgard. He has also at times, ruled the Vanir when the other tribe of gods has been in need of a leader.
Weapon/Domain of Power
His oath ring which shrinks to sever the finger it is worn upon should a promise not be upheld.
Responsibility
Sport. Games. Boisterous and friendly competition. Victory in games. Hunting and archery. The keeping of oaths.
Associated Animals
The polar bear.
Vali
Vali is the god of vengeance, war, and regret.
He is the son of Odin and Rind, a giantess.
Vali came into the world as a vehicle to avenge the death of Balder, slain unintentionally by Hod through the cunning deception of Loki.
He shall not rest until Loki is burned at the stake.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Vengeance.
Responsibility
Avenging wrongdoing.
Associated Animals
The northern shrike.
Ve
The brother of Odin and Vili, son of the primordial god Bor and the giantess Bestla. Together with his brothers Odin and Vili, Ve fashioned the Nine Realms from the prodigious corpse of the primeval first being, Ymir.
With his brothers, Ve created the first mortals of our world, the human pair Ask and Embla.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Creation. World-building.
Responsibility
The construction of the Nine Realms and the birth of humankind.
Vidar
Vidar, ‘wide ruler’, is the god of silence, retribution, anger, war, and revenge.
Vidar is the son of Odin and the giantess Grid. It is said that he will avenge the death of his father by slaying the evil wolf Fenrir at the battle of Ragnarök.
Weapon/Domain of Power
Vengeance. Just retribution.
Responsibility
The slaying of the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarök. Avenging the death of Odin.
Symbol / Associated with
His boot, made from all scraps humans cast away when creating boots, used to pry open Fenrir’s jaws.
Vili/Lothur
Vili, also known as Lothur, is the Aesir god of sworn agreements, loyalty to friends and kin, oaths and promises.
Vili is younger brother to Odin and one of the ancient gods of Asgard. Together with their brother Ve, they fashioned the nine worlds and created the first mortal humans to provide a people to Midgard.
Weapon/Domain of Power
World-making. Primordial creation.
Responsibility
The keeping of oaths. Loyalty among friends, family, and comrades.
Associated Animals
The caribou.
Thanks for an informative and well researched article
Thank you, much appreciated!
I really think you should make a list of references where you get your information, whether it be books or websites, it would help with your credibility and how trustworthy you seem to be. Like how do I know you’re not coming up with this stuff?
Hi, appreciate your feedback, and you are definitely right. A few articles here are slated for updates and edits, the one you commented on is one. Having said that, the sources are basically always the Poetic Edda first, and then the Prose Edda, usually the Skaldskparmál from there. If you have any specific questions, feel free to raise them!
You left out the goddess Asha ?
Hi, yes we did. She isn’t attested to in any of the primary Old Norse sources so decided against her.
You need to make clear that this isn’t a historical list (or provide a source) if you’re going to associate a wolverine with a Norse god. They don’t have wolverines in Europe, and I doubt even Leif Ericson met one (not to mention that Ericson was from a Christianized Scandinavia).
Hello, great to hear from you and I really appreciate you taking an interest in the article! I didn’t write this personally, but I have put giving it an update on my to-do list. However, want to point out that we actually have plenty of wolverines here in Norway, and all across Scandinavia. Alongside the bear and the wolf they are actually apex predators in their own right. Not sure were Leif Erikson comes into the picture here, but a slight note on the “Christianized” Scandinavians, they were quite pragmatic in which god(s) they followed far into the Christian period. Several hundred years after, there were laws put in place to try to root out the ancient, pagan rituals many still followed alongside being Christian.