Odin
The Allfather, oldest and greatest of the Gods. With his younger brothers Vili and Ve, Odin slew the frost giant Ymir and made the world from his body. Odin breathed life into two fallen trees, one Ash and one Elm, and from them came the first man and woman.
Odin sacrificed an eye to drink from the Spring of Mimir to gain wisdom and understanding. He hung himself on the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine nights, pierced by his own spear, to learn eighteen magic spells and eighteen runes of power. His two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory), fly daily across all of Midgard and tell Odin of everything they see and hear. Odin looks with great favor on those men and women that devote themselves to the seeking of knowledge.
Odin travelled to Jotunheim to win the mead of poetry. Wearing his broad hat to go unknown, changing his name and sometimes his shape and form, Odin travels to the halls of Men and Giants to hear their stories and to learn their lessons. He is a patron of bards, poets and storytellers.
Above all else, Odin is the God of War. Odin imparts to man strength against his enemies. He instigates battles, and uses his spear Gungnir and his Valkyrs to influence the outcome. The killing of a combatant in battle is a sacrificial offering to Odin. Odin is called Valfoor, father of the slain, since the Einherjar, the fallen given a place in Valhalla, are his adopted sons and daughters.
Frigga
Wife of Odin, Queen of the Aesir. Besides Odin, she alone has the privilege of sitting on Hlidskialf, the throne from which can be seen all that happens in the nine worlds. Frigga has knowledge of the future, but in her wisdom she refuses to share it. Frigga’s name is invoked when important decisions must be made.
In her hall Fensalir (hall of mists) Frigga uses a jeweled spinning wheel to weave the clouds. Like her creations, Frigga’s moods are variable, and can change as quickly as the weather. She is the patron of craftsmen.
Frigga is fiercely protective of her family. When her son Balder is in danger Frigga goes to each and every thing in creation for its oath that it will not harm her son; only a shoot of mistletoe is not required to give its word, for it seemed too young to have an oath demanded from it. Protectors often call upon Frigga to grant them strength.
Thor
The son of Odin and the giantess Jord (earth). Thor travels across the heavens in a chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr. The sound of this passage is the source of thunder. When Thor battled the giant Hrungnir a piece of whetstone was lodged in his head, which is the source of lightning.
Thor wields a short handled hammer, Mjollnir, which can throw lightning bolts. Huge Thor is the strongest of the Gods. He uses this strength and his hammer to keep the Giants at bay and to maintain peace in Asgard. Men and women invoke Thor’s name in matters of order and stability.
While his father Odin champions the nobly born (kings, warriors, poets), Thor is the patron of the freeman farmer. He is the most widely worshipped of all the Aesir, as well as the most trusted.
Tyr
Fenris, the great wolf, allowed the Gods to place chains upon him so he could increase his fame by then breaking them. The Gods went to the Dwarves and had them forge an unbreakable tether, Gleipnar, made from the sound a cat makes when it moves; a woman’s beard; the roots of a mountain; the sinews of a bear; the breath of a fish; and a bird’s spittle. The Gods challenged Fenris to try his strength against this new ribbon; they promised to release him if he could not free himself. Fenris suspected treachery, and would only trust them if one of the gods placed his hand in the wolf’s mouth. Of all the Gods only Tyr had the courage to do so. He placed his right hand in Fenris’ mouth, and lost it when the wolf realized that he could not free himself from Gleipnar and bit down. Tyr’s name is invoked for courage and bravery.
Ever-truthful Tyr is the patron of the sword and of single combat. Holmgang, trial by combat, is fought under his auspices. Oaths are sworn on his day, and in his name, normally with hands laid upon a sword. Tyr looks with favor on the honest and those who pursue justice.
Heimdall
The son of Odin, Heimdall was born at the edge of the world, and raised by the forces of earth and seawater. He is the patron of the sailor.
Heimdall is the guardian of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that links Midgard and Asgard. Ever-Vigilant Heimdall can hear the grass growing on the earth and the wool on a sheep, can see a hundred leagues in front of him as well by night as by day, and needs less sleep than a bird. He carries the horn Gjall (Gjallarhorn) which can be heard throughout the nine worlds when sounded. Sentries, on land and ship, call for Heimdall to help them keep vigilant.
In the guise of Rig, Heimdall fathered the first of the three races of man, Thralls, Peasants and Jarls. So while Odin and his brothers created the first man and woman, it was Heimdall that created the three races of man. It was Odin, hanging from Yggdrasil, that discovered the runes, but it was Heimdall who gave them to the races of men when he presented staves, carved with signs and colored red, to his son Jarl. Sorcerers are often devoted to Heimdall.
Freya
The Vanir Gullveig’s lust for gold angered the Aesir. They threw her into a fire. She burned to death, but then stepped from the flames whole and reborn. Three times she was burned, and three times she lived again. The Aesir hailed her, and named her Heid, the Gleaming one. When the Vanir learned how the Aesir had treated Gullveig (golden branch) they became incensed with anger. Odin, from the all seeing seatValaskjalf, saw the Vanir sharpening their spears and polishing their shields. Odin cast his spear into the host of the Vanir, and so the first war was started. For a long time the battle raged back and forth until it became clear that neither side would win. The Gods, weary of war, made a truce. The Aesir and Vanir pledged to live in peace, and exchanged leaders as proof of their intentions.
Freya, the Most-Glorious, daughter of Njord, represents the Vanir among the Aesir. She alone of the Vanir acknowledges the ceremonies of those devoted to the Aesir.
As Valfreya, Freya leads the Valkyries. Spear wielding Freya goes to war in a chariot pulled by two cats, Btgul and Trjegul, and those warriors that fight with the spear often look to her for favor.
Freya is so beautiful that all the gods, giants and dwarfs long for her love. Songs and poems of love are composed for her. Freya’s name is invoked in matters of courtship and love, and singers and bards are often devoted to her.
Loki
Loki, the son of the giant Farbauti and the giantess Laufey, has a place among the Aesir because he is Odin’s blood brother. This relationship earns Loki a position of great respect and authority among the Aesir but little affection. Loki enjoys tricks and mischief; he often involves the Aesir in difficulties. His talent for causing problems is matched only by his ability to solve them. Whenever the Aesir have troubles they go to Loki for help, and he has never failed to provide it.
Loki is peerless in cunning and guile, and often cheats. When direct force of arms is not sufficient to solve a problem, it is Loki’s favor which is called upon.
Loki is a master of words, both harsh and honeyed. Taunts, insults, flattery and even courtship are inspired by his example, and those who make their way in the world with these talents are devoted to Loki.
By the giantess Angrboa, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenris, and the world serpent Jormungandr. Many are his other offspring, and most are monsters. Loki is a sorcerer of fire, a wielder of magic, and can assume many shapes of both gender. Sorcerers are often devoted to Loki, but never to both Heimdall and Loki, for there is no love between those two.
Idun
Ever-young Idun, daughter of Ivald, grows in her garden the apples that keep the Gods youthful and warded from disease.When the storm giant Thiassi, the winter wind, stole Idun away, the Aesir grew old and grey. In spring, Loki brought her back in the form of a seed, and life was renewed. The Sieidr devote themselves to Idun, bringer of health.
Where Idun treads, life blossoms; she is the personification of spring. At the time of planting and sowing, Idun’s name is invoked, so that life will come again to barren fields.
Hel
The daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda (Angur-boda), Hel is the ruler of Hel, the realm of the dead in Niflheim. She rules from the hall Elvidner (misery), eats the dish Hunger, and wields the knife Famine. Half white (living) and half black (dead), Hel welcomes criminals, perjurers, and those unfortunate to die the “straw death” (death of old age or disease) to her realm.
The innocent are treated gently by Hel, placed in an existence of ignorant bliss. The criminal and the unpure are banished to Nastrond, where they are forced to wade through ice cold streams of venom until they are washed in to the well, Hvergelmir, where the serpent Nidhug gnaws upon them. Those few brave enough to pledge themselves to Hel know that she is neither kind nor cruel, but rather what necessity requires.
Ull
Ull, Sif’s son and Thor’s stepson, delights in the chase of the hunt. He wields a bow of Yew, and none can rival him with such a weapon. He is the patron of hunters and archers.
Ull’s father was one of the frost giants, and he revels in the cold. In the summer he hunts in the mountains, but come winter he pursues his prey to the valleys, bringing the ice and snow with him. Ull travels across the north in broad snowshoes, on glittering skates, and is unmatched on skis. Travelers often call upon Ull to grant them safe passage.
Bragi
Bragi, son of Odin, husband of Idun, has such a gift of words that it has been said that the runes must be carved on to his tongue. When Bragi plays music or sings, the trees begins to bud and bloom, and the grass flowers. Odin won the mead of poetry for the Gods, but it was Bragi that brought poetry to humanity by letting them drink from that cup. Bragi is renowned for wisdom and for fluency of speech. He is a patron of poets and singers, and most notably of the Skald.
Toasts to Braga’s health are drunk on solemn or festive occasions, especially at Yuletide. Often this is accompanied with pledges to fulfill certain tasks or deeds of valor, sworn over the Bragarfull (cup of Bragi).