Against the Jotuns

[Kafkonia]

The first time Odin asked for knowledge from the Mimir, he paid with one of his eyes. When he wanted more, the Mimir told him that he must die, so he hung from Yggdrasil for nine days with a spear in his side. Since Yggdrasil was an ash tree, the myth is sometimes confused as Odin hanging from "an ash tree" or "the World Ash".

"Under the roots of Yggdrasil" is also misleading. Three of Yggdrasil's roots held the worlds together by being buried in three fountains. There was the Fountain of Mimir in Midgard, the Spring of Hvergelmir in Nilfheim, and the Well of Urd in Asgard.

Thanks!

 

[Wycen]

The "horse" (in quotes) was a metaphor, or kenning.

Correct and my players didn't get it either. Read the Etymology section here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil

 

[eyebeams]

So, I was thinking about the GDQ series of modules (G1-3 against the giants, D1-3 Descent into the Depths and Vault of the Drow, Q1 Queen of the Demonweb Pits).

It struck me that the main antagonists (giants and drow) both draw a good deal of their inspiration from Norse Mythology. So I've decided to adapt the modules to 3.5, and tweak them to reflect a more Nordic flavor.

The party begins by crossing the Ymir's Brow Mountains from Midgard to Jotunheim, where they fight the Hill Giant Cheif, the Frost Giant Jarl, and the Fire Giant King. From there, they descent into the depths of Svartalfheim to combat the dark elves, Before travelling to Niflheim and facing Hel, goddess of the dead.

So how would you bring cool Norse flavor to this setting? I have some Ideas of my own, but I'd like to hear what you guys think.

Illusions. Some Norse giants are masters of illusion and famously used this to bedevil Thor.

 

[barrowwight]

I will be doing something similar. The G series is my favorite series to run. I recently downloaded dogsouls The Fishers of the Dead to add some flavor. I'm very happy with the purchase. I just have to change the hill giant stead as one of the players has played it before.

 

[mmadsen]

Read the Etymology section here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil

On the etymology of Yggdrasil:

The most commonly accepted etymology of the name is ygg "terrible" + drasil "steed". Yggr is taken to be an epithet of Odin, giving a meaning of "Odin's steed", taken to refer to the nine nights Odin is said to have spent hanging from the tree in order to find the runes. The gallows are sometimes described in Old Norse poetry as the "horse of the hanged." Another interpretation of the name is "terrible horse", in which case the association with Odin may be secondary.​

 

[grodog]

I would read Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague DeCamp's first Harold Shea novel, "The Roaring Trumpet" (collected in The Complete Enchanter): it was Gygax's original inspiration for the G-series, is a good read, and is stuffed with Nordic adventuring inspiration! Link on Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Shea_(fictional_series)

 

[ssampier]

Fascinating. Do you plan to change of the stats of either the giant or the dark elves? I am thinking of doing something similar, I wanted inspiration of how you'd do it.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

As for the Giant Chiefs themselves: Nosnra needs his name changed, but Grugnur and Snurre ought to be OK for a Norse-flavored campaign.

Just reverse Nosnra to Arnson or use the original inspiration [Dave] Arneson.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

This is absolutely the coolest take on the classic campaign that I've ever heard of! Makes me want to play ... Beorn Arviddsson, bardbarian skald, who seeks an epic adventure from which to write an epic lay that he will perform at the feast of heroes in Valhalla. His skill with wit and word is matched only by his fury with an axe ...

Perhaps you could tweak the ending and motivations ... the Svartalfs could be intending to touch off Ragnarok.

How do you plan to handle the kuo-toa, if at all? Perhaps they are a degenerate caste of Alfheim residents, who worship an aquatic aspect of the Midgard Serpent ...

 

[Starglim]

I thought his horse was Sleipnir?

edit: Answered earlier, and better, by others