Andrew D. Gable
First Post
I need to know this for a campaign: in Norse myth there's two groups of gods, the Aesir and the Vanir. I know Frey, Freya and possibly Frigga are Vanir. But which other ones are (from DnDg, anyway)?
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Norse Mythology: Question
- Thread starter Andrew D. Gable
- Start date
Epametheus
First Post
I believe Mimir's a Vanir, though I have no clue whether or not D&Dg mentions him.
I don't even remember the rest of the Vanir being mentioned in the Norse myths I've read, let alone within D&Dg. There weren't any others in the 1st edition version, if I recall correctly.
I don't even remember the rest of the Vanir being mentioned in the Norse myths I've read, let alone within D&Dg. There weren't any others in the 1st edition version, if I recall correctly.
Mark
CreativeMountainGames.com
Bastion Press has a fre download about the Norse Gods on the lower left side of this page that may help-
http://www.bastionpress.com
http://www.bastionpress.com
Don't have a DnDg, but found this list:
Freya
Frey
Gerdr
Honir
Kvasir
Lytir
Mimir
Njord
Odr
Skadi
And found the following account at http://www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vanir.html:
In Norse myth, the Vanir are originally a group of wild nature and fertility gods and goddesses, the sworn enemies of the warrior gods of the Aesir. They were considered to be the bringers of health, youth, fertility, luck and wealth, and masters of magic. The Vanir live in Vanaheim.
The Aesir and the Vanir had been at war for a long time when they decided to make peace. To ensure this peace they traded hostages: the Vanir sent their most renowned gods, the wealthy Njord and his children Freya and Freyr. In exchange the Aesir sent Honir, a big, handsome man who they claimed was suited to rule. He was accompanied by Mimir, the wisest man of the Aesir and in return the Vanir sent their wisest man Kvasir.
Honir however, was not as smart as the Aesir claimed he was and it Mimir who gave him advice. The Vanir grew suspicious of the answers Honir gave when Mimir was not around. Eventually they figured out that they had been cheated and they cut Mimir's head off and sent it back to the Aesir. Fortunately, this betrayal did not lead to another war and all the gods of the Vanir were subsequently integrated with the Aesir. There is not much known about the Vanir of the time before the assimilation.
Freya
Frey
Gerdr
Honir
Kvasir
Lytir
Mimir
Njord
Odr
Skadi
And found the following account at http://www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vanir.html:
In Norse myth, the Vanir are originally a group of wild nature and fertility gods and goddesses, the sworn enemies of the warrior gods of the Aesir. They were considered to be the bringers of health, youth, fertility, luck and wealth, and masters of magic. The Vanir live in Vanaheim.
The Aesir and the Vanir had been at war for a long time when they decided to make peace. To ensure this peace they traded hostages: the Vanir sent their most renowned gods, the wealthy Njord and his children Freya and Freyr. In exchange the Aesir sent Honir, a big, handsome man who they claimed was suited to rule. He was accompanied by Mimir, the wisest man of the Aesir and in return the Vanir sent their wisest man Kvasir.
Honir however, was not as smart as the Aesir claimed he was and it Mimir who gave him advice. The Vanir grew suspicious of the answers Honir gave when Mimir was not around. Eventually they figured out that they had been cheated and they cut Mimir's head off and sent it back to the Aesir. Fortunately, this betrayal did not lead to another war and all the gods of the Vanir were subsequently integrated with the Aesir. There is not much known about the Vanir of the time before the assimilation.
MeepoTheMighty
First Post
Aesir: Balder, Bragi, Forseti, Freyr (ex-Vanir), Frigga, Heimdall, Hod, Idunn, Loki, Njord (also ex-Vanir) Sif, Thor, Tyr, Ull, Vali, Ve, and Vidar
Vanir: Freya, Freyr (though he later joined the Aesir), Njord (also joined the Aesir), Kvasir
Not much is known about most of the Vanir.
Vanir: Freya, Freyr (though he later joined the Aesir), Njord (also joined the Aesir), Kvasir
Not much is known about most of the Vanir.
Cador
First Post
Njord, god of the sea, and father of Frey and Freya, was also a Vanir. Mimir was Aesir (and the wisest of them), but he lived among the Vanir, as an exchange for Njord and his children. However, the Vanir got mad at Mimir (can't remember why) and chopped off his head and sent it back to the Aesir (and then Odin revived it, so Mimir became a living head).
Kvasir was the wisest among the Vanir. But I don't know what became of him.
The Vanir are a rather mysterious group of deities in Norse mythology. Their spheres of influence seem to have been fertility, death and magic, and they had some connections with elves. A common interpretation of the presence of Vanir gods in Norse mythology is that Nordic tribes mingled with some other, forgotten tribes and adopted their fertility gods into Norse mythology.
Kvasir was the wisest among the Vanir. But I don't know what became of him.
The Vanir are a rather mysterious group of deities in Norse mythology. Their spheres of influence seem to have been fertility, death and magic, and they had some connections with elves. A common interpretation of the presence of Vanir gods in Norse mythology is that Nordic tribes mingled with some other, forgotten tribes and adopted their fertility gods into Norse mythology.
LoneWolf23
First Post
Sounds like a nice fantasy-based explanation for having Elves coexist with humans in a Norse-based setting. Maybe a fantasy version of a Norse kingdom would have Elves mingled with Humans, their pantheons combined into one.
Jolly Giant
First Post
As a born and bred Norseman with a long interest in the vikings' culture and mythology, I feel I have to contribute some facts to all these guesses... 
The Vanir and Aesir had a long history of minor squirmishes and quarrels, before Loke (the Jotnir who was allowed to be one of the aesir, because he was Odins friend and bloodbrother from before the creation of Aasgard) negotiated a pease treaty. The treaty included a trading of diplomats/hostages. The richest and the wisest from each side was to go and live with the enemy. The Aesir sent Mimir as their wisest and Honir as their richest. The Vanir sent Frigg (wise) and Njord (rich).
The trick was that the richest among the Aesir was really Odin and he absolutely wouldn't go. In fact, he was angry with Loke for negotiating such a ridiculous deal, and ordered Loke to think up a plan to get him out of it. Loke then enchanted a rooster to make it look and act like a man (Honir is ancient Norse for chicken-man!). The Vanir soon realized they'd been had, however, and killed both Honir and Mimir, sending their heads back to the Aesir. Mimr was then animated by Odin, and stayed in Odins hall Valhalla as a living head working as Odins advisor.
Njord (God of the Sea, sailors and fishermen) brought his two children Frey (God of Farming and animal husbandry) and Freya (Goddess of love and fertility) to Aasgard ('Aasgard' means 'stronghold of the Aesir', by the way).
Frigg married Odin and became Godess of wisdom, nature and animals. Together they had the children Thor (God of thunder), Brage (God of music, poetry and literature), Balder (god of art and all things beautiful) and Vidar (God of Justice and Revenge, and as strong as Thor himself! Proficies say he will be only Aesir to survive Ragnarok <the end of the world/judgement day> and will slay the giant wolf Fenris, after it has eaten the sun, the moon, Odin and a bunch of other Gods. He will then build/create a new, better world. Also, I'm named after him! ). Frigg and Odin also had several other children, but these are the most important ones.
I noticed there was mention of elves somewhere on this thread. Yes, according to myth, elves lived in the forests south os Aasgard. Even further south lived trolls and Jotnir, and really far south lived the horrible fire giants.
In the mountains to the north of Aasgard lived the dwarfes, the worlds greatest blacksmiths and creators of magic items. Mjoelnir (Hammer of Thor), Gugnir (Spear of Odin) and many other of the Aesirs most prized magic items were made by these dwarfes. Underneath these mountains, in vast dungeons and underground cities, lived the terrible, evil black elves...
Even further to the north was the arctic, mountainous land of the frostgiants.
Yes, it's a fact! The elves, the dwarves, trolls, giants and even drow of modern fantasy are all actually based on seventh century Norse mythology! (Hmm... Maybe Drizzt is really a fellow Norwegian?
The Vanir and Aesir had a long history of minor squirmishes and quarrels, before Loke (the Jotnir who was allowed to be one of the aesir, because he was Odins friend and bloodbrother from before the creation of Aasgard) negotiated a pease treaty. The treaty included a trading of diplomats/hostages. The richest and the wisest from each side was to go and live with the enemy. The Aesir sent Mimir as their wisest and Honir as their richest. The Vanir sent Frigg (wise) and Njord (rich).
The trick was that the richest among the Aesir was really Odin and he absolutely wouldn't go. In fact, he was angry with Loke for negotiating such a ridiculous deal, and ordered Loke to think up a plan to get him out of it. Loke then enchanted a rooster to make it look and act like a man (Honir is ancient Norse for chicken-man!). The Vanir soon realized they'd been had, however, and killed both Honir and Mimir, sending their heads back to the Aesir. Mimr was then animated by Odin, and stayed in Odins hall Valhalla as a living head working as Odins advisor.
Njord (God of the Sea, sailors and fishermen) brought his two children Frey (God of Farming and animal husbandry) and Freya (Goddess of love and fertility) to Aasgard ('Aasgard' means 'stronghold of the Aesir', by the way).
Frigg married Odin and became Godess of wisdom, nature and animals. Together they had the children Thor (God of thunder), Brage (God of music, poetry and literature), Balder (god of art and all things beautiful) and Vidar (God of Justice and Revenge, and as strong as Thor himself! Proficies say he will be only Aesir to survive Ragnarok <the end of the world/judgement day> and will slay the giant wolf Fenris, after it has eaten the sun, the moon, Odin and a bunch of other Gods. He will then build/create a new, better world. Also, I'm named after him!
). Frigg and Odin also had several other children, but these are the most important ones.I noticed there was mention of elves somewhere on this thread. Yes, according to myth, elves lived in the forests south os Aasgard. Even further south lived trolls and Jotnir, and really far south lived the horrible fire giants.
In the mountains to the north of Aasgard lived the dwarfes, the worlds greatest blacksmiths and creators of magic items. Mjoelnir (Hammer of Thor), Gugnir (Spear of Odin) and many other of the Aesirs most prized magic items were made by these dwarfes. Underneath these mountains, in vast dungeons and underground cities, lived the terrible, evil black elves...
Even further to the north was the arctic, mountainous land of the frostgiants.
Yes, it's a fact! The elves, the dwarves, trolls, giants and even drow of modern fantasy are all actually based on seventh century Norse mythology! (Hmm... Maybe Drizzt is really a fellow Norwegian?
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