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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

April 17th O Day




I wish I had more for you today, I started late again today, and as it turns out O is another letter that is more full of proper names than actual culturally significant Norse things to know. I also spent a significant part of my free time today working on KAG business, so I didn't even get a chance to do the Dawn Patrol write up.

O is for Odin, the Chief God of the Aesir, Husband of Frigg, Father of Balder and Thor, Blood-Brother of Loki, Brother of Vili and Vé, King of the Gods. Lord of the Slain, God of the Gallows, Giver of Victory, etc. He does pretty much everything he can to get the knowledge necessary to avert Ragnarök, or at least see that his side is best prepared for it when it does arrive; at great personal sacrifice. In the end, all he really achieves is the lack of total destruction and the continuation of life, a new cycle begins. He and most of the people and things he knows and loves will be destroyed, but his victory will be the continuation of life itself. Balder will return from the land of the dead, a younger generation of gods will start to rebuild in Asgarð and humankind will restart again in Midgarð.

O is for Oath and Norsemen took oaths seriously, they were sacred. A man's word really was his bond.

O is for Örlög, a word that means almost the same thing as destiny or fate or doom.

O is for Ód, the missing husband of Freyja, for whom she weeps her tears of gold; and the reason some scholars believe that Frigg and Freyja may have once been the same Goddess.

O is for Ódrerir, the sources are unclear on this one, it is either name of the pot in which the mead of poetry was brewed, or the actual name of the mead of poetry.

2 comments:

  1. I find the "betrayer of warriors" aspect of Odin to be very interesting. The idea that the "big picture" (i.e. preparation for Ragnarok) might require individuals to be sacrificed is very different than one often looks for from a patron deity. It makes worship a lot more complex, which also makes the cleric class a bit more interesting.

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    1. I have a sneaky little house rule I am going to slowly start implementing as the PCs start leveling up that's inspired by the old TSR mini-game Saga, so it's quite possible that Odin might eventually betray them to their deaths, when he feels they are worthy.

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