The Jötnar (Old Norse "Devourers" or "Eaters"; pronounced "YOT-nar"; singular Jötunn, pronounced "YO-tun") are a tribe of primordial beings that inhabit the lands of Niflheim, Muspellheim and Jotunheim. The most well-known Jötnar are the Frost, Fire, Storm, Earth, and Mountain Jötnar, however, several other types also exists. They derive from the same family as the Aesir and Vanir, but personify wild, chaotic, primordial forces and often interact with the other gods (both the Aesir and the Vanir tribes), usually in hostile ways, but there have been instances of intermarriage between these tribes.
History[]
Before the Norse world as we know it existed, there was only Ginnungagap: the primordial chasm. Surt was the first to emerge from this void, lighting the way with his flaming sword, Laevateinn. With his emergence followed Muspellheim, the realm of fire (which Surt both guards the entrance to and rules as king), and its opposite: Niflheim, the realm of ice. As the two lands gradually drew closer together, sparks from Muspellheim and frost from Niflheim fell into the chasm, where they mixed. The resulting runoff was called eitr: the poisonous life-giving waters.
As more sparks and frost mixed, two more Jötnar were eventually born in the yawning abyss: Ymir, the hermaphroditic father of the Jötnar, and Audhumbla, the aurochs whose milk nourished Ymir. Ymir's children, born from the gathered sweat of his armpits and feet, ruled Nilfheim: Land of Ice. Ymir was eventually slain by Odin and his brothers and his body was used to form the world. Ymir's flesh became the earth, his blood became the sea, his bones became the mountains, his hair the grass and vegetation, and his teeth became the rocks and cliffs. Finally, Ymir's skull became the sky protecting the world from above.
Appearance[]
Jötnar, for the most part, look like humans, having the same size and shape, but due to their chaotic nature, several are born with non-human features – claws, fangs, misshapen faces, extra body parts, etc. – or have a completely non-humanoid shape (such Jormungand and Fenris Wolf, children of Loki). Some of them can even be of gigantic proportions, although they are usually born at regular size, but will grow to their unnatural height over time.
Known Jotnar[]
Pure Jotunn[]
- Ymir - Primordial Jotunn and Father of the Jötnar.
- Surt - Primordial Fire Jotunn who is the Lord of Muspellheim. Sometimes categorized as the oldest conscious entity, being responsible for Ymir's birth.
- Utgard-Loki - King of the Mountain Jötnar.
- Geirrod - Father of Gjalp and Greip.
- Gjalp - Daughter of Geirrod.
- Greip - Daughter of Geirrod.
- Mimir - Ally to the Aesir, sometimes categorized as one of the oldest Jötnar.
- Gerd - Wife of Frey.
- Loki - Trickster and the Father of Evil. Blood-brother to Odin, and a former member of the Aesir.
- Fenris Wolf - Son of Loki whose unshackling is the harbinger of Ragnarök.
- Jormungand - Son of Loki, the World Serpent that encircles Midgard's oceans.
- Hel - Daughter of Loki, ruler of Helheim.
- Angrboda - Loki's mistress and mother of the Fenris Wolf. Jormungand and Hel.
- Laufey - Mother of Loki.
- Farbautí - The Cruel Striker, Father of Loki.
- Bestla - Mother of Odin.
- Jord - Mother of Thor.
- Gunlod - Mother of Bragi.
- Thjazi - Father of Skadi and kidnapper of Idunn.
- Skadi - Thjazi's daughter and ex-wife of Njord.
- Aegir - Lord of the Seas, husband of Ran.
- Eggther- guard of the egg of Fialar.
- Harald - A frost giant fisherman.
Majority Jotunn Heritage[]
Half-Jotunn[]
- Odin - Son of the Aesir Bor and the Jotnar Bestla.
- Vil - Son of the Aesir Bor and the Jotnar Bestla.
- Ve - Son of a Aesir Bor and the Jotnar Bestla.
- Samirah al-Abbas - Daughter of Loki.
- Alex Fierro - Child of Loki.
- Nine Billow Maidens - Daughters of Aegir and Ran.
Others[]
- Lars Alhstrom (Three-Eighths Jotunn)
- Gunilla (Three-Eighths Jotunn)
- John Henry (Three-Eighths Jotunn)
- Hod (Quarter-Jotunn)
- Balder (Quarter-Jotunn)
- Unnamed son of Odin (Quarter-Jotunn)
- Forseti (One-Eighth Jotunn)
- Unnamed daughter of Heimdall (Unknown degree of Jotunn ancestry)
Gallery[]
Pure Jotunn[]
.PNG "Surt (official).PNG (93 KB)")
Majority Jotunn Heritage[]
Half-Jotunn[]
Others[]
