The Norse Gods are a pantheon of deities central to all accounts of Norse mythology. The principal pantheon of the Norse gods is the Aesir (pronounced 'ICE-ear', traditionally spelled Æsir), whom are connected to power and conflict, while a second pantheon comprises the Vanir (pronounced 'VAN-ear'), whom are associated with cultivation and fertility. In Norse mythology, the two clans waged war against each other, ultimately resulting in the eventual unification of the two pantheons.
Operation
The Norse Gods like the Greeks and Romans are able to have demigod children but unlike their counterparts do not have a camp to train them. They are also able to walk the mortal world without a host.
List of Norse Gods
Aesir
- Odin - Third Chief of the Aesir; God of Wisdom, Magic, Divination, Death, War and Poetry. Son of Bor.
- Thor - God of Thunder, Lightning, Storms, Consecration, Strength and Bravery. Son of Odin.
- Loki - The Father of Lies; God of Mischief, Magic, Fire, Artifice and Deception (officially not a part of the Aesir, but occasional ally).
- Mímir - Guardian of the Well of Knowledge (similar to Loki, not always counted as an Aesir).
- Frigg - Goddess of Marriage, Fertility, Family, and Hearth,. Wife of Odin.
- Sif - Goddess of the Earth, Fertility, Harvest, Abundance, Crops and Grain. Known for her beautiful hair. Wife of Thor.
- Idunn - Goddess of Spring, Eternal Youth and the Keeper of the Apples
- Balder - God of Light, Peace, Spring, Forgiveness and Purity (deceased).
- Forseti - God of Justice and Reconciliation and the earliest legislator in Norse, pacifist. Son of Balder and Nanna.
- Heimdall - The Watchman of the Gods. Guardian of the Bifrost Bridge. The God of Sorvegliance.
- Tyr - Keeper of Law and Justice. The God of War, Courage and Duells.
- Honir - God of Indecision, Avoidance, and Mystery.
- Bragi - God of Music, Wisdom and Eloquence. Bard of the Aesir. Husband of Idunn.
- Ullr - God of Glory, Hunting, and Skiing.
- Skadi - Goddess of bowhunting, skiing, winter, mountains and the wife of Njord.
- Nanna - Goddess of Joy and Peace. Wife of Balder.
- Modi Magni - Sons of Thor, symbolizing Brave and Strong separately.
Vanir
- Frey - God of Summer, Sunshine, Rain, Fertility, Prosperity, Peace and Happiness. Lord of Alfheim. Brother of Freya.
- Freya - Goddess of Beauty, Love, Fertility, Gold, War, Death, and Sorcery. Lady of Folkvanger. Sister of Frey.
- Njord - God of the Seas, Winds, Wealth, and Fishing. Husband of Skadi, father of Freyja and Freyr.
- Nerthus - Goddess of Fertility, Harvest, and Revenge.
- Gullveig - The Thrice-Reborn. Goddess of Alchemy and Witchcraft.
- Odur - God of summer sun. Husband of Freya.
Uncertain
- Aegir - God of Ocean, Storm, Alcohol and Banquet. Husband of Ran.
- Ran - Goddess of Sea. Wife of Aegir.
- Nott - Goddess of Night. Wife of Delling.
- Dagr - God of Day. Son of Nott and Delling.
- Delling - God of Dawn. Husband of Nott.
- Sol - Goddess of Sun. Sister of Mani and daughter-in-law of Surt.
- Mani - God of Moon. Brother of Sol.
- Hel - Ruler of Helheim, Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of the Dead. Daughter of Loki.
Abilities, limitations, and weaknesses
The Norse gods have extreme longevity, with superhuman physical abilities and a variety of magical powers. Because the Norse gods are physical beings (like the Greco-Roman gods and unlike the Egyptian gods), they are able to sire demigod children with mortals.
- Apple-Induced Youth: The Norse gods will rapidly grow old and weaken when they're unable to eat Idunn's apples of youth on a regular basis, shown when she was kidnapped by Utgard-Loki on one occasion.
- Mortality: The Norse gods are extremely difficult to kill (Mimir survived being decapitated, for instance) but they, unlike the Greco-Roman gods, are not completely immortal, as most of them are destined to die during Ragnarok, the Twilight of the Norse gods. Beings or weapons with the power to kill Norse gods include the following:
- Other gods, since Loki and Heimdall are destined to kill each other.
- Surt, the Lord of Muspellheim, who is destined to use Sumarbrander to kill Frey.
- Fenris, the ferocious wolf, who is destined to kill Odin; his two sons, Sköll and Hati, are also about to kill Sól the Sun and Máni the Moon after which Ragnarök would come.
- Garm, the blood-stained guard dog of Hel, who is destined to kill Tyr.
- Jormungand, the World Serpent, who is destined to kill Thor (though he will also be slain in the process).
- Mistletoe that killed the otherwise invulnerable Baldur.
- Thor's hammer Mjølnir, as he had threatened to kill Loki with it several times.
Trivia
- The only Norse deities who can shape-shift appear to be Odin and Loki, though Frigg is able to also do so in the myths via her falcon cloak.
- It's unclear if Surt is capable of killing Frey without the Sword of Summer.
- The Norse gods are the first pantheon introduced in Riordan's books whose existence is not tied to western civilization.