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Name : Description Click on the links for more detailed descriptions.
Aesir Chief gods of Asgard; one of two groups of gods, the Aesir and the Vanir
Andvari Dwarf; robbed of gold and magic ring by Loki
Angerbotha(Angerboda, Angrboda) Giantess; mother by Loki of Fenrir, Hel, and Jormungand
Asgard (Asgarth) Abode of the Aesir gods
Ask First man; created by Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur
Asynjur Goddesses of Asgard
Atli Second husband of Gudrun; invited Gunnar and Hogni to his court, where they were slain; slain by Gudrun
Audhumia (Audhambla, Audhumla) Cow that nourished Ymir, whom she created by licking ice cliff
Balder (Baldur, Baldr) God of light, spring, peace, joy; son of Odin; inadvertently slain by Hod at instigation of Loki
Bergelmir Frost giant who, with his wife, was the only giant to survive death of Ymir
Bifrost Rainbow bridge connecting Midgard and Asgard
Bor (Bur) Son of Buri; father of Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur
Bragi God of poetry
Branstock Great oak in hall of Volsungs; into it, Odin thrust the magic sword Gram, which only Sigmund could draw forth
Brynhild Valkyrie; wakened from magic sleep by Sigurd; married Gunnar; instigated death of Sigurd; killed herself and was burned on pyre beside Sigurd
Buri (Bori, Bure) Progenitor of gods; father of Bor; created by Audhumia
Einherjar The chosen slain, whose souls dwelled in Valhalla
Embla First woman; created by Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur
Fafnir Son of Hreidmar, whom he slew for gold in Otter's skin; in form of dragon, guarded gold; slain by Sigurd
Fenrir Wolf; offspring of Loki; posed a threat to the gods until they were able to restrain him
Forseti (Forsete) Son of Balder; god of justice and conciliation
Frey (Freyr) God of wealth and crops; son of Njord; originally one of Vanir
Freya (Freyja, Frea) Goddess of love and beauty; sister of Frey; originally one of Vanir
Frigg (Frigga) Chief goddess; goddess of marriage; wife of Odin
Garm Watchdog of Hel
Gerd Wife of Frey; the most beautiful of all women
Gimle Home of blessed after Ragnarok
Ginnungagap Yawning chasm that existed at the beginning of the universe; within it were Niflheim and Muspelheim
Gladsheim (Glathsehim) Hall of the gods in Asgard
Gleipnir Magic cord used to shackle Fenrir
Grimhild Mother of Gudrun; administered magic
Gudrun Daughter of Giuki; wife of Sigurd; later wife of Atli and Jonakr
Gunnar Son of Giuki; in his semblance Sigurd won Brynhild for him; slain at hall of Atli
Guttorm Son of Giuki; slew Sigurd at Brynhild's request
Heimdall (Heimdallr) Guardian of Asgard; son of Odin
Hel Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld; daughter of Loki
Hel A realm of the dead within the underworld; a place of fog and intense cold
Hermod Messenger of the gods; son of Odin and Frigg
Hiordis Wife of Sigmund; mother of Sigurd
Hod (Hoder, Hodur) Blind god of night and darkness; tricked by Loki into slaying Balder
Hoenir One of the creators of Ask and Embla; son of Bor
Hreidmar Father of Regin, Otter, and Fafnir; demanded Otter's skin be filled with gold; slain by Fafnir, who stole the gold
Idunn (Ithun, Iduna) Keeper of the golden apples of youth; wife of Bragi
Jonakr Third husband of Gudrun
Jormungand Midgard Serpent; chief enemy of Thor; symbol of evil
Jormunrek Slayer of Swanhild; slain by sons of Gudrun
Jotun Race of giants
Jotunheim (Jotunnheim, Jotunheimr) Abode of the giants
Lif and Lifthrasir First man and woman after Ragnarok
Loki God of evil and mischief; instigator of Balder's death
Lothur (Lodur) One of the creators of Ask and Embla
Mani Being who drove the moon; brother of Sol
Midgard (Midgarth) Abode of humans; the Earth
Mimir Giant; guardian of the well in Jotunheim at root of Yggdrasil; had immense wisdom and knowledge of past, present, and future
Mjolnir Magic hammer of Thor
Muspelheim Hot, glowing land of fire in the south of Ginnungagap
Naglfar Ship to be used by giants in attacking Asgard at Ragnarok; built from nails of dead men
Nanna Wife of Balder
Nibelungs Dwellers in northern kingdom ruled by Giuki
Niflheim (Nifelheim) Outer region of cold and darkness; site of Hel, the land of the dead
Njord (Njorth; Njordr) Father of Frey and Freya; originally one of the Vanir
Nott Giantess; personification of night
Norns Demigoddesses of fate; Urd (Urdr), the past; Verdande, the present; Skuld, the future
Odin (Othin) Chief of the Aesir; creator of the world with Vili and Ve; equivalent to Woden (Wodan, Wotan) in Teutonic mythology
Otter Son of Hreidmar; slain by Loki; his skin was filled with the gold hoard of Andvari to appease Rodmar
Ragnarok Final destruction of the present world in battle between gods and giants; some minor gods would survive, and Lif and Lifthrasir would repeople the world
Regin Blacksmith; son of Hreidmar; foster father of Sigurd
Rerir King of the Huns; son of Sigi
Sif Wife of Thor; goddess of grain and fertility
Siggeir King of the Goths; husband of Signy; he and his sons slew Volsung and his sons, except Sigmund; slain by Sigmund and Sinflotli
Sigi King of Huns; son of Odin
Sigmund Son of Volsung; brother of Signy, who bore him Sinflotli; husband of Hiordis, who bore him Sigurd
Signy Daughter of Volsung; sister of Sigmund; wife of Siggeir; mother by Sigmund of Sinflotli
Sigurd Son of Sigmund and Hiordis; wakened Brynhild from a magic sleep; married Gudrun; slain by Guttorm at instigation of Brynhild
Sigyn Wife of Loki
Sinflotli Son of Sigmund and Signy
Skidbladnir Magic ship made by dwarfs and owned by Frey; could be folded up like a handkerchief
Sleipnir (Sleipner) Eight-legged horse of Odin
Sol Being who drove the sun; sister of Mani
Surt (Surtr) Fire demon; would slay Frey at Ragnarok
Svartalfaheim Abode of dwarfs
Swanhild Daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun; slain by Jormunrek
Thor God of thunder; oldest son of Odin; equivalent to Germanic deity Donar
Tyr God of war; son of Odin; equivalent to Tiw in Teutonic mythology
Ull (Ullr) Hunter god; son of Sif; stepson of Thor
Valhalla (Valhall) Great hall in Asgard where Odin received souls of heroes killed in battle (Einherjar)
Vali Odin's son; Ragnarok survivor
Valkyries Virgins, messengers of Odin, who selected souls of heroes who died in battle and took them to Valhalla
Vanir One of the two races of gods; three survivors, Njord, Frey, and Freya, are associated with Aesir
Ve Brother of Odin; one of the creators of the world
Vidar (Vithar) Son of Odin; survivor of Ragnarok
Vili Brother of Odin; one of the creators of the world
Vingolf Abode of goddesses in Asgard
Volsung Descendant of Odin, and father of Signy and Sigmund; his descendants were called Volsungs
Yggdrasil Giant ash tree springing from the body of Ymir and supporting the universe; its roots extended to Asgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim
Ymir (Aurgelmir) Primeval frost giant killed by Odin, Vili, and Ve; world was created from his body; also, from his body sprang Yggdrasil
