Asgard - Home Of The Aesir - 9th Part

This is the last part of Asgard (finally) and the places of great importance.

Breidablik

The hall of  the deities Baldr/Baldur and of Nanna his wife, was called Breidablik and it was given to them as a wedding gift. As you know, Baldr was killed and Nanna comited suicide after this tragic event, as such the goddess Frigga sealed all the entrances to the Hall so it might stay as it was by the time Baldr and Nanna lived there. No one is allowed to enter it and it is guarded to keep away anyone who tries to go in.

Landvidi

This is the hall of the god Vidar, which is one of the Norse deities that is seldom heard. Landvidi is where he lives with his mother called Grid. She is one of Odin's lovers, it was she who gave Thor his magical iron gloves and his famous belt of strength. Like some of the halls in Asgard, the name Landvidi also refers to the land around the Hall. A place with deep green woods, tall trees with permanent leaves the entire year and vast fields with tall grass.

Glitnir

The hall of Forseti the god of justice is called Glitnir. This hall is seen from a great distance, not because it is a large hall, but because the roof as the color of silver and it shines like a lighthouse, the porch pillars are made out of gold with beautiful carvings. Forseti is the son of Baldr and Nanna and he is the god of not only justice but also laws, arbitration, judgment, oaths, honor and alliances. If there is any kind of conflict, or law breaking or anyother thing concerning such subjects, the problems are brought to his hall, because it is here that peaceful solutions can be arranged to avoid bloodshed.
Every kind of problem that is fit to have judgement, can be presented in the court of Forseti's hall, even if it is a grievance between a mortal and a deity.

Brimir

In Asgard there is a land called Gimle which has a large lake, and right at the center of the lake there is an island called Okolnir which has a hall called Brimir. This hall might seem empty, but in it lives the giant with the same name of the hall, who won the land in a game of chance with Odin. It was Brimir who built the hall after he won the land, or at least the island.

Gimle

 As mentioned above, in the land called Gimle, there is also an Hall with the same name. It is devoided of any denizens.

Isle of Counsel

The name of this island is unknown, at least for me, but this place lies where the Thund Thvitr river meets the ocean. In the small island lives a mortal man (or once mortal) called Hildolf, who has his own hall in this island. For some reason, many of the Einherjar come here to visit him, so he must be a man of great importance, and to own a hall in Asgard, he must really be of great importance to Odin himself.

Urdabrunnr 

Beyond the forests of Ydalir and passing the small mountain range, there lies a great mountain which is in fact one of the roots of Yggdrasil, covered with small trees which are actually the sprouts of the root, this creates a large grove.
Below the curve of the great root, lies Urdabrunnr, the well of fate. A large spring with bubbling water which feeds the root of the world tree. Near the well its keepers live there and guard it, the Norns.
Beyond the great root and the spring there is a small hall called The Hall of Fate. No one has ever got in, only those who work with the Norns.

Asgard - Home of the Aesir - 8th Part

Noatun

In the previous post I wrote about Freyja's hall, and as she is one of the Vanir also living in Asgard, now it is time to also write about her father, another Vanir deity that has a hall in Asgard.


Njörd's hall in Asgard is called Noatun and it is located outside the walls of the realm in the coastal zone to the west and southwest. In this coast his hall stands in a small bay and ships from the distance can see the hall of Njörd, a white structure with a few ships anchored in the bay below it. This structure is filled with open windows and the ceilings are different from the ones of all the other halls in Asgards, these are arched, resembling the bottom of a ship. 
There are fishing tools all over the place even hanged on the walls, and a salty wind blows inside. There are many seabirds around the area and often fly to the insides of the structure. Most of the furniture is made out of parts of ships, even the tables, and there are many colums that were once masts.

In this hall along with Njörd, others live there, most of them are sailors. Apart from the hall and the docks, there are also workshops behind the hall and all manners of sea working is made there, such as woodcarving, shipbuilding, net-mending, barrel-making and so on.

As you might imagine, this is the harbour where many ships from different lands take rest after great voyages, the many denizens of the Nine norse worlds come here, and others as well. This is a haven for those who love the sea and everything connected to it.

Sokkvabek

There is a goddess that few know, she is called Saga, the goddess of lore and knowledge through learning from the lore and study. This goddess also lives in Asgard by the sea. Her hall is called Sokkvabek. This is also a place of learning while relaxing at the same time, for those who love the sound of waves and seabirds and the whales during the night, and of course, refreshing the body and the soul in the waters which are near the hall, in fact, the hall is so close to the water, that there isn't sand or rock to place the feet, the hall goes directly into the water.
Inside this hall, there are many written memories such as poetry, songs, tales of old and so on. This goddess keeps the records of the past, some important, some irrelevant.

Thrymheim II

The tale of Skadi is one that people have heard so often, but summarizing it, there was a giant called Thjatsi who married an Aesir woman, by doing so he inherited all that was hers when she died. Thjatsi was slain by the Aesir but he had a daughter called Skadi who came all the way from Jotunheim to demand her inheritance and have her vengance upon the Aesir for killing her father.
She also wanted a husband of Aesir blood, so she could be accepted quickly into the Aesir tribe. She was married with Njörd but it didn't work out, but she still owns and lived in her father and stepmother's hall. Being a goddess who loves winter and can't stand another type of weather, during the summer of Asgard (which is quite long) she leaves the mountains of Asgard and goes back to her halls in Jotunheim.
Her hall in Asgard is called Thrymheim in honor to the giant Thrym the king of Jotunheim. Her hall in Jotunheim is also called by this name.
Her hall, is found in the great mountain chain of Asgard to the north and all the way to the east. There weather there is cold and snowy, but in lighter proportions, nothing compared to the weather of the mountains of Jotunheim where her other hall is placed.

Ydalir

Ydalir is the home of the god Ullr, the god of winter and hunting and also skiing. It is more like an hunting lodge in a grove surrounded by trees.


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Asgard Home of the Aesir - 7th part

Folkvang and Sessrumnir

When the Aesir and the Vanir tribes of gods ceased the war between them, there was an exchange of gods as a token of peace between the two tribes. One of the most famous deities of the Vanir to be sent to the Aesir side was Freyja.

She is the goddess of love, fertility, the pleasures of the body, spring season and also war and magic, she is very much honored by all. She is the eldest child of Njörd and Nerthus and sister to Freyr. She is the patron of those who work with the norse magic, Seidr, especially the women. It was Freyja who taught Odin the magic arts of Seidr/Seiðr.

This is a goddess that can be seen in Asgard and also in Vanaheim, traveling from one real to another for many purposes throughout the year. But this post is about the places of Asgard, so I will only be writting about her hall in Asgard.
While in the real of the Aesir, she is frequently seen in her hall, Sessrumnir, and also with the Valkyries of Valhalla, because too often she rides to war with them to pick those who have fallen in battle and take them with her, especially women, although, she will only take those sworn to her or to any other Norse god with the exception of those who are sworn to Odin, Thor or those who have to be sent to Helheim.

Freyja's duties in Asgard are not equal to those of Vanaheim, her works in Asgard are linked to war and death. It is in Asgard that she keeps all she needs to go to war including her female pig called Hildisvin which is the offspring of Gullinbursti, the great boar of Freyr, brother of Freyja.

Her hall is placed in a field called Folkvang/Fólkvangr and her hall is also has the same name, although her home is called Sessrumnir, which might be the same Hall or two different ones. As I have written on another post about the flora and fauna of Asgard, because it is a realm so bright and most of the year it is like summertime, it is hard for any flower to sprout and live there, but in Folkvangr most of the time is springtime, ir is the only place in Asgard that this happens, obviously because of Freyja. All of the area is really pleasent, filled with trees, most given to Freyja by Idunna, but there are a lot of gardens, springs, meadows and so on. It is the place where warriors also go, but it is more like a place of rest, to clear the mind of all those disorders of war.
This is the place where the warrior learns to balance both sides of his condition as a warrior, where the warrior learns how to behave, meditate, to ponder and appreciate the gentler side of the war arts which require discipline.

As nowadays cats are so popular (they are awesome by the way) I would like to mention that Folkvangr, especially around Freyja's hall and in it, is filled with cats.

The inside of the hall is beautiful, divided in small areas with fire places and beautifully carved walls and colums. The place itself encourages people to gather around and talk or entertain themselves with music and games, this is the perfect hall of those who have dificulties in friendships, sometimes even if the reason is as simple as not knowing how to speak/deal/approuche another of our own kind. This is one of the major reasons why the hall of Freyja is called both Folkvangr and Sessrumnir, because the first one is huge and it is a place filled with guests, and outside there is another hall, a small one where Freyja is often seen along with practicers of Seidr, and that smaller hall might be Sessrumnir.

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Asgard Home of the Aesir (6th Part)

This is the 6th part of Asgard and the continuation of the places of renown and great importance that lie in the realm of the Aesir tribe of gods.

Vingolf

There is another hall that few know about it, since all the other most known halls in the norse mythology have somehow placed the others in the shade. One of these "not-so-famous" halls is Vingolf, which at first was aquired by Odin because Valhalla was filled with Einherjar and another hall was needed to place the overflowing warriors. But Valhalla isn't yet filled because of various reasons that I have written in the previous posts.

Vingolf became the property of the Aesir goddesses, they claimed it of their own and it is now a haven for the female Aesir. Of course that men can visit this hall, however, it is filled with that feminine touch, but it is quite beautiful and its gardens are pleasent to look upon. This hall was built in a beautiful land filled with hot springs around the hall itself, and there is also a small hall built in the center of the hot springs which serves as a healing house.

Bilskirnir

The largest hall in Asgard and one of the largest single-owner hall in all the nine worlds, is Thor's hall called Bilskirnir. This single hall is larger than Valhalla and all the houses around it, including the walls. Bilskirnir is the equivalent of a small city. This hall has six hundred and forty rooms, not only filled with people from Valhalla but also with those who died in battle and were sworn to Thor. In it Thor's guests also live there for a while, the servants of Thor and also Sif's servants, even Loki dwelt there for a time. The walls of this huge hall are made of brick and stone and all the rooms are high-ceilinged and each room has windows that are constantly open to let the air in, even when it is raining.

Unlike what we are used to hear or see about Thor in out modern world prespective, Thor is the champion of Asgard, he is the god of the common people such as farmers, he is the protector of mankind and often wanders in the world of mortals and has mortals as guests in his own hall. Thor isn't blond, he is red-haired and has a red-beard.

In this great hall also lives Meile, which most don't know who this figure is, and in truth he doesn't want to be known or be famous, but he is one of Thor's younger brothers who seldom is at Bilskirnir, but can be found there once in a while.

There are two other denizens of this great hall, two other of great renown a part from Sif herself, the wife of Thor. These two are Roskva and Thjalfi or Thjalfr. They are the children of Egil Skytten, the midgard mortal, it is said that he had an affair with Groa, the giant sorceress wife of Aurvandil who is the first husband of Sif, and together they had a son, the god Ullr. So it is said that Roskva and Thjalfi are the sons of Egil the mortal and of Groa, which makes them Half-human.
There are many talls of how Roskva and Thjalfi came to live with Thor, the most heard one (summarizing) is that when Thor and Loki were traveling together, they came to a farm where they found this human family with two children. They all sat and had dinner together, they ate one of Thor's goats but all had been warned not to break any bones. The children did it and as a payment for their disobedience, Thor took them to his hall to work there.
Another tale, not so often heard, is that Groa and Aurvandil were good friends of Thor and after raising the two children, they sent them to be fostered at Bilskirnir. Thjalfi became Thor's page, accompanying him in many journeys.
Thjalfi is also the messenger of Bilskirnir and a guide for those who are wandering about Asgard and lost. Roskva helps in Bilskirnir and she is also a guide there, for this great hall is a confusing labyrinth.

Behind Thor's hall there is a small hall (small compared with Bilskirnir itself) that belongs to Thor's daughter Thrud, the sister of Magni and Modi. The land where Thor's hall was built is called Thrudheim, in honor of Thor's daughter and to show the love and pride he has for her.


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Asgard - Home Of The Aesir 4th Part

The previous post was all about Valhalla, I decided to write it that way to concentrate the knowledge about Valhalla in a single post and not mixing it with other places of Asgard. In this post lets continue with the other places of Asgard. This post will be about Gladsheim and Valaskjalf.

In the center of Asgard lies the plain of Idavoll and in it lies the great hall of Gladsheim which is also the name of the the fields where this Hall stands. Gladsheimr is the Hall of Joy, a sanctuary in Asgard. From the distance it seems that its roof is made of gold, even near it it appears its roof is thatched with gold. At the end of this Hall there is a great tower covered in silver which is called Valaskjalf.
Idavoll is a great plain covered in tall grass and the strong winds that blow the grass make it seem like a ocean rising in anger, and also resembles the coiling of serpents.

In the myths we often hear about the roof of the halls of important gods, to be made out of gold. In the case of Gladsheim it is actually made out of a grass-thatch with a golden color that grows in the outskirts of the plain. Because the plain is vast and filled with grass, there are herds of goats grazing everywhere. There is a famous goat in here called Heidrun. There is also a reindeer caled Eikthrynir. These are the same names of the goat and Deer in Valhalla, so these are probably the same animals because Valhalla can be seen from Gladsheim, in fact, like Gladsheim (the hall) Valhalla also lies in the plain of Gladsheim, so the two halls are close to each other.
Gladsheim (the hall) is where all the deities of Asgard gather and feast, this is the hall of meetings. This is the hall that Odin welcomes visitors, where guests stay before they venture further.

This hall is also an assembly, there is a great throne that belongs to Odin and other thrones down the main room, each belonging to on of the deities who has the right to speak in the Council of Asgard. The gods with most influence apart from Odin, are, Ullr, Bragi, Tyr, Thor, Frey, Njörd, Heimdal, Frigga, Freyja, Sif, Skadi and Iduna.

The hall of Gladsheim has an enormous horse called Falhofnir and belongs to Odin. In the roof the rooster called Gullinkambi is always wandering around. 
Geri and Freki, the famous wolves of Odin can be seen here in the chamber of the council and this is probably their home.
Huginn and Muninn, Odin's ravens can also be seen sometimes in the hall but not as often as the wolves.

The great tower of Valaskjalf sometimes is considered to be a separete hall, however, it is part of Gladsheim, it is like its turret, but huge as it is, it really seems like a different hall. The difference between Valaskjalf and Gladsheim, is that the tower os used by Odin alone, no other deity goes in. This is Odin's watchtower, no one ever goes in unless he wants them to.

Valaskjalf is made out of white stone. In the top of the tower lies Hlidskjalf, the great throne of Odin which he uses to watch far into the other realms.

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Asgard - Home Of The Aesir - 3rd Part ( Valhalla )

Following the previous post, I will continue with the sites of greatest importance in Asgard.

Let's start with Valhalla.

Valhalla is the most famous place of all the Nine worlds and the Norse history, everyone has heard about it at least once, nowadays it became even more famous with movies, music and games. But do people really know what Valhalla really is?

Valhalla is the home of the Einherjar, the warriors who fall in battles and are chosen by Odin. Valhalla is both the fortified town and the great hall. The hall is made of giant wooden spear-shafts and the roof covered with many colored battle shields. Near the western entrance a carved figure of a wolf is "guarding" the door, and the eastern side it is the figure of an eagle.
Inside the Hall there are at least five hundred and forty doors (this is one of the biggest halls of all of Asgard) and of course, behind each of these doors are rooms for eight hundred warriors. Strangely enough, Valhalla (the hall) isn't full, but it has enough people to form a small city.

Valhalla isn't just a place for warriors, not is it just a place to fight and learn how to fight, and prepare for battles and such things. Valhalla is also a place of learning, it also has a great library, places for spiritual purposes, leisure, the inner chamber for the feasts etc. thing of it as a great university.

Valhalla is not for the faint hearted, for the lazy or for the weak minded and are used to have an easy life, however, even those might enter to become better individuals, expand knowledge, grow spiritually and mentally, but this does not mean that they are able to remain there for a long time, or in some cases, by the time they are set to stay. All those who enter there are chosen by Odin.

It is true that on the roof of Valhalla an enormous goat and a great stag wander around grazing on the thatched roof. The goats name is Heidrun and she is milked twice daily. The stag is named Eikthrynir, as the name suggests, it is old norse for "Oak thorn", along with his companion, the goat, they nibble the bark of the enormous tree that grows beside the roof. This tree also has a name, Laerad they call it, and it is a sapling of the world tree Yggdrasil.

The main route into the hall is through the great double doors, but they are heavily guarded of course. There is a back way into Valhalla an it is through the kitchen, where the cook Andhrimmer works.
 Andhrimmer has a giant magical kettle,  named Eldhrimmer, in which he cooks the stew for the million starving warriors upstairs. The myth tells us of one enormous resurrecting boar, Saehrimmer, which is slaughtered every night for the feast and revived again the next morning with no memory of what happened.

Odin's Valkyries work in the hall. All of them are tall and strong, fierce, they are referred to as shield-maidens. They can change into various birds such as ravens and swans, usually dressed in armor when on duty, being one of their first duties the picking up of anyone fallen in battle that Odin feels that it may be the appropriate character to enter Valhalla, a person worthy to be part of his troops. The Valkyries may have a human appearance, but they aren't humans, far from it.

The Valkyries who are in charge of making sure that the Einherjar get fed are named Herfjotur, Goll, Geirahod, Geirdriful, Geirolu, Geirromul, Geirrondul, Geirskigull, Geiravor, and Skeggjold. Two more, Hrist and Mist, are Odin's personal dinner-servants and serve only him. The three most important Valkyries are Gondul, Hildr, and Skogul, who are in charge of deciding which warriors is taken on to the battlefield. The three of them tend not to ride straight onto the field, they are generals who watch from the sky. They are mistresses of war and magic, and can be invoked for aid and to teach battle-galdr. They will only teach those who are sworn to Odin, unless he instructs them to teach someone else. One may also encounter human women who are claimed by Odin as his Valkyries and who occasionally visit Valhalla as well.

 There are other Valkyries that we know of , they are so called Halmthrimull, Herja, Hervor, Hildeberg, Hjorthrimul, Holukk, Hrund, Kara, Kreimhildr, Olrun, Ragridr, Rangnid, Reginleif, Sanngridr, Sigrdrifa, Sigrun, Skamold, Svava, Svanhvit, Sveid, Svipull, Tanngnidr, Thogn, and Thrima. Eir occasionally rides with the valkyries as well, though her function seems to be that of a battlefield healer, she may bring a merciful death to some of the fallen.

Valhalla is the home of Odin, however he isn't there all the time but visits it often. When he enters Valhalla, his spear, Gungnir, is hung over the outside doorway as a sign that he is within.

During the Yule, it is from Asgard that the Asgardsreia beings and people who visit Valhalla during this time might get the chance to see it or even participate in it. This festival is the wild hunt, various deities also participate in it, wights, some of the Einherjar, other spirits and so on.

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Asgard - Home Of The Aesir 2nd part

As the other day I have been writing about Asgard, here it is the second part of it. Let's start with the inhabitants of that realm.

In Asgard it is obvious that all that reside there aren't just the Aesir deities, of course there are others. As I have written in the other post about Asgard (Part 1) there are many halls, and most of the main ones have been listed in the lay of Grímnismál, apart from those main halls, there are others, smaller but with great importance as well. For example, there are deities who have their handmaidens who work along side the deity in his/her own hall, but even the handmaidens have their own hall scattered around the main hall, this often happens when the deities in question are healing deities. But this isn't a pattern, it so happens that smaller halls of specific handmaidens of a deity might not be near the main hall, in some cases they can be far off in a completely different rigion within the realm.

There are a few places of great importance, which I'm about to mention. Let us start with Bifrost, the very beginning of this "trip".

The only way into Asgard is Bifrost, unless of course the spirit-worker might come from Vanaheim to the West and land on Njörd's harbor. Bifrost as you might well guessed, is the famous rainbow bridge, which is well guarded, it isn't a permanent structure. After crossing the rainbow bridge the first thing that stands on the other side is Heimdall's great hall called Himinbjorg.

Heimdall is Odin's son, and there he stands at the end of the bridge to welcome people in or drive them away. Himinbjorg is a beautiful hall, painted in light blue, the same color of the summer unclouded sky which is natural to Asgard most of the year, and the roof is painted in white which actually is brighter when the sun shines upon it.

Beside the doorstep lies Gjallarhorn, the great horn of Heimdall. Its size is huge and it isn't there just to announce the comming of Ragnarök, it is there to announce the coming of a visitor also.

Asgard - Home Of The Aesir 1st Part

Asgard is possibly the most famous of all the nine realms of the Norse cosmology. It is to be expected, it is the place where the most famous deities live and it is also the place where Valhalla is, the great hall of the fallen warriors, which is the source of many epic sagas and wonderful tales.

Asgard is the most well guarded realm of all the nine, a realm on top of the great world tree Yggdrasil. Geographically speaking, it is the northernmost realm.
This realm wasn't at first what we know about it from the myths, shamanic/spiritual work nor from the written sources given to us. Asgard was only created or inhabited after the war of the Aesir against the Vanir. Prior to that, the Aesir lived in a place called Manheimur or Mannheim. No one knows were exactly that is, some say it is out of Asgard, others say it was a place inside Asgard, a tiny kingdom poorly fortified, or it might have been the name given to Midgard, not ours, but the very Midgard in existance in the spiritual world. This indicates that the Aesir once lived among the human folk. Suffice to say that the first dwellings of the Aesir is shrouded in mystery.

Mythology tells us of how Asgard was created, from the neckbones of Ymir the great Jotun. Odin, Vili and Vé created it in their great labors of worldmaking. It had a great wall around it, but it was demolished by the Vanir during the great war between the two races. However, it was repaired bu a frost Jotun called Hrimthurs with the aid of his magical horse Svaldilfari. The price for the work if it was done before summer's end, was the hand of the Vanir goddess Freyja. However, Odin sent Loki to disturb Hrimthurs' work and delay it, so he could never be paid. The giant discovered the scheme and burst in rage, the perfect excuse for Thor to kill him, and so he did. It isn't clear if the body of this giant was turned into stone or if a great stone was erected in homage to the giant and his great work, for the stone remains to this day outside the great white walls.

Asgard is much similar to Midgard, in terms of weather, seasons, the times of the day etc. but longer. During the summer the days are very long and bright, the realm of Asgard is filled with light. It has a warm weather, this might be because of the fact that Asgard is the favorite place of Sunna.
The winters there are still dark and chilly but with little snow, and long winter nights, too long.

Asgard is the smallest realm of all the nine, but even so, it is an immense land which seems endless, a vast continent, but comparing to the others, it is the smallest indeed. Asgard is filled with hills, valleys and a few flat plains as far as the eye can see. To the north of it, and immense mountain chain that goes all the way into the east closer to the end of this realm by the sea. To the west lies the coast which is the border between te ocean of Vanaheim. In this western coast there is great bay where Njörd's Halls and Ships lie. The greatThund Thvitr river which is large and deep, comes from the Northern mountains of Jotunheim to the east and serves as a border between Jotunheim and Asgard. The river flows to the south and meets with the borders of Alfheim and then it finds its way into the ocean.

The white walls of Asgard can be seen in the distance once already inland. It's main gate made of iron is called Valgrind. Asgard isn't a realm filled with cities, instead, there are many great Halls with their respective courts with houses, much like big villages. Valhalla, Valaskjalf and Fensalir follow the same pathern pattern. It is known to us that there are at least sixteen geat Halls belonging to major deities and a few minor ones scattered, which belong to other deities.

There is a great plain called Vigrid, it is the largest of all the plains of Asgard. No one lives there, and much like most parts of Asgard, because of the weathern being warm and long bright summer days, there aren't many plants and the lack of flowers because of the fast passing spring time doesn't give the natural beauty that the land deserved. It is said, that it is in this vast brown-dust plain, that Ragnarök will take place, this will be the battlefield.

Near Asgard there are two small realms called Andlang and Vidblain. Little is known about these places, but they are part of Asgard.
Asgard may not have many flowers or other plants and trees that might enhance the beauty of this realm, but in terms of fauna, it is filled with birds of all sorts that crowd the roofs of the trees.


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The truth about Valhalla

Valhalla is the most common name heard when talking about the Norse myths or paganism and ancient Norse/Germanic beliefs, but most people don't know what Valhalla is exactly. I have heard people saying things like "Midgard is not form me! Valhalla awaits me!" or "When i die i will go to Valhalla, that is the place for me!", so this post will be just to clear that up, what Valhalla is, behind the myth, its true purpose and meaning.
 
First lets talk about Valhalla from the myths and stories, because many people don't know about it and so like that they will never understand what it is and know the truth behind every metaphor.
 
Valhalla is the great Hall of the Dead, the hall that stands in Gladsheimr in Asgard, home of the Aesir tribe of Gods.When the bravest of the breave fall in battle, they are chosen by Odin, the king of Asgard, the Allfather, and the Valkyrjes come in the form of ravens and pick them up and take them to Valhalla, the Hall where the braves of the warriors will dwell for eternity. In these great halls, warriors will fight each other every day, improving their fighting skills, they will kill one another, get wounded and even die, but at the end of each day they will be resurrected and will feast in the great banquet of the hall and have sex with women in there the entire night. In the next morning the same thing will happen, an endless circle, fighting, dying, resurrection, feasting and have sex for eternity. Figthing every day to be ready for the coming of Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods, the great war between the Aesir and the Vanir tribes agaisnt the chaotic forces, where most gods will die including Odin, but a new dawn will rise for mankind, after everything burns and the sun and the moon are devoured, the world will be a cold place, filled with ice, frost and snow, all life gone, and the great war will torn the world asunder and everything will burst into fire and flame. After the great war is over and the very few survivors are left, the world will regenerate and life will come back, a new world will be made for mankind after the chaotic destruction that ended the lifes of almost every deity and mortals.
 
Now, i will not be talking about Ragnarök and its meaning, i will leave that for another post, i will just concentrate this post on Valhalla.
 
We have take into account that the people who believed in such tales were people that lived their lifes in battle, battle agaisnt their neighbours, battle agaisnt other countries, battle agaisnt the weather and the forces of nature in the cold harsh northern countries where winter is a deadly foe, to them life was that, a constant battle and honoring the glorious dead warriors of old, singing their tales and how courageous they had been. Living a life of battle, they would turn more to the warlike gods than to the gods of agriculture or other life affairs. The Aesir gods were such a tribe of gods, warlike. It isn't as if these people didn't pray to other gods, in fact all gods were importante, but the Norse and Germanic peoples gave so much impression to the other peoples of Europe, and by the Viking age the pillaging and ravaging throughout many European countries was so great, that many were those that have written about the Vikings and their warlike gods, and warriors were no farmers, or fisherman, or anything else, they were just warriors and they spent too much time at that, and Valhalla became a word very much mentioned in their daily lifes, being the best of the best, the bravest of them all, chosen by Odin himself, such honor, such glory.
The cold North was a difficult place to reach, was more dificult to reach its people without having your head cut off, the knowledge that was left behind for many centuries, was the knowledge earned by those who say closely the horrors of battle, and the invasions of this horde of men that seemed like to come from Hell itself, lets not forget that these were the times where Christianity was spreading throughout Europe and pagan people were seen as the bringers of evil, people who worshiped the devil, so this made them even more horrific creatures. Unfortunately these were the only facts in the History of Europe that marked the Norse/Germanic peoples for too long, but enough to inspire many writers and musicians, which rapidly in modern times reached the masses through the fast communication sistems of the media. Many were and still are, those who want to achieve such glory, to be known as the best, inspired by the Norse tales, and music became the best cultural strand to spread such things and inspire the younglings.
Fortunately our minds evolve, even if nowadays seems to be a very slow process, and Archaeology, Anthropology and History helped a lot in knowing who these people were, their gods, their daily lifes, their beliefs, as a matter of fact, in the late XX century already in the 90's few things were known about the Norse people and was still believed by many that the Norse afterlife was only Valhalla, a great hall filled with undead warriors. Nowadays we know that that isn't true, and Valhalla is just a tiny needle among numerous needles in a barn, compared to the complex Nordic mythology and the Nine realms.

What i have just written about is the scientific and historical explanation of this subject, now lets decode the metaphor and see Valhalla in spiritual perspective.
 
Fighting for eternity and dying, to be resurrected to do it over and over again, would soon became too painful, and lets go into a christian prespective, it would become an Hell rather than a Paradise. People would become dull, sad, ignorant, brutes and stupid, they would only know how to fight and make battle, and if you ever delve into the all Norse subjects, the myths, stories etc. you will see that the mind of the Norse people was actually very concerned with gaining knowledge, being wise, you just have to read The Hávamál if you don't want to go with all the trouble of Reading every story and myth, and you will see a thousand of good, wise and very intelligent advises to be taken in ones life to achieve a better life, to be humble, brave, intelligent, cunning, watchful, good, courteous, gracious, respectful, hardworking, honorable and so on. This is what Valhalla is, and not just Valhalla, but the other Halls of other deities and all the other places of the Nine realms in which one must go to achieve diferente kinds of knowledge about many subjects.
Valhalla in truth is a place where we and our soul/spiritual form, will continue to evolve, to improve, become better, a place where we can extend our knowledge into different areas and be more attentive, and less selfish, to become wise and have better opinions, to differentiate the good from wrong, put aside the preconceptions and evolve our spirit, our mind, our very essence.
Valhalla isn0t the first place to enter to earn these things, or to improve, the more ignorant one might be, the more wrong that has been done, the less the person is able to go into Valhalla or anyother place similar, the more far away one might get, and will be likely to go into other places, step by step until the person evolves, think of this as your own life, you don't start by going to college or straight to work, you will start earning knowledge by what your parents and other family members do, you will slowly build your personality, each book you read, each movie, is a step further to be wiser or not, it depends on your actions, your choices, what you do in life will be reflected in what places you will be visiting in the afterlife.

Now seeing Valhalla in a shamanic prespective, which is a subject that has attracted the attention of many and its study has evolved a lot and has helped to better understand the connections we have with each other and with the natural world and the deities, is also a good way to know what Valhalla really is, unfortunatelly those who practice Norse shamanism, Seiðr, or Shamans, rarely have seen how Valhalla really looks like, in Shaman journeys when coming to Asgard and actually reaching Gladsheimr, people only stick with the surroundings of Valhalla, but the few that have really seen it or had a Glimpse of how it looks like, Valhalla is actually a city, one of a kind that you haven't seen before, beautiful and well arranged, with a great Hall also called Valhalla, you really have the feeling that that is exactly the place to achieve greater knowledge, like an huge library filled with countless food for the brain.

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The Afterlife in the Northern-Tradition paganism

The Afterlife has always been a subject of many studies and doubts, mankind seeks to know and understand what's behind the veiled curtain between this world and the next, we have been seeking it since we exist. The ultimate fight against the greatest fear we have, the fear of death.
In this post i will talk about the Afterlife as it is seen in the Northern European Paganism, the vast realms, different from one to another and the purpose of each place.

All living creatures have a soul, it is real and it is as free as any of our dreams, the only thing which is indestructible. Free as we are, the Afterlife as a variety of possibilities and most of the time it's a matter of individual preference.
The most famous place in the Norse/Germanic Afterlife is Valhalla, in Gladsheimr in Asgard, the halls of Odin, were the bravest of all warriors go after death carried by the Valyries, where they spend eternity fighting and feasting, preparing for Ragnarök the last of all battles. Well, fighting everyday and feasting all night for eternity, would soon become a painful and cruel life rather than a pleasant one, because in truth, Valhalla is not only about the handling of weapons and warfare studies, it is a place of personal growth, the continuous evolution of our soul, of ourselves. Most of the time, the Afterlife is seen as a beautiful place where we can be in constant peace, walking in green gardens, doing nothing, well in the first years that would seem great, but we would soon be extremely bored, becoming ignorant for the lack of things to do and too lazy. So Valhalla is the place to continue our studies, evolving the mind, learn new things, the place to study and gain knowledge of all the things we did not have the time to learn while we were attached to our mortal bodies, a place to expand our wisdom, to become better and most people don't realize that, especially the younger ones who are just now discovering this pagan strand through music, for those people, it is all about feasting, drinking and fighting, that would turn us into hollow beings, ignorant and all that we learned or should have learned in this life to become better persons, would be in vain, and we would be worse then ever. See Valhalla as a great beautiful city where we can learn all that we wish if we are willing to work hard to gain knowledge and wisdom. But not all go to Valhalla, there is also a similar place, Fólkvangr the halls of the goddess Freyja and there are many other places and halls to where we can go after death, a person might be connected to a god or a goddess for some reason, they might be a priest or a priestess of a specific god, and they can go to the halls or realms of those gods, for exemple a Thorsman can go to Thruthheim, or if a person is more connected to the Vanir gods, they can go to Vanaheim, there is also the possibility that a family might be connected to some god, and all his family goes to the same place where that god or goddess lives, linking us to our ancestors, being part of a great family group that works with a specific god.
There is also that old story of Helheim, the ream of Hela/Hel the goddess of death, the place from where christians made their Hell, the place for punishment and torture for all those who have sinned, but in truth, Helheim isn't such a place like the Christian Hell, in fact it is a very a pleasant and cheerful realm, where the dead go too, a realm divided for the needs of each group of people or how they behaved while alive, for exemple, where Hela lives, that is the place for all of those who have suffered greatly, with diseases, whether physical or psychological, which changed their minds giving them paranoia, emotional breakups, depressions, nervous breakdowns well.. all the psychological problems which exhausts the brain and people live in constant fear and sadness, Helheim is the place to be healed, mentally healed. There is also the place of where murderers and oath breakers go, Nastrond, no matter how evil you might have been, there are places to learn how to become better, of course for these people, rehabilitation is not a pleasant job, evil people get what they deserve, but they will not be tortured for eternity, that would just made them even worse, they can become better. In the Norse/Germanic Afterlife, there is also lots of villages and towns and even cities where people live, i could say all over the nine realms, but some places aren't safe unless you have friends there or if you are used to go or somehow you might be protected by the connections you make in your journeys. There is also the possibility, that a person might choose to stay near  or with their families, in the vicinity of their graves and burial mounds and also in the house, watching over their decendents, helping and taking care of them, also if they had farms and the family keeps working the land, people can choose to stay there and help in every way they can, and the decendents after their death, can stay there also, near by doing the same kind of help their ancestors were doing. The soul or spirit is free, and most of the time is a matter of personal choise to where we can go after we die, death is seen as a natural part of life, a continuation of our being, constantly evolving and learning new things.

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Reading runes - The World Tree Method

The World Tree

The world-tree arrangement is another complex rune divination that comprises eleven randomly chosen runes. It is an elaboration on the square-of-nine method, with the addition of two extra runes to provide links between the three levels ( although the order of runes is different ).

This pathern makes up three levels: the lowest, called Utgard, refers to the past; the middle, called Midgard, refers to the day-to-day life; and the upper, called Asgard, relates to spiritual life and the future. This is a particularly useful type of reading for questions of a spiritual nature.
The arrangement looks like a central axis comprising five runes, with three runes on either side of it. The first position is at the base of the vertical axis.

For those of you who can't properly read the design in the image, these are the themes of each position:

Position 1 - Past events or the basis of a spiritual journey.
Position 2 - That which is unknown concerning the past.
Position 3 - That which is known concerning the past.
Postion 4 - The link to the present.

Position 5 - Present circumstances.
Position 6 - Unconscious decisions.
Position 7 - Conscious decisions.
Position 8 - The link to the future.

Position 9 - The future and spiritual evolution.
Position 10 - The unknown.
Position 11 - Expectations.

Asgard - Home of the Aesir ( 5th Part )

Asgard 5th part

4th part of "Places in Asgard"

Breidablik

Breidablik ("Broadview") was the hall of Baldur and Nanna, given to them as a wedding gift. After Baldur's death and Nanna's suicide, Frigga sealed its doorways. No unclean thing is permitted to come near it; it exists in a magical state of non-rot in memoriam of her beloved son. While you can gaze on it from a distance, you will not be allowed in. Delling, a Red Alf from eastern Alfheim, guards its doors and turns away all comers.

Landvidi ("Whiteland", also known as "Broadland")

Landvidi is Vidar's hall, where he lives with his giantess mother Grid. (One of the few Jotun who have fully allied with the Aesir and who are allowed to live in Asgard, Grid is one of Odin's sometime lovers, and is also something of a mentor to Thor, whom she considers a beloved stepson. She gave him the magical iron gloves and the belt of strength that he wears, and has lent him her magical iron rod, Gridarvol, on occasion.) Landvidi actually refers to the whole area, which contains greenwoods and many fields with long grasses.

Vidar, the lord of Landvidi, is a grim-faced, dark-haired Aesir who tends to dress in dark red. People come to him in order to ask about vengeance; you can generally tell those visitors by their grim, set faces. Otherwise, most folk leave him be. He is unmarried, and his mother is the Lady of his hall. Grid is large, maternal, and likes to mentor young men; she will freely give advice on any topic from battle to love. If you visit without an agenda directly involving Vidar's aid, go to Grid first and talk to her; she will be much more hospitable.

Glitnir

Glitnir is Forseti's Hall of Justice, shingled in silver, with gold porch-pillars. The axe-bearing son of Baldur and Nanna, Forseti represents justice, good laws, arbitration, and good judgment. Conflicts are brought to his hall to be worked out. Forseti is a top-notch mediator. While he wears his axe on his back as a reminder that Justice has teeth, he is dedicated to finding peaceful ways to work things out that do not require bloodshed. If you have a grievance with a deity that you want publicly heard, it is possible to go to Forseti and ask his aid. Be warned that if he feels it is a lost cause - fair or not - he will tell you. If he feels that your cause is good, he will arrange a mediated session in the Hall of Justice, if the other deity is willing. Be aware that you may have to answer many questions from other deities, and not necessarily ones you expect. Do not lie - no one can lie undetected in Glitnir - and do not refuse to answer anything.

Brimir

Brimir Hall is as yet untenanted. It is on Okolnir Island, which is in the center of the lake in the Fields of Gimle. It seems to be held as an emergency hall in case Ragnarok comes, as the prophecy claims that should the worst happen, Gimle will survive. Ironically, it is owned by the giant Brimir, who won the island in a game of chance with Odin, He built the hall, and periodically shows up to make improvements and alterations. Do not attempt to enter, as the place is magically warded.

Gimle Hall

Situated close to Brimir Hall in the Fields of Gimle, this is another emergency post-Ragnarok hall, with a roof of gold. It is currently untenanted. Don't bother it, or consider squatting there; you will be noticed and removed.

Iduna's Cottage

This hall is not listed in the lore, but I found it while wandering in Asgard. Iduna lives in a thatched cottage in the middle of a beautiful orchard, notable because the trees are all in different phases - some blooming, some budding, some growing fruit. A lovely garden surrounds the cottage, and the whole place is surprisingly peasant-like. Iduna herself is likely to be found working on the grounds, in the garden or the orchard. She is a tall, plain woman with hands that look like they do manual labor. Her husband, Bragi, tends to appear as a short middle-aged man; he is the Skald of Asgard and a beautiful singer, great storyteller, and excellent poet. However, he is usually away at Gladsheim, and is rarely at home.

Iduna prefers to stay in her cottage and orchard; perhaps a history of being abducted has something to do with that. She grows the magic apples that keep the Aesir young and healthy. Do not attempt to beg, buy, steal, or otherwise obtain any of these apples, because she won't let you have any no matter how much she likes you, being under strict orders from Odin not to share them (and they are few and precious anyway, barely enough for the Aesir) and if you steal them off the trees, you'll find that they are just ordinary apples that don't do anything except taste excellent. There's more to their magic than just their growth; they must be given over with Iduna's magic in order for them to work. That's why outsiders kept attempting to kidnap Iduna herself. Otherwise, if you want to sit with her and talk about gardening, she's glad to have visitors.

Rathsey's Sound

Also known as the Isle of Counsel, Rathsey's Sound is a small island lying where the Thund Thvitr meets the ocean. Here lives the once-mortal hero Hildolf, who for some reason (probably a bargain with Odin) has his own small hall rather than living with the rest of the Einherjar. He is much loved by Odin's legions, who come to him for wisdom when they are in a bad way. He has appeared as a middle-aged, grey-bearded man with keen eyes, wearing a wolf's pelt on his shoulders. He will take in and counsel any mortal, although he is wholly on the side of Odin and the Aesir, and his counsel will reflect that. He is especially good at talking to wounded warriors whom stress has mentally wrecked, giving them counsel that does not make them feel like weaklings. A good offering for him would be good drink that he can give to other "clients" when they show up.

Urdabrunnr and the Hall of Fate

At the furthest point of Asgard, beyond the forests of Ydalir and the small mountain range, the uppermost root of the World Tree protrudes through the ground. It is far more than an invader, it is the anchor on which the entire world of Asgard is seated. Like a curved, knobbly mountain of wood, it bears enough sprouts and suckers to create a large grove. Steps are carved into its living bark, so that sacred rites can be performed on top of it. If you climb these stairs, you had better be ready to perform one, with no dawdling.

Sheltered in the curve of the great root is Urdabrunnr, the Well of Wyrd. This is a large stone-rimmed spring from which water continually bubbles, feeding the root of the tree. The ground around it is muddy and wet; watch your footing. It is not known if a mortal could survive falling into the Well of Wyrd accidentally. To look into it will show you many things, most of them difficult to understand and easy to misinterpret. Don't drink the water without the permission of the Keepers of that Well, the three Norns.

The Norns are the Fates of the Northern Tradition. They are named Urd (That-Which-Is), Verdandi (That-Which-Is-Becoming), and Skuld (That-Which-Should-Be), and they are mentioned as "the mighty maids from Thursenheim", or Niflheim, home of the frost-thurses. Urd spins the threads of each person's destiny, Verdandi weaves them, and Skuld cuts them short. Sometimes they appear to look identical; sometimes they appear with different ages. Unlike the Moerae, the Greek fates, Urd is the eldest and Skuld sometimes appears as a black-armored maiden who sometimes rides along with the Valkyries. Generally they do not appear as beautiful, however; most spirit-workers report them as plain, almost dowdy thurse-women, focused on their work.

The Norns may or may not appear when you approach the Well; whether they do or not can give you a pretty good idea of whether or not the knowledge of your Wyrd, or that of someone else, is your business to pursue. If they do not appear, even when propitiated - and the Norns are historically difficult to propitiate - and if the Well shows you nothing that is clear and simple, it's best to go and propitiate them further from home. If they do appear, remember that to Them, They are very busy and you are not very important. Indeed, even the Gods are not terribly important in their scheme of things. The Norns owe allegiance to no one, and not even Odin and Hela - arguably the most powerful Gods in the Nine Worlds - can force their hands. Ask clear, concise, and well-thought-through questions; take what answers they give without arguing, and then go home and meditate on them.

In terms of propitiation, the Norns have no use for things. What they want is work. The best sort of straight-out propitiation for them seems to be doing household cleaning. Before you work, offer all the energy of this cleaning to them. As you work, you may feel as if you are also cleaning some other place as well, a place that you can't see; as if your work is being done in two worlds at once. This can be assumed to mean that they are accepting your gift. Another sort of work-offering is needlework of any kind, especially spinning, weaving, or embroidery. However, as this is contributing to the energy of the tapestry, you will have to get their permission before offering them this gift. Do not think that by giving them the energy of each stitch, you are actually changing the tapestry of Wyrd. They wouldn't allow that; you are simply lending them power to tend it themselves. If for some reason you need an immediate offering, blood is a good one. Cut yourself and allow it to flow right into the well.

Beyond the root of the Tree is a small cottage which, ironically, is referred to as the Hall of Fate. Only those who are the direct servants of the Norns are allowed to enter it and see it, so don't try to go in. You wouldn't get past the doorway anyway without getting mysteriously turned around and finding yourself back again at the edge of the pool.

Supported By RavenKaldera

Asgard - Home of the Aesir ( 4th Part )

Asgard 4th part

3rd part of "Places in Asgard"

Vingolf

The beautiful hall of Vingolf was originally commissioned by Odin for overflow of the growing Einherjar of Valhalla, but since Valhalla itself is not yet full, Vingolf was claimed by the Aesir goddesses as a kind of female haven. Although men are not specifically disallowed from Vingolf, they are subtly discouraged from going there. This is a feminine sanctuary, with halls full of female crafters, beautiful gardens, and a kitchen with excellent food. Vingolf's main charm is that it is built around hot springs, with a sacred healing spa in the center. Men are explicitly forbidden from entering the spa. The walls are rose-colored, and roses climb the walls, drenching the place in their scent.
If you are female and wish to visit Vingolf, it's best to get permission from at least one goddess - any female deity who dwells in Asgard probably spends at least some time there, even the warriorlike ones. Bring some small lovely gift that they can use to beautify the place; homemade soaps or cosmetics are especially valued.

Bilskirnir

The largest single-owner hall in the Nine Worlds is Thor's place, Bilskirnir. The biggest building ever built, it is practically a small city, with six hundred and forty rooms, swarming with the overflow of Valhalla, specifically those who died while sworn to Thor. The walls are made of sun-dried brick and stone, and the rooms are all high-ceilinged and airy. It's par for the course to leave the windows open even when raining; since there is little natural rain, most rainfall is likely Thor's doing and therefore one does him honor to get wet even in his hall.
Thor himself has been the most popular Norse god for centuries; so much so, in fact, that his hammer is currently the generic symbol for most Norse-religionists. As the thunder-god, hurling his lightning-hammer in one of his famous rages, he is the champion of Asgard, and the one who gets sent out to deal with troublesome invaders. He is the god of the common folk, the ordinary farmers, which is why his chariot is pulled by two goats. Thor is tall and broad and has immense strength - showing the blood of his giantess mother Jord - and is red-haired, and red-bearded. He is impulsive and honest, quick to anger and quick to party, over-hasty in judgment and prone to drinking and carousing, but completely reliable when others are depending on him. Though he is teased for being simple - sort of the uberjock - Thor is very concerned with honesty and honor, and keeping one's promises. He has no patience with prevarication and hypocrisy, or fancy word-games that come perilously close to being either of those. To Thor, whatever you do, you do it with your whole heart. You defend what's valuable to you, you keep your commitments, you are a loyal friend and tribesman, you don't need to lie about anything. Thor can also be surprisingly sensible; one of his by-names is "deep-minded".
Thor is commonly known to be a "size-shifter", which is another trait that he inherited from his earth-giant mother. He can shift from ordinary human size to as immensely huge as any giant, which is why he gets trotted out to fight them so often in Asgard's defense. However, one of the side effects of this talent (for him; not all size-shifters have this issue) is that even when he is only six feet tall, he weighs as much as he would if he was twenty feet tall. Because of this, he is apparently banned from crossing Bifrost, and must leave Asgard by the long way around, crossing the Thund Thvitr river in a (one would assume very sturdy) boat, or even swimming or wading across. His hammer is called Mjollnir, and it strikes with the thunderbolt. Jokes about its overly-short handle abound in the Nine Worlds. His belt of strength is called Mengingjardar, and aids his size-shifting skill.
Thor is an eminently approachable guy. Unlike one of the complaints about Odin - that he sometimes treats those who deal with him in an impersonal, how-can-I-use-this-person-effectively way, Thor treats everyone that he takes an interest in with personal attention. He has baffled some folks by simply showing up to chat and schmooze, but that's the way he is. He's pretty good at smelling ulterior motives and dishonesty, so if you approach him, do it on his terms - be straightforward and hail-fellow-well-met, talk to him and party with him, and strive to be honest and open in his presence.
On certain rare occasions while visiting Bilskirnir, you might run into Meile (whose name means "Mile-Stepper"), the younger brother of Thor by many years. He is usually wandering the Nine Worlds - often in disguise, as he has no wish to be famous or do great deeds - but when he decides to come home, he stays at his elder brother Thor's hall. It might be wondered whether Meile's aversion to being known comes out of his relationship with Thor - after all, who could compete with that kind of fame? - or whether he is just an intensely private person. He will talk to those who run across him, and be reasonably friendly, but it's best to pretend that you don't know who he is (assuming you figure it out), and he may give you a cryptic name if you ask.
Thor's wife Sif is tall, blond, and classically beautiful, with the same sort of queenly grace and dignity as Frigga, except with a younger and more girlish cast to it. There is something of the upper-class golden athletic type to her. She is very much a goddess of the high summer. According to the now-infamous story, Loki shaved off Sif's beautiful long golden hair as a prank. When her husband threatened to kill him, he commissioned a wig of hair made from strands of real gold. While Sif's own hair has long since grown back, she still wears the glittering gold wig on ceremonial occasions.
Sif is generally friendly to visitors as long as they are the sort her husband would approve of. She is fairly good with a sword herself, although she does not fight in battles but instead trains young warriors at home. She has been invoked as a goddess of skill in battle, and also as a powerful seeress and sibyl. Another function of her is that of fertility, and sanctifying spaces. Sif is called upon whenever a new building is built for the Aesir, to walk through its rooms with light and flame and hallow it for new living. She is a gracious hostess and will be attentive to the traveler, but she has a great deal of work to do being Lady of Thor's Hall, so be considerate and try not to monopolize her time too much.
Sif's first husband was Aurvandil (Orvandil), for whom she bore Ullr. It is not known why she and Aurvandil broke up, except that his next wife was Groa, a giantess-sorcerer. Thor didn't seem to mind that Sif had been married before; he is still devotedly in love with his golden-haired wife, and it is most unwise to flirt with her in his presence. It's not that she would ever be unfaithful to him - Thor and Sif are extremely monogamous - but the implication that she might even be interested would be insulting to both of them, and Thor tends to return insults with deadly force. Sif bore Thor the two boys Magni and Modi, both of whom are enormous guys and don't know their own strength, much like their dad.
Two other denizens of Bilskirnir are Roskva and Thjalfi. They are either the half-human children of Egil Skytten, a Midgard human who had an affair with Groa, the giantess wife of Aurvandil, or the youngest children of Groa and Aurvandil themselves, depending on who you ask. Groa and Aurvandil were friends of Thor, and after raising the children to their teen years they sent them to be fostered at Bilskirnir. Thjalfi became Thor's page, accompanying him on many journeys. He is the official Bilskirnir courier and messenger, being very quick on his feet; he is an excellent guide for humans wandering about Asgard and especially the confusing maze that is Bilskirnir. Roskva is also an excellent guide, and as she keeps her ears open, she is a good source of gossip and information as well.
Somewhat behind Thor's hall is a smaller hall that belongs to his daughter Thrud, the sister of Magni and Modi (who apparently prefer to hang out bachelor-style in their father's enormous place). Thrud is red-haired like her father and nearly as strong as her brothers, and people have generally described her as a tall, large-boned woman in battle gear. It's said that she sometimes rides with the Valkyries for fun. She is a warrior woman, and not to be trifled with; she has killed several men who made inappropriate passes at her. The land around Bilskirnir is named Thrudheim, so called because of Thor's doting pride in his daughter.
The best offering to bring to Bilskirnir is food. Thor's house, like Valhalla, is always struggling to feed everyone, and he doesn't have Odin's budget. Any plain, wholesome food or drink will be welcomed, and will usually come with an obligatory invitation to dinner. Thor particularly appreciates a good dark beer or ale and either makes an excellent offering.

Folkvang and Sessrumnir

Freya, the goddess of love, sex, fertility, springtime, warcraft, and magic, is the most honored of all the Vanir hostages who live in Asgard. The eldest child of Nerthus and Njord, she was already an accomplished sorceress - and a great beauty - when she came to Asgard, and she was the one that Odin was most eager to have. This was not necessarily for any prurient interests - although it is well-known that she has had the occasional affair with the All-Father - but because she was the mistress of seidhr, one of the northern-tradition magical arts. The bulk of information about Freya, in general, can be found in the Vanaheim chapter.
However, meeting her in Asgard is somewhat different from meeting her in Vanaheim, because her duties are different in each place. Aside from the beautiful gardens and rich earth of Folkvang and Sessrumnir, she does little of her fertility magic in Asgard. She is still Mistress of Love, and Mistress of Seidhr, but the aspect of her that you will not see in Vanaheim is that of warrior-goddess and collector of the Dead. In her Asgard hall Sessrumnir, she can be seen occasionally in full armor, shining and white, over simple white clothing, going in or coming out to and from battle. Sometimes she can also be seen conferencing with the Valkyries of Valhalla, whom she accompanies onto battlefields. She automatically takes all spiritually-appropriate (meaning not sworn to some other deity such as Odin, Thor, Christ, or looked after by someone else) female warriors, and warriors who are queer or transgendered, who fall in battle. She also takes other folk who worship her and come into her notice, unless they need to pass on to Helheim for some reason.
As Freya conducts her warrior duties out of her Asgard hall rather than her Vanaheim home, it is here that she keeps her armor, weapons, and war animals. These include a great bristled sow named Hildisvin ("Battle-Pig") who can run at great speeds and is sometimes ridden to war (apparently more for her effect on the enemy than anything else, for a boar can't be a comfortable ride). Hildisvin was sired by Gullinbursti, her brother's great Vanir boar.
The great hall is named Folkvang ("Field of the Folk"), and this refers to the land around it as well. However, Freya has manipulated the earth around Folkvang so that it is always springtime there, something that she would not be able to do in Vanaheim. The gardens surrounding the great hall, and the smaller but still graceful hall Sessrumnir beyond, are always in bloom with spring flowers. Blooming trees, a gift from Iduna, float like a cloud of color up and down the broad paths between buildings. Two trees that seemto be her favorites, and are found in many places, are linden and medlar. Green banks are studded with tiny strawberries. Fountains leap, filled with bright fish, and generally the place looks as if Freya has the best landscaper in Asgard, which she does - Herself. Just walking around the place is enough to raise anyone's spirits.
You'll find people strolling there as well, and it may take a while for you to figure out that nearly all of them are dead. Unlike Valhalla, where the warriors spend a good deal of their time practice-fighting, in Folkvang people are expected to behave themselves and partake of the gentler arts. If they want to engage in fighting practice, well, Valhalla's over there in that direction, and no better place for it. The Dead of Folkvang spend their time playing music, telling tales, making love, wandering in the gardens, and - in the case of Freya's priest/esses - giving advice to mortal seidhworkers. There are also lots and lots of cats, everywhere, of every conceiveable color. They are pampered and allowed to do as they like; never mistreat a cat in Freya's lands, and speak to them as courteously as you would a person. You might see a couple of really large cats, golden-colored and the size of small panthers; these are said to be Beegold and Treegold (named for honey and amber), who draw her chariot. They do not attack guests, but don't take liberties with them.
Inside, Folkvang is graceful, comfortable, and generally looks as if Freya also had the best interior decorator in Asgard. (See above.) Unlike other halls, which tend to have large feast-hall-type spaces, Folkvang is divided in many smaller areas surrounding beautifully carved hearths, which encourage people to gather in groups, converse, and entertain each other. Bedrooms are generally off of these areas, for folk to dally in.
Just beyond Folkvang is Sessrumnir, Freya's own hall. It is smaller, as it only needs to house Herself, her maidens, and a few dozen guests of her own choosing. If one were to compare architectural styles, Sessrumnir would far more resemble a Vanaheim hall than anything else. There are several rooms dedicated entirely to the workings of seidhr, including a high seat that is reputed to be the spookiest-feeling high seat in existence, practically a door in and of itself.
It is generally easy to get fed and entertained in Folkvang, and as long as one is courteous, well-behaved, and contributes to the hospitality, it is possible to linger for some time without trouble. The offerings listed in the Vanaheim chapter for Freya work well here, with the possible addition of fine armor and weapons for her folk.

Noatun

This is Njord's hall in Asgard, located outside the walls and directly on the coast, in a small bay. It is easy to find - a great, arched white structure with curves vaguely resembling a ship, with dozens of actual ships anchored in the bay below like a flight of white-billowed birds. It is full of open windows high up near the great arched ceilings - more like the halls of Vanaheim than the A-frame or square-roofed halls of Asgard - so that the sea breezes constantly blow through. Old fishing nets are hung like curtains and tapestries, swaying in the salt winds. Seabirds cluster in droves on the roof and fly through the open upper areas of the hall, but somehow never leave droppings inside.
All the furniture in Noatun is carved from the wood of old ships, sunken or decommissioned. You can see the projecting bows of ships in every hearth, and the sideboards in every table; keels and wheels and masts make up every part of anything one sits or lies on. The folk about the place are generally going about some aspect of shipmaking, or net-mending, or other such business; behind the great hall are extensive woodcarving and shipbuilding works.
There is a lovely walled garden in a courtyard just off of the main building of Noatun. It is filled with lush plants, many not native to Asgard. This garden is said to have been the favorite place of Sigyn while she was growing up, according to those who place Sigyn as Njord's foster-child. Bringing a potted exotic plant is one possible offering. Njord's favorite herb is rosemary, and the hills around Noatun bloom with many varieties.
Njord himself is generally only home in the evening. He spends the days out on one of his boats and comes back around sunset to feast and go over the day's labor with his crowd of servants, which are mostly Vanir folk but include some humans and the occasional rare ship-mad Alfar. Information about Njord himself can be found in the Vanaheim chapter; basically, what goes on in his one hall goes on in his other hall. Noatun is very much like a small slice of Vanaheim seated on the border of Asgard, and one ought to act appropriate. If you stay for dinner, expect to be served fish and seafood.

Sokkvabek

Saga, the goddess of learning and lore, lives in a seaside hall called "Sunk-Bench", referring to the fact that the front porch goes right down into the sea. You can literally sit on the benches in front of this many-windowed hall and dabble your toes in the saltmarsh-stream and drink, which is one of Saga's favorite things. Sokkvabek almost always has an informal drinking party happening on its porch, with a great deal of storytelling. Saga collects songs, poetry, and anything that can be committed to memory. She is on good terms with the Norns, although she is more concerned with the past than the present or future. Her hall is sometimes referred to as being made of glass or crystal, but that is largely due to it being windowed entirely around, like a greenhouse.
The stream that flows by her hall is filled with stories and memories; drinking from it (with her permission) will give one better recall and memory, but might also fill your mind with odd snippets and bits of stories, which can be maddening. For an offering, bring her books, or more ale for her regular salons.

Skadi's Hall: Thrymheim II

As far as we can tell, the giant Thjatsi married an Aesir woman and inherited her property and hall in Asgard when she died. When he was slain by the Aesir's flaming wall while attempting to invade Asgard, his daughter Skadi came all the way from Jotunheim to demand her inheritance, and an Aesir husband to make her "legitimate" and accepted in Asgard. While her arranged marriage to the Vanir god Njord didn't work out, she still owns and lives in her late father and stepmother's hall. During the Asgard summer, she goes back home to the northern mountains of Jotunheim for the snow-hunting there. She is a winter goddess, clearly showing her father's frost-thurse background, and those who work with her report her as having dark hair and eyes, very white skin, and a temperament that slides between icy cold and fierce rage.
Skadi has little patience for weaklings, and does not suffer fools at all. If she respects you, and you can keep up with her, she can be a good companion. Her hall in Asgard she named Thrymheim, in honor of the frost-giant Thrym who is the titular king of Jotunheim; his hall in Jotunheim is also called by this name. It is her way of telling the world that she still owes as much loyalty to her Jotun heritage as to the Aesir with whom she currently makes her way. This makes for a certain amount of confusion; if you are in Asgard and someone mentions Thrymheim, they likely mean Skadi's Asgard hall. If you are anywhere else in the Nine Worlds and it is mentioned, they likely mean the Thrymheim in the northern mountains of Jotunheim.
Skadi's Thrymheim is found in the Hartshorns, the sole narrow, cold mountain chain of Asgard. It is a snowy place, but with weather much kinder than that of her home in Jotunheim. She finds it quite balmy, and can often be found hunting there.

Ydalir

Ydalir, which literally means "yew-dales", is just that ... a great, high, heavily-timbered hunting lodge in a thick grove of yew-trees. It is the home of Ullr, the hunter-god. He is the son of Sif (currently Thor's loyal wife) by her first marriage with the star-hero Aurvandil. Ullr is lean, dark, and very silent, with a hunter's gaze and patience. Due to some unknown political or spiritual reason, when Odin leaves home for short periods in the winter, it is Ullr that he puts in charge of Asgard temporarily, perhaps because of his utter neutrality.
Ydalir is sited so that one can easily see the Aurora Borealis, which is dear to Ullr. He is reasonably welcoming to guests who are interested in hunting with him, and his table serves mostly game.