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 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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Asgard - Home of the Aesir ( 3rd Part )

Asgard 3rd part

2nd part of "Places in Asgard"

Valhalla

Valhalla is the most famous hall in Northern history. It is the home of the Einherjar, Odin's chosen who fall in battle. Its timbers are giant spear-shafts, and it is roofed with a dazzling array of many-colored battle shields. The carved figure of a wolf guards the western door, and the figure of an eagle the eastern one. Inside, it has five hundred and forty doors, and behind each door are rooms for eight hundred warriors. While Valhalla is by no means full, it does have enough people for a small city, populated entirely with the Dead.

The Einherjar spend their time feasting, fighting with each other for practice (being dead, if they fall, they are immediately revived to do it again), drinking, and being generally entertained. They are rowdy, boisterous, and often drunk. If you like the idea of hanging out with hundreds of drunken jocks whose idea of a good time is spitting each other on spears for fun, go ahead; they will welcome any visitor, especially if he has a story to tell. However, be careful to stay sober and not insult any of them, and don't enter fighting contests. Not only are they likely better than you, having little to do but practice fighting, you are a mortal and can be killed while they are already dead.

On the roof of Valhalla, you will see an enormous goat and an even bigger stag, wandering around grazing on the thatched roof as if it is a field. The she-goat's name is Heidrun, and she is milked twice daily. Her udders are enchanted to produce wine from one teat and beer from the other, as a way to get more liquor into the endless gullets of the Einherjar. The stag on the roof is named Eikthrynir (Oak Thorn), and with its goatish companion, it continually nibbles on the exposed bark of the enormous tree that grows up beside the roof. The tree is named Laerad, and it is a sucker-sapling of the World Tree.

The main route into the hall is through the great double doors, but they are of course heavily guarded. A back way into Valhalla is through the kitchen, where the cook Andhrimmer works. If you ask to help, he may give you a task in the scullery, and after a hard day's work you may be allowed to serve in the hall upstairs. Andhrimmer has a giant magical kettle, Eldhrimmer, in which he cooks the stew for the million starving warriors upstairs. One enormous resurrecting boar, Saehrimmer, is slaughtered every night for the feast and revived again the next morning with no memory of what happened.

The employees of Valhalla are Odin's Valkyries. All are tall, strong, fierce women who are sometimes referred to as "shield-maidens" or "corpse-goddesses". They can change into various birds such as ravens and swans, and are usually dressed in armor when on duty. Their first duty is to pick up anyone fallen in battle that Odin feels is appropriate, meaning that they are worthy of being in his troops, and they are his rightful territory. They are also tough enough to keep all those dead sword-jocks in line, and make sure that the fighting does not stray over outside of Valhalla's borders.

Be extremely respectful to any Valkyries you may encounter. Despite the fact that they may not be armed for war while in Odin’s hall - though they may, enjoying battle practice as much as the men- they are warriors and living extensions of Odin’s will. Insult them, particularly by denigrating their battle skills on the basis of gender, and it may well be the last insult you ever offer anyone. They are valued far more by Odin than most of his mortal warriors, and it is unlikely that the average mortal will be met warmly by them at first.

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 get taken on 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 magic, and can be invoked for aid and to teach battle-galdr. They will only teach those who are sworn to Odin, however (unless he instructs them to teach someone else), so don't bother them unless you are willing to make that commitment. One may also encounter human women who are claimed by Odin as his Valkyries and who occasionally visit Valhalla as well.

Second in command of decision-making are Gunnr and Rota, Valkyries who ride out on the battlefield and do the work of their commanders. They are sometimes accompanied by Skuld, the third Norn. Skuld's task seems to be one of both witnessing and veto power; the implication is that she represents and protects the interests of Fate, and will step in if she disagrees with the decisions of the Valkyries. (Other random valkyries that we know of are 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.

Odin himself often visits Valhalla, dressed in full battle panoply and with his terrifying Grimnir aspect very close to the surface. It goes without saying that the Einherjar are all fanatically loyal to him and cheer his entry, and compete to serve him. Odin's magical spear is called Gungnir, and when he throws it over the heads of an army, it means that they are going to lose the battle. When he enters Valhalla, Gungnir is hung over the outside doorway, as a sign that he is within.

If you manage to be in Asgard for Yule, you might get a chance to see, or even participate in, the Asgardsreia. This is a Wild Hunt with Odin at the helm, followed by various mounted gods, wights, and some of the dead of Valhalla, hooting and screaming across the sky. The Asgardsreia flies over various worlds, but generally ends up tearing across Midgard and spooking the hapless inhabitants there. The Hunt may stop at various villages and demand food and drink, which will be provided by the terrified villagers. However, there is a purpose to this wild ride beyond just a mere frat-house-style prank. Many of the folk of Midgard have honored dead in Valhalla, and they consider it a blessing to see their dead husbands, sons, and ancestors riding with the Asgardsreia. Most will turn out in spite of their fright in order to catch a possible glimpse of their dead, and give them food and drink as offerings.

The hunt may also ride to claim unwary mortals whom they encounter in their wild ride, and to wreak vengeance on those who have wrought great offense to the All-Father. Occasionally they will ride to gather the soul of a great warrior who did not die in battle, or one whom Woden wishes to bring to Valhalla to join His troops. This however, is rare.

Gladsheim and Valaskjalf

Located on the plain of Idavoll (''Field of Tides") in the center of Asgard stands Gladsheim ("Hall of Joy"), the inner sanctuary of Asgard. Its roof is thatched with gold, and at the end of the hall is a great tower covered in silver called Valaskjalf. Idavoll is a rolling plain usually covered in silvery grasses; the winds blowing across it do make it resemble the ocean, and thus its fanciful name. Valhalla is close by, visible easily from Gladsheim's doorway.

The enormous golden roof is actually made of some sort of grass-thatch that glitters magically like metallic gold. There is a herd of goats on its roof, of which the most famous is Heidrun, the white alpha-nanny. They are milked daily to feed the Gods. Among them is a reindeer named Eikthrynir, who also gives forth milk. They browse from a giant tree, Laerad, that grows next to Gladsheim and hangs over its roof. Inside, feast tables are often spread, or else chairs are set up for meetings. This is divine territory, the ceremonial feast-hall of all the Aesir. At any given supper, several of them will be present, though almost never all of them; they are busy people. Odin often sees visitors here; in fact, if you have an appointment with him, this is the place to report, unless directed otherwise. His enormous and elaborately-carved throne rises at one end of the room, although unless it is during a feast or a formal occasion, he is more likely to be hanging out by the fire, chatting with friends.

There are other thrones up and down the room, between more normal chairs; each belongs to one of the Gods who has a voice on the Council of Asgard - Frigga, Thor, Sif, Tyr, Njord, Frey, Freya, Skadi, Bragi, Iduna, Heimdall, and Ullr. Other Gods may have influence, but their words generally have to go through one of these deities in order to be heard in council. It is not difficult to figure out whose throne is whose when they are empty - Freya's is wreathed in flowers even in the winter; Skadi's bears a white wolfskin, and so on.

The mascot of Gladsheim is an enormous horse named Falhofnir (Shaggy Forelock) who is ridden by Odin in ceremonial parades. Gullinkambi, one of the giant cockerels of the Nine Worlds whose job is to be a warning-siren for Ragnarok, likes to hang out on its roof.

Odin's two pet wolves, Geri and Freki, lay at the foot of his throne and are thrown meat at dinner. There is some question as to whether they are actual wolves, magical wolf-spirits, or werewolf Jotnar who never taken human form, at least not where they can be seen. Odin's two pet ravens, Huginn and Muninn, whose names mean Thought and Memory, can also sometimes be seen perching on his throne, when they are not off flying about to spy on the Nine Worlds for him. It is believed by some Woden’s-folk that Huginn and Muninn are a mated pair, male and female respectively.

If you are invited to dinner at Gladsheim, be on your best behavior. Don't get drunk. Offer to serve food and drink - the social customs here consider it an honor to serve your betters, so it's not about reducing you to an insignificant waiter. Being allowed to pour a God a cup of drink and bring it to them is an honor; don't forget that. If you can bring some kind of food offering as a gift, even better. The Gods sometimes debate things over dinner; if they ask you to testify, do so as honestly and objectively as possible. If they seem to want you to take sides, either side with your patron deity, if you have one - which they will all find appropriate - or if you don't have one or they are not present (or don't live in Asgard) try to stay neutral. Don't argue, don't get angry no matter what is said, don't get involved in political scheming, and generally remain gracious and unflappable.

Valaskjalf, although it is attached to Gladsheim like the turret on a castle, is technically considered a separate hall. This is because although Gladsheim is used by all the Aesir, Valaskjalf is Odin's alone. Geri and Freki's main job is to guard the tower door; they seem to have an instinct for when someone is approaching who wishes to enter it, and they will be up in a flash and growling at its gates. Do not try to pass them; they are authorized by Odin to use deadly force on anyone attempting to enter without permission. If you want to be using the Lord of Asgard's personal watchtower, you had best take that up with him directly. (And the answer will generally be no.)

Valaskjalf is dizzyingly tall, made of silvery-white stone, and thatched with silver. In the top of the tower is Hlidskjalf, Odin's great throne of watching. From this vantage point, he can look out a magically enchanted window/mirror and see much (but certainly not all) of the Nine Worlds. Some places, such as parts of Jotunheim, Muspellheim, and Niflheim, the underground areas of Nidavellir, and the entirety of Helheim behind the wall (Hela likes her privacy and can enforce it) are hidden from him. Still, if he cares to look, he can see much of what is happening in other places. His ravens, Huginn and Muninn, fly out from the tower frequently in order to bear messages and gather information.

Fensalir

Frigga's hall Fensalir is whitewashed with a golden roof, echoing the birch trees that surround it. Birch is Frigga's special tree, and the white trunks and yellow leaves in the fall match the graceful hall and its fine statuary. The lawns are dotted with golden chamomile, the plant called "Baldur's Brow" in honor of her dead son. Behind Fensalir stretch the great fens that give the place its name, filled with the haunting calls of herons and the croaking of frogs.

The hall itself is large, with many smaller houses satelliting around it, which you pass on the way down the road to the great white door itself. Inside, however, it seems homely and bright, smelling of good food and drying herbs, every hearth a busy center of cooking, brewing, and making medicines. While most of the importance in Asgard seems to be centered around Valhalla and Gladsheim - at least for mortals who record such things - Fensalir is incredibly important to the functioning of this realm. It is the center of all small industry in Asgard.

We tend to associate industry with ugliness and pollution, but Asgard runs on what could be termed "home industry", only on a divinely magical scale. Fensalir and its dozens of satellite halls include barns for caring for livestock, especially sheep, goats and poultry; great kitchens that preserve immense amounts of food; workshops full of folk skilled at many homely crafts; and halls for fiber arts including the vast looms that weave the fabric for the clothing of the Gods, which may be from wool, flax, or in the case of Frigga's own spinning, the stuff of the clouds themselves.

Frigga, the Lady of the Aesir, is far more than merely some brood-consort of Odin. She is the most powerful woman in Asgard, and equal in counsel, as far as Odin is concerned, with Tyr, Thor, and Njord. Indeed, the position she holds is very much like that of prime minister to her king-husband. One of her attributes is that of frith-keeper; in this usage, "frith" refers to the kind of peace created when everything runs smoothly, everyone plays their part, and no one feels slighted or wronged by the part of another. This kind of peacemaking is just as relevant to running a country as it is to running a household. Frigga is no decorative First Lady; she is a seer of great worth whose advice Odin takes seriously, the patron of marriage - and thus socially structured relationships - and the patron of all the works (crafts, cooking, etc.) that go into running a proper home, or stead, or village, or town, or country. Although she will not try for peace when it is clear that violence is coming, Frigga is an exceptional strategist and will seldom use force where strategy can prevail. That being said, Frigga is not to be trifled with in any way. She is quite formidable and the times when she has set her will against her husbands, she has come out the victor every time

Unless something important is happening at Gladsheim or Vingolf, Frigga is usually found at home in Fensalir, busy overseeing her various helpers. She is tall, lovely, and incredibly gracious, with the generosity of the most perfect hostess ever, but if you abuse her hospitality she is capable of turning icy-cold and showing you to the door with frigid politeness. She is very much a Queen, and rules Fensalir with a velvet-gloved iron hand.

Most of the smaller halls around Fensalir belong to Frigga's handmaidens. How many of them exist, and what their names and attributes are, is a somewhat shifting list. The best UPG information on them, and for that matter on Fensalir, Frigga, and its denizens, can be found in Alice Karlsdottir's book Magic of the Norse Goddesses (RunaRaven Press, 2003), and we highly recommend this book as the best guide if you intend to have dealings in Fensalir. To cover all of the information Alice Karlsdottir has provided would not only take up too much space for this small guidebook, it would be reinventing the wheel. Instead, we will only touch on each of the known (and some of the little-known) of Frigga's handmaidens, in case you run into them. Some have their own halls, while some prefer to hole up in Fensalir itself. One of them, Saga, has her own hall in an entirely different area of Asgard, and is described there, although she can sometimes be found at Fensalir. They are Frigga's "captains"; besides them, there are dozens of other working folk, mostly women, under her command.

First of Frigga's handmaidens is her sister Fulla, goddess of abundance, usually described as a buxom maiden with long golden hair. As the keeper of Frigga's jewelry box, she has a special relationship with gems and precious stones. That she is the keeper of Frigga’s jewelry box is significant. The Lady of the House controls the wealth of the house, and the jewel box is symbolic of this. Human servants of Frigga who have gotten a glimpse inside the box maintain that it contains much more than temporal wealth alone, being a reservoir of power. Fulla is also the keeper of Frigga's shoes, of which it is said that there are many pairs and they are all magical. She was also called Abundantia, and she wears a golden snood. Fulla lives in Fensalir itself and is very much the second-in-command when Frigga is busy. If you intend to visit Fensalir often, it might be good to get to know Fulla, as she may have good advice on how to handle the others in residence.

Probably the most important, and most highly sought-out, of Frigga's women is Eir the Healer of the Aesir. She is usually described as dignified, practical, plain-looking, with an air of trustworthy competence; she might walk up to you and ask to see a wound in a private place and you would do it, feeling secure that she will respond with useful, professional courtesy. She has a small but spacious house of her own among the satellite buildings of Fensalir, with herbs hanging from the ceilings and medicine in various stages of manufacture. Light and airy rooms hold beds for the sick and wounded that need tending; you will almost never see anyone there as you pass the rooms, though. That doesn't mean that they aren't there, but Eir believes in privacy for her patients, so the rooms will seem empty as you pass. If you go there for healing, you will be shown to one that is actually empty. If you go to learn healing, she might take you on her rounds, but most patients will still be invisible to you. There is also a fountain in the ante-chamber of this house of healing, and its waters are immensely cleansing to wounds of all kinds within and without. Visitors are encouraged to avail themselves of these healing waters.

Gna, Frigga's messenger, does not have her own hall but keeps a small room in Fensalir, which she only visits to sleep. She is always on the go, running from place to place on her horseback errands, and quite content and happy to be continually moving. Gna rides a horse named Hofvarpnir (Hoof-Flourisher). She loves horses and with no provocation may start talking about their gifts, bloodlines, etc., and how her horse is the foal of two others named Gardrofa and Harmskerpir (Thick-Skinned). She will also gladly chat about the other horses in Asgard and their bloodlines - Glad, Gyllir, Glœr, Skeidbrimir, Silfrtopp, Sinir, Gils, Falhofnir, and Lettfeti, among others.

Gefjon, said to be a strong farmworker who could lift oxen by herself, may likely be either a giantess or an Aesir with strong giant-blood. Certainly the lore tells of her four sons, all giants, whom she turned temporarily into oxen in order to plow the island of Zealand away from the continent. She is a patron of manual laborers, working men and women; and also of unmarried girls. She has no daughters, but will advise any young woman about strength and holding their own in a difficult world. As such, she can be called on to help any teenage girl who is in trouble or confused about her life. She has her own cottage, behind the cow-barns. 

Snotra, the handmaiden of virtue and hard work, is a quiet goddess who lives in Fensalir proper. Average folk seek her out for advice on right living, moderation, keeping their temper, etc. She does not give advice unless asked, and even then is calm and not preachy. She is an excellent Goddess to approach for advice in diplomacy.

Lofn is the protector of lovers, called upon for arranging for their romance. Lofn intercedes for them when others disapprove, which means that most of her traffic these days is with relationships that society tends to disapprove of; however, she feels that love is love and ought to be encouraged. She spends as much time in Sessrumnir, working with Freya, as she does in Fensalir with Frigga. She has her own small cottage, with a thatched roof full of birds who carry messages to and from lovers.

Sjofn is also seen frequently at Sessrumnir; she is the handmaiden of peacemaking between warring mates. Couples often come to her for relationship counseling when they are having problems. She has her own cottage, peaceful and calm, where she conducts her counseling; all weapons must be laid outside the door and well out of reach before anyone can enter it. She is also sometimes called upon by Forseti to do mediation of a larger sort between enemies, especially when they were once close.

Var, the goddess who witnesses oaths, is a mostly silent witness, rarely seen even at Fensalir unless someone is doing something that she needs to witness. She stands quietly beside the altar at every wedding in Asgard, and can be called upon for all weddings or commitments. She is unyielding, and considers all oathbreakers to be in the wrong, regardless of their reasons. Don't go looking for her; if you need her as a witness, she will show up. Her weapon is the staff, which she will occasionally utilize on oathbreakers.

Hlin, the handmaiden of mourning, gives comfort and consolation to those who are grieving. She generally appears as a comforting, maternal middle-aged woman dressed in dark grey, and she has her own cottage, starkly furnished, for those who wish to bare their souls to her, weep, and be gathered to her breast. You likely won't see Hlin unless you need her for some reason, and then, if you are visiting Asgard, your feet may take you to her cottage. According to some who work with her, she is also a battle Goddess. Hlin is a weaponsmaster, and for those few whom Frigga finds worthy, will teach both Her skill and wisdom in warcraft. She has what can only be described as a "weapons-salle" in one of the back rooms of Fensalir, a stark room with gleaming wood floor and high windows where she practices her craft and takes those sent to her to practice. She is best approached respectfully.

Syn is the doorkeeper of Fensalir, and another goddess of oathtaking. She lives in Fensalir proper, and if you come in after hours, it will be Syn who lets you in....or decides not to. Frigga trusts Syn's instincts, and generally lets her have her head when she is in charge of the door. You will have to explain your reasons for entering, and convince her that it is so important that folks must be disturbed in their beds.

Vor is another rarely-seen handmaiden. She is a seer and wisewoman, small and dark and often veiled. She is not called upon for divination, for like Frigga, she sees much but is close with her information. She is called upon more often by diviners to bless their work and show them how to do it more smoothly, a task which she will teach, if she feels that you are doing it for good reasons. She lives in a small room in the back of Fensalir proper, which is off limits to all mortals.

Huldra, the hardworking handmaiden of flocks and herds, is often conflated with Holda. To date, some folks say that they are the same, and some that they are different. Either way, Huldra is said to have a cow's tail, and to be the patron of the Huldre-folk, small earth-wights of Midgard. She is not often seen at Fensalir during the day, as her job is shepherd/goatherd/cowherd, taking the flocks out to the fields and seeing them safe home again.