NORSE MYTHOLOGY IN VALKYRIE PROFILE by Hexum e-mail - nixhexus@yahoo.com Version 1.1 10/26/00 (This document is Copyright 2000 Hexum) As most of you know, Valkyrie Profile is based on Norse Mythology. At times, the events and characters in Valkyrie Profile closely resemble the actual myths. However, there are also times when Enix took the liberty of drastically changing the myths to what you find in the game. Some of the changes they made are beyond me. But I can understand why the other changes were made. If the game closely followed the actual events prior to Ragnarok and Ragnarok itself, the game wouldn't be original now, would it? And for those of you who have a good handle on Norse Mythology, it would be very predictable and therefore, boring. Also, it would be VERY confusing. So that is why I decided to write this guide of sorts: In order to educate you on what myths in the game were fact, which were altered and which were made up when compared to the myths of Norse Mythology. And hopefully, by reading this and gaining a better understanding of Norse Mythology, you will learn more about the beauty of Valkyrie Profile. Table of Contents: A .) Introduction B .) Artifacts and Weapons - Brisingal - Gram - Gungnir - Nibelungen Ring - Runes C .) Characters - Brahms - Eir - Frei - Freya - Hel - Hermod - Hodur - Hrist - Lenneth - Loki - Mimir - Odin - Surt - Thor - Tyr - Ull - Valkyrie - Vidar D .) Events - Creation - Ragnarok E .) Monsters - Fafnir - Fenrir F .) Places - Bifrost - Yggdrasil - Valhalla G .) Races - Aesir - Einherjar - Elves - Vanir H .) Worlds - Alfheim - Asgard - Jotenheim - Midgard - Nifleheim As you can see, I put everything in alphabetical order. Also, under the headings listed above, you will find its contents in alphabetical order as well. So, under Characters, the first one you'd find would be Eir, then Freya and so on... I would've listed what each heading included, but that would just take up too much space. But rest assured, if it's in the game AND is included in the myths themselves, you'll find it listed here. Now, for a more detailed explanation: Take Freya, for example. Under Characters, first you'd see her name as spelled in the game, which is Freya. Then, if it's spelled differently in the myths it'll be right next to it seperated by a hyphen, which is spelled Freyja. And next to that you'll find the names literal meaning in parantethese, with the meaning(s) in quotation marks. For this example, it means Lady or Woman. Underneath that there'll be two parts: Her character as portrayed in the myths, and then her character as portrayed in the game with an explanation on what they changed. Here's what it would look like: Freya - Freyja ("Lady" or "Woman") Myth: *TEXT* Game: *TEXT* Simple enough, right!? Well, that's about it for the tutorial. This is my first time ever doing something like this, so bear with me if some of it gets confusing or is hard to understand. Rather than wasting my time writing another FAQ or game guide, which I have also never done, I thought this would be a worthwhile project to undertake, and hopefully you too will find this very informative and interesting. And besides, I've always been interested in the many kinds of mythology found throughout the world. Well, without further ado, here's a guide to the Norse Mythology found in Valkyrie Profile. A .) Introduction to Norse Mythology: Teutonic, or more commonly known as Norse Mythology, is the collective myths of the Scandinavians who belong to the countries of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. Norse basically means Norwegian. The main source for these myths, which are Indo-European in origin, are the Icelandic Eddas, which include the Prose (elder, ) and Poetic (younger) Edda, which includes a heroic and mythological cycle. The Poetic Edda is compromised of 35 poems, 15 of which deal with the mythological cycle and the other 20 describe the heroic cycle. The Volsunga Saga is also a major source of information, and to a lesser extent, the Nibelungenlied. However, the Nibelungenlied is basically the German version of the Volsunga Saga, with variations in spelling, roles, and events. Norse myths were brought into being during the Viking era which lasted from about 1780 A.D. to 1070 A.D., which was following the fall of the Roman Empire. Between 800 and 1100 A.D., many unknown authors composed the poems that made up the Poetic Edda. However, the poems themselves were older than those of the Prose Elder. From 1222 to 1223 A.D., an Icelandic poet and historian by the name of Snorri Sturluson wrote the Prose Edda, which is like a handbook of Norse/Germanic mythology, containing 2 parts. The Volsunga Saga dates to about 1270 A.D. and the Nibelungenlied was written around 1200 A.D. As time went on, these myths were almost forgotten by the following generations of their people. And if it did, we would have lost an important page in history of how the Scandinavians veiwed their world, and even the backgrounds of the lives of actual people who may have been portrayed in the myths. But thanks to the Eddas and historians who were able to interpret and translate them, they are alive and well today for many more generations of people to enjoy. B .) Artifacts and Weapons: Brisingal - Brisingamen, Brisings' Ring Myth: Freyja's most prized possesion. It is said that the golden necklace enhanced her beauty so much, she wore it day and night. It was also said to be an emblem of the stars and of the fruitfullness of the earth. She recieved the necklace by sleeping with 4 dwarves who were known as the Brisings. Odin was so disgusted by her sexual promescuity that he sent Loki to steal it. However, Heimdall, who had a keen sense of vision, saw the theft, then chased after Loki and recovered the necklace for her. Game: Now much to go on here. If you check her equipment at the very begining of the game or you get her in the Seraphic Gate, you will notice that she already has it equipped as an accesory. It's described as a "Necklace which brings disaster upon it's wearer. However, the Goddess Freya imbued it within her own power to supplement its negetive energy". I don't know if that's true or not. Gram - Myth: A great sword owned by the legendary hero Sigurd. His father, Sigmund, once owned a magical sword named Balmung, whose owner would win every battle. After his death, Regin, Sigurd's tutor and blacksmith, used a shard from the broken sword Balmung to create a great sword he named Gram, which would be unbreakable. Sigurd used this sword to avenge his father's death by killing the dragon Fafnir. Game: This sword can only be obtained during the hard mode, I believe. Here's the description: "A sword unmatched by any other. But it is so powerful that the weilder will fall into darkness." Is it true? Your guess is as good as mine. Gungnir - Myth: A magnificent indestructible spear owned by Odin, wich was constructed by the sons of Ivaldi, who were master craftsmen dwarves, as a gift to Odin. It is said that he impaled himself with the spear on Yggdrasil to learn the secret of the runes. Also, he hurled the spear at the Vanir during the great war between the two races of gods. Since then, it is believed that hurling a spear at an enemy would cause you to gain Odin's divine protection and be assured victory. Game: Again, it doesn't go into much detail in the game. But what is there, I'd say it's fairly accurate. There is a brief stint right before the A ending where Loki comments to Odin that he wants to see Gungnir let loose it's true power. Also, perhaps the legend of Gungnir, which I described above, was the inspiration for Lenneth's finishing strike, where she hurls a spear at the enemy. Nibelungen Ring - Andvaranaut, Nibelungen Treasure Myth: A magical ring owned by the dwarf (who were also called nibelungs) Andvari. It would help whoever wore the ring make and find gold and treasure. Loki, in order to get enough money for Otter's Ransom, forced the dwarf to give up the ring. Before Loki could get away, Andvari put a curse on the ring, which would cause great tragedy to befall any mortal who wore it. Sigurd eventually acquired the ring and gave it to the Valkyrie Brynhild as a token of his love. Game: The game describes it as something quite different. The description reads as follows: "A ring bestowed upon Valkyrie by Odin, showing his faith in her. If it is removed, Valkyrie's evaluation level is reduced. It may have other powers (compensations)?" The compesation is that "dark" damage is reduced by 50%. That's clearly NOT how it is described in the myth, well, from what I understand. Runes - Myth: Also known as Futhark, corresponding to the first six symbols in the ancient Runic alphabet of twenty-six. Unlike our modern alphabet, where each letter has a certain sound, each of their letters, or runes, have their own name, meaning, and description. The Norse people also used them as symbols for magical use, divination, and for telling fortunes, much like Tarot Cards that are used today. According to Norse Mythology, Odin hung from Yggdrasil for nine whole days and nights in order to learn the power of the Runes. Game: The Runes are mentioned briefly when Mystina visits Lezard's tower. Mystina realizes that the fourth, fourteenth, and twenty-second Runes are engraved on the walls of his tower, and that he prorbably used the power of these runes to shift that tower into their dimension. Later on, Lezard reveals that he's found the Philosopher's Stone, from which he learned the power of the runes. Here are the name and description of the runes that are mentioned in the game, according to the myths: Ansuz - ("Odin") (our equivilent - a, as in "fall") Divinitory Meanings: Authority figure, leadership, mind and body balance, justice, shaman. Magical Uses: For wise desicions, success, leadership, to help in divination and magic. Associated Myths and Figures: Odin Perth - ("dice-cup" or "Vulva") (our equivilent - p) Divinitory Meanings: Rebirth, mystery, magic, divination, fertility, sexuality, prophecy. Magical Uses: Fertility, childbirth, aid in divination and magic, enhance psychic abilities. Associated Myths and Figures: Freya, Angrbode Inguz - ("Ing" or "Freyr") (our equivilent - ng?) Divinatory Meanings: Work, productivity, bounty, balance, connection with the land. Magical Uses: Fertility, farming, growth, general health, balance. Associated Myths and Figures: Freyr, Nerthus, Thor, the Vanir Whether or not the Runes in the games have the same meaning, we will never know. For a much more detailed description on Runes, I recomend visiting - www.tarahill.com/runes-, from which I got most of this information. C .) Characters: Brahms - Well, I have absolutely no information on whether or not he was an actual god in Norse Mythology. However, I would think he would be because he has a fairly large role in the game; if you get the A ending, that is. The one thing I do know is that I have heard of that name somewhere before, I'm just not sure where, and if it had to do with the Norse myths or not. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Eir - ("mercy") Myth: A minor goddess of healing. She knew the ancient power of herbs and could resurrect the dead. She also had other physical and psychic means of healing, known as Shamanic. Eir only taught the art of healing to other women. Besides a goddess of healing, she was also a patroness of health care workers. Eir was a companion of Frigg, Odin's wife. Game: She, along with a few other gods, had a very minor role in the game. They only appeared during the sacred phases when you could check up on the Einherjar, and they also had a few lines before Ragnarok. However, there was one or two instances where Eir did tend to the injured Einherjar, so at least that part was accurately portrayed. Frei - Freyr Myth: Freyr is the most prominent and handsome god of the Vanir. And as a Vanir, he was called "God of the World". After Freyr was "traded" to the Aesir, he was known as "Lord of the Aesir". Freyr was the god of sun, rain, and peace; the patron of bountiful harvests, and a brave warrior to boot. He was also called upon to grant a fertile marriage. And, he is the ruler of the elves, whose home is Alfheim. He is the son of Njord, brother of Freyja, and husband to the beautiful giantess Gerd. During Ragnarok, he will be the first to die, falling victim to the fire giant Surt. Freyr was at a disadvantage to begin with, since he gave his sword, a sword which is said to unsheath itself and spread carnage over the battlefield whenever the owner desired, to Skirnir in exchange for marriage to Gerd. Game: Frei is a girl (with a very annoying voice, I might add)!! Not a guy as described in the myths. She doesn't even seem to maintain the same status that Freyr had in the myths. Instead, she's a stupid door attendent and servant to Freya. However, she is still Freya's sibling, just not her brother. Freya - Freyja ("Lady" or "Woman") Myth: Freyja was one of the topmost goddesses of the Aesir, and before the war, a goddess of the Vanir. For more information regarding that see Mimir. She was the daughter of the god Njord and sister to Freyr. She was a goddess of love, sex, fertility, beauty, witchcraft, war, and death; as well as a patron goddess of birth and crops. Freyja is described as a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was the owner of the precious necklace of the Brisings. She was married to the god Od, which was probably another form of Odin. Although she also had a human lover named Ottar. One day, Od mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Since then, she became very promiscuos, sleeping with gods, humans, giants, elves, and dwarves alike. Loki even accused her of sleeping with her own brother, Freyr. Incest was very common among gods and goddesses, especially the Vanir. Her duty in Asgard was to divide half of the Einherjar with Odin, with one half of the warriors staying with Odin in Valhalla, and the other half would be sent to Freyja's hall, Sessrumnir. She loves music, spring, flowers, and is very fond of elves. She was probably the very first Valkyrie. Game: Well, I'd say her physical description is right on. Her duty is fairly accurate, although they never say she takes half of the slain warriors to her place. It also seems as though she has a pretty close relationship with Odin. Whether it was sexual or not is unclear. But if Od was indeed another form of Odin, then that would make sense. Hel - Myth: She is the goddess of death and ruler of Helheim, Realm of the Dead. However, many believe that Helheim is the same as Nifleheim. For more information on this confusing story, see Nifleheim. Hel is described as a hideous hag, with her upper body that of a living woman, and her lower extremeties dead and rotting. She recieves those slain in battle who are not fit for Asgard. Hel distributes those sent to her into two groups: The wicked, and those who died of sickness and/or old age. Youngest child of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. Game: Instead of being the ruler of Helheim, she is the ruler of Nifleheim, which is true as well. Otherwise, I'd say her character is fairly well done, although your one encounter with her is very brief. Hermod - Myth: Hermod is the son of Odin and Frigg, and is the chief messenger of the gods. After Balder was cast into the underworld, Hermod the Nimble, as he was called, volunteered to face Hel to plead for Balder's return. He flew there on Sleipnir and leaped right over the gates of Helheim. Hel agreed to release Balder, but only if every living thing were to weep for Balder's death, since she was skeptical of Hermod's claim that Balder was loved by all. Well lo and behold, not everyone wept so he remained in the land of the dead until the End of the World. Game: Well, not a damn thing to go by here... Hodur - Hod Myth: Hod is the son of Odin and Frigg, and the brother of Balder. He is a blind god; a god of winter and darkness. Loki tricked the blind Hod into throwing a mistletoe at Balder, which was the only thing that could cause Balder's demise. So Hod unknowingly caused his brother's death. Game: Man, he must be blind! If you got the B ending, you would have seen him briefly before Ragnarok. He looks much like the Vanir with a bald head, but with what looks like a black mask covering his face and eyes. Hrist - ("The Shaker") Myth: Well, the above is the only thing I know about her, and the fact that she was indeed a Valkyrie. Game: However, the one discrepency I found was that she was not one of the 3 goddesses of fate. Those would be the Norns. For more information regarding this see Valkyrie. Lenneth - Brynhild?? Well, this is just speculation, but there's definately evidence that Lenneth is possibly modeled after the Valkyrie Brynhild. One more thing. I divided her into two parts: This part explains her character. See Valkyrie for an explanation of her role. Myth: In the Volsunga Saga, she was a beautiful Valkyire punished by Odin for disobedience. For her punishment, she was put to sleep within a circle of fire high atop a mountain peek. Also, in other accounts she was made into a mortal herself, as a part of her punishment. She was to sleep there until a hero fearlessly rode through the flames that encircled her. That hero was Sigurd. The first time they met they fell in love, and Sigurd gave his magic ring Andvaranaut (Nibelungen Ring) to her as a token of his love. Sigurd left, for he had many things to do, and Brynhild swore that she would only marry the man who rode through the flames. Through a confusing story of lies and deceit, Sigurd eventually dies, and at his funeral, overcome with grief, Brynhild took her own life. The two were together once again. For the complete story, I recommend visiting http://members.nbci.com/XMCM/blademaster/myths/norseheroes.html Also, Brynhild had the ability to interpret dreams and foretell the future. Game: Well, if Lenneth was modeled after Brynhild, then it's feasible that Sigurd is Lucian. Here's a list of the similarities between the pair in the myths and as portrayed in the game: - They fell in love as humans, and were reunited after death. - Lucian gave Lenneth an earring, while Sigurd gave Brynhild the Andvaranaut. - Lenneth was punished by Odin by putting her soul to sleep, and Brynhild was also punished by Odin by putting her to sleep within a cirle of fire, and in other accounts her punishment was being turned into a mortal or having to wed a mortal. Their reasons for being punished are roughly the same - for disobedience. - It seemed that Lenneth had the ability to foretell the future, at least in certain instances. The same with Brynhild. As for interpreting dreams, it's hard to tell. There are definately more simalarities, but they tend to be rather...unimportant, for lack of a better word. You can probably figure it out for yourselves. Loki - Myth: Loki is the god of fire and magic. He is the son of the giant Farbauti and giantess Laufey. While he was originally a giant, Odin made him his blood-brother, thus making him a god of the Aesir. He fathered Hel, Jormugand, the Midgard Serpeant; and Fenrir, the giant wolf. Also, he was the mother of Sleipnir, Odin's 8-legged stallion. He was often called the "Trickster" as he liked to play practical jokes on humans and gods alike. Also, he was often known as "Shape-Changer" or "Shape-Shifter" because he could change his shape and appearance at will. He could even change his sex; that's how he was able to give birth to Sleipnir. Some of his many forms include a horse, falcon, and a fly. Despite his handsome and friendly appearance, he was crafty and malicious, definately one of the reasons why none of the Aesir liked him. Although he was also heroic, at times going out of his way to help the very ones he troubled the most. One day, he tricked the blind god Hod into throwing a mistletoe at Balder, which was the only thing that could kill him. The mistletoe hit it's mark and killed Balder. For Loki's punishment, Odin sent him into the underworld of Nifleheim, where he was chained and a venomous serpeant placed above his head. His wife Sigyn caught the venom which fell from the serpeant in a small dish, but she had to leave occasionaly in order to empty it. Loki was then vulnerable to the poison, and with each drop that struck his head, he writhed in pain. At this point his intentions became truly evil; he was set to get revenge on those who imprisoned him if ever he would break free. On Ragnarok, he will do just that. On some accounts, he will lead the inhabitants of Helheim to the battlefield on a ship. Once there, he will defeat Heimdall, gaurdian of Bifrost. Although he will eventually succumb to his injuries sustained in battle and die. Game: For the majority of the game, he seems innocent enough. It's not until the Sacred Phase of Chapters 6-7 that his true intentions become clear. Without spoiling anything, he is indeed crafty and malicious, as is evident in what he did to Lucian. However, the game more or less makes him out to be a bastard, which is not entirely true. However, in his confrontation with Surt, perhaps this one line may offer some redeeming value for his character. "I believe that the next era will not be governed by power alone, but by justice. And yet, for the meting out of justice, power is required". Also, he is the one who destroys the world by using the Dragon Orb. In actuallity, it is Surt who destroys the world by setting it on fire. And in the game, in never says that Fenrir is Loki's son, but that fact is rather irrelevant. Mimir - Myth: There's two different versions that describe Mimir. In one, he is a god of the Aesir, and in the other he is a giant. Here, I'll focus on the story of him being a god, since it's more relevant. Mimir is the wisest god of the Aesir. After the Aesir surrendered when they lost the war to the Vanir, they traded hostages to ensure peace. The Vanir sent Ksavir, the wisest of their gods, and Njord along with his offspring, Freyr and Freyja, to the Aesir. There, they became prominent gods and goddesses. So, the Aesir sent two of their wisest gods, or so they claimed. At first, the Vanir were happy with Mimir and Hoenir. However, they soon realised that Hoenir wasn't too bright. It turned out that Hoenir only seemed smart because Mimir was giving him advice. Enraged that the Aesir had tricked them, they executed Mimir by striking off his and sending it back to the Aesir. Surprisingly, hostilities didn't arise between the two. Instead, Odin used herbs and magic to prevent Mimir's head from rotting, and even allowed his head to speak. So Odin placed the head of Mimir at the Well of Wisdom, which was also known as the Well of Mimir. Odin even gave up one of his eyes to drink from the well, where he gained the majority of his knowledge. Mimir's head also gave him helpful advice from time to time. Game: At the very begginning of the game, when Odin calls upon Valkyrie, he says "The head of Mimir has told me that Ragnarok, the End of the World, draws near". This could very well be true. Other than that, it's the only time in the game that Mimir was mentioned, or even hinted to. Odin - ("All-Father") Myth: Odin is the god of the sky, war and death, poetry, and wisdom. He is the son of Bor and Bestla, and fathered the gods Balder, Hod, and Hermod with his wife Frigg. He was also the father of Thor with the goddess Grid, and had a son named Vidar with the giantess Urd. Odin is also the god of creation, as he and his two brothers created the world and it's inhabitants from the body of their grandfather Ymir. He resides in his hall Valaskjalf ("shelf of the slain") where his throne Hlidskjalf is located, where he watches over the nine worlds. There, he is accompanied by two wolves, Freki and Geri, to whom he gives all of his food, since Odin drinks nothing but wine. His other two companions are the ravens Huginn and Muninn, who bring him tidings. He also spends much time in Valhalla, where we splits have of the slain warriors with Freyja, from where he earned the name "father of the slain". Here, he spends every evening enjoying a great feast with his Einherjar. His prized possesions include the spear Gungnir, which never misses it's mark, and the magnificent 8-legged stallion Sleipnir, both of which were presents from Loki. Odin is described as having one eye, since he traded the other for a drink from the Well of Wisdom. He has grey hair and a beard, and is often described as being somber and grim, and wearing a wide- brimmed hat. He hung himslef on the World Tree Yggdrasil for nine straight days, pierced by his spear Gungnir, in order to learn nine powerful songs and the secrets of the 18 runes. Despite what many may think, he wasn't that trustworthy, as he often broke his oaths. He is far more popular with the noble class and warriors than he is with the peasants and working class. On Ragnarok, he will enter battle with the giant wolf Fenrir. After a long and hard-fought battle, Fenrir will overcome and devour Odin. Game: Well, they don't go nearly into as much detail as I just did. However, he does indeed look rather somber and grim, and also has grey hair, minus the beard. And if you ask me, he would look rather silly if they had included the hat. What I don't get is why he doesn't have the eyepatch! Bastards!! Although I guess that since he was a half-mortal, half-elf, and thus had the ability to grow, he was able to acquire all of his knowledge, so he would have never have given up his eye. Oh yeah, and all that stuff about him being a half-elf...it's all bullshit. And he doesn't fight Fenrir in the game. Instead, he fights Loki. They also say that Odin's theft of the Dragon Orb from Midgard was the cause of Ragnarok, which also isn't true. In fact, there really was no such thing as a "Dragon Orb" in the myths. On a side note, I really liked his voice. It fits him quite well. Surt - Myth: Leader of the fire giants who live in Muspellheim, the land of fire to the south of Nifleheim. There, he stands ever alert, brandishing his great, fiery sword which is said to shine brighter than the sun. During Ragnarok, he fights the swordless Freyr, who is the first to die in the great battle. Surt will fling fire in every direction, setting the entire world ablaze and destroying it. Game: They portray him as the leader of the Vanir, which, obviously, he is not. They also make him out to be an ice or frost giant, which is also untrue. For a full explanation, see Vanir. Thor - Myth: The son of Odin and Jord. Thor is the god of thunder and lightning, which he unleashes with each strike of his hammer, Mjollnir. He is the most powerful of the gods, even surpassing Odin in strength. He is a large, muscular man with a red beard and eyes of lightning. One of the most popular gods as a protector of both gods and humans alike, he surpassed Odin in popularity because he didn't require human sacrifices. And also unlike Odin, he was much more trustworthy. During Ragnarok, he will kill Jormungand, the Midgard Serpeant, but will also die from it's poison. He is married to Sif, a fertility goddess, and his symbol is the Swastika. (Don't give me that look! It's true!) Game: What a great character design, which is also true to the myths! If you decide to check up on your Einherjar, he is the one who congratulates them on a job well done, at least in my case. And according to the Einherjar's reaction, he does seem like the popular one indeed. Tyr - Myth: He was the original god of war and justice; the precursor of Odin. After Odin surpassed him, he regarded Tyr as his brother. He is the boldest of the gods who inspires courage and wisdom in battle. Tyr only has one hand, as the other was bitten off by Fenrir when the wolf learned that he was being tricked. His attribute and weapon is the spear, which is the symbol of justice. Upon Ragnarok, he will kill the giant hound Garm, gaurdian of Helheim, but die from the injuries he sustained. Game: It's impossible to tell whether or not he has one hand, since we only see him from the shoulders up. Other than that, the game doesn't reveal much of anything about him, although, if I remeber correctly, he does instruct some the Einherjar on certain aspects of battle and special missions. Ull - ("glory") Myth: Ull is the god of justice and dueling, as well as a patron god of agriculture. He excells in and enjoys archery and skiing, and he teaches others the sports as well. He was also the inventor of snowshoes. Ull was the son of Sif and stepson of Thor. He eventually married the gaintess Skadi, who had divorced her previous lover. At one time, he may have been one of the highest level gods and was widely worshipped. Game: If you happened to check up upon Kashell at the right moment, IF you did send him up, Ull and Kashell engage in a friendly duel. And, of course, Ull is victorious. Other than that, if I didn't know any better, I would've mistken Ull for a girl. Valkyrie - ("chooser of the slain"), also "Battle-Maiden" Myth: Valkyrie's are beautiful young women armed with spears or swords, and outfitted with armor and a feathered cloak or a helmet. They are charged by Odin with the duty of scouting the battlefields of Midgard on their winged horses, often in small groups, to choose the bravest warriors slain in battle who are to become Einherjar. They also escorted the Einherjar to Valhalla, where the Valkyries fed them mead. They also served as Odin's messengers, who are born as humans and return as Valkyries after death. And any maiden who becomes a Valkyrie will remain immortal and invulnerable as long as they obey the gods and remain virginal. According to the Viking Answer Lady, there's a common misconception that Valkyires participated in the battles themselves. However, this is not true. There is no documentation of them ever fighting in battle, or even weilding a weapon, for that matter. They were also known as demi-goddesses of death. And it is often said that if you see a Valkyrie before a battle, you will die in that battle. When they ride far to the North, their armor causes the "Aurora Borealis", or more commonly known as the Northern Lights. Valkyries were also associated with weaving, as they could weave or spin the fates of man. For instance, they could weave victory or defeat, bind a warrior with terror or release one from the same bonds. Later, their legend became widely associated with the folklore motif of swan-maidens, who were young girls able to take on the form of a swan. As one, a Valkyrie could travel "through air and through water". It was said that if one could capture a swan-maiden or her featherd cloak, that person could extract a wish from her. There were anywhere from one to two dozen known Valkyries. The most famous one being Brynhild, although Freyja was probably the very first Valkyrie. Game: Perhaps the most accurately portrayed character in Valkyrie Profile, as it should rightfully be. From the Viking Answer Lady's perspective, Valkyries never fought in battles. And from what I've seen, there is no information to prove her wrong. However, why would they wear armor then? Hmmm?? Of course, she knows a heck of a lot more about this topic than I do. I am merely trying to offer you all the knowledge I have gained from as many different resources as I could find, so of course some of the different bits and pieces info may be contradictory. Anyway, the only major thing I could find wrong was that in the game, they say she is one of the three goddesses of fate who govern destiny, with her sisters Hrist and Silmeria being the other two. This is untrue. The Norns are the three goddesses of fate; Urda ("past"), Verdani ("present"), and Skuld ("future"). They are said to appear at birth to determine the fate of that person. They also guarded the Well of Urda, one of the three wells that are located under Yggdrasil. However, Skuld was also the name of a Valkyrie, so perhaps their roles were somewhat intertwined. Vidar - Myth: The god of silence and revenge, for he hardly ever speaks, thus making others suspicious of his true intentions. Vidar is the son of Odin and the giantess Grid. He is the second strongest among the gods, with Tyr being the first and Odin the third strongest. During Ragnarok, Vidar will witness Fenrir devour his father, Odin. In an act of vengeance and pure rage, he will tear apart Fenrir's jaws, killing him. Vidar is one of the few gods who will survive Ragnarok, becoming the ruler of the new world. Game: As with many of the other gods, his lines are very limited. However, if you get the A ending, Brahms comments briefly that Valkyrie became the "lord of creation", also making her the world's new leader. D .) Events: Creation - Myth: In the beginning there was no earth nor heaven, just a great void called Ginnungagap. To the north there was Nifleheim, from which eleven rivers flowed, called Elivagar. Flowing south, they cooled and turned to ice. These rivers of ice caused the northern part of Ginnungagap to become filled with ice and frost. As the ice hardened, rain fell, which froze on contact, causing the ice to thicken considerably. To the south of Nifleheim, there was Muspelheim, a land of fire. This caused the southern portion of Ginnungagap to become very hot. Where these two climates met, the ice began to thaw. The resultimg runoff of the melting ice contained the very first life, and this formed into the likeness of a man. He was called Ymir. From the melting ice another life form appeared, which was a cow named Audhumbla. While Ymir slept, the milk from Audhumbla fed him, and from Ymir's armpits grew a male and female frost giant. His legs then mated, resulting in the birth of a six-headed troll. Audhumbla fed as well, by licking the salty ice which surrounded it. Three days later, Audhumbla uncovered a man who was entombed within the ice. This man was called Buri. He then fathered a son, Bor. Meanwhile, the giant Bolthurn had a daughter named Bestla. Bor and Bestla married and had three sons: Odin, Vili, and Ve. There arose a great hatred between the frost giants, who were the offspring of Ymir, and Bor and Bestla's three children. Odin led his brother's Vili and Ve to fight Ymir, killing him. Ever since then, there has been a deep emnity between the gods and giants, which would eventually lead to Ragnarok. The three dragged Ymir's dead body into the great void. His flesh became the earth, his blood turned into the sea, his bones arose to become mountains, his hair turned into trees and his teeth to stones. They noticed maggots feeding on Ymir's rotting flesh, which they turned into dwarves and dark elves who would mined the earth for precious ores and minerals. Odin and his brothers discovered another creature living in the soil, which formed from Ymir's flesh. These creatures were called light elves and were placed in Alfheim. Meanwhile, the blood from Ymir continued to flow, causing a great flood that killed the giants, except for Bergelmir, who escaped in a hollowed-out tree trunk, which was the very first boat. Then, they took it's skull and placed it in the air over the earth, which became the heavens, and their future home. Under each of the four corners they placed a dwarf, and from their names we get the directions North, South, East, and West. Odin, Vili, and Ve took the sparks flying out of Muspelheim and used them to create light to illuminate the world. Next, they built a home for the giants, called Jotenheim. They took Ymir's eyebrows to construct a wall around Jotunheim to protect the new land which they named Midgard. While the threesome walked along the beach one day, they came upon two tree trunks, in which the gods saw great beauty. Odin gave them soul, Vili gave them motion and sense, and Ve color. They became the first human beings, Ask and Embla. The gods gave them Midgard to use and as their home. Now that the world was created, the gods put the sun and the moon in the sky, therefore creating night and day. Night was a gorgeus giantess with a dark complexion and pitch-black hair. Night married a man named Aud, and with him gave birth to a daughter named Earth. During her last marriage, she was the mother of a boy named Day with Delling. Night and Day rode across the heavens in magnificent chariots which were pulled by horses, both of which were given to them by Odin. The sun and moon are guided across the skies in regular intervals by the beautiful children of Mundilfari. Odin called the young man Sun, and the woman Moon. These two are being constantly pursued by the wolves Skull and Hati, so they must keep moving across the heavens. The final task for the gods was to create a home for themselves, which was named Asgard, located in the middle of the world. Bifrost is a bridge they constructed to connect Asgard with Midgard. Within Asgard lies Yggdrasil, which shelters their home and connects the nine worlds. Game: Remember that scene with Lezard and Mystina talking? Well, that's the only point in the game where they discuss the "creation myth", as they call it. Lezard says that after the great war, there was no life left on the earth. So Odin created the second race of man to inhabit the earth. By the way, he was probably talking about the war between the Aesir and the Vanir, although mankind was alive well before that. And from what I know, it only involved the two warring race of gods, so I doubt life on earth was wiped out because of that. Besides, there were more kinds of lifeforms than just gods and humans, even in the game. Ragnarok - ("Doom of the Gods", "Destruction of the Powers") Myth: The beggining of the end of the world in Norse Mythology. It will be preceded by three winters with no summer in between. Scuffles will break out, even among families, and morality and justice will dissapear. These are the first signs of a great calamnity. The wolf Skoll will devour the sun, and his brother Hati will swallow the moon. Stars will vanish from the heavens. The world will fall into complete and total darkness. Fjalar the cock will wake the giants, the golden cock Gullinkambi will crow to the gods, and a third will raise the dead from their graves. Tremendous earthquakes will shake the earth, releasing the wolf Fenrir. The Migard Serpeant, Jormungand, will turn the ocean into a violent stir of tremendous waves as it heads towards land, staining sky and land with his poison. The waves kicked up by Jormungand will let loose the ship Naglfar, carrying the giants towards the battlefield, with Hymir as their leader. Meanwhile, another ship will set sail from Nifleheim carrying the inhabitants of the underworld, with Loki as their helmsman. The great fire giant Surt will lead his people from their home in Muspelheim to join in with the war against the gods, carrying his magnificent sword of fire. In Asgard, Heimdall will alert the Aesir of the impending danger, calling Odin and his coherts to the battlefield. All living things will make the journey to the great plain of Vigrid, where the battle to end all battles will take place. Odin will raise arms against the vicious wolf Fenrir. Thor will attack Jormundgand and be victorious, but will die from it's poison. Surt will search for the swordless Freyr, who will be quickly struck down by the fire giant. Tyr, with one hand, will kill the guardian of Hel, Garm, but die from the injuries he sustained in the fight. In perhaps the greatest rivalry, Loki and Heimdall will meet for one last battle. Although there will be no loser or winner, for they both will perish. Meanwhile, the fight between Odin and Fenrir will still be raging. Eventually, Fenrir will grab hold of Odin and devour the god. Vidar, witnessing his father's death, without hesitation, will leap at and kill the wolf by tearing apart his jaws with his bare hands. Then Surt, without regard for friends or foes, will scorch the earth with fire, causing it to sink into the sea. Very few will survive. But from the ashes and rubble, a new and ideal world will arise, filled with abundant resources. Some gods will survive, and others will be reborn to look over this new world. Suffering and hatred will be a thing of the past, and gods and manking will live in harmony. The descendants of Lif and Lifthrasir will inhabit the earth. (all credit for this information goes to Encyclopedia Mythica, which can be found on the internet) Game: Ragnarok does NOT mean "Twilight of the Gods". This is the result of a famous mistranslation. Unfortuneately, this has gone on for awhile, so chances are many others out there still refer to it this way. Other than that, some of the matchups, if you will, have been changed from the myths. Now it's Valkyrie who faces either Surt (B ending) or Loki (A ending). And chances are, it was Loki who killed Odin, although I'm sure Fenrir accompanied him as well. Also dependant if you get the A ending, Loki uses the Dragon Orb to destroy the world. Then immediately after, Valkyrie uses her power to restore the world, and along with it, life. Too bad it didn't following the myths more accurately. It would have been cool to see the other gods fight their respective opponents. One thing that really bugs me though. In the game, you fight the Vanir, who are portrayed as giants. In reality, the Aesir fought THE giants on Ragnarok. What I don't understand is why they made the Vanir out to be giants! This will just confuse people. E .) Monsters: Fafnir - Myth: In the Volsunga Saga, he was the son of Hreidmar and brother of Otter and Regin. Once Fafnir's father recieved the ranson, or Andvari's treasure, from Loki, he became filled with greed. For him to have the whole treasure to himself, he killed Hreidmar and drove off his two brothers. He was so filled with greed that he would protect the treasure at all costs. So he transformed himself into a great dragon, Fafnir. Fafnir was also known as the Worm, not to be confused with A WORM. However, Sigurd, using the sword Gram, slayed the dragon and ate his heart, which granted him incredible power and understanding of the birds. He also bathed in the dragons blood, which hardened into a inpenetrable coat of armor, except for a small spot on the back of his neck, where a linden leaf had fallen. Sigurd took the treasure and ring. Game: I wrote it down in my notes, but I don't remember Fafnir being in the game as of the time I'm typing this up. Any info confirming this would be helpful. Also, Fafnir could be Bloodbane, since Fafnir was also called Fafnir-bane. Fenrir - Myth: Fenrir is a wolf of tremendous strength and size, and is the eldest child of Loki and Angrboda. One day, the gods of the Aesir learned of a prophecy which stated that Fenrir and his children would cause the destruction of the world. So they locked the wolf in a cage. When he was a pup, they had nothing to fear, but when they noticed how large the wolf had become, they began to question their safety. Of course, none of them had the balls to face the wolf head-on. Instead, they decided to try and trick him. They said that Fenrir was so weak, he could never break free if they were to ever chain the wolf up. He gladly accepted this challenge. The gods chained him up, only to find that he easily broke free. Afterwards, the gods asked the dwarves to make them a magic chain, one that could hold the wolf at bay. The result was Gleipnir, a thin ribbon that was incredibly strong. When Fenrir saw the thin chain, he said that he would have no pride having broken through such a weak chain. The wolf eventually agreed, but only if someone placed their hand in his mouth as a symbol of good will, because this time, he suspected that the gods were up to something. Tyr was the only one who volunteered to risk his hand. Fenrir was chained with Gleipnir, and to his dismay, no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free. As an act of revenge, he bit off Tyr's hand. Happy with the results, they bound Fenrir a mile deep within the earth with the magical chain tied to a rock. They also put a sword between his jaws to prevent him from biting. When Ragnarok comes, he will break loose and join the giants in their battle against the gods. Fenrir will devour Odin, only to be destroyed by Tyr. Game: They never say that Fenrir is Loki's son. What is known, though, is that Fenrir was an ally or gaurdian of Loki. You never see or fight him unless you get the A ending, though. And he is indeed a big ass wolf, and harder than hell to kill, as well. F .) Places: Bifrost - ("Rainbow Bridge") Myth: This bridge connects Midgard, the realm of man, to Asgard. It is also the only way in and out of Asgard. It's gaurded by the Heimdall, the watchman of the gods, who has great vision and strength. The Aesir made the bridge by using magic and great creative skills to construct a bridge of incredible strength. They used the three elements: Fire, air, and water, which makes up the bridges colors, which are red, blue, and green. Game: In the game, it is referred to as both Bifrsot and the rainbow bridge. In the conversation between Lezard and Mystina, it is Mystina who wishes to learn more about Bifrost, from which Odin hoisted himself up to hang from the world tree. As to whether this is true when compared to the real myths, it may very well be. Valhalla - ("hall of the slain") Myth: The great hall located in Asgard. It is home to the Einherjar; the brave souls who have died in battle. In is run by Odin, from which he get's the nickname "father of the slain". Valhalla is a magnificent hall made of gold. It has five-hundred and fifty doors, the rafters are spears, the roof is made with shields, and breast plates and armor litter the benches. A wolf guards the western door, while an eagle hovers about, keeping a careful lookout. It is here that each evening, Odin and his Einherjar enjoy a great feast. The Valkyries serve the warriors mead; a concoction which restores any and all injuries they may have sustained during their daily training, to prepare for Ragnarok. It is said that on the day of Ragnarok, eight hundred warriors will march through the doors, side-by-side. Game: From the time at the beggining of the game when the doors open and you walk in to meet with Odin, you know that this place is of a significant importance, although they never tell you exactly what it's used for, besides the fact that it is here where Odin sits all day. I'd say they did a great job with the design of Valhalla. Yggdrasil - ("Odin's Horse") Myth: A mighty ash tree which is the backbone of all creation, also known as the World Tree. It connects the nine worlds and supports all life. Three of it's strongest roots reach into three worlds, each on a different level of the universe. These are Asgard, which is located on the highest level; Midgard on the surface, and Nifleheim, which is located deep beneath the surface of the earth. It is here in Nifleheim where the evil serpeant Nidhogg gnaws on the root. Some believe that on the day the serpeant succeeds in cutting through the root, it shall be Ragnarok. Yet another version says Surt will set the tree on fire to signal the end of the world. Yggdrasil's canopy reaches just above Asgard, thus sheltering the gods from the elements. Game: They make it quite clear what Yggdrasil's purpose is, and where the three main roots of the ash tree reach, which are the three worlds which are used in Valkyrie Profile. Although, there are a total of nine worlds altogether. However, what they are and their function is very confusing. Yggdrasil doesn't have much to do with the story itself in VP, though. G .) Races: Aesir - ("god") Myth: The Aesir are the main race of gods in Norse Mythology who live in Asgard at the highest level of the universe. The Aesir are warrior gods who represent justice and power. Also, they were very somber and quite serious. Some gods include Odin, Baldur, Thor, Tyr, Ull, Loki, Vidar, Hod, Freyr, Heimdall, Vili, Ve, Njord, Bragi, and Forseti. Some of the Aesir goddesses,
or Asyniur (the female term of Aesir) are Frigg, Sif, and Frejya.

     Game:  Not much different, here.




Einherjar -

     Myth:  They are heroes who died as brave warriors on the field of battle.
They are chosen by Valkyries, who then escort them to Valhalla.  There, half
of them are taken by Freyja, while the remaining half stay with Odin in the
hall of the slain.  Every morning, they are awakened by the crow of the cock
Gullinkambi.  During the day, they train by fighting with the other Einherjar,
and are also given advice by the gods.  At night, they all gather in Valhalla
with Odin to feast.  Afterwards, their wounds are miracuously healed, for them
to start another day of training.  During Ragnarok, they will fight alongside
Odin in the war to end all wars against the giants.

     Game:  Well, they really aren't a "race", but I didn't have any other
place to put them.   Anyway, the whole premise of the game as a Valkyrie is to
recruit and train dead souls to become Einherjar.  However, it is NOT the
Valkyrie's job to train them.  Although I suppose the game isn't althogether
wrong.  After all, they do recieve training in Asgard after you send them up.




Elves -

     Myth:  They are usually divided into two groups:  the light elves and
dark elves, although many believe the dark elves and dwarfs are one and the
same.  The light elves live in Alfheim, which is located on the same level as
Asgard and Vanaheim.  Their ruler is the god Freyr.

     Game:  Elves are not the "vessels of the gods" as they say in the game.
That was just made-up to fit in with the plot.  And from what I know, they are
not the ones who protected the World Tree.




Vanir - ("friend")

     Myth:  The Vanir are the second race of gods who live in Vanaheim, which
is located on the same level as Asgard.  They are a race of wild nature and
fertility gods, who lived more peacefully with the earth.  Some of their chief
gods and goddesses were Njord, Freyr, Freyja.  Hovever, after the war between
the Aesir and Vanir, these three were sent to the Aesir as part of a hostage
exchange between the two races of gods, to ensure peace.  Since that war, all
of the gods were regarded as the Aesir, and they all lived together in Asgard.

     Game:  During Ragnarok, the Aesir did NOT fight against the Vanir!!  The
Vanir were the Aesir!  In the game, what they claim to be the "Vanir", ARE
giants - there's no doubt about that!  I mean, just look how frickin big they
are compared to your characters!  So, why didn't they just call them giants,
or Jotuns, which is their formal name??  Then, it would be true to the myths.
I hope this isn't too confusing...




H .)  Worlds:


Alfheim - ("elf home")

     Myth:  The stronghold of the light elves, which is located on the same
level of the universe as Asgard and Vanaheim.  It is here where Freyr resides,
the ruler of the elves, when he's not in Asgard.

     Game:  It is only mentioned once in the game, just before the A ending.
Just remember, The Forest of Spirits is NOT Alfheim.  If you talk to one of
the elves, she says that it has been awhile since anybody has been there,
which means it is not their home.  Also note that the Forest of Spirits is
made-up; it is never found anywhere in the myths.  It also seems that all of
the elves are female, but whether this is true I do not know.  And again, the
elves are not the "vessel of the gods".  Thus, Odin is not a half-elf.
Actually, he's part giant, belive it or not.




Asgard -

     Myth:  One of the nine worlds in Norse Mythology; the home of the Aesir,
located on the highest of the three levels of the universe.  Here, there are
about a dozen halls belonging to the many gods and goddesses, the most famous
being Valhalla.  Asgard is surrounded by a high wall of tightly fitted stone,
which was constructed to protect them from the giants, since their home was
practically destroyed in the war between the Aesir and Vanir.  The wall was
built by Blast, who was actually the giant Hrimthurs in disguise.  He asked
that for payment, he be given the sun and the moon, as well as Freyja's hand
in marriage.  Loki talked Odin into accepting this offer, but only if he could
do it within a six month period.  With only a few days to spare, Blast, with
help from his stallion Svadilfari, was almost finished.  Odin told Loki that
if Blast finished, he would be punished, since Loki was the one who convinced
Odin to accept the deal in the first place.  So Loki turned himself into a
mare and lured Svadilfari away.  With Blast's stallion gone, he could never
finish the wall in time, so no payment was given.  Days later, Loki and
Svadilfari returned, with their offspring Sleipnir, which Loki presented to
Odin as a gift.

     Game:  The only thing you ever find out about Asgard is that it's the
home of the Aesir, which, I guess, is the only thing you really need to know.




Jotenheim -

     Myth:  Home of the frost and rock giants, or Jotuns, located in the
middle of the universe.  Also one of the nine worlds.  It is seperated from
Midgard by a great river, which never freezes.  The ruler of the Jotuns is the
feared king Thyrm.  The chief city in Jotunheim is Utgard.  On the day of
Ragnarok, Loki will become their leader in the war against the gods.

     Game:  During the B ending, you are sent to Jotenheim's Ice Palace to
defeat Surt.  However, Surt is not the king of the frost giants, he's not even
a frost giant himself.  Surt is the ruler of the fire giants, who live in
Muspelheim.  If you get the A ending, you fight Loki, which is for the most
part true.  Then again, it is Surt who destroys the world, not Loki as he does
in the game.  Also, it is Loki who takes Thyrm's place, not Surt, who Loki
kills during the A ending.  In the myths, Loki and Surt are allies, since both
the frost and fire giants are obviously related, and they're also fighting the
same enemy.




Midgard - ("middle earth")

     Myth:  Midgard is the home to the human race, and it is also the name of
their chief city.  It's one of the nine worlds, located below Asgard and above
Nifleheim in the universe.  The gods look over Midgard, protecting humans from
other outside forces.  It is here that the Valkyries choose suitable souls to
become Einherjar.  One of Yggdrasil's three major roots reach into Midgard.
Also, the entrance to Asgard lies here, in the form of the rainbow bridge,
Bifrost.

     Game:  I'd say the game's portrayl of Midgard is fairly accuarate.  At
least I can't find any major fault in it's description.




Nifleheim - ("house of mists")

     Myth:  This is a land of ice, fog, mist, and darkness.  It is known as
the land of the dead.  Also located here is Helheim, the realm of the dead,
which is ruled by the goddess of death, Hel.  However, many consider Helheim
and Nifleheim to be the same, so if you were to say Hel ruled over Nifleheim,
that would be true as well.  Also, you can use either term in place of the
other.  Nifleheim is only one of the two worlds that existed even before the
gods themselves, the other being Muspelheim, which is also located on the same
level, deep beneath the earth.  It lies beneath the third root of Yggdrasil,
which the serpeant Nidhogg is constantly chewing away at.  Nifleheim mainly
serves as an underworld, which once there, even gods can't escape.  After
Ragnarok, there will be a hall for the punishment of murderers, oath breakers,
and philanderers.

     Game:  They use Nifleheim instead of Helheim, which I prefer.  Nifleheim
is the more widely used term, anyway.







     Whew!  That's about it.  If I get enough e-mails regarding mistakes or
with more information, I'm sure I'll update this in the future.  As always,
you are free to use this for whatever purposes you desire.   However, I better
see my name along with it, if you plan on posting this anywhere else on the
internet.  Taking credit for someone else's work is just wrong.   Please, give
credit where it is due.  I will do the same.

References - Here is a list of all the online resources I have used in my
research.  I highly recomend you check these places out if you have any more
questions.  I also have to thank the people who own these great sites.

All of these can be found using the Yahoo! search engine:

Timeless Myths: Norse Mythology
Encyclopedia Mythica: Norse Mythology
Stories in Norse Mythology
The Viking Answer Lady
The Original Valkyries: A History of the Norse Goddesses
The Norse Mythology Web Page
Prose and Poetic Edda
Volsunga Saga
The Nibelungenlied
"Loki Cult" Web Page
Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology
Norse Mythology in the Wheel of Time
Norse Mythology Pictures

Also, much thanks to Enix's official Valkyrie Profile web site and the folks
at the Valkyrie Profile message board.  They both can be found by following
the links at - www.enix.com - (duh!)