NorsePlay.

Odinforce Blend! Brewed with "maximum flavor and caffeine content" for Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society by Death Wish Coffee Company. Any of you tried this? #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Dragon prow motif beer taps by MK Carving & Sculpting for Odin Brewing Company. Any of you tried their brews? #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

It'd be like an awesome repeatable funeral in your backyard!  Note the cutout axe & triple-horn Óðrerir on the sail. [from ImagineMetalArt on Etsy.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Mjölnir manifests as the levered screw top on this vintage hammer & anvil Avon bottle. [2.0 MP photo via my ye olde BlackBerry Curve.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Many times one's Heathen Worldview changes how we see things, in particular, this boot I'm having to wear & clomp about in. And what does this orthotic hi-top franken-boot have to do with Norse Lore? My newfound corrective tread of doom makes one think of Víðarr , Odin's son who is slated to avenge his father by firmly planting his mega-boot constructed of all (yes, all ) the leftover scraps of leather from throughout time on Fenrir's jaw and fatally ripping the wolf's skull apart at Ragnarök. Having to wear something so outsized & uneven with my other shoe squarely puts me in Vidar's shoe, and makes me appreciate the awkward burden of his tool of vengeance. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, e...

Sweden's Amon Amarth's been NorsePlaying since 1992 with 11 awesome albums that celebrate & lyrically explore Norse Mythology, and complement their music with stunning live theatrics: Here vocalist Johan Hegg's about to give world serpent Jörmungandr a pounding with Mjölnir while Johan Söderberg assists on guitar! [Photo by Axel Jusseit.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

The treasured containers for the Mead of Poetry, tri-horn vessels Óðrerir, Boðn, & Són crafted by Grimfrost for Vikings show creator/writer Michael Hirst. An exceptional NorsePlay out of the Edda s made into a beautifully functional representation! #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

To compliment yesterday's post, here is the other mural piece depicting Freyja . While the pointing arm on Frigg strategically covers her nipples, here Freyja is open-armed to rein her cat-mount , probably an enlarged Bygul or Trjegul that in the Norse Lore pulls her chariot, and holds a horn to call battle as she is also a War Goddess. Like Frigg, we believe this version was intended to be witch-like and partly unflattering (though this could just be medieval artistic conventions), but it again attests to the endurance of the goddess. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e ...

While reading Prudence Jones & Nigel Pennick's A History of Pagan Europe , we came across an illustration of a 12th century CE depiction of Frigg riding a distaff on the wall of Schleswig Cathedral in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, and found this picture of it. Possibly an attempt to reduce the Goddess to a witch, but it also shows the Goddess' endurance as a figure still referential enough for inclusion in a church mural centuries after conversion. The flying distaff may reinforce the line of thought that her weaving was ritually akin to the Norns' weaving of destiny, which allowed her the secret knowledge of a future that she could never speak of to anyone else. [Photo by Alexander Foss.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythol...

Double-truck illustration of the Aesir in D'Aulaires' Norse Gods & Giants (1967, later titled Book of Norse Myths ), from our favourite collected adaptation of Norse Mythology. This for-all-ages retelling of Norse Lore sings so true and brims with wonderfully inspired art, it's priceless. Their take on Mjölnir as a meteoric-looking burly lump of iron always intrigued us, which clues in with the unfinished aspect of the hammer in its origin story. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, o...

Aside from Marvel Thor being the longest-running NorsePlay around, the idea of Thor being a mantle instead of a being is an interesting one, and to compound that with a female worthy enough is very compelling, especially with the beautifully illustrated results by visual development artist John Staub. Of course Thor having to dress in drag as Freyja to win his hammer back from Jötunheimr is the precedent in Norse Lore, but Marvel's taking it one step further in both their comics & in  Thor: Love & Thunder , the fourth film of the series . #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. ...

In a horrible supernatural turn of Alternate History WW2 events, the Norse Gods side with the Germans in a 1986 Hugo Award nominated short story by David Brin called Thor Meets Captain America . ( Go read it here .) This story later gets adapted & expanded into a great 2003 graphic novel from IDW titled The Life Eaters  illustrated by Scott Hampton. One only shudders to think ... but it makes for a terrific tale that turns our conceptions of the Gods on their ear. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mytholo...

Possibly the most popular NorsePlay lit to date, Neil Gaiman's American Gods . While we prefer the 10th anniversary author's preferred text edition for reading, we've selected this Barnes & Noble leather edition to show off its handsome foil-stamped cover, faux french spine, the Óðrerir/Triple Horn Of Odin symbol on the front left in a bit too-clever post-modern contrast with the biohazard symbol on the front right, and Mjölnir nesting in gold on the rear bottom center. Stay tuned for the Starz TV series adaptation next year. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mploym...

One might imagine that when Thor, Loki, & Þjálfi enter the Jotuns' Hall of Útgarðr that it may have borne some resemblance to this dining room of Sorrisniva AS's ice hotel in Norway ... except considerably larger. Carved anew every year from ice & snow, the interiors are otherworldly & evocative. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Illustration of Freyja by Seb McKinnon. A particularly svelte & youthful depiction, she rides her battle swine Hildisvíni in her falcon feathered cloak, making her selections from the fallen dead for inclusion to her afterlife field Fólkvangr and seats in her hall Sessrúmnir. Note the understated detail of her necklace Brísingamen. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

While I never played Too Human , the Norse Mythology context for it was well done and it drew good elements from Warhammer 40K 's grim future, Halo's combat, and aspects of Marvel Thor 's design. The armoury of techchanted weapons alone seemed compelling enough. Before its bankruptcy, creator company Silicon Knights had intended a trilogy of these games, which I'd've been really interested to see the narrative of, and due to lawsuits, this game was digitally pulled from the market. [Cutscene & in-play storyline capture made by GamerPete.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If...

Scion 's a tabletop roleplaying game where one plays a descendant of the gods who takes part in a war against the jotuns/titans/giants & their world-threatening representatives on earth, and one of the featured example heroes is this pictured son of Thor who wields a revolver that features a small piece of Mjölnir on, well, the gun's hammer . There's even a Scion: Ragnarok expansion book. [Gamebooks produced by White Wolf and Onyx Path Publishing .] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field resea...

In the grim future of Warhammer 40K there is only war, and within the arsenal of these wars are powerful melee weapons which include an obvious derivative of Mjölnir, the Thunder Hammer . These warhammers have a concussive energy field which emits when they hit their target and sounds like thunder. This unpainted version from this tabletop miniatures game in particular is wielded by the NorsePlay inspired Space Wolves, who use alot of rune decorations on their banners & power armour. We would love to see one of these crafted into an actual electro-superimpacting functional sidearm. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded th...

Scored this sweet steelbook Valhalla Edition copy of Jotun by Thunder Lotus Games for PC, which includes a nifty Valknut keychain fob, a toy miniature of protagonist Thora and her double-bladed battleaxe to wield, plus a bonus soundtrack CD. Featuring exploration of some the Nine Worlds, rune-based puzzles, and combat with jötunar bosses, we are really looking forward to giving this some controller-based NorsePlay. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to of...

So I secretly hate Cards Against Humanity. It gives people a sense of falsely achieved creativity when really they've done nothing but use some mild associative thinking to score the utmost inappropriate shock value with a hand of canned answers, which is entertaining in results but really, really shallow. But I play it because my friends love it, and I love my friends. Oddly such a game might remind one of the Lokasenna , where Loki publicly says all the inappropriate truths at a gathering of the Aesir to ruffle their feathers and falsely attempt to illustrate that they're just as malicious as he is . It took drawing this card (which I'd never drawn before) to draw that parallel, wyrdly enough. [My actual hand taken with my BlackBerryPassport Silver Edition.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t h...

So for Halloween we went to a craft party and using what what was there, I NorsePlay 'd a treat bag with all the baddies: a two-tone bloody living & grey bone dead Hel suspended from the handle, painted a full Mani, the Moon, chased by Hati, the wolf who relentlessly pursues him, a pipe cleaner Jörmungandr coiled around a sanguine outpouring of red raffia, and at the bottom the hall of Náströnd, where the most dishonourable oath-breakers end up in Niflhel. Yes, Norse Lore has more than its share of cosmological monsters and spooky places to find them in. [Special thanks to Mitch Proctor & Natalie Carey for the event, resources, and good time.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú...

Hel, a goddess of death , ends this Norse Goddess meme series. Consigned to take those who do not die in battle, she's described as half-dead & half-alive, as depicted by contrasting panels 2 & 7. There's an adoption of medieval reaper imagery here with the beckoning hand & cowl of panels 1 & 8. The solitary figure on the misted land in panel 3 could be her initially arriving in Niflheim before setting up her eponymous realm for the dead. [Found on a VK Wall. This was the last of this series we could find, but if you know of more, do let us know. And if any of you know who made these, or the particular #Meme generator used, do tell, as we'd love to make more ourselves.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately...

Ninth in the Norse Goddess series of memes is Angrboða, Jötunn mistress of Loki, and mother of Fenrir, Jörmungandr, & Hel, three of the greater adversaries lined up against the Aesir come Ragnarök, ergo her "Bringer of Sorrow" name. Again, this selection isn't a venerated goddess, given the above offspring, but seems to be selected for inclusion to fill out the strong feminine archetype being depicted. The wolf-mother imagery here's apropos for her raising of Fenrir & his brethren ( if she's identified with the giantess who dwells in the Ironwood in the Eddas), and the skull tableau on panel 7 implies the connection to Hel & death with the snuffed candle and expired hourglass. The obvious opportunity to include the world serpent association's glaringly absent. Odd redundancy: Panel 6 is the same as panel 3 in the Skadi meme except here in black & white. [Found on a VK Wall. If anyone knows who originally designed these, do let me know...

Glut is a Jötunn's daughter on her father's side, an Alfar Daughter on her mother's side, and married to a Múspellsmegir. While Glut's included in this Norse Goddess meme series, her association with her husband Logi places her outside the circle of the Aesir , though her mixed parentage makes her rather unique and raises the question: Does mixing a frost giant with a light elf create fire giants? If so, are these unions the source of the deadly Sons & Daughters of Muspel? As her name means "glowing embers" the choices of a redhead, flames, and smoke imagery's very fitting, and the racey & playful model personifies the seduction, beauty, & danger to be found in fire. [Found on a VK Wall. If any of you know who made these, do tell. (And if you know the particular Meme generator used, do tell, as we'd love to make more ourselves.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he pi...

Seventh in the Norse Goddess meme series is Rán, the Sea Goddess , who perhaps may be more appropriately defined as a Sea Jötunn. While the Norse prayed to Thor for protection in safe sea passage, it was Rán who dragged ships & men down with her net (an obvious icon absent from the tableau here, unfortunately) to a watery end by drowning. The panels depict her looking for ships or swimmers to claim in tandem with the grey & swirling forces of the sea. The choice of lantern & swimsuit update Rán nicely, and the image of the lady waiting for her husband's ship to come in is a clever situational inversion. [Found on a VK Wall. If anyone knows who originally designed these, do let me know. (And if it's from a known meme generator, do let me know which as I'd love to make some in the same style.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods...

Jörð takes this Norse Goddess meme series away from the Aesir into the selection of the femine Jötunn, which some of the gods do consort with and marry. Jord is the mother of Thor by Odin, so it makes sense that Thor rigorously protects Midgard as it's a manifestation of his Earth Goddess mother. The images selected show the natural fecundity & growth of the Earth parallel to the pregnant goddess figure. [Found on a VK Wall. If any of you know who made these, do tell. (And if you know the particular meme generator used, do tell, as we'd love to make more ourselves.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologis...

Fifth in the Norse Goddess meme series we have the huntress Skaði , a Jötunndaughter by descent who becomes Aesir by marriage. Associated with winter, bowhunting, and mountains, it's a theory that her name is the root for Scandinavia, which would imply that she's very important. Also, her name could possibly be a version of "wound" or "damage", which emotionally fits with her initial revenge quest for her father's death. We especially love the pallid & otherworldly depiction in the second panel. [Found on a VK Wall. If anyone knows who originally designed these, do let me know. (And if it's from a known meme generator, do let me know which as I'd love to make some in the same style.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Myt...

Loki's long-suffering wife, Sigyn , is the subject of this fourth Norse Goddess meme in the series. The tears through the dust in the top right panel are a telling choice of commitment married to regret, while the contrast of the fifth & sixth panels show her sons before one is used to kill the other to make bindings for her captured husband. Or the wolf in the sixth panel could also be Loki shifted into a wolf and the couple in a fleetingly happier moment. In the seventh panel is the bowl she uses to intercept the serpent's venom of dripping down on her bound husband's face, thus also sparing us from the earthquakes caused by his uncontrollable writhing ... at least until her bowl is full and she leaves to empty it again. [Found on a VK Wall. If any of you know who made these, do tell. (And if you know the particular meme generator used, do tell, as we'd love to make more ourselves.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something spec...

Third in the Norse Goddess meme series is Iðunn . Provider of the apples of youth to the Aesir, the images associate her with the idea of providing an ageless spring for the gods. It's noted that she's married to an older god, Bragi, the god of skaldic poetry, so if she preserves the quality of youth, she's well matched as through his words past deeds are preserved. [Found on a VK Wall. If anyone knows who originally designed these, do let me know. (And if it's from a known meme generator, do let me know which as I'd love to make some in the same style.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay....

The second of the NorseGoddess memes is for Eir . Images of the herbal & apothecary have been presented to frame the idea of the Aesir's goddess of healing. Eir's also listed as a valkyrie in another source, so as with most Norse Deities the facets of what they do are polyvalent & complex. We like the inference of the last panel's hand gesturing seiðr work. [Found on a VK Wall. If any of you know who made these, do tell. (And if you know the particular meme generator used, do tell, as we'd love to make more ourselves.)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opport...