NorsePlay.

A warhammer crafted for play in Amtgard! We appreciate the Valknut design on black "iron" padding, and wonder if this may be a way to acquire some applied warhammerist sparring skills. Do any of you participate in Amtgard? [found on imgur.] #    #    # 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 .

LEGO Thor brandishing Mjölnir in his battle cart drawn by Tanngrisnir & Tanngnjóstr! [Constructed by Thorskegga Thorn .] #    #    # 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 .

We love that smith Joshua Branson has done a NorsePlay of Brokkr's knife , straight out of Skáldskaparmál! [hit him up at  hammershoppe@gmail.com, he makes swords, hammers, and axes, along with knives.] #    #    # 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 .

Eight-sided rune dice in birch wood! The Elder Futhark have been separated into each of the three aetts onto each one of these dice. The figuring and marbling of the birch is lovely and adds to the unique approach of using the runes. [From mazedasastoat's Etsy shop.] #    #    # 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 .

Sterling Rune Dice! These 24-sided Elder Futhark dice are based on a naturally occurring garnet shape, come 1/2" wide, and are hand engraved. [Made by domestic platypus for $49 each or $140 for a set of 3.] #    #    # 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 .

If Yggdrasil identifies with the Milky Way, this is how the night sky may have looked to the Arch-Heathens , and how it might become recontextualized for Asatruar, if one buys the theory that Asgard and the cosmic beings are in plain sight at night . It's worth considering, but it's also a pat theory (especially considering how many sites are actually here on Midgard ). [Constellations along the Milky Way/Yggdrasil, from Bjorn Jonsson’s Star Myths of the Vikings (1994).] #    #    # 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 develop

Celestial Mirror of the Eddas constellation map from Bjorn Jonsson’s Star Myths of the Vikings (1994). #    #    # 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 .

Last of this series of five, this Swedish postage stamp features Freyr . Riding the dwarven-crafted golden boar Gullinbursti, and bearing the wheat and fruit of the harvest, you'd think that horn-bearing lady at left would be a bit more pleased. [1981 issue.] #    #    # 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 .

Swedish postage stamp with Heimdallr , Watchman God of the Rainbow Bridge, sending out an alarm on his horn. [1981 issue.] #    #    # 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 .

Swedish postage stamp with iconic  Odin bearing spear Gungnir , charging on 8-legged Sleipnir , sided by Huginn & Muninn . At bottom, Fenrir begins his fateful swallowing of the Allfather, starting with his left leg, which makes this his doomed moment at Ragnarök . The Allfather seems younger here at time's end, perhaps manifesting his helpful magicks on himself for a glorious last stand. [1981 issue.] #    #    # 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 .

Winning the gold in European Beer Star Awards as the best strong smoked beer for 2015, Borg Brugghús ' Surtur Imperial Stout . The fire giant's namesake brew features malt smoked over a fire of dried sheep dung , another example of clever Iceland using its limited internal resources to make awesome things. #    #    # 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 .

Old Norse specialist Jackson Crawford gets lecturebombed by Odin?!? #    #    # 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 .

Swedish postage stamp depicting Thor catching Jörmungandr while jötunn Hymir fears for his own safety and cuts the line. We wonder if there's a gravity and physical laws metaphor at work in this Eddic story. The p lesiosaur-styled world serpent's a neat saurian NorsePlay. [1981 issue.] #    #    # 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 .

Swedish postage stamp of Freyja riding in her cat-drawn chariot , perhaps surveying the dead warriors in sparring practice for Ragnarök. The third cat is an interesting artistic NorsePlay addition, and if  Bygul & Trjegul are outsized  Norwegian Forest Cats then it even so might stand to reason another cat could be needed to claw our War Goddess forward at an even deadlier speed. [1981 issue.] #    #    # 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 .

Anker Eli Petersen 's two stamp panel of Thor & Rán for the Faroe Islands' postal service. At left we have the Thunder God pulling in his nemesis Jörmungandr on a fishing line to attempt to clobber him with Mjölnir, while jötunn Hymir wusses out. At right we've sea goddess Rán with her net ready to catch sailors who cross her waters. [2004 issue.] #    #    # 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 .