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Showing posts from January, 2018

donning berserker headgear.

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Berserker bearskin headdress made by The Crafty Crawford. Complete with all paws & claws, with the upper jaw taxidermied in, claimed by Idaho harvests where the meat is eaten and the pelt sold only to cover costs with a Native American art license. #    #    # 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 .

but vikings actually do wear wrestling belts.

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From the longstanding & gullible Bailey School Kids' series comes Vikings Don't Wear Wrestling Belts . Viking Vince goes up against Bear Claw for the city championship belt, and teaches the kids about runes & that real vikings don't have horns on their helmets along the way. As silly as it looks, really, and not one mention of Glima, the Icelandic wrestling where they actually do wear belts . [illustration by John Steven Gurney.] #    #    # 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 .

Viking Princess Barbie.

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Viking Princess Barbie. (Yes, really.) From the Mattel Barbie Dolls of the World Princess Collection, the back of the box has a nice context of Barbie being a jarl's daughter, living in a longhouse inside a Trelleborg, and so on & so forth. What's funny about this product shot is the wings on her helmet are pushed just a bit too far forward. [from 2003, still available on Amazon for $35, if you can af-fjord it.] #    #    # 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 .

völva in a bottle.

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Citing a Gullveig reincarnated into the völva Heiðr, this curious organic oil is "triplet gemstone charged with Amber, Jet and Viking Sunstone nuggets" and "herb charged with an exotic triplet of Amber resin, Mugwort and Viper's Bugloss Honey." Is it actually prophecies in a bottle for ritual & shamanic workings? We like the cavern hand label artwork and the idea of what it could be. [from  Witchcraft Artisan Alchemy. ] #    #    # 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 vision of the volva.

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Volva's Vision by Natasa Ilincic for the tabletop RPG Fate of Norns' The Illuminated Edda . [She's got a Patreon, if you're feeling as impressed by this as you should be.] #    #    # 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 .

Odin dreams in bronze.

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Sleeping Wotan by sculptor Rudolf Maison. [cast in 1900 CE, reproduction available here .] #    #    # 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 .

Bifrost arcs from Midgard to Asgard.

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Bifrost arcs from Midgard to Asgard. [illustration by Steele Savage (1898–1970), from Adventures with the Giants (1950) by Catharine F. Sellew.] #    #    # 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 .

detailing the Fossi hammer.

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Highly stylized sterling Icelandic Fossi Thor's Hammer. Pakabone has NorsePlay'd the zoomorphic/wolf's head into a more Osbergian version, while varying the surfacing between the crosspiece and endcaps. [by Pakabone 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 .

the heroines of Fritz Lang.

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During a blu-ray re-watch of Fritz Lang's 1924 restored masterpiece Die Nibelungen , my wife & I found ourselves favouring different female protagonists, so NorsePlay poses the question. Which would you choose: Kriemhild or Brunhild? Tell us why in the comments. #    #    # 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 lucky reels of Valhalla.

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Online slot machine themed Valhalla . The reels feature runes, Loki, Freyja, Thor, Heimdal, Odin, and a Valkyrie. And if you pick the door to Valhalla you can double your winnings. Any of you tried this? [made by Wazdan.] # # # 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 then 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 employment/opportunities in investigative mythology, field research, or product development to offer, do contact him .

elementary, dear NorsePlayers.

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NorsePlay had hoped for more of a Sherlock Holmes-related entry , and while we love Elementary to pieces, we feel that there's more than one reference to be mined from this possibility. [And Kim Newman, if you're reading, we'd like a StormPunk Moriarty & The Jötnar of Kensington Runestone book, please & thanks.] #    #    # 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 .

a way to defeat the wolf.

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Odin and Fenrir at Ragnarok by LunaticLucien. If the ravens strike the wolf's eyes, NorsePlay bets this ends differently. Listen, ravens, listen. #    #    # 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 .

Bifrost Under Maintenance.

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Bifrost Under Maintenance. Please Proceed To Escalator . Marvel Heimdall cosplayer takes the moving stairway bridge instead. Possibly during Asgard's repairs between Thor & Thor: The Dark World ? Idris Elba: You had to have spotted this fanlove, yeah? [from Welcome To Geek Town.] #    #    # 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 .

diagramming the beings of Norse Lore.

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A Venn diagram titled Semantic field diagram of words for sentient beings in Old Norse ! [originally published in Alaric Hall, "Þur sarriþu þursa trutin": Monster-Fighting and Medicine in Early Medieval Scandinavia .] #    #    # 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 .