Posts

Showing posts from May, 2018

type it in runic.

Image
Huginn's Heathen Hof's Sveinn Ullarson scripted this digital Runic Keyboard for PC! [download it 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 .

Nerthus' processional vehicle.

Image
Possible wagon of Nerthus found in the Deibjerg Bog of Ringkjobing, West Jutland, Denmark. We offer this speculation up moreso to ask our audience if there's any best-guess as to where the Isle of Nerthus was for our Map Of Midgard project . Do let us know where you think it was, and why. #    #    # 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 more Odinic king.

Image
Illustrator Charles Keeping (1924–1988) interprets King Hygelac as a more Odinic one-eyed figure in the Rosemary Sutcliff retelling of Beowulf from 1961. #    #    # 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 interrupt this Grendel.

Image
Running from 1998 until recently, Grendel 's Cave was an online browser-based MUD RPG . Currently there's a test pattern on the page, so it could return. Any of you get to play this? [Game by Grendel Enterprises.] #    #    # 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 .

considering Freyr's antler weapon.

Image
" Frey had no weapon when he fought with Beli but killed him with a hart's horn. " ~  Skírnismál in   The Prose Edda Not that Freyr couldn't take a giant with a regular antler, nor as a Vanic God maybe prefer a thing in its clublike natural state . Yet perhaps Freyr crafted something more like this antler weapon? #    #    # 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 .

adding to Hispanic Ásatrú.

Image
At a certain point the reconstruction process lacks enough pieces, and one has to borrow, or extrapolate, or adopt, and evolve. As a Hispanic Asatruar living in the Southwest, it suddenly occurred to us that turning Loki into a piñata would be a good adoptive ritual placement for this deserving-of-swats god. Of course something not so Marvel designed would look better, but we just came up with the idea and this is what photo reference was out there. You could use a broomstick Mjölnir and he could be filled with toy Brísingamen necklaces and chocolate silver hoard coins , and the blindfolding could be a cautionary turnabout of Hod getting the manipulator instead of being manipulated. Think localization. #    #    # 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

for the wisest of dwarves.

Image
One finds hammer  necklaces aplenty, but dedications to the dwarves who know and wrought things less so. Here is Alviss , named after the dwarf who came to marry Thor's daughter Þrúðr, and who was considered "All-Wise". [made by Primal Crafts.] #    #    # 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 art of Skaði.

Image
Skaði promo art from the Smite battle arena game. #    #    # 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 bear in Valhalla.

Image
What wins us here is the bear drinking with Odin.  I mean, just look at him pawing that tankard of ale! So to NorsePlay: Presumably this is in Valhalla, which the nearest specific Norse Lore match could make this Böðvar Bjarki (Warlike Little-Bear) of Hrólfs saga kraka  ( Saga of King Hrolf Kraki ). On Midgard,  Böðvar needed to trance out to send forth his bear-form to fight on the battlefield, but given the metaphysical afterlife arena depicted here perhaps that physical/spiritual division process becomes unnecessary, so the  Böðvar- bear gets to feast just as much as fight. #    #    # 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

Thor could also become god of retail.

Image
Thor lords over his namesake Norse Mythology-inspired souvenir shop in Reykjavík, Iceland. Featuring Odin & Freyja fixtures. [Designed by Hans Alan Tómasson. Visit the shop at Laugavegur 7. Photo by Art Bicknik.] #    #    # 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 .

Thor gets a feasting tipi.

Image
Late last year on the south bank of the Thames in London, the pop-up shop Thor's Tipi Bar swung its doors open with the motto "Drink, Feast, Conquer, Repeat". [ Hit them up to get a location happening near you.] #    #    # 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 .

colouring in your American Gods.

Image
Now you can take your compulsion and coloured pencils to the pages of Neil Gaiman 's most-famous contemporary NorsePlay, American Gods : The Official Coloring Book . Now Mr Wednesday can not just be a grim gray or blue, but any colour in the Nine Worlds you choose. #    #    # 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 .

prophecy of The Runestone.

Image
The movie pitch: " A Norse runestone is discovered in Western Pennsylvania. The prophecy upon it tells of the Norse great wolf Fenrir (Fenris), and that its release from the stone will bring about Ragnarok -- the end of the world. " The film reaches to be more than it is with some great art world send-up scenes, moments of highly stylized dialogue, a secret society, plus the lovely Joan Severance. [Joan Severance later takes a fashion cue out of Odin's lookbook.] #    #    # 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 dev

beware the hot merch.

Image
Our distaste for the creation of collectibles of false value which exploit fans occasionally gets put aside by good design . Original Funko's Pop! vinyl figure for Surtur from Thor: Ragnarok has a burning translucent menace about him. #    #    # 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 .