NorsePlay.

We don't know The Decemberists from a hole in the gramophone, but we like their clever burning viking houseboat logo for their Shuffling Off To Ragnarök tour. [No, they're not Viking Metal or we'd have heard of them.] #    #    # 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 .

Ursine Champion , a fantasy female Berserker as depicted by Alex Konstad for Magic: The Gathering . We love her bear skull pauldron. The flavor text for the card: " Would you rather feel the edge of my blade or the sharpness of my fangs? " #    #    # 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 .

Team Odin vs. Fenrir.  War God Odin bestride fastest Sleipnir, with Freki & Geri flanking, Huginn & Muninn from above, and never-miss Gungnir all together could totally take the wolf in this one. Go Team Odin! [and we'd love to know who did this piece, so comment below if you know.] #    #    # 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 .

Given the reconstructionism within Heathenry and our unending fascination with the Berserker and its association with the fury of bears, we believe there's room enough to revive the idea of the Bear Cult . Why not a combined männerbund & mutterrecht of initiates in bearcoats? Weather permitting, we'd wear our fearsome bear head everywhere. Let's do 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 .

"Ódr went away on long journeys, and Freyja weeps for him,   and her tears are red gold ."   ~ Prose Edda , Gylfaginning. [image by Seattle fashion/portrait photographer Ruby James, model Kseniya.] #    #    # 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 .

Alvilldr in fägra points out that we've made the founding fathers & our other celebrated U.S. historical figures American Alfar , and explores what that means in terms of Heathen Worldview. If we extrapolate on this, anyone who gains public reverence or hero worship past their lifetime becomes Alfar . Our question then becomes when does the threshold for Álfar-dom occur? Is that metaphysical promotion via a certain time that person is still being celebrated post-death, or their number of dedicants, or a specific combination of both? And given those requirements who then has cleared these hurdles? Elvis? Einstein? David Bowie? Louise Brooks? Shakespeare? Prince? We keep a picture of George Sand on our writing desk that we must now perhaps consider differently. [ The Apotheosis of Washington (1865) by Constantino Brumidi from the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore

Not that we were ever charmed by the cult of Xena to watch in the first place, but NorsePlay recently heard of a three-episode stint in Season 6 where the warrior princess goes into the "Norseland" and moonlights as a Valkyrie. Any of you ever watch these? #    #    # 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 we explore the idea of the Bifrost as a traversable bridge of light, we court the very possible concept of hard light as a vehicle for travel that would also be as fast as light for those who step onto it. [photo from interior of Dream Machine in Brooklyn, NY.] #    #    # 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 .