NorsePlay.

  A girl's body's discovered floating in the open sea by a Viking prince's ship. Barely alive, they spare some of their dwindling water for her, and when she comes to, her eyes open ... to reveal goat-like horizontal pupils! This is the hook for Vei , a two-volume graphic novel , originally a Swedish 12-issue limited series from 2012 CE, and it is a stunningly executed NorsePlay. Writer Sara Bergmark Elfgren & artist Karl Johnsson gift us a re-scripting of Norse Mythology that answers the very real question of why don't the Jotnar or the Aesir just make a pre-emptive attack now to get an early victory and not have to suffer the pyrrhic resolution of end-time Ragnarök? The answer is a détente struck by a longstanding "peace" agreement mediated by a periodic gladiatorial combat. The winning side then for that time gets the domain of contested Midgard, which makes our world & its mortal reverence the key to divine power! This gives us a sweeping story rev...

  This family tree isn't the most comprehensive (nor correct, if you spot Gerriod being outside the line of descent for jötnar, and a few other things), but NorsePlay is posting it for the attractive & lateral thinking tree ring approach it takes. Note that Ginnungagap is given central primordial parentage, which since it's a place (or not-place, perhaps), is a markedly different way of looking at the Norse Cosmogony, though probably just incidentally serving the design. It would be pretty brilliant if someone were to run with this design to create something more encompassing. [Designed by Severino Ribecca.] #    #    # 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 ...

Much like God Of War needing to sidestep its previous Classical Mythology context to integrate Norse Mythology into the franchise, Assassin's Creed, with its even larger the Hidden Ones versus The Order struggle for possession of ancient technologically advanced artifacts made by the Isu, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla has to increase its roll call of beings named after Greek & Egyptian deities to now include the Norse Gods. Retroactively fitting the Aesir into the game's continuum is no mean feat, and the story  takes you into Asgard , Jotunheim , and  Svartálfheimr , but the conceit is that those otherworlds are only seen through Eivor's ability to cognate them through a vision quest, and not necessarily as they actually are. Any of that isn't really even partially addressed until you get near the end, and even then the happy/happier/happiest ending doesn't fully connect them to the ancient technoworld ... unless you find the extra super secret invisible a...

The Norse Lore has assigned hall names for many of the Gods' residences, but an omission I've always been curious about is where Bragi dwells. While Bragi, in a very Baldr-like way, is always welcome everywhere thanks to his storytelling abilities and the potential to glorify his host in poetry, it's never mentioned where he actually goes home to. Functionally Bragi's partly described as a meet-and-greeter for the honoured warriors who come into Valhalla. One could suppose that maybe he heralds them upon entry, perhaps naming & enumerating their martial deeds for those already in the hall. But this MC duty still doesn't actually place Bragi as living in Valhalla. There's also the possibly that he perhaps instead moved in with  Iðunn . One attestation from  Hrafnagaldr Óðins places Iðunn as descending from elves, as one of "Ivaldi's elder children", and as a dís who dwells in dales. Those descriptors would make Iðunn at least part elf and poss...

  While we've mentioned the first chronological Conan story  The Frost-Giant's Daughter (1934 CE), which was later altered & published as Gods of the North (1953 CE), there is something in Howard's Northmen 's lore that evokes an interesting NorsePlay when we find Conan as part of a skirmish in the Æsir - Vanir War. Howard's fiction suggests that Ymir is regarded as the God of the Jotuns , who is still sacrificed to and called upon, and if we NorsePlay this idea into the Norse Lore, the Gods versus Giants rift gains an even more sensible irreparability. If the creation story encounter had gone the other way with Ymir killing the divine grandsons of Búri instead, it may have been the Aesir seeking an exile-like home on the outskirts of the worlds, and been as equally unforgiving in their relations with their ascendant giant rulers . One also shudders to think that humanity might have become a thrall race to the giants, or worse, livestock . #    #...

  [hey there Loki , Thor, Valkyrie, Hela , and Sif !] As the close of summer approaches, NorsePlay presents this Marvel-ous fanservice cosplay version of the Æsir having a weapon-bearing loungeabout in a backyard pool. This totally updates the seasonal  Sports Illustrated -style swimsuit issues Marvel would sometimes put out in the 1980s. Also, you can't see below the waterline, but Thor 's trunks have the four steel shield chest badges on them. It's the less-is-more/just-enough  minimal   details of this group cosplay that we appreciate. [photo by Adrienne Longo.] #    #    # 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 spearheade...

Gathering from online reviews, previews, and our personal powers of speculation, the Nordic Netflix show Ragnarok harnesses elements from the reincarnation & self-discovery of the children's book series The Blackwell Pages and the New Zealand TV cult favourite The Almighty Johnsons of gods into mortals, and partly the contemporary fantasy of American Gods  and tabletop RPG Scion , into what seems to be a teen fantasy drama. Headed by Danish writer Adam Price (of the successful Danish political series  Borgen)  and Danish editor-turned-debut-director Mogens Hagedorn, the show's set in the pointedly named town of Edda (actually shot in Odda, Norway). The description colour text: " In a Norwegian town poisoned by pollution and rattled by melting glaciers, the End Times feel all too real. It’ll take a legend to battle an old evil. " So it appears literal & figurative corporate giants are intentionally ruining the environment in order t...

A sequel to our favourite boardgame  Yggdrasil has been released as Yggdrasil Chronicles , complete with a 3-D world tree! Boasting a campaign made made of separate sagas, the Gods are now actual moving pieces, and the middle platform of the tree actually revolves! We are soooo buying 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 .

Sigyn by H. G. Theaker (1873-1954), dutifully bearing a bowl of serpent's venom away from her husband's cavern of imprisonment. While it can be argued that her dedication to the trickster's undeserved, there's also the cosmological scale compassion where if she didn't do it, we would all suffer a possibly unending & devastating earthquake from Loki's pained writhings. #    #    # 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 from the interior art in Choose Your Own Adventure Books' reissue of Trumpet of Terror , where the Aesir pick you to help them figure out how to eject the Vanir sorceress Gullveig from Asgard. The starry cloak's a great touch while the wizard claws seem almost wolf-like. [thanks to my bestie Justin Beltran for gifting me this birthday copy.] #    #    # 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 Gods are alive, well, and eager to party. " ~ Diana Paxson of The Troth [ Viking Feast painted by Harvey Dunn (1884–1952).] #    #    # 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 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 .

Scene 2A - "Meeting of the Gods: Ensemble" from Robert Wilson's Edda . This play premiered in Oslo, Norway and will run in Aarhus, Denmark in November. The stills from it run dreamlike to absurdist. While it's interesting to see someone besides Wagner take a staged run at Norse Mythology, Ladyofthe Labyrinth had some serious criticism for the Texan playwright/director's stylized interpretation in a recent Q&A. Have any of the rest of you seen this play? If so, would Snorri approve? [More photos/details here: http://www.robertwilson.com/edda/ ] #    #    # 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. ...

What if the Norse Gods moved to New Zealand, fell out with the Norse Goddesses, reincarnated as mortals for a few centuries, thus diminishing their powers, which they later want back? Then you have the contemporary fantasy com-dram that is The Almighty Johnsons . Running three seasons, and itself successfully reincarnated by a fan campaign between seasons 2 & 3, this much loved NorsePlay is worth watching not only for its man & lady candy , but for the nuances of kiwi culture. Note the promo Last Supper-style cast shot done a few years before History Channel's  Vikings used the same idea. #    #    # 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...

One can't help but see Yggdrasil , Huginn , & some Aesir dressed in godly raiments in Gustav Klimt's Tree of Life mural . There's a metaphysical totality being depicted in the whorls of those branches and the golden outlines imply an existence beyond the physical. The scattered eye motifs also recall Odin. [Stoclet Fries 1905, in Brussells, using paint, marble, ceramic, tiles, enamel, pearls, & semi-precious stones.] #    #    # 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...

The Aesir at the feasting table in Jul i Valhal ( Yule in Valhalla ) , a Danish holiday advent television series from 2005 about two kids' adventures involving the Norse Gods! Any of you know where we can watch this with English subtitles? #    #    # 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 .

An altar-worthy Thor statue from Blagowood carver Mihaylo Melnichuk of the Ukraine. We really like Tanngrisnir & Tanngnjóstr peeking out of Thor's cloakskirts, and the Ægishjálmr accented Megingjörð belt. Noting the background, Mihaylo currently offers 9 of the Norse Gods in his selections but also does larger scales & takes custom requests on his 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 .

Designwise, if one were to imagine the dwarven team of Eitri & Brokkr competing for the prestige of favoured crafters of the Aesir, a high polish faceted head and hammered handle may very well have been what they came up with. Brutal, beautiful, impressive. [Addenda from 5/2017: I invented the warhammer clamp. ] #    #    # 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 .

Long out-of-print and originally published in a shorter version titled  When The World Tottered  in 1950, Lester Del Rey ambitiously tackles the Twilight of the Gods in his 128-page novella. Most authors take the easy way out by instead writing a story about nearly avoiding doomsday, but Del Rey rises to the challenge and gives the audience the lead-up and final battle ... but perhaps not just as prophesied.  A predecessor to Greg van Eekhout's  Norse Code , Del Rey delivered  Ragnarök  fifty years earlier in the genre. An inexplicably long winter strikes, vexing weathermen, and causing worldwide privation, the results of which start communal breakdown & vigilantism in Leif Svensen's small rural town. Only because of their ancestors' stories do Leif & his recently returned prodigal brother Lee even think to reference  Fimbulwinter, and when a mysterious hitchhiker also happens to mention the prophesied world-ending final winter, do the p...

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...