NorsePlay.

From those costume-in-a-box sets with the thin plastic mask with the stapled on rubberband you might remember as a kid. The  Norwegian  color scheme'd  horned helmet's painted eyes with the sort-of rosemåling banding's a surprising combination of elements. #    #    # 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 .

Michele Paroli's crowdfunded project Journey to Ragnarok got funded in only 5 hours, a testament to the power of NorsePlay. This tabletop adventure role-playing module for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition is scheduled to ship this month, and takes players through open settings for all the Nine Worlds. [game illustration by Andrea Guardino of Ranger "Ulfhednar", Wolf Pack Fighter.] #    #    # 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,  ...

In Georges Dumézil 's From Myth to Fiction: The Saga of Hadingus, the author backtracks the Cinderella story where a mate is selected by their feet to Skadi 's picking of Njörðr, including the mentioning of ancient Scandinavian rock carvings and petroglyphs of feet perhaps being representations of the perfect feet of the divine, which by contest Njörðr must have possessed. [Rock carvings of feet from Skjelin in Østfold County, Norway. Photo by Jørn Bøhmer Olsen.] #    #    # 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,...

The sword dance of the Vestal Virgins (?!?) in front of the sacred tree in Vikingland! Mario Bava's Erik the Conqueror (1961) was an imitation of 1958's The Vikings , but done with Bava's flair for colour, lighting, and directness. Odin's Vestals were inserted to create more pagan handholds for an Italian audience, giving the heroes some forbidden fruit to court, and to feature the popular Kessler Twins, Alice & Ellen. #    #    # 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 developmen...

Three character figures from the Vikings TV series put out by First Legion thrown into the mix with Russian plastic Saxon figures. [composed by The Playset Addict.] #    #    # 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 .

In a no-conversion scenario, a cursive Futhark might have developed. The idea's still a valid one, and if we re-embrace & restore ritual/artistic/communicative use of the runes as way of building Asatru/Heathen Worldview, then something more script-like could evolve, a more truly connected cursive, and become useful. We would love to see a font developed from this. [by Erik Parsels of Middle Earth Craftworks.] #    #    # 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 o...

Interior illustration from a recent edition of Kevin Crossley-Holland's Norse Myths , art by Jeffrey Alan Love. #    #    # 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 Norse Myths introduced and retold by Kevin Crossley-Holland . Wood engravings by Jane Lydbury. Designer binding by Hannah More. Deerskin over sculpted boards to suggest a longship. [Available at Priscilla Juvelis Books, $2,500.] #    #    # 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 .

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 .

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...

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...

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 deve...

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 .

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. [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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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. 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 .

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 .

The Valkyrie Brunnhild (1898) by symbolist painter Gaston Bussière. [Color lithograph on wove paper.] #    #    # 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 .

For NorsePlay, any song that praises the merits of Sleipnir is aces with us. Simultaneously majestic & ridiculous, Manowar 's " Sleipnir " from their 2007 album Gods Of War , presented with battle stirring lyrics and an awesome intro. And if you check out the liner notes to this Odin-dedicated concept album, it's all in runes ! #    #    # 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 .