Major Æsir Gods (the warrior gods)
Odin
- Master of magic and shapeshifting.
- Control over poetry and inspiration.
- Ruler of battle and victory – could influence outcomes of wars.
Frigg – foresight and prophecy (though she rarely reveals what she knows), goddess of marriage and family. - Wisdom, foresight, and knowledge (he sacrificed an eye for wisdom and hung on Yggdrasil to gain runes).
Thor
- Superhuman strength.
- Control over thunder, lightning, and storms.
- Wields Mjölnir, which always returns to his hand and can level giants and monsters.
- Protector of Midgard (humanity).
Baldr
- God of light, purity, and beauty.
- Invulnerable to almost everything (until killed by mistletoe).
- Associated with hope and rebirth.
Týr
- God of law, justice, and honour.
- Courageous in battle (famously sacrificed his hand to bind the wolf Fenrir).
Heimdall
- Heightened senses (could hear grass grow, see hundreds of miles).
- Guardian of the Bifrost (the rainbow bridge).
- Foreknowledge of Ragnarok, destined to blow the Gjallarhorn when it begins.
Höðr (Hodr) – blind god, associated with darkness, accidentally killed Baldr.
Bragi – god of poetry and eloquence, gifted with runes and wisdom in speech.
Idunn – keeper of the apples of youth that keep the gods young.
Vanir Gods (fertility, prosperity, nature)
Njord
- God of the sea, winds, and wealth.
- Calmed waters and granted safe voyages.
- Brought prosperity through fishing and seafaring.
Freyja
- Powers of love, beauty, and desire.
- Seiðr magic (powerful form of Norse sorcery involving fate and destiny).
- Control over fertility and prosperity.
- Could shapeshift using her falcon feather cloak.
- Had a share in the slain warriors (took half to her hall, Sessrúmnir).
Freyr
- Fertility and harvests.
- Peace and prosperity.
- Power over weather and crops.
- Sometimes depicted with magical items like the ship Skíðblaðnir (always had fair winds, could fold into a pouch).
Other Important Goddesses & Figures
Sif – fertility, associated with golden fields of grain (her golden hair is symbolic).
Skadi – goddess of winter, hunting, skiing, mountains.
Eir – goddess of healing and medicine.
Gefjon – goddess of ploughing and agriculture, created Zealand by ploughing earth into the sea.
Sigyn – goddess of loyalty and compassion, stayed by Loki’s side in his punishment.
Fulla – handmaiden of Frigg, keeper of secrets, associated with abundance.
Nanna – wife of Baldr, goddess of devotion and sorrow, died of grief after Baldr’s death.
Rán – sea goddess who captured drowned sailors with her net.
Ægir – god of the sea, associated with brewing ale for the gods.
Jörð (Earth) – personification of the earth, mother of Thor.
Nótt (Night) – goddess of night, rode a dark horse across the sky.
Dagr (Day) – god of day, son of Nótt, rode a shining horse.
Sól (Sunna) – sun goddess, drives the sun chariot across the sky.
Máni – moon god, chased across the sky by wolves.
Underworld & Fate
Hel
- Ruler of the underworld realm of the same name.
- Power over the dead who did not die gloriously in battle.
The Norns (Urd, Verdandi, Skuld) – goddesses of fate, weave destiny at the roots of Yggdrasil.
Trickster & Others
Loki
- Trickery and deception.
- Master shapeshifter (turned into animals and even a mare to give birth to Sleipnir).
- Cunning and schemes that often caused chaos but also sometimes helped the gods.
Fenrir – monstrous wolf, fated to kill Odin.
Jörmungandr (Midgard Serpent) – encircles the world, fated to fight Thor at Ragnarok.
Sleipnir – Odin’s eight-legged horse, supernaturally fast and strong (born of Loki).
Lesser-Known Deities
Forseti – god of justice, mediation, peace.
Víðarr – silent god, associated with vengeance, fated to kill Fenrir at Ragnarok.
Váli – born to avenge Baldr’s death, grows to adulthood in a single day.
Hnoss & Gersemi – daughters of Freyja, personifications of beauty and preciousness.
Mimir – wise being, guardian of the Well of Wisdom, his severed head still speaks.
Hœnir – associated with indecision, but also wisdom (one of the gods sent to the Vanir).
