Baldur
The Beautiful Baldur Odinson
Baldur is a male deity in the Norse pantheon. He is a god of beauty, and one of twelve seated upon the council at Asgard.
He has no ulterior motives in his actions.
Baldur is as wise as he is handsome and often seeks to reward those who do good deeds.
Baldur can automatically recall every person or thing of beauty. He is instantly aware of any beautiful object or discussion of comparative beauty, and can sense everything within 14 miles of any of his followers, holy sites, or any place where his name was spoken in the past hour.
He can appraise or craft objects or artworks of stone or metal instantaneously. He can also create magic instruments, art tools and art supplies as he wishes.
Balder's skill at performance is truly legendary, even by divine standards. His performances can turn enemies into friends.
In combat, he fights with the skill of a berserker. He can enter a berserk rage for an hour, can do so 14 times per day, and is not tired afterward. He is particularly skilled with the greatsword.
He can cast various spells, including healing and protective spells. He has the ability to return the dead to life, and to improve the charisma of worthy individuals.
Baldur's dreams are said to be prophetic, to an extent.
Baldur's followers believe that creating objects of beauty brings one closer to divinity. The gods serve as ideal representation of artistic expression, and should be revered as such.
Following Baldur's death, his cultists also believe that one should accept fate with laughter and a smile. This tendency to believe that fate cannot be changed and should be accepted is popularly held by followers of the Norse pantheon.
Worshipers
While the people of Hivendelge typically worship the Norse pantheon as a collective group, Balder is particularly followed by bards and gnomes.
Clergy
Priests of Balder tend to have exceptional beauty, and are often skilled artists. They dress fine, but understated clothing. Their duties include sharing works of art with talented individuals, in the hopes of inspiring future great artworks. Since the death of Balder, they also serve counseling for those bereaved.
Proxies and Avatars
Balder has no known proxies.
Holy Sites
Baldur's temples are always beautifully designed. They possess a simple, understated elegance. These temples are decorated with great artworks, including carvings and paintings. Gnomish architects and craftsmen are often involved in their construction, and temples to Balder are more common where gnomes live.
These temples contain workshops where the clergy and visitors may create works of art and hope to receive inspiration from Baldur. Visitors sometimes report being overwhelmed by the grace and beauty of his temples. Like most temples to the Norse gods, Baldur's temples are also well fortified.
Temples of Baldur often host performances by skalds—bards—including particularly famous poets.
Holy Symbol
Baldur's holy symbol is a gem-encrusted silver chalice.
Favored Weapon
Baldur favors the greatsword.
Baldur's own weapon is a supremely enchanted keen holy greatsword. It is particularly lethal against fiends.
Balder is the son of Odin and his wife Frigga. He is twin brother of the blind god Hod. By relation to Odin, Baldur is half-brother to Thor, Heimdall, Bragi, Vidar and Vali.
Baldur is the husband of Nanna. Forseti, god of justice, is their son.
Enemies
Loki caused the death of Balder, and earned his enmity.
Allies
Baldur is the most beloved of all of the Aesir. He is loyal to Odin and the Aesir, and has never failed in his duties toward them.
Following his death, he is consigned to Hel's realm of Helheim.
Loki, the trickster god, became jealous. He discovered Baldur's weakness and sharpened a piece of mistletoe into a dart, giving it to Balder's blind brother Hod and guiding his hand so that it hit Baldur's heart. Baldur was slain.
Thereafter, Frigga sent Hermod to Hel to offer a ransom in exchange for her son. Hel agreed to return him to life, but only if all of Asgard shed a tear. Loki refused. The Aesir burned Baldur's body on a funeral pyre, and his wife Nanna joined him on the pyre.
Ragnarok Baldur does not partake in the final battle at Ragnarok, due to being in Helheim. Following the death of Hel and her guardians at Ragnarok, Baldur returns to rule over the new world
Description
Appearance and Personality Baldur is famed for his incredible beauty. It is said that mortal women cannot look upon him without being enchanted. He appears as a handsome well-dressed human with golden hair and a neatly-trimmed beard. He enjoys basking in the grace bestowed by his followers, and is often accompanied by an entourage of women.He has no ulterior motives in his actions.
Baldur is as wise as he is handsome and often seeks to reward those who do good deeds.
Abilities
It is said that Baldur cannot be harmed by any weapon, except one fashioned from mistletoe. By tradition, wooden weapons and tools are forbidden from his temples.Baldur can automatically recall every person or thing of beauty. He is instantly aware of any beautiful object or discussion of comparative beauty, and can sense everything within 14 miles of any of his followers, holy sites, or any place where his name was spoken in the past hour.
He can appraise or craft objects or artworks of stone or metal instantaneously. He can also create magic instruments, art tools and art supplies as he wishes.
Balder's skill at performance is truly legendary, even by divine standards. His performances can turn enemies into friends.
In combat, he fights with the skill of a berserker. He can enter a berserk rage for an hour, can do so 14 times per day, and is not tired afterward. He is particularly skilled with the greatsword.
He can cast various spells, including healing and protective spells. He has the ability to return the dead to life, and to improve the charisma of worthy individuals.
Baldur's dreams are said to be prophetic, to an extent.
Portfolio
Baldur is a god of beauty, light, poetry, music, and rebirth. He rules over the domains of good, healing, and knowledge.Worship
DogmaBaldur's followers believe that creating objects of beauty brings one closer to divinity. The gods serve as ideal representation of artistic expression, and should be revered as such.
Following Baldur's death, his cultists also believe that one should accept fate with laughter and a smile. This tendency to believe that fate cannot be changed and should be accepted is popularly held by followers of the Norse pantheon.
Worshipers
While the people of Hivendelge typically worship the Norse pantheon as a collective group, Balder is particularly followed by bards and gnomes.
Clergy
Priests of Balder tend to have exceptional beauty, and are often skilled artists. They dress fine, but understated clothing. Their duties include sharing works of art with talented individuals, in the hopes of inspiring future great artworks. Since the death of Balder, they also serve counseling for those bereaved.
Proxies and Avatars
Balder has no known proxies.
Holy Sites
Baldur's temples are always beautifully designed. They possess a simple, understated elegance. These temples are decorated with great artworks, including carvings and paintings. Gnomish architects and craftsmen are often involved in their construction, and temples to Balder are more common where gnomes live.
These temples contain workshops where the clergy and visitors may create works of art and hope to receive inspiration from Baldur. Visitors sometimes report being overwhelmed by the grace and beauty of his temples. Like most temples to the Norse gods, Baldur's temples are also well fortified.
Temples of Baldur often host performances by skalds—bards—including particularly famous poets.
Holy Symbol
Baldur's holy symbol is a gem-encrusted silver chalice.
Favored Weapon
Baldur favors the greatsword.
Baldur's own weapon is a supremely enchanted keen holy greatsword. It is particularly lethal against fiends.
Relationships
FamilyBalder is the son of Odin and his wife Frigga. He is twin brother of the blind god Hod. By relation to Odin, Baldur is half-brother to Thor, Heimdall, Bragi, Vidar and Vali.
Baldur is the husband of Nanna. Forseti, god of justice, is their son.
Enemies
Loki caused the death of Balder, and earned his enmity.
Allies
Baldur is the most beloved of all of the Aesir. He is loyal to Odin and the Aesir, and has never failed in his duties toward them.
Artifacts
Baldur's own weapon is a supremely enchanted keen holy greatsword. It is particularly lethal against fiends.Realm
Baldur's hall at Asgard is Briedbalik, or Breidablik, whose name means "broad splendor". It is a place of incredible beauty, and only the most beautiful of visitors are allowed entry.Following his death, he is consigned to Hel's realm of Helheim.
History
Death of Baldur Baldur was so beloved by the gods that they sent his mother Frigga to visit every thing in creation and ask it to swear an oath not to harm him. She did this, but ignored mistletoe, thinking it too weak to harm anyone. Thereafter the gods entertained themselves by throwing weapons at Baldur.Loki, the trickster god, became jealous. He discovered Baldur's weakness and sharpened a piece of mistletoe into a dart, giving it to Balder's blind brother Hod and guiding his hand so that it hit Baldur's heart. Baldur was slain.
Thereafter, Frigga sent Hermod to Hel to offer a ransom in exchange for her son. Hel agreed to return him to life, but only if all of Asgard shed a tear. Loki refused. The Aesir burned Baldur's body on a funeral pyre, and his wife Nanna joined him on the pyre.
Ragnarok Baldur does not partake in the final battle at Ragnarok, due to being in Helheim. Following the death of Hel and her guardians at Ragnarok, Baldur returns to rule over the new world
Divine Classification
God
Current Status
Deceased
Current Location
Church/Cult
Age
Immortal
Spouses
Siblings
Tyr
(Brother)
Children
Current Residence
Helheim
Pronouns
he/him
Sex
Male
Gender
Man
Presentation
Masculine
Eyes
Golden
Hair
Long, golden
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Lightly Tanned
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