The Northern Gods

The stern gods of the Northlands are forbidding, bloody, grim, and dangerous—to outsiders. Northern humans, dwarves, and shapeshifters take joy in the delights of gods that call them to excellence, that invite great boasts and greater deeds, and that laugh louder than thunder. Piety in the Northlands is a curious thing. Although the gods have their share of true believers, most people regard the gods as unruly kings rather than divine beings: powerful and dangerous if crossed, helpful when bribed or flattered, and thankfully easy to appease with tribute. Blood is the usual sacrifice. Goats, cattle, or horses suffice most of the time, but it’s not uncommon for humans, dwarves, or trollkin to go beneath the knife when dire portents and evil occurrences demand a response. Each god prefers offerings delivered in a particular way: Wotan demands sacrifices are hung and pierced by spears, while Baldur’s offerings are burned and Thor prefers heads bashed in with a sacred hammer. Druids, oracles, and even witches are all common classes for priests. Full-time clerics in the southern style are a relative rarity, treated more as favored champions than clergy. Most priests also pursue another role, from jarl or captain to soothsayer, hunter, or smith. Worship isn’t something to be kept separate from everyday life; it takes place in feasting halls and forges, on battlefields and the swaying decks of longships. The North hosts few dedicated temples not because Northlanders are impious, but because they consider it fruitless to try to contain their gods. They’ve better things to do than visit you, so it’s best to call on them in the places where they like to walk. Few Northlanders devote themselves to a single deity. Most acknowledge all gods as powerful and best not angered. Although most people have a deity or two that’s close to their heart, it’s not uncommon for Northlanders to call upon local gods when traveling, abandoning them with equal casualness when they move on.

Deity	Alignment	Province	Domain	Symbol
Baldur	Good	Asgard	Life, Light	Silver gem encrusted chalice
Freyr and Freyja	Good	Asgard	Life, Nature, Tempest, War	An emerald and gold chalice surrounded by a wreath
Loki	Chaotic	Asgard	Apocalypse, Knowledge, Travel, Trickery	Twin Serpents
Sif	Good	Asgard	Hunting, Speed	Brace of Arrows
Thor	Chaotic	Asgard	Tempest, War	Hammer
Wotan	Lawful	Asgard	Justice, Knowledge, Prophecy, War	Raven

Baldur

Balder is a god of beauty, light, poetry, music, and rebirth. He rules over the domains of good, healing, and knowledge. It is said that Balder cannot be harmed by any weapon, except one fashioned from mistletoe. By tradition, wooden weapons and tools are forbidden from his temples.
Depiction. He appears as a handsome well-dressed human with golden hair and a neatly-trimmed beard.
Worshippers. Balder'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. While the people of Midgard typically worship the North pantheon as a collective group, Balder is particularly followed by bards and gnomes. 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.
Commandments

• Art and Beauty must be preserved
• Creating works of art brings one closer to divinity
• The beauty of art can last forever

Freyr and Freyja

Freyr and Freyja are twins, children of the Vanir who now dwell among the Aesir. Technically hostages exchanged after the Vanir War, they’re now considered part of the family and sit in the highest councils of Asgard. They taught the gods witchcraft. Freyr bestows peace and pleasure on mortals, a protector of farmers and a foe to fire giants and flames that destroy farmsteads and fields. Freyja is a skilled witch, so beautiful she cries golden tears. She wears the necklace of Vanaheim, an unmatched piece of jewelry she purchased at great cost. Freyja is also the patron of shield maidens. Both adventurous deities have seen their share of battles. Like Wotan, they gather fallen warriors to form an army with which the Vanir will fight beside the Aesir at Ragnarok.
Depiction. The beauty of both are second to only Baldur. They both appear as the pinnacle of what a man and woman can look like. Each has green skin, green eyes, long golden blonde hair, and wear clothes made of leaves and plant life.
Worshippers. Farmers and hunters are all followers of Freyr and Freyja. The twin gods are wildly popular in the Northlands and Orlais.
Commandments

• Revere the old ways, respecting the power of nature and the fey and elementals bound to it—new things are distrusted or destroyed.
• Punish those who scorn the old ways with curses.

Loki

What’s known and rumored about Loki is surely only the tip of the iceberg compared to what’s hidden behind misdirection and lies. You’ll never hear the same story of his origin twice, and that’s the way he likes it. Loki is a trickster and an instigator. He brings change—often dangerous change—but also helps the gods escape the trouble he causes. In a world dominated by the strong and forthright, he embodies the talents that Northlanders overlook: cleverness, stealth, and guile. Many liken Loki to a fire—useful, bright, and alluring but also unpredictable, uncontrollable, and potentially deadly. Like a flame he can suddenly shift from small and harmless to large and dangerous. He’s a renowned shapeshifter even among the gods and has sired numerous monsters, including the wolf Fenrir, his half-dead daughter Hel, and (allegedly) the World Serpent. Loki’s fate is a dark one. Driven by jealousy, he will kill Baldur and his monstrous children will bring about the twilight of the gods. These deeds might be in the future, but they cannot be forgiven or forgotten, even before they have come to pass. Some say the suspicion of the gods and the scorn of mortals will drive him from mischief to evil, whereas others claim that Loki was wickedness incarnate from the start. The truth—like so much more about him— will probably never be known.
Depiction. Loki appears in many forms with the most common form being that of a man with two large curved horns and long gold hair.
Worshippers. Clever warriors and cooks, mischief-makers and the wise, all sorts worship Loki and thank him for the gift of fire and knowledge . . . but all know his dark side as well. Fisherfolk are especially fond of him, since the net is said to be Loki’s invention. Most of Loki’s followers are monsters or scoundrels of some kind. He’s worshipped by those who consort with monsters and those about to commit acts of treachery or cunning. Few dare to call upon him, since his divine “help” causes more trouble than it solves.
Commandments

• Do what you think would amuse me

Sif

Sif is the gold-keeping, arrow-shooting, ale-brewing wife of Thor, the equal of any man and better than most. She is the good mother and friend of the faithful.
Depiction. She is depicted as a northern woman with fair skin and blonde hair tied into two braids. She wears armor and is equipped with a bow, shield, and war axe.
Worshippers. Married and unmarried women comprise most of Sif ’s followers, though archers, farmers, and gold-seeking dwarves all maintain varying degrees of fondness for her as well. All female warriors give Sif her due as leader of the valkyries and shield maidens.
Commandments

• Be fierce and be faithful, and fight for what you believe in.
• Learn the bow and axe and spear as a warrior, or raise children to be strong and true, and do either or both with your whole heart.
• Stand strong in the summer and learn to bend in the winter storm.
• Strike down evil and practice your own excellence without ever insulting another’s skill.

Thor

Wotan’s eldest and boldest son, Thor is the champion of man and dwarf. Riding out in search of glory on a chariot pulled by tireless celestial goats, hammer at his side, he is the adventurer of Asgard and the eternal foe of giants, trolls, and other monsters. Thor is filled with daring courage and none too bright. Countless godlings and ancient spirits fell beneath his hammer, and to this day Northern monsters and especially giants fear and hate him. The dwarves are wary of Thor, for although he supposedly created them, he also smote their halls when they dared to favor another god over him. Reaver dwarves invoke him both as creator and for vengeance and retribution.
Depiction. Thor is depicted as a large dwarf with a wild red mane and beard, typically holding Mjolnir at his side.
Worshippers. Reaver dwarves and Northlanders worship Thor as the god of war and raiding, of thunder and glory. As a great defender of the North and a good husband to his divine wife Sif, he is widely revered by elders, wives, and villagers, not just those who go a-viking.
Commandments

• To fall bravely in battle is the perfect end for them

Wotan

Thor and Baldur might be more beloved by the people, but Wotan stands head and shoulders above his kin in power. He is the creator who carved up the body of the first giant to make the world; he is the magician who stole runes and charms from the unknown Void. He rewards the heroic dead with a place at his table and is the patron of proud and ruthless kings. Ravens fly across the world to bring him news and rumors, and from his enchanted throne he can spy upon all creation. He plucked out his own eye in return for wisdom, and when that wasn’t enough he hung himself upon the Tree of Worlds, stealing secrets from the Void beyond existence. His name is a kenning for wisdom, poetry, and the kingly arts of war. Wotan embodies the virtues of a strong king—foresighted and wise, ruthless toward his enemies but generous to followers, master of magic and lord of war. He is the god of strife, chieftains, and kings, master of runes and stealer of wisdom. He slew Yimir the first giant and so earned the enmity of all giantkind. Their continuing battles have been largely one-sided; Wotan’s superior cunning and wisdom ensure he triumphs time and time again.
Depiction. Wotan is typically depicted as an elderly dwarf with long white hair and a large trimmed beard. He has one eye and is typically seen on a throne, wielding his spear Jotun's Bane, or alongside his Raven Huggin.
Worshippers. Despite such virtues, Wotan’s followers are relatively few. Wotan is dour and his gifts carry a price; he is most beloved by the few jarls, wizards, and graybeards who value wisdom. Young warriors and maidens see no value in such a grandfatherly figure. Among dwarves, the worship of Wotan the All-Father represents a step in life, beyond callow youth and into maturity and middle age. Older men and dwarves proclaim their loyalty at his shrines and feed his ravens bread, but some women revere Wotan as well, for the swift news his ravens bring or for the power of rune magic. In addition, Wotan has many followers among the huginn (ravenfolk). They see him as the greatest of figures, for his servants are feathered and wise, and Wotan is as wily as every huginn wishes to be.
Commandments

• Be canny in judgment, skilled in poetry, and quick to lead men into honorable battle.