THE AESIR
THE NORSE GODS
O Born in the wastes and
N ruin of Northern Europe,
E among Germanic warriors
— and Nordic pirates, the
P Aesir compose the fourth-
A oldest of the divine
families. Their pantheon
N is the product of a
T shotgun wedding around
H 1,000 years ago, when
E the Aesir and the Vanir
O (an earlier pantheon) were
N both devastated by the
Titans during a war in the
North. Relying on the safety
of numbers, the Aesir absorbed
their rivals into their ranks and thus
preserved themselves in difficult times.
The Aesir represent a third option apart from
those espoused by the Dodekatheon and the
Pesedjet. Aesir Scions promote community stability
as a hedge against modern life’s harshness. Yet, they
also emphasize personal rights and individual honor.
Therefore, while family and nation are important,
injustice against a single person is cause for action
and even vengeance.
Of all the divine tribes, the Aesir are the most
directly affected by Fate. Nearly every Norse God
and Goddess is fated to end badly at Ragnarök,
the prophesied ending of the nine worlds. Both
individually and as a group, the Aesir motivate
their Scions to find ways around that ugly doom.
They challenge both specific people and whole
communities, striving for greater justice and firmer
commitments to order. On the other hand, their
entanglements with Fate cause many complications
for the Aesir and their Scions alike.
The Aesir’s great weaknesses are a preponderance
of enemies, an obsession with Fate and a fondness
for aggressive solutions (which is how they acquired
so many foes in the first place). Titanspawn are to
be killed first; questions can be asked later using
magic, if necessary. At the same time, the bindings
of Fate urge these Gods to ask for prophecies
66 from nearly everyone, as they seek to avoid their
doom at Ragnarök. Invariably,
their enemies grant them
foreknowledge of their ruin,
with oracles that further
constrain their possible
courses of action.
AKA
Description: The
handsomest of the Aesir,
Baldur is a genial and
orderly fellow, in keeping
with his role as God of the
sun. His blond hair is always just
a little longer than custom allows for
while still being perfect. His white teeth,
incredible physique, graceful dexterity and sincere
eyes make it impossible to deny him anything he
asks for. He can be persuasive and charming, fierce
and intimidating, clever and generous, but he rarely
strays from his intended course. That course is
usually predictable and clear.
Baldur is a valiant warrior, loved by everyone except
Loki. Even Hel has a crush on him. His legendary hall
had a golden roof and silver walls, and he could shoot
a man from the other side of the World with one
eye closed. In modern times, Baldur takes on roles
that suit his everyday good-guy projection and Nordic
good looks. He’s been a movie star, a fireman, an
alternative energy expert, a veterinarian, a lifeguard
and a sports star. Yet his greatness and goodness tend
to make him the best and greatest man in the room.
Baldur is fated not to share the stage with anyone,
which leads him (and his Scions) into roles where
they engender jealousy and envy.
Baldur has many Scions, not because he
necessarily wants many, but because he likes to
make women happy. It is virtually impossible not
to like him and lust after him. His children are
genuinely good folk, destined to help the World.
Their very goodness, of course, tends to bring them
to unspeakably unpleasant ends, just like the one
their father is destined to suffer.