Refill your flagons! Jarrod Camiré continues to bring you new material to use with Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill. The second of four parts, this week we learn a little more about Thor.
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Thor is certainly one of the most well known gods from Norse mythology. He is mostly associated with thunder, lightning, and storms, but the portfolio of this warrior is more important: oak trees, strength, destruction, fertility, healing, and the protection of mankind. Thor has lived many incredible adventures, having slain numerous giants, pulled Jörmungandr—the World Serpent—out of the ocean while fishing, and even once played the part of the goddess Freya in order to recover Mjöllnir, his famous and prized hammer.
His exploits are told in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems, in which Thor is presented under more than one name. Each one describes a different aspect of the god…
Names and Meanings
• Ásabragr or Asabrag: “Aesir-lord”
• Ása-Þórr or Asa-Thor: “Aesir-Thor”
• Atli: “The Terrible”
• Björn, Bjorn or Biorn: “Bear”
• Einriði, Eindriði, Einridi or Eindridi: “The One Who Rides Alone” or “The One Who Rules Alone”
• Ennilangr or Ennilang: “The One with the Wide Forehead”
• Hafra dróttin: “Lord of the goats”
• Harðvéurr or Hardveur: “The Strong Archer”
• Hlóriði, Hlórriði, Hloridi, Hlórridi or Hlorridi: “Noisy-Rider”, “The Loud Rider,” or “The Loud Weather-God”
• Öku-Þor or Oku-Thor: “Cart Thor” or “Driving Thor”
• Reiðar Týr: “Chariot God”
• Rymr or Rym: “Noise”
• Sönnungr or Sonnung: “The True One”
• Véþormr or Vethorm: “Protector of the Shrine”
• Véuðr, Véoðr, Veud, or Veod: Variants of “Véurr” (see Véurr below)
• Véurr or Veur: “Guard of the Shrine” or “Hallower”
• Vingþórr or Vingthor: “Battle-Thor” or “Hallower”
Other Names
Old Norse: Þórr, Þunarr
Danish: Tor
Faroese: Tórur
Icelandic: Þór
Norwegian (nynorsk): Tor (dialectal)
Swedish: Tor
Old English: Þunor; (Thunor)
English: Thor
Old Saxon: Thunaer
Old Dutch: Donar
Dutch: Donar
Old High German: Donar
German: Thor
Other names: Donner, Thór, Thunder, Vingnir, Þor
Jörmungandr was the “Word” Serpent? Oh wait, that makes him the critter in the PopCap game “Bookworm”! ;-)
Great article, as usual…
There’s a really nice writeup of Thor in the Northlands book itself as well, though using the Germanic name of Donar.
Love the battle with the ettins art!