#+SETUPFILE: ../../../template/level-2.org
#+TITLE: Timeline, Appendices, Etc
#+DATE: <2006-12-01 Fri>
#+AUTHOR: vaeringjar
#+EMAIL: vaeringjar@land
#+DESCRIPTION: 
#+KEYWORDS: edda

﻿***** NOTES, AXIOMS, DECISIONS *****



"Gods" shall refer to the unified Aesir and Vanir members.



When pertaining to the runes, default to the Elder Futhark as much as possible. The Younger Futhork and others shall be used only when they contain an element that is not available.



Odin's ravens are Hugin and Munin; his wolves are Geri and Freki.



Odin is the basis for the out-of-universe conception of Santa Claus.



The Völuspa is the main guide for the story.



Gap is a synonym for universe or cosmos.



Everywhere and anywhere pertain to phenomenal world.



Elsewhere pertains to the numenal world.



Odr, or Od, bares resemblance to Odin. I will anglicize it as Other, as in The Other. He is essentially Odin, or he is Odin.





***** LINGUISTICS *****



My opinion is the International Phonetic Alphabet is too complicated. In spoken conversation IPA is fine, but as soon as a person begins singing, to my ears the vowels merge together. I think languages should be preserved in singing, so I reject the complexity of IPA. The following are my decisions on vowel pronunciations, mainly for the sake of consistency and simplicity. I have also listed the Futhark equivalents preceding the Latin letters.



a == as in bot,



ᚨ, ᚫ, ae, ä == as in bat, cat



i == as in beet, meat



ᛝ, ᛜ, y, j == as in you, yes, llama $$



ie, ï == as in bit



ᚢ, u == as in boot, food



ue, ü == as in but, shut



ᛖ, e == as in bet, send



oe, ö == as in look, book



ᛟ, o == as in boat, oak *



ᚱ, ør, r == as in bird **





$$ I do not really think of the "y" sound as a proper vowel because it is awkward to sustain the sound. Also, it contradicts my standard for a vowel sound to not be ambiguous when sung. However, the letter is present in the language, so I will not completely ignore it.



* remembering not to apply my own accent in the form of a dipthong of "o" and "u"



** it is my belief that the letter "r" is a vowel, as the rolling "r" is scarce in English. It is sometimes referred to as "vocalic r." The letter "ø" is merely a placeholder to go with the letter "r" in a word. The spelling of Baldr in modern Icelandic as Baldur in this case would be spelled Baldør. However, I will tend toward simply Baldr, only using the "ø" when necessary.







***** ODIN'S STEPS TOWARD PREVENTING RAGNAROK *****



The Volva tells Odin about Ragnarok.



Odin casts an eye into the well and gets his first vision of Ragnarok when he drinks. The knowledge causes his remaining eye to burn bright like the sun. Some say he never smiled again after this.



Odin sacrifices himself for nights all nine on the World Ash. He gains the knowledge of the Runes.



Vafthrudnir tells Odin that one of his sons will prevent Ragnarok from completely wiping out the Aesir and humanity. Here Odin also finds out his own fate by Fenrir.





***** THE PLOT, OBJECTIVE THIRD-PERSON *****



[THE MYTHOLOGICAL PAST]



The Ginningugap is nothingness. Ymir comes to be. From him spawn the frost giants.



Audhumla frees Buri, the beginning of line of Aesir, from the ice to make a balancing force against the frost giants.



Odin is eventually born. Buri, his wife, Bur, and Bestla attempt to kill Ymir. They all fail and perish.



Out of revenge, Odin and his brothers slay Ymir. In the blood bath most frost giants perish.



The Aesir build Asgard, the rainbow bridge, and Midgard as a defense against the remaining giants. In Asgard they make the temples, the world, the dwarfs, and humans. They enjoy a golden age.



In their fame, the Aesir meet the other beings of the local world. The Disir and the Valkyries meet with Odin. The Valkyries swear allegiance to Odin, and Odin vows upon his life to uphold the values of the Disir. Three giantesses (I can probably name these by filling in the gaps: Earth, Frigg, Nott) from Jotunheim visit the Aesir, seeking husbands. Social tensions rise among the Aesir and the Jötnar.



The remaining Norns, Urdr and Verdandi, reveal themselves to the Aesir.



Odin befriends Loki and Tyr.



Gullveig, a rogue Disir and Valkyrie, visits the Aesir looking to join them. She is a Seidr, which the Aesir fear. When the Aesir do not show her open and warm hospitality, due to their fear of the magic, Gullveig transforms into Heid. A wandering giantess disguises herself and tells Lodur that Heid will destroy the Gods unless they burn her. Lodur ties up Heid and burns her, but each time she resurrects herself, more beautiful and more powerful than the last. After the eighth burning, Odr the Mysterious interrupts the torture. Heid rises from the ashes around her and transforms into her final form: Freyja, queen of the Vanir.



The Vanir think their queen is dead. An army of elves and Vanir, lead by Freyr, surrounds Asgard, demanding retribution. Odin refuses to submit and throws his javelin over the seige (this cannot be Gungnir due to continuity). The army raises the outer wall to the ground. But after the sun sets, the Dwarfs, unable to fight during the day, come to aid the Aesir. But by the morning the Dwarfs are forced to retreat. The casualties are none, but both sides are exhausted at fighting their match. Asgard is in ruins. Freyja returns to her people and the battle is over.



After the war, the Vanir and the Aesir trade "hostages." The Vanir give Njord, Freyr, and Freyja. The Aesir give Mimir and Lodur.





[THE MYTHOLOGICAL PRESENT]



Peace, once again, and the Aesir rebuild Asgard.



Loki cuts off Sif's hair. The treasures are built by the Dwarfs and Loki returns to the Aesir.



A giant offers to rebuild the walls of Asgard in a very short time in exchange for the sun, moon, and Freyja. The Gods agree, thinking the task impossible, but when the builder nearly succeeds Loki turns into a mare to lure away his horse. Then Thor destroys him, breaking the Gods' promise of safe conduct.



Loki gives birth to Sleipnir, sired by the giant's horse. (Sleipnir is the greatest of horses, and the only good child of Loki. And somehow, here Loki begins his descent to evil.)



Loki is not content with his wife Sigyn. He travels to Jotunheim where he meets Angrboda. There, over the course of their relationship, she has Jormungandr, Hel, and Fenrir.



The Norns warn Odin of the children of Loki and Angrboda. The Gods sneak into Jotunheim to capture Angrboda, Sleipnir, Hel, and Fenrir (possibly she is still pregnant). They succeed. Thor casts Jormungandr into the depths of the ocean; Odin negotiates with Hel who is sent to rule the underworld, land of the dead; and with the loss of Tyr's hand, Fenrir is eventually bound with Gleipnir.



Odin questions Sybil, the seeress (or völva), of what is to come. She tells him of the Doom of the Gods. It will begin with the death of Baldr by someone close. The world will fall into endless winter. Humanity will suffer social breakdown. Ultimately this is Ragnarök.



[BEGIN PROPHESY]



Ragnarök. Yggdrasill will tremble at the advance of the fire giants of Surt. Heimdall will blow his horn in alarm and Bifrost will break. Lopt will escape and gather an army from the most vicious beings of Hel's abode. Armies of Berserks will intercept the giants and wights of Surt and Lopt, but it will not be enough. Alfheim and Vanaheim will fall as well. Jormundgandr will raise Midgard and Fenrir will hunt down humanity. Jormundgandr, Fenrir, and the armies of Surt and Lopt will advance to Asgard, even with the rainbow bridge broken. To save the Gods, Odin will lead the Einherjar and the Valkyries into their final battle. But Fenrir will devour Odin. The giants will cheer and Surt will begin by slaying Freyr. Before Jormundgandr can raise Asgard, Thor will throw Mjollnir for the last time; both shall die. Vali Odinsson will have revenge for Baldr and Loki and Heimdall will kill each other. Fenrir will ravage the remaining armies of Asgard until finally confronting Vidar the silent God. But Fenrir will never end another life. Vidar will avenge his father, but only just before the world is burnt away.



Earth arises anew from the sea.

Baldr rises from Hel.

A mysterious figure comes into the world.

Nidhogg is... (Sybil's vision ends)



[END PROPHESY]



Odin realizes he must save the world. He and Loki depart for the underworld to seek council from Hel.



The Theft of Idunn's Apples. Loki meets Thjazi while he is accompanying Odin on his return from the underworld.



Traveling as Vegtam, Odin sacrifices his eye into Mimir's magic well to acquire Mimir's omniscient knowledge and wisdom for himself. 



Skadi conducts one of the most impressive assaults upon Asgard, ever. She demands compensation for the loss of her father. The Gods offer her marriage to an As of her choice, but she must choose by only seeing the feet. Skadi wishes for Baldr for his beauty, but she chooses Njord whose feet are cleaner because he spends his time on the coast, walking in the tide pools.



Odin realizes he must visit the wisest people of the world. He discusses visiting Vafthrudnir with Frigg, who fails to persuade him not to. But before he can venture to visit the giant, he needs something more. Odin hangs from Yggdrasill, pierced by Gungnir, for Nights All Nine in order to learn the wisdom that would give him power in the nine worlds. Odin learns the power of the runes. While hanging he enters a state of being where he leaves his body. In this state, he encounters Suttung and has many of this other adventures, taking aliases and changing his shape when needed. Upon his resurrection from the gallows of Yggdrasill, he then discovers the Futhark. For a time, Odin continues his alias identities.



In Odin's absence, the stories of the other Gods take place. But Odin is busy with his own adventures.



Odin's brothers marry Frigg and split Odin's possessions among them.



[SAGAS OF FREYR]



In Odin's absence, Freyr sits upon Hlidskiaf (Odin's throne). There he sees the giantess Gerd and falls madly in love with her, obviously a curse for sitting on the high-seat. Freyr's parents convince Skirnir to woo Gerd for Freyr. But instead of wooing her, he threatens her. Eventually she submits. 



[SAGAS OF THOR]



Thor and Loki travel to Utgard. Along the way he is joined by Thjalfi, Röskva, and later Skrymir. He is made a fool by the giant Skrymir who always seems to trouble the other travelers, but seems invulnerable to Thor's beatings. Skrymir leaves the group, and they eventually make it to Utgard. There the giants welcome Thor, aware of his reputation as a giantslayer. But they require that he, or a member of his party must pass a feat of incredible difficulty. One by one the travelers are shamed by the giants until even Thor is proved impotent. And so Thor and his band of travelers are shamed to leave Utgard. But on the way out, the leader of the giants reveals himself to be Skrymir, master of illusion; Thor and his group did not fail any of their tasks, rather they were unfair odds. Because of their incredible abilities, the giants considered Thor's group too dangerous to let stay. And so just as Thor, in his frustration, reached for Mjolnir, Utgard disappeared. Skrymir the illusive and the rest of the Utgard giants were nowhere to be seen.



Alvissmal: All-wise the dwarf comes to Thor with the intention of marrying Thrúd. Thor, disapproving and unaware of any marriage agreement, proposes a wisdom contest. Eventually Thor distracts the dwarf so long that the sun comes up and turns All-wise to stone. (This is very similar to the Volsung myth.)



Hymiskvida. To celebrate Odin's return, Tyr and Thor go to visit Hymir to borrow his brewing cauldron. Thor and Hymir decide to compete to show their manliness. Among other things, they go fishing and Thor almost nets Jormundgandr.



[SAGAS OF HEIMDALL]



Heimdall, travels under the name of Rig among the humans.



[SAGAS OF ODIN]



Vafthrudnismal (Odin as Gagnráðr). At last, Odin reaches Vafthrudnir. The Jotunn tells the wanderer that he will only allow him to live if he proves to be the wiser of the two. Vafthrudnir becomes more interested in belittling his guest than his own prudence; he wagers his own life in return. Finally, Gagnráðr asks him what Odin whispered in Baldr's ear prior to Baldr's body being placed on the funerary ship, a question to which only Odin knows the answer; the common rule of the wisdom contest is that the questioner must know the answers to the riddles. It is at this point that Vafþrúðnir recognizes his guest for who he is:



You alone know that, what long ago

You said in the ears of your son.

I doomed myself when I dared to tell

What fate will befall the gods,

And staked my wit against the wit of Odin,

Ever the wisest of all.

(Vafþrúðnismál 55, translated by Auden and Taylor)



While wandering Midgard, Odin comes to a town holding a town hall meeting. A woman is being charged for murdering a man by "riding" him to death. Odin figures out that she is a Seidr who transformed into a stallion to kill a rapist in a way that to her seemed an appropriate form of revenge. The Seidr is Freyja, though she does not recognize Odin, but Odr.



The story of Kvasir and the mead of poetry and Odin's victorious acquisition of the mead from the giants. (Odin as Bolverk)



Odin travels the world as Julnir and later as Annar.



Any parts of Sayings of the High One that are not yet included.



[ODIN RETURNS]





[THE MYTHOLOGICAL FUTURE]



The Death of Baldr.



Hermodr visits Hel.



Loki's Flyting



The Binding of Loki



Ragnarok





***** ACCORDING TO KEVIN CROSSLEY-HOLLAND *****



The Creation

The War of the Aesir and the Vanir

The Building of the Asgard Wall

The Lord of the Gallows

The Song of Rig (starring Heimdall)

The Mead of Poetry (Odin disguises himself and goes by Bolverk

Loki's Children and the Binding of Fenrir

The Theft of Idunn's Apples

The Marriage of Njord and Skadi

The Treasures of the Gods

Skirnir's Journey

The Lay of Grimnir

The Necklace of the Brisings

The Lay of Thrym

The Lay of Vafthrudnir

Thor's Journey to Utgard

The Lay of Hymir

Hyndla's Poem

Thor's duel with Hrungnir

Odin and Billing's Daughter

Gylfi and Gefion

The Lay of Harbard

The Ballad of Svipdag

Thor and Geirrod

The Lay of Loddfafnir

Otter's Ransom

The Lay of Alvis

The Death of Baldr

Loki's Flyting

The Binding of Loki

Ragnarok





***** UNANSWERED QUESTIONS *****



Is Mimir Aesir, Vanir, or Jötnar? How does he die? This also affects the drinking horn and the time at which this takes place in the timeline.



Why do Odin and Thor not get along? (I need an in-universe explanation, not the probable out-of-universe explanation that rival sects were competing.)



Was it Loki or Thjalfi who accompanied Thor on the journey to Geirröd?



What of Odin's in-universe replacement of Tyr?



It makes sense to add Aegir to the story either after Gerd or Heimdall join the Aesir (probably Heimdall). And so when is Heimdall born?



Who are Glen and Delling, and when do they become part of the Aesir?



Who exactly is Annar? Aesir or Jotnar?



When does Odin have Vidar with Grid and Vali with Rind?



When is Thor born? Baldr can be born at about the same time.



When and how do Bragi and Idunn join the Aesir?
