The Gods

The Aesir, gods to the Scandinavians on Earth, have slept for over a thousand years following Odin's attempt to prevent the countdown to Ragnarok. Interventions by technological advances in Midgard (Earth) have caused a breach into Asgard and thus awakened the sleeping realm.

To the Aesir and other inhabitants of Asgard, it feels like little time has passed in the long slumber. Now following the awakening, an uncomfortable truth emerges - the other realms have all moved on, and only Asgard has remained as it was before. But now the Allfather is nowhere to be found, and the gods who freely did and said what they please find themselves isolated.

Many wish to continue in Asgard as it was. Others want to prepare for Ragnarok. And more still know that Asgard must play catch-up to the other worlds.

The Aesir are numerous and are in a rough heirarchy, though only the top is more clearly defined through the deeds and stories of those chief among them. Below the greatest of the Aesir such as Thor, Baldr, Tyr, Bragi, Heimdall, Hoder and Forseti, are the Jarls who rule most of the Aesir clans. These are loose groupings of families and like-minded individuals. Odin long ago ordained that the Jarls should rule over the lesser Aesir and it has remained so ever since. Three of the Jarls rule over the three holds of Asgard and others still ensure that the fields beyond the city supply food and drink for the tables of the halls.

Below the Jarls are the Thanes, who are charged to aid the other gods in many of the areas of their purview, whether in war, wisdom, learning or justice. Below the Thanes, still more Aesir deal with the more menial task, directing the serfs, taking care of equipment that cannot be trusted out of Aesir hands, and guarding the walls of Asgard.

A class of the Thanes are known as Valkyries, who were a clan Odin once charged with delivering heroes from Midgard to the Hall of Valhalla. Their Jarl Kára discharges the duty with meticulous organisation, never faltering and dispatching the Valkyries to seek out the very best. She is now most anxious to return to her duties and find the new heroes of Midgard.

The Aesir on the whole are simple and straightforward. Individuals are capable of great wisdom and foresight, but as a people they are direct - preferring the simple pleasures deserving of the gods such as battling giants, feasting with friends and traveling to see distant lands. They take seriously their duties of watching over their purview in the world, although asleep for a thousand years nothing has stopped working. Nevertheless, it is considered a duty to take interest in one's designated matters.

The Vanir of Asgard are few and chief among them are the twins Freyr and Freja, their father Njord and Kvasir who were part of the exchange following peace in the Aesir-Vanir war of long ago. They have been accorded a ruling place in Asgard, and brought with them some other Vanir in the entourage.

The lower Vanir are treated along the lines of the Aesir and often there is little to distinguish them. The Vanir are more interested in the nuances of life and take their cue from the purviews of the chief Vanir that came to Asgard. Thus they excel in matters of trade, prosperity, cultivation, learning and disguise.

There are a fair few Jotnar living in Asgard for many were taken as husbands or wives by Aesir. They are generally to be found keeping to themselves or their families and do not fully engage in the affairs of the Aesir. Still, living in Asgard has given them a home of more interest and curiosity than Jotunheim of old.

Many humans are the serfs of the Aesir and live bound to the gods, tilling their fields and serving their food. They are frequently trodden underfoot, as it were, and the Aesir give them very little thought. Most feel honoured in service to the gods and go about their duties contended. The Aesir see to it the people are protected and so get along well.

There are also a great many taken to the Hall of Valhalla, where they enjoy a very different existence as the 'einherjar'. Fighting all day and feasting all night, the humans there are heroes and though they are unable to leave the Hall, they are conscious of the life going on around them in Asgard. Rarely they are visited by other Aesir, who join in their revelries or come seeking entertainment and good conversation.

The Great are confident in their superiority amongst the realms of the world. Giants are regularly fought and defeated, the Vanir were put in their place long ago and neither the Dwarves nor the Elves have questioned the might of Asgard. The humans of Midgard even worship them and hold them in the highest esteem. What an Asa can do is practically limitless, and not even Ragnarok, despite the rumours, will be able to put down Asgard.

Some might call them naive, but The Great simply know how much they are capable of, both individually and together. Nevertheless, they hold less sway with the ruling council and in particular butt heads with Thor. They call him 'Ant-lover' in reference to his interest in humans, though not to his face, as that has resulted in more than a few broken skulls.

With Odin missing, they feel that Asgard is still capable of getting on fine, just as long as any threats to it are dealt with.

The Isolationists believe that trouble comes from other realms. Always. Whether it is in the form of giants, humans, dwarf technology or just taking a walk to a far away land - no good ever comes of it. Countless tales of mishaps, misadventures and visiting tricksters have landed the Aesir into trouble. Now that Asgard has slept, according to Odin's plan, things might have worked out had it not been for the meddling humans who have ruined all that was per-ordained and sullied Asgard with their presence.

They want nothing more than to cut off contact, banish troublemakers, and find Odin so that he might put his plan back into practice. There is some tension in the latter, because some believe that it would be wise to find Odin as quickly as possible so that he may help return Asgard to isolation.

They find some sympathy among the ruling council of Aesir, indeed many see that Odin had a plan for them, and the intervention of Midgard may have destroyed any hope of its success.

The Messengers are not just carriers of news and requests - they are seekers of information and truth. Together they seek to understand all the worlds better and learn all that was missed in the centuries of slumber. They are adventurous and easily excitable and though considered oddball by the large majority of Aesir, they are proud to uphold traditions of the past when Thor would go down to Midgard, or travel to Jotunheim and the many adventures famously endured by many.

They wish not only to learn of the other worlds, particularly what's happened to Midgard, but also to seek out more prophecies of Ragnarok and prepare themselves for its coming. Forewarned is forearmed, it is said, and in this they see the truest tenet of Odin's wisdom.

Gladsheim and Vingolf each hold twelve places for the greatest of the Aesir to meet and in each hall a grander throne is present for Odin. Since Awakening, the most eminent of the Aesir have met in council and tried to decide on a course of action, but no single plan has worked out yet. So it was decided that twelve must sit in council in Gladsheim and twelve in Vingolf and what each Hall decides, is a course that must be tried. Many of the Aesir cannot be questioned as deserving of a seat, but others must still be acclaimed for their deeds to make up the twenty-four that will try drive the Asgard in these end-times.