This glossary is a general guide for readers who are unfamiliar with the terms used in this story, however, many of these terms have nuance and history that can’t be expressed in a blurb. I encourage you to go search out your own information, either using the internet or with the reference page I’ve added.
Aesir: One of the two tribes of Gods, referring to those whose home was Asgard. See the Pantheon Tree for details.
Alfheim: One of the nine realms, home of the elves.
Asgard: One of the nine realms, home of the Aesir Gods, and the main location of our story.
Bifrost: The rainbow bridge that connects Asgard and Midgard.
Einherjar: The chosen warriors of Odin. It was believed that when someone died in battle, they might be chosen to Valhalla, where they would dine in Odin’s halls and become a part of his army of Einherjar. They would train every day and their wounds would heal every night, and at Ragnarok, the end of the realms, they would fight against the enemies of Asgard.
Ergi/Argr: Old Norse term. In the Viking Age, argr was used to accuse someone of being unmanly or to insinuate effeminate behaviour. Being unmanly or cowardly was one of the worst things a man could be known for. Insults were taken very seriously in the Viking Age. Calling another man argr was so insulting that it could result in a holmgang, or duel, in order for the accused to regain his honour.
Fathur-morthingr: Father-killer. Invented word, derived from Scandinavian languages for use as part of the Jotun language.
Fólkvangr: The name of the meadow where Freya’s hall is built.
Ginnungagap: Before the existence of the realms, Ginnungagap was the void that sat between Musphelheim and Niflhiem. When the two realms drew close together, the fire and ice mixed to create the giant Ymir, whose body was used to create Midgard.
Gladsheim: One of Odin’s halls. Used as a meeting hall, it contains thirteen seats for the Gods. In some texts, only the male Gods had seats in this hall, while in others it’s nonspecific.
Gótha nótt: Good night. Taken from Icelandic, the closest modern relative to Old Norse, for use as part of the Jotun language.
Grimnir: One of the many names of Odin. Means ‘hooded’ or ‘masked one.’
Hangi: One of the many names of Odin. Means ‘hanged one.’
Helheim: One of the nine realms. Home of the dead who aren’t placed in Freya’s halls at Sessrúmnir or in Odin’s halls in Valhalla. Sometimes believed to be the resting place of those who died dishonourable deaths of disease or old age, but this may be a view influenced by the introduction of Christianity.
Jotun: The term for the people of Jotunheim. Some sources refer to them as giants but this is technically false according to many sources. They were more likely just another tribe of people apart from the Aesir and Vanir.
Jotunheim: One of the nine realms. Home of the Jotun.
Midgard: Known to us simply as Earth, the land of humans.
Midsommarblot: A traditional celebration of the sun. Midsummer refers to the middle of summer, and in modern times usually indicates the summer solstice. The word blot can be simplified as ‘sacrifice’, but more literally it’s a request towards the Gods, or a trade. Celebrations included enormous campfires, song, dance, drink and offerings made to the Gods. Is still celebrated in Scandinavian countries and by pagan/heathenistic/wiccan religions.
Musphelheim: One of the nine realms. A mostly uninhabitable land of fire and volcanoes. Home of the fire giant Surt.
Niflheim: One of the nine realms. A realm of ice and snow. Some sources consider Niflheim and Helheim to be the same realm, while others disagree.
Nornir, The: Can refer to many female beings who alter fate, but in this story it refers to the three most well known. The fates are seen in many mythologies as three women of different age groups, and in Norse mythology, they are Urd (the past), Skuld (the future), and Verdandi (the present). They have control over the fates of Gods and men, and can be called on when looking for answers, as Odin often did.
Ofnir: One of Odin’s many names. Means ‘inciter’.
Ragnarok: The final battle prophesied at the end of Norse mythology. A series of events will herald a battle between the Gods and their enemies. At the end of the battle, the realms will fall, ending life as we know it. One version of Ragnarok ends in rebirth, while many skeptics think that this is due to the influence of Christianity and the presence of Jesus during the time of the oldest recorded source.
Seidr: Seiðr. One of the many words used to describe viking age magic. The practitioners believed, among other things, that seidr could be used to alter fate, effect the decisions of others, and bring good fortune. There are many books available on both modern and viking age magic which I highly encourage you to look into.
Sessrúmnir: The hall belonging to Freya.
Sigfodr: Sigfoðr. One of the many names of Odin. Broken down, Sig means victory and foðr means father. While there is no way to confirm and can be chalked up to pure coincidence, this is the only clue from the Eddas as to the possible parentage of Sigyn.
Skít: An Icelandic word meaning ‘shit’, which has been attributed as Jotun language in this story.
Svartalfheim: One of the nine realms. Translates roughly to ‘black elf home’ and is the home of the dwarves, which are sometimes called black elves in ancient texts.
Valaskjálf: One of Odin’s halls. His high tower is a part of this hall, but not much else is known. For the purposes of this story, it’s used to house guests, Gods without halls of their own, or Gods who just need a place to sleep for the night.
Valfodr: One of Odin’s many names. Means ‘Father of the Slain.’
Valhalla: One of Odin’s halls and by far the most known. When someone was killed in battle during the Viking age, Valhalla was one of the places where the fallen dead could go for an afterlife.
Valkyrie: A powerful female warrior with swan wings on her back. She was able to take the shape of a swan and did so in several Germanic tales. They were said to attend battles on earth take the souls of the worthy dead up to Asgard. Their duties also included serving the Einherjar food and drink in Valhalla.
Vanaheim: One of the nine realms. Home of the Vanir.
Vanir: One of two tribes of Gods, referring to those whose home was Vanaheim. See the Pantheon Tree for details.
Völva/ Völur: One of the many names for a practitioner of seidr in the viking age. Usually women, they were said to have ability to see fate, contact the dead, or speak to the Gods, among other things. There are attestations of male völur, but it was less common, in part because it was looked down upon as an unmanly profession. For the purposes of this story, not all facts known about the völur on Midgard are applied to the people of the other nine realms.
Yggdrasil: The World Tree. This massive ash tree connects the nine realms by its roots and is home to a variety of animals. For the purposes of this story, Idunn’s golden apples grow on its branches and it has nine roots instead of the three attested to in the Eddas.
Ymir: The giant that was created at the dawn of the realms, and from which all things descend.