"The Hammer of Thor: The Game of Norse Mythology The Hammer of Thor is a 1980 board game published by Nova Game Designs. ""The Hammer of Thor"" is a game in which the object is to be victorious at Ragnarok, the final battle. W.G. Armintrout reviewed ""The Hammer of Thor"" in ""The Space Gamer"" No. 43. Armintrout commented that """"Hammer of Thor"" was a labor of love on the part of the designer. Too bad Nova didn't assign him as a developer. The game is not playable as published, nor are any simple fixes going to help - I remember"
"Fimbulwinter In Norse mythology, Fimbulvetr (or ""fimbulvinter""), commonly rendered in English as Fimbulwinter, is the immediate prelude to the events of Ragnarök. It means ""great winter"". Fimbulwinter is the harsh winter that precedes the end of the world and puts an end to all life on Earth. Fimbulwinter is three successive winters, when snow comes in from all directions, without any intervening summer. Then, there will be innumerable wars. The event is described primarily in the ""Poetic Edda"". In the poem ""Vafþrúðnismál"", Odin poses the question to Vafþrúðnir as to who of mankind will survive the Fimbulwinter. Vafþrúðnir responds that"
"""fimbulvinter"" is still used to refer to an unusually cold and harsh winter. Fimbulvetr comes from Old Norse, meaning ""awful, great winter"". The prefix ""fimbul"" means ""the great/big"" so the correct interpretation of the word is ""the great winter"". Fimbulwinter In Norse mythology, Fimbulvetr (or ""fimbulvinter""), commonly rendered in English as Fimbulwinter, is the immediate prelude to the events of Ragnarök. It means ""great winter"". Fimbulwinter is the harsh winter that precedes the end of the world and puts an end to all life on Earth. Fimbulwinter is three successive winters, when snow comes in from all directions, without any"
"Bergelmir In Norse mythology, Bergelmir ( ; Old Norse ""Mountain Yeller"" or ""Bear Yeller"") is a frost giant, the son of giant Þrúðgelmir and the grandson of Ymir (who was called Aurgelmir among giants), the first frost giant, according to stanza 29 of the poem ""Vafthrudnismal"" from the ""Poetic Edda"": According to the ""Gylfaginning"" section of the ""Prose Edda"" by Snorri Sturluson, Bergelmir and his wife alone among the giants were the only survivors of the enormous deluge of blood which flowed from Ymir's wounds when he was killed by Odin and his brothers Vili and Vé. They escaped the"
"the gods. While often translated as ""giants"", most are described as being roughly human sized. Some are portrayed as huge, such as frost giants (""hrímþursar""), fire giants (""eldjötnar""), and mountain giants (""bergrisar""). The giants are the origin of most of various monsters in Norse mythology (e.g. the Fenrisulfr), and in the eventual battle of Ragnarök the giants will storm Asgard and fight them, until the world is destroyed. Even so, the gods themselves were related to the giants by many marriages, and there are giants such as Ægir, Loki, Mímir, and Skaði, who bear little difference in status to them."
"tells the children that Fimbulwinter is the harbinger of Ragnarok, which she describes as the battle in which all humans, gods, and giants will die. But, she adds, it won't come until Loki has been freed from his chains. This makes Jonas and Sofie worried, because they know Loki has truly been freed. Sofie and Jonas then set up a hideout in Loki's old dolmen where they can make plans on how to stop Loki, and effectively stop Ragnarok. They then discover a tunnel behind the stone snake that leads to Asgard. They ask the gods about Loki, but none"
"a sarcophagus."" Scholars John Lindow and Carolyne Larrington agree that the ""Prose Edda"" account of the flood borrowed from Judeo-Christian tradition of Noah's Ark. Bergelmir In Norse mythology, Bergelmir ( ; Old Norse ""Mountain Yeller"" or ""Bear Yeller"") is a frost giant, the son of giant Þrúðgelmir and the grandson of Ymir (who was called Aurgelmir among giants), the first frost giant, according to stanza 29 of the poem ""Vafthrudnismal"" from the ""Poetic Edda"": According to the ""Gylfaginning"" section of the ""Prose Edda"" by Snorri Sturluson, Bergelmir and his wife alone among the giants were the only survivors of the"
"the next cycle will begin with a new Satya Yuga, in which all will once again be righteous with the reestablishment of dharma. This, in turn, will be followed by epochs of Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and again another Kali Yuga. This cycle will then repeat till the larger cycle of existence under Brahma returns to the singularity, and a new universe is born. Norse mythology depicts the end of days as ""Ragnarök"", an Old Norse term translatable as ""twilight of the gods"". It will be heralded by a devastation known as Fimbulvetr which will seize Midgard in cold and"
"only known act is placed at the time of the ""Dusk of the gods"", the great crisis in which the old world disappears, as the wolf Fenrir swallows Oðinn and the sun. Then Viðarr defeats Fenrir permitting the rebirth of the world with a female sun, the daughter of the disappeared one. The eschatological crisis in which Fenrir devours the sun is seen as the ""Great Winter"" ""Fimbulvetr"" and the god who kills Fenrir, Viðarr, is defined the ""silent Ase"": silence must be associated with his exceptional force and his feat as saviour of the world. Angerona too discharges the"
"Ragnarök In Norse mythology, Ragnarök (; ) is a series of future events, including a great battle, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the Gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterward, the world will resurface anew and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors. Ragnarök is an important event in Norse mythology and has been the subject of scholarly discourse and theory throughout the"
"the elderly chief and last survivor of a lost Viking colony armed with a spear blessed by Odin himself, arrive to battle. They are almost defeated, but Elif gives up his life to drive the spear into Fafnir, and Thor hammers it in all the way, slaying Fafnir. Thor gives Elif a noble Viking funeral by burning Fafnir's body atop his corpse. Fafnir was released from Hel alongside the Midgard Serpent, Fafnir of Jotunheim (a frost giant), Nidhogg, Farsung the Enchanter, an Ice Giant and two Ice Dwarves by Kurse to battle Thor and Lady Sif. The threat of these"
"Edda"", compiled in the thirteenth century from earlier traditional sources, and the ""Prose Edda"", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholarly theories have been proposed about the underlying meaning and origins of the two names. In the poem ""Vafþrúðnismál"", collected in the ""Poetic Edda"", the god Odin poses a question to the jötunn Vafþrúðnir, asking who among mankind will survive when the winter at the end of the world Fimbulvetr occurs. Vafþrúðnir responds that they will be Líf and Lífþrasir, that the two will have hidden in the wood of Hoddmímis Holt, they will consume the morning dew"
"of Norse religion and the beliefs of other related Indo-European peoples. Subsequently, theories have been put forth that Ragnarök represents a later evolution of a Proto-Indo-European belief along with other cultures descending from the Proto-Indo-Europeans. These parallels include comparisons of a cosmic winter motif between the Norse Fimbulwinter, the Iranian ""Bundahishn"" and Yima. Víðarr's stride has been compared to the Vedic god Vishnu in that both have a ""cosmic stride"" with a special shoe used to tear apart a beastly wolf. Larger patterns have also been drawn between ""final battle"" events in Indo-European cultures, including the occurrence of a blind"
"stanza 39 of the poem ""Vafþrúðnismál"". In the poem, Odin, disguised as Gagnráðr, faces off with the wise jötunn Vafþrúðnir in a battle of wits. Vafþrúðnismál references Njörðr's status as a hostage during the earlier Æsir–Vanir War, and that he will ""come back home among the wise Vanir"" at ""the doom of men."" In stanza 44, Odin poses the question to Vafþrúðnir as to who of mankind will survive the ""famous"" Fimbulwinter (""Mighty Winter""). Vafþrúðnir responds in stanza 45 that those survivors will be Líf and Lífþrasir, and that they will hide in the forest of Hoddmímis holt, that they"
"an example of a broad revival of interest in the Viking Age and ancient Germanic topics. Ragnarök In Norse mythology, Ragnarök (; ) is a series of future events, including a great battle, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the Gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterward, the world will resurface anew and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors. Ragnarök is an important"
"Jötunheimr Jötunheimr (or Jǫtunheimr in Old Norse orthography; often anglicized as Jotunheim) is the homeland of the Jötnar, the giants in Norse mythology. From Jötunheimr, the giants menace the humans in Midgard and the gods in Asgard. The river Ifing (Old Norse, ""Ífingr"") separates Asgard, the realm of the gods, from Jötunheimr, the land of giants. Gastropnir, the protection wall to the home of Menglad, and Þrymheimr, home of Þjazi, were both located in Jötunheimr, which was ruled by King Thrym. Glæsisvellir was a location in Jötunheimr, where lived the giant Gudmund, father of Höfund. Utgard was a stronghold surrounding"
"Vígríðr In Norse mythology, Vígríðr or Óskópnir is a large field foretold to host a battle between the forces of the gods and the forces of Surtr as part of the events of Ragnarök. The field is attested in the ""Poetic Edda"", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional material, and in the ""Prose Edda"", written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century. The ""Poetic Edda"" briefly mentions the field as where the two forces will battle, whereas the ""Prose Edda"" features a fuller account, foretelling that it is the location of the future death of several deities (and"
"Hoddmímis holt In Norse mythology, Hoddmímis holt (Old Norse ""Hoard-Mímir's"" holt) is a location where Líf and Lífþrasir are foretold to survive the long winters of Fimbulvetr. Hoddmímis holt is attested in the ""Poetic Edda"", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ""Prose Edda"", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholarly theories have been proposed about the location and its potential connection to the world tree Yggdrasil and folktales recorded from Germanic Europe. In the poem ""Vafþrúðnismál"", collected in the ""Poetic Edda"", the god Odin poses a question to the jötunn Vafþrúðnir, asking who"
"Þrúðgelmir In Norse mythology, Þrúðgelmir (; Old Norse ""Strength Yeller"") is a frost giant, the son of the primordial giant Aurgelmir (who Snorri Sturluson in ""Gylfaginning"" identifies with Ymir), and the father of Bergelmir. Þrúðgelmir had one brother and one sister, who were elder than he was. Þrúðgelmir's name is sometimes anglicized as Thrudgelmir. Þrúðgelmir appears in the poem ""Vafþrúðnismál"" from the ""Poetic Edda"". When Odin (speaking under the assumed name Gagnrad) asks who was the eldest of the Æsir or of the giants in bygone days, Vafþrúðnir answers: According to Rudolf Simek, Þrúðgelmir is identical to the six-headed son"
"Fornjót In Norse mythology, Fornjót (Old Norse: ""Fornjótr"") was an ancient giant and king of """"Gotland, Kænland and Finnland"""" meaning Gotland, Kvenland and Finland Proper. His children are Ægir (the ruler of the sea), Logi (fire giant) and Kári (god of wind). The name has often been interpreted as ""forn-jótr"" ""ancient giant"", and Karl Simrock (1869) because of this identified Fornjotr with the primeval giant Ymir. But it is also possible, as was suggested by Peter Erasmus Müller (1818), that it is one of a well-established group of names or titles of gods in ""-njótr"" ""user, owner, possessor"", which would"
"the entire world. Later in the same chapter, High quotes Odin's response from the above-mentioned chapter of ""Vafþrúðnismál"". Vígríðr In Norse mythology, Vígríðr or Óskópnir is a large field foretold to host a battle between the forces of the gods and the forces of Surtr as part of the events of Ragnarök. The field is attested in the ""Poetic Edda"", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional material, and in the ""Prose Edda"", written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century. The ""Poetic Edda"" briefly mentions the field as where the two forces will battle, whereas the ""Prose Edda"""
"of the gods, by the Bifröst, the rainbow bridge, guarded by Heimdallr. In Norse mythology, ""Miðgarðr"" became applied to the wall around the world that the gods constructed from the eyebrows of the giant Ymir as a defense against the Jotuns who lived in Jotunheim, east of ""Manheimr"", the ""home of men"", a word used to refer to the entire world. The gods slew the giant Ymir, the first created being, and put his body into the central void of the universe, creating the world out of his body: his flesh constituting the land, his blood the oceans, his bones"
"Utgard-Loki. Thrym's cults teach that the world will end with Fimbul Winter, and that cold will triumph after Surtr's fire burns everything. Almost all of Thrym's worshippers are frost giants, but he has been known to approve clerics of other races if they fit his ideals. Some neanderthals and northern barbarians have been known to worship him. Frost giant shamans are responsible for helping frost giants of their tribe claim their spot in the afterlife, which they do by holding regular prayer vigils and trying to incite frost giant warriors to undertake ever more daring adventures. They wear horned helms"
"Bifröst In Norse mythology, Bifröst ( or sometimes Bilröst or Bivrost) is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the realm of the gods. The bridge is attested as ""Bilröst"" in the ""Poetic Edda""; compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and as ""Bifröst"" in the ""Prose Edda""; written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in the poetry of skalds. Both the ""Poetic Edda"" and the ""Prose Edda"" alternately refer to the bridge as Ásbrú (Old Norse ""Æsir's bridge""). According to the ""Prose Edda"", the bridge ends in heaven at Himinbjörg, the"
"residence of the god Heimdallr, who guards it from the jötnar. The bridge's destruction during Ragnarök by the forces of Muspell is foretold. Scholars have proposed that the bridge may have originally represented the Milky Way and have noted parallels between the bridge and another bridge in Norse mythology, Gjallarbrú. Scholar Andy Orchard posits that ""Bifröst"" may mean ""shimmering path."" He notes that the first element of ""Bilröst""—""bil"" (meaning ""a moment"")—""suggests the fleeting nature of the rainbow,"" which he connects to the first element of ""Bifröst""—the Old Norse verb ""bifa"" (meaning ""to shimmer"" or ""to shake"")—noting that the element evokes"
"to the north was named Niflheim, a world of clouds and shadows in whose center surged the fountain Hvergelmir, from which flowed twelve rivers of ice. The one to the south was named Muspelheim, which teemed with rivers of fire. Eventually the warm air from the south carved out the frost giant Ymir from the ice in the north. Ymir became the father of all the giants, and his cow Auðumbla licked out of the ice the first Asgardian, Buri. Buri had a son named Borr, who married the giantess Bestla. Borr and Bestla had three sons named Odin, Vili,"
"Bound monster The bound monster is an important motif in Norse mythology. The theme is that of an enemy of the gods who is bound or restrained in some way but destined to break free during the time of Ragnarök to cause destruction. This pattern applies particularly to Loki and his three children by the giantess Angrboda - the wolf Fenrisulfr (or Fenrir), Jörmungandr (the Midgard Serpent) and Hel, queen of the underworld. Loki was bound in vengeance for his role in the death of Baldr, the full version of which tale is found in ""Gylfaginning"". As Loki struggles in"
"""Grímnismál"" that mentions the bridge, Grímnir (the god Odin in disguise) provides the young Agnarr with cosmological knowledge, including that Bilröst is the best of bridges. Later in ""Grímnismál"", Grímnir notes that Asbrú ""burns all with flames"" and that, every day, the god Thor wades through the waters of Körmt and Örmt and the two Kerlaugar: In ""Fáfnismál"", the dying wyrm Fafnir tells the hero Sigurd that, during the events of Ragnarök, bearing spears, gods will meet at Óskópnir. From there, the gods will cross Bilröst, which will break apart as they cross over it, causing their horses to dredge"
"and Loki are captured by the giants and presented to their leader, Surtr. Surt explains that he has freed Fenrir and used him to breakdown Folkvangr and kidnapped a hibernating Freyja. Using seidr he has converted Freyja's sun powers into a magic sword: Lævateinn. This allows him and the sons of muspell to live in a valley of warmth while the gods, humans and even the non-muspel giants freeze to death in the eternal winter. Loki tries to trick Surtr to attack Valhalla, believing him to be no match for Odin and Thor. The giants set sail with Naglfar, bringing"
"Jörmungandr In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr (, pronounced , meaning ""huge monster""), also known as the Midgard (World) Serpent (), is a sea serpent, the middle child of the giantess Angrboða and Loki. According to the ""Prose Edda"", Odin took Loki's three children by Angrboða—the wolf Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr—and tossed Jörmungandr into the great ocean that encircles Midgard. The serpent grew so large that he was able to surround the earth and grasp his own tail. As a result, he received the name of the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent. When he releases his tail, Ragnarök will begin. Jörmungandr's arch-enemy"
"a battle that allegedly took place between Donar the God of Thunder with the winter giants and the ""Midgaardslang"" (a giant snake monster) who strategically align against him. The giants throw hail down, while the snake climbs into a tall oak tree and blows poison into the air. Donar attacks, riding through the air on ""his billy-goat wagon"", the sky blazes and the earth trembles because of his ""never missing thunderhammer."" Donar strikes the snake on his head with such force on the head that not only was the monster crushed, the mighty thunderhammer went seven miles deep into the"
"fit in his pocket. Also, the name of Thor Wignutt is a reference to the Norse god of storms, Thor. Coyote introduces himself as Loki, Norse god of chaos at one point, and the term 'Ragged Rock', meaning the end of the world, translates to the Norse Ragnarok, the final battle in which the world is destroyed and reborn in the Skaldic poems. Finally, the Lodgepole, tree of the worlds, is based on Yggdrasil, the world tree of the Norse, and Murmury Well (the well Coyote means to poison) is Mimir's Well. The Native American mythology is certainly deep and"
"He learns he would first have to face 'Death'. It is revealed this meant the Death-goddess Hela. When Thor offers himself to her in place of Sif, she is so taken by his nobility she cannot bear to kill him and lets both go. During the Siege of Asgard, the Norns confront Daken of the Dark Avengers, wanting him to bring about Ragnarok. The Norns may be the same three beings as the Fates of the Olympian Gods. The Fates first appeared in ""Tales to Astonish #33"" (July 1962). Thor actually calls them the Fates once. In a deleted scene"