Odin

### Aliases

King of the Aesir, All-Father, Jarl of Asgard, Lord of Valhalla, Battlegroom of the Valkyries, Warfather of the Einherjar, (royal titles) God of Wisdom, Poetry, War, Death, Divination and Magic (godly associations)

The Raven King, Old One Eye, The Wanderer, Woden, Grimnir, the Hooded One, One-Bearer, Glad-Of-War, Raider, Third, Grim, Highest, True Guesser, Borsson,

### Relatives

Bor (father)
Bestla (mother)
Vili, Ve (brothers)
Loki (blood brother)
Freya/Aine (wife)
Thor, Tyr, Heimdall, Baldur, Hodr (sons)

### Affiliation

Aesir (king)Jotnar (enemy, former member)

Huginn, Muninn, Freki, and Geri (master)

## Statistics

### Pantheon

Aesir

*"Knowledge is the deadliest weapon a warrior can arm himself with."*

*-Odin the Allfather, Lord of Valhalla and King of Asgard*

Odin the Allfather is the leader of the Aesir Pantheon, ruling over Asgard and its vassal realms, several of which survived the Great Maelstrom. Brilliant and cunning, Odin is known as one of the most dangerous beings in Creation, thanks to the deadliness of his mind. He is also a tremendously potent sorcerer and mighty warrior, which have allowed him to retain power throughout all his long years of rule. In the modern Iron Age, Odin is a prominent figure within divine politics, as he weaves a complex web of schemes, alliances, and rivalries.

## Biography

### Early Life

Odin was born in the realm of Jotunheim, to the pantheon composed of descendants of Ymir, known as the Jotnar. Though Odin's parents, Bor and Bestla, were both Archons, Odin was a more advanced form of Primal being; an Empyrean. His two younger brothers, Vili and Ve, were not so fortunate, being Archons, like their parents. Thanks to his abilities as an Empyrean, Odin was able to take on lesser Avatars, whose diminished power allowed him to move about undetected by his peers, especially Ymir, the King of the Jotnar. When he was young, Odin's greatest traits were his intellect, and his desire for understanding of everything. As a boy, he was infamous among the Jotnar for endlessly asking questions of everyone he met.

Ymir had long outlawed any travel too and from Jotunheim, which was one of his Three Laws. Odin, who was insatiably curious, and longed to see the outside world, found this intolerable. He was not the only one who chafed under Ymir's confinement. Over his teenage years, Odin sought out means to undo Ymir. Vili and Ve, his brothers, were the first of his conspirators, following their elder, smarter brother's lead. More important than either of them, however, was Loki, another Jotun who, like Odin, was an Empyrean, and possessed of wicked cunning. Sensing a kindred spirit in him, Odin formed a powerful bond with Loki, one which surpassed even the strength of what he felt towards his own brothers. Eventually, the two friends even swore a blood oath of eternal brotherhood together, and vowed that the two of them would work together to end the reign of Ymir, and free both themselves and their fellow Jotnar from his yolk.

#### Ingratiation with the King

While he kept the borders of Jotunheim sealed through magic, King Ymir always kept the doors of his own halls open. He was a frequent thrower of feasts and celebrations, and often held moots for the Jotnar community to voice its concerns to him and their peers. Of course, given that requests for the barrier around Jotunheim to be dropped had been denied many times, the Odin and his conspirators never contemplated attempting to bring change in that manner.

Instead, the four sought to ingratiate themselves with Ymir, as part of Odin's plan to learn what powers he used to prevent passage to and from Jotunheim. Loki, the most silver tongued and witty of the group, made himself known by winning numerous flytings, contests of insulting verse, eventually came to be continuously invited to sit with Ymir for his great wit. Vili, whose appetites were tremendous, earned a place at Ymir's side for being the only person in all of Jotunheim to be able to match the king in contests of eating and drinking. Ve, by contrast, wielded his great singing voice, and a unique instrument that Odin had invented for him called the horsehair harp, worked his way to becoming Ymir's personal bard.

Odin earned his way into the king's company by devising all manner of riddles which often stumped the court, thrilling Ymir with the challenge. Still, of all the conspirators, it was Loki who grew closest to the king, for none could make him laugh like the trickster.

#### The Well of Knowledge

Having been invited to share Ymir's company in his grand hall numerous times, Loki was afforded many opportunities to explore it, and he shared all that he learned with Odin. Eventually, Loki told Odin of a hidden passageway he had discerned, one which lead deep down into the earth. When Odin asked what was at the end of it, Loki admitted that he had been to frightened to venture down. Vexed, Odin recruited Loki to help sneak him into Ymir's hall, so that he himself might venture down and see what lay at the bottom.

Delving deep into the earth, which grew colder and colder the more he descended, Odin eventually discovered a great lake, covered with a sheen of frost. A great white root descended from the ceiling of the gargantuan cavern where it was located, touching the surface of the pool. A being emerged from the water, revealing himself to be Mimir. When Odin asked what the place was, Mimir explained that it was the Well of Knowledge, and he its guardian. When Ymir had first come to Jotunheim, it had been above ground, but he had buried it under the mountains, beneath his own hall, to prevent the brood he intended to sire from ever finding it.

Odin wished to drink from the Well in order to gain the knowledge of how to break the barrier that Ymir had erected around Jotunheim. Mimir told him he could, but would need to defeat him in a battle of wits. Odin agreed, and challenged Mimir to a game of riddles, in which he was unbeaten. To his shock, however, Mimir managed to defeat him. Told that his chance was gone, Odin desperately offered to give Mimir whatever he wanted in return for a second chance. Mimir told him that he must make a great sacrifice to receive a new chance, and so, Odin plucked out his own right eye in offering, They played another game of riddles, and this time, Odin was the victor.

Upon drinking from the Well, Odin's mind was flooded, and the power of his Thought was vastly increased. Not only did he learn that the force that enclosed Jotunheim was tied to Ymir's own life force, but he also gained insight into the nature of the Yggdrasil, and learned of the existence of two other Wells which lay beneath its roots. What Odin learned did not end there. Due to the fact that Ymir had been his focus, he learned his entire life story, seeing it through his eyes, and much, much, more. Eager for a second drink, Odin challenged Mimir once more, but for the second time, was defeated. On the verge of rendering himself blind, Odin was informed if he wished to contest him once again, that his new sacrifice would need be even greater.

And so, Odin left the Well, his heart heavy, wondering what he would need to sacrifice, and knowing he would need to murder a being who he admired, liked, and now, understood and sympathized with, in order to realize his dreams.

### Time of Treachery

#### First and Second Betrayal

As Odin began the long trek to the surface, and contemplated what he had learned, a mighty realization fell upon him: He learned Ymir's True Name. Within his grasp, he had the power to end his reign. The prospect tore at him, for it was no easy thing to contemplate harming someone he had just come to know so intimately. Eventually, however, his personal desire won out, and he deemed Ymir's death a necessary sacrifice.

That said, guilt made it impossible for Odin to confront Ymir directly, and his intellect made it so he concocted a careful plan. Should Ymir ever reform, however many millennia that might take, Jotunheim would be cut off from the rest of the world again. Such a thing could not be allowed to happen, and so Odin resolved to use Ymir's True Name to bar him from ever returning to Creation after his death.

Odin knew that Ymir could not simply drop dead out of nowhere, nor could he be made to simply kill himself. His fine temperament was too well known, and while many Jotnar chafed under never being allowed to leave their home, Ymir was a well loved king, and investigations would be launched into so mysterious a death. Odin needed a scapegoat, someone who lacked the wit to piece together what was happening.

When Odin realized who the perfect choice would be, his already considerable sorrow deepened. Odin did not leave the deeps of the cave where the Well lay. Instead, he invoked Ymir's True Name from afar. He commanded Ymir to drink from a cup given to him by Odin's brother, Vili, and upon doing so, to choke and die, looking upon Vili with a choked gasp and an expression of deep betrayal in his eyes. Odin knew well that his brother would not survive the wrath of Ymir's subjects.

Odin emerged from the earth three days later, to find all of Jotunheim in mourning, and the force that had kept it isolated from the rest of the world vanished. He quickly hurried home, to his grieving parents, finding their dwelling vandalized, for it was their son, the Jotnar believed, who had treacherously murdered the beloved king. Odin explained his missing eye by stating that he had been attacked, for his association with Ymir's murderer. His lie was believed, and Odin's parents informed him of their intent to leave Jotunheim, given the hostility that still surrounded them. Odin agreed it was a prudent measure, but, still weighed down by guilt, and unable to bear to be in the presence of his parents, told them that he would go his own way, stating that they would be safer if they split up. Ve, his brother, wished to go with him, and Odin agreed.

#### Third Betrayal

Privately, Odin told Ve that he had discovered the Well of Knowledge below Ymir's dwelling, and tearfully confessed to what he had done with the knowledge he had gained. Ve was furious, and lashed out at Odin, blaming him for the brutal death Vili had suffered at the hands of a Jotnar mob. Odin accepted the beating without resistance, but when Ve had tired of striking him, Odin put forth the idea that, should Ve earn himself a drink from the Well, he might gain the knowledge to help them restore Vili.

Ve agreed, and Odin lead him down to the Well, where Ve was free to challenge Mimir to a battle of wits in order to earn his right to drink. However, it soon became clear that Ve had no hope of besting Mimir in their chosen battle. Odin panicked at the prospect of Ve's returned anger, and the possibility that he would reveal what Odin had confessed in his moment of weakness to all, and ruin Odin's plans to travel and discover Creation's wonders.

And in that moment of frantic panic, Odin realized what an optimal second sacrifice could be. Falling upon Ve from behind, Odin struck him down, and made an offering of his life to Mimir. Shocked and revolted at what Odin had done, Mimir nonetheless accepted Odin's sacrifice, and offered him a second drink, free of contest, for Odin's offering had been tremendous indeed.

Odin drank from the Well once more, and his knowledge expanded, as information about worlds and beings across Creation flooded his mind, so much that he could not contain most of it. As he processed what he had learned, Mimir asked, with disgust in his voice, if Odin wished to challenge him for another drink. Odin refused, and took his leave.

He sought out Loki, who had been in hiding after what had happened. There were no confessions this time, for Odin had resolved to carry the secret of his betrayal to his grave, never allowing it to taint the final relationship he cared about. Odin told Loki that Ve had simply fled Jotunheim, but at that lie, he broke down. He did not admit the truth, but instead, tearfully begged Loki not to abandon him, and to journey with him into the unknown, as they had dreamed. This act of mixed sorrow and manipulation moved Loki, who reminded Odin of the vows of brotherhood that they had sworn.

Together, the pair departed Jotunheim. Odin promised himself that he would explore Creation's greatest wonders, and do it with Loki by his side. The last person that he loved, who he vowed he not betray as he had the others.

### Wanderings

Following their departure from Jotunheim, Odin and Loki spent several Ages wandering the realms, with none but each other for company. They began by clambering up the root of the Yggdrasil which sprang forth from Mimir's Well, and visited numerous realms touched by the branches and roots of the World Tree. They interacted with many beings, usually moving about in lesser Avatars so as not to attract attention. The pair consorted with kings and peasants, with gods and monsters, hearing tales, seducing maidens, and playing tricks, never staying in one place for too long.

### A Time of Change

After some five centuries of travel, Odin and Loki came upon a realm firmly anchored to a root of the World Tree, and possessed of a great Well like the one in Jotunheim. They initially found the world bereft of sentient life, but elsewise, it was a paradise, a world of green forests, high soaring mountains, and glacial lakes.

Odin, insatiable as his desire for knowledge was, wished to drink from the Well, but knew it would not be a matter as easy as simply taking a sip. Unlike before, however, this Well did not have an obvious guardian. Odin called out before the Well, demanding for them to appear, but was instead greeted by a woman who introduced herself as Jord. Jord told Odin that this place was the Well of Fate, but that its guardians slumbered, and its power was locked away.

Both Odin and Loki were fascinated by the new arrival; Loki for her good looks, and Odin for her understanding of this world's Well. As such, the pair were content to linger upon this world, which Jord informed them was named Asgard. Jord welcomed Loki and Odin into her home, giving them full bellies and beds to sleep in.

Odin made several attempts to inquire as to the nature of Asgard's Well, but was gently rebuffed each time. Instead, Jord regaled her guests with other tales, tales of ancient gods from Ages past. After Odin privately complained to Loki about the lack of information they were being given, the trickster made a bet with his friend that he would seduce their host within the week, and then convince her to share the information Odin desired.

#### Separation

To Loki's irritation and Odin's amusement, he failed. Loki revised the bet to a month. Then a year. All the while, Odin continued to listen to Jord's tales, sated his thirst for knowledge on her stories. After a year on Asgard, the frustrated Loki asked Odin to say his farewells, and continue their explorations. Odin, surprising even himself, refused, urging Loki to go on without him. This lead to an argument between the two, for the pair had been companions for five centuries, and Loki felt jealousy and betrayal at Odin choosing to remain over going with him.

But Odin's desire to access Asgard's Well remained unsated, and his fascination with Jord, this mysterious woman who knew so much about Creation's history, had continued to grow.

Still, Odin fell into a somewhat depressive state following his best friend's departure, and Jord could not help but take note of this, for he had taken to moping around Asgard. She did her best to comfort him in his evident misery, and eventually, one thing lead to another, and the two became lovers. Years passed, and Jord began to reveal more and more of herself to Odin, delighted to have a partner who was so interested in her history, while Odin had his first experience with true romance.

#### Intimacy and Discontent

Eventually, after Jord began to psychically share her memories with him, Odin learned that she was in fact the Earth Mother Gaia, one of the seven Primordials who had created the universe. In so doing, he realized that she was the mother of Ymir, who Odin had betrayed and banished from Creation. Odin, of course, did not share this fact with Jord, but a reminder of it simmered beneath his thoughts during their time together, especially when Jord informed Odin that she was pregnant with his child.

Furthermore, Jord's talk of spending eternity on Asgard with their son, living alone and in peace also did not sit well with Odin. He enjoyed his time with her, and was excited at the prospect of raising a son, but Odin's ambition would not allow him to spend all time in quiet peace. Thoughts of the Well of Fate began to return to him, and Odin began to grow restless. Several times, Odin brought up the idea that they could all travel the realms together as a family, or start a great kingdom there in Asgard. Jord refused. She was done starting pantheons and involving herself in the affairs of Creation. Too many of her children had suffered for their ambitions, and she had no wish to see any more such suffering take place. Odin grew angry, but could not persuade Jord to his view. He contemplated attempting to steal their son away when he was born, but quickly dismissed the idea, for Jord's power utterly dwarfed his own, and she was sure to come after him with a vengeance if he took such a course.

#### A New Treachery

After their son, Thor, was born, Odin asked Jord one final time to reconsider, and was once again denied. With a heavy heart, Odin set himself to the third yet dire course he had been considering. He revealed his origins to Jord, and showed his memories of what he had done to her son, Ymir. Jord was infuriated, and demanded that Odin release him at once. Odin refused, and instead, threatened to use Ymir's True Name to inflict immeasurable torture on him, unless Jord complied with Odin's demands.

Jord was horrorstruck at her lover's callousness, driven to tears at Odin's betrayal, which struck at the young god's heart. Nonetheless, he remained resigned to his course. He commanded that Jord would leave Asgard, never to return. Thor would stay with Odin, and Jord was never to enter either of their presence's again, and lastly, Jord was to tell Odin all she knew of the Well of Fate.

Tearfully, she agreed, informing Odin that she had used her power to quiet the Well's guardians, and that when awakened, they would demand an act of suffering as the price for drinking from their Well. Thereafter, Jord agreed to Odin's terms, on the condition that he swore to her that he would not harm or mistreat Thor, and ensure he had all the love and affection he deserved. Odin gave his oath gladly, but sternly but stated that Thor was never to know who his mother was. Jord agreed, and made her departure, leaving Thor in Odin's care, but not before one last bit of vengeance could be extracted: She cursed Odin to remember every betrayal of trust he ever committed, condemning him to be haunted by his treacheries for all time, and for his dreams to ever be filled with fear and regret over what he had done.

And with that, Odin's first love left him, never to return.

## Physical Appearance

Odin appears as a light skinned man somewhere in his late fifties. He usually wears his hair relatively long, often braiding strands of it, with its color being mostly grey, but with a few streaks of its old black here and there. Odin also possesses a full beard, long enough to reach his chest, mostly grey, but with large patches of white. Odin is bereft of a right eye, which he plucked out as a sacrifice to drink from the Well of Knowledge, with his remaining eye being grey-blue in coloration.

Odin possesses a physique that most aging men would be quite envious of, with a flat stomach and lean physique, his body covered in wiry muscle. Many who have looked upon him have compared his body to a tough old root. In terms of his height, Odin is fairly average, whatever form he takes. Overall, his primary appearance, while athletic for a man pushing sixty, is not overly imposing.

## Personality

*"Power only goes to those who lower themselves to pick it up."*

*-Odin, the Allfather*

Patient. Thoughtful. Shrewd. Secretive. All these are words used to describe Odin, Allfather of the Aesir. Odin is the sort who lets others speak first, to reveal their thoughts while he analyzes them, and keeps his own close to himself. While he radiates a quiet strength, Odin does not have a presence that dominates the room. During large gatherings where many voices are heard, Odin will sit patiently, taking in what goes on around him before speaking, usually taking everyone's attention with a quick beat of Gungnir against the floor, before his quiet, gravelly voice comes forth from his lips. By then, he has almost certainly gauged the mood of the room and gathered as much information as he can, and his every word has been planned, potential responses to what he says anticipated based on what he knows of those who might speak them. While he may not have charm in the same amounts as the likes of Loki, he is still a skilled manipulator. His manner of speech shifts depending on who he is talking to, and Odin acts polite and formal with the prim and proud, while his speech becomes more coarse and crass with the simple and rough.

Odin is a highly contemplative being, rarely stirred by passion and not driven to impulse. He thinks before he acts. He thinks a great deal, always considering the immediate results of his words and actions, and then the domino effect of what comes later. For this reason, Odin prefers to have as much information as possible before making plans and decisions, and will patiently wait until he has as much as the situation allows before he makes his move. He makes plans within plans within plans, and should knew knowledge come to him, he will revise them all. As a result, he does not act quickly (which often exasperates his impatient son, Thor), but by the time he finally does, he has usually formulated a highly detailed course of action.

The Allfather is also not exactly known for his kindness. While not cruel, Odin cares little for the fate of those who are not his loved ones, and will happily manipulate and sacrifice them to advance his own ends. Being quite a selfish being, Odin would do the same with his friends and family, but not happily. In his view, sacrifices must sometimes be made for the greater good, and the greatest good benefits Odin himself. Still, Odin does feel guilt about such situations, and tries to avoid them when he can, and rectify them later when he cannot.

Due to his willingness to use even those close to him as pawns, Odin usually tries not to form strong attachments with people. This is largely because he prefers to avoid guilt when he feels he needs to manipulate them for his own ends. Guilt is something Odin has never been good at dealing with, and when given the option, he prefers to hide from it rather than confront it directly.

He applies a similar philosophy to his battles. While many of the Aesir adhere firmly to an honor code, Odin does not share their beliefs, though he does not make this fact public. In fact, he created this culture within his pantheon for the sole purpose of ensuring his subjects were more predictable, and thus easier to control. Odin himself does his best to outwardly appear honorable, but in fact has an unflinching capacity to lie and cheat whenever he can to gain an advantage over others. Given the choice, Odin despises a fair fight, and will do everything in his power to ensure he has as many advantages as possible before going into battle.

Another important aspect of Odin is his curiosity, and thirst for knowledge. He does genuinely enjoy learning new information, and once sought it purely for its own sake, but since his later years this is overshadowed by the fact that greater knowledge grants him greater power and control, and thus makes him safer. For Odin is an immensely paranoid being. His failures and the many betrayals he has committed have haunted him across eternity. Odin does not fear pain (of the physical sort, at least), but he does fear people. Most notably, he fears those who he has deceived, tricked, and sacrificed for his own gain will one day return, and he will have to withstand the force of their righteous anger.

## Relationships

### Thor

Thor is Odin's eldest and most favored son. Though they have had their occasional disagreements throughout the millennia, Odin has no cause to doubt Thor's loyalty to him. Odin is also immensely appreciative of the fact that Thor obeys him nearly without question, and can be relied upon to follow his will whenever instructed. His son is incredibly predictable, and so Odin finds it easy to factor him into any plans he makes.

The Thunderer also gives Odin a sense of security, for there are few who can stand against his hammer. Whenever his son is in his presence, Odin always feels a little more at ease, knowing Thor will rush to annihilate any pose a threat to his father. At the same time, Thor's fierce reputation is also something Odin makes use of, employing the threat of the Thunderer against his enemies whenever the need arises.

From a purely emotional standpoint, Odin loves his son. He finds his boisterous antics to be a source of amusement, if occasionally exasperating. That said, he does not regard Thor as an equal. Instead, Odin views him as an oaf, a brute, and a lout, fully recognizing all of Thor's shortcomings. When Odin makes plans, he does not see the need to consult Thor on any of them. In fact, Odin rarely sees the need to consult Thor about anything, and feels less guilt about manipulating him than any other members of his family. In his view, Thor is too stupid to be worthy of understanding any of Odin's schemes.

## Powers

Odin possesses the standard powers of a God, though his abilities are far above most of his peers. Odin’s interactions with the Well of Urd have granted him various telepathic powers, such as mind reading and illusion. In addition, Odin possesses the gift of prophecy, allowing him occasional glimpses into the future.

## Skills

Odin is widely regarded as one of the most intelligent, wise, and knowledgeable beings in the universe, being a brilliant tactician, shrewd diplomat, masterful manipulator and highly insightful reader of people. In addition to his astounding brilliance, Odin is an immensely powerful sorcerer, with a knowledge of spells that entire nations would envy, which he used to develop the ritual which transforms human souls into Einherjar. Furthermore, Odin is an experienced and deadly warrior, and is a terror upon any battlefield, especially with his dwarf-forged spear, Gungnir, in hand.

### Traits

**Strength:** 3

**Dexterity:** 3

**Endurance:** 5

**Intelligence:** 6

**Charisma:** 3

**Perception:** 5

### Skills

**Academia:** 5

**Alertness:** 5

**Artistry:** 3

**Brawl:** 3

**Charm:** 3

**Command:** 5

**Craft:** 3

**Deception:** 5

**Empathy:** 5

**Intimidation**: 4

**Intrigue**: 6

**Leadership:** 3

**Marksmanship:** 4

**Medicine:** 4

**Melee:** 3

**Occult:** 6

**Performance:** 2

**Seduction:** 3

**Stealth:** 4

**Stewardship:** 4

**Survival:** 4

**Torture:** 4

### Dominions

**Dominion of Storms**

* Aeromancy: 1
* Cryomancy: 1
* Flight: 0
* Hydromancy: 0
* Lightning: 1
* Stormbinding: 2

**Dominion of Thought**

* Auramancy: 3
* Telepathy: 6
* Oneiromancy: 5
* Illusion: 4