Valkyrie

Brynhildr - The original Valkyrie

## Origin

### Origin

Female warriors from Norse mythology who serve directly underneath Odin, tasked with the duty of guiding souls of slain soldiers to the afterlife.

**Valkyries** are female warriors from Norse mythology who serve as the servants and bodyguards of the Nordic chieftain god Víðarr. They are also tasked with the duty of guiding the souls of deceased warriors to either one of the Nordic afterlives, Valhalla and Fólkvangr.

## Overview

A Valkyrie (from Old Norse valkyrja "chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures that appear to the dead in Norse Mythology and decides who will die in battle. The valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin, where the deceased warriors become einherjar. There, when the einherjar are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by ravens, and sometimes connected to swans.

## Summary

The valkyries are the female warriors of the Norse Pantheon who serve as the servants and bodyguards of the chieftain deity Víðarr, with Odin being their former employer prior to his retirement.

Another, and more famous, duty of the valkyries is to guide the souls of deceased warriors to the two Nordic afterlives, Valhalla and Fólkvangr. These souls will then be reincarnated into the einherjar and will train, feast, and fight within these halls until the day of Ragnarök. Because of this, they are known as the "chosers of the slain" in Norse mythology.

According to Rossweisse, the origins of the valkyries originated from the Vanir deities, as they have the tradition of training their young female priestesses and followers into shield-maidens. The Æsir gods had adopted this tradition after making peace between the two tribes and the first valkyries were personally trained by Frigg, who was the princess of the Vanir.

The leader of the valkyries are also known as the "Valkyrie Queen" and have the second-highest authority over other valkyries, only beneath the chieftain god in terms of power.

The first valkyrie in history was Brynhildr, who was the demigod daughter of Odin and the Swedish king Buðli, and was most famous for her role in the Völsunga saga. After her death, all the Valkyrie Queens take on the name "Brynhildr" as a means to honor her.

It is also a tradition for the valkyries to create and polish their own unique magic and techniques to pass them down through their lineage, then pass it along to the next generations through carving it into a emblem, which would be then carved into their body and soul, and so on.

## Abilities

* **Superhuman Physical Capabilities:** Valkyries possess physical abilities above the peak human levels, meaning that they are faster, stronger, more endurable, and overall superior to beings at peak human level. The original valkyries, being minor goddesses themselves, possess physical capabilities beyond that of regular valkyrie standard.
* **Magical Prowess:** Valkyries have all been shown to be quite capable magicians and often combine their magical abilities into their physical attacks. Being followers of Odin, they are most proficient in Runic Magic and Asgardian Magic, though those working Fólkvangr are known practitioners of Seiðr magic.
* **Weapon Proficiency:** Valkyries are trained in multiple forms of weaponry, both ancient and modern. The most common weapons used by the valkyries are staves, swords, and spears.
* **Longevity:** Valkyries, being half-gods in nature, possess a significantly long lifespan, ranking up at thousands of years. The original valkyries, being minor goddesses, are immortal and cannot age, but can still be affected by the movements of time and the lack of worship, and thus required the golden apples of Iðunn to maintain their physical prowess.

## Equipment

The valkyries wield a wide range of different equipment, varying from all types of magical weaponry such as swords, spears, wands, etc.

All vakyries possess their own unique swan cloaks, which are created by the dark-elves of Svartalfheim. They are enchanted items of clothing imbued with multiple enchantments and magical purposes, such as camouflage or flight. These cloaks also function as shield, being able to withstand attacks that would easily kill a mundane human with one strike.

They also have wristbands on their arms which can be used to send a valkyrie back directly to their base in case they have become badly injured. The wristbands can be activated with the fingerprints of a valkyrie that is still in the database.

## Trivia

* Valkyries also work as waitresses in Valhalla, serving food and drinks for the einherjar.
* Because of how they are often depicted as winged-maidens in the modern era, they are considered to be the Nordic counterparts of the Abrahamic Angels.
* Their Greco-Roman counterparts are the Hunters of Artemis.
* Their Hindu counterparts are the Apsaras.
* Their Japanese counterparts are the Tennin.