NorsePlay.

In both Gesta Danorum (book 7) & Heimskringla ( Hákonar saga góða ), the Swedes place a dog as king over a defeated Norway. In Snorri's version the dog Saurr talks and rules for three years, issuing decrees and such, until the unhappy & shamed subject population tricks him into going into a field where he's killed by wolves. [Model: cover dog  Buddy Guillermosson !] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Illustrator Sam Valentino's " Map of Midgard " from his Art Sam-ples blog. Made for The Making of Middle Earth book, the author wanted to show where Tolkien got the concept of "Middle-earth" as the name for the world, which is, of course, from the Norse Lore. And everything always goes back to Norse Lore. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Vidar & Lena of the Nordic Coven, also known as the Var Dohr, from Underworld: Blood Wars . This mysterious group of vampires lies isolated in the far North (Norway or Sweden; it's undisclosed), and practices a cocooning ritual, or "Valissa", that grants them otherworldly powers. Note Lena's shieldmaiden -esque armor & pauldron. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Scene 2A - "Meeting of the Gods: Ensemble" from Robert Wilson's Edda . This play premiered in Oslo, Norway and will run in Aarhus, Denmark in November. The stills from it run dreamlike to absurdist. While it's interesting to see someone besides Wagner take a staged run at Norse Mythology, Ladyofthe Labyrinth had some serious criticism for the Texan playwright/director's stylized interpretation in a recent Q&A. Have any of the rest of you seen this play? If so, would Snorri approve? [More photos/details here: http://www.robertwilson.com/edda/ ] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have ...

Norse Goddess Skadi endorses her namesake AR-15 in this voiceover! Crafted by podcaster & gunsmith Gianluca Zanna, one might imagine Skadi adding this tribute weapon to her divine arsenal of just vengeance. So what if  Skaði had shown up outside the gates of Asgard with an AR-15 or some other advanced dwarven-made weapon to avenge her father? Would she have even stopped to listen to talk of weregild? Would she have accepted, or just laughed and started shooting ? We have the impression that Þjazi may have been a bad father given his treatment and captivity of Iðunn, and Skaði's possibly necessary self-reliant skillset as a huntress (way heightened compared to other jotunesses like Gerðr or  Gunnlöð ), so   perhaps her probably impossible single-handed front gate approach to Asgard was only out of an obligation for retribution, and the  Æsir were wise enough to offer her a husband, plus add her boldness to their lineup in the long gam...

The enchanted Wäderhatt can turn the wind and storms ! Originally worn by Swedish King Erik Edundsson, this 1966 copper reproduction sits atop a on Kungshatt island in Lake Mälaren, Stockholm, Sweden. One can't help but think of Hogwart's Sorting Hat or The Sorcerer's Apprentice hat, but this weather-controlling headgear may have inspired these later lids. If anyone knows the whereabouts of the original, do PM me. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer, ...

David Oscarson's limited edition Valhalla fountain pen. Using Guilloché and hard enamel, Oscarson offers this pen in blue, red, and grey finishes, each for Frey, Thor, and Odin. Note that sweet Mjölnir -shaped clip! The 88-piece series included an 18K fine/medium/ broad nibbed fountain pen or matching rollerball. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Grey Fox Games' Champions of Midgard boardgame. "Champions of Midgard is a Viking-era worker placement game with dice-driven combat. Taking on the roles of competing Viking leaders, players hunt trolls , battle draugr, and slay mythical Norse beasts in a quest for glory! " On top of this promising looking core game they've made Valhalla and Dark Mountains  expansions, along with a bunch of piece & promo pack upgrades. Any of you played this? [Designed by Ole Steiness, art by Víctor Pérez Corbella.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in...

David Lynch asks us to accept a Twin Peaks -verse built on the unseen, constructed of firemen giants, weapon-wielding dwarves, noble heroic ideal men, outlaws, and other worlds of elemental qualities. With those parallels to Norse Cosmology pointed out, we submit this detached head of Major Garland Briggs floating through a Ginnungagap-esque void, still espousing wisdom post-death decapitation, very much an analog to Mímir. [Listen to me lensing this Heathen Worldview out in my friend Mitch George Proctor's podcast: https://soundcloud.com/fromtheredroom/reflections-twin-peaks-the-return-ep-567 ] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded th...

We admire Norse studies expert Jackson Crawford's content, and raise our horn to this particular installment in acknowledging that NorsePlay in terms of variation & fanon started pretty much from the get-go. As we desire & request more Norse-inspired narratives, so did the arch-Heathens & subsequent generations ask the fireside skalds for sequels & team-ups and they delivered. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

The Icelandic Festival Of Manitoba - Islendingadagurinn is having a Mystery of the Runes contest  this month to celebrate the opening of Viking Park in the Icelandic settlement of Gimli, Canada. If you're one of the first five to solve the riddle , you can win some of their gift shop merch. We hope they do a NorsePlay like this annually. Have any of you been to their festival? [Check out the contest here .] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do...

Right after Lee Majors finished The Six Million Dollar Man in 1978, he starred as Thorvald in The Norseman . There's a scene toward the end where Majors runs in slow-motion down the beach, which makes the viewer totally hear the bionic sound cue. While the movie was quite rubbish, this poster's some pretty nifty fantasy art, and one could possibly see some rootwork for Valhalla Rising . #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

The boardgame map from CMON's Blood Rage . We find the cold design on fire world Muspelheim curious, but during Ragnarök perhaps things have played out differently, or it made a better mechanical arrangement to put the various giants together. Any of you played this? [Game design by Eric Lang and art by Adrian Smith.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

A galdrastafur travels under the spine along the inside endpapers & flaps of Arnar Fells Gunnarsson's beautifully designed Sorcerer's Screed , "the world's most comprehensive collection of Nordic spells." #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Noticed the fancy embossed spear on Harry Harrison's Eden trilogy covers and couldn't help but think that it may owe something to Gungnir in its design. (The novels aren't NorsePlay themselves; it's humanoid dinosaurs vs humans.) #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .