Aesir Pack

As Aesir are based on Viking ideals and customs, the pack worship a pantheon of gods similar to the Norse Gods of old known as the Tívar. Each deity is depicted as a different animal. Belief in these eleven gods is an integral and expected part of life in Aesir.

Fenris the Wolf

Fenris is the Hilmir - the chief - of the gods. The most widely revered by mortals, Fenris is the very embodiment of strength, courage, war, death, knowledge, magic, and ruthlessness. Fenris rests atop the very peak of the Tívar on an elevated, rocky precipice as the leader of Valheima, yet frequently visits the mortal realm as a restless wanderer. Fenris is believed to have no true gender, and can be referred to as either male or female, or neither. 

Loknir and Nathrir the Serpents

These twin serpents are believed to be the guardians of Fenris; they rest on either side of his rocky throne. These deities represent betrayal and loyalty respectively, as legend speaks of Loknir turning on Fenris, having been seduced by Refakki's treachery. However, Nathrir caught his twin's tail, stopping him from attacking the revered Hilmir. Loknir, in turn, grasped his brother's tail in his mouth, and the two were forever locked in cyclical battle. 
Similar to the ancient Ouroboros, the serpents devouring each other is believed to represent the constant struggle between good and evil, between loyalty and treachery, between the natural and the unnatural. 

Revinn the Raven

The raven is the god of justice and equilibrium. It is physically blind and deaf, but can 'see' a wolf's soul and judge its worth. Revinn accompanies and guides the souls of the righteous and strong to Valheima, the home of the gods.

Hvalris the Whale

Hvalris is the great whale god of mortality, the moon, and the afterlife. It is believed that he accompanies the souls of the weak and unworthy to the underworld beneath the sea, Helheima. It is also Hvalris who guards the souls of the unworthy dead and ensure they do not escape.

Ardvakar the Stallion

The stallion god Ardvakar represents masculinity and virility, and is associated with strength, courage, and power. It is believed that Ardvakar controls the weather, and that the crack of thunder is caused by his galloping in Valheima.

Asbjorn the Bear

The female bear goddess, Asbjorn is associated with protection, ferocity, passion, and fertility. She watches over those who pray to her, and protects the young of strong females.

Heidruna the Goat

Heidruna is the goddess of poetry, music, and story-telling. In the realm of the gods, she is considered to be the most intelligent and gentle of the deities.

Heithir the Hawk

Although Heithir is commonly believed to inhabit the body of a hawk, he is, in truth, a shape-shifter. This god is strongly associated with change and fate. He guides and alters the lives of mortals, sometimes appearing to them in various forms to help or hinder them on their journey. Neither malevolent nor benevolent, Heithir enjoys entangling himself in the lives of wolves, often getting in trouble with Fenris for taking his games too far.

Refakki the Fox

Closely associated with Heithir's trickery, Refakki can be considered his more sinister counterpart. She is the goddess of mischief, seduction, and deceit, and often tempts both gods and mortals into doing her dark bidding.

Uglir the Owl

Uglir is the ethereal goddess of beauty, wisdom, love, night time, and hunting. She is believed to have gifted wolves with their superior intellect and strength, and as such, weak and unworthy wolves are considered to be an insult to Uglir. It's important for Veithi to pray to her and gain her favour, as she may assist in bringing down prey by asking Heithir to inhabit their body and help the wolves catch it.

Valheima & Helheima

Valheima is the glorious afterlife that awaits those who have fallen valiantly in battle. It consists of infinite acres of plentiful forest, vast lakes, and enormous mountains peaked with snow. In the centre Valheima lies a clearing where the great tor of Fenris resides, guarded vigilantly by Loknir and Nathrir. Passage into Valheima is rare, but if granted, the mortal's soul will be guided there by Revinn.

Helheima is the dark realm of the dead - an underworld beneath the ocean that harbours the souls of the weak and unworthy. It is guarded by the whale Hvalris, who accompanies the souls of the dead to their watery grave. 

Most wolves will be expected to be taken to Helheima when they die, as the magnificent haven of Valheima is reserved only for the strongest and most god-like of wolves.

Vandi

The Vandi is the process by which apprentice Sveins are chosen by a high-ranking mentor. A Svein's Vandi begins when he or she is picked by a wolf of Hirith, Vathi, Dauthi, Leita, Hersir, Jarl, or Hilmir status. It ends when he or she participates in the final Bjoda (challenge) the following year.

Once a pup decides they wish to become a Svein - a warrior apprentice - they must put their name forward to the Hilmir, who will discuss a potential partnership between mentor and apprentice with any high-ranking wolf eligible to train them. Once it has been decided who will mentor who, the trainer and trainee must undergo a brief trial in order to ensure they are compatible. 

Aegir-Raun

The Aegir-Raun (sea-trial) is a way to be sure that the Svein and his/her mentor will work well together, and achieve their full potential as a pairing.

The trial is seemingly a very simple challenge: the two must capture and sacrifice a fish as an offering to the gods. However, it is far more difficult than it sounds. The fish in question is to be chosen from a Goliath Tigerfish, a Swordfish, or, for the more daring pairs, a shark (Great White Shark, Bull Shark, Hammerhead Shark, etc.). During the process, the pair must capture the fish in one of the many streams and pools of southern Miera, where they will work as a team to beach the animal. It will remain alive until they drag it to land, where they must kill and sacrifice it in the name of one of the gods, and then return its body to sea.

To fail this test is a grievous thing. In the best case scenario, the apprentice will be reassigned. In the worst case scenario, the pup will be exiled from the warrior tier and forced to choose between becoming a Veithi or a Laerling, while the adult will be demoted for failing to fulfil his or her duties. 

Note: the trainer and trainee must make at least 3 ooc posts each in a Svein's Augir-Raun thread. The only other wolf present will be the Hilmir.

Bjoda

The Bjoda is the Svein's final challenge; a final rite of passage that demonstrates the training they have undergone over the previous year. During this challenge, the pack will gather to watch as one by one, each hopeful Svein goes head-to-head with the Hersir - the pack's lead warrior. This fight can last for as long as the Hersir needs in order to decide whether the apprentice is worthy of ascending to the rank a warrior. It is rare for a Svein to defeat the Hersir - all they must do is prove their strength, intellect, and courage.

Once every Svein has made their best attempt to outmatch their superior, the Hersir will announce to the pack which apprentices may truly enter the Marauder tier as a fully-fledged warrior, and which apprentices have failed to meet his/her expectations.

Traditionally, a large hunt will have taken place, and the formal ceremony will be followed by a pack-wide feast in celebration of the successful warriors, during which seasoned warriors will regal new initiates with tales of past victories. This also encourages some of the younger pups to join the ranks of the Svein and train for next year's Bjoda. Typically, this ceremony occurs between late spring to mid summer. If any Laerlings have ondyr to sacrifice around this time, it will likely coincide with the feast. 

The Ondyr-Kanna (from 'ond' - soul, 'dyr' - animal, and 'kanna' - search) is the ritual undertaken by hopeful Laerlings. To progress from this apprentice position, pups must journey deep into the mountainous peaks of The Oriens, surviving on their own in the harsh environment. Snow, high altitude, and hardy predators (bears, mountain lions, etc.) make it a tough challenge for young wolves, but the proximity of the peaks to the gods in Valheima is worth any hardship.

This custom is intended to be a soul-searching of sorts for the Laerling, one in which they discover their 'ondyr' - their soul-animal. Once the young wolf has spent at least one month in the wilderness, praying and becoming closer to the gods, they may begin to search for their ondyr. Their is no one way to know which animal is their soul's animal, but once they find it, they are instructed to bring it back (alive) to the pack.

Here, the Seithir will tell the young wolf what their chosen animal and chosen god(s) says about them, and what their future may hold. The Seithir may also suggest a rank for the wolf.

The animal will then be sacrificed to the gods, a symbol of the Laerling's young soul becoming closer to their deities. Often they will sacrifice the animal to a specific god or gods that they feel particularly drawn to. This is the moment at which the Laerling ascends to a higher rank in the Enchanter tier, and this rite can coincide with the Bjoda in early spring to late summer, when hopeful warriors may also attain a higher rank.

To appease the gods, Aesir will occasionally make wolf sacrifices. 

(More coming soon!)