moodboard: valkyries
↦ In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse valkyrja “chooser of the slain”) is a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja’s afterlife field Fólkvangr), the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin. 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 or horses.
So, let’s talk about mythology
I can still remember the very first time I was exposed to the greek mythos. I was 7 and a teacher mentioned Athena springing to life fully formed. This was back in the days of actual encyclopedias in actual libraries. I went and looked her up in the World Book Encyclopedia and I was hooked. By the time I was 14, I bought the Big Book of Gods and Goddesses and learned all about all the different mythologies–Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic,Hindu,etc-there was not a minor god or goddess you could stump me with, and I had lots of people try! So, I have been thrilled by the fact that paranormal romance has headed that way and that every author has their own mythos to learn and wow can they be complex! I will say that the cainsville series by Kelley Armstrong has stretched my celtic knowledge a little bit. But I just got sidetracked! I wanted to talk a little bit about Karen Chance’s integration of both the Greek and Norse mythos into the Cassie Palmer series. It’s an interesting proposition that the greek/Roman Gods were a race of fae that ruled the others. Its also an interesting stretch to bring Artemis into conflict with Apollo and actually integrate Artemis into the line of Apollo seer’s. Now the question I have, comes from a factoid that is just kind of put out there. Apparently Artemis’ faithful companion and hunting dog is Rag. When Cassie is learning about her father he is Roger Palmer, a Black Circle necromancer. Then, we learn that he was Ragnar Palmer and that was just an alias…So here is my question is Cassie Palmer the daughter of Artemis and her loyal companion Rag? If so does that make her a demigod, a shapeshifter or a god in her own right?
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