Glossary

Creatures & Mythical Beings

Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, and Duraþrór: Four stags that dwell among Yggdrasil’s branches and feed upon its shoots. They symbolize the world’s constant erosion, even when it appears eternal.

Dwarves: Ancient craftsmen capable of forging jewels, weapons, and sacred artifacts. In the prologue, the creators of Brisingamen demonstrate that even beauty can arise from dangerous bargains.

Fafnir: A dwarf transformed into a dragon by greed. His story shows that cursed gold first changes the heart and then the body.

Fenrir: Monstrous wolf and son of Loki. Destined to break his chains during Ragnarök, he symbolizes the repressed force that sooner or later devours those who believed they could master it.

Havsrå: Female spirit of the sea. Her presence reminds us that the ocean possesses a will of its own and that the ancient pacts with the creatures of the water still endure.

Jörmungandr: The World Serpent, son of Loki and Angrboða. He encircles Midgard, biting his own tail. He is destined to confront Thor during Ragnarök.. His existence reminds us that some threats are so vast that humanity learns to live within them.

Jötunn / Jötnar: Giants, or primordial forces that existed before the order of the gods. In the novel, their blood and their echoes continue to taint ancient places such as Bergen.

Marmennill: A marine and prophetic spirit. It may protect, warn, or curse seafarers depending on the respect it receives.

Níðhöggr: Dragon or serpent that gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil. In the novel, it symbolizes the world’s deepest corruption, the dark wound Max perceives in his visions, and the threat that devours from below.

Ratatöskr: Squirrel that runs along Yggdrasil, carrying insults and messages between the eagle in the crown and Níðhöggr among the roots. Though seemingly insignificant, it represents how words, too, can corrupt the world.

Selkie: Creature from maritime folklore capable of shifting between human and seal form. In the novel, it is linked to Lorenzo’s family mystery and to the sea’s attraction as both origin and doom.

Sleipnir: Odin’s eight-legged horse. A creature that moves between worlds, swift as thought and bound to impossible journeys.

Ratatoskr: A squirrel that runs along Yggdrasil, carrying messages between the eagle in the crown and Níðhöggr among the roots.

Gullinbursti — Freyr’s golden boar, forged by dwarves and swift enough to travel through air and sea.

Hildisvíni — Freyja’s boar and faithful companion.