This article contains lore based on real-life sources from Norse mythology as introduced from the God of War Norse era.
Njörd (Old Norse: Njörðr, Nordic: ᚾᛁᛅᚱᚦᛦ) is the Vanir God of the Sea and the legendary ruler of Vanaheim. He is the former husband of Skaði, the husband of Nerthus, the father of Freyr and Freya, and the maternal grandfather of Baldur.
Quick Answers
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What is the significance of Njörd in the God of War Norse era?
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Who is the maternal grandfather of Baldur in Norse mythology?
Norse Mythology[]
In Norse mythology, Njörðr is a god among the Vanir. Njörðr, father of the deities Freyr and Freyja by his unnamed sister, was in an ill-fated marriage with the goddess Skaði, lives in Nóatún and is associated with the sea, seafaring, wind, fishing, wealth, and crop fertility. Njörðr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, in euhemerized form as a beloved mythological early king of Sweden in Heimskringla, also written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, as one of three gods invoked in the 14th century Hauksbók ring oath, and in numerous Scandinavian place names. Veneration of Njörðr survived into 18th or 19th century Norwegian folk practice, where the god is recorded as Njor and thanked for a bountiful catch of fish. Njörðr has been the subject of an amount of scholarly discourse and theory, often connecting him with the figure of the much earlier attested Germanic goddess Nerthus, the hero Hadingus, and theorizing on his formerly more prominent place in Norse paganism due to the appearance of his name in numerous place names. Njörðr is sometimes modernly anglicized as Njord,Nord, Njoerd, or Njorth.
In the God of War series[]
Pre-God of War[]
Njörd, as a Vanir patriarch, took part in the Aesir-Vanir War alongside the rest of his kin. After his wife Nerthus was taken down by sons of Thor, Magni and Modi, the vengeful Njörd along with his Vanir council summons a fierce hurricane winds to sink the Asgardian warriors' fleet.
After many centuries of bloodshed, the war came to an end, but at the added cost of his wife; Nerthus, who perished at the hands of Magni and Modi, and his daughter; Freya, now lost in marriage to Odin; hated chief of the Aesir gods. Though peace was brokered and Aesir-Vanir relations became more amicable as a result, the Vanir never forgave Freya for what they viewed as a betrayal of her people and refused to accept her back. Because of Freya's entrapment in Midgard due to Odin's curses, Njörd likely hasn't seen his daughter in many years.
At some point after the war, during Odin's harrying of the giants; a village north of the Lake of Nine that housed a shrine to Njörd was destroyed when the colossal body of Thamur (upon being struck by Thor) fell onto his own chisel; his Frost Giant physiology coating the whole landscape in ice upon death.
God of War (2018)[]
In the game itself, Njörd is mentioned as being legitimately loved by those that worshipped him, leading Atreus to question further whether all Gods were truly as bad as his father described.
God of War Ragnarök[]
Njörd was mentioned again by his son Freyr to Hildisvíni, as the former called him a lousy old man. Hildisvíni defended Njörd by saying that while he is not much of a father, but he was the reason why they are family. Freya added to the conversation by saying that Freyr inherits Njörd's wanderlust.
Powers & Abilities[]
Being one of the great leaders of the Vanir gods, Njörd is considered one of the most powerful of his kind and probably possesses abilities that reflect this.
- Seiðr Mastery: While it's unknown how powerful Njörd is with Vanir Magic, it stands to reason that he was one of the most skilled ones. He is skilled enough to use Temporal Magic, Mimir calling it a personal favorite of Njörd.
- Superhuman Strength: As leader of the Vanir, Njörd must have tremendous amounts of superhuman strength, although it is unknown how much compared to the likes of the Aesir gods, the Vanir's more warlike counterpart.
- Hydrokinesis: As chief god of the sea, it is highly likely he holds control over water, particularly in his domain of the oceans.
- Aerokinesis: Also, as a god of the winds, there is a likelihood Njörd can manipulate air and wind as he chooses.
- Ferrokinesis: As the god of wealth, he can control the riches of the earth.
- Immortality: Typical of a god, he is most likely immortal.
Trivia[]
- His Greek equivalent, as ruler of the seas, is Poseidon.
- Njörd, without any other real examples, could technically classify as the Vanir equivalent to Odin. However, he is never really described this way in myth, and rather than taking position as de facto chief of the Vanir, it seems he shares leadership with his children Freyr and Freya instead.
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