Odin
| Religion in NetHack |
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In NetHack, Odin is the neutral god of the Valkyrie pantheon.
Origin
Odin, also known by various other names such as Wōden and Wuotan, is a widely revered god in Germanic paganism and Norse mythology, associated with wisdom, healing, hospitality, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet. He is the husband of the goddess Frigg, and is also depicted as an enthroned ruler of the gods; Old Norse texts portray Odin as the son of Bestla and Borr along with two brothers, Vili and Vé. Odin fathered many sons, most famously the gods Thor (with Jörð) and Baldr (with Frigg). Odin is frequently portrayed as one-eyed and long-bearded, wielding a spear named Gungnir, or else appearing in various disguises, most of which feature a cloak and a broad hat.
Odin rides the flying, eight-legged steed Sleipnir across the sky and into the underworld, and is often accompanied by animal familiars such as the ravens Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory), who bring him information from all over the mortal realm of Midgard. In Old Norse texts, Odin frequently seeks greater knowledge, and created the world by slaying the primordial Ymir and giving life to the first two humans. Odin is also associated with the divine battlefield maidens, the valkyries, and he oversees Valhalla, where he receives half of those who die in battle and sends the other half to the fields of the goddess Freyja.
Odin's one-eyed appearance is the result of giving his eye to Mimir, the guardian of the well of wisdom in the realm of Hel, in exchange for a draught of knowledge; after Mimir is beheaded, Odin preserves his head and consults regularly consults the still-alive Mímir for occult knowledge. Odin is foretold to fight the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the great battle at Ragnarök: though he will be consumed by the wolf, his son Víðarr will avenge him by stabbing the wolf in the heart.
Variants
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Odin is a neutral god of neutral holiness, and his minions consist of warhorses, arcadian avengers, valkyries, awakened valkyries, Surya Devas, and transcendent valkyries. He does not have a crowning gift of his own, but will give a crowned Valkyrie The Bow of Skadi.
Encyclopedia entry
Also called Sigtyr (god of Victory), Val-father (father of
the slain), One-Eyed, Hanga-god (god of the hanged), Farma-
god (god of cargoes), Hapta-god (god of prisoners), and
Othin. He is the prime god of the Norsemen: god of war and
victory, wisdom and prophecy, poetry, the dead, air and wind,
hospitality, and magic.
As the god of war and victory, Odin is ruler of the Valkyries,
warrior-maidens who lived in the halls of Valhalla in Asgard,
the hall of dead heroes where he held his court.
These chosen ones will defend the realm of the gods against
the Frost Giants on the final day of reckoning, Ragnarok.
As god of the wind, Odin rides through the air on his eight-
footed horse, Sleipnir, wielding Gungner, his spear, normally
accompanied by his ravens, Hugin and Munin, who he would also
use as his spies.
As a god of hospitality, he enjoys visiting the earth in
disguise to see how people were behaving and to see how they
would treat him, not knowing who he was.
Odin is usually represented as a one-eyed wise old man with a
long white beard and a wide-brimmed hat (he gave one of his
eyes to Mimir, the guardian of the well of wisdom in Hel, in
exchange for a draught of knowledge).
