Ymir: Nothing, and Everything. The result of worlds colliding, creating the first being. Ymir came from a world of nothingness. He was one of the sole figures that came from Ginnungagap. That nothingness eventually became occupied by the dismembered parts of his body, after having been torn apart by the Aesir. Ymir went from occupying the Great Nothingness, to being everything that surrounds us: the mountains, the water, the clouds.
Angrboda: The Giver of life, and the Taker of life. One of the foremost Jötuns, and the bearer of some of the other Gods. Angrboda descends from a violent tribe in myth, the Jötuns being notoriously troublesome, particularly for humans and the Aesir themselves. Blood often coats their hands, stains their teeth. Known life-takers. Yet, Angrboda has birthed many of the great Jötuns. From her, we have been given other beings of Duality. Their lives, their power, would not have come to being without her creation.
Jörmungandr: The Beginning and the End. The circular World Snake, who, in most depictions, has bitten his own tail. Serpents are given a bad rep in Christian interpretations of the myths, seen as destructive—bringers of (Christian-inspired, most likely) Ragnarök. But, it is well documented that our far ancestors revered Serpents, and recognized their relationship with life and death. Odin himself needed to take the shape of a snake to travel the Worlds. Their power was immense, and deeply spiritual. Jörmungandr can be interpreted as the World's Beginning and End, wrapped around our Realm in a never-ending coil, his head, the beginning, his tail, the end.
Fenrir: The Antagonist, and the Protagonist. Once a wolf-pup, the very thing that mankind so loves. Our faithful friends, dogs have long since been one of our greatest allies. Wolves are protectors, powerful, and with fur that is soft to the touch. But Fenrir grew too large, too powerful, and the Aesir began to fear him. Fear, as the myth portrays, can make people do bad things. Fenrir is chained, a sword forced into his jaws. A once faithful friend to a prisoner. Circling back to Ragnarök, Fenrir is set loose, seeking his revenge on the people who had ensnared him, having been made into the villain.
Hel: Life and Death. Quite obvious, this one. Half her body is that of a rotting corpse—the state in which every living thing will eventually embody. The other half is a beautiful maiden, reflecting that of a woman in the prime of her life. Hel is the keeper of the Realm of the Dead, the one who we can presume to meet one day. Hel, the Realm, in myth, is a mirror-like reflection of what lies here—life seems to continue on as usual, though this time alongside our Ancestors. The Queen of Hel keeps things in order, keeping the Dead as such, and the living out.
Skadi: Calm and Rage. The Goddess of Winter. If you have experienced the falling of snow, then you will know the quiet of it. The World seems to go silent as the flakes fall, the wind has died down, the animals are hidden away from the cold, no birds to be heard. Nature seems to settle in, and silence settles onto those who will listen. A prime time for hunting, particularly deer, known for their demure ways. Skadi occupies this land, treads the freshly fallen snow in silence, waiting for the right time to loose one of her arrows. But Skadi also knows rage, for that of her slain father. She storms into the home of the Aesir themselves, boots stomping, voice loud, demanding to be heard. A consuming force that doesn’t let you rest until the matter is settled. Only once appeased may the snow fall calmly again.
(A/N: Just a little thing I wanted to write. I've been doing my studying and meditating and was thinking about the Jötnar Tribe. UPG, I would like to clarify. Your experience with them might be entirely different :). )
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