5 Norse Gods in Dungeons and Dragons
Here are some ideas for Norse god 5e stats, lore, and more!
The pantheon of Dungeons & Dragons is vast, containing mythological deities from our world, like Asmodeus, alongside original gods, like Selûne. When playing a D&D character with divine powers, like a cleric or paladin, you get to choose one of these deities to get power from - plus you may encounter them along your adventures! If you’re a fan of Norse mythology, you may wonder what Norse gods are in D&D and how you could incorporate them in a Norse mythology campaign or into your own D&D character. If that’s you, read on!
Is D&D Based Off Norse Mythology?
You’d be surprised at how much Norse mythology is in DnD 5e
Strictly speaking, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) isn’t based off of any one thing. It’s a compilation of a bunch of tropes, genre conventions, mythologies, and inspirations infused with original ideas. Some of these influences are more modern, like The Lord of the Rings series, or old, like Irish Mythology. Even a cursory glance at the world of D&D will tell you that Norse mythology was an inspiration. This is clear looking at the types of creatures in the world of D&D, like dwarves, duergar, elves, dark elves (or as D&D calls them, drow), frost and fire giants, trolls, and dragons, all of which can draw roots back to Norse mythology.
The Giants Have Two Norse Gods in D&D
Surtur is a god in D&D based on the Norse mythology of fire giants
In Dungeons & Dragons, the fire giants worship Surtur, while the frost giants worship Thrym. These are based on the Norse figures Surtr and Thrymr (Þrymr). In the myths, they’re not strictly gods, but Jötunn - beings with similar powers to gods. Surtr was a fire giant who guarded Muspelheim, the Realm of Fire, and carried a flaming sword. In the prophecies of Ragnarök, he uses this sword to battle Freyr, engulfing Midgard in fire.
Þrymr was a frost giant, and his story is one of my favorites in Norse mythology. He once stole Mjǫlnir, Thor’s hammer, promising to return it if they’d let him marry Freyja. So the mighty god Thor concocted a plan, bringing in the shapeshifting Loki to assist. Thor dressed up as Freyja and Loki shapeshifted into a bridesmaid and fooled Þrymr into thinking that Thor was Freyja. Þrymr might not have had a very high Intelligence score (or perhaps Loki rolled high in Deception), but true to his word, he brought them Mjǫlnir, which Thor promptly used to defeat him. Never underestimate the power of drag!
In D&D, Surtur is a lesser deity worshiped by the Fire Giants. Like in Norse mythology, he lives in Muspelheim, but in D&D, it contains a doorway to the Elemental Plane of Fire. The flaming sword carries over as well - it’s a fifteen-foot-long greatsword! While he doesn’t have official D&D stats, his children do. Scions of Surtur can summon massive waves of lava, generate shock waves in the earth, emit white-hote embers, and swing a mighty blade of lava. His twin brother, Thrym, on the other hand, is worshiped by D&D’s frost giants and rules in the realm of Fimbulwinter, which is within the Elemental Plane of Chaos. Instead of a flaming greatsword, Thrym has a greataxe (and, in earlier editions, can breathe a cone of cold). His children wield axes of ice, but they also have more natural weapons on their side; they can summon (and throw) entire glaciers, dealing massive damage!
Include A Goddess of Death In Your Norse Mythology D&D Campaign
The Raven Queen is the goddess of death in D&D
In Norse mythology, Hel is the daughter of Loki and the frost giant Angrboða. Hel rules over Niefelheim, the underworld, as the goddess of death. Her appearance is like Two-Face on steroids; her face is half ugly, half beautiful; her body is half alive and half dead, and her appearance is half black and half white. Her father once tricked another god into killing the great Baldur with a spear of mistletoe. Because he didn’t die in battle, he was sent to Neifelheim rather than Valhalla. Baldur’s brother begged Hel to let Baldur go, telling her how sad everyone was that he was gone. She made a deal, saying that if everyone in all the realms wept for him, she would release him. But she planted Loki in disguise as the frost giant Þökk and he refused to weep, leaving Baldur in Hel. Now that’s cold!
Hel inspired Hela from Marvel Comics and Thor: Ragnorok, but also found a place in the D&D 5e Player’s Handbook. She’s listed alongside the other Norse gods as a Neutral Evil god of death with the symbol of a half-rotten woman’s face. But there isn’t any more said about her, and she doesn’t show up in any of the main D&D settings (The Forgotten Realms, Grayhawk, Dragonlance, and Ebberon). Instead, there’s another goddess of death: the Raven Queen. She’s Lawful Neutral, rather than evil, and comes from the Plane of Shadow, rather than being sired by a god. But, like Hel, she rules over death in a frozen forest, watching over the souls of the dead as they travel to their final destination. Her worshipers include the Shadar-kai, an offshoot of elves who collected mementos and memories from the living for her to preserve in her Fortress of Memories.
Does Thor Exist In D&D? Sort of.
Thor would be a great god for a Norse mythology D&D campaign
Thor, or Þórr, is one of the most well known of the Norse gods (due in no small part to his presence as a superhero in the Marvel universe). He’s depicted as a strong bearded man wielding the hammer Mjölnir, and he has power over lightning and storms; every time the Vikings saw lightning, they attested it to Thor’s hammer striking down his enemies. Thor is a capable warrior who fights with honor, courage, and a deep sense of duty to his people. He defends Asgard from giant attacks and Midgard from the World Serpent, Jörmungandr (yet another child of Loki). In the prophecies of Ragnarök, the two have their final battle; The god of thunder slays Jörmungandr with the great Mjölnir, but the World Serpent's venom fells Thor moments after the battle ends, sending his soul to Valhalla.
Much like Hel, Thor is listed in the D&D Player’s Handbook; he’s a Chaotic Good deity of thunder, reigning over the domains of Tempest and War, but has no presence in the main D&D settings. But there are a few similar gods in the Forgotten Realms. One is Talos, the god of storms. Unlike Thor, who is arguably Chaotic Good, Talos is Chaotic Evil. He is happy to see things be destroyed, whether by acts of nature, magic, or even murder. He looks a lot like Thor, (a strong bearded man) and holds the same power over thunder (his holy symbol is three lightning bolts) but he acts much more like a bully than a heroic warrior. For that, you’d have to look to Tempus (or “The Foehammer”), the D&D god of war. He is the epitome of Chaotic Good; he rewards those who fight honestly and bravely, but would never favor one side of a conflict for long, instead supporting whoever shared his great passion for battle.
Add Mischief to Your Norse Mythology D&D One Shot with Loki
Loki is a chaotic god from Norse mythology that could lend even more mayhem to your D&D campaign!
Loki is a Norse god with the power of shapeshifting, which he uses mostly for pranks and mischief. It’s often unclear who’s side Loki is on: he’s sometimes helping the gods; he’s sometimes helping the giants, but he’s always causing trouble. One time, when the goddess Idun was captured by the giant Þjazi (Thiazi), Loki broke her out, shapeshifted into a falcon, and flew her back to the fortress of the gods in Asgard. When Þjazi followed him, the gods lit the giant on fire, killing him. Why was Idun captured, you may ask? Loki captured her himself to escape Þjazi’s wrath! Talk about playing both sides.
In Dungeons & Dragons, Loki is, true to his origin, a shapeshifting god of thieves and trickery. But in D&D, he’s also a skilled spellcaster with an array of nifty items he crafted himself, like a dagger with infinite venom and boots that let him fly. These abilities are often used to mischievous ends: playing pranks on the other gods, trying to outsmart Odin, and generally causing mayhem. Loki once again uses another god’s weakness to mistletoe against him, but in this lore, the Norse god Baldur is actually Balder. Baldur’s Gate is, confusingly, named after Balduran…a completely different guy! Turns out D&D lore is a little tough to parse, but that’s what happens when a game has been added to for fifty years.
Adventure Alongside Norse Gods In A Mythological D&D Campaign
These Norse myths are only the beginning! The Forgotten Realms has other Norse gods (like Tyr and his father Odin) alongside an abundance of other mythological inspirations. But you don’t need official stats, lore, and books to be able to go on the D&D adventures with your favorite mythological characters - all you need is a good Dungeon Master.
Our professional Dungeon Masters craft personalized stories based on their players’ interests - from Norse mythology to Five Nights At Freddy’s - and set you off on your own epic adventures through the realms. We run groups for tweens and teens online so you can join other players your age who share your interest in Dungeons & Dragons. If you’d rather try your hand at the role of a Dungeon Master yourself, check out our Dragon Leaders course; it’ll teach you everything you need to know to craft your own D&D adventure inspired by your favorite mythology!
