Odin
Odin is the chief of the Nordic Gods, historically worshipped by the Norse, with related figures appeared in the religions of all the Germanic tribes, including the Anglo-Saxons, Franks, and many other groups across northern Europe. Trans-cultural diffusion saw Odin appearing in folk traditions into what is present day Russia, and their relative cultures from across Europe. While sharing a religion, these cultures are all different, and calling the Sutton Hoo helmet 'viking' will make a raven shit on your car. Quit using pinterest for 'research' you idiot.
A spear-wielding, one-eyed, white-bearded, warrior-sage, Odin is a grim deity who seeks to protect his people against the coming of Ragnarok, and is willing to do anything to make that happen. Occasionally Odin would disguise himself as an old man to test the merits or generosity of a hero in the Historical Sagas. Could never get that eye back, though.
Side note, the iconic stereotypical appearance associated with wizards (an old man with a long white beard wearing long robes and a wide-brimmed hat) that comes from Gandalf was directly inspired by how Odin was said to looked like when he travelled around disguised.
As a Viking God, he appeared in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, then again in the Deities & Demigods supplement to Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, and most recently returned to the D&D fold with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition.
Naturally, he's also the leader of the Aesir pantheon in Scion.
Historical Fantasy Odin[edit | edit source]
| Odin | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Aliases | All-Father, the Blind One, Father of the Slain, Father of Victory, the High One, the Inflamer, One with a Magic Staff | |
| Alignment | 2E/3E: Chaotic Good 5E: Neutral Good |
|
| Divine Rank | Greater God | |
| Pantheon | Norse | |
| Portfolio | Knowledge, Magic, Poetry, War, Wisdom | |
| Domains | 3E: Air, Knowledge, Magic, Travel, Trickery, War 5E: Knowledge, War |
|
| Home Plane | Asgard (Ysgard) | |
| Worshippers | Bards, fighters, sorcerers, wizards, philosophers, sages, nobility, gnomes | |
| Favoured Weapon | Gungnir (Shortspear) | |
Due to its existence only ever being discussed in one article in Dragon Magazine, it's unclear how Odin gets on with his Anglo-Saxon counterpart, Woden. In real life history, it's assumed that Odin developed from Woden in the northern Germanic regions, and even the article mentions that Odin somehow "evolved from" Woden. However, the two are sufficiently different - for example, Odin is a Greater God and the leader of the Norse pantheon, whilst Woden is a Lesser God who is generally disliked by the entirety of his pantheon for being a creepy self-serving bastard - that they can't really be mistaken for each other on the Outer Planes.
In Forgotten Realms, Odin has a somewhat more active role. Usually, he wanders in his disguise as an old man, although he would also come with his army of einheriar and valkeries, especially against fiends and demons.
His ever-splitting ring, the Draupnir, is valued between 3000 to 30,000 gold pieces, and he sometimes gives copies of that ring as gifts to his followers.
The only known temple of Odin in Forgotten Realms was on the worldlet of the Rock of Bral, among the Tears of Selune asteroids orbiting the planet Toril, tended by around a hundred worshippers. Elsewhere, his priests were mostly tribal chieftains.
His worshippers were never evil creatures, and he represented battles, knowledge, wisdom, and poetry.
Mystaran Odin[edit | edit source]
| Odin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Silhouette of two ravens whispering in a man's ears | ||
| Aliases | Taranos, Viuden, Wotan | |
| Alignment | Neutral Good | |
| Divine Rank | Hierarch Immortal | |
| Pantheon | Mystaran (Thought) | |
| Portfolio | Knowledge, Wisdom, Authority, Sky, Storms | |
| Domains | Thought, Good, Air, Knowledge, Nobility, Storm | |
| Worshippers | Warriors, nobles | |
| Favoured Weapon | Spear | |
In Mystara, Odin is the principal Immortal of the Northern Reaches, and the most powerful Immortal of the sphere of thought.
History[edit | edit source]
Like all the other really old Immortals, Odin doesn't remember anything about his old life, believing they were stripped from him during his ascension. He's largely spent much of his time since then travelling the Multiverse, observeing other sentient beings and learning how their minds work. He also has been the patron of many other Immortals, such as Halav, Frey, and Freyja, and stole Hel's trick of reincarnating others into the children of nobles and rulers.
Appearance[edit | edit source]
Odin appears as an old, bearded man, dressed in all gray clothing and leaning on a staff, in reality his spear, and an eyepatch over one of his eyes. He's always accompanied by his two ravens, who are always near him.
Personality[edit | edit source]
Odin teaches others to seek wisdom, but to avoid being made cold and distant by it, and use their intelligence to enjoy existance. He also tells rulers to rule wisely and enjoy life. His main allies are the Immortals Frey, Freyja, and Thor, also Immortals of the Northern Reaches, whilst Loki and Hel are his principal enemies.
Scion Odin[edit | edit source]
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Odin leads the Aesir, constantly looking for a way to stave off Ragnarok. In 1st edition, it's revealed that this has made Odin so desperate he actually plans to swap bodies with his son Vidar at the last moment during Ragnarok, allowing him to cheat death and officially making him even more of a chickenshit coward than Loki.