Valkyrie Profile

G.G. Marshall · 2025-01-16

Name: Valkyries

Appearance: Female warriors, often depicted in
chainmail, with feather or wing symbolism

valkyrie warrior woman on a cliffside with stormy clouds behind her

History: Norse mythology

There are also traces of similar concepts in nearby cultures like
Germanic peoples, Celts, and Anglo-Saxons

Info: Valkyrie are female warriors that served the
norse god Odin. In modern depictions, the focus is often on their role
of going to the battlefield to choose the warriors that will be taken
to Valhalla to train for Ragnarok. In other words, they are often
shown in a more positive light. Even in the story I wrote, I heavily
leaned on the more positive depictions of them for inspiration.
Honestly, I took a lot of creative license in my storytelling and the
original concepts of Valkyries are used very lightly.

However, it is important to note that in traditional mythology there
was also a darker side to the valkyrie, they were seen in some ways
like the Fates, also deciding those warriors who were to die on the
battlefield. They are depicted riding horses or sometimes flying and
they can be brutal, vicious deciders of who dies.

In some stories, they are equated with swans and they can either
transform into them or wear swan feathers.

Additional Notes: The origin of the valkyrie has been
suggested to be based on viking women who wore chainmail and fought in
battle. There is significant historical evidence showing that viking
women were allowed to be warriors, and some were even commanders. It
is possible that these fierce women were seen in a terrifying light
for men who hadn’t seen women fight in battle previously.

There is also the suggestion that they were passed on Odin priestesses
that were in charge of sacrificial rituals for Odin. Thus, the ties to
Odin and the choosing of who lives and dies tied to Valkyrie.

Credit and Additional Reading: If
you found the above interesting and want to read more, check out some
of my sources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valkyrie-Norse-mythology

https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/valkyries/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91ASm2KPTAw&t=323s

Keep an eye out for the short story I wrote that has Valkyries – Rise
Together! Links below.

Happy Adventuring,

G.G. Marshall

Read a short story with valkyrie and spirit animals:

Part 1 (Available: Thurs 3/20/25):
Rise Together (Part 1)

Part 2 (Available: Thurs 4/17/25):
Rise Together (Part 2)

Part 3 (Available: Thurs 5/15/25): Rise Together (Part 3)

Part 4 (Available: Thurs 6/19/25): Rise Together (Part 4)