The Gods
	The Vikings are followers of the Norse gods, and it is from their gods, and from each other, that they collect their strength. They show their respect to their gods through the rites in their honour, and by making sacrifices to please them. The Vikings have a very personal relationship to the gods, and are often called by the gods themselves to perform certain acts. First of the Gods stands the All-Father, Odin (also known as "Wotan"), who sacrificed one of his eyes for one sip out of the Well of Wisdom; who sacrificed himself by hanging himself from Yggdrasil -- the world tree -- for nine days, pierced by his own spear. Through these sacrifices he gained tremendous knowledge. Odin is the father of the gods; of Thor (the god of thunder), Balder (the god of light), and of Freya (the goddess of fertility and love). Odin's home in Asgard, where all the gods live, is known as Valaskjalf, "shelf of the slain." Here he sits on his throne Hlidskjalf and observes what happens in the nine worlds. The tidings are brought to him by his two ravens Huginn and Muninn. The Vikings of Nanny choose to worship individual gods of the Norse Pantheon. Those who worship and honour Odin may share in his powers of wisdom and divination, while those who follow Thor feel the energy of his lightning fury. Baldur's worshippers bring light and blessing into the world, while Freya's followers nurture and fiercely protect their Viking brethren. The Viking will choose which god or gods to follow after gaining experience and thinking deeply about the direction of his life. But once the Viking chooses to follow a god, the burden of keeping the god's favour will forever lie on the viking's shoulders.
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