THE VANIR

Vanaheim

The Vanir were usually thought of as the lesser race of gods that lived in the world of Vanaheim. Vanaheim was located on the top level of the Norse universe. The Vanir were the gods of wild nature and of fertility. They were considered to be the bringers of health,  youth, fertility, luck and wealth. They were also masters of magic.

Here are some of the Vanir gods:

Sif- Wife of Thor. She was sometimes thought of as an Aesir god because she was married to one and lives among them; yet, she was born a Vanir god. She was known for her long golden hair which Loki cuts off.

Njord- God of the wind and of the sea. He was father to Frey and Freya by his own sister. After the war between the Aesir and the Vanir, Njord and his children went to live with the Aesir as hostages. He was one of the wealthiest and most powerful of all the Vanir gods.

Freya- The goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. She was the most beautiful and prosperous of all the goddesses. She was the sister of Freyr and the daughter of Njord. After the war between the Aesirs and the Vanir she was traded as a hostage. She was known for her talents in witchcraft and she would teach the gods of Aesir potions and spells. She wore a precious necklace of the Brisings. To obtain the necklace she slept with four dwarfs. Her chariot was pulled by two lovely cats. Her lover, Ottar would disguise himself as a boar to be with her. When warrior men died half would be sent to Valhalla  to be with Odin, and the other half would be sent to her palace. Warrior women who died would also come to her palace.  She was one of the most well known of all the Vanir gods.

Freyr- Son of Njord and brother to Freya. He was the god of Rain and Sunshine. At the end of the war between the Aesir and Vanir he was sent to Asgard as a hostage. He rode a boar with a mane of gold. He carried a gold sword that would slay his enemy's by itself, but he gave it up to marry Gerdor.

Fulla- The virgin hand maid of Frigg.

Gerdor (Gerda)- Wife of Freyr.

Nanna- Wife of Balder and the mother of  Forseti. She was sometimes mistaken as a Aesir god because she was married to one and therefore lived with them; yet, she originally was a Vanir goddess. After the death of her husband she died of grief. 

Sigyn- Faithful wife to Loki and mother to Narvi and Vali. When the gods had Loki chained and tortured by a snake dripping venom on his head she stayed by him. She would catch the venom in a bowl. Only when the bowl was full and she had to pour it out did any of the venom ever touch Loki.  

Idunn- She was the goddesses of eternal youth. She was married to Bragi, the god of poetry.  She was the guardian of the apples of youth, eating the apples kept the gods young and strong. She was once abducted by the giant Thiazi and until she was rescued the gods began to age rapidly.

Kvasir- The wisest of the Vanir gods. After the war between the Aesirs and the Vanir he was sent to live with the Aesirs as a hostage of peace. In a later myth he was invited by the dwarves, Fjalar and Galar to a feast. The dwarves ambushed and killed him and from his body they made the mead of poetry. Whoever drank it gained the knowledge of poetry and song.