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Revamped page, seperated myth from "real" as well as in-universe from actual myth, etc. Also rewrote some parts, main image should only be of the isu "Baldr", if/when we get one, rather than the mythological one.
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{{Update|''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]], [[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths|Forgotten Myths]]'' and ''[[The Forgotten Saga]]''}}
{{Update|''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]], [[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths|Forgotten Myths]]'' and ''[[The Forgotten Saga]]''}}
{{Expand}}
{{Expand}}
{{Quote|Father... My mother's gift was the blessing of all the realms, so that no blade, claw, venom, or spark could harm her son. I am surely grateful—but without the risk of death, what triumph is worth celebrating?|Baldr to Odin|Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths|Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths 1}}
{{Character Infobox
{{Character Infobox
|name = Baldr
|name = Baldr
|native =
|native =
|image = ACV DoR Baldr Database Render.png
|image = Wiki noimage.jpg
|birth =  
|birth =  
|death = c. 75,000 BCE (2306 [[Isu Era|IE]])<br>[[Svartálfaheimr]] {{c|psychical body}}
|death = c. 75,000 BCE (2306 [[Isu Era|IE]]){{Fact}}
|active =
|active =
|species = [[Isu]]
|species = [[Isu]]
Line 15: Line 14:
|affiliates = [[Æsir]]
|affiliates = [[Æsir]]
}}
}}
'''Baldr''', alternatively '''Baldur''', was an [[Isu]] who was revered as god of light, peace, innocence, purity and prophecy in [[Norse mythology]]. A member of the [[Æsir]], he was one of the sons of [[Odin]], and thus the brother of [[Thor]] and numerous others.
'''Baldr''', alternatively '''Baldur''', was an [[Æsir]] [[isu]], son of [[Odin]], mythologized in [[Norse mythology|Norse folklore]] as the god of light, peace, innocence, purity and prophecy.
 
==Biography==
<!--Only things that are actually attested to the isu go here, nothing from the myth realms or stories -->
{{Quote|The poor boy collapsed so suddenly. Felled by the faintest taste of mistel-berry. With his father standing over him, weeping!|Unknown Male Voice|Assassin's Creed Valhalla|Animus Anomalies}}
Baldr was born to [[Frigg]] and Odin in Asgard during the [[Isu Era]],<ref name = "database">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – ''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]]'' – [[Database: Baldr]]</ref> being the second son of the Æsir leader.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – ''[[The Forgotten Saga]]'' – ''[[The Forgotten Saga (literature)|The Forgotten Saga]]'': A Manifold Path</ref>


His capture and later death at the hands of the Muspels would later become the catalyst for the beginning of Ragnarök and the [[Great Catastrophe]] itself.
Baldur was [[poison]]ed with by [[Loki]] in retaliation for Odin's imprisonment of his son [[Fenrir]], leading to his death. After his death, Odin looked desperately for a way to resurrect his son, to no avail.<ref name="AnimusAnomallies">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Animus Anomalies]]: Quartzite Ridge</ref>


==Mythology==
==Legacy and influence==
In both the ''{{Wiki|Poetic Edda}}'' and ''{{Wiki|Prose Edda}}'', Baldr was born to [[Frigg]]. In the ''Prose Edda'', [[Loki]] tried to kill Baldr but was unsuccessful. After asking Frigg why no object could hurt her son, she explained that it was because all objects on Earth had taken an oath not to harm him save for [[mistletoe]], which either was deemed too unimportant to consider asking or was too young to swear an oath. With this knowledge, Loki immediately created a mistletoe [[arrow]] and tricked Baldr's blind brother {{Wiki|Höðr}} into loosing it when the Æsir playfully tested Baldr's fabled invulnerability, killing the god.<ref>{{WP|Baldr}}</ref>
[[File:ACV DoR Baldr Database Render.png|thumb|100px|left|Baldur from [[Eivor]]'s dreams.]]
Baldur passed on to myth after the great catastrophe. In myth he was regarded as a bright and optimistic figure, with the gift of foresight<ref name = "database"/> and invulnerability.<ref name="FM 1"/>


==Biography==
Baldr had a totem named after him in the popular dice game [[Orlog]], played during the 9th century. The piece "Baldr's Invulnerability" would earn players extra helmets and [[shield]]s for each die that rolled either of those icons. An [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] man at the [[Sons of Ragnar|Ragnarsson]] [[Ragnarsson War Camp|War Camp]] for the [[Great Heathen Army]] in [[Leicestershire|Ledecestreshire]] possessed the piece, which he gave to the [[Vikings|Viking]] [[shieldmaiden]] [[Eivor Varinsdottir]] of the [[Raven Clan]] after being defeated.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla''</ref>
{{Quote|Mistletoe... symbol of hope. Renewal... but not for Baldr.|Sinmara gloating to Odin over causing Baldr's death|Assassin's Creed: Valhalla|Pride of the Aesir}}
[[File:ACV Dawn of Ragnarok Promo 14.jpg|thumb|250px|Baldr imprisoned by the Muspels]]
Baldr was born to Frigg and Odin in Asgard during the [[Isu Era]],<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]] – [[Dawn of Ragnarök]]'' – [[Database: Baldr]]</ref> being the second son of the Æsir leader.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – [[The Forgotten Saga]]'' – [[The Forgotten Saga (literature)]]: A Manifold Path</ref>


Years later, Baldr now an adult accompanied his brothers Thor and Heimdall tracked a [[Muspels|Muspel]] giant that had entered Asgard. In an ensuing conflict, the Muspel and Baldr are caught in a rockfall. The Muspel is killed while Baldr emerges unscathed yet laments the death of his enemy. Escaping the rubble into a Dwarven tunnel, he meets an escaped Dwarf slave whom the Muspel was chasing, unknowingly leading him into Asgard. Baldr was informed by the Dwarf of Muspel forces gathering to invade his homeland of [[Svartálfaheimr]]. Through their conversation, Baldr realizes he has little life experience as a warrior. Upon seeing sunlight and exiting the tunnels, Baldr turned back to find the Dwarf but he was nowhere in sight.<ref name="FM 1">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths 1|Issue #1]]</ref>
In 881, the King of Dublin [[Bárid mac Ímair]] cursed [[Flann Sinna]] using Baldur's name in exasperation for not heeding his warning of an incoming attack.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – ''[[Wrath of the Druids]]'' – [[The Mask of Diplomacy]]</ref>
 
===Mythological tales===
{{Quote|Father... My mother's gift was the blessing of all the realms, so that no blade, claw, venom, or spark could harm her son. I am surely grateful—but without the risk of death, what triumph is worth celebrating?|Baldr to Odin|Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths|Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths 1}}
In myth, Baldr accompanied his brothers Thor and [[Heimdall]] as they tracked a [[Muspels|Muspel]] giant that had entered [[Ásgarðr]]. In an ensuing conflict, the Muspel and Baldr were caught in a rockfall. The Muspel is killed while Baldr emerges unscathed yet laments the death of his enemy. Escaping the rubble into a [[Dwarf|dwarven]] tunnel, he meets an escaped dwarf slave whom the Muspel was chasing, unknowingly leading him into Ásgarðr. Baldr was informed by the dwarf of Muspel forces gathering to invade his homeland of [[Svartálfaheimr]]. Through their conversation, Baldr realizes he has little life experience as a warrior. Upon seeing sunlight and exiting the tunnels, Baldr turned back to find the dwarf but disovered he was nowhere in sight.<ref name="FM 1">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths 1|Issue #1]]</ref>


Days pass, and Baldr returned home, before Odin–deep in conversation with [[Tyr]]–could worry further. At a celebration feast, Baldr could not help but notice Tyr's missing arm and his father's missing eye. He went to bed to reflect upon these things.<ref name="FM 1" />
Days pass, and Baldr returned home, before Odin–deep in conversation with [[Tyr]]–could worry further. At a celebration feast, Baldr could not help but notice Tyr's missing arm and his father's missing eye. He went to bed to reflect upon these things.<ref name="FM 1" />


After a few more days, Baldr stood before his father's throne [[Hliðskjálf]] and met with Odin and his stepmother, [[Freyja]].<ref name="FM 1" />
After a few more days, Baldr stood before his father's throne [[Hliðskjálf]] and met with Odin and his stepmother, [[Freyja]].<ref name="FM 1" />
 
<!--Rest of FM1, 2, 3 -->
=== Eivor's visions ===
[[File:ACV Dawn of Ragnarok Promo 14.jpg|thumb|250px|Baldr imprisoned by the Muspels in Eivor's dream.]]
{{Quote|Mistletoe... symbol of hope. Renewal... but not for Baldr.|Sinmara gloating to Odin over causing Baldr's death|Assassin's Creed: Valhalla|Pride of the Aesir}}
During the 9th century, Eivor Varinsdottir, reincarnated [[Sage]] of the isu Odin, consumed psychoactive mixtures prepared by [[Raven Clan|her clan]]'s resident oracle [[Valka]], which sent her on hallucinogenic visions where she explored mythical realms from {{Wiki|Norse cosmology}} as "Havi", subconsciously merging her Norse religious beliefs with the real genetic memories of Odin present within her DNA.
 
<!--Dawn of Ragnarok starts here, needs to be expanded with what actually happened to him during this time, which seems to be more complex than all that-->
During one such vision, induced after a waking dream, she relived the events leading up to the death of Baldr. In these visions, Loki secretly told the [[Muspels]] how to [[poison]] Baldr with mistletoe<ref name="TheRescue">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – ''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]]'' – [[The Rescue (Valhalla)|The Rescue]]</ref>, resulting in his kidnapping and death, leaving Odin to grieve over the loss of his child.<ref name="AnimusAnomallies" /><ref name="PrideOfTheAesir">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – ''Dawn of Ragnarök'' – [[Pride of the Aesir]]</ref>


<!--Rest of FM1, 2, 3. Then DoR and FS !-->
Later, Odin attempted to resurrect Baldr by plunging [[Niflheimr]] to demand of [[Hel]] that she bring him back. Upon her defeat, Hel revealed to Odin the truth: her attempts to impede Odin from reaching and resurrecting Balder were orchestrated by Baldr himself. Somehow Baldr yet lived after death and explained to Odin that he required his enemies to believe him gone. In order to do so he had to erase Odin's memories of this reunion, as he had many times before. To do this he offered to replace [[Huginn and Muninn|Muninn]] (memory) with [[Sýnin]] (insight), that Odin could see towards the future. In this manner Baldr planned to survive [[Ragnarök]] from beyond, to lead the world after that catastrophe to a brighter future.<ref name="Forgotten Saga">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – ''The Forgotten Saga''</ref><!--Could probably use a rewrite by someone that actually played this...-->
Years later, Odin imprisoned Loki's son [[Fenrir]] over his [[Calculations|fated role]] to kill Odin during [[Ragnarök]]. Outraged at Fenrir's unjust treatment,<ref name="AnimusAnomallies">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Animus Anomalies]]: Quartzite Ridge</ref> Loki secretly told the [[Muspels]] how to [[poison]] Baldr with mistletoe<ref name="TheRescue">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – [[Dawn of Ragnarök]]'' – [[The Rescue (Valhalla)|The Rescue]]</ref> and left Odin to grieve over the loss of his child.<ref name="AnimusAnomallies" /><ref name="PrideOfTheAesir">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Dawn of Ragnarök'' – [[Pride of the Aesir]]</ref>


==Legacy and influence==
==Behind the scenes==
Baldr had a totem named after him in the popular dice game [[Orlog]], played during the 9th century. The piece "Baldr's Invulnerability" would earn players extra helmets and [[shield]]s for each die that rolled either of those icons. An [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] man at the [[Sons of Ragnar|Ragnarsson]] [[Ragnarsson War Camp|War Camp]] for the [[Great Heathen Army]] in [[Leicestershire|Ledecestreshire]] possessed the piece, which he gave to the [[Vikings|Viking]] [[shieldmaiden]] [[Eivor Varinsdottir]] of the [[Raven Clan]] after being defeated.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla''</ref>
Baldr was first mentioned in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'', and featured heavily in the game's expansion ''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]]''.
 
The game offers seemingly contradictory accounts about his death; Loki's fragment of memories, explored through the [[Animus Anomalies]] planted by [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]] into [[Layla Hassan]]'s simulation has Loki imply that he poisoned Baldr with a small amount of mistletoe, which was enough to cause his death, and soon left to tell his consort, [[Aletheia]]; while the ''Dawn of Ragnarök'' expansion, positioned as a mythologized version of actual events, has a more elaborate scenario, where Baldr is captured and tortured by [[Surtr]], with [[Sinmara]] forcing him to ingest many "drafts" of mistletoe until his death, with Loki simply giving Surtr the means to capture him, and subsequently being imprisoned.


In 881, the King of Dublin [[Bárid mac Ímair]] cursed [[Flann Sinna]] using Baldur's name in exasperation for not heeding his warning of an incoming attack.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – [[Wrath of the Druids]]'' – [[The Mask of Diplomacy]]</ref>
=== Mythology ===
In both the ''{{Wiki|Poetic Edda}}'' and ''{{Wiki|Prose Edda}}'', {{WP|Baldr}} was said to be born to Frigg. In the ''Prose Edda'', Loki tried to kill Baldr but was unsuccessful. After asking Frigg why no object could hurt her son, she explained that it was because all objects on Earth had taken an oath not to harm him save for mistletoe, which either was deemed too unimportant to consider asking or was too young to swear an oath. With this knowledge, Loki immediately created a mistletoe [[arrow]] and tricked Baldr's blind brother {{Wiki|Höðr}} into loosing it when the Æsir playfully tested Baldr's fabled invulnerability, killing the god.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==

Revision as of 04:05, 16 September 2022

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Baldr, alternatively Baldur, was an Æsir isu, son of Odin, mythologized in Norse folklore as the god of light, peace, innocence, purity and prophecy.

Biography

"The poor boy collapsed so suddenly. Felled by the faintest taste of mistel-berry. With his father standing over him, weeping!"
―Unknown Male Voice[src]-[m]

Baldr was born to Frigg and Odin in Asgard during the Isu Era,[1] being the second son of the Æsir leader.[2]

Baldur was poisoned with by Loki in retaliation for Odin's imprisonment of his son Fenrir, leading to his death. After his death, Odin looked desperately for a way to resurrect his son, to no avail.[3]

Legacy and influence

Baldur from Eivor's dreams.

Baldur passed on to myth after the great catastrophe. In myth he was regarded as a bright and optimistic figure, with the gift of foresight[1] and invulnerability.[4]

Baldr had a totem named after him in the popular dice game Orlog, played during the 9th century. The piece "Baldr's Invulnerability" would earn players extra helmets and shields for each die that rolled either of those icons. An Anglo-Saxon man at the Ragnarsson War Camp for the Great Heathen Army in Ledecestreshire possessed the piece, which he gave to the Viking shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir of the Raven Clan after being defeated.[5]

In 881, the King of Dublin Bárid mac Ímair cursed Flann Sinna using Baldur's name in exasperation for not heeding his warning of an incoming attack.[6]

Mythological tales

"Father... My mother's gift was the blessing of all the realms, so that no blade, claw, venom, or spark could harm her son. I am surely grateful—but without the risk of death, what triumph is worth celebrating?"
―Baldr to Odin[src]-[m]

In myth, Baldr accompanied his brothers Thor and Heimdall as they tracked a Muspel giant that had entered Ásgarðr. In an ensuing conflict, the Muspel and Baldr were caught in a rockfall. The Muspel is killed while Baldr emerges unscathed yet laments the death of his enemy. Escaping the rubble into a dwarven tunnel, he meets an escaped dwarf slave whom the Muspel was chasing, unknowingly leading him into Ásgarðr. Baldr was informed by the dwarf of Muspel forces gathering to invade his homeland of Svartálfaheimr. Through their conversation, Baldr realizes he has little life experience as a warrior. Upon seeing sunlight and exiting the tunnels, Baldr turned back to find the dwarf but disovered he was nowhere in sight.[4]

Days pass, and Baldr returned home, before Odin–deep in conversation with Tyr–could worry further. At a celebration feast, Baldr could not help but notice Tyr's missing arm and his father's missing eye. He went to bed to reflect upon these things.[4]

After a few more days, Baldr stood before his father's throne Hliðskjálf and met with Odin and his stepmother, Freyja.[4]

Eivor's visions

Baldr imprisoned by the Muspels in Eivor's dream.
"Mistletoe... symbol of hope. Renewal... but not for Baldr."
―Sinmara gloating to Odin over causing Baldr's death[src]-[m]

During the 9th century, Eivor Varinsdottir, reincarnated Sage of the isu Odin, consumed psychoactive mixtures prepared by her clan's resident oracle Valka, which sent her on hallucinogenic visions where she explored mythical realms from Norse cosmology as "Havi", subconsciously merging her Norse religious beliefs with the real genetic memories of Odin present within her DNA.

During one such vision, induced after a waking dream, she relived the events leading up to the death of Baldr. In these visions, Loki secretly told the Muspels how to poison Baldr with mistletoe[7], resulting in his kidnapping and death, leaving Odin to grieve over the loss of his child.[3][8]

Later, Odin attempted to resurrect Baldr by plunging Niflheimr to demand of Hel that she bring him back. Upon her defeat, Hel revealed to Odin the truth: her attempts to impede Odin from reaching and resurrecting Balder were orchestrated by Baldr himself. Somehow Baldr yet lived after death and explained to Odin that he required his enemies to believe him gone. In order to do so he had to erase Odin's memories of this reunion, as he had many times before. To do this he offered to replace Muninn (memory) with Sýnin (insight), that Odin could see towards the future. In this manner Baldr planned to survive Ragnarök from beyond, to lead the world after that catastrophe to a brighter future.[9]

Behind the scenes

Baldr was first mentioned in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, and featured heavily in the game's expansion Dawn of Ragnarök.

The game offers seemingly contradictory accounts about his death; Loki's fragment of memories, explored through the Animus Anomalies planted by Basim Ibn Ishaq into Layla Hassan's simulation has Loki imply that he poisoned Baldr with a small amount of mistletoe, which was enough to cause his death, and soon left to tell his consort, Aletheia; while the Dawn of Ragnarök expansion, positioned as a mythologized version of actual events, has a more elaborate scenario, where Baldr is captured and tortured by Surtr, with Sinmara forcing him to ingest many "drafts" of mistletoe until his death, with Loki simply giving Surtr the means to capture him, and subsequently being imprisoned.

Mythology

In both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, Baldr on Wikipedia was said to be born to Frigg. In the Prose Edda, Loki tried to kill Baldr but was unsuccessful. After asking Frigg why no object could hurt her son, she explained that it was because all objects on Earth had taken an oath not to harm him save for mistletoe, which either was deemed too unimportant to consider asking or was too young to swear an oath. With this knowledge, Loki immediately created a mistletoe arrow and tricked Baldr's blind brother Höðr into loosing it when the Æsir playfully tested Baldr's fabled invulnerability, killing the god.

Gallery

  • Baldr in chains
    Baldr in chains
  • Baldr's Invulnerability
    Baldr's Invulnerability
  • A toy of Baldr based off his Sigrblot statue
    A toy of Baldr based off his Sigrblot statue
  • Baldr statue during the Sigrblot festival in Ravensthorpe
    Baldr statue during the Sigrblot festival in Ravensthorpe

Appearances

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Dawn of Ragnarök – Database: Baldr
  2. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Forgotten Saga – The Forgotten Saga: A Manifold Path
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Animus Anomalies: Quartzite Ridge
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Forgotten Myths – Issue #1
  5. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
  6. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – The Mask of Diplomacy
  7. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Dawn of Ragnarök – The Rescue
  8. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Dawn of Ragnarök – Pride of the Aesir
  9. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Forgotten Saga

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