Gleipnir

"When you bind the beast, spare no loose ends. The cord will stretch or shrink to fit your needs... The more you tighten the cord, the stronger it will hold and the greater it will hurt, 'til the beast is rooted to the ground."

―Ivaldi explaing how the device works to Odin

Glepnir was a device crafted by the Isu Ivaldi at the request of the Æsir leader Odin. It's purpose was to subdue and contain the son of Loki, Fenrir without harming him.

Owners

• Ivaldi (? – ?)
• Odin (? – ?)
• Fenrir (? - 75000 BCE) (involuntary)

History

Sometime during the Isu Era the leader of Asgard found out through the Calculations that Loki's bastard son Fenrir would kill him when the Great Catastrophe came. Evidently searching for a way to survive he requested the isu Blacksmith Ivaldi to forge a device to bind Fenrir for good. The Dwarf could create such a device but needed certain materials, of wich Odin easily aquired. Ivaldi started forging the device as Odin went to search for a way to survive in distant lands.

Returning to Asgard from his travels afar Odin was met by Ivaldi at the teleport junction in Heimdall's Tower, having compleated the device he gifted it to Odin and explained how it was used. The one-eyed Isu gave his thanks to his loyal blacksmith and agreed to let him go. Ivaldi was surprised by the decision of his master. The two then parted ways and the dwarf eventually left the shore of the realm, intending to travel to his native land.

The Mythalogical depiction of Fenrir being bound

Travelling to the island of Lyngvi where Týr was guarding Fenrir, Odin decided to manipulate Týr into convincing Fenrir that the device wasn't harmful to him. The two Isu then entered the prison, with Týr convincing its captive to come out, and then they made him believe that the technology they had in their possession would show the other Asgardians that he wouldn't do any harm to them, to serve as a beacon, and, as such, he would be able to walk freely among the population of Asgard, but he didn't buy their words. To prove the truth of their sayings, Týr trustingly subjected himself to him, claiming that if they were being untrue, he could take his hand by way of compensation. Odin put the device onto fenrir binding him to the ground, but in the struggle Týr lost his arm. Leaving Fenrir alone in the prison the two Isu walked away, leaving Loki's son bound untill the doom they would all face.<ref name="BindingFate">

Trivia

• In the mythology arcs of Assassin´s Creed Valhalla Glepnir is depicted as a golden cord, it is unknown if the actual isu device used by Odin was a cord or if its depiction is due to Eivor Varinsdottir's religious belief mixing with her Isu memories.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (first appearance)
• Discovery Tour: Viking Age