#feh Hræsvelgr | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yanderefairyangel · 6 months

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So about those new FEH ocs.

We know that FEH stands out as being unapolegitically influence by Norse mythology.

However, there is a lot of peculairity that distinguish Norse mythology from the other.

Ratatoskr

It's a squirrell that lives on one of Yggdrasil's branch. They run up and down the tree and play the role of messanger between the eagle Veðrfölnir who live above, and the snake Níðhöggr.

Most notably mentionned in the Poem of Edda

According to the several etymology brough up, Ratatoskr means "tusk the traveller" or "the climber tusk.

It is usually linked to the idea of repeating the circle of ever- destruction and rebirth. It is in short a messanger character.

It also serves the role of messanger between the gods however OG Ratatosk is a bit of a mischievious character who will often transmit between the eagle and the snake gossip to push them in destroying Yggdrasil to bring chaos, especially in the mythos of Ragnarok.

So how does it link to Book 8 ? Well.

Ratatoskr can turn into a squirrel however, she in a way is the one carrying the role of messanger as she tells Alfonse about the plan that her father planned against Askr and Embla.

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Her introduction in heroes begin by showing Ratatoskr running like a squirell down the tree of Yggdrasil, before falling down the branch.

Her sisters, Hræsvelgr and Níðhöggr are a reference to the eagle and snake OG Ratatoskr would deliver message and what do they hold in hands ?

Yeah...exactly.

The opening is a clear reference to the OG myth.

She is linked to Yggdrasil's specifically

Hræsvelgr

It is the name of a Jotung aka a Giant that can turn into a Great Eagle that is considered responsible for brining the cold wind from the north.

Most notably mentionned in the Lay of Vafþrúðnir

It's name means "corpse swallower. Whereas Ratasokr is linked to Yggdrasil, Hræsvelgr is linked to Jötnar, the realms of the Giant/Jotun.

Hræsvelgr is in reality unrelated to the myth of Ratasokr however, teh Eagle to whom Ratasokr would deliver message's name is Veðrfölnir.

Veðrfölnir either refer to the name of an haw who sit between the eyes of the eagle receving Ratatoskr's messages (don't ask) or the eagle itself.

It's likely they took the Jotgun's name because of the Eagle being nameless in the first place.

Hræsvelgr has demonstrated that she would actually target Alfonse and try to kill him using her hands.

Níðhöggr

It's a weird animal describes a being a dragon, a snake or even a worm.

According to the etymology reported of its name, "níð" refers to the name given to some individual in Viking society as a marker of social stigma, implying the loss of honor.

It lives under the long and deep roots of Yggdrasil, in Náströnd, one of the place in Hel. Níðhöggr feast upon the body of the people send there, those guilty of muder, oath breaking and adultery.

Because of the message Ratatoskr transmit, he is lead to eat slowly the root of the world-tree to cause it to fall. Its arrival is hence considered a sign of Ragnarok. Its name means Malice striker.

In game Níðhöggr is presented as always getting intoxicated from eating some special "apples". However, in Norse mythology, apples are guarded in Asgard and eaten by the gods to not age, yes, in Norse mythology gods are NOT immortal nor eternally young. Not only can they be killed but they can grow old hence why they need the Golden apple kept in a garden in Asgard.

That constant state of intoxication might be a play of word. The FE wiki remarks her design is remensicent of a doctor, the same way Ratatoskr and Hræsvelgr are based on a nurse and a surgeon respectively. Snakes are used to represent the ambiguity of the greek word "pharmakon" which means both poison and medicine. The fruit she is eating from can be both a way to heal or a way to kill. The fact she is trying to poison Veronica is a reference to that considering her constant state of intoxication is poisonning her own body, but being linked to the snake, she is probably immune to that.

Eikþyrnir

It's a stag standing upon Vahalla that feast over the tree Læraðr.

It's name means "throny oak" and he is linked to Valhalla

Heiðrún

A goat by the side of Eikþyrnir who grazes upon Læraðr's branch. She produces mead for einherjar in Vahalla.

Her name would mean "she who bring the rest"

Læraðr

It's a tree often identified with Yggdrasil, standing at the top of Vahalla. Its name is ambiguous as it can be read as either arranger of betrayal or giver of protection.

Læraðr's ambuiguous name is most likely the key of this book's theme. We have a group of Divine beast called the Healer Hands that are now trying to kill Alfonse and Veronica.

Like I mentionned earlier, medicine have this ambuguous nature of being able to heal you but can also be a deadly poison. Likewise, the incapacity to establish the proper meaning of Læraðr's name means that he is either one who protects, either one who kill, who plot, who will make other rise up against one another. After all, the book open up right with Alfonse and the Askt Guardians pondering on whether or not Embla is trying to attack them yet again, making believe that the kingdom are trying to destroy each other and plotting to kill all the remainin rulers, Alfronse, Veronica and Queen Henriette being the main target.

However Læraðr share this common trait with OG Ratatoskr who had to carry out message to the Eagle and Níðhöggr to create discord between each other and push Níðhöggr to eat the roots of Yggradisl to make it fall.

Hence this Læraðr's who used to protect other by sending his "children" to heal other all across the realms become a Læraðr plotting the ruins of the kingdoms by creating discord, like Ratatoskr did in the original myth.

Moreover, Læraðr being occasionally associated to Yggdrasil as the same being and the Divine beast being all inspired by the myth collected in the Prose of Edda, it's likely that this connection is waht inspired the choice to have Læraðr being the father of the Divine Beast and the Divine Beast being siblings to each other.

We are at book 8, each one based on the story of different kingdom however Yggdrasil bears 9 kingdoms.

This one myth is particular because it's one of the legends that lead to the event of Ragnarok or if you prefer, the end of the world.

Is it a sign that we will soon approach the end of the main story in FEH ? Or another big conflict to come.

heh, we'll see when we got the next chapter

#feh #fire emblem heroes #fe heroes #book 8 #norse mythology #Youtube

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