Kain watched Raziel stumble through a land alien in its vitality, unlocking the secrets of his destiny. Raziel would have to walk the path himself, but could never know that he was not alone.
Whenever demons leapt upon him, chased him into the spectral realm, Kain felt an icy fear that this time he would not return. Every time he ran into a group of hunters, Kain had to stop himself from leaping in, to fight by his side as they had in centuries past. In centuries still to come. How he wished he could live through them once again.
In Grímnismál, Odin states, “Never a single name have I had since first I fared among men.” And indeed, we have a very large number that are attested, as well as many that have no doubt been lost to time.
One of the more well known heiti is Hrafnaguð, the Raven God. In turn, his blood brother Loki is called Gammleið, “the vulture’s path.”
Because of Odin’s connection with ravens as well as his role of selecting those slain on the battlefield for an afterlife in Valhalla, I propose that it is feasible, perhaps even likely, for Odin to have been named “the raven’s path” by viking age skalds.
Another notable name is the one commonly used for him: Odin. The word it most likely derives from, óðr, is usually associated with ritual ecstasy and battle frenzy, but it could potentially extend to other forms of “madness.” For example, of his twin ravens, Huginn and Muninn, traditionally translated as “thought” and “memory”, Odin states, “I fear more for Muninn.” He embodies anxiety about not only the temporary abandonment of ritual or battle, but also a more permanent loss of history and self.
One final aspect of Odin that his heiti point to but is rarely explored is his connection to the night and blackness. He is Fjölnir, concealer, Herblindi, blinder of hosts, and Tvíblindi, twice blind. He is Grímnir, the hooded one. He presides over Yule, the longest night. Ravens are so closely associated with their color that the word is used as a synonym for black. And according to folklore, he notably rides forth with his forces, known today as the Wild Hunt only between sunset and dawn.
So basically, it’s 100% lore compliant to say that Odin is Ebony Darkness Demtia Raven Way.
I can’t believe you did this and am utterly torn between impotent fury and seizing hilarity. Wow. Wow.
why have the multiply-cursed, shabby, jackal-laughing PACK of you CONSPIRED to put this in front of my eyeballs so many times that I was FORCED TO READ IT TO THE END.
It must make Raziel hella anxious & irked that all these legendary figures are upset at him because he is too late. Logically he has no need to be. He didn’t know them, he didn’t know what they’re talking about, literally nothing about his circumstances is his fault. But Raziel always seemed like an overachiever. Raziel doesn’t let people down; Raziel doesn’t NOT accomplish things.
So when they’re like, “Fat lot of good showing up now does.”
He’s like, “??? But- ?”
Not to mention his attachment to Janos. Janos is sort of like a father to him, so he would associate letting Janos down with the same negative feelings he had from letting Kain down, because Kain is his only frame of reference for this type of relationship. That’s why he becomes so furious and self-destructive after Janos dies. Janos never put those expectations on him, but Kain would have.
Ugh Vorador’s high key resentment must fuck him up.
Dude, just look how jumpy he is in Defiance. One of his idle animations is to flinch and look around for a threat that doesn’t exist.
Sometimes I make myself sad thinking about Tev being immortal and Dren being…not so much. But Tev works it out herself after he dies. Thanks for the lyrics, Hamilton.
(Yeah I’m pretending there’s some iteration of the afterlife in the Elder Scrolls that makes it so this could work.
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