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The Solitary Sword Sovereign
Scavenger of the Battlefield

Scavenger of the Battlefield

It was common for deities of powerful pantheons to have many names, but Odin was one of the most titled gods Jingsung had ever met

Odin was a widely revered god in multiple cultures, especially those that ventured into paganism. On Earth, Norse Mythology had associated him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and depicts him as the husband of the goddess Frigg.

In wider Germanic mythology and paganism, the god was also known in Old English as Woden, in Old Saxon as Uuoden, in Old Dutch as Wodan, in Old Frisian as Weda, and in Old High German as Wuotan, all ultimately stemming from the Proto-Germanic theonym Wodanaz, meaning 'lord of frenzy', or 'leader of the possessed'.

Odin is the main god in Norse mythology. Described as an immensely wise, one-eyed old man, Odin has by far the most varied characteristics of any of the gods and is not only the deity to call upon when war was being prepared but is also the god of poetry, of the dead, of runes, and of magic.

Part of the Aesir family of the gods, he helped create the world, resides in Asgard, the stronghold and home of the gods, and gathers slain warriors around him in Valhalla, but is eventually crunched to death by the wolf Fenrir in the Ragnarök, the 'final destiny of the gods in which the world is destroyed.

'This old man is a fake war god. Hmph.' Jingsung Ha did not like Odin and considered him a coward.

'Odin isn't a god of war in the truest sense. Despite his grizzly look he is never actually portrayed as a warrior but is called upon when war is being prepared to hand out advice and special gifts. Because of this aspect, individual warriors are also drawn into Odin's main group of worshippers, which otherwise mostly consisted of the elite: kings, chieftains, and poets.' Hou Yi calmly analysed.

'As his scavenging, the battlefields for recruits might give away, Odin's connection with war flows naturally into a connection with the dead, He is also a god of poetry through his knowledge of the runes, as well as of magic, even being deemed the most skilled and knowledgeable of all the Norse gods when it comes to this skill. Odin uses mainly magic to catch glimpses of the future.

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The nature of Odin's magic moreover often causes him to be seen as a shaman, an aspect which is further bolstered by his function as a god of healing. One of his favourite Avatars, the raven, is well-known as a creature that scavenges corpses

Due to this Odin is also known as 'the raven god of the battlefield'. Many a man and mortal have claimed to have seen Odin's raven descend upon the battlefield after the action has died down.'

It becomes clear how Odin's ravens tie in with his role as god of war and connection with the dead; a battlefield is not just a feast for crows but also a feast for ravens.

The raven looked down on the trio as it slowly descended. Its eyes had an odd flicker of wisdom that was hard to miss. The creature scrutinized the surroundings and squealed in what felt like exasperation. After squealing, it landed on Modus' right shoulder. Perching there as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Modus, why is this end of the universe preaching geezer here." Said an unhappy Jingsung.

The raven raised its head and sighed in disappointment, like an elder looking at a young one being led astray. This feeling of being looked down upon was especially annoying.

Odin was a supreme deity of war and wisdom. This made him especially difficult to deal with. Athena had similar traits but she was no different from an infant in front of the All-Father.

"Rumors are indeed true. You have long surpassed Zeus, perhaps only Poseidon can contend with you." Said Modus in praise.

"Modus old friend, I do not even want to know how you were able to tell my level. Judges are truly frightening beings. But it's not my effort, Zeus spends most of his time trying to sleep with mortals and running away from Hera, how could her cultivation not progress? Poseidon just took advantage of his brother's laziness to raise his station."

Modus refused to accept the humble act before him. Modus knew just how prideful Odin was.

'But he is right. Zeus is just lazy. Poseidon will rebel soon at this rate. Unless maybe Hercules…'

While Modus started to drift off into his world, Hou Yi stepped forth, "Lord Odin, The All-Father, King of the Norse Gods, it is our honour to host you on my master's mountain.'

The raven seemed as if it had smiled, even though it had no lips, "Hou Yi, you are too humble. It is I who is grateful to have been welcomed into the house of Ha. I am truly ashamed of my lack of communication. I invite you all to stop by Asgard whenever you have time. We will greet you with the finest mead you shall ever taste and the juiciest meat you shall ever bite into."

Jingsung's frown deepened as he said, "I didn't even welcome you, you just barged in, not to mention I'm a vegetarian who doesn't consume alcohol. What use is such an invite to me?"