If there’s one culture most responsible for the modern concepts of gaming and all other aspects of what’s considered geek culture, it’s the Norse. When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the cornerstone for all fantasy to come with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, he was putting on paper his obsession with the mythology of the northlands. Middle Earth—the seminal fantasy series’ setting—is simply the English translation of Midgard, the Norse name for Earth. The Norse created the now-clichéd and overused races of dwarves, elves, giants, and other mainstays of almost every fantasy novel and game in existence.
Indeed, virtually every fantasy trope we now take for granted was created in these ancient stories. The Norse gods weren’t arrogant jerks like those of the Greeks and Romans. Odin, the All-father to the gods, was on a life-long quest for wisdom and cared deeply for humans. He created language, writing, booze, and even poetry—all things he gifted to humans so we could better ourselves. Four days of our week are named after Norse Gods, and the religion lasted for centuries before being violently overthrown by Christianity.
But, like all religions, Norse mythology mirrored the ideals and spirit of its people. It focused on drinking, eating, sex, and, especially, fighting. Odin knew from the start the gods would die, so he spent his life preparing and scheming to put off the end of the world (called Ragnarok) for as long as possible. He spent that time gathering the best fallen warriors so they could spent the rest of time preparing for the final battle.
