Væð (VITHE)
Væð, commonly called 'the Enduring' and 'Mother of Ravens', is a goddess of the family of creation gods known as the Nostín. She is the daughter of Gáðæn Worldfather, wife of the god giant Sigdurn, mother of Goðræn Battleraven, and creator of the Dire Raven race.
Both Væð and her son Goðræn are skin-changers, capable of changing form from a human avatar to a giant raven form, an ability that she bestowed upon the Dire Ravens at their creation. Uniquely, she also has a wolf form that she is known to use, the source of a lesser-known appellation of the goddess, 'Wolfsister'.
Divine Domains
Væð is the goddess of endurance, fortitude, loyalty, steadfastness, calm, and courage. She is invoked for luck in sports and hunt, and for protection in the dark. She is revered by sailors, who seek to be 'steady as Væð' upon the waves.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Raven and wolf motifs are used to symbolize the goddess, especially when carved of onyx and/or basalt, the stones from which legend says Gáðæn carved his beloved daughter.
Tenets of Faith
Loyalty, honesty, and steadfastness are particularly sacred to Væð, as they are representative of the relationship she has with her husband Sigdurn (see Personal History, below).
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
When wearing a human form, Væð is very petite and compact.
Facial Features
She appears quite young at first glance, perhaps only a few years past twenty, but her piercing blue eyes carry such depth and wisdom that they tend to instantly dispel the illusion of youth. Her face is heart-shaped, full-lipped, with a slightly aquiline nose.
Special abilities
She can quickly and easily shift between human, wolf, and Dire Raven forms, even when wearing mortal flesh.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Væð is the willful yet steadfast daughter of Gáðæn, who, legend says, sculpted her with utmost delicacy from basalt and onyx.
Upon the conclusion of The Godswar, she willingly wed Sigdurn the Giant at his ascension to the Nostín and bore them a son, Goðræn. With their son, Sigdurn was content to spend his days sparring and drinking while discussing war and smithing; seeing them contented, Væð informed Sigdurn that she needed to run, and to hunt. He agreed, and asked if she wished to be free of him; she replied that she would gladly call him husband and stand beside him and their son in war; Sigdurn said this sounded well to him. Thusly, Væð and Sigdurn share affections but live different lives. She can often be found in the company of the Súðár Ærðandí, who delights in running footraces and traversing the wilds.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Like most of the gods, Væð's greatest motivation is to experience their creation. Unlike many of the others, however, she has historically been known to frequent the mortal realm, disguised in mortal flesh in the company of the Súðár Ærðandí. Together, they were known to explore Gæðí often in this way, though since The Godswar and the Balance, it has become rare for them to interact with mortal races when doing so.
Likes & Dislikes
As a Noste goddess, Væð understands well the nature of the world and its creatures. Even so, she finds dishonesty, betrayal, and sloth particularly distasteful.
Social
Family Ties
Daughter of Gáðæn Worldfather; Wife of Sigdurn the Giant; Mother of Goðræn Battleraven
Moonshadow, Wolfsister, the Enduring, Mother of Ravens, the Untiring
I like her. I could see a situation where her principles lead her into conflict with her father and the other Nostín, too.
Thank you! She's one of my favorites too. I'd love to know your thoughts about a potential conflict; this sounds intriguing...
I may be projecting too much of Odin on Gáðæn, but I could see Væð being unable to countenance the kind of practical trickery and rule-breaking her father might undertake.