Valkyrie
Valkyries are the jewels of the Northern Kingdom's professions. In contrast to most Southern Countries I have visited, in Nord culture, albeit uncommon, it is not unusual for women to become warriors. Amongst warriors however, valkyries certainly hold the most prestigious and respected place. Like any other warriors, they received weapon training, at the very least one close-ranged and one long-ranged. Along with it, they received riding lessons so they into battle and guide the Nords to victory.
What differentiate the valkyries from other warriors though is their capacity to use seidr and runes, specialising in battle seidr.
Every valkyrie is attached to one unique hold, swearing their service to both the current jarl reigning and the current Ás looking over the hold. In rare occasions, an Ás marks a valkyrie as their own, no matter where they are from. This is a blessing that can not be superseded1.
Career
Qualifications
Like most other professions, valkyries train the next generation. A valkyrie generally choose only to take one at a time, two in unusual cases, so she can concentrate on getting her a proper education. That being said, valkyrie apprentices also train alongside the other warriors in the hold and spend time with the godi and his priests to further their religious and letter education. As valkyries’ children more than often are born with seidr, daughters of valkyries tend to follow in their mother’s footsteps, like my sister did2, but it is not a privilege only reserved to these girls. Any girl born with seidr, no matter the caste of her birth, her origin or whether she can hold a sword or not, can and has to be allowed to be trained as a valkyrie if she wishes so, it is her birthright.
Career Progression
Once a valkyrie trainee swears her oaths then become a full-fledged valkyrie, there is almost nothing more to it. A valkyrie, by her title is already what Southern Countries would call a general and there is nobody of higher authority but her jarl and her Ás. However, I did say “almost” and almost I mean. By virtue of her age, because valkyries as do many of their fellow—if less renown—warriors tend not to live that long, the oldest valkyrie in the hold always hold the title of valkyrie-módir, that is, ‘Mother valkyrie’, leader of her kin whose age betrays her wisdom and tenacity for having survived battles.
Payment & Reimbursement
One would except the Kingdom's fiercest warriors to be handsomely paid, which is the case but not in the way Southerners usually think of. Valkyries are paid an average amount per month, far less than a merchant in a major city. Unlike most other professions though, all their needs are taken in hand by the hold.
Other Benefits
Lifestyle
By their status, valkyries are by defaults considered as members of the jarl's household as if they were blood-related3, a boom extended to their family. That means they usually live at their jarl's home, where everything they need is provided, while their children get the privilege of growing up alongside the jarl's children and an education on par with them. In the case a valkyrie prefers to have her own home, the jarl is tasked with providing housing and housing staff.
Battle
The hold also provide anything a valkyrie need to get into battle: weapons, armours, items, transportation, reparations if needed, health care when needed; at the highest quality they can afford, of course. Which is why holds often breeds horses tailored for their valkyries, gifted fresh trainees with a young one just in age to be saddle-broken so the both of them can train and grow together as partners.
“Take good care of the Æsir’s gifts so their blessings shine upon you” is the saying that comes to mind when talking about valkyries. It actually more often than not apply to their family if, most would say when, they die in battle. Some jarls, to honour their sacrifice, allow their family to stay at their home. Those who don't will more often than not provide housing for them and a compensation of their own discretion to them. Whose who don't tend to be met with the wrath of their own people, especially the godi and his priests, as this is seen as an insult to the Æsir.
Perception
Purpose
“This is the thick cloak formed by the souls of the dead as they get sent to the Æsir,” Rafn told us in a soft voice. Whose of the warriors still standing around. It was sad, of course, but it was beautiful. There were so many of them that no matter where I looked, there were there. So I gazed upon a sea of fallen Norsemen. In between them, here and there were the solitary forms, women glowing with the embers of seidr, wisps billowing around them in an ethereal cloak. “Aye. The godi is right,” came Thor’s voice, red hair billowing in the wind and the blood of the Midgard serpent still staining his skin and armour. “Do not worry, this is but a step on the journey for the souls of the brave warriors who gave their life for all of you. While you honour their spirits and memories here, the valkyries will make sure their soul find their way to the great halls of Valhalla, where my father will welcome them. We will toast in honour for their courage and sacrifice every morn and eve until Ragnarok comes and we battle side-by-side again.”
The valkyries’ original purpose was, and still is, a divine one. That is, sending the souls of the worthy Nords fallen on the battlefield to Valhalla. For that purpose were they trained for battle, the best training possible so they could gaze upon a battlefield and last long enough to accomplish their mission.
Over the years, it lead them to hold more and more power amongst the army until now where a valkyrie automatically holds the highest rank, only answering to their hold's jarl and valkyrie-módir. Of course, they still handpick which souls to send to the Aesir.
Social Status
Blessed by the Æsir themselves, at the head of their hold's hird, armed with an education that very few but the most privileged Nords receive, there is no higher honour than being a valkyrie. They are as respected as the jarl, sometimes even more, which is no surprise in a society that puts importance on battle prowess. Often, their status helps elevate their own family's statuts, given them prestige and recognition.
1 On that subject, the Æsir have fought, even gone to war, over such a matter than marking a valkyrie from a hold they weren't watching over. Fortunately, this is a rare phenomenon and, whenever the gods fancy marking a valkyrie, they tend only to look at their own holds so they can avoid that these conflicts. As often where Æsir are concerned, Loki is a notable exception as he known to mark other Æsir's valkyries, especially Thor's, in retribution for whatever actions they might have taken against him.
2 Our mother was a valkyrie obviously, and so were both of our grandmothers. I actually had to follow our lineage up to six generations before our own to find an female ancestor who wasn't a valkyrie (she was however the daughter of one). Not that I am very surprised by that, clans especially noble clans like ours tend to marry seidrkvenna and seidrmadar so that the seidr will be passed down generations.
3 As I previously noted, jarl and valkyries usually are blood-related. Which is very convenient because maintaining valkyries is not cheap at all.
“At my hand, you’ll meet an end of honor. My prayers shall guide your soul to Valhalla, where it will rest alongside the Allfather and the other Nords who have been bestowed that boom by my kin. Be proud for today, you die in glory.”
Alternative Names
Óskmeyjar, litteraly “wish maiden” is a term that has been used to describe the valkyries, although it is solely used in litterature and songs rather than commonly.
Type
Military
Demand
Valkyries are not exactly in demand as people understand how uncommon the gift of seidr is, but a hold with a lot of valkyries a hold is reconsidered to be blessed by the gods. Thus, the more valkyries, the better for a hold.
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