perfidy

I always imagined that there were lots of Valkyries.

And that makes sense, seeing as any battle would have lots of slain, and if there were only a few Valkyries, they'd be seriously overworked. I'm sure old One Eye wouldn't want any heroes overlooked - he's going to need them, come fimbulwinter and the end times. And that's not even counting the fact that there could be more than one battle happening at any given time.

One could imagine that they'd have duty rosters - rotating from mead serving to slain choosing, and back. And misbehaving Valkyries would be punished by being sent to observe elementary school fights, just on the off chance that Billy offs himself trying to take out that bully.

I picture the Valkyrie's role in the final battle as being something like NCOs, they're more powerful than the Einherjar, but not on the same level as the Aesir. Think R. Lee Ermey crossed with the girl on the old St. Pauli Girl beer bottle, crossed with this guy.

Well I grant that you might need more than 3 or 4 on a busy day, but probably not so very many still.

It's not just any slob who is chosen, after all. Hell, you could go a whole battle and not see anyone worthy of harvesting for the Allfather.

And what about the guys who succumb to disease or accident on campaign? Maybe their personal history to date is considered. Maybe dying of a broken neck because your horse threw you won't get you into Valhalla, but if you've been a particularly successful warrior to that point it would at least keep you out of Hel.

What about warriors who are victims of their own success- who have lived through every battle only to have to endure old age? Look no further than "Across the Rainbow Bridge" for that sentiment:

"My days are numbered: soon I have to leave
The Horns have stretched my living thread
The notion of my demise won't leave me be
Why cannot death just set me free!

I've lived a life or prosperity
But I'm not as young as I used to be
Down the road waits misery
Why cannot death just set me free!

Countless armies have I attacked
Not once have I backed down
And though I've spilled a lot of blood
I never once received a mortal wound

I've raided shores in many lands
I cannot count the men I've killed
So many friends died with sword in hand
But the warrior's death was never granted me

I dress myself in battle clothes
Alone I make the final ride
My sight is blurred, by whipping snow
I seek to end my life

I want to walk across the Rainbow Bridge
And see my fathers in the golden hall
They beckon me to join their feast
In my dreams I hear their call"

I too could see the valkyrie in a sort of NCO role once the fight with the giants is on. I dunno, sometimes I get the vibe Odin is more fond of his Einherjar than his valkyries though.

As for trying to imagine the St Pauli girl as R Lee Ermey, thanks for that- I needed to vom anyway.

You know it just occurred to me to wonder what the role of the valkyrie at the Ragnarok would be.

I mean, by that time they've already spent their careers harvesting the souls of heroes to serve as Odin's infantry (the Einherjer, as above) and being serving wenches for the same.

So once the final battle of gods and men begins, the two purposes of the valkyrie are nullified:

-all the harvestable souls will have been harvested

-there is no more mead to serve

So are they then put into service as infantry? I mean there aren't many of them right? Like 3 or 4 sisters? Being so few they would have little impact on the fight.

Although iirc Odin did reveal wisdom to them by teaching them runes- could be a force multiplier.

Of course also to consider is the fact that the Ragnarok in all its totality- every duel, maneuver, thrust, counterthrust, and consequence- has all been foretold and is inexorably fixed in fate; the fate of the valkyrie was determined at their creation, whatever that fate is.

Thoughts?