Draugar

Gallû

Inspiration

Draugar are reanimated corpses from Norse mythology, similar to zombies or vampires, that guard their graves and terrorize the living.

A draugar is a corpse that is reanimated to guard its grave or hoard of treasure, often driven by greed and jealousy.

Physical characteristics: They are physically powerful and often retain their intelligence from life, able to cause havoc on the living.

Origin: The transformation into a draugar was believed to befall individuals who were not properly buried according to funerary rites, especially if they drowned at sea

Introduction

Valder stipped the flesh from Angurs bones, his eyes alight with hunger and rage. There was no righteous burial for his fallen friends, Valder fed from their corpses as the sea tossed around him, knowing he would not die of hunger on the becalmed waters...

Ideograms

History

The Armies of Hel are not the legions of Odin, no noble warriors drinking in Valhalla. Hel's warriors are the craven, the ones who left their companions to die. Those who died in their beds remembering cowardice and ill deeds. Those who committed murder and didn't tell of it.

In Norse mythology, Hel's armies are composed of the souls of theunheroic dead—those who died of sickness, old age, or were not brave enough in the eyes of the gods. These souls, referred to as the "people of Hel," reside in the gloomy, cold realm of Helheim, which is ruled by Hel, the daughter of Loki.

Formation and Composition

Recruitment: The dead arrive in Helheim by crossing the river Gjöll. Some myths suggest the dragon Níðhöggr sucks the blood from the arriving corpses, making them pale and easier for Hel to form into her army.

Command: While Hel is the ruler of the realm, the army itself is led by her father, the trickster god Loki, during the events of Ragnarök.

Forces

The army includes:

• 'The Dead: The main bulk of the army comprises the countless souls who died without glory in battle.
• Jutnar: Hel's forces are joined by the Jötnar (giants).
• Skratti: Her monstrous siblings and allies also join the battle, including the great wolf Fenrir and the Midgard Serpent Jörmungandr, who break their bonds at the onset of Ragnarök. The monstrous hound Garmr, who guards the gates of Helheim, also breaks loose and fights.
• The Ship Naglfar: The army of the dead is ferried to the battlefield of Vígríðr aboard the ship Naglfar, which is said to be made from the fingernails and toenails of the dead.

Role in Ragnarök

At the apocalyptic battle of Ragnarök, Hel's army marches against the gods (Aesir) and the Einherjar (heroes who died in battle and were brought to Valhalla). The forces of Helheim team up with the fire giants from Muspelheim, led by Surtr. Most sources imply that Hel herself does not actively participate in the fighting, but rather allows her forces to be led by Loki. After the great battle, the Nine Realms, including Helheim, are consumed by fire and destruction, only to be reborn in a new cycle.

Hidden Master

The Draugar owe their allegiance to Galgregrnd, who took the name Loki from Norse mythology.

Perversions

• Exhumation
• Hallucination
• Violence
  • Barbarity
  • Haste

Sources

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https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Draugr#TV_series