Weapons of Norse mythology

Dáinsleif ("Dáinn's Heirloom") is king Högni's sword, according to Snorri Sturluson's account of the battle known as the Hjaðningavíg. Högni claims it is similar to the sword Tyrfing as far as killing a person every time it is drawn. When Heðinn offers him compensation for the abduction of his daughter, Högni replies: {{blockquote|Thou hast made this offer over-late, if thou wouldst make peace: for now I have drawn Dáinsleif, which the dwarves made, and which must cause a man's death every time it is bared, nor ever fails in its stroke; moreover, the wound heals not if one be scratched with it. In culture • In Final Fantasy Type-0, the first chapter ends with the player fighting a "l'Cie" named ''Qun'mi'', who pilots a magitek weapon called "Dáinsleif". • Genshin Impact, a 2020 action role-playing game, features a character named Dainsleif. • Legend of Mana, a Square role-playing game, features a monster named Dainsleif. • Senki Zesshō Symphogear, a Japanese anime television franchise animated by Satelight features an ancient relic in the form of a sword, named 'Dáinsleif'. • Several games in the Castlevania series feature 'Dáinsleif' as a usable weapon. • Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans The Dainsleif was introduced as a banned weapon of war. It was a mobile suit hand held rail gun that fired rods at hyper velocity that would rip through anything it hit with ease. • Black Summoner Dainsleif was the S rank sword made for Gerard Fragarach by Kelvin Celsius. • For Honor, a Viking finisher named "Dainsleif" from For Honor, a fighting game by Ubisoft. • Black Clover, a character named Zenon Zogratis, uses the sword as an ultimate finishing-move • Monster Hunter Frontier Z, 'Dainsleif' was a pair of Dual Blades that were able to be crafted as a reward for players who played consistently through Internet cafés. Its final upgrade was considered by players to be the strongest Dual Blades in the game. • In Odin Sphere, 'Dáinsleif' was featured as playable character ''Oswald's'' special skill, rather than being a physical weapon. • Valvrave the Liberator, a 2013 mecha anime, features a giant robot which is rechristened "Dainsrave" after being captured by the antagonist, Cain Dressel. ==Gram==

Gram (, "ill-tempered"), is a magical sword wielded by the hero Sigurd. He uses it to slay Fafnir, a dwarf transformed into a dragon. It is primarily used by the Völsungs in the Völsung Cycle; however, it is also seen in other legends, such as the Thidrekssaga in which it is wielded by Hildebrand. In the Middle High German epic poem Nibelungenlied, it is called Balmung. ==Gungnir==

Gungnir (, "the rocking") is the spear of the god Odin. It is said to always hit the target of the attacker. It is depicted in the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, in the Sigrdrífumál, Chapter 51 of the Gylfaginning, and the Skáldskaparmál. ==Hǫfuð==

Hǫfuð ("man-head", Norwegian , Danish ', Swedish ' and Icelandic '') is the sword of the Æsir Heimdall. It is mentioned in Gylfaginning'' chapter 26: The Skáldskaparmál also mentions a mysterious myth about Heimdall's head and sword in its eighth chapter, seemingly saying Heimdall was "pierced by a man's head" (a reference to his own sword? to a human head itself colliding with him?). ==Hrotti==

Hrotti is a sword in the Völsung cycle (Fáfnismál, Völsunga saga, 20). It was a part of Fáfnir's treasure, which Sigurðr took after he slew the dragon. Kemp Malone suggested that Hrotti was etymologically related to Hrunting, Beowulf's sword. ==Lævateinn==

Lævateinn is a weapon crafted by Loki, mentioned in the Poetic Edda poem Fjölsvinnsmál. It is said to be the only weapon that can defeat Viðofnir, a bird that sits atop Mímameiðr, the tree of life. Scholars debate and are unsure what exact type of weapon was meant. The poem does not clarify if Lævateinn was ever actually used for this purpose, leaving such a feat in the potential future. == Mistilteinn ==

(Old Norse, ; ; Old Swedish: Misteltein; ) is Hrómundr Gripsson's sword in Hrómundar saga Gripssonar, a legendary saga from Iceland. Mistilteinn first belonged to Þráinn, who had been king in Valland before he retired in his burial mound with his wealth. The Danish king Óláfr and his men, among whom Hrómundr Gripsson, learnt about that and found the barrow. Þráinn, who had become a draugr (living dead), was sitting inside. No one but Hrómundr dared to enter. After a long and fierce fight, he defeated Þráinn and took his treasure, especially his sword, with which Þráinn had killed four hundred and twenty men, including the Swedish king Semingr. Hrómundr used Mistilteinn during the battle between Óláfr and two Swedish kings both named Haldingr. He killed Helgi inn frækni (the Valiant), who had slain his brothers. He then lost Mistilteinn in the water out of witchcraft. He deeply felt this loss but soon recovered his sword, which was found in the stomach of a pike. But Mistilteinn was of no help when he fought king Haldingr, whom he eventually killed with a club. In one version of Norse mythology, Odin's son Baldr was prophesized to die, so his mother Frigg, Odin's wife, forced everything in the Nine Realms to swear not to harm him, all with the exception of the plant mistletoe, which was deemed too weak to pose a threat. One day, Baldr was showing off his invincibility by having all the Æsir gods hurl things at him. However, his blind brother Höðr was left out of the revelry. Odin's sworn brother Loki, jealous of Baldr's good looks and charisma, handed Hod a weapon he fashioned from mistletoe, Mistilteinn, and encouraged him to join in on the fun. Höðr then threw the weapon at his brother and struck him dead. Odin was so distraught at his favored son's death that he killed Höðr on the spot. ==Mjölnir==

Mjölnir is Thor's hammer, used both as a weapon and as a spiritual focus with which to perform divine acts. ==Riðill==

Riðill (sometimes anglicised to Rithill or Ridill) or Refil is a sword possessed by the dwarf Regin. The story also appears in the Skáldskaparmál of the Prose Edda, but the name of the sword is given as Refil or Refill there. ==Skofnung==

Skofnung () is the sword of legendary Danish king Hrólf Kraki that appears in Hrólfs saga kraka. It was renowned for supernatural sharpness and hardness. ==Sword of Freyr==

The Vanir Freyr has an unnamed sword that is one of the few weapons that is capable of fighting on its own. The Prose Edda contains: }} Freyr asks Skírnir to bring Gerðr to him, but his messenger demands his sword from him, and Freyr gives it. However, the loss of Freyr's sword has long-term consequences. According to the Prose Edda, Freyr had to fight Beli without his sword and slew him with an antler. The result at Ragnarök, the end of the world, will be much more serious. Freyr is fated to fight the fire-giant Surtr and, since he will not have his sword, he will be defeated. In the Poetic Edda, it is said that during Ragnarok, the sun of warrior gods shines from Surtr's sword. One theory is that the sword which Surtr uses to slay Freyr is his own sword, which Freyr had earlier bargained away for Gerðr. This would add a further layer of tragedy to the myth. Sigurður Nordal argued for this view, but the possibility represented by Ursula Dronke's translation that it is a simple coincidence is equally possible. In the poem Skírnismál, the sword is given to Skírnir and used to threaten Gerðr, but not explicitly given to either the giantess or her father, much less Surtr. Freyr's sword appears throughout Rick Riordan's fantasy novel series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard as the sword "Sumarbrander" (nicknamed "Jack"), the main weapon of the titular protagonist. ==Tyrfing==

Tyrfing, also rendered as Tirfing and Tyrving, was a magic sword that features in the Tyrfing Cycle. This includes a poem from the Poetic Edda called Hervararkviða, and the Hervarar saga. It is a powerful sword, but it was made under duress by dwarf smiths. In revenge for being forced to make the sword, they added a curse that the sword would be the cause of three great evils. == References ==