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The Ride of the Valkyrs (1909) by John Charles Dollman

Valkyrie (from Old Norse valkyrja "chooser of the slain") are a mythic subspecies of human that always present biologically female. Their lives are a manifestation of divine influence specific to Scandinavian culture and are born to walk among humans and serve the will of the Norse gods.

Physical characteristics are generally similar to those of their human family. However, there is a strong tendency for their coloring to be slightly lighter and their height increased. Valkyrie therefore tend to be fair skinned, light eyed, and tall, in general. Valkyrie tend to guard their true nature fiercely. Their motivations and nature evoke a wide range of misunderstanding from human and mythics alike, from undue awe or worship, to downright fear and ostracization. Revealing their otherwise hidden mythic features to the wrong individuals can have undesirable consequences that directly interfere with their purpose and mission.

Old Norse and Old English Literary Attestations

In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja's afterlife field Fólkvangr), the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin. There, the deceased warriors become einherjar (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters". When the einherjar are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty.

Valkyries are attested in the Poetic Edda poems Völuspá, Grímnismál, Völundarkviða, Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II and Sigrdrífumál, a book compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the Prose Edda and Heimskringla (by Snorri Sturluson), and Njáls saga, a Saga of Icelanders, all written in the 13th century. They appear throughout the poetry of skalds, in a 14th-century charm, and in various runic inscriptions.

The descriptions in these sources form a common set of appearances and behaviors. Valkyrie are often described as pale in coloring, fair of visage, and being “high-hearted”, “wise-minded”, and unnaturally strong Sometimes, the Valkyrie are themselves winged, and other times they simply ride winged horses or giant swans or ravens. They are almost always equipped with shields, swords, or spears, and are either fully armed or partially nude. When appearing to humans, they are sometimes fully, or at least partially covered or spattered with blood.

Mythic Classification

Valkyrie belong to the “angelic” class of mythic creatures, which includes the more well known Judeo-Christian pantheon of Malakhim (messengers), Archangels (arbiters of justice, guardians of extraplanar realms), and Seraphim (personal caretakers and attendants of deities), and as well as celestial type beings from other world cultures and traditions. In the Muslim tradition, the Malakhim are called Malaa’ika, but both are actually the same beings with the same messenger function. The Devas of the Hindu faith are responsible for the maintenance of the four elements, guarding their proper function on the Earth similarly to how Archangels guard the passages of extraplanar realms.

Higher ordered classes of angels are direct creations and manifestations of their respective deities. They rarely, if ever, enter the mortal world. These beings are usually genderless, immortal, and possess demi-god status and powers. Unlike higher classed angels, Valkyrie originate on Earth from within human families, and while powerful, are not immortal and do not have any godly status. It is possible that worldly angelic beings similar to Valkyrie can appear among the people of any culture and religion, provided the deities they worship are powerful enough to give rise to their creation.

Purpose and Function

Valkyrie seek honor through battle whenever the opportunity presents, particularly when it would serve to deliver justice to the wicked or protection for the meek. Valkyrie, which means “choosers of the slain,” have the power to decide who from among the honorable fallen shall have their souls escorted to the afterlife. In the case of atheists, agnostics, and followers of Norse and/or other pagan faiths, souls are escorted to Valhalla to await Ragnarok, the “End Times”. Should the fallen individual subscribe to a different faith with its own extraplanar afterlife, out of respect the Valkyrie may ask the Norse gods to contact that deity to send their own representative to collect the fallen spirit. If that god refuses, or instead wishes to send the soul to a less than savory extraplanar location, they will attempt to take the soul to Valhalla anyway, as no decent soul that falls with honor should be allowed to suffer needlessly. This can potentially result in conflict between Valkyrie and angels of different faiths, although this has happened so rarely throughout history, it is practically a non-issue.

In reality, Valkyrie are a direct counterpart to the “Guardian” angel, the lowest order of angel in the Judeo-Christian faith. Human scholars of Judeo-Christian belief have, unfortunately, completely misinterpreted the origin and function of these women, believing them akin to the higher ordered angel classes described above, when in fact they are born from among human parents just as Valkyrie are. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, guardian angels are women who comfort the distressed, grieving, and sick, accompanying their souls to the afterlife should they die. While Valkyrie embody the ideals of strength, honor, justice, and glorification of battle, Christian guardian women instead embody such values such as mercy, charity, compassion, and concern themselves heavily with conception and pregnancy. These differences are direct reflections of the cultural values of the believers and deity of each religion.

Genetics and Biology

When a family, or member of a family, commits an act of heroism or carries out deeds of honor that are significant enough to garner the attention of the gods, that family may at some point be blessed with the gift of a Valkyrie for a child. The birth of the Valkyrie may be immediate, or potentially occur many many generations later during a time more suited to the needs of the gods.

The genetic mechanisms that trigger the appearance of Valkyrie are not entirely understood. Current scientific hypothesis on the subject is two-fold. First, one or both parents must possess a set of highly recessive genes. Whether heroic individuals are more likely to possess the recessive gene in the first place is unclear. Second, these genes must undergo an active mutation during the initial stages of conception. The second stage of this process is believed to occur due to direct magical influence of the deities themselves, triggering the mutation and granting the family the gift of a Valkyrie for a daughter. What is known, however, is that Valkyrie and their equivalent from other religions and cultures, are extremely rare creatures.

Valkyrie are long lived due to a slow maturation rate with an extended childhood and pubescent period. As they enter adulthood, this rate will begin to increase until it matches that of the human population. By the time a Valkyrie possesses a physical age of approximately 30, the rate of aging will have reached a normal human level. During pubescence, a Vakyrie develop the ability to sprout wings from their scapula on their back. This process is not painless, and is generally only done in moments of great emotion such as during the initial stages of a battle or fight. As a Valkyrie ages she may learn to better control this mechanism and allow her wings to burst forth at will, even without an adrenaline trigger. It still incurs some physical pain, however, and Valkyrie must prove resiliant to succeed at unfurling them.