Spear / Weapon
Gungnir
Odin's spear — the sharpest of all weapons, never misses, engraved with runes.
Gungnir (Old Norse: Gungnir, 'the swaying one') is the spear of Odin, Allfather of the gods. It was forged by the sons of Ivaldi, the most skilled smiths among the dwarves, and given to Odin by Loki as part of a gift-giving mission to make amends for cutting off the golden hair of Sif.
Gungnir is engraved with runes, making it a weapon of magical certainty: it never misses its mark. An oath sworn upon Gungnir is binding and cannot be broken. The spear is so well-balanced that it flies true through any armor.
When the Æsir-Vanir War broke out — the first war in the world — Odin hurled Gungnir over the heads of the enemy host to open the battle. This became a ritual in Norse warfare: casting a spear over the enemy to consecrate them as sacrifices to Odin before the fighting began.
Gungnir remains in Odin's hand through all his wanderings across the nine worlds. At Ragnarök, Odin carries it into his final battle against Fenrir.
Gungnir is engraved with runes, making it a weapon of magical certainty: it never misses its mark. An oath sworn upon Gungnir is binding and cannot be broken. The spear is so well-balanced that it flies true through any armor.
When the Æsir-Vanir War broke out — the first war in the world — Odin hurled Gungnir over the heads of the enemy host to open the battle. This became a ritual in Norse warfare: casting a spear over the enemy to consecrate them as sacrifices to Odin before the fighting began.
Gungnir remains in Odin's hand through all his wanderings across the nine worlds. At Ragnarök, Odin carries it into his final battle against Fenrir.
Owner / associated beings
Myths featuring this artefact
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Odin Hangs in Yggdrasil
Odin's self-sacrifice: nine days and nights hanging in the world tree to learn the secrets of the runes.
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Ragnarök
The doom of the gods — the great battle between divine and dark forces that cleanses the world for a new beginning.