 The god Njörðr is awake while his wife Skaði is asleep.
They are up in the mountains. Njörðr is staring wistfully at
the sea. The list of illustrations in the front matter of the book gives
this one the title Njörd's desire of the Sea. Published in 1908
W.G. Collingwood (1854 - 1932) |
Njord is one of the Vanir and the god of wind, fertile land along the seacoast, as well as seamanship, sailing and fishing, he has the power to calm the sea or fire. He is the husband of Skaði and father of Freyr and Freyja. Their mother was, according to the Heimskringla, Njord's own sister and lover. Apparently the Vanir, unlike the Æsir, had the custom of consanguineous marriage. His dwelling is said to be Noatún ('Ship-town'). Njord is also a god closely associated with fertility, as are the Vanir in general.
Njord and his children joined the Æsir as Vanir hostages after the Æsir/Vanir war. Such hostages are considered part of the family of the aristocracy and rightful leaders, but are not free to leave so as to secure the mutual interests of the peace treaty.
With Hodur, he undertook a mission of peace to Weland and Egil, which they refused. He rescued his son Freyr from the giants later on. During the war between Æsir and Vanir, he led the attack on Asgard and won. While he was gone from Vanaheim, Loki tried to take over there, but Njord defeated him in battle and routed him.
How Njord met Skadi
The Æsir regretfully killed Skadi's father, Weland-Thjazi, who had inflicted the Ice Age on the world. Skadi put on her skis and skied all the way to Valhalla. The gods agreed that they would have to repay her in some way. She would be able to choose any of the males as her husband, but she was only allowed to look at the feet as she chose. She looked long at all of the feet, and she chose the cleanest pair, thinking that it must belong to Baldr. It wasn't Baldr, however, but Njord, whose feet were washed clean by the sea. Although they loved each other very much, their marriage had some difficulties. Skadi lived in a land of winter, but Njord didn't like being awakened all the time by the wolves, and he could hardly sleep anyway because it was so cold. Skadi couldn't take living in a spring forest, being awakened early by the birds. And she thought it was a little too warm. They decided to live a week at each place, and it worked well for them until they got tired of it, and were so distressed they decided to live away from each other.
Njord (Vanir)God of the Sea and Winds; God of chariots; The Giving God
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Chariot, Ocean
Home Plane: Asgard
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Commerce, sea, wind
Traditional Allies: Frey, Freya
Traditional Foes: Aquatic monsters and races that actively seek to upset the balance and order of the sea.
Divine Artifact: Sandals of the Voyager
Worshipers: Sailors, fishermen, those who depend on the sea for a living
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Wind, Sea*, Travel
Favored Weapon: longspear
Favored Class: Cleric, monk
Favored Race: Half-Orc, Human
Benefits: Favored classes who actively worship Njord gain water breathing (12 th level) as a spell-like ability 3/day
Those who seek wealth
or abundance in fishing pray to Njord. A Vanir deity, he is the father of
Frey and Freya. Njord married the female giant Skadi while among the Aesir,
though they later divorced. As a deity of the mountains, she was uncomfortable
on the coastlines, so they could never agree where to live. Their movements
between homes created the seasons.
Dogma
Where Aegir’s cult
threatens and glowers, Njord’s cult smiles. This cult supports those
who make a living from the bounty of the sea through trade, fishing, shipbuilding,
or supplying the needs of the other three. Njord’s cult numbers many
prominent businesspeople among its members. When Aegir’s cultists mock
them for their relatively mean tables and their preference for sailing within
sight of the shore, Njord’s worshipers only look at their growing treasuries
and smile.
Clergy and Temples
Auszug zum Fischfang. Öl auf Leinwand. 64 x 88 cm. Reinhard Sebastian
Zimmermann (1815–1893)
Njord’s clergy are
most common near the sea, but can also be found along navigable rivers and
lakes with connections to the sea. Most display weathering and scars from
lives spent in, on, and around the water. They are popular with fishermen
and merchants. Njord’s temples are sturdy structures meant to withstand
the trials of coastal weather. They generally sit right on the water and have
their own docks. Most temples have storage for sail canvas, ropes, tar, paint,
and other boating supplies. Those in larger urban centers often have secret
vaults containing wealth gleaned from the sea and fees charged for aiding
in business negotiations.
Visitors to Njord’s
temples find the fare plain but filling. Clergy and faithful draw owners of
seagoing vessels into conversation. Others are largely ignored unless they
bring information about shoals, currents, weather, or other conditions hazardous
to ships.
NJORD |
|
Ranger 20/Rogue 20 |
|
Medium-Size outsider |
|
Divine Rank |
11 |
Hit Dice |
20d8+200 (outsider) plus 20d10+200 (Rgr) plus 20d6+200 (Rog) (1,080 hp) |
Initiative |
+12 (+8 Dexterity, +4 Improved Initiative) |
Speed |
60 ft., Swim 100 ft. |
AC |
61 (+8 Dexterity, +11 divine, +24 natural, +8 deflection) |
| Attacks |
+5 bane* icy burst longspear +72/+67/+62/+57 melee; or spell +66 melee touch or +59 ranged touch *+74/+69/+64/+59 against giants. |
Damage |
+5 bane* icy burst longspear 1d8+27/19–20/×3 or by spell *2d6 plus 1d8+27/19–20/×3 against giants. |
Face/Reach |
5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. |
Special Attacks |
Domain powers, salient divine abilities, spell-like abilities, sneak attack +10d6, crippling strike, opportunist. |
Special Qualities |
Elf traits, divine immunities, DR 46/+4, spontaneous casting of divine spells, understand, speak, and read all languages and speak directly to all beings within 11 miles, remote communication, godly realm, teleport without error at will, plane shift at will, favored enemies (giants +5, goblinoids +4, dragons +3, aberrations +2, undead +1), evasion, uncanny dodge (cannot be flanked, +4 against traps), defensive roll, improved evasion, SR 43, divine aura (1,100 ft., DC 29). |
Saves |
Fort +53, Ref +51, Will +54. |
Abilities |
Strength 41, Dexterity 26, Constitution 31, Intelligence 26, Wisdom 28, Charisma 26. |
Skills* |
Appraise +50, Bluff +48, Concentration +50, Craft (shipbuilding) +54, Craft (metalworking) +42, Craft (stoneworking) +42, Diplomacy +54, Gather Information +48, Handle Animal +48, Hide +54, Innuendo +53, Intimidate +52, Intuit Direction +55, Knowledge (arcana) +44, Knowledge (nature) +50, Knowledge (the planes) +36, Knowledge (religion) +36, Listen +59, move silently +54, Profession (sailor) +57, Ride (horse) +23, Scry +30, Search +56, Sense Motive +43, Spellcraft +34, Spot +59, Swim +38, Use Magic Device +42, Use Rope +54, Wilderness Lore +45. *Always receives a 20 on checks. |
Feats |
Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Endurance, Combat Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (longspear), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Martial Weapon Proficiency (composite longbow), Martial Weapon Proficiency (composite shortbow), Martial Weapon Proficiency (longbow), Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword), Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Mobility, Power Attack, Power Critical (longspear), Spring Attack, Sunder, Track, Weapon Focus (longspear), Whirlwind Attack. |
Elf Traits |
+2 racial bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells or effects; Low-Light Vision; entitled to a Search check when within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door as though actively looking for it. |
Divine Immunities |
Ability damage, ability drain, acid, cold, death effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, mind-affecting effects, Paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, transmutation, imprisonment, banishment. |
| Salient Divine Abilities | Alter Form, Alter Size, Banestrike (giants), Call Creatures (sea animals), Divine Storm, Divine Water Mastery, Energy Storm (positive energy), Extra Energy Immunity (fire), Gift of Life, Life and Death, Mind of the Beast, Power of Nature, Shapechange, Speak with Creatures (sea animals). |
| Domain Powers | 11/day turn or destroy earth creatures, or rebuke or command air creatures; cast good spells at +1 caster level; 11/day turn or destroy fire creatures, or rebuke or command water creatures. |
Spell-Like Abilities:
Njord uses these abilities as a 21st-level caster, except for good spells,
which he uses as a 22nd-level caster. The save DCs are 29 + spell level. Acid
Fog, aid, air walk, Blade
Barrier, chain lightning, cone of cold, control
water, control weather, control
winds, dispel evil, elemental
swarm (as air or water spell only), fog cloud, gaseous
form, holy aura, holy smite, holy
word, horrid wilting, ice
storm, magic circle against evil, obscuring
mist, protection from
evil, summon monster IX (as good spell only), water breathing, whirlwind, wind wall.
Ranger Spells/Day: 6/5/5/5;
base DC = 19 + spell level.
Other
Divine Powers
As an intermediate deity,
Njord automatically receives a die result of 20 on any check. Njord treats
a 1 on an attack roll or saving throw normally and not as an automatic failure.
He is immortal.
Senses: Njord
can see (using normal vision or Low-Light
Vision), hear, touch, and smell
at a distance of eleven miles. As a standard action, he can perceive anything
within eleven miles of any of his worshipers, holy sites, or objects, or any
location where one of his titles or his name was spoken within the last hour.
He can extend his senses to up to ten locations at once. He can block the
sensing abilities of deities of his rank or lower at up to two remote locations
for 11 hours.
Portfolio Sense: Njord
automatically senses when any merchant or coastal fishing vessel sets sail,
regardless of how many people are involved, and this sense extends up to eleven
weeks in the past. He likewise senses any business negotiations involving
such vessels.
Automatic Actions: Njord can use Appraise, Diplomacy, Profession (sailor), Use
Rope, or Wilderness
Lore as a free action if the DC for the task is 25 or lower. He can perform
up to ten such free actions in a round.
Create Magic Items: Njord can create any magic item related to building or sailing ships or fishing, as long as the item’s market price does not exceed 200,000 gp.
A member of the Vanir,
he was sent with his son (Frey) and daughter (Freya) to the Aesir as a hostage
after the war between the two races of deities and is said to return to the
Vanir at Ragnarok. After becoming a member of the Aesir, Odin made Njord a
priest of sacrificial offerings. His home was called Noatun (which means harbor)
and his wife was the giantess Skadi who married him because he had beautiful
feet. She later left him because they could not agree on whose dwelling in
which they should live.
Magical
Artifacts that the Avatar May Possess:
Sandals
of the Voyager
These are an ordinary-looking
pair of leather, roman-style sandals. After slipping them on however, the
wearer feels (but does not actually)
as if she is floating an inch above the ground.
While worn the possessor
may tread upon any surface as if on solid ground. The wearer may negate this
ability at will. The Sandals of the
Voyager have the following
powers (at 20 th level):
-The possessor is immune
to the effects of high winds.
-The possessor is always sure-footed and gains an inherent +10 bonus to Balance and Tumble checks.
-expeditious
retreat at will.
-Jump at will.
-freedom of movement at will.
-blur at will.
-Endurance at will.
-Cat’s
grace at will.
-pass without trace at
will.
-whispering
wind at will.
-find
the path 5/day.
-dimension door 5/day.
-teleport without
error 2/day.