Hermod is a deity in the Norse pantheon. He is messenger of the Norse gods, and a son of Odin and Frigga.[1]
Description[]
Appearance and personality[]
Hermod is a somewhat thin man, and only around five feet tall. He is typically dressed in a cloak of elvenkind and leather armor. He carries a shortsword[2] or rapier.
Hermod is chaotic neutral in alignment.[3] He is reknowned for his foolhardy courage.[2]
Titles[]
Hermod is called the Messenger of the Gods.[1] He is known as Hermod the Nimble.[3]
Abilities[]
Hermod, like the other Norse gods, is immortal, and cannot be harmed by such normal effects as disease, normal poison, death from old age, disintegration, or transmutation effects, although he can still be affected by imprisonment or banishment. He can still be slain normally in combat, although his combat skill is prodigous.[3]
Hermod moves with supernatral quickness in battle, and has divine power of luck. He is particularly fast on his feet and skilled at wielding the rapier.[3]
He can cast numerous magical abilities including animated objects, break enchantment, expeditious retret, mislead, spell turning, and teleport without error. He can create lesser magic items related to communication, movement, travel, or overcoming obstacles, although rare or powerful items are beyond his ability.[3]
He can see and sense at a distance of three miles from himself or any of his worshipers, holy sites, objects, or anywhere his name or one of his titles is spoken.[3]
Hermod is one of the only individuals, other than Odin himself, who can ride Odin's horse Sleipner.[1]
Portfolio[]
Hermod is a god of luck, communication, and freedom. He has power over the domains of chaos, luck, and travel.[3]
Hermod automatically senses any event related to the movement of goods or information, provided that it affects a thousand or more people.[3]
Worship[]
Dogma[]
Hermod's followers believe in the virtue of physical fitness and endurance. They teach skills most useful in the delivery of messages, including running, swimming, horse racing, marksmanship and fencing.[3]
Hermod escorts the souls of the dead to the underworld.[3]
Worshipers[]
While the people of Midgard typically worship the Norse pantheon as a collective group, Hermod is particularly followed by those who travel: bards, messengers, heralds, and travelers of all sorts. He is followed by many elves, half-elves, and halflings.[3] Thieves also follow him.[2]
Clergy[]
Priests of Hermod often travel, and rarely stay in one place for long. Duties of the junior clergy of Hermod include the transport of messages between nobles, villages, and temples. They are quick to lend aid to travelers.[3]
Many clerics of Hermod are also thieves.[2]
Holy sites[]
Temples of Hermod consists of groups of smaller buildings, usually including a main hall, a training hall and stables. It is common for temples to be built near lakes or rivers where followers can practice swimming. Visitors are welcome, and the clergy are eager to learn information from visitors.[3]
Small shrines to Hermod are also found in thieves guilds.[2]
Holy symbol[]
Hermod's holy symbol is a winged scroll.[3]
A pouch of gold is also used by some to represent Hermod.[2]
Favored weapon[]
Hermod favors the rapier.[3]
Relationships[]
Family[]
Hermod is the son of Odin and Frigg. His brothers are Balder, Hod, and Tyr. He has numerous other relatives via Odin.
Enemies[]
Hermod's allies are unknown.
Allies and minions[]
Hermod serves the gods of Asgard.
Artifacts[]
Hermod carries a sword of cold, and a wand of dispel magic.[1]
Realm[]
Hermod's home is unknown, though he serves the gods of Asgard.
History[]
Death of Balder[]
When Balder was slain by his brother Hod, it was Hermod who volunteered to travel to Hel and offer a ransom for his return. Hel agreed, if only everyone would shed a tear. Loki refused, and Balder remained in Niflheim until after the battle of Ragnarok.[4]
Publication history[]
Original D&D[]
Hermod first appears in Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (1976), p.32.
AD&D 1st edition[]
Hermod is described in For better or Norse: I, Dragon #110 (Jun 1986), p.17-18.
AD&D 2nd edition[]
A passing reference to Hermod is made in On Hallowed Ground (1996), p.143, as a son of Frigga and Odin.
D&D 3rd edition[]
Hermod is described in most detail in Deities and Demigods (3e) (2002), p.182-183.
D&D 4th edition[]
The Norse pantheon does not appear in D&D 4th edition.
A brief mention of Hermodr appears in the introduction to Dragon #423 (May 2013), where his journey into the underworld is given as an archetypal example of the core story of Dungeons & Dragons.
D&D 5th edition[]
Hermod is one of twenty Norse gods listed in the Player's Handbook (5e) (2014).
Creative origins[]
Hermod appears in Norse myth. His primary appearance is in the Prose Edda regarding the death of Balder, where he volunteers to visit Hel to offer a ransom for Balder. He is said to be Odin's son (or "Odin's boy"), and Balder's brother, suggesting that Frigg is Hermod's mother, as other references in Norse myth (such as Lokasenna) make a clear distinction between a man's sons and adoptive sons.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (1976), p.32.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 For better or Norse: I, Dragon #110 (Jun 1986), p.17-18.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Deities and Demigods (3e) (2002), p.182-183.
- ↑ Deities and Demigods (3e) (2002), p.171.