Valheim knows what it is about. The survival simulator flings players into the 10th circle of the Viking afterlife, leaving them to build, craft, fight, and explore their way into Odin’s favor. The game undoubtedly succeeds in doing this, as a huge following rose around this early access title, and many fans are waiting with bated breath for further content updates. Success like this is often rare, but in the case of Valheim is completely deserved.
The now 5 million strong player-base of Valheim are particularly perceptive. Not only have they created the most amazing cities and superstructures, but all of the game’s mythologies are also tracked and recorded meticulously. Recently players noticed a new god flying through the skies of Valheim, which tells players a lot about the game’s lore. Moreover, it lets the community know which gods might be coming next. Figuring out which gods will make an appearance can be tricky, but the Valheim 2021 content map reveals a few interesting hints to that end.
Before breaking down which Norse gods could turn up next in Valheim, establishing who is there already is important. The first and most obvious Norse god that turns up is the chief of the whole pantheon. Odin in Valheim appears as he does in the old tales of legend, disguised as a hooded figure with one shining eye, vanishing almost as quickly as he turns up. In these ancient tales, the god chieftain searches for his “einherjar,” noble and brave warriors that could join his ranks in the final battle of Ragnarok. That seems to be exactly what Odin does in the game, turning up at bizarre points to observe players during their often-goofy adventures.
More recently, players have spotted Thor in Valheim. When lightning streaks across the sky, the god of thunder himself can often be seen riding alongside it. The difference between how Thor and Odin appear in the title perfectly aligns with their representation in the Norse myths. Odin is the god of knowledge, warfare, poetry, fate, and strange magic. As such, Odin’s soft, understated appearances throughout Valheim make complete sense, as does Thor’s thunderous showboating.
Thor cracks and tears through the game’s dark skies, much like his role in the legends. He is often less tactical, more hot-headed, and quicker to violence than other Norse gods. He also plays a really important role in the fight against Fenrir, the great wolf that heralds the end of the world. Valheim’s next update is “The Cult of the Wolf,” so it is very possible that Thor will show his face (and mighty hammer) in battle against whatever wolf the Cult might worship.
While it is of course not certain which god might appear, there are several clues as to who is next. As has already been mentioned, Thor might have more to do in upcoming expansions thanks to the implication of Fenrir in the game. Fenrir may also tie into further expansions. After “Cult of the Wolf,” Iron Gate Studio plans to expand on some of the Valheim biomes. The first of these is the Mistlands biome, which is being built upon in an expansion of the same name. Currently, there is nothing to see in the Mistlands. However, there is a misty land in old Norse legends, one that ties into both Fenrir and possible endings for Valheim.
The “Mistlands” of Viking lore is a place called Hel, sometimes Helheim. The plane is ruled over by a decaying goddess of the same name. Hel is often regarded as the most powerful of the Norse pantheon when in her domain, and like Odin, she is less interested in direct action. Hel instead prefers to observe the adventurers entering her domain. Valheim‘s connections to Norse mythology have been well established. Further to the Cult of the Wolf expansion, it looks like Valheim might build up towards a Ragnarok-style event.
If that is the case, both Fenrir and the Nidhogg (world-serpent), two of the main antagonists of Ragnarok, are from Hel. If these two join the many bosses of Valheim, it would make sense to add the goddess of their domain. Hel would be quite easy to implement as well, relegated only to the Mistlands. In Norse mythology, she also had several magic items available, such as a dish called “Hunger” and a knife named “Famine.” These could show up in future trader inventory expansions.
Of course, if the events of Ragnarok are to transpire in Valheim, certain gods are more likely to appear. Loki, for instance, is the father of both Fenrir and the World-Serpent. He would be an interesting addition, potentially tricking and sabotaging players. This would make a good contrast to Odin, who normally sits and does not interfere.
Furthermore, Valheim’s portals are an integral part of the game. As such, adding the transport god Heimdall could work. The god could potentially fix the problems with transporting metals across portals if a quest is undertaken.
While not a god, a central figure in the apocalypse story of Norse legends is the giant Surtr, who, with a flaming sword, heralds the start of Ragnarok. In the Norse Poetic Edda, “Surtr moves from the south” to battle with the gods. Valheim‘s world design seems really fit in with this geography as well. The Ashlands in Valheim always spawn in the south of the map, despite other procedural generations. These Ashlands are currently incomplete but are populated with creatures called “Surtlings” which throw fire. As such, it seems very likely that Surtr will make an appearance. If he is not as an NPC god, then perhaps as a boss battle.
Valheim is available through Steam Early Access on PC.
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