>It appears that the Aesir are the Norse pantheon of gods (yes?), but
>who are the Vanir?

The Aesir and Vanir are the two races of gods in the Norse sagas. Generally speaking, the Vanir are the elder race, but of lesser overall power. In ancient days the two races warred against each other for dominance, but now they live in harmony and even intermarry. Njord Seafarer is the mightiest of the Vanir, God of the Oceans, and his children are Frey and Frejya, God of Weather and Goddess of Healing. In addition to their "official" Asgard job descriptions, Frey and Frejya have great power in nature and in fertility; they are also known in certain ancient Earth religions as 'the Lord and the Lady.'

Remember, however, that being born Aesir or Vanir, even pureblood, does -not- make one a god. Godhood involves a level of power no less than an order of magnitude higher than that birthright granted to an Aes or Van. In order to attain official position as a god in the court of Asgard, a young godling must pass a ritual test, which is difficult in proportion to the powers and responsibilities of the post. As a general rule, Aesir specialize in man-made concepts, while Vanir specialize in natural realms. An unambitious Aes might be the God of Jam Sessions, and a similarly modest Van might be the God of the River Cam.

Demigods (those with mortal parentage) have it even more difficult; only rarely do they attain full godhood.

Finally, it is -theoretically- possible for a mortal to gain apotheosis, but we don't know of any who have managed it, save for the Valkyrior.

Redneck

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