Highlights

  • Valheim's upcoming Ashlands update will further explore Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore, providing a variety of new enemies to encounter.
  • The lack of elves in Valheim is surprising given their presence in Norse myth, but the addition of both dark elves and light elves could bring unique NPCs to the game.
  • Creatures like Fossegrim, a water spirit with exceptional musical abilities, and Nidhoggr, a serpent that gnaws on the roots of the World Tree, would add depth to Valheim's bestiary and enhance the game's mix of myth and folklore.

Valheim is steeped in the engrossing tales of Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. However, there are some creatures yet to be included in Valheim's bestiary that would fit in perfectly.

2021's Valheim is still in early access but has already generated an immense amount of buzz. Part of this acclaim comes from its use of Norse mythology and wider Scandinavian folklore, something that will only be built on in Valheim's upcoming Ashlands update. These references range from Norse myth, such as with sea serpents and the Norse pantheon, as well as more contemporary Scandinavian references—such as how the various greydwarf enemies resemble the gray dwarves from the 1981 book Ronja rovardotter. With such scope, there's a variety of interesting folklore and mythology that would fit well in Valheim.

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5 Norse Creatures That Would Fit Well In Valheim

Dokkalfar (Dark Elves) and Ljosalfar (Light Elves)

With the wealth of references to Norse myth in Valheim, the lack of elves is surprising. There are references to the elves of Norse myth in both the Prose Edda, one of the most important sources on Norse mythology that survives today (along with the Poetic Edda), and in the poem Hrafnagaldr Odins. The poem is enveloped into the mixing of dwarves and elves in Norse myth, where a character named Dainn could be an elf or a dwarf. This is also present in the two aforementioned collections, where the subterranean dokkalfar (dark elves) are theorized to be synonymous with svartalfar (black elves), who themselves could be synonymous with dwarves. Regardless, whether they be underground dokkalfar or light-elf ljosalfar, these creatures could easily make for some unique NPCs.

Fossegrim

Among the enemies Valheim beginners will be immediately acquainted with, the neck isn't too much of a threat. This creature is inspired by the Swedish nack, which is related to other Germanic water spirits. Among these is Fossegrim, a water spirit or troll that can play the fiddle with great expertise. Unlike the tiny lizards Valheim players may be used to, Fossegrim looks like a human male in most interpretations, playing his fiddle in a river or under a small waterfall. Humans can strike a pact with Fossegrim in exchange for scheduled food offerings, granting them unparalleled musical ability. The music of Fossegrim and those he deals with are said to enchant even the trees themselves to dance, so making a bargain with the water spirit could likely be of potent benefit to Valheim players.

Nidhoggr and Ratatoskr

Upon spawning into a new world in the tenth realm, a player need only look up to see a sky filled with roots. These are the roots of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, the shoots of which can be harvested for Valheim's Yggdrasil wood. The Prose Edda and Poetic Edda both reference a creature gnawing on these roots. The serpent Nidhoggr is said to sit 'far beneath' Yggdrasil, according to the poem Grimnismal. Whilst it's typically kept in balance by their opposite, the eagle Vedrflnir at the World Tree's top, if Nidhoggr gets out of hand, the player would be in the best position to reign it in.

While Vedrfolnir stays secluded in the canopy of Yggdrasil, the horned squirrel Ratatoskr delivers the eagle's messages to Nidhoggr. It is said by some that the Ratatoskr intentionally pits the two against each other, maintaining the balance between rebirth and decay. If the player ever has to add Nidhoggr to the serpents they slay in Valheim, it only makes sense for this mischievous rodent to be an NPC.

Once Valheim's Ashlands update is released, these creatures would make solid additions to the title's bestiary. They would add not only both new NPCs and enemies, but the mix of myth and folklore that already exists in the game.