Hermóðr

deity sky Norse single tradition · 3

Hermóðr is Baldr's brother who travels to Hel on horseback to retrieve the deceased Baldr. He rides for nine nights through dark valleys to reach the river Gjöll and its bridge, Gjallarbrú. He is challenged by Móðguðr at the far end of the bridge.

↻ synthesized from 3 sources

When

First attested
900 CE
Attested period
900 – 2020
Historical notes
Appears in the 13th-century Gylfaginning.

Relationships

sibling of
Baldr

Expand to full subgraph →

Sources

Source passages

“Hermóðr, described as Baldr's brother in this source, sets out to Hel on horseback to retrieve the deceased Baldr. To enter Hel, Hermóðr rides for nine nights through "valleys so deep and dark that he saw nothing" until he arrives at the river Gjöll”

#11175 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001

“Hermóðr, messenger of the Norse gods; he rode to Hel to plead for Baldr's return, ultimately being unsuccessful”

#34829 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001

“In Valhalla, Haakon is greeted by Hermóðr and Bragi.”

#38395 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001