Time to read: approximately 19 minutes. However, the post is a reference that can be skimmed.
Ancient Epithets
It was the practice in ancient times to worship not only a god, but an epithet of a certain god. Thus Wotan was not simply worshiped as Wotan, but as “Wotan the Wanderer” or “Wotan the Strategist”. A different idol was created for each form, and an offering to one form was thought to confer a greater relationship with that form in particular than with the god overall.
We no longer endorse this practice. It was one of the reasons for the failure of paganism in the late stages of the ancient period. It fragmented worshipers into countless variations. E.g, those who worshiped “Frey the Prosperous” associated in one group with its own specific traditions, while those who worshiped “Frey the Virile” associated in another group. Some groups were even formed based upon locality. Thus, a locality might even have worshiped “Wotan of Saxony” as distinct from “Wotan of Jutland”. This was especially common in Rome, where the resultant fragmentation of temples made it impossible for them to financially support each other, and for temples to be made interchangeable. A worshiper from one locale could not worship in another locale without changing his basic practices and beliefs. The late temples of Roman antiquity must really each be thought of as different religions, different cults, all with similar gods.
The Templist Revision
Templism is more homogeneous than this, because it is useless to prescribe a system of religious variation in a society that is already teeming with it. Indeed, the Templist is to “modern religion in general” what Christianity was to paganism in late antiquity. Therefore we do not endorse epithet-cults. Rather, every god has just one idol. Any idol of Wotan is an idol of Wotan, and all of his traits. I list below the traits of the gods, which are embodied in one person, rather than multiple personalities. This post begins with the Germanic pantheon. The only “alternative forms” of gods allowable are those that enable Christian Templism.
In making this revision, worship is brought closer to the original Germanic traditions, of the time of Tacitus and earlier, when the Germanians were said to worship undivided gods, rather than the Viking Age epithet-gods.
Idols
Also included are the canonical idol representations of each god. These are timeless in nature. There is no reason not to represent the gods as wearing modern clothes, turning their weapons into analogous modern weapons, etc. There is equally no problem with representing them in an archaic fashion. The Author suggests the former for the purpose of developing a distinct “Templist style”, but this is not necessary. A temple should choose one or the other style, and stick to it.
If archaic elements, such as weapons, are translated into modern elements, they are still considered to be the exact same item, but transformed. This very modernization is traditional; the people of antiquity did not continue to represent their gods as beings of the copper age.
Some non-initiated Templists may perceive modernizations to be “funny”. This should be a cause for reflection - why can they not take modern reality seriously? Why can something only be taken seriously by them if it is removed from everyday experience? Is reality necessarily unremarkable, in their worldview?
Primary Characteristic
Every god has a “primary characteristic”, which is designated by his or her name. This characteristic is stronger than other characteristics, and it may pervade the other characteristics.
Wotan
King of Gods, Father of Germanians, Father of Kings, Victory (strategic), War Strategy (operational and geopolitical), Political Strategy, Mania (“Wotan” means something like “maniac”), Creativity, Status (via merit), Deceit, Magic (space and psychological), Wisdom, Death, Poetry, Financial Patronage of Projects, Assistance to the Needy, Shooting (accuracy), Logistics (and safety of cargoes), Motivator of Heroes (via collectivistic purpose). Wotan has absolute power over the god Mimir, who has endless knowledge and remembrance of the past. Thus, Mimir’s powers are requested via Wotan. He is, however, not likely to share them.
Wotan is depicted as a tall old man with a missing right eye, or a damaged right eye that glows blue. He carries a spear, or an infantry rifle. He wears either a hood or some type of decorative hat or helmet, but his clothes are modest and durable. He looks healthy for an old man. His hair is a dark red color, almost brown, worn just below his shoulders. His eye is bright blue. His beard can be varying lengths, and it is white-gray (that is, with patches of each color). The rest of his hair can be depicted this way as well, instead of red. His features are Germanic. He may be accompanied by two wolves and/or two ravens, or riding a horse. Wotan has bred often with all Germanic populations, but especially the modern North Germans.
Wotan is among the gods that may incarnate as a mortal.
Alternative form: Wotan-as-God
Mania
“Mania” refers to its modern meaning, but it means more than that in this context. It means also excitement, overcoming, inspiration, monomaniacal dedication, violent agitation. It is a faculty of Germanian people not possessed as much by other people, and it is most easily understood intuitively by Germanians, especially men. Its manifestations have been recorded at certain times as “Furor Teutonicus”, or as “Beserkergang”. Any description is an approximation of what it is, rather than what it really is. Most accurately and succinctly, it can probably be described as the repository of excitatory energies that, in other peoples, can only be evoked or inhibited by the environment, but, in Germanians, can also be evoked or inhibited by the will.
Frey
Highest Priest (some think that he is the “sacral king”, but Wotan is. What some have interpreted to mean “god of sacral kingship” actually means “king of the sacred”, a position that Wotan appointed him to), Protector of the Sacred, Fruitfulness (generation: of crops, humans, goods. Now including: modern industrial production. “Frey” means something like “fruitful”), Industrial Resource Extraction, Space Magic, Peace, Fatherhood, Luck, Population (population growth, maintenance, rate of marriage, colonialism, displacement, etc.), Male Virility, Propaganda, Peaceful Conquest, Legislation.
Frey is depicted as a middle aged man with a long pointed beard and a long pointed mustache. He wears a conical hat with a ball on top of it. He wears ornate priestly garments. There can be an indication that his penis is either erect, or very large. His hair is red-brown and his eyes are blue. His features are angularly Germanic, and his body is thin and inhumanly tall. He may be accompanied by a large boar. Frey has bred often with the English, people of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxons, Danes, and somewhat among the Dutch.
Thunar
Thunder and Storms (“Thunar” means “thunder”), Protector of the Sacred, Might, Strength, Spiritedness (i.e stubbornness, bravery, independent motivation), Law Enforcement, Persecution of Degenerates, Purity, Masculinity, Patron of Land Vehicles (their physical well being), Patron of Herders and Nomads, Heroism, Shooting (power of shot), Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Thunar is depicted as an early middle aged man carrying an unusually short war hammer, or a portable anti-tank weapon system. He has long unkempt red hair and a long unkempt flowing beard. He is extremely muscular, and wears few if any clothes. His body may be painted with symbols. His eyes are blue. His features are robustly Germanic. He may be depicted on a chariot pulled by goats, or accompanied by thunder. Alternatively, within an infantry fighting vehicle. Or, Mjolnir itself may be represented by a tank. Thunar has bred often among the Germanic French, the high status English, and the English of the American South.
Tiw
The Sky (Tiw refers to the “sky god” - particularly, non-stormy daytime skies), Victory (in fights), Patron of Soldiers, Patron of Assemblies (meetings, boards, democracies, etc.), Fighting (the physical aspect), Strength (pertaining to violent power), Violent Conquest, Sadism, Patron of Sacrifice (of those who sacrifice themselves for a cause, who endure pain or death for a purpose, or who give away all of their possessions), Womanizing, Invincibility, Interrogation, Weapons (their function and reliability), Honorable Warfare, Laws of Warfare, Military Duty.
Tiw can seem to have a dual nature, associated also with marauding, rape, looting, vandalism, torture, and so on. This is not true. Rather, his honor is sometimes expressed in this way, such as by the sadistic torture of a war criminal, even (and especially) a “friendly” war criminal. Or, the rape of a rogue woman who was promised to him in marriage. He becomes a more savage, sadistic archetype only when it is a matter of honor to do so. In this way his behavior can be similar to Vithar, but Vithar is more of a cold blooded, ruthless type of character, while Tiw’s acts of vengeance are valorous and more often heedless of the consequences.
Tiw is depicted as a handsome early adult with long unkempt blonde hair, and no facial hair. He is tall and muscular, but not extremely muscular in the manner of Thunar. He wears military pants or leg coverings, but not a shirt. His right hand is false, such as a hook, wood, or prosthetic. He may be depicted covered in scars, and he always holds or carries some type of weapon. His eyes are blue, features Germanic. Tiw has bred often among Norwegians, Swedes, and in Germanic military families.
Tiw is among the gods that may incarnate as a mortal.
Alternative form: Tiw-as-Satan
Balder
Boldness (“Balder” means something like “bold”), Joy, Beauty, Light (natural and artificial, within buildings), Purity, Divine Law, Writing, Science.
Balder is depicted as a handsome young man with long hair and a beard. His body is light, and he wears tasteful clothing. His hair is brown, and his eyes are blue, features Germanic.
Njorth
Natural Forces (“Njorth” means something like this. E.g, gravity, heat, the laws of physics), Prosperity, The Sea, Wind, Crop Fertility, Fishing (salt water), Diving, Vehicles (their safety while traveling), Mysteries (that which is completely unknown), Charity.
Njorth is depicted as a disheveled and plain looking fisherman, with many wrinkles. He has brown hair worn long with a beard, and brown eyes. His features are Germanic, but his skin is on the darker end of this spectrum. He has formerly bred often with the Germanic peoples of Iberia, though most Iberians are no longer very Germanic at all.
Nerthus
Natural Forces (same meaning as Njorth), Sister of Njorth, Beaches, Fresh Water, Rivers, Fishing (fresh water), Docks, Secrets (keeping them), Cleaning (objects), Insects, Infections, Cooling (people or places, in heat), gardening, textiles.
Nerthus is depicted as a moderately attractive, but somewhat stocky, early middle aged woman, dressed in clean plain clothes that are partially wet, or in swimming clothes. She may have textiles draped around her as she carries them, or clothes that have been or are to be washed. Her hair is dark blonde and her eyes are dark blue.
Loki
Tangles (“Loki” means something like this. I.e, complications, but also physical tangles), Deceit, Strategy (non-violent and apolitical. Such as, abstract games), Status (via plotting), Speculation (in goods or business projects), Legal Interpretation, Handsomeness, Crime, Adultery, Distraction, Rebellion, Sophistry, Slander, Humor, Homosexuality, Transgenderism.
Loki is a handsome and small young man with a Machiavellian countenance. He looks somewhat effeminate. He has brown hair and green eyes. His costume appearance and grooming differ widely over time, and may vary between idols. Indeed, he may be dressed as a woman in some cases. His features are Germanic. Loki has bred often among the elite criminal classes of all Germanic populations.
Loki is among the gods that may incarnate as a mortal, including as a mortal animal.
Alternative form: Loki-as-Satan
Freyja
Femininity (“Freyja” means something like this), Love, Female Beauty, Fertility (capability to produce organic beings, but not actual generation, as with Frey’s “fruitfulness”), Sex, Money (personal money, but also monetary policy), Magic (self fulfilling prophecies, and channeling), Patroness of Powerful Women, Seduction, Protection of Crops (from insects and so on), Safe Childbirth, Motivator of Heroes (via self interest), Patroness of Mercenaries (soldiers who fight for individual interest, never mind if they work for a public or private organization).
Freyja is represented as a beautiful and sexually attractive young adult woman. She is either nude, to emphasize her sexual attractiveness, or she wears ornate revealing clothing. She is always adorned with very ornate necklaces of gems and precious metals. Her hair is blonde, and her eyes are blue, features Germanic. Freyja sometimes breeds with those who are exceedingly beautiful.
Bragi
Poetry (“Bragi” refers to poetry), Eloquence, Beards (growing them), Music, Singing, Storytelling.
Bragi is represented as an intermediately well dressed early middle aged man carrying some type of instrument. His hair is dark blonde, and very long both on his head and beard. His eyes are blue, and his features are Germanic.
Heimdall
Perception, Caution, Communication (and technologies thereof), Security (originally, physical - now including cybersecurity and security of information), Dissemination of Godly Ideas (in the “Promethean” fashion - “Heimdall” means something like this), Military/Political Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Blackmail, Statistics, Disguises, Barriers, Travel (relating to speed of travel), Conspicuousness and Inconspicuousness.
Heimdall is represented as an early middle aged man, clean shaven with short blonde hair. He wears the clothes of a sentinel, or can be “disguised” as any number of things. He carries a large horn, or some type of communications technology such as a radio or bullhorn. He has a mouth full of gold teeth. His eyes are blue, and his skin is unnaturally white and bright. His features are Germanic. Some are puzzled by the description of him: “the head is called his sword”. This refers to his perfection of thought and analysis as a kind of weapon.
It is said that, if Heimdall were able to incarnate as a mortal, nobody would know. Therefore he might, or he might not be able to.
Hoth
Battle (“Hoth” means battle), Strength (of children), Innocence (of childhood, and innocence relating to crime), Healer of Childhood Illness, Darkness, Night.
Hoth is represented as a clean shaven boy with short blonde hair. His blue eyes are blind, which can be represented by a very empty gaze, or wearing sunglasses. He carries a cane or walking stick on account of this. He wears nice clothes such as would be purchased for a young man by his parents. His features are Germanic.
Vithar
Uncommon Power (“Vithar” means something like this - power that is unique, unheard of, dominates everything), Strength, Silence, Oaths, Contracts, Civil Law, Inheritance, Vengeance, Vindication (proof that a claim - an intellectual claim, a claim of property, a claim of how things should be - is right, to successfully contend for such a claim), Assertion (forceful exercise of authority, speech, a viewpoint, etc).
Vithar is depicted as a young adult with modest and unassuming clothes, medium length blonde hair and a groomed beard. He is muscular, intermediate between Thunar and Tiw, but he is thinner than each of them. He wears very robust shoes of some kind, such as steel plated boots or sabatons. He always carries some type of weapon, but is not depicted as brandishing it, unless he is also depicted in a battle against someone (or something) else. His eyes are blue, features Germanic.
Vithar is among the gods who are capable of incarnating as a mortal.
Frigg
Marriage, Prophecy, Motherhood, Family, Intelligence (of women, in the uniquely feminine cognitive capacities), Patroness of Germanians (her name means something like “pertaining to one’s own people”. But if a sentient entity cares about that which is “pertaining to one’s own”, it must care about that “pertaining to its own”. In the case of Frigg, these are Germanians, and also the race of gods, therefore also:), Divinity and Divine Communication, Godly Virtue (i.e, the law-virtues), Freedom, Priviledge, Natural Rights, Protection, Health and Healing, Hygiene.
Frigg is depicted as an attractive and tall middle aged woman with intermediately long blonde hair and blue eyes. Her most recognizable features are her clothing and adornments, which are extremely lavish. She wears an ornate crown, signifying that she is queen of the gods. This is in contrast with the frugality of her husband. Her features are Germanic.
Volla
Domestic Servitude (“Volla” refers to “prosperity” in the sense of “fullness”, as in one who restocks and refills things. Volla is the servant of Frigg for this reason), Duties of Wives, Storerooms, Cooking, Baking, Cleanliness (of places), Warmth (of buildings), Female Gossip.
Volla is depicted as an early middle aged female maid or servant, but is more richly adorned than the typical maid. She is short, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and Germanic features.
Vali
Vali was a fictional creation of the Germanic gods, to help propagate their myths concerning ragnarok. He has no characteristics other than to fit into that narrative as a kind of deus ex machina, and has never appeared to humans. He could not have appeared to humans, because he does not have any characteristics with which to appear. Ergo he is not a part of the pantheon. Nor are any similar gods.
Ullr
Shooting (practical results thereof), Archery (in particular), Glory and Notoriety (“Ullr” is derived from something like this), Hunting, Mountains, Skiing, Wilderness Survival (in Northern European conditions), Heat (in cold weather), Transportation (in the sense of getting from one place to another - said to be able to open new paths that were hitherto unseen or unavailable), Weapons (their maintenance, and artisanal manufacture of them), Recreation.
Ullr is depicted as a portly (by healthy standards) middle aged man in winter clothes and carrying a bow, perhaps camping gear or an animal, and often wearing skis. He has white hair that is short on his head, and intermediate on his beard. He has blue eyes, and is especially pale. His features are Germanic. This depiction is sufficient for both modern and archaic styles, but he could also carry a scoped rifle, and ride any other means of rugged transportation.
Forseti
Patron of Presidents of Assemblies (“Forseti” means something like this - i.e, leaders of voluntary associations. Such as, business owners, chairmen of boards, etc.), Commerce, Logistics (in terms of efficiency), Haggling, Debate, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Money (budgeting, and fiscal policy), Accounting, Justice (informal expectations thereof), Investment, Financial Instruments (such as debt, credit default swaps, equity, etc.).
Forseti is depicted as a young man who is a prosperous merchant or a business leader. He is thin and small, with short brown hair, no facial hair, and blue eyes. His features are Germanic. He has bred often with the Dutch people.
Easter
Nature, wild animals, wild plants, herbs, conservation, spring, ecological systems, air quality, plagues, gathering, natural poisons, evolution, heritage from nature (i.e, speciation), natural defenses of animals against humanity, the rising of the sun (her name means this).
Easter is depicted as a delicate young woman wearing simple but clean clothes. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and especially pale skin. She may be depicted with animals, or carrying wild plants and herbs. Her features are Germanic.
Wuot
Mania, Insanity, Frenzy, Thrill, Agitation, Disinhibition. Wotan is also a god of mania, but his name connotes that he is “master of mania”, whereas Wuot means simply “mania”. Therefore Wotan is master of inspiration, and Wuot of madness. He is prayed to when trying to create a curse, or to enhance irresponsible revelry.
Wuot is depicted as a disheveled but otherwise handsome middle aged man. He is large in all ways, so that he appears neither muscular nor fat, but certainly not thin. He wears practical working clothes, and often holds or consumes alcohol. He has somewhat short dark hair and a bushy beard, and brown eyes. His features are Germanic, but the least Germanic of all the gods, as they begin to approximate Southern European features.
Hel
Judgements of the Dead, Allocation of Immaterial Souls, Assignment of Luck and Unluck, Determiner of Heroes, The Underworld (“Hel” refers to this - which the Templist understands to be the future world into which one reincarnates) She is anyway not actually a powerful deity in her own right, but a kind of secretary assigned by Wotan, in his capacity as responsible for death, to sort through the dead.
Wotan considers an offering to Hel to be a bribe. Hence, it displeases him. In order not to displease him, offerings to Hel can be made through Wotan, but he is not likely to grant them. Instead, he will likely give the offering to her anonymously.
Hel is depicted as an old female secretary who assesses paperwork, or masses of immaterial souls (however that might be represented). She wears dutiful or professional clothing. She has brown hair and blue eyes. Burdened by her task, her countenance is grave, and she has a somewhat haggard appearance. Her features are “proto-Germanic”.
Elves
An “elf” is a lesser being of the race of gods. The major deities do not live in isolation amongst themselves, but in a vast realm populated by godlike beings, of which the named deities are the foremost beings. Most elves are not significant enough in power to provide compensation for offerings. However, they may be prayed to collectively, to build goodwill, as a way to influence the major gods. Elves do not necessarily appear as the creatures known by modern people as “elves”. If they appear as humans, they look ordinary, but much higher in virtue. Elves do not easily build relationships with humans in compensation for offerings. Not because their nature prevents it, but because crowds are by nature harder to impress than individuals, if each is given the same offering.
The following, sometimes supposed to be gods, are really elves: the Dis, the Norns, Dellingr, Hermoth, Hoenir, Lothurr, Mothi, Magni, Meili, Beyla, Gersemi, Hretha, Idis, Nanna, Ran, and more.
The dwarves are a lesser race that dwell with the elves, working as servants.
Jotnar
The race of jotnar are the “titans” in the Germanic context. The Germanic pantheon outcasted their titans just as we did ours. However, they did not imprison them. The jotnar were sent away, where they could not influence or breed with humans except at certain prescribed times. The reason for this, being that the jotnar had a number of non-jotnar supporters among their immediate descendants, and it was not practical to imprison all of them together. Therefore they were all sent away, and their activities now are unknown to us.
Aesir and Vanir
The Aesir and Vanir were two tribes of gods, long ago, that fought the Aesir-Vanir War as a result of the power vacuum left by the expulsion of the titans. The Aesir fought valiantly and the Vanir fought by means of magic. The war dragged on and did not ever reach a conclusion. As a result, the Aesir and Vanir agreed to join together as one, breeding and ruling together, birthing the Germanian people (not “creating humans in Germania”, but “giving the humans of Germania their Germanic character”). The distinction is no longer relevant.
Celestial Bodies
The celestial bodies are traditional objects of veneration for Germanians, regarded to be so important as to be “practically gods”, or “worth the same as gods”. Especially, the sun and the moon. .Also, the stars and planets. Importantly, modern Germanians now know to class Earth among this category. Celestial bodies do not need to be offered to as gods. Rather, they are appreciated via European meditation. Germanians also appreciate other important facets of life in this way, such as “dawn”, or “rivers”, etc. In the past these had been personified. This was never correct, because they were never sentient, nor were they truly gods who appeared to people. .Personification is no longer necessary.
Wayland the Smith
Germanians have historically worshiped heroes, such as Wayland the Smith, in lieu of a “smithing, inventing, and manufacturing quality god”. For, Germanians are naturally the sort of race that likes to make things, and the worship of heroes amplifies or awakens these qualities within themselves. Germanic Templists may continue to worship Wayland, or any other inventor, manufacturer, etc, as a hero. Though, of course, they may also worship any other type of hero.
May 9, 2022