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Glossaries:

Herculeia Duet

Glossary Note: The men here are speaking Ancient Greek (plus a little Old Norse), which I’ve mostly written as English, since they “magically” understand each other. You will find a few unfamiliar words, italicized and written phonetically. Please reference the glossary below for definitions. Everything is Greek, unless otherwise noted. And please note, I’m no historian, simply a history nerd who likes writing filthy retellings, so go easy on me.

Slang Note: There is also a bit of American slang peppered in, but I didn’t bother translating, as much of it is common lexicon at this point. When in doubt, use Google, or contact me using the methods above if you truly believe it’s a typo.

The 12 Labors of Heracles: A series of tasks completed as penance by Heracles* – the greatest hero of the Greeks, son of Alcmene (a mortal… mostly) and Zeus** (possibly her great-grandfather… gross) – in the service of King Eurystheus. There were originally 10 Labors, but our hero tried to cheat, so the king tacked on two more:

1 Slay the Nemean lion. (Of Nemea, RIP Ambrose’s cave home.)

2 Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra. (A lake monster inhabiting the lake of Lerna. This was cheat #1, because Heracles’ nephew and original ride or die, Iolaus – here a niece and named Iola – assisted.)

3 Capture the Ceryneian Hind. (Aka the Golden Hind, of Ceryneia/the Ceryneian valley.)

4 Capture the Erymanthian Boar. (Of Mount Erymanthos.)

5 Clean the Augean stables in a single day. (Heracles achieved this one by rerouting the Alpheus and Peneus rivers. This Labor was cheat #2, because there was payment involved between Heracles & King Augeas, which the king tried to back out of, hence our boy killing him, as one does.)

6 Slay the Stymphalian birds. (You’ll notice that any Labor that was multiples, I made it a single monster – it gets explained, trust)

7 Capture the Cretan Bull. (Yes, I’m aware that the Cretan Bull sired the Minotaur – with King Minos’ wife, Pasiphae – but I made mine a minotaur because minotaurs are smexy)

8 Steal the Mares of Diomedes. (Horses trained to eat people by King Diomedes of Thrace, not to be confused with the Diomedes who fought in the Trojan War)

9 Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazon. (You may notice some Wonder Woman references – there’s a reason for that!)

10  Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon. (I decided on 3 sets of arms, because multiple legs would just get in the way, nawmean? Also, I “doubled-down” on this Labor by making his faithful companion, Orthrus, another mate)

11 Steal three of the golden apples of the Hesperides. (Guarded by a very impressive, actual-dragon named Ladon)

12 Capture and bring back Cerberus. (The three-headed – and in this case, three-dicked – demon dog)

*A note on Herculeia/Hercules vs. Heracles: I assure you, I am aware that Hercules is the Roman spelling of the Greek Heracles (“in glory of Hera” – nice try, Zeus). The main reason I based Herculeia off the Roman spelling was because, thanks to Disney, that is the spelling most mortals are familiar with. I do address it in the book, I promise.  

**A note on the Twelve Olympians: Throughout this series, I make casual mention of many of the major deities of the Greek pantheon, commonly considered to be Zeus (aka cloud-gatherer/allfather), Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus (special shout-out to our outcasts, Hades and his girl Persephone). In the interest of saving paper, I’m going to assume my readers have basic knowledge of these gods, thanks to Lore Olympus and Percy Jackson, but feel free to poke around the internet to learn more. I will do my best to explain lesser known gods/demigods, Titans, and other primordial deities (which I refer to here as the “old gods.”)

***Another note that certain deities are also locations (eg. Tartarus is boththe deity AND a prison created to hold the Titans and other big offenders), while others share their names with locations (eg. Hades and the underworld known as Hades). Again, feel free to go fall into a research rabbit hole if you want to learn more.

The Acropolis of Athens, Greece/Acropolis Museum: An ancient citadel on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens that includes the remains of several ancient buildings, the most famous being the Parthenon. The new Acropolis Museum (est. 2009) is a collection focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis.

Aeaea: A mythical island in Greek mythology, where the witch Circe lived and where Odysseus stayed for a year while trying to get back to his homeland, Ithaca. He knocked Circe up while the rest of his men were turned into pigs by our witch. 

Aelfmaer (Norse): A little mystical nymph.

Agape: Unconditional love. This is a super simplified definition, but C.S. Lewis’ book, The Four Loves, goes deep on this.

Amethystos: An amethyst was supposed to possess the magical power to prevent or cure drunkenness in its wearer. Therefore, the Greeks gave it the name amethystos, which comes from the prefix a-, meaning “not,” and methyein “to be drunk.”

Amphora: A type of vase container with a pointed bottom used for the transport and storage of both liquid and dry materials, but mostly for wine.

Ancient Greece: A civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (c. AD 600).

Andron: Part of a Greek house usually used for entertaining male guests.

Argonauts: A band of heroes in ancient Greece who accompanied Jason during his quest for the Golden Fleece.

Asteri: A nickname derived from Ancient Greek, meaning “star.”

Athens, Greece: The capital of Greece and the heart of Ancient Greece. Includes the Plaka District (“Neighborhood of the Gods” – where The Acropolis is located) and Piraeus Port (the chief sea port of Athens, located on the western coasts of the Aegean Sea, the largest port in Greece, and one of the largest in Europe).

Atlas: A Titan from Greek mythology condemned to hold up the earth after the Olympian gods defeated the Titans. Also the father of the Pleiades and the Hesperides, among others.

“Burden on the earth”: An insult meaning waste of space.

Caduceus: A short staff entwined by two serpents, surmounted by wings, carried by Hermes, messenger of the gods.

Calamari (Italian):Squid (and a hilarious nickname for a Kraken).

Charioteer: Someone who rides a chariot (a light, fast, open, two-wheeled cart pulled by horses)

Charon: The ferryman of Hades who carried souls of the newly deceased across the river Acheron (or in some later accounts, across the river Styx) that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin (see Obol) was required to pay for passage, and was sometimes placed in or on the mouth of a dead person.

Chiron: The “wisest and justest of all the centaurs” who famously tutored Heracles and Achilles, among others. His death came when he accidentally came in contact with one of Heracles’ arrows that had been dipped in the poisonous blood of the Lernaean Hydra. It’s a sad story, even if Timyn thinks it’s hilarious. 

Cloaca (Latin):A posterior orifice that serves as an opening for reproduction for birds (and in ducks, as a “cockpocket” for their corkscrew peen to emerge from).

Consortium (Latin): An association/society with two or more individuals working toward achieving a common goal.

Crete: The largest of the Greek Islands. I chose to not have it be a separate island from hot-bod monster island (even though Erytheia was) simply for lazy author logistical reasons.

Cuirass (Latin): A form of breastplate armor. The most elite soldiers in Ancient Greek armies would have cuirass made of iron (to go with their bronze-coated shields and boar tusk helmets), while Hoplites may only have leather.

Dia: An island in the Black Sea containing a shrine to the god Ares, which was guarded by his “arrow-feathered” birds (often associated with the Stymphalian Birds). The Argonauts tussled with the birds during their “quest for a pile of wool” (the Golden Fleece)

Delphi: Considered by Ancient Greeks to be the center of the world, it served as the seat of the Pythia, the priestess/prophetess who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. (See also: Oracle)

Drachma: A unit of currency used in both Ancient and modern Greek time periods (before the Euro came along), equivalent to six Obols.

Echidna: A half-woman, half-snake monster who was Typhon’s mate and the mother of many famous monsters in Greek mythology.

Eleusinian Mysteries: were initiations held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Eleusis in Ancient Greece. The rites, ceremonies, and beliefs were kept secret and consistently preserved from antiquity, so while there are many scholarly theories, they are still very much a mystery.

Elskling (Norwegian): My love (Really more accurately translated as darling/sweetheart, but still – squeeee!).

Erytheia: The island where Helios kept his sacred (red) cows, under the watchful eyes of Geryon and Orthrus.

Faen i helvete (Norwegian): Godamnit (literally “Satan in Hell” or “Fuck in Hell” depending who you ask – a general use curse).

The Fates: Aka, the Moirai, a group of three weaving goddesses who assign individual destinies to mortals at birth. Their names are Clotho (the Spinner/the Past), Lachesis (the Alloter/the Present) and Atropos (the Inflexible/the Future/the Inevitable). Their backstory is a little murky (*cough cough* stay tuned), but regardless, they had enormous power and even the gods couldn’t fight or dispute their decisions. (See also, The Norns, below)

Foloi Forest: A native oak forest in Greece, named by Heracles after his centaur friend Pholus (after he accidentally killed him…it was high risk to be friends/family with our boy).

Gaia: The primordial deity personifying the Earth, the ancestral mother whose offspring include Typhon and the Titans, among others. I also made a point of relaying Gaia’s importance to the Oracle of Delphi, prior to the arrival of Apollo.

Gorgon: Three sisters who had hair made of venomous snakes and visages that turned men to stone. Stheno and Euryale were immortal, but Medusa was not. She was slain by demigod/hero Perseus, who used her severed head to turn the sea monster Cetus to stone.

Helios: The sun god/personification of the sun. He rides in an oversized bowl-cup that some believe is in the shape of a water lily.

Hesperides: The nymphs of evening and golden light of sunset who tended the golden apple trees in the Garden of the Hesperides (guarded by the dragon Ladon)

Hippolyta: Daughter of Ares, queen of the Amazons, all-around bad bish. The war belt she wore (see Zoster) was a gift from her father, and stolen by Heracles after he unalived her for no reason.

Hoplites: Citizen soldiers of Ancient Greece.

Horta: Traditional Greek dish of leafy green vegetables (a completely foreign idea to our monsters).

Hunken: Norwegianized version of the word hunk.

Hypnos: The personified deity of Sleep, offspring of Nyx, and twin brother of Thanatos. (Also where the word hypnosis came from).

Iliad, The: An ancient Greek epic poem, attributed to Homer, set during the last weeks of the final year of the Trojan War (when things really got good/bad).

Iroas: Hero.

Kamari mou: A term of endearment meaning “little pride.”

Kataratos: Curse(d). (In Renaissance France, was considered an obscenity meaning “abominable.”)

Knossos: the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest city.

Kylix: An elaborately painted drinking vessel used in Ancient Greece. The broad, shallow “bowl-cup” with two handles atop a pedestal base permitted the drinker to recline while drinking, as was customary in a Symposium (see below).

Kynodesme: A cord, string or leather strip that was worn in Ancient Greece to prevent the exposure of the glans penis in public. It was tied tightly around the part of the foreskin that extends beyond the glans, and could either be attached to a waistband to expose the scrotum, or tied to the base of the penis so that the penis appeared to curl upwards, like a dick dumpling.(I dare you to Google this.)

Labyrinth: The confusing structure built at Knossos in Crete by Daedalus for King Minos to hold the Minotaur (the offspring of the king’s wife – Pasiphae – and the Cretan Bull).

Ladon (river & dragon): A tributary to the river Alpheus (see the Fifth Labor, above). Rivers cleanse in Greek mythology, and this one serves as that in a few tales, but it’s also an Easter Egg for the actual-dragon mate of the same name we meet toward the end.

Leto: A goddess and the mother of Apollo and Artemis (see Twelve Olympians, above). She is the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe.

Loukoumades: Pastries made of deep-fried dough soaked in sugar syrup or honey and cinnamon, and sometimes sprinkled with sesame.

Mezze platter: An assortment of small dishes eaten as appetizers or a light meal. Instagram knows them as #grazingboards.

Minos: A king who went back on his word to sacrifice the snow-white bull born of seafoam (the Cretan Bull) to Poseidon, and therefore being punished by his wife, Pasiphae, being cursed to fall in love with the bull and creating the Minotaur with the beast.

The Moirai: Aka, the Fates, a group of three weaving goddesses who assign individual destinies to mortals at birth. Their names are Clotho (the Spinner/the Past), Lachesis (the Alloter/the Present) and Atropos (the Inflexible/the Future/the Inevitable). Their backstory is a little murky (*cough cough* stay tuned), but regardless, they had enormous power and even the gods couldn’t fight or dispute their decisions. (See also, The Norns, below)

Mount Kyllini: Mountain in the Peloponnese peninsula/region famous for its association with the god Hermes. The sacred cave where Hermes was born is located there, as is one of the oldest temples ever built. The weird phallic statue Leia sees at the temple is a Herm/Herma sculpture and Imma let you Google that.

Mount Olympus: The home of the Greek gods and the site of the throne of Zeus (see the note on the Twelve Olympians, above).

Mount Taygetus: The highest mountain of the Taygetus range, associated with the nymph Taygete (see below) in classic mythology, and dedicated to Artemis (see Twelve Olympians, above).

Moussaka: Greek beef and eggplant lasagna. Pretty much what Leia and her men are cooking up in bed. 

Muse: Inspirational goddesses/personifications of literature, science, and the arts. Thought to be the offspring of Zeus and Mnemosyne (the personification of Memory, daughter of Gaia).

Nereid: A sea nymph—female spirit who symbolized everything that is beautiful and kind about the ocean, particularly the Aegean Sea.

The Norns (Norse mythology): Urðr/Urd – The Past, Verðandi/Verdandi (What Is Presently Coming into Being), Skuld (What Shall Be). (See also The Fates, above)

Obol: A form of ancient Greek currency and weight often used in burial rites to pay for the deceased’s passage to the underworld (referred to as “Charon’s obol”).

Nyx: Primordial god, personified deity of Night, the child of Chaos, who emerged at the dawn of creation.

Omphalos: A religious stone artifact meaning “naval” – in this case, placed by Zeus to mark Delphi as the center of the world. Not to be confused with the Sibylline Rock, which ancient Delphi Pythia’s sat on to receive visions.

Oracle: From the Latin verb orare, “to speak” and can refer to the priestess uttering the prediction, the site of the oracle, and to the oracular utterances themselves.

Oread: A nymph inhabiting the mountains or grottos. Echo was the famous Oread who loved Narcissus (who only loved his own reflection… earning him a seat on the petty couch). She made the bad decision of trying to distract Hera from another one of Zeus’ affairs (see Twelve Olympians, above), so the goddess cursed her to only be able to repeat the words of those around her.

Pandora’s box (actually a jar): Curiosity led Pandora to open a container left in the care of her husband, thus releasing physical and emotional curses upon mankind.

Pasiphae: King Minos’ wife, queen of Crete, and often referred to as the goddess of witchcraft and sorcery. She was cursed by Poseidon to fall in love with the Cretan Bull after her husband refused to sacrifice the animal to the god. In order to trick the bull into reproducing with her, she hid inside a hollow cow (constructed by our boy Daedalus again), thereby creating the Minotaur.

Peplos: A type of dress worn by women in Greece c.500 BCE. There was no tailoring in Ancient Greece, so this particular type of dress was made of a big sheet of fabric, folded over at the top and wrapped around the body. It was pinned at the shoulders to keep it from falling down and often belted at the waist.

Pholus: a wise centaur and friend of Heracles, who lived in a cave on or near Mount Pelion, and who was part of the hero’s Fourth Labor. Like Chiron (above), Pholus was civilized, and in art sometimes shared the “human-centaur” form in which Chiron was usually depicted (that is, he was a man from head to toe, but with the center and hindparts of a horse attached to his ass). 

Planetes: Our word “planet” comes from this Greek word, meaning “wanderer.”

Pleiades: Seven sister nymphs (including Taygete), daughters of the Titan Atlas, who were companions of Artemis.

Potnia Theron: “Mistress of the animals,” “The Animal Queen,” or “Lady/Queen of Animals” is a widespread motif in ancient art from the Mediterranean world and the ancient Near East, with its likely roots in prehistory. The term is first used once by Homer as a descriptor of Artemis (see Twelve Olympians, above), and is often used to describe female divinities associated with animals, regardless of culture of origin.

Rán (Norse mythology): A goddess and a personification of the sea, along with her husband, Aegir. Together, they have nine daughters who personify different types of waves.

Schvitzing(Yiddish, which is practically a second language in New York): Sweating.

Souvlaki: Small pieces of meat, usually pork, grilled on a skewer and often eaten inside a pita with veggies.

Spanakopita: A savory Greek pie with crispy layers of phyllo dough surrounding a filling of spinach and feta cheese.

Strategos: Military general (high praise from our murder bird)

Strigil: A tool primarily used by men for cleansing the body by scraping off dirt, perspiration, and oil that was applied before bathing in Ancient Greek and Roman cultures. There were actually “sweat collectors” who would gather the leftover concoction (known as gloios) to be used for medical purposes (eg. a topical anti-inflammatory), with gloiosfrom famous athletes fetching a higher price.

Symposium: A drinking party or convivial discussion, especially as held in ancient Greece after a banquet (and notable as the title of a work by Plato).

Talaria: The winged sandals of Hermes, created by Hephaestus of imperishable gold to carry the messenger of the gods as swift as a bird.

Tartarus: A primordial deity who is ALSO a supernatural prison created to hold the Titans and other big offenders, located in the deepest depths of Hades (another example of a location named after a deity, only in that case, they are not one and the same).

Taygete: was a nymph, one of the Pleiades (the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas), and a companion of Artemis (see Twelve Olympians, above), in her archaic role as Potnia Theron (see above). Mount Taygetos, dedicated to the goddess, was her haunt.

Teganitai: Greek griddle cakes (like pancakes—which, some may argue, the Greeks invented).

Thanatos: The personified deity of death, offspring of Nyx, and twin brother of Hypnos.

Thermae (Latin): Facilities for bathing, often large Roman-style bathhouses.

Theseus: An Ancient Greek hero known for many things, including slaying the Minotaur in the Labyrinth (built for King Minos of Crete at Knossos)

Thule: The farthest north location mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature and cartography. Greek explorer Pytheas first wrote about Thule after his travels between 330 and 320 BC, although his work has been lost and the island is still unidentified (although there are theories…possible Easter Egg…or Red Herring).

Titans: Pre-Olympian gods, created by the primordial deities, and overthrown by Zeus and the Olympians as part of the Greek succession myth.

“To the crows with you”: A grave insult. A proper burial was very important to the Greeks, so this is suggesting that your body will be left out for the crows to feast on.

Triptolemus: A figure connected with Demeter (see Twelve Olympians, above). During her search for her daughter, Persephone, the goddess taught Triptolemus the art of agriculture and, from him, the rest of Greece learned to plant and reap crops. There are many conflicting accounts, but In the archaic Homeric Hymn, he is briefly mentioned as one of the Demeter’s original priests, and one of the first men to learn the secret rites and mysteries of Eleusinian Mysteries (see above).

Typhon: A monstrous giant with hundreds of snake heads who was one of the deadliest creatures in Greek mythology (created to defeat Zeus, although he failed and was imprisoned in Tartarus – the prison, see note above). Typhon was the offspring of Gaia and Tartarus (the deity, see note above), and along with Echidna, progenerated many famous monsters (like Cerberus, Orthrus, and the Hydra)

Tzatziki: A salted yogurt and cucumber dip that’s made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs.

Zoster: An Ancient Greek girdle or belt, described by Homer as a warrior’s belt of leather covered by bronze plates.

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Valhalla is Full of Hunks:

Glossary Note: Being “humanized” as they are, Iola’s monsters speak English, with various Scandinavian words thrown in (including from Old Norse). For readability, I have anglicized certain words more than others. Please reference the glossary below for definitions and don’t be shy about reaching out if I got something totally wrong. I’m no historian, simply a mythology nerd who likes writing filthy retellings, so go easy on me.

If you spot an error, please do NOT report it to Amazon. Send me an email:

crochelle.author@gmail.com

Slang Note: There is also a bit of American slang peppered in, but I didn’t bother translating, as much of it is common lexicon at this point. When in doubt, use Google, or contact me using the methods above if you truly believe it’s a typo.

First, let’s meet Iola & her men/monsters:

• Fenrir/Fenrisúlfr (aka Fen):A giant wolf. Son of Loki, father of the wolves Skoll and Hati, who killed the god Odin during the events of Ragnarok (and then was killed by Odin’s son Vidar). His name translates to “fen-dweller” in Old Norse, which is why our not-merman Hazun calls him that in the world’s weirdest clawback.

• Jörmungandr (aka Jör—the J is a Y sound in English, by the way):An unfathomably large snake known as the World/Midgard Serpent who is also a son of Loki (deal with it—mythology is WILD). He dwells in the world sea, encircling the Earth/Midgard and biting his own tail. When the tail is released, Ragnarok will begin. He brings the drama.

• Surtr (aka Surt):A fire giant (possibly the original fire giant) who was tasked with protecting the realm of Muspelheim before wielding a flaming sword (possibly Laevateinn, see below) and leading his fellow fire giants in battle during Ragnarok (where he then defeats the god Freyr). His name translates to “swarthy one” in Old Norse, so therefore he is a hottie pirate in my eyes.

• Iola’s name is a play on Iolaus (Greek), who was known for being an Argonaut andHeracles’ nephew/squire who helped with some of his 12 Labors (most famously, with defeating the Hydra). Just a fun li’l Easter egg for Herculeia fans.

Now the side characters and Herculeia duet cameos:

• Agape and Alcmene (both briefly mentioned): Agape means “unconditional love” and is Leia’s chimera baby with the guys (non-traditional pregnancy… it’s a whole thing) while Alcmene is Leia’s mother (yes, named after Heracles’ mother… but not the same person…). All you need to know for this book is that Leia doesn’t have the best relationship with her mother, but they are now both (miraculously) working on it.

• Hazun (Arabic):A Persian creature who is close to a merman but not quite. In his culture he’d be one of the “sea-people” (who sometimes have fins and sometimes don’t—I chose for him to have legs). The sight of a mermaid/man there is considered good luck, and therefore, the name Hazun translates to luck/fortune. I will eventually write a Persian-mythology Monstrously Mythic tale for our salty sea person, so stay tuned!

• Herculeia (aka Leia): Our original heroine/head hoebaggler and Iola’s bestie/ride-or-die (there’s more to their relationship, but I’m avoiding spoilers in this book).

• Ladon: The dragon that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides (Heracles’ 11th Labor).

• Timyn: The nine-headed Lernaean Hydra (Heracles’ 2nd Labor).

• Vann: Our Kraken (giant squid) and the only Norseman of Leia’s stable of Greeks (and in my version of events, he’s related to Heracles’ 5th Labor). He’s also the one to blame for everything that happens in this book.

• Zephyr: One of the Stymphalian Birds (Heracles’ 6th Labor). You can meet (and learn more about) all of Leia’s monsters in The 12 Hunks of Herculeia and Herculeia the Hero (or the Herculeia omnibus + bonus content!).

A note on the nine realms of Norse Mythology: I’m going to start by saying, I know it’s up for debate which realms are the official nine realms. For my purposes, I chose to have Helheim (aka Niflhel) be located within Niflheim (like Tartarus in the Greek underworld). I also don’t mention all the realms—only the ones related to my tale:

• Asgard: Realm of the gods/Asgardians/Æsir.

• Jötunheim: Realm of (some of) the jötunn (see below).

• Midgard: Realm of humans/Midgardians (Earth).

• Muspelheim: Realm of the fire giants, and where Surtr was stationed before leading his army in Ragnarok. When Sinmararecites her epic poem about “the sons of Muspell”is actually from the Gylfaginning section of the Prose Edda.

• Niflheim: Realm of the frost giants and the realm of the dead—with Helheim/Niflhel ruled over by the goddess Hel.

• Svartalfheim: Realm of the dwarves.

Again, I admit this is extremely simplified, and not universal. Hopefully, we can all agree these realms are held in the branches and roots of the World Tree/Yggdrasil. 

A note on the Norse gods: Throughout the book, I make casual mention of a few of the gods—mainly the most well-known and/or ones with major roles in Ragnarok. I’m going to trust that Marvel has made the average person more aware of who’s who (even if they got some details majorly incorrect…), but will briefly explain who’s who below. I also mention Zeus, Hera, and Hades (more the place than the god) from Greek mythology, but won’t be taking the time to explain them here. If you want to learn more about the wild and wacky world of Norse or Greek mythology (and the gods therein), feel free to fall into a research rabbit hole, a la Scholarly Sven.

**All words in the GLOSSARY below are Scandinavian, unless otherwise noted** 

Ægir: A jötunn and a personification of the sea. Husband to the goddess Rán, who also personifies the sea, and together they have nine daughters, including Blódughadda.

Anahita (Old Persian): Iranian goddess venerated as the divinity of “the Waters” and therefore associated with fertility, healing and wisdom.

Angrboda: Jötunn/giantess known primarily for being the mother of Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Hel.

Ärtsoppa: Swedish split pea soup.

Atropos: One of the three Fates known as the Inflexible/the Future/the Inevitable (see the Norns).

Baldr: Son of Odin—most beloved of the gods. All you need to know here is that he was killed (due to Loki’s trickery, of course) and not even Odin could get him back from the realm of the dead.

Bavarian: Relating to the southern German state of Bavaria, its people, or their language.

Beibe: Fen’s nickname for Jör. It’s a partially made up term of endearment but means baby/babe to them.

Berkano: A rune associated with rebirth and safety (among many other things).

Berserkers: Old Norse warriors said to have fought in a trance-like fury.

Bier ist leben (German): “Beer is life.”

Bifrost: A rainbow bridge that connected the realm of the gods (Asgard) to the realm of mankind (Midgard). LGBTQ+ fever dream, y’all!

Blódughadda: One of the nine daughters of Ægir and Rán (gods of the sea). She was a wave personified, and her name means “bloody hair.”

Calamari (Italian):Squid (and a hilarious nickname for a Kraken).

Clotho: One of the three Fates known as the Spinner/the Past (see the Norns).

Dís/Dísir: A female deity, ghost, or spirit associated with Fate who can be either benevolent or antagonistic toward mortals. Dísir may act as protective spirits and guides. Valkyrie are a form of dís, although not all dísirs are valkyries. Hel combined this term with Völva to describe what Iola is.

Fika: Translated as “a coffee and cake break,” but so much more than that. Fika is a state of mind/attitude and an important part of Swedish culture—a chance to pause and enjoy the moment.

Fólkvangr: A meadow ruled over by the goddess Freyja where half of those that die in combat go (the other half go to Valhalla).

Freyja: Goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, twin of Freyr, and patron of those who can predict the future (seers/Völvas). Oversees the realm of Fólkvangr.

Freyr: God of kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, fair weather, and good harvest, and twin of Freyja. Destined to be killed by Surtr during Ragnarok.

Gebo: A rune associated with sex magic but also gifts and thankfulness (among many other things).

Gjöll: The name of the boulder where Fenrir was bound. It’s also the name of the river separating the living from the dead (like the Greek Styx), but that got too confusing to mention.

Gleipnir: The binding, created by the dwarves of Svartalfheim, that manages to hold Fenrir to Gjöll. It was crafted from impossible things—the sound of a cat’s footsteps, the roots of mountains, the breath of a fish, and the saliva of a bird.

Gungnir: The spear of Odin, known for never missing its mark.

Hafstrambr: The Norse word for merman (more of a monstrous/dangerous one—like a Rusalka, for those who’ve read my Yaga’s books), even though that’s not really what Hazun is.

Hagalaz: A rune associated with bad weather/storms,  catastrophe and loss, but also rebirth and the opportunity to make things right (among many other things).

Heimdall: The watchman of the gods who dwelled at the entry to Asgard, where he guarded Bifrost. He and Loki killed each other during Ragnarok.

Hel: Daughter of Loki and Angrboda, sister of Fenrir and Jörmungandr, and ruler of Helheim (since Odin banished her there), where she welcomes the dead not killed in battle. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman with half her body looking like a rotting corpse.

Henbane (Latin: Hyoscyamus niger): A poisonous, psychedelic herb in the nightshade family, possibly used by ancient Völvas to induce prophetic hallucinations.

Jezebel (biblical—Old Testament): Wife of Ahab, King of Israel, and an extremely outdated term to describe a woman who seduces others to get what she wants.

Jord: Goddess who is the personification of Earth.

Jötunn: A varied race of supernatural beings in Norse mythology who were often at odds with the gods (although  misrepresented as being “evil”—probably thanks to Loki being part jötunn). They are sometimes referred to as “giants” but weren’t always large, and while most dwelled in Jötunheim, not all of them did. It’s confusing but interesting if you want to research more on your own.

Kaffe: Coffee.

Kaka: Cookie/biscuit/small cake.

Kanelbullar: Famous Swedish cinnamon buns (although they are not the same as American cinnamon buns, as they don’t have icing and are spiced with cardamom and topped with pearl sugar).

Laevateinn: A weapon/sword (a “damage twig” if you will) crafted by Loki from the gates of Helheim to slay the rooster Vidopnir atop the World Tree—to stop him from alerting Heimdall of the army marching on Asgard. There is debate whether this is the “flaming sword” wielded by Surt during Ragnarok, but for my purposes, I decided it was.

Lachesis: One of the three Fates known as the Allotter/the Present (see the Norns).

Lagom är bäst: Swedish for “the right measure is best” (all things in moderation).

Lederhosen (German):Word used in English to refer specifically to the traditional suspendered leather breeches worn by men in Austria/Bavaria. Jör looks super hot in them.

Loki: Our favorite non-binary trickster god. I’m not even going to bother trying to explain him because then we’ll spend all day talking about the time he fathered (actually mothered) the eight-legged stallion Sleipnir so the gods could get out of their contract for the construction of the wall surrounding Asgard. It’s complicated.

Lyngvi: The island where the boulder Gjöll is located, with a name meaning “covered in heather.”

Mækir: Old Norse for sword (and one of the few times you’ll see Surt being sentimental).

Mímir: Husband of Sinmara, renowned for his wisdom, who is beheaded during the Æsir–Vanir War. Afterward, Odin carries around his head so it can recite secret knowledge and counsel to him. You can’t make this shit up.

Mjöllnir: The god Thor’s HUGE hammer.

Nordrljós: The northern lights; the aurora borealis.

Norns, The: Aka, the Fates (the Moirai to the Greeks), a group of three weaving goddesses who assign individual destinies to mortals at birth. Their names are Clotho (the Spinner/the Past), Lachesis (the Allotter/the Present) and Atropos (the Inflexible/the Future/the Inevitable). They had enormous power and even the gods couldn’t fight or dispute their decisions. Unfortunately, their identity as the three sisters who own Ancient Olive skincare was a Herculeia spoiler that was unavoidable for writing this book, but it’s still not a major spoiler to the overall series.

Odin: The supreme ruler in the Norse pantheon, and god of wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet. Destined to be killed by Fenrir during Ragnarok.

Perthro: A rune associated with fate and probability (among many other things).

Poetic Edda and Prose Edda: Poetic Edda is the modern name for an untitled, anonymous collection of Old Norse narrative poems. It is distinct from the Prose Edda written by Snorri Sturluson (with heavy Christian influence), although both works are important to the study of Old Norse poetry.

Pythia (Greek):The Greek term for seer/oracle, especially when referencing the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. (See also, Völva).

Ragnarok (Old Norse: Ragnarøkkr): A foretold series of impending events, including world-ending natural disasters and a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish. Good times.

Rán: A goddess Rán who, along with her husband Ægir, personifies the sea. Together they have nine daughters, including Blódughadda.

Rhodiola (Latin: Rhodiola rosea): A plant with a long history in traditional medicine, including use as an aphrodisiac (which is why Hel suggests lacing Surt’s mead—alcoholic, fermented honey drink—with it).

Seven Seas (various): A figurative term for all the seas of the known world. With Hazun being the one saying it, he probably meant the historic Seven Seas (now known as the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Strait of Malacca, the Singapore Strait, the Gulf of Thailand, and the South China Sea).

Sinmara: A giantess, usually considered a consort to  Surt, but wife of Mímir. Sinmara is only mentioned in a single stanza in the poem Fjölsvinnsmál, alongside Surt, and described as keeper of the legendary weapon Laevateinn (and this is what she is reciting during Iola’s visit).

Skarsgard: In reference to the famous Swedish family consisting of actor Stellan Skarsgard and his collection of physically blessed sons—including Alexander, Bill, and Gustav (my—and therefore, Iola’s—#1, #2, and #3 choices, respectively).

Skoll and Hati: Fenrir’s children—two wolves, known as “deception” and “hate” in their veins. When they attempted to free Fenrir from being bound to Gjöll, the gods punished them to forever chase the sun and moon across the sky. The day they caught them both, all light disappeared from the sky—resulting in Fenrir’s shackles vanishing, and Ragnarok beginning.

Sleipnir: An eight-legged horse ridden by Odin, who some believe also pulled a sleigh to help the old guy deliver presents at Yule-time (sounds familiar). Sleipnir was also the offspring of Loki, whom Loki gave birth to while disguised as a mare. I’ll let you research that tale on your own because it’s a wild ride. Neigh!

Smorgasbord: A word used to describe a wide variety of anything, but originally a buffet of food (and in this case, a very tasty sea serpent spread out for sampling). 

Sötnos: A Swedish term of endearment meaning “sweet” (or “candy”…unclear).

Stockholm/Stockholm Archipelago: The capital of Sweden and the cluster of some 30,000 islands, skerries and rocks that begins just a few minutes away from the city.

Strategos (Greek): Military general, and our “murder bird” Zephyr’s adorable nickname for Leia.

Laguz: A rune associated with dreams, psychic powers, and the astral plane (among many other things).

Eljudnir: Hel’s palace in Helheim, known as “the damp place.”

Thor: a hammer-wielding (see Mjöllnir) god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, and fertility. He’s archenemies with Jörmungandr, and the two kill each other during the events of Ragnarok.

Thurisaz: A rune associated with conflict, resistance, and finishing the fight, as well as breaking down barriers and recreating something new (among many other things).

Tyr: A god who is the patron of warriors and mythological heroes. He’s known for sacrificing his hand to Fenrir, who bites it off when he realizes the gods have bound him. As much as Fen would have loved to finish him off, Try is consumed by the similarly monstrous dog, Garmr, during Ragnarok.

Vafan: A general curse word in Swedish (like “fuck”), but translates to “what the devil.”

Valhalla: A majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat enter Valhalla, while the other half are chosen by the goddess Freyja to reside in Fólkvangr. It’s definitely the preferred afterlife party and all the sad bois who don’t get in have major FOMO.

Valknut: A symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles, often associated with Odin.

Valkyries: The female hosts of Odin who decide which dead on the battlefield will end up in Valhalla. Translates to “choosers of the slain.”

Vardlökkur: Singing/songs used to attract spirits.

Vidar: The son of Odin who avenges his father’s death by killing Fenrir during Ragnarok. He is also one of the gods said to have survived Ragnarok.

Vídópnir (aka Norwegian Heihei): A mythological bird (rooster) inhabiting the top of the World Tree, Yggdrasil, and acting as the “Ragnarok alarm clock” for Heimdall. I took a lot of liberties with this dumb cock, not least of all, referring to him as “Norwegian Heihei” (which is a silly reference to the rooster in the Polynesian mythology-based movie, Moana).

Völva: In Old Norse society, a (usually female) practitioner of magic divination and prophecy—a seer. (See also, Pythia). Hel combined this term with Dís/Dísir to describe what Iola is.If you really want to fall into an interesting research rabbit hole, I suggest this.

Yggdrasil: The unfathomably large World Tree that stretches between all nine realms in Norse mythology.

Other random references in the book:

The 1980s My Little Pony television special Iola refers to is Escape from Midnight Castle, and features a very catchy Sea Pony song and a hot AF centaur/demon daddy bad guy.

Don Quixote: A classic novel from 1605 which portraits the life and insightful journey of Don Quixote de la Mancha, a Spanish man who seems to be losing his mind on his quest to become a knight (“tilting at”—fighting—windmills). On the flip side, the novel’s message is also about staying true to yourself and your dreams, no matter what anyone else thinks. 

Twilight of the Gods: Richard Wagner’s opera Götterdämmerung is the German equivalent of Ragnarok—translated to “twilight of the gods.”

“Who’s on First?” This is an old Abbott and Costello comedy routine (you can find it on YouTube) that perfectly demonstrates how it would be trying to communicate with a mythological creature.