Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim?
Here is the opening dialogue which scrolls up the screen before the giant bird dropped my sorry butt at the boss stones:
Long ago, the Allfather Odin united the worlds. He threw down
his foes and cast them into the tenth world, then split the
Boughs that held their prison to the world-tree, and left it to
drift unanchored, a Place of Exile...
For centuries, this world slumbered uneasily, but it did not
die... as glacial ages passed, kingdoms rose and fell out of sight
of the gods.
When Odin heard his enemies were growing once again in
strength, he looked to Midgard and sent his valkyries to scour
the battlefields for the greatest of their warriors. Dead to
the world, they would be born again...
...in Valheim.
In short, Odin exiled his enemies to Valheim and then split it from Yggdrasil to exile them. When he found that his enemies were growing in strength he arranged for the greatest recently-slain viking warriors to be sent to and reborn in Valheim. No explicit reason is given for this act.
I assumed, from the beginning, that a viking's purpose in Valheim was to confound Odin's enemies. Lately, I have reconsidered and started to entertain another possibility. Quite a few vikings use dev commands and exploits like world-hopping as they make their way through the tenth world.
Could it be that Odin counts these warriors among his enemies also and has exiled them? Allow some enemies to fight the rest of Odin's enemies and keep both groups occupied?
I'm interested to see what happens when the last of the biomes is complete and a viking hangs the last boss's head on the last stone in the spawning circle.
Long ago, the Allfather Odin united the worlds. He threw down
his foes and cast them into the tenth world, then split the
Boughs that held their prison to the world-tree, and left it to
drift unanchored, a Place of Exile...
For centuries, this world slumbered uneasily, but it did not
die... as glacial ages passed, kingdoms rose and fell out of sight
of the gods.
When Odin heard his enemies were growing once again in
strength, he looked to Midgard and sent his valkyries to scour
the battlefields for the greatest of their warriors. Dead to
the world, they would be born again...
...in Valheim.
In short, Odin exiled his enemies to Valheim and then split it from Yggdrasil to exile them. When he found that his enemies were growing in strength he arranged for the greatest recently-slain viking warriors to be sent to and reborn in Valheim. No explicit reason is given for this act.
I assumed, from the beginning, that a viking's purpose in Valheim was to confound Odin's enemies. Lately, I have reconsidered and started to entertain another possibility. Quite a few vikings use dev commands and exploits like world-hopping as they make their way through the tenth world.
Could it be that Odin counts these warriors among his enemies also and has exiled them? Allow some enemies to fight the rest of Odin's enemies and keep both groups occupied?
I'm interested to see what happens when the last of the biomes is complete and a viking hangs the last boss's head on the last stone in the spawning circle.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
GunsForBucks replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 15, 2022 @ 1:37:08 pm PDT
The intro text eludes to us being picked up in Midgard. I think the dreams are promises of what awaits if we defeat all of the enemies of Odin. Why we were picked? Can't very well send warriors already in Valhalla back into the fray, but you can take ones who are not there yet and divert them to thwart your enemies. It's like Valhalla is a frat/sor house and we're the pledges. Gotta prove ourselves in a hel week.I think the dreams are the fragmented twisted remains of our lost memories of our lives. Not promises of any future.
5:13 am, June 16, 2022
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HellSlayer replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 15, 2022 @ 1:46:17 pm PDT
Game has less lore than super mario.. :(
5:13 am, June 16, 2022
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Sparkiekong replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 15, 2022 @ 5:07:50 pm PDT
The intro text eludes to us being picked up in Midgard. I think the dreams are promises of what awaits if we defeat all of the enemies of Odin. Why we were picked? Can't very well send warriors already in Valhalla back into the fray, but you can take ones who are not there yet and divert them to thwart your enemies. It's like Valhalla is a frat/sor house and we're the pledges. Gotta prove ourselves in a hel week.I think the dreams are the fragmented twisted remains of our lost memories of our lives. Not promises of any future.
Fair point on the dream bit.
5:13 am, June 16, 2022
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Taehl replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 15, 2022 @ 11:37:48 am PDT
The greatest of warriors go directly to Valhalla - they earned it. The leftover "greatest" warriors, Odin sends to Valheim. Why?
- It's a last chance for unlucky/dumb warriors to prove they deserve a place in Valhalla. If you were ready for Valhalla, Odin wouldn't vanish every time you got close to him.
- Valheim is used like a Viking purgatory. Berserkers are sent there to deal with their anger issues. Their rage can be vented productively (to smite Odin's foes) until they've calmed down enough that they'd rather be feasting in Valhalla than starting fights there.
- Odin is mocking his foes. "One of my finest warriors took your head? No, they're all still in the middle of a drinking contest... Looks like you just got slain by Ulgarth the Incompetent!"
- It's a last chance for unlucky/dumb warriors to prove they deserve a place in Valhalla. If you were ready for Valhalla, Odin wouldn't vanish every time you got close to him.
- Valheim is used like a Viking purgatory. Berserkers are sent there to deal with their anger issues. Their rage can be vented productively (to smite Odin's foes) until they've calmed down enough that they'd rather be feasting in Valhalla than starting fights there.
- Odin is mocking his foes. "One of my finest warriors took your head? No, they're all still in the middle of a drinking contest... Looks like you just got slain by Ulgarth the Incompetent!"
8:13 pm, June 15, 2022
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Brock replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 15, 2022 @ 11:41:19 am PDT
Gods don't need reasons nor could we mere mortals understand them 
8:13 pm, June 15, 2022
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Sparkiekong replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 15, 2022 @ 12:57:32 pm PDT
The intro text eludes to us being picked up in Midgard. I think the dreams are promises of what awaits if we defeat all of the enemies of Odin. Why we were picked? Can't very well send warriors already in Valhalla back into the fray, but you can take ones who are not there yet and divert them to thwart your enemies. It's like Valhalla is a frat/sor house and we're the pledges. Gotta prove ourselves in a hel week.
8:13 pm, June 15, 2022
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Flare |UKCS| replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 7:49:41 pm PDT
I think the bigger question here should be why ?
I mean, the choice is Valheim or eternal battles/booze/women or men/battle ... I mean I made some sweet homes in Valheim... so its just the company of a woman/man, I mean thats nice but a sweet home and all the booze with a few grays and trolls to annoy you...
ehhh ?
I mean, the choice is Valheim or eternal battles/booze/women or men/battle ... I mean I made some sweet homes in Valheim... so its just the company of a woman/man, I mean thats nice but a sweet home and all the booze with a few grays and trolls to annoy you...
ehhh ?
5:13 am, June 11, 2022
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GunsForBucks replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 5:29:55 pm PDT
...snip
I'm interested to see what happens when the last of the biomes is complete and a viking hangs the last boss's head on the last stone in the spawning circle.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2709927036
Seriously though it isn't like we are even "great warriors" or anything .. we are just some dead fodder to toss at the bad guys. Considering some of the losers that were here before us it sure isn't like we were "chosen" or anything.
Anything above being the Gods playthings are just the human ego talking.
I've even joked about earning our way to Valhalla or something but there isn't even a hint of any reward mentioned for doing this. Rather we should just feel grateful for a second life, such as it is...
Honestly kind of an odd premise with no real goal or anything but frankly being a video game I don't really care much about "lore" personally... it's just something to hang the action on.
2:13 am, June 11, 2022
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GunsForBucks replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 5:39:59 pm PDT
In another way you could say we are the guards of purgatory. Stuck in purgatory.
In the end maybe we can take over and control all the enemies and take on Odin for putting us there!
In the end maybe we can take over and control all the enemies and take on Odin for putting us there!
2:13 am, June 11, 2022
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avatar.zero replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 6:28:29 pm PDT
In the end maybe we can take over and control all the enemies and take on Odin for putting us there!
Odin checking in on us from time to time isn't to see if we're worthy, but to see if we're a threat.
2:13 am, June 11, 2022
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Zep Tepi replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 1:46:56 pm PDT
Odin gave an eye to get access to dev commands. He might think you were a bit dense and possibly ungrateful if you didn't use them once in awhile.
My personal theory is that you were not one of the greatest fighters as the scroll texts said, but for one reason or another, Odin decided to give you another chance. It would be embarrassing to show up in Valhalla without any good stories to tell. And if you couldn't get yourself together enough to create any good stories? Too bad.
He also enjoys taunting his enemies by having puny weaklings defeat them over and over again.
My personal theory is that you were not one of the greatest fighters as the scroll texts said, but for one reason or another, Odin decided to give you another chance. It would be embarrassing to show up in Valhalla without any good stories to tell. And if you couldn't get yourself together enough to create any good stories? Too bad.
He also enjoys taunting his enemies by having puny weaklings defeat them over and over again.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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Flare |UKCS| replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 1:48:34 pm PDT
No its pretty clear, Odin vanquished his foes, then sent the branch off on its own away from the tree, after a while the foes came back so Odin sent his Valkyries out to seek out the latest great warriors to send to Valheim to deal with the foes, rather than direct to Valhalla.
Odin is rather delegating than attempting to kill off worldly warriors, he wants the best to help fight at Ragnarok, not rid himself of strong warriors.
Odin is rather delegating than attempting to kill off worldly warriors, he wants the best to help fight at Ragnarok, not rid himself of strong warriors.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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CritMasterFlex replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 2:13:21 pm PDT
Ha, I don't think the Valheim character Odin is aware of dev commands.
But I too wonder what Valheim's ending looks like.
Your character's dreams seem to recall a life of adventure with the homies, so I think you were in fact a super cool Viking on their way to a sweet afterlife.
But I too wonder what Valheim's ending looks like.
My personal theory is that you were not one of the greatest fighters as the scroll texts said, but for one reason or another, Odin decided to give you another chance.
Your character's dreams seem to recall a life of adventure with the homies, so I think you were in fact a super cool Viking on their way to a sweet afterlife.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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Rich replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 2:39:05 pm PDT
Ha, I don't think the Valheim character Odin is aware of dev commands.
But I too wonder what Valheim's ending looks like.My personal theory is that you were not one of the greatest fighters as the scroll texts said, but for one reason or another, Odin decided to give you another chance.
Your character's dreams seem to recall a life of adventure with the homies, so I think you were in fact a super cool Viking on their way to a sweet afterlife.
This. The dreams strongly suggest you were more than just a random viking warrior.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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Preacher replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 3:19:42 pm PDT
Odin more like schmOdin.
No match for the Lord God of heaven and earth, praise the Lord.
No match for the Lord God of heaven and earth, praise the Lord.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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CritMasterFlex replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 3:26:41 pm PDT
Odin more like schmOdin.
No match for the Lord God of heaven and earth, praise the Lord.
lord god more like schmlord schmod of schmeven and schmurf
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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{O|G} Erik the Red replied to Why Did Odin Send Me (Or Anyone Else) to Valheim? June 10, 2022 @ 3:53:41 pm PDT
Well we do know that Odin hasn't sent in all his warriors all at once; players and the suggested npc lore characters have been sent before us, and in multiplayer worlds, some likely after; we are not the first, nor possibly last. We know from the runestones that some lore characters leave behind, that the warrior or player only exists in Valheim so long as they have the will to be there (a rudimentary but elegant explanation for saying you exist so long as you play, that in death in Valheim you can keep respawning so that you can continue to vanquish Odin's enemies). Of course some warriors will fail, some players will stop playing, so hence explaining why the current warrior player may only find ruined houses and no actual settlers.
11:13 pm, June 10, 2022
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