Gollinkambi Kindred

The Great Norns are three sisters who sit at the base of the World Tree, Yggdrasil beside the Well of Wyrd and take mud and water from this well and place it upon the tapestry of existance as well as upon Yggdrasil itsself.  While it may be tempting to equate them with the three Fates of Greek mythology, the Norns are distinct and seperate beings. Furhter, the Norns do not simply bind the thread of each wight's existance as an unalterable strand of fate.  Our concept of destinay and fate is far more nuanced than this. 

There is an outstanding discussion regarding the concept of wyrd in J.R.R. Tolkien's Beowulf. In particular, in discussing line 455: "gæð a wyrd swa hio scel( Fate goes ever as it must)" and lines 572-573: "Wyrd oft nere unfægne eorl, Ýonne his ellen deah. (Fate oft saveth a man not doomed to die, when his valor fails not)" He notes "Wyrd is grammatically simply the verbal noun to weorðan, 'to turn out, become, happen.' Wyrd means 'a happening', an event and it can be used as just that. But it has other meanings, such as Death and can be spoken of as a power or an ordinance in itself." Note that grammatically, wyrd is a feminine noun and uses feminine, not neuter pronouns. When personified, wyrd is personified in the feminine. This is consistent with our understanding of the female Norns who weave wyrd. Tolkien goes on to add, regarding its use in "Wyrd oft nere unfægne eorl, Ýonne his ellen deah (Fate oft saveth a man not doomed to die, when his valor fails not) that this use of wyrd "emotionally and in thought this is basically an assertion not only of the worth in itself of the human will (and courage), but also of its practical effect as a possibility, that is, actually a denial of absolute Fate." Wyrd should never be mistaken for inevitable fate, but rather is better viewed as "directed fortunes" or "guided happenings."

Urd - The Norn Urd, "What Was" carries the sense of the prior strands of existance, the Web of Wyrd from which new events flow.

Verdandi - Verdandi, "Becoming" carries the sense becoming, of events of the past flowing together.

Skuld - Skuld, "What Should Be," carries the sense of correct or needed destiny, but not unalterable doom, of events flowing away and back into the Well of Wyrd to

Urd, Verdandi and Skuld are the Great Norns, but there are others, nameless in themselves.  These norns are present at the birth of each child and lay upon it the individual strands of Wyrd, Orlog upon that person

None of the Norns are worshiped regularly, although occasional thanks may be given.  The Norns, are aloof and do as they will and do not bow or change at the whim of any wight.

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