Welcome Home Heroes

I believe our troops who die in combat are in Valhalla. Valhalla also known as "Hall of the Heroes", is the best-known hall in Asgard, which is one of the residence belonging to Odin, the AlFather ("Father of the Slain") as he is known in this hall. It is where the dead warriors, known as Einherjars, resided in a hall, and wait for the arrival of Ragnarok. The Einherjars would fight alongside the Aesir at Ragnarok.

When the bravest warriors are killed in battle or combat, they are brought to Valhalla by group of women warriors known as the Valkyries, which is translated as "Chooser of the Slain", and they are known as "Shield-maidens". The Valkyries are sometimes are known as "Swan-Maidens", because their garments are made of swan feathers, which allowed them to fly. The Valkyries served Odin, by going through battlefield, choosing slain warriors who would be suited to fight in Ragnarok and therefore they have a place in Valhalla.

While the Valkyries are in Valhalla, they are known as Mead-Maidens, because they responsible for serving mead to Odin and the Einherjar along the long tables at Valhalla. The mead come from the goat Heidrun that feed from the foliage of branches of tree, called Lerad. Each day, the goat's udder would fill the vat with mead.

Andhrimnir, the cook of Valhalla, prepared the meal for the Einherjar. Andhrimnir cooked the wild boar, called Sæhrimnir, in a great cooking pot, Eldhrimnir. The meat of Sæhrimnir always rejuvenated the warriors at night. Each day Sæhrimnir is cooked before it is served, but by morning of the next day, the wild boar is whole, to be cooked again. That one huge boar.

Odin usually dined with his warriors, but he never eats any meat placed before him. Odin would give his meat to the two wolves, Geri and Freki, that rest at his feet. Odin only drank wine with the dead warriors.

Let me introduce to Odin, King of the Norse Gods. Odin was the god of kings and the mentor of young heroes, to whom he often gave magical gifts. In addition to being a king himself, Odin was a shapeshifter, and frequently roamed the world in disguise. One of his favorite manifestations was that of a one-eyed old man; in the Norse Eddas, the one-eyed man appears regularly as a bringer of wisdom and knowledge to heroes. He was typically accompanied by a pack of wolves and ravens, and rode on a magic horse named Sleipnir. Odin is associated with the concept of the wild hunt, and leads a noisy horde of fallen warriors across the sky.

The Einherjars wait for Ragnarok, they fought each other at practice during the day, but at night they enjoy a great feast, before resting in their bed. In the morning, the Einherjar woke to the crowing of a cock called Salgofnir, which is perched on the rooftop of Valhalla.

Valhalla had overlapping shields for a roof, held up by the spear-shafts as rafters. There are 540 doors. And from each of the door, eight hundred warriors could enter or leave the hall. Instead of torch-fires, the light in the great hall are lit by the glowing blades of swords. Mail shirts are strewn on the benches. In front of the western doors, there hanged a wolf. Hovering above Valhalla is a single eagle. There is also a tree standing in front of the doors of Valhalla; the tree is called Glasir, because of the red-gold foliage.

Odin protect our troops and welcome our fallen soldiers to Paradise