Hlín is one of Frigg’s handmaidens, whose name is often associated with protection and consolation, as she is said to shelter those in need. Some scholars believe that Hlin was not a separate deity but rather another name for Frigg herself, highlighting her role as a guardian. Others argue that she may have been a goddess of protection, watching over those who seek refuge. In modern paganism, some associate Hlin with Ran, the sea giantess, though there is no historical evidence for this connection. Regardless of her origins, Hlin remains a symbol of care and safeguarding in Norse tradition.
(Text by Delia Gosforth, Illustration by Ellen Artistic)
I am the artist! Do not post without permission & credit! Thank you! Come visit me over on: instagram.com/ellenartistic or tiktok.
These illustrations all made it into a Norse Goddess Coloring Book!
"The twelfth is, Hlín, is appointed to guard over people whom Frigg wishes to protect from danger. From her name comes the expression that he who escapes finds hleinir."
-Gylfaginning, The Prose Edda (Snorri Sturluson, Trans. Jesse Byock)
Not so long ago, I was telling you I could not find anymore the thesis I had read a few months ago about the Norse goddesses, and that contested Riccardo Ginevra's paper about Sigyn's name, but I did not remember its title... Well I found it on Academia.edu, and EVEN BETTER, I found the academic who wrote it, the amazing and very knowledgeable Ellis B Wylie , aka @loptrcoptr.
Her Master thesis is truly interesting, and give us more information on the Norse goddesses, allowing us to get to know them a little better :3
The Ásynjur, goddesses of old Icelandic myth, do not draw much scholarly attention. When they do it is fairly dismissive, labeling many deit
I decided to redraw my designs for Frigg and her handmaidens again since I haven’t drawn all of them in a minute!
I gave most of them, including Frigg slight redesigns, but I thought drawing them all again would be a fun little thing to do because I feel like these goddesses aren’t talked about enough
In the Prose Edda, twelve Goddesses are listed after Frigga as Ásynjur: Fulla, Gefjon, Hlín, Syn, Eir, Sága, Gná, Vár or Vór, Snotra, Vör, Lofn and Sjöfn. Modern Heathens sometimes refer to Them as Frigga's Handmaidens. (This is a piece of shared gnosis, not an historically attested term.) For many of the Twelve, this is all that survives in the way of attestations.
What is the Project?
Gradually over several years, and more intentionally recently, I have been building a devotional cultus around these Goddesses. As part of that, I've been putting together primers on each of the Twelve on my longform blog -- detailing Their surviving attestations, Old English God-names and epithets for Them, my own personal experiences and upg, a prayer, and devotional icon art -- as well as essays and modern myths exploring other aspects of Them and my cultus to Them.
Although I use Old English names for Them and honour Them in a syncretic heathen practice drawing on influences from across the British and Irish Isles, I hope these may be useful and/or interesting for practitioners working in a Norse, Continental, or other context. Or for anyone worshipping and building cultus to lesser-known and lesser-attested Gods!
I will update this post periodically, but if you like you can subscribe to my longform Wordpress blog for updates when I post.
Primers
Fulla
Geofen (Gefjon)
Hlēowen (Hlin)
Ār (Eir)
Saga
Lofen & Siofen (Lofn & Sjöfn)
Snotor (Snotra)
Wearn, or Syn (Syn)
Wær (Vör)
Gnæ (Gnā)
Āþ (Vár)
Essays and other posts
Introduction to the Project
Essay on abundance, ānanda, and Fulla
Essay on Frīg and Her importance to my cosmology
The Wren and her sister: a myth of Frīg feat. Ār and Gnæ
Essay on marriage as initiation, feat. Lofen, Siofen and Āþ
She, queen of the kings, runnin' so fast, beatin' the wind.
Nothin' in this world can stop the spread of her wings.
She, queen of the kings, broken her cage, threw out the keys
She will be the warrior of the North and Southern Seas." - Alessandra Mele
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen has captured my whole heart and attention. I simply cannot wait for book two in the Saga of the Unfated. This book made me wish I could draw out of a desperate desire to capture the scenes in fan art that's sorely lacking. I so hope that it will take off and gain a following.
(( DWC November 2023, Day 6, Expectation/Selfish, CW: none; @daily-writing-challenge ))
The dust of battle had cleared, and for the moment, the forces of Azeroth had taken the field, but the enemy was yet unbeaten. Fyrakk had broken his way into the temple with his own powers, and he and his followers had retreated within.
Lorellai could hear the aspects making plans to pursue, talking about taking a team of their most able champions to aid the pursuit, while the rest remained without to handle any further attempts by the remaining flame druids, primalists, or djaradin to interfere. She saw her parents, as well as her many aunts and uncles, Henii, Dolraan, and Hlin among them, engaging in the conversation as well. That made sense. She and the rest of the team had handled the primalists in the vault, and down in Aberrus, but those had been fairly localized trouble, and happened fast enough to preclude calling for backup. But now Fyrakk and the Firelands were threatening the world tree and the emerald dream, and that surely meant bringing in the big guns, and well, what bigger guns were there than the heroes who'd saved the world time and time again?
She'd already started preparing herself to be okay with that when Drogar broke off from the group, followed by Darlain and Dolraan, heading her way. They looked every bit the legendary dwarven heroes they were. Her father in his mechanized armor suit, her mother in her angelic war-priest vestments, and though uncle Dolraan would argue that he was a poor dwarf indeed, a fine figure nonetheless in his shining silver and gold armor and argent tabard. Before they could say a word, she smiled and greeted them. "I guess we should wish you all luck in there! I'm sure Fyrakk and his cronies won't know what hit them." Lorellai was pleased with herself, she'd managed to tamp down her own disappointment, and show them the love and support they'd always showed her. But the way they looked at each other and smiled seemed odd.
"Er, lass, that's what we were coming over t' say to yeh. Th' Aspects are calling on your team to join them inside, we'll be holdin' th' line out here." Drogar said, clapping his daughter on the shoulder.
Lorellai gawped as Dolraan followed up. "You've got far more experience with these particular villains than we do, having just arrived. And you've all proven yourselves to Alexstrasza and her fellow aspects time and time again. This is your mission."
"Make sure you teach them a lesson about messing with th' peace of Azeroth, my little sparkler!" Darlain said, pulling Lorellai into a hug. "Make sure they know why every other villain fears going up against th' Meddlers!"
Out the corner of her eye, Lorellai caught Shansii hugging her mom as well, and a few others receiving well wishes from the older heroes. Hlin in particular seemed to be giving some last minute punching advice to Edmund, who was listening thoughtfully. "Are… are you sure?"
Drogar beamed back at her. "Oh hell no, but I trust you, and I believe in you, and I know that Alexstrasza wouldn't be askin' for yeh if yeh didn't have what it takes. But I won't be sendin' yeh empty handed! I cannae help but notice that spear of yers 'as seen better days. Maybe a bit more of a distant approach will suit yeh better in there, and I've got just th' thing, designed and built based on those lovely elemental ore samples yeh sent home." Drogar whistled, and Balinore lumbered over, dragging a long crate. Unlocking it, Drogar pried it open, and removed a beautiful looking rifle from the hay within, handing it reverently to his daughter. "I call it th' Firefighter, on account of it usin' elemental fire to enhance th' shots with which you might fight then fight fire with fire!" Drogar declared, inordinately pleased with his wordplay.
Lorellai gingerly took the weapon from her father's hands, running her fingers along the barrel. "It's.. it's beautiful."
"Wield it with pride lass, and give that' fire dragon a shot to th' eye he'll ne'er forget."
Lorellai pulled her dad into a hug, but already she could hear Rokishan calling her name, as everyone got ready to head inside with the Kaldorei and the Aspects. Loading a magazine, she nodded at her father, and turned to face the temple. It was time to meddle.
