Headcanon Series: Ragnanival Pre-Odin

Okay, time to gather round as I spew my beliefs in regards to how Ragnanival worked before Odin showed up and made them into his own kingdom and such.


From what little we get in notes and throw away dialog through out, it's pretty much a given that Ragnanival has always been, not war like, but fighting focused. Considering their geographical location of being a neighbor to the gates to The Land of the Dead and the fact sinners have been known to escape now and again from there; coupled with a climate that is likely not fertile fields and mild weather makes being tough and able to defend one self not just something to be but a necessity. The very climate called for one to be strong or end up dead either through natural means or enemies, even among themselves it is battles.

Considering the dichotomy of the dwarves/berserkers/valkyries there were likely a lot of clashes due to ideals and the best way for survival. None of these three races are truly subservient and willing to bend to the other personally. It is only when Odin established laws they agreed to follow that an actual hierarchy was formed. In fact if it was not for the fact that despite dragons, magic, and the dead still finding ways to interact with the living this world still has the biological need for reproduction found in our world the clans would likely have never meshed at all before Odin and remained separate completely. But alas a man plus a woman is still a math combination needed to create more children and thus allows future generations to be born.

So it likely is not all that hard to imagine that fighting also played roles in this as well, considering that some tribes likely wouldn't allow one to join to find a suitable partner without proving they will help keep the tribe going and not be a leech on limited resources. There is likely also a large chance some tribes used their fighting to take partners from other tribes when new blood is needed and thus other tribes had to learn how to fight even better to keep from being gutted and scattered across such tribes that forcefully take what they want.

This latter headcanon is also where I think the idea behind the law that if a Valkyrie can not fight anymore or needs to be punished they are made to become wives and mothers. Since if they came from a culture where you likely did have to fight to not end up being taken by a member of an opposing tribe to bear children for them. Then having such a sentiment makes far more sense.

Even magic seems a novelty and a rare thing among those that call Ragnanival home, outside of general inborn magic that allow Valkyrie to fly and the Berserkers their strength in battle. Even the dwarves rely mostly on inventions and their ability to create machines that border on magic then actual magic in every aspect of their lives. Which means that magicians are likely not naturally born all that often within Ragnanival or the lack of magic being used on a larger scale may also mean any born with such potential would never realize such or would have to leave their homeland to find a teacher else where.


With no great magic users and their population divided into tribes, cities and such were likely things not seen. Oh there are likely permanent structures scattered through out for them to use when times become to harsh, but they likely spent most of their lives in a nomadic life style. Moving as the animals and weather did in order to maintain food stores and herbs. So knowing how to survive with nothing but furs and canvas to protect you and yours from frostbite and hungry animals. It also means that hunting and gathering are skills taught as soon as a child is old enough to walk and pick plants they are told to pick. All of this likely lead to closer communities within the tribes that was lost when a united nation was formed.

Headcanon Series: Master Post

Because I am that much of a loser that I think way too deeply about a sidescrolling game about the end of the world then I likely should I am putting down my random and oft times rambling thoughts and theories down to explain things in canon and why I play Gwendolyn a certain way when things come up. This is where I'll put the links to these posts for easier browsing for myself and anyone else bored enough to read these things.



Ragnanival Pre-Odin

Love Spell Myth

Marriage and Customs

Feathers in Your Hair

Superstitious

Headcanon Series: Love Spell Myth

While in canon the fact Gwendolyn isn't actually under a love spell is all but beaten into our faces through the latter half of Oswald's story arc, it does raise a lot of questions of why such is considered fact and if there truly is such a spell and why Odin did not actually use it on Gwendolyn if there is one.

Some would argue he told Onyx there is no such spell so there isn't, but well Odin anything this man says to anyone should be taken with about four pounds of salt and have eight other sources to prove if he is telling the truth or not. However this isn't a talk about Odin being a conniving dick, though that will pop up in here a lot considering the topic and all. Instead let's look at both sides of this coin.

If there really is such a spell Odin uses to keep Valkyrie in line when they are handed off to their new husbands. Why didn't he use such on Gwendolyn? Especially as we know that Oswald was not the first choice since Oswald only gained Gwendolyn's hand when Odin realized he could use said shadow knight to kill Wagner and retrieve Titrel. Especially as I do believe Odin was going to give Gwendolyn to Onyx before that opportunity arrived. He likely was going to use it or at least a mild form of it to keep Onyx happy, but when Oswald refused to give him Titrel and knowing how loyal Gwendolyn is to him he knew such a spell would have meant he couldn't use such to his advantage. Because Odin is a giant dick and knows Gwendolyn would give him the ring if she were to learn about it, and look Oswald all but gift wrapped Titrel when he gave it to Gwendolyn.

So him bluffing to Onyx about the spell is also for his advantage since he knows Gwendolyn would not just happily follow Onyx when she believes Odin wanted her to remain with Oswald. Gwendolyn actually falling in love with Oswald and starting to stand out of his shadow just spanner'd everything though.


On the flip side of this coin and Odin was actually being truthful about there being no such spell, then how the hell has this myth been able to become a considered fact by everyone. Even those supposedly under said spell?

Simple. Propaganda and Odin using what headcanon I have about how the citizens of Ragnanival lived before his rule. He's a holder of thousands of spells, able to outwit the Queen of the Dead, how could he not be capable of making marriages work. Thus suggestion and belief play a huge role in this, and there is nothing to say that the marriages are happy ones, but duty and honor has all following this law and strengthening the myth. Considering how many strings Odin pulls, he likely also makes certain most matches are fitting matches to help make it easier for the myth to be accepted. Much like how with Gwendolyn (though unintentional I still think such is considering Odin is a dick and would have preferred Gwendolyn remaining loyal to him only in my mind) became comfortable and fond of Oswald that lead to her accepting him and thus loving him.

Odin is a great manipulator and coupled with Gwendolyn's faith and belief in her father for most of her story it's really not hard to see how even if someone did tell her there was no such spell she would likely not believe them. She's conditioned to believe that any love she will have for a husband will be false and magically binding, a belief she has grown up with and has not seen anything to contradict this belief. Which means Oswald not contradicting her on this is actually a good thing, despite what some people may think. Because frankly that sort of belief would take tearing down everything Gwendolyn has ever known and having her build a central part of her own self back up. It may be one thing too far for her when she is still gaining her own sense of self and self worth.

Some people may want to think Odin didn't use such a spell on Gwendolyn, if one does exist, out of familial love. I can't make myself believe such just because of how blatant Odin is in using everyone for his own gain and just how much he's messed Gwendolyn up by being a horrible father figure. Odin does everything for a reason, and his using Gwendolyn for gain is a completely natural conclusion to make and this love spell whether real or fake is a key in this. After all there is nothing to state such a situation was not used as a deterrent if his daughters got out of line. Though likely not since both were so busy trying to win his love and approval they likely never did anything to make him have to use such a threat. It was likely still there though for both Griselda and Gwendolyn that one day they would make a mistake or lose any chance of Odin loving them and be given away like a prize to someone. Even knowing that one day they would have to marry since Odin's bloodline must be continued on if only for the sake of the people of Ragnanival.