1 year 9 months ago
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla not only takes players to the shores of England, Norway, and North America, but also to an entirely different universe. Just as was the case in Origins and Odyssey before it, Ubisoft’s latest RPG features a mythological questline, too. This time, players travel to Asgard and Jotunheim, two iconic locations in Norse mythology. But when they arrive they aren’t playing as Eivor. So, if you’re playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and wondering who Havi is in Norse mythology, here’s what you need to know.
Who Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Havi Is in Norse Mythology
According to a quick web search and referring to my trusty The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings (Kevin Crossley-Holland, 1982), Havi is an alternative name for Odin. It roughly means “High One.”
This may not actually come as a huge surprise if you’ve played through even a short amount of the Asgard quest arc in Valhalla since many of the other gods refer to Eivor as Odin. But why the Havi name in the first place?
Well, it seems to be somewhat similar to calling a Roman Emporer “Ceaser” or an English King “Lord.”
As it happens, Odin actually has many names in Norse mythology, including Bróðr Vilis / Bróðr Vilja – “Brother of Vili,” which should mean something to you if you have played through the Snotinghamscire questline.
Of course, the name Odin is far more recognizable. Although, one reference to Havi that you might be familiar with is within the word “Hávamál.” This fairly well-known collection of Old Norse poems reads almost like a philosophical code of conduct, and the stories are supposed to be based on the words of Odin himself. The word Hávamál literally means “words of The High One.”
Minor story spoilers follow.