Wodan (as a young God) riding Sleipnir. New Illustration for "Sonah Magazin", winter 2024.

 

Wodan (here represented as a still young God riding his eight-legged steed) is the name that the populations of Central Europe gave in the Middle Ages to the Scandinavian and Norse God Odin

(Old German: Wodan, Wuotan, Woden; Old Dutch: Wuodan; Old Saxon: Uuoden; Old English: Woden; Old Norse: Odinn). 

Even in Southern Germany he is a figure at the center of many legends, such as that, among others, linked to the horseshoe. Beautiful and in-depth article by Anika Meyer (Editor and Art Director I thank very much for allowing me to illustrate such a beautiful subject!) on the topic.

sonah-verlag.de

The God Wodan - Odin in his appearance as an old wanderer with a blue cloak and gray robe

Even the Frau Holle of fairy tales is the derivation of Holda, an ancient mythological Goddess (Hertha - Jord) among the wives of Odin and mother of Thor

It is summer, the moment to escape into space and time, into the historical / mythological fantasy: here is the -republished- Lindwurm!

The Lindwurm, or lindworm, was a serpentine dragon (and man-eater) of Norse and Central European mythology (Fafnir was also a lindworm). It is at the origin of the legendary foundation of the city of Klagenfurt (among others), of which it is the symbol. 

The preparatory sketch and the pencil drawing 

The cover of the Book "WARBAND", from Pendraken Miniatures

  

A digression in Fantasy: The book cover of "Warband": Fantasy Tabletop Wargaming Rules from Pendraken Miniatures
www.pendraken.co.uk