Valkyrie

Valkyrie

(Creature)

Common

CN

Medium

Aesir

Monitor

Level

12

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Adjective

Valkyrie

Images of valkyries

Source: Bestiary 3, pg(s). 281

Type

Outsider
(extraplanar)

CR

12

Environment

Any (Maelstrom)

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Images of valkyries

Source: Bestiary 3, pg(s). 277

Ⅰ

Ⅱ

Valkyries are aesir monitors from the Maelstrom who scour the battlefields of the Universe looking for fallen warriors to transform into einherjar.

Appearance

Valkyries resemble strong and beautiful humanoids clad in gleaming golden breastplate and carrying a shining spear.

Ecology

Valkyries are formed from shades risen from the souls of the greatest of soldiers. With a glance, a valkyrie can distinguish between someone who lives to fight another day and someone who cannot survive, and can either aid the living in the fight or claim the soul of the slain and transform them into einherjar. Valkyries and einherjar are often active in the Maelstrom aboard ships, in island realms, and wherever the call of battle and conflict rages.

Valkyries often work either alone or in small groups. They more rarely join in large numbers for battle, and a unit of valkyries is known as a valkyrie tempest.

When a valkyrie claims a deceased mortal's soul, they enter a state of prayer in which their consciousness travels along the River of Souls to locate and advocate for the soul. Upon successfully completing their claim, the valkyrie's mind returns to their body, and their body joins with the slain warrior's to form a single new einherji.

Valkyries serve a variety of deities, most often Gorum and Calistria. Valkyries also serve Besmara, where they crew ships in her service that are often unknowingly referred to as "ghost ships" by those who encounter them. They typically fight mounted on flying steeds such as dragon horses, pegasi, or sleipnirs.

Variants

A lawful variety of valkyries live in the Shatterhall in the Vault of the Onyx Citadel, transformed from dwarven shades from Kraggodan who became lost and followed the Stone Roads instead of the River of Souls upon death.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.