Freyr and Freyja were brother and sister. The two were originally part of the Vanir before the war of the gods, after which they joined the ranks of the Aesir as hostages of peace. Both siblings were gods of fertility and in addition, Freyr was the god of light, rain and prosperity and Freyja was the goddess of love, beauty, magic, war and death.

Freyr had two gifts given to him by the dwarves. The first of the two was Gullinbusti, a wild boar which drew his chariot, and the second was Skidbladnir, the ship that could travel over air, sea and land. Freyr later married the giantess, Gerd, with a son named Fiolnir.

Freyja was beautiful beyond doubt, and was on many occasions the object of desire of the giant Thrym and the giant, Hrimthurs, who built the fortifications of Asgard. She herself was happily married to Odur. Upon her neck is the Brising necklace, reminding her of the time she agreed to marry four dwarves for a night each for the beautiful jewels. Odur left, and she went out to seek him, returning some time later. Freyja also had magical gifts, such as a cloak of feathers, which enabled her to take the form of a bird.

In Ragnarok, Freya would be the first to fall, unarmed against the fire giant Surt.