Loki

Loki: Son of Farbouti (Cruel-Striker: Possibly a lightning reference) and Laufey (Green-Isle?: I've seen different translations). A Jotun, or giant, the traditional rivals of the Aesir, he became the blood-brother to Odin, who swore an oath that every time that he was given a drink that Loki would have one also. Husband to Sigyn, by whom he fathered Vali and Narfi. Also father of Jormungandr (the World Serpent), Fenris (the Great Wolf) and Hel (Ruler of the Dead) by the giantess Angrboda. Also the mother of Sleipnir, Odin's 8 legged horse, by Svaldifari, a horse belonging to some giant or other.

Loki has many names; among them are Sky-Walker, Shape-strong, Father of Lies, the Clever One, Sharp-Tongued, Gadfly, the Bound One, Wrangling Foe, and a host of others. This is not unusual among the Norse gods.

Loki is an ambiguous figure in the Lore, as befits his role as the Trickster. He is portrayed as both a great help and a great hindrance to the Aesir. he is responsible for the creation of many of the Aesir's greatest treasures: Thor's hammer Mjolnir, Odin's spear Gungnir and his ring Draupnir, Frey's golden boar Gullinbursti and his magical ship Skidbladnir. He's also responsible for the wall around Asgard, and has pulled the Aesir's fat out of the fire on innumerable occasions. Of course, he's also reputed to be responsible for the death of Balder, claims to have cuckolded nearly every one of the Aesir at one time or another, and is supposed to lead the hosts of the dead from his daughter's realm to make war on Asgard at Ragnarok.

Loki's dark reputation stems mainly from his reputed role in the death of Baldur, Odin's fairest son. This connection shows up only in Snorri Sturlasson's Eddas, other references to the death of Baldur ( in Saxo and others) maintain that Hod alone was responsible. As Snorri would have it, Loki gave the mistletoe dart to Hod and directed his arm. For this crime, Loki was captured, and bound to a stone with the guts of his son Narfi. A serpent was placed over his head and now drips venom into Loki's eyes eternally. His wife Sigyn stands at his side, holding a bowl over his face to catch the venom, but when she empties the bowl there is nothing to protect him. His agonized writhing is supposed to be the cause for earthquakes. At the end of time, he'll burst his bonds and take his vengeance on the Aesir.

Interestingly, though many of the Aesir and Vanir appear in similar guises in Anglo-Saxon and continental Germanic Lore, Loki seems solely a Scandanavian figure.