A bit about Freyja, Heimdallr, and Eir

Freyja is the most renowned of the Norse goddesses, one of the Vanir, whose name is Old Norse for 'Lady'. She is the sister of Freyr ('Lord'). Their father was Njord, the sea god, possibly by Njord's own sister, Nerthus, who is sometimes known as the Earth Mother. 

Freyja was a goddess of love, fertility, battle, and death. She is often depicted wearing a falcon-feathered cloak, riding or accompanied by a boar named Hildisvini ('Battle-swine') with golden bristles, and travelling in a chariot drawn by two cats - so both pigs/boar and cats are sacred to her. 

It was Freyja's privilege to choose half of the heroes slain in battle for her great hall in the Fólkvangar, the other half being taken by Odhinn to Valhalla. Described in some sources as the mother of the Valkyrie, Freyja is credited with teaching witchcraft to the Aesir, the other tribe of gods. She possessed the necklace Brisingamen, wrought by the dwarves in deep earth, which both symbolises her and embodies her power. It was stolen by Loki and recovered for Freyja by Heimdall.

There is some confusion between Freyja and Frigg/Frigga ('Beloved'), the Aesir wife of Odhinn, not least since, after the Aesir-Vanir War, Freyja, among others, received honourary membership of the Aesir tribe of gods. Freyja's husband is named in late Old Norse literature as Óðr, who, according to the Prose Edda, is often away on long journeys, causing Freyja to search for him and to weep tears of red gold.

Freyja's knowledge and power are said to be almost without equal. She can control and manipulate the desires, health, and prosperity of others, and she practices seidr, and first brought this art to the gods and thus, through them, to humans. Seidr is said by some sources to be a form of magic/shamanism, concerned with discerning destiny and altering its course be re-weaving part of its web. Those who practice seidr, including Freyja herself, are known as the völva - itinerant seeress/sorceress - a role often held within the Germanic/Teutonic tribes by the wife of the chieftain/warband leader (xarjanaz), known as the 'veleda', whose role was divination, influencing outcomes of action, and serving the special cup of power during the ritual feasts.

Freyja has at least four nicknames: Mardöll (Sea-brightener), Hörn (Flaxen), Gefn (The Giver), and Syr (Sow), and Friday is named for her (Freyjasdaeg).

Heimdallr is one of the Aesir, a son of Odin, and the watchman, or guardian, of the gods and of their stronghold, Asgard. He himself has his dwelling at Himinbjörg, the Sky Cliffs, at the top of the Bifrost Bridge (the rainbow) which leads into Asgard.

Heimdallr needs less sleep than a bird, is able to see for 100 leagues, both by day and by night, and has such acute hearing that he can hear grass grow in the meadows, and wool growing on sheep.

Heimdallr is the possessor of the Gjallarhorn (Resounding Horn) which can be heard throughout the realms, and which Heimdallr will sound in order to summon the gods when their enemies, the giants, draw near across Bifrost - the sign of the start of Ragnarök, the end of the world of gods and human beings. When that time arrives, Heimdallr and Loki (who is of the etin-kin, although a blood-brother, and perhaps shadow side, of Odin) will slay each other.

Some verses of the Eddas seem to indicate that Heimdallr was once considered to be the father of humankind, and he has been said to be associated with the Ram - perhaps because of the Gjallarhorn.

Eir, whose name means 'help', 'grace', or 'mercy', is the goddess of healing, patron of shamanic healers, and a companion, or handmaid, of the goddess Frigg, wife of Odin. She dwells at Lufjaberg, the hill of healing, with her helpful spirits, and is revered as a lifegiver, with power over life and death.

One of the ways in which Eir was able to heal was through a ritual involving a white flower, known, for that reason, as the Eirflower. When praying to Eir for healing it is common to light a red or a green candle.

Some sources also regard Eir as a forge goddess, although more on the artistic, creative side than actually making weapons and so on. This may be related to her role as the defender and aid of warriors.

It is generally agreed, however, that Eir was one of the Valkyrie, the shield maidens. According to Snorri Snurlsson (in the Gylgafinning) and the older Poetic Edda Fjölsvinnsmál, Eir was one of the 12 or 13 highest ranking goddesses, and was also an Asynjur - the females who lived together with the Aesir (males) - and possesses the ability to predict the future as well as being one of the best physicians among the gods and goddesses.