Land Spirits - Landvaettir
The landvaettir are spirits of the land who must be respected and honored.
The Norse believed every place had its spirits - the landvaettir. These spirits could bless or curse the land's inhabitants depending on how they were treated. Settlers would make peace with local spirits; disrespecting them brought misfortune.
The land has its guardians; honor them and the land will prosper.
Land spirit belief shaped Norse settlement patterns and practices.
Landnamabok