Chaurli: the tree-topped tortoise of Freya
Chaurli was the giant tortoise who sheltered Freya during her exile in Midgard, carrying her home upon his back beneath the great red-leaved tree of his shell. He grew into a quiet fixture of Kratos and Atreus's journeys through the Norse realms.
Chaurli was the gigantic tortoise who lived above Freya's home in the Sanctuary Grove of Midgard, sheltering the goddess while she was confined to those forests, unable to escape the Aesir. A great tree with crimson leaves grew from his shell, and beneath his body Freya had built her dwelling, so that the two lived in quiet symbiosis. Through the long journeys of Kratos and Atreus he was always there in the background, his presence felt even when he was still. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
A home upon his back#
Chaurli was a gigantic tortoise crowned by a great tree whose leaves were crimson red. The underside of his body held the house Freya had built, a symbiosis between the two: in return for safety from the dangers of the forest she gave him a place to rest, and her hearth warmed his body through the colder seasons. Smaller tortoise-like creatures that look a bit like him live in Vanaheim, though the games never say where he came from. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
He was first encountered after the disastrous boar hunt that Kratos and Atreus undertook, when their quarry proved to be Freya's friend Hildisvini, a warrior of the Vanir. Carrying the wounded boar to Freya's home, she called out and Chaurli rose from the earth, a sight that filled the young Atreus with awe. Inside, Freya used her knowledge of herbs and Vanir magic to save the warrior's life. (God of War (2018))
Through the journey#
Throughout their travels Kratos and Atreus returned to Freya's home from time to time, whether for her aid or simply to look in on their friend, and Chaurli was always present in the background. When Mimir asked Kratos to behead him, the two brought the severed head to Freya so that she might reanimate it. Later, desperate to save Atreus, Kratos rushed back to her doorstep, and Freya called Chaurli to rise once more so that Kratos could take a boat home in search of a weapon from his past, while her magic and the tortoise's shelter kept the boy safe from the pursuing Aesir. (God of War (2018))
Abandonment and return#
During Fimbulwinter, a grief-stricken and vengeful Freya, having lost her son Baldur, abandoned Chaurli and left him to die, his hearth gone cold after years of neglect. After fleeing from his father, Atreus found himself in the Sanctuary Grove and was horrified to discover the tortoise near death. He managed to rekindle the fire, saving Chaurli's life. After Ragnarok, Kratos and Freya travelled to see him, and Freya apologised, offering no excuse for what she had done. Chaurli allowed her back into her former home but made it clear she would have to earn his trust again. The warrior Birgir soon settled there to retire, a companion Freya welcomed, knowing he would keep Chaurli company. (God of War Ragnarök)
Frequently asked questions
- What is Chaurli in God of War?
- Chaurli was a gigantic tortoise with a great tree growing from his shell, who lived in the Sanctuary Grove of Midgard. He sheltered the goddess Freya during her confinement there, carrying her home upon his back, and in return she built a dwelling beneath him.
- How are Chaurli and Freya connected?
- Chaurli sheltered Freya while she was confined to the forests of Midgard, unable to escape the Aesir. The underside of his body held the house Freya had constructed, a symbiosis in which he gave her safety and her hearth warmed his body in the colder seasons.
- What happened to Chaurli during Fimbulwinter?
- During the long winter of Fimbulwinter, a grief-stricken and vengeful Freya abandoned Chaurli after the loss of Baldur, and his hearth went out. Atreus later found him near death in the Sanctuary Grove and rekindled the fire, saving his life.
Sources
- GameGod of War (2018), Santa Monica Studio, 2018
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Atreus (Loki): Kratos's Son and the Truth of His Name
Atreus was the son of Kratos and the Jotunn Faye, born in Midgard and given the hidden name Loki. Across two great journeys he grew from a sickly boy into the prophesied champion of the Giants, the god of mischief whose fate was bound to Ragnarok.
Baldur: the god who could feel nothing
Freya's spell made Baldur invulnerable but stripped every sensation from him, and a century of numbness drove him mad. Kratos killed him beside Thamur's corpse.
Birgir
Birgir was a Midgardian warrior and former Traveler who discovered that the Path he served was a lie of Odin, and forsook his brethren to fight for the Vanir. Branded a heretic, he became a loyal ally of Freyr in the resistance against Asgard.
Fimbulwinter: the three-year winter
Fimbulwinter was the three-year winter that began with Baldur's death and ended with Ragnarok. Being magical, it weakened curses across the Nine Realms.
Freya
Freya was the Vanir goddess of love, war, and magic who married Odin to end the Aesir-Vanir War and was cursed to remain in Midgard. Once the Witch of the Woods, she aided Kratos and Atreus, swore vengeance after the death of her son Baldur, and at last turned her wrath on Odin himself.
Hildisvini
Hildisvini was a Vanir god, master archer, and advisor to Freya. Exiled to Midgard in the form of a boar, he was first encountered as Freya's wounded companion before later returning to his human shape to join the resistance against Odin.
Mentioned in5 entries
Birgir
Birgir was a Midgardian warrior and former Traveler who discovered that the Path he served was a lie of Odin, and forsook his brethren to fight for the Vanir. Branded a heretic, he became a loyal ally of Freyr in the resistance against Asgard.
Council of Valkyries: The Hidden Throne Circle of Midgard
The Council of Valkyries, known in the old tongue as the Rocstoll aff Valkyrs, was a secluded council chamber in Midgard where the Valkyries met in private, away from the eyes of Odin. Left ruined and abandoned after the All Father cursed the sisterhood, it became the place where Kratos and Atreus summoned and slew Queen Sigrun, and later the campsite from which a vengeful Freya hunted them through Fimbulwinter.
Hildisvini
Hildisvini was a Vanir god, master archer, and advisor to Freya. Exiled to Midgard in the form of a boar, he was first encountered as Freya's wounded companion before later returning to his human shape to join the resistance against Odin.
Huginn and Muninn
Huginn and Muninn were a pair of ravens who served as the personal spies of Odin, flying across the Nine Realms to bring him word of all that passed. Bound to the All-Father's will and granted speech and unnatural speed, the two were among the few creatures Odin truly cherished.
Witch's Sanctuary: the hidden grove of Freya
The Witch's Sanctuary was a concealed garden region of Midgard, hidden behind a living wall of roots and warmed against the winter outside. It was the home of Freya, the Witch of the Woods, who dwelt there beneath the shell of the giant tortoise Chaurli, and it was where Kratos and Atreus first met her while hunting the boar Hildisvini.
Get new articles in your inbox
No spam. New lore drops, canon conflicts, and deep dives only when they’re worth reading.
Some links on Lore Fortress are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.