Jötnar are often translated as “giants”, although great size is neither their only nor a necessary feature. They embody powers beyond divine and human order while also serving as ancestors, spouses, and sources of knowledge for gods.
Dwarfs make Mjǫllnir, Gungnir, and other precious objects. Texts associate them with stone, earth, skill, and dangerous bargains; dwarfs, dark elves, and other beings cannot be cleanly separated in every source.
Elves, dísir, norns, and land spirits appear across very different genres. Some are collectives without individual stories; others receive names and roles. A modern bestiary therefore creates more order than the tradition contains.
Terms change in translation. “Giant”, “elf”, and “spirit” carry modern expectations. Hrafnspeki uses them for orientation while retaining Old Norse names where distinctions matter.