Summoning the Valkyrie

The early origin of the Valkyrie was that of a corpse goddess, represented by the carrion-eating raven. The name- Valkyrja in Old Norse- means, "Chooser of the slain."
The Valkyrie is related to the Celtic warrior-goddess, the Morrigan, who may also assume the form of the raven.
Midway between the third and eleventh centuries, the Valkyrie began assuming a more benign role.
Small amulets and pictures on memorial stones begin to depict the figure of the beautiful woman welcoming the deceased hero with a horn of mead to the afterlife. Valkyries are usually represented as blonde, blue eyed and fair skinned. They wear scarlet Armour and carry shields and spears.
By this later time, the Valkyries, as demigoddesses of death, had their legend combined with the folklore motif of the swan maiden (young girls who are able to take on the form of a swan, sometimes as the result of a curse). If one could capture and hold a swan maiden, or her feathered cloak, one could extract a wish from her. This is why Valkyries were sometimes known as swan maidens or wish maidens.
The Valkyrie carry out the will of Odin in determining the victors of battle, and the course of war. Their primary duty is to choose the bravest of those who have been slain, gathering the souls of dying heroes or warriors found deserving of afterlife in Valhalla. They scout the battle ground in search of mortals worthy of the grand hall. If you are deemed by the Valkyries as un-worthy of the hall of Valhalla you will be received after death by the goddess Hel in a cheerless underground world. The Valkyrie also have duties in the great hall. There, they exchange their armour for pure white robes, and will serve the warriors they have chosen.