A Tale of Gods and Giants

The Nine Worlds

An Introduction.

In Norse myth, there was only Ice and Fire, and between them, the void; Ginungagap.
And where the firest of Muspell, and the ice of Nifl met stood a great cow; Auðumbla.
And at her udders fed the largest being the North had ever seen; the original Jötunn, Ymir.
Auðumbla fed on a block of salt where fire and ice collided.
And from that block, she licked forth Búri; ancestor of all the gods.

What Norse myth does not tell, is of how Auðhumbla and Ymir ended up in the North.
They came from the South, from a place called Olympos.
Ymir was of the Titánes and ruled over the Earth and Cold.
But when a young Titán named Kronos, overthrew their leader; Ouranos,
Ymir fled Northway with his cattle.
Alas, only Auðumbla survived.

Ginungagap wasn't just a vast space of nothingness.

There were hills, rivers, rocks, and mountains.

But it was barren and lifeless.

When Ymir and Auðumbla arrived, the great Ice had only just subsided

Leaving a vast wasteland of nothing.

And so it would remain for hundreds of years.

Then came the first Æsir tribe. Led by Búri the Fatherly.

Life for the first Æsir was rough and battle-worn.

For Ymir's children cared not for the newcomers.

Generations passed, and the war broke out.

Led by Burr, ancestor of Búri

Burr took a Jötunn for wife, Bestla.

And they had three sons:

Oðinn, Vili, and Vé.

Upon Burr's death, his sons slew the father Jötunn, Ymir.

And once Ymir fell, his earthly powers seeped into the very soil.

His blood gave way to vast fields of green,

His bones grew forests,

His flesh made bushes and flowers.

In myth, Oðinn, Vili, and Vé made Earth of Ymir's corpse.

And then the Æsir founded Ásgarðr, the home of the Æsir.

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But soon the other races came. First, the Alfar emerged from under the ground.

As if they had been there before Ymir came, then hid from his kin.

Some were tall and ethereal - they were the Ljósálfar

Others donned blackened skin - they were the Avartálfar

And others were foul and impish - they were the Myrkálfar and Dökkálfar

And then came from the East came a people close to nature with strange magics.

They were the Vanr, and they did battle the Æsir for long a time.

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Fire and Ice, and That Which Lies Between



1. Niflheimr

To the North, there was Niflheimr - a land full of ice and snow.
Eleven rivers pour through Niflheimr, each spewing toxic mists into the cold air.
Élivágar are they called. And their names are;

Svǫl, Gunnthrá, Fimbulþul, Fjǫrm, Slidr, Hríd, Sýlgr, Ylgr, Víð, Leiptr, and Gjǫll.
And they all spring from Hvergelmir.

Niflheimr is the home of the Rimtursar - the strongest of the large Jötnar.
Other Jötnar races live here too - such as the Vindratursar and Fjatlatursar.

Niflheimr was shrouded in myth and legend.
No man walked here still living long.

For only the Jötnar and Aesir could brave this harsh climate.

Niflheimr is also the home to Helheimr; the realm of the dead,
and to Niflhel, the hall of Helreginn where the keeper of the dead, Hel, resides.

It is also here that the dreaded Nástrǫnd is located.

The world of Niflheimr is said to ba ancient, from before the Æsir and Vanr.

From a time when the primordial nature spirit Ymir roamed the land.

Ymir, the father of all Jötunkin.

Niflhel.

If you were to venture into Niflheimr, it is likely you'd come across Niflhel.

Niflhel was a great mountain which held the entrance to Helheimr.

It is here that Hel resides.

Through the pass between the peaks runs Gjǫll,

and above it goes Gjallarbrú, and is guarded by Móðguðr.

Móðguðr is a Rimtursa, and she is a gentle but mighty warrior.

Past Niflhel, you reach Gnipahellir, the entrance to Helheimr.

Bearing the visage of a cave, it is here that Garmr is fettered by the gods.

Garmr guards the passage so that no living may enter, or dead may leave without Hel's permission.

Some say that to pass Garmr, you must feed him a sample of your blood,

Just like Tyr lost his hand when the Æsir bound him.

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Helheimr

Despite its gloomy atmosphere, Helheimr is not a terrible place.

The dead do here, what they did in life. And so will they continue come Ragnarök.

Helheimr is a valley in Niflheimr so deep that some parts never see the light of day.

But it is indeed a serene place at times. Rolling mists cover large villages and vast fields.

And although the Jötnar fights hard to keep the dead in this realm, the gods often cause them trouble.

The Æsir and Vanr learned powerful magic to bring the spirits back from Helheimr.

And if they were quick enough, they could lure the souls to Ásgarðr instead of Helheimr

If there's one place that strikes terror in the hearts of all, it is Nástrǫnd.
Nástrǫnd lies just beyond Niðafjöll where the righteous live.
Nástrǫnd is where those who did evils in life end up.
There, souls wade in venom in houses made of serpent bones.
This is where the unrighteous work and suffer to sustain Helheimr.
In death, the wicked are forced to work for the good as punishment.

Niðafjöll is a beautiful mountain range, bordering Svartálfheimr in the East
Here those who were kind and righteous live in beautiful villages adorned with gold.
In the caves below rests the fearsome dragon Níðhǫggr.
The dragon comes forth to spew venom on the souls of the wicked in Nástrǫnd

Élivágar

This is the home of the Keeper of the Dead, Hel, the Helreginn.
She is the daughter of Lóki and Ángrbóða.
Hel lets few enter her abode, and past the threshold is Fallandaforad.
A trapdoor that leads to her dungeon.
There are four seats in Élivágar.
Two large at the front, and two past them to the sides.
These are reserved for Hel and her mate, Baldur,
and her mother and father, Ángrbóða and Lóki.

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2. Svartálfheimr

To the East of Niflheimr lies Svartálfheimr, charred and blackened by the toxic fumes of Nifl.
It is home to the beautiful Svartálfar whose skin is as black as the soil upon which they live.
Svartálfheimr is likely one of the oldest kingdoms, and the people even older.
Some say the Svartálfar lived here before even Ymir.
And when the giant took the land, the Álfar went into hiding.

Svartálfheimr is home to three peoples. The Svartálfar, the Dökkálfar, and the Myrkálfar.
They live in relative harmony where the Svartálfar dwell on the surface,
And the other two dwell in caves.

The Svartálfar live in small huts and shallow caves, all hidden in a layer of black soil.
Like the Ljósálfar, the Svartálfar are beautiful and tall.
But their skin is blackened to better blend with the charred environment.
Here reigns Hár, the High. Whom is known for being very tall.

Niðavellir.

Niðavellir is the home of the Dökkálfar, excellent craftsmen.

The Dökkálfar are foul and impish, and have greyish skin.

And they are also called Dvergi.

And they are favoured by the Aesir.

Most famous of the Dökkálfar are Brokkr and Eitri;

Creators of Gullinbursti, the golden bristled mechanical boar,

The golden armring Draupnir which was able to replicate itself each night.

And Mjǫllnir, the short-handled thunder hammer.

It is Hreiðmarr who reigns here, and he is known to have fathered the Álfar-turned-dragon; Fafnir

Myrkheim.

Myrkheim is the home of the Myrkálfar, master craftsmen.

The Myrkálfar were not as horrid as the Dökkálfar yet not as beautiful as the Svartálfar.

They are not honoured by any, but favoured by the Jötnar.

Most famous of the Myrkálfar were the sons of Ivaldi;

Creators of Skíðblaðnir, the foldable ship - grandest of all,

The spear that never missed its mark Gungnir,

And the ever-growing golden hair of Sif.

Sindri rules here, and he is known for having built the golden Hall of Sindri in Niðafjöll

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3. Álfheimr.

Most beautiful of all the areas of Yggdrasil was Álfeheimr.

It was the home of the Ljósálfar, the most ethereal beings of the North

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4. Ásgarðr

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Muspelheimr

To the South lies Muspelheimr, the world of fire and blaze.
Only blazing hot fire is found here. Blackened mountains spewing glowing lava.
This is where the Eldtursar live, the sons of Muspel.
Ruling them is Surtr, one of the oldest beings in Yggdrasil.
He has a sword that blazes such a hot red, one could think it was the sun.
Ásadrepnir he called it. The Æsir-killer.

Surtr does not rule alone.
At his side is Sinmara.

LOKE

Loke was born from the Jötnar.

 His mother was Laufey,

 the patron of dry leaves and branches, 

- the leftovers of nature in fall.

His father was Farbauti, 

the patron of lightning bolts, 

- the creator of wildfires.

And then there was Loki himself, 

the Jötunn patron of wildfires. 

Spreading his chaotic nature 

across the nine realms. 

"And so I dined with fire, ironic as is."

Yet, 'though fire burns - it is also a saviour.

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Loke was never evil, nor did he mean ill.
He was witty and quick, and he used his wits for good.
But what is good intent when those who watch see but chaos?

He's gone from brother of the Gods,
To bringer of end times.

A villain, not by choice, but circumstance.
A hero destined to end all things.

The brother who brought Ragnarök.

Do You Know Who I Am?

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Loke was born pure Jötunkin. Direct descendant of Ymir the Great.

As man he mostly walked, but feared not female form.

Born when giants fought, yet never old.

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Taller than most of mortal man, yet little for a giant.

A pale complexion paints his skin, with darkened marks to show his kin.

But eyes glow green, and hair burns bright.

And thirteen marks around his lips, show scars as payment for his wits.

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"Loki was certainly not evil, although he was not a force for good. Loki was... complicated". - Neil Gaiman

Loke is a Jötun, an ancient race of shape-shifting giants related to the Titans

and Olympians of olden Greece.

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Although originally male, Loke has no specific gender identity.

But he's grown accustomed to being a male as that was what the kin of Asgård preferred.

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Not even Loke himself could keep track of how old he is,

but he knows he was the second last generation of Jötnar.

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Loke is 198 cm (6'6"), which makes him very tall even by today's standards.

But he can technically change his body mass to become bigger or smaller.

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His entire body is covered with Jötnar tattoos which glow when using stronger magics.

He also boasts several runic tattoos that form different spells.

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The skin around his eyes is darker than the rest due to scarring after having venom

constantly dripping into his eyes for centuries.

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Like most Jötnar, Loki also has a tail.

But due to habits, he keeps it tucked away most of the time.

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He also boasts pointed ears, much like elves, as well as a pair of curved horns.

Horns are not a common feature among Jötnar though.

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When it comes to pleasures of the flesh, Loke is rather shallow.

He doesn't care what species it is, as long as it's good-looking.

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He is very witty, but not always wise.

And his quick thinking can be both a strength and a weakness.

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Loke also has a weakness for striking deals with others.

A sort of gambling addiction almost. One that doesn't always benefit him.

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He's honest about being dishonest, but he never lies beside a few white little ones.

He likes to distort the truth and trick people into misinterpreting him.

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Loke is also a very talented pyromancer. His gift of fire is unique and powerful.

And he's had issues with pyromania in the past.

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He also owns a spear - Laevateinn which was given to him by his mother, Laufey.

It is forged from mistletoe, and was used to kill Baldur. It was also once stolen by Sinmara.

Trickster or Saviour?

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When the Aesir of the South and the Vanir of the East immigrated into greater Scandinavia,
there were many feuds between them, which eventually included the Jötnar.
Both the Vanir and the Aesir saw themselves as higher beings,
while they viewed the Jötnar as primitive savages.
This lead to the creation of Utgård - the hidden capital of Jötunheimr.
Through powerful ancient magic, the king of Jötunheimr - Loki, hid the city from prying eyes.
Only when Utgårda-Loki wanted the city to be found, could one see it from the outside.
In Utgård, the Jötnar prospered in peace.

Eventually, the Aesir and Vanir ended their war through a marriage
between the king of Asgård - Odin, and the queen of Vanaheimr - Freyja.
And once they joined forces, they began eradicating Jötnar across the land,
driving them into hiding.
Only Utgård, the Iron Woods, Muspelheimr, and Niflheimr remained safe for the Jötnar.
Utgårda-Loki prepared for the worst, gathering the remaining Jötnar at Utgård.
But a witful young Jötnar - the son of the lightning bringer Farbauti, a respected warrior,
and Nål, or Laufey, the slender beauty of the Iron Woods - soon came into the picture.
He was named after the great king himself.
He was a strong Eldturse, with a silver tongue and the slyness of a fox.

His name was Loke - he who roars like a raging fire.
This young newcomer advised the king against battle,
to instead strike a chord with Odin to end the dispute.
And Loke was thus sent to Asgård to speak to the king of the Aesir.
And indeed, a silver tongue can be worth gold tenfold.

Then-wise Odin and Loke became as brothers.
Through bond by blood, they shared equal wit and wisdom.
And no more would Jötunkind be hunted down like bushmeat.

Betrayal Sparks a Flame

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Most are familiar with the tale of how Loke came
With the sons of Muspel from across the sea
Accompanied by his monstrous brood
And laid waste to both Man and God.

Yet stories are like trees.
The older the grow,
the more it branches out
further from the root.

Þurs er kvenna kvöl

ok kletta búi

ok varðrúnar verr

Once, someone had a glimpse of a terrible future.

Once, someone looked to stop it.

Once, someone caused a greater terror.

Once, greet let gods asunder.

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"From North comes Hrym
And lifts his shield.
Jörmungandr rolls
In giant's wrath,
The serpent strikes the waves,
The Eagle screams,
He tears the corpses.
Naglfar is loose.

From East comes ships,
The sons of Muspell aboard,
They sail over seas,
And Loki steers.
The brood of monster,
Are all with the Wolf.
And the brother of Byleist
Fares with them."


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Sometimes the greatest stories have the smallest beginnings.

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And this story began with a dream.

A dream of Baldur´s death.

Baldur the favourite.

Baldur the beautiful.

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Upon a nightmare heard,
Allfather Oðdin fearful went
To edge of mortal realm near Hel
Where wisest of woman he summon would.

A way to stop dear Baldur's death,
Wanderer Oðin would never get.

And more than what he asked, he got
When woman told him of a plot.

Revealed was woman as Loki´s lover,
Ángrboðda the mother of monstrous brood.

Of doom, she told Allfather wise,
And end of Aesir power might.

Back to Aesir council, Oðin went,
And spoke of woman's doom event.

But worried Loki never was,
for he had plans to help the Gods.

To Freyja wife of Oðin, Loki said;
Out in world for pleading head.

And Freyja asked each live and dead,
To please not harm poor Baldur's head.


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Never did Loke mean any harm to the other Gods.
Though hated by Freyja for his unorthodox ways,
Loki always tried his best to help.

Though he was not opposed to a couple pranks,
and he was like all things prone to jealousy.

But never would he have wished harm upon anyone.

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And so each rock, and beast and tree,
To never harm the boy agreed.

And so did water, flame and steel,

To cause Baldur harm they did repeal.

And so did poison never to begot.

But there were some dear Freyja forgot.

Who are the Jötnar?

The Jötnar were the original inhabitants of Northern Europe and Scandinavia
before humans had settled there. They were the children of Ymir
- an enormous giant and offspring of the Titanides of Southern Europe.

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Many confuse the Jötnar with giants, and although related,
the Jötnar were shapeshifters and could change their body mass at will.
The Jötnar were also guardians of natural aspects.

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The Jötnar are known under several names:
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Jötnar
Trolls
Thurs
Tursar
Risi
Thurinan
Etunaz
Iaeti
Risar
Gygr
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Originally there were only two families; the Rimtursar of Nifelheimr - the land of ice and mist,
and the Eldtursar of Musplelheimr - the land of fire and smoke.
The North was inhospitable until the Aesir came to be.
The Aesir were the first humans who ventured up North through Great Germania
to uncover the ancient magics of Scandinavia,
and when they killed Ymir, the Jötun's flesh gave life to the soil.
And from it, new families arose:
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The Skautursar of the great Iron Woods - lords of that which grows,
The Thrumtursar of the Thundering Clouds - masters of the mountains and clouds,
The Vargatursar of Jötnar's Home - mistresses of all beasts,
The Vatnatursar of the Great Water - rulers of the rivers, lakes, and oceans,
The Vindratursar of the Grey Skies - kings of the Northern winds,
and the Fjatlatursar of the Deep Grottos - keepers of the rocks and caves.

And along with the Rimtursar of the Mist Home - protectors of the snow and ice,
And the Eldtursar of Fire Mountains - guardians of the flame,

they form the 8 elements of the North;

Plantlife
Storms
Animals
Water
Winds
Earth
Ice
and Fire.

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