Helheim
The land of ice and wind, Helheim is constantly plagued by hordes of vengeful spirits who are known as the Malvirta. These spirits are of people who died either unclean or unsatisfactory deaths, or individuals who were so foul in life that the Valkyries leave them here and let them fight themseves to the death. While Muspelheim is a land of fire and brimstone and associated with the typical thoughts of a hell-like world, Helheim is actually Eonian hell.
They constantly fight one another in an endless cycle of violence and desperation, with some of them trying to find a way back to Eon's Midgard, or even escaping into other realms. To prevent them from doing so, The Valkyries are tasked with ensuring no spirits escape into the world of living and cause terror to people.
While it's impossible for mortals to visit Helheim, it's ill advised to go there unless a person positively needs to go there. Besides the danger of being attacked by the Malvirta, the temperature can be a whopping -375 degrees Fahrenheit (~-226 Celsius). Even the best of armor can crack under the cold, and long exposure in Helheim can result in a person becoming a Malvirta and staying.
Geography
Helheim is a very gloomy place, with the land being made of both industrial land using asphalt and cement, but also caked in a thick, teal ice that can freeze anything unable to withstand it. While there are buildings and structures set in Helheim, the buildings are haphazard and misplaced, with them being ancient structures of what Eon used to have before Ragnarok. The ice encasing some of the buildings give off this depressing energy, almost like it wants for time to forget the buildings ever existed. The landscape is treacherous with its large stalagmites constantly growing large towers of ice - some of them growing into massive mountain structures throughout the realm. Sometimes the mountains get so big, they cut through the clouds, and cause a specific mist that may encase the top of the mountain.
The sky is a foul, tealish-grey tone that seems to stretch on for infinity, and makes the already gloomy and depressiong atmosphere much more worse and fearful. The sun, which is the same one from Eon, can be seen in the sky set in an eternal position to provide light, but that doesn't do well for people or Malvirta trying to hide from other Malvirta.
A large, forever cold ocean dotted with massive ice bergs are broken up with floating islands of ice that seemingly have no fauna life. Some of these islands have chains connecting them to one another, and it's thought to be reminiscent of the Celestial realm with how the islands connect to one another. Dead bramble created from both the magical energy of Helheim's ice and the malicious energy from the Malvirta spring up everywhere around the realm, and may block off specific areas. None of the Malvirta are able to burn it away, and only the Divines and Valkyries know how to take care of it - of course electing not to, as it acts as natural gates to keep things out when necessary.
History
Helheim is nigh-inaccessible to the living, thus making itg that the mortal realm likely doesn't believe in its existence. However, there have been instances throughout history that prove it's real. It's been recorded that some people who die and come back to life do so in a state of shock and horror, reacting the mortal realm as if they're under attack. When they calm down, they speak of a terrible place covered in snow and ice that's constantly being battered by howling winds. This place is full of horrible, malevolent spirits who actively seek out violence against each other, and these individuals often draw their attention. The consistency among theses tales have effectively convinced the people of Eon that the afterlife does indeed exist, and Helheim is where the wicked go when they die - if it's not them being directly brought to Muspelheim for torture.
In reality, it's not only the wicked who are sent to Helheim. Also subject to this afterlife of torment and terror are people who have died unclean or unsatisfactory deaths, such as people who place curses on others when they die, or people who do not accept how they died. There are also those who actively misrepresented or misconstrued the whims and actions of the Divines, and individuals assocaited with the Divine Light. People who warp the teachings of the Blessed are shown no mercy and immediately condemned to Helheim, no matter how devout they were in life. It is widely believed that King Nath was sent to Helheim when he finally died, and that his soul is among the most hounded there, due to how he warped the Divine teachings.
There are very rare cases of people willingly venturing into Helheim. However, one does not just easily enter Helheim. Only with a morbid crystal and the location of a great tragedy can one gain access, and it's incredibly ill-advised to go without proper preparation. The reasoning behind this is usually for the sake of expedition and research, with some scientists wanting to find ways to enter Helheim through use of ancient magi-tecks.. This includes magical protection from the horrendous wind chill and biting snow and ice, as well as some form of protection against the Malvirta, the aforementioned wicked spirits that roam the realm in droves. These expeditions are often ill-fated, with roughly 95% of them ending in disaster.
Nobody has been able to go into Helheim without ending up in tragedies. There's even a superstition of Hraesvlger's Curse, where if someone makes it back from Helheim, they meet their end in vicious ways.
Alternative Name(s)
Hell, Land of Ice
Type
Dimensional, Pocket
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners
Owning Organization
