Muspelheim

**Muspelheim** was the fiery second oldest realm of The Nine.It is the homeworld of the Eldjötnar (fire giants) or the "sons of Muspell", and Surtr (Surtur), their ruler. Muspelheim is fire; and the land to the North, Niflheimr, is ice. The two mixed and created water from the melting ice in Ginnungagap, from which Ymir was born. Fire is one of the four elements and two energies that make up the known universe and more than any other element has fascinated sentient beings since the beginning of time. The flickering of a candle, the spark of a flint and steel, or the dying embers of a campfire, all have the potential to grow and engulf the world in flame—can a drop of water, a breath of air, or a mote of dust do the same? Elemental fire is pure flame that does not require air or fuel to burn and can take on a solid, liquid, or gaseous state, yet it will ignite and consume anything flammable and unprotected from fire.

## Descriptions

Arriving on the Plane of Fire was like stepping into the flaming maw of an ancient red dragon; if one didn't have protection or immunity from temperatures high enough to melt stone then death was swift. The following discussion assumes a visitor and all their clothing and gear had this capability and either did not need to breathe or could compensate for a superheated, often toxic atmosphere that could immolate one from the inside.

The weather in Muspelheim was also deadly. Rains of hot ash moved about like thunderstorms, threatening those on or near the ground with hot embers and blinding ash. Those in the air had to watch out for clouds of superheated steam blowing around and condensing scalding water on exposed surfaces. The water quickly evaporated and the cycle began anew. Easier to avoid but just as deadly were the rivers of magma and "firefalls". Matter from other planes either evaporated, burned to ash, or melted into magma. Magma mixed with elemental fire formed a rapidly moving, incredibly hot slurry that coursed around the terrain and occasionally cascaded over a cliff edge to create a firefall, often manifesting an elemental vortex in the spectacular display.

With a guide, a traveler could approach the borders with the other planes, where the smoke finally choked out the fire, or the fire became nothing but cold ash, or the molten earth absorbed the fire, or the radiance ultimately outshone the fire.

### Turninn á Eldvatin

One famous refuge from the destructive heat was the City of Turninn á Eldvatin, home of the Eldjötnar. At the will of Surtr, Lord of Fire, the city was protected from the pervasive smoke and flames, and visitors enjoyed unrestricted vision and uncomfortable yet tolerable temperatures but walls and surfaces were still hot enough to burn unprotected flesh on contact. The city sat in a bowl of golden brass 40 miles (64 kilometers) in diameter that floated about the plane or hovered over a huge disk of obsidian that was cracked from the heat. Architecture included soaring towers, grand minarets, and everything from tool sheds to palaces made of brass. The treasure vaults of Surtr, and his wrath at any who attempted to acquire even a single piece, were legendary.

## Connections

There are several permanent connections the the World Tree within Muspelheim.

The city of Brinnan'dorn in Alfheim held a permanent gateway to Muspelheim called The Rift of Flame. Long ago, the Ljósálfar built a city around the portal, guarding it to maintain balance and protect the world from energies and elementals of the Fire Plane.