Niffleheim (Earth-616)

## Niffleheim

**Niffleheim** was one of the Ten Realms connected to Yggdrasil. Niffleheim, according to Asgardian legend, was one of the first realms to be created from the void known as Ginnungagap. According to Asgardian legend, Niffleheim was the source of life for the Ten Realms, with Ymir being born from the ice there along with his brood the Ice Giants, and Buri who would be the progenitor for both the Aesir and the Vanir. If Niffleheim is indeed the source of life for Asgardians and their peers, then it is ironic that Niffleheim would become the realm of the dead hosting those who died without honor or distinction and included the lands of Hel and Nastrond.

## History

### Creation of the Universe

According to Asgardian legend, Niffleheim was created in the northern part of Ginnungagap and was full of ice and water. In the absolute center of Niffleheim was Hvergelmir, a spring of icy water. Twelve rivers sourced from Hvergelmir, and these river met in the middle of Ginnungagap with rivers from Muspelheim which would combine and fill some of the abyss. From Niffleheim, the Ice Giant known as Ymir was born. From Ymir's body the rest of the Ice Giants were born, as well as a cow known as Audumbla who acted as the wet-nurse for the Ice Giants.

### Creation of the Aesir and Vanir

Later, the Aesir known as Buri was born from the ice of Niffleheim. Buri was spared by the Ice Giants, and Buri would take one as a wife and the two would have a children known as Bor, Mimir, and Njord. Bor would overtake his father and in turn married the Ice Giant Bestla who sired him children Cul, Vili, Ve, and Odin. Odin would in turn succeed Bor.

### Aesir-Ice Giant War

Odin despised the Ice Giants and organized with his brothers to defeat them. Their first target was Ymir and the brothers vanquished him. The blood of Ymir then created a vast ocean which exterminated all but two Ice Giants, Bergelmir and his wife. Asgardian Legend states that Odin and his brothers then used the remains of Ymir to create Midgard, before leaving Niffleheim behind for their own realm Asgard.

### Land of the Dead

With the Aesir and Vanir gone from the realm, Niffleheim became the realm of the dead as life began there, so would it return. Niffleheim would become the home of the revived Ice Giants in addition to the other giants that they begot (although they would eventually leave Niffleheim for their own realm Jotunheim), renegade trolls, and renegade Asgardians. The Asgardian known as Hela would be given governance of Niffleheim and thus became the Queen of the Dead, using the giant hound Garm as the guardian of the land, and creating a region known as Hel (or Helheim) to be the resting place of the dead. From this Hel was the realm of the dead, Niffleheim became the realm of the dishonorable dead, and Valhalla (which was in actuality part of Asgard however it seemed that it could be accessed from Hel) would be the realm of the honorable dead.

## Geography

Niffleheim was filled with mountains of ice, and rivers of ice. There were 12 rivers of ice which derived from Hvergelmir a fountain of frozen water in the center of the Realm. According to a map of Niffleheim there were several different regions and landmarks that were situated in the Realm.

### Regions

According to the map of Niffleheim, the major regions of Niffleheim were as follows

* **Hel**: Hel, also known as Helheim, is the most notable region of Niffleheim. Hel is the region that Hela ruled from and the region worked as the general afterlife for those who lived in the Ten Realms (although for humans there were several afterlives that were accessible depending on a person's religious beliefs). Hel can take several forms that are dependent on what Hela wants. Hel itself is not a place for punishing evildoers (it seems that evildoers are casted out of Hel into greater Niffleheim) but is just a place that the dead reside. It seems that the honorable dead are taken from Hel into Valhalla which is a remote part of Asgard.
* **Nastrond**: Nastrond is a coastal part of Niffleheim on the river Gjoll of Hel. A separate map of Asgard portrays Nastrond as being part of the Asgardian continent . It's probable that the writers/artists just forgot or didn't care, so I guess Nastrond can act as an access point between Asgard to Niffleheim. Nastrond is apparently a shore of corpses so it could be said that the dead go to Nastrond (or at least the wicked).

### Landmarks

Some notable landmarks in Niffleheim are

* **Hvergelmir**: Hvergelmir is a spring/fountain of water from which all life is sourced from, at least according to the legend.

## Governments

Several governments and nations were situated in Niffleheim.

* **Ice Giant Tribe**: Ymir and his progeny, the Ice Giants, were born in Niffleheim. The group seemed to have a tribal system of government with Ymir acting as King. The Ice Giants were destroyed by the Aesir at the end of the war, however they would rebuild.
* **Aesir**: The Aesir were born on Niffleheim, however they spent an undisclosed amount of time in the realm before leaving.
* **Rogue Trolls and Asgardians**: It is apparent that beings such as trolls and Asgardians moved to Niffleheim. This was an unknown number with unknown reasons and an unknown timeframe.
* **Hela's Kingdom**: Hela was given control of Niffleheim as a whole as she was given control of the dead. She seemed to spend most of her time in Hel rather than Niffleheim as a whole.