The realm of Asgard was the largest[3] and most well-known[7] of the divine realms of the first layer of Ysgard and the home of the Norse pantheon.[3][6][7] It was one of the homes of the Faerûnian god Tyr.[5][8][11]
Description[]
Asgard was composed of numerous domains, some of which were the size of empires by Material Plane standards. Thus, the entire land mass of Asgard covered thousands of miles and occupied a massive earthberg.[3] The whole realm was surrounded by an immense wall 40 feet (12 meters) thick and 80 feet (24 meters) high, and it included several gates.[5]
One of the special supernatural properties of Asgard was that anyone dying there—in a heroic manner—would be resurrected on the following morning—even a visitor.[5][7]
Repairs for weapons and armor were cheaper in Asgard than elsewhere in the planes of existence, but magical items tended to be more expensive.[5]
Asgard was a land of vast wilderness and oceans.[12] It was covered with mountains, plains, forests, lakes, and rivers.[7]
The gods of Asgard lived in estates and halls of nearly unfathomable size, and petitioners were welcome to enter and to feast and celebrate within.[7]
Cosmography[]
Usually, Asgard bordered the realms of Alfheim,[3] Jotunheim,[3][12] and Vanaheim.[3] The Iving River served as the border between Asgard and Jotunheim.[5]
The Bifrost, an interplanar means of travel to the Prime Material plane, was also located in Asgard,[3][12][7] and the interplanar tree Yggdrasil had branches here.[3]
Climate[]
The gods of Asgard magically controlled its weather such that it mimicked the gloomy light of northern climates and had powerful winters.[3] The other seasons were also extreme.[5]
Inhabitants[]
All of the Aesir, one of the two groups of the Norse pantheon, had homes in Asgard, including Odin the All-Father and Tyr, who was also the Faerûnian god of justice.[5][7][8][11]
The petitioners of Asgard were primarily former humans.[2] Most of them were battle-loving warriors, and the greatest among them became the einheriar.[5] The famous Valkyries were responsible for escorting these bravest fallen into Asgard for their afterlives.[5] Among native individuals, or "planars", most were members of the faction known as the Fated.[5]
Asgard was also home to moon dogs, atomies, buckawns, valley elves, grugach, korred, jackals, squirrels, black bears, giant ravens, falcons, tigers, spriggans, and galeb duhr.[13]
Notable Locations[]
- Mount Joy
- The tallest peak of Asgard, which had been flattened.[3]
- Gladsheim
- Located on Mount Joy, this massive hall of Odin's was the feasting hall of the entire Norse pantheon.[3][5][7]
- Valaskialf
- Another of Odin's halls.[3][5][7]
- Thrudheim
- The domain of Thor and his wife Sif.[3][5]
- Vingolf
- The domain of Odin's wife Frigga.[3]
- Breidablik
- The domain of Baldur.[3][5]
- Plain of Ida
- A field between Bifrost and the hall of Gladsheim.[3][5][9][10]
- Plain of Vigrid
- A field between Bifrost and the walls of Asgard.[3][5]
- Iving River
- Asgard's largest river, it was magically warm, such that it was impossible for it to ever freeze.[5]
- Lake Amsvartnir
- A lake just outside of Asgard.[5]
- Ydalir
- The domain of Uller.[3]
- Landvidi
- The domain of Vidar, a land of tall grasses and young trees.[3][5]
- Glitnir
- The domain of Forseti.[3][5]
- Valhalla
- The home of the einheriar and the valkyries and the third of Odin's three halls.[3][5][7][12]
- Himinborg
- A town located on the border of the realm,[4][9] it was the largest population center of the entire layer.[10][14]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 105. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 108. ISBN 1560768746.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 94–97. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 David "Zeb" Cook, Robert Lazzaretti (1994). Planescape Campaign Setting, Map: Planescape Cosmographical Tables. Edited by David Wise. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 978-1560768340.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), pp. 111–113. ISBN 1560768746.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Monte Cook (1996). The Planewalker's Handbook. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR), p. 25. ISBN 978-0786904600.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 169. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 90–92. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (September 2000). Dungeon Master's Guide 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 158. ISBN 978-0786915514.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 148–149. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 98. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ Rod Stevenson (September 1985). “The Norse Planes of Gladsheim”. In Keith Thomson ed. Imagine #30 (TSR UK Ltd.) (30)., p. 37.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 114. ISBN 1560768746.