Category: Bloody Conquest References

Fig. 10: Vanaheimr

Fig. 9: Svartálfheimr

Fig. 8: Niflheimr

Fig. 7: Niðavellir

Fig. 6: Múspelheimr

Fig. 5: Midgard

Fig. 4: Jötunheimr

Fig. 3: Heven

Fig. 2: Asgard

Fig. 1: Álfheimr

These maps of the realms are included to provide reference for scales of distance and approximate locations. Many locations shown on these maps have had their names translated where adequate translations could be made.

Each of the realms has its own calendar, holy days, and festivals, and listing all of them would be a tome unto itself. For simplicity we are only including Asgard’s calendar and major holy and festival days.

No two calendars overlap, further complicating matters. Each realm has its own dates and ways of marking the years. On Asgard, the count of years is reset on the first Midwinter after a new king takes the throne. The years are numbered according to the reigning king’s number of years on the throne. For instance, we do not know when Øde was born, but he died in the 99th year of his reign, or in Øde’s 99th year. Because of this, a king will always take the throne in the year prior to his first year of reign, and thus Buri ascended to the throne in Øde’s 99th year.

Eras

Dark Times | Unknown. The period of time before Øde conquered the realms.

Øde’s Reign | 99 years

Months

• Mǫrsugr
• Þorri
• Góa
• Einmánuður
• Harpa
• Skerpla
• Sólmánuður
• Heyannir
• Tvímánuður
• Haustmánuður
• Gormánuður
• Ýlir

Each month contains 33 days, except for Mǫrsugr, which contains 35 days.

Days of the Week

• Mandag
• Tirsdag
• Onsdag
• Torsdag
• Fredag
• Lørdag
• Søndag

Festival Days

Midwinter | Mǫrsugr. The first day of the year, in the middle of dark winter. Before the adoption of Asgard’s calendars, most people measured ages and dates based on dark winters had passed. Traditionally, as well as today, it is celebrated with a feast.

Þorrablót | Þorri. Þorrablót is the day the suns return to the sky, bringing the first light of the year. Sacrifices to the Old Gods are made, and celebrations are held.

Dísablót | Góa. The start of the spring sowing, and a fertility festival honouring one’s mothers and grandmothers, and their mothers and grandmothers before. Also the first sign of days becoming longer than night.

Sigrblót | Harpa. The final twilight before the long summer. Sacrifices to the Old Gods are held, along with prayers for the coming harvest. Often accompanied with celebration and feast.

Midsummer | Sólmánuður. The midway point of the year, marked by celebration and feasts.

Freyfaxi | Heyannir. The first return of twilight and the start of the harvest. Often marked by celebration and feasts.

Vetrnætr | Haustmánuður. The final days of harvest, and the first signs of nights becoming longer than day. This is a day for feast, celebration, and prayer. Sacrifices are performed, from the year’s harvest, to ask the gods for a mild dark winter.

Einherjarblót | Gormánuður. The final day of sun before dark winter. Honours those fallen in battle and other honourable dead. Sometimes marked by feasts, but primarily a day of offering and prayer.

Countless other small festivals and feast days occur through the realm, but these eight are those officially recognised by the palace hofgoði.

This is not a comprehensive list of jarls throughout Yggdrasil’s history. The men and women listed here are included only if they were noteworthy enough to make it into this text.

The following is a list of kings and reigning queens of the Ten Realms. Queens are only listed on these pages if they ruled their realm, as it was a common practise for men to take multiple wives. Listing every queen to have been married to a king would only serve to create confusion.

Asgard

Øde | ? – Øde’s 99th Year. Asgard’s first king. Age at ascension unknown.

The following tables present information in an easy to read format for quick lookup. The information in these pages is presented in a condensed format. For more information, see the glossary or index.

This index lists every named figure, large and small, that appears in these texts. When known, full names are given, as well as any kennings, titles, and any other identifying information. You will find listed chapters where each individual is mentioned.

Henrik Holmkellsson | Æsir hofgoði and historian, responsible for penning The History of Øde’s Conquests.
42 Dark Times (est) – Øde’s 16th Year
(Before Øde’s Conquest)

Øde | Unclear heritage. Asgard’s first king, and Allfather of the Nine Realms.
? – Øde’s 99th Year
(Before Øde’s Conquest)

Here you will find a list of terms which remain untranslated, along with their definitions. You will also find information on places mentioned throughout these texts, and other broader concepts which may or may not have been translated. On the subject of translation, where there exists a reliable, accurate translation, the local word is used. In many instances, the local translation may still require some further clarification, which is also provided in this table.

Æsir | Asgardians of true birth and blood. Often synonymous with gods when used on Midgard.

Álfar | Also known as elves. A collective term for several races found on Álfheimr and Svartálfheimr, though most commonly used in relationship to Ljósálfar.

Álfheimr | The realm of the Ljósálfar, and one of two of the Ten Realms to follow a matriarchal society. Known for its deadly flora and lush forests.

Alþingi | The king’s court, consisting of all of his jarls and other important figures in the realm. The alþingi serves as a council, making policy and enforcing laws on the king’s behalf. While the king can overrule a decision made by the alþingi, the alþingi cannot overrule the king.

Angels | A disputed race, either belonging to the race of men, or a separate race entirely. Disproportionate birth rates lead to one boy for every 100 girls born. Recognisable by their wings.

Argr | See Ergi.

Asgard | The realm of the Æsir and Asgardians, and victim to some disputed ancient calamity. This realm is little more than the fractured remnants of a place that was much larger. It is the smallest of the Ten Realms, but no less powerful for it.

Asgardian | Inhabitants of Asgard, often used for those whose ancestors were also born on Asgard.

Brine Giant | A race native to Jötunheimr’s south. A sea-faring people, brine giants roam the waters like pirates, attacking any ships they come across. Brine giants are twice as tall as men, lacking the horns of frost and ice giants, and are often of fair skin.

Dark Elf | See Dökkálfar.

Dark Times | A period of several centuries before Øde’s Reign. Its true duration may never be known.

Dökkálfar | Inhabitants of Svartálfheimr, whose ancestors were also born on Svartálfheimr. Recognisable by their flesh of deep blues and violets. Often powerful sorcerers.

Dragon Gates | The entry and exit points of Dragon Lines. Two gates exist for each line, one on either connected realm.

Dragon Lines | A network of magical paths of disputed origin. These lines connect the realms, allowing travel between them via Dragon Gates. Each line connects two realms.

Dwarves | Inhabitants of Niðavellir, whose ancestors were also born on Niðavellir. Half the height of men, dwarves are a sturdy race who make their homes under ground. Both dwarven men and women grow beards.

Eastern Jötnar | A disputed race from Jötunheimr. Some consider the Eastern Jötnar giants, while others consider these people men. Eastern Jötnar resemble men in height and stature.

Eldjötunn, Eldjötun | Plural Eldjötnar, Eldjötuns. Inhabitants of Múspelheimr, whose ancestors were also born on Múspelheimr.

Elf | See Álfar.

Elves of the Vale | The name given to Ljósálfar living in a large, central vale on Álfheimr.

Ergi | Also, Argr. Disgraced men who have fallen to the bottom of the class structure and lost any land or title they may have possessed. These may be men who lay with other men, cowards, or known liars or cheats, amongst others.

Fire Demon | An Eldjötunn race found throughout Múspelheimr. Closer in size to men, Fire Demons have hard, black flesh, which cracks and breaks to form scars across their bodies.

Fire Giant | An Eldjötunn race found throughout Múspelheimr. Recognisable by their blue flesh and long tails. Eldjötunn men often have large horns.

Frost Giant | A Jötunn race in the north of Jötunheimr. Recognisable by their blue flesh. Jötunn men often have large horns.

Giant | A collective term defining several races from Jötunheimr and Múspelheimr. Giants can sometimes bet twice as tall as men. Sometimes derogatory.

Ginnungagap | The Void, or the cosmos. Traditionally refers to the vast space immediately surrounding Asgard.

Goði | Tribal or village elders, often holding minor positions under early kings, and later jarls.

Halfbreed | Often derogatory. Any individual of mixed race, but usually used in context of those bearing visible physical features of their foreign parent.

Heven | The realm of the Angels, and the only realm Øde left unconquered.

Hof | Large temples where religious and seasonal rites and celebrations are traditionally held.

Hofgoði | In early days, hofgoði tended to temples and hofs, performing religious rites and ceremonies. Later, their roles expanded to teachers, scribes, and historians, owing to their literacy and knowledge of runes.

Human | Inhabitants of Midgard, whose ancestors were also born on Midgard. Sometimes called Mortals, owing to their extreme fragility and short lifespan.

Ice Elves | Often derogatory. The name given to Dökkálfar who migrated to Jötunheimr.

Ice Giant | A nomadic race native to northern Jötunheimr. Similar to their frost giant cousins, ice giants have lighter flesh, often appearing almost pink.

Jarl | Leaders of villages or cities, who must collect taxes and pay tribute to the king. This position can be inherited from father to son (or mother to daughter, in the case of Álfheimr and Heven), or taken through contest or combat.

Jötunheimr | One of the realms of giants, consisting of two large continents. Known for its harsh icy climate in the north, and its cold deserts in the south.

Jötunn; Jötun | Plural Jötnar, Jötuns. Inhabitants of Jötunheimr, whose ancestors were also born on Jötunheimr.

Karl | A middle class, of sorts. Members of this class often enjoy great wealth, but hold little power. The sons of jarls belong to this class, as well as goði, hofgoði, warriors of certain ranks, and other roles within society where manual labour is not a daily part of life.

Lausingi | A freed slave, whether through buying or earning his freedom, or escaping his bonds. Even a slave who escapes is often of a somewhat higher standing within society than ergi.

Light Elf | See Ljósálfar.

Ljósálfar | Also called Light Elves. Inhabitants of Álfheimr whose ancestors were also born on Álfheimr.

Men | A collective term defining several races, including the Æsir, Vanir, humans, and debatably, some Jötunn races.

Midgard | Also known as Terra, Earth, Sol 3, and more. One of the realms of men, of diverse climate and ecology, and home to the humans.

Moon Elves | A race of Ljósálfar found across much of the realm, and known for their powerful sorcerers. Primarily nomadic tribes who choose to live outside of society.

Mortal | See Human.

Mountain Giant | A race of giants native to Jötunheimr’s equatorial regions, primarily found on the Western Continent’s interior. Similar to brine giants in size and appearance.

Múspelheimr | One of the realms of giants, and home to the Eldjötnar. A harsh realm with a hot climate from pole to pole, it has become uninhabitable for many races.

Niðavellir | The realm of dwarves, and the victim of some ancient calamity. Its surface is nearly uninhabitable even for the dwarves who live there.

Nine Realms | See Yggdrasil.

Old Gods | Also known as the Gods of the Gods. Ancient beings worshipped by the Æsir, Jötnar, and some Álfar.

Øde’s Conquest | A largely undocumented period of time before Øde’s reign, spanning a minimum of 18 years, with some estimates as high as 25 years.

Realm | The Asgardian word for “world”. Remains untranslated as a matter of tradition.

Runes | The writing systems used by all ten realms, sharing similar qualities, but varying with each culture. Able to carry magic if used correctly, and cast spells and curses.

Slave | The lowest rank in society, owned and used for manual labour, sex, or entertainment. Slaves can sometimes earn or buy their freedom. See also: Lausingi.

Storm Giant | A race of giants native to the equatorial regions of Jötunheimr, living primarily on the coasts of the Western Continent. Storm giants are similar in appearance to brine giants, but often smaller in size.

Svartálfheimr | The realm of the Dökkálfar. Known for its hostile climate and lands, it is a difficult place to live even for the Dökkálfar native to the realm.

Ten Realms | See Yggdrasil.

Thrall | The lowest class, consisting of farmers, peasants, slaves, and similar.

Troll | A wide term, covering a large range of creatures. So-called true trolls are a race native to Jötunheimr, resembling men, and distinguished by orange hair and their wild ways.

Vanaheimr | A realm of men, frequently at war or in dispute with Asgard.

Vanir | Inhabitants of Vanaheimr, whose ancestors were also born on Vanaheimr. The Vanir value nature over all else. They do not worship the Old Gods, but rather the forests and mountains they dwell in.

The Vale | A large and wide vale spanning Álfheimr’s western continent. Most Álfar cities and villages are located within the Vale.

Void | See Ginnungagap.

Yggdrasil | The World Tree; ten realms connected by Dragon Lines, and thus sharing similar cultures and beliefs.

Þing | A smaller, local iteration of the alþingi, headed by a jarl and seated by goði and other important members of the community.