Eternity

Mikel Vaughan’s fall from power proved as dramatic as his rise. Whilst the new world president worked with Gideon McQueen’s jotunblooded Fury Brigade and the wraith’s sent by Kopr to overcome the remainder of the rampaging TITAN suits, many were already at work behind the scenes to discover exactly how this disaster had come about.

Captain Grace McQueen studied the captured suits and soon located the FRENZY chips that had been driving the soldiers into a berserk frenzy. Ernest Briars tracked the sales of the suits, the deployments of Lucky River and RiteOne personnel and manipulations of the international markets prior to the attack, searching for evidence of foul play. Under Director Wilkinson’s orders Mia hacked into Lucky River’s most secure servers, finding evidence of the FRENZY chip’s development and its secret installation into the TITAN suit once Lucky River began their manufacture. The last piece of evidence was provided by the goddess Osk, who infiltrating a Lucky River facility was able to trick several member’s of Vaughan’s staff into admitting that they remotely controlled certain suits to ensure that World leader’s were definitely killed amidst the random carnage.

Having uncovered the President’s plot, Director Wilkinson began to build the necessary alliances and plans to remove the immensely popular Vaughan from office without throwing the Earth into chaos. However word of the conspiracy was leaked to the press, and soon UNITED and the World Government found itself at war.

King Jaeger very nearly marched to the president’s aid, however Wilkinson and Briers travelled to Asgard and presented their evidence to the King, eventually persuading him that their cause was just. Midgard was left to resolve its own conflict.

All the armies of earth turned upon UNITED and the organisation was almost crushed in a matter of days before the overwhelming forces of the World Government. Only the success of a blitzkrieg raid upon Vaughan’s presidential palace, and the restraining influence of the rest of the Fortune 15, saw the conflict stop and the earth settle back into an uneasy peace.

Vaughan was found guilty by a World Court of assassination and acts of mass terror, but the general public never truly believed the charges against the popular hero who managed to create a number of best selling documentaries even from his prison cell.

As the global unrest began to calm, Midgard itself was beginning to heal from the ravages of Ragnarok. Doctor Cavenson’s desalination treatments were used to bring fertility back to the earth, and many sick of strife and disaster threw themselves into the task of putting the world back together.

The goddess Jorunn arrived with a large group of young assistant’s from Hoddmimir’s Holt, and she bore with her a casket containing animals and plants from across the globe. Species that most had thought lost from the Earth forever, were pulled from the dwarven chest, gently encouraged by the goddess to demonstrate their fertility and their offspring were placed in zoos across the world, where breeding programmes could see them released when the planet could sustain them once more.

—

List of Animals received by Nairobi Zoo, Dec 2052

• Antelope x3 2F, 1M
• Cheetah x2
• Flamingo x4, 2/juvenile
• Springbok x2
• Fenrispawn x2 Sent in error? Must request dietary requirements
• Cuckoo Hawk x2, Eggs x3

In the days after the time of Ragnarok, UNITED had earned much support amongst the public, and newly promoted Director Wilkinson seized this opportunity, the organisation beginning to surge in size. New recruits were brought in as new bases were constructed across the world, and on other worlds as well. In the meantime Wilkinson worked to have the defence of earth under the responsibilities of UNITED, and in 2054 it’s command structure was rolled out across the World Government’s military.

Many elite units grew under the supervision of Ragnarok Taskforce members such as Veurr’s Special Task Force Sierra, the McQueens’ jotunblooded Fury Brigade and Lelantos’ Wolf Pack.

The organisation continued to flourish, weathering the ages with the twin responsibilities of fostering cooperation between the realms and ensuring their safety. People came and went but UNITED forever remained Midgard’s brightest star.

“And I put it to the members of this committee that President Vaughan’s attempts to terminate the BETApol program merely serves to demonstrate just how vital it is that Interpol retain the unparalleled analytic and computational powers that Beta provides.”

“Criminals have come to fear the forces of the law. Not because we are terrible, not because we are ourselves unjust; no it’s because we’re finally winning.”

Agent Olivia Ipsen, speaking before a WG select committee.

—

“So Sannast says they’ve got a couple of horse thefts going on Asgard-way, and here we’ve got Lamb and his people breaking into a robotics lab in Denver. Now tie that in with the stolen fertility…uh…’scepter’ that the dwarves were shouting about a couple of months back and I reckon we’ve got ourselves another equine apocalypse in the making.”

“Get me Briers on the phone, gonna need to kick this up the chain pronto!”

Recording of Rick Hunter, Agent of Extrapol.

Midgard’s corporations took to the other worlds, lead by X-Trend, the first to truly expand off Earth and properly integrate with other cultures. Others followed and the multinational corporations became multiworld. Midgard Enterprises was partially purchased by the Sons of Svanir, however Raffles’ old nemesis turned ally Jonathan Clairefoy spent much effort in protecting its core identity, and it remained mostly under Midgardian control. The rest of Fortune 15 too spread across the worlds, and while many were worried at a truly universal monopoly, the ever shifting alliances between the companies, and a variety of anti-monopoly legislation put forth from Midgard’s World Government (which was rapidly adopted across the worlds) ensured it did not occur. Capitalism and commerce spread across the worlds, and a new age of trade began.

“No way boss, we ain’t doing it. Deep sea pipeline, patchy Hall coverage out here and you expect us to go without a WRAITH? No way.”

“It’s 78% coverage and the collars’ll be here tomorrow. C’mon Lui, you gotta play ball with me here; if we don’t get started now then we’ll miss the deadline.”

“Sorry, but no can do. It’s union regs: no WRAITH, no work, that simple. If I end up in Gridgard, ain’t no one gonna pay for me to get home and that’s assuming they’ll even let me go.”

—

Welcome to the New York Hall!

If you’re a new arrival to the Hall Network, then our condolences. Please enter the door on the left. There you’ll find advisors, grief counselors, and official registrars to help you get to grips with your new post-vital state.

If you’ve transferred from another Midgardian hall please take the middle door to enter the main Hall Terminus. Today’s default layout is 2020’s Retro.

Arrivals from off-world halls are requested to take the door on the right, this will take you through immigration, where we can advise you on the arrival time for your avatar, or arrange a rental from one of our own residents.

”Organisations of Asgard: A Brief History” (Midgard Hallis Press, 2089) - An excerpt

The Asgardian Secret Service deserves a section of its own and I have aimed to go into sufficient detail here. It warrants it. The foundations were laid under the orders of King Jaeger and executed by his soon-to-be-briefly Queen Arnlaug. Developments during the early years of his reign suggest that this was the earliest expression of the paranoia and distrust that marked the actual rulership of Jaeger.

It seems, to me at least, obvious that the early reputation of the organisation was largely down to the effectiveness of Queen Arnlaug herself. Others have argued that the Asgardian Secret Service went into sharp decline a few years following its foundation, but a thorough investigation of the now less-classified affairs reveals that it is likely to have been ineffective from inception. The lack of genuine threats at the time, and the involvement of Queen Arnlaug directly in all the cases of alleged attacks and thwarted plots show a team not fit for purpose.

Indeed, one has to wonder why Valkyries - known particularly for their good cheer, battlefield effectiveness and loud, brash carousing - should make effective spies or a counter-terrorism service…

”Of Arnlaug Lost” - a tale told among the Worlds by itinerant skalds

… and then came solemn vows between Jaeger and Arnlaug, to rule as King and Queen of Asgard. The celebrations that were held for weeks are still renowned in all the worlds, but let me tell you again…

… The year passed, with Queen Arnlaug guarding our King’s back, but before it’s end the Queen was lost. The messengers went out to all the worlds, but none could find any trace of Arnlaug. This was the first year Jaeger searched…

… Though Arnlaug was never found, there are many that say she’s always around. They say that they have seen her in the face of the strange traveller, going about in her box of blue…

Notes from the Virdar University course on Worlds’ Legal Systems

It should be noted that the Asgardian legal code has only recently been codified. Although we have collected the various notes here for your convenience, nothing can replace the experience of hearing and discussing such codes as is Asgardian custom. Originally codified by Sannast, they are now available to be heard from other Aesir of Justice.

We heartily recommend that all students take the time to hear them read at some point during the first term of their studies.

…

For further reading I recommend the history of Midgardian Icelandic law, which bears similarities in style and organisation to the new Asgardian codification.


”Organisations of Asgard: A Brief History” (Midgard Hallis Press, 2089) - An excerpt

Also of particular note is the Asgardian Alcohol Association which from humble beginnings has become a curious enterprise well-known in our times. Now widely-exported, the brewery’s products were off to a shaky start under the direction of Aethelfled. It was not until her attention was diverted to other matters of ‘Science’ and other worlds that the brewery appears to have flourished. Still, I will note that all available sources indicate the the enthusiasm and dedication inspired by Aethelfled is considered the cornerstone of the current business of the Association.

From the “Asgard Unofficial Traveller’s Guide” (Oxford University Press, 2067)

The famed Jorunnhall is probably the number one location for your stay in the city itself. For an authentic taste of Asgard and for the appropriate luxuries and amenities there is simply no substitute. Built and run by Jorunn Bergvidrsdottir, one of the key Asgardian Councillors, the Hall has been home to travellers, poets, story-tellers and worlds’ visitors for over a decade now… … and of course the poetry-reading night. If you’re lucky, you will even catch a glimpse of the host herself as Jorunn is known to regularly visit the establishment and participate in the activities on a monthly basis…

Highly recommended *

Vanaheim prospered in the years following Ragnarok. The agreements made by Princep Kurteisliga ensured Vanaheim became a great trading power, cornering the market on luxury goods. The University of Virdar became the greatest of the Universities, dwarfing Cambridge and the LSE. Mia’s help in bringing the worlds wide web there enabled people from each world to order goods and services, and many chose to deal through Vanir merchants rather than trade directly with the elves of Alfheim, who improved no end under Astrid’s leadership but still tended to be supercilious and aloof.

The resignation of Kurteisliga after only thirty years as Princep caused short-term political instability in Vanaheim, and it took many years before the Secret Services stopped finding Vanir who were plotting to put him back on the throne against his will and force him to continue making good decisions for the benefit of all. His successors were competent and in particular the reign of Vanburr Koprson was remembered for the beautiful gardens he created: the ‘Kurteisliga Memorial Gardens’ as they became known, despite the former Princep being still alive and working in the University.

Vanaheim slowly tore down the old Jotun structures and rebuilt many of the State buildings in the new architectural styles favoured in Tyr’s Holt. This led to a renewed interest in tourism.

Following the Ragnarok crisis, the borders of the city of Alne in Vanaheim opened fully under the orders of Queen Astrid. Closely monitored for problems by Ambassador Elessar Elensar, trade boomed between Alne and its partners in Hygrad as the elves prospered and contributed to their place in the Thirteen Worlds.

Robert Sykes, the husband of the Queen, worked constantly to encourage the stubborn elves to become more tolerant of the other races. While resistance was still present, after an assassination attempt was made on the life of the Queen but stopped thanks to Gridgardian bodyguards sent by Kopr, eventually they came to accept that the other worlds had abundances of knowledge and expertise to contribute.

Not all, however, were convinced of this. Elders amongst the elves were still wary of the amount Alne was cooperating with the outside world and many still pined for the days before Ragnarok when the world was kept safe and isolated from the intruders. Many had lost loved ones in the wars and many blamed Astrid and Robert Sykes for bringing this to them.

For decades, nothing happened but anger grew until one day it erupted into open rebellion. The city entered civil war with entire districts a fight between revolutionaries and Astrid’s mages. Anarchy and rioting ensued for days, with the greatest victory for the rebels being the burning of the great Owlery, with the feathered allies of the elves fleeing into the skies, until eventually Elessar and Robert inspired the mages into routing the rebels and eventually finding and crushing the resistance. For his work, Elessar was promoted once more to chief advisor to the Queen and together he, Robert and Astrid worked to bring Alne into a new age in which all were satisfied.

Years went by and Alfheim rebuilt and improved. The Worlds Wide Web constructed by Mia eventually found itself based inside the great tree, with the networks secured and protected by the great magic of the world. Eventually, new generations were born - Astrid and Robert having a number of children - until eventually the Queen, mortal as an elf, passed away, with her eldest daughter, Elémmerie, taking up the throne and eventually marrying the child of Elessar, continuing Alne’s prosperity as two wise lines finally united.

The land known as Glaesisvellir which once bulged and threatened to swallow all of Jotunheim raced back to to where it came from, collapsing in on itself. Seemingly it was to disappear entirely: so its patron and guardian, Gudmund, set out to visit the Nine, that is Thirteen, Realms again.

While this was happening the Jotunn Tanngnidr and the Human Dr. Cavenson embarked on their own journey to Glaesisvellir. They erected a dome around Gudmund’s hall of Udainskr: saving the land of Glaesisvellir but ensuring that it would never again grow larger than it deserved.

These days, the dome is managed by X-Trend Industries, as the premier retirement home for wealthy humans. And Gudmund has returned to his post as lord of the feast, his only payment being to remain in the only place he ever loved.

After the nuclear attacks following Ragnarok almost all of Jotunheim was evacuated, save for a few who remained behind in the relatively safe Utgard. It became a curious empty shell of the realm that it once was, left to the wildlife. Yet it turns out that not all wildlife is as wild as people perceive.

About half a century after the Jotun abandoned their realm, the first scouts appeared from the mountains; cautiously probing the more open areas of Jotunheim. These people looked squat, with dark grey, clammy skin. What few of the old gods who remained in Asgard could tell you that these are trolls.

Over the next few decades the trolls poured out of their secluded mountain homes and began to trek towards Yrkjaberg. When they finally reached the city they were greeted only by the repetitive pounding of golem feet, and a sole Jotunn who introduced herself as Gjalp, or Woglinde to some.

The troll society flourished; except on days where it stormed, and lightning fell from the sky. They never did forget their harrowing by their old and legendary foe, the Son of Odin. But as the Jotnar begin to return to their homes, they will start to encounter the trolls once more.

Svartalfheim never recovered after Demotte’s attacks. With their caverns collapsed, the dwarves saw no reason to return from their new home on Danforth, and since the fall of the main cavern had removed one of the few sources of breathable air on the world, noone else cared to recolonise.

In the year 2152, to mark the 100 year anniversary of Demotte’s attacks, the world was converted into a memorial for the dead. The main part of the memorial is housed inside a Cavenson dome, so that all can visit, but is spreads over the whole of the planet, including great stone tablets bearing Metis’ saga of Ragnarok, each accompanied by sculptures depicting the events described.

The forests of Alfheim were truly burned by Demotte’s attacks. What elves had remained in the world after the great city of Alne was moved simply couldn’t cope with the infernos caused, which had left the flames to consume all that was in their path. Many trees did remain, but the world was ashen.

With time, more were planted. The efforts of Dr Cavenson’s team at deradiating the world were in no small part the saving grace of the plantlife and wildlife of the world and after a decade it was suitable for rehabitation to begin.

Stories tell that the great dragon from the mountains was returned to his home after being coerced down the Bifrost by Brynjolf, and his reign of shadowing over the world tree was soon at an end. After hundreds of years, Alfheim eventually healed, becoming a haven away from the technology that was gripping the worlds as the great city never returned and the villages boomed and grew, isolating those that wished to be isolated once more.

“And who might you be?” asked the ancient wooden guardian, rooted at the entrance to the Holt, peering down at the young gods who had ventured to find it.

“Tyr and Heidrun Resadottir!” they replied, merrily, “We come to seek the apples of the Holt.”

The second guardian raised an eyebrow, “You wish to enter the Holt, where we keep our family safe from the worlds?”

They nodded vigorously, “We’re not going to harm it, don’t worry - father said to say that Ætta said we could come.”

The oaken guardians relaxed, their faces smiling, “You should have said!” and they parted their branches to allow them entry into the beautiful, pleasant world.

The forest had grown over the years, tended by the residents, but standing tall were many trees with tempting apples growing from them. As Tyr and Heidrun walked forward, marvelling at the world, two small children - a boy and a girl - ran past them, their skin like bark and their hair green.

“Ellie! Give it back! Mum said they were going to be my apples!” cried the boy, chasing after the girl, who had a basket in her hands, laughing.

“Catch me if you can then, James!” she called back, racing toward a quaint cottage.

Intrigued, the gods followed, to find a tall brown-haired woman, quite resembling a tree, standing, now holding the basket herself.

“How many times have I told you? It’s not nice to steal the apples!”

“But Mu-u-um!”

“No buts, now go and help Auntie Lucy with the house, else I’ll have to invite Poppy for tea again…”

A look of horror flashed across the children’s faces, and they quickly scarpered, their mother smiling before noticing the two gods.

“You must be the two Ætta said were coming - Tyr? Heidrun?” she smiled, and they nodded vigorously.

“We came to see the apples -” began Heidrun.

“- and if the legends were true!” finished Tyr.

“The legends?”

“Of the tree-people of Hodmimmir’s Holt - they say you never die, just grow old and become a tree.”

“And what do you think of the legends now?” asked another voice from behind them, and they turned around to see two tall, tree-like people smiling at them.

“Well, er, given the evidence I think we’d have to say they’re quite impressively true.”

Catherine and John laughed, “Ætta knew what she was doing with those apples. Come, meet the family…”

Of all the worlds in the World Tree and World Mountain, Disheim is the one held most in myth to the denizens of the other worlds. It is said that the world itself is alive, and wishes to protect itself and its cause. Certainly, it is hard to find a welcoming landscape there if you aren’t treating it with respect, and you have only yourself to blame if you happen to be there looking to expand your corporate outlooks.

Those people who do have small settlements on this realm tend to describe their surroundings as a dense, lush rainforest that spreads out in every direction. There have been stories since the beginning that if you were to wish hard enough that the spirit of the forest would look favourably on you and grant your wish. This spirit takes many forms, but more often than not, a Salamander.

Ætta rushed forwards and dragged the child backwards, away from the glistening red fruit.

“Come on, Lucy. What have we told you?” Ætta looked exasperated, but also deeply worried. “You can’t have that fruit, your mum told you it wasn’t good for you.”

The child looked rebellious at first, but then her expression softer.

“Okay, Aunty Ætta,” she sighed “but I’m huuuungry!”

“Let’s go talk to your mother, I’m sure she’ll get some nice food for you.”

Ætta taking the 8-year-old by the hand, the two walk back to the newly growing human colony on Disheim, still unnamed. They wander through a series of simple houses, following a well-trodden path until they come to the door of Lucy’s house.

A tall, blonde woman opens the door, before giving her daughter a hug and lifting her into her arms. The first few wrinkles on her face soften as she holds Lucy close.

“Thank you, Ætta. I…”

“It’s nothing, Catherine. I found by The Tree.”

Dark looks are shared by the mother and the goddess, as they turned to look towards where they found Lucy. Everyone remembers the first time fruit was taken from that tree: the unlucky human burst into flames, before appearing to be someone else.

While the Jotnar spread out into the rest of the worlds, it is to Disheim where most of their leaders went. From a simple settlement here, known only as New Jotunheim, they offered their wisdom to the other giants who may want it. It often went unheeded, or specifically contradicted, but still civilisation ticked onwards.

New Jotunheim never became as grand as Old Jotunheim, it seemed to fade into the environment much more that Yrkjaberg or Utgard ever did. The links between the Human and Jotunn colonies on the realm grew ever stronger over the years, and their cities grew to become twins of one another: complementary and as full of life as ever.

It was many years before the first death in Jotunheim; of the old Jotunn Bergfinnr. The forest itself seemed to weep on the day of his funeral: branches of trees bowed, and very little sunlight reached those on the ground. However, when it came to his wake, the jungle blossomed once more and those who were in the business of looking to the skies may have seen a bird unlike any they had ever seen take to wing.

Following the successful movement of the Hall of the Dead, and the shrewd negotiations by Fili, the Sons of Svanir ended up in control of all the Dwarven mining rights on Danforth. With this wealth, they successfully bought out Midgard Enterprises in 2053, ending the instability resulting from the revelations about Anthony Raffles. This not only secured them an expert R&D division, but also all of the Midgardian mining rights to Danforth, giving them effectively total control over the ashen world.

The Vanir colony caused some initial tensions, but it soon became clear that the Vanir weren’t that concerned about the wealth beneath their feet, and the dwarves weren’t that concerned about the new city above their heads, so these tensions eventually resolved. Under Harald’s governance, the city became an important trading hub for dwarven goods, and a centre of learning, both arcane and mundane, for the nine realms. Eventually, the city grew large enough to seek independence from Vanaheim itself, leaving Harald Koprsson as sole ruler.

The Dwaves rebuilt, again, but this time, they were not restricted by the size of the cavern they found themselves in. As the great mining Avatars dug down into the bedrock of Danforth, the architects and craftsmen followed after, extending the city into every crevice of the world. Some chose to remain on the surface, building towering spires up to the heavens, great structures which seemed to hold themselves up in fierce defiance against the laws of physics. Following the Sons of Svanir buyout of Midgard Enterprises, the human population of the city grew more and more significant. Soon, by the combined efforts of Dwarven and human researchers, new technologies began to pour out of the workshops, spreading across the realms and bringing the standard of living up for all.

As the population grew, and more and more non-dwarves began to join the Dwarven Network, the Consensus grew stronger and stronger, and eventually, the Voice of the Hall reformed, and once again resumed their duty as ambassador to the Dwarves.

“Thanks for joining us on this guided tour of Tyr’s Holt, brought to you by X-Trend! It’s hard to imagine that once all this was just a handful of halls around that statue there isn’t it? That this thriving city, that some call the heart of the worlds was just a dream of what might be.”

“You have to remember that back in the days of the founding the very idea of so many races living together would have seemed a recipe for disaster. These were times of war, of destruction and chaos, and yet out of those terrible years came the seeds of the world of today.”

“Now over to our left you can see the Grand Guardian, eternally watching over the Rainbow Station. I’m sure you all saw that when you arrived, but maybe you were busy looking at all the shops in the promenade, heh? Finest clothes outside of Vanaheim itself, right there. Ahem anyhow they say that the Guardian can grow to stand as tall as King Jaeger and rises to battle whenever Tyr’s Holt is threatened. What’s that lass? Yes you’re quite right that is Tyr’s sword held in its arms, you’ve got a keen eye”

“So in the square below you can see the council chambers and that building across from it is the Matthews Hospital. You’ve probably heard of all the work they do with inter-species transplants and the like; all invented and taught right here. Now if you look down I think you can see some of the councilmembers coming out; Those two are Thodline and Sigornr, who speak for the Valkyries in the city and then that’s Alkasliga, who represents the Vanir merchants, there’s Heidrun Matthews, chair of the hospital, and that there is Mr Bracken, my boss!”

“Now some of you are probably thinking of heading out to see the fabled Mead streams, right? If you’re of a mind perhaps you’d fancy a stop off in Steinnashall, I’m given to understand Lady Jorunn is home right now and she always offers fine hospitality to passing guests. Why don’t we head over to the travel store and I’ll see you folks fitted out with everything you’ll need for the road.”

Beyond Tyr’s Holt the greatest wonders of New Valhalla were the orchards tended by King Jaeger’s Valkyries. A regular diet of these apples would see a soul bound for rebirth in New Valhalla as sure as having a host of valkyries by ones side.

Many from across the realms, who didn’t trust to dwarven artifice or human ingenuinity would instead ensure for themselves a second life by acquiring a yearly meal of apples fresh from New Valhalla’s groves. These fortunate dead would find themselves spluttering into new life in young, strong bodies, emerging from the mead rivers to the cheers of watching valkyries and those dead who enjoyed a life nurturing the apple trees.

Amongst the apple trees lies Thorshall, where the King of Asgard might find respite from the burdens his court and enjoy the rowdy company of friends old and new.

Far from the dwellings of man and god, there lies a valley where the spawn of Loki dwell. There Fenrir raises his pack, teaching them with love to control the savage rage that consumed his firstborn children. There carved into a mountain side is a home for Jormungandr, Ormfrid and their offspring, who away from fearful eyes stretch out to a fraction of their true proportions and occasionally send tremors across the land with their sporting play.

They are a friendly folk, but cautious, for they know that in the eyes of some they yet remain the baneful harbringers of Ragnarok. A traveller strayed far from the safe roads and well trod paths may find the cries of wolves urging them back towards welcoming halls with warm hearths.

Though the forces of Muspellheim were defeated in the battle of Ragnarok, a fragment, a spark of their leader Surtr remained. This spark was returned and thrown into the well of fire, and from which Surtr rose again amidst an inferno. But he did not return unchanged. For as it is the nature of the icy wastes of Niflheim to remain stagnant and eternal, so too is it the nature of the firey fields of Muspellheim to be ever changing, and both are true of the realms' peoples as well. Surtr looked back on his rage, a rage so powerful it could fix the erratic mind of a fire giant on one goal, and found that it had subsided, the most powerful flames burning away even that. Surtr went to the realm above, to speak of his actions, of his flawed judgement and to let the worlds know that it would be a time of new beginning, as it always should be for the realm of Muspellheim.

A tentative peace was agreed upon, however the firey peoples were always a whim away from doing whatever they pleased, they were far more difficult to bind in agreements and deals. Still the peace was kept, perhaps due to the sterling diplomatic work of the above realms, or perhaps due to the fact that there was never really another leader who could convince the fire giants to follow them rather than their own natures. The people of Muspellheim made not to rebuild, for remaking what was once made was not their way. They constructed anew, and from the ashes of the civilisation a new one rose. No longer as persecuted as they once were, many fire giants spread and took to the upper realms. Each was as an individual, for none spoke representing their race, save Surtr, who still lead, though forced nothing upon his people, merely aided as they moved to a brighter future.

With the events of ragnarok over and most of the active voices expelled. Niflheim initially returned the peaceful seclusion it had previously enjoyed. The advent of interworld commerce however and steady pressure by the Crimson Duke eventually led to more and more contact with the other realms particularly after the discovery of several untapped mineral deposits.

The world is currently split between those who are beginning to move with the economic tides updating their lifestyles to match modern mores and those further towards the interior who still stick stubbornly to the old ways. The Eternals have all but disappeared eschewing the society which increasingly changes too fast for them to keep up.

After a period relatively extreme activity the Hermit once again retreated into his seclusion to meditate upon the meaning of things. To date no entreaties have roused him since those of Billingham did in the crisis. With the watchers occupied with their own affairs and Sinmarra as good as dead this left the residents of Niflheim in charge of their own fate for the first time any could remember.

What followed was a long period of strife and adjustment which according to some analysts still goes on to this day as a people adverse to change learned how to cope without an obvious guiding hand above them.

One common solution was to switch their devotion to the exiled Crimson Duke. The cult of return swiftly grew and persists even to this day waiting for their patrons return and the new golden age they claim he will bring.

Gridgard, formerly Helheim, stabilises. The souls who cross the Gjoll no longer become wraiths who long for a chance to leave; the river now lets them understand the one thing they need to know to be eternally happy. Their memories and personality fade, but the feeling of absolute contentment stays with them. Visitors to Gridgard soon become used to the golden ‘happiness bubbles’ floating around them. The other souls, the ones who died before the Rheingold was returned and the Gjoll purefied, become citizens of Gridgard and spend their existences working for the new regime in rewarding and often prestigious jobs. Many of them are helped to find that perfect happiness which enables them to achieve perfect contentment. The population of Gridgard shrinks slowly as Sandraudr enables the souls who crossed the ‘old’ Gjoll to achieve contentment and become floating bubbles of happiness, with no memories or personality from their old lives.

Eventually another Hall was built on the near side of the Gjoll, capturing souls before they reached the waters. Souls in that Hall were given the options to cross the Gjoll and find peace, to remain in the Hall, or to volunteer for service to Gridgard. A surprising number volunteered to keep their old personality and memories and to volunteer, especially as working in the Ghostguard became seen as a brave and attractive job with lots of danger and excitement, and many opportunities to meet exciting famous people who came to visit Volundr, Sandraudr and Kopr. Assuming that they drank from the Horn of Penance and felt guilty for any crimes they had committed in life, as judged by Sandraudr, they were accepted as Gridgardian citizens. Anyone who had been a particularly awful person was gently aided by Sandraudr to feel remorse for their actions and enabled to understand the feelings of others. This was mostly successful, though not in all cases. Sandraudr and Kopr also come up with a justice system for the new world, in which anyone guilty of a crime has their punishment suggested by the victim and agreed by nine other randomly selected Gridgardian citizens.

Jaeger and Grace and Gideon McQueen remain staunch allies of the new regime and between the three of them they set up a training programme for the Gridgardians, which is eventually taken over by the fifteen surviving souls who previously fought on Dagrun's side at the Battle of Jotunheim. Gideon trains the souls to fight effectively in robot bodies and Grace creates powerful robotic suits for them to possess. Jaeger works with the best on advanced fighting techniques. From time to time, Grace updates one of Kopr's 'listening posts' and Gridgard ends up with a decent intelligence network with well-built, heavily fortified structures.

Lelantos, Metis and Sandraudr take on the horrible task of clearing out Torvald's old hall. Lelantos smashes every single device he finds – he accepts he is destroying advanced technology which incorporated dwarven and hellish techniques, but having seen what it was used for he says nobody should ever wield that power again. Metis thinks that, having seen the devices, he could probably get something similar up and running again.

It appears Torvald's victims have largely fled to the caves Halstein controlled, and it takes time and patience to coax them out. The hellhounds are aggressive and refuse even to interact with Cerberus; they are sedated and taken away for rehabilitation and healing. There are other mangled souls as well; there are some so badly twisted Sandraudr takes them to the Gjoll and releases them to gain happiness and lose the memories of the horrors which have been inflicted on them. There are others which, shaking, curl up in the bodies they are provided and refuse to talk; they are gently persuaded by Metis to leave and return to UNITED for help. There are some devices which Sandraudr thinks might contain souls and these are cracked open, but only tiny wisps of energy are sensed and it is thought that the souls were consumed slowly by the devices in which they were trapped. Sandraudr, Metis and Lelantos set up a rehabilitation programme for the souls and Sandraudr’s campaign for people to donate their bodies after death is surprisingly effective after a few fundraising events where she shared the emotions of the broken, twisted souls with the company present.

Aetta and Halstein work together to grow Gridgardian apples, which when ingested have the same effect as the waters of the Gjoll: they give the drinker one moment of euphoria before they are thrown back to reality, craving the peace, wisdom and happiness they found and ending up reliant on antidepressants to combat the cravings. Halstein tells Flosshilde the effect and a dismayed Kopr later has to deal with Brynjolf's lovely wife dealing drops of Gjollwater in Midgardian nightclubs for large sums of money. Flosshilde is imprisoned for a time in the caves and only released with a solemn promise to Volundr she will never trade in noxious substances again. Aetta suggests that a responsible use for the apples might be as a painkiller, and gives samples to Metis for his research.

The Brynjolf and Elessar Show, otherwise known as Extrapol, has Brynjolf as the Gridgard representative until the discovery of his crimes and his subsequent death. Kopr, making public apologies and denials, feels it only right to let Brynjolf pass through the Gjoll to become a happiness bubble on the other side. Flosshilde is utterly distraught and points out never again will she find a man so evil who will be that devoted to her. Three weeks later she marries Halstein and puts Brynjolf's portrait in the second spare bedroom.

Kopr brokers many treaties with the other realms and Gridgard becomes the major trading hub between the worlds on the World Tree and those on the World Mountain, sitting as it does between them. The standing of the new world is greatly helped by Volundr, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who throws many, many parties and banquets, sometimes for the Ministers, to keep their spirits up, and sometimes to welcome foreign dignitaries. The Ambassadorial Dinners gain a legendary reputation in Alfheim owing to the quite monumental quantities of biscuits on offer, and even the Elves have to concede that Gridgardians are ‘all right’.

The trap remains, spinning endlessly on. Veurr and Force Sierra replace bits of it from time to time, keeping it in good working order. Kopr sends a detachment of his Ghostguard to monitor it, watching for any anomalies. UNITED sends expeditions out to Muspelheim to bargain for fire opals and every few hundred years the opal is replaced with another one, fully charged. Fenrir spends some time guarding it, mourning his sister. Ormfrid and Jormungandr take an occasional stint, but are a bit too flighty to really be trusted with such an important post. The trap never changes and there is never any sign from its occupant.

She stalks across her own world, watching the patterns in the stars at night and in the grass by day. Every time she thinks she has the answer, the pattern changes too quickly for her. It should be frustrating but she can always choose to ignore them. From time to time she remembers people – Kopr and Ilmari, who betrayed her; Dagrun; Skjoll; Andreas – but she barely gives them a second thought; they mean nothing to her. She occasionally wonders how her brothers Fenrir and Jormungandr are faring, but she isn't worried about them; Sandraudr will make sure they are all right. It's not a huge concern anyway. Sometimes at night she lies down in the sand and wonders what she would do if she ever found her way back to that other world. It seems less real to her now. It had so many disadvantages. This world is much more to her taste: there are so few annoyances here. So few other people. She thinks she could improve that world no end if it were more like this one; if all the living creatures were destroyed and only she remained. She thinks one day she'll get there and make that world perfect.

WorldsWiki entry on the “Worlds Wide Web”

The WorldsWideWeb project can be traced back to the efforts of Interpol agent Mia [3]. Originally a closed-communications initiative, the project was nevertheless always intended to go open source [Citation needed]. It soon became so after the necessary technologies to develop communications between the worlds became widely available and could be managed by a number of disparate groups [4]…

… allegations of security backdoors have regularly plagued the development of the WSWW and Interpol continues to deny that secret proprietary technologies were installed [54]…

From an introductory digital leaflet passed to new employees in the X-Trend group (Released March 2099)

With our network of companies present on every one of the Worlds, you have just joined the biggest, widest family in this universe! Our commitment to diversity has been at the core of every single business in the X-Trend family and we hope that you will find your own special place among us.

…

Finally, remember that everyone deserves respect - we are also deeply committed to fair competition wherever it may come from. We aim to engage with our rivals in legal and honest competition for the benefit of our customers and shareholders. So, as we head into the new century to smile and embrace the diverse and exciting world of inter-world commerce!

Chapter on “Dr Reshvayov and Portals” from apopular ‘Extraphysics’ textbook (Virdar University Press 2114)

As we all know, Yuri Reshvayov was one of the early portal scientists who revolutionised our understanding of inter-world travel. He is well-known for his Short Theory of Portals and the fundamentals for Safe Portal Travel that is used even today for all inter-world communications. The importance of his work can only be understood, however, by examining his early work on Inter-Terrestrial Particles during the first years of UNITED’s project and his tenure as Head of it ITP Research there…

… explaining the ground-breaking nature of the intra-world portals. We may take them for granted as a convenience for personal travel, but their ubiquity and reliability is largely down to Reshvayov’s preseverence.

A conversation between mother and daughter in New Valhalla

“And do you know who that is, over there?”

“Is that Veigr, mum?”

“That’s right. He’s the dwarf inside the tower that protects the Bifrost on the World Mountain. Now. Be very very careful - he’s very friendly, but he has a very important job to do. He stops the bad people using the Bifrost, so you must remember to be good. Ok?”

“Yes mum… mum? How does he stop the bad people?”

“He… uh. He’s very good at stopping them. It’s what he does.”

“But mummy… HOW?”

“He. It’s… it’s a lot of very very very big guns, darling. It will vapourise you in an instant if you’re too naughty.”


A story about the making of the World Mountain, often heard told by Akrskald and others

… and it was Njall, freed by friends from Loki’s grasp, who took flight above the mountains. Travellers should look to him for guidance and protection, for the great Falcon eases the passage of those wishing to go there or back. If you should struggle to reach another world, then Njall will always be there to help, to guide your way high above and soften the step and lighten your burden. Those that would cause harm beware. The Falcon hunts, and there are those who sought mischief who have been caught and waylaid by Njall’s cunning traps. This way and that they still wander in the mountain paths, lost among the rocky outcrops…

…is Reysa the Otter. She guards the foot of the World Mountain and will lend your protection as surely as Njall will guide your step. If you should fear to descend into the lower levels, Reysa will be there to keep you safe. I have often travelled myself to ply my trade and she has always been there to see me through.


From a plan to topple the upper worlds of the World Mountain

“We must strike quickly and precisely while the greatest barriers are otherwise occupied. The Guardians have been seen to with an arranged threat to the World Tree. It will keep them occupied for some time - the sacrifice of this many operatives is well worth it to distract them. Sierra are a little more difficult, but I have discovered a quaint weakness in Colonel Veurr. Believe me, I can keep him out of it at the most crucial moment. The last threat is that damned Falcon, but my agents on Midgard have finally got what we needed. It took years of observation, but we now know that Dr. Cavenson is preparing for a visit in the coming months. Once we know the Falcon is on Midgard and distracted, we must strike at once…”

The embrace, after so long, was sweet and tender. Her claws mingled with his and they tenderly wound around each other.

Vedfolnir looked away. For the first time in creation he had to be… somewhere else.

Welcome then to the Guardians of Reality. It’s quite the operation here on Voidship Farskip, but you will get used to it over time. We make a stop on all the worlds regularly, to avoid getting the cabin fever, but don’t think you’ll get too much shore leave. It’s always busy here - Niusi likes to keep it that way. Means we can catch any threat to the existence of Worlds long before it starts coming to fruition.

Most of the time, anyway. You’ll have heard about the near-miss a few years ago, but that’s why we keep close connections with all the worlds. It’s not just about the brains here on the Voidship doing the calculations and working out what might get in the way. It’s also all the friends we have out there that keep us informed from Asgard to Niflheim.

Oh? Look at that. Looks like we have a threat-neutralisation alert. Tour’s cutting short I’m afraid - have to get ready for the briefing. We’ll be touching down on Danforth in… oooh, just short of an hour.

But before I leave you, have you submitted that blood sample to Niusi yet?