Northern Light : Hel

* Goddess of the Dead, Daughter of Loki and the Giantess Angrboda, Sister of the Wolf Fenrisulfr and the Midgard Serpent, Ruler of the realms of shadows.

When Odin became aware of the existence of Loki`s children, he banished them to remote places, as the Aesir were afraid to keep them in Asgard. So he cast Hel down to her own realm in the underworld and gave her the authority over all those in the nine worlds who do not die gloriously in battle.
Hel build an estate beyond the sheer rock, Drop to Destruction. Her hall was called Eljudnir, and became the home of the dead. She had a manservant, Ganglati, and a maidservant, Ganglot, both who moved so slowly that it was difficult to tell if they were moving at all.

In the tale of the Death of Balder, Hermod visited Hel to ask for Balder's life. Hel told him that if everything in the nine worlds, both dead and alive, weeps for Baldur, she would return him to Asgard, but if even one thing will not mourn, Balder must stay in Niflheim.

The path to Hel is known as the Helvegr and the gates Helgrindr or Nagrind. Here Garmr is fastened, Hel's watchdog, who is bloody both on chest and neck.

* Hel also shares her name with the location Hel, that leaded to the english word Hell. But it didn`t have a bad meaning and wasn`t understood as a place of punishment for the sinners...that was implemented later on when christianized.

** I like to dedicate this one to everyone, who has faved images of this series and made some fine comments and statements showing how much you enjoyed it!

Thank you and be assured, this series is :
To be continued.....