The Nine Worlds

Where do you go to get directions from Asgard to Midgard?

Where Greek mythology has a complicated set of family trees, Norse mythology has a tangled-up set of worlds, each of them totally different from the last. They were set up upon three "levels" of the universe, all connected by Yggsdrasil, whose roots reach to every level. It's very hard to imagine how these worlds must have been set up, but it's specified which worlds are on which levels....

The Upper Level

Asgard: Asgard was the home of the gods; a sort of Norse Olympus where the Aesir could rule over the world. It was connected to Midgard by a rainbow bridge called Bifrost. It was also home to Valhalla, the paradise home for dead Norse warriors.

Vanaheim: Vanaheim was the home of the Vanir gods, who were somewhat akin to the Aesir gods, though more accomplished with magic.

Alfheim: Alfheim was the Norse world which was the home of the light-elves, lovely creatures that look somewhat like the image we associate with Cupids, without the bow and arrow.

The Middle Level

Midgard: Midgard was the Norse name for our world, Earth. Rather self-explanitory, isn't it? The name literally means "Middle-Earth". Apparently a rainbow bridge called Bifrost used to stretch from here to Asgard.

Svartalfheim: Svartalfheim (which I have yet to figure out how to pronounce. Sorry!) was the home of the dark elves. One could easily guess that the dark elves are the exact opposite of their light counterparts. They are ugly little creatures that give people bad dreams and turn to stone if exposed to sunlight. They were also known as "mares", hence the word "nightmare".

Nidavellir: Nidavellir is the home of dwarves, who were known for crafting many important items, like Thor's hammer. They, like dark elves, petrified if exposed to the sun and were sometimes untrustworthy nuisances to the gods and giants.

Jotunheim: Jotunheim was the world of giants.  The giants and Aesir were sworn enemies who constantly fought. The river Ifingr , a rushing, rapid river, separated Jotunheim and Asgard.

The Lower Level

Niflheim/Muspelheim: These places both still existed after the rest of the universe was created. Niflheim was still as cold as ever, and still filled with frost-giants. Muspelheim was, as before, the hottest world, filled with fire, and now fire-giants. It was said that the fire-giant Surt will escape and set fire to Asgard during Rangarok. Most accounts usually leave one or the other out, so there are really ten worlds.

Helheim: Helheim, as one might guess, was the Norse world of the dead. It's filled with all manner of spirits, as well as the souls of those who didn't die a warrior's death. It's no place of eternal torture, though some of the spirits there might actually prefer that to standing around in this desolate, sub-sub-zero wasteland. The whole world is ruled over by the goddess Hel, just as gloomy as her domain.