#niu heimar

[dwollsadventures]

The conventional description of the Nine Realms. Each is a different branch of Yggdrasil, separate from the others.

Watching the newest Overly Sarcastic Production video on the mythological Nine Realms (here) has motivated me to return to writing a proper myth stuff entry. This is going to be on a single topic and a widespread misconception.

We in the modern world have a bit of a handicap when it comes to understanding the old world. The culmination of science and historical knowledge makes it difficult to understand people who don’t have that same basis of information informing their own beliefs. The most important widely known fact for our purposes here is astronomical. When most people today hear the word ‘world’, the next mental connection is often ‘planet’. We know we live on a planet which itself is one of many in a great celestial system of stars. This is the reason why there’s such a mental disconnect between us and the concept of the mythological ‘realm’.

This cosmological bias is evident in adaptations of Norse mythology: in Marvel the Nine Realms are different planets and in both God of War and Magnus Chase the Nine Realms are different dimensions. The other eight are connected to our own planet or dimension. It goes without saying that the medieval Norse and their ancestors did not know what planets or dimensions were. If they couldn’t understand the Nine Realms as dimensions or planets, what did they imagine them as?

Let’s look at the language. ‘Realm’ is but one translation for the word ‘heimr’. When we say Nine Realms in English, the Norse said Niu Heimar (heimar being the plural of heimr). The same word is used as a suffix for most of the commonly listed ‘realms’: Vanaheimr, Alfheimr, Niflheimr, etc. This word was not exclusive to mythology, however. One of Norway’s largest cities, Trondheim, bears this as well. “The Realm of Trond” doesn’t quite ring though. The more direct translation is “the home of the Trønd”, which makes more sense when you know that the trønder (þrǿndr in Old Norse) were a people who founded the city which bore their name. Applying this to the mythological names we get ‘home of the Vanir’, ‘home of the Elves/Alfar’, and ‘home of Mist’. When you read it outloud and abandon the astronomical point of view for a medieval geographic one, these names read less like planets and dimensions and more like countries or territories.

A rough attempt at combining the disparate geographic elements in the Eddas into a single plane. Jormungandr not included. Although, his presence makes one wonder if the Norse had an idea like the Greek Oceanus, where the mortal world was surrounded completely by a continuous river.

In this context, the confusing geography of the mythological heimar makes (a little) more sense. The Norse understood the mythological races not as living in a magical otherworld, but as living in far-off lands and territories. Jotunheimr’s frequent pluralization makes more sense in this regard: the jotnar are not a monolith, so of course there are multiple territories controlled by different populations of giants. The multiple ‘realms’ of the gods in Asgard are recontextualized as separate counties or neighborhoods controlled by the head gods. The Old Norse, after all, were a feudal society where farmers controlled large plots of land. The second suffix found in the mythological realms adds to this: ‘gardr’ means a fence or wall, which is what farmers would encircle their land with to demarcate boundaries.

The surprising amount of physical geography that pops up also makes more sense. Skirnir, the vassal of Freyr (note the medieval feudal term), must pass “wet mountains” to reach Gerth in Gymir’s abode. Griminsmal mentions many, many rivers that cross the lands of the gods

It isn’t all peachy-keen. The names we like to focus on so much are still poetic inventions. It’s doubtful that the skalds and priests who recited and/or believed in them put as much thought as anyone today into their mechanics. There are also still supernatural elements surrounding them, as can be found in other myths and legends: the home of the dead cannot just be crossed like any old border, and all the Jotunheimar are East of Asgardr and Midgardr regardless of position. Hel itself is a conundrum as it is said to be both beneath the earth and accessible by crossing the earth. The primordial Niflheimr and Muspelheimr are said to be north and south respectively, but that’s it.

Still, the idea of these mythological polities as planets or dimensions continually hinders modern understanding and writing concerning them. Looking at things from the medieval point of view rather than the modern one can shake up the preconceptions we continually apply to these fantastical lands.

Sources: 

“Contradictory cosmology in old norse myth and religion – but still a system?” by Eldar Heide (2014)

“Eddic Mythology” by John Arnott MacCulloch (1930)

[wintersblight]

You know that feeling when your brain latches onto a new rare pair ship?  Yeah that’s happening LoL New rare pair is Loki/Steve from MCU Luckily I’ve found some really fabulous fics written for this ship, so I’mma share.  Also, there’s the small hope that more fics will be written this year as the Loki series is coming out in June on Disney +.

So here are some fantastic fics (all Ratings apply so just be aware many of these are NSFW)

Maybe You (and your sad blue eyes) by alby_mangroves

The Loki Cycle by danveresque

A Place to Put My Heartache (Across Six Christmases) by BigSciencyBrain

The Many Doors of Niu Heimar by nixajane

Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide by katowisp

Remember This Cold by Lise

[veliseraptor]

Hey I'm looking for a fic I started and then lost, it was about Loki finding out he was a jotun but in a less disastrous way than in canon, while Thor is banished, and then going to Midgard to talk to Thor about it. Does that ring a bell for you or your followers ? Love you xo

The one I can think of is The Many Doors of Niu Heimar by nixajane - could that be it? Do any of my followers know of any other fics that this could be?

[mochalorian]

Marvel Fic Recs:

For @intezaarlily

This is a mess of a rec, but I tried to pick the ones I enjoyed the most/thought were the most interesting reads. Keep an eye out for triggers and warnings, which the authors have mostly already tagged in their works. But if you have any questions or are looking for more, let me know!

4 Minute Window by Speranza (Bucky/Steve)

"Look, if they catch me," Bucky muttered, "they're either going to kill me or they're going to put me in a box with a little window and—Steve, I can't."

a line that goes all the way by napricot (Bucky/Steve)

"About six months after he left Bucky in cryostasis in Wakanda, Steve got a text from an unidentified number: He is awake and well, and wants to see you."

Steve and Bucky reunite and reconnect, with some help from modern technology.

A Place To Put My Heartache (Across Six Christmases) by BigSciencyBrain (Steve/Loki)

Steve's still trying to find his place in this world. Accidentally saving Loki's life doesn't help. But maybe there's a place for both of them, together.

Clint Barton and the Howling Commandogs by galwednesday (Bucky/Steve, Kate/America)

All five of the dogs were in the backyard, bounding enthusiastically through an obstacle course assembled from the kind of junk that accumulated in rich people’s attics. There were platforms made of legless chairs, tents of old tablecloths to run through, and a pile of sofa cushions the dogs took great delight in plowing into. The dogs were being directed by a one-armed man with long brown hair and a serious case of resting murderface.

"You guys," Clint hissed. "That's the Winter Soldier."

"Oh, word?" America said. She looked idly at her nails.

"You knew?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course we knew. How many one-armed amnesiacs do you think are running around these days? It's fine, I shot at him a little when he first turned up to make sure he wouldn't go berserk."

"He was real polite about it," America said. "Didn't return fire or anything." (In which Clint liberates a pack of serum-enhanced dogs and ends up collecting one more stray than he bargained for.)

family means no one gets left behind or forgotten by cosmicocean (Bucky/Steve)

“Why did you think I wouldn’t like you for being gay?” Steve asks gently.

“You’re Captain America.” Eli’s got his teeth clenched and is resolutely looking ahead. “You stand for truth and justice and the American way. You stand for American morals. You stand for…” he shrugs awkwardly. “Not people like me.”

Steve blows the air out of his cheeks slowly, trying to figure out how to keep the anger out of his voice so Eli doesn’t think it’s at him.

Or, Steve comes to terms with his new world, and gains some children in the process.

The Favor of the King by thingswithwings (T’Challa/Sam)

T'Challa – King T'Challa of Wakanda, the Black Panther, Guy Who Dresses Up Like a Cat to Fight Crime or Possibly for Other Reasons, Who the Fuck Knows – T'Challa corners Sam during one of their visits to check in on Bucky and says, in a mild voice that should not sound as threatening as it does, "We need to talk."

"We do, huh," Sam says, looking him up and down. He's just a king and a superhero and a genius inventor and possibly the richest man alive, looking way too fine and wearing the hell out of a tailored three-piece suit; Sam can hold his own against this guy.

How to Woo the Winter Soldier by writeonclara (Bucky/Steve)

“I think I’m ready to date again,” Steve said.

“What,” Natasha said.

“What?” Clint said, lowering his binoculars. He blinked at the dumbstruck look on the Captain’s face, then followed his gaze to where he was staring dopily at—at the Winter fucking Soldier.

“Steve, no,” Clint groaned.

Or: Steve courts the Winter Soldier.

homefront by copperbadge (Steve/Tony)

Steve Rogers is a capable leader, a kind and cheerful man, a good friend, a strong role model, and a loyal soldier. He's also teetering on the edge of suicide.

the lines, here are written by dfotw (Steve/Loki)

In a world where everyone has their soulmate's name written on their wrists, Steve Rogers has quite a lot more... and Loki, a lot less. (follows canon faithfully except for, y'know, the trope.)

lord send me a mechanic if I’m not beyond repair by suzukiblu (Sam/Bucky)

Barnes’s daemon has a name, obviously, but he only ever calls her “Sweetheart”. At least, Sam’s fairly sure no daemons named their kid that in the 1910s, but hey, what does he know, maybe it was like the kids who used to get named after weird virtues and vices back in the Puritan days; maybe she’s lucky not to be Chastity or Prudence or Bread-of-Life.

Steve never calls her Sweetheart, though.

The Many Doors of Niu Heimar by nixajane (Steve/Loki)

In the weeks before Thor's coronation, Loki almost dies, not once, but twice. (An AU in which events conspire to keep Loki from the choices he made in Thor, a war is on the horizon and the chosen battlefield is Earth, and the Avengers assemble with an extra teammate and one less villain to fight).

Maybe Home is Somewhere I’m Going by astolat (Sam/Steve)

They were about fifty miles from Atlanta when Sam stirred and yawned awake in the passenger seat. “Morning,” Steve said: the sun had come up, but the two-lane road was still pretty empty, a little morning mist hanging low over the asphalt and in the trees.

Medvezhonok by lanyon (Bucky/Steve, but mostly gen)

The Winter Soldier is on the run and no one is more surprised than he is by the fact that he is accompanied by a little boy who seems convinced that he is his father:

“What’s that, Papa?”

Papa flinches and looks at Stefan. “It’s called a Kalashnikov,” he says, in a strange voice. “You’re not to touch it, okay?”

No, Mr. Bond I Expect You to Pine by galwednesday (Bucky/Steve)

"Agent Rogers. We have to stop meeting like this." The Winter Soldier crouched in front of where Steve was slumped against the wall, hands and forearms glued to the stone behind him by some kind of sticky polymer. "Comfortable?"

"No," Steve lied. "My blood circulation has been cut off. I've lost all feeling in my hands."

"Oh, so I should probably cut you loose," the Soldier deadpanned. "It's a medical emergency. You don't want to be responsible for me losing limbs, do you?"

"Tell you what, if you lose your hands, I'll make you some new ones." He held up his metal hand, smallest finger crooked. “Pinkie promise.” Secret Agent adversaries-to-lovers AU where the Winter Soldier keeps tying Captain America to walls and sticking around to chat. Shut up, Natasha, it’s not flirting, okay? (It’s definitely flirting.)

one cloud feels lonely by thecommodore_squid (orphan_account) (Bucky/Steve)

“I’m going to take a break for a while,” Steve said quietly, not looking at T’Challa, not knowing that this was what he was gonna do until the words were out of his mouth. “I can’t be on a team right now.”

T’Challa nodded as if he understood. “Alright.”

AKA

In which Steve and Bucky both figure out how to be a person again, and it still takes them over 130 years.

Sparked Up Like a Book of Matches by Sena

(Bucky/Steve)

Steve lives in Stark Tower and doesn't have much to do when he's not going after Hydra strongholds. He attends charity events to make Pepper happy. He goes hiking with Sam. He hangs out with Clint in Bed-Stuy and watches Dog Cops. Sometimes Tony gives him super alcohol in a sippy cup. Sometimes he sees Bucky out of the corner of his eye and wonders if it's real or if he's starting to lose his mind.

Alternately, the one with terrible jokes, a foot chase through the Lower East Side, and a tiny little robot named Shitcan.

This, You Protect by owlet (Bucky/Steve)

The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

when we come home by augustbird (Bucky/Steve)

Fighting is hard. Rebuilding is harder. Post-Endgame AU.

[ninaarctander]

Niu Heimar

[veliseraptor]

If you've got time I'd love to hear your thoughts about Steve(/Avengers) in Asgard with - or just plain interacting with - pre-Thor1 Loki and Thor, because I am such a sucker for that idea.

a while ago I wrote a bit of a thing about an AU where somehow (via Tesseract?) the Valkyrie crashed on Asgard pre-Thor (time weirdness? it works okay) and Loki found him and was like “OH DANG NEAT” and, after making sure Steve’s not going to die, does the equivalent of tucking him in some bushes and going to get Thor and dragging Thor in like “LOOK WHAT I FOUND”

and thus commences much trying to figure out what to do with new random human, and probably telling Odin or Frigga is ruled out because this isn’t exactly Asgard-kosher and maybe they’d just send him back to Midgard

(which, mostly Loki resists this because he doesn’t want to let go of this fascinating specimen, he’s never spent much time with Midgardians before, and this one is certainly unusual, when did they develop spacecraft? he has so many questions)

anyway, Steve comes around and is like “the fuck is even going on, where am I, how am I alive” and Thor’s like “hello and welcome to Asgard, you’re safe here we promise, also please don’t tell anyone you’re here”

which is not reassuring, at all.

I mean, for a more serious take on this, there’s The Many Doors of Niu Heimar, which is an immediately pre-Thor AU where Thor and Loki both end up on Earth.

[veliseraptor]

Your fic recs are always super good, so I was wondering if you could rec some long, plotty and just /good/ ones that are Loki centric? Some emotional angst and plot twists are always a bonus. *Gives a thousand cookies and loves*

Oooh, this is a good one. 

I love plotless whump fic and fic that’s basically 500% emotions with very little “plot” but I do also love a good, long, crunchy plot fic. (Though sometimes “plot fic” mostly means “processing emotions” fic. Which is great, I love that.) 

For this list I made a couple executive decisions: 1) no unfinished fic and 2) only things over 30,000 words. This means a lot of things I really like juuuust slipped under the wire or else aren’t done yet and so aren’t on this list - but that was mostly to keep it manageable for me. 

No Such Liberty by xParrot

Okay, I know I recommend this and the next one every time, but you asked for long, emotional angst, and plot twists and this is one of the best of that genre in the entire fandom. Loki comes back to Asgard after The Avengers, but his plotting isn’t done yet.

Bargaining by Proantagonist

Time travel! Family dysfunction! All the angst that you can handle and possibly more! (Seriously, bring a box of tissues.) This fic is a masterwork. Thor dies, and Loki goes back to change the past. A long way back. This time, he’s going to do it right.

The Unwinding of Loki by dvs

This one has Thor/Loki in it but I’m reccing it mostly because of the Steve and Loki relationship. Loki (pre-Thor) freaks out about his future and flees to Earth, where he gets tangled up in some truly dark magic of his own making. 

Silvertongue by Epiphanyx7

I recommended this one a while ago as a heart-wrenching fic that’s long been a favorite. Loki realizes that Thor will always try to save him, no matter what. This is actually kind of a problem. Featuring a delightfully twisty Loki playing a long game. 

What Once Was Lost Returned by DemonQueen666

On Jotunheim, one of the Frost Giants recognizes Loki, and they demand that he be returned. A lot of Jotunheim worldbuilding and mostly about Loki having to come to terms with his heritage.

Understanding the Storm by Lizardbeth

A nice, long AU series with a whole bunch of angst, Understanding the Storm is an AU from the end of The Avengers that ends up exploring a lot of territory over the various installments. Features a particularly delightful Frigga throughout, but everyone is very well done. 

Darkness, flooded in light by galaxysoup

For everyone who loves the “Loki is an old lady magnet” headcanon: read this one. Loki falls to Earth and ends up in a small town living an ordinary life. 

A Villain State of Mind by Mikkeneko

This one is part of a series but I think the first one might be my favorite - in order to deal with a Loki who somehow ended up not returning with Thor (despite trying), Fury turns to a powerful telepath to get the truth out of him. That telepath being Charles Xavier. 

Godchild by griseldajane

After another battle, Loki finds a child Thor and takes him under his wing. That’s basically the plot, but it’s every bit as delightful as you’d imagine it to be. And also full of feelings.

Nuances by FelicityGS

One of my all time favorite Natasha/Loki fics, featuring a whole bunch of relationship negotiation and forced cohabitation and just…a lot of really nuanced and excellent characterization. (Nuanced, haha.) It’s just very good stuff. Also nonsexual BDSM, which is great, and some exploration of alien biology (specifically Jotun biology) which is also great.

Rearrange by TheGreatCatsby

Loki’s punishment after The Avengers is to be cast back down to Earth with a spell on him that erases pieces of his memory every time he uses magic. It’s an innovative concept and it’s very well executed here.

Rise From Ash by Mikkeneko

I haven’t reread this fic lately because I’m kind of scared to. I remember it being analogous to, like, six punches in the feelings. It’s a time loop fic with Loki trying to save the world, and that’s about all I want to say about it without giving the ending away. 

Man, now I want to reread but I’m not sure I’m emotionally prepared for that.

Out of the Mouths of Babes / The March of the Damned by Rynfinity 

This one is Thor/Loki, which I don’t read a lot of, and a modern/human AU, which I also don’t read a lot of - but damn it’s really good. It’s also really intense - heavy content warnings for…a lot of things. The first one (Babes) is Thor POV; Damned is Loki POV. I recommend reading both. 

The Many Doors of Niu Heimar by nixajane

An AU of the beginning of Thor where Loki almost dies on Jotunheim and Odin reveals to him afterwards that he’s a Frost Giant. They go to Earth and team up with the Avengers there. It’s Steve/Loki (but pretty slow burn) and is nice and long and plotty, with a killer last few chapters.

Jacob and Esau say their goodbyes by Lady Charity

This one isn’t so plotty but it is definitely “emotional angst.” Loki shouldn’t have survived his “death” on Svartalfheim. In the end, he won’t. (Yeah, cw on this one for hella character death.)

Though she may forget by Lady Charity

Another one that involves Loki going to Jotunheim and reckoning with his heritage, and like all of Lady Charity’s fic it’s beautifully written and just truly excellent work. 

The Hangman’s Hands by Mercurie

This fic is inteeeense. I actually haven’t reread the whole thing in a while, but I do go back every so often to reread favorite scenes. It’s Jane/Loki but that takes a long time to build, and doesn’t erase Jane/Thor which I appreciate. The last three chapters might kill you, though. They kind of killed me. 

Ask Me No Questions by Alex51234

Loki is brought back to Earth with a spell that compels him to tell the truth. Loki telling the truth is often not a very good thing. Also features Loki developing a weird friendship with JARVIS, which is pretty legit, and some excellent Bruce and Loki interaction.

Just Let Me Go by JaggedCliffs

This one’s an AU where Odin dies while Loki is on the throne and the illusion keeping him looking Aesir drops - leaving it looking like a Frost Giant somehow having snuck into Asgard and taking the throne and Loki’s place. There’s some pretty intense torture in this one, and a follow up fic that’s still in progress, and it’s all delightfully whumpy and painful.

AND A RANDOM COMICSVERSE REC

Words Will Never Hurt Me by Mythtaken Identity

This one is based on Journey Into Mystery and Agent of Asgard - which if you haven’t read, you really should, but it is comicsverse and may not make a lot of sense without that background. But you wanted angst and plot twists and this fic sure does deliver on both.

[veliseraptor]

Do you know of any Steve/Loki fic where Loki isn't exiled from Asgard?

The one I immediately think of is The Many Doors of Niu Heimar by nixajane. I wrote there’s a hell of a good universe next door where Loki exiles himself rather than being exiled, which probably doesn’t count? 

There is also The Ice Demon and the Hydra and The Ice Demon and the Captain by Lizardbeth, which are mostly gen and part of an AU that sort of crosses over with Frozen. But don’t necessarily let that keep you out of it, if that’s not your thing - the vast majority of the series focuses on Loki on Earth and his relationships with people there.

I don’t think I have anything else. Most Steve/Loki tends to take place post-Avengers, which generally involves Loki in some way cut off from Asgard.

[ninaarctander]

Niu Heimar

[ninaarctander]

Niu Heimar

[ninaarctander]

Jotunheimr from Niu Heimar

Fineliner on paper

[ninaarctander]

Niflheim from Niu Heimar

Fineliner on paper

[ninaarctander]

Hel from Niu Heimar

Fineliner on paper

[ninaarctander]

Niu Heimar

Fineliner on paper