... you see a realm of eternal ice, the sun shining from a cloudless sky, and all across the flat icy landscape, movement... dark shadows moving across the ice. A great crack shatters the ice, and it begins to rise, as if the ice is being pushed up by something.
This page compiles all of the discoveries, clues, lore, and other bits of information relevant to Ymir, and his impending awakening and its consequences.
A cryptic divination from a supernatural oracle, received by druids of Sven's order (after he related to them the content of his dream):
Some background; this is stuff known to any reasonably well-read scholar of Norse myth (Knowledge DCs in the 15-30 range).
Legend tells of Ymir, also known as Aurgelmir, as a primordial frost giant and the first living being in the universe. By convoluted and frankly nonsensical means (there was a cow and various body parts behaving in biologically implausible ways), Ymir spawned both the jotuns (frost giants) and the first Aesir (Odin? and his brothers). Odin and his fellow gods killed Ymir and used parts of his body to construct Midgard?.
Naturally, arcane scholars and historians have done much analysis of this creation myth over the centuries, aided (though frustratingly little) by divinations and discussions with the gods' celestial servants. The various sources are agreed upon several things:
1. Whether or not he was the first living being, Ymir was certainly some sort of frost giant-like creature, one of immense proportions (though just how immense is a matter of little consensus) and great power. He was likely both far more powerful (both physically and magically) and far less humanoid than the frost giants of "modern" times, his alleged descendants.
2. Ymir's place in myth as the progenitor of the gods is disputed, but few doubt that he came into conflict with the Aesir and came out the loser.
3. The part of the myth that speaks of Odin and his brothers making Midgard out of Ymir's bones, flesh, etc. is usually not taken entirely literally, but its interpretation is debated. Some scholars maintain that Odin used Ymir's body, imbued as it was with incredibly powerful primordial magic, to generate actual mountains, rivers, etc.; in other words that Ymir's literal flesh and blood was magically transformed, by the giant's divine nature and Odin's will, into elements of the landscape. Other sources are more skeptical, and theories range from glaciers formed by Ymir's presence to the environmental impact of his death (widespread warming, climate shifts, tundra becoming forest, etc. etc.). Some historians even suggest that the entire thing is a metaphor for Odin defeating Ymir and, subsequently and unrelatedly, engaging in (literal) world-building.
4. Regardless of what role Ymir's corpse did or did not play in the creation of Midgard, it is almost certain that he was not entirely destroyed. The myths are rather coy on this point, and scholarly consensus is based more on what isn't there than on what is. In almost all the mythical inventories of which of Ymir's body parts were used to create what, one or more parts is are inevitably missing; the rest of the stories list more body parts than make up one whole, leading some scholarly sources to speculate that Ymir possessed some sort of regenerative powers. What happened to whatever was left of Ymir after Odin was done with him? The myths don't seem to even acknowledge this question.
As for how to find out more, well, that's tricky. Sigurd's Keep did have relevant books and scrolls, but as you might recall, Stavros destroyed them after taking what knowledge he needed from them. Neither Byzantium nor Cherkessia are likely to have any sources more in-depth or more obscure than what you've already read elsewhere. The Mountain of Ultimate Winter is of course a possibility, if you can solve the problem of access.1 The Iron Triad might conceivably be helpful, given what Albrecht has been finding out about Arakel.2 And of course Kajarinn, the storm giant in the Cult's inner circle, is a candidate for having relevant knowledge, though possibly not for having any desire to share it.
1 One problem solved, another arises: the Mountain of Ultimate Winter (especially those parts of it which house Ivan Kerensky's home) is increasingly inhospitable to mortals, due to Saira's growing influence. But (at least for now) it can still be visited.
2 As you now know, Arakel was a commander of armies of celestials loyal to Freyr, Zorayan was handmaiden to Odin (and knowledgeable about magic and arcane lore), and Karayan was Loki's protege.
Lorekeeper Stavros (son of Archbishop Satyros of Kiev) led an expedition to the Varangian lands, to Sigurd's Keep (base of the Spell Keepers of Odin). A divination cast by Nikolai revealed that
Though he was welcomed into the Spell Keepers' home as a seeker of knowledge, once inside, Stavros and his men ransacked the Keep's libraries, seeking certain valuable books of history and lore. Stavros apparently found what he was looking for, and, after perusing the books, destroyed them (as well as the catalogs, which might have revealed what it was he'd sought). (However, according to Karolis, a librarian of the Order, Stavros seemed to be especially interested in "Collections of prophecies. All our material having to do with ancient times. The dawn of the world.")
Having done this, Stavros (still accompanied by his band of clerics and warriors of the Orthodox Church) traveled to Mountain of Ultimate Winter in Jotunheim, to infiltrate the home of Ivan Kerensky (and, presumably, also steal valuable knowledge). This was his undoing, however, and Stavros succumbed to the defenses that Ivan Kerensky left behind.
The PCs tracked Stavros and recovered his body. Nikolai cast a speak with dead spell on the lorekeeper's corpse, with the following results:
Sabin at work: 1. What books, specifically, did you find in the Spellkeeper's keep?
Obormót/Gaia: 1. Books about the shaping of the world and the fate of Ymir.
Sabin at work: aha
Sabin at work: What were the titles
Sabin at work: if present
Sabin at work: insert that in there
Obormót/Gaia: 1.5. (list follows)
Obormót/Gaia: a) What Came Before, or: Birth Of The Gods (alternate title)
Obormót/Gaia: b) Interpreting The Ancient Myths: Theory and Practice
Obormót/Gaia: c) Studies In Supernatural Taxonomy
Obormót/Gaia: d) A Treatise on Irregularities and Anachronistic Indications in Prophecies, volume 1:
Ancient Times to the Rurikid Ascenscion
Obormót/Gaia: That is the list
Sabin at work: an interesting list
Sabin at work: 3. Who have you contacted about your progress since you left the Spellkeepers' Keep?
Obormót/Gaia: 3. My father [Archbishop Satyros —ed.]
Sabin at work: ok so Satyros knows that he found shit at Sigurd's
Sabin at work: 4. What books or writings did you find, if anything, at the Mountain of Ultimate Winter??
Obormót/Gaia: 4. Nothing.
Sabin at work: good
Sabin at work: 5. Why are you looking for these books?
Obormót/Gaia: 5. To find out about Ymir and his children.
Sabin at work: hmmm
Phelan @ Work: do we ask what he found about them?
Phelan @ Work: if we had more questions I'd want to know if he kept any records of what he found
Phelan @ Work: that we might find ourselves
Sabin at work: 6. What have you learned so far during this expedition about Ymir and his children?
Phelan @ Work: either for our own use or just to return to the spellkeepers
Sabin at work: er
Obormót/Gaia: 6. Ymir still sleeps, but his children have awakened.
Information found in the deepest and most secret vault of Sigurd's Keep, which houses the words of the gods themselves, as conveyed at various times in the past to members of the Order of the Spell Keepers. (Nikolai was granted access to this vault when the PCs visited Sigurd's Keep in the wake of Stavros' plundering thereof.)
1) A record by a Spellkeeper who lived almost two centuries ago; he died in battle, and was resurrected, but during the time he spent in Valhalla before being brought back, he was granted the honor of speaking with Mimir? (or rather, the magically animated, severed head of Mimir), a giant/god/something who is said to possess unmatched knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to see into other worlds. Mimir claimed to have existed since before the birth of the gods, and said...
2) Along similar lines, one record is from the diary of a Spellkeeper who journeyed to Asgard while alive, and was invited to a feast in Odin's hall. In the middle of the feast, Odin himself had a prophetic vision, and is quoted as saying...
3) The most recent one, of a vision received by Sigurd [the last leader of the Order, now deceased —ed.], is a message from Heimdall, the gatekeeper of Asgard, guardian of the Rainbow Bridge. This message was received shortly prior to Heimdall's death at the hands of Loki. Heimdall was said to have perception so sensitive that he could see and hear grass growing in Midgard from his post at the gates of Asgard. The message reads...
Having learned that Satyros and Isidor seem to be allied (or, more precisely, Satyros is apparently reporting and answering to Isidor), Nikolai cast a divination spell and asked:
and received this answer:
The PCs inadvertently traveled to a time one hundred years hence, to what turned out to be a dark and dystopian future. In this time period, the Principality of Novgorod, and the Varangian? lands, were buried under snow and depopulated, as if an ice age had come to the northern reaches of the Slavic Lands.
The PCs met Anait?, who brought them up to speed (broadly speaking) on the various terrible things that had happened since their disappearance (i.e. in the intervening century). One of the cataclysms of which Anait spoke was "the awakening of Ymir and the obliteration of the entire north". She also mentioned that Anton Saratov? and his sometime adventuring companions were killed as a result; "All of them - Oksana, Ruslan, Arsen, Samira - all dead, dead beyond resurrection, first victims of Ymir's awakening." Anait said that Ymir was eventually stopped (by an alliance of beings which apparently included both herself and Vladislav Chernovsky?), but too late to save Novgorod.
When the PCs figured out a way to return to their own time, Anait gave them a letter to give to her past self; this letter included a warning: "Don't let Anton and his friends go north to seek Ymir. That is where they died. You must prevent it."
A commune spell, cast during Session 2010-02-14?:
Vasily: 4) Is Ymir's awakening connected to the storm raging around the Mountain of Ultimate Winter?
DM of Gaia: 4. No.
Vasily: 5) Is Ymir's awakening connected to Ragnarok having occurred?
DM of Gaia: 5. Unclear.
Taras attempts to learn more:
*** Taras walks up to the Eye of Colothys. *** Protective wards trigger! The room is blanketed in Silence, an anvil trap attacks Taras, and then he is removed from the room. *** DM rolls dice for Protective wards (anvil to head): 1d20 <3 = 3> + 25 = 28 Taras: ...
A commune spell cast during Session 2010-07-25?:
Nikolai: 15. Is the threat from the north from sven's prophetic dreams tied to the
mountain of ultimate winter in any way?
Nikolai: (yes, duh)
Nikolai: (this is a bad question
DM of Gaia: 15. No.
Nikolai: huh.
Nikolai: I would have thought
Nikolai: at least
Nikolai: The Mountain is in Jotunheim
Nikolai: and Ymir is under Jotunheim
Nikolai: thus they are marginally connected
Nikolai: thus yes
DM of Gaia: Well at least this means the question wasn't wasted, right?
Nikolai: 16. Is the threat from the north from sven's prophetic dream about the awakening of Ymir?
DM of Gaia: 16. Yes.
Nikolai: :/
Nikolai: I still think my explanation was correct.
The PCs learn (during Session 2010-10-14) of the following (see the log for details and commentary):
Leonid Fokin: It seems that Archbishop Satyros has been showing quite
the interest in, eh, "pagan" legends - that is, Norse ones.
Leonid Fokin: The creation of the world, to be specific.
Vasily: I've always said that our culture is to be respected.
Nikolai: >:|
Vasily: oh hell.
*** Nikolai raises his eyebrows
Nikolai: Seriously?
Vasily: Satyros is in for a Giant problem.
Nikolai: What has he been doing?
Sven: :/
Leonid Fokin: Quite so, quite so, Vasily, but Father Sidor [the cleric who informed Fokin of this —ed.]
tells me that the Archbishop has been using increasingly... hm... unorthodox means to acquire knowledge,
if you will pardon the turn of phrase.
Vasily: Orthodoxy is for the clergy.
Leonid Fokin: Calling upon demons, even.
...
Leonid Fokin: Father Sidor also told me that the Archbishop has been spending an increasing amount of time away from Kiev. Leonid Fokin: Taking trips, to places unknown. Leonid Fokin: He tries to hide it, and spends much time engaging in public charity...
The PCs met with Father Sidor, who related that he overheard Satyros speaking to the demons dwelling in the catacombs of Kiev. While Sidor was not fluent in Infernal, he was able to recall some of the words and phrases he'd heard, by sound, and the PCs managed to make out some of what was said:
"Awaken" or "rise"; either "light" or "no dark" or "no shadow" or maybe "clarity"; "spirits of the cold" or "demons of the ice"; "born in sleep" or "born from sleep" or perhaps even "created from dreams"
(These words were part of what was spoken to Satyros by demons living under Kiev, in the conversation overheard by Father Sidor.)
Satyros was eventually (partly due to the actions of the PCs) recalled to Byzantium, and has not been seen in Kiev, nor heard from, since.
A commune spell, detailed in this forum thread:
11. Does the Mountain of Ultimate Winter? contain information regarding Ymir's awakening? 11. Yes.
After the defeat of the Dark Devourer and his lizardfolk followers, Sven spoke briefly with his old mentor, Ilmarinen:
Ilmarinen: Of the four great potentials for disaster that appeared
to us in our dreams, you have now played a great part in the aversion of two.
Sven: I wish I knew more about what's going on up north . . .
Ilmarinen: As would I. When I left to assist in this war, most of
our comrades that remained at home were preparing to search for that threat.
Ilmarinen: I and my followers will join them.
Sven: We know what happens if left alone, but we have no details . . .
Taras: It's almost a cold case, wouldn't you say?
Ilmarinen: You may well be hearing from me again, if our search is successful.
*** Sven glares at Taras
Boris: booooo
*** Ilmarinen ignores Taras entirely
Boris: Vasily's not even laughing at that one!
*** Taras shrugs innocently with a chuckle
Sven: I hope you can turn up something useful
Sven: By the way, whatever happened to those young druids I was monitoring?
Ilmarinen: Ah, they returned home, safe and sound. They...
*** Ilmarinen glances around, then pulls Sven aside and lowers his voice
*** Taras frowns as he can't hear
Ilmarinen: Last I saw them, the youngsters were planning to join an
expedition into Jotunheim.
Ilmarinen: I believe I will make my way there as well.
Ilmarinen: It is a good bet that the source of Ymir's threat may be found there.
Sven: Agreed
Ilmarinen: But tell no one of this, for now.
The party traveled to Azrashak's cube in Acheron, to visit the demon lord's records library and research various topics. This research yielded information on several topics, but nothing new or useful on Ymir or his awakening.
The PCs participated in gladiatorial games in the nereid city-state of Atlantis?, and won access to the fabled Athenaeum Atlantean?. The curator of that ancient repository, a water weird (an elemental being, skilled in prophecy and learned in obscure lore), allowed the PCs to question her on various topics.
Nikolai: Can you tell us about the giant Ymir? I don't know if
that's close enough to your area of expertise...
*** Water Weird gets a faraway look
DM: Ripples begin to pass through her form
DM: As if pebbles are being thrown at the surface of her watery body from all sides
DM: After several seconds, the ripples stop, and the weird speaks, with obvious difficulty
Water Weird: Endless ice and no shadows. That is where Ymir sleeps.
No wind goes there, and there is but one path;
*** Water Weird attempts to force out more words
*** Water Weird fails
Water Weird: ... seek the Eye of Ran...
*** Water Weird gasps
Nikolai: //i think we broke it
Taras: Ni..
Albrecht: // This makes me worry that the key will release Ymir as well; but we got a hint
*** Water Weird ripples violently again
*** Taras glances at Nikolai, unsure
Taras: ...what did you do
DM: Her form stabilizes
Water Weird: ... a difficult prophecy.
A commune spell, cast during http://br.sabindeus.com/index.php/Session_2012-07-29:
Albrecht: 5. Can Ymir's awakening be prevented?
Albrecht: 6. Is anyone trying to awaken Ymir?
Obormot\Gaia: 5. Unclear
Obormot\Gaia: 6. Yes.
Nikolai: 7. Are the people trying to awaken Ymir in Russia?
Obormot\Gaia: 7. Yes
Boris: and with 7
Boris: ...well, I'll take that, but there was a risk of "some are in Russia some are in Poland
Nikolai: 8. Are the people trying to awaken Ymir affiliated with the cult of Loki
Obormot\Gaia: hmmm
Obormot\Gaia: Interesting
Obormot\Gaia: 8. No
Nikolai: 9. Are the people trying to awaken Ymir affiliated with the orthodox church
Obormot\Gaia: 9. Unofficially.
Nikolai: ha
Sven: lol
Taras: i Also lol'd
Albrecht: 10. Is Satyros involved in the attempt to awaken Ymir?
Nikolai: 11. are the people etc. affiliated with the demon whatshisface who is Isidor
Obormot\Gaia: 10. Yes.
Obormot\Gaia: 11. Yes.
Obormot\Gaia: Your divine patrons must love you to be giving you such straight answers
Sven: fucking seriously
Obormot\Gaia: What have you ever done to deserve this, I ask
Sven: it's like Snowglobes Inc. is on vacation
Nikolai: um
Albrecht: 12. Are Satyros' superiors in Byzantium involved in this attempt?
Nikolai: been awesome?
Nikolai: also a demigod?
Obormot\Gaia: 12. Unclear.
Sven: your mom's a demigod
Sven: also a very nice lady
Nikolai: >_>
Nikolai: hmmm
Nikolai: so I feel like the exposure of Satyros and Isidor to this gives us a clear
pricture of who we need to smite
Albrecht: ok… real question 13+...
Albrecht: hmm
Sven: does Satyros know he's involved in an attempt to wake Ymir?
Nikolai: that sounds like a unclear
Nikolai: since it involves mind reading
Sven: probably
Taras: Well you could draw some inferences
Taras: if you see him, you know
Nikolai: possibly
Nikolai: let's go for it
Taras: reading "You and waking Ymir"
Boris: it could be yes
Obormot\Gaia: lol
Sven: lol
Obormot\Gaia: 13. Yes.
Boris: 20 - Are the killings of Vasily's contacts connected to any plans to revive Ymir?
Obormot\Gaia: hmmm
Obormot\Gaia: 20. Indirectly.
Obormot\Gaia: That's all folks
Nikolai: \o/
Boris: good enough :)
Nikolai: we got through another commune!
Nikolai: drinks are on me boys
Obormot\Gaia: That concludes the Cosmic Powers Substitute Teacher Tour
Boris: alright, let's drink
Obormot\Gaia: Next time the business is picked back up by Snowglobes, Inc.
Albrecht: those jerks
On the walls of the central hall of Valaskjalf (Odin?'s residence and sanctum, where he and the twelve most important other gods gathered to discuss matters of importance) — a place to which Nikolai now has access, and which he has visited — hang nine magic tapestries. As seen by Nikolai [information in brackets is what Nikolai surmised, thanks to his knowledge of the lore of the planes]:
These tapestries, lavishly worked in thread of gold, mithril, platinum, and threads that seem the jet-black color of the moonless night sky, depict various scenes, as follows:
On the right wall, one tapestry depicts a sprawling scene, with rolling hills, thick forests, plains of tall grasses and wheat, and tall mountains; in groups, among this terrain, can be seen dwellings, in styles common to the Norse and northern Russian lands.
[Mannheim, the lands of humans, and one of the two realms of Midgard]
The second tapestry depicts a landscape shrouded in a thick, raging blizzard, snow-covered and white; various creatures of ice and snow walk through the landscape, seeking shelter from the blizzard; to one side, a great, solitary mountain stands.
[Jotunheim, the land of giants, and the other of the two realms of Midgard; the mountain is the Mountain of Ultimate Winter?]
The third tapestry depicts a great expanse of ice, calm and dead; ice plains and tall glaciers dominate the scene, and there is no life to be found. You notice that near the bottom of this (third) tapestry, the thick ice that forms the base of the depicted glaciers, underneath the surface of the ice plains, is stitched in such a way as to suggest the form of a sleeping figure.
[???]
On the left wall, one tapestry depicts a bleak landscape, shrouded in cold mists; nine frozen rivers wend their way through the scene, and small figures, their forms blurred by the mists, wander through. Near a top corner of the tapestry, a throne of ice rises; grotesque forms, which could be creatures of ice, surround it, and upon the throne sits a being with wild white hair.
[Niflheim, the Norse underworld; and Hel, goddess of death and ruler of that realm]
The second tapestry is dominated with rock and earth, side to side and top to bottom; tunnels snake through the rock, and strange forms, which again could be creatures, are embedded in it, or perhaps burrowing.
[Nidavellir, a realm of earth and stone, home to dwarves]
The third tapestry depicts a realm of fire and lava, rivers of it flowing through great caverns; and near a lower corner of the tapestry, the caverns become worked tunnels, opening into soaring vaults and stone architecture on a grand scale. Small figures, humanoid, stout and armored, are depicted in this part of the tapestry; and in the other, the fire and lava sometimes forms into whorls that suggest the shape of strange creatures.
[Muspelheim, a realm of fire and magma, also inhabited by dwarves]
(You note that the borders of the tapestries on the first wall are done in the form of thick, strong tree branches. The borders of the tapestries on the second wall are done in the form of snaking roots.)
[The branches of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, hold Midgard, the "Middle Realm"; Yggdrasil's roots run to the three realms beneath]
Finally, on the far wall, opposite the dais and Odin's throne... the tapestry on the right depicts Valhalla, flanked by tall mountains, their peaks ringed in raging storms, and before it the plain of Ida, where the great battles of Ragnarok took place. The borders of this tapestry is done in the form of thin, delicate branches, heavy with leaves.
[The crown of Yggdrasil holds the realm of Asgard]
The tapestry on the left depicts a grey and barren landscape; dead trees, dry plains, not a speck of color; and near the top of the tapestry, a single mountain, upon which can be seen the roots of a great tree.
[The Other World, realm of Volos, in the center of which stands a great mountain, on the peak of which stands Yggdrasil]
Finally, the tapestry in the center, above the door, is the one you spotted first: a nearly-black, shadowy landscape; a dark sky devoid of moon and stars; you can't quite make out the details of the landscape, no matter how hard you squint.
[The Shadow Realm]
From the libraries within the Mountain of Ultimate Winter?:
(http://br.sabindeus.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=123)
Ivan [Kerensky]'s account of the last major conflict between the Aesir and the frost giants, over five hundred years ago, mentions the dragon Deathwinter. She was appointed guardian of the Gates of Niflheim? as sort of a... combination punishment/peace offering
[16:24:57] <@xthemage> So she was an agent of the frost giants?
She was allied with them... in the barest sense. The account also refers obliquely to her hailing from somewhere that isn't Jotunheim? or Mannheim?, but... another part of Midgard?? Somewhere even colder than Jotunheim?