Kaldheim (plane)

Kaldheim
Information
First seen	Planechase
Last seen	Kaldheim
Status	In chaos

Kaldheim is a top-down Norse mythology-inspired plane; Magic's take on what a world inspired by Vikings might look like.

History in the game

Kaldheim was first featured on the card Skybreen in the 2009 Planechase set. In the Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 game, Kaldheim was the location of the ultimate antagonist Ramaz. In 2021, it is the setting of the eponymous Kaldheim set.

Description

It seems Kaldheim is metaphysically close to Ixalan. Kaldheim is steeped in storytelling and song, and all of its denizens share a common ethos: it is a plane of warriors who boast of their great deeds and yearn to die heroically in battle, who fight hard and celebrate harder, and where great tales pass into myth through the ages. Mountains of the plane are known for their scouring winds and the frigid temperatures that generate a frosty deterrent to magic.

Pivotal to the plane is Cosmos, a realm between represented by a massive world tree, from which ten seperate realms hang like fruits. On occasion, these realms collapse unto each other, a Doomskar occurs.

History

At some point in the past the Einir gods ruled the realms, but they were replaced by the Skoti, who became the new pantheon. The defeated Einir became the plane's elves.

Notable locations

The ten realms of Kaldheim

• The Cosmos. The aether surrounding the plane, typified by the aurora borealis-effect, that spawns monsters.
• The Cosmic World Tree

The Ten Realms

Separate mini-planes that are suspended as fruit on the branches of the World Tree. The realms are constantly shifting and moving around the World Tree and can even collide. Such an epic event is called a "Doomskar" and causes earthquakes, destabilization and total chaos. Each realm is loosely aligned with a color pair.

• Istfell, the realm of the spirits of those who didn't fall in battle.
• Karfell, the realm of the draugr (viking zombies).
• Immersturm, the realm of demons.
• Gnottvold, the realm of trolls.
• Bretagard, the realm of humans.
• Starnheim, the realm of valkyries and fallen heroes.
• Surtland, the land of fire and frost giants.
• Skemfar, the land of wood and shadow elves.
• Axgard, the land of the dwarves.
• Littjara, the land of shapeshifters.

Unknown realm

• Skybreen, a mountain range inhabited by a primitive barbarian race.

Inhabitants

• Gods The gods of Kaldheim are a mercurial bunch. And as much as the denizens of Kaldheim want to be recognized for their amazing feats, the fear to be at their gods' mercy.
  • Alrund, God of Wisdom and the Cosmos.
  • Reidane, Goddess of Justice
  • Halvar, God of Battle.
  • Valki, God of Lies.
• Human Berserkers
• Dwarves
• Elves
  • Wood Elves
  • Shadow Elves
• Giants
• Shapeshifters.
• Angels (Valkyries)
• Spirits
• Zombies (Draugr)
• Demons
• Trolls

Planeswalker visitors

• Angrath (he visited the plane, but it is not his home plane.)
• Chandra Nalaar
• Kaya
• Niko Aris
• Ramaz
• Tibalt
• Tyvar Kell

Trivia

• The name "Kaldheim" literally means "cold home" in several North Germanic languages, such as Old Norse, Icelandic, and Norwegian Nynorsk. "Home" means "land", "realm" or "world" in this context, like in Old Norse Jǫtunheimr "land of the giants" or "Giants' home". The word heimr was used along with the word garðr lit. "yard" (as in Miðgarðr lit. "Midyard") in the names of various realms in Norse mythology.
• Due to Immersturm being a realm of Kaldheim it is possible that Valla is simply another name for this plane.