Ysgard is a plane on an epic scale, with soaring mountains, deep fjords, and dark caverns that hide the secret forges of the dwarves. A biting wind always blows at a hero’s back. From the freezing water channels to the sacred groves of Alfheim’s elves, Ysgard’s terrain is grand and terrible. It is a place of sharp seasons: Winter is a rime of darkness and killing cold, and a summer day is scorching and clear. Most spectacular of all, the landscape floats atop immense rivers of earth flowing forever through an endless skyscape. The broadest earthen rivers are the size of continents, while smaller sections, called earthbergs, are island-sized. Fire rages under each river, but only a reddish glow penetrates to the continent’s top. Of more concern is the occasional collision between rivers, which produces terrible quakes and sometimes spawns new mountain ranges.

Ysgard is the home of slain heroes who wage eternal battle on fields of glory. When these petitioners fall, they rise again the next morning to continue eternal warfare. Two deities make their homes on Ysgard: Kord, scion of Strength; and Olidammara, patron of thieves. The plane boasts two layers, Muspelheim and Nidavellir, beneath the main expanse of Ysgard.

Ysgard

The top layer of Ysgard, also called Ysgard, is far and away the most well known and well traveled of the three layers. Most of the inhabitants live in camps and rugged settlements with rough and wild conditions. The layer is dotted with dozens of huge halls, smoking battlefields, and hilly terrain leading down to cold seas. Few settlements exist along the edges of any of the earthbergs, except those interested in trade with communities on other earthbergs.

Yggdrasil is a massive tree that spans many planes. It touches the Beastlands, Niflheim, the three layers of Ysgard, Limbo, and Elysium, as well as many other locations. At its roots is Náströnd, the realm of Nidhogg, the worm that gnaws at the bottom of Yssdrgil. One day he will gnaw all the way through, and then Ragnarok will start. Beyond Nastrond are some tunnels. Walking into the wind leads to Niflheim, the second layer of the Gray Waste, and walking with the wind leads to Loki's realm in Pandemonium.

The party first entered Ysgard through a portal that led to the tree, and hired a Ratatosk named Tweek with his giant mount, centipede, Gerome, to help them reach land. They also met Kelvar, Cleric of Kord, here. (21)

The Party travelled through the same portal again in an attempt to reach Niflheim to attack Jeb and the Blades of Hel. They spent some time helping to destroy a plant monster that had started spreading rot on the tree, and rescuing a Ratatosk scout (Fastmundier) from it, before traveling down the tree with Tweek and Gerome to get to Hades at its roots.(32) .

The deity of the strong and courageous, Kord the Brawler lives in the Hall of the Valiant on this plane. His grand hall is built of stout beams of wood hewn from a single massive ash tree. Within, Kord presides over a never-ending banquet where honored guests come and go, but the revelry never ends. The feast tables surround a great open space where valiant heroes wrestle for sport. Sometimes, Kord himself sets aside his intelligent dragonslaying greatsword, Kelmar, and his dragon-hide accoutrements, and enters the square to the great delight of all assembled.

The party was sent by Enial to deliver a letter to Daniel, a Rogue Astral Deva, at the Hall of the Valiant. They never learned what was in the letter, but on their delivering it to Daniel, the Deva seemed upset and vanished. (21)

This great field is located near the Hall of the Valiant and the great free city of Himinborg, the largest population center on the layer. The Plain of Ida hosts daily festivals where warriors can flaunt their mettle. Here, bravery and skill in battle is valued over all else.

A new town located on the Plains of Iida, current population slightly over 5000, founded by refugees from Death of Innocence in The Gray Wastes, lead by a human fighter named Viliki Cainor (32), along with the citizens of the village of Three Bridges in the Outlands, which the Party had rescued from Devils (34).

The Army in Ysgard is stationed here, training for the battle against the Black Lotus. They are easily reached from Sigil by a two-way portal in the Temple of Kord, and less easily accessed by a portal 2 days journey away.

Every day on the Plain of Ida, warriors and champions test themselves and their prowess in contests of skill and martial cunning. One of the most famous of these is known as Densahl’s Challenge - a rocky Tor that sticks out of the grassy field, it stands about 20 feet tall and is made of rose-colored stone very similar to granite. The challenge(started by a drunken dwarf named Densahl who was annoyed that it was in his way) is to see who can knock the biggest piece of rock off the top of the Tor with a sledgehammer. The current record is held by Kord himself, who broke off a boulder the size of a workhouse. No matter how much is broken off, the next day the tor is recovered back to its full size.

The Planeswalkers all tried Densal's challenge during their adventure to Ysgard (21), and have brought new Party members or followers to try it as well on subsequent trips.

(benefit of Densahl's challenge: a +1 to all melee damage rolls, and 3 uses of the higher order ability. Once per day, after rolling a successful melee attack but before rolling damage, you may add a bonus equal to your character level to the damage. After the higher order ability is used up, the +1 melee bonus is gone))

Helga was given a message by Sigurd that the Oracle of Ida, who lives past Stardew Valley, wanted to speak to her. The message she delivered to Helga was as follows:

“The Black Lotus is not the top. Kill the puppetmaster, not the puppet.” (21)

The founder of this place, the original Yarl, slew a white dragon. The current Yarl is less heroic. He has a grudge against the Bishop due to past circumstances.

He has a hall filled with treasure which has trapped exits, making it very difficult to escape. The Bishop was tricked by the Yarl into being trapped here, along with Helga, but they managed to escape with some help from Olidamara, in disguise. (21)