Helheim is a land of shadows, windswept moors and silent mountains. Here lies Gnipahålan, the Stone Cave, where the dead pass through on their way to Hel. The Hanged Kings, ancient Vanir who have hanged themselves to learn the secrets of Death, rule the land from their thrones in Helhalla. Helheim is inhabited by Vanir, a race of tall and innately magical beings who are able to trick mortals with their glamour. The Vanir of Helheim have sequestered themselves from the Vanir of Vanheim and have not been part of the great war with the giants. For ages they have been guiding the dead on their way to Hel in service of a dead god. Now a new God is arising and the old ways are changing. The Valkyries, guides of the dead, have become messengers of death and sacred warriors of the new God. Valkyries, the female Vanir of Helheim, are able to fly, a gift from the dead god they once served. Lesser beings are not held in high regard and their blood is sacrificed to sate the Awakening God. Unlike their cousins in Vanheim, the Vanir of Helheim are not shipwrights and sailors.
"[Helheim] sprung from old Norse myth. The Poetic Edda and some later tales, combined with general conceptions of Iron Age Scandinavia, are the main sources. Vanir, Aesir and Giants are ancient antagonists in these myths. The Aesir, being perceived as gods, have been made pretenders in Dominions. Not that Vanir weren't, but they seem less so than the Aesir in most instances. As with most nations of supernatural origin, it seems fitting that their magic fades with each passing age as humans become more and more numerous." -Illwinter
Helheim is an alternate version of Vanheim, with high levels of Death magic and more-reliable Glamour magic instead of any Blood magic. It's an elf nation that can bog foes down with Dread and skele-spam. Recruit-wise, it's a bit more similar to later Vanheim than current Vanheim; or, in other words, less good at blitzing. Its mages generally have better focus in their paths than Vanheim's, but this also makes them more expensive, while their lack of Blood magic or Master Smiths gives them a more ordinary lategame.
Magic Access | Alt. Access | Unit Summary | Core Abilities | Buildings |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 (Rare 5) 3 (Rare 4) 3 2 1 2 | Summons 423 243 432 432 (req. 43) | Flying Elf Vikings Strong Thugs No cheap mages Flying Van sacreds Sacred Van cavalry | Stealthy Flying Glamour Skilled Rider True Sight | Standard Forts |
Capitol Gems: 141
Cold limit +1
Death limit +1
Magic limit +1
Prefers Cold Scale + 1
Blood Sacrifice: Priests can sacrifice a blood slave at a temple to help extend the dominion.
The roster is composed largely of elves, long-lived and glamoured units with high defense skill. The majority of Helheim's armies are therefore invisible on the map to most other players.
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Van Scout 55 15 1 | Stealthy (75) Glamour Mountain Survival Forest Survival | Commentary here. | |
Vanherse 220 14 2 | 1119 Sacred Skilled Rider (4) | Commentary here. | |
Fay Horse | Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Smart Mount (100) Animal True Sight | Commentary here. | |
Helkarl 255 14 2 | 7 Sacred Skilled Rider (4) Spirit Sight | Commentary here. | |
Helhestur | Sacred Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Smart Mount (100) Animal True Sight | Commentary here. | |
Vanjarl 410 16 2 | 211213 Sacred Skilled Rider (5) | Commentary here. | |
Fay Horse | See Above | ||
Svartalf 270 2 4 Capital Only | 221100%15 Darkvision (50%) Mountain Survival | Commentary here. | |
Dis 310 20 2 Capital Only | 111111 Sacred Skilled Rider (5) Flying Spirit Sight Combat Caster Female | Commentary here. | |
Disahestur | Sacred Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Smart Mount (100) Animal Flying True Sight | Commentary here. | |
Hangadrott 620 20 4 Capital Only | 3221100% 10%17 Sacred Skilled Rider (5) Spirit Sight | Commentary here. | |
Helhestur | See Above |
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Serf Warrior 8 6 5 | Commentary here. | ||
Huskarl 25 10 21 | Commentary here. | ||
Huskarl 25 13 21 | Commentary here. | ||
Hirdman 30 17 25 | Commentary here. | ||
Mounted Hirdman 50 14 48 | Skilled Rider (3) | Commentary here. | |
Fay Horse | Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Smart Mount (100) Animal True Sight | Commentary here. | |
Valkyrie 45 18 29 Capital Only | Sacred Flying Spirit Sight Female | Commentary here. | |
Helhirding 65 12 48 Capital Only | Sacred Skilled Rider (3) Spirit Sight | Commentary here. | |
Helhestur | Sacred Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Smart Mount (100) Animal True Sight | Commentary here. |
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Sigrdriva - Hangadrottning Earliest Arrival Turn (10) | 142219 Sacred Spirit Sight Flying Skilled Rider (5) Female | Commentary here. | |
Disahestur | Sacred Poison Resistance (10) Disease Resistance (100%) Smart Mount (100) Flying True Sight | Commentary here. |
Summon Spell | Unit | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Summon Valkyries (Conjuration 6) 31 and 1 | Valkyrie x 7 | Sacred Flying Spirit Sight Female | Commentary here. |
Summon Spell | Unit | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Sloth of Bears (Conjuration 3) 2 and 6 | Great Bear x 15+ | Undisciplined Animal Mountain Survival Forest Survival | Commentary here. |
Awaken Draugar (Conjuration 4) 2 and 12 | Draug x 4 | Resist Cold (25) Resist Poison (25) Cold Aura (3) Fear (5) Undead Amphibious Need Not Eat Spirit Sight Shapechanger Below HP (20) (Draug) | Commentary here. |
Draug | Shapechanger Above HP (25) (Draug) | ||
Brood of Garm (Conjuration 4) 2 and 10 | Jotun Wolf x 5 | Sacred Resist Cold (15) Fear (+5) Berserker (+3) Animal Forest Survival Snow Move Wolf | Commentary here. |
Summon Dwarf of the Four Directions (Conjuration 8) 43 and 62 | Dwarf of the North or Dwarf of the South or Dwarf of the East or Dwarf of the West | 42323 24323 43223 43223 Common Attributes: Unique Shock Resistance (22) Darkvision (50%) Master Smith (1-2) Mountain Survival | Summons one of the four Dwarves of the Four Directions, powerful mages who have significant combat, ritual-casting and forging capabilities (432200% and Master Smith 1-2 (1: Water, Death. 2: Fire, Nature). Also increases the likelihood of Hurricanes ravaging the world for each dwarf summoned. If all four dwarves are alive at once, the world is plunged into a Perpetual Storm and all battles will have Darkness over them; this is a somewhat roundabout manner to apply what amounts to two Global Enchantments at once, but the only way to dispel either effect is to kill one of them. |
See Magic Access. These guides supplement the summaries at the top.
Summon Dwarf of the Four Directions gives dwarves that widen Helheim's path access, by having a 1/4 chance to provide 2, a 1/4 chance to provide 2, and a 1/4 chance to provide 2. If all four enter the game, the world is plunged into Perpetual Storm and all battles will have Darkness, something Helheim performs better under than Vanheim. These are essentially non-native to Helheim, however. They require a 43 mage and 62; the cost to get those paths without a specially designed pretender is 135 (plus 10 for Earth Boots) on a 122 Svartalf, but one dwarf can summon the rest. Just remember that Vanheim, Niefelheim, and Muspelheim, also get to summon these.
A 1 Svartalf (1 in 5) is the only recruitable source of Fire. It can make a Skull of Fire for 2, but will need a level of empowerment to climb the rest of the ladder (Flame Spirit, Flame Helmet, et cetera)… unless you get the Dwarf of the South, anyway, who can forge the Flame Helmet right away due to his Master Smith abilities.
A Vanjarl has 2. This isn't enough to climb the ladder, requiring two Air empowerments for the Winged Helmet.
No native access. The Dwarf of the North has 2 and Master Smith 1, however, so you could climb the rest of the ladder with him. You can even skip the Sea King in the chase for a Queen of Elemental Water, using the Staff of Elemental Mastery that all four directional dwarves can craft.
3 mages (Hangadrotts or Death Svartalves) can Summon Spectres for a 7 in 16 chance of at least 1.
Each Svartalf has a 20% chance to have 3, bringing access up to 4 with the Earth Boots; if rushed, Construction 9 then offers the Orb of Elemental Earth for 5. You could then theoretically get a King of Elemental Earth for 6, but that would be Level 8 in another school, and Helheim isn't in a great position for spamming researchers.
No native access. 31 (from the Earth Svartalf) can cast Hidden in Sand and Hidden Wasteland for a decent but expensive chance at getting an Astral level; the odds of getting 2 (and not a level lower) are 1-out-of-3 for Hidden in Sand, while the odds of getting at least 1 are 3-out-of-4 for Hidden Underneath, not including how Scales determine the number of mages the Rituals provide.
Alternatively, 3 mages (Hangadrotts or Death Svartalves) can Summon Spectres for a 7 in 16 chance of at least 1; this is cheaper, and in a gem type Helheim has guaranteed income for.
4 on Hangadrotts (1 in 4) makes climbing Death simple. 6 is a Skull Staff and a Skullface away.
EA Helheim can forge The Copper Arm and The Silver Arms to hold extra Death boosters, but the other boosters are artifacts that one should not expect to craft.
No native access. The Dwarf of the East has 2 and Master Smith 1, though, so one who rushes the dwarves can get 3 without much trouble; if they then rush The Tome of Gaia (an artifact), they can craft the Treelord's Staff for 6, 7 if they also use The Copper Arm.
Alternatively, a 23 mage can Summon Gnomes for 2. An Earth Hangadrott who has been empowered in Glamour once can, with the Gossamer Veil, cast Lore of Legends to get the required Earth level; or you can just empower him in Earth instead, if you have 30 lying around.
3 on Hangadrotts (1 in 4) means Helheim can attain 4 through the Gossamer Veil. The Mirage Crystal (Glamour's other common booster) is exactly as complex to get as the Gnome, however; you might as well get both, if you're going for one and you have the gems.
No native access. It's not like bootstrapping into Blood is ruinous, however.
How to win as the nation. Feel free to use the following sections, or delete them, or change them.
Different expansion options.
Early game options.
Mid game options.
Late game options.
Chassis: Awake Titan of Crossroads
Paths: 457
Bless: MW/Arcane Finesse, Invuln 10, Regen.
Scales: 6203123
What are the nation's weaknesses?
Add links to guides or other overviews for this nation here.