Far away in the frozen lands of the jotuns lies a vast valley of fire and ash. This is Muspelheim, a gloomy land lit by streams of lava. The acrid air is thick with soot and glowing embers, and the skies are dark and covered in clouds of smoke and sulfur. From the fires of Muspelheim primordial giants once emerged and now their descendants make the valley of fire and ash their home. The muspel giants have allied themselves with jotuns of the surrounding lands and most of the population is of jotun stock, but in the ashen fields of Muspelheim descendants of the first fire giants still live. The jotuns in general prefer cold climates, but the jotuns in Muspelheim are resistant to fire and do not suffer from the extreme heat of their ancestral home.

"[Muspelheim] 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.

Niefelheim, Muspelheim, Jotunheim, and Utgård are part of the history of a single nation through the ages. Vanheim, Helheim and Midgård also share a common ancestry and development. In the middle era Helheim merges with Vanheim and disappears as an independent nation. Only the valkyries remain as reminders of the legacy of Helheim.

Muspelheim was added in Dominions 6. I've wanted to make the nation for a long time, but haven't had the tools or inspiration to finish the nation. I wanted to convey the idea presented in the creation of the world in norse myth, with the flames and heat from Muspelheim meeting the frost and ice of Niefelheim. In Dominions 6 new mechanics were added that allows a nation to prefer cold lands, while the capital is exempt from the effects of severe heat. Thus I could make Muspelheim a land of ash and flames ruled by fire giants, surrounded by icy lands inhabited by jotun giants." -Illwinter

If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?

Magic Access	Alt. Access	Unit Summary	Core Abilities	Buildings
4 (Rare 5) 2 (Rare 3) 2 (Rare 3) 2 (Rare 3) 2 (Rare 3) 1 (Rare 2) 1 (Rare 2) 2	Summons 423 243 432 432 (req. 43)	Giant Infantry and Skinshifters Niefel Giants	Fire Resistance Cold Resistance Shock Vulnerability Snow Move	Giant Forts Capital Forts reduce Heat scale deaths by 2 steps Other Forts reduce cold scale deaths by 1 steps

Capitol Gems: 3111

Cold Limit + 1
Prefers Cold Scale + 2
Home Province Prefers Heat Scale + 3

The Rift of Surtr: Increases heat in the capitol by a maximum of Seven.

The Gygjor (plural for Gygjas) get two 100% randoms and one 10% random, each with the same paths (). Thus, each of those Mages has a 42% chance of having at least 2, a 7.03135%? chance of having 3, and a 0.15625%? (1/640) chance of having 4. Gygjas can also get 3 or 3, but the former is more common on Muspel Jarls (who have a 16/45 chance of 3 and a 1/90 chance of 4). On the other hand, 1, 1, and 1 are not guaranteed on any of your mages.

: Cold Resistance (15), Shock Vulnerability (5), Snow Move

: Fire Resistance (15), Shock Vulnerability (5), Snow Move, Wasteland Survival

• Seith Curse (Thaumaturgy 5)
  11 and 3
  Commentary here.

See Magic Access. These guides supplement the summaries at the top.

8 can Bind Demon Lord. While most reliable at getting Death and Glamour, the demons it summons may be strong in any path except for Water and, (unnecessarily,) Blood.

4 Muspel Jarl (1 in 3), with 1, makes it easy to climb Fire.

The Muspelgygja has a (1 in 25) chance at 2 and 1. It needs 22 for the unique Tome of High Power. With an Astral booster from an 2 Gygja (1 in 25) or Muspelgygja (1 in 25). Without it, more empowerment is necesary.

No native access. 25 for Contact Lamia Queen and a 7 in 16 1.

3 for Summon Spectre and a 7 in 16 at least 1.

14 for Faerie Court not in cold with 1 in 3 1 and, in cold, certain 3.

No native access. 45 can create The Magic Lamp for Al Khazim - Jinn who has 3.

5 can cast King of Elemental Fire for a 1 in 2 chance of 1.

14 for Faerie Court not in cold with 1 in 3 1 and, in cold, 1 in 2 1.

3 for Forest Troll Tribe and a 1 in 4 1.

5 for Awaken Treelord and 1 in 3 1.

With the useful crosspaths for Astral in the same Random paths as the Astral itself, getting any booster that requires a crosspath is tricky. Just getting 2 is a 1 in 25 chance for the Gygjas and the MuspelGygjas.

3 Gygja (1 in 25) still requires two boosters to get to 5. The Skull Staff is easy, of course, but the only other one reachable is the unique The Black Book of Secrets, which requires 22.

If a 2 Gygja (9 in 25) is the strongest available, with a Skull Staff it can still Summon Mound Fiend, which has 3.

While possible, it is difficult to get Abominable Arms. They are useful for holding multiple Death booster staves.

2 Gygja (1 in 25) can create a Thistle Mace. Getting to 23 for Armor of Twisting Thorns requires boosters. (The Blood boosters require a 3 Gygja (1 in 25).) Getting to 31 for the Moonvine Bracelet also requires a (1 in 25) Gygja 11.

While possible, it is difficult to get Abominable Arms. They are useful for holding multiple Nature booster staves.

3 Gygja (1 in 25) can make a Gossamer Veil. The other Glamour boosters EA Muspelheim has the crosspaths for also require more than just a Gossamer Veil to get to. So, empowerment is required to get to 5 for an attempt at the unique Tome of Legends.

3 Gygja (1 in 25) can start up the path of Blood. With boosters. Gygja potentially have the crosspaths to get the other unique Blood boosters but most likely require boosters to get there.

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.

What are the nation's weaknesses?

Add links to guides or other overviews for this nation here.

Nations
Early Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Pyrène, • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • Muspelheim • Rus • Kailasa • Lanka • Yomi • Hinnom • Ur • Berytos • Xibalba • Mekone • Ubar • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Therodos
Middle Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Sceleria • Pythium • Man • Eriu • Ulm • Pyrène • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • Nidavangr • Vanarus • Bandar Log • Shinuyama • Ashdod • Uruk • Nazca • Xibalba • Phlegra • Phaeacia • Ind • Na'ba • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Ys
Late Ages	Arcoscephale • Pythium • Lemuria • Man • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Jomon • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Midgård • Utgård • Bogarus • Patala • Gath • Ragha • Xibalba • Phlegra • Vaettiheim • Feminie • Piconye • Andramania • Pyrène • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia