Valhalas
- This article is about the arena in Icecrown. For the namesake realm of Odyn, see Halls of Valor.
Valhalas[31, 30] is a battle pit at the northern end of Jotunheim in northwest Icecrown. The pit is decorated by wooden dragon heads and overseen by a Val'kyr named Geirrvif and Gjonner the Merciless. Opposite Valhalas is an entrance cut into the mountain, which leads to the Underhalls, a dank place filled with bones and rotting flesh and vargul.
Valhalas is named after the Vrykul word for the Halls of Valor, where the worthy souls of fallen vrykul go after death. Muradin Bronzebeard believes that it is a deliberate perversion of the name, done after the vrykul of Northrend turned their backs on the keepers.[1]
During the war against the Lich King, vrykul fought each other in this pit, as is the place where they prefer to do their honorable combat.[2] The winners of these combats once became one of their Ymirjar, the elite warrior caste created by King Ymiron in service of the Lich King, and the loser became a vargul, an undead creature.[1] After the death of Overthane Balargarde by the hand of the adventurer,[3] they were invited to participate in one of their battle, where they had to prove that they were worthy of fighting in this sacred place, much to the dislike of Gjonner.[4]
Following the war against the Jailer, the brothers Bronzebeard reported that the vrykul are still challenging each other in the pit of Valhalas, this time without a death god to serve, at least. They also noted that the Val'kyr Geirrvif was still alive, and still overseeing the arena.[1]
Trivia
- Battlescar Spire is second to this place in terms of where vrykul prefer to do honorable combat.
- The warrior Ayala the Relentless famously fought in the pits of Valhalas.[5]
- The name is an obvious reference to Valhalla, Odin's hall in Norse mythology, where half of those who die in combat go after death.
Patch changes
- Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Added.
References
- ^ a b c Exploring Azeroth: Northrend, pg. 132
- ^ [25-30G5] Not-So-Honorable Combat
- ^ [25-30G5] Banshee's Revenge
- ^ [25-30] Battle at Valhalas
- ^ [Ayala's Stone Heart]