Helia

Helia
Name:	Helia
Other names:	the guardian of the gate the guardian of Mörkerheim The judge
World:	Mörkerheim
parents :	Rasmer
siblings :	Lif and Mirviva
Consorts :
Children:	Helmer, jagmör, Haldriv

Helia is the daughter of Rasmer and the daughter of the troll chieftain that burnt the rose that Rasmer was born out of and she is the second oldest of the gods even if certain cults argues that she is even older than Rasmer. She is however the goddess in charge of guarding Mörkerheim and judging the souls of the dead. She sits in judgement outside of the gates of Mörkerheim flanked by the serpent jagmör and the wolf Haldriv where the serpent sees into the soul of the judged and tells his crimes and his great deeds so that Helia may judge the soul. Then does the wolf Haldriv drag the soul either up to Silferheim or down into Mörkerheim depending on the verdict.

Birth

Helia was born when the Troll chieftain's daughter spoke with the ancient rose and then laid with it. In his fury did her father raid the rose and light it ablaze. Helia was born a few days later and a few more days after that did Rasmer himself arrive to slay the entire village with the exception of the chief's daughter and the girl she just gave birth to.

Helia in the sagas

Helia is the guardian of the dead in the sagas and there are several tales about heroes bargaining with her to meet old heroes or loved ones. Her price for these offers is always one of two things either gold or that they would spend the night with her.

She is said to have the apperance of an old woman, looking humanlike with greying hair and wrinkled skin but she also have features of a troll with broad shoulders, a tail and a massive nose.

Children

Helia has birthed one child, her son Helmer a mighty warrior that stands besides her and guarding her.

Worship of Helia

Helia is called on during funeral rites and often so are gold or riches thrown on the fire where the body of the deceased is burnt. Prayers are sung to her in the hope that she will judge the dead more lightly.

There are also darker rites where her power is evoked to call people to her earlier than intended. These rites are however declared unholy and misuse of the holy powers and those that would conduct these rites would be declared unholy in the eyes of gods and men and be forever considered Útblót. Template:Chronological gods