Lake of Nine
the frozen heart of Midgard
The Lake of Nine was the great central lake of Midgard, ringed by the towers of the Nine Realms and crossed by the World Serpent. It served as the hub from which Kratos and Atreus reached the far regions of the realm.
The Lake of Nine lay roughly at the center of Midgard and served as the hub from which the rest of Midgard opened up. Around its coasts stood eight of the nine Realm Towers, with Tyr's Temple rising at the lake's center. It was here that Kratos and Atreus first met the World Serpent Jormungandr, and the lake remained the crossing point for much of their journey. (God of War (2018))
The hub of Midgard#
The Lake of Nine sat at the heart of Midgard, and from its waters the far regions of the land could be reached. Eight Realm Towers lined its coasts, with Tyr's Temple standing at the lake's center. The name referred to the nine towers that had once ringed the lake, though after the disappearance of the Jotunheim tower only eight remained. Kratos and Atreus first came to the lake soon after meeting Freya, rowing out onto the water in her boat. (God of War (2018))
The emergence of the World Serpent#
When the pair first arrived, much of the lake and its surrounding coasts were flooded. Atreus remarked that the sea stank, and as they rowed they noticed what looked like the head of a statue rising from the water. An old inscription told Kratos to cast his weapon into the center of the lake, and he obeyed. From the depths rose Jormungandr, the World Serpent, who spat the axe back out. The serpent's emergence caused the water level to fall sharply, and the long submerged Tyr's Temple at the lake's center became reachable. Jormungandr remained in the lake's waters from then on. (God of War (2018))
The frozen lake#
With the arrival of Fimbulwinter, the great winter that preceded Ragnarok, the lake began to take in snow until its surface froze solid. Three years later Kratos returned to the frozen Lake of Nine alongside Freya, crossing its ice during their search for the Norns after Atreus went missing. By then the open water that had once carried boats across Midgard had become a field of ice. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Lake of Nine?
- The Lake of Nine was the great central lake of Midgard, lying roughly at the realm's center and serving as the hub from which its far regions could be reached. Eight realm towers lined its coasts, with Tyr's Temple rising at the lake's center.
- Why is it called the Lake of Nine?
- The name referred to the nine towers that had once ringed the lake. After the disappearance of the Jotunheim tower, only eight remained around its coasts.
- How did Jormungandr emerge from the Lake of Nine?
- When Kratos and Atreus first arrived, much of the lake and its coasts were flooded. An old inscription told Kratos to cast his weapon into the center of the lake, and when he obeyed, the World Serpent Jormungandr rose from the depths and spat the axe back out, causing the water level to fall and revealing the submerged Tyr's Temple.
- What happened to the Lake of Nine during Fimbulwinter?
- With the arrival of Fimbulwinter, the great winter preceding Ragnarok, the lake took in snow until its surface froze solid. Three years later Kratos returned to the frozen lake alongside Freya, crossing its ice during their search for the Norns after Atreus went missing.
Gallery
Images via God of War Wiki
Sources
- GameGod of War (2018), Santa Monica Studio, 2018
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Jotunheim: where Tyr hid the last giants
Tyr sealed the giants' homeland away as Odin hunted the Jotnar to extinction. Kratos and Atreus reached it at last to scatter Faye's ashes there.
Midgard: Kratos' home, shaped from Ymir
Odin shaped Midgard from the body of the giant Ymir. Kratos settled there after leaving Greece, and Fimbulwinter later froze the Lake of Nine.
Tyr's Temple: the gate between realms
Tyr's Temple was a magnificent temple in Midgard dedicated to the Aesir God of War, built by all the races of the Nine Realms to allow travel between them. Hidden beneath the Lake of Nine, it was revealed by the stirring of the serpent.
Atreus (Loki): Kratos's Son and the Truth of His Name
Atreus was the son of Kratos and the Jotunn Faye, born in Midgard and given the hidden name Loki. Across two great journeys he grew from a sickly boy into the prophesied champion of the Giants, the god of mischief whose fate was bound to Ragnarok.
Fimbulwinter: the three-year winter
Fimbulwinter was the three-year winter that began with Baldur's death and ended with Ragnarok. Being magical, it weakened curses across the Nine Realms.
Freya
Freya was the Vanir goddess of love, war, and magic who married Odin to end the Aesir-Vanir War and was cursed to remain in Midgard. Once the Witch of the Woods, she aided Kratos and Atreus, swore vengeance after the death of her son Baldur, and at last turned her wrath on Odin himself.
Mentioned in23 entries
Asgard
Asgard was the realm of the Aesir gods, perched in the crown of Yggdrasil and ruled by Odin from the hall of Gladsheim. Behind the great wall of Hrimthur it stood as a fortress against the prophesied doom of Ragnarok, until Kratos breached it and the realm fell.
Atreus (Loki): Kratos's Son and the Truth of His Name
Atreus was the son of Kratos and the Jotunn Faye, born in Midgard and given the hidden name Loki. Across two great journeys he grew from a sickly boy into the prophesied champion of the Giants, the god of mischief whose fate was bound to Ragnarok.
Council of Valkyries: The Hidden Throne Circle of Midgard
The Council of Valkyries, known in the old tongue as the Rocstoll aff Valkyrs, was a secluded council chamber in Midgard where the Valkyries met in private, away from the eyes of Odin. Left ruined and abandoned after the All Father cursed the sisterhood, it became the place where Kratos and Atreus summoned and slew Queen Sigrun, and later the campsite from which a vengeful Freya hunted them through Fimbulwinter.
Fimbulwinter: the three-year winter
Fimbulwinter was the three-year winter that began with Baldur's death and ended with Ragnarok. Being magical, it weakened curses across the Nine Realms.
Foothills: The Wooded Approach to the Mountain of Midgard
The Foothills was a region of hilly, forested wilderness in Midgard that climbed from the Lake of Nine to the base of the Mountain, the highest peak in the land. Its slopes held Sindri's shop and Sky Mover, a Hidden Chamber of Odin where the Valkyrie Geirdriful lay sealed, and old treasures locked behind runes, Scorn Poles, and the Winds of Hel.
God of War (2018) Story Explained: Plot Summary and Ending
The full plot of God of War (2018) in order, from Faye's funeral pyre to the mural in Jotunheim. Kratos and Atreus set out to scatter her ashes, kill Baldur on the way, and learn who Atreus really is.
God of War Ragnarök Ending Explained: the Full Story and What It Means
The whole plot of God of War Ragnarök in order, then the ending explained. Odin is destroyed, Thor and Freyr die, Asgard falls, Kratos survives the prophecy, and Atreus leaves to find the last of the giants.
God of War Timeline: every major event from the Primordials to Valhalla
The full in-universe chronology of God of War, from the war of the Primordials and the fall of the Titans to Kratos's life in Sparta, his war on Olympus, and the end of the Aesir at Ragnarök. The games give almost no calendar years, so events are ordered by story sequence and grouped into eras, with notes wherever the games' own placement is vague.
Jormungandr: the World Serpent of Midgard
Jormungandr was so vast he encircled all of Midgard within the Lake of Nine. Thor struck him so hard at Ragnarok that he was hurled backward through time.
Light Elves
The Light Elves, or Ljosalfar, were one of the two elven peoples of Alfheim, luminous beings who claimed to be the rightful masters of the Light. Their endless war with the Dark Elves for control of that power ended only when Freyr returned to unite the two races in the days of Ragnarok.
Midgard: Kratos' home, shaped from Ymir
Odin shaped Midgard from the body of the giant Ymir. Kratos settled there after leaving Greece, and Fimbulwinter later froze the Lake of Nine.
Njörd: Vanir god of the sea and king of Vanaheim
Njörd was the Vanir god of the sea and a great leader of his people, father of Freyr and Freya and grandfather of Baldur. He fought in the Aesir-Vanir War, losing his wife Nerthus to the sons of Thor and his daughter Freya to a marriage with Odin.
+ 11 more
Get new articles in your inbox
No spam. New lore drops, canon conflicts, and deep dives only when they’re worth reading.
Some links on Lore Fortress are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.