Shores of Nine

The Shores of Nine were the broad waters and encircling coast that lay at the heart of Midgard, ringing the Lake of Nine and the towers that stood around it. The region was a great crossroads, touching the shores of many other lands and giving passage to them, and Kratos and Atreus crossed it again and again as their journey carried them across Midgard. (God of War (2018))

The heart of Midgard#

The Shores of Nine encompassed the waters of the Lake of Nine and the coast that surrounded it, forming the central hub of Midgard. The region technically took in several shores belonging to the other lands a traveler could reach upon the lake, and it included the Realm Towers that ringed the water, though it did not extend to Tyr's Temple standing at the very center. By boat across these waters, Kratos and Atreus could pass from one region to the next, making the Shores of Nine the point from which their travels through Midgard radiated. (God of War (2018))

The Realm Towers and the falling waters#

Around the edges of the Shores of Nine rose the Realm Towers, great structures each tied to one of the Nine Realms, among them the Niflheim, Alfheim, Helheim, Muspelheim, Svartalfheim, and Vanaheim Towers. They could be climbed for passage and for the discoveries kept atop them. The region did not remain unchanged. The level of the water in the Lake of Nine fell over the course of Kratos and Atreus' journey, and as the waters receded they laid bare new shores, docks, and tunnels that had been swallowed beneath the surface, opening routes to places that had been beyond reach before. (God of War (2018))