In
Norse Mythology, Nastrond was the name given to the
Hell that would be inhabited by the defeated
giants after
Ragnarok. Its conception, relative to the 'normal'
underworld of
Utgard, seems to be similar to that in
Greek Mythology of
Tartarus, said to be
seven times lower than
Hades. This is the only true Hell of the
Norse
mythos, since even
Utgard and the
realm of
Hel are regarded as being merely ill-omened, rather than actually a seat of torments in the medieval
Christian sense. Compare also
Sheol and
Gehenna.
The
British children's
fantasy author Alan Garner used the name
Nastrond for the spirit of cosmic
evil in his
Celtic/
Norse fantasy books,
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and
The Moon of Gomrath. This evil deity, allied to the
Morrigan, is said to dwell in an
abyss named
Ragnarok. This use of terms to refer to elements
distinct from their original
mythic connotation is typical of
Garner's work.