The Vikings believed that the brave warriors who fell in battle would reap the most reward in the afterlife. This belief in many ways freed the Vikings to walk into battle with no fear and this would be the goal for many Viking in death. If you weren’t a warrior then of course you still had an opportunity for an afterlife as well.
Valhalla: – situated in Asgard the realm of the gods. The home of Odin. For brave warriors and the fallen.
Folkvangr: – a meadow realm, another place brave warriors could live in the afterlife. A field ruled over by the Goddess Freya. A good alternative.
Helgafjell: – the ‘holy mountain’. A nice place to live out the afterlife for those who did not die in battle but lived a good life.
Helheim: – the worst outcome for a Norse person in the afterlife. Frozen, desolate and dark, ruled by the Goddess Hel. Reserved for Norse who had died in a dishonourable way, such as laziness, old age.