With Odin’s curse now lifted, you can’t help but wonder about the fate of the dwellers of Dark Abode.
 
Ratatosk: “Still confused about your own heroics, are you? I don’t blame you! Mortals were never good at keeping a story straight over the millennia, and primordial beings such as myself are quite few and far between.
 
So why don’t I tell you about the origin of Odin’s curse? Consider it your reward for your glorious deed.”
 
Curious, your party agrees to listen to the giant squirrel’s tale.
 
Ratatosk: “Ahem! In a time before time, Odin was a fearsome wizard — or was it sorcerer? — known as the Lord of Darkness. As the name suggests, he all but ruled over the realm of Darkness, which, believe me, was quite prosperous at the time. From wealthy castles to fertile lands and seas, they had it all!
 
Up until what we call the War of Fates, that is. In his hubris, Odin opened a great rift upon the realm of Light, set on conquering it once and for all. What he didn’t see coming was an alliance between the realms of Light and Fire. In hindsight, kind of obvious, don’t you think?
 
Anyway! Upon his embarrassing defeat by — what was it, a big puppy? —, he cast one last spell; Odin’s curse — or blessing, depending on who you ask —, which bound the souls of his fallen subjects to the World Between Worlds, effectively granting them both limitless power and immortality. Well, in a sense.
 
For what it’s worth, these stubborn revenants eventually did reclaim whatever was left of their own realm, which, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, is little more than a town in a dusty wasteland. Tragic, but we can’t all be winners, can we? And as a consolation prize, they wouldn’t need much more than that anymore!
 
And that’s why, despite the side effects — including but not limited to becoming aggressively unlikable —, Odin’s curse continues to be sought after to this day by all kinds of mad villains.
 
Of course, without the Lords’ connection to the interworld, they can’t quite bind their own souls there to achieve the same result. So instead, they turn to the next best thing: a corrupted seed of Yggdrasil. Or, as you know it, the Philosopher’s Stone.
 
Now you see why Midgardsormr sealed this place up while the island was under the influence of Darkness; wouldn’t want to risk another war burning down the tree again while it’s still barely a sapling. World trees take a long time to grow! Personally, I’m just glad for the change of weather.
 
Oh! And I suppose that does it for that story. I might have glossed over a few details, but you get the gist of it.”
 
Smoke: “So in short, we ended this Odin’s curse here in Midgard, but there’s still more of it somewhere out there?”
 
Ratatosk: “Exactly! And wherever the missing pieces of your seed landed, there will be trouble, mark my words. Whether they are found within this realm, or this era, or even this timeline, now that’s a mystery!”
 
Moonflower: “Ooh! I got a question too! If we find more pieces of the seed, how do we fix it like you did?”
 
Ratatosk wiggles its claws mystifyingly.
 
Ratatosk: “With magic! No, seriously, any magic user worth their salt should be able to figure that one out for you.”
 
Moonflower: “Got’cha! Maybe a high level unicorn can help.”
 
Before you leave, you ask if you will be able to visit the realm of Darkness again.
 
Ratatosk: “Of course! And all other realms, as well! Provided you have something that is infused with the right element, you can come here and use the gate to the World Between Worlds anytime you want!
 
If not, then there should be a rift or two somewhere in this world that can take you there, but who knows where you’d end up? Realms can be quite vast, and that one, especially empty!”
 
Apple Basket: “Uh, speakin’ of empty, can you tell us about these here ruins? Did somepony use to live here?”
 
The oversized rodent shakes his head disapprovingly.
 
Ratatosk: “Tsk, tsk. Your ancestors really don’t tell you anything, do they? These ruins, as you call them, are Yggdrasil’s one and only trading post! It’s been in disrepair for the past few hundred years, but with the Mists gone, business with the other realms should pick right back up again!
 
… No pressure!”