Hel

"I pledge myself to the Underworld, too... if it means I’ll be safe." "—Johannes" Hel was the underworld, the "lowest" level of Creation. It was the place that the soulds of Mann went to reside after death.

Hel was said to be cold, dark, and lonely.

History
The history of Hel before the time of Dietrich was not known.

After Dietrich's first encounter with the Great Hund, he turned to Hel for the power to subdue his enemies. The ruler of Hel, known as the Keeper of Eternities, agreed to bestow upon Dietrich four Children of Hel in exchange for his eternal allegiance and the allegiance of his people. Dietrich agreed.

Both Dietrich and the Great Hund were dealt mortal blows upon their last battle against one another; Dietrich died first, and with his dying breath the Great Hund sealed the Gates of Hel shut forever with Dietrich trapped inside.

No being has been able to cross into Hel since.

Immortality
Only Mann was permitted to enter Hel after death, on account of their bestowed Gift of Mann. The Löwa coveted this power, as they were not imbued with an eternal spirit.

Ilnel's quest
Ilnel was seeking the four Children of Hel in order to again breach the Gates of Hel in direct contradiction to the law laid down by the Great Hund for the Löwa species. Ilnel managed to find only Klinde, just one of the four Children of Hel used by Dietrich to slay the Great Hund.

Spelling
"Hel" in Grauwelt is intentionally spelled with one letter L. This is styled after the ancient Norse version of the underworld, in contrast to the Christian hell.

The ancinet Norse and Germanic peoples saw the underworld as a place of darkness, cold, and isolation where those that did not die bravely in battle went to reside after death. In contrast, the Christian hell that is more familiar to most persons in the Western world, was said to be a place of fire, pain, and suffering.