Audunn

*"Plan to climb out, eh Bear-Wolf? Even if you did escape this farm, you'd only be carrion for the blue foxes and selkies. This island is a barren waste. Best find yourself some sleep."*
―Audunn to Björnulfr[src]
**Audunn** the Irish is an Irish slave at Freysdalur.

## Biography

### Slavery

*"Where's your wits? Turn around."*
―Audunn to Björnulfr[src]

Audunn is shipped to Iceland, having been bought as a slave by Fjölnir. He is chosen for harvest work and is made to sleep in the oxen shed alongside the other male slaves. Later that night, he notices one of his fellow slaves, Björnulfr, looking around the shed. He asks him if he is planning on climbing out before pointing out the pointlessness of doing so, warning him that the land is a barren waste and that he would be carrion for blue foxes and selkies. He then advises him to get some sleep before going to sleep himself.

The next day, Audunn and another slave carry a tapestry depicting the Tree of Kings. Björnulfr pushes the other slave aside and tells him to go take a piss. They carry it into the longhouse, where the housekeeper, Halldóra the Pict, orders them to carry it into the main hall. Once the tapestry is taken, Halldóra replaces it with several wall hangings and dismisses them. Björnulfr leads Audunn into the corridor towards the master bedroom, for which Audunn asks him where his wits are and tells him to turn around. Björnulfr stares at Gudrún through the doorway and she orders a servant to shut the door.

### The Chieftain's Feast

*"What are those?"
"You've never seen a knatttré before?"
"No."
"By nightfall, you'll have seen enough of them."*
―Björnulfr and Audunn[src]

Audunn is chosen as one of the slaves to represent Fjölnir's side in a game of knattleikr against the slaves of Hákon Iron-Beard. As they travel to the Chieftain's Feast, Björnulfr sees him carrying several knatttré on his back and asks him what they are. Audunn is surprised to learn that he has never seen one and comments that he will have seen plenty before the day is over.

During the game, Audunn is knocked to the ground by Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher, a very large, strong and brutish man. Thórfinnr strikes him in the face with his knatttré, knocking out several of his teeth. His unconscious body is then dragged off of the field.

### Defending Freysdalur

*"The strongest of you must uphold and defend the house and the farm, for this is also your home."*
―Fjölnir to the slaves[src]

Hersveinn Battle Hard, Hjalti Battle Hasty and Hallur Freymundur are murdered by what Áshildur Hofgythja believes to be a spirit. Audunn and the other male slaves are armed by Fjölnir to defend the farm. However, as they prepare for an attack later that night, the soldiers begin screaming and behaving erratically as if plagued by horrific visions, while the slaves are unaffected.

### Liberation

*"From this night there are no masters on this farm. Take your freedom and do with it what you will."*
―Amleth to the slaves[src]

Björnulfr, revealed to be Gudrún's long-thought-dead son Amleth, slaughters the soldiers and kills Gudrún and Gunnar, after which Fjölnir rides to Mount Hekla. Freed from their oppressors, the slaves, including Audunn, burn the farm to the ground.

## Personality

As a slave, Audunn keeps his head down and carries on with his work, hoping to stay alive and make the best of his situation. During his servitude at Freysdalur, he grows frustrated with his fellow slave Björnulfr due to his impulsive nature and seeming ineptitude. Björnulfr later reveals himself to be Amleth and frees the slaves, at which point Audunn joins his fellow slaves in burning the farmstead to the ground.

## Religion

Audunn appears to be a Christian, as he makes the sign of the Cross before playing in the game of knattleikr.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Eggers, Robert; Sjón, *The Northman*, Focus Features, USA, April 22, 2022