Slavery

*"But know that we will never make you a free man. The stench of a low-born slave cannot escape him."*
―Thórir to Amleth[src]
**Slavery** is the ownership of one person by another, which was practiced by Vikings in Hrafnsey, Iceland and the Land of the Rus.

## History

*"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]
Aurvandil War Raven rapes a slave named Gudrún, who gives birth to a son named Amleth. Aurvandil marries her, but views her as unfit to be his bride.

Several years later, Aurvandil obtains slaves during a season-long conquest. Upon returning to Hrafnsey, he orders his brother Fjölnir to oversee their delivery. Several slaves aid in the feast celebrating the king's return.

Years later, the Berserkers raid a village in Garðaríki. They easily defeat the guard and take many of the villagers as slaves, locking the ones left over in a barn and setting it ablaze. Later that night, they celebrate their successful raid, tormenting their new slaves as they do.

The next morning, the slaves are branded by having marks burns into their shoulders. The Hird Officer orders for shipments of slaves to be sent to Uppsala, Kiev, Constantinople and Fjölnir's post in Iceland. Amleth disguises himself as a slave and sneaks onboard a knörr bound for Iceland. Onboard the ship, Amleth makes an ally of Olga of the Birch Forest.

Once the slaves arrive in Iceland, they are taken to Freysdalur by Hallgrímr Half-Troll and Finnr the Nose-Stub. Fjölnir chooses to keep several slaves including Olga and Amleth, who introduces himself as "Björnulfr". The males slaves are forced to sleep in the oxen shed while the female slaves are forced to sleep in the byre.

The next day, the slaves carry out their duties. A former slave, Halldóra the Pict, has been assigned as the housekeeper and orders the slaves around. Later that night, Fjölnir attempts to rape Olga, but she repels him with her menstrual blood.

The following morning, several of the slaves accompany Fjölnir and his family to the Chieftain's Feast. Five male slaves, including Amleth and Audunn the Irish, compete in a game of knattleikr against five slaves of Hákon Iron-Beard. Eventually, only Amleth and Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher remain. Fjölnir and Gudrún's young son, Gunnar, runs out onto the field and is attacked by Thórfinnr, who saves him by killing the large, brutish man. Thórir then tells him that he will be afforded certain privileges, but asserts that they will never make him a free man. The slaves have a rare moment of revelry as they engage in an orgy, during which Amleth and Olga make love.

Amleth later kills Thórir's friends Hersveinn Battle Hard and Hjalti Battle Hasty, for which Thórir accuses the Christian slaves. The temple priestess, Áshildur Hofgythja, concludes that the wounds were left by supernatural means and concludes that a sacrifice must be made to sate the spirit's bloodlust. She chooses to sacrifice Melkorka, but Amleth rescues her and binds and gags Áshildur after castrating and disemboweling her assistant Hallur Freymundur.

The next day, Fjölnir arms the male slaves to protect the farm. Later that night, Olga spikes the soldiers' dinner with fly agaric, which causes them to experience horrific hallucinations. Amelth kills Thórir and Fjölnir kills several slaves to find out which of them helped him. Amleth reveals himself to allow Olga to escape, but is overpowered and captured. A funeral is held for Thórir in which Kormlöth is sacrificed. Olga frees Amleth and they flee the farm.

Amleth later returns under cover of darkness and slaughters the soldiers. He frees the slaves, telling them to take their freedom and do with it what they will. He then kills Gudrún and Gunnar, after which Fjölnir departs for Mount Hekla. Freed from their oppressors, the slaves burn the farm to the ground, killing Halldóra and Áshildur in retaliation for their mistreatment of them.

## References

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