I am Ahmedibn Fahdlan,
IbnAlAbbas, Ibn Rasid,
Ibn Hammad.
And things were
not always thus.
At one time,
I was a poet...
in the greatest city
in the world.
Life was easy,
And I lived without care...
until one fateful day...
I met a beautiful woman...
who belonged to another man.
Her jealous husband
Complained to the Caliph...
who made me the ambassador
to the land of the Tossuk Vlad--
a country
far to the north.
I was banished
from my home...
and from all
that I knew.
So, l journeyed by camelback many months
into the lands of barbarian peoples--
accompanied by Melchisidek,
an old friend of my father--
through the lands of the Ogus,
the Khazars and the Bulgars,
into the lands of murderous bandits,
called "Tartars,"
who attack caravans,
slaughtering everyone.
- The Tartars are coming !
The Tartars are coming !
The Tartars--
- Run ! Run for your life !
They have stopped.
They are not following.
- A boat !A boat !
- They're Northmen ! A boat !
A boat ! Over there !
Look!
They are going!
They are leaving!
Move ! Move !
Keep moving !
Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi.
Wait, wait, wait !
Those men in the boat,
who are they ?
The Northmen.
Keep moving and keep quiet !
Why ?
Are they dangerous ?
It depends. Maybe they'll let us go,
Or maybe they'll kill us.
I am an ambassador,
damn it !
I am supposed
to talk to people !
You may yet
have the opportunity.
What do you suppose the potentate
of this encampment calls himself ?
Oh, emperor,
at the very least.
Hmm. Emperor.
We seek your--
We seek your headman,
your king.
Try Greek.
Eh ?
He says their king
is out there in that tent.
He says the king
will not speak to us.
Apparently, the king won't
speak to us because he's dead.
This is his funeral.
You are being introduced to
one of the heirs apparent--
-Buliwyf.
" Buliwyf wishes
a song of glory."
Recite a poem, a tale.
Surely you remember
something.
Uh--
In the beginning,
the Earth was void,
- and the spirits of God passed--
Now that there was a new king,
the Northmen prepared
for the funeral of their old king.
"We will burn him. In one moment,
he and all he owns can be in paradise.
These are our gifts to our lord
to support his kingdom in paradise.
- To take with him ?
- Lo there do I see my father.
'Lo there do I see my mother,
my sisters and my brothers.
- 'Lo there do I see
the line of my people...
- back to the beginning.
'Lo they do call to me.
They bid me take my place among them
in the halls of Valhalla,
where the brave
may live forever.
"She will travel with him.
You will not see this again.
It is the old way."
Another ship arrived
during the night.
There's a boy standing out there
on the bow like he's a statue.
The boy is letting them
see him.
He's in plain sight !
They do not know
If what they see is real.
Something to do
with the mist.
Apparently, they find dangerous things,
spirits in the mist.
The boy was being polite, giving them
time to decide if he's real.
He's a messenger.
He comes from their homeland
in the north with a message for Buliwyf.
He is Wulfgar,
son o King Hrothgar,
a great king from the north.
He comes to ask Buliwyf
For help.
His father's kingdom is under attack.
Their village is destroyed.
They are menaced
By an ancient evil, a terror.
A terror that has no name.
A terror that must not
be named.
Look at them. What thing
would affect them so ?
"The name cannot be said."
"He calls for
the Angel of Death."
He calls for the bones.
She's an oracle.
She calls for men,
a number of them.
Thirteen.
The number of months in the year.
"She says 13 men must go."
Eight.
- Nine.
Ten.
- Eleven.
- Twelve.
"She says the 13th man
must be no Northman."
What the hell
are you saying ?
The 13th warrior is you.
He thinks
Your horse is too small.
Something about, "Only an Arab
Would bring a dog to war."
"He wishes to know
your name."
I am Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan,
Ibn Al Abbas, Ibn Rasid--
- "Eban."
- No, no.
Listen. Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan.
Ibn means "son of."
Eban.
Hyah ! Hup !
What is he saying ?
"Hurry to meet death
before your place is taken."
I will not forget you.
Go with God.
You listening ?
...tomorrow.
...sneak up to steal
ten or twelve horses.
... we can find some geese.
So then he says,
"Do not foretell me wife,
for I will get to know so-proven
aye comin home tonight."
- I don't sound like that.
Roneth slept with her
while we took the horses.
- Blowhards, both of you.
She probably was
some smoke-coloured camp girl.
Looked like
that one's mother.
My mother...
was a pure woman...
from a noble family.
And I,
at least,
know who my father is,
you...
pig-eating
son of a whore.
No, no, no, no, no !
Wait !
Come on, come on, come on,
come on. Come.
- Come on.
- Where did you learn our language ?
I listened !
You can draw... sounds ?
" Draw sounds" ?
Yes, I can draw sounds,
and I can speak them back.
Show me.
There is only one God...
and Muhammad is His prophet.
- Bring me those sacks.
- Hey !
- Mind yourself.
Be quiet.
Only an "Arab"...
would bring--
A dog to war ?
I heard this
the first time.
Good going, "Arab."
- Come on.
- The dog can jump.
Here.
- No, no.
- Eat !
Shouldn't we stay
closer to land ?
No, boy! This is no day
to be close to land!
Odin !
Odin !
Odin !
Down.
- What did you-- What is that--
- Be silent.
Odin !
Land !
"Arab, speak what I draw."
There is only one God...
and Muhammad is his...
prophet.
Go.
Here.
- You'll need this.
I cannot lift this.
Grow stronger.
Rider.
Well-fed on a light mount.
Perfume.
A woman.
A herald.
It's a silk-swaddled
messenger boy.
Tell me your names !
Quickly !
I am Son to Hygiliak,
called Buliwyf.
We all know
your worthy lord.
We come on an errand
to serve him.
My Lord Hrothgar will want
to welcome you himself.
No wall, no moat,
not even a presentable fence.
You couldn't keep a cow
out of this place.
Women and children.
Barely a man
between 1 5 and 50.
My lord, this is Buliwyf, son of
Hygiliak, come from across the sea.
I know the man.
I sent for him.
Knew him as a boy,
Knew his father,
and I know him now.
Grown to a man.
Grown to a fine,
fine man.
What troubles this place,
old man ?
You know
he might be mad.
Be in the mist.
Has anyone seen one ?
- Has anyone seen one
in a hundred years ?
- Hyah !
They say they used to be
all over this countryside...
and worse further north.
People say many things.
Whatever they are,
unless we can track them,
we need a proper fence
and some sort of moat--
We could fashion a gate
from a wagon.
I don't want to build a fence.
I'm not a farmer.
- Let's go track the bastards--
- Gentlemen !
- Boy! Speak to me, boy!
- Who did this ?
- Speak to me !
- Find someone who knows him.
- Wait !
I know him.
It's a farmstead,
just up the glen.
I will take you.
Don't step
in front of me.
So it's true.
No horse tracks.
- They were afoot.
- Their heads are missing.
The child must have crawled
into a hole to escape.
They have been...
gnawed upon.
It is said
they eat the dead.
Wh-What kind of a man...
could do that ?
It was not man.
- It's the Wendol.
- Shh !
They are here.
What is it ?
- The mother of the Wendol.
- The trail ?
- Dies in the rocks, two miles up.
So they are clever.
And cautious.
And there's more.
To the right.
The ridge near the watchtower.
And to the south.
The edge of the trees
near the first ridgeline.
Something drove them out.
Put your hand down,
little brother.
I believe they watch us.
Even now.
If we chase ?
- They melt.
- Will they come to us ?
The farmers say
they come with the mist.
So, if there's a fog,
they will come.
We are hunted now
in our own land.
It wasn't always such.
At first we thought to build,
to leave something,
farms as far
as the eye could see.
What of the settlements
to the north and upcountry ?
Estwyck was burned.
- Two years.
- Two years... ago.
And the others,
we had no word.
Not for some months.
At night,
with the drink upon them--
You do not drink tonight ?
No, we don't drink tonight.
But let the dawn come,
and they see the bodies.
This gentleman has the look of a great
warrior. No doubt he's very brave.
But to face the Wen...
he'll need
some amazing luck.
Luck often enough
will save a man,
if his courage hold.
That's as maybe.
- Who is that man ?
- King's son.
But wait for the Wendol
one night's time...
and then talk to us
of courage.
I thank the lord
for his advice,
though I don't recall
hearing any exploits of his...
apart from killing
his brothers.
You sit down
And be silent !
These are guests
at what is still my table !
There is a man
who was at Estwyck.
I saw the thing
that did this clear enough !
Teeth like a lion,
head like a bear,
claws that could tear
a plank to kindling.
They come in the night,
in the mist.
Always in the darkest, like they
could see in the black.
Did they go on two legs
or four ?
It seems they did both, like a thing
that was both man and bear.
Though, myself,
I cannot tell.
I saw the glow-worm, though.
Saw it clear.
We all did on the last night.
Saw it come down out of the hills,
through the mist.
Slithering this way and that.
Long as a hundred ships.
Spitting fire at us
as it came.
My father's father
always warned of it.
Said it was a hate
from old times.
There will be fog.
- Bring me my armour!
I will stand
the watch with you.
My lord, the children
will need protection.
Should they pass us,
then you and yours must stop them.
Luck in battle, boy.
How can you sleep
at a time like this ?
The Old Father wound the skeane
Of your life a long time ago.
Go and hide in a hole
If you wish.
But you won't live
one instant longer.
Your fate is fixed.
Fear profits
man nothing.
When they come,
we form a circle
in the center of the room,
backs to one another.
I am not a warrior.
Very soon you will be.
Ow!
Well, he didn't run !
Hey.
You appear
none the worse for wear.
- Rognar is here.
- His head ?
No.
They take the heads.
They always take the heads.
What about Hyglak ?
It's the same.
- I see none of them.
- What ?
None of them.
None of the ones
we killed.
Nor do l.
Not one.
I took two at least
that could not have lived.
As did I.
As did we all.
- Even the Arab gutted one.
- There was some life left in him.
They carried them off.
They must have.
They are demons.
Their blood
looks real enough.
- Ow !
- You complain much.
Ow.
Help me carry Ragnarout.
- What is that ?
Cow urine.
"Cow urine" ?
- Boiled down.
- No.
No, no, no. Don't put
that filth on me. No, no.
Water.
Clean water.
As you wish.
Tomorrow the pus will run
and you'll have a fever.
Come, friend.
Your head has gone
looking for your hands.
They will meet you
in paradise.
No bodies,
but here perhaps...
is one of their claws.
Let's go,
little brother.
We have the fences
to build.
Keep 'em comin' down.
Come in here.
Line up there.
Over here.
It'll be a long day.
You, in here.
You, over here.
- Move !
Stand there.
I'll cut this pole.
Keep your eye on the pole,
all right ?
So.
Now you do it.
Aah !
Is there a metal worker ?
A metal worker!
He insisted.
Give an Arab a sword,
he makes a knife.
It works.
When you die, can I give that
to me daughter ?
Are you thirsty ?
- Mead ?
- Water.
Thank you.
Aah !
- Ow !
- That's a woman's sound.
Do that again
and you'll make it.
- You'll heal.
I think my nose
is ruined.
- A small price.
- Ow !
People are very quiet
today.
- The peasants fear you will
bring the fireworm down on us.
- What ?
The fireworm.
The fire-serpent.
"The fire-serpent."
A dragon ?
I do not believe
in dragons.
Beware of Prince Wigliff.
He poisons
the king's ear,
says your Buliwyf has plans
to take his kingdom.
- Is there truth in this ?
No.
You may believe me.
Then be cautious.
- She would say no more.
She doesn't need to.
Prince, aah !
We'll need an example.
The redhead ?
Mm-hmm.
I'll do it.
You shouldn't be involved.
- What should I do ?
- Keep your teeth together
and go back to work.
Watch where you throw that.
You dig like a dog.
Did you call me a dog ?
I said you dig like one, flinging
earth carelessly like an animal.
So, now
I'm an animal ?
You're not listening.
I'm deaf ?
You're a fool,
little man.
That is because, boy,
your words are feeble...
and twisted
as an old woman's !
This old woman'll send you
to the next world, old man !
- What happened ?
An engineering dispute.
- You notice he's bigger than you ?
- Yes.
- And younger ?
- Yes.
- Bet on him, if you like.
- I may !
Luck.
Aah !
You must stop it.
- He's going to get killed.
- That is possible.
But you can't--
you can't--
You stupid fools !
See to your friend.
He was a brave man.
- You-- you could have
killed him at will.
- Yes ?
- Wh-wh-why the deception ?
- Deception is the point !
Any fool
can calculate strength.
That one has been doing it
from the moment he saw us.
Now he has to calculate
what he can't see.
And fear what
he doesn't know.
As you say,
foolish and expensive.
We'll miss Angus tonight.
We will miss his sword.
Edgtho ?
Edgtho ?
Stifle your racket.
I hear you.
- I thought to find you in the tower.
- Yeah.
- Why I'm not in it.
- Brought your food.
- It's going to rain.
- Surf.
Three miles up
there's a cliff.
Tide's right,
waves make thunder.
Farmers call it
the "thundercliffs."
The mist is forming.
I see it.
The worm.
They've roused the fireworm.
Quickly !
No time to waste.
Outside ! Go !
Quickly ! Move !
Come on !
Go get the water.
A serpent of fire.
Breathing fire.
What's that in the field
below the tower ?
- It's a child.
- Look at her.
Open the gate.
Get the gate !
- Open the gate !
- Push !
No ! You need to raise
the spikes first ! Help me !
- Come on !
- Down.
Push it now !
Heave !
So you saw
the fireworm ?
It's cavalry.
- I rather prefer a dragon.
- Hundreds.
With torches.
Take the north.
Let's go, little brother.
It's beginning.
"Arab" ! Here !
Guard !
Allah,
be merciful.
Ja ! Did you see that ?
Hold this.
I got you !
Ja !
Yeah !
It's a man.
It's a man.
It's a man.
It's a man.
It's a man !
It's a man !
It's all right,
little brother.
- There are more.
Aah !
Aah !
- Aah !
- Aah !
Aah !
Aah !
- Get 'em over !
Aah !
They've breached the gate !
Aah !
Aah !
They've breached the gate !
Fight them !
Turn and fight them !
Aah !
Come on !
Come on !
Ahmed !
What do I do with it ?
Put your foot on it
and stand !
- Aah !
Aah !
Aah !
Aah !
Don't !
Aah !
Skeld, Halga, Roneth...
and Rethel will be
joining them.
I cannot...
taste neither
the fermentation of grape...
nor of wheat.
- What ?
Why do you
laugh ?
Honey.
It's made from honey.
We will die here.
It is...
possible.
Come.
Come on.
She finish you,
or bring you back to life ?
A gentleman doesn't
discuss such things.
- Three more on the fence.
Looks like the mating
of a man and some beast.
It's a man.
If it's a man,
it must sleep.
If it sleeps, it has a lair
and we have a trail.
Attack them ?
Is there a choice ?
Come with me.
There is a woman who can help.
Bring the Arab.
There's one down here
who was old...
when my grandmother
was a girl.
She's quite mad.
The perfect advisor.
Oh, Weilew.
Oh.
Shame, shame, shame.
It's a Queen Weilew fronts
me now, does she not ?
We seek your counsel,
Madam.
We or he ?
Step closer, Buliwyf.
Closer.
You know me ?
I have ears.
"Warrior," says the wind.
"Chieftain,"
says the rain.
But why seek you me ?
Met you your match ?
Met you your match...
with the eaters of the dead ?
We seek your wisdom.
Wars are won in the will.
Perhaps you've been fighting
in the wrong field.
Have you a token ?
A thing.
- A thing of them.
- Yes.
Ahh.
They show you the way
you will not see.
Slaughter them
till you rot.
You'll accomplish nothing.
Find the root.
- Strike the will.
- How ?
This is the mother
of the Wen.
She they revere.
She is the will.
Where do I seek her ?
She is the earth.
Seek her in the earth.
And Buliwyf, beware
the leader of their warriors.
He wears
the horns of power.
He, too, you must kill.
Have we anything
resembling a plan ?
Uh-huh. Ride till
we find them, kill them all.
A child could
follow this.
They have no fear,
no fear of us at all.
The dog
does not approve.
Bearskulls.
I don't think
they like company.
The claws.
The headdresses.
Bears.
They think they are bears.
They want us
to think they are bears.
Hey, how do you
hunt a bear ?
Chase it down with dogs.
What--
How do you hunt a bear
in winter ?
Go in his cave
with spears.
Where is a cave ?
It's in the earth.
The next glen,
many fires.
Is there a cave ?
But there's
no cave.
Yes, there is.
- Straight into the rock face.
- Can we get to it ?
If they don't
keep dogs, maybe.
You'd have to
kiss me first, dearie.
Let's go.
Oh, how deep in
the Earth are we ?
- Deep enough to fall out the bottom.
- Come on !
Look at your feet.
I was wrong.
These are not men.
If we cut our way
through them,
we will have
the other lot on us.
Down the wall,
and we swim.
I go.
- Let's go, little brother.
- I do not enjoy heights.
Stay.
Aah !
Go !
Kill her !
Do it !
- Aah !
Aah !
Damn it !
It is done ?
It is.
A hard fight to get
clear of here ?
Hey, there's
A passage leading down.
I've run about
as far as I care to.
Today was a good day.
A good day.
Get along, lad.
Go.
Helfdane ?
We'll just keep
following this stream.
It has to come out
somewhere.
Stream disappears
under the rocks.
- Buliwyf !
- I'm all right.
We fight by twos.
Give the other pair a chance to rest.
Here they come.
Go on,
make it worse.
Now it's gonna rain.
- It's gonna rain. It's gonna rain.
Wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait !
- Thunder.
- Waves make thunder.
- The thunder cliffs.
- Surf. Surf.
There's a surf
out there.
Can we swim it ?
Do we drown trying ?
Try it.
Breathe ! Breathe !
Deep breath !
Now, one, two, three !
The way we'll know is...
if they don't follow us,
it's too far to swim !
Not through the night.
- His fate is sealed.
- You don't know that.
The skeane is tied.
The weave
was settled long ago.
You're wearing that
long face for me ?
I cannot help it.
I have only
these hands.
I will die
a pauper.
You will be buried
as a king.
A man might
be thought wealthy...
if someone
were to draw...
the story
of his deeds...
that they may be remembered.
Such a man might be
thought wealthy indeed.
He's traveling
to the other side.
He grips his sword
as if afraid he will not wake.
Think no more of these things.
You must rest now.
- I'm not tired.
- Rest.
The Wendol want vengeance
for killing their mother.
They will
come soon.
Again ?
We killed the mother
but not the leader.
As long as he lives,
they will come back to fight us.
When ?
Tonight.
The evening
lasts so long here.
Not like home.
I don't think tonight
there will be--
- fog.
" Kill the mother,"
she said.
" Kill their leader
and they will break."
We'll soon find out
if she was right.
At least we don't
have to worry about fire.
They're all terrified,
ready to break and run.
I wish we had
Buliwyf with us.
It's a small matter.
Here.
Prepare yourselves.
Merciful Father,
I have squandered my days
with plans of many things.
This was not among them.
But at this moment,
I beg only...
to live the next
few minutes well.
- When the time comes.
Don't let them
be taken.
For all we ought
to have thought...
and have not thought,
all we ought to have said...
and have not said,
all we ought to have done...
and have not done,
I pray Thee, God,
for forgiveness.
They're coming!
'Lo there
do I see my father.
- 'Lo there do I see
my mother and my sisters...
- Mother and my sisters...
- and my brothers.
- and my brothers.
'Lo there do I see
the line of my people,
back to the beginning.
'Lo they do call to me.
They bid me
take my place among them.
In the halls of Valhalla,
where the brave...
may live...
forever.
Aah !
Aah !
Aah !
Aah !
It's over.
We shall make prayers
for your safe passage.
Prayers to who ?
In your land one god is perhaps enough,
but we have need of many.
I will pray to all of them for you.
Do not be offended.
I'll be in your debt.
Goodbye, Arab !
Goodbye, Northman.
Across seas of monsters and
forests of demons we traveled.
Praise be to Allah,
the merciful
and compassionate.
May His blessing
be up on pagan men...
who loved other gods,
who shared their food...
and shed their blood...
that his servant,
AhmedIbn Fahdlan,
might become a man...