Entering through the door past the guarding bondsmen, Erik entered a large open area filled with multiple fireplaces and rows of benches and tables. Most of them were empty, but there must be room for over 200 people to feast together.

Large doors decorated with iron and brass fittings separated the central hall from the Jarl and his family’s private quarters. Even here there were multiple thralls scurrying about, moving stuff around, cleaning or serving at the one occupied table at the right side of the hall.

At that table in a high-backed chair not unlike a throne, sat a huge man together with a dozen others. His beard was speckled with grey and the first wrinkles were visible on his face, evidence of his age. Erik estimated the man to be approaching fifty but didn’t dare to underestimate him. Even at that advanced age the Jarl still exuded an air of deadly skill and great authority. And while there certainly were grey streaks, the rest of the Jarl’s hair was still the same vivid red as Sigrun’s.

The other men at the table were a mixed group, coming from all ages between decrepit & old and young & vigorous. All of them were certainly warriors though and worthy of respect. And among them there were two more vivid red-haired men. One slightly younger than the Jarl, a younger brother perhaps, and a young man at a similar age to Erik, most likely one of the Jarl’s sons and Sigrun’s brother.

When Erik and Sigrun entered the conversation at the table stopped as they looked at the new arrivals. Erik didn’t know, but when the shaman had ordered his new body brought into the cabin he later woke up in very few people were permitted to enter. This means that none of the men at the table had seen Erik before, thus explaining their curiosity towards the anonymous Champion.

To the side of the occupied table another seat was occupied by another person. This was a very old man covered in wrinkles whose head, even in the actually quite hot Great Hall, was covered by a wolf pelt. And the most notable detail about him was the single onyx horn protruding from his left temple. A Norscan shaman. And a strong one at that, judging from the prominent Chaos mutation. Presumably he was the same shaman that ordered Erik’s accommodation in the cabin.

“Welcome, Champion of Chaos! I am the Vikti, Scaldar, shaman to Jarl Ingolf of the Frost Wolf Tribe. Please, join us at the table. We have important matters to discuss and good food to be eaten.”

Despite his old age, the shaman’s voice still held power. And to Erik it was very peculiar that a shaman, even a high ranking and powerful Vikti, would speak out before the Jarl he served extended an invitation.

‘Does this mean there are some hidden currents among this tribes ruling class?’

The Jarl didn’t seem to mind, so maybe Erik was just overthinking it. A moment later a stream of thralls entered from a side door at the back, carrying two more chairs and an array of dishes.

A couple of things immediately drew Erik’s attention. The dishes were mostly meat taken from different beasts and cooked in different ways. Chunks and slices of meat he recognised as coming from regular cattle or livestock dripping with juices were followed by enormous meat slabs that wouldn’t look out of place coming from an elephant. And for all he knew, they might have been.

Apart from the meat, there was actually quite a spread of vegetables and even fruits. Obviously these had been either taken in raids across the world or traded for with the merchants of Marienburg.

Yes, the Norscans living on the southern side of the peninsula did not rely solely on raiding and participated in trade to increase their food stocks and other necessities. The northern Norscans however, due to their proximity to the Northern Chaos Wastes, were far more brutal and if they could not take something by force it was not worth taking.

Apart from the food, the thralls carrying it were also of great interest to Erik. While they were most definitely thralls, they were more like servants than the manual labourers outside. Dressed not in flimsy rags but in tidy clothes, the only thing that pointed to their lowly status was the collar around their necks.

But their tidy appearance wasn’t what actually drew Erik’s attention. The fact that these thralls were all female and not one of them was ordinary looking, with some of them being downright beautiful, did.

~Bleep! – Player Erik earned Favour! Slaanesh approves your desire for pleasure!

~Bleep! – Player Erik earned Favour! Tzeentch approves your growing ambition!

Exerting some willpower, Erik moved his gaze away from the thralls, fully realising that these were prizes either given to Jarl Ingolf by the tribes warriors or directly taken by him during years of successful raiding. It was probably in poor tastes to gawk at them with lustful eyes. And he also wanted to show his good side to Sigrun who still stood beside him.

And when Erik sat down in his chair and noticed Jarl Ingolf openly staring at him, Erik had another theory. Perhaps this was also a form of test, to see whether or not he would act out in a certain way.

But, Erik had no idea whether he had failed or passed. Everyone at the table was aware that Erik bore the Mark of all four Chaos Gods and had probably been made aware that Erik had beaten the old thrall to death in a fit of rage, fitting for a Champion bearing the Mark of Khorne.

Should he, as a bearer of the Mark of Slaanesh, have simply stared lecherously at the displayed beauties, maybe even directly asking for one to warm his bed? Or was giving them a glance and controlling himself the right answer, proving that Erik was in control of himself? Depending on the Jarl’s viewpoint, either one could be the right answer.

The servants started serving the food, heaping a mountain of meat onto the hard bread ‘plates’. More meat was put on the middle of the table and some baskets of bread, vegetables and fruits were spaced out on the long table. Meanwhile, no one at the table spoke a word, just waiting in silence for the thralls to finish setting the table and moving away.

Finally, the Jarl clicked his tongue, knocked on the table and spoke for the first time.

“Scaldar already welcomed you into my home, Champion, but I will still repeat the same words. Welcome to my Hall and to our tribe. You are our honoured guest, as demanded by our Gods.

As long as you stay here and abide by the laws of our tribe, your bed and board will be provided by us, as befits a guest of your status.

However, as you are aware, the Gods made another demand when you descended upon us. We are to put you through a Trial. Specifically, a Trial to allow you to join our tribe as someone who was not born into it. This is highly unusual and no such custom is currently in place, creating a predicament.”

As he spoke, Jarl Ingolf had started eating together with everyone else. Erik too took large mouthfuls of meat as he suddenly found himself to be incredibly hungry. As he enjoyed the food and listened to the Jarl’s words, he earned yet more Slaanesh Favour for indulging in gluttony.

Then, after finishing a mouthful of tender meat, taking a swig of ale from his horn and slowly chewing on a handful of dates, the Jarl continued.

“Scaldar has communed with his contracted Daemons to try and glean a suitable way to enact this Trial. And the results he got were surprisingly straight forward.

He said that you are currently in a weakened state and need time to obtain your true strength. But we are also not allowed to wait for you to initiate the challenge, since that would be an insult to Mighty Khorne.

So in the end we, the Witan comprised of the Frost Wolf Marauder leaders, devised a set of challenges for you to complete.”

He paused once more to wet his throat with more ale and give Erik an opportunity to retort. Seeing Erik just nod his head, Jarl Ingolf shrugged and indicated for Scaldar to continue as he himself leisurely continued eating.

“The Trial will be fivefold, held at three week intervals and lasting for most of the winter. After winter ends, a sixth and final Trial will be held, if you are still with us (alive) at that point.

The first three trials will be against Marauders of increasingly better skill and standing to prove your martial prowess and growth.

The fourth Trial will be a winter hunt where you will join a group of soon-to-be Marauders in their coming of age Trial. You will set out from the settlement in the heart of winter and you need to survive on your own while hunting the monsters lurking outside. Specifics will be explained to you and the younglings when the Trial is about to start.

The fifth, should you survive the winter hunt, will be to face off against one of the Jarl’s trusted bondsmen.

The final trial is honestly more of a formality. You will join the Marauders on the Wolf- and Dragonships to sail and plunder. Bringing sufficient honour, glory and loot to the tribe will let you pass the trial. So effectively, the fifth trial is the actual last trial.”

Finished with his food, Jarl Ingolf started speaking again, allowing Scaldar to focus on his food again.

“We are also aware you do not currently have a weapon and will allow you to take a weapon from the Mound of Blades. We expect you to make up for the weapon you take by growing the Mound with the weapons of your slain enemies along with the tribe, if you pass your Trial. When you leave the Hall and return to your guest quarters, have Sigrun accompany you to the Mound and let her answer any questions you have.”