Grim

Grim is ambitious, enthusiastic, and strongly influenced by the heroic image of Viking warfare. He wants to be recognized as a worthy fighter and joins the expedition with considerably more excitement than understanding of what real combat involves.

He is also openly infatuated with Ylva, sharing that adolescent interest with several other young men in the village.

Grim has enough basic weapon familiarity to dress and prepare as a warrior, but he has no established specialist fighting style or exceptional combat feat.

His lack of experience is precisely why Thors does not intend to take him into the actual Danish campaign. The difference between enthusiastic village youths and professional killers becomes immediately clear when Askeladd's mercenaries intercept their ship.

Grim is among the young Icelanders who volunteer when Floki's summons creates excitement around the prospect of warfare. He boards Thors's vessel alongside other villagers without realizing that Thors plans to send them home with Leif before reaching England.

Their journey instead runs directly into the ambush prepared by Askeladd.

Thors's sacrifice ensures that Grim and the other villagers survive the encounter and can return to Iceland, leaving them with firsthand knowledge of how little resemblance real warfare bears to the adventure they imagined.

Thors commands the voyage Grim joins and intends to protect the inexperienced youths from actual warfare.

Thorfinn secretly travels on the same ship despite being younger than Grim.

Ylva is the young woman Grim is infatuated with.

Ari, Magni, Mord, and Hakon are fellow village youths involved in the same expedition.

Askeladd commands the mercenaries who intercept their voyage.