Magni

Magni is enthusiastic, ambitious, and eager to establish himself as a capable warrior. He shares the excitement of the other young villagers when an opportunity to accompany Thors appears.

His enthusiasm comes from inexperience rather than cruelty. Magni and his companions understand warfare mainly through stories, status, and cultural expectation.

He is also among the village youths interested in Ylva, adding an ordinary adolescent rivalry to the excitement surrounding their departure.

Magni has some familiarity with weapons and is equipped with the clothing and arms expected of a young man preparing for Viking warfare.

He is not portrayed as an experienced fighter. His role aboard Thors's ship is closer to that of an inexperienced recruit learning the realities of travel and military life.

Magni is one of five teenage villagers allowed to accompany Thors when Floki recalls him to the Jomsvikings. The others include Ari, Grim, Mord, and Hakon.

Unknown to them, Thors intends to leave the boys safely in Norway rather than take inexperienced villagers into war.

Their voyage is intercepted by Askeladd's mercenaries before that plan can be completed.

Thors sacrifices himself to ensure that Magni and the other villagers are allowed to leave alive. Magni consequently survives an encounter that exposes how different real violence is from the heroic image of warfare with which the boys departed Iceland.

Thors commands the voyage Magni joins and quietly intends to protect the inexperienced village youths from combat.

Ari, Grim, and Mord are fellow young villagers traveling with Magni.

Ylva is a young woman from the village in whom Magni and several of his peers are romantically interested.

Thorfinn secretly stows away aboard the same ship.

Askeladd leads the mercenaries who ambush their voyage.