Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: How can you sleep at a time like this?
Herger the Joyous: The All-Father wove the skein 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 a man nothing.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: 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. 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.
Skeld the Superstitious: Blow-hards the both of you. She probably was some smoke-colored camp girl. Looked like that one's mother.
[laughter]
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: 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!
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: [given a Viking sword] I cannot lift this.
Herger the Joyous: Grow stronger.
Buliwyf: I have only these hands. I will die a pauper.
King Hrothgar: You will be buried as a king.
Buliwyf: A man might be thought wealthy if someone were to draw the story of his deeds, that they may be remembered.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Such a man might be thought wealthy indeed.
Herger the Joyous: When they come, we form a circle in the center of the room, backs to one another.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: I am not a warrior.
Herger the Joyous: Very soon, you will be.
Herger the Joyous: Where did you learn our language?
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: I listened!
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: [as Herger offers a mead horn] I can taste neither the fermentation of grape, nor of wheat.
[Herger laughs]
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: What? Why do you laugh?
Herger the Joyous: [laughing and handing over the bottle] HONEY! It's made from honey!
[Ibn has killed a 'beast']
Herger the Joyous: It's all right, little brother... there are more!
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: [Herger speaks Greek] What did he say?
Melchisidek: Hurry to meet Death before your place is taken.
Melchisidek: [as Ahmed rides off] We will remember you. Go with God.
Melchisidek: [looks skyward] You listening?
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Have we anything resembling a plan?
Herger the Joyous: Mm-hm. Ride till we find them... and kill them all.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: [rides out to the watchtower, and finds it empty] EDGTHO? EDGTHO?
Edgtho the Silent: [from a nearby tree] Stifle your racket, I hear you.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Thought to find you in the tower.
Edgtho the Silent: Yeah. Why I'm not in it.
[after the Oracle cast the bones and picks out the thirteenth]
Melchisidek: She says the thirteenth warrior must be no North man.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: What the hell are you saying?
Melchisidek: The thirteenth warrior... is you.
Buliwyf: You can draw sounds?
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Draw sounds? Yes, I can draw sounds... and I can speak them back.
Buliwyf: Show me.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: [Drawing in the sand] There is only one God, and Mohammad is his prophet.
