The action in the Game about Saint Olav

The family at Sul

On the farm Sul, near Stiklestad, lives a peaceful farming family. They end up at the center of major events in a dispute about power over country and kingdom. This takes place in a time where both the right belief and the right side in the battle could be the difference between life and death.

The secret

The farmer, Torgeir Flekk, and his wife, Gudrid, are happy with each other, but they carry a secret judgment; A few years ago, Gudrid gave birth to a deformed child that the old wife on the farm, Grima, carried out into the forest so that the child would die (outbred). This was in accordance with the pagan customs.

Torgeir, who has accepted the Christian faith, is unable to forgive Gudrid for this, at the same time that Gudrid thinks that something else was not possible. Their youngest daughter, Gudrun, was five years old when this happened, and the story of the birth has marked Gudrun for life. She has become a restless child who does not tolerate conflict and arguments, because then the outburst starts to scream. In her world, there is a sign that there will be ragnarok, the end of the world, which starts with people killing each other and the Fenriswolf devouring the sun.

Her most reliable support and help in difficult situations is her grandfather GamalJostein, Torgeir's blind father. He tells blessings from old times and teaches her songs that break with Christian faith, but which amuse her and give pictures of how life can be lived and understood.

Big politics at the farmyard

One summer day in July 1030, the great conflict comes to the farm Sul. There is a rumor that Olav Haraldsson is on his way from Gardarike to recapture the power he lost in 1028. The farmers do not like this because they have gained independence and freedom under the feudal lords. Gudrid's brother-in-law, Torgeir Kvistad, and his son Halle, come to Sul to ask if they can get support from Torgeir Flekk to go against "Olav Digre" who is now on his way to take back the rule of the country. He says that a large peasant army and many ships are lying in wait for the battle that must come. Torgeir Flekk probably carelessly stands on Olav's side, and the Kvistad farmer and his son ride from there with no cause.

Olav Haraldsson comes to the farm

Tormod Kolbrunarskald is coming to Sul. He tells the farm people that King Olav is on his way and will have to spend the night at the farm. Torgeir wants to welcome the king, while Gudrid refuses to welcome an intruder who wants to unjustly usurp power over free peasants.

King Olav arrives with his army and settles in the yard. Tormod Kolbrunarskald tells the King that his adversaries have gathered a large army against him. While Olav calls his men to battle, the brothers Gaukatore and Avrafaste arrive from Jämtland. They want to join the army, but Olav does not want those who are not Christians. There is unrest and everyone starts fighting with each other. Olav stops the fight and speaks to them.

The son on the farm tells that the royal army has pulled down the cornfield. Then the King rides around the field and blesses it. Everyone sees that there is something about this King and Gudrun sings about it. She and the King meet each other and the girls let themselves be immersed. But the incitement to war makes Gudrun afraid, and she has to dance a pagan dance to calm down. The king sees this and says that this is not in line with Christian faith. He hears the story about the child who was drilled into the forest, gets upset and wants to punish them according to Christian law. The king helps Gudrun to know peace. After this, Torgeir offers himself and his sons as army men.

The battle

Night fell. The army rests. At dawn, the army left the farm to meet the farmers in battle at Stiklestad. The blind Gamal-Jostein decides to follow them to experience the events up close.

After the battle

After the battle, the women from the farm find the men who have fallen on the battlefield. Gamal-Jostein sees this because the dead king has given him his sight again. In Gullvåg's original manuscript, Gamal-Jostein says that he found the king in a den, and that he got the king's blood on himself, and then he could suddenly see: "He was a holy man".