Chapter Twelve, The Events of the Night Before the Attack Summary

The mist does not come the night of Buliwyf's visit to the dwarves. Rothgar hosts a great feast and the warriors take great pleasure in large quantities of mead and women. Ibn Fadlan joins in the revelry because he feels that after the amount of time he has spent with Buliwyf, he could have been born a Northman. Herger is greatly intoxicated and divulges information about the wendol's mother to Ibn Fadlan. Herger tells Ibn Fadlan she is very old and grotesque. She lives in a cave beneath the cliffs not far from Hurot. Ibn Fadlan wishes to know more about the creature but Herger cannot tell him more because no man knows more. Herger then falls into a drunken sleep.

Buliwyf approaches Ibn Fadlan...