This week, we make another visit to the Viking world. It’s an old story – quite probably the oldest story in the English language: the saga of Beowulf. No one knows exactly who wrote it, what the story was originally called or when it was written. All we know that it was written by an Anglo-Saxon poet in England, somewhere between 975 and 1025. It was a great inspiration to writers such as JRR Tolkien, as well as being an exciting story in its own right. And now, thanks to Lightning Box Games, it’s a great slot that you can play at NetBet Casino.
One of the All-Time Geats
Beowulf was a Geat, a tribe of Germanic-Scandinavians who lived in central Sweden. Beowulf and his band of heroes sail south, at the behest of Hrothgar, king of the Danes. His mead hall is being beset by a monster, Grendel, that no one can defeat. But Beowulf is equal to the task and cuts the creature’s arm off. Grendel’s mother also attacks the hall but is defeated and killed. Beowulf returns to his home and reigns as king for 50 years before another monster, a dragon, comes calling. Beowulf once again defeats the monster but is mortally wounded and dies.
There are many aspects of the poem that fit in with Viking society. The poem begins and ends with a great Viking funeral, in which a ship loaded with the departed and all his wealth, is cast adrift onto the sea and then set on fire. The wellbeing of one’s retinue of fighting men is a theme that always comes up. Vikings, were they still with us today, would be considered very mercenary for if they did not get paid in silver and gold, they would desert their lord. And of course, there is the great warrior who wishes to test himself in single combat against the greatest and most dreadful beasts.
Grendel at the Movies
There are a number of films about Beowulf. The most famous is probably Robert Zemeckis’s animated version, starring (amongst others) Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie and Anthony Hopkins. There’s also a live action version called Beowulf and Grendel, starring a very young Gerard Butler, though this one suffers a bit from a lack of budget. The third film does not, on the face of it, appear to be about Beowulf at all. Antonio Banderas is the star of The Thirteenth Warrior, notorious in movie history for being a $100 million failure. Based on a book by Michael Crichton entitled “Eaters of the Dead”, the monster in the story is replaced by an ancient tribe of Pagan cannibals.
A Reel Hero
You can play as the hero of the saga right here at NetBet Casino. When the game begins, Beowulf is watching from the side, hooded and with his sword in hand. This is because Grendel can attack at any time, stalking the fifth reel. Because he is ready to deal with the monster, Beowulf rushes in front of the reels but he’s too slow: Grendel runs away. As he stalks back to his position, he changes some of the symbols to sticky wilds, and Grendel leaves behind some free spins.
While Grendel’s mother only appears as a symbol (along with some other Viking types including King Hrothgar and his wife), there is another threat to be dealt with: the dragon. If three or more dragons show on the reels, you enter the bonus game, and the Free Spins begin. There is no limit to the amount of Free Spins you get. Instead, you must fight to the death. Both you and the dragon have five lives. If a red dragon’s eye Wild symbol appears, you lose a life. If a blue sword Wild symbols is showing, the dragon loses a life, and the Wild stays where it is. Beat the dragon to receive three additional Free Spins in addition to all those spins you’ve just had.
