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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Maerdwyn" data-source="post: 2627587" data-attributes="member: 835">Beowulf then speakes to them men as a whole.  "When we arrive in Heorot, we shall be guests.  Take care with your words - our presence will not be a source of joy to most here."  Everyone walks the rest of the way up the hill, and then along the top of it, on the seaward side.  As they walk, Beowulf and his men see in the distance the hills, valleys, and marshes that make up interior of this island.  The sun sets, and the band walks the rest of the way by moon light, torch light, and norðrljós,* led by Hjördis and his fellows.  They always remain in sight of the coastline, and it soon becomce clear, to who do not already know, that Heorot must be on the same stretch of coastline that the Göts themselves had landed on - and that if that is the case, it probably would have been quite easy for them to have rowed here directly instead of landing so far down the coast and walking.  ]And, in fact, when Heorot finally comes into view several minutes later, it is right below them, set on a gentle beach in perhaps the worst defensive position those present have ever seen.  There is no harbor to speak of, allowing boats to approach the fortress from any direction, and the hill above it (upon which everyone is now standing) slopes down so gradually that a horse could easily charge down it.  The fortifications themselves, however, look strong.  A stout wooden palisade encircles the village.  Walls of spiked stakes set at angles bolster the defense in front of both the seaward and landward gates, and more spike can be seen poking out of the sea close to the beach.  As the band approaches the fort Heorot, that is the main hall itself, seems to glow slightly in the moonlight, and a wooden structure atop the roof seems to perfectly capture the northern lights within its frame.  It is easily the most beautiful building those present have ever seen, and, initially, at least it seems to easily live up to the rumors of the hall's opulence.  As they apporach the gate, however, even simple torchlight give the first lies to that assessment, for the small areas of farmland to the north and south of the fort looks overgrown and worthless.   The palisade looks broken and damaged in places, and hase great, deep, scars covering many of the areas that are still structurally sound.  Further observations must wait, however, for the gate swings open, and Hjördis beckons them to enter. He leads the Göts directly into the Heorot, where about twenty men warriors stand with swords sheathed, lining the dies of the hall.  A table that looks to have been hastily prepared for a meal dominates the center of the room.  At the opposite end of the hall from the entrance, the one-eyed greybeard king sits impassively on a silver throne.   The Göts enter and the two groups of warriors regard each other, each waiting for someone, whether on their side or the other, to speak.  *Northern Lights, aurora borealis.</blockquote>

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