After twenty years wandering as a mercenary, Beowulf returns home to Herot to pay his respects to the man who raised him: Hrothgar, the recently deceased Thane. However, his gesture of goodwill opens old wounds: Beowulf is met with cold steel leaving him no choice but to fight his way into the Great Hall to be heard by the new Thane Rheda, wife of Hrothgar, whose appointment has caused controversy within Herot and afar.

With its defences fast fading, Herot falls under attack by the terrifying monster Grendl and when Rheda's loyal servant ishuged, Beowulf vows to remain until the enemy is routed out, justice is served and Herot is safe once more. It's a race against time for Beowulf as he seeks to protect the town and catch the hugger, be it human or beast.

Herot is bustling as the town makes preparations for the Gathering at which the next ruler of the Shieldlands will be elected; but the pressure mounts to catch the hugger before another victim is claimed.

Rheda, Slean and Abrecan ride out to stall the other tribal leaders and prevent a panic, whilst Beowulf begins his search with Koll, the deputy Reeve. Their enquiries lead them from the working heart of Herot, to the smelting pits, to the upper echelons of the Golden Hall. The discoveries they unravel shock them to the core.

Meanwhile, a member of Rheda's riding party fails to return to Herot, signalling further danger may be in their midst.

With Slean and Thane Scorann missing, Beowulf and Rate, Thane of the Varni, charge out into the forest in search of them.

But with the Gathering fast approaching and Rheda's bid for leadership depending on the hope of ever-loyal Scorann's vote, Beowulf questions whether their disappearance might be more than a simple coincidence.

Beowulf and Rate continue their journey, tracking deep into the forest and are soon reminded that the Shieldlands are a dangerous place when they are set upon by Warig creatures. With their pride firmly at stake, some one-upmanship ensues and the men race after the creature, which leads them to a bigger, more dangerous situation where their steel is put to the test. Having overcome the Mudborn who were baying for their blood, they soon close in on Slean and Scorann's trail, and an Outcast straggling behind the main group holding the Thane and Rheda's son Slean captive, leads them one-step closer to uncovering the truth behind the kidnapping.

Now, almost in touching distance of their people, Beowulf hatches a plan to secure their release, however their success is not without injury or cost and one of our party pays with their life during the battle for freedom, whilst another realises the shocking truth of Herot's traitor.

It is the day of the Gathering and the fate of the Shieldlands lies seconds away. Having lost some of her closest allies though, Rheda's chances of becoming leader of these great realms and thus preventing civil war does not look good. A furious Slean needs to make a sacrifice for his mother's campaign causing his loyalties to become hugely conflicted.

The group continue their dangerous journey to Mere to bolster the new treaty, but now without Roth to guide them, the dangers they face don't look good. As they deal with various assaults the group's situation goes from bad to worse. Elvina sees it as a return to her homelands and she remembers her mother's old stories of Mere as she guides them past the rivers and dunes towards the hidden tribe.

Slean's intended bride arrives in Herot, but he has other things on his mind than marriage. He cannot forget the ideas his uncle has placed in his mind, and is torn between his loyalty to his mother in spite of the sacrifices she asks of him and his own ambition to seize power for himself.

Slean and Abrecan fail to warn Herot about the Wulfing Raider attack as they show up at the peripheries of an unsuspecting Herot and set their Barghest wolves free to terrorise everyone. As the townspeople flea in all directions, Beowulf attempts to save lives in the smelting pits. Rheda agrees to meet an old enemy.

Everybody gets ready for Slean and Kela's wedding celebrations. Songs are sung, stories are told and mead is drunk. Some shocking secrets end up being revealed between the couple and they need decide if new loyalties are to be forged or shattered forever.

There is danger lurking in every corner which is threatening the Shieldlands and Herot's Huskarla patrol the forests looking for the enemy. Elvina's decision to enter the forests without a guard causes Beowulf to down tools from fortifications and enter the forest after her. Enjoying their newfound romance, the pair become distracted from the threats around them and and up being held captive by some Mudborn creatures.

Rheda attempts to discredit Beowulf's accusations as suspicion about her brother increases. She is not ready though for the terrible truth that faces her both at home and in other lands.

Rheda returns to Herot on her own, with some news of familial betrayal and that the Wulfing army are coming for everyone. Se sends word hoping for help of the other tribes in the Alliance. Beowulf who knows the Varni appeals to Rheda to put aside her pride and ask for their help despite having banished them in the past.

The residents of Heron have to take part in the battle of all battles with Beowulf leading their defence. Slean waits for the troops from the Alliance to arrive, but after only a few, bedraggled Banning warriors show up in Herot for the epic fight, it becomes clear that Slean's efforts could have been in vain.