In the Norwegian region of Trondheim, foster brothers Thor Thorsson and Umlaut Topknot are sent away by King Harold Fairhair (after being influenced by the villainous Thorolf Smooth-Tooth) to collect taxes in the form of animal skins from the Finns. With the aurora borealis lighting the way, the two karls undertake their quest, encountering mushroom-munching reindeer and possible divine manifestations along the way.