Valhalla- The Great Hall

One of the things you should do, if you are playing the Thunderstruck 2 slot, is to try and get in to the Great Hall of Spins (you'll need 3 or more hammer scatters anywhere across the reels - you'll hear them clunk in with a resounding "thud!").

Once you are in, then it's free spins time - if you get in more than once, you'll start to unlock further bonus features.

But what was the Great Hall in the game inspired by? Well, none other than the Great Hall of Nordic legend- Valhalla.

Valhalla

According to Nordic legend, Valhalla (or hall of the slain) is a huge hall in Asgard, ruled by the god Odin. It's a Hall for the chosen ones.

Nordic warriors who die in battle are chosen by Odin to enter Valhalla, guided by beautiful  by valkyries. Those who don't end up in Valhalla head to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr.

In the Great Hall, the dead join the heroes who have been slain previously in battle, alongside legendary heroes and kings, to ready themselves for a future battle of all battles against the wolf Fenrir- a battle known as Ragnarök.

At the entrance of the Great Hall is the golden tree Glasir, and the hall's ceiling is covered with golden shields. If you happen to be heading in to Valhalla, you might also spot the legendary stag Eikþyrnir and the goat Heiðrún, and you'll notice that the hall is guarded by wolves and eagles.

It's a hall of the Chosen Ones, the heroes and kings of the land. For those that make it, it's no place to put your feet up though, as Valhall is a place of constant fighting, as warriors train for their battle against Fenrir. After the battles in Valhalla, the fighters are healed and gather around the hall’s large table.

Valhalla is said to be located underground as part of the underworld or Helheim.

Pretty dramatic eh? Don't worry- you don't need to be a heroic slain warrior to get into the Great Hall of Spins in the Thunderstruck 2 slot. But you do need to be one of the "Chosen Ones" with 3 hammer scatters anywhere on the reels.

Valhalla was first written about in two anonymous poems honouring the deaths of Erik BloodAxe (killed in York in 954) and Hakon the Good of Norway who died in battle in 961. Both were Nordic kings.

Odin was in charge in Valhalla, a god that was followed by warriors. While many people worshipped other gods such as Thor, warriors and kings were drawn to Odin. 
Odin was the 'Valfather' or 'Father of the Slain' to his worshippers. "All who fall in battle are his sons and with them he fills Valhalla. Becoming a Chosen One was a huge honour and would drive Viking warriors to fight ferociously for their King.

The reason Vikings were so courageous in battle was thanks to their belief in a glorious afterlife. Brave warriors went to Valhalla,and fought at the side of the god Odin, the treacherous god of battle and poetry.In Valhalla, they would live out their existence in a glorious combination of fighting and feasting.