Opera composer, a German and once a very important one we hear(6) *E*S*R
Reported worshipper telling tales of Viking warriors(8) *R*S*I*N
I think the second is Prussian, but why? Denseness has taken its grip.
Could the second one be CRESTIEN (alt. spelling for Chretien) i.e. de Troyes? The worshipper part ties in; his tales weren't of Viking warriors, though, unless you call Yvain a Viking.