A Fury from the Sea was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2020 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.[1]
Description[]
Eivor regrouped with her allies and the people of East Anglia for a final assault on Rued's clan.
Dialogue[]
After taking King's Bury, Eivor mounted her horse and headed for the forward camp, north of Burgh Castle.
A short way north of King's Bury, she came across a group of of farmers standing over dead Vikings.
- Eivor: The King's Bury horn has inspired more than a few farmers to action.
She approached one of the men.
- Eivor: You did this?
- Anglo-Saxon Man 1: Aye. We heard the horn's call, as in times past. Are we to rise against Rued's dogs?
- Eivor: Theotford will rise. And Northwic. And Elmenham.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 1: Then we will too. Oswald drew first blood taking Rued down. We will finish what he started.
- Eivor: We meet at the ruins north of Burgh Castle.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 1: We're only hog farmers, but we'll fight as hard as we're able. Let's go. There's a long road ahead for us!
The farmers brandished torches and began marching north. Eivor left them and continued on her way to the forward camp. Northeast of Northwic, she came across Scotthoh Farm, where a group of Rued's men had killed most of the people and had one man trapped within the house.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 2: Let me go, heathens! Have you not taken enough from us already?
- Norse Warrior 1: Shut your hole, shit-stain.
Eivor cleared out all of the warriors and retrieve a key to the house from the bottom of the well. She spoke to the man inside.
- Eivor: Rued's wretches spared you. You're lucky.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 2: God be praised! We were lambs before their blades, ready for slaughter.
- Eivor: You draw breath still.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 2: I heard the horn's call, but I thought I was dreaming. I will join the fyrd. Just name the place.
- Eivor: We gather at the ruins northeast of Northwic.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 2: I'll be there.
Before leaving the house, Eivor read a paper left on the table.
Farmer's Diary
- Every day, the Danes draw nearer. The others have fled to Northwic, but we... we shall stay. These are our homes.
Smoke over the trees now. Thatch roofs burn so bright. Rued's raiders spare neither man nor woman, kith nor kin.
We hear them laughing as they walk up the road. It is time, and may God have mercy on us all.
Eivor mounted her horse again and continue. As she neared the camp, a low horn resounded from the west.
- Eivor: That horn came from Elmenham. Valdis must have got to them.
Eivor arrived at the camp, finding a great many people gathered as more continued to ride in.
- Eivor: Those men must have heard the horn's call. The people of East Anglia have more courage than I imagined.
In the harbor, many longships were anchored.
- Eivor: The brothers' fleet, gathered and ready.
As she started up the hill to the ruins, she overheard some of the gathered army talking.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 4: Can we really do this? We're just farmers and merchants!
- Anglo-Saxon Man 5: Have faith, brother. God protects the righteous.
Near one tent were some of the Dane fighters.
- Norse Warrior 2: Finally, we put my longship to use again. I was tired if it gathering dust.
- Norse Warrior 3: Our ships are sturdy, but Burgh's walls are sturdier. This plan of Finnr's is mad.
A note lay on one of the boxes.
Dane Sailor's Letter
- Inga,
Though the great sea separates us, my mind flies to you, even on the eve of battle. All around, my fellow Danes beat their chests, eager to drink of the red war-death. It was never my wish to fall in battle, or even live apart from you, but I cannot let our little ones starve. If I fall, Thorfast has sworn to carry this note and my share of the treasure to you across the wide whale-road.
–Skorri
On a table to the other side of the path, she found another letter.
Saxon Soldier's Letter
- Sister,
I know you are wroth at me for going to war and leaving all in your hands. But Father is dead and our brothers too. Who else is left to defend our farm? I shall return before harvest, this I swear by all the holy saints. And do not forget to milk Sciffa and shear Ella.
Athelswith
At the top of the hill, within the ruins, she found a make-shift war room set up, maps and parchments strewn across tables. At the edge of the cliff stood Finnr, who called out to Eivor as she approached.
Eivor and Finnr looking over the coalition fleet
- Finnr: Eivor! Word of your actions in Theotford has spread like wildfire! Men are pouring in from across East Anglia. And our ships stand ready.
- Eivor: Theotford's reeve is with us. His men will be here soon.
- Finnr: More than his. The King's Bury horn has inspired men all across this kingdom. We will have the army we need. It seems Oswald got what he wanted in the end. Saxon and Dane, united in common cause.
Eivor shook her head, sadly.
- Eivor: A pity he's not here to see it.
- Finnr: The forces will be ready soon. Are you ready to start the assault?
(Accept – I am ready.)
- Eivor: I am.
- Finnr: Our target is Burgh Castle, said to be impenetrable.
Eivor and Finnr looking at a battle map of Burgh Castle
Finnr and Eivor turned away from the cliff edge and walked to a map strung up near a fallen fort wall.
- Eivor: Good. Let them have their false confidence.
- Finnr: By cover of night, Valdis will lead the fyrd at the front gates. With Rued's men distracted, our forces move on the sea gate from the black waters at their backs.
- Eivor: And once we're in, we'll leave no gate closed in that castle. Rued's men cannot be allowed to dig in further. Your longship. Is she ready?
- Finnr: She awaits her own special glory.
Eivor turned to find men of the fyrd gathered behind them.
- Finnr: They need your words, Eivor.
Eivor approached the troops.
- Eivor: Oswald was a man who did not hesitate when you sought him for favors. A man who was fair and strong. A man who gave his life for his kingdom. Honor him today. Honor his memory and fight with the same extra courage he showed.
The men cheered.
- Anglo-Saxon Men: For Oswald!
Eivor approached the troops.
- Eivor: For a long time you lived in fear. Your houses razed, your fields scorched. Now your chance has come. Fight to be free of this pain. Fight to be free of fear.
The men cheered.
- Anglo-Saxon Men: Freedom!
Eivor approached the troops.
- Eivor: This land you call home is on the verge of ruin. Burned and pillaged by Rued's clan, it bears the scars of an age of endless war. But today we will reclaim her. Today we fight for your land. And tomorrow, we rebuild.
The men nodded and muttered in agreement, one crossing himself.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 6: For East Anglia.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 7: For East Anglia.
Wynnstan, reeve of Theotford, watched and nodded in agreement.
- Eivor: Now is the time. Today, we rid East Anglia of Rued's clan, once and for all.
The coalition preparing for battle
The gathered army cheered. Finnr approached Eivor and nodded his head approvingly before following the soldiers as the Vikings preparing for a raid. That night, Eivor and Finnr sailed on Finnr's longship, amongst the gathered fleet, in stormy waters to the castle.
- Finnr: You remember the dream I spoke of?
- Eivor: You sailed through Helheim on a ship of fire.
- Finnr: Here, it may come to pass.
- Eivor: Dreams. Life. It may be they are one and the same.
Eivor on the longship alongside the others
All across the horizon, lightning flashed and the rain poured heavy.
- Eivor: Tonight I ride the flaming sea-steed, rushing for the spear-din. A watcher alight on water's wake, another glory I will keep.
As the faint glow of fires from the fortress appeared in the distance, Eivor addressed the crew.
- Eivor: Ready yourselves! Rued's shit-stains will see us coming!
A horn sounded from the castle.
- Finnr: We've been spotted.
- Eivor: Steady! Hold course!
- Finnr: Ready yourself to brace, men! We bring Helheim to our enemies!
A volley of fire arrows lit the night sky.
- Finnr: How nice, they greet us with some of their own from the air! Arrows!
- Norse Warrior 4: Brace!
A longship in front of them was hit by the arrows and burst into flame.
- Finnr: Odin's hand! May his sword-maidens take them swiftly.
More volleys of fire arrows were loosed as they steered around the disabled ship.
- Norse Warrior 5: Close one, that was!
- Finnr: Keep your shield arms limber! Harden yourselves, men!
The fortress loomed as they drew close.
- Eivor: Steady your hands! Hold for impact! Hold!
Eivor ran across the deck with a torch in hand.
- Eivor: Now!
The gate of Burgh Castle destroyed
The crew jumped into the water at her command. Eivor tossed the torch onto the barrels of oil stacked at the fore of the ship, and dove underwater as the longboat's momentum carried it up the beachhead to ram into the castle gate, causing an explosion that sent both the gate and the surrounding wall crumbling. Eivor stood on the shore, watching as Brothir and Broder's longships landed around her and their warriors rushed in.
- Eivor: Forward! Get that ram in place! We need to open these gates!
- Norse Warrior 6: Charge!
- Norse Warrior 7: For Oswald!
Eivor and allies in combat against Rued's clan
Eivor entered the fort. As most of their warriors fended off Rued's men, few pushed a ram through the courtyard toward the palisade gate.
- Finnr: Put that glorious ram to use! Rued's dogs are all bark! Prepare to cut them down!
- Brothir: This is for Oswald!
- Broder: Come and die on my blade!
The ram broke through the palisade to enter the next section, where there were reinforcements. Eivor spotted the second, sturdier gate.
- Eivor: The ram could push through.
The Norse approached the gate and commenced ramming it. Eivor either joined the crew on the ram, or climbed the doorway and cleared the ramparts of defenders.
- Eivor: I could break the gate from behind.
Eivor broke the bars and opened the gate from within or broke it down with the ram.
- Eivor: Now to the final gate! Get the ram to the gate and push! And keep pushing! East Anglia depends on it!
She helped the ram through the courtyard.
- Eivor: Our battle plan has legs! Keep the pressure!
Another gate in one of the outer walls burst inward and the East Anglian Saxons poured in to help fight.
- Eivor: The fyrd has broken through. These merchants and farmers can fight.
The ram reached the other end of the section and the final gate.
- Eivor: I need help with this gate!
Eivor spotted Valdis, leading the Saxon fyrd.
- Eivor: Valdis, well met!
- Valdis: Onward everyone! Onward!
Rued and Oswald, revealed to be alive
The ram breached the final gate and the army swarmed into the castle courtyard. Killing a soldier with her Hidden Blade, Eivor looked up and saw Oswald on the ramparts, held hostage by one of Rued's soldiers with a knife to his throat.
- Eivor: Oswald... He lives.
Eivor turned to the army behind her.
- Eivor: Oswald lives!
- Oswald: Eivor! Is that you?
From behind him, Rued walked up to stand on the ramparts.
- Rued: Shut your arse, twig-spine!
Rued punched Oswald in the face.
- Eivor: Stand fast! This will be over soon.
- Oswald: Worry not for me! You must stop—
- Rued: Silence, fool!
Rued grabbed Oswald by his throat.
- Rued: So this is what it comes to, Wolf-Kissed? Two Danes fighting over a filthy Saxon whoreson? If this swine is your prize, come and get him!
Another wave of Rued's men attacked. Eivor fought her way through and climbed a wall to find a caged Oswald in tight discussion with Rued.
- Oswald: The people of East Anglia have spoken, Rued. Give yourself over.
- Rued: Taken prisoner to a Saxon? To you? Never. You think yourself above the Danes?
- Oswald: I think no such thing. Only God is above us, of both Saxon and Dane alike.
- Rued: You and your slaver god. Pathetic! You'd dare try and bed my Valdis!
- Oswald: She's not yours to do with as you please.
- Rued: Of course she is. Just as East Anglia is!
- (If Eivor attacked from a higher vantage point)
- Rued: You dare call yourself drengr (a courageous warrior)! Face me, battle-swine! I'll take your head for a trophy!
Rued set his pet wolf against Eivor and attacked with his longsword.
- Rued: The Saxon-lover comes to fight!
- Eivor: A miserable clan you lead, Rued.
- Rued: Yes, and one that has bled this country dry for two summers!
- Oswald: You are finished here, Rued!
- Eivor: Your battle is not yet won, Oswald.
Eivor addressed Rued.
- Eivor: Flee Rued, while pity restrains my blade.
- Rued: Not 'til I have taken all these shores have to offer.
- Eivor: East Anglia will have its king, and it will not be you!
- Rued: That groveling worm in a cage? You must be blind to stand with such a man. Danes fighting for a Saxon King! The sagas will scorn this day!
- Eivor: For all your efforts, only the cold dark of Niflheim awaits you.
- Rued: Valhalla is my destiny. But that fate will not be met today. This land is rife with weakness, and you are just another blighted blot upon it. Nothing a little fire cannot purge!
Eivor duelling against Rued
Eivor and Rued found themselves in a blade lock.
- Rued: They should be ruled, Wolf-Kissed! Made thralls, (slaves), not treated as equals. We are better than this! Than all of them!
- Eivor: Do not drag me down to the sewage you wallow in.
They parted and continued to fight.
- Rued: I will enjoy this! Why does a Dane fight tooth and nail for a Saxon? This Saxon of all?
- Eivor: He has in abundance that which you do not. He is fit to rule, fit to lead. You are naught but a murderous plunderer.
Rued defeated by Eivor
Eivor defeated Rued, who plunged his sword in the ground and fell to his knees, head bowed. As Eivor stood over him, the army broke through, two men running up to free Oswald from his cage.
- Oswald: Thank you.
Rued scowled at Eivor.
- Rued: You'd throw in with these wastrels, these argr (cowardly) swine? For what, a scrap of land and a promise of peace?
Eivor moved to kill Rued.
- Oswald: Eivor! No! He should be tried before God. A lawful assembly.
- Rued: (laugh)
Oswald trying to intervene
Oswald shook his head at Rued's contemptuous laugh and addressed Eivor again.
- Oswald: I won't have my reign begin with more blood spilt than is needed.
The world around Eivor darkened.
- Odin: Another screeching scold.
Odin walked up from behind her to look down at apparition of Rued, Oswald beside him, both frozen in time.
- Odin: This man must die for the damage he has wrought. The old laws are clear.
- Eivor: These are Oswald's lands, to rule as king, as he sees fit.
Odin glanced at Oswald's form and pointed at it with a tilt of his chin.
- Odin: Does Eivor bow to kings?
- Eivor: To defy a king would shame him. East Anglia cannot heal without his honor intact.
Odin returned to Eivor and leaned in close to her ear.
- Odin: And what of your honor, Eivor? How much are you willing to lose?
Eivor turned to answer, but the vision abruptly ended and Eivor remained where she stood before, with no sign that any time had passed, and both Rued and Oswald awaiting her judgement.
- Eivor: He deserves death, Oswald. That's our way.
Oswald held up his hand hoping to stall Eivor.
- Oswald: Eivor, please...
Eivor swung her axe and cut Rued's throat. Oswald stared at Rued's corpse.
- Oswald: Blood for blood leaves no warmth in the hearts of men, Eivor. None at all.
Rued spared by Oswald
- Eivor: The rightful King of East Anglia has spared your life today. And so it will be.
Rued yelled and rose to strike at Eivor but was held back by two of Oswald's men and forcefully dragged away.
- Oswald: Compassion is a virtue suited for anyone, Eivor. Including you. Thank you.
The Norse and Anglo-Saxons cleared out Rued's forces as they took control of the castle.
- Eivor: I should speak with Oswald... see if he is well.
- Norse Soldier 8: Rued's finished.
- Norse Soldier 9: To the ships.
- Norse Soldier 10: Praise the All-Father. Oswald lives!
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 8: You fight well, heathen.
- Norse Soldier 11: Not bad yourself, Saxon.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 9: We did it! I can't believe we did it!
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 10: And Oswald yet lives! God is truly merciful!
Eivor approached Oswald on the battlements.
- Oswald: Eivor...
- Eivor: Saxon and Dane. We fought well, side by side.
- Oswald: If there is to be a future for both our kind, people like you and me will have to change the most to live with it. Even if that makes us... uneasy.
- Eivor: When you are crowned king, the laws of this land will be yours to decide.
Oswald stood in thought.
- Oswald: All this is...is like a dream.
- Eivor: But you are not asleep.
Finnr and Valdis reunited with Oswald
Finnr and Valdis approached the pair.
- Finnr: Well fought, well fought! The both of you!
Oswald glanced at Valdis before speaking to Finnr.
- Oswald: You came as well, old friend?
- Finnr: If I had known you were still alive, I would have stayed in Northwic.
- Eivor: Look around you. A happy occasion. And a glorious victory.
Oswald spoke to Valdis.
- Oswald: And soon, something more grand to take place. Our wedding, my love...if you will still have me, that is.
- Valdis: And why would I not?
- Oswald: I fought poorly. I melted under the heat and anger of that brute. And I never—
- Valdis: Oswald, stop. You fought. With all your heart and soul. That is all you need ever do.
Valdis hugged Oswald.
- Oswald: Come, then. We have much to prepare for.
Oswald and Valdis took their leave.
- Finnr: A bride to wed and a kingdom to lead. What some men wouldn't give for such things.
- Eivor: Countless men have died for them. And you, Finnr? Are you jealous of such things?
- Finnr: Hardly. My heart is afire, but my body aches. I desire only...a long nap.
- Eivor: I saw a bale of hay back there.
- Finnr: Later, Eivor. For now, I must see to the wounded.
- Eivor: Then I will see you at the wedding.
- Finnr: Aye, of course, you will.
Finnr left to manage the remaining men, remarking as he went.
- Finnr: Victory was hard won, but we did it. Rued's clan is blown to ash.
- Eivor: I should return to Elmenham. Oswald's wedding will soon begin.
Outcome[]
Eivor successfully led an attack on Burgh Castle to free East Anglia from Rued's clan. There, she found both Rued and Oswald alive, and after defeating Rued, she prepared for the imminent wedding between Oswald and his fiancée, Valdis.
Behind the scenes[]
The hog farmers that Eivor can encounter north of King’s Bury and the farmer she can save at Scotthoh Farm will join the forward camp and stand on the right side of the slope as she ascends towards Finnr's planning area, though they have no further dialogue.
Manual and quick saving are not available during a castle assault, but the game will autosave after completing major objectives during the assault. In the case of this assault, the final autosave before climbing up to a two-on-one boss battle against Rued and his wolf happens after breaching the final gate but before the cutscene showing Rued and Oswald still alive. As a result, desynchronization at this point will require the player to rewatch the cutscene between attempts.
Once Rued spots Eivor, invisible walls activate all around them, locking the player in combat. However, the tightrope above and the inner corner of the western watchtower it is connected to remain "in-bounds" and can be used as vantage points for ranged attacks on Rued, the wolf, or both. Additionally, if Rued has not been alerted to the player's position, he can be stealth-attacked from this vantage point as well, potentially defeating him in one blow and leaving only the wolf to fight one-on-one.
If Rued is killed at Burgh Castle, his dead body will persist when the castle is reloaded into its "post-assault" state—with Oswald's banners and the piled corpses of Rued's clansmen—for the remainder of the game. Similarly, his wolf’s carcass will always persist.
The Restricted Area status on a region’s main castle or fortress is usually lifted after the player assaults it during the main story, in accordance with loading the location into its post-assault state. In the case of Burgh Castle, however, reloading the autosave made after Rued is defeated and skipping through the dialogue may retain the castle’s Restricted Area status. Reloading the autosave and proceeding through the dialogue normally usually lifts the status as intended.
Gallery[]
