An Island of Eels was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[]
Eivor met with Soma to confront Wigmund at the Isle of Ely Monastery.
Dialogue[]
Eivor found the clan near the monastery.
- Norse Warrior 1: That traitor is lost in Hel by now.
- Soma: They will have the lost souls of the dead to answer to.
Eivor walked up to Soma.
- Eivor: Soma.
- Soma: Eivor. You're still with me through all this. Do not think I'll forget.
- Eivor: We all need someone in dark times. Now let's collect Wigmund's head.
- Soma: Good. At the first sign of trouble, my crew will jump in.
The women left camp.
- Soma: He's hiding. At the summit of the hill. I can smell him.
- Eivor: I hope he likes the view. It's the last he'll ever see.
- Soma: Lightning tingles my blood, Eivor! I hear the voices of my slaughtered people on the air, calling Wigmund's name.
- Eivor: He doesn't leave this monastery alive.
They entered the church grounds and Soma had some choice words as they continued their search.
- Soma: My palms itch. Where is that rat? I'm going to skin him alive. On sight. I will tear his throat from his neck with my teeth.
Old dogs die slow, Wigmund! You can't delay your fate!
My blade bays for your life, Wigmund!
They infiltrated the church and heard their target speak.
- Wigmund: We were led by the hand! Into the bowels of Grantebridge, and still we could not hold the city? That raving pagan handed me Grantebridge on a plate! And you dirty ceorls lost it for me!
Eivor moved to assassinate Wigmund.
She was seen, prompting the guards to fight her.
- Soma: You'll die in agony, bacraut (asshole)!
- Wigmund: You can't kill me, Soma! Not truly. For what I am is unkillable!
- Eivor: Stop flapping your mouth and DIE!
She dropped down from the rafters, killing Wigmund instantly.
In the Memory Corridor, Eivor looked on as a fleeing Wigmund passed silhouettes of stationary soldiers.
Wigmund calls on the shades to defend him
Eivor started to walk towards Wigmund, who pointed at her and continued his flight. Eivor then "shoved" aside one of these soldiers and the shade disappeared.
- Wigmund: She means to erase me! To banish me from your minds! Fight in my name! Die for me! Die for me!
Odin appeared and followed behind a walking Eivor, who kept making the soldiers' shades disappear.
- Odin: That is no way to call for sacrifices.
- Eivor: Their lives for yours. Is that how it works?
She continued her pursuit, swiping away the unmoving shades in her way.
- Wigmund: Their lives meant nothing. No land, no riches, no titles! But my name will live on.
- Eivor: The reputation of a good man never dies. But your name will soon be a curse.
Wigmund reached the end of the army of shades, beyond which lay the gates of Grantebridge. He stopped and stared at the set of massive wooden doors, then briefly turned back to Eivor.
- Wigmund: So be it. The riches I had in life gave me power.
Wigmund resumed his march towards the doors.
- Wigmund: To curse me from beyond the grave gives me still more.
Wigmund finally reached the doors and turned around to face Eivor and Odin.
- Wigmund: Though I die, my order lives on elsewhere, everywhere.
Seeing that Eivor and Odin would not stop pursuing him, Wigmund backed into the doors and began panicking.
Eivor and Odin corner Wigmund
- Wigmund: Yield to us! Give us what we are owed! The trade, the riches, the legacy. All of it! Yield! Yield! Yield!
Eivor smirked as Odin shook his head in pity.
- Eivor: If your Hell is real, I'm glad you'll get to see it.
Eivor reached forward, grabbing Wigmund's Order medallion, and his spirit immediately turned to mist. Eivor remained standing at the gates for a moment as Odin walked away.
With Wigmund dead, Soma and Eivor planned to return to camp.
The guards attacked upon seeing Wigmund killed, and Eivor blew her horn to have her crew join in raiding the monastery.
- Soma: We should return to camp. Before I let go, and burn this heap to the ground. Going forward, I must take care. Houses can be built anew, crops will return with time, but trust... that will take longer to repair.
- Eivor: But you have a new friend and ally in me and my clan, Soma. The end of the storm is well in sight.
- Soma: You're right, I know you're right. It's just... it's difficult to see that end when you're still in the storm's eye.
Before leaving the church, Eivor spotted a note on a desk against the wall on the left side of the altar.
- Letter to Order of the Ancients
Members of the Order,
There has been a resurgence. The Danes of Grantebridge have banded together with the help of an outsider. They've retaken the city and destroyed my operations. I am cut off.
I have gathered what men I have left and taken to a monastery on the Isle of Ely. I will remain here until you
(the letter ends abruptly)
Soma talking to Eivor
Eivor and Soma left and returned to camp, where they found Soma's forces celebrating in victory. Later, Eivor and Soma watched as her clan resupplied the longships.
- Soma: Eivor, you've been a guiding light. Calling out Galinn like that, exposing his treachery, made me sick with a quiet terror.
- Eivor: A betrayal like that is already a kind of death. Galinn killed himself.
- Soma: Of course. And now I feel somewhat lifted. The weight is almost gone... even if my heart needs mending. Ah, while I have you, Eivor, I'm reminded...
Soma withdrew an arm bracelet.
Soma offers Eivor an arm bracelet as a pledge
- Soma: I have this for you. Keep it, knowing you have my highest respect, regard, and trust. My army is yours should you need it.
- Eivor: Soma Jarlskona... my deepest thanks.
- Soma: And... there's something else. As we prepared our assault, Birna had a word with me. We came to a sort of... understanding. It may be best if she tells you herself. Until next time, Eivor of the Raven Clan. I hope we will see you in Grantebridge soon.
Eivor walked to the shore, silently nodded and shook Lif's hand, then made her way to where Birna stood by another longship.
- Birna: Eivor...
- Eivor: Birna, you struck quite a victory today.
- Birna: Don't undercut your own ferocity, drengr. It was your blade leading the charge! You are indeed something to behold.
- Eivor: We all fought hard. And now Grantebridge is yours. You have your home once again.
- Birna: Bah. Soon merchants and priests and reeves (sheriffs) will run loose in its streets. All of its muddy charms will dwindle. Besides, with no room for me in Soma's heart, my home burned away in a quiet little house fire.
Birna turned to briefly watch Soma talk to Lif before facing Eivor again.
- Birna: Her priority is Grantebridge and the people in it. That is noble, and beyond what I will ever understand. So I've decided I'm of better use elsewhere. With you, in your crew!
- Eivor: You want to live with the Raven Clan?
- Birna: And sail and raid with you. If you'll have me.
Birna threw out her arms and turned on the spot.
- Birna: And look at this... who wouldn't?
Eivor welcomes Birna into her ship crew
Eivor chuckled.
- Eivor: I'll be happy to have you, drengr.
Eivor stepped forward and shook Birna's hand.
- Birna: A relief to these ears... I've already packed my bags.
Eivor smiled as Birna ran off to gather her things.
Eivor and Soma left and returned to camp, where they found Soma's forces slaughtered in a hail of arrows and Galinn holding a struggling Lif hostage with an axe to his throat.
- Eivor: Galinn? What are you doing?
- Galinn: We are at the mountain's peak, Soma. With room for one alone. So I claim this summit, jarlskona. I claim Grantebridge.
Soma surged forward but held back when Galinn retreated a step and kept his axe at Lif's neck.
- Soma: You fucking rodent, Galinn. It was you. You let those Saxon insects into our home. You betrayed us!
- Galinn: It was preordained, Soma. Like the sunset, like the birds' flight.
Eivor stepped beside Soma.
- Eivor: You coward. You let an innocent die in your place.
- Soma: You have your sibling in the bloodspring at your mercy. How could you waste your family so easily?
- Galinn: There is no river of blood deep enough to keep my from my destiny.
Six Anglo-Saxon archers, wielding bows and crossbows, emerged from the bushes on the hill banks over the camp and arranged themselves around the perimeter.
- Galinn: Only one verse of this song remains. It is my destiny to rule, it is your destiny to die. All of you!
Galinn pointedly looked at Soma.
- Galinn: We all have our One Day.
With Galinn distracted in his monologue, Lif managed to free his left arm and elbowed Galinn in the side, giving himself an opening to make a dash to Soma and Eivor. However, Galinn quickly recovered and threw his axe at Lif, striking him between the shoulder blades as Soma turned to helplessly watch the trajectory. Furious, she faced Galinn, drew her axe and rushed at her former lieutenant, who withdrew a longsword and knocked Soma back. As the two fought, Eivor scaled the hillside and began eliminating the archers.
- Galinn: You cannot thwart the gods! You cannot change destiny!
- Eivor: Destiny? If you kick a hornet's nest, it's not "destiny" when you get stung!
- Soma: You were mad and naked on the moors and I folded you into my family! I trusted you!
- Galinn: As it was foretold... as it was seen! Fling yourself from the mountaintop! Cling not to a place that isn't yours!
- Soma: Fuck your prophecy, your lies!
Having killed the archers, Eivor joined Soma in fighting Galinn.
- Galinn: My vision has come to pass! I stand at the mountain's peak!
- Eivor: You stand on the bodies of your brethren!
Together, Soma and Eivor defeated Galinn and dealt a mortal blow. Galinn collapsed to his knees, stunned, as his victors stood over him.
- Galinn: H-how...?
- Soma: Such a heavy price to pay for one so vile.
Eivor knelt down at Galinn's right to face him as he rolled onto his back.
- Galinn: I climbed to the peak of the mountain... to my... my destiny.
Soma knelt at Galinn's left side.
- Soma: Your vision took you as far as the mountain's peak. But there was only room for one to stand.
Soma leaned forward.
- Soma: I am the one standing.
Galinn reached for an axe that had fallen from one of Soma's clansmen. Soma spared a glance and grabbed it, but withheld giving it to him as she held it ready and inspected the blade.
- Galinn: Please, Soma... my life in the lap of the gods. Please...
Soma looked to Eivor for her judgement.
Eivor silently nodded, and Soma dipped her head in agreement. She placed the axe across Galinn's chest and positioned his to hold its handle as he died, granting his wish to enter Valhalla.
Eivor silently shook her head, and Soma nodded in agreement. Both women stood and Galinn stared at the sky, accepting his fate, before Soma brought the axe down into his chest. She threw the axe away in disgust and looked at Eivor, who nodded.
In the silence, the women gazed about the slaughter and Soma spat on the ground, before they saw Lif weakly rise his head and rushed to his side. Surprised, Soma kelt at Lif's side.
- Soma: Lif? Lif, you're alive!
- Eivor: These wounds are deep. You're lucky to be breathing.
- Lif: Not luck. Tactics. Evil men like to talk.
Lif winked at his own joke. Soma looked him over, assessing his injuries.
- Soma: Let's get him back to the longboats. We're going home.
A short time later, Eivor and Soma stood on the swamp banks and watched as Lif was carried off in a stretcher and the ships were resupplied by what few forces remained.
- Eivor: His wounds are deep, but he'll recover.
Eivor put a hand on Soma's shoulder. Soma shook her head.
- Soma: I should have guessed it was Galinn.
Soma turned away.
- Soma: If I'd trusted my instincts, if I had dealt with all this alone, or discovered him sooner...
- Eivor: Galinn deceived us all. He was a practiced liar.
Soma faced Eivor again.
- Soma: Do not think I blame you. I held the blade. The decision was my own. Now I must explain myself to my people.
- Eivor: The cost of war is always high, and victory can be sour. But you have your city back. And Wigmund is dead.
Soma pointedly stared at Eivor.
- Soma: As may be all trust in me. After all, why should any trust me if I cannot trust my closest friends?
Soma walked a few paces away.
- Eivor: Trusting people by their words, their deeds is as much as anyone can expect.
Eivor stepped forward.
- Eivor: But for you, it bit back like a rabid dog.
Soma turned around.
- Soma: That's how I feel. Exactly.
Eivor followed Soma.
- Eivor: It is easy to think so little of other, to harden against the world. It's more difficult to trust those around you.
Soma turned around.
- Soma: And does its difficulty make it more valuable?
Eivor nodded.
- Eivor: I think so. You are burdened with so much already. Do not let a serrated heart burden you too.
Soma turned around.
- Soma: It is the life of anyone with sense.
Eivor stepped forward.
- Eivor: But you are sustained by your people, Soma. To deem no person worthy of trust is to starve yourself.
Soma nodded in understanding.
- Soma: Thank you for standing at my side in this. You have my oath and my arm in the battle to come, Eivor of the Raven Clan.
Both women clasped each others' forearms in a pledge.
- Eivor: Good. One day I may need them.
Eivor and Soma left and returned to camp, where they found Soma's forces slaughtered in a hail of arrows and Galinn holding a struggling Birna hostage with an axe to her throat.
- Eivor: Galinn? What are you doing?
- Galinn: We are at the mountain's peak, Soma. With room for one alone. So I claim this summit, jarlskona. I claim Grantebridge.
Soma surged forward but held back when Galinn retreated a step and kept his axe at Birna's neck.
- Soma: You fucking rodent, Galinn. It was you. You let those Saxon insects into our home. You betrayed us!
- Galinn: It was preordained, Soma. Like the sunset, like the birds' flight.
Eivor stepped beside Soma.
- Eivor: You coward. You let an innocent die in your place.
- Soma: You have your sibling in the bloodspring at your mercy. How could you waste your family so easily?
- Galinn: There is no river of blood deep enough to keep my from my destiny.
Six Anglo-Saxon archers, wielding bows and crossbows, emerged from the bushes on the hill banks over the camp and arranged themselves around the perimeter.
- Galinn: Only one verse of this song remains. It is my destiny to rule, it is your destiny to die. All of you!
Galinn pointedly looked at Soma.
- Galinn: We all have our One Day.
With Galinn distracted in his monologue, Birna managed to free her left arm and elbowed Galinn in the side, giving herself an opening to make a dash to Soma and Eivor. However, Galinn quickly recovered and threw his axe at Birna, striking her between the shoulder blades as Soma turned to helplessly watch the trajectory. Furious, she faced Galinn, drew her axe and rushed at her former lieutenant, who withdrew a longsword and knocked Soma back. As the two fought, Eivor scaled the hillside and began eliminating the archers.
- Galinn: You cannot thwart the gods! You cannot change destiny!
- Eivor: Destiny? If you kick a hornet's nest, it's not "destiny" when you get stung!
- Soma: You were mad and naked on the moors and I folded you into my family! I trusted you!
- Galinn: As it was foretold... as it was seen! Fling yourself from the mountaintop! Cling not to a place that isn't yours!
- Soma: Fuck your prophecy, your lies!
Having killed the archers, Eivor joined Soma in fighting Galinn.
- Galinn: My vision has come to pass! I stand at the mountain's peak!
- Eivor: You stand on the bodies of your brethren!
Together, Soma and Eivor defeated Galinn and dealt a mortal blow. Galinn collapsed to his knees, stunned, as his victors stood over him.
- Galinn: H-how...?
- Soma: Such a heavy price to pay for one so vile.
Eivor knelt down at Galinn's right to face him as he rolled onto his back.
- Galinn: I climbed to the peak of the mountain... to my... my destiny.
Soma knelt at Galinn's left side.
- Soma: Your vision took you as far as the mountain's peak. But there was only room for one to stand.
Soma leaned forward.
- Soma: I am the one standing.
Galinn reached for an axe that had fallen from one of Soma's clansmen. Soma spared a glance and grabbed it, but withheld giving it to him as she held it ready and inspected the blade.
- Galinn: Please, Soma... my life in the lap of the gods. Please...
Soma looked to Eivor for her judgement.
Eivor silently nodded, and Soma dipped her head in agreement. She placed the axe across Galinn's chest and positioned his to hold its handle as he died, granting his wish to enter Valhalla.
Eivor silently shook her head, and Soma nodded in agreement. Both women stood and Galinn stared at the sky, accepting his fate, before Soma brought the axe down into his chest. She threw the axe away in disgust and looked at Eivor, who nodded.
In the silence, the women gazed about the slaughter and Soma spat on the ground, before they saw Birna weakly rise her head and rushed to her side. Relieved, Soma knelt at Birna's side.
- Soma: You live! Sweet gods among us, Birna, you're alive.
Birna laughed weakly.
- Birna: Galinn couldn't kill me. It's not my destiny.
Soma looked Birna over, assessing her injuries.
- Soma: Get this drengr back to the longboats. We're going home.
A short time later, Eivor and Soma stood on the swamp banks and watched as Birna was carried off in a stretcher and the ships were resupplied by what few forces remained.
- Eivor: Her wounds are severe, but not seeping. She will heal.
Eivor put a hand on Soma's shoulder. Soma shook her head.
- Soma: I should have guessed it was Galinn.
Soma turned away.
- Soma: If I'd trusted my instincts, if I had dealt with all this alone, or discovered him sooner...
- Eivor: Galinn deceived us all. He was a practiced liar.
Soma faced Eivor again.
- Soma: Do not think I blame you. I held the blade. The decision was my own. Now I must explain myself to my people.
- Eivor: The cost of war is always high, and victory can be sour. But you have your city back. And Wigmund is dead.
Soma pointedly stared at Eivor.
- Soma: As may be all trust in me. After all, why should any trust me if I cannot trust my closest friends?
Soma walked a few paces away.
- Eivor: Trusting people by their words, their deeds is as much as anyone can expect.
Eivor stepped forward.
- Eivor: But for you, it bit back like a rabid dog.
Soma turned around.
- Soma: That's how I feel. Exactly.
Eivor followed Soma.
- Eivor: It is easy to think so little of other, to harden against the world. It's more difficult to trust those around you.
Soma turned around.
- Soma: And does its difficulty make it more valuable?
Eivor nodded.
- Eivor: I think so. You are burdened with so much already. Do not let a serrated heart burden you too.
Soma turned around.
- Soma: It is the life of anyone with sense.
Eivor stepped forward.
- Eivor: But you are sustained by your people, Soma. To deem no person worthy of trust is to starve yourself.
Soma nodded in understanding.
- Soma: Thank you for standing at my side in this. You have my oath and my arm in the battle to come, Eivor of the Raven Clan.
Both women clasped each others' forearms in a pledge.
- Eivor: Good. One day I may need them.
- Eivor: Now, it seems the wind calls me back to Randvi. Best tell her the good news.
Outcome[]
Eivor assassinated Wigmund, putting an end to his activities in Grantebridgescire for the Order of the Ancients.
Behind the scnes[]
Soma will follow Eivor until they return to the camp and will continue fighting guards alongside her if a raid is started.
Gallery[]
