Bloody Path to Peace 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.
Description[]
Eivor met with Ivarr the Boneless and Ceolbert to invade Wesberie.
Dialogue[]
Eivor entered the village of Wesberie and made her way through the town, evading the occupying Briton soldiers. As she moved through the town, she could overhear the villagers talking.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 1: I wish somebody'd chase these Britons out of here.
- Anglo-Saxon Man 2: This war is endless. Who cares who's our lord? The sheep must be shorn either way.
In the woods on a small knoll northeast of the village, she overheard Ivarr and Ceolbert talking.
- Ivarr: Smell that, Ceolbert?
- Ceolbert: I... I think so. A faint, grassy odor?
- Ivarr: No, no, the air smells of distant thunder. Thor walks with us.
- Eivor: There's Ivarr. Ceolbert, too.
Eivor meeting both Ceolbert and Ivarr near the camp
Eivor approached them.
- Eivor: Ivarr. Ceolbert.
The two rose from their crouched position.
- Ivarr: Hej, Eivor. I was telling the ætheling here that Thor is with us this day. Our victory is assured.
- Eivor: So, what is your plan?
- Ivarr: That bastard Ynyr commands this hamlet. So let us show these folks what happens when a village bows to the Britons. Smash it to kindling, burn it to ashes, and cut Ynyr's tender throat. Right, my boy?
- Ceolbert: I hope to fight well, not cruelly. The cutting of throats, I leave to you.
- Eivor: Ynyr is the Britons' best warrior. If he dies a brutal death, Rhodri will think twice about fighting back.
Ivarr grew antsy.
- Ivarr: Ugh... my blood runs hot. Let us rush in now and leave a trail of bloody kindling.
- Eivor: A stealthy approach might earn us more time.
- Ivarr: Bah! I prefer sound and fury. But do as you must.
- Eivor: I want to go in quietly. No point bringing in every armed Briton down on your heads.
- Ivarr: Am I to stand here drooling like the village idiot, waiting for your success?
- Eivor: Ceolbert, listen to this old man's stories and wipe his drool for him.
- Ivarr: I am not a patient man, Eivor. Put these dogs down quietly or I may just join you the way I did in Ledecestre.
Eivor made her way toward Wesberie.
- Ivarr: We will stay behind and draw runes in the dirt. But do not take long, my blood is up.
Eivor began to stealthily burn all the cottages, until Ivarr grew impatient and charged in shouting.
- Ivarr: Eivor! Are you not done? Have you stopped to nap? Enough! I will have blood! Ivar...!
- Eivor: Gods, Ivarr. You're a rabid hound.
Eivor, Ivarr, and Ceolbert ran into the village.
- Ivarr: Thor thunders beside us!
- Ceolbert: Aaah!
- Ivarr: Light it up and burn it down! Burn it all down!
After the burning of the houses, Eivor turned her attention to the occupying Briton soldiers.
- Eivor: Should rid this place of soldiers. Less support for Rhodri.
Eivor, Ivarr, and Ceolbert made their way around ambushing any soldiers they came across.
- Briton Warrior 1: You think those Danes will ever stop coming for us?
- Briton Warrior 2: You'd think killing Rhodri's brother shoulda been enough for 'em.
As Eivor, Ivarr, and Ceolbert slew the occupying Britons, Ynyr's horn blared in the distance, announcing his arrival.
- Ivarr: Eivor, here comes Ynyr! He's roiling in like a winter sea!
Ynyr and his entourage assembled at the lumber camp on the eastern end of the village.
- Ynyr ap Cadfarch: Smoke! Someone set that fire. Find them.
His men began a careful search of the village. Eivor crept into position for an ambush.
- Ynyr ap Cadfarch: Cowards! Quit your hiding spots and fight me, Ynyr! Son of Cadfarch! Killer of Danes.
He gave orders to his men.
- Ynyr ap Cadfarch: Keep careful watch. Danes would gut your children for amusement.
Eivor and her party picked off a few stragglers before charging in for the ambush.
- Ynyr ap Cadfarch: Danes! They're in the camp.
The trio fighting against Ynyr
The trio fought Ynyr.
- Ivarr: I'll broil you alive and feed your balls to chickens, Ynyr!
- Ynyr Ap Cadfarch: Ivarr! You lost on the beach at Mona, and you will lose here.
They inflicted some weakening wounds on him.
- Ivarr: Your army is weak! We will gut you like tired swine!
- Ynyr ap Cadfarch: I'll pull your tongue through the back of your throat just to shut you up.
Working together, the three killed Ynyr.
- Ivarr: So much for Ynyr. Fearsome Briton, my bunghole.
Eventually, all of the Britons occupying Wesberie were killed and routed.
- Ivarr: Ah! That's the last of them! Let us get a good view of our handiwork, Ceolbert! Join us, Eivor! Look here! Look upon this masterpiece!
Eivor met with Ivarr and Ceolbert in a small camp on the edge of town and spoke to Ivarr while Ceolbert prayed.
- Ivarr: Eivor! Did you see Ceolbert fight? He is all balls now.
- Ceolbert: I give thanks for victory and ask penance for taking lives.
- Ivarr: O Ceolbert, your god bores me to death. Have a laugh, we won!
Ceolbert shook his head.
- Ceolbert: And I took no pleasure in it, Ivarr.
- Ivarr: Eivor and I were made for this, my boy. The song of swords, the blood-mist, the bone-crunching and baring of teeth.
Ceolbert, Eivor and Ivarr regrouping after the battle
- Eivor: Ceolbert, I would know your mind on all this. Are you satisfied with our victory?
- Ceolbert: I... I believe I am. I'll still need word from Rhodri as soon as possible. What does he intend?
- Eivor: He will see the flames. He'll know Wesberie has been destroyed.
- Ivarr: The bleeding pus pit claims only a dragon can defeat him. We'll soon put that to the test.
- Eivor: It is peace we want, Ivarr. Not revenge. If you cannon accept that, return to Repton now.
- Ivarr: You do not know Rhodri as I do, Eivor. You do not know what a slippery, lying shit he can be."
- Ceolbert: Enough talk of killing! I need a moment of calm.
- Ivarr: You need mead.
- Ceolbert: No, Ivarr. True calm. A walk in the woods to clear the air. Or... fishing. Would you go fishing with me?
- Ivarr: Fishing, huh? Looking for a warm puddle to dangle your worm in?'
Ivarr gestured to his crotch and Ceolbert shook his head.
- Ceolbert: I saw a small pond nearby. Will you come?
- Eivor: We can all take a moment to allow our blood to cool.
The three began walking toward the pond.
- Ceolbert: It's just up here.
- Ivarr: I have no fondness for fishing. Where is the sport in it? There is no chance the fish will kill me.
They reached the pond.
- Ceolbert: Here will be good. Let's fish for eel. Deorlaf relishes nettle soup cooked with eels fresh from the water.
- Ivarr: I will not fish. You go ahead.
Ivarr walked away and leaned against a nearby rock.
- (Fishing line not unlocked)
- Eivor: All I have are my weapons.
Eivor assessed her options for fishing and acquired her first eel.
- Ceolbert: Is that how Danes fish?
Eivor caught a second eel.
- Ceolbert: Another eel! Almost enough for a hearty soup.
Eivor caught a third and final eel.
- Ceolbert: That's enough for now. Bishop Deorlaf will be pleased. Let's go tell Ivarr about our catch.
Eivor spoke to Ivarr.
- Ivarr: That took longer than clearing this village.
Ceolbert with a basket of fish caught
Ceolbert walked toward them holding a basket of fish.
- Ceolbert: We caught some eel for a feast. The bishop should be pleased.
- Ivar: The simple fellow comes now.
Bishop Deorlaf approached them, looking at Ceolbert's basket of fish as the boy set it down.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Ah! A strange way to celebrate victory. But then again, our Christ was a fisher of souls, was he not?
Ceolbert stood up.
- Ceolbert: Bishop, greetings. We've the makings for a delicious soup!
- Bishop Deorlaf: I'm grateful, Ceolbert. But my heart is heavy. So many homes burnt. We'll be years rebuilding.
- Ivarr: You should have seen Ceolbert fight. He will be an ealdorman with sack and guts. Fearsome and raw!
- Ceolbert: I should rather be fair and just. But I take the compliment.
- Bishop Deorlaf: I have sent word to the Britons. I pray King Rhodri will again be open to peace. In spite of his brother's murder.
- Ivarr: It worked in our favor! Look where we landed... Britons begging for mercy like whiny pups.
- Eivor: I had my doubts about this plan Ivarr, but I believe it may work. The blow we dealt Rhodri is a painful one.
Ivarr storming off, refusing peace talks with the Britons
Ivarr walked away and Eivor gave him a disapproving look.
- Ivarr: If you hear me farting, that is my welcome to the bastard!
- Ceolbert: You bruised his pride, Eivor.
- Eivor: If you have some balm for it, by all means, share it.
- Ceolbert: His pride makes him difficult. And his anger makes him hasty. But he is not without honest feeling.
Ceolbert thought to himself for a moment.
- Ceolbert: I will hunt him a great boar, I think. And together we'll roast it over a fire and tell tales of war. That should please him.
Eivor gave Ceolbert a look as he walked away.
- Eivor: Bishop, we must prepare for Rhodri's arrival. Rally our men and set up a camp just here.
Eivor and Deorlaf prior to the peace talks
After a while, the camp was built and Eivor and Bishop Deorlaf waited for the King's arrival. Deorlaf paced while Eivor sat on a bench.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Peace or war will be decided, but not yet, not now. We must wait.
- Eivor: I loathe waiting.
- Bishop Deorlaf: It is all in God's hands. We can but pray and give thanks for this moment of rest.
A Norse warrior approached.
- Norse Warrior: The Britons have come!
- Eivor: The moment has ended.
- Norse Warrior: This way, by the great oak.
They walked to the meeting place.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Where is Ceolbert? He ought to be present for these talks, as our future ealdorman.
- Norse Warrior: He went hunting. For wild boar, he said.
- Bishop Deorlaf: That was quite some time ago, no?
- Eivor: We cannot wait. We should settle the peace now.
They approached Rhodri's wide, Angharad ferch Meurig, and two escorting guards.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Lady Angharad, greetings!
- Angharad: We come to speak of peace.
- Bishop Deorlaf: We are gladdened to hear it. But where is your great king?
- Angharad: He stays at the castle at my behest. I feared his presence would inflame the cutthroat, Ivarr.
- Eivor: We have confined our cutthroat to his tent.
- Angharad: Both of us fretting over our war-hungry companions, it seems we are of the same mind.
- Bishop Deorlaf: A surplus of caution never did any harm. I count this as a blessing.
Eivor nodded then shared an approving look with Deorlaf.
- Eivor: And your proposal?
- Angharad: We shall withdraw all our soldiers to the time-honored border of our lands. We ask only that you give us some days to collect our furnishings and leave Caustow Castle. In return, you pledge to end all hostilities as of this moment.
- Eivor: These terms are generous. We have a truce.
Eivor shakes hands with Angharad to signify peace between the Britons and the Norse
Eivor and Angharad clasped forearms.
- Angharad: Truly.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Praise be, this is well and quickly done! God go with you and your king, Lady Angharad.
- Angharad: I salute you all. You waged a good war. Let us now wage a lasting peace.
- (If Eivor gifted the purse of silver to Angharad during War Weary)
- Angharad: Eivor, at the outset of our conflict, you gave me a boon of silver to ease our way to peace. As we have come to peace by another path, I return your silver in form of a small gift. Please accept this.
- Angharad handed her a valuable Briton cloak brooch.
- Eivor: It is fine craftsmanship, my lady. Thank you. I wish you well.
Angharad and her soldiers departed.
- Bishop Deorlaf: I stand bewildered, Eivor. In the blink of an eye, years of blood and sweat are out to an end.
- Eivor: You have walked a difficult road, bishop.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Ceolbert must learn the good news. Will you tell him when you see him?
- Eivor: I'll find him now.
Eivor made her way to Ceolbert's tent to speak to him, but found the tent empty.
- Eivor: Where in Helheim has Ceolbert gone to? Someone here must know.
Eivor began talking to the guards near his tent. Eivor spoke to one near a campfire.
- Eivor: Have you seen Ceolbert?
- Norse Soldier 1: I don't keep track of the comings and goings of the ætheling. Ask another.
Eivor asked another sitting my the campfire.
- Eivor: I'm looking for Ceolbert, have you seen him?
- Norse Warrior 2: Last I saw, he was sharpening arrow heads.
Eivor spoke to Ivarr, sitting nearby.
- Eivor: Ivarr. It's done.
- Ivarr: Peace, eh? And now everyone is shitting themselves with happiness.
- Eivor: If not happiness, then relief. Have you seen Ceolbert? I want to pass on the good news.
- Ivarr: He asked me to go hunting earlier. But I'm in no such mood.
Eivor asking a vikingr for Ceolbert's whereabouts
Eivor spoke to another guard by a tent nearby.
- Norse Warrior: Hej, Eivor.
- Eivor: Have you seen Ceolbert?
- Norse Warrior 3: My brother saw him last.
He gestured to his brother, snoring in the tent behind him.
- Norse Warrior 4: (snore)
Eivor walked to the sleeping brother.
- Norse Warrior 4: (snore)
- Eivor: Drunk as a mackerel, isn't he?
- Norse Warrior 3: Celebrating the peace. Got started early.
- Eivor: Wake up.
The man stirred groggily.
- Norse Warrior 4: Huh?
- Eivor: Where is Ceolbert?
- Norse Warrior 4: Ceol... bert?
The man fell back to sleep. Eivor rolled her eyes and turned to the sober brother.
- Eivor: Did none of you see Ceolbert?
- Norse Warrior 3: Only him, drengr. You will have to wait until he sleeps it off.
- Eivor: Does he often get this soaked?
- Norse Warrior 3: By all the gods, he does. Twice a week. Once for three days, another for four. And twice on Sundays.
- Eivor: And when you need him to sober up, what do you do?
- Norse Warrior 3: Keep this to yourself, but once or twice when I needed a quick word... I dumped him in a lake.
- Eivor: It's worth a try.
Eivor waited until the man woke up on his own.
- Eivor: That drunken lout should be awake by now.
She finds him walking around camp.
- Eivor: Have a nice nap?
- Norse Warrior 4: Hmmm? What country is this?
- Eivor: I'm looking for Ceolbert. Have you seen him?
- Norse Warrior 4: If you must know, the little brat went off hunting boar some time ago.
- Eivor: Yes, I know, but where was he hunting?
- Norse Warrior 4: He went south. That's all I know. Probably followed the stream here south to the forest.
Eivor picked up the man.
- Norse Warrior 4: (snoring)
Eivor dropped the man in the river. The man jumped up immediately.
- Norse Warrior 4: Ah! Ah! By Odin and Thor, it's freezing!
Eivor speaks to the sobered soldier
Eivor spoke to the man.
- Eivor: A nice nap?
- Norse Warrior 4: That's a low thing to do to a man! Ach!
- Eivor: I'm looking for Ceolbert.
- Norse Warrior 4: The soft Saxon boy?
- Eivor: The next ealdorman, yes.
- Norse Warrior 4: Said he was going hunting to bring back a feast for Ivarr and the rest.
- Eivor: I know he went hunting, but where?
- Norse Warrior 4: Round the mouth of a cave nearby. Follow the stream up the mountain, south of here.
Eivor finding the cave where Ceolbert was believed to be in
Eivor made her way up south up the river, where she found the mouth of the cave where she found a large pool of blood on the ground.
- Eivor: What happened here? This doesn't look good.
Eivor knelt down and examined the blood.
- Eivor: Blood. Ceolbert's? Or an animal he felled?
Eivor made her way into the cave, following the blood trail. In one section, Eivor found a dead wolf with many arrows in its body and a bow.
- Eivor: Ceolbert's bow. Dropped.
She went through a crevice in the cave and followed it, passing through another crevice, where she was attacked by wolves. Eivor killed the wolves, voicing her lifelong contempt for them.
- Eivor: Fucking wolves.
Eivor examined another pool of blood on the ground.
- Eivor: Paw prints and blood. Not from a boar. A wolf, dragging something through the dirt.
The blood led to a large rock blocking a hole in the wall. Eivor moved the rock and entered the next section where she found Ceolbert, lying on the ground.
- Eivor: Ceolbert?
As she approached, she noticed just how much blood he had lost.
- Eivor: Tears of Freyja...
Eivor encountering a mortally wounded Ceolbert in the cave
Eivor kneeled and examined the boy, thinking him dead and shaking her head in sadness.
- Ceolbert: Ahhhhh...
- Eivor: Ceolbert! You live!"
Ceolbert reached for a dagger, lodged in his chest.
- Ceolbert: I, oohhhh...
- Eivor: Stay quiet. You are badly hurt.
Eivor pulled out the dagger and looked at it, thinking to herself.
- Eivor: A dragon on the hilt. Gods. The Briton crest.
Eivor put the dagger away and turned her attention to Ceolbert.
- Eivor: Keep breathing, boy. You haven't got long. I will take you back to say your goodbyes.
Eivor picked up Eivor and began making her way back.
- Eivor: I can get you to the others. I'll go easy.
- Ceolbert: (moan)
- Eivor: Shhh. Save your strength.
Eivor reached the opening of the cave.
- Ceolbert: Ei... Eivor... I...
- Eivor: Hush, Ceolbert. We'll soon be among friends.
- Ceolbert: (moan)
She whistled for her horse and placed Ceolbert on its hump before mounting the saddle.
- Eivor: Here. Faster this way. Just breathe, Ceolbert. We'll soon be there.
Eivor made her way back to the camp.
- Eivor: Some help, here! Ivarr! Deorlaf!
Eivor made her way further into the camp.
- Norse Soldier: By the hand of Thor.
- Norse Warrior (female): Is that the ætheling?
- Norse Warrior (male): What has happened?
Eivor made her way to the tent, where she laid Ceolbert on the ground outside. Ivarr ran to her.
- Ivarr: Eivor! What happened...? No... No! You foolish boy, what did you do!
Ivarr cradled Ceolbert's head.
- Eivor: I found him deep in a cave, beset by wolves.
Ceolbert reached his and toward Ivarr.
- Ceolbert: Ivarr...
- Ivarr: Easy boy, easy!
- Ceolbert: I-Ivarr...
Ceolbert succumbs to his wounds
Eivor looked at Ivarr, then to Ceolbert, then back at Ivarr. Ivarr yelled to some Norse warriors.
- Ivarr: Get me an axe, right fucking now!
The warriors ran off to find one. Eivor shook her head.
- Eivor: Ivarr. He's gone.
Ivarr laid Ceolbert's head back onto the ground. He yelled again.
- Ivarr: An axe!
- Eivor: His god will take him as he is, axe or not.
- Ivarr: Go to your god, boy. And I will sing for you in Valhalla.
Ivarr stood back up.
- Ivarr: This was no wolf. Tell me what happened.
- Eivor: The Britons did this. I found this blade in his chest.
Ivarr using the Britonnic dagger as proof to declare war against Rhodri
Eivor handed the blade to Ivarr, who looked at it.
- Ivarr: A Briton's dagger. Rhodri! But why?
- Eivor: You murdered his brother. Did you think he would let that lie so easily?
- Ivarr: I told you he was a trickster! Peace was never his goal. He takes blood for blood!
- Eivor: Bishop Deorlaf! Over here!
The bishop rushed to her side.
- Ivarr: The walls of his fortress will not protect him. I will sheath this dagger into his lungs.
- Eivor: We must move fast, then. Attack before Rhodri can revel in his trick.
- (If Eivor spared Leofrith at the end of Heavy is the Head)
- Ivarr: No mercy this time, Wolf-Kissed. You spared that wet turd, Leofrith. We will not spare Rhodri.
- Eivor: I swear.
Bishop Deorlaf reached them.
- Bishop Deorlaf: Lord above, what's happened? Ceolbert!
- Eivor: Murdered.
- Bishop Deorlaf: "May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up."
- Eivor: Send the boy's body to his father. He'll want a Christian burial.
Bishop Deorlaf shook his head.
- Eivor: Lady Angharad said Rhodri is holed up in Caustow Castle. That may have been a lie or a tiny slip. Either way, we should find out.
- Ivarr: There is a spot near the fortress to set up camp. We will scout it together.
Eivor watched Ivarr walk away. She spoke to Deorlaf.
- Eivor: How are you holding up, bishop?
- Bishop Deorlaf: I am...gutted by this loss. Ceolbert would've made a good ealdorman. And one day, a fine king. A king forged by Viking battle-wisdom and a Christian compassion. A formidable man, he would have been.
Warriors crowded around Ceolbert's body in sadness.
Outcome[]
Eivor, Ivarr, and Ceolbert burned Wesberie and killed Ynyr ap Cadfarch and his men, then Eivor negotiated peace between the Norse and Britons. Shortly after, Eivor found a dying Ceolbert and brought him back to camp.
Behind the scenes[]
The Anglo-Saxon men that have ambient comments about the occupying Britons may not be in the same parts of Wesberie between reloads. Additionally, the Briton warrior comments, considerably relaxed in tone, may fire amidst the village being utterly on fire. There are similar mismatches between specific time and place of these kinds of ambient remarks, and the context of the game narrative dictating where they should logically fire, throughout the arcs of the main story.
If players opt for stealth, Ivarr will not wait even a full minute of real time before charging into the fray. After his initial comment about drawing runes in the dirt, he and Ceolbert will move downhill after a mere 20 seconds, and then he'll yell out to Eivor after another 30. Although it is technically possible to burn enough buildings before Ivarr charges in, it is unlikely to be done conventionally; the various bonfires in the village can be used to easily ignite Eivor's arrows, but the amount of delay before a building fully catches fire and increments the progress bar, plus the travel distance between viable targets, places the player under an even tighter time constraint. Getting far enough out of range of Ivarr before he finishes his runes-in-the-dirt remark appears to prevent his followup remark (and thus the timer), but it will require players to get back in range of him once the burning is finished to have him and Ceolbert join properly.
Gallery[]
