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Eivor Varinsdottir (Runic: ᛅᛁᚢᛅᚱ; born 847), renowned as the Wolf-Kissed, was a Viking shieldmaiden and jarlskona from Norway who raided in what would later become England during the late 9th century. She was the incarnation of the Isu Odin, the chief of the Æsir who was revered as a god in Germanic and Norse mythology. She is also the ancestor of the Abstergo Industries security contractor and Assassin Yu Shu Lien.
Born to nobles Rosta and Varin, who pledged allegiance to jarl Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson of the Raven Clan, Eivor was adopted into Styrbjorn's house following her parents' deaths during a raid on Heillboer by Kjotve the Cruel and the Wolf Clan. Raised alongside Styrbjorn's son Sigurd, Eivor spent much of her youth seeking to gain glory and eliminate Kjotve to avenge her parents.
Once an adult, Eivor would frequently raid settlements affiliated with Kjotve while Sigurd sailed around Europe. Following her brother's return to Norway in 872, Eivor met the Hidden Ones Basim Ibn Ishaq and Hytham and was gifted a Hidden Blade, which she used in combat against her enemies. After killing Kjotve and taking his lands with assistance from the army of Guthorm the Wise, Eivor followed her brother Sigurd to England after Styrbjorn ceded his kingdom to Harald Fairhair, a decision opposed by many of the Raven Clan, including Sigurd.
Eivor and her clan settled in Ledecestrescire, establishing the settlement of Ravensthorpe and spent the next few years building her settlement and securing alliances with the kingdoms within England. These alliances included the Great Summer Army, the Sons of Ragnar, Clan Hemmingsons, and more. She also helped Hytham in ridding England of the Order of the Ancients with aid secretly provided by the Grand Maegester Alfred of Wessex, indirectly leading to the formation of the Templar Order.
A year following the transpired events, now jarlskona of her clan, Eivor was invited to Dublin by Bárid mac Ímair, her maternal cousin. There, she helped Bárid secure his throne through an alliance with the recently crowned Flann Sinna, High King of Ireland. She also fought against the Children of Danu, a druidic cult that sought to prevent the Norse and Christian faiths from replacing their own.
Some years later, Eivor participated in the second Viking siege of Paris alongside Sigfred's Elgring Clan, fighting Charles the Fat's reign of terror in order to prevent him from reaching and conquering England. In the process, she discovered a conspiracy led by the Bellatores Dei, a group of zealots which had the objective of exorcise Francia from paganism by using the mad king to fulfill their goals.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Childhood[]
Eivor was born in 847,[1] dubbed as the plague year, to Rosta and Varin at the residence of Ímair, Rosta's brother who had provided them shelter after they had been turned away from the homes of various fellow Norsefolk. Eivor's birth was also witnessed by her older cousin and Ímair's son Bárid, whom she grew up with, until Ímair's family migrated to Dublin in Ireland.[2]
Eivor's family went on to settle in Heillboer, a small settlement in northern Rygjafylke, within the territory controlled by Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson's clan. Eivor's family came to bond with Styrbjorn's family, with Eivor befriending and growing up alongside Styrbjorn's own son Sigurd. On one occasion, Eivor accidentally spilled ink on her father's throne, much to his anger. She also had fond memories of sitting around the hearth of their longhouse listening to her mother's voice.[3]
At nine years of age, Eivor enjoyed the stacking of cairns, a skill taught to her by her mother. Her mother and father would often share stories with Eivor around cairns, the curious child was all the eager to listen. On the day before jarl Strybjorn visited, Eivor's mother informed her that Sigurd would be accompanying him, to which Eivor responded nonchalantly to. Sigurd had a habit of stealing her stones and calling her "troll-tooth", something that irked her.[4]
In 856,[5] Eivor attended a feast organized by her father to honor Styrbjorn and pledge allegiance to the jarl. Eivor presented Styrbjorn a gifted arm ring at her parents' behest, but halfway through the celebration, the settlement was raided by Kjotve of the Wolf Clan. Eivor watched as her father put down his axe at Kjotve's insistence that his family and clan would be spared if he gave his life willingly, leading to both his and Rosta's deaths.[6]
Kjotve immediately broke said promise and ordered his men to kill the rest of the village. Eivor, however, was rescued by Sigurd, who managed to clear the immediate village area on horseback before being separated from Eivor after a tumble caused by one of Kjotve's raiders. Finding herself in the middle of a frozen lake after a hard fall down a cliff, a stunned Eivor was accosted by a wolf that saw her as prey. As she crawled towards a fallen axe in the middle of the lake, the wolf attacked her, eventually biting down hard on her neck. This caused her to hallucinate a partial memory of Odin and cry out in pain, calling two ravens to distract the wolf, allowing her to slowly reach the axe and strike the wolf dead.[6] This incident gained Eivor the nickname of "Wolf-Kissed",[7] and from that age on, she began hearing the voice of Odin, her Isu incarnation, in her head, although she did not realize it.[4] In the years to come, she slowly stopped witnessing visions from his memories and eventually forgot about the voice in her mind.[8]
Adoption[]
Varin's apparent sacrifice led Eivor to resent him for his perceived weakness, something which was further influenced by the input of others. When she was alone on a cliff stacking stones to ease her mind, Sigurd tried his best to comfort her. He told her that she would be taken into Styrbjorn's household and raised by him, alongside himself. Eivor then cried into her new brother's shoulder as he led her down home.[4] Eivor went on to grow up alongside Sigurd, and, during this period, she befriended members of the neighbouring Clan Hemmingsons, led by jarl Hemming, Trygve, and Hemming's son Vili.[9]
Eivor and Sigurd participated in a raid led by Rolf along northern coast of Norway. It was the first time Styrbjorn let them raid so far from home.[10]
Around 867, Eivor accompanied Styrbjorn as he went to meet with Hjorr Halfsson in Avaldsnes. While the two jarls discussed the growing threat in the north that was jarl Harald Fairhair, Eivor became acquainted with Hjorr's younger son, Geirmund Hel-hide. They discussed philosophy and the realities of their lives, with Eivor imparting some words of wisdom on the younger boy.[11]
Raid on Rygjafylke[]
In 870, Sigurd embarked on a raiding expedition across Europe and Asia, leaving her sister responsible for fending off Kjotve and his clan from their territories. Around that time, Eivor, alongside her clansmen Dag Nithisson and Tora Auzoux, witnessed Kjotve's raid on a settlement in Rygjafylke, on the edge of Styrbjorn's territory. Seeing this as an opportunity to endear her adopted clan to the village, Eivor rushed in to stave off the raiders, disregarding Dag's suggestions of a more measured approach. While fighting, Eivor confronted a raider named Roscoe, who taunted her with the death of her father, claiming he died like a coward. In response, she cut his feet from under him and refused to kill him, depriving him of a warrior's death and entry to Valhalla at her hands. Leaving him bleeding and cursing, Eivor went to help Dag, who had been cornered by the raider Taras.[12]
Upon the end of the skirmish, she went to the head of the village and claimed the land in the name of her adopted father. Incensed and believing Styrbjorn to be no better than Kjotve, the elder attempted to attack her but was cut down before even managing a swing of his sword. Claiming the old man died a warrior, Eivor demanded tribute from the remaining villagers while her and her companions helped gather the dead. Returning to where she left the bleeding raider, Eivor found only blood. While searching the area for him, she heard noise coming from within a building and proceeded to investigate it only to be ambushed by a pale woman in robes covered in tattoos and wearing a collar. Eivor easily fended off the woman, whom identified herself as a slave and skald. The woman revealed herself to be Gull, one of Kjotve's, and claimed she was also a slave "to Sökkvabekkr, Sága and Idun's bounty", before calling Eivor the "Slayer of the Wolf", begging to accompany her. Believing the woman mad but perceptive, the drengr decided to take her captive back to Stavanger, where her adopted father held court, in order to present Gull as a gift to Styrbjorn. Upon their return, the praise and adulation Eivor expected from her adoptive father was nowhere to be seen, as he berated her for incurring Kjotve's wrath by taking the slave back to Stavanger.[12]
Ambush at Feiknstafir[]
Some time later, while training with Tora, Eivor vented her frustrations on her humiliation at the hand of her adoptive father, as he rejected her tribute of Gull as a thrall. Upon hearing Eivor's desires to prove herself, Gull tempted her, claiming she could lead the warrior to bounties and treasures, the same ones she had granted Kjotve. Claiming that since, unlike him, Eivor hadn't tortured her, she would lead Eivor to the "Æsir's hoard". While Tora expressed her doubts, Eivor heeded the slave's words, to Tora's dismay. Eivor then asked Tora to keep her location and objectives a secret, while she followed Gull into the mountain tops of the Feiknstafir mountains.[13]
Days later, upon the mountain ledges of Feiknstafir, the two women climbed under Gull's directions. In a particularly treacherous ledge, she nearly fell to her death but was saved at the last second by Eivor. Impressed by the warrior's act, Gull recognized her as a friend, and Eivor jokingly remarked that if the treasure trove proved to be real, she'd marry Gull in celebration. Shortly thereafter, they arrived at the ruined Temple of Heimdall. Once inside, Eivor recognized the place as having been picked off and looted long ago, and soon found Kjotve's men inside, led by Bjarke Broadside. Before Eivor could do anything, Gull screamed for them, revealing her intention of luring Eivor to the place as a present to Kjotve. Eivor managed to fend off most of the group's attacks, but was felled by the slave, who stabbed her with a knife in the back. On the ground bleeding, Eivor claimed to Bjarke that she would not be a prize and that, by the end of the day, any riches of Heimdall would be hers, on Styrbjorn's name. Laughing, he informed her that, at that very moment, her adopted father was already dead as a result of a raid in Stavanger.[13]
Finding Heimdall's treasure[]
Eivor witnessed Bjarke beat Gull into submission and taunted him that Gull wouldn't be able to lead the way to the treasure if she was dead. The thrall cried out when Bjarke grabbed her, "The King's desire lies at Himinbjörg, where Heimdall dwells". When Bjarke had enough of her rambling, he went to beat her again, before Eivor tackled him to the ground to rescue her. Bjarke was dumbfounded that the Viking would protect the one who betrayed her, but easily tossed her off. Towards the mouth of the cave, she tumbled, gripping the ledge for her life. At this moment, the temple's foundations weakened scaring the two members of the Wolf Clan, Bjarke and Erland. While their attention was diverted by the sudden disruption, Eivor snuck up behind Bjarke and stabbed him through the back of the head with a sword.[14]
She then turned to fight the other warrior, but in her weakened state, he pushed her to the ground. Looking upon a painting of Himinbjörg on the wall, Eivor recalled Gull's rambling and kicked the wall, destroying the rotten wood. Behind it lyed Heimdall's treasure, a mountain of gold coins and other riches, with a pedestal on which rested an Apple of Eden, at its top. As Eivor reached for it, she was thrown to the ground again by Erland, claiming that the treasure belonged to Kjotve. She remarked that Kjotve was nowhere to be seen and kicked her opponent off the treasure pile, sending him and the other thugs through the weakened floorboards to their deaths. Gull grabbed the glowing artifact and stood up, no longer the cowering slave. Calling out to her, Gull's response to Eivor was: "That is not my name. And this is not my life.". She tore off her slave collar to reveal a strange mass of dark veins on her neck.[14]
Eivor, still dazed and confused, had no idea what the other woman was talking about. She demanded that Gull handed over the treasure that rightfully belonged to her father but the slave refused to be owned by anyone, and Eivor was resigned to take it off her dead corpse and attacked. Gull then grasped the Apple with her hands and commanded the warrior to stop, and, subdued by its power, Eivor could not move. As the rest of the temple continued to crumble around them, Eivor pleaded Gull to release her from the stasis or else they would both die.[14]
Gull was unafraid to die, but accidentally dropped the Apple, cancelling her orders. Eivor, now free, realized the power the Apple held and wanted it for Styrbjorn. Gull warned Eivor that she did not understand that the world was not as it seemed as she scrambled to get back the Apple with the floor breaking apart behind her. Eivor held out her hand for the sphere, promising help, but Gull refused to let the Apple fall into Styrbjorn's hands. The latter, no longer mind-addled, recalled what Bjarke had said about Eivor's village being under attack and asked her if she would abandon the man who took her in and raised her. With the ledge as weak as it was, any attempt to take the artifact would definitely kill them both. Gull gave Eivor two choices: "Risk everything for glory, or save [her] people". Eivor chose the latter and left Gull to her fate.[14]
Back in Stavanger, she arrived too late to save her friend Tora but managed to avenge her death and protect her father. Styrbjorn was proud of Eivor for not letting him down again. As she fought against the warriors of the Wolf Clan, she called out to Dag to not let Tora's demise be in vain. When questioned where she was all that time, her answer was that she had chosen her settlement and family.[14]
Retaliation against the Wolf Clan[]
In 872, Kjotve attacked a village under Styrbjorn's protection. With her brother Sigurd still away on his voyages, Eivor was tasked with leading the counter-attack and driving their enemies back north. While Kjotve sacked another village, she took a small band of warriors and launched a raid on his back lines, cutting down the warriors manning three watchtowers, allowing them to move unnoticed.[15] They made their way through the village, battling the Wolf Clan's warriors,[16] before Eivor joined the main body of the war-band, asking a small group of warriors to scale the rear face of the hill and draw fighters away from the front. They flanked the mead hall, defeated and killed Kjotve's youngest son, Hrolfr Kjotvesson, and recovered a chest full of gold, though Eivor noticed that the scrolls it previously contained were missing.[17]
They gave chase, following Kjotve's trail towards the summit of the mountains.[18] The small group of Vikings burst into an old hunting lodge and interrupted his meeting with his other son, Gorm Kjotvesson. Eivor battled Kjotve while one of her allies took on Gorm. Eventually, the Viking struck Gorm a heavy blow to the face, wounding him, just as Kjotve incapacitated Eivor with a slash across the torso. The Viking had no time to savor victory, as Kjotve immediately ran over to Gorm's aid and stabbed his opponent between the ribs. With both assailants wounded, Kjotve gloated over his win before ordering his son to grab the scrolls and flee the lodge. Although incensed at their defeat, Eivor advised her ally to wait for another chance to meet Kjotve and get their revenge.[19]
Hunt for Kjotve and leaving Norway[]
In December that year, Eivor and her crew pursued Kjotve to the west of Rygjafylke, though they were captured by her enemy. While captured, she and her crew members were scattered and hunted by Kjotve's men in Avaldsnes. Before leaving Eivor to be sold into slavery in Ireland, Kjotve taunted her and displayed the very axe that he had taken from her father to kill him sixteen years prior.[8]
However, Eivor managed to free herself and met Dag, who had also escaped and was confronting a group of enemy soldiers. After the two killed the warriors, Dag handed her the Raven Clan Shield from a fallen soldier and parted ways with Eivor, heading off to the beach to reclaim the longship, the Sea-Chariot, while Eivor headed towards Avaldsnes, where Kjotve departed from. Within the settlement's longhouse, one of Kjotve's men, Rikiwulf, was in the middle of interrogating Bragi, the skald of Eivor's crew. After a quick battle, Eivor defeated and killed Kjotve's follower, and freed his friend. Recovering her father's axe, Eivor had a strange vision featuring a cloaked man with a grey beard, a monstrous wolf and a titanic tree on the horizon. Brought back to reality, she and the other Vikings then eliminated the remaining number of Kjotve's men to take back their longship. Having reclaimed their ship, Eivor and her crew set sail and returned home to Fornburg.[8]
Upon returning, Eivor was greeted by Sigurd's wife Randvi, who informed her of Styrbjorn's displeasure with her raid against Kjotve. Eivor also learned that his brother would be returning soon from his long-lasting journey. Eivor went to talk to Styrbjorn, though was told that he was in a meeting with a messenger.[8]
Wanting to make sense of her strange vision, Eivor visited the residence of the local seer Valka up in the mountains near Fornburg. Upon entering, Eivor greeted Valka and inquired about her mother Svala's wellbeing after discovering her staring out distantly. Eivor went on to confide in Valka about the visions she saw, to which Valka brewed an elixir for Eivor to drink for her to make sense of them.[20]
Within the dream induced by the elixir, Eivor saw Sigurd, standing next to the same wolf and cloaked man she had envisioned previously. Calling out to him, Eivor followed the silhouette as he moved further up the mountain, hearing the voices of Skuld and Urðr, two of the Nornir, along the way. Further up the path, Eivor spotted the wolf and caught sight of the Nornir weaving fate, eventually reaching a doorway guarded by the animal. Eivor entered the door and was soon confronted by a blizzard. Walking through it, Eivor heard her brother's scream, eventually reaching the edge of a cliff where she discovered that Sigurd had lost his right arm. Eivor reached out to Sigurd only for him to be yanked backward by an invisible force. She was then confronted by a gigantic Fenrir who emerged from the fog, hungry and ready to strike.[20]
Awakening from the dream, Valka explained to her the events she encountered. The volva deduced that what Eivor saw were prophetic visions of her future betrayal of her brother, which Eivor refused to believe, suggesting that fate can be altered. Having received Valka's words, Eivor left the house, conflicted over what she had learned.[20]
Waiting for the end of Styrbjorn's meeting, Eivor explored Fornburg and greeted her clasmen. She taught archery to the tattooist Tove, who granted her a new tattoo design in exchange for an archery lesson, challenged the brewer Tekla in a drinking game and improved her flyting skills with the skald Alvis. Eivor then visited Svend, Tove's mentor, who made the tattoo given by Tove for Eivor. Talking to the blacksmith Gunnar, Eivor handed over her father's axe to be sharpened. As she learned that the blacksmith's wife left him, Eivor tried to comfort her friend.[7]
As Styrbjorn's meeting ended, Eivor met the king, who chastised her for her actions against Kjotve while she accused him of being too careful. Their argument was interrupted by a horn indicating the arrival of Sigurd.[7] Welcoming her brother at the dock, Sigurd introduced to her to his new friends: the Hidden Ones Basim Ibn Ishaq and Hytham, whom he had encountered in Constantinople. Joining their father, they decided to prepare a feast for Sigurd's return. During the feast, while Sigurd told his adventures, Eivor argued with Styrbjorn about his son's choice to bring wealth instead of defending Fornburg. She also talked with Randvi, who didn't know if the long separation from her husband broke their relationship. Eivor interrogated Basim and Hytham about their country and why they followed Sigurd.[21]
Meeting Sigurd, he revealed to her that Basim and Hytham were members of a brotherhood executing their own justice. Eivor received from her brother one of their weapons, a Hidden Blade. Keen that the traditionally stealth-based weaponry should be visible to her enemies, Eivor wore the blade over her forearm, much to Hytham's disagreement. While the four of them made their way outside, Eivor asked more about the brotherhood, though Basim refused to reveal more. Arriving in a yard with training dummies, Basim taught her the different technics to assassinate with the Hidden Blade. After her practice, Basim and Hytham left, leaving her and Sigurd. Eivor listened to her brother's ambitious plan to subjugate either England, Ireland, or Francia. He then suggested taking the fight straight to Kjotve's doorstep, to which Eivor agreed.[21]
Following her brief training with the Hidden Blade and her talk with Sigurd, Eivor went to sleep and dreamed about the prophecies told by Valka. After a restless sleep, she woke up, having been disturbed by a sound outside her hamlet. She went outside, finding one of Kjotve's spies running off. Eivor chased after the spy and killed him before he could escape. She then tracked down and killed his two associates.[22]
Returning to Fornburg, Eivor arrived at the harbor and found Sigurd arguing with their father about the need to attack Kjotve's fortress. Eivor informed them that his spies had already infiltrated their camp. Eivor and her allies then boarded her longship ready to raid a Wolf Clan encampment in Nottfall, while Hytham stayed behind to search for more spies. Before leaving, her father stopped her and pleaded with her to not lead Sigurd into the same storm that followed her. After successfully raiding and pillaging Nottfall, jarl Harald Fairhair and his uncle Guthorm the Wise arrived to the site, seeking an alliance with the Raven Clan to confront Kjotve at his stronghold. The noble gave the command of his troops to Sigurd to lead the charge.[22]
Assault on Kjotve's Fortress[]
Eivor traveled to Florli and met with her brother and Guthorm to plan the assault on Kjotve's fortress. After a strategy was devised, Eivor caught sight of his new friends Basim and Hytham. Confused to see them fighting a feud that was not theirs, Basim told Eivor of their constant struggle with an order that Kjotve belonged to. As he revealed that Hytham was tasked to kill Kjotve, Eivor told him that he was her target, to which Hytham responded saying that it didn't matter so long as Kjotve was killed.[23]
Then, Eivor and Harald's forces made sail to Agder. Before the fortress, Eivor called out Kjotve for a holmgang. After a battle above ground, Kjotve threw her into a pit, where Hytham saw his opportunity and attempted to assassinate Kjotve. He, however, dodged Hytham and threw him into the wall. Yelling out in concern for the young apprentice, Eivor then resumed the duel and eventually killed her long-time rival. Eivor was transported to a state of visions, where she met the cloaked man holding an ornate spear, who revealed himself to be Odin. Kjotve then suddenly appeared, mocking his killer. As Odin used Gungnir to pierce the ground, Kjotve was incapacitated. As the warrior continued to downplay her, Eivor followed Odin's example, prompting tree roots to impale Kjotve's torso. While he said that he fought to survive, a crow flew from his mouth and dropped his silver medallion on Eivor's hands. The vision faded and Eivor stood again on the field, with no time having passed. [23]
Upon the fortress wall, Gorm Kjotvesson taunted the Raven Clan, refusing to surrender even after witnessing his father's death. After launching a full assault on the fortress, Eivor caught up with Gorm within Agder's temple. As Gorm set the temple aflame, Eivor managed to scale the walls and escape through the roof, only to see Gorm flee on a horse. Eivor proceeded to loot the fortress, meeting Sigurd afterwards, who told Guthorm to inform Harald of their victory. Guthorm replied that he had already done so, saying that Harald had ensured a place at his Althing for the clan, to which Sigurd responded that they would attend.[23]
After the battle, Eivor met a group of young Norse children, including a girl named Kaija, who were conducting a roleplay and pretending to raid a village. Eivor joined the children, who named themselves the "Wolf Pack," with Eivor herself being named "Big Wolf." At the village, which was really a torn down building with dummies set up, Eivor helped loot the area and destroy the dummies before finding out that Kajia and her friends were children of Kjotve's Wolf Clan.[24]
Later, Eivor arrived at Alrekstad to attend the meeting, where she met a woman, unsatisfied with her sex life, who asked for her aid. Eivor broke objects around the house to simulate a raid, which turned the woman's husband on and successfully helped the couple. In return, Eivor was granted access to a chest.[25]
Unification of Norway[]
She then approached the settlement's longhouse, where jarl Harald hosted the assembly of the Norse clans. In the town tavern, she met Sigurd and Basim. Seeing that Gorm and the Wolf Clan were in the tavern, Sigurd explained to her that Harald had made a truce permitting the clans to be there. As Gorm and his clanmates left the place, Sigurd tasked Basim to keep Eivor in the tavern while he would see their father.[26]
Asking about Hytham's wellbeing, Basim told that his apprentice would heal but would never fully recover. As Basim queried Eivor about Kjotve's medallion, she pulled it out and gave it to him. As a token of goodwill, Basim revealed to Eivor where Gorm was staying and gave her hints on how to enter his camp unseen. Walking with Basim, Eivor spotted the Wolf Clan encampment and stealthily entered. Eivor found Gorm in a small longhouse. Barging in, she caught him by surprise. After being provoked by him, Eivor punched him in the face, before two of Harald's soldiers came in to stop the fighting due to Harald's truce. Led away by the soldiers, Eivor made her way back to the central longhouse, where she met back up with Sigurd as they sat and listened to Harald's speech about his plan to unify Norway. When the jarl asked who would join or oppose him, Eivor and Sigurd witnessed Hjorr Halfsson and his wife Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir surrender their territory to leave Norway altogether. They also saw Gorm's attempt to pledge his loyalty and accuse the Raven Clan to have poisoned his father. The jarl knew it was a lie as his uncle had witnessed Kjotve's death. When Eivor was asked what his fate should be, Harald declared Gorm exiled regardless.[26]
Lastly, Styrbjorn bent the knee, giving his lands and titles to Harald to guarantee peace for his clan, angering his children. Sigurd argued with his father for denying his birthright before storming off as Harald expressed his interest in Eivor and asked if she would join him. She declined by saying that her destiny was bound to Sigurd.[26]
Returning to Fornburg, Eivor saw that Harald had already claimed the town by hoisting his colors all over. She came across Hytham on her way to the longhouse and spoke to him, checking on his health. Throughout Fornburg, Eivor witnessed his friends' discontent with Harald's rule. In the longhouse, Eivor joined Sigurd and the splintered group of the Raven Clan who opposed Harald. They planned to travel across the seas to settle in England to create a kingdom of their own. However, with no resources, they would have to start from scratch. Eivor and Sigurd pondered taking Styrbjorn's riches as fair compensation, but ultimately rejected the idea. With the plan set in motion, the crowd dispersed with everyone going to pack only what they needed.[27]
Eivor saw Valka and invited her along, although the latter would stay until her mother passed before joining up with the others. Eivor made her way to the docks where she met Sigurd and the departing clan members. At that moment, one of Harald's longships approached, holding Styrbjorn. He pleaded with his son to stay but Sigurd refused. Concluding that his son would not give up on his intentions, Styrbjorn commanded Eivor to be his better half before blessing their journey and leaving.[27]
Settlement in England[]
After three weeks at sea, in January of 873, Eivor and her clan arrived in the southern part of Britain. Eivor and Sigurd's longship went on ahead of the others, to clear the way leading into the land. Entering a river, the Viking crew passed by a monastery and baptism, to which all crewmembers had something to remark about Christianity. Sigurd revealed that the Sons of Ragnar would be present in the land and planned to meet and ally with them. They then came to a river chain blockade which Eivor later removed after killing all the soldiers present in the outpost. The longship then pulled back around to collect her and continued on its way. Further ahead, they caught sight of an abandoned settlement which was previously owned by Halfdan Ragnarsson.[28]
The location had been overrun by Saxon bandits, though Eivor, Sigurd, and Dag made short work of them. Searching the encampment, the trio discovered two prisoners of the bandits: Yanli, a Chinese merchant, and Rowan, a Saxon stable hand. When Eivor freed them, the two revealed that they were sent by Halfdan Ragnarsson to work with the Sons of Ragnar, but by the time they arrived, they were long gone. Once given the choice to stay with the Raven clan, the two accepted. A horn then sounded, heralding the arrival of the rest of the longships led by Randvi. Eivor and her clan then unloaded all their gear and began to renovate the dilapidated longhouse.[29]
After being shown the clan's alliance map by Randvi and England's four kingdoms, Eivor named their settlement Ravensthorpe. After getting a map from Gunnar, she raided either Meldeburne in Grantebridgescire or Alcestre Monastery in Ledecestrescire to gather resources for the colony. After doing so, she returned to the settlement and had a forge built for Gunnar. Eivor then returned to the longhouse to speak with Sigurd again. As she entered, she overheard a small group speaking with Randvi describing the surrounding territories known as 'shires'. Sigurd then showed Eivor to a room, gifting it to her as her own and leaving her to read some letters before leaving the longhouse to meet with Rowan and Basim at the stables. Sigurd and the latter were to ride together before splitting up, Sigurd to meet the Sons of Ragnar in the Ledecestrescire while Basim would go to parts unknown. Sigurd left his sister in charge of Raventhorpe during his absence, something Dag did not agree with.[30]
As Eivor was tasked by Sigurd to grow the settlement, she participated in raids to stole resources for the construction of buildings and shops.[31] Afterwards, she met Randvi at the alliance map, where she explained the need to make alliances in England to assure the future of the colony. She decided to pledge to Grantebridgescire to help the jarlskona Soma and her Great Summer Army. Randvi also suggested Eivor talk with Hytham after building a bureau, as his research could help the clan in bringing in new allies.[32]
When Eivor saw Hytham, he revealed that Basim and he were members of the Hidden Ones, a brotherhood fighting for humanity's freedom. The Order of the Ancients, an early incarnation of the Templar Order, was the archnemesis of the brotherhood, trying to control every part of the society. Kjotve and Gorm were members, and many other members were scattered throughout England. As the Ancients festered in the cities, Jorvik, Lunden and Wincestre, Hytham asked Eivor to help him to set up a Hidden Ones bureau in Ravensthorpe to gather information on the order.[33]
When the bureau was finished, Hytham was very impressed with Eivor and grateful that she had gifted them this space to operate. He advised Eivor to first purge Lunden from the Order's control, as he will help Eivor to secure an alliance with the city. As a gift, Hytham taught Eivor the Leap of Faith, a technique of the Hidden Ones to ease their movements and strengthen their resolution. Walking up a steep hill, they both came to the edge, where Hytham showed Eivor first how to perform the move by jumping off the edge into a pile of hay. Scared at first, Eivor drummed up the strength and leaped from the cliff. Exciting the pile of hay, she felt invigorated and thanked Hytham for his gift. Telling her it was a rite of initiation of the Hidden Ones, she jokingly asked if he was trying to initiate her into their Order, Hytham said he would try if he thought she would join but that it was not their goal in England.[33]
Returning to the bureau, Hytham once again advised Eivor to purge the Order of the Ancients from their land, for if she did it would benefit both the Hidden Ones and the Raven Clan. To prove the death of the Ancients, Hytham asked Eivor to recover their silver medallion like the one she took to Kjotve. Before Eivor left, Hytham told her to look out for the brotherhood's symbol as she might find old Roman bureaus scattered throughout England, and within there could be documents that could aid Hytham greatly in his studies.[33]
As clues on her targets, Eivor received from Hytham notes about Hunta and Leofgifu, two Wardens of War. A letter from someone calling themselves the "Poor-Fellow Soldier of the Christ" gave the nicknames of three other Wardens of War in Lunden: the Leech, the Arrow and the Compass. A letter from Kjotve indicated that the Maegester of the Wardens of War, known as "The Keel", was native from Rygjafylke like Eivor. On the Wardens of Wealth, Eivor only knew that one of the members was in the Grantebridgescire and another in the Lincolnscire.[34]
Forging Alliances in England[]
Aiding Grantebridgescire[]
After previously pledging to Grantebridgescire at the alliance map, Eivor traveled to Duroliponte northwest of Grantebridge to join the Great Summer Army, where Eivor met one of its commanders, Magni, who informed her that Grantebridge had been overrun from within by Saxons. He also told her that Soma was with her army in Grantebridgescire's swamps in the northeast of the shire. Eivor traveled by there, where she arrived in the town of Middeltun and found Soma tending her wounded troops. The jarlskona told Eivor the ambush on Grantebridge was led by a Saxon member of the Order of the Ancients named Wigmund.[35]
Eivor lit Middletun's beacon and assisted Soma in locating her advisors Birna, Galinn, and Lif who were scattered around the marsh. The two found Lif captured by some Anglo-Saxon soldiers in a camp along with several other Danes. Eivor and Soma made short work of his captors, and once freed had Lif return to Soma's camp. Birna was found in the ruins of the Villa of Emperor Gratian, since turned into a bandit camp. Thirdly, Galinn was found high up in an abandoned bog hamlet, where he was chased up through fog by a pack of wolves. After finding and rescuing all three of her advisors, Eivor returned to Soma's camp. Soma promised her an alliance if they retook Grantebridge from Wigmund.[36]
Eivor regrouped with Soma's clan at the foot of Grantebridge's western fortifications. After Wigmund declined talks with Soma, Eivor destroyed one of Grantebridge's gates and began taking back the city. Claiming victory, Eivor and Soma traveled to the city's longhouse to search for Wigmund but the Saxon fled before they arrived. After defeating Wigmund's elite soldiers, Eivor sounded the horn announcing that the city was taken. As a token of gratitude, Soma gifted Eivor the light shield Blodwulf.[37]
During the night Eivor and Soma's clan celebrated their victory in the longhouse. Waking up to find her drunk clan asleep, Soma informed Eivor that an underground tunnel had been the entry point for Wigmund's ambush. She told her only she and her advisors knew about the tunnel, so it must have been one of them that betrayed her. Soma tasked Eivor with finding out who had betrayed her by finding clues and interrogating Birna, Galinn and Lif.[37]
Eivor traveled to Earnningstone, a town west of Grantebridge supportive of Wigmund, to speak with Galinn. Eivor asked Galinn how he had come to join Soma's clan—his answer was a vision of Soma aiding him against various predators and how Soma found him in ruins. Eivor then asked him what he thought of Birna and Lif. Galinn told her that Birna was reckless, and Lif enthusiastic. Eivor, Galinn and his group then pillaged and burned down Earnningstone decreasing Wigmund influence.[38]
Afterwards, Eivor traveled to Walden, a town to the southeast of Grantebridgescire to meet Lif. He planned to sneak into the town and assassinate a priest who supported Wigmund. Eivor asked him how he joined Soma's clan—he had joined her as a part of the Great Summer Army. Lif wanted to be jarl after Guthrum left for Wessex, but Soma ended up becoming jarlskona instead. They succeeded in eliminating the priest, and Eivor left to aid Birna next.[39]
At Ravensburg, Eivor and Birna readied to decimate Wigmund's forces. Through conversation, Eivor learned that Birna was in love with Soma who did not feel the same. After Ravensburg was free of Wigmund's influence, Eivor had Birna return to Grantebridge where she would later follow.[40]
Back at Grantebridge, Eivor and the three advisors interrogated an Anglo-Saxon captain on Wigmund's whereabouts. The soldier caved under threat of torture, revealing Wigmund was on the Isle of Ely. Before he could say another word, Galinn executed him, confusing the rest of the group. Inside the Grantebridge longhouse, Soma had Eivor identify the traitor within her midst. Conducting a thorough investigation, Eivor expressed her thoughts on each advisor.[41]
Traveling to Utbech and Meldeburne, Eivor gathered evidence. A witness saw someone running from the outskirts of the city to the river, although their face was obscured by fog. A letter was also found meant for Saxon forces, ordering them not to attack any ship painted yellow, the color of Galinn's ship. There were also footprints nearby the underground entrance, painted with a yellow mark. Returning to Grantebridge, Eivor told to Soma who she thought the traitor was. After the jarlskona slit the traitor's throat, Eivor and Soma planned their attack on the Isle of Ely. In a vision, Odin reflected on the fact that Soma tried to be a leader and a friend, as she was unburdened from the bonds she created. [41]
Near the Isle of Ely Monastery, Eivor and Soma's clan readied for the raid. Entering the monastery with Soma by her side, they heard Wigmund delivering a speech. After assassinating the Ancient, Eivor was transported into another vision. While Wigmund tried to escape, ordering his soldiers to kill her, Eivor continued her pursuit, cornering her target to the closed gates of Grantebridge. As Odin and Eivor declared that Wigmund sacrificed the lives of his soldiers for his safety, the Ancient declared that they were nothing as he was important. Eivor cursed her target and grabbed his medallion, turning him to mist.[42] In his possession, Eivor found a letter indicating "The Lyre", the Maegester of the Wardens of Wealth, regularly went to market.[34]
With Wigmund assassinated and his guards now killed, Eivor and Soma returned to camp again where they found Soma's forces celebrating in victory. Later, Eivor and Soma watched as her clan resupplied the longship. Soma then awarded Eivor with an armband, pledging her clan.[42]
With Grantebridge back in Vikings' hands, and an alliance made with the Great Summer Army, Eivor returned home to Ravensthorpe to report to Randvi. At the Alliance Map, Randvi praised Eivor's victory.[43]
Elsewhere in Ravensthorpe, Eivor helped build a stable and aviary for Rowan, where he took care of the horses of Ravensthorpe, as well as Eivor's companion Sýnin.[31] At some point, Eivor trained her mount at either Rowan's or another stable in England, and increased it's endurance and health, as well as allowed it to swim.[3] Eivor also built a trading post for Yanli before making several deliveries for Yanli, bringing a stone slab, mead jar, a crate, and an anvil to a farmer, hermit, jewel maker, and blacksmith respectively.[44] Lastly, Eivor built the barracks for the settlement's jomsvikings as well as Eydis, and Mundi. At the barracks, she hired her own jomsvikings to raid with her and collect silver by helping other raiders.[3] Building these areas, alongside the blacksmith and Hidden One bureau, boosted the settlement's status from encampment to colony.[31]
The Thousand Eyes[]
Eivor spoke to Randvi, who reported that a trader representing a larger guild had set up their tent inside their camp. She advised Eivor to ask him what his business was in Ravensthorpe. Checking on the tent, Eivor approached of man who introduced himself as a merchant of the Thousand Eyes. Eivor questioned if the child in the tent was with him, merchant introduced the "child" as the master of their organization and the richest merchant west of the Indus, Reda. Surprised he called her by her name, Eivor asked Reda what she could do for him and him for her. Reda explained that if she brought him precious opals, then he could trade her wondrous items from all around the world. The shieldmaiden was gifted some opals for usage in Reda's shop. Eivor was then told of other merchants of the Thousand Eyes throughout the world that would grant her contracts for opals. Greeting the new members of their settlement, Eivor left them to finish setting up their tent.
Throughout the next several years, Eivor completed several contracts for Reda, which rewarded her with opals and allowed her to purchase various goods.[45]
When she completed her first ten contracts for the Thousand Eyes, Eivor returned to Reda and was gifted the Rune Shield from the young merchant.[46]
Alva's Mission[]
In the summer of 873, Eivor had sent out her Jomsviking Alva out on a raiding mission. After a succesful raid Alva returned to the settlement with goods and several barrels of ale which Eivor congratulated with a feast later that night. She also tasked Alva with a new mission to find an the Londinium bureau, an old Hidden One's bureau in Lunden, having herself been tasked with this mission by Basim.[47]
Turmoil in Ledecestrescire[]
As months passed, Eivor learned from Randvi that her brother Sigurd went to the Mercian town of Repton in Ledecestrescire to meet with Ivarr the Boneless and Ubba Ragnarsson, two sons of the late Ragnar Lothbrok. They planned to overthrow King Burgred of Mercia and install the thegn Ceolwulf a client-king loyal to them. Eivor pledged his allegiance to Ledecestrescire and traveled via longship to Repton.
After arriving at Repton's church, Eivor met a shirtless Ivarr, who tortured and killed Saxon spies. On the way to Ubba's war tent, Ivarr explained to Eivor that Burgred and his Thegn Leofrith continued to resist. Entered the tent, Eivor overheard an argument between Ubba and Tonna of Tonnastadir, a mercenary working for the Sons of Ragnar. As Ubba didn't pay for what she wanted, she left the tent. Joined by Sigurd and Ceolwulf, the group planned to attack Tamworth[48]
Assault on Tamworth Fortress[]
On their way to Tamworth, the Vikings were accompanied by Ceolwulf's son, Ceolbert who was curious about the Norse culture. Arriving at the castle gates, the Sons of Ragnar tried to negotiate the surrender of the king, though Burgred refused even if Leofrith advised otherwise. Returning to the camp, Eivor spoke with Ceolbert, who was reluctant to kill his former friends, including Leofrith. Leading the siege of Tamworth was Eivor, Sigurd, and the Sons of Ragnar. After successfully capturing the fortress, Eivor investigated abandoned keep, only to realize that Burgred had escaped. She found a letter from Tonna, indicating she worked both for the Vikings and the Saxons. With this information, the Viking decided to meet the mercenary to learn about Burgred's location.[48]
Arriving at Tonna's warcamp, Eivor and Sigurd confronted the mercenary and, with a choice of violence or silver, discovered that Burgred hired her to clean Ledecestre and Templebrough Fort from the Sons of Ragnar's presence. Informing the Ragnarssons, Eivor decided to check the two places, Sigurd and Ubba went to the fort while Ivarr went to Ledecestre.[49]
Arriving at Ledecestre, Eivor met Ivarr on top of an old Roman watchtower. He informed her that Burgred's soldiers were all over the town and wagons going in and out. As he sent a scout to search the city's bathhouse and church, Eivor decided to go there herself. Beneath the church, she found a crypt where a stock of goods was hidden on the orders of Leofrith to resume the war. Exploring the bathhouse, Eivor freed Ivarr's scout, who was Ceolbert. He informed her that Burgred was not in the city. Escaping the baths, Eivor and Ceolbert were forced to fight as Ivarr's men and Mercian soldiers brawled in the city. After defeating their enemies, Eivor argued with Ivarr as he put Ceolbert in danger, but the young man said it was his idea. Eivor advised Ceolbert to stay in Repton until his father was rightfully crowned.[50]
Before leaving Ledecestre, Eivor explored the old Roman bureau, the Ratae bureau, belonging to the Hidden Ones, beneath the city. Finding the main study she collected a piece of an ancient Hidden Ones' armor set but also a page of Hidden Ones' Codex.[51]
Arriving at Ubba and Sigurd's small camp, Eivor walked in on them interrogating a Saxon soldier. She asked Sigurd what they gained, learning Burgred's wife Æthelswith was holed up in the fort. Eivor and Sigurd eventually entered Templeborough, either with stealth or a raid, and reached Æthelswith with three of her servants. Questioning her on where her husband was, she answered that she didn't know. She asked the Vikings to free her handmaidens, which they accepted, but shortly after realized that it had been a decoy. She eventually caught up to the real Æthelswith and captured her, tying her up and carrying her to the camp. Bringing her to the camp, Ubba decided to return to Tamworth to interrogate her. With Sigurd, Eivor decided to free the Saxon soldiers who helped them.[52]
Returning to Tamworth, Eivor interrogated Æthelswith about Burgred's location. Getting nowhere Ivarr entered and threw human heads on the ground. Frightened, Æthelswith revealed Burgred's hiding place, an old crypt where the Alne and Arwy rivers join. Informing Sigurd and the Ragnarssons, they planned that Eivor brought Burgred to the bridge at Venonis where the three others will escort them.[53]
Arriving at Burgred's hideout, a crypt named Offchurch, Eivor infiltrated the crypt and dueled the king. Defeating him, she tied him and joined the other Vikings at Venonis. On their way to Tamworth, the group was attacked by Mercian guards trying to free their king. The Vikings survived and arrived at the fortress. As Eivor forced Burgred to walk into the city, the king said that he had hired Zealots to hunt her forever.[53] After that, Ivarr proposed to Eivor to drink with him. In the tavern, Ivarr recognized he was a bit harsh and considered Eivor a friend. He also revealed that Ubba changed, as he was more preoccupied to establish a kingdom that fought to reach Valhalla.[54]
Waking up the next morning with a hangover Eivor makes her way up to the main hall where the witan met to crown Ceolwulf. At the cermony, Eivor witnessed Burgred trying to abdicate on his terms before being slapped by Ceolwulf, who reminded him that he had no more power. Burgred handed over the crown and was eventually exiled alongside his wife to Rome. After the ceremony, a Viking raider entered and warned about Leofrith's army marching on Repton. Sigurd stayed with the new king while Eivor and the Ragnarssons led the army to Repton to protect the city and save Ceolbert.[54]
Arriving at Repton, the Vikings ran into the city as the Mercians already breached the main gate of the city. During the fight, Eivor saw Ceolbert dueling Leofrith. Knowing that the young man wasn't strong enough, Eivor intervened fighting personally Leofrith. After being defeated, Leofrith asked Eivor to kill as Burgred was no more on the throne. Eivor then returned to the vision state, where Odin advised her to respect Leofrith's choice, even if Eivor thought that the Mercian must know that his king betrayed him. After deciding Leofrith's fate, Eivor met Ceolbert, congratulating him for his courage during the fight.[54]
Returning to Repton with Ceolbert, Eivor met the Ragnarssons, Sigurd, and Ceolwulf, who had all just arrived. Ceowulf thanked Eivor for saving his son. Then, the new king, who wanted his son to be safe, requested for Ceolbert to live with Ravensthorpe, to which Sigurd accepted, leading Ceolbert and his horse Theobald to Ravensthorpe before parting ways with his sister to Oxenafordscire to ally with the thegns. Ubba, meanwhile, thanked Eivor for her aid and gifted her with an armband as a sign that the Ragnarssons would always be loyal to her and the Raven Clan.[54]
While exploring Ledecestrescire, Eivor stumbled across a man who was brewing a sauce called Ledecestrescire sauce. The man was ruling out ingredients that did not suit the sauce, with only one last ingredient on his list to find: eel. After hunting and adding an eel to the pot, Eivor tested the sauce, causing her to gag. The man, unsatisfied with the ingredients in Ledecestrescire, decided to pack his bags and move to Worcester, where he believed he would be more successful. [55]
Returning to Ravensthorpe, Eivor reported to Randvi about their alliance with Ceolwulf and the Ragnarssons. Randvi informed her that Ceolbert made it to Ravensthorpe safely and praised the victory of both Eivor and Ceolbert.[56] At home, Eivor built many new buildings around the settlement, including a hunting hut for Petra and Wallace, which opened up trade opportunities for Eivor, allowing her to make animal-related deliveries in exchange for goods. Upon finishing the final hunter delivery for Merton, Eivor was given the Magyar Hunting Bow. She also was notified of nine Legendary Animals, great beasts that lurked within Norway and England. Similar to the deliveries, bringing back the heads of each of these beasts would grant Eivor a reward as well.[31]
North of the Hidden One bureau, Eivor built a tattoo shop for Svend, which also functioned as a barber shop. Throughout her life, Eivor collected various tattoo schemes which she applied at the tattoo shop. At the docks, Eivor built a shipyard, where Gudrun and Gudmund would maintain Eivor's longship, the Sea-Chariot.[31]
Near Reda's tent, Eivor also built a fishing hut for Merton and his grandson Arth and a museum for a man named Octavian. Upon building the former, Eivor gained access to more trade opportunities similar to the Hunter's Hut, though this time involving fish instead of hunted animals. Eivor made these deliveries to Valka, Gunnar, Rowan, Tove, and various other characters, and recieved goods in return. Upon completing the final delivery for Tove, Eivor was rewarded with the Swordfish great sword.[31]
Eivor also built a bakery for Tarben and a brewery for Tekla in order to satisfy the settlement's feast demands. With the new additions, Ravensthorpe settlement status increased and the colony became known as a hamlet.[31]
King Oswald of East Anglia[]
While Ceolbert was in Ravensthorpe, the settlers organized a feast in the longhouse. At Randvi's request, Eivor gave a speech to the clan about what they've currently done in Ledecestrescire and Grantebridgescire. Not all was jolly however; tensions rose between Eivor and Dag, who suspected that the jarlskona took the place of Sigurd during his absence. Their argument was stopped when Sunniva screamed that Danes were attacking their town.[57] Eivor ran out of the longhouse with the Raven Clan and defended Ravensthorpe from the enemies, defeating all but one that Dag had captured. By interrogating the Geatish soldier, she discovered the raiders were from East Anglia. After the death of the last raider, Eivor and Randvi were left to clean up and plan their next steps.[58]
Speaking with Randvi, Eivor found out that the raiders from East Anglia were led by a man named Rued who sowed discord among Saxons and friendly Danes in the region. Informing her that the Sons of Ragnar appointed Finnr as steward to find a suitable Saxon king to pacify East Anglia, Eivor then pledged her allegiance to East Anglia and set sail to Northwic to meet Finnr.[59]
Entering the gloomy city, she found herself in the longhouse with a sleeping Finnr inside. Waking him up, Finnr explained their current situation with Rued's men. As the last king of East Anglia, Æthelstan, was killed by Rued, Finnr chose the Saxon Oswald as the new king even if he wasn't fit for leadership. To unite the Danes and the Saxons, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Ivarr and Ubba's brother, planned that his cousin Valdis would marry Oswald. Wanting to meet Oswald, Finnr explained he was already on his way to Elmenham, traveling in his direction to the north gate of the city.[59]
Eivor found Oswald amid an argument between a Norse and Anglo-Saxon man after Rued's men raided the place. After Oswald de-escalated the situation, Eivor introduced herself and explained their shared conflict with Rued. While traveling to Elmenham, Oswald explained he didn't have permission to marry Valdis, as her brothers Broder and Brothir were against him. Their conversation was interrupted as they spotted smoke on the horizon coming from Beteleah Farm. Thinking it could be the same men that attacked Norwich, Eivor took a look. Taking out Rued's men, Eivor returned to Oswald, who was shaken from the situation they were just in. He invited Eivor to join them for dinner in Elmeham to help him to have his betrothed family's approval.[59]
Later that night, Eivor joined Oswald in their feast, hearing Broder and Brothir ridicule Oswald over marrying their sister. Broder then asks Eivor if she was here to back the thegn who they so disliked, Eivor answered that she would do anything for the safety of her clan and then mocked the two brothers. This instigated a fistfight between her and the two men. Finnr intervened and stopped the fight leading to the brothers walking off. As Oswald worried that the brothers would never support him now, Eivor reassured him. Oswald promised that if they won, the Raven Clan would forever have an ally in East Anglia. Eivor nodded and found a pile of rugs in the loft of the longhouse and settled in for the night.[59]
The next morning, Eivor spoke with Valdis, who told her to check on Oswald near the river. Finding Oswald sweeping hay on the dock, Eivor wanted to strengthen the future king, explaining Broder and Brothir's actions were an insult to his hospitality. Finnr approached Oswald annoyed at the boy but Eivor started flyting to lighten the situation, teaching Oswald about the art form and making him try some insults on Finnr. [60]
As Finnr mocked his fighting skill, Oswald challenged Finnr to a holmgang but quickly backed down after learning it was to the death. But Eivor continued, saying that Oswald should fight her and not Finnr, with Finnr playing along by setting up a square on an island off the shore where Eivor and Oswald were to spar. Not intending to kill Oswald, Eivor merely made him fight her, showing Finnr that he was not as weak as they thought he was.[60]
As they still needed a way to right their wrongs during the feast, they raided Serpent's Landing, home to the camp where some of Rued's men were held up. Traveling to the camp, they fought and defeated the Danes, observing their spoils Oswald picked out a shield as a symbol of commitment that he would give to the brothers. Telling Finnr to ship the spoils to Norwic, Eivor stayed behind, collecting an old Cloak belonging to the long-dead Hidden One Vitus.[60]
Eivor then set sail back to Northwic and arrived at its docks and met up with Oswald and Valdis, overhearing Broder's refusal of Oswald's gifts. Brothir then arrived carrying a dead scout of Rued's, noting that more would follow. Eivor left to find other scouts outside of the city walls to interrogate. She eventually found and captured one of the scouts. Discovering that Rued planned to attack Northwic from Dunwic, Eivor was eager to prevent the plot. Riding to Dunwich, she cleared out all of Rued's men and waited with Oswald, Finnr, Valdis and her brothers for Rued to appear. Once he did, Eivor was surprised when Oswald challenged Rued to a holmgang and did not hold him back from this. However, the duel ended in both men falling off a cliff supposedly to their deaths. When Eivor looked out from the cliff, she saw no sign of either but theorized they may yet still live.[61]
On the way to Northwic, Eivor met a young boy looking for his cat, Nali, who had ran away. After finding that cat, who seemed to take a liking to Eivor, she recruited the cat and made him apart of her crew.[62]
In Northwic, as Finnr drank after Oswald's death, Eivor decided to assemble a fyrd to end once and for all Rued's clan. Anglo-Saxons and Danes accepted as Oswald died to protect the region. Eivor and Finnr rode to Theotford to have the support of the Reeve Wynnstan. As they found the city attacked by Rued's men, Eivor and Finnr fought the raiders. After the attack, the Reeve promised to join the fyrd if Eivor took back the village King's Bury from Rued's clan. Eivor reclaimed the village and looted its treasures. Succeeding in her task, Eivor blew in the horn to signal their victory. The Reeve honored his promise to join the fight.[63]
Assault on Burgh Castle[]
Later, Eivor led the fyrd to raid Burgh Castle, where Rued's clan took refuge. During the battle, Eivor discovered that Rued and Oswald were alive. After defeating Rued and his clan, Eivor freed Oswald.[64] Returning to Elmeham, Eivor witnessed the wedding of Oswald and Valdis and his coronation. At the wedding, Eivor drunkenly shot targets with Brothir and played a drinking game against Broder. At the end of the ceremony, she spoke one last time with Broder, who revealed his feelings for her and made sexual advances. During the feast, Eivor received an arm ring from Valdis proving the loyalty of East Anglia to the Raven Clan.[65] Returning to Ravensthorpe to inform of their new ally, Randvi said that Ceolbert went to Sciropescire to become an ealdorman.[66]
The Way of the Beserker[]
Some time later, Eivor received a letter from her scout Norvid that the legendary Bjorn Bloodtooth was spotted near Norwich. Making her way into East Anglia to offer a place in Ravensthorpe to him, she arrived at the cave where Bjorn had been sighted, seeing him surrounded by several corses. Not wanting anything but revenge, the berserker decided to think on if he wanted to join Ravensthorpe and sent Eivor to help his adopted polar bear Njal catch fish. Following the bear out of the cave, she aided in catching some fish for Njall. Suddenly several Saxon soldiers came out of the bushes, thinking that Eivor was Bjorn, and initiated an attack. Hearing the commotion, Bjorn joined Eivor and killed the couple Saxon soldiers left. After the fighting was over Bjorn explained to Eivor how he and his wife Alfhild sought a peaceful life in England, a Mercian lord learnt of Bjorn's deeds and wanted to challenged him in battle. Björn refused and in retaliation the lord hung Björn's wife. Bjorn still wanted revenge and Eivor agreed to join him. Wanting to be berserk while fighting he sent Eivor to pick up some nightshade for the berserker brew.[67]
At Eivor's arrival back from gathering nightshade Bjorn added it to the concoction he had prepared under the same tree his wide once hung from. Bjorn and Eivor swigged the potion, singing a battle-shant and entering a hallucinatory trance where Bjorn turned into a bear. After the short fight they made their way to Beodoricsworth where the Mercian lord was hiding. Ariving they caused a comotion, killing guards to attract the Lord out. The lord soon came out to fight the berserkers but swiftly fell. Leaving the area Njall was gravely injured and tired. Bjorn requested eivor to bring some of Njall's favourite flowers while he brought the bear to the Gallows tree. Thew two built a funeral pyre and set it ablaze laying Njall to rest. Having filled his purpose in killing the Mercian lord, Bjorn joined Eivor in Ravensthorpe as a skald on her longship, Sea-Chariot.[67]
Issues around Ravensthorpe[]
When Eivor returned home, she witnessed an argument between Holger and Rowan, with the former cutting off the tail of Aelfgifu, a horse belonging to the latter, for a brush. Eivor eventually settled the dispute. [68]
Sometime during Eivor's time in the settlement, a young Knud approached the Viking, whose friends Sylvi and Eira were in trouble. However, after following Knud and finding the two other children near an old farmhouse, Eivor realized that she had been lied to, and was persuaded to rescue a wolf trapped down in a well. Attempting to find a way down Eivor, slew a nearby wild boar that had eaten the key to the house. Aquiring said key, Eivor entered the house and investigated the crime scene—the hunter that lived here had been killed by the boar. She eventually made it to the basement, where the wolf locked in a cage. Eivor freed the wolf, who took a liking to her and was eventually named Dwolfg by Sylvi. Dwolg then stayed in the settlement and even helped Eivor fight at certain points.[69]
Eivor then spoke with her sister-in-law Randvi, who was bored of being trapped in her room and unsatisfied with her current life. Eivor offered to help by taking her to Grantebridge. After riding through the countryside, the pair arrived in Grantebridge, where they entered the longhouse and met with Magni, as Soma was gone in Oxenfordscire. Eivor learned that while she was gone, a group of bandits were attacking Magni's merchants. Eivor offered to help, with Randvi vounteering to join her. After dealing with the bandit camp and reporting back to Magni, the two participated in a drinking game against each other before bidding fairwell to the Summer Army and traveling northward to Besuncen Tor, a tower that Sunniva had told Randvi about. After displaying slight jealousness towards Soma, Randvi climbed the tower. Eivor met her at the top, where Randvi revealed that she had developed feelings for the Viking. After a nap together, Eivor woke up and gained a pair of Huntsman Vambraces from underneath the tower before returning to Ravensthorpe, not revealing Randvi's secret to anybody.[70]
Around this time, Ravensthorpe's tattooist Svend had passed in his sleep. Many members of the clan mourned him, though none as much as Tove, Svend's adopted daughter. Eivor saw Tove at Svend's grave and successfully comforted her, who eventually took on Svend's job in the settlement.[71]
Eivor also helped build three more buildings for the settlement, including a fishing hut for Merton and his grandson Arth. She also built a hunting hut for Petra and Wallace, and a museum for a man named Octavian.[31]
One morning, Eivor saw a ship dock in Raventhorpe's harbor and checked to see who it may be. She found it was her friend Valka from Norway, who decided to settle in Ravensthorpe after her dying mother left Fornburg. As Valka asked about her visions, she answered that they came and went. Eivor helped Valka carry her things to the spot they had chosen for her and welcomed her home. Eivor built her a hut and collected the flowers needed for Valka's Elixir but she decided to wait with witnessing her visions until a later date.[72]
While in Ravensthorpe, Eivor also took time to construct new buildings, including a cartography shop for Olsen, a cattle farm for Winfrith, Leofric, and Bertham. Eivor also build a fowl farm for Bronson and Mayda, as well as a grain farm for Runa, Viggo, Knud, and Sylvi. Lastly, she built a house for Alvis and Holger behind the longhouse. The new additions changed Ravensthorpe from a hamlet to a borough.[31]
At some point, Eivor spoke to Octavian, a newly-settled citizen of Ravensthorpe. Eivor was tasked with finding Roman artifacts for Octavian, who was a collector. He also requested for her to go to Lunden and find his rival Maximilian and take back his Roman legionnaire figurine, giving Eivor another reason to visit the city.[73]
City of Lunden[]
Upon returning to Randvi, Eivor pledged her allegiance to Lunden in search of new allies while also aiding Hytham in taking down the Order of the Ancients.[74]
At the north gates of Lunden, Eivor met Stowe, one of the two reeves of Lunden, who was occupied with trying to calm down a rallied crowd. Eivor asked Stowe of Tryggr, the governor of the city, though the conversation was interrupted by a Norse thug working for a man named Avgos. Eivor threw the thug aside before being approached by another, larger thug. Stowe kneed the thug in the groin and a brawl broke out, with Eivor and Stowe facing off against more thugs. After defeating them, Stowe complimented Eivor's fighting and led him to Tryggr.[74]
As they approached the Governor's Villa, Eivor and Stowe could smell blood in the air. Corpses were scattered throughout the courtyard and the two ran inside, where a saddened Erke stood aside a decapitated Tryggr. Eivor introduced herself to Erke Bodilsson, the other reeve of Lunden, before investigating the crime scene. Eivor pieced together that it was a team effort from three people of the Order of the Ancients—a Dane, a Wessex citizen, and a Frankish sailor—given the nicknames "The Arrow", "The Leech", and "The Compass", respectively. She also found a seal, which, with help of Erke, directed her to a nearby temple. At the Temple of Mithras, Eivor investigated a secret room with letters to all three targets. Eivor returned to Erke and Stowe and reported his findings.[74]
The three decided to kill the Arrow and the Leech and wait for the Compass to show their face, as they were the presumed leader of the three. Stowe hunted down the Arrow, while Erke chased after the Leech. At the West Market of the city, Eivor met in secret with Stowe, who told him of a competition that the Arrow's men held, which required a coin for entry. Eivor snatched one of the coins and entered the competition at the Londinium Amphitheatre, where she took part in the Arrow's contest and later attended a rally with the Arrow at the forefront. Eivor eventually killed the Ancient and, in his visions, saw Odin once again by his side. The Arrow, who was revealed to be Avgos Spearhand, was giving instructions on shooting targets. A second Avgos appeared, angered at Eivor. Afterwards, he was killed by one of the arrow volleys and Eivor reached down to pick up his Order medallion. As she returned to the real world, she left the theater and fled to St. Paul's Cathedral where Stowe awaited for her. Eivor shook her companion's hand and left.[75]
Next, Eivor joined Erke in taking down the mysterious Leech. She met the reeve at the docks of Lunden, where several dead bodies laid covered with a bloody sheet. In the middle of their conversation, a woman named Gyda, who asked Erke of her daughter who went missing. After neing told that she was alive, Gyda let out a sigh of relief and told Eivor of her daughter, who worked for a mysterious blacksmith. Eivor got a lead and went underneath a bridge after sunset, where she saw a man obtaining equipment. She followed the man to the Bodilsburg Garrison, where she interrogated the man and discovered that the Leech was one named Frideswid. Eivor went to a forum where Frideswid was. Eivor tracked Frideswid to a basilica and assassinated the nun, interrogating her in her dreams and taking her medallion before retreating to Erke, who told her more information on Frideswid. Eivor then went to St. Paul's Cathedral to meet with the two reeves.[76]
After defeating the Arrow and the Leech, Eivor and her friends discuss the hostile mob outside of the cathedral, angry at the deaths of Frideswid, Avgos, and Tryggr. While preparing to deal with the Compass, the mob broke into the cathedral and set it on fire. Eivor climbed through the roof of the cathedral and saw Lunden on fire, as well as the Compass himself, the Palatinus Vicelin. Eivor helped Erke and Stowe escape the burning church and rushed to the attacking soldiers. Eivor eventually located Vicelin on a large ship, engaging in a battle. She eventually gained the upper hand and eliminated Vicelin, being transported once again into her vision state where she saw Vicelin on a throne with Tryggr's detached head. Vicelin threatened Eivor, telling her that the Order stretches farther then she can reach, before giving her his medallion. Eivor returned to the real world, where she returned to the harbor and met with Erke and Stowe, with the former presenting her with a silver arm ring, symbolizing her new alliance.[77]
At some point Eivor visited the docks of Lunden, where she overheard a man and a woman talk about the Gyldan Sparrow, a large merchant ship that was sunken by Vicelin. Eivor spoke with the woman, a merchant, and offered to secure the valuables lost in the wreckage. She returned with loot from two chests and a necklace found in a fish. Eivor then made the decision on whether not to give the necklace to the merchant or to keep it.[78] Eivor spoke to three members of a disbanded band named The Gleemen scattered throughout the city: Cynewulf imprisoned in Crepelgate Fort, Kitt hiding in debt near St. Paul's Cathedral, and Ysane heartbroken outside of the city. Thanks to Eivor's efforts to fix their problems, the three members reunited and played together once more in Lunden's town square.[79]
Eivor also acquired Octavian's artifact during her time in Lunden, eventually giving it back to it's rightful owner.[80] Before leaving Lunden, Eivor decided to explore the Londinium bureau herself. In the bureau, she acquired the Hidden Ones' Mask and a page of The Magas Codex.[51]
Eivor returned to Ravensthorpe and talked with Randi and later Hytham, who was glad of the news, though proceeded to give more intel on the next city that the Order of Ancients plagued: Jorvik.[81]
Protecting Asgard[]
After building a Seer's Hut for Valka, the two sought to learn more of Eivor's visions. After gathering the requested materials for a special elixir, Eivor brought the materials to Valka, who brewed said elixir. She then poured it into a bowl. Eivor drank from the bowl and was transported to a dream variation of Asgard, one of the Nine Realms, as her Isu incarnation Odin, or Havi. In her dreams, Havi, as Eivor, met with other Norse mythological characters including Týr, Loki, Thor, and Freyja. Eventually, Havi successfully defeated a jötunn named The Builder and was Eivor was transported back to the real world, where she spoke to Valka about her dreams before returning to her adventures in the real world. [82]
Chaos in Sciropescire[]
Looking to check up on her friend, Eivor asked Randvi of Ceolbert, who has traveled to Sciropescire—a shire that has been in a long war with Rhodri the Great, King of the Britons. After pledging herself to Sciropescire, Eivor traveled to Quatford, a town along the Afon Hafren River.[83]
As Eivor arrived in Quatford, she entered the longhouse where she saw her friends Ivarr and Ceolbert sparring each other. After the spar ended, Ceolbert greeted Eivor and spoke of making peace with King Rhodri. Ivarr chipped in, mentioning that they had captured Rhodri's brother, Gwriad ap Merfyn, planning to use him to negociate peace. Ceolbert also mentioned Sciropescire's new temporary ealdorman, Bishop Deorlaf, who had taken the position after the previous ealdorman, Merton, died in battle. Eivor made a remark on Rhodri, reminding Ceolbert to still respect the king. Ivarr, however, stated that they would not be treated well when they met him, as the two had some rivalry in the past. He pointed to the scar on his face, telling Eivor the origin behind it and that Rhodri had caused it. After the conversation, the three set off to meet with Rhodri and his company.[83]
Arriving at the church, Eivor and her friends met Bishop Deorlaf, Rhodri, his wife Angharad, and his captain Ynyr ap Cadfarch. Ivarr immediately turned hostile towards the group. After the bickering, Rhodri pulled out his sword, but was stopped by his wife before Deorlaf seperated the groups. Deorlaf approached Eivor, whom he had heard good things about, and asked her for help. He handed her a sum of silver to attempt to seek peace with everyone. Eivor went around the church, offering it to Rhodri, Angharad, Ivarr, Gwyriad ap Merfyn, and Ynyr ap Cadfarch, with all but Rhodri interested in taking the coin. Regardless of her choice, however, peace was not an option, as Ivarr rushed at Rhodri for mocking him. Eivor restrained her friend, who, unable to kill Rhodri himself, turned around and broke free, attackin Gwriad instead, slitting his throat and killing him. Rhodri's guards attacked Eivor, Ivarr, and Ceolbert, and after defending themselves, Eivor told Deorlaf to stay safe within the church. The others exited, where they continued fighting more Briton soldiers. After killing the rest of them, they returned to Deorlaf, who was angry at Ivarr for ending any hopes for peace. Eivor and her allies then discussed plans on how to weaken Rhodri and his Briton forces.[83]
Eivor helped Deorlaf by heading off to destroy supply carts and free the bishop's imprisoned allies. Eivor visited an Anglo-Saxon refugee camp outside of Quatford, where one of the Saxon refugees rose and gave her intel on Briton soldiers who transported their supplies through Dhustone Quarry past the Hill Gate Remnants. Eivor arrived at the quarry, assassinating many Briton soldiers and freeing Deaorlaf's friends, thegns named Orlaf and Eadric. Eivor found letters to Ynyr from the quarry's warden, Cymen, who reported on the thegns of Deorlaf. She also destroyed several supply carts around the quarry, further hurting Rhodri's resources.[84] Eivor also helped damage Rhodri by stealing cargo from Wenlocan Outpost. After assassinating more Britons and looting many chests, Eivor left the outpost, though not before freeing another one of Deorlaf's thegns, a man named Baeldaeg.[85]
After dealing with both the quarry and the outpost, Eivor, Ivarr, and Ceolbert turned their heads to Wesberie and Rhodri's captain Ynyr. After a short discussion, the three entered Wesberie and burned several cottages in the village, successfully attracting the attention of the Briton captain. Ynyr lead a garrison of soldiers to the trio. After the battle, Ynyr's soldiers were slaughtered and Ynyr himself was eventually killed after a battle with Eivor. After looting Ynyr's Cadfarch Spear and killing the rest of the captian's men, Eivor reunited with Ceolbert and Ivarr on the edge of the town. Ivarr insisted on taking revenge on Rhodri himself, though Eivor reminded her friend that they only battled for peace.[86]
Eivor followed Ceolbert, who insisted on fishing to calm his mind, to a nearby pond, with Ivarr tailing behind. After catching three eels for a soup for Deorlaf, the three met with Deorlaf, who was preparing to meet again with Rhodri, this time insisting Ivarr to stay out of it. Angered, Ivarr stormed off. Ceolbert also left, hunting a boar to give to Rhodri. Eivor told Deorlaf to build a camp as they awaited for Rhodri's arrival. After a while, the Britons had arrived, though not with Rhodri, but rather her wife Angharad. Eivor negotiated a deal, allowing the Britons a few days to leave Caustow Castle, and in turn, the Britons would end the war.[86]
Eivor went to find Ceolbert to tell him the good news, though her friend was not at his tent. She asked around the camp and eventually found a drunken warrior. After the Norse was woken and sober, he told Eivor of Ceolbert's location in a nearby cave. She entered the cave and found a pool of blood on the ground, as well as Ceolbert's bow. She found Ceolbert hidden behind a large rock, nearly dead. She helped her wounded friend and pulled a Brittonic knife from her friend's chest. Afterwards, she carried Ceolbert out of the cave and back to the camp, where he eventually passed. Angered at the Britons, who had killed Ceolbert, Ivarr desired revenge on Rhodri, who was still at Caustow Castle. A saddened Eivor agreed before sending Ceolbert's body back to his father Ceolwulf.[86]
Assault on Caustow Castle[]
Eivor and Ivarr mounted their horses and lead their troops to Caustow Castle, where they planned to attack and kill Rhodri without showing mercy. Along the way, Ivarr told Eivor of his story with Rhodri, and how he had received his facial scar, as well as the reason for his thirst for revenge. Eivor outside the castle and set up a camp while Ivarr sent a message for his men to arrive. Alongside the troops were Orlaf, Eadric, and Baeldaeg, the prsioners that Eivor had rescued previously. Once ready, Eivor initiated the assault, marching up to the front of the castle as Rhodri conversed with his archenemy Ivarr. Afterwards, Eivor helped bring an oil cart to the castle's front gates, blowing it open. After a battle in the first courtyard, Eivor opened the second set of gates as the assault purseud. Eivor released the drawbridge and killed more guards before they made their way to the throne room, where Rhodri sat. Eivor watched as the enraged Son of Ragnar charged at Rhodri, brutally beating him despite being set on fire. After Rhodri was knocked unconscious, Eivor followed Ivarr on horseback to Manstone Rock while her friend listed off the kings that he had eliminated, Rhodri being his fourth.[87]
At the overlook, the two climbed the mountain. At the top, Eivor watched as performed the blood eagle on the king, briefly encountering Odin, who complimented Ivarr's ways, mentioning it to be glorious. After torturing and killing the king, Ivarr hung him on display, causing Eivor to turn away and set off to leave. However, Ivarr revealed one last secret—that Ceolbert had not died by the arms of a Briton, but by the dragon himself. Angered, Eivor turned around and screamed at her former friend before fighting broke out. Eventually, Eivor was pushed off a cliff, though the battle continued. Eventually, Eivor managed to subdue Ivarr, who taunted her with her dead father. Before she could respond, however, Ivarr got back up and attacked her, continuing the battle. Finally, Ivarr was defeated and killed, requesting Eivor to send him to Valhalla. After she made her decision, Eivor requested nerby soldiers to take Ivarr's body to Caustow Castle, while also notifying Ubba Ragnarsson. As they returned, Deorlaf and Ubba greeted Eivor, who told them of the truth. Later, Eivor and Ubba put the dead Ivarr on a funeral boat and sent him down the river, lighting it on fire and watching it float away.[87]
Rebellion in Oxenfordscire[]
By 874, Eivor had returned to Ravensthorpe and told Randvi of their alliance with Sciropescire, though also of Ceolbert's death.[88] Randvi also told her of who told her of what was going on in Oxenfordscire; Sigurd has arrived to Buckingham with Basim tagging along, to ally with a thegn named Geadric. Eivor pledged her allegiance to Oxenfordscire.[89]
After arriving in Buckingham, southwest of Ravensthorpe, Eivor saw that the place had been overrun with Saxon soldiers led by Oxenfordscire's ealdorman, Lady Eadwyn. Eivor went to the middle of the town and entered the alehouse, where Sigurd was supposed to be waiting, though neither him nor Basim were there. Eivor searched around, gaining info on Lady Eadwyn, who became ealdorman after the death of her husband Theodric. She also learned that Eadwyn and her soldiers were hunting down Sigurd and Basim. After speaking with the innkeeper of the alehouse, Eivor was informed of a fight that broke out between her friends and Eadwyn's soldiers, and the two escaped south. Eivor entered a stone hut on the shore of the Great Ouse River where she was surprised and threatened by Basim. After realizing who she was, the Hidden One greeted her and let her go. Sigurd told her of Geadric and Eadwyn, who wanted revenge after her husband's death to the Summer Army, and thus turned to King Alfred of Wessex, a fearsome king. Therefore, Eadwyn must be defeated before she can gain the full support of Alfred.[89]
After the meeting, the three decided to make their way to Buckingham's longhouse, where Geadric was being held hostage, and rescue their friend. The three broke through the door and confronted Eadwyn and her soldiers, who surrounded the thegn. Tired, Eadwyn left her soldiers to eliminate the trio. A fight ensued between Eivor's party and Eadwyn's soldiers, and Geadric was untied. After the soldiers were defeated, Geadric introduced himself to Eivor. Then, Basim asked for info of a holy woman named Fulke, who both Sigurd and Basim sought to find, believing that the woman would be essential in their mission. Geadric pointed them to a thegn named Holt, who was held a a trial at the Leah Villa Garrison.[89]
Eivor, Sigurd, and Basim quickly rode to the garrison, with Eivor still confused of Fulke and why she was important. When they arrived, they saw an ongoing execution, with three other thegns being held captive, with thegn Holt next in line. Eivor interrupted the execution, eliminating the soldiers and freeing Holt, who expressed his gratitude before telling them of Fulke, a madwoman who was held imprisoned at a monastery at Saint Albanes Abbey under Lady Eadwyn. Eivor found the Magister's Robes from a chest in the garrison and eventually returned to Buckingham, which was free of Eadwyn's soldiers. Upon finding Geadric, she told him the good news, and in return learned of Geadric's plan to launch an assault on Eadwyn castle, Cyne Belle Castle, also telling her possible efforts she could do to weaken Eadwyn's forces.[89]
On the road between Buckingham and Leah Villa Garrison, Eivor met a group of Saxon soldiers that were planning to jump one of Eadwyn's patrols that were coming down the road. When they arrived, Eivor and the soldiers attacked from the bushes and successfully slaughtered Eadwyn's men. Eivor killed one of Eadwyn's flag bearers in Oxenforda to prevent the arrival of reinforcements and traveled to the Thaerelea Ruins, where she rescued some of Geadric's fyrd from attacking enemy soldiers. After helping the men, Eivor destroyed some of Eadwyn's supply carts. Northwest of Saint Albanes Abbey, Eivor found another group of Geadric's men who were running from Eadwyn's soldiers. After helping fight off the soldiers, Eivor entered the abbey and killed another flagbearer before deciding that she had done enough damage to weaken Eadwyn's control.[90]
Eivor also met with Sigurd and Basim at a camp in the ruins of Linforda, where they planned to enter Saint Albanes Abbey and find the madwoman Fulke. After a quick discussion, Eivor was given the option to raid the abbey or enter stealthily, much like at Templeborough.[52] Eivor eventually entered the church and made her way downstairs alongside Sigurd and Basim. There, they found a monk that overlooked the prisoner. After obtaining the key from the monk, Eivor unlocked Fulke's cell and freed her. After a quick conversation Fulke led the trio out of the monastery before she revealed that she was searching for an ancient Isu artifact called the Saga Stone. Eivor and Sigurd had gotten in a disagreement, with the former believing that they were here for an alliance, angered that her brother had more on his mind then helping Geadric.[91]
Fulke led the three to Evinghou Tower, where the Saga Stone was under possession of one of Fulke's acolytes, Brother Paul. The tower, however, had been ransacked, presumably by Eadwyn's forces, and Brother Paul was found dead. After mourning for her loss, Fulke concluded that Eadwyn now had the stone, giving them further reason to defeat the monarch. Eivor was then yelled at by her brother, who believed that she had slowed them down. The argument was disrupted by Eadwyn's forces, who had arrived at the tower. Sigurd wanted to attempt to talk to Eadwyn first, who led the soldiers. Sigurd made a trade, the stone for a peace, much to Eivor's dismay, who had promised to help Geadric. Eivor, out of anger, threw an axe at one of Eadwyn's men, killing him and initiating a fight. After slaying Eadwyn's forces, Eivor and Sigurd's argument continued before the latter left with Basim. She then turned to Fulke, who told her to meet her at Eatun Barn, where they would help cripple Eadwyn's line of supplies.[92] As Eivor arrived at Eatun Barn, she witnessed Fulke in a quarrel with a merchant, who was supplying Eadwyn. Fulke had no silver to buy the supplies from him, leaving Eivor to handle the situation, either by payment, a story, or death. Eivor and Fulke then planned to use the merchant's oil jars to surprise arriving soldiers. After setting up the trap, the soldiers arrived and were ambushed, with Eivor and Fulke successfully eliminating them all and further weakening Eadwyn's forces. [93]
Assault on Cyne Belle Castle[]
Eivor then met with Geadric at the Derelict Shrine of Camulus, where they planned to send Eivor into Cyne Belle to sabotage Eadwyn's springalds and oil cauldrons. After doing so, Eivor returned to the camp, where she reunited with Sigurd, Basim, and Fulke, ready to raid the castle.[94] Before the assault, however, Eivor spoke with Sigurd, who had prioritized the stone over Geadric's rebellion, using his visions as an excuse. The group, alongside Geadric's men, attacked Cyne Bell and eventually reached Eadwyn. After a lengthy fight, Eadwyn was defeated and her fate was left to Eivor, who decided on either exile or giving her to Geadric. Eivor then reached Sigurd, Basim, and Fulke who were examining the Saga Stone. Eivor briefly spoke to Odin, who had appeared and made remarks on the stone, before she proceeded to join the trio in staring at the stone. However, the fight was not over yet, as King Alfred's army from Wessex had finally arrived, albeit too late to save Eadwyn.[95]
Sigurd called for a parlay and walked to to the King of Wessex peacefully. Eivor, Basim, and Geadric followed, entering Alfred's camp stationed outside the castle walls. Eivor watched as Sigurd attempted to get Alfred to leave Mercia, though did not succeed. Sigurd proceeded to take Basim's recommendation and offered to make a trade with Alfred to prove peace and get Alfred to leave Mercia. The king agreed, sending a soldier named Wolfrich while Basim offered himself, appearing to have a plan up his sleeve. However, just before the deal was sealed, Fulke bursted into the tent, rushing to King Alfred's side and revealing her true allegiance. She requested to take Sigurd instead, knowing of his past life. Eivor drew her axe, but was stopped by her brother, who agreed to the deal. Alfred, however, put Sigurd under Fulke's care, further angering Eivor and Basim. After the trade, Eivor followed Basim out of the tent, speaking one last time with Geadric before returning home to Ravensthorpe. [95]
When she returned home, Eivor spoke with Randvi, who told her of a message that Fulke had written to the Raven Clan, stating that her brother was in good hands, and also revealing that she was apart of the Order of the Ancients, the same order that Basim and Hytham were hunting. Basim himself was left to search for Fulke, also known as "The Instrument," and Eivor told Randvi to be on the lookout for a letter from the Hidden One.[96]
Pursuing Fulke through Cent[]
Eivor returned home and updated Randvi, who had received the letter from Basim and showed it to Eivor. Eivor eventually pledged to Cent, where the Hidden One had found the madwoman Fulke, meaning that Sigurd could not be too far behind. Before she left, however, she had a quick confrontation with Dag, who was angered that Eivor seemed to neglect the settlement and decided to stay behind on this journey.[97]
Eivor arrived at Saint Hadrian's Priory and met Basim, who was in the middle of a conversation with a priest named Hortbert. Eivor listened as the two argued over Christianity, including Christ, the sins of Adam and Eve, free will, and more. Another priest named Cedric joined the conversation and the two priests got carried away with each other. Basim revealed to Eivor that he was trying to gain information from Christians, who might know of Fulke. He also spoke of an abbot named Cynebert, who he had befriended. Basim led his friend to Cynebert, who had met and drank with Fulke less then a month prior. Cynebert had requested Eivor to perform one favor in exchange for information. King Alfred had recently appointed a new ealdorman after the death of Cent's old ealdorman Deogal, and Cynebert wanted to know who the new leader would be prior to the public knowing. Hoping Eivor would help him, Cynebert directed the viking to Tonbridge Monastery, where the king's emissary had stayed.[97]
Eivor parted ways with Basim and the abbot and traveled to the monastery, where she asked around with no luck. Eventually, she found a Saxon soldier within the inn who told her that the emissary and a bard named Gowan had caused some ruckus in the inn before leaving together. Eivor eventually found the bard drunk underneath a bridge. Eivor brought the bard back to sobriety and received information that the emissary had gone to Dover Fortress. Eivor arrived at the fortress and sneakily abducted the letter, which revealed that Alfred's chosen ealdorman was Thegn Tedmund. Eivor left the fortress and headed to Folcanstan, where Basim and Cynebert were.[97]
Eivor arrived at Folcanstan and found Basim and Cynebert talking. Eivor told the abbot of the chosen man, Tedmund, to which Cynebert reacted grievingly, revealing that he had wanted to gain the new ealdorman's influence. They planned to capture Tedmund in order to potray themselves as saviors. However, Cynebert mentioned that Tedmund had been hiding in Rouecistre Fortress in self-exile. Basim stated otherwise, revealing that Tedmund was at a mill called Beamasfield, overlooking Alfred's lumber production. Eivor and Basim rode together to the wood mill, with Basim telling Eivor the story of "The Scorpion and the Frog" along the way. The two found Tedmund and tied him up. Eivor carried the thegn back to Cynebert, who had arrived with a group of soldiers. Upon threatening him, however, they realized that this had not been Tedmund, but rather a decoy named Shergar. Fearful for his life, Shergar led Eivor and Basim to a nearby camp of Danes which he had previously ordered to be taken over. They had arrived at the camp but were too late. After handling the Saxon captain, Eivor freed Runa Egilsdottir, who appeared to be the leader of the dead Danes. Runa willfully accepted Eivor's request to storm Rouecistre, and left to find her fleet. Eivor also sent a message to Geadric in Oxenfordscire for backup. At the end of the night, Eivor and Basim shared a moment of bonding, as Basim began to speak of his past life and the tragedy that took his family away. [98]
Assault on Rouecistre Fortress[]
The next day, Eivor traveled to Rouecistre Blockade to break a naval chain that was put up there, successfully pathing the way for Geadric and Runa's fleet to move through. Eivor met with Basim and Geadric at a warrior camp and began the assault on Rouecistre Fortress. After breaching the main entrance, Eivor and her allies helped clear the way for their ram, which broke through the gate after Eivor shot down the drawbridge. Eventually Eivor made her way to the rooftop of a tower and found Tedmund, engaging on a one-on-one battle. Tedmund was eventually defeated and brought down to Cynebert and his soldiers, who had arrived as the assault ended. [5]
Outside, interrogation with Tedmund began, however, the new ealdorman had poisoned himself, comitting suicide before Cynebert had gotten any ifnormation out of him. Eivor told the abbot to hold up his end of the bargain, though Cynebert had wanted some time to relieve himself, returning to his abbey to meet Eivor the next day. Frustrated, Eivor told Basim that she was sick of the delays before thanking her ally Geadric for his aid.[5]
Upon arriving at the abbey the next day, Eivor and Basim entered Cynebert's chambers only to find their ally dead at the hands of Fulke. After a quick but crucial exchange, Fulke left the building, ordering nearby guards to kill them and bring their corpses to Canterbury. Eivor and Basim climbed a ladder and escaped the building before riding to Canterbury. Along the way, Eivor listened to Basim's story of his father and the Abbasid Caliphate. Basim gave more information on his background, opening up to his friend and telling her of the times he spent in the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. Basim had even met the great astronomer al-Khwarizmi himself.[99]
The two arrived at the town and entered the Canterbury Cathedral. They searched around and found Fulke's sanctum, killing her guards and finding her writings, though the madwoman herself was long gone. Eivor noticed the Saga Stone nearby, and eventually found a closed red door. She opened it, with Basim behind her, and saw a small closed box on top of a torture chair. Upon opening the box, Eivor saw the severed right arm of her brother. Eivor knew she was too late and asked Basim of any other leads, to which he mentioned Portcestre, a fortress belonging to the Order in Suthsexe. The two planned to siege it next, as Sigurd was running out of time. Eivor returned home to Ravensthorpe, bidding farewell to Basim, who went to scout the fort.[99]
Before leaving Canterbury, Eivor spoke with a supposedly talking pig named Matilda the Seer in the Dorobernia Theater. Called the "Pig of Prophecy," Eivor drank from a nearby liquid, bringing her into a hallucinatory state, where the pig spoke with her. Matilda told her of several prophecies involving Odin, Ragnarök, the Crusades, the Order of the Sacred Garter, and more. After leaving, Eivor asked the pig's owner where he had found the creature, to which the man simply replied, "market."[100]
Dag's Betrayal[]
When Eivor returned home to report to Randvi, Dag got in her way, angered that Sigurd had not come home with her. Eivor dismissed him and spoke to Randvi, telling her of Sigurd's torture, and that they must eliminate Fulke before she continues.[101] Stressed, Eivor decided to take a nap in her room in the longhouse. Later that night, Eivor woke up to the shouts of Dag, who was standing outside the longhouse. Eivor approached the viking, who accused her of neglecting the settlement and it's people in Sigurd's absence. Eventually, Eivor was forced into battle against her friend, who called for a circle for the holmgang. As their weapons clashed, Randvi walked outside and tried to stop the fight but to no avail. During the battle, Eivor attempted to reason and get Dag to walk away from the battle, but the viking was too stubborn to listen. Fed up, Eivor offered Dag one last chance of exile, though the viking refused, throwing axes at his former jarlskona.[102]
Eventually, Dag was defeated, falling to the ground as he took his dying breaths. Odin appeared aside Eivor, insulting the fallen warrior, before she made the ultimate decision on whether or not to allow Dag into Valhalla. Randvi approached Eivor as she promised to the audience that she would find the Raven Clan's leader and return him home. In the morning, Dag's body was buried in a tomb in the settlement, where Eivor said her final words to her friend before leaving.[102]
Red Hand of Jorvik[]
After Cent, Eivor returned home to Ravensthorpe, where she spoke with Randvi and was advised to seek more allies before going after Fulke. Taking her advice, Eivor pledged to Jorvik, the next location on Hytham's agenda, to both eliminate more members of the Order as well as gain more allies. Eivor soon arrived at the docks of Jorvik to search for her friends Hjorr and Ljufvina, who had settled in Jorvik after their departure from Norway. She asked around, eventually finding a boy who recommended for her to speak with the dockmaster, Grigorii. Grigorii pointed her to a manor surrounded by flowers, which had been vandalized when Eivor arrived, with corpses scattered throughout the home. After investigating, Eivor heard a scream from Ljufvina. Rushing to her friend, Eivor had startled Ljufvina, who pulled out a dagger. Ljufvina apologized to Eivor before handing her a scroll from a mysterious "Poor-Fellow Soldier of Christ", explaining that there were men troubling her the past few weeks. Eivor assured she was not one of them before leading Ljufvina to Hjorr at the Royal Hall. The two stealthily arrived at a bridge, where Ljufvina updated her friend on the state of Jorvik, which was under pressure from the Red Hand.[103]
The two then continued to travel to the Royal Hall, where they met Hjorr, who greeted his friend before handing her a letter with three names: "The Needle", "The Firebrand", and "The Vault", all members of the Order of the Ancients. Hjorr then led the two inside, where a meeting was in session with Jorvik's council. Eivor met King Ricsige, who didn't appear to be fond Hjorr's friend. Eivor was recognized by Faravid, chief of Halfdan Ragnarsson, who introduced himself alongside Audun, the High Reeve of Jorvik. After discussion, Ricsige allowed for Eivor to try her best at handling the Red Hand, though requested for her to keep things out of the public eye. Eventually, all left councilmen besides Hjorr, who spoke with Eivor a little before leaving himself. At last, Ljufvina and Eivor spoke with one another to plan ways to defeat the Red Hand, which Eivor deduced was a subsidiary of the Order of the Ancients.[103]
Eivor's hunt began at Jorvik's Archives, where Christian texts were being targeted by the Red Hand. While investigating, Eivor's search was interrupted by Audun and Abbess Ingeborg. After questioning the abbess, Eivor was given a lead which took her to the rectory. Eivor went to the rectory searching for a bishop that Ingeborg had suspicions on. She entered through the roof of a locked house, where she found a Saxon priest hiding from the Red Hand. Eivor asked the man here the bishop was and was led to the bishop's quarters. Inside, Eivor took note of a struggle and saw the bishop burnt to death. Eivor noticed a letter underneath the bishop's corpse, which revealed that this was the work of the Firebrand.[104]
While in the house, Eivor and the priest heard the voices of Red Hand soldiers outside, ready to search for Eivor. Eivor escaped the rectory and headed towards the Minister, suspecting Abbess Ingeborg to know more information. When she arrived, Eivor climbed through a window and overheard Ingeborg speaking with a priest who had just witnessed the Red Hand destroy Christian texts. Angered for allowing it to happen, the priest scolded the abbess, though was choked and eventually thrown into a large fire to his death. Eivor jumped down and killed the abbess, only to realize it was a decoy. Eventually, Eivor found the real Ingeborg, killing her and confronting her in her visions. After obtaining her target's medallion, Eivor reported to Ljufvina, who told her of disputes at the docks of the city.[104]
After receiving intel from Ljufvina, Eivor searched the Trade Depot. Inside the depot, Eivor eavesdropped on two Norse men arguing. Eivor made her way downstairs and took out the guards before entering an unlocked room containing exotic rugs. Inferring that the Red Hand was attempting to accumulate wealth, Eivor left the depot and headed towards Coppergate Market, where she spoke with various civilians attempting to use silver to lure out her next target, the Needle. As Eivor spoke with the rug merchant, she was eavesdropped on by a little boy who told her to head to the statue near the east gate.[105]
After locating the statue and finding a hidden key, Eivor found the Red Hand's hideout leading to the sewers, where a secret workshop had been established. Eivor stole a key from one of the bandits and entered a room where she found Grigorii, whom she had previously met at the docks. Grigorii escaped as Eivor handled two guards and a rabid wolf. After leaving the sewers, Eivor chased down the dockmaster back to Coppergate Market, where he had killed the rug merchant in front of an audience. Grigorii continued to speak with the civilians before he was found and assassinated by Eivor, taking them to the dream state where she was later joined by Odin. Grigorii revealed that he had worked for the Vault before being eliminated by Eivor, who took his Order medallion.[105]
After dealing with the Firebrand and the Needle, Eivor returned to speak to Ljufvina in the Royal Hall when Hjorr interrupted their conversation, stating that the dockmaster had been killed. Eivor revealed Grigorii's true identity. After Hjorr left, Eivor spoke of the councilmen, believing one of the four to be the Vault that Grigorii had mentioned. The two went to examine the Archives once again, where they noticed that Hjorr's desk had been moved. The two moved it back to find hidden opening. Behind the wall was stashes of wine that smelled of poison. After expressing her disbelief in Hjorr being the Vault, Ljufvina told Eivor that there was still time before the Yuletide feast, which is when the Vault planned to strike. The two rushed to the Jorvik Theatre, where Eivor spoke with each of the council members and gaining information on all of them before talking to Ljufvina and accusing one. Afterwards, Audun had made an announcement as several attendees had drank the poisoned wine, collapsing to the ground. The Vault, now revealed to be Audun, began to speak of the plans of the Red Hand and the Order of the Ancients as a whole prior to dumping his wine. Eivor pursued and assassinated the councilman before being taken to the dream state once more, where he confronted Audun one last time before taking his medallion.[106]
After the feast, Eivor spoke with Ricsige one last time in the Royal Hall. The king thanked Eivor for her aid in bringing down Audun and was granted the title of Honorary High Reeve of Jorvik. After making the decision of what to do with Grigorii's stolen silver, Eivor spoke with her friends Hjorr and Ljufvina one last time, gaining herself another alliance before deciding to return home.[106]
Before leaving Jorvik, however, Eivor explored Eboracum Hidden Ones bureau underneath the city and found the Hidden Ones' Robes, as well as a page of the Magas Codex.[51]
Helping Geirmund Hel-Hide[]
At a river close to Ravensthorpe, Eivor and her crew discovered the Hel-hides having a dispute with Krok Uxiblóð and his war-band. Eivor stopped their argument as Krok and Geirmund agreed to have a holmgang according to law. After a short battle, Krok was killed. In response, Krok's men tried to kill Geirmund but the other Hel-hides and Eivor's warriors quickly killed them. Eivor then invited the Hel-hides to Ravensthorpe, an invitation that the group accepted.[107]
At Ravensthorpe, Eivor and Geirmund caught each other up with what had happened since they'd last seen one another and Eivor mentioned that Geirmund's parents were now living in Jorvik. Geirmund left to meet with Valka while Eivor continued to enjoy the festivities. Upon his return, she offered Geirmund a longship so that he could reunite with his parents in Jorvik.[108]
New Ealdorman of Lincolnshire[]
In 875, Eivor's determination to find her brother and eliminate Fulke continued. The shieldsmaiden sought to gain more allies in preparation for her attack on Porcestre. After speaking with Randvi, Eivor was notified of a young boy at the docks of the settlement. She made her way down to meet Hunwald, who was speaking with Norvid and Svanhildr. After getting the Saxon's attention, she found that Hunwald had been looking for Eivor herself. Hunwald introduced himself, telling the shieldsmaiden that he was son of ealdorman Hundbeorht, though evil men including Mercian soldiers and the Order of the Ancients had been corrupting the shire, exiling Hunwald himself. Hunwald told Eivor to meet him at Botolphston northeast, where they would make their way to Lincoln.[109]
Eivor met Hunwald again in Botolphston, where he waited in the village hall speaking to a man named Aelfgar. After sitting down, Eivor spoke with Hunwald, who introduced Aelfgar. Aelfgar doubted that Eivor could handle Hunwald's situation, though the young nobleman thought otherwise. Two drunken men approached the table, looking for a fight. After getting rid of the men, Hunwald left to relieve himself. Suddenly, Eivor and Aelfgar heard Hunwald scream, rushing outside to see four soldiers surrounding Hunwald. After killing the attackers, Eivor helped Hunwald up and two left for Lincoln quickly.[109]
As the two sailed to Lincoln, Hunwald tried to pinpoint who had been hunting him, considering both King Burgred and King Alfred. Hunwald mentioned his Dane ladylove Swanburrow as well, to which Eivor mocked. After arriving at Lincoln, Eivor crept quietely to avoid the Mercian guards, with Hunwald following her. They eventually made their way to Hunwald's home, where they met Raeganhere, one of Hunwald's caretakers. Eivor asked of Hunwald's father, who had been taken. Hundbeorht had been taken by Abbess Acha and her sisters to take care of him. Raeganhere brought up Bishop Herefrith, one of Hundbeorht's friends.[110]
The two made their way to the town hall, where they met Herefrith and Acha. After conversing with the two, they had left, leaving the suspicious Hunwald to ask Eivor to question Acha's healers at her hospice, to which she agreed.[110] Eivor made her way to the hospice, where she questioned many of the nuns there. Eventually she spoke with the head sister, who directed her to a Roman bathhouse south of Lincoln. Eivor arrived at the ruins, dealing with bandits and finding her way down into the Old Lincoln Sewers, which took her to Roaring Meg's Spring. Eivor investigated a struggle that had happened and conclueded that the ealdorman had been brought safely to Bolingbroc Castle.[111]
Eivor made her way to the castle, where she handled some guards and found an underground tunnel, leading to her Galwyna, one of Acha's healers, who had been standing aside the lifeless body of ealdorman Hundbeorht. Eivor questioned the woman before setting off to tell Hunwald of his father's fate. Eivor grabbed the late ealdorman's brooch, which he gave to Hunwald as he received the news in the town hall. Hunwald started crying as Acha comforted him. Determined to establish a new ealdorman, Eivor asked Herefrith what would happen, to which he informed Eivor that a new ealdorman was to be chosen by King Ceolwulf after a vote from the people of the shire in an event known as a shiremoot. Eivor learned that both Aelfgar and Herefrith would be running for ealdorman.[111]
Eivor went to find Hunwald and help comfort him. He approached Acha, who had attempted to help the boy but was pushed away. She mentioned a large tree up the road, where Hunwald was likely heading, and Eivor set off in that direction. She eventually made her way to the Ealdorman's Overlook, the tree where Hunwald was. Eivor approached her friend, who was drunk and depressed. The two drank together as Eivor attempted to cheer up Hunwald. After mentioning Hunwald's lover, Swanburrow, the two decided to go meet her, traveling to Grimsby, a fishing port northeast of the tree. Along the way, they were ambushed by more Mercian soldiers and successfully eliminated their enemies. They arrived at Grimsby, where Hunwald and Swanburrow shared a kiss before being introduced to Eivor. Hunwald decided to get some rest and calm himself, while Eivor advised Swanburrow to be cautious in case more soldiers attacked.[112]
Eivor also met with Aelfgar in Aelfgarstun to get to know the ealdorman candidate better. In gratitude for finding what happened to Hundbeorht, Aelfgar gifted Eivor Hunbeorht's Bow, a light bow made from alder wood that belonged to Hundbeorht himself.[113] Aelfgar, in attempt to win Eivor's favor, offered to go hunting with Eivor. The two set off to find a bear that had been attacking Aelfgar's estate, with Aelfgar continuing to charm Eivor and the Danes along the way. Eventually the two arrived at a lake where they met a man named Grim. The three went into the bear's lair nearby, though upon entering, were attacked by a pack of wolves instead. After killing the wolves and leaving the cave, the three found Aelfgarstun to be on fire, attacked by Mercian soldiers. The trio rushed back and defeated the Mercians. Aelfgar thanked Eivor for her aid, though it wasn't long before trouble struck again, as the bear had returned. After killing the bear, Eivor left Aelfgarstun and headed back to Lincoln.[114]
Eivor spoke with Acha before agreeing to attend the shiremoot. Acha explained the rules of the vote to Eivor, and that it was up to Eivor to cast a tiebreaker. She spoke to various figures around the house, including Ceolwulf's attendant, Lord Earconbert, Grim, and the three candidates, Hunwald, Aelfgar, and Herefrith, before making her way to the poll. Odin appeared once again beside her, advising her to choose only for herself. After considering each candidate, Eivor casted her vote. Acha announced Lincolnshire's next ealdorman.[115]
Assault on Anecastre[]
Midway through Acha's announcement, Herefrith left angrily before returning at the front door with a group of soldiers. Herefrith revealed himself to be The Crozier, a member of the Order of the Ancients. His soldiers slaughtered many civilians as Eivor fought and defeated them. There were many civilian casualties, including Ceolbert's attendant, though none of Eivor's other friends had been hurt. After the battle, Eivor spoke with Hunwald, Acha, and Earconbert.[115]
Not long after the incident, Eivor and her forces prepared an attack on Anecastre, where Herefrith had fled to. After speaking with the new ealdorman, Eivor, along with Aelfgar and Hunwald, arrived at a camp near Wynmere Lake, where a fyrd had been assembled, ready to take down the bishop. After beginning the assault, Evior followed the newly elected ealdorman, either Hunwald or Aelfgar, into the castle, where she helped ram down the first gate. Eivor then destroyed the blockade, either with an explosion or with a springald, before making her way to the drawbridge. Eivor shot down the bridge and was met with dead who civilians hung from the archway, to which Eivor commented on Herefrith's insanity. Eivor found and interrogated a monk, who told her that Herefrith was hiding within the chapel. Eivor entered the chapel and assassinated Herefrith. In her visions, Herefrith admitted that he had lost himself to promote the Order. Eivor took the bishop's medallion and left, ending the assault. Before leaving, Eivor met one last time with Lincolnscire's new ealdorman to successfully secure an alliance.[116]
Love stories in Essexe[]
Seeking more alliances, Eivor pledged to Essexe next, who's ealdorman requested to see Eivor in secrecy. Eivor arrived at the Ealdorman's House in Colcestre not long after, where she found three of Essexe's thegns conversing with each other, throwing insults at and belittling Birstan, the ealdorman of Essexe. Eivor spoke with Wyatt, one of the thegns, as the other two, Aldrich and Eadred, watched. Eivor asked Wyatt where Birstan was, who stated that the ealdorman was not home and sent her to Birstan's wife Estrid. Eivor went upstairs, interrupting a conversation between Estrid and another woman, Gisele, before being threatened by Estrid with a knife. Eivor assured she was friendly and was present at the request of Birstan, who had not been home. Eivor questioned where he was, and found that the ealdorman had been preoccupied hunting in the Epinga Forest.[117]
Eivor left Estrid and traveled to Birstan's camp in the forest, where he investigated a recent attack that had happened. Eivor concluded that the hunting party had been attacked by a beast. Hoping that Birstan had survived, Eivor went searching for the ealdorman, eventually finding him looming over a dead bear. As she arrived, two more bears arrived. After slaying the animals Eivor introduced herself before the two rode back to Colcestre as Birstan began to ask his new friend about the concept of love, revealing that he didn't feel a connection with his wife Estrid, and that he felt he had been a bad husband. Eivor listened, gaining information on both Birstan and King Alfred, who Birstan had ruled under. When the two arrived back at the house, they were met with the displeasured faces of the three thegns. The thegns scolded Birstan and his recent issues including the arrival of Alfred's men, the usage of money on the Lammas festival, and Alfred taking Birstan's farmers, which were addressed by Eadred, Aldrich, and Wyatt respectively. The thegns left angrily as Eivor followed Birstan upstairs to Estrid. Eivor noticed that the couple's love for each other had diminished, and Birstan requested Eivor to help break up the two, revealing that their marriage had been an arranged marriage by Alfred's father Æthelwulf and could not easily be split. The two had attempted to plan a fake kidnapping with a Dane to take Estrid to Francia, though it had ultimately failed. After Eivor gave her own thoughts, Estrid recommended another attempt at a planned kidnapping. This would allow Estrid to be free from Essexe annd Birstan to reunite with his childhood love Alfida. [117]
Eivor helped Birstan look for his childhood love Alfida in Maeldun. Eivor arrived and searched the houses of the village, claiming the Oaken Kite Shield from a destructible wall in one of the houses. Eivor eventually found Alfida's house, though Alfida was nowhere to be found. Inside, Eivor found a young and frightened Eluric, the sister of Alfida, who told the warrior that Alfida had been captured by Alfred's forces and held at the Brentwood Outpost. Eivor travled to the outpost, where she heard her quarry's cries for help. Eivor eventually gained a key from a guard and opened the house containing Alfida before carrying the woman out of the stronghold and to the Lake House, where she reunited with Eluric. Eivor updated the woman on the situation before Birstan himself arrived, with both parties happy to see each other. Eivor eventually left as the two held hands with each other.[118]
Eivor also tended to Estrid, who had been eager to leave Essexe and return to Francia. Estrid planned to be kidnapped during the Lammas festival, a Christian feast that Birstan was holding that would have civilians too drunk and groggy to notice. Eivor asked Estrid about her ship's captain, a Norse named Rollo who was inside a brothel. Estrid left as Eivor entered the brothel to meet Rollo in foreplay with a prostitute. Eivor told the captain that she served Estrid and was here to take Rollo, though the interaction was interrupted by Alfred's forces outside of the door. Eivor used her axe to free Rollo from his bondage chains and proceeded to follow the Viking out the window. Outside, they were met with the Saxon soldiers, whom the engaged in battle and defeated. After killing the final soldier, Eivor introduced herself to Rollo before he left to find his warrior camp.[119]
Eivor eventually arrived at the camp behind Rollo, and the two saw the corpses of Rollo's dead soldiers. Eivor left to investigate Lork and Gerhild, two of Rollo's soldiers who were suspected to have betrayed him. Eivor investigated the area before interrogating both the soldiers, eventually returning to Rollo with enough evidence to decide. Eivor eventually accused Gerhild, who had been the traitor, and Rollo eliminated her with his hammer. Odin appeared next to Eivor briefly, mentioning that both held grudges against Rollo though only one had the heart to betray him. Lork left as Rollo and Eivor decided to attack Port Walton, a military outpost where Rollo's remaining soldiers had been held hostage. After infiltrating the fort, Rollo and Eivor worked together to eliminate the Saxon soldiers and free Rollo's clanmates. The two eventually met at the port's docks, where Eivor told the captain that he was needed in another kidnapping scheme for Estrid, to which he agreed.[119]
Eivor met with Rollo back in Colcestre to prepare for the planned kidnapping. Before doing so however, Eivor found the entrance to the Camulodunum bureau, where she found the Hidden Ones' Hood and a page of The Magas Codex.[51]
At the festival, Eivor told Rollo and his crew to wait to nightfall. Eivor went to "kidnap" Estrid as Rollo let his soldiers loose as a distraction. Eivor grabbed Estrid and put her on a horse, taking her out of Colcestre as she played along with the scheme. At last, the two arrived at a settlement known as Wulfaswic with Lork, where they waited for Rollo to join them. After the conversation, Eivor went to look for Birstan again.[120]
Eivor joined the ealdorman in a boar hunt with Birstan's dog Percy. After hunting enough boars and gaining bonding time, Eivor and Birstan returned back to the Ealdorman's House in Colcestre, where Alfida had been waiting. Alfida's brother Eluric eventually joined the gathering, showing signs of discontent towards his supposed brother-in-law Birstan. Eluric eventually pieced together that Alfida had not in fact been his sister, but rather his mother, with Birstan being the father. Eluric left the room angrily as Alfida dropped to the ground crying. As Birstan comforted his lover, an Anglo-Saxon man entered the room, telling them that Estrid and Rollo had been caught by Alfred's men. Eivor left the room and rushed to aid her friends. Eivor arrived back at Wulfasic to and readied to fight Alfred's soldiers and also witnessing the soldiers launch a volley of arrows from the bushes at Estrid, who was protected in time by Lork sacraficing himself. Eivor fought and defeated the soldiers alongside Rollo and his men. After the fight, Estrid boarded Rollo's ship, though not before bidding farewell to Eivor, who wished her luck on her journey to Francia.[121] Eivor eventually made her way back to Ravensthorpe and spoke with Randvi, updating her on the newly gained alliance in Essexe while also gaining Rollo as a new jomsviking for the Sea-Chariot.[122]
Besieging Suthsexe[]
After gaining as many allies as possible, Eivor eventually met with Randvi in Ravensthorpe and pledged to Suthsexe with her mind focused solely on defeating Fulke and saving her brother. Eivor traveled to Suthsexe, where she met with a group of her closest allies in Croindene including Basim, Broder, Brothir, Erke, Stowe, and Ljufvina. Eivor entered the longhouse and encountered the jarl Guthrum, the reaver of the south. Basim stated that they were not yet ready to save Sigurd, as not all of Eivor's forces had arrived yet. The Hidden One also notified the two of three of Fulke's scouts that were spotted around the region. Eivor left to deal with the scouts, growing impatient with Guthrum and his methods.[123]
Eivor overheard Broder, Brothir, and Ljufvina talking on the way out. Eivor eventually arrived at the hills south of the village, where she smelled the scent of blood in the air and saw that a pack of wolves had already taken care of the scout for her. After handling the wolves, Eivor searched the river bank north of Crawleah, soon finding and assassinating the scout. Eivor's last target was near Cicestre Abbey on the road from Briggworth. After eliminating the scouts, Eivor returned to Basim and Guthrum and shared a note she found on one of the scout mentioning a possible siege on Croindene by Fulke's forces. Amidst a foul conversation, Eivor and Gurthrum were interrupted by a Norse warrior who announced that Saxon forces were closing in on the west. Eivor and the others fought the soldiers, pushing them back before Fulke's Champion had arrived, blowing a horn to signal his soldiers to retreat. Overconfident in their victory, Brothir and Broder rushed at Fulke's Champion despite Eivor's warning and, after a brief duel, the champion injured Broder and impaled Brothir, killing him.[123]
Angered, Eivor engaged Fulke's Champion in battle, threatening to kill him. After defeating the champion, Eivor made the decision to either show him mercy or kill him before picking up Brothir's body and carrying him back to the camp. Guthrum blamed Eivor for Brothir's death, as well as many of his own soldiers. The exchange was intervened by Ubba and Soma, who had arrived at the camp after hearing of trouble. After Guthrum left, Eivor spoke with Basim, Soma, and Ubba and planned to set up a new camp to surprise the Saxons as they awaited for more allies. She sent Erke, Stowe, and Ljufvina to the camp site ahead of time before the remaining members dispersed, with Broder taking Brothir's body home for a proper burial. Eivor bid farewell to Broder before talking with Ubba and Soma.[123]
Eivor eventually joined Erke, Stowe, and Ljufvina at Forward Camp, a Saxon camp which they planned to conquer. Stowe advised to allow himself to speak with the Saxon soldiers, who were Christian, to attempt to avert them and avoid bloodshed. Eivor watched as Stowe spoke with the Saxon soldiers, successfully convincing a select few soldiers to leave King Alfred and join Stowe and Erke in Lunden, where they would provide new economic opportunities. Intrigued by Stowe's offer, several soldiers left, making the fight against the remaining soldiers easier.[124]
Eivor met with Ubba afterwards outside Saint Lewinna's Church in Guildford and discussed ways to burn Fulke's grain stores. The two went around town either in stealth or full action, and used torches and flame arrows to destroy a total of six grain silos.[125] Eivor then met Basim, and the two prepared to attack and cripple Briggworth, a garrison holding many of Fulke's reinforcements. The two entered Briggworth, first targeting their boats. After setting them aflame and burning them down, Eivor and Basim sought to kill two of the stronghold's commanders then left the stronghold.[126] Lastly, Eivor met with Soma at Crawleah, where they planned to destroy Fulke's supplies. Eivor burnt down Fulke's supply carts and buildings, either by charging in headfirst or using Soma's archers to destroy them.[127]
After helping her allies destroy Fulke's food source, reinforcements, and supplies, Eivor returned to Foward Camp and met with more friendly faces, including Hunwald, Bishop Deorlaf, and Birstan. Eivor also met with Basim, Soma, Ubba, Ljufvina, Erke, and Stowe, who had decided to return home to Lunden, guilty of the deaths at his hand. Erke also joined him to watch over his partner, and the two bid farewell to Eivor. Afterwards, Eivor was warned by Soma that they had found Saxon reinforcements coming from King Alfred in Wincestre. Bishop Deorlaf rode out to buy them as much time as possible.[128]
Siege of Portcestre[]
Eivor began the attack on Portcestre. Eivor, Soma, and Ubba approached the walls of the fortress, where Fulke met them, taunting Eivor with Sigurd. Eivor began the attack. As the army charged in, Eivor helped lead the ram down to the first gate. After breaching the gate, Eivor destroyed one of two palisade before using a wheel to help lift a portcullis. Eivor went through and broke down the other palisade to lead her allies through, also destroying springalds and Saxon soldiers along the way before arriving at a locked keep door. Eivor looted a key and entered through the door with Basim nearby, where they found more of Fulke's guards inside. Eivor ran up and found a torture chamber, as well as Sigurd's torture chair in the room above it. Eivor looked out a balcony to find the madwoman jogging to a nearby church. Eivor and Basim followed her across a bridge to a large door which they force opened, eventually finding an injured Sigurd resting beneath the Maegester, who soon fled underground. Basim offered to stay with the jarl while Eivor went to kill Fulke.[128]
The underground door led to a section of catacombs underneath the church and after searching around the catacombs, Eivor eventually found a dark room with a singular fire in the middle. Fulke appeared from the shadows and the two engaged in combat, conversing while doing so. Eivor made use her Odin's Sight to find Fulke in the shadows and managed to deal a fair sum of damage before her opponent used a smoke bomb to escape. Eivor chased Fulke upstairs and to a graveyard, where they were surrounded by Norse soldiers. Eivor commanded her soldiers to let her defeat Fulke herself, who had pulled a large cross out of the ground as her weapon. Eventually, Eivor killed Fulke and was taken to the dream state where she continued to beat the woman, releasing her fury. However, Eivor was then pulled back by Odin, who had told her that Fulke had saved Sigurd, all while the madwoman laughed maniacally. Behind Fulke was a giant apparition of an unconscious, shackled Sigurd with ropes attached to his head. Eivor and Odin watched as Fulke pulled a lever on the ground, controlling the ropes and pulling Sigurd's head back, causing his eyes to glow and his mind to open. The giant Sigurd broke from his shackles and reached down, grabbing Fulke and crushing her into dust before Odin commented that she had performed one of the greatest achievements of mankind. The giant Sigurd reached to grab his sister and eventually, the vision faded and Eivor returned to the real world, where an injured Sigurd walked slowly to Eivor, with Basim following behind. Their conversation was interrupted by Bishop Deorlaf, who had arrived and told them that reinforcements from Wincestre had arrived. Eivor told Basim to bring Sigurd home and made her way to the fight, joining Ubba, Soma, and her other allies.[128]
At the fight, Eivor and her remaining friends fought against the Saxon soldiers, eventually defeating them all and rising victorious. Eivor spoke with Ubba and Soma briefly after the fight before bidding farewell to them, alongside her other allies that had arrived, including Hunwald, Bishop Deorlaf, Ljufvina, and Birstan, before returning home to Ravensthorpe.[128]
Back at the settlement, a celebration was in place to commemorate the return of their jarl, though Sigurd himself seemed to be in a foul mood. As Eivor approached her sister Sigurd accused Eivor of enjoying her time as leader of the Raven Clan, as well as of killing anyone who had questioned her. Eivor attempted to get Randvi to back her up, though Sigurd had rose from his throne and began scolding at his sister before apologizing to the clan and leaving the party. Randvi asked Eivor to find out what had happened to Sigurd, which she proceeded to do. Following Sigurd outside, Eivor found her brother sitting at Dag's grave. The two engaged in a calmer conversation, with Sigurd revealing that Fulke had used his suffering to his rebirth, opening his mind and making him realize who he truly was - the Isu Týr. Eivor showed her brother affection, which he took appreciatively, though stated that their relationship was apart of the past, one of which Sigurd could no longer see.[129]
The next morning, Eivor spoke with Randvi, reporting that most Suthsexe had been burnt down for Sigurd. Eivor lifted her knife from the Alliance Map and spoke with Basim afterwards, who mentioned that Sigurd could be "blessed."[130]
At some point, Ubba Ragnarsson visited Ravensthorpe and spoke with Eivor about his deceased brother.[131]
Adventures in Vinland[]
Near the end of the year, Eivor spoke with Hytham, who had been able to pinpoint Gorm Kjotvesson, who had taken his father's place in the Order of the Ancients. Eivor asked if he was in England, to which Hytham invalidated her, stating that Gorm had moved further west to Vinland, a far away land discovered a century ago by Brendan of Clonfert that had recently been a point of interest for the Order. Eivor spoke with Randvi and pledged to Vinland before speaking with a woman named Nessa at the docks.[132]
Nessa greeted Eivor and the two prepared to set sail for the three weeks-long journey. Prior to leaving, Randvi arrived at the docks to grant Eivor a new set of clothes and recommended for her to leave behind her old gear in order to help her blend in with the Vinland natives and prevent him from being caught by the Order of the Ancients. Eivor gave Nessa the command and the two left on her longship to the new world.[132]
After a three week-long journey, Eivor and Nessa finally arrived in Vinland. After alighting from Nessa's boat, Eivor headed to a Norse woman named Hilde who was directing other travelers. Eivor introduced herself as "Jora of Jorvik," and asked Hilde where she was, to which the woman responded that they were in Nyhofn, an unmapped area. Before unpacking the ship, however, the two were interrupted by a dockhand approaching them, mentioning that a man named Olav had gone missing, who had helped guide materials to Gorm. Eivor offered to take Olav's place but was dismissed by Hilde.[132]
Eivor went to search around, eavesdropping on a conversation between the civilians Olga and Elspeth on the beach, two workers near an in-progress house, two guards near the gate, and Aud and Helgi at a makeshift tavern. Eivor began to investigate the settlement, eventually finding a set of footprints leaving the storehouse to high ground. After following the footprints, Eivor arrived at a cliff viewpoint at Tiotenontatierénhton overlooking the village of Karonhiakèn:iate' belonging to a group of people known as the Kanien'kehá:ka[133]
Eivor spoke with the village leaders Konwahawíhshon and Karonhiaktátie'. Neither parties knew the other's mother tongue, which prevented vocal communication between the two. Sýnin perched on Eivor's arm, astounding the two tribal leaders. Konwahawíhshon then left and led Eivor to Olav, whom had taken residence in the village in a cave behind a waterfall. Eivor mentioned she was searching for Gorm, leading Olav to express his dislike for Gorm before explaining how and why he had escaped Gorm's settlement. Eivor followed Olav out of the waterfall as she gained more intel on Gorm, who had possessed a Crystal Ball to find "the door to Jotunheim." Olav spotted smoke rising from the Steinnhus Camp, one of Gorm's establishments. Before striking, however, Eivor was gifted leather and copper from Olav to help trade with the local villagers for better gear. [133]
After trading for a weapon, Eivor spoke with briefly with Olav once more before beginning her hunt for Gorm, starting with the Steinnhus Camp. When Eivor was knocked unconscious for the first time during her hunt, she was be transported to a hut back in Karonhiakèn:iate', where she awoke and was visited by Karonhiaktátie', who gave her berries to heal herself.After some time, Eivor left the hut and resumed her search for Gorm.[134]
She eventually arrived at Steinnhus Camp, which she successfully infiltrated and eradicated, finding a carbon ingot and a note mentioning three of Gorm's other camps. Eivor moved on to Brúhamarr Outpost, northwest of Steinnhus, where she found another carbon ingot, as well as another note directing her to Hvallgrof Outpost. Eivor soon repeated the same process at Hvallgrof, eventually walking away with a carbon ingot and the last clue to Gorm's location-Narfljot Camp.[134]
Eivor eventually arrived at the camp where he studied Gorm as he spoke to the Crystal Ball. The voice spoke back, mentioning the cataclysmic Great Catastrophe and the Second Disaster, though Gorm took no note of this. Eivor eventually closed in on his target and assassinated him, brining an end to the schemes of his long-time rival. In the visions, Eivor watched as Gorm devastatingly realized that he had not been taken to Valhalla. Gorm fell to the ground and dropped his axes before revealing to Eivor of the Order's plans to release the Isu Juno. With the glowing Crystal Ball present, Eivor glanced at it before vanquishing Gorm's soul and taking the Crystal Ball. Eivor investigated Gorm's dig site, finding an Isu door that corresponded with her Crystal Ball. Eivor received a mysterious message from an unknown voice before deciding that it was not meant for her. Eivor eventually decided to leave and return to Olav to tell him of the good news.[134]
Eivor traveled back to Karonhiakèn:iate', but not before defeating the legendary animal O Yan Do' Ne and obtaining it's leather for resources. Eivor eventually found the village, who had all been gathered around a bonfire, listening to Konwahawíhshon as she told a story. Eivor sat down and listened alongside the villagers before Karonhiaktátie' requested her to recite a story of her own. Eivor did so pleasingly, telling the villagers of the death of the Norse god Baldr and the request from Odin for all to mourn, as well as the betrayal of another member of the Norse panthenon, Loki. After the story, Eivor entrusted the Isu artifact in the hands of Konwahawíhshon before returning to Nyhofn, where she found Hilde and revealed her true identity. Eivor watched as Hilde reunited with her brother Olav before deciding to set sail back to England. Eivor tagged along, though not before saying goodbye to Olav, who had decided to stay around Vinland a while longer.[135]
During Eivor's time in Vinland, she had also aided a group known as the Toothbreakers. In Nyhofn, Eivor helped a woman look for her missing brother Eirik who had gone hunting. Eivor found a deceased Eirik and carried his corpse back to his sister, who later buried him.[136] In an abandoned camp known as Vithrloekr, southwest of the Hvallgrof Outpost and southeast of the Tsoka'we'kowáhne viewpoint, Eivor helped fight against a group of bears captured by Gorm who had been harassing a man.[137] Near the Okonhsà:ke viewpoint, Eivor helped a woman retrieve her turkey Arne.[138] Eivor returned to Nyhofn, where she aided a man and his fellow Toothbreakers that Eivor had previously helped in hunting a cougar.[139]
Eivor finally returned home to England after her adventures in Vinland and reported to both Randvi and Hytham.[140] After speaking with the former, Eivor was asked to settle another dispute, this time between Gudrun and Holger. Eivor acknowledged that it was her brother's duty, though Randvi mentioned that he had refused to leave his room. Eivor decided to settle the dispute herself, listening to both sides of the argument before making a decision, However, before she could speak a word, Sigurd interrupted, rebuking Eivor for taking his role and making the decision himself, angrily lashing out at Holger and ending the disagreement. Afterwards, Eivor spoke with Randvi before leaving the longhouse, overhearring Gudrun consoling the hurt Holger.[141]
War in Eurviscire[]
In 876, Eivor sought to ally with Halfdan Ragnarsson, one of the Sons of Ragnar and Lord of Northumbria. As she spoke with Randvi, she was told of Halfdan Jarl request to meet her personally. Halfdan was embroiled in a war against the Picts in Eurviscire. Eivor left to explore around nearby hills and noticed Faravid with a group of Vikings. Eivor approached Faravid and greeted him, recalling the Yuletide massacre that occurred in Jorvik. Faravid told Eivor that he and Halfdan had been separated, though before they went to look for him, the two were attacked by enemy Picts. Eivor helped her allies dispose of the Picts before regrouping with Faravid.[142]
Upon a nearby hill, more Picts arrived, though a horn had been sounded nearby, distracting the soldiers as the mighty Halfdan appeared behind the Picts, slaughtering them alongside his men. The two parties met at the bottom of the hill, where Halfdan and Eivor introduced themselves to one another. Halfdan hinted to speak with Eivor in private, and set of to Donecastre. Eivor spoke with Faravid one last time, who asked for her first impressions on the man before he left, leaving Eivor to head to Halfdan.[142]
As she arrived in Halfdan's castle, Eivor took part in many activities, such as a drinking game, Orlog, a fist-fight, and dancing. Eivor also met Moira, Halfdan's healer. Eivor soon found Halfdan, who was in the middle of an argument with King Ricsige. After the argument, Eivor met with Halfdan briefly before the two were joined by Faravid, who expressed his jealousy of Halfdan. After Faravid left, Eivor spoke with Halfdan at a balcony, where the latter reminisced about battling alongside his brothers. He then spoke of Faravid, and told Eivor why he had been so secretive when Faravid was around. Halfdan spoke of his suspicions on Faravi and presented Eivor a narwhal horn, which he had used as a mead filter, believing that Faravid was attempting to poison him. Halfdan asked Eivor to investigate and see if Faravid was truly who he seemed to be.[142]
Eivor traveled to Alortun next, an encampment along the Air River, where she found Faravid admist an arguement with one of his soldiers, Ulf. After dismissing Ulf, Faravid told Eivor of their plans to raid Elmet Monastery. Faravid asked the shieldmaiden of her intentions before leading her and his men into battle. On their way to their monastery, Faravid's group eliminated some Picts, though were eventually forced to retreat to a nearby cave known as Wiccan's Cave, which was being used as a shortcut for the Picts to cross the mountain. Faravid instructed Eivor to eliminate the Picts hiding inside while he left to find the back entrance and eliminate anyone who tried to flee. Eivor ventured through the cave, eliminating the Pictish warriors while also uncovering "The Crock and Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric" and one of the Treasures of Britain.[143]
Eivor made it out of the cave, where Faravid's group had been spotted by nearby Picts. The Picts fled, with Faravid and Eivor chasing after them. The scouts led them to Stenwege Camp. After a quick discussion, the two infiltrated the camp and Eivor found and incapacitated the Pictish chief Galan. Eivor brought Galan to Faravid, who quickly eliminated him before Eivor could attempt to question him. When the battle ended, Eivor and Faravid drank wine to celebrate. Faravid talked to Eivor about his plans to attack Magnis Fortress and end the war. Eivor left the camp with two tungsten ingots and a set of Thegn's Bracers before then returning to Donecastre to report to Halfdan and give him a goblet from a fallen Pict as a gift.[143]
Eivor found Halfdan drinking medicine provided by Moira. After offering the goblet to the Viking, Eivor watched as Halfdan angrily chucked the goblet across the room, accusing Faravid of attempted poison. Halfdan asked if Eivor had gained any intel on Faravid, to which Odin appeared beside her, giving his opinion before disappearing. After answering Halfdan, Eivor warned Halfdan to be cautious of everything he was consuming, including Moira's brew. Eivor gained permission to investigate the healer, to which she did, traveling to Moira's home to question her. The healer, however, had been on her way to Wyke. Eivor traveled to Wyke and found Moira in her home surrounded by a group of protesters. Eivor dealt with the mob and safely escorted Moira away into the woods, where she asked the healer about the brew. Concluding that it was safe, Eivor went to look for Halfdan at the Temple of Brigantia. Travelling to the temple, Eivor found Halfdan with his dog Beonton in distress over the Viking scout Olav, who had wanted to meet Halfdan at the temple. Halfdan spoke of traitors who had wanted to steal his war spoils, and requested for Eivor to look for his scout. She eventually found the scout on a column and brought him down, where he succumbed to his wounds.[144]
Beonton led Eivor and Halfdan to the Petuaria Ruins. The two investigated the Roman ruins, where the found Halfdan's stolen goods as well as a Book of Knowledge. As the two left the ruins, they were greeted with Ulf and four other men, who had been revealed to be the traitors. Ulf eventually died at either the hands of Halfdan or Eivor.[144] After handling the traitors, Eivor went to find Faravid and further investigate his treachery.[145]
Eivor soon found a drunk Faravid at a camp, which he revealed to be one of Halfdan's first camps when they, alongside the Ivarr and Ubba, fought King Ælla. Faravid then challenged his friend to a race, which Eivor accepted and drank to make conditions fair. The two raced to the entrance of Jorvik, where Faravid sought to gain the aid of King Ricsige. After arriving at the Royal Hall, Eivor and Faravid spoke with Ricsige, who greeted them well though denied their request for aid, as they did not have orders from Halfdan.[145]
Eivor turned to her ally Hjorr, who could help them forge an order under Halfdan. Eivor found Hjorr and his wife Ljufvina facing a group of protestors. A fight broke out and the three emerged victorious. Eivor made her request, to which the couple agreed. Ljufvina invited Eivor for a drink and after a relaxing conversation, Eivor went to meet with Hjorr outside the Royal Hall. Eivor gave the forgery to Ricsige, who accepted it and allowed for use of his army. Before leaving, however, Eivor was requested by Ricsige, who questioned her of her loyalty and whom it was she was fighting for. Suspicious, Eivor left to Stenwege to meet with Faravid.[145]
At the camp, Eivor prepared to attack Magnis Fortress. On the road to the fortress, they met up with Ljufvina's forces and prepared to lay siege when Halfdan appeared unexpectedly. Tension rose between Eivor, Faravid, and Halfdan, though was put down by Ljufvina, who reminded them of the war. They noticed a Pict signaling a message, and Eivor and Halfdan approached the fort's walls. Atop the stone walls was Ricsige, who revealed that he had allied with the Picts. Halfdan began the raid.[146]
Assault on Magnis Fortress[]
Halfdan let out a war cry as Eivor and her allies moved in, fighting the Pict warriors. Eivor eliminated the Pict Envoy and made her way inside the fortress. She shot down the links holding up the ladders and destroyed gate reinforcement bar. As the fighting waged on, Eivor breached the palisades and shot down the links holding up the drawbridge, allowing the soldiers to infiltrate the inner courtyard. After eradicating the area, Eivor and Halfdan spoke, with the former mentioning that they should not yet celebrate, as Ricsige was still alive. After the assault, the two heard more battle cries and turned to find attacking Picts. After eliminating all the warriors, Halfdan spotted Ricsige fleeing north. Eivor chased down the traitor and assassinated him, leaving him to die an icy death. Halfdan met with Eivor near Ricsige's corpse, where he said that he would be Northumbria's king.[146] After making the alliance official, Eivor and Halfdan returned to Jorvik, where they further discussed about they prepared for Halfdan's coronation.[147]
At the coronation, Eivor found Faravid and Halfdan speaking outside. Eivor led them inside and attended the ceremony, where she spoke with her allies including Moira, Hjorr and Ljufvina, and Faravid, before the coronation began. Eivor shared a drink with Faravid and then watched as Halfdan announced his newest allies, the Raven Clan. However, Halfdan broke into a coughing fit, dropping the goblet he was drinking from. Detecting lead, Halfdan instantly accused Faravid. Faravid drew his sword and prepared to fight, though Eivor stepped before him. The two clashed and after a lengthy fight, Eivor defeated her former friend and brought him to Halfdan, who used his hammer to crush his skull and execute him, albeit showing signs of remorse. After the coronation, Halfdan gifted Eivor an arm band signifying their alliance.[147]
Eivor returned to Ravensthorpe and reported to Randvi about her status with Haldan, remarking her successful alliance.[148]
Treachery in Jotunheim[]
With time to reflect on her visions in Asgard, Eivor returned to Valka with the plants neeeded for her to brew another potion, this time taking her to Jotunheim. In her visions, Eivor, as Havi, met various jötnar including Angrboda, Ægir, Hyrrokin, the Jotun king Suttungr, and his daughter Gunlodr. Havi sought to steal Suttungr's magical mead, which would help the Aesir live beyond his fated death during Ragnarök, though would also cost him his eye. After this, Eivor awoke in Valka's Hut and spoke to the seer of her visions.[149]
Eivor felt a compulsion to go back to Asgard, which she followed, drinking the Asgard potion once again. After his adventures in Jotunheim, Havi was greeted by the dwarf Ivaldi who gifted him a forged cord called Gleipnir. Afterwards, Havi found Týr and the two planned to use the cord to imprison Loki's son Fenrir, which they did successfully, with Týr losing his arm in the process.[150] Before the end of the saga, Havi received a vision from the Nornir, explaining that he had successfully avoided his fate, and will be reborn in another lifetime as Eivor.[151] After her time as Havi, Eivor awoke once more and told Valka of her visions before continuing her adventures in England.
Samhain in Glowecestrescire[]
Later that year, Eivor spoke with Randvi and pledged to Glowecestrescire under the request of Gunnar, who claimed to be in love.[152]
On 31 October 876, Eivor traveled to the town of Glowecestre, where found Gunnar and his lover Brigid on the west part of town. Eivor asked to meet the ealdorman and Brigid's adopted father Cynon in hopes of securing an alliance. Gunnar explained that the town was celebrating a holiday known as Samhain. The two found Cynon, who was preoccupied, and instead spoke with the next ealdorman in line Tewdwr, who greeted the both. Noticing tension rising between Eivor and Tewdwr, Gunnar suggested apple cider before Cynon joined the conversation, happily welcoming Eivor and dismissing Tewdwr's obvious dislike towards Christian pagans. Tewdwr left to pray, to which Cynon requested Eivor to escort him, much to Tewdwr's abhorrence.[152]
Eivor walked Tewdwr to St. Kenhelm's Falls where she questioned the Christian method of praying. As she watched Tewdwr pray, Eivor noticed a group of boars nearby, ready to attack. Eivor successfully defended Tewdwr from the animals. Tewdwr thanked the shieldmaiden before continuing his preying, dismissing Eivor. Eivor went and found Gunnar. The two shared a drink before Gunnar dressed Eivor as the spirit Mari Lwyd in preparation for Samhain, in which Eivor would go around and collect free treats from locals. After gaining enough cakes, Eivor returned to Gunnar and Brigid, with the former injured from a local Briton villager named Tamas Fletcher. After Eivor and Gunnar brawled with Tamas, a woman named Modron arrived and settled the dispute, dismissing Tamas. The four were joined by Modron's daughter Gwenydd. Eivor left them to tend to Gunnar's injury and went to find Tewdwr.[152]
Eivor arrived at the Samhain festival, where she found Tewdwr and a monk named Gwilim, who challenged him in a drinking contest. The three drank together before Eivor and Tewdwr engaged in a drinking contest, with Cynon joining to spectate. After six horns of mead, the four toasted to Cynon and Tewdwr before Gwilim and Cynon left, leaving Eivor and Tewdwr alone. The two continued to drink together, with Gwilim rejoining briefly. Tewdwr apologized for his recent attitude and the two spoke of a possible alliance. The two drank together the rest of the night, having fun with each other before the morning came. Eivor awoke amidst a bloody crime scene, with Tewdwr nowhere to be seen.[152]
Eivor investigated the area and found a pouch belonging to Gwilim. Upon leaving the house, Eivor was found and accused by Cynon for the murder of Tewdwr. Eivor fended herself from Cynon's guards and snuck away, seeking Modron. Eivor found Modron alongside Gwenydd and asked her for help. Guards eventually arrived the house, causing Eivor to leave hastily, though not before receiving information on a druid named Halewyn, who would only talk to spirits. Eivor traveled to Druid's Cottage and spoke with Halewyn while wearing her Mari Lwyd disguise. Halewyn tasked Eivor with burning nearby figures of straw called wicker men. Eivor spoke with Halewyn again and answered his riddles correlating with objects around the house in order to gain his trust and make him believe that Eivor was a spirit. After answering the questions, Eivor gained information on the pouch, which did indeed belong to Gwilim, who lived in Cudd Lladron.[153]
Eivor returned to Modron at a nearby standing stone named Rollendritch. Eivor spoke of Cudd Lladron, which Modron translated to Thieves' Warren, a bandit fort on a hill west of Rollendritch. Modron led Eivor to Thieves' Warren, where they departed. Eivor infiltrated the base and overheard Tewdwr speaking with a man named Faren, who spoke of a cultist group known as the Daughters of Nimue. Eivor eventually found Tewdwr accompanied by Gwilim, who reacted to Eivor's arrival in fear. The monk explained that they had been paid by Cynon to dispose of Tewdwr. Tewdwr then fainted, and Eivor carried him back to Modron. Eivor thanked Modron for her help and asked her to help Tewdwr before setting off to get revenge on Cynon.[154]
Eivor returned to Glowecestre to seek out Cynon, eventually being led by Gewnydd, though not before spending time with the girl and watching her magic tricks. Eivor left and asked around town. She eventually found a woman named Sarah in a badger mask who told Eivor that Cynon was in St. Kenhelm's Church. Sarah asked Eivor to make a delivery, which she did. Eivor stole the key from the recipient, Geva, and entered the church, where she found Cynon on his knees praying. Cynon revealed that Modron was in on his plan, and that the two's scheme involved eliminating the future ealdorman and letting the Daughters of Nimue, which Modron lead, take control of Glowecestrescire to prevent Tewdwr from eradicating pagans. Eivor chose Cynon's fate and left to find Modron, who was in possession of Tewdwr.[155]
After navigating past various Briton and Saxon guards in Aelfwood, Eivor made her way to the Ochre Caves, where she eliminated Modron's guards and made her way to the healer's hideout. Eivor came upon a costumed Modron preparing to sacrafice Tewdwr. The two engaged in battle, with Eivor coming out victorious. Odin appeared aside Eivor, allowing her to make the decision of Modron's fate. Afterwards, Gwenydd arrived and Tewdwr awoke. Eivor explained what had happened to Tewdwr and left for the cave.[156] Eivor eventually discovered her fifth Hidden One bureau, the Temple of Ceres bureau, where she obtained the Hidden Ones' Leggings and a page of The Magas Codex.[51]
Eivor attended the burning of the Wicker Man, a ceremony symbolizing an offering to the Harvest King. There, she spoke with Gunnar and Brigid, who were eager to return home to Ravensthorpe after the ceremony.[157] The three soon returned home, with the Tewdwr as an ally.[158]
Dilemma in Snotinghamscire[]
During the winter of 876, Eivor spoke with Randvi of an alliance in Snotinghamscire. Randvi told Eivor that she had been invited to the shire by Vili, whom she had not seen in a decade. Knowing that Vili's father Hemming would being a useful ally, Eivor pledged her allegiance to Snotinghamscire and traveled to Snotingham to gain an alliance with Hemming and his cla, Clan Hemmingsons..[9]
Immediately after arriving, Eivor noticed Danes and Saxons living in peace, noting that it had indeed been ruled by Hemming Jarl. Eivor collected a tungsten ingot and set off to find her friends. During her travels, Eivor was recognized by the villagers before eventually finding Trygve, who greeted Eivor happily. Trygve told her that Vili and Hemming Jarl were at Ulkerthorpe Fort fighting Picts. Not wanting to keep their friends waiting, Eivor and Trygve set sail to the fort upstream alongside other Viking soldiers. During their voyage, the convoy was attacked by Picts. After defeating the Pict ambushers and arriving at the Tip of the Spear near Sherwood Forest, Eivor left Trygve and was greeted by other Norse soldiers before meeting Hemming Jarl himself, who looked out towards Ulkerthorpe Fort. The two conversed before being joined by Vili, who spoke words of motivation.[9]
After the conversation, Vili rallied up his men and spoke with Eivor briefly, both missing one another. The two then started up the hill towards Ulkerthorpe as Hemming rallied the men. After battling the Pictish warriors on the ground, Eivor climbed up the tallest tower of the fort and battled against the Pictish Chief Gede. Eivor defeated Gede and lifted up his spear, signifying the end of the battle.[9]
After the siege, Eivor was met by Hemming at the top of the tower, who had been injured during battle. Hemming spoke of his recent dilemmas involving the future of Snotinghamscire. Knowing that he did not have much time left, Hemming requested Eivor to help with picking the succeeding Jarl of Snotinghamscire, a decision between Trygve and Vili. Hemming also revealed that it had been him to request for Eivors's aid, not Vili. Afterwards, Eivor leapt from the tower and met with Vili below.[9] During their ride, they came across Stoneburgh on fire, where Trygve had been stationed. The two rushed to the town where they found Trygve outside, worried of the trapped villagers. Eivor and Vili worked together to save all the villagers.[159]
Following the heroic act, Trygve made note of Vili's future responsibility, which he quickly denied before retreating to Kinder Downfall. Eivor tried to intervene but was stopped by Trygve, who asked if Hemming had spoke with her. After the conversation, Eivor set off after Vili, eventually finding him at Kinder Downfall. Upon arriving, Eivor spoke with him and tried to console him, explaining that it was his duty to take upon his father's role. She also advised him to end on good terms with his father, as she herself was not able to do so. Just as she said that, a Norse warrior arrived and called for Vili, telling him that Hemming Jarl was passing. Vili rushed back to his father, with Eivor arriving shortly after. In Hemthorpe, a town belonging to the Clain Hemmingsons. Eivor and Vili met Hemming in bed, who said his final words before passing away.[159]
Vili sobbed as Trygve arrived, speaking with Eivor. The two organized a funeral to be held and Eivor sent for her clan to attend. After some time, Eivor left the grief struck Vili and traveled to Odin's Rest, which had a funeral pyre for the deceased jarl. She spoke with Trygve and Sunniva, who had arrived with gifts for Hemming Jarl. Vili eventually joined in on the conversation and the four discussed plans for the funeral. Vili brought up his funeral gift that he had planned to give to his father before his death. Vili then left, followed by Eivor, though not before she had spoke with Sunniva about her issue on choosing Snotinghamscire's next jarl.[159]
At the hall in Hemthorpe, Eivor found a distressed Trygve with an angry mob. The two spoke, with Trygve mentioning that the festivities were getting too out of hand. Eivor left and attempted to calm down the people. She found a man being attacked by roosters and defended the Norse, killing the animals and recieving his gratitude. Eivor helped a woman her voda from a burning house, and the two shared a drink afterwards. She also found another man who had fainted on a rooftop. She climbed up and carried him down safely. She later found another mob outside a house, and upon asking, found out that the man inside the house was hiding. Eivor found a secret entrance to the house and spoke with the man, a Saxon who had drenched Hemming in holy water. Eivor led the man out and got rid of the angry Norse mob before returning to Trygve.[160]
Eivor also met with Vili and helped him find get a funeral gift. Vili recieved a Raven Clan Shield from Sunniva, though Eivor mentioned that it needed it's own touch to make it unique. Vili directed Eivor to an exiled craftsman who could do so while he himself went to look for his father's spear. Eivor traveled to Peak Cavern and met with the hermit. Eivor built a cairn to prove to him she had a steady hand and heart. Eivor than picked a design, which the hermit made. Eivor retrieved the shield and returned to Hemthorpe.[161]
Eivor took Sunniva's advice and visited Hemming's seer to help decide who would be Snotinghamscire's next jarl. Eivor found the seer in her house, who led her to The Sleeping Jotun, though not before taking two sheep with her. The seer instructed Eivor to climb the mountain, consume its waters, and meditate at its peak. Eivor did so and eventually meditated.[162]
Eivor awoke and turned around to see an apparition of Hemming Jarl, who told her that it was her responsibility to choose the next jarl, though she refuted, stating that it was always his. The spirit accused Eivor of trying to take Sigurd's spot as jarl, though she refused, and the two eventually engaged in combat. Eivor eventually defeated draugr Hemming in battle before he walked to Odin, who had appeared in the skies. After Hemming went to Valhalla, Eivor awoke from her meditation and visited The Sleeping Jotun's viewpoint before heading down.[162]
Back at Odin's Rest, Eivor spoke with Sunniva, who mentioned that Trygve had no intention to be jarl. Nearby, Eivor watched an argument between Vili and Trygve, with the latter wanting to end his life, deeming himself too unfit and fragile to rule. As she spectated, Odin appeared beside her once more, telling her to claim the shire for herself. She refused, pointing out the pros and cons of both men as jarls. After eventually ending the argument, Eivor left and meditated.[163]
Eivor was woken up soon after by Sunniva, who told her that Vili had gone to chase down Picts. Eivor and Sunniva went after him, tracking him down to Odin Mine Hideout. Sunniva left and Eivor went in alone, soon finding Vili battling the Picts. Eivor joined him and the two battled the Picts before leaving the mine behind. The two made their way to Odin's Hovel, where the two sat and reminisced about their past. After a long conversation, the two rested before Vili went back to Hemthorpe, with Eivor following soon after.[163]
Eivor returned to the funeral and met with her old allies Hjorr and Halfdan, who had come to honor Hemming. Eivor gave Vili her shield and proceeded to stand by him as he gave a speech. If Trygve had not sacrificed himself, Eivor than chose the jarl of Snotinghamscire and gained an alliance with the new jarl of Clan Hemmingsons.[164] Afterwards, Eivor returned to Ravensthorpe and reported to Randvi.[165]
Wincestre and the King of Wessex[]
By 877, Hytham received another letter from "the Poor Fellow Soldier of Christ," the same moniker that had been present in Jorvik and Lunden. Eivor met with Hytham and discussed this letter before she went to speak with Randvi, who gave her more insight on Wincestre, a full Saxon city that would be dangerous to the Vikings. Eivor proceeded to Wincestre with caution.[166]
In Wincestre, Eivor found her final Hidden One bureau, the Venta Belgarum bureau.[51] After looting Suttungr's Claw and the final page of The Magas Codex, Eivor traveled to The Old Minster that was mentioned in the letter, where she spoke with a man in white that the letter had also mentioned, named Sigebeald. Sigebeald led Eivor to a room upstairs before leaving her alone. A voice spoke from behind the shelves, soon revealing himself to be none other than King Alfred himself. Eivor recalled her time in Oxenfordscire, when Alfred gave Sigurd to Fulke. Eivor then revealed that she had been responsible for killing Fulke, to which Alfred congratulated her. Alfred told Eivor of the Order of the Ancients, who had been trying to kill him.[167]
He then handed Eivor another letter from the mysterious Poor Fellow Soldier, which revealed the codenames of the three Ancients: "The Gallows", "The Quill", and "The Seax". Alfred mentioned that the Seax was a bishop named Ealhferth, who had already been dead. Eivor left to find Alfred's reeve Goodwin under the king's request, though not before receiving a warning from King Alfred to avoid causing trouble in his city.[167]
Eivor began her search at Goodwin's estate, which had been surrounded by Saxon guards. She investigated the scene and found two letters from the two remaining members of the Order. Eivor then left Goodwin's home and traveled to the Wincestre Garrison, where she freed several prisoners and found Goodwin's research papers on the members of the Order. Eivor eventually found Goodwin himself and the two escaped the garrison, regrouping outside. Eivor handed the reeve his research papers and the two spoke of Selwyn, whom Goodwin suspected to be apart of the Order.[167]
Eivor then set off to assassinate Selwyn, who was in the town market. At the market, Eivor found Selwyn along with an executioner preparing to kill a man named Hubert and his wife Leona. Eivor watched as Selwyn reprimanded the two for speaking against Bishop Ealhferth and thus King Alfred. After the executioner chopped off Hubert's head, Eivor made her move and assassinated Selwyn. In her visions, Eivor was joined by Odin once more. A tree with a noose lowered behind Selwyn, and after a tense confrontation, Selwyn was hung. Eivor retrieved the Order medallion and returned to real life, finishing the guards before leaving.[168]
Eivor reported to Alfred and Goodwin at The Nun's Minster. After watching an exchange between Alfred and a young girl, the king mentioned that Eivor had caused chaos in Wincestre. The three then discussed Eivor's next target, the Quill. Goodwin mentioned that the Quill had been reaching out to the children of the city. Alfred and Goodwin then left, and Eivor noticed the young girl that had been with Alfred moments before. After speaking with her, Eivor followed the child to a nearby area with several other children. Eivor found a boy being questioned by a guard. Eivor dealt with the guard and spoke with the boy, who had been stealing apples. Eivor asked the boy about the Quill, and was recommended to find Aelwyn and Wigbert. [169]
Nearby, Eivor found the two children setting fire to a haystack with two guards approaching them. The two kids ran off, with the guards following in pursuit. Eivor eventually found the girl, who had escaped the guard. Eivor spoke with Aelwyn and was later joined by Wigbert before two thugs approached the children, accusing them of thievery. Eivor handled the thugs, who Aelwyn revealed to belong to the Quill. The two children assured Eivor that they were not working for the Quill, and gave the Viking a key. Eivor was directed to the swers of Wincestre, where she found several enslaved children.[169]
After exploring the sewers, Eivor found herself in a corridor with a singular table. As she approached the table, Eivor heard the voice of Aelwyn and the Quill, a woman named Hilda, behind her, and realized that she had been tricked. Eivor dealt with Hilda and her guards. In her visions, Eivor was once again joined by Odin as she confronted her targe, who was surrounded by the shadows of the children she had taken. Hilda then slit her own throat with a quill and Eivor retrieved her Order medallion before returning to find Goodwin.[169]
Eivor met with Goodwin at an alehouse in Wincestre, and the two discussed the Seax, or Bishop Ealhferth, who was presumably deceased. Disbelieving the claim, Eivor went to attend Ealhferth's funeral at Saint Peter's Church. After asking around for intel, Eivor found a man named Wemba, who had recently lost his friend Leof. Eivor concluded that it was not the bishop's corpse at the funeral, but rather Leof's. Eivor then questioned Ealhferth's sister Harriet, eventually catching her off guard and gaining the truth out of her. Harriet called in her guards to fight Eivor, though they were quickly defeated. Afterwards, Eivor interrogated Harriet, who revealed that Ealhferth had faked his death and planned to overthrow King Alfred.[170]
Eivor traveled to Witan Hall, where Alfred was giving a speech. Eivor found and killed Ealhferth, who had been hidden in the crowd. In her visions, Eivor found an unmasked Ealhferth in a cemetery, surrounded by several shadow soldiers. Ealhferth gave his medallion as well as a key to Eivor before foreshadowing that the Order may become something worse. Eivor returned to the real world, where Harriet had ran into the room. Eivor asked her about the key, to which she pointed her to Ealhferth's home.[170]
Eivor arrived at the Bishop's Residence and used her key to unlock a passageway to a Temple of Mithras underneath the home. Eivor ventured into the temple and found a letter from Fulke, which she pocketed for Hytham, as well as a decree belonging to one known as "The Father". Eivor then left and returned to the Old Minster, where she found Sigebeald and Alfred among a group of guards.
As appreciation for her aid, Alfred offered to Christianize Eivor. Goodwin appeared and presented Eivor with a silver cross, which she took, though declined the offer. Alfred and Sigebeald left, ringing an intrusion bell as Goodwin pulled out his dagger. Betrayed, Eivor left the chapel and escaped Wincestre, which was full of guards searching for her.[170]
Back in Ravensthorpe, Eivor spoke with Randvi and updated her on the situation in Wincestre, mentioning that they were no longer welcomed in the city.[171]
Return to Norway[]
Later that year, Eivor spoke with Randvi, who mentioned that her presence was requested by Sigurd. She left and spoke to her brother, who told her that he believed his time in Midgard was done, and wanted to see Valhalla. He asked Eivor to accompany him back to Norway to bid farewell to their father and find Sigurd's "final destiny." Eivor spoke with Randvi, who gave her a heads-up on Styrbjorn. Afterwards, Eivor found Sigurd at the docks and eventually set sail for Norway.[172]
Confronting Styrbjorn[]
As Eivor's crew drew closer to the Norwegian shores, Eivor and Sigurd spoke of King Harald, as well as their father Styrbjorn's betrayal. The longship soon arrived in Alrekstad. The two left the longship and walked to the tavern of the town, where Styrbjorn was rumored to be staying. They overheard a man and a woman talking about Styrbjorn, mentioning that he was a helpless, broken man who never left the tavern. The two entered to find a depressed Styrbjorn, slumped over with mead at a table. Sigurd woke his father, who turned around in surprise and greeted them both. Sigurd had not returned the same joy, and angrily lashed at his father for his betrayal. Eivor too showed signs of disapproval, and after the confrontation, the two left.[173]
Eivor and Sigurd arrived at the docks, where Eivor asked her brother about the visions that he had had. Sigurd spoke of a door in Hordafylke, and the Saga Stone above it. He mentioned the Yggdrasil, and the Norse gods. Eivor also spoke of her own visions, as well as Valka's prophecy and that a great betrayal was soon to happen. The two eventually boared their longship and set off to Hordafylke. During their voyage, Eivor spoke about the affairs in England and the battle between Guthrum and King Alfred. Sigurd expressed his lack of concern for the issues in England. A blizzard eventually appeared before the longship, and they proceeded to traverse through it, eventually arriving at their destination at the shores near Goinnhellir.[173]
Seeking Valhalla[]
The two got off their longship as Sigurd commanded the crew to stay, and the two proceeded to trot through the snowstorm, eventually reaching an icy lake next to a cave entrance. Eivor broke the ice blocking the cave and the two entered, finding a large, Isu door. Near the door, Eivor found and claimed Gungnir, the spear that her past life as Odin had used. Eivor rejoined Sigurd and watched as he recited a mysterious passage of a different language, which caused the door to open. The door revealed a large Isu vault, where the two walked on an elevator-like platform. Sigurd activated the platform and the two were lowered. During their descent Eivor spoke in awe of everything she was witnessing. The two eventually arrived at the large, glowing tree that appeared in front of them: the Yggdrasil.[174]
The two ran on a long, stone road leading to the colossal, mechanical tree, where Eivor made note of Valka's mother Svala hanging from one of the six branches. The two arrived at the Vault pedestal, which Sigurd remarked on it's familiarity. Sigurd then walked to the center of the tree, where he was taken by one of the branches, which had attached on to his back and lifted him up. Eivor looked at her brother, who was unconscious and suspended in the air next to Svala. Eivor herself soon found herself in the same situation as one of the branches attached onto her back and lifted her up, rendering her unconscious as well.[174]
Eivor awoke in a room reminiscent of her own in Ravensthorpe. She looked around before walking outside, where hundreds of Einherjar warriors stood feasting in an Isu simulation of Valhalla. Eivor approached a golden gate, where she found Sigurd, with both his arms, and Svala speaking with one another. Eventually, a battle horn sounded and the golden gate opened. Eivor and Sigurd rushed out into the golden fields, where several warriors fought one another. She experienced great strength, and was able to kill any soldier in a single attack. After killing many enemy warriors, she was called by her brother, who challenged her to a fight. A ring of warriors formed around the two and the siblings dueled one another, with Sigurd eventually going down in a couple of strikes. Eivor chopped off Sigurd's right arm and felt worried, though Sigurd assured her that it was okay, and that he wasn't truly hurt. A battle horn sounded once more after the fight and the simulation reset.[174]
Eivor awoke once more in the room and walked out, hearing the same cheers and compliments as before, She found Sigurd once more, whose arm had grown back, and after a quick exchange, the battle horn went off again and the gate opened again. Eivor ran out to the field and battle more warriors before growing tired and finding Sigurd. Upon finding her brother, she saw that Sigurd had lost his right arm once again. Nearby, she spotted a warrior that appeared to be her biological father Varin, though she was not able to confirm this, as the day reset once more.[174]
Eivor awoke once again in the room and left to find Sigurd and Svala once more. She sought to find her father, and asked around the hall of the slain, though no one had found her. Eivor soon found him, though the battle gates had opened once more, and the warrior ran out. Eivor followed him and attempted to question him, though soon lost him in the field of warriors. She searched the area and found Sigurd, who had lost his arm once again before catching sight of her father. Eivor ran to the man, who turned around and revealed himself to be a regular warrior. Eivor was not disappointed for long, however, as she had been struck by a volley of arrows, one of which striking her left eye, the same eye that Havi had lost in her visions.[174]
The battle horn sounded again and Eivor awoke for the fourth time. This time, she had been greeted by Sigurd, who introduced the true Varin. However, Eivor knew that Varin had died a coward, and threw a knife at her father's head, killing him. Varin turned to dust. Concluding that her father should not have been there, Eivor began to question the simulation and it's purpose. Eivor followed Sigurd to the dining hall, where she attempted to convince Svala that the simulation was not real. She caught sight of a table full of the residents of Ravensthorpe, though they too had turned to dust. Eivor told Svala that he had not wanted to live in this world, and had made the decision to leave.[174]
After bidding farewell to Svala, Eivor went to find Sigurd in order to convince him to leave. Reluctant at first, Sigurd eventually agreed to leave the simulation. However, she was soon stopped by the ghostly Odin and was taken to the same vision state she found herself in each time she eliminated a target. Odin walked her through a collection of holograms of her past adventures and accomplishments. The Aesir ended the trip down memory lane at an archway leading to the Saga Stone, the same archway she had passed at Cyne Belle Castle. Eivor, however, refused to accept the god's offer of staying in Valhalla, and sought to leave. Angered, Odin slammed his spear Gungnir into the ground, causing a blast of golden lightning to burst, which knocked Eivor backwards.[174]
The two engaged in combat, with Eivor holding nothing but her father's axe. Eivor was continuously brought down, with her opponent not taking any damage whatsoever. Soon, a shining gate similar to the ones in Asgard appeared far away, with Sigurd standing at the base of a set of stairs. Eivor ran to Sigurd in an attempt to leave the simulation, though Odin pulled her back by controlling her axe. She continued to battle and run, each time being pulled back. Sigurd was joined by other allies, including Randvi, Gunnar, Valka, and more. Eivor eventually unequipped her axe and ran to the gates, where Odin chased after her and kicked her axe back at her. Eivor refused to stay and as Odin approached her, the shieldmaiden unleashed her Hidden Blade and swung at the god, knocking him backwards to the ground.[174]
Angered, Odin slammed Gungnir into the ground and knocked Eivor to the floor. Sigurd and Hytham ran out, with the latter helping bring Eivor to her feet. Eivor saw her parents, Varin and Rosta, at the bottom of the staircase, and embraced them. Odin stood up and grabbed onto Eivo's hand one last time, making his final offer of wisdom, power, and glory. Eivor chose her friends and family instead, and Odin was pulled backwards and dragged away, out of her sight. Eivor eventually walked out the gate and thus out the simulation with her loved ones.[174]
Basim's Betrayal[]
Eivor awoke to the Hidden One Basim holding Sigurd at hostage with a knife to his throat. Eivor walked towards Basim, who was at the bottom of the path leading up to the Yggdrasil. Basim dropped Sigurd to the ground and walked away, with Eivor chasing after him. She walked past the wall that Basim had hid behind revealing the large, moving platform she had seen earlier, where the two fought. The Hidden One used various Assassin weapons, including smoke bombs and throwing knives, as well as his sword, as he confronted Eivor for taking his son away from him. Confused, Eivor continued to reluctantly battle the traitor. After battling for some time, Basim threw a smoke bomb and climbed up a shaft and attacked her, pinning his former ally to the ground.[174]
Eivor pushed her enemy off and the plate that they had been standing on began to ascend. The two continued to fight. When they reached the top, Basim threw another smoke bomb and ran off back to Sigurd. Eivor pursued him, performing a Leap of Faith into a pile of snow in order to reach the bottom of the vault. She soon found Basim standing before Sigurd, ready to execute him. However, Eivor interrupted him and the two continued to battle in the middle of the Yggdrasil platform. Sigurd activated the Vault pedestal, causing the branch to come down and latch onto Basim's back as he was being choked by Eivor. The two watched as the defeated Hidden One was lifted into the air.[174]
Afterwards, Eivor spoke with Sigurd and the two reminisced on their past adventures before Sigurd eventually made Eivor the jarlskona of the Raven Clan before making the decision on whether or not he wanted to return to Ravensthorpe or stay in Norway.[174]
Eivor eventually returned home with her crew and was greeted by Tove. She soon approached the longhouse and sat on the jarl's chair, symbolizing the new leadership over the clan, as the Raven Clan celebrated.[175]
Pacifying England[]
Invasion of Hamtunshire[]
In 878, after some time as the new jarlskona of the Raven Clan, Eivor met with Randvi once more and pledged to Hamtunscire. Randvi told Eivor of King Alfred and his Saxon army, and that they were preparing for war. Guthrum and Ubba had gathered a large force and were planning to strike. Before Eivor left, she was stopped by Valka, who warned her that they would win the upcoming battle, but not the war. Eivor chose to go anyways, and the seer warned her to go with care.[176]
Eivor traveled southwest to Werham, where she met with her old ally Soma. Eivor previously noted the Norse and Saxon flags flying side by side. She asked of the peace, which Soma updated her friend on Guthrum, who was attempting to make peace with King Alfred. Knowing of Alfred's mischievous methods, Soma told Eivor to join Guthrum at the peace meeting. Eivor entered the church, where she found Guthrum arguing with Alfred and Goodwin. Guthrum was arguing for kingship as Eivor intervened, challenging the Saxons. The Saxon guards in the church left as Alfred made a remark on Ubba's death during the Battle of Cynwit. The two Vikings left the church in disbelief. Eivor recalled what had happened in Wincestre, and decided to command the warriors to burn the village to the ground.[176]
After burning down the village and killing the Saxon soldiers, Eivor and Soma led their Danes out of the village and into Wishtman's Wood. Along their path, they encountered more Saxons and eliminated them. Vengeful, Eivor soon defeated the enemy Saxons and their reinforcements. The group eventually arrived at a set of Roman ruins in the woods, where Eivor and Guthrum devised a plan to attack the Hamtun Blockade, where Guthrum's men were being held hostage. Before y they left, Guthrum remarked Eivor's improvement since their first encounter in Portcestre. Eivor and Guthrum set off to the blockade, which they infiltrated and liberated. Afterwards, Guthrum complimented Eivor and left to the camp at Cippanhamm, their final target.[176]
Eivor herself went to confirm Ubba's status at a camp along the River Afon underneath the Afon Blockade. She eventually found the camp and found Ubba propped up and pierced through his chest with two spears. Eivor honored her friend and read a nearby note, which was Alfred's orders to Lord Odda to attack Ubba's camp. Eivor left and reunited with Soma and Guthrum at the camp near Cippanham. Eivor confirmed Ubba's death and went to talk to all of her allies who had come to her call for aid. Among this group included Broder, Finnr, Erke, Stowe, Geadric, Bishop Deorlaf, Ljufvina, Hjorr, Hunwald, Eluric, Vili, and Tewdwr. After speaking with her allies, Eivor was ready for battle.[177]
Battle of Cippanhamm[]
At the Battle of Cippanhamm, the Eivor ran into Cippanhamm with her allies of the Great Heathen Army and beyond. As fighting and fire grew around her, Eivor entered the church of the village, in order to confront Alfred, though instead was greeted by Goodwin, who told her that Alfred had fled from battle. The two fought and Eivor eventually came out victorious. Eivor left the dead Goodwin and went outside, where he fought alongside Soma. Eivor watched as Soma continued to fight the enemy warriors, eventually being impaled by one. Soma eliminated her opponent and cheered, though was eventually killed from behind, angering Eivor. Eivor then went to help her other allies, including Guthrum, Deorlaf, and Tewdwr, who were at the village hall. Eivor helped Guthrum tie up a prisoner and then left for the Cippanhamm Garrison, where Border, Erke, and Stowe fought.[177]
Arriving at the garrison, Eivor helped opened the garrison's gates and helped secure it. She then went to found Ljufvina and Hjorr, and was told that one of the Saxon boys had been injured. Eivor looked for them and found a wounded Hunwald and carried him into a farmhouse, where he succumbed to his wounds. Eluric stayed behind as Eivor found her allies and helped them fight more Saxons. Eventually, Eivor and her allies defeated the Saxons, and gathered after the battle.[177]
Eivor went around and spoke with all of her friends. She talked to Broder, who was recovering from Brothir's death and continued to mourn for him. She spoke with Vili, who was still in the thrill of battle. Eivor then spoke with Erke, who made note of Stowe, who had been guilty of the blood at his hands. Eivor comforted the reeve and moved on to Eluric, who felt guilty over Hunwald's death. Eivor complimented the boy on his strength and then tended to Ljufvina, who was kneeled before the corpse of her husband. Surprised at Hjorr's death, Eivor comforted her at his corpse, which laid alongside that of Soma and Hunwald. She also spoke with Tewdwr, who was glad that both religions fought alongside each other and admitting that his views on the Norse paganism had changed. Eivor spoke with Geadric and Bishop Deorlaf as well, and spoke of Alfred, who had escaped.[177]
After tending to all of her allies, Eivor spoke with Guthrum and was ready to honor the deceased warriors, mainly Soma, Hunwald, and Hjorr. Eivor gave a speech to the crowd and afterwards, spoke to Guthrum, who hinted towards a spark of Christianity within him.[177] Afterwards, Eivor returned home and reported to Randvi, as well as to comfort Swanburrow.[178]
Gunnar's wedding[]
After returning home from Hamtumscire, Eivor spoke with Gunnar at his forge and convinced him to finally marry Brigid. Eivor gathered the residents of Ravensthorpe to a nearby clifftop, where a makeshift chapel was built for the ceremony. At the wedding, Eivor married the two and watched as they spoke their wedding vows before they kissed. The audience cheered and Eivor went to celebrate with the crowd, speaking with Hytham, Valka, and more. Eivor then went and found Randvi, who asked Eivor to walk with her. During their walk, the two reflected on the success of Eivor as Raventhorpe's leader, as well as Randvi's hidden feelings for Eivor. After sharing a moment at a river, the two returned to the wedding.[179]
Purging the Order[]
During her adventures in England, Eivor aided Hytham in ridding England of the Order of the Ancients. Aside from Kjotve, Wigmund, Fulke, Gorm, and Herefrith, as well as the targets in Lunden, Jorvik, and Wincestre, Eivor also assassinated many members of the Order of the Ancients throughout various other areas of England, including Hunta in Ledecetre and Leofgifu in Utbech, both of whom she had gained intel on from Hytham when she first built the Hidden Ones bureau in Ravensthorpe. Gorm's death in England marked the end of the Wardens of War sect of the Order.[180]
Eivor had fought and defeated several Zealots of the Order during her travels which had been scattered throughout England. This included Eorforwine and Kendall in Grantebridgescire, Redwalda in Ledecestrescire, Cola and Osgar in Lincolnscire, Wuffa in East Anglia, Horsa and Cudberct in Oxenfordscire, Wealdmaer in Sciropescire, Woden in Cent, Heike in Essexe, Hrothgar in Suthsexe, Beorhtsige in Glowecestrescire, Callin in Eurviscire, and Bercthun in Hamtunscire. Heike, Woden, and Hrothgar all held artifacts known as Treasures of Britain which Eivor looted as well.[180]
Eivor recieved a hint from Leofgifu that led her to Saint Albanes Abbey and eventually to Oxenforda, where she assassinated a Warden of Wealth, a blacksmith named Patrick. In Lincoln, Eivor found and assassinated Havelok, who was apprentice to Eivor's old foe Herefrith. At the docks of Buckingham, a shipbuilder named Mucel was another target of Eivor, and was eventually killed while he was on a break from his job. Mucel's death led Eivor to a set of clues that brought her to the Forest Hideout in Theotford Forest of East Anglia. These four deaths, along with that of Wigmund and Herefrith, led Eivor to the Maegester of the Wardens of Wealth, Tatfrid, who she found and assassinated in Grantebridge.[180]
Killing Havelok or Bercthun led Eivor to Beneseck of Bath, a man who oversaw a graveyard at Brimclif Monastery. Eivor and her crew eventually raided the monastery, with Beneseck being one of the many casualties. Eivor also assassinated a woman named Heika in Colcestre, where she was selling poisonous fish. In Fearnhamme, Hamtumscire, Eivor found and killed Yohanes Loukas while he was walking through the streets of the town. Eivor finished off the Wardens of Faith branch by hunting down their Maegester, Sister Blaeswith. Eivor found and assassinated the nun in Canterbury.[180]
In Glowecestre, Eivor eliminated Eanbhert, whom she had found off a clue from Hunta. The clue off of Eanbhert led the shieldmaiden to Quatford, where she assassinated another Ancient named Tata as he stood by the stables of the town. Tata's death gave Eivor a clue to her next target, which she followed to Ledecestre and Cweornric before arriving at Repton, where she located and assassinated her target, a woman named Gunilla. Eivor turned her attention the the last member of the Wardens of Law, the Maegester Reeve Derby. Eivor traveled northward to Picheringa and assassinated the leader of the Wardens of Law, ending their activities.[180]
After the Battle of Cippanhamm in 878, Eivor had assassinated all four leaders, as well as Fulke during the Siege of Portcestre, and soon reported to Hytham.[180] Hytham told Eivor that he had received a letter, one from the Poor Fellow-Soldier of Christ, the same mysterious title who has been helping Eivor since Lunden. The person requested to meet Eivor at Athelnay. Hytham suspected the identity of the Poor Fellow-Soldier to be Basim, and Eivor set off to confirm his identity. Eivor took and read the letter, which stated that Poor Fellow-Soldier would help him find and kill her last target-the Grand Maegester of the Order.[181]
Eivor traveled to Athelnay, where she found and spoke to one of the villagers, who told her to pass time as she waited for her mysterious friend. Eivor went to a nearby tree and napped, though was later awoken by a conversation between a woman and man, who happened to be none other than Alfred the Great himself.[182]
Eivor went to the former king and spoke with him, surprised that he was tending cakes for the villagers. The two walked for a bit as Alfred explained that he had found peace in his new life. Eivor then asked who the Grand Maegester was, and Alfred handed her his Order medallion, revealing himself to be the Grand Maegester as well. Alfred told the surprised Eivor that he had inherited that title, and did not agree with their defiance of God. Alfred told Eivor that he and Goodwin planned to destroy the Order from within, and with help from Eivor, managed to do so successfully. Alfred also mentioned that he planned to form a new, Christian order for the "betterment of man." Alfred then left to tend to more cakes, though not before giving Eivor a key to his study.[182]
Eivor traveled back to Wincestre and made her way to The Old Minister, where she found Alfred's study on the second floor and unlocked it. Inside, Eivor read a multitude of papers, including a commentary that mentioned the Order's Father of Understanding, Mother of Wisdom, and Sacred Voice, and that Alfred's new order would only follow the one true Father of Understanding. She also read a letter from Alcuin of Eororwic to Charlemagne which explained the Isu, their artifacts, and the reborn Isu, which Alcuin wanted Charlemagne to eradicate. She lastly read a letter from Goodwin, whose men had followed Eivor and Sigurd home after the Assault on Tamworth Fortress with the Sons of Ragnar, and had found the Hidden One Hytham, who could be used to help eradicate the Order.[182]
Eivor then left the study and returned to Hytham to reveal the identity of the Poor Fellow-Soldier, as well as the Grand Maegester. Hytham, who knew that Eivor now had experience with the Hidden Ones' enemies, asked if Eivor had wanted to join their cause, though Eivor declined the offer, as she didn't like the idea of staying hidden in the shadows. After giving Hytham all of the Order medallions, including Alfred's, Eivor was taught several new abilities and was granted Thor's Cape in gratitude for helping the Hidden Ones.[180]
Eivor also turned in the six pages of The Magas Codex she had found throughout England, to which he had acceepted gleefully and remarked on the little history they had. Hytham mentioned that the merchant Reda had known more, so Eivor paid the child a visit. Reda mentioned that he had a piece of text from an Egyptian named Bayek, which was one of his rarest artifacts. Eivor read the letter, in which Bayek told his wife of a codex that had been passed around to the acolytes of various bureaus that had named her as one of the founders of the Hidden Ones. To protect her, Bayek advised her to destroy all pages of The Magas Codex. After reading the letter, Eivor left Reda's stand.[51]
The Converts[]
Raid and capture[]
In the late 9th century, Eivor led a raid on Readingum Abbey. Unbeknowst to the Abbey Eivor had disguised herself and an ally as christians so as her men attacked from the nearby forest she and her ally slipped into the fortress on a cart, acting as if the vikings were chasing them. The two infiltrated the abbey in the panic and made their way to the Copyist chamber were their price was, a young monk named Edward. She gave Edward the choice between going with her or losing his hands. He chose the former and Eivor dragged him out of the church before setting fire to it.[183]
As they made their way outside with the boy Edward questioned if they were going take any treasure, to which Eivor responded that they had surveilled the monastery for weeks and deemed Edward was the true treasure due to being the region's best copyist. Eivor fended off a couple guards on their way and the three of them made it to the wall overlooking the river. As a longship passed in the river beneath them, Edward questioned Eivor about what they would do to him if the ransom was not paid, to which she responded in jest that he could hazard a guess considering how much the monks wrote on Vikings. And the trio jumped into the boat.[183]
Back in Ravensthorpe[]
Bringing the captured monk back to the Ravensthorpe, Eivor gave the boy to Hytham who took Edward under his wing and put him to work in his bureau. A month passes and edward escapes his captivity two times but is always recaptured by the hunter Niels. Needing to speak with her friend she makes an excuse that exotic wares had arrived that Hytham needed to help with so the two left Edward alone in the bureau. Having seen Hytham be impressed by Edward she reminds Hytham to not get too attached to Edward saying hes even more undisciplined than she was when Hytham offored her to join his Order. Hytham explained that Having skills whom are interesting for his order doesn't mean joining it. Eivor then asked about Niels and hytham acknowledged he too had impressive skills.[183]
Unbeknownst to the both of them had Edward escaped for a third time, this time making it out into the woods before Niels dragged him back to the settlement. Eivor and Hytham joined by Sigurd met up with niels at the edge of the settlement but before they could share a word Niels father Gunnar entered the scene, punching his son in the face and shouting on him leaving their farm unattended. Sigurd breaks up the fight and starts asking what they were going to do with Edward. Eivor wasnt very inspired when having captured Edward and Hytham budds in that he still could be useful, but Eivor objected and said he never obeyed anyone and that since Niels had captured him three times that he should get the say on the matter. Niels did not care for Edward, angering his father who once again swung at his son. Niels this time dodged his father blow and hit him in the leg, felling him to the ground. Niels then freed Edward and went on his way. Eivor asked Hytham if he still was interested in these young men with Hytham answering he was, more than ever.[183]
Later on in the day Hytham went over to Gunnars home and bought Niels from his abusive father, tasking him on a mission for his order. preparing to leave Hytham and Eivor joined Niels to the edge of Ravensthrope. Niels was still unsure on the mission Hytham was sening him on, to travel to Lunden and join Hythams ally in the Lunden bureau. Hytham reassured Niels and Eivor noted that Hytham once asked her to jump off a cliff and that she thought in that moment that he was mad, but that hytham asking her that was a important step for her saga. Niels thanked Eivor and looked back towards his home, waiting for a moment more but Eivor told Niels that his father wasnt going to come. In a hurry Edward arrived, wishing to join Niels. And so the Two went off away from Ravensthorpe.[183]
Niels return[]
A few weeks later Niels returned to Ravensthorpe, sitting down with Hytham, Sigurd and Eivor in the longhouse for a drink. He explained all that had happened during his adventure, their travels through Pictish territories and the Loch Ness Temple hidden in the lake. Hytham's ally Adelaïde's death and the destruction of the Artifact and the vault it was held in. Hytham shocked asked if that was all of the story, if he had saved Adelaïde. Sigurd also perturbed commented on that he didnt save the artifact. Eivor stopped both the men and said that Niels saved himself, which was already a good thing. Niels continued to explain that when the vault started collapsing Edward dived into the water to save the codex, niels followed but couldn't save the codex but that he could save Edwards life. Hytham questioned where Edward then was which Niels answered with that he couldn't save his soul. And that his heart hadnt been changed from the journey.
Niels handed over Adelaïde's hidden blade to Hytham which he said Niels deserved as a hidden one. But Niels stood his ground and said he hadnt changed to their side. Hytham that Niels could have a goal and a family with his group which Niels said he didnt need. Niels told hytham that the monks he had seen were not so different from the hidden ones, that they were always looking for a good time to kill. Hytham argued against saying that they had been fighting for the opressed for centuries. Niels stood up from the table and as he was walking out he told hytham that they should have already won and that in a thousand years his group would still be fighting the same war. Hytham was utterly shocked by Niels words and stood there in silence. Eivor then handed him a mug of mead, saying that to pass the bitter taste of truth mead works the best.[183]
Eivor's Explorations[]
Aside from occasional visits to Norway, Vinland, Ireland, Francia, and the Isle of Skye, Eivor spent majority of her adult life in England.[3]
The Lost Drengir of Ragnar Lothbrok[]
During Eivor's adventures, she also encountered the Lost Drengir of Ragnar Lothbrok, six elite Vikings that served the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok. Northeast of Fornburg, Eivor met her first Lost Drengir, Erik Loyalskull, and challenged him in Hildesvini's Crag, in Rygjafylke, northeast of Fornburg. Eivor defeated the Viking and sent him to Valhalla. In East Anglia, northeast of Northwic, Eivor found and challenged Thor the Fish Monger, successfully defeating him as well. In Eurviscire, Eivor defeated Gotafrid Fairrobes south of the Cnuic Fhada Ruins, and Nokkfylla Shine-Eye at Brunton Turret along Hadrian's Wall. In Snotinghamscire, Eivor killed Skegjold Frenzy-Seeker in Thynghowe, and lastly, the shieldmaiden fought and killed Orwig Neverdeath north of Arlekstad in Hordafylke.[184]
After killing all of Ragnar's lieutenants, Eivor acquired a scroll recalling Ragnar Lothbrok's death. She then traveled to the location of his death, east of Jorvik, and found the snake pit in which the legendary Viking was killed. Eivor dropped down into the pit and killed the snakes, finding the cage that he had been held in. Eivor reimagined the scene, with Ragnar angry at King Aella, and the Ragnar's Drengir arriving too late to save him. Eivor then found a shiny glint in the soil. She bent down and brushed off the dirt to find Drengiligr, Ragnar's weapon forged from Damascus steel. Eivor took the seax and left.[184]
Legendary Animals[]
Aside from the regular animals she encountered throughout her life, Eivor also fought larger or more hostile variants of these animals, creatures only said to be myths. Most of these Legendary Animals were marked by Wallace in the Hunter's Hut in Ravensthorpe. Eivor's first animal was the Elk of Bloody Peaks, west of Fornburg in Rygjafylke. Upon defeating the massive elk, Eivor chopped off it's head as a trophy, and returned it to Wallace in exchange for a tattoo scheme.[3]
Throughout her adventures, Eivor fought many more Legendary Animals, such as the Black Shuck, an oversized black dog in East Anglia northeast of Sutton Hoo. Once again, Eivor defeated it and claimed it's head. In Sciropescire, Eivor battled the Beast of the Hills, a large grizzly bear in the sewers of the Uriconium Ruins. In Oxenfordscire, Eivor battled three dangerous wolves that made up The Corpse Feeders. In Lincolnscire, Eivor battled a massive, stripped wolf known as the Gemad-Wulf in the ruins of Caistor Lupus. In Suthsexe, Eivor battled Aelfred's Battle-Sow, a white bull said to belong to King Alfred himself. In Eurviscire, north of Snotingham, Eivor battled a legendary boar known as The Blood Swine, and in Hordafylke she fought the Bear of The Blue Waters, a large polar bear on the island of Bolrikbjorn. Eivor's last target were the Wildcats of the Weald, two deadly lynxes in Hamtunscire.[3]
Eivor received many gifts from Wallace for submitting the animal heads, including a variety of tattoo schemes and settlement decoration schemes, as well as Vordr's Bite and Petra's Arc.[3]
Eivor also battled four more unmarked animals, including O Yan Do' Ne in Vinland and two more on her later journeys to Ireland and Francia. In her visions as Havi, the All-Father battled Steinnbjorn, a massive bear in Jotunheim.[3]
The Daughters of Lerion[]
Near and in East Anglia, Eivor fought and the defeated three daughters of the late wealthy ealdorman Lerion, who had been executed over a decade earlier. After battling Regan, Goneril, and Cordelia in Walsham Crag Spalda Fens, and Berkelow Bog respectively. Each Daughter also held a piece of Thor's Set that Eivor looted from them, with Regan holding Thor's Battle Plate, Goneril holding Thor's Breeches, and Cordelia holding Thor's Gauntlets. Eivor also received a dagger from each of them, which she used as a key in Lerion's Estate to access and gain Thor's Helmet, completing the gear set.[3]
With the four armor pieces, as well as the cape that she had recieved from Hytham previously, Eivor was able to lift and collect the mythical Mjölnir in Norway, in between Goinnhellir and the Ulvannos Iron Mine.[3]
Finding Excalibur[]
Throughout her life, Eivor also explored eight caves much like Wiccan's Cave she had explored in Eurviscire. Each contained an artifact known as a Treasure of Britain. Eivor also collected three more Treasures of Britain from the Zealots Heike, Woden, and Hrothgar. With eleven of these tablets in possession, Eivor traveled to Myrddin's Cave, which led to the Isu Barracks underneath Stonehenge, Eivor put in the eleven artifacts, with another already in place for her, to unlock the chamber. Upon entering, Eivor found and pulled out a Sword of Eden known as Excalibur.[3] Eivor's acquisition of Excalibur also caught the attention of a mysterious faction known as the Women of the Mist.[185]
Meeting Azar[]
Circa 878, Eivor met a Persian trader at the docks named Azar who requested to meet with Hytham. She soon aided Azar and cleared a nearby blockade to start her trade with Ravensthorpe. Eivor then learned of an invitation sent by her cousin Bárid mac Ímair, who had become the king of Dublin without her knowing.[186]
River Raids[]
Circa 870s, Eivor found Sunniva with a stranger at the docks of Ravensthorpe. She spoke with the two, and Sunniva introduced the man as Vagn, who had a crew of Jomsvikings and was looking to join Ravensthorpe. Eivor requested nothing but hard work and loyalty, though Vagn offered something more-knowledge on the unmapped rivers of England. Raidng such rivers would provide more resources for the settlement. Eivor built a River Raid Dock, then spoke to Vagn again, who had approved of the dock. Sunniva left and Eivor met with Vagn to prepare to sail the new rivers.[187]
The two boarded Vagn's longship with his Jomsviking crew. They then set sail and arrived in River Exe. As they sailed, Vagn spoke to Eivor about the river, saying that it had once been a smuggling route for Roman traders. They then arrived at and raided Keats Farm and killed the enemy Saxons before looting their goods, including a big ration chest which granted rations for Eivor and the raiders. Eivor returned to the longship and continued sailing as Vagn warned her to stay alert of stronger forces farther into the river.[187]
Eivor then raided a military outpost, where she looted a foreign cargo chest filled with foreign supplies before returning to Vagn. Eivor commented on Vagn's lack of participation in the raid, to which he responded that he no longer raided and was more of a captain. Eivor then raided another monastery and looted another chest before returning home to Ravensthorpe. At home, Vagn, who mentioned Eydis' reputation and wanted to build a seperate Jomsviking Hall for his own Jomsvikings to avoid bothering Eydis. Eivor soon built the Jomsviking Hall for Vagn and his crew, which attracted several more Jomsvikings throughout the years.[187]
The next time Eivor spoke with Vagn, she was told of a set of lost armor belonging to Saint George. Vagn told her of legends of the saint's legacy scattered throughout England, though his scouts had recently uncovered hints of the armor set and made a map for Eivor for both River Exe and River Severn.[188]
Eivor eventually explored both rivers, finding the saint's Tower Shield and Cape in River Exe,[189], and his Bracers and Trousers in River Severn.[190] In both rivers, Eivor found two clues leading to more pieces of Saint George's armor at Escanceaster Monastery in River Exe and Northern Monastery in River Severn. These clues pointed to a third river, River Dee, which Vagn marked on Eivor's map.[191]
In River Dee, Eivor raided multiple more monasteries and military camps, eventually coming across Saint George's Armor and Great Helm.[192] With only one piece of the armor left, Eivor sailed to Deva Victrix, where she battled and defeated the River Champion there and claimed Saint George's Holy Sword for herself. Upon returning to Vagn, the Jomsviking congratulated her on finding the full set, and hinted towards future legends being found.[193]
Travels in Caledonia[]
Fighting the Picts[]
Later the same year beyond Hadrian's Wall, Eivor led a group of her clansmen within Caledonia to combat the invading Picts. Within a battle between her group and a group of Picts, Eivor was aided by both Hytham and his new apprentice, Niamh of Argyll. After the battle, she welcomed Hytham with a hug and noticed Niamh's presence. As Hytham explained Niamh being a new initiate, she quickly accompanied them back to her war camp. Within the camp, Eivor was told of Niamh's recent work and then stated to Niamh of her work to live in peace with all people, in contrast to other Vikings. However, she had to talk with Hytham about recent events within England as they left Niamh with Eivor's warriors.[194]
Losing Excalibur[]
Within Eivor's private tent, Eivor discussed about the ongoing Order influence and their recent partnership with the Descendants of the Round Table, but noted she had to answer the call to Ireland first. Eivor unsheathed Excalibur within her tent as both soon left the tent to find Niamh, who unknowingly was hidden behind Eivor's bed.[194] After a brief moment, she and Hytham soon found a quiet Niamh walking by. Stopping Niamh, Eivor and Hytham talked with her about the nunnery as Niamh tried to leave the conversation. However, she noticed something strange within Niamh's sheath and asked Niamh whose sword she held. With no response, Eivor drew Hytham's sword and accused Niamh of stealing Excalibur for the Order. Eivor engaged Niamh in a heavy fight while Niamh explained she needed it for her people in Avalon before running away. Eivor soon sent her men to track down Niamh, but to no avail. At this moment, Eivor lost ownership of Excalibur.[195]
Wrath of the Druids[]
Traveling to Ireland[]
Circa 879, Eivor once again met with Azar as she agreed to go meet her cousin. Soon, she and Azar set sail and arrived in Dublin.[196]
Helping Bárid[]
At Dublin's docks, Eivor met with Bárid as they embraced each other and talked about their pasts. However, she soon came into a physical confrontation with Bárid's son, Sichfrith, who was disrespectful of his father's choices. Afterwards, she accompanied Bárid to her uncle's grave but were ambushed by Norse warriors, who worked under a thief named Thorstein. Realizing the problem, Eivor promised to find and deal with Thorstein personally.[197] The next day, she spoke with Sichfrith about any info about the thief. Soon, her trail led to investigate Dubgaill Landing and she soon apprehended him in a cave underneath the camp. She brought him to Bárid, who exiled him in order to show "Christian" mercy, garnering favor from Flann Sinna.[198]
To help Bárid with a gift for Flann's coronation as High King of Ireland, Eivor helped Azar retake Rathdown after ridding the smugglers within the ringfort. However, needing to supply and rebuild, she raided Lambay Abbey, acquired all the supplies, and rebuilt the settlement. She later met with Azar in Dublin and traded the furs from Rathdown for spices, a gift for Flann from Bárid.[199] As Eivor and Bárid readied themselves, Bárid noted that Flann's poetess Ciara ingen Medba was supposed to meet them. Soon, she found and saved Ciara from drunk Northmen as they soon rejoined Bárid to travel to the Hill of Tara for Flann's coronation.[200]
Expanding Flann Sinna's rule[]
While at Tara, Eivor and Bárid were warned of a priest being absent and from their investigation, they found a blood trail. Leading them to Annagh Doo, they found that bandits were hired to kill Flann, killing them in response. Back at Tara, Eivor and other attendees watched Flann be crowned by the Abbot Eogan mac Cartaigh at the Lia Fáil.[200] Traveling to Durrow, she and Bárid met with Flann to initiate an alliance, yet the High King noted that during the coronation, thieves from Dublin stole the coveted Book of Kells. Offering to help, Eivor vowed to return the book and traveled to Inchroe to find it.[201]
However, Eivor infiltrated the bandit stronghold and found Thorstein again but no book. She was soon informed that the book was sold to a cult conducting their business at Boyne Tombs. Traveling there, she scoured the tomb and retrieved the book from the druid warriors. Heading back to Durrow, she met with both Flann and Eogan and gave him the book, much to the abbot's irritation. Nevertheless, Eivor and Bárid gained some trust from the High King.[201] Soon, she met with Ciara in King's Land and was informed of royal demands sent to Flann by kings of Meath. Thus, she offered to resolve the demands and garnered support from the kings of the county for the High King.[202]
Taking hold of Connacht[]
Arriving in Knockfree, Eivor met with Flann before their discussion for their next step of the conquest in Connacht.[203] Devising to break inside Cashelore, she offered to be a spy and break the gates open from the inside. Sleuthing to the interior of the fortress, she opened the gates as Flann and his forces flooded the ringfort. Within moments, they all overran the fortress. Soon, Eivor celebrate with Flann, Bárid, and Ciara for their success.[204] However, tensions arose once Eivor found Bárid accused of poisoning Flann's soldiers. Along with Ciara, she looked for the truth and a cure for the poisoned soldiers.[205]
Fighting the Children of Danu[]
Following Ciara to Asfinn, Eivor met with druidic priestess Deirdre Na Linni as they discussed the Children of Danu being responsible for the poison and as well as its cure. Swiftly, she followed clues about a member called "The Wren" around Connacht. Investigating Port Auley and Lough Gara, she found out that The Wren was a poetess named Niamh, who was hidden at Rathcroghan. Infiltrating the guarded settlement, Eivor found Niamh and assassinated her. Claiming Niamh's amber shard, she returned to Deirdre and Ciara as the priestess created the cure. As Ciara left to deliver it, Eivor found a clue about another member, "The Cursed," being responsible for the poison.[205]
Before leaving Asfinn, Eivor was tasked by Deirdre to find and kill the rest of the Children of Danu around Ireland and return their amber shards.[206] She traveled to Tuam to find any clues about The Cursed and found an underground cave beneath the village. Within the cave, she found clues of The Cursed's upcoming ritual. After meeting with Ciara, both went to Carnagan, a common ritual site. Arriving there, they found tracks of a púca and followed its trail. However, they were soon attacked by it before managing to fight it off.[207]
Following the tracks, Eivor and Ciara arrived at Lackanscaul, where they hear The Cursed performing her ritual. Attacking the High Druid and her acolytes, Eivor and Ciara defeated and killed them, but not before The Cursed revealed Ciara's former ties to the cult. Reconvening at Lough Glendallon, she and Ciara discussed about the poetess' past and how Flann may not be her ally in the end.[207]
Taking hold of Ulster[]
Afterwards, Eivor found herself back Cashelore and discussed with her allies about their next steps. While Bárid met with the kings of Aileach, Eivor aided Flann's cause by resolving royal demands from the kings of Ulster.[208] Meeting with Flann at Clogher, she was informed no word was heard from Bárid and that she needed to infiltrate the village with little to no bloodshed. Needing a King's Pass, Eivor traveled to Donegal and stole a pass from one of the Vikings there. Venturing to Aileach, she found herself in a throne room, meeting with Kings Niall Glúndub and Domnall mac Áeda and seeing a seemingly drunk Bárid.[209]
From their conversation, Eivor saw Bárid faking his drunk state and secretly informed her that the kings imprisoned people within their ringfort. Under a guise of Donegal Dane, she left the room and went to free the prisoners. Soon, she joined her cousin to interrogate the kings, who revealed that Abbot Eogan forced to hold the prisoners there and that he was mounting a force against Flann. While Bárid kept the kings in custody, Eivor rushed back to Clogher to assure Flann left.[209]
Eogan's betrayal[]
Eivor arrived to see Flann leave but the High King refused the intel due to his bias against the Vikings. After Bárid arrived, Eivor and her allies were soon swarmed by Eogan's men. Fighting off the onslaught, they managed to hold the abbot's men but lost many soldiers in the process. After the ambush, Eivor soon found Bárid dying from his injuries. She prepared him for Valhalla as he made her promise to help Sichfrith earn Flann's support. Soon, she and her allies found themselves in Dublin, paying respects to Bárid's grave. In the process, she and Flann agreed to support and aid Sichfrith's ascent and reign as King of Dublin.[210]
Vengeance for Bárid[]
In 881, Eivor assisted and calmed down Sichfrith's rage towards the abbot as Azar informed Armagh's forces halted his weapon delivery. Promising to remedy the situation, she was informed of the Children of Danu being responsible and the situation caused by a member called "The Seed".[211] Following Azar's clue, she investigated Movilla Abbey and soon was on the track of another Child of Danu, "The Deer". After finding and assassinating the druid in disguise,[206] she discovered the Seed's identity and location at Dunseverick. At the fortress, she found and assassinated Bécc, only to discover that Eogan was actually the leader of the druid cult.[211]
By 882, while meeting Flann and Sichfrith, Eivor and her allies devised of their plans to storm Armagh while informing them of Abbot Eogan's true allegiance. After their war conference, she and her forces sieged Armagh and soon she and Flann made their way into the settlement's church. There, they confronted the Abbot Eogan as they revealed their knowledge of his true ties. Nevertheless, she and Flann attacked and killed Eogan, whose last words were to confuse Flann of Ciara's true intentions. With the Ollamh Druid dead, Eivor and her allies won the day and avenged Bárid.[212]
Ciara's last stance[]
Eivor joined a meeting between Flann and the kings of Ireland at Durrow, which led to a decision to exile or convert the druids to Christianity. She soon checked on Ciara, who was bereft at the choice and left Durrow immediately. Being dosed, Eivor woke up to Flann as both felt the ground shake. Looking in the distance, they saw the Lia Fáil activated and went to investigate. Arriving at Tara, they found Ciara using the stone's power to control all the surrounding soldiers. With no choice, Eivor and Flann had to kill the soldiers to survive. Yet, she witnessed Flann being controlled by Ciara's power and thus wounded him.[213]
Quickly, Eivor fought with Ciara, angered at Flann and her for going against the goal of protecting her people. After a lengthy fight, she beat Ciara and made her see that the Children of Danu's wish came true from her abuse of power. While Ciara realized the damage she wrought, Eivor convinced her to destroy the Lia Fáil, which she did by whispering a sentence to the artifact, with Ciara disappearing after the events transpired. After the stone was destroyed, time passed as Eivor met with Flann at Bárid's grave. There, she and Flann agreed to a friendship and his promise to advise and guide Sichfrith. Leaving Flann, she met with Sichfrith and wished him well as she completed her main objective for Bárid.[213]
Eradicating the Children of Danu[]
Through her travels in Ireland, Eivor also hunted down and assassinated every other member of the Children of Danu as she collected their amber shards.[206] Back at Asfinn, she supplied the shards to Deirdre, who gave her a concoction to face Balor. After she drank Deirdre's mixture, it sent Eivor on a hallucinogenic vision where she fought and defeated a manifestation of Balor for possession of his spear. Eventually, as Eivor grasped the spear with both hands and pulled it from his back, the vision ended when she found that she had miraculously extracted the previously stuck Gae Bolg from the monolith infront of her. Afterwards, she met with Deirdre, who thanked her for eliminating the Children of Danu and wished her farewell.[214]
Aiding Azar[]
While in Ireland, Eivor also assisted by clearing any unwanted presence in ransacked ringforts and re-establishing them as trade posts. After refurbishing all the ringforts, she rebuilt up Dublin as a major trade city.[215] With Dublin being internationally renowned for its trade, Eivor met with Azar, who had mentioned her past to her, especially being betrayed by her former partner, Konstantinos. She was soon informed of his arrival and promised to bring him to Azar. Finding Konstantinos, she restrained him and brought him to Azar's shop. There, Eivor left him to Azar, who dealt with him slowly and painfully.[216]
Meeting Hildiran[]
Circa 883, a meteor seemed to land near Ravensthorpe. Eivor went to investigate the crash site and encountered Hildiran, who was also inspecting it, the impact from the meteor seemed to have revealed a hidden Door behind the rocks. Unbeknownst to the Jarlskona the woman had in reality used a device to bring forth the illusion of a meteor landing while herself had dug open the cliff wall. She convinced Eivor to let her stay and eivor helped set up a house and training area for the older woman. Hildiran promised to teach her the art of Hugrheim, a form of battle meditation named for the eponymous mental realm where warriors knowledgeable of the technique could train. Eivor wasn't convinced by her words but after the old woman won a brief fight with her, she became interested in learning her tricks. Hildiran proceeded to show her Freya's medallion, activating the Isu device and making both Eivor and Hildiran to enter a simulated space in their minds. After the two fought again, they were brought back to the normal world. Hildiran quickly told to the amazed Eivor that only after the medallion with the energy created in battle, she would be able to open the door to the temple.[217]
Eivor then travelled to each one of the Shrines of the Valkyrie scattered throughout England and completed various series of meditation challenges[217], eventually filling the amulet and bringing it back to Hildiran, who had spent much of her time clearing away the rubble from the door. After finally opening the gate, the women entered a small isu vauöt. Inside were three large archways carved into the walls, gateways to nowhere that impossibly contained cold fog spilling over stalactites and stalagmites, rubble covered in still-living vines, and a falling river of fire. The chamber was flooded in ankle-deep water save for a single stone path to the center, where the compass hidden millenia ago rested on a small plinth.[218]
Hildiran quickly spotted in and told Eivor to grab it. As the Viking stepped forward, the medallion and the Eye interacted with each other. The Eye's outer shell glowed white and spinned as it briefly hovered and projected glyphs, before the amulet's light deactivated it, settling it back in its spot. The old woman then demanded to Eivor give her the device, Eivor put the medallion back into her satchel and gave Hildiran Odin's eye.[218]
The Siege of Paris[]
A call to Francia[]
Later in 886, as Ravensthorpe was celebrating Sigrblot, Eivor was entreated by Toka Sinricsdottir and her advisor, Frankish rebel Pierre, to support Toka's uncle Sigfred, jarl of Clan Elgring, in besieging the Frankish city of Paris.[219] Traveling with Toka and Pierre, she arrived in Francia to meet Sigfred in Melun.[220] Upon arrival, she traveled through southern Melunois and arrived in Melun, only to hear that Sigred was outside the settlement.[221]
At the Burial Mounds, Eivor and Toka met with Sigfred and talked about his late brother Sinric and their fight against King Charles. Afterwards, they traveled back to Melun's longhouse and began to talk further. However, their festivities were soon cut short by an ambush of Frankish soldiers led by Bishop Engelwin. While the bishop left his troops to attack, Eivor, Sigfred, and Toka fought and killed the intruders. Instantly, Sigfred left while Eivor was told that Engelwin was behind Sinric's death. She soon considered the option of finding a truce with King Charles before doing a siege.[221]
Hunting Engelwin[]
Eivor followed Sigfred and found him in an underground passage as they go towards Paris' slums. There, she asked Sigfred to help to meet Charles as they see Count Odo of France and Brother Gozlin addressing the public. Promising Sigfred to find Engelwin, she ventured within Paris and followed any clues she could find. Eventually, she found his location to be at Sainte-Geneviève Church. Inside, she attained the Bellatores Robe and found herself below the church. There, Eivor saw her target and managed to assassinate him, ending his plans.[222]
Upon retrieving a crest from Engelwin's effects, Eivor searched through Engelwin's secret quarters and found information about Charles' current whereabouts. At the Boatmen Baths Tavern, she figured out Charles was in a secret room beneath the tavern. Finding a way inside, she talked with Charles about Engelwin's death and wanting peace instead of war. However, she was assigned a task to find and rescue Queen Richardis. Eivor later reconvened with Sigfred and Toka at Melun where she later saw Elgring Clan's scouts' mutilated bodies. Talking with Toka and Pierre, she was informed that Richardis was last seen in Evreux, but was told she was alone due to Frankish attack on their warriors.[223]
Saving the Queen[]
Arriving in Evreux, Eivor caught wind of a church service led by Euphrasia, also known as "Little Mother." However, due to the nun's sermon, Eivor detected that the nun knew more about Richardis' current location. Although the nun left, she investigated the town and spoke to parishioners, only to learn of Aquila's deliverances.[224] Eivor also traveled to Little Mother's House on the words of a soldier and found out that Little Mother belonged to the same group that Engelwin was part of and that she kidnapped the Queen.[225]
Eivor learned about Euphrasia's chambers within the crypt of Aquila. Maneuvering her way within the crypt, she infiltrated the deliverance ceremony where Euphrasia prepared to kill the queen. Luckily, Eivor assassinated Little Mother and rescued the queen from sudden death. Escaping together, Eivor was led by Richardis elsewhere away from Charles.[225] Upon their journey, they arrived in Lisieux as she was informed that Engelwin and Euphrasia were part of a group of religious zealots called the Bellatores Dei. There, Eivor met Bernard, Charles' illegitimate son, and was told Charles' son must be kept away from his father and his dark presence.[226]
After leaving Bernard safely, Eivor and Richardis traveled to Charles' camp and met with King Charles. However, their meeting went sour as Bernard was not in attendance. Thus, Eivor was betrayed as Charles left both her and his wife to be attacked by his soldiers. Fortunately, she fought and killed the soldiers and saved Richardis once again. Realizing Charles' behavior, Eivor knew Sigfred and saw Richardis leave to find Bernard and hide in the slums. After the queen left, she went to meet with Sigfred and plan the upcoming siege.[226]
A parley with Count Odo[]
Eivor met with Toka and Sigfred as she convinced Sigfred to talk with Count Odo before they enact a siege. Riding to Pontem Esera, she stealthily infiltrated the military base and attained information of his current location in Paris at the Manoir des Fleurs Rouges. Arriving at the manor, she met with Théodrate of Troyes and noted that she needed a writ to enter. Finding a way inside the manor, Eivor tried to find Odo and soon cautiously entered and spied on a conversation between Odo, Gozlin, and nobles. After the nobles and Gozlin left, Odo invited Eivor to come forth and talk. However, talks turned sour as Odo remained adamant to not giving up his birthright.[227]
Preparing for the siege[]
Thus, Eivor returned to Sigfred as they continued to prepare for the siege. However, she sought for peace and wanted to talk with Charles once more.[227] Preparing their forces, Eivor and Sigfred moved his warriors and catapults into Defender's Rest, facing towards the Île de la Cité.[228] Meeting with Toka's former lover and smuggler, Nolwenn, Eivor set up explosives under the Wooden Bridge's weak points.[229] Once more, she soon investigated and found King Charles again and talked about a peace, only to be met with a condition of bringing Bernard to him.[230]
Back at Sigfred's camp, Eivor meditated before meeting with Toka and revealed her plans to be warrior, not killers. However, she was met with a slight opposition from an incoming Sigfred. Nevertheless, the next day came as Eivor joined her allies on their attack on Paris.[231]
Besieging Paris[]
After Toka blew down the Wooden Bridge, Eivor and Sigfred met both Gozlin and Ebels at the entrance gate of the Île de la Cité. Sigfred and Gozlin left their respective allies to fight, where she defeated and killed Ebels.[231] Moving forward, she and her allies pushed forward, only to be ambushed by Odo's soldiers. Retreating momentarily, Eivor signaled catapults to aim their attack to break down gates of Saint-Étienne. Within the area's church, Eivor found Gozlin and seemingly killed him within the church. However, after she reconvened with Toka and Sigfred, Eivor noticed that Sigfred started to kill innocents as he waged the war towards Odo's palace.[232]
Eivor and Toka spoke about Sigfred's bloodlust as Eivor realized that Count Odo may call for surrender if she asked.[232] Finding her way inside Odo's palace, she met with Walter du Sens, who was drunk and revealed of Odo's wife Théodrate's fatal injuries. Entering Théodrate's room, Eivor asked her of Odo's current location, which happened to be his locked sanctum. With a key, she entered the sanctum and met with Count Odo. Trying to find a truce, she soon fought against a relentless Odo and defeated him in combat. Honest, Eivor spared him and asked for a truce again. Yet, Eivor and Odo saw Charles call for a truce outside with Sigfred.[233]
Eivor soon released Odo on the promise of keeping his word for a truce. Soon, Eivor was a witness to Sigfred claiming treasures and land from Charles in exchange for peace. Afterwards, she and her allies left Paris and traveled back to Melun.[233]
Showdown with Sigfred[]
At Melun, Eivor celebrated with the townsfolk but noticed Sigfred's attitude about the victory. Confronting him, she and Sigfred debated over the next step in life as he questioned whether Valhalla existed. While he wanted to renege on the truce, Eivor opposed his ideas as he stormed off. Back at the Burial Mounds, she followed Sigfred as he challenged her to fight and kill him. Realizing the turmoil inside him, Eivor decided Sigfred's fate as he ultimately left the leadership of the clan to Toka. She soon met with Toka and discussed the change in leadership and a new future for her clan. Within moments, Eivor was informed by Pierre that Odo called for her about Richardis' safety.[234]
Rescuing Richardis[]
In 887, Eivor met Count Odo at his vineyard in Epernay as they discussed his plans to rebel against King Charles. However, they soon talked about the recent silence from his men guarding Queen Richardis and Bernard. She soon confirmed to check on Richardis and ventured towards Amiens. Arriving at Slaughtered Calf Tavern, she found dead soldiers and found that Bernard made it to a nearby church to hide. Finding Bernard, she found out that Richardis was taken by a monster to the Villa of Amiens for a trial of fire.[235]
Breaking into the villa's grounds, Eivor went to free a bonded Richardis but was confronted by an alive Gozlin, who survived his initial wounds. Rain poured as she fought against Gozlin and his forces and defeated them. Luckily, she watched as the rain put the fire out and Richardis was free from her bondage. Confronting Gozlin, she learned that he and her past targets all belonged to Bellatores Dei before finally killing him. Going to find and fight Charles, Eivor was stopped temporarily by Richardis, who asked her to spare him. Thus, she left to confront King Charles within the villa.[235]
Within the villa, Eivor found a locked doorway and searched the premises, eventually finding the keys to unlock it. In the sub-basement of the villa, she caught sight of Charles talking to his inner demons about his feelings for Richardis. Yet, the atmosphere changed once she was noticed and Charles challenged her to a fight. Within moments, she decided the king's fate there while she left to meet with her allies.[236]
Victory in Francia[]
Back at Melun, Eivor informed Toka and Odo of resolving the situation with King Charles as they all drank for the future. After Odo left, Eivor talked with Toka about fulfilling her mission as well as mentoring Toka to be the new jarlskona. She left Francia and ventured back home to Ravensthorpe.[237] Back home, Eivor informed Randvi about new allyship with Toka and King Charles no longer being a problem. She soon rested after her long journey in Frankia.[238]
River Raiding Round Two[]
Circa 886, Eivor spoke with Vagn once more, asking if he had any more legends for her to chase. Vagn handed her a note about "The Legend of Lugh," an Irish figure whose remains rest along another river, River Berbha, a river in Ireland. Eivor went sailed to River Berbha with Bragi and her Jomsviking crew. Upon raiding Wicker Grove, Eivor found a clue about the legendary Lugh, as well as a note that gave more info on Lugh.[239]
While in River Berbha, Eivor also recovered two pieces of the armor set: Lugh's Helmet and Disguise.[240] Upon returning home, Eivor reported to Vagn of the clue she had found at Wicker Grove, and was directed to River Erriff.[239] Eivor sailed to River Eriff and made her way to Glennacally Fortress, which had been occupied by several Irish druids apart of the Children of Danu. Eivor battled and defeated Lugh's Spear Champion and claimed Lugh's Spear for herself.[241]
Eivor returned to Vagn and handed her a piece of a map she collected from the Spear Champion's corpse. Vagn examined it and directed her to River Rhine, a river in Francia. In River Rhine, Eivor eventually raided Ferrières, a Frankish town southeast of Wulfram Settlement. Eivor defeated several Captains before finding the River Champion himself, Ulfberht's Sword Champion. Eivor defeated the warrior and collected the Ulfberht Sword.[242]
When Eivor returned to Vagn, she spoke of success in River Rhine. Vagn warned her that the rives she had previously raided had grown aware of her and raised their defense levels, including the addition of various River Champions hunting her down. Having already defeated three River Champions, Eivor set off to eliminate the others, though not before being handed a note from Vagn, written from one of the River Champions threatening her.[243]
In River Severn, Eivor found and defeated England's Champion of the Faith. Upon defeating the champion ad her two body guards at Northern Monastery, Eivor claimed Rollo's Lost Dane Axe, a Dane Axe belonging to her friend Rollo.[244] In River Berbha, Eivor sought two druid siblings that held the title of Ireland's Champions of the Faith. After defeating them at Festering Valley, she claimed the Celtic Crusher.[245] Lastly, Eivor battled Francia's Champion of the Faith in Ferrières on the Rhine, and in doing so recieved Sir Gareth's Holy Sword, completing her collection of River Champion artifacts.[246]
A Fated Encounter[]
Meeting Edyt[]
Circa 888, after Ravensthorpe became a hamlet, the settlement attracted many new faces including Edyt, a Scottish-Norse from a Pict island near Scotland called the Isle of Skye. Friends with Valka, Edyt met Eivor outside of the Seer's Hut. Edyt mentioned that her people were in danger, with Valka following up, stating that they were being "plagued by nightmares," and feared that it may spread to Ravensthorpe. Eivor left to investigate, but not before Valka warned that Randvi was involved, and that the two would have to clash before parting ways forever. Disbelieving this, Eivor and Edyt traveled to the Isle of Skye.[247]
Working with Kassandra[]
The two climbed Brother's Point, where Edyt told Eivor to investigate Kiltaraglen before leaving to tend to her hut.[247] Eivor left the cliff and traveled to Kiltaraglen, where many of the villagers appeared to be cursed, experiencing nightmares involving some kind of eagle. One woman, who appeared to be on her wedding day, described a braided warrior as being the cause of the nightmares. She directed Eivor to the Cursed Church. At the cemetary of the church, Eivor found several dead corpses near a kneeling figure. Eivor yelled Randvi's name, though the woman stood up and revealed herself to be someone else, a Greek misthios named Kassandra. Kassandra picked up a battleaxe and the two engaged in battle, both making use of a variety of weapons, including the Hero's Sword on Kassandra's end.[248]
The two eventually stopped in a stalemate when both warriors extended their Hidden Blades at each others' heads. Kassandra revealed her background and intentions, that she sought an Apple of Eden, an Isu artifact like the one Eivor found in Vinland, in order to end the curse on the island. Kassandra advised that they worked together, to which Eivor agreed.[248]
The two investigated the church and Eivor managed to destroy a cursed symbol, releasing some of the fog that was causing the curse. The two exited out a cave, where they were ambushed by cursed civilians that were going crazy due to the nightmares and lack of sleep. After defeating the ambushers, who seemed to be angry particularly at Kassandra, Eivor began to question her teammate. Kassandra then left for Tobhta, where the two met once more.[248] Eivor then followed the warrior to Fairy Glen, where she solved a standing stone. The puzzle allowed her to picture and draw out a map of the Isle of Skye, with an "X" marking the Cave of Gold.[249]
The two rode to the Cave of Gold, and along the way spoke of both their pet companions, Sýnin and Kassandra's eagle Ikaros. Inside the cave, the two found a hidden sanctum surrounded by rocks. Kassandra told Eivor to stand in the middle of the sanctum, which unveiled a wall of rocks. Before they could pass, however, they were ambushed by more corrupted villagers, one of which spoke Kassandra's native tongue. After the battle, Eivor took note of this and confronted Kassandra about it, who revealed that her arrival on the island may had caused the curse to rise. Eivor argued with the misthios before dismissing her, much to Kassandra's anger. Eivor decided to deal with the curse herself by finding five shards to put on the Vault pedestal.[249]
Secrets of the Isle of Skye[]
Eivor then went to find the five shards needed for the pedestal. In Hungladder, Eivor found a shrine containing the shard underneath the settlement in a tunnel. At the Brother's Cave, Eivor defended herself from three snakes, only to find the shard was missing from it's shrine. Eivor used a note to track the shard to the abandoned village of Inverarish, where she found the dead body in one of the houses. Nearby, in a bear-infested woods, Eivor recovered the shard from another dead ody, who appeared to be the brother of the previous corpse. Eivor also acquired a shard at Fairy Pools from a strange woman who had taken it from it's pedestal for a human sacrafice. At Dun Ardtreck, Eivor found a shard underwater, and in the Excavation Site, Eivor found her final shard behind a breakable wall.[250]
At the Cave of Gold, Eivor inserted all five shards into the pedestal, which opened a nearby door. Eivor walked through the light-emitting door and found another, larger gate, surrounded by more crazed civilians. Eivor slaughtered the civilians and stepped towards the door, unaware of another cursed civilian who had thrown a spear at her. The spear was intercepted by an arrow launched from Kassandra's bow. Kassandra fired another arrow, killing the attacker. More civilians attacked, and Kassandra joined Eivor.[251]
The two successfully defended themselves and ventured into the cave, where illusions of artifacts from the Greek world began to appear, including pottery, Spartan and Athenian weaponry, masks of a group caled the Cult of Kosmos, and Chara, a wooden toy eagle that had been a gift to Kassandra from her friend Phoibe. Eivor turned her attention to the Apple of Eden, the Isu artifact that was powering the illusions. Eivor grabbed the spherical artifact, which caused a burst of energy to surge through her. Eivor screamed in agony as Kassandra ran in and grabbed the artifact as well, successfully releasing the Appe's energy and breaking the curse.[251]
After Kassandra collected the Apple of Eden, the two agreed to meet up one last time back in Kiltaraglen, where the two had drinks and celebrated their success. They attended a wedding, the same wedding of the bride Eivor had met earlier, in fact. The two had a drinking contest against each other, flyted, brawled against the bride's ex-lover, and more. Kassandra also taught Eivor the Greek word "maláka". At the end of the night, Eivor found Edyt, who revealed to be the bride's cousin. The Viking soon parted ways with her friend Kassandra and left to England the next morning.[252]
Dawn of Ragnarök[]
After receiving new visions from Odin following her visions of Asgard and Jotunheim, Eivor decided to rest and reflect on them. She approached a large tree on the east side of Ravensthrope, where she noticed the tree had been overrun with mistletoe. She sat down and rested, causing her to be transported to the dream state once again. As Havi, Eivor witnessed a time where the All-Father had lost his son, Baldr, and sought to reclaim him from the mad tyrant Surtr. Havi was joined by his ex-lover Frigg and the two ran into Eitri, the capital of Svartalfheim. However, both Havi and Frigg were defeated by Surtr and his muspels, with the latter being killed by Surtr's wife Sinmara.[253]
Eivor immediately awoke after the vision, and went to tell Valka, who could help her make sense of the dream. Eivor reached and pulled a mistletoe from her neck, which she brought to Valka. After a conversation about the mythology behind Baldr and Frigg, Valka gave Eivor a potion and told her to go behind the hut, where the seer performed a ritual on Eivor. A ring of fire surrounded Eivor, who stood between four bunches of mistletoe. The shieldmaiden was then transported back to Svartalfheim.[253]
Invading Svartalfheim[]
In Svartalfheim, Havi sought to reclaim his son by attempting to take Surtr's daughter Eysa. After learning about an Isu artifact called the Salakar, Havi, with aid from Eysa and the Sons of Ivaldi, attempted to trade a hugr-filled Salakar with his son Baldr, battling foes such as Calder, Malvigr, and Glod, as well as Sinmara herself. However, Havi was too late, and witnessed the death of his son before Eivor was transported out of the vision.[254]
Eivor awoke in Valka's hut. She made her way to a fireplace to reflect on the vision, where she was joined by Gunnar, Tove, and Holger, who told her tales relating to Svartalfheim.[255] When she returned to Valka, the seer explained to her that in order to return to Svartalfheim and continue through with viewing her visions, she must overcome her own fear.[256] Southeast of the settlement, Eivor met with Valka at night, where Valka gave her a potion to drink before she proceeded to bind her friend. Eivor's vision began to blur as wolves appeared. After pulling off the strings tying her, Eivor fought off the imaginary wolves, including the same wolf that had bitten her the day she lost her parents to Kjotve. After overcoming her fear, Eivor fell unconscious and returned to her visions as Havi,[257] where the Aesir vengefully fought and defeated the muspel warlord Surtr.[258]
Meeting the Cuckoo[]
Sometime in the 880s, Eivor stumbled across an interrogation ongoing at the docks of Ravensthorpe. Two fellow clanmates were attempting to gain information out of a Saxon prisoner, though they had no success. Eivor questioned the two warriors, who told her that the prisoner and his friends had raided the settlement and ran off with some of their gear. Eivor threatened the warrior, which successfully made him speak. He told Eivor of Sir Edward, the self-proclaimed Earl of Westerna, who resided at Ravensburg.[259]
Eivor left the captive to the Raven Clan members and went to the rendezvous point in Grantebridgescire. She inspected a nearby longship with the Raven Clan flag, and concluded that the raiders had attempted to raid as members of the clan and pin the blame on the Raven Clan. Nearby, Eivor found and collected a clan outfit still in fine condition. She examined surrounding corpses, which had been impaled by a Hidden Blade. Eivor remarked on the familiarity of the wounds. Behind her, three Saxon mercenaries approached, blaming her for the slaughter. After realizing she was a real Viking, the Saxons prepared to battle her. Just as they drew their weapons, a smoke bomb was thrown at their feet by an unknown individual, blinding them and causing them to cough. The individual attacked the Saxons and brought their lives to an end via a Hidden Blade.[259]
A woman named Roshan revealed herself, apart of the same brotherhood Basim and Hytham were in. Eivor spoke to the Hidden One, who introduced herself and stated that she aimed to defeat Al-Si'la, the woman behind Sir Edward's schemes and a member of the same Order of the Ancients that Eivor had defeated in England. The two walked up the hill as Roshan asked about Eivor's Hidden Blade, which had belonged to Sigurd and before him, the Hidden One Ammon. Roshan questioned Sigurd's identity and whether or not he had been apart of the Hidden Ones, though Eivor began to question Roshan on hers, to which she replied that she had took it back after a break. The two discussed Sir Edward's motivations before arriving at Ravensburg.[259]
Near the outpost, the two climbed a watchtower, where Eivor called for Sýnin to scout out Ravensburg using Eagle Vision. The two discussed their plan, sending in Eivor silently to find the Earl and kill him in public to cause a commotion, which would draw out Al-Si'la to be assassinated by Roshan. The two went through with the plan, with Eivor donning the Raven Clan outfit she had got earlier. Disguised, Eivor entered Ravensburg and eventually made her way to the Earl, who was giving a speech to a group of Saxons.[259]
Eivor successfully killed the Earl with her axe and pushed her body into the crowd, shocking the Saxons and causing them to flee. Nearby Al-Si'la left her home and pretended to play captive, though her fake guise had done nothing to prevent her death to the hands of Roshan. The two returned to the watchtower, where Roshan gifted the Mentor of Alamut Set to Eivor as thanks for helping her before taking her leave to Jerusalem.[259]
Later life and death[]
Last goodbyes[]
During her later years, Eivor acquired the Jarl of the Raven Clan Set, set of armor and robes that which had replaced her normal Raven Clan Set attire.[260]
In 889, after years as her clan's jarlskona, Eivor had decided it was time to move on. Having ignored her past memories of Odin for too long, Eivor decided to embrace them and try to learn more about the second side of herself. She chose to do it far away from her people since they would not understand, and set off to bid her friends and allies farewell.[261]
Eivor met with Hytham at some point to say her final goodbyes to the Young Eagle. The two sat down to speak about the love they shared to others, Eivor's to her people and Hytham's to his creed. Despite his wishes and her admiration to his cause, she could not join him with the Hidden Ones. She told him how her focus was elsewhere and that her mind was too divided. Their thoughtful conversation was interrupted by Hytham's new recruits, including Yanli, Rowan, Eluric, and Tove, who arrived for their scheduled training. Eivor bid her farewell to Hytham and left the bureau.[260]
At one point, Eivor travelled to Norwich to meet with her old ally and new king of East Anglia, Guthrum, who had now baptized and renamed Athelstan. Eivor noted how he was more soft and kind than when they had met in Portcestre, and Athelstan explained how he had come to an agreement with Alfred, him taking control of East Anglia and Alfred gaining West Mercia. He added that the two of them were discussing the fates of East Mercia and Northumbria, not knowing Eivor had before declined the offer to rule said lands. Athelstan asked Eivor to let God into her heart and be baptized, as he saw this new arrangement with Alfred to help keep all Danes and Norse of England safe. Eivor, however, declined Athelstan's offer, telling him she intended to leave England and to travel to far off lands. Athelstan saw this a worthy adventure for Eivor and invited her into his longhouse to share stories and drinks a final time.[262]
Around the same time, Eivor was summoned by King Alfred, who had left the swamplands to resume his duty as King of Wessex. The jarlskona traveled to Wincestre and stepped into courtyard of The Old Minster, where she drew the attention of the king's guards, though Alfred promptly calmed them and welcomed her in to discuss the near completion of a treaty with Athelstan. As she was one of the greatest lords of England, he offered Eivor the option of becoming the lord of all lands northeast of her settlement. Knowing the offer to be too good to be true, Eivor asked what she had to do in exchange, to which Alfred requested for her to convert to Christianity and joining the newly founded Templar Order. Eivor felt honored by the proposal but humbly declined, returning him the silver cross had been offered to her many years ago and telling him about the long journey she would soon set out on. Understanding her wish, Alfred wished her well on her journey and Eivor left their meeting.[263]
In the winter of that year, Eivor travelled one last time for three weeks back to Norway to say goodbye to the king of Norway, Harald Fairhair. She was joined by Sigurd, who took his sister to Alrekstad, showing her how much had changed in the years since her last visit in Norway. Entering the longhouse, the two were greeted by King Fairhair, who was huddled around a large war map. Eivor joked that not much had changed since she last visited, but Harald said the land on the map, Iceland, was not intended to be conquered, but rather aided by him. Harald was to support his friend Ingólfr Arnarson through the cold winters by sending supplies and men to aid their struggle, and Harald requested that Eivor and Sigurd lead this expedition to Iceland. Despite Sigurd's pleads to have one last adventure, Eivor declined, explaining that her trip to Norway being to say goodbye to her friends, as she intended to leave England and travel further west past Iceland. That night, she spent time with Sigurd and Harald sharing stories of their mutual distant pasts while drinking mead and eating roasted whale.[264]
Having returned to Ravensthorpe, she told the rest of her clan of her plans to leave. After sharing a personal goodbye with Randvi she began to pack a boat in the middle of the night bear the docks of the settlement, intending to leave without notice. Before leaving, however, she was confronted by Valka, who still did not understand why Eivor was leaving. Eivor tried to explain that she originally thought there were only two ways to confront her memories, to accept or deny them, but she had found a third way of learning from them and needed to do it far away from home. Valka understood and thanked Eivor for the trust she put in her and they shared one last hug. Eivor then walked onto her rowboat and started rowing her way to Lunden, where a crew took her to Vinland by the week's end.[265]
Learning from Odin[]
Eivor spent the rest of her life living in Vinland, discarding her gear and Hidden Blade and wearing simple brown robes. She spent her time learning from her past memories as Odin, about the Great Catastrophe and that which caused it.[266]
Death[]
After her death, Eivor was ultimately buried in a grave by the Kanien'kehá:ka in Tsoka'we'kowáhne, the area which eventually became modern day Concord in Massachusetts, United States.[266]
Legacy[]
In August 2020, Layla's new Assassin cell with Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane had tracked a mysterious audio file to unearth Eivor's final resting place retrieving her DNA, discovering her nature as an Isu incarnation. DNA from Eivor's bones was then used as the source of genetic memories for Layla Hassan's Portable Animus HR-8.5. Sometime later, Basim, resuscitated by the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus, replaced Layla in the Animus after her physical death deep with the Yggdrasil Chamber. Basim intended to use the Animus to uncover Eivor's secrets, absorb her abilities and hoped to find the location of his children. After a prolonged time in the Animus, Eivor appeared to Basim sitting by the fire as a Bleeding Effect-induced apparition, clothed in the robes that Odin wore in her visions, where she smiled and nodded at him, a gesture he returned. Due to the high level of Isu DNA belonging to Odin embedded in Eivor's remains, the Animus would sometimes represent Eivor as a male based on Odin's real appearance.[266] In late November 2022, a visage of Eivor was seen and communicated with by Joey, a Sage of Vejovis. Her appearance was only a trick of the mind, due to Joey suffering from the Bleeding Effect.[47]
Personality and traits[]
Eivor was a devoted and confident Viking clan leader, who was not afraid of dying to protect her people. Despite her deep love for her clan, she was a lone wolf. Indeed, driven by her dream to prove her courage, she preferred to take on all tasks and risks herself. On top of being a fierce warrior, Eivor was cunning and was a great strategist, as shown by her alliances with other territorial leaders.[267] Considered stubbornly independent,[268] she also claimed to not be fond of surprises.[269]
Eivor also had a poetic side, speaking with eloquence and often describing events in a manner that resembles skaldic verse. Although Eivor held Hytham and by extension the Hidden Ones in high regard, Eivor kindly declined to join them as it meant keeping her victories and glory quiet, something which went against her culture's nature.[180]
Eivor seems to possess some fragments of Odin's persona and memories, as is evident by their shared fear of wolves,[270][271] and how she recognized Odin's spear Gungnir when she discovered it within Goinnhellir.[174]
Equipment and skills[]
Growing up alongside Sigurd, Eivor learnt to fight as a drengr and became Sigurd's berserkr.[1] By her twenties, Eivor was capable of wielding a variety of weapons including; swords, bows, spears, bearded and Dane axes, war hammers and flails. Her usual armor was the Raven Clan's armor and could also use both light and heavy shields. Using her combat prowess she could easily overwhelm multiple opponents.[12] She could also effectively dual wield, and was strong enough to dual wield two heavy weapons, and even unconventionally two shields. She had sharp reflexes and could dodge, parry, and block incoming attacks. Eivor was also extremely skills in hand-to-hand combat, and could easily break the necks of Goliath-sized enemies with a chokehold.[3]
Usually keen for up front confrontations, Eivor was also highly adept at stealth and was able to silently assassinate her targets undetected in addition to being able to remain hidden from her enemies in shrUbbary and haystacks. After gaining the Hidden Blade, Eivor was taught how to use it by Basim and quickly mastered it. Eivor was also able to emulate the Hidden Ones' ability to hide in plain sight.[3] High-diving was another of Eivor's skills, and under Hytham's tutelage she learnt the Leap of Faith.[33]
Over the years, Eivor's skills in the art of assassination improved. She became adequent enough at subterfuge that during her time in Francia, she could successfully emulate a Frankish accent and come up with backstories on the spot. Doing so granted her access to places where a heathen Dane would be barred from.[272]
A native speaker of Old Norse, Eivor eventually became fluent in Old English due to her time in Britain and later Old French from her time in Francia.[273]
A skilled freerunner, Eivor was able to scale Saint Peter's Church as well as natural elements with relative ease. She also proved to be a strong swimmer whilst searching underwater ruins and was capable of holding her breath for a relatively long period of time. A heavy drinker, Eivor could hold her liquor and would occasionally participate in drinking competitions.[3]
Eivor shared a symbiotic relationship with her raven Sýnin, which aided her in reconnaissance thanks to her Eagle Vision. Unlike later generations who possessed the skill, her Eagle Vision was far more literal in the sense that activating the ability allowed her to see through Sýnin's eyes. Eivor also possessed the ability known as 'Odin's Sight' which was more akin to later iterations of Eagle Vision in which it allowed her to release a brief pulse that would locate and tag nearby enemies and points or objects of interest, even through walls and floorboards. Eivor could also tame wolves and taught them to fight with her.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
Eivor is the main protagonist of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, the twelfth main installment of the Assassin's Creed series. First revealed in the reveal stream as male, according to Ubisoft, their gender is customizable,[274] a feature carried over from Valhalla's immediate predecessor, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (2018). However, lead writer Darby McDevitt affirmed that both genders were considered canon in a way that made logical sense,[275] clarifying later that the recommended playthrough method was selecting the option "Let the Animus Decide" when prompted.[276] This choice would result in female Eivor being present for the majority of the game except when playing the mythical Isu arcs, in which male Eivor is the playable character. Conversely, the comic book Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Song of Glory,[277] and tie-in novel Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga,[278] featured Eivor as female exclusively.
Eivor's appearance, including clothing, hair, and war paint, is customizable.[279] Eivor's male voice is provided by Magnus Bruun,[280] who also voices Varin and Odin, while the female voice actor is Cecilie Stenspil, who also voices Rosta.[281] The voice of young Eivor was provided by Idun Mealor Olsen, who also voices Asta, Kaija, and Ratatosk in Valhalla.[282]
The many concept artists behind Eivor's design, drew upon many pop culture references. Yelim Kim recalled that former-Creative Director Ashraf Ismail gave her the idea of using the tank fight scene from the 1995 anime film Ghost in the Shell as inspiration and comparing Eivor to the film's protagonist, Major Motoko Kusanagi, as both of them fight fiercely for their allies even if the consequences are self-destructive.[268]
Etymology[]
The name Eivor, Eivør or Øyvor is a female given name derived from either proto-Norse auja, believed to mean 'good luck', or *warjaʀ, meaning 'defender'. It may also come from the combination of Old Norse words ey- or øy- (meaning 'island') and -varr (meaning 'careful').[283] When he tweeted how the name is meant to be pronounced, Valhalla's then-Creative Director Ashraf Ismail transcribed it phonetically as "Ay-vor".[284] Her name written in promotional materials uses the Younger Futhark set of runes, which had fewer, simpler characters and was used in the 9th century in place of the older Elder Futhark's longer alphabet.
Varinsdottir means "Varin's daughter" (Varins + dottir). In Scandinavia, surnames were still used together with primary patronyms—the father's name and an affix denoting relationship—which were used by all social classes. This meant that most families until modern times did not have surnames. Scandinavian patronyms were generally derived from the father's given name with the addition of a suffix meaning 'son' or 'daughter'. Patronyms and matronyms are still in use in some countries, most notably Iceland.
Appearances[]
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Song of Glory (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga
- Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Ravens' Wound
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla webcomic
- Little Miss Eivor
- Discovery Tour: Viking Age
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Sword of the White Horse
- Assassin's Creed: Escape Room Puzzle Book
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Hidden Codex
- Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game
- The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)
References[]
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