Rumors of Ledecestre was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[]
Eivor met with Ivarr at the Ledecestre to pursue the lead of King Burgred's whereabouts.
Dialogue[]
Eivor made her way to Ledecestre. With the help of Sýnin, she located Ivarr atop one of the towers and scaled the wall to speak to him.
- Ivarr: Good timing. We would have stormed the place without you.
- Eivor: What have you seen?
- Ivarr: Soldiers aplenty. Wagons going in and out. That weasel Burgred is here, I'm sure of it.
Ivarr gestured at two prominent buildings in the city.
- Ivarr: The bathhouse there, and that church, see? I sent a scout to check them both. Should be back any moment now.
Did you see Ubba and Sigurd in Templebrough?
- Eivor: No. And if Burgred is hiding here, I won't have to.
- Ivarr: There are a lot of things we would not have to do if we stuck to killing kings. Thanks to my brother, now we are into making them.
Ivarr shook his head in disgust.
- Eivor: Something wrong?
- Ivarr: My brother, that's what.
- Eivor: No small tension between you two. Thought you'd be more like-minded.
- Ivarr: You and Sigurd always see eye to eye?
- Eivor: More often than not.
- Ivarr: You are still young. You live to my age, and you will see. The closer you get, the greater the stink that rises.
Eivor and Ivarr overlooking Ledecestre
The two passed another few moments in silence, looking over the city, before Eivor's patience wore thin.
- Eivor: Time's up for your scout, I'd say. He's either dead or run off.
- Ivarr: Give him a chance.
- Eivor: Can't risk them seeing us, and Burgred slipping away again. You stay here and wait for your scout. I'm going in.
Eivor left Ivarr on the tower, performing a Leap of Faith into a hay cart below. She then made her way through the city, disguised, until she came to the church.
- Eivor: The church is well-guarded. Might find a way around.
In a space between the Soldiers, Eivor found and scaled scaffolding, built against the side of the church. Breaking one of the stained-glass windows, she entered unnoticed and made her way toward the other end of the building across various ropes and platforms. Two soldiers guarded a blocked door, and she overheard them talking.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 1: Keep it up, lads. Every little bit helps.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 2: The farmers are starting to push back.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 1: Then kindly remind them of their duty to Mercia, and to their king.
You heard Leofrith. Secure whatever food you can. The Danes won't hesitate to burn our fields. And if we can't eat, we can't fight.
Eivor shot down a hanging stack of wood and supplies, killing the soldiers and/or broke the weak wood wall over the barred door. She dropped down into a room with a staircase leading underground. In the crypt she found stacks of crates and bags.
- Eivor: Quite a haul of goods they've hidden away.
Near the back of the rooms, she found a note.
- Leofrith's Orders
Scythe the fields and load the wagons. This food will sustain us, and we must move it as quickly as possible. I will travel with the wagons myself and ensure they reach our men safely.
In the meantime, the church and the bathhouse us where we will guard the stock. Maintain order, stay alert, and wait for my return.
- Eivor: Crates full of food and supplies. Burgred's not giving up without a fight
Finding no further clues in the church, she escaped and made her way to the bathhouse.
- Eivor: This must be the bathhouse. Need to find a way inside.
Construction on one side of the building provided a convenient entrance to the upper level of the bathhouse, where she found a locked door. Making her way across the ropes and platforms above the soldiers, she overheard two of them talking.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 3: This is bollocks! We should be out there, fighting to take Tamworth back from the Danes!
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 4: We're to secure our food-stored first. Leofrith's orders.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 3: Leofrith's orders... pah! The king's grown tired of him, you know. That's what all the men are saying.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 4: Tired? How do you mean?
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 3: Are you blind? He questions Burgred's orders every chance he gets. Has done ever since the Danes showed up.
Through an opening at the other side of the bathhouse, she dropped down into a room full of shelves and papers. There she found another note.
- Leofrith's Orders
Move the grain and the wheat into the bathhouse. Keep it under lock and key until I return.
You may find the farmers pushing back. Go easy on them. This is their livelihood we are taking with no promise they will ever get it back.
Eivor finding Ceolbert in the bathhouse
Leaving the room, Eivor killed the few soldiers within the bathhouse, taking a key from one of them and entering the locked room. There she found stacks of supplies and a hiding Ceolbert.
- Eivor: Ceolbert?
- Ceolbert: Eivor!
- Eivor: Have you lost your mind?
- Ceolbert: I feared you were one of them.
- Eivor: Keep quiet. What are you doing here?
- Ceolbert: I'm... I was looking for Burgred.
- Eivor: You are Ivarr's scout...
- Ceolbert: I hoped I might find Burgred myself, and talk him into surrendering. But he's not in Ledecestre.
- Eivor: How can you be sure?
- Ceolbert: Leofrith passed this way with some men. I eavesdropped. It seems they're only stockpiling food here. But he did say something of interest... gave orders to send more men to Burgred's wife, the Lady Æthelswith. She's in Templebrough.
- Ceolbert: She would know where Burgred's hiding.
Suddenly they heard fighting outside.
- Ceolbert: Do you hear that? The sounds of battle.
- Eivor: Ivarr... let's get you out of here, now.
They left the room together, but Ceolbert ran ahead.
- Eivor: Where are you going?
- Ceolbert: I know my way around. We'll go through the market. This way!
Eivor followed Ceolbert out of the bathhouse. Outside, Ivarr could be heard shouting.
- Ivarr: Find the king! Put him on his knees before me.
In the streets of Ledecestre, Ivarr's warriors fought with the soldiers of Ledecestre. Ceolbert ran across the road to the market area and Eivor followed.
- Ceolbert: They're everywhere!
- Eivor: Stay close to me!
- Ceolbert: Wh-what do I do?
- Eivor: Fight, man! Fight!
Ceolbert drew his sword and remained near Eivor While the fighting continued. Ivarr could still be heard shouting.
- Ivarr: Burgred! Where are you, you little shit! Burgred!
Face me, lord!
Eventually, the last of the Mercian soldiers was killed and Eivor spoke to a shaken Ceolbert again.
- Eivor: Are you hurt? Speak up.
- Ceolbert: I... I don't think so... My God... I didn't want it to come to this.
- Eivor: They would have killed you, Ceolbert. You had no choice. Now don't move.
Ivarr confronting one of Burgred's men
Elsewhere in the market, Ivarr interrogated a soldier, tied up and kneeling before him.
- Ivarr: Where is your king, Saxon? Where is he?
The soldier shook his head, then bowed it in prayer.
- Anglo-Saxon Soldier 5: Lord our Father, grant me salvation--
With a shout, Ivarr swung his axe, beheading the man, then turned to Eivor as she approached.
- Ivarr: When does their God find the time to answer so much mumbling and whimpering?
- Eivor: You're reckless, Ivarr! Ceolbert could have been killed.
- Ivarr: Who am I to stand in the light of a boy searching for his balls?
- Eivor: Don't excuse yourself. You enjoy this too much.
Ivarr grinned menacingly.
Ceolbert revealing he came to Ledecestre on his own
- Ceolbert: Stop. It wasn't Ivarr who sent me. I sent myself.
Eivor and Ivarr turned to face Ceolbert as he approached.
- Eivor: Have caution, boy. Until your father is crowned, you're Mercia's enemy, not its champion. You understand?
- Ceolbert: I understand.
- Eivor: Good. Now return to Repton and remain there until we call.
She turned and began walking away as Ivarr called after her.
- Ivarr: Will you not stay, Wolf-Kissed? There is no king, but we have corpses to loot!
- Eivor: Burgred's Lady Aethelswith is in Templebrough. I'm going to find out what she knows.
Ceolbert waved after her. Ivarr turned to him and spread his arms in question, as though asking if he'd said something wrong, and Ceolbert shrugged back. As Eivor left the market, Ivarr could be heard shouting orders.
- Ivarr: Take everything! Pile the soldiers here! Let these people bear witness to the carnage that awaits their kingdom.
Whoever trains these Mercian soldiers should be relieved of their duty, I think!
Outcome[]
Eivor searched two locations in Ledecestre for Burgred, only to find stockpiles of food and Ceolbert, who'd been sent to scout. Upon discovering Ceolbert, the two heard sounds of fighting and left the building to see Ivarr raiding the city. After killing the enemy soldiers and taking the city, Eivor left to either Templebrough or Tamworth.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- If the bathhouse is searched first, searching the church is skipped entirely. After taking the city with Ivarr, the church can be entered and the equipment there retrieved without hindrance.