Skjalgi was one of the Viking warriors who invaded England as part of Ragnar Lothbrok's Great Heathen Army and fought under Geirmund Hel-hide's company, the Hel-hides.
Biography[]
Early life[]
When he was young, Skjalgi was raised by his father, who worked as a farmer instead of as a warrior like others. After his father's death, he found himself under the tutelage of Steinólfur, a former Wolf Clan warrior who had sworn an oath to the young Geirmund.[1]
Living in Avaldsnes[]
In 870, Skjalgi, Steinólfur, and four other riders found Geirmund carrying his injured brother Hámund back from their hunting expedition. He was ordered to retrieve medical equipment for quick aid.[2] Once he returned, he helped Geirmund atop his horse and escorted him back home to Avaldsnes. While riding, he mentioned that jarl Guthrum was heard traveling the oceans in search of allies to invade England and defeat the Saxons.[3]
After Geirmund's conversation with Eivor Varinsdottir of the Raven Clan, he enlisted Skjalgi and Steinólfur to find a crew loyal to him while he found a ship.[4] Although they found a crew, Geirmund's father Hjorr Halfsson refused to give him a ship and his mother Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir had begged him not to leave to unknown lands. After Geirmund's fallout with his parents over his insistence on joining Guthrum,[5] Skjalgi and Steinólfur were told to escort him to his grandfather's grave first and then inform Guthrum about joining his war. After the two met with Guthrum, Hámund visited briefly and gave them a sword for Geirmund. When Geirmund returned from visiting his birth mother Ágáða, Skjalgi gave him the sword before departing with Guthrum on his ship Wave Lover.[6]
Waiting in Jutland[]
While the jarls discussed their war plans at a stop in Jutland, Skjalgi stayed with his group when Geirmund had an intense argument with Rek, Guthrum's ship commander. At night, he asked Steinólfur and Geirmund about how the war started but received no clear answer. In the following two days, he trained with Steinólfur when Geirmund bought them all shields. At the end of the day, Guthrum called for all his men to set sail.[7]
Traveling around England[]
Aboard the Wave Lover, Skjalgi rowed through a tough storm along with Guthrum's men, Steinólfur, and Geirmund. When the rest of the crew accused Geirmund as being the source of their bad luck, he and Steinólfur saw Geirmund throw himself overboard to save them from being killed.[8] After Geirmund's sacrifice, both men continued under Guthrum's army. To their fortune, when they arrived at Readingum, they heard that Geirmund survived. They discussed the losses after the Battle of Ashdown as Geirmund told them, Eskil, and Guthrum about his journey and the arm ring Hnituðr.[9]
At his behest, Geirmund challenged Rek for ownership of his sword but lost when Skjalgi and Steinólfur carried him off to rest.[9] Within days, Skjalgi trained further under Birna Gormsdóttir, a former shieldmaiden of the late jarl Osbern, who had died in the recent battle. While both Guthrum and Halfdan Ragnarsson went southward, Geirmund and the other warriors built defenses against a possible naval attack. Skjalgi helped fight the Saxons, who tried to attack by river and held them off. Due to his correct intuition, Geirmund was offered a company of his own. Skjalgi joined Steinólfur and other Osbern's warriors like Birna, and officially began following Geirmund's lead.[10]
Following Geirmund's plan to capture Wælingford, Skjalgi and his fellow warriors took the stronghold without any bloodshed.[11] Under the company's new namesake of "the Hel-hides", Skjalgi and his comrades followed their leader and Guthrum to fight the Saxons at Bedwyn, which they won despite some losses.[1] After the Battle of Meretun, the Hel-hides followed Guthrum's leave of Wessex after he and Halfdan signed a truce with King Alfred.[12]
Stationed in Lunden[]
After leaving Wessex, they all found themselves in Lunden, where they temporarily made their own homes. However, it came crashing down when Krok Uxiblóð declared a blood-feud against Geirmund and fatally injured Aslef for Geirmund's part in killing Ubba Ragnarsson's kinsman Fasti. When Geirmund told them he had to leave, Skjalgi, Steinólfur, Birna, Rafn, and Vetr agreed to join him on the run. After leaving Thorgrim in charge, Geirmund and his small troupe left the city to save the Hel-hides' lives.[13]
Running north and from Krok, they all made their way to a Saxon village, where Geirmund realized it was an ambush by Krok. Skjalgi, Vetr, Rafn, and Steinólfur were told to scout the area for a quick escape as Geirmund and Birna met with the "blacksmith". While the rest faced Krok's warriors, he and Rafn found a quick escape trail and led the rest away from Krok's men.[14] They all then found their way to Medeshamstede, which was constructed as a monastery, and met with friendly hands from Abbot Torthred, a former acquaintance of Geirmund. There, they fortified defenses in exchange for shelter and food. However, their agreement came to an end when the Danes were heard to invade Mercia again.[15]
They all were notified that Torthred's sister Tova was taken by Krok for a ransom. Luckily, Geirmund successfully rescued her from Krok's men. Afterwards, the monks and Tova parted ways with the Hel-hides after thanking them.[16] The Hel-hides followed Geirmund and tried to corner Krok but were noticed early and forced to flee. They all ran to a river nearby and happened to meet Eivor and the crew of her longship Sea-Chariot. After a brief argument, Geirmund challenged Krok to a holmgang, which he won. Krok's men tried to attack when Geirmund slew Krok, but Skjalgi, the Hel-hides, and Eivor's warriors killed them, after which the party was all invited to Ravensthorpe.[17]
While they all feasted and celebrated in Ravensthorpe, Geirmund decided to leave for York to meet his parents.[18] While their leader was away, they made their way to Grantebridge and reconvened with Thorgrim and their fellow Hel-hides. When Geirmund arrived and talked with Guthrum, they were all tasked to raid along the River Thames to distract Alfred. They agreed on the promise of land and ten pounds of silver each for every member who survived.[19]
Fighting against Alfred[]
Skjalgi fought alongside Geirmund and the Hel-hides as they conquered villages, but many were mostly unguarded and abandoned, making the victories all too easy. After their last village raid led to losing a soldier, Skjalgi, Rafn, and Vetr were sent to scout and find Alfred's homeplace.[20] They ran into five soldiers and killed them, but Rafn's arm was severely injured in the fight. They informed Geirmund of Wanating as they all marched towards it, only to find the location similarly abandoned but filled with food. While they feasted, Geirmund and Skjalgi talked about the notion of honor. However, he noticed an army approaching and estimated to Geirmund that Alfred's army was 3,000 strong. The Hel-hides took moderate losses in holding off the Saxon army's siege but succeeded, though Geirmund noticed the force heading west afterwards.[21]
After sending Thorgrim and their other dead to Valhalla, they followed a trail of dead Vikings and found four bandits. From interrogating them, they learned Ubba Ragnarsson died as Geirmund led them towards Wayland's Smithy. While Birna led the warriors forward, Skjalgi and Steinólfur accompanied Geirmund towards a mound which he had once seen in his dreams. However, both he and Steinólfur were told to wait as Geirmund went further in alone. After some time, their leader came back as they headed to meet Guthrum.[22]
On their travels, the Hel-hides were met by Eskil, who informed them of the upcoming battle at Chippenham as well as Guthrum's change in attitude and demeanor towards the Saxons. At Selwood, they made camp and readied themselves. However, Rafn fell over due to his festering injury on his arm. While Geirmund gave Birna temporary control of the Hel-hides to fight in the battle, he, Skjalgi, Steinólfur, Eskil, and Vetr stayed and treated Rafn by performing an emergency amputation. After Vetr vowed to stay with Rafn, Skjalgi joined the rest to join the battle.[23]
However, while riding to the battle, they soon turned their eyes on Alfred fleeing the field and tracked him to a different stronghold. Making their way back to Selwood, they picked up a recovered Rafn and Vetr and then headed to Chippenhamm. Once they arrived, the battle had already ended, and the Vikings had won, but Guthrum isolated himself because the Hel-hides began to question his oath.[24] Nine days later, Geirmund learned of Guthrum's betrayal of the entire army by refusing to tell them he was covertly communicating with Alfred to surrender for peace and submit to him as a Christian lord. Geirmund returned to the Hel-Hides with Hnituðr and promised them that they were done with the war and advised they should forge their own paths.[25]
Later life[]
Skjalgi and the Hel-hides joined both Geirmund and Hámund on the seas for trade and raids, ventures which gained them much renown and made the group's reputation famous across the seas.[26]
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga – Chapter 16
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 2
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 3
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 4
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 5
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 6
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 7
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 8
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 13
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 14
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 15
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 17
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 18
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 19
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 20
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 21
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 22
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 23
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 25
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 26
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 27
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 28
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 29
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 30
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 31
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Epilogue
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