Blame and Sail

Blame and Sail was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2020 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.

Description

As Eivor went to report to Randvi about her latest exploits since rescuing Sigurd, Randvi had another dispute for Eivor to resolve.

Dialogue

As she entered her longhouse, Eivor overheard two of her people arguing.

• Holger: It was rubbish! You had discarded it!
• Gudrun: It was not rubbish! I intended to use it!
• Randvi: Please, calm down.

The argument continued.

• Gudrun: I found the evidence! He hasn't a leg to stand on!
• Holger: That is not evidence! That is art!
  
  
• Holger: You were never going to use that sailcloth! Admit it!
• Gudrun: How could you know that?
  
  
• Holger: Where is Sigurd? I have no doubt he will take my side.
• Gudrun: If you think Sigurd will take the side of a thief, you are a brazen fool!
• Holger: How dare you!
• Randvi: Please. Quiet, stop yelling.

Eivor finally stepped into the argument.

• Eivor: Randvi, what is this?

Randvi suggesting that Eivor settle the dispute in Sigurd's place

• Randvi: Another dispute, I'm afraid... with Holger stirring the pot once again. Will you sit in judgment?
• Eivor: Judgment is the burden of a jarl. This is Sigurd's duty now.
• Randvi: He refuses to leave his quarters. Right now, you are the only noble fit for this.
• Eivor: I don't know. It's not my place...
• Randvi: Please. Only until Sigurd recovers his strength.
• Eivor: All right. Once more...

Randvi steps aside.

• Eivor: Gudrun. Holger. Come forward. You will state your cases, and I will hear you out and be as swift in my judgment as I am able.

(If "Gudrun, I will hear from you." was chosen)

• Eivor: Gudrun, you may speak.

Holger presenting her side of the story

• Gudrun: I have been robbed, Eivor. My property defaced. Three days ago, I discovered some of my sailcloth missing. I scoured the settlement in search for it. Passing Holger's home, there I see it! Boldly displaced and worse ... defaced! With scrawls and silly stories upon it.
• Holger: Lies and slander!
• Eivor: Holger, quiet. You are well acquianted with the rules of this trial. Now... Gudrun, what did you do upon discovering your sailcloth?
• Gudrun: I confronted him, demanding silver. For a sail with Holger's inky scratchings cannot be sold or bartered, can it? I ask only that I be paid for the property that was taken from me. Yet he refuses.
• Eivor: So Holger took something that belonged to you and defaced it. Now you wish to be paid for the item. Do I understand?
• Gudrun: That is right.

(If "Holger, what is your defense?" was chosen.)

• Eivor: Holger, what say you in your defense?

Holger presenting his case

• Holger: Short days ago, I found a pile of mildew-stained detritus beneath the docks and salvaged what I could. I wished to use it as a canvas, you see? As a conveyance for my latest works. The sailcloth was in such a state, and so obscured from view, I assumed it was refuse! Abandoned goods!
• Eivor: I see...
• Holger: My motives were honest, Eivor. Would a thief be so brazen as to display the fruits of his crimes? Hardly. Yet here she claims I have robbed and defaced her property, when all I took was rubbish left by to rot.
• Gudrun: Nonsense.
• Holger: My only crime here is that I gave something ugly and decrepit a bold new life.
• Eivor: I see... so you feel Gudrun disposed of something and now unreasonably seeks its return.
• Holger: Exactly, yes.

(If "I heard enough." was chosen.)

• Eivor: All right. I have heard enough.
• Gudrun: I might have profited from that cloth. Holger has all but robbed me of a future boon!
• Holger: It was garbage! Yet now it is part of something greater. If anything, I have increased its value. You ought to thank me.
• Gudrun: O, I will thank you with the back of my—
• Eivor: Quiet. Let me speak...

Eivor pronounced her decision.

Gudrun is rightHolger is right

• Eivor: After careful thought, it is clear that—

• Eivor: After careful thought, it is clear that—

Sigurd came out abruptly and shouted aloud, interrupting Eivor's judgment.

• Sigurd: What is this? What are you doing?
• Eivor: Holger and Gudrun are at odds. I hoped to find a resolution.

Sigurd questiong Eivor's intentions

• Sigurd: That duty is mine alone, Eivor. You know this! Stand aside!
• Eivor: You were not here, Brother. Nor did I wish to bother you.
• Sigurd: A sallow excuse for a bold defiance. I hope you enjoyed it.

Eivor stepped aside as Sigurd sat in to decide.

• Sigurd: Are you finished singing, my dear skald?
• Holger: My jarl, as I was saying I was—
• Sigurd: Stop! Enough! I have heard more than enough to render my judgment. For as long as I known you, Holger, you have spun words into lies. You weaken the minds of children, and delude the minds of men. I've shown you too many years of tolerance. And rather than exist in grateful meekness, as Holger the Liar, you sink lower.

Sigurd spat on the floor.

• Sigurd: You become Holger the Thief, robbing a woman of her livelihood, all in the name of your stupid stories!
• Holger: Sigurd Jarl, no. Th-that is not the—
• Sigurd: This is the consequence of your actions. You will pay Gudrun the value of thirty sailcloths...
• Holger: Thirty times? Surely you jest! That would ruin me, Sigurd.
• Sigurd: Do I look like one to play pranks, Holger? Pay the fee or be exiled!
• Gudrun: Great jarl, if I may... I seek only compensation for a single sailcloth, the rest is—
• Sigurd: Thirty times! In silver! That is my judgment.
• Holger: Eivor, please... does this not seem unfair?

I support Sigurd's judgmentThis judgment is unfair

• Eivor: Sigurd is our jarl. His word is law, whether or not you agree.
• Sigurd: You see?
• Holger: Of course, my jarl. As it must be. Forgive my defiance.

• Eivor: Sigurd, the punishment must fit the crime. Your judgment is cruel and unfair.
• Sigurd: Cruel and unfair? O, no. No, you have it backwards. I am the definition what is fair and what is not. I am your jarl, the source of all right and all wrong. The lord of justice in this place. Without rank, without order, without a chain of command, life cannot endure! Chaos will reign. Do you understand?
• Eivor: As my brother and my jarl, I back you, Sigurd. But in the face of injustice, I cannot help but speak.
• Sigurd: Have you never in your life known when to hold your tongue, Eivor? Nor defer to those wiser than yourself? My judgment stands. Thirty times the sailcloth's value. That is final.

Gudrun and Holger dismissed after the judgement

• Gudrun: Thank you, lord, for hearing us out.
• Sigurd: See to it that judgment is carried out exactly as I have said. Should the need arise again, do not fail to rouse me.
• Holger: (sobbing)
  

As everybody left the decision, Gudrun consoled Holger.

• Gudrun: Thank you, Holger. And please, do not let this blunt our friendship. I did not mean for this to escalate.
• Holger: No, I understand. You were well within your rights.

Eivor attempted to speak to Sigurd, who had withdrawn to his quarters once again.

• Eivor: Sigurd...?
• Sigurd: Leave me be.
• Eivor: If you wish it.

Eivor then headed to Randvi to talk.

• Randvi: I want to thank you for your judgment, Eivor. For stepping in, when Sigurd would not. In spite of what happened.
• Eivor: Poor man. I have never known him to be so angry and reckless. Is that a side you have seen?
• Randvi: Rarely. There have been moments when he was distressed, worried, afraid. But nothing like this. Never, ever, like this.
• Eivor: Let us do our best for him, as we take care of our own. We are his best hope for healing.
• Randvi: If it isn't too late. In the meantime, we press on.

With this conversation aside, Eivor delivered her report on the shire to which she had pledged. Later, she passed by Basim ibn Ishaq, who had settled back into life at Ravensthorpe after so many years away on the road with, and then tracking and rescuing, Sigurd.

• Basim: Thank you for treating Hytham with respect and kindness, Eivor. He has found a family among your clan.
• Eivor: He is more than welcome here. As are you.

Outcome

Sigurd resolved Gudrun and Holger's dispute, and Eivor acted on her best interests in Sigurd's decision.

Behind the scenes

This trial takes place when reporting back from the first arc pledged and completed after "Reporting on Suthsexe", regardless of the specific shire. If the player fully completes all the arcs available before Suthsexe, it will leave only Eurvicscire and Glowecestrescire as the remaining options. With that much of the story done in advance, if players are interested in seeing the effects of this choice on the outcome of "A Brother's Keeper", they need only to save before this trial and complete the one remaining arc before the pledge to Hordafylke opens up in "The Road to Valhalla".

Gallery

• 
  Eivor presiding over the dispute
• 
  Sigurd presiding over the dispute as Eivor steps aside

References

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla