Grigorii

Grigorii (died 874), also known as The Needle, was a member of the Order of the Ancients' Wardens of Law sect, holding the position of Palatinus. He was also a lieutenant of the Order's bandit organization, Red Hand, and a dockmaster of the Coppergate Market in Jorvik during the late 9th century.

Biography

In his youth, Grigorii grew up near the sewers and became jealous of those more fortunate than him. One day, The Vault saved him from poverty and brought him into the Order, giving Grigorii a new lease on life. Loyal and devoted ever since, Grigorii worked to see that The Vault's plans were done exceedingly and the Order's desires accomplished.

Grigorii's cryptonym, The Needle, was first mentioned when the Hidden One Hytham told his ally, the Viking shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir, the news of three Order members supposedly operating in Jorvik. This prompted Eivor to travel to the city to conduct an investigation.

At the Trade Depot, Eivor found the premise being guarded by Red Hand bandits. She also discovered large amounts of accumulated wealth and goods stolen from the merchants of Jorvik. The Needle's plan thus became clear as Eivor understood that the Order member was selling stolen goods back to the merchants at higher prices, amassing a fortune. After discovering that The Needle had collected coins from stalls draped in black at the markets, the shieldmaiden devised a plan to lure her target out by bringing as much silver as possible to the merchants.

Later, at the Coppergate Market, one merchant told Eivor to meet with the dockmaster, whom she remembered to be named Grigorii. An Anglo-Saxon boy soon caught Eivor's attention and stated that he worked for The Needle. He then advised her to go to the statue near the east gate for further dealings. Using a key retrieved from the Red Hand guards, Eivor opened the door to the sewers and found the Red Hand using the tunnels as a hideout, where they melted down silverware to create coins. She also saw Grigorii surrounded by the stolen silverware and realized he was The Needle.

Startled by the shieldmaiden's presence, Grigorii confessed to being The Needle and fled to the marketplace. Believing he had lost Eivor's tail, he met with a merchant who had taken some coins from his quota. The merchant admitted to needing the money to feed his family, as he had been bled financially dry. Blaming himself for thinking the merchant was smart, Grigorii pulled out a knife and spoke aloud, asking the observing merchants what he demanded of them. The guilty man replied "Loyalty", to which Grigorii proceeded to stab him to death as a warning to any who thought of threatening his operation. However, Grigorii failed to realize he had been followed by Eivor, and the shieldmaiden promptly assassinated him, putting an end to his illegal operations.

Trivia

• Grigorii's upbringing and induction into the Order by The Vault mirrors the relationship between two other Order members: The Billhook and The Crozier.
• Like other members of the Order, Grigorii's cutscene in the Memory Corridor differs. Following his confession, his body turns to ice and explodes, leaving behind only his Order medallion for Eivor to pick up.
• Grigorii shares many similarities with the character Tamir from the 2007 video game Assassin's Creed. Both are wealthy merchants of influence who ask their subordinates to deliver resources—silver and weapons, respectively—and are so displeased by a perceived error on an associate's part that they coldly stab them to death, hoping their murder would serve as a lesson to the audience around.

Gallery

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  Eivor confronting Grigorii in his hideout
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  Grigorii killing the merchant
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  Grigorii in the Memory Corridor
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  Grigorii's final moments

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (first appearance)
• The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)