Varangian: Difference between revisions

The Varangians (Old Norse: Væringjar, Greek: Varangoi) were guards stationed in Constantinople and Derinkuyu. They were the Byzantine equivalent of Italian Seekers, and fought with halberds and spears.

Varangians also wielded pistols once they were disarmed in combat, or when the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze fled to an inaccessible position.

Trivia

Historically, the Varangians hailed from Scandinavia, parts of Medieval Russia, and England, and consisted primarily of Norse and Anglo-Saxon recruits. From the 9th to 14th century, they served as the personal guard of the Byzantine Emperor, functioning similarly to the personal guard of the Ottoman Sultan, the Janissaries.
- Their name comes from Old Norse compound væringi, from vár "pledge" and gengi "companion", i.e. "a sworn person" or "a foreigner who has taken service with a new lord by a treaty of fealty to him, or protégé."
In terms of weaponry, the Varangians wielded two-handed Danish Axes, making them more akin to Brutes, a position filled by the Almogavars in game, rather than Seekers.
- In the artbook of Assassin's Creed: Revelations, concept art of the Varangians showed that they were supposed to wield one-handed swords.
Looting or stealing from Varangians would give Ezio smoke screen or smoke decoy bombs should his tactical or diversionary pouches be empty.

Concept artwork for the Varangian guard archetype

Concept artwork for the Varangian guard archetype
Developmental artwork of a Varangian guard character model

Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Characters

Assassins	Desmond Miles • Clay Kaczmarek • Rebecca Crane • Shaun Hastings • William Miles \| Ezio Auditore da Firenze • Dogan • Yusuf Tazim • Piri Reis \| Ishak Pasha \| Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad • Al Mualim • Abbas Sofian • Maria Thorpe • Darim Ibn-La'Ahad • Swami • Niccolò Polo • Maffeo Polo

Templars	Laetitia England • Warren Vidic • Juhani Otso Berg \| Ahmet • Manuel Palaiologos • Shahkulu • Leandros • Cyril of Rhodes • Damat Ali Pasha • Georgios Kostas • Lysistrata • Mirela Djuric • Odai Dunqas • Vali cel Tradat \| Vlad Tepes \| Haras

Isu	Juno • Jupiter • Minerva

Others	Sofia Sartor • Bayezid II • Selim I • Suleiman I • Tarik Barleti • Dilara • Duccio de Luca • Janos

Animi Avatars	Bombardier • Brigand • Champion • Corsair • Count • Courtesan • Crusader • Deacon • Gladiator • Guardian • Knight • Ottoman Doctor • Ottoman Jester • Privateer • Renegade • Sentinel • Thespian • Trickster • Vanguard • Vizier

Factions

Locations

Events

Terms and concepts

Weapons and tools

The Ancestors Character Pack • Mediterranean Traveler Map Pack • The Lost Archive

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 ==Trivia==
-*Historically, the Varangians hailed from Scandinavia, parts of Medieval [[Russia]], and [[United Kingdom|England]], and consisted primarily of Norse, Viking, and Anglo-Saxon recruits. From the 9th to 14th century, they served as the personal guard of the Byzantine Emperor, functioning similarly to the personal guard of the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] Sultan, the [[Janissaries]].
+*Historically, the Varangians hailed from Scandinavia, parts of Medieval [[Russia]], and [[United Kingdom|England]], and consisted primarily of Norse and Anglo-Saxon recruits. From the 9th to 14th century, they served as the personal guard of the Byzantine Emperor, functioning similarly to the personal guard of the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] Sultan, the [[Janissaries]].
 **Their name comes from Old Norse compound ''væringi'', from ''vár'' "pledge" and ''gengi'' "companion", i.e. "a sworn person" or "a foreigner who has taken service with a new lord by a treaty of fealty to him, or protégé."
 *In terms of weaponry, the Varangians wielded two-handed Danish Axes, making them more akin to [[Brutes]], a position filled by the [[Almogavars]] in game, rather than Seekers.