Restless Dreams

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Restless Dreams was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Basim Ibn Ishaq in 2020 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.

Description

Eivor has a vision of fire and devastation and becomes deeply troubled.

Dialogue

While Eivor was away from Ravensthorpe, she had a vision of fire consuming the world that disappeared in an instant. She thought on what it could mean.

• Eivor: That glimpse of flame and terror was gone in a moment... yet my thoughts remain darkened by it. I should return to Ravensthorpe and reflect on what I saw.

Eivor made her way back to Ravensthorpe.

• Eivor: Ravensthorpe. An island of calm in this turbulent land. But my vision of fire still troubles me. It would be good to rest beneath my dear old tree. I've always found peace there in the past.

Eivor made her way to the large tree growing at her area of respite on the eastern edge of the settlement. As she approached, she saw mistletoe growing on it.

• Eivor: The tree is overrun with mistletoe. When did that happen?

Eivor sat down at the base of the tree and closed her eyes, ready to rest.

• Eivor: Now let the sighing of the branches soothe me, and may all thoughts of chaos fade.

As she slept, she found herself experiencing the rescue of Baldr from Eitri.

If Eivor woke up before the vision reached its conclusion, she mused on its meaning and considered returning.

• Eivor: Disturbing thoughts invade my rest. Merely a dream, or something more?

Eivor attended to her business in the waking world before returning to her tree.

• Eivor: Perhaps I can reclaim my dream of Svartalfheim.

Eivor sat down under the tree once more and drifted back into the realm of dreams.

Having completed the journey to the throne of Eitri, Eivor woke with a start and reflected on what she saw.

• Eivor: The smell of death lingers in my nostrils. That was no mere dream. I must seek Valka's wisdom.

Eivor brushed her hair and removed a twig of mistletoe that entangled itself while she slept.

• Eivor: Mistletoe...

Eivor crossed the settlement to the site of Valka's hut, placing the mistletoe on the table in the corner. Valka walked in behind her.

• Valka: The air hangs heavy around you, Eivor. You are troubled.

Eivor turned back to face her.

• Eivor: I had another dream. A vision, like the last. This one full of fire.
• Valka: Tell me.
• Eivor: I saw the god Baldr, broken and beaten, held captive by Surtr. I-I tried to save him, but I was defeated, left to die in a pit of corpses. When I awoke, I found this in the fold of my clothing.

Eivor gestured to the mistletoe.

• Valka: Baldr also dreamt of his own death.
• Eivor: This tale I know. Afterwards, his mother Frigg visited every thing, living or dead, and had them swear not to harm him.
• Valka: But she overlooked the mistletoe bush.
• Eivor: And so fate had its way.

Valka walked to another table and Eivor followed.

• Valka: Not all visions are premonitions, Eivor. But all hide wisdom, if we have the wit to see it.

Valka handed Eivor a potion in a bowl.

• Valka: Drink this, if you would know more. Then go to the sacred circle behind my hut. There is more mistletoe there.

Eivor drank the potion while Valka continued her instructions.

• Valka: Lay the mistletoe around the circle, light it, and stand within. We shall see what your dream has to teach you.

Eivor nodded and stepped outside the hut. She claimed additional mistletoe from the baled bundle next to the hut and began laying it in the small braziers around the ritual circle.

• Eivor: The mistletoe is in place, ready for burning.

Eivor took her place in the center of the circle and ignited all of the mistletoe. It burned fiercely, too much for such a small plant, and the blaze trapped Eivor in the circle, scaring her.

• Eivor: Valka! What is the meaning of this? Is this some part of your ritual? The flames draw ever closer!

Valka stepped outside slowly while Eivor attempted to flee, but could not without severely burning herself.

• Eivor: Valka! Would you burn me alive?
• Valka: If you would reach your dreams, Eivor, you must not run from the fire. You must become it!

Eivor took a careful breath and steeled herself at Valka's words, then crouched down between the flames and meditated, returning to the realm of Svartalfheim.

If Eivor woke up, she found herself returned to her bedchamber in the longhouse. She swung her feet out of bed and sat on its edge.

• Eivor: These dark visions oppress me. The warm light of wakefulness is sweet relief. And yet... and yet, I must see more, wherever the darkness leads me.

She stood up and found a message from Valka at the foot of her bed.

• Eivor: A message from Valka. If I drink the potion, I can return to my vision.

Eivor placed Valka's message in her inventory and eventually returned to the hut, finding the potion Valka had prepared.

• Eivor: I can reclaim my vision of Svartalfheim.

Eivor drank the potion and curled up on the bed in Valka's hut, returning to her dream of Svartalfheim. If she awoke again, it was in the hut rather than her own bed.

Outcome

Eivor explored the meaning of her visions through the realm of dreams, unlocking the dormant memories of Havi and lost history of his saga in the process.

Behind the scenes

This memory acts as the "container" for all of Eivor's journeys into the chapters of the Dawn of Ragnarok DLC, presented as the memories of the Isu Odin during his time in the realm of Svartálfaheimr and reinterpreted through the Norse mythology of her upbringing. In other words, it functions in the same way that In Dreams..., Going Deeper..., Bound to Fate, and A Gift from the Otherworld serve as waypoints into the realms of Ásgarðr, Jötunheimr, and Helheimr for their respective arcs of Havi's saga.

If the player installs the DLC and loads a file where Eivor is already in Ravensthorpe, the first line of dialogue introducing the DLC is skipped completely, as the scripting for the memory assumes the player is elsewhere in the world at the time of install. This differs from Wrath of the Druids and The Siege of Paris, which do not trigger any of their startup sequences until Eivor is physically in Ravensthorpe.

Progressing the memory beyond the events of 'The Rescue' will require completing A Wise Friend and renovating the Seer's Hut for Valka, as it is with the Asgard and Jotunheim story arcs.

The recommended Power Level for the expansion is 340, which is the vanilla endgame level—not including the extra levels of enemy scaling for the Drengr and Aesir difficulties, respectively. If low level players attempt to advance beyond the burning of the mistletoe, they will be offered a Boost to 340 from whatever level they are at, however this will only be reflected in base stats; skill points remain at pre-Ragnarök acquisition. They will, however, have several abilities unlocked and upgraded, many of which are quite valuable in general play including 'Focus of the Nornir' and 'Thorn of Slumber', if their corresponding Books of Knowledge have not been found. Players will also receive a loaned set of "Dreamed" equipment, which has the same stats as the fully upgraded Raven Clan armor, Varin's Axe, Raven Clan Shield, and Hunnish Bow while in Svartalfheim. The gear will be labeled as "Loaned" with an orange lightning bolt and font. Upon waking up to Ravensthorpe, the loaned gear will be removed and Eivor will wake up equipped with the strongest gear in the player's inventory, mostly without regard for what was equipped before, and the Dreamed gear will be re-equipped to Havi regardless of what he was wearing before Eivor woke up. Players can reject this Boost when it is initially offered, and the save files created after this point will be marked as "Boosted" with the same orange font if the offer is accepted.

Starting the Dawn of Ragnarök expansion from the 'New Game' option at the starting screen will start the player automatically with the same perks of the Boost offered to low level players. However, under this route, the player is confined to Svartalfheim for the duration of their play, and the option to 'Wake Up' to Ravensthorpe is not available. These save files are marked with 'DAWN OF RAGNARÖK EXCLUSIVE' in green font, and neither this memory nor any other in the vanilla game will be accessible.

References

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Dawn of Ragnarök