Rogaland

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A village raid by the Wolf Clan in Rygjafylke

Rogaland, called Rygjafylke in Old Norse times, is a county and region in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and Hordaland to the north.

History

Early history

Circa 850, King Hjorr Halfsson and Queen Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir of Avaldsnes had twin sons Geirmund and Hámund, but Ljufvina believed their father would not accept them as they looked nothing like him. Thus, she made a deal with a thrall, Ágáða, to switch children, but in three years, her son died during his third winter. Realizing the farce had gone on long enough, the skald Bragi Boddason convinced Ljufvina to tell the truth and in doing so, the twins were returned back to their parents as Ágáða was compensated.

In 856, the village of Heillboer was raided by Vikings serving under Kjotve the Cruel, an enemy of King Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson of Stavanger. During the raid, the Viking warrior Varin offered to surrender with no more bloodshed to Kjotve, who agreed to the terms. However, Kjotve betrayed the oath as he killed Varin unjustly while Varin's wife Rosta was killed quickly afterwards. Realizing the battle was lost, Styrbjorn's son Sigurd and Varin and Rosta's daughter Eivor escaped the raid.

Gull's riddles

King Styrbjorn subsequently adopted the orphaned Eivor, who sought revenge against Kjotve. In 870, she led a few of Styrbjorn's men to attack a group of Kjotve's warriors who were raiding a village. Capturing the settlement, Eivor soon found a slave of Kjotve, Gull, and took her as a prize for Styrbjorn. At Agder, Kjotve received his surviving henchmen, only to execute one of them for their failed raid and losing Gull.

Eivor and her clan-mates returning to Stavanger with Gull

At Stavanger, Eivor's plan to gift Gull to her adoptive father backfired as Styrbjorn realized that the slave was prized by Kjotve, who would certainly attempt to recover her. After being dismissed by Styrbjorn, Eivor went to practice with her clan-mate Tora Auzoux, during which she overheard Gull's ramblings about a treasure. She then decided to follow Gull's lead to the Temple of Heimdall in the Feiknstafir mountains. However, the slave betrayed Eivor to the Wolf Clan camp inside the temple, and the shieldmaiden was captured.

Meanwhile, at Stavanger, Styrbjorn and his clan were besieged by Kjotve's men. Although injured, Styrbjorn, along with Tora and Dag Nithisson, fought off the invaders. At the temple, Gull was forcibly interrogated by Bjarke Broadside about the treasure. Finding an opportunity due to the unstable nature of the temple, Eivor freed herself and killed Bjarke. Eliminating the other Wolf Clan warriors, she soon found the treasure, which included an Apple of Eden. Gull grabbed the Apple and regained her past life's memories. Holding Eivor in stasis, Gull soon relented control of the Apple as the temple became more unstable and started to collapse.

Eivor wanted to claim the Apple for her father, but Gull told her of the ongoing attack on Stavanger and gave her a choice: risk her life for the Apple, or return to her clan. Choosing the latter, Eivor left Gull to her fate and raced back to Stavanger. Arriving too late to save Tora, she nonetheless managed to protect Styrbjorn and the surviving Raven Clan members, turning the tide of the battle in their favor.

Trouble in Avaldsnes

That same year, both Geirmund and Hámund ventured off-course during a hunting trip and were attacked by a pack of wolves. Although killing most of them, both of them were injured, with Geirmund tending to Hámund. Realizing they needed to go home, Geirmund began the trek back to Avaldsnes. After three days, they were found by their friends Steinólfur and Skjalgi and brought back home. Realizing his error, Geirmund and his friends entered the hall of Avaldsnes to meet with his parents.

Realizing it was a feast for King Styrbjorn and Eivor, who were visiting, Geirmund was welcomed back by Ljufvina while being scolded by Hjorr. Despite the tensions, his parents had to meet with Styrbjorn about Harald Fairhair's growing influence. Geirmund soon met with Eivor as they discussed and agreed that their homeland had nothing left to offer. Before leaving, Eivor promised to keep their talk a secret as Geirmund later talked with Steinólfur to make plans to leave. Within six days, Geirmund asked Hámund to vouch to leave with Guthrum, to which Hámund stated that he would try.

During the feast, Guthrum was welcomed and met with Hjorr and his family about King Bersi's plan in their fight against the Saxons in England. Despite some arguments, Hjorr ultimately declined, which angered Guthrum. Disappointed, Guthrum left the hall as Geirmund immediately stated his desire to leave with Guthrum. However, he was met with instant opposition from his family and a close punch by his father. Enraged, he disowned his family and left to join Guthrum. Geirmund, along with Steinólfur and Skjalgi, met with Guthrum and offered their swords, to which Guthrum accepted.

Before leaving, Geirmund met with Bragi at Hjorr's father's mound. There, Bragi told Geirmund about his grandfather's life and gifted him a knife for any close-quarter fights. After leaving Bragi, Geirmund met with Ágáða, whom he thanked for being his first mother and gifted her silver and his horse. She prayed for his survival and bid him farewell. Soon, he met with Steinólfur and Skjalgi again as they gave him a sword gifted by Hámund. Joining Guthrum, all three of them climbed aboard the Wave Lover and left Avaldsnes.

Hunt for Kjotve the Cruel

A village raided by the Wolf Clan

By 872, Eivor and her crew continued their hunt for Kjotve, leading them to Rygjafylke's southern mountains, where Kjotve and his men had ventured in search of treasure. Despite managing to kill one of Kjotve's sons, Hrolfr, during their mission, Eivor and her warriors were ultimately defeated by the Wolf Clan, who managed to escape with a set of scrolls. Undeterred, Eivor decided to wait for another opportunity to eliminate Kjotve.

Months later, Eivor's crew managed to track down Kjotve again, but this led to them being overpowered and captured near Avaldsnes. At a dock, Kjotve personally had Eivor tied up and planned to sell her into slavery. However, she escaped her captors and sought to save her crew. Making her way to Avaldsnes, which was now under the Wolf Clan's control, she soon found and saved Dag from a Wolf Clan warrior. Venturing into Avaldsnes' longhouse, she confronted and killed Rikiwulf in combat and freed her crew. Meeting with Dag, they all sailed away after eliminating the remaining Wolf Clan warriors.

After raiding a Wolf Clan camp at Ikke en Oy, the crew made their way back to Fornburg and were greeted by Randvi. Eivor showed Randvi her father's axe, which she had recovered from Kjotve's men, and decided to meet with the seeress Valka for advice on her visions. After being given hallucinogens by Valka, Eivor envisioned Sigurd falling and then confronting a giant wolf. As she woke up, Eivor was told by Valka that she may betray Sigurd in the future, and left feeling conflicted about her vision.

Sigurd's return to Fornburg

After talking with and helping her fellow clan members around Fornburg, Eivor went to meet with Styrbjorn, who had just finished a meeting with Guthorm the Wise. During their conversation, Styrbjorn chastised Eivor for her reckless attacks against Kjotve, while she in turn criticized his ways of diplomacy. Their argument was interrupted by a horn indicating the return of Sigurd from his two-year expedition abroad. Heading to the Fornburg docks, Eivor, Styrbjorn and Randvi greeted Sigurd, who introduced them to his new friends, the Hidden Ones Basim Ibn Ishaq and Hytham, whom he had met in Constantinople.

During a feast organized in his honor, Sigurd talked about his travels and gifted Eivor a Hidden Blade, which she proceeded to train with under Basim and Hytham's guidance. After the Hidden Ones left, Sigurd and Eivor talked about their future together as the former revealed his plans to attack Kjotve the following day. That night, however, Eivor was awoken from her sleep by a Wolf Clan spy outside Fornburg. After eliminating him, as well as other spies, she reported to Styrbjorn and Sigurd. While the former was reluctant to take action as he did not want to risk an all-out war, Sigurd decided to retaliate.

Together with Eivor and other Raven Clan members, as well as Basim and Hytham, Sigurd raided Nottfall, a settlement under the Wolf Clan's control, and killed all the warriors present, though they did not find Kjotve. Afterwards, the group were met by Guthorm and his nephew, King Harald Fairhair. Contacted by Styrbjorn, Harald offered his help and military aid to the siblings to defeat Kjotve once and for all. They accepted and soon readied for the battle against Kjotve.

The Raven Clan and King Harald's forces marching on Kjotve's Fortress

At Florli, Eivor, Sigurd and Guthorm planned their attack on Kjotve's Fortress, during which Eivor challenged Kjotve to a holmgang in order to avenge her parents. The jarl accepted, but during their duel, Hytham attempted to intervene and assassinate Kjotve, who easily repelled his attack, injuring the Hidden One. However, this distraction allowed Eivor to gain the upper hand and she ultimately managed to slay Kjotve.

Following their leader's death, the remaining Wolf Clan forces retreated, including Kjotve's son Gorm, who briefly taunted Eivor and the Raven Clan before doing so. Meanwhile, Guthorm went to inform Harald of the assault's success and invited Eivor and Sigurd to attend an althing hosted by the king in Alrekstad.

At the althing, Harald banished Gorm and his men from Norway and announced his intentions to unify the country under his rule, a plan which most clan leaders supported, including Styrbjorn, much to Sigurd's anger. Feeling robbed of his birthright of land and betrayed by his own father, Sigurd subsequently decided to leave Norway and sail to England in search of better prospects, with Eivor, Basim, Hytham and many other Raven Clan members accompanying him.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Song of Glory (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
• Discovery Tour: Viking Age
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga
• Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Ravens' Wound
• The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)