Eivor Varinsdottir

You cannot know anything. Only suspect.

This article contains content from pre-release sources that may or may not be reflective of canon upon release. This article therefore likely contains spoilers.

Eivor was a Viking from Norway who participated in raids in England against King Alfred the Great.^[1] They^[2] were also in possession of a Hidden Blade, using it in combat against the Anglo-Saxons.^[3]

Biography

In 873 CE,^[4] Eivor and their clan of Norsemen fled from Norway to escape the endless war and dwindling resources. They arrived in the southern part of Great Britain, establishing a new settlement.^[2] At some point, Eivor encountered the Assassin Brotherhood and was given access to a Hidden Blade after cooperating with them on common goals. Keen that the traditionally stealth-based weaponry should be visible to their enemies, Eivor wore the blade over their forearm.^[4]

During their travels, Eivor was accompanied by the raven Sýnin.^[2]

Personality and characteristics

Eivor was a devoted and confident Viking clan leader, who was not afraid of dying to protect their people. Despite their deep love for their clan, they were a lone wolf. Indeed, driven by their dream to prove their courage, they preferred to take on all tasks and risks themselves. On top of being a fierce warrior, Eivor was cunning and was a great strategist, as could be prove some of their alliances.^[5]

Behind the scenes

Eivor has been revealed to be the main protagonist of the upcoming main installment, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. According to Ubisoft, their gender will be customizable, a feature carried over from Valhalla's immediate predecessor, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (2018).^[6] However, lead writer Darby McDevitt has confirmed that both gender options are considered canon in a way that will make logical sense.^[7] Eivor's appearance, including clothing, hair, and war paint, will also be customizable.^[8] Eivor's male voice will be provided by Magnus Bruun,^[9] while the female voice actor will be Cecilie Stenspil.^[10]

Etymology

The name Eivor, Eivør or Øyvor is a female given name derived from either proto-Norse auja, believed to mean 'good luck', or *warjaʀ, meaning 'defender'. It may also come from the combination of Old Norse words ey- or øy- (meaning 'island') and -varr (meaning 'careful').^[11]

When he tweeted how the name is meant to be pronounced, Creative Director Ashraf Ismail transcribed it phonetically as "Ay-vor".^[12]

Lore

In the trailer for Valhalla, Eivor, depicted here as a male, dons his Hidden Blade over his forearm. This unconventional way of wearing it has only been previously seen once before: with the Assassin Darius in the Legacy of the First Blade expansion to Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.