Samhain

"I am to be sacrificed in the wicker man as King of the Harvest! Like Ealdorman Simkin before me, and all before him."

―Ealdorman Cynon mentioning Simkin to Eivor, c. 876

Concept art of the Samhain festival

Samhain is a yearly festival that is held on the evening of 31 October and continues into 1 November.

History

On 31 October 856, ealdorman Simkin and his fellow constituents of Glowecestrescire celebrated the Samhain festival in Glowecestre and prepared the Wicker-Man, for it was Simkin's duty to burn within it as an offering for a surplus of crops. Before committing himself to self-sacrifice in the Wicker-Man, he gave the ealdorman's crown and guardianship of his daughter Brigid to his successor, Cynon, who vowed to continue the alliance between the Christians and pagans in the community. After Simkin burned inside the Wicker-Man, twenty years passed with good tidings within the shire, particularly between the leaders Cynon and the druid priestess Modron, who raised their daughter Gwenydd.

On 31 October 876, the Samhain festival was held again, and this time, it was Cynon's turn to burn within the Wicker-Man. However, his successor Tewdwr preached a new Christian path, which worried Cynon and Modron about the future of the shire and their daughter. So, with the arrival of Brigid's fiancé Gunnar and his guest, the Viking shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir, Modron devised of a scheme to frame Eivor, as a patsy of a rogue Viking, of murdering Tewdwr. When the plan worked, the leadership would fall to Modron and thus the peace between the Christians and the pagans would be maintained.

Meanwhile, Eivor played the part as the Mari Lwyd, set up by Gunnar and Brigid, as a way of wearing a disguise to receive treats from the community. Yet, her fun was cut short once she saw Gunnar contesting with a local man, who insulted the Vikings' presenses. After a brawl between the Vikings and the local man, Gunnar was medically treated by Modron as Eivor joined Cynon, Tewdwr, and a "monk" named Gwilim in the town square. There, Eivor tried to loosen Tewdwr up and joined in on their drinking challenge. During their challenge, Cynon, with the help of the bandit Gwilim, drugged both Tewdwr and Eivor's drinks as they staged Tewdwr's house by killing his guards and leaving Eivor alone in the house. Meanwhile, Eivor and Tewdwr became drunk during the night, fooled around across the town, and made their way back to Tewdwr's home before passing out.

While passed out, Cynon ordered Gwilim to take Tewdwr to Thieves' Warren to be killed but once there, Gwilim and his bandits liked him and kept him alive. The next morning, she woke up alone in Tewdwr's house and discovered Tewdwr's men slain and Gwilim's pouch. When she left the house, Eivor was accused by Cynon of killing Tewdwr, due to his body being gone, and was labeled an enemy. While the festival still played out, Eivor escaped from Cynon and his men and then met with Modron. Realizing she needed a distraction, she aided Eivor and sent to seek out a druid named Halewyn about the herbs in Gwilim's pouch.

Modron kept a close eye on Eivor and aided her while secretly planning out her next steps. When she discovered who ordered the concoction in Gwilim's pouch and where it was delivered, Eivor traveled to Thieves' Warren and found Tewdwr alive, next to Gwilim. Gwilim explained that Tewdwr was supposed to die by Cynon's instructions but he was very likeable among the bandits and thus lived. However, Tewdwr was still ill from being drugged and lost consciousness again. When Eivor carried Tewdwr out, Tewdwr woke up in a gaze and told her about the errors of his ways. He also promised to keep the peace between both Christians and pagans. Waiting for her, Modron helped Eivor with Tewdwr while she casted blame on Cynon. However, when Eivor left to seek out Cynon, Modron carried Tewdwr back to her hideout in Ochre Caves and finally planned to end Tewdwr by performing a sacrificial ritual.

Once Eivor found out Cynon was preparing himself within the St. Kenhelm's Church, she confronted the ealdorman, who revealed that it was all Modron's plan and their daughter was Gwenydd, who, like others, were going to be cast out by Tewdwr's new direction. However, Eivor revealed Tewdwr's change of heart and thus Cynon revealed Modron's ritual and location to Eivor. After deciding Cynon's fate, Eivor traveled to the Ochre Caves, maneuvered through the cavern, and found Modron about to sacrifice Tewdwr. Immediately engaging Modron in combat, Eivor bested the priestess and decided her fate. Afterwards, she rescued Tewdwr and escorted him back to Glowecestre.

In Glowecestre, Eivor, Tewdwr, and the other constituents took part in the burning of the Wicker-Man to finally end the festival. Eivor thus gained an ally in Glowecestrescire with Tewdwr.

Gallery

• 
  Eivor looks at the Wicker-Man

Appearances

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