Upon completing her third objective to weaken Fulke's support within the shire of Suthsexe, Eivor reflected on her work.
Eivor:I should return to our camp.
Eivor arrived at the forward camp to regroup with her allies. Depending on who Eivor had helped across the shires of England, she found many allies waiting to repay their debts to her.
Norse Warrior 1:Eivor has returned! Hail, Wolf-Kissed!
Hunwald:Yes, I surprised myself, for what it's worth. If I cannot be ealdorman, I can at least honor my father by acting as one. My lord has sent you the best archers in Lincolnscire, and I am here to lead them.
Eivor:Good. We will rain death upon our enemies today. Good work, Hunwald. Be ready.
Eivor:Ealdorman Hunwald, you honor your father by answering my call. Swanburrow sends her regards.
Hunwald:My ladylove! Let her name be my flame of hope, for I confess the thought of this battle turns my guts to water.
Eivor:Fighting is easy. Just look your opponents in the eyes, then put an axe between them.
Hunwald:Yes, I remember. Well, I have brought the best archers in Lincolnscire to lend their bows to your cause.
Eivor:Good. We will rain death upon our enemies today. Good work, Hunwald. Be ready.
Despite Eivor casting the deciding stone to make the bishop Herefrith ealdorman of Lincolnscire, not a single man from the shire answered her call for allies.
If Eivor formed an alliance in London, she could speak to Stowe and Erke.
Stowe:I appreciate your efforts to spare the innocent, Eivor. At least we saved some lives here.
Eivor:One day, Saxon and Dane, Norse and Briton, will live as brothers and sisters, as they do in Lunden.
Stowe:I only wish the path to peace were not paved with so many skulls.
Eivor:We cannot choose the way the world is. Our only choice is how to face it.
Stowe:And so violence begets violence. "An eye for an eye" as the Good Book says. But soon, we will all be blind.
Eivor:Not quite. Whoever makes the last strike should still have one eye left.
Stowe:"In the street of the blind, the one-eyed man is called the Guiding Light."
Erke:Does that holy tome of yours have a quote for everything?
Stowe:Eivor, forgive me. I have slain too many of my own people already. I cannot kill more. I must return to Lunden.
Eivor:And you, Erke? Do you feel the same?
Erke:Someone has to keep an eye on him in the big city. He would only get himself killed otherwise.
Eivor:We took this camp together, so I will ask no more of you. Return home, and let your friendship be a beacon to our peoples.
Eivor grasped arms with Erke, while Stowe wrapped his arm across her shoulder.
Eivor:Ever my staunch ally, Ljufvina. Are your men ready?
Ljufvina:They are. Bows strung and arrows fletched. We will harry the enemy from the flanks to keep them off your back. They will not have a moment's peace from us.
Eivor:I know I can count on you, Ljufvina.
Ljufvina:What are friends for?
If Eivor formed an alliance in Essexe, she could talk to Birstan.
Eivor:Birstan. I'm glad to see you again. How is your family?
Birstan:Alfida keeps my house and heart in order. She has even charmed that old shrew Eadred.
Bishop Deorlaf:Then my men and I will ride to meet them. We will harry them every step of the way, to buy you time.
Basim:We may begin the assault at once. Or you might wish to speak with your allies if you have not done so already?
Ubba:Warm words do that the chill of battle-fear.
Eivor:We march. When the sun sets on this day, Sigurd will be returned to us and Fulke's head will be on a spike.
Basim:Let us begin.
Eivor:I will not be long.
Basim:Return when you are ready.
After talking to anyone she had not already spoken to, Eivor returned to Basim.
Basim:Your warriors are eager for battle. Are you?
(returns to choices)
The allies prepared for battle. Eivor approached Portcestre with Soma and Ubba, where Fulke stood on the rampart to snipe insults at her.
Fulke:Eivor! Did you enjoy the gift I left you in Canterbury?
Eivor:You will die today, Fulke. But your men may live if you come here, to me, and settle this alone.
Fulke:We have nothing to settle. Die on these walls if you will. It is your choice.
Eivor:No wall is high enough to keep me from you.
Fulke:Then come. Claim your brother, if you can. I shall wait with him. If you would find us, you need only follow his screams.
Eivor:Fulke!
Eivor stormed off angrily from the parley. She stood before her gathered friends and allies.
Eivor:What will the skalds say when they speak of this day? They will say we unleashed such rampant slaughter that Odin himself stirred on his throne to watch! They will say that ravens blacked the sky to feast on Saxon dead! So raise your sword with me now, brothers and sisters. For today is the day we carve our names into legend!
Everyone cheered, clapped or raised their fists in the air. Eivor turned to face Portcestre and the upcoming battle.
Eivor:I'm coming for you, Brother.
Eivor and her army began to attack. There was an initial exchange between Ubba and Basim.
Ubba:So many battles and so few scars, Basim! What's your secret?
Basim:I don't get hit.
Ubba:Aha! The simplest strategies are the best!
The ram made it's way to the gate, stopping before the first small palisade along the way.
Eivor:Clear the way! Let's take down that palisade!
After a few rammings or some help from Eivor, it crumbled.
Vili:Ravens will tear your flesh.
A second palisade stood in the path on the way to the main gate.
Eivor:Another palisade! We have to knock it down!
The ram destroyed the second palisade.
Soma:Do not let your swords fall, onward, onward!
Vili:Rip their spines out, spill their guts!
The ram approached the gate.
Eivor:Break open that gate! Watch out for the oil! Courage, men! Let the ravens gorge on Saxon meat!
With or without Eivor's help, the ram breached the gate.
Ubba:You all die here today!
Basim:Push forward, we have them on the run.
Eivor could hear an exchange between Basim and Vili.
Basim:Watch your left!
Vili:You watch YOUR left!
Basim:I'm trying to help!
Eivor's forces charged into the keep.
Vili:They can't keep us back!
Eivor could hear an exchange between Soma and Ubba.
Ubba:Soma! You fight like Vidarr, hungry for revenge!
Soma:I would say the same of you, Ubba Ragnarsson!
Eivor could hear an exchange between Ubba and Vili.
Vili:Ubba! Do you have sight of Eivor!
Ubba:Are you her nursemaid? Why do you ask?
Vili:Old habits. Pay me no mind.
A palisade blocked each of the pathways through to the shipyard.
Eivor:The men cannot get through! We need to get them away from these archers!
Eivor destroyed one or both palisades.
Ubba:We fight as brothers and sisters, we fight for blood!
If Soma was overwhelmed, she cried out.
Soma:No! Valhalla calls to me.
If Ubba was overwhelmed, he cried out.
Ubba:You will not break me, Saxon shit-fly.
If Basim was overwhelmed, he cried out.
Basim:I will fall if I take more blows. Aid me!
If Vili was overwhelmed, he cried out.
Vili:Fight beside me! Lest I fall. I will die with an axe in my fist!
If Eivor fell to low health, her allies would call to her.
Soma:Do not fall, Eivor. We need your axe-arm!
Ubba:Do not fail now, Eivor, call on Thor's strength.
Basim:Guard yourself, Wolf-Kissed. You are Sigurd's last hope.
Vili:Eivor! Pull back, you cannot fall here!
Sometimes when Eivor killed a powerful enemy, her allies would praise her.
Soma:Well done, Eivor. All fall in your wake.
Ubba:There, Eivor! You are our champion.
Basim:Your strength is unmatched, Eivor!
Vili:That ugly bastard didn't stand a chance!
A portcullis stood in the way of many warriors. Eivor climbed up to lift it.
Eivor:Keep fighting, men! I will take care of the gate.
Eivor lifted the portcullis and broke the mechanism to keep it fixed open.
Basim:For Sigurd!
Eivor could hear an exchange between Soma and Basim.
Soma:What waits for you on the other side of death, Basim?
Basim:I thought I knew once. Now I think otherwise.
Soma:A bad day to be uncertain.
Another palisade stood in their way, protected by a rampart full of springalds.
Eivor:Springalds! Damn these Saxons! I will make a path.'
Eivor cut down the springald operators and sought a way to destroy the palisade.
Eivor:They cannot hold us back! Make your ancestors proud!
Vili:You Saxon sheep-fuckers die here.
Using oil jars or a springald in a building across the way, Eivor destroyed the final palisade.
Soma:Your blood will stain this place for eternity.
Eivor:Onward! Let nothing stand in your way!
Eivor could hear an exchange between Soma and Vili.
Vili:I've killed twenty Saxons already!
Soma:I lost count around thirty.
Vili:Hmph... well... I wasn't counting the short ones!
Eivor made her way to the keep.
Eivor:The keep is in sight! We must fight our way to it!
Ubba:Your Hell has come to claim you.
Eivor:Fight hard! Odin's eyes are upon you this day!
Eivor arrived at the grounds of the keep, where more enemies gathered.
(If Fulke's champion was spared)
Fulke's Champion:We meet again, heathen! You should have killed me when you had the chance.
Eivor:A mistake I will not make twice.
Eivor killed Fulke's champion, then continued with the siege.
Up the stairs to the keep entrance, Eivor killed the soldier bearing the key to the door and looted it from him.
Eivor:These Saxon slack-bladders are no match for Norse steel!
Soma:For Eivor! For Sigurd!
Eivor unlocked the gate and entered the keep.
Eivor:Sigurd must be close. Up these stairs!
Eivor climbed, killing some soldiers who were inside until she came across a room.
Eivor:Sigurd was here once, but no longer. Where has Fulke taken him?
Eivor examined a chair with shackles and covered in blood, similar to the one from Fulke's torture chamber under Canterbury Cathedral.
Eivor:Is this Sigurd's blood?
Basim:Still fresh.
Eivor examined restraints in the wall with blood.
Eivor:Sigurd. Every instant of your torment, Fulke will suffer tenfold.
Eivor stepped outside to a ledge where a horn sounded. Eivor saw Fulke walking to a bridge where she taunted Eivor and ran to a small church nearby.
Eivor:The church! Fulke must have taken him there. Come on, Basim!
Basim:Face us, Fulke! Your cowardice betrays you.
Eivor made her way to the church across the bridge, fighting or ignoring attacking soldiers. Eivor entered the church and came across a large door.
Eivor:This door will need the strength of two!
Eivor and Basim forced the door open. Fulke stood over the alter, with Sigurd unconscious on the floor, holding the stump where his arm once was.
Eivor:Fulke!
Fulke smiled.
Fulke:I have done all I could to help him, Eivor. The rest is up to you.
Eivor:Nooo! No!
Eivor ran toward Fulke who ran to a trap door and climbed inside. Eivor turned back to Sigurd, checking on him.
Eivor:Brother! Brother! I'm here for you. I have you.
Sigurd weakly looked at Eivor.
Basim:Let me stay with him. You deal with Fulke.
Eivor sighed.
Eivor:I'll come back for you, I promise.
Eivor stood up and headed toward the trap door, patting Basim on the shoulder. Basim knelt down but kept his eye on Eivor.
Eivor landed in the catacombs underneath the church. She walked deeper into the catacombs, with only a few torches to light the way. Eivor ended up in a dark room with only floor lanterns. Eivor peered through the dark.
Eivor:You cower from me, Fulke? Like a rat in the dark?
Fulke stepped into the edge of the light.
Fulke:We are all in the dark, Eivor. It is the search for the light that brings us closer to the gods.
Eivor:Save your babble. Death is our language now.
Fulke:You fight beneath a banner of ignorance, Eivor. I could pull back the curtain for you. Give you a glimpse of what lies beyond.
Eivor:I need nothing from you.
Eivor and Fulke fought. Fulke easily blocked Eivor's basic strikes, forcing her to parry her counterattacks.
Eivor:This ends here.
Fulke:A pity to kill one with such... potential.
Fulke would occasionally withdraw to the shadows to catch Eivor unaware.
Eivor:Where are your fine words now, paladin?
Fulke:If you will not raise your eyes to the light, I'll bury you in the dark.
Eivor:So you can fight after all.
Fulke:You meddle in matters you do not understand!
After taking some damage, Fulke doused the floor braziers to make the area pitch black before retreating deeper inside.
Fulke:Blind of mind, blind of sight.
Eivor:Are you afraid, Fulke?
Fulke:My cause is greater than you can comprehend.
Eivor continued to wound Fulke, who doused the brazier and retreated once.
Fulke:The light of the Monad is all I need to guide me.
Eivor:Why do you hide, coward?
Eivor chased after her.
Fulke:You have power, Eivor. Maybe more than you know.
Eivor:No more words, poison-tongue!
Fulke:Even when I offer the truth, you refuse it.
With her strength waning against Eivor's attacks, Fulke acknowledged her inherent power.
Fulke:You are more like Sigurd than you know.
After Eivor inflicted serious wounds, Fulke stopped.
Fulke:Do you not wonder, Eivor, at the things I have learned?
Eivor:Every word you say is madness.
Fulke:Sigurd is an Ancient One! An archon, Nephilim, Isu, call him what you will. He is reborn!
Eivor:He is my brother and my jarl. And you are mind-sick.
Fulke:He is everything we should hope to be!
Fulke threw a smoke bomb to escape. Eivor charged after her.
Eivor:Fulke! Damn you to Hel!
Eivor chased her through the dark, reaching a set of steps leading back up above ground.
Eivor:Fulke! you can't run from me forever!
Eivor climbed out of the catacombs. Fulke tried to make her escape before being blocked by a group of Norse, in a graveyard.
Eivor:Nobody touch her. She's mine.
Fulke turned back to Eivor.
Fulke:You are too late, Eivor. I have opened your brother's mind to the truth. That is my victory.
Fulke turned to pull a large, cross gravestone out of the ground.
Fulke:And you will go with me to the grave.
Eivor and Fulke fought again.
Fulke:You can wound my flesh, but my work will live on for all time! You are more like your brother than I realized, Eivor.
Eventually, Eivor bested and killed Fulke.
In the dark corridor, Eivor repeatedly punch Fulke who laughed.
Eivor:(scream) Burn in your Hell!
Eivor was suddenly thrown from Fulke by Odin.
Odin:Stop!
Fulke:(laughing, coughing)
Odin:You misunderstand, Eivor.
Eivor got up to one knee and drew an axe from her belt and ran toward Fulke.
Eivor:I'll eat your heart!
Eivor was once again pulled back by Odin's power.
Odin:She has saved your brother!
Eivor struggled against Odin's power.
Fulke:Animals, we are. Spit and vomit, shit and soil.
Fulke turned before a giant version of Sigurd with ropes reaching from his head to the ground.
Fulke:But Sigurd is so much more. I gave him that understanding, that gift.
On the floor was a pully. Fulke placed her hand on it.
Eivor:You gave him pain!
Fulke pulled on the pully wheel.
Fulke:Yes! To awaken him!
As Fulke pulled the wheel, Sigurd screamed. Sigurds eyes flamed in a brilliant white.
Fulke:All that power! All that potential, locked away!
The giant Sigurd looked down at Fulke angrily and the ropes ripped away. Sigurd yelled in pain.
Fulke:A god trapped in a prison on bones! The pain was necessary to free him!
Sigurds shackles broke away and he stood.
Fulke:Behold his terrible beauty!
The giant Sigurd reached down and grabbed Fulke.
Fulke:The beauty of the divine!
Sigurd crushed Fulke in his hand as she screamed, and disappeared in a flash of light and dust.
Odin:Hers was the great work, the highest achievement of humankind. Now you, Eivor—you must carry it forward.
Sigured smiled through flaming eyes and reached down to grab Eivor the same way he grabbed Fulke. Eivor looked up with worry.
Eivor:Sigurd...
The dark corridor faded.
Back in the graveyard, Eivor knelt over Fulke's body, grabbing her Order medallion.
Sigurd:I can walk. Let me... let me walk.
Eivor turned to see Sigurd being guided by Basim. Sigurd stumbled as Basim released him.
Bishop Deorlaf:Eivor! We delayed them as long as we could.
Ubba:Reinforcements from Wincestre have come.
Eivor turned to Basim.
Eivor:Get Sigurd to a boat. I will hold them off until you are safely away.
Basim:Fight well, Eivor. Find us at the settlement when you can.
Basim led Sigurd away.
Soma:Archers! To the walls!
Eivor, Deorlaf and Ubba turned to hold off the Saxons.
Ubba:Damn these Saxon dogs! Don't they give up?
Eivor:Stand with me, Ubba. We'll turn the tide.
Soma:Stay strong! Victory is close at hand!
Eivor:Keep your wits about you, Soma. Don't get careless now.
Soma:Never!
Eivor:One last effort! Drive them back!
Ubba:By Thor, we're not done yet!
Eivor:Do not falter now, men! For Odin, and for glory!
After much fighting, the remaining Saxons retreated, bringing the assault of Portcestre Fortress to an end. Eivor ran to meet with Ubba and Soma.
Eivor:Is that the last of them?
Soma:We have beaten them back for now, but without Guthrum's army, we do not have the numbers to hold this fort.
Eivor:We found Sigurd. That is what matters.
Eivor turned to see the cheers of her forces, including Deorlaf. Eivor smiled as Ubba stood beside her.
Ubba:Guthrum has hasty in his judgement, Eivor. You are fit to stand with the best of us. Go to your brother. The words of one beloved will heal him faster than herbs. I will see to matters here.
Eivor:May the gods guide you, Ubba. Until we meet again.
Eivor could speak to Soma.
Eivor:Soma Jarlskona. It seems we have won.
Soma:A great victory. Not even these walls could stand against us.
Eivor:This land will be ours in time. What now for you?
Soma:Ubba and I will go west, driving the Saxons before us. Aelfred will not hold the crown much longer.
Eivor:I hope one day to see you both there.
Soma:I would like that.
Eivor could speak to Ubba again.
Eivor:There's one more thing...
Ubba:What are you doing still talking to me? Enough goodbyes. Go to Sigurd!
Eivor:Yes. Be well, Ubba.
Eivor could speak to Deorlaf.
Eivor:Howe did you like the taste of battle?
Bishop Deorlaf:That was... exhilarating! Reminds me of my younger days.
Eivor:Had you not delayed those reinforcements, we might never have succeeded. You are brave for a priest.
Bishop Deorlaf:Do not underestimate the faithful. We give out lives to a God we cannot see or touch. There is no greater bravery than that.
Eivor could speak to Hunwald.
Eivor:We could not have taken this fort without your archers, Hunwald. My thanks.
Hunwald:O, it was nothing, you know! All in a day's work.
Eivor:I may need call on them again one day.
Hunwald:Ah. Was this not the only...? Right, because I was hoping... Well, never mind.
Eivor could speak to Birstan.
Eivor:Birstan. Your ram was invaluable in breaching this fortress.
Birstan:A trifle in comparison to the great service you have rendered me.
Eivor:You will have a good story to tell Alfida upon your return.
Birstan:There is that. But battle is not so thrilling and glamorous as the stories tell. I shall have to spruce it up a little.
Eivor could speak to Vili.
Eivor:You look pleased with yourself.
Vili:Smell that air! Smells like victory!
Eivor:Smells like blood and brains and the soiled underclothes of dead men.
Vili:Aye, isn't that what victory smells like?
Eivor:Perhaps to you, arse-stick. I'll take roasting meat, warm mead, and a fire.
Vili:Ah, you always were soft. Get on with you!
Eivor could speak to Ljufvina.
Eivor:Ljufvina. I am glad to see you made it through.
Ljufvina:Be proud, Eivor. You found Sigurd, against the odds.
Eivor:I found his shadow. But I must hope that the scars Fulke has inflicted on his mind will heal.
Ljufvina:Sigurd is strong. It will take more than pain to break him.
Eivor:You did not see him, Ljufvina. There was an emptiness in his eyes.
Ljufvina:I am sorry to hear that. Let us hope for the best.
With her business in Suthsexe settled, Eivor left her assembled allies to attend to Portcestre and made her way back north to Ravensthorpe.
All main story arcs, besides the pledges to Glowecesterscire and Eurvicscire—which have the Suthsexe arc as a pre-requisite—that are not otherwise pre-requisities to the Suthsexe arc can be completed prior to it, with all but the pledge to Wincestre yielding an ally who will participate in this battle. However, if the final vote in the Lincolnscire arc results in Bishop Herefrith becoming ealdorman, the Lincolnscire arc ends prematurely. Completing any other story arc would then "restart" the Lincoln arc to converge towards a proper conclusion. However, beginning the Suthsexe arc immediately after—thus avoiding this tangent and technically retaining Herefrith as ealdorman during this time—will result in Hunwald not being present at all as Lincoln's representative ally. It is unknown if this is a development oversight or an intentional narrative clue that Herefrith is not a reliable ally, but it is likely for players to come across this scenario in natural gameplay, as Lincolnscire is one of two optional arcs to unlock between Cent and Suthsexe.
Additionally, interrupting this arc by returning to Ravensthorpe and pledging to, then completing a different arc—even those not required for the main story and if only to properly conclude the Lincolnscire arc—will not retroactively bring those unlocked allies into this memory.
After completing the pledge to Essexe, it is possible to return to Colcestre and engage in floating conversations with Birstan, Alfida, and Eluric, even encouraging the latter to return home. However, Birstan's dialogue at the forward camp does not change to reflect this as it does in the floating conversation at the Ealdorman's House. This is either an oversight or an indication that the post-arc floating conversations take place at a later point in the narrative.
Although it is possible for Vili Hemmingson to appear in this memory if the Snotinghamscire arc has been completed, that arc chronologically takes place in January 876 CE, whereas Eivor's rescue of Sigurd took place in 875 CE. Similarly, the Jorvik arc that yields Ljufvina Bjarmasdottir as an ally also takes place after Sigurd's rescue, making their appearances non-canon from a narrative perspective. It is likely that these arcs were developed and intended to take place much earlier in the story—and their unlock conditions and some dialogue within those arcs implies that to be the case—only for them to be pushed further back in the final production, with the local enemy levels and loot grades raised accordingly to reflect "late-game" locations.
