The Mysterious Berserker
The Mysterious Berserker was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2020 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[edit | edit source]
Eivor travelled to East Anglia to meet a mysterious berserkr named Bjorn Bloodtooth.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Eivor noticed a new note arrived.
- Eivor: A message has come.
Eivor opened the box and read the new letter.
Norvid's Note
- Eivor,
The gods favor us! In a cave near Northwic, I glimpsed a legend—Bjorn the berserkr. A great white bear walks by his side, while Mercian soldiers dog his steps.
–Norvid the Scout
- Eivor: Bjorn Bloodtooth. Berserkers make fierce foes, but powerful allies. His strength would bolster our settlement. I should seek him out.
Eivor rode to meet with the berserker.
- Eivor: Bjorn Bloodtooth's cave should be close by.
She approached the entrance, finding a man talking to a white bear.
- Eivor: That must be Bjorn the Berserker.
- Bjorn: My eyes cannot forget the sight, Njal. Her hair so long and falling down. How are you called, you bear-skins, you wolf-shirts, you tasters of blood? They call us the shield-biters, the wall-breakers, born in battle's flood. Soon, Alfhild, soon.
Eivor approached the man.
- Eivor: A man who fights beside a great white bear. You are Bjorn Bloodtooth.
- Bjorn: Ask the dead. What do they tell you?
- Eivor: They say "we do not want shape-shifters in these lands."
- Bjorn: They wished me dead. They are not the first. And you. Come to make your name in battle? Another corpse at my door won't matter.
- Eivor: I am not here to fight you, Bjorn. I am Eivor of the Raven Clan, and I offer you a seat in our hall.
- Bjorn: I have no clan and no need of another.
- Eivor: You prefer to live alone here with your bear?
- Bjorn: I prefer vengeance. Against the man who hung my wife and left her for the crows.
- Eivor: Who is this man?
- Bjorn: A Mercian lord, whose name shall not sour my lips. He has scores of men, an army perhaps. But that will not stop me.
- Eivor: Then let me help. If you truly wish to avenge your wife, you must not fall in battle.
- Bjorn: I shall think it over. Njal! Go with my bear, fill her belly. And if Njal trusts you, who knows? Maybe we do as you say.
Before talking to the bear, Eivor inspected a nearby table with a mixing bowl.
- Eivor: A mixing bowl for making berserker brew. Smells of piss and nightshade.
Eivor approached the bear.
- Eivor: You are tame for so wild a beast.
Njal made a noise.
- Eivor: Is that so? Tell me, what does a bear like you eat? Whatever you want, hmm? Best you show me, then.
The bear started towards the cave's rear exit. Eivor followed her out of the cave.
- Eivor: The skalds say Bjorn carried you into battle when you were but a bear cub; Raised you as one would raise a child.
They passed a flower field.
- Eivor: Your favorite flowers? They are not food, Njal. Reminds me of summer in Norway. We had fields like these near Hemming's hall. I can see why Bjorn keeps you around.
Njal then led them to the lake.
- Eivor: The lake. It's fish you want. I can help with that.
Stuck on a tree trunk by the lake were some arrows.
- Eivor: Fishing arrows! Now to catch something for Njal.
Eivor caught a fish.
- Eivor: Do you want some fish, Njal? Here.
She fed the bear.
- Eivor: Nothing better than fresh fish! Eat your fill, friend.
The pair were attacked by Mercian soldiers, though Eivor killed them quickly.
- Eivor: These men were looking for you, Njal. Bjorn may be in trouble as well.
They ran back to the cave, encountering more soldiers on the way. Eivor dealt with them.
- Bjorn: You have a strong war-arm, Raven-shirt.
- Eivor: These men did not come for the fame of defeating a legendary berserker.
- Bjorn: No. They were followers of the Mercian lord. My blood enemy. My wife's killer.
- Eivor: How did your wife die?
- Bjorn: Fame has two faces, Eivor of the Ravens. In Norway, many a young thane wanted the glory of killing me. They died. I grew tired of killing. Alfhild and I, we came here for a new start, a quiet life.
- Eivor: But fame sailed ahead of you. This Mercian lord learned of your deeds, sought to boost his own name with your blood.
- Bjorn: You have the right of it. Only he wanted me to drink the berserker brew first. When I refused, he demanded, offered gold, even taunted me. Then he... he hung her. Alfhild.
- Eivor: Your blood feud is just. But if it is something you must do alone...
- Bjorn: No, your words are wise. I do not want to die fighting. I want to die knowing my wife is avenged. I want to kill that man. Help me.
- Eivor: Tell me what you need.
- Bjorn: Nightshade. It's the last bit of magic I need for my berserker brew.
- Eivor: You shall have it. And when this is over, I trust the Raven Clan will have your axe.
Bjorn nodded.
- Bjorn: When you find the nightshade, bring it to me beneath the gallows tree south of Beodoricsworth. Nightshade often grows near graveyards, and Saxons build their graveyards near churches.
Eivor set off on her hunt.
Outcome[edit | edit source]
Eivor met the berserkr Bjorn Bloodtooth and agreed to help him seek revenge against a Mercian lord.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Eivor feeding fish to Njal -
Eivor and Njal attacked by Mercian soldiers
