Aelfgar:This fine specimen belonged to our ealdorman, Hundbeorht, before his untimely passing. He left it here when we last hunted together. I now wish you to have it.
Eivor:It's a beautiful weapon. Finely crafted. Thank you.
Aelfgar:I thought you might like it!
Eivor:This has the feeling of a bribe, Aelfgar. Are you trying to win my favor for some reason?
Aelfgar:Bribe you? Heavens no! This is a simple gift of thanks. For solving the mystery of Hundbeorht's disappearance.
Eivor:If this belonged to the ealdorman, shouldn't it go to Hunwald next?
Aelfgar:I suppose so. But I thought you a more fitting recipent. You'd know how to use it.
Aelfgar:Now, now, take it and come hither. I have a rousing hunt planned for the two of us.
Eivor collected the bow as Aelfgar talked.
Aelfgar:Leave aside talk of politics and shiremoots. Let us enjoy the fruits of my land together.
Eivor:We're hunting or fruit-picking?
Aelfgar:Both, if you like! Whatever you fancy! I'm generous with the yields of my estate, as you will see.
Eivor following Aelfgar into the woods
Eivor followed Aelfgar.
Aelfgar:To be plain, Eivor, a great bear has been badgering my estate for weeks. I must do away with it if only to prevent a future tragedy.
Eivor:You brought me here to hunt a bear?
Aelfgar:Yes, and I'm so pleased you agreed to come! I suspect you know better than most that I have what it takes to lead this shire. Though its line of kings is all but ended, the people of this land still teems with life, with promise. But today, this shire languishes. It needs the guidance of new blood.
Eivor:Like me.
Aelfgar:I'm sorry.
Eivor:I'm the definition of new blood. It may be I should put my name in for ealdorman.
Aelfgar:Ah! There it is, that dark sense of humor. Blunt as a hammer, eh? Like the one carried by your ... your thunder god, the, ah ... I don't recall the name.
Eivor:Go on.
Aelfgar:What I mean to say is, I enjoy the company of your people. Or people like you. What little I've seen of them. And I don't care what stuffy fools like Herefrith or Hunwald say. You Danes are damned decent people! Not dense at all.
Eivor:Kind of you to notice.
Aelfgar:I remembered when the Danes first arrived, not long ago. The locals were terrified. Not of being raided, but of their spouses being seduced away! With all your perfumes and braiding and grooming and... bathing, even! How novel!
Eivor:I hear you Saxons bathe once a year, whether you need it or not.
Aelfgar:It's true! We are learning as we go. Between washing and braiding <sic> grooming, where do you people find the time to raid and ravage!
Eivor:We sleep less than Saxons.
Aelfgar:Sleep less! My goodness.
They drew near a pond.
Eivor:Are we hunting, Aelfgar? Or is it your hope that I'll braid your hair?
Aelfgar:Hunting, definitely. The bear's lair should be nearby.
Eivor and Aelfgar met with Grim
Eivor and Aelfgar walked to a man, by the lake's waters, with a dead deer by his side.
Aelfgar:Ah, my old friend, Grim! How wonderful to see you here! What a pleasant surprise.
Grim:What surprise? I came as you requested.
Aelfgar:Yes, and how is Grimsby? How are all the other Danes?
Grim:I can't speak for all Danes ... but I am well. And itching for a hunt, as you made plain in your message this morning.
Aelfgar:Yes, that's right, very good! Speaking of Danes, I'd like to introduce you to Eivor. Perhaps you know each other, as one Dane to another.
Eivor:Well met, Grim. Glad to have you along.
Eivor:I'm Norse, actually. Something you might learn by asking. Well met, Grim. Glad to have you along.
Eivor:Don't be frightened, Grim. But I believe Aelfgar has arranged for us to meet.
Aelfgar:O, goodness, I've been discovered. But it's nothing untoward, I promise. I'm an honest man, and I believe that all people should live together in harmony. That's all.
Grim:Hail Eivor. Did he lure you here as well, with the promise of a hunt?
Eivor:He—
Aelfgar:Yes, hunting a bear! That's the point of all this, we're hunting. I promise.
Eivor and Grim grew annoyed.
Grim:There's a cave up the hill there. Seems a likely place for a lair.
Eivor:If the beast is as large as Aelfgar claims, it'll take all three of us to bring it down.
Grim:I'm game. Let's get a new fur cloak, shall we?
Grim, Eivor, and Aelfgar went to a cave uphill.
Grim:There is all manner of beasts in this forest. If we don't find the bear, we'll find something worth our supper.
Aelfgar:I have a divine rule over the land on my estate. God shall provide, have no worry.
The trio exploring the cave
The trio entered the cave and searched for the bear, only to find a half-eaten horse.
Eivor:This is the threshold of a beast's home, there's no doubting that.
After defeating the assailants, Eivor spoke with Aelfgar.
Eivor:The men who'd see you burn are dead. Let's get these fires out.
Aelfgar:Agreed!
Aelfgar observing the damages done to his estate
The three put out the fires.
Aelfgar:What a mess. A sea of ashes. I thank you, Eivor, for doing what you could.
Eivor:You're a man of many riches, Aelfgar. You can rebuild.
Aelfgar:To be sure. But I do not look forward to the toil of...
Aelfgar paused and laughed as he pointed at a bear on the other end of the estate, overwhelmed by the irony.
Aelfgar:Sweet Lord in Heaven. The bear has returned!
The bear attacked the remaining civilians.
Aelfgar:Away, beast! Away! You won't trouble me any longer.
Eivor:Aelfgar, careful!
Eivor charged forward and killed the bear, concluding her adventure with Aelfgar and readying for her next task. She spoke with Aelfgar before leaving.
Aelfgar:There, you see? Didn't I promise you a rousing hunt! Brilliant, simply brilliant!
Eivor and Aelfgar met with Grim to hunt for a bear. However, Aelfgarstun was raided by Saxons during the hunt and the trio made it back to save the estate. After defeating the raiders, the trio saw that the bear came and killed it afterwards.
The ride with Aelfgar is too short to completely exhaust his dialogue during this part before being promptly cut off by arriving at the meeting point with Grim, which is a relatively short distance away for the trotting speed of the horse. To exhaust it, players must stay far back enough that he stops moving forward while also being close enough that his commentary does not cut off completely, at which point the player is required to get much closer to restart the line from the top. The simplest method is to shoot his horse with arrows at regular intervals; it will not suffer any damage, but it will interrupt the trot completely while allowing dialogue to advance.
