York
York (Latin: Eboracum; Old English: Eoforwic; Old Norse: Jorvik; lit.: place of the yew trees) during the Anglo-Saxon period, is a city located in North Yorkshire, England. The city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Northumbria during the early Middle Ages, until its conquest by the Vikings in 866.
History[edit | edit source]
Roman era[edit | edit source]
York was originally founded as a town named Eboracum during the Roman occupation of Great Britain. Between the 2nd and early 5th century, the Hidden Ones established and maintained a bureau within the city.[1]
On 3 February 211, the Hidden One Khloe infiltrated the villa of Emperor Severus and administered poison to him. The emperor died the next day, and Khloe succeeded in carrying out her assassination contract.[1]
Medieval period[edit | edit source]
Following the departure of the Roman Empire, the city was occupied by Saxon settlers, where it became known as Eoforwic.[2] By the early Middle Ages, the town had developed into a city and became part of the Kingdom of Northumbria. Alcuin, a notable scholar who served in the court of Charlemagne, was born in Eoforwic during the 8th century.[3]
In 867, the southern part of Northumbria including Eoforwic became a vassal of the Great Heathen Army, a coalition of Vikings that came from Scandinavia. Ricsige was installed as king by Halfdan Ragnarsson and based himself in the city, which was later renamed Jorvik.[3]
By 874, King Hjorr Halfsson, his wife Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir, and their son Hámund Hel-hide moved to Jorvik after King Harald Fairhair's unification of Norway.[4] Hámund eventually left on his own journey to establish trade relations and alliances.[5] Working under Halfdan as an advisor, Hjorr served alongside King Ricsige, High Reeve Audun, and Halfdan's childhood friend Faravid on a council that governed Jorvik. However, the Order of the Ancients stationed three operatives, "The Firebrand", "The Needle", and "The Vault", within the city. Soon, they assumed control of a group of bandits, the Red Hand, using them to stir infighting and corruption.[6]
King Alfred of Wessex, opposing the Order, sent a letter to Jorvik under his alias of the "Poor-Fellow Soldier of Christ", detailing the Ancients' plans in the city. Ljufvina received the letter, though before she could open it, she was attacked by two Red Hand bandits, whom she killed. She was soon found by her ally and friend, the shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir, who had traveled to Jorvik to eradicate the Order's presence.[6]
Eivor and Ljufvina subsequently met with Hjorr at the Royal Hall, where the former gained an audience with and permission from King Ricsige to eliminate the Red Hand. However, Eivor kept the Order's involvement secret, only discussing it with Hjorr and Ljufvina.[6]
From her first clue, Eivor's investigation led her to discover The Firebrand to be Abbess Ingeborg and eliminated her as she was burning Christian texts at The Minster.[7] The second clue had Eivor finding out that the dockmaster Grigorii was The Needle and was using his position to rob and extort the city's merchants. After killing Grigorii,[8] the last clue led Eivor to determine that The Vault was Audun, who planned to poison the city's nobility during the annual Yuletide feast. Audun's plan failed as he was assassinated by Eivor, ending the Order's influence in Jorvik.[9]
At some point during her stay in the city, Eivor also found and explored the abandoned Eboracum bureau at Hytham's request, retrieving a page from The Magas Codex and the robes of a Hidden One.[1]
Within the same year, Geirmund Hel-hide, son of Hjorr and Ljufvina, visited his parents to reconcile after their last talk, back in Avaldsnes. Despite their worries, both parents accepted their son's fate as a warrior for Guthrum. Hjorr and Geirmund later met on the outskirts of the city as Hjorr revealed that his decision to leave their land was to escape the endless cycle of war and death, even if it meant no longer being king.[5] After spending several days together, Geirmund understood his parents better. When he eventually left, he was given the horse, Enbarr, as a parting gift from his parents.[10]
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Echoes of History (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga
- The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – A Brief History of the Hidden Ones
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Database: Jorvik
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 23
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 24
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Welcoming Party
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Burning the Firebrand
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Pricking the Needle
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Closing the Vault
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga — Chapter 25
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