The Welcoming Party

The Welcoming Party was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
==Description==
Eivor travelled to Jorvik to meet her old friends from Norway, Hjorr Halfsson and Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir, to help take down the Order of the Ancients.
==Dialogue==
After pledging to Jorvik, Eivor asked Randvi about her own old friends in Jorvik.
*Eivor: I will go now. Do you know where I might find Hjorr and Ljufvina?
*Randvi: When entering a new city, it is best to ask around the ports. The people there know more than the average peasant.
Eivor then traveled to and arrived at Jorvik's docks. Eivor then reminded herself.
*Eivor: Hjorr and Ljufvina settled near the harbor. Someone should know where to find them.
Eivor looked around and found a man on a bench.
*Eivor: Hey, friend. Could you help me find some of my people? I am looking for Hjorr and Ljufvina.
*Norse Man 1: Hjorr... I know him. Are you a friend?
*Eivor: I am.
*Norse Man 1: Then you will get no help from me or any of the other merchants for that matter. Now if you do not mind.
Eivor thought to herself after the conversation.
*Eivor: Hmm. Bitter. Has Hjorr wronged him somehow?
Eivor looked more around the docks and found a man leaning against a house.
*Eivor: I am looking for some friends. Been told to ask around this harbor. Ljufvina and Hjorr.
*Anglo-Saxon Man 1: A whore? Sure, I know plenty!
*Eivor: Of that I am certain.
Eivor left the drunkard and found a boy playing near the docks.
*Eivor: Little one, can you help me? I am looking for some friends. Do the names Hjorr and Ljufvina mean anything to you?
*Anglo-Saxon Boy 1: Mmmmm... I think I know that name. A woman. She's from Bjarmeland.
*Eivor: Very smart.
*Anglo-Saxon Boy 1: She sounded funny, so I asked her once. Hope it wasn't rude of me. You'll want to speak with the dockmaster, Grigorii. I've seen him talking with her before.
*Eivor: My thanks.
Eivor then headed towards the Trade Depot, where a group of people were shouting about their wares.
*Anglo-Saxon Man 2: And what about me? What about my wares?
*Grigorii: You can have your wares back when you pay the docking tax.
*Anglo-Saxon Man 2: On whose authority do you impose a tax?
*Grigorii: By order of the Council of Jorvik. You can take your issues up with them.
*Anglo-Saxon Man 2: O, I shall! And I think I speak for the rest of us when I say this isn't over.
Eivor moved inward towards the crowd.
*Grigorii: Move along now. We run a clean dock in Jorvik.
A man, in front of Grigorii, leaned in and gave him a despising look. The man then left, then the group dispersed, and Eivor moved towards Grigorii.
*Eivor: You must be the dockmaster.
*Grigorii: What gave it away?
*Eivor: Everyone hates you.
*Grigorii: As I just explained to your friend there, if your wares have been seized, take it up with the council.
*Eivor: These merchants are not my friends, but I'm looking for some. Hjorr and Ljufvina.
*Grigorii: You know Hjorr and Ljufvina? What business do you have with them?
<tabber>
|-|I know them=
*Eivor: We know each other from Norway. Bid farewell to that land, but not to old friends.
*Grigorii: You may glad to hear they fare quite well in Jorvik.
*Eivor: It does not surprise me. They are driven. And so am I. Now, I would like to see them again.
|-|It's none of your business=
*Eivor: You're sticking your nose where it does not belong.
*Grigorii: I'm a dockmaster. Being inquisitive befits my line of work. Keeps things under control.
*Eivor: You'll find no trouble here unless you seek it. I only want to speak with some old friends.
|-|Tell me where I can find them=
*Eivor: Yes, I know them, and you seem to know them too. Point me in the right direction.
</tabber>
*Grigorii: In a manor surrounded by flowers. That's where Hjorr and Lfujvina live.
Eivor nodded, then started to leave, until Grigorii shouted to her.
*Grigorii: How about some coin for my trouble?
*Eivor: How about I cut out your tongue?
*Grigorii: Forget I said anything!
Eivor then left and thought to herself.
*Eivor: A manor. Hjorr and Ljufvina have done well for themselves.
Eivor raced over to their manor and then she arrived at their abode.
*Eivor: Here, this is their home.
Eivor then went inside their manor, which happened to be burglarized.
*Eivor: The place has been ransacked. And this body... it's not Hjorr or Ljufvina.
Eivor then looked around for clues and she found a rack of disturbed scrolls.
*Eivor: Scattered scrolls. The thief was looking for something.
Eivor went up the stairs and looked at the windowpane.
*Eivor: There was a struggle here. Looks like it continued outside.
Eivor then went outside to their backyard to find blood.
*Eivor: Blood, but no body. Which way did they go?
Eivor followed the blood trail and found a dead body.
*Eivor: Is this one of the thieves? Hmm... the trail continues.
Eivor kept following the trail to a tower, where Ljufvina yelled out a cry over another dead body.
*Ljufvina: Blood of Tengri! Riders of Bjarmia!
Eivor ran towards Ljufvina, who heard her, and Ljufvina held out her dagger at Eivor.
*Ljufvina: Who is that? Come closer, now!
*Eivor: It's... it's me, Ljufvina. It's Eivor.
Startled, Ljufvina interrogated Eivor.
*Ljufvina: Eivor? What... Who sent you? Are you with them?
*Eivor: Breathe, Ljufvina. You are rattled. You know me. I am a friend.
*Ljufvina: Are you? You show up here, like this... These people tried to kill me!
<tabber>
|-|I am here to help=
*Eivor: I heard there was trouble in Jorvik. I have only come to help. On my honor.
|-|You would not kill me unarmed=
*Eivor: Cast your suspicions or be ready to kill me, because I will not raise my weapon against you.
|-|We need to get out of here=
*Eivor: Can we deal with this later? It's not safe here.
</tabber>
Ljufvina retracted her blade and walked outside.
*Ljufvina: I am sorry, Eivor. I did not mean to doubt you. It has been a tense few weeks.
*Eivor: Who were they? Why were they after you?
*Ljufvina: They were after this.
Ljufvina handed Eivor an unread scroll.
*Ljufvina: I do not know what it is, but these men were ready to kill me for it.
Eivor opened the scroll.
*Eivor: "A Poor Fellow-Soldier of Christ."
*Ljufvina: You know him...?
*Eivor: I have seen a letter like this before, in Lunden. This city is in great danger. Where is Hjorr?
*Ljufvina: At the royal hall. I will take you there.
Eivor and Ljufvina headed to the royal hall.
*Ljufvina: Pull up your hood, we may not be safe just yet. 
As Ljufvina led the way, Eivor and Ljufvina communicated how to proceed.
*Ljufvina: This way. They are still looking for me.
*Eivor: Hide low. We can slip past them.
Seeing suspicious men blocking their way, both warriors hid in plain sight from them.
*Norse Man 2: She can't have gotten far. Look around.
After the men left, Ljufvina started to leave.
*Ljufvina: Come on.
*Eivor: Let's go.
If not spotted, both warriors kept going stealthily through the crowd and hunters.
*Norse Man 3: Have you seen a Bjarmian woman? Answer well if you know what is good for you.
*Anglo-Saxon Man 3: I... I haven't seen her, I swear.
Before they go up the stairs within their trail, one of the hunters let out a worry.
*Norse Man 4: Did you hear something? Keep an eye out.
Moving unsuspciously, both warriors hear the same hunter called out an observation.
*Norse Man 4: Look, over there... Is that her?
When arriving near the bridge, both warriors stop as Ljufvina noticed an issue.
*Ljufvina: More of them, just there.
*Eivor: Keep your head down.
:(If detected spotted or started a fight with any enemies)
:*Eivor: Out of the shadows now.
:Eivor and Ljufvina killed the men pursuing them.
:*Eivor: I do not see any others. Let's keep moving.
Upon reaching the middle of the bridge, Ljufvina let out a sigh of relief and pulled down her hood.
*Ljufvina: I think it is safe now. Gods, Eivor, your arrival could not be better timed.
*Eivor: Call it fate. I had hoped our paths would cross again, though I imagined a calmer reunion.
*Ljufvina: We fled one problem only to find ourselves embroiled in another. While King Ricsige is preoccupied with a money shortage, a group called the Red Hand has been imposing their will.
*Eivor: The ones who attacked you?
*Ljufvina: Yes and no. They are bandits, but someone is controlling them.
*Eivor: Look no further than the names in that letter. Killing them is the reason I am here.
*Ljufvina: But they are coded. They could belong to anyone.
*Eivor: The sludge in the streets often drips from the gutters of the halls. When in doubt, look to those in power.
*Ljufvina: You mean the council? Hjorr is on the council.
*Eivor: That works in our favor. Someone we can trust to find the answers we seek.
*Ljufvina: Yes. We are nearly there.
As both warriors arrived at the Royal Hall, Hjorr was waiting right outside that very same entrance. Hjorr and Ljufvina clasped hands as Hjorr then looked to Eivor.
*Hjorr: It pleases me to see you, old friend. All are welcome here in Jorvik.
*Eivor: It is good to find you well, Hjorr. Both of you.
*Hjorr: What are you doing here? You have not come all this way for the Yuletide.
*Eivor: I have come to warn you, old warrior. About a rot in your city. Three figures, corrupt and dangerous. We should work together to bring them into the light and kill them before they come to power.
*Ljufvina: However I may help, I am ready.
*Hjorr: Slow yourselves. Eivor, we cannot just go running around the city poking and prodding and killing at will.
*Ljufvina: They nearly did me, Hjorr!
*Hjorr: What?
*Eivor: These people send the Red Hand after her, ready to shed blood in your streets to keep themselves a secret. But they failed.
Hjorr handed Eivor a letter quickly.
*Hjorr: This is the letter that was sent to our home. The Needle, The Firebrand, The Vault.
*Eivor: They belong to a group called The Order of the Ancients. These are their assumed names. Our leads.
*Ljufvina: Listen to her, Hjorr. She has dealt with their kind before.
*Hjorr: Corruption has seeped its way into Jorvik. But King Ricsige's hands are full, which means my hands are full. Counsel on this matter will fall on deaf ears.
*Eivor: I do not want his counsel. All I have told you stays between the three of us. But you should introduce me to the king. I will need to align with him if we are to go about this freely.
Hjorr nodded to Eivor and led the way, as Eivor and Ljufvina nodded to each other until Eivor followed Hjorr. Inside, the rest of the council are debating over current matters.
*Faravid: The Picts are winning this war. We should be scraping together every ounce of silver to procure food for our men.
*Audun: Understood, dear Faravid, but we also have a responsibility to our townspeople. The Yuletide must go on.
*Ricsige: Enough! The more you argue, the more my head hurts.
Hjorr walked into the discussion.
*Ricsige: Hjorr... I was not aware we had company, the likes of which I did not approve.
<tabber>
|-|Greetings, my lord=
*Eivor: King Ricsige, I am Eivor of the Raven Clan.
*Ricsige: Well, Eivor of the Raven Clan, as you can see, I'm in the middle of something. Hjorr, perhaps for a lack of better judgment, deems it necessary that you interrupt. Why?
*Eivor: You have a problem in Jorvik.
|-|Watch your tone=
*Eivor: Is this how you greet all the strangers who walk through the doors? Or just those who mean to help?
*Hjorr: Forgive me, lord, this is--
*Eivor: Eivor of the Raven Clan. Don't bother, I know well who you are, Ricsige. You have a problem in Jorvik.
|-|Your city is in trouble=
*Eivor: You have a problem in Jorvik.
</tabber>
*Ricsige: Yes, I'm looking at it.
*Eivor: A problem that nearly got my friend killed. Ljufvina was attacked by the Red Hand. They raided her home, destroyed her property, and chased her through the streets.
*Audun: Those bloody scoundrels again!
*Eivor: She survived. But the Red Hand has been a growing problem here of late.
*Ricsige: And what is your stake in this? Are you some sort of wandering mercenary?
*Faravid: No, this is Sigurd Jarl's drengr (courageous warrior). Took our old camp by the river Nene as I hear it. I am Faravid, war chief to Halfdan Ragnarsson. And this well-fed wastrel is Audun, High Reeve of Jorvik.
*Eivor: I have seen rebel groups like this before. They sit and wait, and the moment you lower your guard, they spring up like weeds. If left alone, they will take Jorvik out from under you. Not what you want. Not what Halfdan wants.
*Audun: O dear...
*Ricsige: What do you want?
*Eivor: Tell me what you do you know about the Red Hand, and I will rid your city of them. You can go about your affairs.
*Ricsige: They've been sticking their hands in coffers around the city. Targeting nobles, merchants, and anyone else they can throttle.
*Audun: And they are growing, as you said. I would rather not be worrying about them come Yuletide.
*Faravid: This is not something we can afford to ignore. If we do not have the means to deal with the Red Hand, we should let Eivor.
*Ricsige: Do what you can. But do it quietly. I do not want the public alarmed. Hjorr... send funds to procure food and ale for Faravid's men. And make sure there's enough left over for the feast.
*Hjorr: But it's as I said, we don't have--
*Ricsige: Find it. I have spoken.
After the decree, all council members leave except Hjorr, who stayed to talk with Eivor.
*Hjorr: He tells me to find more silver. Where, in a dragon's hoard? Come, I will take you back to Ljufvina. She will know where to begin.
Eivor nodded yes and walked with Hjorr.
*Hjorr: I cannot tell if that went the way you had hoped.
*Eivor: It went well enough. Ricsige will stay out of my way. No one can argue, that the Red Hand must be dealt with. Speak a word of this to no one. The circle of trust must stay between the three of us.
Eivor and Hjorr walked back to speak with Ljufvina.
*Ljufvina: You will forgive me for stepping away. I grow weary of those pissing contests.
*Hjorr: My love, I am sorry for what happened. I should have been there.
*Ljufvina: Nonsense. You have your duties to fulfill. Besides, a few bandits is hardly something to worry over.
*Hjorr: I am only glad you were not harmed. Eivor, I will be around if you need me.
Hjorr left Eivor and Ljufvina to talk.
*Eivor: Once you catch the tail, you do not let go.
*Ljufvina: Old habits die with a struggle.
*Eivor: Hjorr has changed. Softened.
*Ljufvina: Politics. It takes a Norse out of a Norse.
*Eivor: I am happy for him. You have made something of yourselves here.
*Ljufvina: Perhaps.
*Eivor: What do you have there?
*Ljufvina: Christian texts. The gospels. Ecclesiates. The Revelation of John. The Red Hand steals all they can find. We may run this city now, but the Christians must still be allowed to worship as they see fit.
*Eivor: Seems the Red Hand disagrees.
*Ljufvina: What's more, Audun is worried they will come for the archives next. Between this and all the uproar at the harbor, I would say we have some leads.
<tabber>
|-|What does the Red Hand want with holy texts?=
*Eivor: What does the Red Hand want with Christian texts?
*Ljufvina: That is the question. Whatever it is, there's no length they will not go to retrieve them. They have even burned people alive who refuse to hand over what they demand.
*Eivor: Where is the largest collection of texts in the city?
*Ljufvina: The archives, but they haven't yet been so bold as to attack it yet. Audun keeps a close eye on that place.
*Eivor: I will try my luck there.
|-|I met the dockmaster, tell me more=
*Eivor: I went by the harbor when I first arrived. The dockmaster looked wary when I asked about you.
*Ljufvina: That does not surprise me. He's been using Jorvik's money shortage to increase taxes. As if he's ordered to by the council. Hjorr would never wrong the people like that, even if Ricsige demanded it. The dockmaster is a thief and a liar.
*Eivor: A man in need of a throttling. I will have another look around the harbor.
*Ljufvina: Try the trade depot. It is where he is holding the merchant's wares.
|-|I will leave now=
*Eivor: I will get started at once.
</tabber>
Eivor rose from her seat. Ljufvina motioned to rise with her, but Eivor stopped her.
*Eivor: No, I need you here. Listen to the voices in this hall. Look for any signs, changes in behavior, anything.
*Ljufvina: I would swallow a horse heart to join you, Eivor.
*Eivor: I know, old friend. Your loyalty is why I need you here. I will return when I find something.
==Outcome==
Eivor met Hjorr and Ljufvina in Jorvik, who were serving under King Ricsige of Northumbria. She agreed to help Ljufvina look into the city archives, which was a possible target of the Red Hand.
==Gallery==
ACV The Welcoming Party 2.png|Eivor asking a man for the whereabouts of Hjorr and Ljufvina 
ACV The Welcoming Party 3.png|An angry merchant confronting Grigorii 
ACV The Welcoming Party 5.jpg|A scared Ljufvina holds Eivor at knifepoint
ACV Eivor with Ricsige, Hjorr Behind.jpg|Eivor and Hjorr meeting with King Ricsige about the Red Hand
ACV The Welcoming Party 10.jpg|Hjorr and Eivor talk after meeting with the Council of Jorvik
==References==
*Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
Category:Memories relived using the Animus HR-8.5
Category:Memories of Eivor Varinsdottir