Valgard

**Valgard** is a human Hero character briefly encountered in the first part of *The Banner Saga*, and is an agent of the Governor's Guard. His role is more expanded in third part, where he joins Iver's party after being rescued.

## Background

Before the Third Great War, Valgard was a member of the Governor's Guard in Strand, and was partnered with his friend Eirik. Unlike Eirik, he was a womanizer and knew how to attract them. He was also an expert knife thrower and a skilled warrior.

## Recent events

### Hallvard's return

Under the orders of the Governor's Steward Olvir, Valgard infiltrated the "Oerr-Brandr", a gang operating in Hundgaman he and Eirik were tasked to destroy along with their rivals called the "Glotta-Ox", about two months before the Third Great War. He disguised himself as a refugee and asked the Oerr-Brandrs to smuggle him into the city, agreeing to become a member in order to pay off the debt.

When members of the Glotta-Ox and Oerr-Brandr gathered at *Veggr's Drinking Hall* for a drink, both men pretended to get into a fistfight. Eirik shoved Valgard into the Glotta-Oxs, which led to a violent armed brawl, and the two men joined in to finish off nearly everyone there who hadn't been killed by the opposing gang member. One of them was however able to escape and call for reinforcements, leading both to flee. The killings ignited a gang war, decimating the ranks of both gangs, with the City Watch of Strand arresting some of the rest.

Eirik and Valgard were later sent to infiltrate a caravan coming into the city, in order to keep a lookout for smuggling, and were told to mark the carts of merchants involved in bribing the guards. While carrying out the order, Valgard noticed Hallvard, a notorious former member of the Mársmidr who had fled Strand months ago after stealing from his gang's leader, following the two varls Olaf and Ulfvalgr, and a boy Stefnir. He alerted Eirik and the two men eventually caught up to him. Hallvard told them that the Mársmidr leader Freystein had offered to pardon him in return for tracking the three, though unknown to both the Guardsmen, he had let them catch him, so they could help him in keeping his targets alive.

### Discovering Freystein

Eirik, Valgard and Hallvard followed the varls and the boy into the territory of the "Kollsvein's Kin" gang, before the latter three were ambushed by the thugs who tried to force them to pay money. This led to a fight breaking out, but Eirik told Valgard to wait and see whether they were able to handle themselves. Hallvard however instead chose to help them and escaped the grasp of the two men, forcing them to join the fight as well. He later advised Valgard to aim for Kollsvein in order to finish the fight quickly. Despite his own as well as Eirik's reluctance, Valgard perfectly threw his dagger towards Kollsvein, killing the gang leader and forcing the rest of the members to flee.

After dealing with Kollsvein's Kin, Valgard and his fellows pretended to be bounty hunters and agreed to join the varls and Stefnir in staying alongside them in one of the abandoned buildings for the night, in order to ensure their protection. Stefnir however found out about who Valgard and Eirik were from Runa, a girl from her village who had been enslaved but was now working for the Vak'auga spymaster Leiknir, who had freed her. She warned him that they were agents of the Governor's Guard, the elite protectors of Strand, and were using him. Stefnir later told Ulfvalgr that he didn't trust any of the men and the varl agreed, stating that they would leave without them when Olaf returned.

After the varls and the boy left, Eirik followed them along with Valgard and Hallvard. Valgard stated that it was pointless since they were there on personal business, but Eirik insisted that there must be something bigger going on for Freystein to get involved. As the varls went into the mead hall called *The Shattered Shield* to talk with their old friend Kjallak, Valgard and his party spied on them through an opposite building. They however soon realized that the man with Kjallak was Skoegir, a Mársmidr member, and made Hallvard reveal the truth upon realizing the situation was suspicious. Hallvard admitted that Freystein was dead, believing that them knowing the truth wouldn't change anything.

Eirik soon realized that Kjallak was the one pretending to be Freystein, and as the varl tried to strike at his preys, who had been trapped by the Mársmidr, he and Varlgard crashed into him after jumping through the window and into the mead hall. Skoegir then struck at Eirik with a hot poker, and he tumbled backwards into an unbalanced Valgard. This however protected them from Kjallak's war hammer, which got stuck in the wall after missing them, and Valgard soon pushed the attacking Skoegir away with his own attacks. They and Ulfvalgr then struck a shield-bearer together, opening a path for them to the stairs. As he fought the Mársmidr to let his allies escape, Valgard was struck in the back. Eirik and Olaf however soon came to his rescue and were able to escape with him after the merchant Frode agreed to take them under his protection.

### The trimvirate's plot

Back at the Great Hall, Olvir convinced the mender Melkorka to have her subordinate menders heal Valgard, despite her being upset at him and Eirik for getting a cart smuggling ingredients for her caught. The Aetla Hilmir however soon attacked the building to capture Olaf and Ulfvalgr, and Eirik learnt from Leiknir that the triumvirate of gangs consisting of the Aetla Hilmir, the Mársmidr, and the Vak'auga, was trying take over Strand. Valgard recovered enough to walk after a few days, but had to stay out of the action as his injury still needed more time to completely heal.

After Eirik's plan to capture one of the triumvirate's lieutenants at a tournament was nearly spoilt due to the late arrival of the City Watch, Olvir had Valgard investigate it. Valgard soon discovered that Captain Dylan had been given a false set of orders by Melkorka to delay their arrival. Eirik later returned with the captured Mársmidr lieutenant Ottar, and was overjoyed to find his friend walking again. He then told Olvir that the Aetla Hilmir's leader Nikolas, who wanted to take over Strand's throne, was the son of the governor's late brother Helvir.

Valgard later went with Eirik, Olvir and the City Watch to the Ninth Pier, where they hoped to capture Magnus or Kjallak, but were unsuccessful despite slaying many of the Vak'auga and some of the Mársmidr. They soon discovered that Stefnir and his friend Runa, who had gone with the two varls and Hallvard alone to the Ninth Pier since they distrusted the City Watch, had gone missing with the other half of the amulet Kjallak wanted. Valgard went to search for them after being told to do so by Eirik and Olvir.

### End of Kjallak

The escaped Runa returned the next day and told everyone that Stefnir had left them a trail of mead from the warehouse where they had been kept by the triumvirate after being captured, leading them to the place where Kjallak would meet with the varl warlord Vilmundr to show him the complete amulet called the "Gift of Hadrborg", and fool him into giving him his loyalty. Olvir then had Valgard send back the Watchmen who had been exhausted after searching for Stefnir and Runa, while also telling him to find anyone who was fresh to attack the triumvirate and fetch a weapon for Runa.

Olvir, Eirik, Hallvard, Olaf, Ulfvalgr and Runa meanwhile went to the warehouse she and Stefnir had been kept in with two guards of the City Watch. Olvir sent one of the guards back to fetch Valgard there. The trail Stefnir left them however disappeared in the northern parts of Strand, and Olvir told the remaining guard to have Valgard bring the City Watch there. Eirik and his allies however were able to find the abandoned temple of Hadrborg Stefnir had directed them to by etching the Guardsman's name on a pillar near it, and Olvir had him mark the directions for Valgard to come there with the City Watch, after realizing they wouldn't wait for them.

Valgard soon found the directions Eirik had left him, and had the City Watch attack the temple, arresting the triumvirate gang members who hadn't been killed by Eirik's group or perished in the fire caused by Meljorka's unsuccessful attempt to kill Eirik with a fire spell. Kjallak himself perished in the fire alongside Ulfvalgr, while Olvir, Hallvard and Skoegir were killed during the fighting, and Nikolas died soon afterwards. Eirik's group was however able to retrieve the Gift of Hadrborg, and the triumvirate was destroyed.

Soon after after the raid on Hadrborg's temple, Valgard became an assistant to the new Steward Eirik. They organized funerals for Hallvard, Leiknir, Nikolas and Olvir two weeks after the battle, with Valgard honoring Hallvard by stating that he had shown himself to be a good man by saving Strand from the triumvirate. After Olvir's funeral, he took Eirik to *Skald's Scribbling* for drinks and going over the rest of the official work, but both soon realized to their shock that the Sun had stopped moving.

### The Banner Saga

During Chapter 1, Valgard assists Ubin and Eirik during the raid of the Nobleman mead house in Strand. He is encountered again in Chapter 17 where he reveals to have survived in Strand which is now overrun by beings warped by the Darkness.

## Active Ability: Stone Wall

The Raidmaster braces for impact with his heavy shield, resisting damage from each strike for the next turn. Each hit the Raidmaster takes to either strength or armor is reduced, preventing him from taking permanent damage to either.

The Raidmaster can use Stone Wall to rush into a group of enemies and gain a forward advantage, or step in the way of a powerful enemy to block his movement.

**Rank 1:** resists 3 damage per hit

**Rank 2:** resists 5 damage per hit

**Rank 3:** resists 7 damage per hit

## Passive Ability: Shield Wall

By standing next to an ally, the raider creates a Shield Wall, raising the armor of both himself and his ally by 1. This bonus remains until the Raider is no longer adjacent to the ally.

When multiple Raiders stand next to each other this effect is magnified as they grant each other their own bonus. Four Raiders standing in a square formation will each gain an additional 4 armor.

## Joining the Party

Valgard is one of Eirik's men. He is available only for the battle in the "Nobleman" mead house of Strand, during Chapter 1, if Ubin agrees to help in the fight.

He joins Iver's party after they rescue him at Strand in Chapter 17.

## Possible Death or Departure

He will leave your party after the battle in the "Nobleman".

Valgard will die in chapter 21 if you lose the battle against Bolverk.

## Playstyle

* Since he is available in just one battle during the first game, use him to the fullest and don't worry about injuries there. His return in the third game allows him to be used more tactically.
* The game's AI ignores his active ability, *Stone Wall*, meaning that enemy units will often attack the Raidmaster for no damage! This can be used to lure/bait enemy units closer to your formation, without losing Stats in the process.

## Trivia

* Valgard shares the same portrait and sprite design with Gudmundr, another Raidmaster met in the second part of *The Banner Saga*, with different coloration.
* He is a supporting character in the book The Gift of Hadrborg by James Fadeley.