No, Eivor Varinsdottir Did Not Exist in Real Life

As an avid gamer and content creator focusing on the latest releases in the industry, one of the most common questions I see popping up lately is: Did Eivor, the fierce Viking raider and protagonist of Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla, actually exist in history? After delving deep into the lore behind the game, I can conclusively say the answer is no—Eivor is a fictional persona developed by the creative minds at Ubisoft Montreal. However, she is heavily inspired by accounts of real Viking warriors, explorers, and legends from medieval times.

Crafting a Viking Hero: The Origins of Eivor

According to interviews with narrative director Darby McDevitt, the vision for Eivor came from poring over ancient Norse legends and Icelandic sagas. They sought to capture the adventurous, warring spirit of the Viking age in a charismatic new character. Their creation was Eivor "The Wolf-Kissed" Varinsdottir:

• Fierce and skilled fighter yet more than just a predictable brute
• Embodies the Viking concept of being both vicious in battle and poetic in peace
• Complex personality often demonstrates empathy despite violent raiding lifestyle

The name "Eivor" itself has old Norse roots meaning "good luck" or "defending warrior"—fitting for a legendary hero players would come to root for as they pillage England!

While Eivor‘s story takes inspiration from the real-life Viking struggle to plunder and dominate Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, she herself is a complete work of fiction. According to historians, no contemporary Viking figure matching her name or specific exploits has ever been uncovered. Some fans have reasonably speculated she could be inspired by tales of infamous female warriors and shieldmaidens that fought alongside male raiders, but no direct historical counterpart has been confirmed.

Blending Historical Fact with Creative License

Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla as a whole features lots of real figures, locations, and events—but weaves complete fiction in between to spin an original Drakkar-full of lore. As a historian at heart yet gamer at my core, this blending of fact and mythmaking intrigued me deeply about the game:

Real Figures and Factions

• King Alfred – Ruler famous for resisting Vikings and uniting England
• Alfred‘s son Edward– Succeeded and continued his father‘s consolidation of power
• The Sons of Ragnar – Great Heathen Army made of legendary Viking leader heirs
• Fulke and Harald Fairhair – Jarls who clashed over Scandinavian power politics

Real Locations & Battles

• Raids and conquests matched historical accounts:
  • Establishing settlement outpost of Ravensthorpe in East Anglia
  • York (Jórvík) and four other major English towns
  • Parts of Mercia and Northumbria
  • Paris at the time under Siege of Vikings
• Stonehenge site replicated based on archaeological data
• Topography and layouts of cities like Lunden (London) and Winchester carefully modeled

Myth and Fiction Added

At the same time, the developers took liberties by:

• Creating fictional storylines and narrative arcs
• Condensing timelines – Decades of real conquests compacted into months
• Designing mythical realms like Asgard and Jotunheim
• Implementing mythical elements into real settings
• Adding mystical artifacts like Excalibur tied to Precursor lore

So in summary, the team masterfully interwove history and fiction to offer players the experience of "living" the Viking invasion first-hand through the lens of the sagas and eddas Norse would have told themselves. Eivor‘s tale brings this tumultuous era alive again, even if her own exploits remain the stuff of legend.

Cultural Impact and Appeal of a Fierce Female Viking Warrior

Beyond just the worldbuilding and lore foundation which I loved analyzing deeply as a fan, I believe a major part of why Eivor has resonated so strongly with gamers comes from her unique persona as a strong female anti-hero. As someone passionate about the industry, I‘ve noticed how players crave deep representation in new releases:

• In a sea of clichéd stoic male heroes and sidelined women in games, Eivor smashed assumptions, rapidly developing an ardent fanbase
• Polls post-launch showed 39% to 48% of fans chose female Eivor, despite male being "canon"
• Cosplayers took to Eivor in droves, dying Valkyrie-style braids blonde as tribute
• Fan art and cosplay especially highlights her "best girl" status as a badass shieldmaiden who can drink, fight, and raid with the burliest Vikings
• Yet she reveals moments of depth too – written poems questioning glory of violence indicate weary world-weariness some kinsmen lack

These layered dimensions – the dichotomy of ferocious warrior and haunted poet – give her an intriguing edge over stereotypical Viking brutes prevalent in pop culture historically. Paired with her unique background as orphan raised on battlefields and "kissed by a wolf" early in life hinting at a deeper destiny, she breaks the mold of cliched one-note Vikings in games treasure-hunting deserts or tundras.

Could parts of Eivor been inspired by whispers of real legendary female warriors like Lagertha, who fought alongside Ragnar Lothbrok according to debatable sagas? It‘s certainly possible—but either way, Eivor‘s cultural footprint as a fierce woman leading Vikings to glory on next-gen consoles is undeniable. Ubisoft tapped into an audience hungry to finally raid across Dark Age kingdoms themselves as someone like them – a progressive move for the industry still dragging behind on meaningful diversity.

By the Numbers: Sales & Popularity of Valhalla’s Unique Setting

As both an industry analyst at heart and unapologetic Ubisoft fangirl seeing the stats roll in, Valhalla has rapidly ascended to become one of the highest selling and most talked-about Assassin Creed releases yet:

• Over $1 billion earned faster than any previous franchise release
• Compared to Assassins‘s Creed Odyssey launch-aligned sales, has seen:
  • +16% more copies sold-through
  • +11% higher digital sales
  • Set various launch month records
• As of May 2022, over 20 million players – making it second most played AC game
• Ubisoft‘s most profitable release to date showcasing their technical ambition
• Massive site traffic and search volume for historical topics covered in-game, catalyzing interest

The combination of rich historical tourism letting players live the Viking invasion first-hand paired with Eivor‘s fresh fierce persona seems to have won over swaths of gamers ready for the unique premise.

The next-gen visuals showcasing wintry Norse landscapes and bloody raids clearly have resonated too. Ubisoft has found their winning formula it seems – letting us adventure through pivotal eras as a hero whose legend survives winds of time yet still has relatable human depth.

And for true history buffs like me, getting to witness key moments like the Siege of Paris and Battle of Ethandun that laid foundations of kingdoms through such immersive interactive storytelling remains an awe-inspiring treat other mediums rarely offer.

So while Eivor herself is fictional, through her saga across Dark Ages England comes very real glimpses into an era that forever transformed kingdoms‘ futures. Hers is a legend passed down by skalds and etched into ashes of history – even if her name never actually graced any Norse runestones.

Valhalla certainly does her fierce memory justice though – letting a new generation of gamers and history fans experience being a raid-leading Viking overlord one exhilarating axe-swing at a time!

Skål to England‘s new Norse warlord! May Odin gift you glory and runes preserve tales of your conquests forevermore!