Who was Eivor Wolf-Kissed in Real Life? A Gamer‘s Guide to the History Behind Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla‘s Viking Warrior

At the start of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, players are greeted by a formidable Viking raider, her ginger hair wild and a shocking scar down one side of her face – evidence of her fabled encounter as a child with a wolf that earned her the moniker “wolf-kissed.” But while Eivor Varinsdottir herself may be fictional, her character pulls heavily from the real-life history and legendary figures of the Viking Age. As an ardent gamer with a passion for this era, discovering these inspirations has been thrilling. So join me as we unravel fact from myth to reveal what true personalities and cultural traits shaped this gaming icon.

Egil Skallagrimsson and Queen Astrid Olofsdotter: Models for a Well-Rounded Warrior

As we quest for glory across 9th century England by Eivor’s side in Valhalla, two facets of her personality stand out: her fierceness in combat and thoughtfulness with words. These dual talents mirror those of real-life Icelander Egil Skallagrimsson, a famed Viking warrior who also created renowned poetic works like Egil’s Saga. As one early inspiration for her character, Egil’s renown shows how Vikings prized not just martial skill but verbal eloquence.

Eivor also eventually becomes a jarl leading her clan by the game’s climax. As a powerful woman ruler governing part of England’s Danelaw, she takes cues from the trailblazing Queen Astrid Olofsdotter. Wife to the first Christian king of Sweden in the mid-9th century, Astrid herself likely held authority as a petty queen ruling parts of Sweden’s frontiers. Between Egil’s warlike gusto and Astrid‘s leadership, these figures paint an aspirational portrait of both warrior grit and political wisdom.

But while these historical elite set a mold for different aspects of Eivor as a character, developers didn’t stop here…they also infused her with a sense of grander legend that takes dramatic creative license.

Myths of Wolves and Destiny: Elevating Eivor Beyond History into Lore

It’s in the more fantastical elements of Eivor’s backstory where the lines truly blur between history and fiction. Take her namesake meaning “good fortune” – a fitting nod to an almost providential destiny considering her fabled encounter with a wolf as a young girl. Vikings considered wolf symbolism sacred – the beasts were followers of Odin himself. To come of age bearing a wolf’s scar marked Eivor as one touched by the gods and fate.

And this destiny comes to fruition as Valhalla progresses, with Eivor gaining almost prophetical visions granting foresight rivaling the mythic god Heimdall. Through these supernatural elements and more, she becomes a legendary hero of grand Viking sagas, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of her contemporary Ragnar Lothbrok.

But seasoning Eivor’s tale with such fantasy allows her to also embody the values and traits that still connect us to Viking culture over a thousand years later…

Honoring a Bold Legacy: How Eivor Channels the Viking Spirit that Still Resonates

While an axe-wielding scarred warrior woman leading Viking forces across England makes for great fiction, the enduring inspiration behind Eivor‘s character is how she channels a frontier spirit of adventure that changed the course of European history. Consider defining Viking trademarks she carries into battle:

• Exploration – From Iceland to America, Vikings roamed far, driven by wanderlust and bounties from foreign shores. Eivor encapsulates this as she fights to expand her people’s trade and settlements into England.
• Adaptability – Vikings didn’t just raid lands but often integrated into them, intermarrying locally like Eivor can in Valhalla. This adaptation laid foundations of enduring cultural fusion.
• Independence – With men oft away for seasons raiding, Viking women commanded their households and trades. Eivor epitomizes this autonomy central to Norse gender norms.

So while an exaggeration of history, Eivor‘s tale captures the frontier drive central to Viking identity that still strikes a chord centuries later with her streak of daring individualism. And considering Vikings themselves had figures of legend like Ragnar Lothbrok blurred by time into near myths, she’s in fitting company!

So in sum, tracing Eivor Wolf-Kissed’s origin reveals her to be an homage that skillfully weaves together inspiration spanning history’s most swaggering icons to its bravest unsung community builders to the fantasies exalting Norse sagas. And the result is a fierce yet thoughtful wanderer who ultimately embodies the Viking spirit that still captures imaginations over a thousand years later. While embellished, may her memory stand long as a tribute to the extraordinary era that birthed her legend!