Landlocked is a short story written by narrative designer Paul Kirsch, and published by Obsidian Entertainment on August 17, 2018. It is one in a series of three short stories written as a prelude for Beast of Winter, the first DLC for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. All three stories are available on Obsidian's website.
Summary[]
Landlocked tells the story of the aging innkeeper Harbinger Valbrendhür in Harbingers' Watch, and a Vailian captain who's ship has been stranded on the ice. As the two exchange stories, we learn about Valbrendhür's past, which leads to a mysterious encounter with Rymrgand, the god of cold and oblivion.
Story[]
Valbrendhür, an elderly innkeeper in the isolated settlement of Harbingers' Watch, longs for company to break the silence of his lonely existence. As he smokes whiteleaf from his pipe, he reflects on his age and the dire prophecies of High Harbinger Vatnir, who predicts an endless winter and foreign visitors bringing change. Valbrendhür spots a group of travelers approaching, including a Vailian captain, Casità Frima, and her ragged crew. They reveal that they have lost their way and their ship has run aground on the ice. Valbrendhür welcomes them to his inn, the Tip of the Iceberg, and invites them inside to escape the cold.
Captain Frima and her crew find solace in Valbrendhür's inn, grateful for the warmth it provides. Frima speaks with Valbrendhür about getting her ship, the Vulpinet, back into the water and obtaining supplies to repair it, in addition to provisions for the long journey ahead. However, Valbrendhür informs her that there is no shipwright in Harbingers' Watch and that the ice's rapid expansion will likely keep her ship trapped. Frima is disheartened by the news, knowing she may be stuck there for months and fearing the consequences for her business and reputation upon returning to the Republics. As they share their stories, Valbrendhür and Frima find a shared understanding in their life circumstances, highlighting their common bond of being in Harbingers' Watch not entirely by choice.
As Frima and Valbrendhür continue their conversation, they bond over their respective stories. He tells her about the rite of passage called the March of Shattered Bone, which required them to retrace the steps of their ancestors across the frozen wastes to begin a family. He shares how he struggled during his own rite, during which he encountered a Glamfellen camp in a deep canyon. He made his way down to the camp to find that many of the elves had perished from the cold, except for one baby, a godlike child named Vatnir, touched by the Beast of Winter. Valbrendhür took the baby from his mothers dying arms and raises him as his own, as the elders of his clan gave him the task of devoting his life to nurturing Vatnir.
Frima empathizes with Valbrendhür, as they both had their original desires taken away from them. Despite their different paths, both Frima and Valbrendhür appreciate the company and support they find in each other during their time in the inn. The captain decides to retire for the evening, leaving Valbrendhür alone at the bar and in silence. As Valbrendhür reflects on their conversation, he notices a mysterious, silent figure that he initially mistook as a member of Frima's crew. The figure has been silently observing their conversation. He turns to face the unexpected presence and addresses it.
Valbrendhür comes face to face with Rymrgand, the god of death and cold, who reveals that Captain Frima and her crew are dead souls that keep returning to the inn in an endless cycle. Valbrendhür contemplates on how Frima has appeared and disappeared many times before, always sharing the same stories with him, and wonders if her strong spirit is what keeps her coming back. Rymrgand tells Valbrendhür that his time is coming to an end, and the Floe is in danger, with the boundary between the mortal and spirit worlds weakining.
After Rymrgand leaves, Valbrendhür finds himself alone in the inn, with no trace of Frima or her crew. He steps outside and puffs on his pipe, where he notices an outlander accompanied by a procession of spirits, piquing his curiosity. Reflecting on Frima's ability to return from death, Valbrendhür considers the possibility of his own journey beyond life. He remembers Frima's farewell words in Vailian, and whispers them into the wind, ready to face the silence when it arrives.
References
- ↑ Publications | Paul Kirsch
- ↑ Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire [@WorldOfEternity] (August 18, 2018). "Hey #Deadfire fans! Our own @PaulKirschBooks has written two short stories giving some background to characters in Beast of Winter! You can find them on our media page. eternity.obsidian.net/media" (Tweet) via Twitter.
- ↑ Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Update #55: Seeker, Slayer, Survivor Preview
- ↑ Update #55 - Seeker, Slayer, Survivor Preview - Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Announcements & News - Obsidian Forum Community
- ↑ Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire: Update #55 - Seeker, Slayer, Survivor Preview on Fig