Einartoft



''The home of the first varl king, Einar, who carved his empire into the crook of the Brattabreck and Wyrmscale Mountains. The varl fortress, hewn into the rock itself, eclipses all but the greater accomplishments in the north.''

Einartoft is a varl fortress, notable for the massive stone bridge that spans the chasm it is built over. Humans have never set foot in Einartoft before the events of The Banner Saga.

The Banner Saga
Einartoft becomes the final remaining varl city in The Banner Saga, after the destruction of Grofheim by the dredge invaders. King Jorundr is determined to make a final stand at Einartoft with the few thousand surviving varl left under his command.

Hakon's party travels to Einartoft after discovering the ruins of Grofheim, but is later sent away to Arberrang. Rook's caravan is later allowed temporary shelter in Einartoft after some convincing from Iver, making them the first humans to step foot in the fortress.

Soon after Rook's arrival, dredge armies will swarm over Einartoft's stone bridge in an attempt to destroy the city. Though Eyvind asks the bridge be destroyed to halt the dredge's advance, Jorundr refuses, wishing the bridge be left as a monument to the varl's existence even after their extinction. The dredge are led by the immortal Bellower, whom Iver will attempt to face down one-on-one, leading to the loss of his arm.

The player is given three options during Rook's stay in Einartoft: fight on the bridge to slow the dredge's advance, attempt to destroy the bridge against Jorundr's wishes, or flee and abandon Einartoft.


 * Should the player survive three days of fighting dredge on the bridge, Iver will force the king to allow the bridge's destruction, causing Krumr and several dozen varl to join the caravan as they leave the fortress.
 * Should the player attempt to destroy the bridge without Jorundr's permission, they will be forced to defend Eyvind against a wave of varl attackers. Should the player survive this difficult fight, the bridge will be destroyed, and the party will be exiled from Einartoft. Krumr will join the party, but the additional varl will not.
 * Should the player fail to destroy the bridge, or abandon the city without attempting to do so, Krumr and the other varl will die defending the city.

Regardless of whether the bridge is destroyed, Einartoft will ultimately be overtaken by the dredge forces, killing Jorundr and causing Hakon to be named king of the remaining varl.

Quotes
"We approach a city that only varl have seen and cross a bridge that only varl could build. Let us hope that we are the only unwelcome visitors to pass." — Rook, The Banner Saga, Part One, Chapter 4.