Chapter 2.1 Raiding the Raiders
Observables: 8
Breakables: 3
We leave the Knights now, and start fresh with a new hero from the Viking lands. As before, our journey begins with slaughtering members of our own faction. You'll start facing a mob, but you can use your charging guardblock to carry and throw them, clearing some space.
The general rule for this level is that there are doors which continuously spawn enemies until you set the door on fire. There's one of these to your left- you'll know it because the door keeps blinking white, there's a brazier out front, and enemies keep pouring out of it. You can tip over the brazier with [E] (or even knock it down with yoru axe), just be sure to knock it toward the door. The other option is to use one of the Fire Flask power ups, of which there are dozens throughout the level, including the one in front of this door. Either way, light it up.
Once the resistance has been extinguished, trot down the alley between the house you just torched and the house nearest the gate (you should be trotting roughly northwest) At the end of alley you can Observe some boats, for the journal entry Boats.
Approach the gate the objective marker keeps harping about, and take it out with a Fire Flask. You'll note that there's a red ring projected as you aim- if don't like being on fire, make sure you're outside that ring.
Immediately past the gate is a food cache. Activate this near one to get a taste of what you're in for- there are three more you'll need to snag to complete the level.
The rest of the level is something of a free-for-all. It ends when you've secured all three caches and then entered the longhouse at the top of the hill. You should have all Breakables and Collectables before you do that, so check your list.
The village itself is mapped vaguely like a ladder- a road uphill to the west, a road uphill to the east, and a few road-rungs connected them as they go. Start by charging up the western strut. At the top of this road is a Viking spawning house in the corner, which sounds like the least sanitary thing ever. Cleanse it with fire (if you find yourself inside the explosion ring of the fire flask, it is possible to roll to safety just after the flask is thrown).
(Note, half way up that road, you proabably noticed some breakable jugs to your left, on a wooden platform with a fire flask power up. You don't have to get them now, but remember where they are).
From that corner house you just torched, do not go uphill, but instead cross the rung east. Halfway across, on your right, is another spawnhouse, with convenient brazier.
Note that across from this spawnhouse is the Observable Blacksmith, but again, you may want to come back for it.
At the end of the rung, turn left and head downhill, looking for a gate guarded by watchtowers.
All those things are highly flammable, so blast your way in to secure a foodcache, and a second set of Breakables.
Go up the hill, passing another a gate (we'll be back for it in a second), and firebomb the spwan house at the top of the road.
Directly across from this house is the Rune Stone Observable.
Now go back and trash that gate. This is food cache is well guarded and has it's very own spawnhouse inside the courtyard. Take the food and burn everything else.
Exit back to the road and turn right, but rather than going straight uphill, veer west to the Runestone, and go uphill that way. To your left is a wooden platform with the last of the Breakables.
At the end of that little ridge (heading west) you can see the Crane Observable.
Now, before you have the third cache, go all the way up the hill to observe the longhouse as Longhouse 2. Follow your objective marker to the last cache and claim what's yours. As you leave this courtyard, you'll be directly facing the Woodcutter Observable.
Make a left-right jog around the woodcutter, heading toward the area where you entered, and a watchtower if you haven't already burnt it. Past the tower you can Observe some trees and record them as Forest in Winter.
Climb the hill one last time, taking the eastern rung so you can good look at the Windmill Observable as you go.
Check your list to make sure you didn't forget to snag anything, then approach the longhouse to trigger a cutscene. You regain control in time to duel Ragnar. He has the same moveset as you, so parry his heavy attacks and watch out for his guardbreak charges (but don't be afraid to execute a few of your own).
Once he's down to the last of his health, he'll run for it, triggering a horse-chase. Did not see that coming.
The chase is always the same length, the goal is just to avoid obstacles and take down attackers so as to survive it. Remember that you can move in one direction while attacking in another.
Once that's all over, let the cutscene roll you straight into chapter 2.
