A Wedding to Remember

The quest "A Wedding to Remember" marks a pivotal moment in the East Anglia arc, concluding your efforts to secure an alliance for Ravensthorpe. What begins as a joyous celebration quickly devolves into a dramatic confrontation, culminating in a challenging boss battle and a choice with lasting consequences for Oswald and East Anglia.

Walkthrough: The Wedding and Its Interruption

Attend Oswald's Wedding: Travel to the settlement of Elmenham in East Anglia. Upon arrival, you'll find the wedding festivities in full swing. Eivor will automatically join the celebration.
Enjoy the Festivities: Participate in the various wedding activities. This typically involves a short sequence of dialogue and interaction with Oswald, Valdis, and other key NPCs. The atmosphere is initially jovial, showcasing the successful alliance you've helped forge.
Rued's Dramatic Entrance: The celebration is abruptly interrupted by the unexpected and unwelcome return of Rued, accompanied by a small band of his remaining loyalists. He crashes the wedding, seeking revenge and attempting to reclaim his former status.
Defend the Wedding: A brief skirmish will ensue with Rued's followers. These are standard enemies and should pose little threat. Dispatch them quickly to clear the way for the main event.

Boss Fight: Rued

After his followers are dealt with, Rued will challenge Eivor directly. This is a one-on-one boss fight that requires careful positioning and understanding of his attack patterns.

Rued's Combat Style and Weaknesses

Weapon: Rued wields a large, two-handed axe, delivering slow but powerful swings.
Attack Patterns:
- Heavy Swings: Watch out for his wide, sweeping attacks. These are often telegraphed with a red rune glow, indicating they cannot be parried. Dodge these.
- Charge Attack: Rued may charge at Eivor, attempting to knock you down. Dodge to the side to avoid this.
- Stomp/Ground Slam: Sometimes, after a combo, he might perform a ground slam.
- Wolf Companion (Phase 2): Crucially, once Rued's health drops to approximately 50%, he will summon his wolf companion. This significantly increases the fight's difficulty as you now have two threats to manage.
Weak Points: Rued has weak points on his right shoulder and left knee. Hitting these with arrows will deplete his stun bar rapidly, opening him up for a Stun Attack.
Parry Opportunities: While many of his attacks are unblockable, some standard swings can be parried, creating openings for counter-attacks. Practice timing your parries.

Recommended Strategy

Phase 1 (Rued Alone):
- Prioritize Weak Points: Start the fight by firing arrows at his weak points (shoulder and knee) to quickly fill his stun bar.
- Stun Attack: Once his stun bar is full, perform a Stun Attack (R3/RS on controller) for massive damage.
- Dodge and Counter: Focus on dodging his heavy attacks and parrying his lighter ones. Get a few quick hits in after each successful dodge or parry.
- Abilities: Use abilities like Dive of the Valkyries or Harpoon Impalement for burst damage and to create distance if needed.
Phase 2 (Rued and Wolf):
- Focus the Wolf FIRST: This is critical. The wolf is fast, aggressive, and can easily interrupt your attacks on Rued. Eliminate the wolf as quickly as possible. Use light attacks and quick abilities.
- Maintain Distance: Try to keep both Rued and the wolf in your line of sight. Use dodges to avoid being flanked.
- Re-engage Rued: Once the wolf is down, return to the Phase 1 strategy of targeting weak points, dodging, and counter-attacking.
General Tips:
- Healing: Ensure you have a full stock of rations before the fight. Don't be afraid to use them.
- Gear: Equip your best gear, focusing on damage and defense. A light shield can be useful for parrying, or dual-wielding for aggressive damage.
- Runes: Socket runes that boost melee damage, stun, or critical chance.
- Stay Mobile: Rued is slow. Use your agility to your advantage, circling him and attacking from the flanks.

The Crucial Decision: Rued's Fate

After you defeat Rued and he is on the ground, you will be presented with a critical choice. This decision has significant ramifications for Oswald's character arc and the future of East Anglia.

Option 1: Kill Rued

Dialogue Option: "He is a threat. I will kill him."
Immediate Outcome: Eivor executes Rued on the spot.
Consequences:
- Oswald's Reaction: Oswald will be visibly upset and disappointed. He believes in justice through law, not vengeance. He will express his disapproval of Eivor's actions.
- Oswald's Character: This choice reinforces Oswald's gentle and lawful nature. He will remain a kind and just king, but his relationship with Eivor might be slightly strained by this act.
- Alliance: The alliance with East Anglia is still secured, but Oswald's perception of Eivor might be slightly less favorable.
- Future Encounters: Rued is permanently removed from the game.

Option 2: Spare Rued for Oswald

Dialogue Option: "He is Oswald's to judge."
Immediate Outcome: Eivor restrains Rued, allowing Oswald to make the final judgment. Oswald will then challenge Rued to a formal duel.
Consequences:
- Oswald's Duel: Oswald, despite his gentle nature, will bravely fight Rued in a one-on-one duel. He will defeat Rued, proving his strength and right to rule.
- Oswald's Character: This choice allows Oswald to grow as a character. He proves his mettle and earns the respect of his people and Eivor. He becomes a more confident and capable king, having faced his tormentor and emerged victorious.
- Alliance: The alliance is secured, and Oswald's respect for Eivor is solidified. This is generally considered the "better" or more impactful narrative choice for Oswald's development.
- Future Encounters: Rued is exiled from East Anglia and will not appear again.

Rewards

Regardless of your choice regarding Rued's fate, completing "A Wedding to Remember" will grant you the following:

XP: Significant experience points, contributing to your Power Level.
East Anglia Alliance: The successful completion of the East Anglia arc, securing a vital ally for Ravensthorpe.
Narrative Progression: Advances the main storyline of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Choose wisely, Jarl. Your decisions echo through the sagas of England.