Northrock: Verge of War
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Action
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Writers: Jimmy Ellis & H.G. Hansen
Sequel to Northrock
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Emma Watson, Paul Bettany, Sam Claflin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Christine Bottomley, Roman Griffin-Davis, Peter Capaldi, Jack Lowden, Rowan Atkinson
Plot: Rickard Swann (Jamie Dornan) hides out in a forest on the outskirts of Northrock. He hears Northrock soldiers walking around the area – obviously searching for him. With no weapons Rickard attempts to hide out. They continue searching and close in on his position. Knowing he will be found Rickard decides to make the first move, tackling him to the ground and beating him over the head with a rock. He picks up the sword, killing the second guard, stumbling away before he is found out by others.
Tula Swann (Emma Watson) walks in the gardens of Northrock, not knowing of Rickard’s escape. She is grabbed by the arms and pulled to the side by Lord Harold Fairchild (Sean Bean). He tells her of her brothers escape and he means to keep her out of harms way. She tells him that she must meet with her brother and get out of Northrock. Harold tells her that after his escape there are guards roaming the whole kingdom, she will never get away. He takes her to his quarters and tells her to hide out there for the time being.
Robbert Mallory (Sam Claflin) sits on a lone rock in Robyn Keep, overlooking the peninsula. He can barely see the kingdom of Northrock far in the distance. He is approached by Rayner Harman (Jack Lowden) his closest confidant. He tells Robbert that the men are eager to here is words. He stands and delivers a speech to his men declaring that their time will come when they are the leaders of Northrock, and they shall return home.
King Alec Mallory (Roman Griffin Davis) lies on a table receiving care from Din the Druid (Paul Bettany). Elisa Mallory watches on as her son squirms on the table in pain. She has Din stop the ritual but he looks to her and tells her to be patient Alec will be fine.
Oran Blackwater (Chiwetel Ejiofor) sits in the library of Northrock, reading up on incantations and spells, realising that his goal of First Lord will never be attainable with Din beside Alec. He searches for Din’s home country, coming upon Sunford, a rumoured place for magic users. He continues his reading, stumbling across the fall of Sunford. Although the beginning reads it as story, he believes it to be true. The country of Sunford fell at the hand of the dead.
Rickard continues his escape, stumbling and malnourished. He continues his walk in the forest before he is knocked out from behind.
Rickard is woken when a bucket of water is thrown on his head. Standing over him is Rayner and Robbert. Robbert smiles at Rickard asking how it is The First Lord of Northrock is all the way in Robyn Keep. Rickard laughs, telling Robbert that he obviously has not been keeping up with the politics of Northrock. With Alec King, the Druid has been made first lord and himself imprisoned. Robbert finds this intriguing. Rickard asks Robbert's help in restoring Northrock to its former glory and ridding the country of magic users. Robbert asks why they would need his help. Rickard says that he still has people Robbert can trust on the inside, and there are still plenty of people back home that he dares would be willing to fight.
Oran walks the halls and comes upon Din performing an incantation by himself. He watches for a moment; Din feels his presence behind him and turns his head. Din can only see the back of Oran as he walks away. Din thinks to himself before walking after Oran.
Harold is seated at a table with Elisa and King Alec. Alec is asking Harold if he knows where the traitorous Swann’s are. Harold questions the king, wondering why it is he thinks he knows, Rickard had escaped by some unknown means, and he assumes Tula did too. Harold wonders why it is the king wants Tula anyway. Alec begins to mention a pre-written destiny one passed down to Din from his ancestors. Elisa immediately shooshes her son before Harold is shooed away.
Harold makes his way to his quarters, checking his surroundings as he walks. He enters and whispers for Tula. She comes from her hiding spot. Harold apologises to the young woman, telling her of a destiny, one he has heard about. He believes that Tula is a planned sacrifice for the Druid. Tula grabs a hold of an amulet around her neck, asking Harold to learn as much about the Druid as possible.
Rickard speaks of an old wizard, a man he remembers as a child, Fedelmid Gynt. He asks Robbert if he knows where this man was banished to. Robbert laughs saying the old wizard has not been seen in years, nor does he wish to associate with him. Rickard reminds him what they are up against with the Druid. Robbert eventually caves in, agreeing to seek out Gynt.
Harold is speaking with Tula stating that he could not find much on the Druid, only a fable. They then hear a knock at the door and he tells Tula to hide. In walks Elisa, she has tears in her eyes. She tells Harold that she cannot find Alec anywhere, she does not know what could have happened. Harold holds her but she notices Tula hiding. She immediately goes to yell at Harold, but he convinces her to calm down and hear them out. He starts by saying that Tula is not her brother and whatever Rickard did was not her doing. Elisa scoffs saying that is not why she is wanted. She continues with the prophecy that for the Druid King to rise the fall of a family must take place. Elisa yells out for Oran however Harold interjects saying he thinks the Druid has something to do with the disappearance of Alec. She tells Oran to wait. Harold continues by saying he last saw Alec walking the streets with Din, he assumed it was simply the first lord walking with his king but it seemed a bit off. Elisa thinks on this before, threatening Tula, saying that the day will come when she meets her demise. As Elisa leaves Oran spots Tula in the room, he asks his queen why they leave her. She says that she will be let to live until Din wants her no longer.
Tula stays with Harold and begs for him to help save the king, he may be an innocent part of this yet. Harold says he admires her bravery, like her mother, but this is no time for that, they best be leaving as they have both been found out now. Tula gets on her knees and pleads. Harold gives in telling her he will help.
Rickard & Robbert arrive in Westchester, wearing a robe to cover their faces. They enter a building that looks much like a church. The two of them sit down and from behind a cloak a weathered voice asks their business. The two of them say that they are here to be acquainted with Fedelmid Gynt (Peter Capaldi). They are told there is no such man, with no such name. The two of them then tell them their names, and why they are here. They want to save what is left of Northrock from a druid, who wishes to take it as his own. The man comes from behind the cloak and tells them to follow him. The man leads them underground before introducing himself officially as Gynt. All the while Rickard can see Robbert’s disappointment at needing the help of a magic user. Gynt questions the predicament. Rickard tells him of Din. This leads to Gynt grabbing a book, it tells the story of Sunford’s downfall. He reads it aloud for Rickard and Robbert. A similar story to that of Northrock, the king is killed, his child heir becomes king, and a druid takes his place at the side. Robbert asks what comes next. Gynt looks to them, “the downfall of Sunford and their king.”
With help from Harold, Tula begins her search for Alec. His bedroom is however locked. Unable to get in they give up for the time being. Tula bumps into Elisa, she pulls her to the side and asks the Queen if she has found Alec. Elisa tells Tula to move out of her way. She does not move, Oran grabs her, pinning her up against the wall and threatens her life. Tula laughs, she is not afraid as she knows the fate that awaits her. Tula runs back to Harold, who tells Tula he will investigate the Druid further, and see if he can uncover anything worthwhile.
Rickard and Robbert with the help of Gynt forge a weapon that can be used in battle against the Druid. Robbert turns to Rickard, not trusting the use of magic on his side. Rickard tells him that sometimes it is those they trust least that turn into the best of allies and that Robbert should be the one to carry the weapon.
Oran and his fellow knights stand in the courtyard of Northrock. He stands in the middle as they proceed to attack, one by one he knocks them on their back. He stands and asks if there is no one that can challenge him. Din the Druid comes along and raises a sword. The two of them proceed to fight with it reaching a stalemate. Din tells Oran to come with him, the king has a job for him. Harold looks on from the distance at their conversation.
Rayner with the Robbert’s forces ride toward Northrock, meeting up with both Robbert and Rickard in the process with their newly made weaponry.
A few days have passed and Tula continues to worry about King Alec as well as Lord Harold, who she has not seen since he starting his investigation. Tula decides to take action on her own. She sneaks through the castle at night and pickpockets the sleeping guards pocket. She unlocks the door in Alec’s room and enters. Alec is awake but cannot move. He calls out to her, crying. He tells her that Din has made his condition even worse. She tells him that she will help get him out, if its with her dying breath. She, however, has to hide as she hears the Druid and Elisa approaching. Forever grateful for Din ‘finding’ Alec, she offers herself to him. Midway through a kiss Elisa is stabbed from behind. Oran stands with a sword with Din telling her his heart belongs to another. Tula covers her mouth as Alec cries out, still unable to move. Oran says that it is time for the king to meet his inevitable end. A noise from the guard outside alerts Din and Oran. Din orders Oran to buy him time to finish the Red Viper. After Oran leaves, Tula tries to blindside Din, she hits him over the head with a mantlepiece. He barely moves before turning to her, and, using his magic he suspends her movement and lifts her in the air. She realises for the first time that Din truly is magical. Oran reenters after hearing the commotion. Din knocks Tula out and orders Oran to take both her and Alec to the ritual room. Oran grabs the two and Din goes back to finishing the Red Viper.
Alec lies still in the ritual room, with Tula bound by rope nearby. Din walks in with the poisonous red viper. He begins pouring it down the mouth of Alec, knowing full well the king will die. Tula screams out leading to Oran slapping her. Both Oran and Din walk to the graveyard, outside the ritual room. He places the dying body of Alec on the ground and begins chanting incantations. The ground then begins to shake, and a hand rises from the ground.
Elsewhere, Rickard and his army arrive on the outskirts of Northrock riding in and immediately getting into the fight. Robbert rides passed the cells and hears a yell for help from Harold. Robbert and a few men fight their way through the guards, reaching Harold and freeing him from his cell. He tells Robbert that he fears for Tula’s safety. Robbert says he best get Rickard on this. Harold smiles seeing the two have put their differences aside.
Din and Oran return to the ritual room, Din places a knife on the wrists of Tula, telling her that her sacrifice will allow Northrock to breathe in prosperity. The door is kicked in with Rickard, Robbert, Harold and Rayner standing their ground. Rayner and Robbert go after Oran, while Rickard runs for his sister. Din cuts her wrists before running. Rickard screams out and runs for his sister. He tries to stop the bleeding, doing anything he can, but it is of no use. She is losing to much blood too quickly. She tells him to come close, “remember the story of Sunford.”
Oran is joined by his fellow knights in the fight with Robbert and Rayner. In the ensuing battle Oran kills Rayner before climbing the stairs of the building. Robbert stands opposite Oran. The two of them then fight, sword on sword. Robbert slices Orans face, from eye to mouth. Oran then gets on the offensive, pushing Robbert toward the ledge. Oran manages to disarm Robbert and stab him through the stomach, as Robbert falls over the ledge he grabs Oran, and the two fall together.
With tears in his eyes Rickard ventures out to the graveyard. He spots Din in the distance, but sees something stranger. The dead have risen. Is the Sunford story a reality? Suddenly both Oran and Robbert fall from above. He runs to Robbert but he obviously had died. He remembers Robbert’s weapon and grabs it from his dead body. He begins slicing through the undead before reaching Din. Din mocks him, he never truly can save those that he loves. Din immediately begins with his spells directed at Rickard. He uses the sword and can deflect the spells, leading to Din becoming confused. Din tries his most violent spells, but the sword can cut through them all. Rickard avoids the spells and he gets a slight cut on Din's left eye. Rickard hears a call to fall back, as the undead are wreaking havoc on the army. He does not want to however, as he tries to move forward and continue his assault on Din. Din however, is no longer there, disappearing. Rickard goes back to the ritual room and approaches Tula’s lifeless body. He tries to grab it to take but an undead soldier almost kills him, only to be saved by Harold. Harold tells Rickard that they must go, Rickard reaches out to grab his sister but can only grab her amulet, ripping it off.
Rickard is heartbroken as the army, or what is left, ride away. Harold says that Northrock is a lost cause and there is no need worrying. Rickard tells him that all lost things must one day be found again. Harold tells him they will need an army. Rickard looks to him and tells him they will need more than that.
Din sits in the shadows with his undead soldiers. He talks to someone in those shadows. After a beat Oran steps out, the scar still visible. Din informs Oran that Rickard owns a blessed weapon and might begin making more. Oran barks how he'll behead Tulia as a warning to the whole land, but Din remarks how he already did right in front of Rickard, which probably now will only further issues. We see that the rest of the undead are picking up other dead bodies and placing them in a dungeon, being prepped to be brought back for war.
We see Rickard in Doctonew. He approaches his uncle, Archibald (Rowan Atkinson), he tells him that they are in need of even more help, and he needs to speak to the people. Rickard stand in front of Doctonew and delivers a speech. He says that they have all lost people they love, but their lives will not have been lost in vain. But rather their live will be honored as they march upon Northrock. Adding that he would rather die fighting against the devil himself than live in a future that he rules. “For I am Rickard Swann, son of Chandren Swann, nephew of your Earl Archibald Swann and I will sacrifice my very soul for my home, for my family and for all of you I wish for you to stand with me, to stand with our brothers from Northrock and fight.” Rickard looks to the crowd as they cheer, “For NORTHROCK!!!”
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