Chapter summaries A Day of Fallen Night Samantha Shannon

Chapter 75: 70 North - Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After three days of relentless battle against wyrms from the Dreadmount, the Hróthi defenders of Bithandun manage to slay a wyvern and drive off the remaining creatures. Wulf fights alongside housecarls Thrit and Thella, narrowly surviving the onslaught. King Einlek holds a feast to honour the survivors, especially the whaler Góthur who felled the wyvern. Privately, Einlek reveals that Queen Glorian of Inys is pregnant and plans to be crowned—a secret that confirms Wulf is the father. Einlek assigns Wulf a new mission: ride to the outpost Járthfall through the plague-ridden Barrowmark and bring back fighters to reinforce Eldyng. Thrit insists on accompanying him, and the two set out at dawn, leaving behind a city in ashes.

Key Events

  • The Hróthi defeat a wyvern after a harpoon strike, causing the lesser wyrms to flee.
  • Wulf experiences flashbacks to the burning ship Conviction and the death of Vell.
  • King Einlek praises the whaler Góthur as “Wyrmkiller” during a post-battle feast.
  • Einlek tells Wulf that Glorian is with child and will soon be crowned queen of Inys.
  • Wulf learns of four Great Wyrms: Fýredel, Dedalugun, Orsul, and Valeysa.
  • Einlek orders Wulf to travel to the outpost Járthfall in the Oxhorns to retrieve fighters.
  • Thrit refuses to let Wulf go alone, citing their lith oath.
  • Wulf and Thrit ride out of Eldyng on horses provided by the king.
  • Dead civilians are weighted and sunk in the sea to prevent the spread of the bloodblaze plague.

Character Development

  • Wulf: Grows more resolute despite exhaustion and haunted memories. The revelation of his fatherhood gives him a personal stake—he fears for Glorian and the child, but also feels warmth. His loyalty to Glorian and Einlek is tested by the harsh mission.
  • Einlek: Demonstrates shrewd leadership and emotional nuance. He honours his warriors publicly but also protects the king's secrets, and he trusts Wulf enough to send him on a dangerous solo task.
  • Thrit: Emerges as fiercely loyal; his rejection of Einlek's “hide in tunnels” policy earlier shows he respects Hróthi tradition, yet he now chooses to follow Wulf into the Barrowmark, prioritizing the lith bond over safety.
  • Thella: Survives a lindworm attack but is gravely wounded; her resilience is noted but brief.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Hróthi warrior ethos: The chapter repeatedly contrasts the Hróthi belief in dying with a blade in hand against the Inysh strategy of hiding underground. This cultural tension runs through Einlek's speeches and Thrit's muttered dissent.
  • Fire and ash: The burning hall, smoke, and glowing embers symbolize both destruction and temporary triumph. The wyvern's blood ignites new fires, underscoring how victory against these creatures often comes at a cost.
  • Memory and trauma: Wulf's flashback to the Conviction—the “melted man” Vell—shows that past horrors resurface even amid present battle. The bees he imagined in the wyvern swarm evoke a lifetime of fear.
  • Ranks and oaths: The lith (a unit of warriors) and the code of loyalty among Hróthi housecarls are central; Thrit invokes his oath to keep the lith together, reinforcing bonds of brotherhood.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 75 advances Wulf's arc from a battle-weary soldier to a father and a secret emissary of the queen. It reveals Glorian's pregnancy and imminent coronation, tying the Inysh political plot directly to Wulf's personal life. The introduction of three named Great Wyrms expands the scope of the war beyond the single threat of Fýredel. The chapter also sets up the next phase of Wulf's journey into the Barrowmark and Járthfall, where new dangers—plague, hostile tribes, and more wyrms—await. Without this mission, the Northern front would collapse.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does King Einlek send Wulf to Járthfall, and why does he choose Wulf for this mission?
Einlek needs every available fighter back in the cities, but the outpost must be emptied in person. Wulf is immune to the bloodblaze plague, can survive extreme cold, and has proven his loyalty. Einlek trusts only people he would send into danger.

2. How does the chapter contrast the Hróthi and Inysh approaches to survival during the wyrm war?
The Hróthi believe in fighting openly and dying memorably with a blade in hand. Einlek scorns the Inysh plan to move people underground, except for the very young or frail. Thrit privately agrees with Glorian that hiding would be wiser, but the Hróthi cultural expectation overrules strategy.

3. What is the significance of the litany of Great Wyrms revealed in this chapter?
Einlek names Dedalugun (ironstone-coloured), Orsul (grey), and Valeysa (crosses between North and East), in addition to Fýredel. This reveals that the attack on Bithandun is only one front in a larger coordinated assault, and that the Hróthi face at least four apocalyptic threats, not just one.

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