TJByrum
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TJByrum's Characters Volrun 'the Wolf (of Asgeir)' Valgard Age: 29 Appearance: Volrun is still a young man, although his face is not absent of wrinkles and tones you would find on a man in his late thirties. He has long, straight, shoulder-length, dark-brown hair with a full (but groomed) beard. He has dark blue eyes that you'd swear were pure black from a distance. His athletic body-build makes you think he'd be a Thane rather than a Huskarl, and his height nearly matches that of his towering commander, Koros History: Volrun was born in the noble and well-known house of Valgard, famous for producing naturally-skilled warriors throughout Asgeir's history. He was taught from a very young age to become a warrior, meant to protect his village from would-be-bandits. Volrun, however, had other plans and went off to join the Keepers, a special force commissioned to guard Asgeir from conflict in times of peace. As an agent of the Keepers, Volrun honed his skills further and fought in many successful battles against Asgeir's enemies. He was a well-known Huskarl throughout Asgeir and earned the acceptance of all the good folk for his deeds as a Keeper. He volunteered to come along with Koros in order to honor the Varan legacy. Additional Information: Volrun is strict, noble, honorable, brave, and highly-skilled - everything you could find in a typical hero. His flaw is that he is over-determined, doing whatever it takes to achieve a specific goal - no matter the cost, often conflicting with his own morals. Nevertheless, he fights for the weak and dedicates his life to serving the greater good. Volrun is, like all Valgards, a highly-skilled warrior; many people throughout Asgeir joke that the Valgards to be 'naturally-born' with warrior talent, as if they need no prior training. Whatever the case, Volrun is a highly-skilled warrior, and a valuable asset to the coalition. UPDATED: After slaying his commander, Koros Jarn, in single combat, Volrun was promoted to the rank of commander (as per Varan tradition). The Thanes under Koros' control swore themselves to Volrun. He quickly promoted his friend, Aesa Jojora, to second-chief and adviser. Worun Nulgard, the most experienced Thane under his command, became his personal horn-blower. Earning recognition amongst the Varan, Volrun accepted the title of 'the Wolf of Asgeir', or simply 'the Wolf'. After being command of the Thanisgardian horsemen, Volrun named Markus Rader (a Thanisgardian) as Cavalry Master. Aesa Jojora Age: 20 Appearance: Aesa is a young woman with an average body build, though slightly shorter than most Varan. She has long blonde hair, though travel and wartime has made it mostly unkempt; she keeps it pulled back in a bun on the back of her head. She has a clear, pretty, face, and bright blue eyes. History: Aesa is a tailor from Asgeir, born into a common family within a small town. She grew up on her family's sheep farm, where she sheered sheep for most of her life when she wasn't training with the other children. Aesa continued her family tradition and became a tailor. When Koros Jarn and Volrun Valgard marched through the countryside recruiting volunteers for the battle at Gripclaw Pass, Aesa grabbed her sword and shield and marched with them. She took a liking to Volrun and earned his trust before being promoted to second-chief and adviser by Volrun himself. Aesa co-leads the forces of the Varan with Volrun. Additional Information: Aesa would be known for her unending courage and bravery during the conflict at Gripclaw Pass. She was a hero who inspired both the young and the experienced. For the other soldiers to see a mere sheep-herder rise to fame as she did inspired many. She is, however, against war and prefers peace and calm, a trait not shared by her allies. Worun 'Horn Blower' Nulgard Age: 51 Appearance: History: Additional Information: Markus Rader Age: 26 Appearance: History: Additional Information: Koros 'The Grey Eagle' Jarn [DECEASED] Koros was the 46 year old commander of the Varan forces until his death at the hands of his adviser, Volrun Valgard. Appearance: Koros is a Varan (human race native to Asgeir). That said, Koros is a tall, stout and well-built man, like most Varan warriors hailing from Asgeir, although his height is still unnaturally tall, standing well-above most other men. He's a stern figure with an intimidating yet inspiring glare. His wrinkled skin clearly reveals his battle-worn past and his long, shaggy, grey hair atop his head and around his chin shows that this man is a survivor. He wears an expensive combination of chainmail-plated armor that keeps his vitals protected, although he dislikes wearing the full set to ensure he can still move comfortably in his old age. He carries a large tower shield and a greatsword, although he can only use one at a time, so he tends to keep his shield strung over his back. History: Koros Jarn was a young man during the Asgeirian Civil Wars that erupted nearly two decades ago. He fought alongside many brave heroes in a force known as the 'Free Coalition', which would eventually win the war. Koros suffered a grievous leg injury in the waning years of the conflict, causing him to be less effective in open combat, but his leadership and inspiring command, as well as his thick knowledge of strategy and tactics, ensured he would have a prominent role in the rule of the new Asgerian government (the Varan Kingdom). It is no surprise that the High King would send one of his most trusted and capable generals to lead what many would call a 'suicide mission'... but perhaps this is what the old warrior wanted after all: a glorious death. Additional Information: Koros walks with an extremely obvious limp, he cannot run, and he cannot stand for long periods of time. He most commonly rides a horse, but on feet he can support himself with his tower shield which allows him to stand longer. You'd be amazed, however, at what adrenaline can make a person do, especially someone as bold and courageous as Koros. He is slightly superstitious (like a majority of Varan), but is strangely paranoid about numbers. He was born with grey eyes; that coupled with the fact he has grey hair now has earned him the nickname 'the Grey Eagle'. The Jarn family's sigil is that of a golden eagle against a grey background (which also contributed to his nickname). Varan Forces The Varan force is composed of exactly 100 men: Koros, Volrun, 5 Thanes, 60 Huskarls and 30 Unproven. 15 of the Huskarls and 1 of the Unproven are women. The final 3 individuals are the cart drivers carrying a cache of weapons, armor, and supplies. Koros made doubly sure he brought exactly 100 men, and made specifically sure that at least 15 of the Huskarls were women; Volrun believes this is due to typical Varan superstition, nothing more. Thanes (5) - Thanes are elite, loyal, capable, proven, well-educated warriors whose sole purpose is to protect the person they are assigned to with their life. Thanes are voluntarily given to the High King (or the lord of a province) at a very young age, but this act is considered honorable; typically the second-born son is given away to become a Thane. They are beaten, trained, and educated, molding them into specialized warriors with tremendous kill, intellect, and dedication. These Thanes were assigned to Koros, and naturally followed him to the battlefield - not because they were told too, but because they're expected to. Huskarls (60) - Capable and proven warriors, usually with some connection to nobility, but really anyone who can manage to afford decent weapons and armor. Huskarls have already seen combat, and to some large-scale warfare is nothing new. They've brought their own equipment, but Koros has brought along additional weapons and armor to suit the needs for his strategy. Huskarls tend to buy shields, swords, axes, bows, and chainmail armor. A Varan lord can rely on Huskarls because they are effective, cheap to maintain, wield their own equipment, easy to find, and do not need additional training. As such, these 60 Huskarls are more than enough for Koros, especially considering other nations have joined the coalition. Unproven (30) - Random townsfolk mustered up by Koros on the way out of Asgeir. He would have originally brought along just 60 men, but disliked the 'unlucky' number and made it an effort to recruit at least 30 more - no more, no less - ensuring he had a total of exactly 100 men. Cart-drivers (3) - Three cart-drivers, nothing special about them. They were in charge of driving the carts carrying an assortment of armor, weapons, and other supplies. They volunteered for the service, hoping to make a decent gain by trading to the other soldiers in the coalition. Asgeir Asgeir is a northern realm, reminiscent of regions such as Denmark or Scandinavia. The Varan are based off of Celtic, Irish, Germanic, and Norse cultures. There's a general rule of thumb that can be heard as fast east as Alquen: "All Varan are natural-born Warriors", and it stands true to this day. Be you farmer, noble, scholar, or even housemaid, all Varan tend to grow up in harsh environments are taught to fight from a very young age. This warrior-ethos has defined their culture for thousands of years and originates from the necessity to utilize every able-bodied individual in a village to defend against attacks. To outsiders, a Varan child would often be seen as 'beaten, abused, and mistreated', but the Varan insist this is their traditional way of life. Asgeir was once divided into dozens of smaller countries, each one ruled by its own King. It wasn't until the Borgas Clan rose up and united the entire region that the Kingdom of Asgeir was forged into existence. The Borgas' would prove to be ineffective leaders, often branded as corrupt and lazy. Their poor leadership would lead to the Asgeir Civil War, where the Borgas line would fall to the Free Coalition. Many great heroes and legends arose from the the Civil War, and the land finally saw absolute peace when the new High King, Jon Torrin, came to power. Torrin delegated power to his Earls: loyal followers who would govern specific regions of the country. To differentiate the Borgas' rule from the Torrin rule, the country became the 'Varan Kingdom'. Each family in Asgeir is referred to as a clan, such as the Valgard Clan, the Jarn Clan, Torrin Clan, Borgas Clan, etc. Each clan has a specific set of colors and a sigil. As an example, the Valgards have a navy-blue background with a white wolf head in the center. Each Varan mother knits their child a Ki'Gar: a scarf-like piece of apparel that contains the clan colors and siigl. Ki'Gars are typically worn around the neck, much like a scarf, but may used as capes, hoods, turbans, waist-bands, and much more. A Varan is never seen without a Ki'Gar except in obvious situations (bathing, for example). To throw away, rip, tear, or burn a Ki'Gar is considered dishonorable. Lost Ki'Gars are returned to their respective clans; Ki'Gars belonging to deceased Varan are collected and returned to their respective clans as well. It is deemed unjust for anyone else to claim a Ki'Gar, and Varan will subdue or even kill others in order to reclaim a Ki'Gar. It has been said that a Varan army is a truly glorious sight as the Ki'Gars wave in the high winds of Asgeir and the sight alone is enough to demoralize the enemy or bring hope to allies.
< Message edited by TJByrum -- 6/7/2015 16:57:58 >
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