Brief character story.

[Bjarni Daasen]

Story

Bjarni is the 3rd child of five surviving children. He was born in mid-winter during the month of Navek in the year 695 TR. Auspiciously, his natal day sits on the cusp of the signs Masara and Lado. He has two older and two younger sisters. All are married. His father and mother live at the clan holding of Daasen in Orbaal which sits near the head of Vaagesfjord. Although advanced in years his parents are still hale. His father no longer goes whaling but does fish the fjord. Since he was a small boy Bjarni accompanied his father on fishing, sealing and whaling expeditions. He is a natural sailor and knows the ways of the sea as good as any man. He is an expert harpoon man and with his great strength is an asset on any whaler.

Bjarni himself is a big man, well padded against h enorthern cold. He deserves his by-name of Sperm Whale, not the least because he has slain more than one of the great fish*. He has a prodigious appetite and enjoys preparing and eating food. He tries to keep a small collection of herbs and spices with him to “season the pot”.

Bjarni has been trained to fight in the shield wall and knows how to use a spear, a shield and his trusty skinning knife. He is also an accomplished brawler, something that has got him into trouble on more than one occasion. In his most recent misadventure he got into an argument with some of his cousin’s huscarles and unfortunately broke one man’s jaw and the arm of another. Never a favourite of his cousin Haarsin, the current Daasen valhakar, Bjarni decided that it was best to leave before he got outlawed.

To that end, Bjarni decided that he might visit his ancestral homeland of Menglana. He made his way first to Geldeheim where he took ship with a trader named Ulf Marensen, working his passage. His prodigious strength was a real asset when they hit bad weather in the Sea of Ivae. Bjarni arrived in Pelyn in late autumn and spent the winter there. He obtained some employment with Tael Svolder, the owner of one of the more boisterous taverns in the settlement. It was there that he met Tael’s sister Eryna, a rare beauty. He is smitten and wants to find the bride price that Tael will ask for his sister’s hand. At the moment he is just a penniless wanderer, albeit one from a good family. He is still determined to make his way to the Daas clan hold of Ygesdram to look up his long lost relatives and perhaps take service in the upcoming war that everyone is talking about. No better way for a young man to make a name and some silver than in war.



*I know that whales are not fish but Bjarni doesn’t