“When men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart than sharp sword.”
Haesteinn has the typical looks of a northernling - far to the north, not just the barren flats. His skin is pale, his eyes are a light blue colour. His hair is slightly unkempt, though nowhere near as ragged as those still in the North. His body is covered in tribal markings - some more elaborate than others. They reach up to his neck from his body, and are visible to anyone that looks at him - he makes no effort to hide them. However his face is clear of tribal markings.
There is another mark on his face - his forehead has three dots on them, similar to how Terryn has them, as well as the king when he is not wearing his crown as well as any other Servant who has served his time dutifully. It's a sign that at some point in his life Haesteinn was also a Servant in service of the Monarch. This seems to be a strange thing given that the tribal markings betray he is from the far north, and as such grew up with the Northern pantheon.
As for body features, Haesteinn, in spirit of the North, is rather tall. He stands at 6'2 and is quite the imposing stature. His body is well adapted to a martial life, leading people to believe that he has been a soldier for quite a long time. They'd not be far from the truth. His hands are also covered in scars - not tribal markings but simply effects from combat. Better his hand than his face.
【Full Name】
【Aliases】
【Age】
【Sex】
【Sexuality】
【Religion】
【Family】
【Birthplace】
【Societal standing】
【Former employment】
【Rank and role】
【Personality】
【History】
【Dreams, short term goals, and fears.】
【Skills】
【Martial prowess】
【Combat style】
【Weaponry】
【Armor】
Haesteinn Sigurdarson
【Aliases】
Vintersdröm
【Age】
25
【Sex】
Male
【Sexuality】
Heterosexual.
【Religion】
Formerly the Northern pantheon, currently a monarchist.
【Family】
Sigurd Kilvarson, lead his family to the Barren Flats and mostly traded furs. Lived a quiet life, and died peacefully in his sleep.
Anse Bryttedóttir, his mother, died in child labor when they were still living in the North.
Anse Bryttedóttir, his mother, died in child labor when they were still living in the North.
【Birthplace】
The Far North, at the Kettelsground, a hunting ground that was then occupied by his tribe.
【Societal standing】
Lowborn
【Former employment】
Formerly helped his father with the fur trading, then joined up with the Barren Flats militia. Proving his worth and gaining some local prestige he joined up with the Servants. This took him to the South to fight the Sultanate invaders. After his service, he went back to the Barren Flats to spend the rest of his time as a military advisor of sorts at the court, though he was not very important. The recent call for the Black Shields has given him a new purpose.
【Rank and role】
Sergeant.
【Personality】
Haesteinn is a kind of person who you should share a beer (or five) with before you can enjoy his company. Not that he's particularly unfriendly (as much as could be expected of a bitter sergeant), he's simply not an outgoing person. He takes his duties as sergeant very seriously and believes that the black shields have something that can make him into a better man.
As such, there is ofcourse no tolerance for deserters or anything of the sorts and anyone who is showing signs of willingness to desert will get to meet Haesteinn personally.
If Haesteinn was to point out things that he values most it's honour, loyalty and bravery. These also seem to be things he possesses himself - strange concepts to a tribal man by any means given the degree of warfare in the tribal lands. But anyone familiar with his history probably can see why this is the case. However Haesteinn at the same time still possesses the brutality and the idea that the strong should lead from the north. No, he doesn't go around chewing people's necks off mid-battle, but he's quite ruthless and is not afraid to put himself into danger.
As such, there is ofcourse no tolerance for deserters or anything of the sorts and anyone who is showing signs of willingness to desert will get to meet Haesteinn personally.
If Haesteinn was to point out things that he values most it's honour, loyalty and bravery. These also seem to be things he possesses himself - strange concepts to a tribal man by any means given the degree of warfare in the tribal lands. But anyone familiar with his history probably can see why this is the case. However Haesteinn at the same time still possesses the brutality and the idea that the strong should lead from the north. No, he doesn't go around chewing people's necks off mid-battle, but he's quite ruthless and is not afraid to put himself into danger.
【History】
Haesteinn was born in the far north, part of a tribe that was not well off within the tribal lands. They possessed little hunting grounds and barely got by. After his mother died in labor, his father died that there was no way to supply for the child. Honor bound by the death of the mother, he also couldn't leave the child in the snow to die.
So he headed for the south, where food was plentiful he knew. He left the tribe behind, full of sorrow, as he was leaving not only kinsmen but also family behind. At his arrival in the Barren Halls, he requested audience with the lord there, Jachsen of Hayhill. He requested a plot of land to build a homestead on, as Haesteinns father knew he had to adjust to the lifestyle of the Southerners. The lord granted his request, eager to let northernlings settle in his lands to acquire more peasants, and thus more taxes..
The plot was to the north of barren hall, in the remotely unprotected area of the Barren Flats - the area between Barren Hall and the Rivenrange. Here his father built a homestead, and his farm. For 7 years his father toiled in the mud, attempting to farm as best he could. It was hard for someone who had only hunted his entire life to suddenly become a farmer. But he made due. When Haesteinn became seven, his father found him old enough and took him into the north. Here, his father traded tools and other valuables for furs - while the tools he traded were expensive, the furs were sold for hefty profit in the Barren Hall.
It was then that the lord became really interested. Sigurd, Haesteinns father, was offered to let his son squire for Jachsen. A good offer, his father thought. So he accepted, and when Haesteinn was 12, he was brought to the Barren Hall and squired for the lord, learning martial skills, primarily the sword and shield. It was a whole new world for Haesteinn and he thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. To lord Jachsen it seemed more like a sport - to 'civilize' a northern boy. It seemed to work.
This process was sped up even more with the arrival of the princess Aren Grochain, or otherwise known as the Winter Wife. Whenever she felt like it she would educate Haesteinn on Monarchism, causing him to forget what his father had taught him about the gods. Though he didn't officially convert - the influence of the Monarchist church was relatively small in the Barren Flats - he now maintains a strange combination of pagan and monarchist rituals.
His faith was strengthened when he was sent by lord Jachsen to the Servants as an offering of sorts. Lady Aren had prompted the boy too, though likely because she wanted to see the boy do well rather than simple politics. This was when Haesteinn was 18. He spent 6 years in service of the Servants, seeing combat against the Sultanate and teaching him more about the south. The weather here was terrible according to Haesteinn, no doubt because of how accustomed he was to the North and it's cold. After his 6 years he received his three dots, a sign or a decoration of sorts that showed everyone he was a noble Servant of the Monarch.
So he headed for the south, where food was plentiful he knew. He left the tribe behind, full of sorrow, as he was leaving not only kinsmen but also family behind. At his arrival in the Barren Halls, he requested audience with the lord there, Jachsen of Hayhill. He requested a plot of land to build a homestead on, as Haesteinns father knew he had to adjust to the lifestyle of the Southerners. The lord granted his request, eager to let northernlings settle in his lands to acquire more peasants, and thus more taxes..
The plot was to the north of barren hall, in the remotely unprotected area of the Barren Flats - the area between Barren Hall and the Rivenrange. Here his father built a homestead, and his farm. For 7 years his father toiled in the mud, attempting to farm as best he could. It was hard for someone who had only hunted his entire life to suddenly become a farmer. But he made due. When Haesteinn became seven, his father found him old enough and took him into the north. Here, his father traded tools and other valuables for furs - while the tools he traded were expensive, the furs were sold for hefty profit in the Barren Hall.
It was then that the lord became really interested. Sigurd, Haesteinns father, was offered to let his son squire for Jachsen. A good offer, his father thought. So he accepted, and when Haesteinn was 12, he was brought to the Barren Hall and squired for the lord, learning martial skills, primarily the sword and shield. It was a whole new world for Haesteinn and he thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. To lord Jachsen it seemed more like a sport - to 'civilize' a northern boy. It seemed to work.
This process was sped up even more with the arrival of the princess Aren Grochain, or otherwise known as the Winter Wife. Whenever she felt like it she would educate Haesteinn on Monarchism, causing him to forget what his father had taught him about the gods. Though he didn't officially convert - the influence of the Monarchist church was relatively small in the Barren Flats - he now maintains a strange combination of pagan and monarchist rituals.
His faith was strengthened when he was sent by lord Jachsen to the Servants as an offering of sorts. Lady Aren had prompted the boy too, though likely because she wanted to see the boy do well rather than simple politics. This was when Haesteinn was 18. He spent 6 years in service of the Servants, seeing combat against the Sultanate and teaching him more about the south. The weather here was terrible according to Haesteinn, no doubt because of how accustomed he was to the North and it's cold. After his 6 years he received his three dots, a sign or a decoration of sorts that showed everyone he was a noble Servant of the Monarch.
【Dreams, short term goals, and fears.】
His dreams are limited - he wants to be uplifted into nobility and if possible, establish a hold to the North of the Barren Flats, to extend the reach of Lord Jachsen and to encourage other tribes to follow in his footsteps.
His short term goals are to whip the Black Shields into shape.
His fears are mostly related to death - he doesn't show it but he fears death a lot. After all, dying while being unworthy is a hard thing to face, and you can never be sure if you are worthy. Another fear is the death of anyone within the royal family - to Haesteinn, they are the pillars of this kingdom and should it ever fall, then surely it'll be for a death of the royal family.
His short term goals are to whip the Black Shields into shape.
His fears are mostly related to death - he doesn't show it but he fears death a lot. After all, dying while being unworthy is a hard thing to face, and you can never be sure if you are worthy. Another fear is the death of anyone within the royal family - to Haesteinn, they are the pillars of this kingdom and should it ever fall, then surely it'll be for a death of the royal family.
【Skills】
His skills as a sergeant are rather small. He has spent his entire life in inferiority, always being merely a servant, merely a squire (who wasn't even noble, so got ordered around by other squires) and as such he is not really a capable leader.
However if anything is to be said about Haesteinn, it's that he is no doubt a great survivor - he's been through a lot of combat and the scars on his hands and body show that. As such, even if he is not a great leader, he can surely atleast ensure the survival of his own (wo)men.
However if anything is to be said about Haesteinn, it's that he is no doubt a great survivor - he's been through a lot of combat and the scars on his hands and body show that. As such, even if he is not a great leader, he can surely atleast ensure the survival of his own (wo)men.
【Martial prowess】
He's a good swordsman, capable and feared by many. He's got a small amount of prestige for himself - lord Jachsen and princess Aren definitely know of him, and some of the knights of the Barren Flats and other provinces would know of him too. Frequent visitors of the Barren Hall might even recognize him.
Furthermore his training has taught him how to shoot a bow, ride a horse, couch a lance, and even some falconry. However none of these are his preferred methods of fighting.
Furthermore his training has taught him how to shoot a bow, ride a horse, couch a lance, and even some falconry. However none of these are his preferred methods of fighting.
【Combat style】
He utilizes a sword and shield and so, he is used mostly to a back and forth fight. Make no mistake, these fights are not two men banging at each others shields, but are rather quick fights with two men trying to parry each other and block blows.
If the situation allows it however (a smaller battlefield, with no archers) he will prefer to not use the shield and use the sword with two hands where possible.
If the situation allows it however (a smaller battlefield, with no archers) he will prefer to not use the shield and use the sword with two hands where possible.
【Weaponry】
His own bastard sword - simple, and fitting of a lowborn man. It's appearance is boring, grey and brown. However, it's a sword - it cuts, stabs and hews better than any ornamental sword.
Besides this, he usually has a simple axe on his belt, for both general usage as well as combat usage. It's merely a backup however.
Besides this, he usually has a simple axe on his belt, for both general usage as well as combat usage. It's merely a backup however.
【Armor】
He wears a black gambeson, made of wool and linen. Over that goes his chainmail, reaching up to about his middle. He wears a thick leather breastplate with an extra piece of leather over his upper body to protect him against the more lethal blows. Furthermore he wears two light leather gloves,
