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Borstennskoldmund Dallasson ap Larsfolk, Vestennmannavnjar Skjaeren
Here's my sorry tale. It starts way back in the time of my grandfathers.
About 40 years ago a great conclave was held in Kirk between the leaders of the Vendel populace and the leaders of the dwindling Vestenmannavnjar. At issue was the degradation of the Vestenmannavnjar homeland, and the piracy of Vendel trading ships. The conclave lasted several weeks, whether any value came of it is not recorded here. In true Romeo and Juliet fashion (or was it just another evening of debauchery after a days heavy debate) a brief romance ensued between Olaf, son of a minor Vendel noble from Kirk, and Sigrid, daughter of a Vestenmannavnjar jarl.
Inevitably, Sigrid became pregnant, and was cloistered for the duration (holidaying in Avalon the family said). When the child, a girl named Dalla, was born, she was whisked away from her mother by Sigrid's incensed father, who sent the child to Olaf's family as their responsibility. A network of spies enabled Sigrid to track down Dalla eventually, but communication between them was scarce. Dalla was found to have inherited full-blooded Laerdom from her parents, but was discouraged from it's practice, and never developed her skill to her full potential. Sigrid did however manage to ensure Dalla was instructed in the ways of the Vestenmannavnjar, and although growing up in a Vendel household, Dalla considered herself a true Vestenmannavnjar.
At 12 years of age, Dalla was indentured as a servant to the family of a Vendel prince. She grew to a pretty young woman, much like her mother, and soon caught the eye of the young prince, Magnus. At 17, she bore Magnus a son, named Henrik by his father, although not acknowledged as a legitimate son. Magnus was married soon afterwards to Jofrid, the daughter of an influential merchant. Dalla was determined to keep Henrik. She secretly gave him a Vestenmannavnjar name, Borstennskoldmund, a name known only to her and her son. Magnus eventually decided to allow Dalla and her son to stay, he could see some advantages to having a bastard - one who could be used as an informal representative. Able to go places a legitimate son could not.
Magnus saw to it that Henrik received some training as a spy, and young Henrik was sent on various diplomatic missions in unofficial capacities - often posing as a sailor on missions to overseas trading partners, and reporting back to Magnus on servants gossip, talk in the seedy bars and the like. Henrik saw a good deal of the world at a young age, his worldly attitude was much appreciated by his father. But with this came a darker side, a growing desire for worldly possessions.
Unfortunately, Henrik's greed was not matched by a head for figures, and more often than not his investments have come undone. Most notably, Henrik made a rather large investment in a mine located somewhere in Montaigne. His desire to obtain the goods produced by this mine overcame any sense of the worth of this investment. He finds that he will be paying off the debt for the purchase of this mine for another 5 years to a rather unscrupulous Vodaccean merchant. He'd underestimated the cost of running the mine, and instead of receiving a constant flow of marvellous old-world items as he had hoped, he just gets a small number of coins each month, barely enough to cover his debt. The items that are salvaged from the mine are sold locally by the manager of the mine, the proceeds are used to maintain the mine and pay the workers, with the remainder sent to Henrik. Henrik hopes that the goods in the mine will last longer than the 5 years that remain on his debt, or that perhaps he can one day he may find some other way to relieve the burden of his debt...
Henrik also received some informal military training as a lad, learning the use of the Bardische, developing his body and picking up some rudimentary hunting skills. His mother taught him the old ways of Vestennmannavnjar rune reading, and Henrik too became a full-blooded sorcerer (Magnus' also carried sorcerer's blood). Henrik listened attentively to his mother's stories of the Vestennmannavnjar and grew to share her beliefs.
But Henrik did not enjoy this lifestyle, he had no friends, always referred to as 'the bastard' wherever he went. He resented having to play the part of a model Vendel when his heart cried 'Vestennmannavnjar'. And to add to his troubles, his younger half-brother Eldgrim, son of Magnus and Jofrid, and heir to Magnus' title, did not like him at all. Eldgrim resented the regard Magnus had for his elder half-brother, and rumours that Magnus would one day legitimise Henrik only added fuel to the fire. Henrik knew that his position was precarious.
2 years ago, Eldgrim, then just 18, boasted a large fraternity of friends and followers, who openly scorned Henrik. Henrik jumped at the opportunity to accompany a trade delegation on behalf of his father. Eldgrim had wanted to join that voyage to Avalon, but Magnus forbade him, saying that he knew nothing about the wool trade. The look in Eldgrim's eye as Henrik joined the ship convinced him that he should not return. When the ship docked in Northern Montaigne on its way to Avalon, Henrik took the opportunity to jump ship, and left for a life of adventure.
Henrik found work in an Eisen port, now using the name his mother gave him, Borstennskoldmund. He grew his blond hair long, and braided it in the fashion his mother had taught. He now felt a true Vestennmannavnjar, although one part of him still remained Vendel - his love of money and beautiful objects. One thing did come out of this greed. His interest in the wondrous workings of the ancient Syrne led to an invitation to join the Adventurers guild, an invitation he gladly
accepted. Borstennskoldmund has yet to take up an active role with the guild, but dreams that one day he will have a collection of quality Syrneth artifacts, a collection far greater than his brother Eldgrim's already substantial collection. After all, does Eldgrim really have any sense of the true value of these items?
For most of the two years he has been in Eisen, Borstennskoldmund has been earning his keep performing odd-jobs for an Eisen doctor, Borstennskoldmund's large frame coming in useful for the weedy doctor who often needed to administer painful remedies without anaesthesia. Borstennskoldmund came to learn the Eisen language, and also some skills in doctoring during this time. However, things never last, and in a bar one day sitting with the doctor (who had taken to drinking quite a bit lately), he spied a couple of Eldgrim's friends. Listening in on their discussion, he learned that his father had taken ill, and had people out searching for his son Henrik. He apparently wanted Henrik back by his side, but for what purpose? As a result a jealous Eldgrim also had his spies on the lookout for Henrik, his purposes bound to be sinister.
Borstennskoldmund left town immediately leaving behind his scant possessions saving his trusty Bardische and a few coins. He's now found his way inland to Freiburg. But is this far enough away to escape his past? Will anyone recognise him as Henrik, the prince's bastard?
Borstennskoldmund is now 22, he stands a full 6' 4" and is of strong, muscular build. He has long, flowing blond locks, now braided in the Vestennmannavnjar fashion, a somewhat changed appearance from the neatly cut hair he sported back in Kirk, but not really an adequate disguise for one of his stature. He has a bitter, surly nature and loves to jump in to the middle of a fight with little sense of whether it is a great move or not.
In recent weeks he has taken up with a bunch of like-minded individuals, out on a search for adventure, fame and glory. Perhaps this disparate bunch of companions from around the world can assist Borstennsoldmund in his quest to best Eldgrim and to master the secrets of the ancients.
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