Thrand
Sobriquet: Jarl of Jórvík
Appearance: Even accounting for the growth of tales told over time, Thrand must have been a mountain of a man. All the tales point to his standing a head and shoulders above his own men and the Saxon population of York equally. Baron John's grudging recollections paint a romantic picture of a musclebound Scandinavian giant with the face of an angry god and a mane of dark auburn hair to his waist. According to John he always wore a hauberk of steel chain over a simple jerkin of oiled oxhide and never bothered to adapt to the local Saxon fashions. Regardless of the circumstances, Thrand always kept his great-axe and a bejeweled shield within easy reach and never failed to use both regularly.
Behavior: According to Baron John, Thrand was a member of a Norse blood-cult who called themselves einherjar and believed that they were descended from the Scandinavian gods. Thrand in many ways was a prime example of an einherjar warrior, stoic in the face of adversity, brave almost to a fault and cunning in battle. But his weaknesses could out weight his strengths in his obvious lack of subtly everywhere but on the battlefield. Despite his uncouth ways, Thrand was seen as a just and egalitarian ruler who largely ignored the distinctions between the Higher and Lower clans during his reign. Despite this he had a knack for making enemies and a startling lack of political acumen.
History:
Rest in Peace:
