Group: Norse

Name: Bjorn Hardman

Age: 24

Occupation: Animal husbandry

Sexuality: Bisexual

Physical Description: Bjorn stands just over 6' and strong as the animals he cares so diligently for. He reflects the success of his clan. Well-fed, healthy, and rarely finds himself sickened. He's got long pale hair that he generally disregards, or tangles up in something akin to a tail. The thick hair and pleasing color make it popular for women to fuss over, and braid to which he thoroughly enjoys. He knows he attracts more than his fair share of women, and some men though he doesn't return the mens' affections. However, it's the unusually pale blue of his eyes that are most arresting. They are an almost violently light blue, yet his compassion and patience soften the severity of them.



Personality: Despite being a giant of a man, he's gentle and a far cry from a warrior though he is more than capable of defending his tribe and his herds. He is slow to anger and methodical in all that he does. Highly intelligent, he has little tolerance for political posturing and prefers the calming honest simplicity of livestock to most humans. He enjoys bridging the gap of understanding between animals and humans, and breeding/raising the creatures that provide for the Jarl's people. He is easy to get along with and ready to laugh and a story.

Biography: Bjorn was born somewhere in the middle of his brothers and sisters, whose father spawned across three wives. He was technically the first born of the second wife, after his older brother took the first wife in childbirth. The three children of her had been born with her fire and had followed the ways of the sword with a zeal that baffled his own siblings and mother. No, Bjorn was much like his mother, gentle and patient which made the rare bursts of upset or anger that much worse. Sigurd the farmer's eldest child caused a massive rift in the family when Bjorn was only 2 years old  when she went against their father's wishes and abandoned the plow for the sword. Bjorn was no fan of farming himself, and was more interested in learning how to care for the bees, cows, pigs, sheep, and eventually, the stunning horses that was offered to their Jarl and clan.

Taking cue from the fiery warrior siblings, Bjorn proved himself adept at handling and caring for the beasts and was eventually taken on as apprentice to the equine stock. They were as high a status symbol as any sword and Bjorn was ruthless in ensuring he knew as much, if not more about all of the animals as the masters and handlers. He traded a pregnant ewe and a foal as a brideprice for his first wife at 19, Daga. She was the midwife's daughter, and had turned her talent to the animals of the village as well. Her skills reduced the mortality rate the livestocks young to nearly nothing. She was passionate and laughed easily, and never quite overcame her childish mischief for pranks. He was happy with her.

When the Saxons came, the warriors amassed and the fit warhorses were sent to support their allies. This went on for a couple of years when rumors began to circulate that allies were turning against their Jarl. Their Jarl was shrewd, and threw in their lot with Jarl Grimnir. He sent off the thralls, and freemen and the best of them over to Jarl Grimnir's clan. So when the Saxons came with the traitorous Danes, there was little but those who stood behind to hide the rest of them. Bjorn was angry with the Jarl's decision to go to Jarl Grimnir yet his and Daga's combined success with animal husbandry made them invaluable...and the former horsemaster had fallen in battle. So Bjorn obeyed and went with the farmers, blacksmiths, and other tradesmen to bolster the loyal Jarl's forces.

It came to be that Jarl Grimnir had bigger plans for his domain and, after dividing up their precious animals, Bjorn and Daga boarded the knarrs bound for the Jarl's son and the new settlement just outside some small kingdom named Righteous. When one of the knarrs sank, Daga was on board and Bjorn's grief is fresh as he comes to terms with the loss of his beloved wife as well as some of their best livestock that took meticulous breeding to rear to the fine, hearty stock that Bjorn boasted mastery of.

He's no longer sure what awaits him on the shores, but something has got to bet better than this pit of watery grief on the seas.

Family:
Sigurd, Father (alive)
Ava, Mother (alive)
Daga, Wife (deceased)
Gudridr, Sister (unknown)
8 Siblings in total (mostly alive)