Jarl Magnus
Jarl Magnus (a.k.a. Demonfriend, The Wyrdless)
Magnus was born the son of a Jarl, his father, Jarl Othi, was typical of the breed. Their father northern lands offered short growing seasons, and while trade with the dwarves supplemented this, raiding and pillaging were often the order of the day.
His Father died on one such viking expedition, leaving his son, and other vassals, to contest over his lands. Even then Magnus was a powerful warrior, a man of reputed strength. He inherited much of his fathers skill, including an ability to inspire men in battle. He claimed his fathers throne and set about seeking to do what his father couldn't.
Over the following years he would make and break alliances, and topple two other Jarl's, subsuming their lands into his own. It was at this point that others not just noted him, but his name became something to watch in The Veld .
Magnus had qualities that made him more dangerous than other Jarl's. He was patient, and willing to invest not merely in the wealth of his vassals, but expanding the resources of their lands.
Nobody knows precisely what happened, but around the winter of 229 something came over Magnus. The still young warrior grew marose and distant, and his court began to change. The Arrival of the Demonspawn Ta'on was the first noticeable change. The arrival of fortune tellers, wizards, sorcerers and other wielders of strange magics was another. Those who spoke for the Gods decried him and were silenced, often bloodily. Some spoke of blasphemy and desecration, others in fear of a Jarl who would challenge the gods. Yet prosperity silenced many.
What became known was that the Jarl sought a way to usurp his destiny, to severe the fabric of his Wyrd, to break away from the fate the weave might leave for him.
In the Summer of 239, his incursions into other lands, his alliance with Demons and other forces, and his support for the destruction of the monoliths that might free the Dark God Angrboða led to Jarl Bjornkarl , Jarl Selibold , Jarl Olof allying to depose him. Even the Reclusive Dark Jarl Svald sent allies to assist.
Deposed, his capital in ruins, his forces put to route, Magnus survived with a force of men and seemingly vanished. Only, within the year, to turn up at Jotunvaag . HIs forces overran the city in a matter of days, and in personal battle he slew Jarl Bjornkarl within the Great Hall.
Upon the Throne, his ambitions now unclear, the Firestarters rallied with Regan and other members of Bjornkarl's court and, as the first snows came, mounted a counter-attack.
The Battle was fierce, with many deaths, the fresh falling snow stained red with blood. But in the end Magnus was captured.
How Magnus perished is whispered about. For now, only the FIrestarters and one other know how Magnus perished in a Dark ritual in order to grant another a chance at life. Even here the man died in defiant silence to the end, trapped, despite his efforts in his wyrd.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Magnus has been a complex figure, and though in his younger life he appears like many a young Jarl, hungry for power, honour and glory, his ambitions in recent years has been much more esoteric and powerful. Something happened to Magnus, and it has caused him to rebel against the Gods, and against his Fate. He has vowed to cut the threads of his Wyrd and escape this fate.
Social
Reign
Magnus defeated two other Jarls in successive conflicts after fighting and claiming his fathers throne. Each of those conflicts has a skew of memory about it.
The thing his reign will be remembered for most however, is his slow alliance with dark otherworldly forces. The emergence of Demons, Wizards and other strangers in his lands, and his ambitions which grew so great as to Unite Five Other Jarls against him.
Religious Views
Magnus was never very religious, but in recent years he has become Irreligious to the point of bothering even the normally accepting gods of the Aesir and Vanir .
Normally those gods are indifferent to those who do not seek their worship. Self-reliance is a virtue to most of them. But Magnus actively scorns the gods; desecrates their temples and representations, allies with those inimical to them and while he seems to have no goal of allying with any of the ancient enemies of the Gods, he seeks to be free of their power.
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