Ulfvyr Tahn Eskir
Jarl Ulfvyr Tahn Eskir (a.k.a. Ravenrider, Witherbane)
Loyal, Honorable, Talkative, Traditionalistic, Jaded
The Last Jarl of Clan Eskir was determined to be a good and honorable man. He studied histories, made offers to the gods, and found The Mother of Mercy's teachings to speak directly to a gentle soul, belied by the bulk of the scarred and battered warrior.
Following promises of greater trade deals to be had at The Reach, and oblivious to the politics of the Southlands, Ulfvyr and a small group of hunters and tradesmen were ambushed and captured by Tambarists, and the warrior-druid spent the years of The Tambar Rebellion underground in the dungeons of The Reach.
Abandoned, forgotten, and neglected in a dark jail cell, Ulfvyr remembers The Mother of Mercy singing his final lullabye. And then Carrion saw fit to return him from the Dry Lands to walk once more in the world of the living.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Ulfvyr looks thinner than he is, and thinks he looks bigger than he is. After 3 years starving in a dungeon, malnutrition has ravaged the Antari's once-massive frame. Where once he was wide and barrel-shaped, with a large gut earned by the luxuries of his elevated status, the dungeons of The Reach stripped him down to little more than skin and bone. He has spent the past year trying to regain some of his previous physique, but has taken pains to avoid overindulgence.
Many of his clothes have been reclaimed from a previous time, and hang loose and oversized on what is left of the man. His face, once round and ruddy, with pronounced smile lines and crows feet now appears almost as a mockery of what once was - the cheeks are sunken, the eyes deep, and beneath his thick beard, the jawline strong and pronounced. In many respects he looks better and worse than when last he walked amongst the living.
Many of his clothes have been reclaimed from a previous time, and hang loose and oversized on what is left of the man. His face, once round and ruddy, with pronounced smile lines and crows feet now appears almost as a mockery of what once was - the cheeks are sunken, the eyes deep, and beneath his thick beard, the jawline strong and pronounced. In many respects he looks better and worse than when last he walked amongst the living.
Mental characteristics
Education
There was never any questoin that Ulfvyr Eskir would live to become Jarl. He grew up hale, protected, clever, and brave. He grew up on stories of brave and heroic ancestors. Tales of courage, honor, and loyalty, and these were the tales he took into his heart, and applied as hammer to the raw steel of his soul. Tales of The Mother of Mercy, and offerings to Carrion were the anvil against which the blade was shaped, and the death of his father, and subsequent elevation of Ulfvyr's status to that of Jarl was the oil in which the man was tempered.
Forged by tales of these giants, standing in the shadows of Paldyr Tahn Eskir, Ulfvyr was forced to make a decision. He could take the weight of this upon his own shoulders - declare himself an equal with his ancestors, and make sure everyone knew that Ulfvyr Tahn Eskir was a Jarl every bit as worthy of praise as those who had come before him - or he could shut his mouth and earn it.
And so Ulfvyr took it upon himself to begin asking questions. He took it upon himself to learn and study the ancient ways, and the moments that made his ancestors his heroes. He learned from the elders in his Clan, learned from his mother, learned from those who opposed him, learned from the druids, his siblings, his tutors, his kinsmen - learned everything he could to try to forge himself into the Jarl Clan Eskir deserved.
And so Ulfvyr took it upon himself to begin asking questions. He took it upon himself to learn and study the ancient ways, and the moments that made his ancestors his heroes. He learned from the elders in his Clan, learned from his mother, learned from those who opposed him, learned from the druids, his siblings, his tutors, his kinsmen - learned everything he could to try to forge himself into the Jarl Clan Eskir deserved.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Paldyr Tahn Eskir - Father (Deceased)
Ulfra Tahn Eskir - Mother (Deceased)
Siblings
Trygve Tahn Eskir - Brother
Jhorhald Eskir - Half-Brother
Guthrum Tahn Eskir - Half-Brother
Thira Tahn Vaska - Half-Sister
Bern Rolfsson - Half-Sister
Siggur Tahn Eskir - Brother
Iord Tahn Halvik - Half-Brother
Siv Tahn Eskir - Sister, beloved of Mercy
Wives and Progeny
Frigga - No progeny - One stillborn - Died in The Circle at Jhorhald's hand - A warrior
Freydis Redmane - The worst - One black-haired son (Otta), not recognized by Ulfvyr, married into House Antyre (Ulfvyr's hair is dirty blond, Freydis's hair is bright red)
Estil - A male heir (Froda)- Currently wed to Jhorhald
Ivka - One daughter (Saga) - Location unknown (Fled during the duels - set off to look for Ulfvyr) - Close with Revna
Revna - Two sons (Sigurd and Asbjorn) - Location unknown (Fled during the duels - set off to look for Ulfvyr) - A warrior, close with Ivka
Bodil - A daughter (Ulfhild), both died in childbirth
Ulfra Tahn Eskir - Mother (Deceased)
Siblings
Trygve Tahn Eskir - Brother
Jhorhald Eskir - Half-Brother
Guthrum Tahn Eskir - Half-Brother
Thira Tahn Vaska - Half-Sister
Bern Rolfsson - Half-Sister
Siggur Tahn Eskir - Brother
Iord Tahn Halvik - Half-Brother
Siv Tahn Eskir - Sister, beloved of Mercy
Wives and Progeny
Frigga - No progeny - One stillborn - Died in The Circle at Jhorhald's hand - A warrior
Freydis Redmane - The worst - One black-haired son (Otta), not recognized by Ulfvyr, married into House Antyre (Ulfvyr's hair is dirty blond, Freydis's hair is bright red)
Estil - A male heir (Froda)- Currently wed to Jhorhald
Ivka - One daughter (Saga) - Location unknown (Fled during the duels - set off to look for Ulfvyr) - Close with Revna
Revna - Two sons (Sigurd and Asbjorn) - Location unknown (Fled during the duels - set off to look for Ulfvyr) - A warrior, close with Ivka
Bodil - A daughter (Ulfhild), both died in childbirth
Age
37
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Green
Hair
Dirty Blonde
Height
6'1
Related Plots
Last Jarl of Eskir - The Speech at The Circle
10th of Midyear, 1442
Yesterday, I met with Jhorhald to come to peaceful resolution about how to handle this situation where he sleeps in my bed with my wife, and when The Circle was brought up, suddenly Antyre guards moved in to arrest me. This is not The Old Way. The Circle is meant to be honorable, and a challenge to the circle is anything but an immediate threat. If anything, it assures Jhorhald's safety. And when did this happen? When did Antyre's forces begin protecting Eskir's Jarl?
I have to wonder some - Why has Carrion sent me back? I don't know if it is for me to return to lead Clan Eskir, but Carrion has sent me back with purpose. I am here to remind Eskir, and perhaps Jhorhald, who Eskir is. We are THE UNTAMED. We are the Kings of Old, now bowing at the feet of dogs. Jhorhald offered me a "plot of land and some sheep" to own so I would go away. How ridiculous is that? Anything they give, they can take away. Everything Antyre has given or offered you always has strings.
And now I look around at all of the Watchtowers surrounding us, flying the banners of Antyre and Echen, looking down at us, and I don't understand how we got here in 4 short years.
Does anyone else remember who Antyre was? I remember. They were nothing and no one. They were not one of The Great Clans, and that has always rankled at them. But we were. And Jhorhald is willing to throw that all away. Not only throw it away, he's willing to pay them to take it. It may not seem like it - but how many able-bodied husbands, wives, sons, fathers, mothers, and daughters are not here right now because he has sold them to Antyre? Sorry - sent them to Antyre? All of these supposed gifts Eskir receives are not as they seem - they have been bought and paid for with the lives of our loved ones.
Jhorhald has killed all of my siblings, honorably, and in The Circle. And this, I understand. It is the way of things among our people, and they live on as ravens in the Halls of Carrion, content and preparing for the next great feast - which is coming, to lands far south of here. But I think of my siblings. All of them, even Jhorhald, who I've known since his prick was so small it enticed fish to bite it in the river. Remember, Jhorhald? Remember?
Trygve, Guthrum, Thira, Bern, Siggur, Iord... But even Siv, who was Beloved of the Mother of Mercy - whose soul was so gentle she spoke not a word, for fear of upsetting the bees? Did any of you question, when Siv saw fit to take up arms against Jhorhald? To oppose his rise? And now, here sits a broken Clan Eskir, licking the boots of the original boot lickers, because Jhorhald prefers to set his arse upon the same chair, sleep in the same bed, piss and shit in the same hole for tomorrow and the day after that, and the day after that until the Dragon Swallows the Sun, and he demands that all of you should do the same.
Jhorhald - if that is your wish, I will gladly send you to Ayl as a diplomat of Ulfvyr, Jarl of Eskir, but you do not get to decide this for The Untamed Kingsblood.
I say one last time, that we do not need to step into The Circle to settle this, I will take Froda and leave my seat to you - only if you remember *who we are* and who *they* are. They were the first to bare themselves to Norvalled, and once conquered, they were "chosen" by the invaders to force the outsiders' ways upon us. House Antyre - the lowest dogs, reached their position by staying on their knees for their new masters. You look at this duel and you see, maybe, Ulfvyr fighting Jhorhald, but this is not the fight. This is Eskir fighting Antyre - a rekindling of The Old Wars. If Eskir wins, we remember who we are. If not - Jhorhald, you have already surrendered for Eskir. It is not too late, Jhorhald, for you to remember who Eskir is.
Clan Eskir has no masters, save The Old Gods.
