Character biographies

SWAN
Shieldmaiden

Full Name: Svanhildr Eriksdottir
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 175 lbs.
Age: 28
Sex: Female
Hair: Blond
Body type: Athletic
Eyes: Blue
Qualities:
Virtuous and loyal
Known Relatives: None
Ethnicity: Swedish
Tribe: Stormhammer
Totem: Eagle
Patron God: Tyr

Personality:  Swan is a dutiful shield maiden of Stormhammer. She is virtuous and noble in character and maintains her feminine side despite her warrior calling. Her fellow tribesmen sometimes believe that she is a Valkyrie incarnate.

Abilities & Weapons:  Swan is Stormhammer most talented female warrior, and her tribe best archer period. She has masterful skill with her great spear which she prefers to use in hand to hand combat, she also wields her long sword with great skill. She wears a coat of lightweight stainless steel.

It is 2066…

It has been thirty years since the end of the old world. For a millennia the planet was governed and ruled by the desires and dreams of nation states such as Great Britain, Russia, and the United States. Of America. At the dawn of the twenty first century new powers began to rise – it was the beginning of the Corporate Age. Large mega-corporations consumed one another consolidating economic power so great that the traditional national borders and identities began to fade until at last the giant corporate empires dominated the globe, imposing their will upon humanity, making slaves of their citizen-workers and depleting the resources of the Earth. They were fueled by unending greed, driven beyond caring about the consequences of their actions.

There was however in this time another beginning – a return to the ancient ways. Disillusioned with the drudgery of modern realities , there were many that sought a different path, a different way of living and being. Thus the realm was born. Dedicated to the long abandoned codes of chivalry and honor they escaped the confines of the corporate city states and began to build a new world of their own, re-creating a by-gone era at the same time establishing a new way of living. Honoring the traditions of ancient cultures their kingdoms began to grow and flourish. The emergence of the Realm did not escape the notice of the corporate powers who at first scoffed at their efforts and dismissed them as foolhardy and obsolete. The realm continued to prosper, drawing more and more beleaguered souls from the yoke of corporate existence – a situation that became impossible for them to tolerate any longer. They planned to crush the new-born kingdoms of the Realm, a feat that did not appear to be that difficult as they could field armies equipped with a vast superior firepower over the anachronistically equipped warriors of the Realm.

But lo, even as the corporate powers prepared for genocide, nature herself rose up to unleash her fury upon those industries who had long abused her. Disaster after disaster struck: hurricanes, earthquakes & tidal waves crashed against the shores and engulfed the coasts. Ragnarok had descended upon Midgard as volcanoes spewed fire that death upon mankind and struck low the tall towers and skyscrapers, vain monuments that had once risen so proudly in their attempt to control and usurp the natural order. The great cities of the world burned and the whole of the Earth was consumed in flame and smoke.

Neath the sea land sinkith, the sun dimmeth,
From the heavens fall the fair bright stars;
Gusheth forth stream and guttering fire,
To the very heavens soar the hurtling flames
- Voluspa

The Corporate age was at an end but there still existed remnants of the once powerful empires in the desolated ruins of their once gleaming cities. The kingdoms of the Realm fared better against the onslaught of nature, for they now held sway over the dominion of the world re-born. Look now to Northland, greatest of the new kingdoms of the Realm which is composed of many strong tribes that chose to adopt the values and traditions of the Northern European cultures of the Dark Ages that followed the collapse of Rome.

A gathering has been called by King Erik Two-axe, ruler of the united tribes of Northland,  to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of spring. Look now also to the warrior known as Hammer who has lead the Stormhammer tribe to victory in the mock battles fought this day to determine who shall serve as the king’s warlord for the coming year.