Steinar Sigurdsson

General:
Name: Steinar
Last name: Sigurdsson
Title: Verilöyly

He has earned this title when he was in his dark times. Over time he has grown to hate that title and is rather not entitled by that name.

Age: 51 years old
Rank: Huskarl
Place of birth: Skagen
Place of residence: Skagerrak

Family:
Father: Sigurd Rolfsson
Mother: Eydis Halvarsdóttir
Siblings: Eerikki Sigurdsson †
Other: -

Appearance:
Skin tone: Pale
Hair color: Dark brown
Hair style: Medium long, slightly wavy.
Eye color: Blue
Height: 1m83
Weight: 72kg
Build: Muscular and broad, but with traces from old age.
Tattoos: Only a few runes on his lower arms.

Personality:

Steinar’s personality has changed much over time. The many  years of his life have brought a certain calm in his life that he never thought he would have. If you would place his younger self next to him now, you’d never guess they were even related. Steinar has a gentle soul and is incredible patient. But do not underestimate him. His incredible loyalty makes him very cautious for every potential danger, and he would give his own life to protect those he loves and respects. Another of his good traits is his patience and his perseverance. If he has a goal before his eyes, he will make sure he reaches it, even if it would cost him many, many years. He is seen as a wise person, there he has a lot of experience in life. People often come to him for advise or to get some training in fighting, hunting or anything else they are in need of. Steinar lives to serve his people, and has pledged himself loyal to the earl’s and countesses from Skagen over many years.

History:
Steinar was born with almost none opportunities in his life. As the son of a beggar he was almost doomed to fail in life. His father abandoned him and his twin-brother from birth and was never seen again after that. His mother took care for the both of them as well as she could, but knew she would never be able to give both of the boys a decent life. In her heart she knew that she had to look for a solution for her boys, but the love for her children made that she could not give them away. A few years later, when an evil disease slumbered upon her, she knew it was time to take action. The countess in that time was known for her infertility, so one day a sick Eydis reached out for her and begged her to take care for her children, there she knew that she hadn’t much time left. The countess was struck by her request, but eventually took in both Steinar and Eerikki and promised Eydis that she would love them as her own sons. Steinar and Eerikki, both seven years old by the time had a hard time adapting to the new life-style. The Earl wasn’t pleased with both the boys that weren’t his flesh and blood, but approved of them because he saw how happy they made the Countess, even though they were almost unmanageable. They tried to run away many times, to go and looking for their -meanwhile deceased- mother and their unknown father. On one of these escaping attempt, the boys stole one of the Earl’s horses. The boys who where then 10 years old, climbed on the back of the fiery steed, and rode of without saddle or bridle. It did not take long before they lost all the control, and all of a sudden Eerikki fell of the back of the gigantic horse, breaking his neck in the progress. Steinar’s brother died almost instantly, and in his few minutes of life, there was nothing recognizable about him left. The death of his brother crushed Steinar, and his heart grew dark and lonely.
Steinar had trouble with many things in his life. He grew apathic, intolerant and even aggressive in times. But he also grew strong, turned out to be an extremely skilled warrior, which many men feared. Steinar grew from Frú to Thegn to Viking and eventually Hersir. He was seen as the Earl’s most skilled warrior. The only time he came to life was on the battlefield. Steinar breathed death and was like a storm raging through a grain field. Even by the people and his own Vikings and shield maiden he was feared. But the fact that he was the son of the Earl and Countess made that people respected him and saw him as one of their own.
Steinar loved his new parents, but never showed it to them in any way. Until the day that they told him that they were finally pregnant. A successful pregnancy brought to them a daughter: Gunnvor. The new life brought Steinar a certain joy that he had never felt before. In a strange way he felt responsible for her, like this was his way to make up to Eerikki’s death. But Gunnvor being born, brought Steinar in a difficult position. The Earl and the Countess now had a child of their own, and slowly Steinar started to feel like the outsider he actually was. By the time he was 25 years old, he decided that it was for the best that he would leave Skagen for a certain amount of time. To find his true self, because he had felt there was more to him that only pure anger. He had felt that when he had held Gunnvor in his arms. There was also life and not only death.
So he pulled himself away from Skagen and reached out for a solitary life in the nature and smaller Viking villages. He spent many, many years on his own, and eventually found his true self. The true self he had lost when his mother had given him away. There had been many ups, and equally as much downs, but it had brought him relieve and a clear view to life. And on a certain point he felt like he had to return to Skagen, to the place he had always called home. It was like the gods were telling him that he was needed, that there was something about to happen.
When he returned to Skagen, everything was the same as it had been years ago, only everything was older. And so was Gunnvor. She had grown out to a young woman of 18 years old, and from the moment he saw her, he knew that she was the reason that all good things had happened to him over the years. Steinar was welcomed generously by both the Earl and the Countess, but there was something different. Gunnvor didn’t know of his existence, or who he was in general. They had never spoken a word about him to their true daughter, and in a certain way it broke Steinar’s heart. But at the same time he also understood: After all he was just the stanger in their house. So he just played along in the game, and introduced himself to Gunnvor as the previous Hersis, who went away to find himself and now had returned. Nothing more, nothing less.
It was a few days after when fate bursted in like Mjölnir himself: Skagen was intruded by Vikings with the name Halfdan and Harald. Steinar fought at his best to try and save Skagen, but their fight didn’t last long. They were overthrown and were forced to surrender. It was pure luck that he stumbled upon Gunnvor in the crowd, and he promised her that he would take her into safety. Safety they eventually found in Skagerrak. There he stood by her side with everything that happened, and eventually felt that the place she had taken in his heart only grew larger. So when Gunnvor ended up with Rigas, there was this unhealthy jealousy towards the man, who later became the Earl of Skagerrak. But Steinar never said a word about his feelings to Gunnvor, even though he knew that she also knew deep inside of her. Instead he just kept standing by her side, protecting her and the earl in any way he could and eventually became their Huskarl. He did not serve Skagen anymore, neither as he did Skagerrak. He served Gunnvor, and he would do so until his last breath.