Hallgrimm Mikkenson

*"This is for all the people you've tortured, maimed or worse. And though it's not the end you wanted, I release you from your curse."*

- Hallgrimm Mikkensons final words to Count Strahd von Zarrovich

**Hallgrimm "the Thunderskald" Mikkenson** is a human bard/barbarian from the Norland island in Faerûn.

In 1492 DR he was dragged to Barovia by a thick mist commanded by Count Strahd von Zarovich, and was a central figure in the Battle of Ravenloft in which Strahd was destroyed and his long reign ended.

He is a giogoto of the Vistani.

*"You have travelled far seeking fame and fortune, indeed you shall be famous, you shall be known as 'The Thunderskald'" -- Madam Eva*

## **History**

### Early life

Son of Mikken Farrowson and Helgi Brandidaughtrr, Hallgrimm hails from Fentavik, a small hamlet in the winter frosted north-eastern coast of Norland in the Moonshae Isles. His father and forefathers were woodworkers, carpenters and boat builders. Hallgrimm trained with his father in the art of woodcraft but was always bored and spent more time playing his hand crafted lyre.

Despite admonishment from his father for being air-headed with delusions of grandeur, Hallgrimm felt his place was to witness and take part in great feats of famous warriors that he could later recite for prestige. He would often remark "Why build the boats, when we can sail to fame and glory on them?"

Hallgrimm was taken into the service of Jarl Unterbrek, but soon learned that helping a Jarl govern his small spit of land was full of tedious disputes, not the great battle fame, raiding and monster slaying he had hoped for.

One night, when particularly drunk on mead, he recited a ballad about his portly lord, drawing the ire of Unterbrek and half his court. He managed to flee punishment with the help of his best friend Hjalti and has been on the road ever since.

During his wanderings from town to town on Alaron he was dragged to Barovia by a thick mist commanded by Strahd von Zarovich.

## **Barovia**

### Arrival

When he regained his senses in Barovia he immediately butted heads with Sigismund, and also met Narid Ashplantt, all three of them having arrived in Barovia under the same conditions.

After a tough encounter with a pack of wolves Hallgrimm regained consciousness with Strahd standing over him, and afterwards appeared to take on many characteristics of a fish or a frog, including slimy skin, strong sensitivity to the cold, increased thirst, and the ability to breath underwater. Jenny Greenteeth would later suggest that he was under the influence of a polymorph curse.

Throughout his ordeals in Barovia Hallgrimm retains his place as an important source of morale for the party, often imparting inspiration at crucial points with a quip, or regaling their adventures at an inn to a captivated audience.

His ability to weave an audience under his lyrical spell earned him the moniker, "the Thunderskald". In recognition of his abilities he was allowed to perform alongside the illustrious Ricktavio on the centre stage at Vallaki's Festival of the Blazing Sun.

### The Feast

During his their first visit to Vallaki, the party sought to assist Father Lucien of the Church of St Andral in retrieving the bones of St Andral and restoring the grounds' hallowed nature. The party tracked the bones to a coffin-maker, however, chaos ensued when six Vampire Fledglings erupted from dirt filled boxes, spilling into the streets to slay many innocents.

Hallgrimm attempted to flee to the Church of St Andral with the bones while the rest of the party and city guard valiantly fought off the Vampire Fledglings. His efforts were for nought as Count Strahd von Zarovich arrived astride his flaming Nightmare, Beucephalus, and incinerated a battalion of guards in a fireball, leaving Hallgrimm with no choice but to surrender the holy artifact.

### Tragedy before the Abbey

Seeking consecrated shelter for Ireena, the party left Vallaki for Krezk, where they would visit the Abbey of St Markovia. Tragedy struck on the way there as the party encountered a group of giant snakes. The party dispatched of the snakes but not before Ireena was fatally wounded. They rushed her to Krezk to see if the Abbot would be able to heal her, however he handed her over to Strahd in an attempt to make Strahd happy. The party were unable to best him in the brief combat that ensued after he delivered this news.

Whilst at the consecrated grounds the party managed to locate the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, one of the items prophesied by Madam Eva to be of key import to the fight against darkness. The party also encountered Ezmerelda d'Avenir, a monster hunter in search of her old master Rudolph van Richten on his quest to destroy Strahd von Zarovich.

### Wizards of the Wine

Having lost Ireena and with no way to retrieve her, Hallgrimm, Sigismund and Narid Ashplantt sought out the Wizards of the Wine to determine what was delaying their most recent shipments. There, they were to find druids occupying the Martikovs' property. Two of the druids were killed but one escaped and appeared to head south to Yester Hill.

During the fighting, Sigismund went against the party's warnings and collapsed the floor, injuring Hallgrimm. After a heated conversation, Hallgrimm declared he would no longer assist the Paladin due to his self absorbed behaviour. This prompted Sigismund to leave with the latest wine shipment while Hallgrimm and Narid went on to investigate Yester Hill.

Once at the hill, Hallgrimm and Narid again bumped into Ezmerelda d'Avenir who they assisted in disrupting the druidic ritual. While Hallgrimm barely escaped with his life from undead Barbarians, Ezmerelda bestowed upon him a magical axe, which he renamed Trækleaver*.* Narid, however, was called out to by the presence of Kavan, an ancient leader of the Mountainfolk, who bid him take the magical Bloodspear and rule the valley in his name.

### Return to Vallaki

Hallgrim, Narid and Ezmerelda rejoined the Martikovs at their winery, armed with the knowledge of the wine makers bespoke lycanthropy, they agreed to return their missing gems under the promise of guidance and support in ousting Strahd. Ezmerelda promised to stay and watch over Yester Hill lest the druid's ritual begin anew.

Exhausted from lack of sleep due to not eating dream pastries, Hallgrimm followed Narid back to Vallaki where they once again met up with Sigismund, who told them of his encounter with Rahadin, a cursed Dusk Elf who had allied with Sigismund to fight the Revenants that still roamed Argynvostholt. After Hallgrimm performed his most recent saga about defeating the Druids in the winery, he was praised by the local Half-Elf bard celebrity, Rictavio, who then treated the party to a jaunty tune entitiled, "All Will Be Well". Sigismund made his way out of the Blue Water Inn, while Hallgrimm and Narid were invited to share a toast up in Rictavio's quarters. The singer revealed himself to be none other than Rudolph van Richten and the three discussed how they might bring down the Vampire tyrant of Barovia.

## Appearance

Hallgrimm sports several scars from events that have taken a toll on him in Barovia; a bite from his deadly encounter with a large pack of wolves, cuts from the swinging pendulums of Durst Manor, scratches from a brief fray with a vampire spawn during the Feast of Vallaki and most notably, large scars running across his face following his defeat at the hand of three night-hags.

A thick layer of slime resides over Hallgrimm's pale, grey and scale covered skin. A careful inspection of his neck would reveal a pair of gills. This has been suggested to be the effect of a Polymorph Curse, and appears to have been bestowed by the Dark Power known as Malarmet, the many-faced beast.

## Personality

Hallgrimm is a positive, good-natured character and a dreamer, sometimes to the point of naivety. He is always keen to seek out good times and an adventure to add to his list of sagas. He enjoys entertaining whether with song or spoken verse. His desire for fame makes him susceptible to flattery and prickly about his own failings.

Unlike others from Norland, Hallgrimm sees the value in controlling a battlefield and favours magic over brute force. He sometimes gives into his barbaric rage if pressed into a corner, but would rather live to see another day than give his life for a lost cause.

During the Feast of Vallaki, Hallgrimm witnessed a group of guards incinerated in a Fireball cast by Strahd von Zarovich, the devastation it wrought has plagued his mind, and he seeks to find a way to counter such a powerful spell.

Hallgrim is sometimes gifted with sweet dreams or cursed with terrible nightmares, an affliction wrought by the consumption of Granny's dream pastries. Following the revelation that these pies are made from the children of Barovia, Hallgrimm has attempted to resist the addiction to this tainted fare.

## Abilities

Hallgrimm is a proficient melee combatant from his brief service under Jarl Unterbrek and since his arrival in Barovia, has an impressive array of spells in his arsenal. He can offer words of inspiration to assist his comrades or use flourishes of his weapon to deal additional damage. These qualities allow him to control the battleground up close or from afar.

He is also a talented perfomer, having earned the moniker "the Thunderskald" during his exploits in Barovia for his ability to enrapture an audience.

His unseemly transformation to a slimey creature appears to have given Hallgrimm resistance to damage from fire and also makes him difficult to pin down.

## Sagas

Hallgrimm has made it his mission to earn fame and fortune by reciting various heroic deeds, his preferred format to retell adventures in is the the form of Saga's, poetic recounts of his and the party's most illustrious battles.

The Thunderskald Sagas are a compilation of the works Hallgrimm has committed to memory or composed on his own. They primarily focus on his, Sigismund, and Narid Ashplantt's, adventures in Barovia.

## Ideals

Hallgrimm is at odds with the concept of inherited wealth and power, Norlandish tradition extols the right of equal share and the right of force. A Jarl or even King is only so powerful as the amount of warriors they can rally to their own banners. This prevents lords from becoming lax and not fulfilling their duty to protect those who have sworn fealty to them, it also prevents nobility from becoming tyrannical, lest a more popular candidate depose them.

Due to his idealistic and romantic outlook on the world, Hallgrimm is more likely to be outspoken against the oppression of the common man, and believes that anyone who is charismatic or strong enough to lead has the right to do so, bloodlines and lineage be damned.