Roderik back story

Hroerekr Ulfrsson (Roderik)

Roderik, Son of Ulfr, Son of Astridr

Chapter 1: Growing Up

Roderik grew up in the clan village of Stjanadottir located on an island off the coast of Iceland. The village, which was founded and named after his great grandmother, was of decent size with three war ships, five fishing boats, and four small farms. The village population was about two hundred counting women and children. Stjanadottir survived off farming the land, fishing and raiding.  Roderik’s father Ulfr was the Chief of Stjanadottir and his mother, Astridr, was the clan enchantress. Roderik from a young age learned a great many things about village life and his people. He was taught to farm and fish by the village elders. He spent time every day combat training with his father and warriors of the clan.  In the evenings his mother taught him magic. His parents and the village elders had plans for him to one day lead the clan, and wanted to prepare him as best they could.

One summer night seven war ships landed on the island and sacked the village. The village warriors fought hard and sold their lives dearly but the attack was exceeding brutal, and in the end no one was spared the sword. Roderik was with his mother when the raiders came. Hearing the screams outside, she hid her son in a secret passage under their cottage, and told him that under no circumstance was he to come out or to make a sound. Moments after his mother sealed him into the passage the cottage door burst open. He heard his mother incanting a spell moments before her body hit the floor and she was drug out of the house.

 Roderik remained hidden until the sounds of the raiders were silent for some time. When he finally did come out of hiding he searched for clues to the outcome of his mother. There was no blood on the floor only minor indications any scuffle had happened at all. Still looking for signs of his parents’ fate he snuck though the village. People lay dead everywhere, cottages were burnt to the ground, and not a sound could be heard  but the wind. At the harbor the fishing boats and war ships had been scuttled and the debris could be seen floating ashore.  Roderick found the bodies of his father and the clan warriors but never found his Mother’s body.  Upon conclusion that his mother was dead, missing or worse he gathered his bow and blades and scavenged some needed goods and supplies from what was left by the raiders. As he walked a game trail he looked back on the town and thought about the people he was to serve and how he had failed them.

Roderik, Son of Ulfr, Son of Astridr. Last surviving member of Stjanadottir

Chapter 2: 14 and Alone

The first few weeks after the massacre of his village were extremely difficult for Roderik. After finding no evidence of his mother and finding his father was dead, he packed up a few things he thought he would need and headed inland. He chose a location to build a shelter about ten miles from the village. Occasionally he would return to the village to pick up supplies and food he could find and fish. He found a single person carved raft and used it to set nets, traps and explore the wreckage from the war ships. Diving down to ships in the harbor and searching the town he was able to recover some odds and ends of value including a rather decent amount of coinage. He also took his his father’s clan ring off his father’s body. Roderik examined the dead from the attacking clans. He did not know the names of the clans, but he did find clan symbols of what he assumed were the two attack clans.

The first winter would be the hardest since it was his first winter alone. He struggled with the cold and the fact his clothing was getting to small for him. He had to learn to make everything he needed to survive. He used the skills he had learned to prep for the winter when food and warmth would become hard to come by. Smoking and storing fish and game meat, cutting and drying wood for his fire. Building and maintaining his single room cottage from his shelter. Some items he was able to take from the village but others were needed to be made to fit his needs. He could have fed and warmed a small family with the amount of stored food and wood he had. He passed the hard winter by staying in his cottage unless otherwise needed and spent most his waking time practicing his enchanting.

 four years passed an over that time living alone got easier .  Roderik spent time every morning practicing his combat and enchanting abilities. He picked though the town over the years and managed to take anything that would help him survive that was worth much of anything. At the end of the four years Roderick decided he had enough solitude, he got in his raft which he loaded up with all his dried meat, fruit and goods and tried to make for the mainland. After drifting aimlessly a sea for 2 days and 1 night, Roderick’s raft was spotted by a Ship. The crew fished him out of his raft welcoming him aboard. The captain was waiting on deck for him, Roderik used ninety percent of his goods and food to barter passage with the boat.

Roderik, Son of Ulfr, Son of Astridr. Last surviving member of Stjanadottir, Sailor and Sellsword

Chapter 3: Sell sword

Part of Roderik’s deal with the captain was to protect the ship while he was aboard by helping fend off any pirates or raiders, he was also given the task of curing any fish that was caught. Shortly after joining, Roderik got his first chance to prove himself. The merchant ship was attacked by a small pirate ship and boarded by eight pirates. Prior to the pirates boarding Roderik had enough time to enchant himself and the two other fighters on the boat. Together the four sailors and three sell swords managed to fend of the pirates without a single loss on their side. However, in the few minutes it took for all the pirates to die, Roderik made his first kill. His first human life took a few days to settle with him but over the next 3 weeks it would not be the last. When the boat landed in the harbor the captain came to him again and asked if he would stay on and lead the sell swords he hired each trip. His new job task was to hire and fire sell swords and most of all, protect the goods. For two years he traveled with the same captain and after a few trips had the hang of his duty of hiring, paying and replacing help when needed. He never forgot about his mother and when in port he investigated the two clans that attacked his hometown. Most the clues lead him in circles though the feeling his mother was alive out there never left him. The captain payed him well when the day came that Roderik landed in Strathclyde and ended his two years of work.

The next three year of his life was a learning experience in and of itself. Roderik could handle himself in a fight but found that many of the people he dealt with were dishonest or out to take him for all he was worth. The world outside of his village and off the ship gave him a bad taste of dealing with people and he found himself in service to the rich as often as he served the pour. Though he had little use of coin other than to pay for his room and board he did acquire quite a taste for a good mead. He does not stay in a town more than a few weeks at a time always looking for work. Something made Roderik stand out against the rest of the population though he could not completely figure what the difference was.

Description:

Roderik stands 5' 9" tall is weighs 165lbs. He has long brown hair and blue eyes. Built like a featherweight UFC fighter he normaly keeps his beard short and trimmed and his hair pulled back. He is of fair complexion.

Traits:

Reserved, Suspicious, Vindictive, Discreet, and Logical.