Hendrik

Occupation: | * Explorer (formerly)
 * Bag
* Enchanted Tent
* Enchanted Rune Stones
* Mjölnir

**Hendrik**, also known as **The Explorer from Jötunheim**, is a storm weasel hailed from Nova Clan, reincarnation of Thor the Nordic God of Thunder, and Akko's familiar set to appear in *Little Witch Academia: Witches of Midgard*.

## Personality & Character

A wise and forward-looking explorer from Jötunheim who spent most of his long life traveling through different parts of Nine World for knowledge to share with his people and self-searching prior to his arrival at Midgard. His first days at the world of men were uneventful due to inadvertently caught in the bloody conflict between the militaristic cult Naglfar and the allied forces of Warband of Thapoli, Sword of Laeradr, House of Cavendish, Valkyrie Corps., and Obsidian Dragons upon his arrival at Hoddmimi's Holt. As if nearly killed by the latter side of Thapoli-Naglfar War because of assuming a wrong disguise (posing as a Naglfar acolyte) was bad enough, he was unfortunate to become the enemy of Wrath of Thor's demonic champion Blood Squirrel who wrongfully assumed him to be one of Naglfar's newest beast of war. Unable to reason with his foe, the explorer reluctantly battled Blood Squirrel. Their fight culminated with the storm weasel escaped, but not before giving Wrath of Thor's demonic champion his four-pointed, star-shaped scar in process.

Deeming it too dangerous to explore Hoddmimi's Holt at the time, Hendrik decided to continue his exploration in Midgard somewhere else. Traveling to Mamba Islands, Philliphines, he met Dalisay Manbavaran, a half-human, half-Myrkálf who managed to see through his human disguise. Intrigued by the witch's claim where his energy signature curiously resembled the one in the archipelago's massive crater, "Thor's Wrath", the storm weasel joined Dalisay in her study on the crater, discovering fragments of what appeared to be a war hammer along the way there. Putting the fragments back together, they two learned it being none other than Mjölnir, Thor's long-lost legendary hammer. Examining the partially restored artefact, Hendrik soon overwhelmed by visions of Thor's final battle against the Midgard Serpent Jörmungandr through the Nordic Thunder God's eyes while his life energy resonated with the power within, calling forth ferocious thunderstorms all over Mamba Islands in process. Fortunately, the Old Man Rudlab appeared and dispelled the storm by knocking the out-of-control storm weasel unconscious, saving the archipelago from the disaster he unwittingly caused.

After Hendrik regained his consciousness, Old Man Rudlab provided both the storm weasel and Dalisay the most plausible yet unbelievable explanation behind such phenomenon; Hendrik was the reincarnation of Thor himself. Such revelation left Hendrik incredulous as expected, though he won't have to dwell it for long because of the arrival of the enigmatic two brothers who sought to claim the newly rediscovered Mjölnir, reasoning it 'too powerful for mortals to handle'. Recognizing them as Móði and Magni thanks to his past-life memories, Hendrik convinced the uneasy Dalisay that the hammer was in safe hands. Helping the brothers in fully restoring Thor's hammer, the storm weasel unlocked a hidden feature within which allowed Móði and Magni to share its power more evenly. Grateful by the the still-confused storm weasel's unexpected assistance and reassuring him he's still himself despite everything, Móði and Magni entrusted Hendrik the schematic of original Mjölnir salvaged from ruins in Svartalfheim knowing it would serve him well in the future.

Traveling to Svartalfheim, Hendrik met descendants of Brokkr and Eitri, the two dwarves who were responsible in the creation of original Mjölnir in order to learn their craftsmanship techniques and if possible, recreating the legendary weapon for his own use. He was succeeded in both regard, though his version of Mjölnir was inferior in comparison.

Around 16 years after the conclusion of Thapoli-Naglfar War, Hendrik returned to Hoddmimi's Holt to continue what he left off there. Although peace had since returned to the region, the storm weasel remained cautious despite its inhabitants welcomed his presence. While helping the locals, he befriended a peculiar witch-in-training named Lara and her friend Viveka despite both him and Lara's adoptive father Asger were wary of one another. A crisis back home (his people were threatened by a clan of Jötnar who held the grudge against their creator Thor) forced Hendrik to return to his homeworld and subsequently absent when Lara and Asger had a violent fallout after the young witch discovered her adoptive father's role in her biological parents' death during Thapoli-Naglfar War. The storm weasel did, however, returned to learn about her untimely passing and even visited her burial mound to pay her a respect. It was the moment he heard unsettling rumors pertaining the true reason of his dear friend's death, among which her own adoptive father killed her in cold blood. Though uncertain whether the rumors were genuine, the mistrust Hendrik already had toward Asger worsened ever since.

When the Runestone of Asgard, a sacred relic belonged to his clan entrusted by Thor, was stolen by a horde of Frost Jötnar, Hendrik wasted no time to make haste in order to reclaim it. Along the way, he met Chariot, Croix, and German the Heart who were on the mission to retrieve Edda of Vör — ancient texts containing knowledge and prophecies written by the goddess Vör herself — from the hands of the same Jötnar horde. Teaming up with the three against their common adversary, Hendrik sensed growing darkness in Croix's heart and warned her about it, hoping she would be able to deal it before it's too late. As dismayed as he was by the news of two best friends and (later) lovers momentarily became bitter enemies at a later point in their lives, Hendrik nevertheless relieved upon learning that Croix and Chariot managed to make amends with one another despite everything.

Following the restoration of Yggdrasil in courtesy of Nine New Witches, Thora, Hendrik's mother and the matriarch of Nova Clan, warned her son about the reawakening of ancient evils in the light of magic's return to Midgard and foretold that he would become the familiar of one of nine witches who were present at the unsealing of the Grand Triskellion thus it's up to him to assist his would-be mistress and her allies in facing what lies ahead. Uncertain whether she would accept him despite their race's notoriety among the people of magic community in the world of men at first (he indirectly responsible for building up such reputation through the destructive aftermath of his confrontation against Blood Squirrel), the storm weasel became confident in his mission upon finally met her future mistress in person, who was none other than Atsuko Kagari, the former bearer of Claiomh Solais as well as the latest heir of Kara the Blazing Flame Valkyrie armor and title. Not only Akko unexpectedly hugged him as if he was the world's most adorable pet (a reaction contrasted to those of her classmates who either scrambled for hiding or reduced to crying mess upon his presence), but she also reminded him to his long dead dear friend as their soul intertwined in an unbroken pact upon their first meeting...

### Skills & Abilities

* **Storm Weasel Physiology**: Hendrik is a storm weasel, a race of pseudo-demigod mustelids native at Jötunheim evolved by the surge of Thor's divine energies he unleashed through Mjölnir in the distant past and therefore endowed with great power and physiology. Following his exposure to magic within the long-lost Hammer of Thor which unveiled his true nature as the reincarnation of Nordic God of Thunder himself, his powers increased to the same level as high-tier demigods such as Croix Meridies aka. Chaos Queen.
	+ **Supernatural Strength**: Despite his unassuming size, Hendrik possesses great natural strength, able to physically match and even overpower average Jötnar without breaking a sweat. Ursula once mentioned how he easily collapsed a mountainside with a single throw of his Mjölnir during their fight against the Frost Jötnar horde who stole both Runestone of Asgard and Edda of Vör.
	+ **Supernatural Speed/Acceleration**: Hendrik can move swiftly from one place to another faster than the eye can see, akin to teleportation, leaving only a white and silver spectral trail on his path, making his movements even more difficult to keep track of. Notably, he is among few who capable of keeping up with Blood Squirrel's speed in combat.
	+ **Supernatural Durability**: Hendrik's skin, muscle, and bone tissues have density comparable to dragons', making him resistant to injury that can cripple regular weasels.
	+ **Supernatural Stamina**: Hendrik's advanced musculature enables him to tire lower than normal weasels.
	+ **Supernatural Reflexes**: While storm weasels naturally capable to react and dodge objects travelling at high speeds better than ordinary weasels to begin with, Hendrik's reflexes had been honed to greater degree through both training and combat experiences, enabling him to even deflect his enemies' projectiles back to their senders.
	+ **Regenerative Healing Factor**: Despite his natural durability, Hendrik can still be injured as with ordinary weasels. Due to his storm weasel physiology however, he is able to heal at a rate significantly faster than a normal weasel and even much faster than many members of his kind. His regeneration also proved strong enough to regrow missing limbs and lost tissues in the matter of few hours, though he still retained the snake-bite scar on his neck which he received prior to the discovery of his nature as Thor reincarnated.
		- **Longevity**: Thanks to his accelerated healing, Hendrik ages at far slower paces than ordinary weasels as with other members of his race. He was born sometime around 11th century — mere decades after the deaths of his past incarnation Thor and his nemesis Jörmungandr — and spent much of his lifetime exploring Nine Worlds, having seen many things (things Akko and co. have not seen) including many societies and cultures arise and tumble in the process.
	+ **Divine Energy Manipulation**: As with other storm weasels, Hendrik possesses divine energy coursing through his very being which he can manipulate for variety of purposes such as augmenting objects by infusing them, improving his magic, and create constructs.
		- **Flight**: By generating a shroud of divine energy around his body, Hendrik can hover, glide, and fly through the air at great speed.
		- **Avatar Manifestation**: As with other storm weasels, Hendrik can conjure an avatar made of his divine energy which surrounds him and fights on his behalf which appearance reflects on his inner traits. Being Thor reincarnated, his avatar assumed the form of bright orange humanoid being with yellow outline and sky blue eyes which greatly resembled the Nordic God of Thunder himself complete with his signature one-handed hammer to fight with.
* **Magic**: Hendrik is well-versed in magic, having learned different crafts throughout his life from magical arts associated with his people (ex. Rune of Three) to the Way of the Nines. While he normally draws power from Yggdrasil and/or its branches Ley Lines in order to cast spells like witches and wizards do, the storm weasel can combine it with his divine energy and/or that of Bifrost to improve its effects.
	+ **Magic Energy Manipulation**: Hendrik can manipulate magic energy in its pure form to perform various feats such as projecting beams or blasts, illuminating his surroundings, simulating telekinetic force by infusing a bit of the energy into a target, and generating solid constructs out of the energy's tangible form. While Hendrik already skilled in his clan's style of the craft which don't require wand/staff/runegreipr to begin with, his time with Viveka saw him developed a mixed style, combining it with Way of the Nines' variant in which he uses his Mjölnir as the focus.
	+ **Rune of Three**: Hendrik adopted the way of Rune of Three as his primary magic discipline.
	+ **Way of the Nines**:
		- **Magic Astrology**: Asger is very skilled at Magic Astrology. Using a conjured 3D projection of astronomical bodies such as the stars, constellations, and planets which move in the same manner as their real counterparts in real time, he can see the future usually accurately through observing and reading their movements as sort of horoscope. It was through this he foresaw Croix betraying Chariot in her despair over Shiny Rod's rejection and the lack of meaningful progress in their quest for Grand Triskellion as well as enacting her Noir Fuel Spirit Plan all culminated to her creating Noir Rod, a magitronic abomination alluded in Edda of Vör as Red Beast of Calamity.
* **Master Combatant**: Hendrik is one of Nova Clan's best warriors as much as a renowned explorer, possessing centuries worth of training and experience, able to easily overpower multiple average Jötnar on his own.
	+ **Hammer Mastery**: On the same vein with his past incarnation Thor, Hendrik is incredibly skilled with his Mjölnir.
* **Skilled Craftsman**: Hendrik is no slouch when it comes about crafting objects — enchanted ones in particular — thanks to the tutelage of Dvergar, dwarves of Svartalfheim. A testament of this was his success in recreating Mjölnir with aid of the original's schematics entrusted to him by Móði and Magni.
* **Magical Expertise and Bilingualism**: Hendrik is well-versed in magic-related knowledge including its history and some, if not all of languages involved. This includes means to tap on and harness Bifröst, Ley Lines consecrated by Gods of Asgard so they can be used to travel between Nine Realms.

### Tools & Equipment

* **Bag**: Hendrik carries a backpack to carry his equipment with.
* **Enchanted Tent**: A rolled up, thin leather sheet which enchanted to be larger inside than it looked from the outside, yet rather small for adult human's standards.
* **Enchanted Rune Stones**: Small triangular rune stone designed to simulate magical effects that reflect the meaning of its Elder Futhark rune. Hendrik carries a number of these in his person.
* **Mjölnir**: The recreation of the namesake legendary hammer from Norse mythology, it is Hendrik's weapon of choice. It shares same properties as the original Mjölnir, such as always hits its target when thrown and can be recalled from any distance as well as being perfect conduit for the wielder's mystical abilities no matter how immense it is. Though its overall power pales in comparison, Hendrik's Mjölnir is still destructive in its own right, capable of pulverizing a mountainside in a single throw. Another difference being its slightly longer handle which allows him to wield it with both hands, though it's still a one-handed hammer by the standard of humans.

## Creation and Conception

* Biri Biri/Shiny "Nova" Flash
* Biri Biri/Shiny "Nova" Flash (with eyepatch)
* Biri Biri (Version II)
* Biri Biri (Version III)
1/4The character was conceived by BSoulstone while working on *Little Witch Academia: Ragnarok*, beta version of *Little Witch Academia: Witches of Midgard* series. At that time, Hendrik's working name was **Biri Biri/Shiny "Nova" Flash** and he was envisioned as an orphaned lightning weasel who became the herald of Woodward herself, sent to guide Chariot and Croix in the quest for Grand Triskellion. Unfortunately, his distant nature and neglect towards Croix who was lonely without anyone to turn to over being rejected by Claiomh Solais exacerbated the growing bitterness in her heart to the point of her not only tricked Biri Biri and Chariot to use Dream Fuel Spirit on latter's audiences (including young Akko and Ursula) out of spite, but also what motivated her to turn to the mysterious witch named Hel, the leader of terroristic coven called Naglfar whom she saw as a better mentor figure than either him or Woodward could ever been. Ashamed by his and Chariot's failure in the quest for Grand Triskellion and had abandoned someone who need his guidance as much as Chariot, Biri Biri went to self-imposed exile deep in Arcturus Forest, vowing to return when Claiomh Solais chooses a new owner. When it finally does, Biri Biri becomes Akko's familiar and guide (the role she shared with Chariot who had assumed her Ursula identity) as she embarks on the quest for Grand Triskellion. His friendship with Akko allows him to open more to others and eventually understands his past errors, inspiring him to try to redeem the fallen Croix.

As the development of both lore and plot of *Little Witch Academia: Ragnarok* went downhill that BSoulstone ultimately started over with the fic's revised version *Little Witch Academia: Witches of Midgard*, he also reinvented Biri Biri's character as well. Up until he settled with the final version, Hendrik, he has developed several versions of the character after Biri Biri aka. Shiny "Nova" Flash:

* **Biri Biri (Version II)**: The Version II of the character is an ancient mechanical weasel once used by Nine Olde Witches in an unspecified war and the last of his kind. He laid dormant after being decommissioned by his creators before reawakens in the present day and becomes Akko's partner.
* **Biri Biri (Version III)**: The Version III of the character is a far cry to previous versions. In addition of being a plant-based magical weasel like Witches of Midgard-verse version of Pomokai Holoholonas, this Biri Biri is portrayed as a cynical war veteran who embittered by his past experience and tragic fallout with a young witch named Lok (who later becomes Lara, the main antagonist of The Rise of Luna Nova Valkyries). As he further developed the character, BSoulstone realized how this iteration strayed too far from its predecessors that he revamped him into a separate OC named Asger the Swift.

Throughout development of both plot and lore of *Little Witch Academia: Witches of Midgard*, BSoulstone revisited Biri Biri's earliest character concept which envisioned by Ron PRL as "a magical weasel born from the power of Thor's hammer". To emphasize the connection between new Biri Biri's race and the Thunder God Thor, he established storm weasels, reinvented version of lightning weasels, as a race of inter-dimensional mustelid evolved by the surge of Thor's divine energy which he unleashed through Mjölnir during one of his battles in distant past. Originally intending them to be native at Alfheim, BSoulstone eventually chose Jötunheim as the evolved weasels' homeworld, which made sense since the realm of Jötnar was where Thor had recurring fights against the realm's inhabitants. Additionally, such decision was inspired by the Jötunheim's portrayal as a massive forest-like realm in *Apsulov: End of Gods* game as opposed of Niflheim-esque frozen wasteland in Marvel comics and *Marvel Cinematic Universe* series. While Hendrik, the new Biri Biri, is once again a familiar and brother figure for Akko as with **Biri Biri/Shiny "Nova" Flash** incarnation, he also intended to be a foil to more violent Asger.

## Notes & Trivia

* Hendrik wears his blue scarf in the stylized manner like Akko with her red one, which in turn alludes how Ryūko Matoi in *Kill la Kill* wears Senketsu's scarf in her series' Episode 14 and 15.

## Articles & References

1. ↑ **G Koh aka. Ron PRL's Proposal**:
**Biri Biri**:
**Profile**: Biri Biri is the familiar of Atsuko Kagari and one of Akko's most loyal allies. Ashamed of itself of unable to prevent an incident long time ago, Biri Biri made it its mission to guide Akko to ensure it never happens again. Unknown to Akko, Biri Biri belonged to a race of ancient animals known as the Volkars. Believed to be born from Thor's Hammer, it was said that one Volkar could unleash a power equivalent to a God's wrath. Birir Biri and his kind inspired many creatures of myth including Japan's Raiju.
**Personality**: Biri Biri is a wise individual compared to other animals of Earth. However, he locked most of his emotions away as his duty came first. This ultimately led to his downfall when Chariot accidentally destroyed the Shiny Rod. Failing at his mission, Biri Biri returned to the Arcturus forest in shame until the Shiny Rod was revived once more in front of Akko. Guiding Akko was his greatest chance of atonement but over time his interactions with the young Witch allowed him to emotionally mature and has become to love Akko like a younger sibling which makes it all the more desire to protect her from harm. Biri Biri also developed a sort of sweet tooth after tasting Akko's family special manju.

## Navigation

Council of Five: Newt Ulgrimsdottir
 **Luna Nova Magical Academy**
Headmistress: Miranda Holbrooke
 **Obsidian Dragons**
 **Sword of Laeradr**
 **Naglfar**
Tower of Frost Serpent: Hrimgandr
 **Thapoli**
Warband of Thapoli: Scudder Holbrooke | Viveka
 **People**
 **Magical Beings and Other Entities**
Ancient Beings: Great Lindworm
Storm Weasels: Nova Clan (**Hendrik**)
Faeries: Annabel Pen's Faery | Hunger Faery (Mo) | Wispy
Undead: Draugr | Devilclaw | Spirit Minions | Valkyrie Spirits