Aelthred Grandrein

### Backstory

Aelthred Grandrein was born in a far away land in the north. His family, house Grandrein, lived in the warrior nation of Tyrakir, a powerful viking nation that dominated his continent led by Highjarl Sigrid Alarein. His familiy consisted of his mother, Lyria Grandrein, his father, Xarian Grandrein, and his brother, Brantilde Grandrein. He spent his early years of his life being a child, wrestling with his brother and friends, running, playing, all activities typical of a child in Tyrakir. Throughout his years in childhood, he grew close to his brother and his brethern, playing and wrestling, however the childsplay came to an abrubt end at age of 13.

When he turned 13, he became of age to join the warrior training of Tyrakir. He was put in a company with some of his friends, but more importantly, his best friend, his brother. Their captain trained them
day in and day out. Over the years of the training, he was taught how to use a Tyrakirian axe and shield. Taught to sail, taught to fight, taught war, taught comradeship, and taught the message of the unbroken tree. However, through the years of monotonous and rigorous training, at age 17 he met her, Alia Snowsparrow. When he laid eyes upon her he began to feel butterflies in his stomach. His brother, noticing this, joked around to Aelthred, but pushed him onwards to make a move. After gaining the courage, he made his move, winning her over. Over the last 4 years of his training, he would sneak out at night from time to time to meet her, going on escapeds at night. Through the final years of his strenouous training and flirty moments with Alia, he reached the age of 21, the graduation age of a Tyrakirian warrior.

At the ceremony, he recieved the axe, shield and armor that would be his for life. An axe of Tyrakirian steel, a shield made of hard darkoak of the countries forests, and armor made from the hard
and tough iron of Tyrakir. He, now officially a warrior, felt great, strong and ready to serve his people. He was assigned to a highly liked position by Tyrakirian warriors, a guardsmen of the capital city
of Trakir itself. Furthermore, his brother, also graduating, was assigned once more to his position, keeping them close. However ,now dating Alia for 4 years now, decided to propose. After the fateful moment when he got on a knee, she decided to say yes.

Now married, assigned a great position, and a proper warrior of Tyrakir, Aelthred felt unstoppable. However this was all changed later that year. The Novas Consortium, a kingdom that lived west of Tyrakir on that continent, pressured Tyrakir and its leader, Sigrid. The Highjarl Sigrid responded to these hostilities with action, not letting his people be bullied. Aelthred join his Highjarl alongside his brethern in a raid of a coastal settlement of the Novas Consortium. This raid was successful, weakening the Consortium fleets and hurting their trade. The Consortium king, Markus Alexan, replyed by sounding the horns of war, marching straight for Trakir. The scouts of Tyrakir did not see the armies of the Consortium marching until it was too late for preparation. The legions of the Consortium were upon Trakir, numbering fifteen thousand men. Highjarl Sigrid, raising all men of war in Tyrakir, numbered nine thousand. Aelthred answered his Highjarl's call, having to leave his now pregnant wife. After siege for two weeks, Markus sent a messenger to Sigrid, stating that if they surrendered Trakir, the men would be spared, but if they refused, death would befall every man in that city by the next day. Sigrid sent back the head of the messenger.

The legions came quick and fast. Arrows flying overhead, rams and siege towers pushed towards the walls and gates and boulders from catapults ravaging the landscape and walls. The fight was brutal and cruel. Aelthred, fought his hardest alongside his brother and comrades. Blood was shed. As he fought, he watched men from both sides, legion and warrior, cry out for their mothers, bleed, scream in agony and pain and wish for death. Watching men missing limbs sit their staring into nothingness and moaning in pain. However these cries were not able to drown the cry of his best friend, his brother. He turned to see a legion sword going through the chest of his brother. In a fit of rage, he charged the man who dared stab his brother, ripping him away from him, bashing him with his shield and severing his spinal connection to his head with a swift chop of his axe. Aelthred,wanting to mourn, had to abandon his brothers body as he had no time as the fight raged on.

After 3 more hours had passed, the Consortium legions retreated. The day had been won by the Tyrakirians, but at a cost. Out of the nine thousand warriors that defended Trakir, two thousand five hundred were killed, another two thousand maimed and wounded.The legions lost six thousand of their warriors with five thousand maimed and wounded. Aelthred, exhausted and distraught, searched for his brother but to no avail. As he searched, he could only find death. Men he trained with, men who just graduated, men who just found love, all gone. After the slash on his shoulder was treated, he was dismissed to return home for the rest of the week. Him, entering his home to see his wife, hoping to find solace in his love, could only see another human being in his house.

---- 7 years later ----

Aelthred, through the years, was quiet. A different man than before that battle. Nightmares plagued him. The look in his brothers eyes as he screamed in agony. The death of that day. He woke up once more, reporting to his guard post. His captain, Beartilde, asked him aside. His Highjarl Sigrid requested him. After arriving at the Highjarl's residence, he met with Sigrid.

"Aelthred...I'm sure what you know about the Consortium as of now but I will fill you in on everything. They are hellbent on our destruction. Markus wants my head on a pike... wants all our heads on pikes. My scouts have reported an army that he has gathered to crush us, numbering twenty seven thousand men of war. I can muster only ten thousand. They have hundreds of siege engines. I'm afraid Trakir cannot stand another fight like the one all those years ago." Said Sigrid.

"... What can I do about this?"

" I have a mission for you Aelthred. The ships I sent to learn the seas has reported something back to me. A land, ripe for colonization. We may no longer be able to stand here against he Consortium. Any day now those legions will come, and they will bring death with them. You are experienced, you now war and battle. I wish for you to take one of my personal ship to that land, and establish a colony. The ship is loaded with supplies, weapons, and warriors of Tyrakir, everything. If we cannot stay here, we must keep the Tyrakirian nation alive."

"..."

"Aelthred, I ask of you to please to do this mission for me. This could save our nation from descruction. Your Highjarl calls for your aid."

".....I.. I will answer that call."

---- A month later ----

"Captain Aelthred! A storm! A massive storm is here upon us! What are you orders?" exclaimed the sailor.

"...forwards. We sail forwards."

Aelthred, having to leave his wife and child behind, set sail for this land just days after he accepted the mission from his Highjarl.

"Captain!"

Aelthred was lost in his mind. Seeing the face of his wife. Regretting having to leave her and his family behind. Aelthred coul--

"Captain! The waves! The Ship can't han--"

Aelthred thought of his mission. What if this is all for nothing? What if this land doesnt exist? What if--. A splash of water hit him in the face, arousing him from his thoughts. A massive storm had reached the ship.A storm bigger than the ones he ever saw in his training. Waves crashed against the boat, men ran all across the ship, bailing water, reporting to their postions. Aelthred realized that these men
depended on him.

"Oars! Out and ready! Men that have nothing to do, bail out water! We must make it to that land!" Screeched out Aelthred.

They fought the storm for hours on end, but to no avail. Waves, grotesquely large, approached the ship. Aelthred realized that no ship could survive this. Water crashed into him. The ship capcised. Men flew into the air, screaming.Aelthred was thrown from his place and a plank, flying off the ship, hit him square in the head, knocking him unconscious.

---- Nine hours later ----

Aelthred awoke on land. Standing up from where he lay on the beach. Squeezing his hands into fists, he realized where he was.The land he was meant to conquer....

### Ambitions

Bring the nation of Tyrakir to this foriegn land, and spread.