Henrik Helmirr

*"Demons, Abaddon, even foul hags - The Blade does not abide defeat to any." - Henrik Helmirr*

## History

Born into the scarred nation of Ustalav, Henrik was familiar with strife from an early age. The undead and other foul monsters still roamed the countryside during the night, after all. The nobility and royals were too busy tearing at each other's remaining holdings to really help out the small villages and towns in their holds, and thus it commonly fell to the people to defend themselves.

Thus, at an early age, Henrik turned his meager prowess at fighting towards the assistance of others. He could not abide the chaos spread by the horrid creatures wandering his country's land - it disrupted the farm work, made people fearful, and worst of all, threatened his family! He formed a small militia with some of the hardier members of his community, which became known to the local townsfolk as "The Slayers."

The Slayers were known for using unorthodox methods in fighting, but were decidedly effective. Henrik himself, a founding member, eagerly led expeditions into the countryside to deal with the increasingly varied monsters that seemed to rise up from nothing at all. Along the way he grew particularly close to the two other founding members - a Cleric named Aurelie, and a Sorcerer called Liem - and came to rely on them in the field of battle. Sure, they could be a little chaotic, perhaps a bit too much for his taste, but they could be counted upon when the odds were grim.

Henrik saw the power that Aurelie wielded as a Cleric, and though his belief in his own fighting style (Which he had dubbed The Way of the Blade after its focus on pure strength of steel) was tremendous, it could not draw divine strength. Yet, with just a bit of research, he found the perfect god for him: Irori. Irori's teaching of self-perfection and inner strength spoke to the man who had pulled himself up from a life of idle peasantry to leading small groups of militia members.

By combining his strength of arm with the zeal of his conviction for training and self-discipline, he grew able to harness both divine magic and force of arms, combining both into the ultimate ideal: A battlefield priest who knew the weakest points of his enemies.

However, it was not to last forever. On his last expedition, Henrik had settled down for first watch for the night. They had traveled some distance in order to hunt down a strange disturbance in the nearby forest - some sort of cult had sprung up around a large stone structure. They decided to rest in a nearby ruined watch tower before heading out, which for Henrik, turned out to be unwise.

Time seemed to blur for him, his watch seemed like it would never end. When he blinked and looked up at the sky, the moon seemed different. A man brushed past him, startling him and making him reach for his sword - until he noticed he was standing in a disturbingly quiet marketplace. He turned around in a daze, trying to find his friends that he had brought with him, but he was alone.

He stayed his hand, trying to steel himself for a new test. He was only just barely more experienced than most other adventurers, but it seemed this new place had even greater need of his skills than his home country. He only lamented that he did not know what became of his old allies. He hoped that they were alright without him - the two had never been all that great at fighting alone.

## Appearance

Henrik is a somewhat short, muscular young man. He has chestnut brown hair with equally brown eyes, and most importantly a fully grown mustache that he takes care of meticulously. His skin has the rough hewn appearance of a man used to life toiling in the fields, and beneath his clothes are signs of previous wounds and thick calluses from a life spent in struggle. His face is somewhat haggard looking, but while some might find it a little intimidating in its austerity, others find it an easy face to trust, like that of a wise elder brother.

## Personality

Henrik is a serious man who does not often laugh. He tends to have a tough time being tactful in regards to anything, preferring to be blunt rather than to tiptoe around sensitive issues. When it comes to strategy, he favors aggressive, bold maneuvers that are simple to perform and understand. While his tactics are simple, he is not an unintelligent man, and is always willing to offer spiritual guidance to those in need. He has no particular inclinations to perform acts of heroism, instead seeing it as his duty to ensure that laws are followed and stability guaranteed, no matter his position.

## Friends

Aurelie Zirane - A cleric of... well, he was never quite sure. Still, she kept him alive for the time they fought together, and she founded the Slayers with him.

Liem - A Sorcerer that refused to divulge his last name for... some reason. Despite the man's fascination with dragons and their ilk, he was still useful as a caster on the battlefield. Plus, he enlarged Henrik on occasion with his spellwork. He had to respect a caster who knew such a valuable spell.

## Enemies

Demons and hostile outsiders are Henrik's sworn enemies. He also still maintains a grudge against swarms, and when asked how to deal with them he advocates for mass launching of alchemist's fire from siege catapults.

## Aspirations

Henrik desires to found a true Academy of the Blade, and perhaps one day, re-establish his old village with its own hall of Slayers to protect it. The idea of being a Jarl had always appealed to him, even if he never admitted it publicly.