Samuel Karlson

## ***Early Life***

Samuel Karlson was born on February the 3rd 1587 A.T.F in the city of Norkia. Although he originated from the Far North in Orbis, Samuel never truly grew up in Orbis and instead was quickly moved to New Norkia. Samuel's parents dispatched both of their children to the Norkish Colony in hope they would live a better life with their Uncle who was a prominent Jarl. Their decision was further reinforce as only years prior the Patriarch had called a crusade into The Far North that unintentionally turned into a near genocide of the Norkish people. Samuel was one of two children, growing up with his older brother Konrad Karlson. Although the two were brothers, both had an intense hatred for each other and rarely interacted. Samuel was known to favor a more civilized approach to life, being an avid reader, a devout follower of Titus, and uncommon amongst Norks he was an avid pacifist. While Konrad, the complete opposite, favorited a brute approach to every situation even being apart of a minority of Norks who still believed in the old ways. As Samuel aged into his teens he and his brother began to interact more often, mostly out of necessity rather than desire. Their Uncle who was trusted to raise them would end up neglecting them for the majority of their upbringing. Instead the boys were raised by a plethora of servants and slaves, and often relied on each other for support. By the age of sixteen Samuel and Konrad were inseparable.

## ***Service to High King Odin***

Although their Uncle was the Jarl of New Norkia, his allegiance like all of the other Jarls of the Norkish holds in Reichland was to High King Odin Afruthul. The High King of the Norks was a title of old that was no longer practiced or recognized in the Far North. However the Norks of Reichlandia had reinstated the title in an attempt to keep unity amongst the numerous Independent Colonies. The Karlson's Uncle had fallen ill and unexpectedly died on July the 1st 1604 A.T.F, with no children of his own the next successor to the throne was the eldest of his brothers children Konrad Karlson. After Konrad's ascension to the throne Samuel abandoned his pacifist beliefs, and immediately request to be Konrad's personal Housecarl. Samuel loved his brother, and knew during the transition period a great many would be willing to take the life of his brother for power. Samuel for the next year trained vigorously and eventually Konrad promoted his brother to the leader of The Karlson's Retinue.

## ***The Second Battle of Gold Peaks***

Shortly after his promotion on The 2nd of November 1605 A.T.F High King Odin called the Chieftains and Jarls to war. The High King required any and all nobles to summon their warriors and assemble their forces outside of Gold Peaks. The call to war was due to a split in an alliance between The Norks and Donnington. The Norkish High King had felt that David Clement of Donnington had violated the Norkish/Polanii-Donnington Alliances terms. One of the Alliances terms upon its foundation was that no member would seize Gold Peaks until it was decided by a vote who would be given the fief. Only three days after, The Kingdom of Pola lead by Tyler Royston, would join the Norks in the Siege of Gold Peaks. Konrad raised a sizeable army of Norkish Warriors, and The Karlson Brothers marched to Gold Peaks to rally with their High King. The Siege of Gold Peaks was brutal and lasted over a year, the siege was finally broken after a dispute between the Polanii and Norks turned volatile. Although Samuel was present at Gold Peaks he saw very little fighting. Upon arrival Konrad had positioned Samuel to protect their supply lines, later Samuel would recall that he believed Konrad had done this to protect him. Though Samuel later admitted he was angered by this decision and felt he had been cheated out of his first major battle.

## ***The Battle of Axony***

Upon the abrupt end of The Second Battle of Goldpeaks, Samuel was one of the many Eastern Lords present at the meeting in Axony before the battle started. By this point Samuel had become bitter from the events of Gold Peaks. Not only did he feel cheated that he was withheld from the action, but he felt angry that he was forced to share the room with what he saw as nothing more but cowards and traitors. He revered his High King as a coward for not engaging the Polanii for their betrayal, and had a seething hatred for the Polanii King who only weeks prior betrayed them now standing present mere feet's away from him. Konrad knew his Brother had begun to develop and unhealthy tendency to let his anger get the better of him, and tasked Samuel with managing security around the meeting hall. Samuel begrudgingly agreed and managed the security of the meeting hall, organizing patrols around the area and keeping a watch on all who left and entered.

Samuel would finally get his wish to see battle due to the location of of the meeting falling into the Yuraks hands from an unknown attendee. With the knowledge of the meetings location being know, The Yurak Khan immediately assembled and marched an army of nearly half a million men to Axony to capture and eliminate all who opposed him. During the initial stage of The Battle of Axony Samuel would see little action, it wouldn't be until 1610 A.T.F that Samuel would finally see his first engagements. In the summer of 1610 A.T.F the tide of the battle began to turn in the favor of The Eastern Sovereign Alliance. For the first two years of the battle the Yuraks scored numerous victories only suffering a few minor setbacks at the tremendous cost of The Eastern Sovereign Alliances forces. But due to a terrible winter in 1609 A.T.F both armies had lost a majority of their horses either due to starvation or being butchered and used as a food source. This greatly crippled the Yuraks who relied on the horses for their out maneuver and overwhelmed strategy implemented by Tarkhan. This allowed the Eastern Sovereign Alliance to make an all out push in the summer of 1610 A.T.F, for the first time in the battle the Norks were in command of this stage. Samuel accompanied Konrad leading The Karlson's Retinue into battle. During the battle Samuel was reported to have gone in a frenzy cutting down many of his opponents. However at several points in the battle it was reported Samuel would oftentimes freeze up entering an almost hypnotized state.

In 1611 A.T.F Alexander Clement, the most recent King of Donnington and leader of The Eastern Sovereign Alliance, ordered the final push against the Yuraks. Once again Samuel followed by his brothers side, protecting him in battle and fighting with notable ferocity. Towards the battles end Samuel's anger had taken full control over him, and within the following days he roamed the wasteland looking for Yurak and Norkish suvivors he perceived as weak, well after the fighting had concluded. Upon finding the unfortunate Yurak and Norkish soldiers who survived he would execute them in the most brutal ways possible. He would often disembowel the survivors alive, or strangle them slowly. His behavior became a great concern to many of his allies, even his brother Konrad, who was known for his warrior mentality was disturbed by his brothers behavior.

## ***Later Life and Suicide***

After The Battle of Axony, Konrad had received numerous complaints from the upper echelon of The Eastern Sovereign Alliance that his younger brothers actions were unacceptable and unforgivable. Although none of the other Kings and Lords demanded that Konrad remove his brother from his position, he opted to do so himself. Konrad had felt that Samuels mental state, and character had degraded and that he no longer fit to serve. Samuel responded with anger and felt his brother had betrayed him again, Samuel attempted to duel his brother for the title of Jarl. Konrad refused to accept the duel, and Samuel in a fit of rage lunged at Konrad with his sword and attempted to stab his brother. Konrad easily dodged the sword attack and quickly disarmed and dispatched his brother incapacitating him.

On August the 17th 1611 A.T.F Samuel was imprisoned in an Alliance holding cell located in New Norkia. Alexander Clement had requested that instead of Norkish guards, the cell be guarded by Donnington soldiers to avoid any loyalty complications that may ensue. Konrad and Odin agreed, Samuel only being in the holding cell for a week used the cloth prison garments he was allotted and hung himself ending his own life on August the 24th 1611 A.T.F. Konrad had suspicions that Donnington may have played a role in his brothers demise, but still felt guilt for his brothers fate. Samuel was buried rather than being given the Traditional Norkish Funeral, it was decided to bury him due to Samuels religious belief in Titus rather than the Old Gods.

## ***Personality***

Samuel was known in his early years to be quiet and reserved, he also came off as timid. Later in his life he was regarded as being short tempered, plagued with anger issues, overly emotional, and egotistical. Some would often refer to him as a "know it all" interjecting when not needed. Samuel was also known to be brave in combat, and was held his men in high respect.

## ***Appearance***

Samuel was tall and slim standing at 6.0 and weighing 165 pounds. Samuel had blue eyes and long blonde hair, he was clean shaven but in his later years grew out a big bushy untrimmed beard. He had a scar on his bottom lip, and had narrow eyes with some people mistaking him for having Chinikan lineage. In battle Samuel carried a Norkish Long Sword and a Wooden Round Shield. Samuel mostly wore a Norkish-style chainmail with wolfskin draped over his shoulders and an spangenhelm. When he wasn't in battle it was said that he wore a Reichlandian style linen waistcoat with a wool skinned coat over the top of it.