Falco Adler

Young Falco by Walt Masters

## Biographie

### Aliases

Claw, Thialfi, The Black Prince, Hyrvaen Skemdar, Bane of the Undead, *farmboy* (for Anya)

## Family

### Parents

Karl Adler (father), Kari Alfhild (mother d. 1291)

## Social

### Friends

Pumori, Arno Thorolfson, Roderik Hindvell

## Media

### Last

Book

Falco Adler is jarl of Vestfjor, prince of Griffnar and Vestfjor He was also made à knight of Waessyex by king Cadarn

## ***Biography***

### **Early Life**

Falco Adler is the second son of Karl Adler  then Prince of Vestfjor and his second wife, Kari Alfhild. He was born in Griffnar the 25 August 1287 AOR. He lost his mother when he was four.

### **In Utgard**

#### Capture

He was captured with Joral and Erwin Horst at the end of June 1299 by a party of goblins commanded, by Zarko, who tried to dissimulate him from the orc warlord Moorgash.

#### Hard Work in Utgard

After their arrival in In Utgard, Falco and Joral were left at the forge of the orc Ougor for two months, Under the supervision of the sadistic orc Halftooth, he pumped water from the mine under the forge.

He worked after in the brickworks for the goblin Lessach in September until the spear fish incident on October 10th.

#### The Palace

Later he served Moorgash's mother, Burla.

#### Training at Ranto's Stronghold

Moorgash sent him to Ranto's Stronghold to be trained in jotunheimer fighting techniques. After a few weeks of evaluation by Kulta, he was trained by his father Ranto from January 19th 1300 until end August, Moorgash visited the Stronghold the July 7th 1300 to see his progress. He was introduced to the Towerarena on his fourteenth birthday, August 25th 1300.

#### Raulo coup and the mine

During Moorgash absence, the orc Raulo organized a coup in January 1302.

#### Escape

He escaped from Utgard in mid-May 1302 after helping Moorgash to kill the nidhog mother.

### **Peregrinations and Restoration**

#### Peregrinations

After his escape, he encounters Miranda Alanis

#### War for Griffnar

He assembled allies to liberate Vestfjor of the tyranny of Otar and Caitlin...

### **Jarl Falco**

He was crowned and married Anya Thorolfson in February 1303 in Griffnar in the great temple of Odin by Calvin Rotis.

#### Early rule

In his first year, he faced conspiracies, encountered Pumori.

#### The War of the Three Jarls

In 1304, the jarls of Erin and Caledonia ...

#### In the Viku Islands

IN 1305, he visited the Viku Islands in search of lost members of the House Adler.

## ***Appearance***

### **Build**

He is taller than average, with ravenblack hair and brightgreen eyes.

Lightly built. Very handsome. Almost elflike in appearance, due to the rituals performed by Duskar elves, on him and his mother while he was still in the womb. Ravenblack hair, but very little body hair otherwise. Even in later years, and much to his own regret, no facial hair (except for eyebrows of course). Rather bright green eyes.

Extremely fast and agile, often described as moving in a catlike fashion. Was often teased by his brother with the nickname “scrawny catboy”. Slightly taller than average.

### **Distinctive Signs**

A scar on sternum, in the shape of a wolfhead, cut into his chest by Moorgash, the orc warlord, as punishment for trying to escape in 1299 AoR. During his days as a slave in Utgard, he carried orcish runes, painted on the right side of his face, starting just above his eye and down on his cheek. These runes carried a binding spell, which prevented him to escape until it was broken in 1302 AoR. After his escape, the runes were removed.

After his escape of Utgard, he was captured by bandits and for a time his back was stamped with the mark of the Tarquinian slaver Niccolo Del Casas

Another distinctive sign are the runes of the Hyrvaen Skemdar

## ***Personality***

### **Before his capture**

As a young boy, before the ambush, Falco was a kind, gentle and slightly mischievous kid. Described by his own father as “*too talkative and informal to people he knows and too shy to people he doesn’t*.”

He was very inquisitive and had the tendency of getting away from his guards and tutors to wander the streets on his own and mix with the kids of the commoners. Neither his father’s wrath nor any punishment could stop this kind of behavior. He was also quite respectful to the gods, in particular Thor, mostly because one of his tutors was a priest of Thor.

Despite his father being stern and tough and his brother Agrim teasing him all the time with his slight build and catlike agility and behavior, he had a loving family. The frequent absence of his father was amply compensated for by his tutors count Frederik Falkhorst and Odin priest Calvin Rotis.

It was a rather male dominated environment he grew up in. In his extended family, there were no doubt aunts and nieces, but many of them lived all over Vestfjor and if they had a significant influence in this stage of his life, it is unknown. He remembered  staying several weeks each summer in the country mansion of his aunt Laura Adler.

**After Utgard**

Because of what happened in Utgard and his subsequent escape, his personality changed. He became more withdrawn and was no longer talkative, preferring to remain silent and only speaking, as he said himself “when he had something to say.”

When he first escaped Utgard, he was very distrustful, skittish and didn’t even like to be touched. He had a tendency of taking everything that was being said literally. This gradually got better, especially after awakening from a venom induced coma, in which he claimed to have met an elven prince who taught and trained him.

His basic gentle nature has not changed because of Utgard, but, when provoked, he kills his enemies with little remorse or problems with his conscience. After hearing about the fate of his entire family, which was wiped out, he shows at times signs of unforgiving ruthlessness, but still seems to remain capable of controlling his anger and grief.

Despite the fact that he couldn’t help what happened to him, he feels guilty and ashamed about some things he did in Utgard, especially retrieving the dragon’s egg. He is also embarrassed that he feels a ‘Stockholm syndrome’ kind of affection for Moorgash and some of the goblins that trained him. Something he never succeeds in explaining to others.

Thanks to the training he received from goblins, orcs, humans, elves and dwarfs, he is a formidable warrior, even at the tender age of fourteen, using speed and agility rather than strength. However, he doesn’t really consider himself a warrior, but still very much thinks of himself as a boy, who should have elders to tell him what to do. Only, he doesn’t and therefore, has to make his own decisions. Neither thinks he of himself as being brave, because in his sometimes still childish way of thinking, he still confuses courage with never being afraid. In short, he still somewhat lacks confidence.

This lack of confidence also shows itself in his relationship with Anya Thorolfson, the only girl he has met since he was twelve. He loves her a lot. But she always seems to overwhelm him in every discussion they have.

### **Claw persona**

Although it was never taken to its fullest extent, the Utgard episode almost caused a kind of schizophrenic divide in his personality, between Falco, the boy he used to be and Claw, the name he received in Utgard. Claw, contrary to Falco, had no obligations as a noble and could be extremely practical, not minding the humiliation of slavery and not caring about honor.

As Falco himself once thought, “Claw fitted much better in Utgard than Falco ever could.” This division stayed for a while after his escape, when he continued to call himself Claw, rather than Falco. The reason he gave himself was because he didn’t trust the people he met. However, there is some doubt whether the reason didn’t go much further than that.

As his interaction with non-Jotunheimers, like Miranda and Thorfin, intensified, the Claw persona was quickly integrated in his own. After the journey on the Geirrod, he never truly referred to Claw anymore as somebody else than Falco, but simply considered Claw his nickname in Jotunheim. Nonetheless, Claw is always present, resulting in Falco having a very practical view on things and not giving honor a very high rating in his priorities.

### **Character**

Because of his experiences and the many unpleasant things he found out about his father, who wasn’t as noble and good, as Falco always thought, he has lost his childish naiveté of thinking in black and white terms before the age of fifteen, showing at times a rather cynical view of the world. Along with his naiveté also went his faith and confidence in the gods. He still believes they exist as he has spoken and/or met at least two of them, but doesn’t believe anymore in their good intentions. Despite his lack of confidence and the image he has of himself, others perceive him as a kind natured, courageous and friendly boy. Although initial meetings are usually somewhat strained, after a short while he inspires trust and loyalty in his companions.

He is highly intelligent with a keen tactical insight. But this ability to immediately grasp a situation and act upon it, often gives his companions the impression he acts rather rash.

Lastly, he still has retained some of his teasing and mischievous nature, although it doesn’t reach the surface as often as it did in the past. As Moorgash would have said: “*he is sometimes an insolent little pup*”.

## ***Special abilities and remarks***

Falco is, in fact, partly because of the above mentioned Duskar rituals, a potential Hyrvaen Skemdar. Also known as the Destroyer of All Things or the Avatar of Ragnarok. This legendary human with an elven soul is supposed to end the stalemate in which the Age of Ragnarok has brought the entire world. He will win the eternal war in which all races are locked and bring victory to either good or evil. But nobody really knows what side he is on.

The knowledge of the possible coming of the Hyrvaen Skemdar is no public knowledge, but more and more people outside the circle of initiates is finding out about it.

A horrific meeting with a greater demon has resulted in Falco ending up with demonic night vision.

The snake venom from a necromantic construct that sent him into a coma, has lingered into his bloodstream, making his blood lethal for all undead creatures, including vampires. On the downside, the poison remains a serious threat to his health and may cause serious attacks of fever.

Speaks Migardian, Orc, Waessyex and the Elvish tongue.