Mooseberg0620
Explorer
With my mechanic stuff sorted out (mostly....) Im on to back story. Which so far has informed a lot but it could use some more definition or re-write. So read, critique, and tell me what you think. 
My character, Kara, comes from a Norse society, Asmorland (think Skellige, or Skyrim.) Her people, Asmorans, are largely "tolerated" because while they are raiders they are generally better then other pirate groups, stomp out other pirate groups, and have typically been reliable allies in times of crisis as well as traders and artisans. Their faith is generally tolerated, though many more stuffy clerics and priests prefer to consider their deities as "Just the gods by different name.". As they have been expanding, settlers have made for good neighbors to the common folk but their disdain for the nobility has often been an obstacle. Asmoran children learned the sword, axe, and shield almost from birth. Practicing through various games non stop. Even the pampered daughters of Jarls were expected to be competent. Their religion has small temples in many dwarven and human cities.
Organization (for those not familiar with Witcher 3 or Skyrim) is pretty straight forward. There is no true nobility class, though the wealthy families often stay wealthy and influential. Jarls, while on par with kings, are not a hereditary position, Jarls are chosen at the Thing and rule until they die or until the Thing removes them. Who votes at the Thing differs from Hold to Hold but typically 9 members selected by the community who aren't related to the applicants. The High King only has power in times of crises and generations of prosperity have left the office as essentially hereditary and formal. But when a time of crisis is called by the High King, the armies and navies of the entire nation are his to command. (The Jarls do have the power to over turn the high king if they find he is abusing his, or her, authority.)
Special organization- The Valkyries are an order of Paladins (all female). Most choose to join the order voluntarily, or are taken is as orphans. Rarely the gods will directly chose someone for the order by giving them divine powers. Valkyrie are arbiters of justice who roam the holds healing the sick or delivering justice. While they forfeit land and inheritance (and thus may not marry) even Jarls bend to their verdicts. The order is swift to deliver justice to their own members in cases of abuse, and quicker still to deliver retribution when one of their order is slain. In one story a Valkyrie hero delivered justice to the son of a Jarl of a forgotten 10th hold, in retaliation the Jarl had her publicly shamed and executed. On her own she tore his army in half before being subdued. The Valkyrie order was quick to retaliate delivering a retribution that shattered the very earth and drove the island home into the sea with a storm that sunk ships. Few Jarls are interested in discovering how true the tale may be. (If you know ME, think Justicars)
Kara's father ran several successful trading vessels, like many he had good relations with the Dwarves and Minotaur who are the nearest neighbors, but he also managed to deal well with the elves (who are generally mistrusting of Asmorans due to historically good ties with both Dwarven kingdoms (whom the elves have been at war with on again off again for centuries)). While many Asmorans partook in both raiding and trading, Kara's family focused solely on trading and managed to gain quite some status with her father even earning a seat at the Thing.
At the age of 16 (age of adulthood for Asmorans) she married a childhood friend and ally of her family. Hjalmar Borrison was the youngest of 3, Sigrun his sister and his eldest brother Bjorn lost their father on a raid. Kara had become pregnant soon after joining their family and named her son Bor after the great grandfather. She got along well with Sigrun to whom she had looked up to for many years and at least was on deccent terms with Bjorn's wife. Their families had a lot in common with both of them rising from the common folk but the children of Borri were posed for a take over of the Hold. The Jarl, Magnus, was proving feeble by a string of disasters attributed to his leadership and dissent was spreading. Things came to a head shortly after Bor's 4th birthday.
In a move to solidify his position, Magnus launched a surprise raid on a rival hold; unfortunately bad intelligence had them hit the exact spot where the Hold army was wintering. While smart captains quickly realized the futility of the attack, that turned into a light skirmish, this spelled the end for Magnus' leadership. Magnus took his anger out on the children of Bor, convincing his remaining men that Bjorn had sold the Hold out and launched an attack on their home.
They fought well, but ultimately Bjorn, Sigrun, and Hjalmar perished. Magnus himself killed the children. Kara, always devout to the gods only escaped the massacre by a sudden need to visit the shrine of Tyr. For her devotion the gods offered her the power to save her son from death. She agreed and rushed home. She cut down the remaining soldiers and used her powers to revive her son.
Magnus fled before his lie could come to light. For the crime of murder, many of his men were put to the rope. Those who were spared swore loyalty to Bor as penance. Bor would be raised by Kara's family. Her own brother took Bor in as his son. As for Kara, she would be taken in as a Valkyrie. She'd spend the next 3 years learning to use her new powers. Her devotion to the gods, specifically Tyr god of war, the sword and the Thing (PHB fans- Forsetti is more a god of vengence then what we'd call "justice" Tyr ruled over the Thing in Iceland where law was decided upon and debates settled.) She has visited her son, and mourned her lost family. She has been tasked with hunting down Magnus, convicted in abesntia, and either kill him or confirm his death.
Despite the ill she has suffered, Kara is still a bright and cheerful woman. Instead of the sterotypical "super rigid stick up the ass" she's much the opposite. A love of drink, and merriment. She's still Lawful good, but does have a bias towards the laws of her own home, paying laws that are different minimal heed but still following them. She runs with a longsword and shield (and will go with dueling) but I still havent picked her oath. Vengeance and Ancients both fit really well, and Devotion isnt a bad pick either.
My character, Kara, comes from a Norse society, Asmorland (think Skellige, or Skyrim.) Her people, Asmorans, are largely "tolerated" because while they are raiders they are generally better then other pirate groups, stomp out other pirate groups, and have typically been reliable allies in times of crisis as well as traders and artisans. Their faith is generally tolerated, though many more stuffy clerics and priests prefer to consider their deities as "Just the gods by different name.". As they have been expanding, settlers have made for good neighbors to the common folk but their disdain for the nobility has often been an obstacle. Asmoran children learned the sword, axe, and shield almost from birth. Practicing through various games non stop. Even the pampered daughters of Jarls were expected to be competent. Their religion has small temples in many dwarven and human cities.
Organization (for those not familiar with Witcher 3 or Skyrim) is pretty straight forward. There is no true nobility class, though the wealthy families often stay wealthy and influential. Jarls, while on par with kings, are not a hereditary position, Jarls are chosen at the Thing and rule until they die or until the Thing removes them. Who votes at the Thing differs from Hold to Hold but typically 9 members selected by the community who aren't related to the applicants. The High King only has power in times of crises and generations of prosperity have left the office as essentially hereditary and formal. But when a time of crisis is called by the High King, the armies and navies of the entire nation are his to command. (The Jarls do have the power to over turn the high king if they find he is abusing his, or her, authority.)
Special organization- The Valkyries are an order of Paladins (all female). Most choose to join the order voluntarily, or are taken is as orphans. Rarely the gods will directly chose someone for the order by giving them divine powers. Valkyrie are arbiters of justice who roam the holds healing the sick or delivering justice. While they forfeit land and inheritance (and thus may not marry) even Jarls bend to their verdicts. The order is swift to deliver justice to their own members in cases of abuse, and quicker still to deliver retribution when one of their order is slain. In one story a Valkyrie hero delivered justice to the son of a Jarl of a forgotten 10th hold, in retaliation the Jarl had her publicly shamed and executed. On her own she tore his army in half before being subdued. The Valkyrie order was quick to retaliate delivering a retribution that shattered the very earth and drove the island home into the sea with a storm that sunk ships. Few Jarls are interested in discovering how true the tale may be. (If you know ME, think Justicars)
Kara's father ran several successful trading vessels, like many he had good relations with the Dwarves and Minotaur who are the nearest neighbors, but he also managed to deal well with the elves (who are generally mistrusting of Asmorans due to historically good ties with both Dwarven kingdoms (whom the elves have been at war with on again off again for centuries)). While many Asmorans partook in both raiding and trading, Kara's family focused solely on trading and managed to gain quite some status with her father even earning a seat at the Thing.
At the age of 16 (age of adulthood for Asmorans) she married a childhood friend and ally of her family. Hjalmar Borrison was the youngest of 3, Sigrun his sister and his eldest brother Bjorn lost their father on a raid. Kara had become pregnant soon after joining their family and named her son Bor after the great grandfather. She got along well with Sigrun to whom she had looked up to for many years and at least was on deccent terms with Bjorn's wife. Their families had a lot in common with both of them rising from the common folk but the children of Borri were posed for a take over of the Hold. The Jarl, Magnus, was proving feeble by a string of disasters attributed to his leadership and dissent was spreading. Things came to a head shortly after Bor's 4th birthday.
In a move to solidify his position, Magnus launched a surprise raid on a rival hold; unfortunately bad intelligence had them hit the exact spot where the Hold army was wintering. While smart captains quickly realized the futility of the attack, that turned into a light skirmish, this spelled the end for Magnus' leadership. Magnus took his anger out on the children of Bor, convincing his remaining men that Bjorn had sold the Hold out and launched an attack on their home.
They fought well, but ultimately Bjorn, Sigrun, and Hjalmar perished. Magnus himself killed the children. Kara, always devout to the gods only escaped the massacre by a sudden need to visit the shrine of Tyr. For her devotion the gods offered her the power to save her son from death. She agreed and rushed home. She cut down the remaining soldiers and used her powers to revive her son.
Magnus fled before his lie could come to light. For the crime of murder, many of his men were put to the rope. Those who were spared swore loyalty to Bor as penance. Bor would be raised by Kara's family. Her own brother took Bor in as his son. As for Kara, she would be taken in as a Valkyrie. She'd spend the next 3 years learning to use her new powers. Her devotion to the gods, specifically Tyr god of war, the sword and the Thing (PHB fans- Forsetti is more a god of vengence then what we'd call "justice" Tyr ruled over the Thing in Iceland where law was decided upon and debates settled.) She has visited her son, and mourned her lost family. She has been tasked with hunting down Magnus, convicted in abesntia, and either kill him or confirm his death.
Despite the ill she has suffered, Kara is still a bright and cheerful woman. Instead of the sterotypical "super rigid stick up the ass" she's much the opposite. A love of drink, and merriment. She's still Lawful good, but does have a bias towards the laws of her own home, paying laws that are different minimal heed but still following them. She runs with a longsword and shield (and will go with dueling) but I still havent picked her oath. Vengeance and Ancients both fit really well, and Devotion isnt a bad pick either.
