Bhan Valkisson

Biographical information

Birthplace The Lost Isles Born Died Age 35 Home Sexuality Pronouns

Physical description

Race Nordwirr Sub-Race Gender Male Height 6'4 Mass Hair color dark mossy brown Eye color frosty ice and salt sea Skin color pale white, patches ink

Political information

Affiliation(s) Occupation priest Clan(s) Caste Domain Masters Apprentices Alias(es)

Out-of-character information

Writer tattersail Created on 14-02-21 Avatar Baldur in God of War

Bhan, son of Valki, was destined to become a great shipwright. His father was one, so was his grandfather, and his father, in a long line of accomplished shipwrights. It was not as glorious as being a warrior, a raider send to bring back spoils of war to their village, but without the ships... how would they ever get there? As it often does, however, his path changed in a single moment. While out fishing, Bhan tripped and fell overboard. There, stuck in his own net, the young man drowned in the ice cold water.

This was not his end.

He woke up at night, sick of salt and sea water, on the stone beach near his village. The world looked different to him. All ivory and ice. His people were always close to the Gods, but they feared as much as they worshipped. Bhan's heart held no fear any longer. The Dark Gods were dark no longer to him. They were brilliant, colors of bone, and from that day forward he'd sing and carve their praises at every turn.

His village came to call him God-Praiser, but they whispered something else.

Bone-Whisperer.

At first glance Bhan does not look the part of a Nordwirr raider. Lean, scrawny and short to the standards of his people, nobody would peg him as a marauder. Then they notice the look, slightly vacant and dreamy, and perhaps they will disregard him entirely. A moment later they are on the ground, blood seeping from a deep wound carved from sharp bones protruding out of his hand. The last thing they will see is that hand gently brushing their eyes shut.

His body is covered in runes. They glow faintly in the dark, no matter what he wears, they always shine through just a little bit. Until he uses his craft. Then they blaze up, as if connected directly to those Gods he praises so often and deeply.

• Dem bones: since his drowning and subsequent second breath Bhan has received a second blessing from his Gods. The talent of bone-shaping. He can manipulate his own bones, pushing them out of his body, sharpening them, but he is capable of external control as well. As long as the bones have no soul attached to them, he can raise them and command them at will. This can be a whole skeleton or just a single bone. However, he normally cannot directly manipulate someone else's skeleton.
• Life's Song: his first blessing, the one he was born with, was a deep connection to the forest. He had a great talent of wood-carving, knowing exactly which trees would become the fiercest boat. Which hill to dig under for the purest ore.
• Sneak, Not: complete inability to properly sneak. Even while wearing multiple layers of skins and fur, the magic inked into his skin oozes out and shines. When not in active use they radiate like a weak torch, but if Bhan was to raise skeletons they'd flare up like a bonfire in the dark.
• Body and Temple: his tattoos are blood runes etched into his skin. It gives them access to little abilities here and there (the ability to instinctively know where the North is, find a place of rest in a snowstorm, talk to a raven and coax out a secret), but the magic constantly crawls on his skin. At best its distracting, at worst it can be debilitating on the mind at the worst moment.

Bhan is affable enough in daily life. Quick to smile, quicker to offer a hand in help. But his devotion to his Gods is all-consuming. He will prioritize his worship over anything else. If the Gods asked him to sacrifice his closest friend, he'd only stop to ask if they wanted a side-dish as well. This can put him at odds with companions of common cause, because the needs of the physical now will always be second to the requirements of the spiritual next.

Once or twice he abandoned possible allies and friends in the middle of battle. This one time he burned a ship meant for them to escape, because the Gods demanded it. These acts have solidified his reputation as someone not to be trusted or relied on. Yet, nobody can dispute his fervor nor his effectiveness when properly focused. Because of this Bhan is often considered a necessary liability.

Because surely as long as Bhan is with them... so are their Gods.