Browse wiki

A near-brother (cousin) to the king of Eswynd, Haakon grew up on the sea. Being of noble blood among the Abandoned meant being a warrior, and he was raised with callouses on his hands from oars, rigging ropes, and spear hafts. Never able to openly challenge the Thraxian navy, his people were raiders of the reavers, striking any merchant ships or fishermen who fell within their reach, and fleeing from any war fleet. Twice he was part of a battle against Thrax warships; neither could be called a victory. The Darkness in the Deep was known to the Eswynds for many years. At first, Haakon and his kin had been all too willing to accept bloody silver to hunt the Arvani (they did that, anyway) but as the shadows spread and tales of the blood madness trickled out, Eswynd's old allegiance to Marin grew dangerous. When Margot Tyde and her diplomats came to them, offering alliance and protection, backed by the threat of destruction before a united Thraxian fleet, the Eswynds accepted There were noises made about honor and their ancestors in protest, but for such things "the wind does not care." All that mattered was surviving the coming storm. His near-brother the king (now Marquis) married an Arvani woman to seal the alliance and remained in their home island, making heirs. Haakon and his people took their small fighting ships to sea for battle among the Tyde fleet, and did their duty against the Gyre. After the war, Haakon was sent to Arx on Eswynd's behalf, to represent his people in the court of their ancient enemies, now overlords. What could possibly go wrong?

Dark brown hair is shorn close atop his head, and worn in a short beard on a strong jaw. Dark blue eyes are shadowed by a high forehead and heavy brows, with a scar marring his lip to the right of his nose, naturally tugging one side of his mouth upward. In stature, he is the upper end of average, with a lean, athletic build. He looks years past thirty, though his tanned and weathered face lead some to guess older.

He doesn't want to be in Arx. The city is huge, smells of rats and urine, and sits half the world away from his home, where at any moment, a new battle could start without him. Moody and mercurial, on his better days he takes amusement in the unfamiliar world around him, showing good humor and wit. On his bad days, everything is irritating. He is comfortable with motion, and grows restless when kept still and idle.