[u]Basic information:[/u] Appearance [hider=IMG] [centre][img]http://orig08.deviantart.net/dd1d/f/2012/202/3/5/warrior_speedpaint_by_taaks-d5825o5.jpg[/img][/centre] [/hider] Name: Ulfgar Bergström Age: 37 Height: 178cm Build: Toned Gender: Male [u]Weapon of choice:[/u] Claymore, or Bearded Axe. [u]Basic Skills:[/u] Due to the way he has been raised he has become familiar with [i]smithing and maintaining weaponry[/i]. He knows how to handle certain materials and knows what they're good for. Weapon-wise, Ulfgar started training at the guild with [i]two-Handed swords and axes[/i], the latter being an coincidence for he discovered the easy handling of such tool after being attacked on a quest which required him to gather wood. He also has an excellent [i]stamina[/i] for his age. Wherever he goes, he goes there in a slow but steady trot which he can keep up for hours on end, often causing a thundering headache however. [u]Yule:[/u] 75 Yule currently in possession [u]Items[/u] Weaponry: Claymore [a two handed sword, effective and feared because it's large yet fairly light], Bearded Axe [used as a tool and weapon. The 'beard', the extended cutting edge, could be used to pull down shields or weapons out of the defender's grasp] Other: Fire-starting kit [fire striker, flint, tinder], waterskin, fur [a rolled up sheepskin which helps him keep warm in cold environments, but also provides better bedding than the cold, hard ground]. [u]Personality:[/u] Ulfgar is a patient man, he could wait for days on end if he had to, and has become quite social since joining the guild 5 years ago. When you need someone to listen to your problems when no other will, Ulfgar is the man. He is protective over the people he loves and would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat, had he no other choice. Also, he's a man who likes to hug. You don't start a conversation without receiving a warm embrace. [u]Occupation before joining the guild[/u]: Mining and Smithing (- weapons and simple jewellery) [u]Character History/Bio [/u] Ulfgar along with his brother Rigmar, are the kin of Fjolnir 'the Tall' (-whose name suited his height) and Morgayne Bergström. He was born and raised in a settlement of the small mining town along a soft flowing river. He and Rigmar grew up poverty stricken, and as such started working at a young age. At first they had worked with the smelters, ensure the fire was always lit by feeding it coal. After a few years, the two young boys were told to work in the mines like any other young man. The work was hard and provided minimal reward, but it surely was enough to keep them fed. Not soon after, raiders invaded the mines for the rich veins within the mountain. The minuscule town was soon crawling with the savage party of raiders. During the tedious battle, his father, Fjolnir the Tall was fatally injured during the fight to keep them off, developing an infection in his wound in the weeks following and succumbing to death shortly thereafter. The raid finally came to an end and luckily most of Ulfgar’s family was spared, but many others were killed during the intensive battle. After Fjolnir’s death, to ensure safety of the workers, guards were quickly stationed at the mines. Rigmar developed an interest in keeping the mines safe and quickly left his mining career in exchange for a Guards garb, occasionally bringing a decent amount of gold to his family’s income. Ulfgar took over the job his father had at the mines while Morgayne stayed with her husband until the very bitter end. Ulfgar worked intensively, but gained a bulky physique and learned to forge through the process. He proved to be a natural talent when it came to smithing iron and steel, occasionally working on simple jewelry when time allowed. A few years passed with no word from Rigmar, nor gold to help his family. Ulfgar still doesn’t know for certain whether or not he had died, or just lost interest in his family. Either way, Morgayne was quick to move from Karthwasten with her second husband to the city when the opportunity arose. Ulfgar sometimes would send letters, and very rarely she replied; but when she sailed for open sea with her new lover to other lands, Ulfgar lost the contact which he had cherished so dearly. For the first time he felt truly alone. Alone wasn’t something Ulfgar could handle, he became very depressed and would spend most of his days wandering aimlessly around the river where his father had been buried, tired of the physically exhausting and emotionally draining life he had made for himself. The feeling of hopelessness overcame him and he came to the decision to end it all, stealing rope from the mine one night and wandering out into the woods alone. He tied the rope around a sturdy branch and prepared himself for the end. It was then that he heard a sound behind him; footsteps which came to a halt. As he turned he saw an elder man standing there. They had stared at each other in silence for seconds, even minutes, before the man had asked him what he was doing. Ulfgar had replied bluntly and told him that he was going to end his life. To which the man replied with another question, 'Why?'. They continued to talk for a while, and during the conversation Ulfgar had slowly distanced himself from the rope. The old man told him of his life as an old guild member and how he had found family and purpose there. And, if Ulfgar felt like he could handle it, the old man was challenging him now, he should become a member as well. Then he'd have purpose again. Then he'd have family again. Ending himself wasn't the answer. It has now been 6 years since those dark thoughts had roamed his mind. 5 years ago he joined the guild; The White Lily. He learned to read, write and calculate there, having been illiterate all his life. They taught him how to be stronger, both mentally and physically. He started meditating whenever he had time to spare between quests, and trained almost all hours of the day while at the guild. Since that day, 5 years ago, he lives at the guild as an experienced member. Nowadays he doesn't go on many quests anymore, only picking the ones which truly fancy his interest or when he is asked to join. He doesn't go on many quests alone, preferring to aid or be aided wherever he goes. Besides, it's nice to have someone at your side to have a chat with. But most of his days he stays at the guild, helping youngsters out or simply conversing with Athena, Artemis, Hygiea, Hathor and, occasionally, with the guild master, Ares, himself.