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Mar. 27th, 2023 at 7:59 PM
Askeladd
The Mad Ladd
General Information
Real Name
Lucius Artorius Castus
Current Alias
Askeladd
Marital Status
Single
Status
Deceased
Characteristics
Gender
Male
Age
44
Height
5'7" (170)
Weight
143lbs
Eyes
Blue
Hair
Blond
Series
Vinland Saga
Extended Information
Affiliations
Empire of Britannia (Wales)
Danish Monarchy
Relatives
Danish Monarchy
Olaf † (father)
Lydia † (mother)
Gorm (paternal uncle)
Unnamed stepmother
Unnamed half brothers
Occupation
Lydia † (mother)
Gorm (paternal uncle)
Unnamed stepmother
Unnamed half brothers
Viking/Pirate Captain
Prince Canute’s Retainer
Prince Canute’s Retainer
"A man, slave to gold, holds a whip... And beats the slave he bought with that gold as if to claim HE is the master. He just doesn't see it for himself. Every living human being is a slave to something."
—Askeladd
—Askeladd
Askeladd, real name “Lucius Artorius Castus”, was a Welsh-Danish Warlord who commanded a mercenary band of bloodthirsty Vikings by which the main protagonist, Thorfinn, followed for over a decade. He’s the major antagonist in the War Arc of Vinland Saga since he murdered Thorfinn’s father in cold blood. Askeladd was a descendant of the legendary Roman King, by which he was named after, through his mother’s side. He was named after the Great King by his mother who idolized King Artorius and always claimed he would come save them from slavery. His nickname of “Askeladd'' is loosely based on the Norwegian story of “The Ashen Lad”, as he was constantly covered in ash thanks to the various jobs he did as a child slave.
Appearance
As a child, Askeladd's hair was quite long and messy coming down to his shoulders with a crude middle part. He's quite fair in appearance in comparison with other Danes because of his Welsh heritage. His eyes are a pale blue and his messy hair a light nearly platinum blond with wild bushy eyebrows. Since he was constantly covered in black and white ash, he earned the nickname "The Ashen Lad" in his youth. Since he was a slave, the boy was often dressed in frayed tunics and rags. Unfortunately, the boy never wore shoes either because of the extreme poverty he and his mother faced. Eventually, all that changed once his father Olaf took him in at the tender age of eleven.In his early twenties, Askeladd is seen briefly during the Battle of Maldon in 991 looking quite similar to his current self later in adulthood goatee and all but minus the little mustache, he grew later. He's an average-sized warrior who stands at 170 cm and might look a bit smaller than some of his Danish counterparts. He's muscular and lithe, a man assumingly built for speed rather than strength but his small stature belies his unbelievable strength and prowess in combat. He wears his hair short and neatly combed back unlike other Vikings making him stand out a bit among the hundreds of warriors at his employment.
Askeladd has a gaunt face with sunken cheeks along with an aquiline nose and a rather creased brow. He's typically frowning or cocking one eyebrow with one of his signature little smirks. Askeladd looks quite sly, almost like a fox, since he’s always plotting and scheming behind the scenes. In terms of clothing, he typically wears a slightly frayed cowl-neck gambeson with Nordic detailing on the sleeves, an impressive black Romanesque breastplate with a pair of dark trousers, and matching boots. He's never seen without his sword and typically wears his scabbard over his left hip. During winter, Askeladd typically wears a dark capelet with a pair of thick brown gloves and a heavier cape over it. Throughout the series, Askeladd's hair starts to thin resulting in Thorfinn calling him "Baldy" as an insult but this is more prominent in the manga.
Personality
Personality info here.Abilities
Askeladd is surprisingly strong and quick on his feet despite his small stature. His strength comes from decades of fighting on the battlefield as both a mercenary as a soldier for various Nordic campaigns. However, it’s Askeladd’s shrewd ability to assess his opponents that makes him a real threat. He’s a crafty little bastard that will use whatever tactics necessary to win. Askeladd is the kind of the man who doesn’t give a damn about glory or honor when it comes down to victory. Even so, he’s known to be quite honorable when fighting against those he respect as a fellow warrior.Swordsmanship
The first time Askeladd ever picked up a sword was in defense of his ailing mother. He was able to use a sword with great skill despite being so young. He’s a natural with a sword but it took years of training to become a proficient swordsman worthy of infamy. His fighting technique is both brutal and efficient but with a hint of elegance. He’s not some mindless brute who just attacks anyone at will but a mighty combatant who knows how to manipulate his opponents and exploit their weak points. Take caution when combating this shrewd little man. Askeladd is not known to be merciful.
Speed & Agility
While Askeladd doesn't possess inhuman strength or agility, he is notably quite spry despite his age. This man literally can backflip out of the way of incoming sword strikes and still keep up the momentum despite dressed in armor. This is illustrated a few times throughout the War Arc, especially during his battle against Thors the Troll. While he wasn't able to win the duel, Askeladd was fast enough to parry all of the former Jomviking's strikes. His proficiency with a blade really sets him apart from others but it's his speed and agility that keeps him alive while fighting against bigger and stronger opponents.
Leadership
Ability info here
Friends & Alliances
- Bjorn - As much as Askeladd truly hates the Danes, this tall brooding berserker was truly his only friend. Bjorn was the only man in Askeladd’s company who was with him for over a decade. He was Askeladd’s right-hand man and subordinate. Unlike others who followed Askeladd for the pursuit of money and wealth, Bjorn simply followed him because they were friends. While the two generally liked each other, Bjorn realized he didn’t know anything about Askeladd other than he was a fellow Dane. This bothered Bjorn to no end, especially once their company landed in Wales with Askeladd leading the show. It’s then that he realized he barely knew Askeladd despite devoting the last ten of his years of his life to but his loyalty to him never changed. He was not afraid to speak openly with Askeladd either, always the first to offer his two cents even if Askeladd got annoyed with him for it.
- Canute- The one man who could make Askeladd bend the knee. In hopes of stopping the Danes from attacking Wales, Askeladd hatched a heinous plot to force young Canute to pursue the Danish throne. He was ready to abandon the young prince after saving him from Thorkell's men during the battle of London but it seemed destiny had something else in play. It's a miracle that Canute became the leader that Askeladd always sought but it was a blessing in the form of curse.
- Lydia- Askeladd's dear mother was a slave/concubine of a terrible Danish warlord named Olaf. She hailed from old Welsh nobility but soon lost her mind after decades of suffering.
Enemies & Rivals
- Thorfinn - Askeladd’s relationship with Thorfinn is quite complex. He’s often quite indifferent and cruel towards Thorfinn but on rare occasions, Askeladd will take up a mentor-like role with the boy that borders fatherly. He originally allowed Thorfinn to follow his band of mercenaries because the youth showed promise. However, he also refuses to kill Thorfinn because of the oath he made to the boy’s father, showcasing he isn’t the kind of man to betray a promise once made. He’s quite aware that Thorfinn hates him but still doesn’t seem to mind keeping the boy around. Askeladd realizes quickly that keeping Thorfinn around is quite beneficial despite the youth being quite the nuisance sometimes. Nevertheless he does entertain the boy on occasions by promising to duel him whenever Thorfinn successfully completes a mission or task.
It's insinuated that Askeladd may see some of himself in Thorfinn, since he too sought for vengeance in his youth. Askeladd goes out of his way to try to address the boy’s hatred by literally giving him lessons after lessons on how to kill a man. Sadly, Thorfinn never really understood any of the life lessons Askeladd tried to teach him before it was too late. However, Askeladd realized that Thorfinn couldn’t have possibly hated him as much as he claims since the boy failed to kill him throughout the past ten years. It’s either that or the boy simply never bothered to use his head despite years of honing his skills. Either way, Thorfinn was devastated when Askeladd died, not by his hands but by the hands of another. While it’s true that the two of them weren’t on friendly terms, there’s plenty of instances that states that Thorfinn merely used his hatred of Askeladd as a way to escape the grief of losing his father. - King Sweyn- An old tyrant that Askeladd truly hated with every ounce of his soul. This ruthless hideous warthog is the Danish monarch who managed to nearly conquer all of England and Wales while holding steadfast to the territories he already conquered towards the north.
History
History info hereOrigin
History info here
Arc Name
History info here
Arc Name
History info here
Gallery
Name Ariel
Age 18+
Timezone EST
PB PB Name
Code Tessisamess