Bjorn Bearheart

Bjorn Bearheart is a Dwarven Barbarian.

Early Life
According to Bjorn, he was raised by bears he later killed and ate.

Both of these claims are doubtful.

Bjorn was born into the Lionheart clan of dwarves, a once-powerful kingdom whose might had been steadily waning in the era before his birth. Years of war and famine had led to an alliance with the human nation of Valaria, the leaders of which were a corrupt and selfish lot who viewed the alliance as little more than an inexhaustible source of cheap dwarven goods and labor. After decades of oppression, Bjorn's mother had had enough. She and a small band of like-minded dwarves rebelled against Human leadership, striking out on their own and leaving a swath od destruction through valarian-held territories.

They settled in the rozen reaches near Frosthorn, fighting both the inhospitable terrain and the savage wildlife to forge a new life for themselves. In homage to these new lands they took the new clan name Bearheart, for the hardiness, strength, and fuzziness of the natural predators in the region were all things the dwarves sought to emulate. However, the frozen north was a difficult place to carve out an existence, and before long many of the small band of rebel dwarves and perished. Soon, only a tiny handful of the original number remained.

On one fateful evening, the birth of a new baby dwarf was marred by a great blizzard blowing through their camp. The blizzard was unlike any previously seen in the region, a force of nature so powerful and unnatural it was feared the Valaran court wizards were attempting to finish them off. Indeed, whatever the case, the Bearhearts were all but wiped from the earth that day. The remains of their settlement were buried under a mountain of snow and ice, and the small group of dwarves would have been all but forgotten had it not been for the baby whose birth had been heralded by the blizzard.

How he survived the storm that killed his clan, Bjorn did not know. Precious little is known of Bjorn's early days, but certain clues do exist. Reports from hunting lodges around the area suggested rumors of a small badger-like animal with a moustache who repeatedly eluded capture. Local skalds still sing of a dirty, fuzzy small dog, the sight of which supposedly brought good luck. Farmers made several complaints to their lords about an epidemic of theives punching holes straight through pumpkins. The judges of a "World's Strongest Man" competition were forced to take back their trophy after it was revealed that the winner of the games was a child, albeit an impressively bearded one. A Valaran slave ship was scuttled on a fjord, empty but for the bruised and battered bodies of the guards. Whether or not any or all of these stories are connected in some way to Bjorn is debatable. But he'd certainly claim they all were.

Characteristics and Personality
Bjorn is at heart, a warrior. He lives to brawl. He is not especially bright, or wise, or charming, but he has a certain likability about him all the same. Physically, he is short and wide. He is immensely proud of his full beard and moustaches. He often wears an eyepatch but does not require one. He favors axes and clubs, but will fight with his fists and hands as often as not. Although not a religious man, Bjorn pays respect to Kord, and he appreciates the sporting nature of battle.

Bjorn hates oppression in all its forms. He has learned enough of his heritage to despise what the Valarans stood for-slavery, oppression, and dominance. He enjoys single combat immensely, but will often show mercy to a bested opponent if sought. He often uses battle as a way to initiate friendship. Though he does not follow any sort of code of behavior, Bjorn is actually quite chivalrous in his own way, believing his mother sacrificed herelf for him. To that end, Bjorn's hatred of oppression is even more potent when the plight of women is involved. Bjorn is a strong believer in self-improvement, seeking to avenge the shortcomings of his tribe by becoming as strong and hardy as possible. He is a heavy drinker and boasts excessively while doing so. Bjorn would describe himself as "courageous", but a more accurate term may be "foolhardy." He is not a tactician or a sage. Bjorn will think nothing of engaging an opponent far larger than himself. He has been defeated in combat many times, but uses that knowledge to better himself and his fighting habits and when the time comes for a rematch, Bjorn is usually unstoppable.

Trivia

 * Bjorn is fascinated by ghosts. Though he understands precious little of the afterlife or divine mysteries, he is immensely curious about the subject of undeath. He believes in spirits and is completely enthralled by necromantic magic, though the practice is obviously far beyond him.
 * Bjorn is completely illiterate, though he attempts to hide this fact by pretending to be able to read dwarf.