Monsterous
The Tea-Hating Brit.
Fritvor
The "Jötnar", Lifetender
Name: His name is Fritvor. But rarely is his true name asked, and even rarer is it spoken. Most people call him "Jötnar" due to his seemingly impossible appearance. If not that, then some may call him meaner names depending on their demeanor and hatred of the wooden isle and the embodiment of its spirit. This man is not one with the stone, but one with the earth it rests on, an ideology that some dislike, and more akin to the warriors of the Laukr clan.
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Defining Characteristic: His appearance is legendary to the children, and serves as a scare to them. Impossibly tall, incredibly muscular, and fiercely ragged, it is of little wonder why he is used as a kind of "boogeyman" to the young. Hence the nickname that has been coined with him for as long as he could remember.
Duty: Various Jobs.
Assistant -
The "Jötnar" assists many smaller men with their tasks. Being so large, and so strong, is a blessing to those that require help, and the "Jötnar" does not ask for repayment - although perhaps some food would be welcome. The two jobs he is mostly called for are heavy lifting, and blessing the crops of farmers. Some farmers see this as unnecessary, certain that growing crops on the mountain's watched over by Jordfell is enough of a blessing. Others claim that the "Jötnar" has a certain... influence that helps the crops grow. Regardless, this behemoth is welcome to be of assistance to any that call for him, unless it is one of war. The man may be frightening to some, and some would believe the man a brute, he is in fact gentle and detests violence.
Storyteller -
In his own spare time, the "Jötnar" goes to the children and tell tales to them. The elders watching over them see this as a great help to the young - a man they can be inspired by, especially one so tall and strong as the legendary giant sitting down amongst them.
Lifetender -
Besides the various jobs, the "Jötnar" tends to the wilderness around his hut. He plants the sapling of trees in the spring, and tends to the injured animals that he may come across. Make no mistake, he understands that meat is required for the clan - but that is a job for the hunters to look to. The "Jötnar" takes a liking to helping them instead, even if it doesn't make sense to the few that see what he does in his spare time.
Appearance: When described to the young, some claim the man is "jötnar", or giant, from legends and tales. Others say he was a seed fell from a mighty tree on the outskirts of the island, where he grew for centuries and sprouted into the behemoth he is. Of course, the same men know that he is just a simple man. A very big, brutish man. One with an unusual affinity for the life that surrounds the isle, rather than those that have the affinity for the mountains itself. Such is the way of the Grytt clan. Those same men also bare various scars of different size and shape - war wounds caused by axe, sword, and arrow. The "Jötnar" carries none of these, save one, a short dark scar across the top of his back.
Height:
7" 2'. Many men stand impossibly tall, and children look up to them in awe. Some claim they are themselves boulders from the Great Mountain, Jordfell. Some explain they are "chosen" by some great deity to command such a figure. Those words fall silent when the "Jötnar" is present.
Weight:
272 pounds. Of those strong and muscular of the Grytt Clan, many gain their weight from rigorously training combat with their brothers in arms. And of those warriors, most do not come close to the giant's own weight - however sometimes on rare circumstances, they can exceed it.
Hair:
His hair is long, coarse, and ragged; a pile of oak twigs interwoven into a crackled, fierce mess. Were his hair twigs, and he himself a tree, the leaves would flourish and colour his hair green - but alas his hair is simply hair, although children might believe otherwise. He also has a rough, thick beard drooping down a few inches.
Eyes:
Whilst many aspects of the Jötnar is exaggerated to the young, his eyes are never mentioned. They are simply brown eyes. Perhaps they are never mentioned because the children dare not look at the white of his eyes? Or perhaps they cannot see that high.
Body:
Every inch of the brute's body is muscular. His arms as wide as tree trunks, his legs as stout as stone, the very skin of the giant could break the spears of warriors and splinter the points of petty arrows. Or so the children believe.
Apparel:
The Jötnar does not wear much. A plain set of leather trousers, and fur-lined leather boots is all he seems to wear, exposing his muscular upper body. On colder days, he wears the skin of a bear on his back - the head of the ursine creature as a cowl, the upper claws circling his shoulders, and the lower claws wrapped around his waist. A frightening appearance that has scared many a would-be-fearless warrior one too many times on the outskirts of the isle on a cold, winter night.
Alongside his lack of apparel, is a thick leather bag that he carries with him at all times. Within are various herbs, wooden figurines, barks, saps, oils, and so on. All of it for superstitious reasons. Some say the sap of a fresh oak tree can enrich the skin, whilst others say it can treat insect bites. The Jötnar does not know for sure, but for some cases, he really believes it, as shown when he blesses the crops of farmers.
Personality: The Jötnar is a happy man of the Grytt Clan. Not one to speak a negative attitude, he brings positive nature to all those that surround him, on the rare occasion that someone is with him for company. Generally, he is alone in his hut on the more forested areas of the larger mountains, further away from the bigger villages, tending to nature.
Peaceful:
The Jötnar does not know the burn of hatred, or the power of anger, or even the attraction of greed. He is peaceful with the world, the people, and himself. Such rare feelings are a mysteriously odd sensation that he cannot describe, existing for a brief moment before flickering into nothing. Were he a different beast, he would accept the few times he has been challenged to some kind of fight from warriors daring enough to expect an acceptance, or gladly slaughter the other clans for his own personal pride and gain.
Kind:
The Jötnar helps all that is in need of it. Is a farmer scared of their crops being pillaged by various animals? The Jötnar will shoo them away. Has a giant boulder fell, blocking a pathway? The Jötnar will come to remove it. Are you out in the woods alone, lost and hungry? The Jötnar will guide you if he walks upon you, and perhaps he may give you some food if you humour him. All without any expectance of payment - although a sweet treat or any food is most welcome.
Slow:
It was as if he was an ancient man in a younger body. Every step, every turn, every little moment seems to take longer than it should. Every word spoken is elongated and drawn out. And there is no need to mention the pauses in between sentences. The Jötnar physically may be a mountain, but mentally he is a turtle.
Wise:
Whilst he may be slow, his words after a long pause are full of advice and wisdom. Perhaps some consider him slow because they talk before they think? Make no mistake however, the Jötnar is not the smartest of the Grytt Clan. He simply talks well.
Stubborn:
If a man were to push Jötnar, then the man would fall backwards onto the ground. The same could be said for the Jötnar's mind. He is not one to be swayed easily, and has learned to do things by himself, and naturally he believes those ways are normally the best. However, he is usually swayed by a more intelligent mind showing him a better alternative - although this normally applies to the elders. He sees the younger men as brash, and inexperienced usually.
Indecisive:
The Jötnar isn't one to make a decision quickly, considering all actions before acting upon them - and even them perhaps its the wrong action? Best to think it over again to make sure. Usually someone else will make the decision for him, whilst the behemoth advises.
Important Events:
A Strange Child in a Forested Land:
As a child, the Jötnar was not so giant. He was just a child, and perhaps the only time in his life, he was called his true name. Fritvor was in love with the tales of deities and creatures. Famed warriors slaying giants, earning the love of beautiful princesses, and bringing glory to their clan. The standard mindset of most children wanting to become warriors. But as time passed, the mindset for Fritvor waned. One day, he was sitting on a small boulder that had fell from the mountain eons ago in the middle of a forest. He muddled over the idea of war, and simply bawked at the idea of it all. Why cause all of this bloodshed? Why not just work together and be one big clan? Everyone could be happy and people wouldn't have to die, like his friend Einvar who died accidentally in training... It was all just stupid and pointless and even more stupid. People get angry, people fight, people die, and nothing changed. Were his thoughts spoken out loud in the village, he may have been branded a traitor, or an outcast. The Great Mountain, Jordfell seemed to think otherwise, as a magnificent stag proudly emerged from the woods. Its antlers grand, flourished in the sunlight, the fur sparkled with radiance... it was a beautiful creature. It walked up to the boy with his outstretched hand and rested its head upon it, closing its eyes. And a moment later, it rose again and bolted off into the distance.
Becoming a Giant:
Over the years, the boy grew immensely. No longer was he called his true name, but rather the name "Jötnar". He secluded himself from the larger villages and created his own hut - the same hut he uses today. Not many knew of him at this time, and on the rare occasion he approached civilization, did the villagers (mostly female, and on some occasions, very scared men) cry out in shock, as if the fairy-tales were true - a Jötnar has come to steal their livestock and slaughter their warriors! Who will save them! Thankfully that was not the case, and over time people knew who this outsider was, and what he would do to the children whom misbehaved! His reputation as a legend sharply increased, whereas his reputation as a true man of the Grytt clan decreased. In times of battle, he was never present, even when called upon. Perhaps if for once the calls falling on his ears were to help the various villages, rather than slaughter others, he would be eager to help. Instead, he cared for the wilderness and the animals, and it made him happy.
A Change of Opinion:
However, over time the cries for help did replace the cries for war. And it was the Jötnar's doing. At the time, he realized he was detested by most. A dirty, ragged giant lumbering about without a care for his kin? They wanted him in battle to make the enemies afraid on other isles, but how could they ask him for help if he couldn't even defend the village? And so, he made a decision to be of use. One day, he went to a farmer (scared out of his wits) and asked him if he wanted his crops blessed. Strangely enough, he said yes, and the farmer after a week believed it had worked! The Jötnar did other various jobs helping villages across Jordfell. He may still be seen as a coward by some, but at least by others - he was liked for his helpfulness, and kindness. Besides, the young were a pleasure to entertain with his tales, and his strength.
Traitor, or Savior?:
Recently, the Viefa and Alder clans were overcome with the Kala, their islands frozen. But their requests for aid from the Grytt clan was denied, and this did not sit well with the Jötnar. And one day, he felt compelled to take an unusually long trip to the outskirts of the island. As he traversed the rocky cliffs and grand plateaus, did he spot a boat. And later on, he came to learn it was not of Grytt make, it was of Viefa. For the boat was a late refugee from the isle, and if another man were to find it, they would sure to send it away to the other isles, or even worse, assume it was some sort of attack and alert the nearest village. Eventually the boat moved away from the proud rock that the waves had crashed over for eons, sailing southwards to a beachhead. Here, the water seeped up and down in a casual, soft motion, gliding over the fine sand and small pebbles. A refugee exited the craft, and was stunned to find a behemoth in front of him. After a brief discussion, and an explanation of what had happened recently to the Viefa, did the Jötnar come to a decision. Within the craft was a child, an injured mother, and in front of him the father trying to survive with his family. He lead them to his hut quickly, and to his knowledge nobody had spotted his would-be traitorous act, although he was sure someone had spotted the craft coming onto the isle. Over the week, he provided shelter and food for the family, before he had to let them go. At some point they would be found, and slaughtered. The Jötnar would probably have been tried for such a treasonous act, but the thought never really crossed his mind. The family sailed off, but not before graciously thanking the giant, hoping one day to see him again and repay him - of which the Jötnar refused. Such repayment was unnecessary to him.
Connections: The Jötnar is known by a lot, if not most of the Grytt Clan around his area, although not all for good reasons. Some children fear him, whilst others aspire to be like him - one day hoping to be as tall and strong as he is. The men of the clan however polarize on the issue - some see the man as an outsider, a man not fit to walk on the earth bestowed by Jordfell, for he is a man that does not defend it, nor attempts to profess its beauty and the pride of the clan by shedding blood on other isles. Others do not care about the issue, and a minority (mostly the farmers) see him as the gentle giant that he is.
Bjorn:
The two have found each other in the wilds on a few occasions. Whilst the Jotnar does care to the wilds, he understands the need for meat for the clan, and so has no qualm about the man and his hunt. Regardless, over the years they have known each other on good terms.
The Elder Skald:
A wiser man than the Jötnar, he told many of the stories to the giant when he was younger, the same stories he passes down to the young of now. However he senses he is not as well-liked as he could have been. Perhaps it is because he is bigger than the man? Perhaps not...
Gifted Powers:
Passive - Calming Presence:
It is a paradox, that one so brutish and so giant, could exude such a strange... calming aura.
Active - Bless:
The Jötnar blesses the food he is given when eating his meals. Only now, it seems the blessings seem to be more than a token of appreciation.
Active - Command:
Once a carer of animals found in the woods, now he can command them to safety.
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