Bjarne Norrelnevarkson Vestenmannavnjar Rune Mage and Explorer
Actor - Dennis Storhøi

Bjarne's Twenty Questions

1 - What country are you from?
VestenMannavjar.

2 - How would you physically describe yourself?
Tall, quite well built with sun weathered skin and a braided beard. I carry an iron shod staff, a bag with my medical implements, bandages and all that. As well as a small pouch with my runes.

3 - Do you have any recurring mannerisms?
No. There is nothing worse than being trapped by ones own recurring behaviour that one does not have control over. I have striven to remove this form of imprisonment from my life.

4 - What is your main motivation?
To reunite my people. They have been apart for too long and each day brings renewed bloodshed. I fear that if things go on for too long then the ground will become barren, the trade will dry up and the Living Runes remove their favour as our islands become desolate places haunted only by angry ghosts.

5 - What is your greatest strength, and weakness?
My faith in the Living Runes and the ways of our people is my greatest strength. My doubts about whether my mission will succeed is my greatest weakness. I have made several very bad mistakes due to my doubts and I pray that I will not make too many more.

6 - What are your most and least favourite things?
My favourite thing it the sound of children laughing, playing and having fun. My least favourite thing is the memory that I have of children screaming in terror as they run from Vesten raiders. Which is slightly worse than the memory of a similar attack carried out by Vendel-sponsored Eisen mercenaries.

7 - What is your psychology?
Balance in all things. I believe in a middle path that is open enough for the new Vendel ideas whilst not giving up on the ones from the Old Ways. I am slow to anger and am not the bravest of souls. But when friends, family or innocents are in danger then I have been known to tackle a whole squad of musketeers. Not because I have no fear of death, but because I believe that there are worse things that dying, such as allowing innocents to be hurt through my inaction.

8 - What is your single greatest fear?
Not seeing Meg before I die.

9 - What are your highest ambitions, and greatest love?
To see Vendel and Vesten re-united under the King and Council. A woman called Meg.

10 - What is your opinion of your country?
Argh. It breaks my heart to see my people fighting so. If it was simply a matter of bashing some heads to make them see sense then that would be OK. But there are extremists on both sides who refuse to see the other view-point. If you are not with them then you are against them. I hate this small-minded vindictiveness that has cost far too many lives.

11 - Do you have any prejudices?
Not many. I dislike those who judge others by appearance alone, but have come to accept that there are a great many ignorant people in Théah rich and poor alike.

12 - Where do your loyalties lie?
To my people, to the Living Runes.

13 - Are you in love, betrothed or even married?
Yes, she is the fairest woman in all of Théah and wherever she is, she carries a piece of my heart with her. Alas, I am not married or betrothed as she loves another. I consider this man to be Gjaeving (see p35 of Vesten/Vendel book).

14 - What is your family like?
A fine and upstanding Vendel family. Underneath the harsh words I sense that they do still love me. At least they’d love to see the money returned that they spent on my education.

15 - How would your parents describe you?
You would have to ask them. I would advise putting bees wax in your ears first though.

16 - Are you a gentleman/woman?
Not in the way that a Musketeer or Knight of Elaine are considered gentlemen. I have my own code of honour that involves not killing unless it is to save a life and never to reveal secrets belonging to another. I pay my debts (eventually) and value loyalty as one of the greatest attributes in a man or woman.

17 - How religious are you, and which church sect do you follow?
I am Skjaeren. The Living Runes guide our lives and those who live a good life will be rewarded in Valhalla

18 - Are you a member of a guild, gentleman’s club or secret society?
The Explorers, but they are not secret. I hope that studying the past I can prove some of the tales of my people and incorporate them into Vendel myths. That way they will not forget the Old Ways entirely.

19 - What do you think of sorcery?
It is powerful. The wielder can cause great harm or benefit. Porté does not sit well with me and the Vodacce seem to me to want turn their wives in to spiders. The Castillians have no more sorcery and the only Eisen legends that I have come across are from my travelling companions. Glamour intrigues me, but that is perhaps because of a certain Glamour mage who stole my heart.

20 - What advice do you need to hear?
Never give up. Never surrender. Perhaps Sir Oswold would say it best by quoting his great-great-grandfather, the famous poet Dylan Oswold.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.