<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">inactive</div><div class="spoiler_body"><hr/>(https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220222/9f44087d7a02639269b87dfb9d86ba7f.png)<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/TxRLbsD.jpg)</div><br/><strong>Culture/race:</strong> Dunedain, Ranger of the North<br/><strong>Profession:</strong> Fighter<br/><strong>Age:</strong> 54<br/><strong>How old does he/she appear:</strong> 30<br/><strong>Gender:</strong> Male<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Language(s):</strong></span> Westron, Sindarin, Quenya, Some Black Speech<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Physical Appearance</span></strong></span></div><br/><strong>Body Build:</strong> Powerful and solid, Torstein's mighty body stands in contrast to his fellow Rangers and brothers. Where his eldest brother is built with the savage economy of the wolf and his second brother is built with the regal litheness of the mountain lion, Torstein is marked by the grand bulk of the bear. His shoulders are broad, his arms and legs thick as trees, and his thews as things hewn of mountain stone.<br/><strong>Height:</strong> 7'4"<br/><strong>Weight:</strong> 398lbs<br/><strong>Hair:</strong> Black<br/><strong>Eyes:</strong> Grey<br/><strong>Skin tone:</strong> Tanned<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_u"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Personality</span></span></strong></div><br/><strong>Demeanor:</strong> Grim-faced and grim-hearted, Torstein is often given to sorrow and melancholy. He yearns to live a life with meaning and live up to the glories of his forefathers. He feels some scant hope that Aragorn might restore that which was sundered and recover that was lost, and hopes he might be worthy to serve Aragorn when he comes into his throne. Like his brothers and fellow Rangers, Torstein holds close to his heart the duty to protect the people of the North and regards his blood shed a pauper's price if it purchases the safety of those under his protection. Hardy and courageous, Torstein does not fear the Enemy nor his servants, and in his heart there is a great and terrible anger towards them - so much so that among his fellow Rangers gave him the epithet 'the Furious One.' <br/><br/>It is not all forlorn hope, gloom, and rage for Torstein, however. There is, in his heart, a ray of brightest light: a love he dare not speak out of fear of rejection. But there is an Elfmaid whom he loves dearly, and in her he has found a reason to live that drives him beyond all reason and injury. He wishes to be worthy of her, though he tells himself it is the most ephemeral of dreams. <br/><br/><strong>Motivation(s):</strong> Safeguard the peoples of the North and see the Enemy cast down. Become worthy of the hand of an Elfmaid. <br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Skills</strong><br/></span><ul class="bbc_list"></ul><strong>Great Proficiency</strong><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Athletics</li><li>Combat (Close, one-handed sword; Ranged, flat bow)</li><li>Concentration* (frenzy, adrenal force)</li><li>Survival</li><li>Academic (herb lore)</li></ul><strong>Basic Proficiency</strong><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Crafting (Bowyery and Fletchery)</li><li>Medical</li><li>Subterfuge</li><li>Animal (horsemanship)</li><li>Gymnastic</li><li>Perception</li></ul><strong>No Proficiency</strong><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Evaluation</li><li>Linguistic</li><li>Social</li><li>Magical</li></ul><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Equipment</strong><br/></span><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Mail Hauberk, Bracers, Greaves - Torstein owns a mail hauberk, a pair of bracers, and a pair of greaves. They are made of simple steel.</li><li>Grey Cloak - Torstein wears a grey Elf-cloak that is the hallmark of the Rangers of the North. It is waterproof and aids in camouflaging him from sight.</li><li>Ranger Badge - The badge of the Rangers; a silver badge in the shape of a rayed star. Torstein has the honour of bearing a badge forged by Elven hands in Rivendell.</li><li>Andahador - Torstein bears a flatbow as tall as he is made of ash. It bears the Sindarin name meaning 'far thrower.' He carries spare strings and arrows. The bow is of Elven make, and between its strength and his own Torstein can fire an arrow with such force that it may pierce through the body of an orc and slay one behind the first.</li><li>Mournblade - A hand and a half sword with a broad blade. Fashioned in elder days by a Noldo smith attempting to recreate galvorn, it is a partial success. While the metal the blade is fashioned of is stronger than Dwarf-steel and holds an edge unfailingly, not suffering a single nick or bend, nor any blemish or rusting, it is twice the weight of a sword of its size made of conventional steel. It was given as a gift to one of Torstein's ancestors, only to be lost in battle to orcs. Before it was lost, the blade bore the name Ravenbrand. Torstein recovered the weapon after slaying a mighty Orc-lord, and found the weapon in a treasure store in the Orc-lord's lair. Torstein found the blade suited his hand well and its weight bothered him not, for his might was such that it still seemed light in his hands. Torstein gave the blade its new name when he brought it to bear against evil Men allied with the Orc-lord he slew, declaring the blade's edge would be the remorse of dying men.</li><li>Seax - Torstein carries a seax for utility and for situations when Mournblade is too cumbersome.</li><li>Camping supplies and tools - Torstein carries various supplies for camping such as a bedroll, flint and steel, a small supplying of combustibles to start a fire in a waterproof container, etc.</li></ul><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Personal History</span></strong></span> </div><br/>The youngest of three brothers, Torstein is heir to a proud and noble heritage as one of the Dunedain Rangers of the North. His family is able to trace its line through the great noble houses of Arthedain to nobility in Numenor. For Torstein the pride of this is outweighed by the burden and obligation of duty that comes with it. The weight of the greatness of his ancestors fell upon his broad shoulders and settled there; the heaviness of it felt throughout his youth and life. Trained by fellow Rangers and Elves, Torstein shared some of the grimness and melancholy of his people but he surpassed his brothers in this regard. He was not so well esteemed as his eldest brother, who possessed a keen mind for strategy and the many details of command, thus marked for leadership, nor his second brother, who was gifted with a great love of lore and a mind for scholarly pursuits. Still, he loves his brothers and they him, and Torstein's fellow Rangers know him as a staunch companion and none would deny him fighting at their side.<br/><br/>Torstein's earliest years and forays consisted of journeys through Arthedain and Cardolan. He fought against Angmarim who sought to defile the ruins of fallen Annuminas, and laid low many servants of the Witch-King who sought to pilfer what little might yet remain in the ancient capital. In his early years he faced bandits and wolves, slaying each in order to protect the few folk who yet made their homes in the North. He was among the Rangers when Aragorn bid them defend the Shire, though Torstein did not remain their long; he remained for a few seasons before he went about in the North, seeking wrongs to right and Evil to lay low.<br/><br/>The Troll-Shaws was a frequent haunt of Torstein's, and there he smote the beasts when they came out at night. His tally of kills of the mighty Olog-Hai numbers six. In such battles Torstein learned to fight through the most grievous of injuries and to push himself to the utmost limits, emerging a better warrior for his brushes with his own death. It was never for vain glory that he faced such powerful foes, and it was never with a fear of death. It was for the sake of others he risked his life - for each bandit and servant of the Enemy he laid low was one who would not come upon a farmer and his family, never again to visit pain and anguish upon the innocent. The knowledge that he could not spare those he wished to protect such pain and anguish gave birth to the rage in his heart, and when his fellow Rangers saw him hacking and hewing enemies in his fury they dubbed him 'the Furious One.' Some feared his anger would not allow him to tell friend from foe, but Torstein's sword has never harmed an ally.<br/><br/>Torstein has known hard winters. During a fiercely bitter winter he found himself trapped in hills by a sudden freak storm. When the ill weather cleared he was set upon by a pack of White Wolves, and each of these he slew, skinned, and ate the flesh of to sustain himself. He made gifts of the pelts to his brothers, and to those few Elves whom he had some modest friendship with in Rivendell.<br/><br/>Torstein had the great fortune of learning the ways of the Ranger from Elves of Rivendell, and once even received tutelage from one of the sons of Elrond himself: Elohir. Five other Rangers were given this honour, and the group pursued a troupe of orcs. For days and nights the Rangers tracked and skirmished with the orcs under Elohir's guidance, striking from shadow and pursuing unseen. The hunt took a sour turn when they came into contact with a group of Uruk-Hai accompanied by an Olog-Hai and dark priest of Angmar. The Rangers and son of Elrond gave a good accounting of themselves and ultimately triumphed, but Elohir was sorely wounded by the chief Uruk-Hai and the Olog-Hai. Torstein himself was sorely wounded shielding Elohir from a mortal strike with his huge body. In the aftermath, Torstein healed Elohir with Athelas to the best of his ability, but the wounds were beyond his skill to completely repair. And so, for seven days and seven nights Torstein bore Elohir across his shoulders back to Rivendell. Torstein did not pause for sleep or rest, so determined and filled with purpose that Elohir not perish. He had not paused to tend to his own injuries in his concern for the son of Elrond, such was the esteem Elohir was held in by the Rangers. <br/><br/>Once in Rivendell, for three and three nights Torstein slept. While he slept he was cared for by an Elfmaid, and when he woke she continued his care. There was something special about her, and when she was in the same room the sun seemed brighter and warmer to Torstein. He fought and rallied against his injuries, recovering far more quickly than one would expect from his wounds and ordeals. Though he said nothing and tried to hide it the love that bloomed in his heart was obvious to all. The only courage he showed was not to tarry in Rivendell, but instead he departed once he was recovered enough to do so. The love he felt and the impossibility of realizing it was too much. It simultaneously gave him purpose and filled him with melancholy. <br/><br/>He journeyed to the North Downs, and spent several seasons in the wild recovering his strength and harassing orcs in the area. The orcs had waxed strong there and designs were made upon the Trestlespan. Torstein destroyed supplies and hunted down strategic figures in a bid to thwart the efforts of the orcs. He sent word to his fellow Rangers and some few answered. It was as much answer as any Ranger could hope for and expect given their depleted numbers. After a campaign of harassment and strategic executions, the Rangers discovered the leader of the orcs' efforts was a mighty Orc-lord - a great Uruk-hai who was a powerful slayer of Men - who laid claim to an old fort. The Rangers scouted the fort over many nights, and then resolved to make a bold attack to strike the head from the serpent. Under cover of darkness the Rangers made their attack, and they managed to pierce the fort's defenses and strike into the Orc-lord's lair. Two Rangers met their end, fighting bravely and surrounded by fallen foes. Torstein fought with such fury that the orcs feared to approach him, and his battle cries sent the least among their number fleeing in terror despite leaders trying to force them to fight. Torstein fought the Orc-lord in single combat, though an orc-spear had pierced his side deeply when Torstein interposed himself between spearpoint and the back of a fellow Ranger. It was brutal fight, bloody and merciless. Torstein's sword broke in the duel and the Ranger was forced to fight with his bare hands. The battle culminated with Torstein lifting the Orc-lord over his head and bring him down upon his knee, breaking the Orc-lord before the remnants of his elites. This act heartened the remaining Rangers as much as it cowed the orcs, and the Rangers were victorious. <br/><br/>The Rangers liberated many Bree-landers taken as slaves, and found a store of treasure. Among these Torstein found an ancient black blade of great weight and heft. None of the other Rangers, powerful men in the prime of their lives, could wield it easily, but Torstein found he could wield it with ease. Moreover, the weapon felt good and right in his hand, as thought meant for it. Bandits allied with the orcs arrived, and the Rangers were forced to fight once more - not just for their own lives, but for the lives and freedom of those slaves they had just loosed. The Rangers fought hard and with nothing held back, using the fullness of their martial prowess. The bandits fell before them, and Torstein named the black blade Mournblade, for its edge was the remorse of dying men. <br/><br/>Played by Cold Heritage<br/>[/list]</div></div>