Origin
Ljalfr is the descendant of a long line of northern hunters. His great-great-grandfather Freyndr once held a position of respect in Irrisen, but a mysterious scandal forced him and his family into exile. What exactly happened is unknown to Ljalfr, his father Karith never told him and likely didn't knew himself. However, Freyndr left Irrisen behind and continued to travel south, far away from Irrisen. His line survived as skilled hunters and trailblazers, but never forgot the family's origin. Every son and daughter had to learn old songs and tales of the north, and Skald, the language of Freyndr's lost home.
Karith, Ljalfr's father, traveled further south than any one in his line did before him, surrounding the Inner Sea, visiting the great city of Absalom briefly, and making a stop in the most unassuming village of Heldren somewhere in southern Taldor. Ljalfr never learned what drove his father, as he was a silent man, being most comfortable in the wilderness and away from civilization. Maybe it was the death of Ljalfr's mother, who had died when her son was still learning to walk. But despite his remote nature, Ljalfr worshipped his father, hanging on his lips whenever he would speak.
Life in Heldren
It was in Heldren that Ljalfr saw his father for the last time. Despite a massive thunderstorm, Karith went out with two of the village's hunters, leaving behind his son of 13 years and his personal talisman to calm the boy. What exactly happened to them is unknown, the men probably got into an avalanche or encountered a wild beast. No corpses were ever found.
The innkeeper of the 'Silver Stoat' took Ljalfr in as help and watched day after day how the boy left town to search for his father, when everyone else knew he wouldn't find anything. But the boy stubbornly continued his ventures into the surrounding wilderness, talking to every hunter or woodcutters he would meet. It didn't take long before the Ljalfr got a reputation for being something of a good luck charm - he rarely went home without prey, and never lost his path. But his skills didn't bring him any comfort, and he became as silent and remote as his father had been.
The only time Ljalfr seemed happy was when the townspeople gathered, when stories were told and songs filled the air. The boy absorbed everything like a sponge, but was always willing to give back a tale from his forefathers. Of particular interest to Ljalfr was an old monk, who, between a great many stories, tought him of Irori's ways. And in the rites of Irori, Ljalfr finally found piece. He still missed his father, but the days became bearable again, and under the monk's tutelage he learned many things.
With the passing of the years, Ljalfr became something of the town's skald. Despite his young years, he can perfectly recite all of the local songs, knows the genealogy of many local people, and can make up an entertaining story on the spot if necessary.
Personality and Beliefs
Ljalfr enjoys being amongst people, especially if tales and songs are involved, but he isn't loud or flashy. Instead, he likes to listen, only adding to a conversation when he thinks it is appropriate, or when asked. His polite attitide has made him popular amongst of the townspeople, and he seems to get along with folks of every profession or background.
Although he believes in the wisdom of Irori, Ljalfr also makes offerings to Erastil, not only for the luck of the hunt but also out of respect for his father and his father's fathers. Unlike his old mentor, he believes that the secret to knowledge and self-perfection isn't hidden in repeated phyiscal exercises, but laid out within all of nature itself, if one only knows how to read the signs.
Motivations and Fears
Ljalfr is fascinated with stores of the past, telling of heroes and gods. He tries to extract wisdom from these tales, guidelines of how to live his life. He also longs to visit the ancestral home of his forefathers one day, to maybe uncover what happened to Freyndr, and to see the lands of ice and snow with his own eyes.
His greatest fear is that he may not life up to his father's expectations, who still lives on in his mind. Although he knows that for Karith the old tales of the north were something precious, he fears he might not live up to the standards set by those very tales.
