The wind whispered faintly, setting the branches to motion and rhythmically rustling the leaves. Atop the low hill, Odalric thought it a message from the gods, a reassurance that they were with him. As the breeze swept across his face, he closed his eyes and breathed it in deeply, accepting its sweetness into his lungs, accepting the might of the gods. The sunlight peered through gaps in the boughs, scattering the early morning mist, and Odalric took that as an omen. He and his men would be the sun, the enemies the mist. His warriors had gathered before the hill, clutching spear and axe and seax. Odalric felt even stronger as he saw the wind ruffle their hair and beards and garments. They would all be blessed. Raising up his axe, the thegn spoke.
“Good men and brothers, the gods are with us! For these lands are their lands, and ours, and they will not bid us protect them alone. These Frankish dogs snarl at us and bare the teeth of their false Roman single-god. They seek to steal our lands and strike down our gods, but I say this: they have but one, while many watch over us! Woden shall grant us wisdom, and Tiw courage, and Thunor strength, and father Seaxneat will hone the edges of our blades and points of our spears and we shall cut down these foreign scum and their bastard god of Rome! Come, brothers, raise your spears and swords, and let their god weep to hear your fury! This is our land, and it will never be lost! Attack!”
Their charge was thunder, and each footfall set Odalric’s blood to quickening. Fervor for the gods. Always.
Odalric has ever loved three things; his homeland, his gods, and his people. Born into the woodlands along the river, he spent his early days ranging the forests, felling trees and hunting game, serving those lands, people, and gods. He had taken to the gods early and vehemently, setting forth in all he did to honor them; each tree cut for resource, each deer killed for food was a prayer to his gods in thanks for their gifts and their bounty. Each enemy encroaching on his land or his people slain was an offering to the gods, for even as they watched over him, he defended their honor from foreign lies. And how he defended them. Odalric took insults to his gods poorly even as a youth, filled with wroth and fury towards the enemies of his deities. Would-be subjugators would meet the edge of the same axe that would offer prayers of thanks as swiftly as sacrifice. Yet even as Woden and Thunor and Tiw and Seaxneat granted him rage to dispose of his enemies, they had blessed him with a measure of kindness as well, of forethought and reason. Not all of his people were so incorruptible or communal all of the time, and altercations between neighboring tribes and families were not uncommon. Odalric actively sought these conflicts and worked to resolve them under the guidance of the gods; blood was for enemies and outsiders, but his people needed to be unified and blessed. He gained a certain amount of recognition among the local tribes and families as an arbiter and a mediator and an inspirer, for even as he quenched sparks among his own, he rallied them to defense of their lands, gods, and each other, whenever enemies presented themselves. It was by deed rather than blood that Odalric became the thegn of his local clan, for he came to be well-respected by his people and those surrounding, with murmurings of his particular breed of exploits reaching authority figures beyond.
Odalric is a natural leader, though humbles himself most of the time. He strives for diplomacy and unity amongst his own people, painfully aware of the hammers poised all around Saxony, ready to strike. He saves all of his rage and contempt for his enemies, though in his mind he is often torn between the desires to keep his people safe and keep them pride. Truly his biggest fear is being put into a position where he would have to choose between life or liberty for his home and his people. He strives to be an inspiration to his people, ever reminding them to be as one and to honor and praise their gods. Religion is vastly important to Odalric and he is deeply spiritual and devoted to his deities. He looks upon his status as chieftain as a chance to honor them (and his people) better.
