Captain Hern Birdseeds
The orphaned gnoll lived alone in the wilds for his youngest years. He hunted small game and ate seeds from the vegetation from the ground. He was more beast than humanoid, but that all changed when he came across a young human warrior one day.
The gnoll dashed at the child, thinking it an easy meal, but the young girl slammed her fist into his gut as he pounced and he fell to the ground. The grunt that left his lips as the wind escaped his lungs was an odd sound. The gnoll stood, and was slightly humbled, but not afraid. He looked at the human, waiting to see her intent.
“Ha. Stupid gnoll. You couldn’t take me. What’s your name?”
No response.
“Well then I’m gonna call you the first thing I heard out of your mouth. Hern.”
Turns out the girl was alone too. So they traveled together for years, figuring there was strength in numbers. They one day came upon the sea, standing on a coastal cliff. The wind felt amazing flowing through Hern’s fur, and the smell of the sea brought a wide grin to his face. He reached into his pouch of seeds and shoved a whole handful into his toothy maw.
“You like it here, Hern?” The young woman asked her hairy friend.
Hern nodded his approval, seeds spilling out from his lips.
“Then perhaps we stay here. Maybe ride on a boat.”
“No.” Said Hern. “Get boat. Our boat.”
“You want a ship just for us?” The girl laughed aloud. “That would be so expensive, dear. We’ll have to work hard to get that kind of money.”
Hern gave her serious look, and she could not deny her closest friend. They fought together as mercenaries, she being a nimble fighter, and he being a rage-driven barbarian. Eventually their coin purses were full, and they did indeed buy a ship.
The Registry Office asked who was to be the rightful owner of the ship for its paperwork. The woman who had lived beside Hern for years gave him a glance, taking note of his enormous grin.
“Hern.” She said with a smile.
“Ummm... I need a family name as well, or tribe name, whichever.” Said the clerk.
“Oh, uh, yes, well...” She glanced about looking for anything, she gave him his first name and she could do so again. Her eyes fell upon the sack tied to his belt, full of seeds usually meant for domesticated birds. “Birdseeds. Hern Birdseeds.”
“CAPTAIN Hern Birdseeds.” Came Hern’s voice from behind her.
The two left and recruited a small team of men and women to crew their ship, and they set off. The open waters were exactly what they had always desired, and now the world was their oyster.
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And that’s my initial though as to where Captain Hern Birdseed is from. So, @captain-hern-birdseeds, feel free to tell me how wrong I was. It truly is a truly interesting name that could have a million different origins. I also can’t seem to tag you, don’t know why.