Dramatis Persona
Surtr Muspelson; High King of the Guardians of Asgård, Praetor of the 13th Great Company during the Great Crusade, The Asgårdian, Will of the Nine.
Surtr Muspelson is a Terran born Astartes, born into a Scandinavis Tribe sometime around 770.M30. He and many others of the Tribes of the north was folded into the Imperium and their braves turned into the first warriors to make up the VIth Legion. Then, joining the other fleets of the Great Crusade began the hunt for the various Primarchs that were scattered across the galaxy. Surtr and the VIth found their King on Fenris in 807.M.30.
Surtr and many of his Tribes-Brothers (along with Russ’ Sword-Brothers) would join to create the 13th Great Company, with Jorin Bloodhowl as the first Jarl of the Dekk-Tra. Surtr rose in the ranks slowly and steadily, known to look out for those under his leadership, but always denying a promotion, saying only the High King should adorn him with command when it is called for.
In 870.M.30, during the Dulan Campaign where the Space Wolves and Dark Angels fought against the Faash, the Jarl and his Huskarl Buleye were killed in action during the ground battles on Dulan. Surtr rallied the 13th, and helped to the aide of both the 6th company and 8th, lending some assistance to their Dark Angel brothers as well. When the din of battle was gone, and the duel of the Wolf & Lion was concluded, Surtr was promoted to the new Jarl of the Dekk-Tra by King Russ.
His story continues on, but those tales shall come in time.
Woden Blackstorm; Chief Skald of the Guardians of Asgård, Conduit of the Nine.
Woden Blackstorm, while not a Jarl of any of the Warhosts, holds the rank of Chief Skald and Hesir to High King. Woden is Midgårdian, born on the new homeworld of the Guardians. He is the Headmaster of the Astartes training program, despite his youth Woden is a font of knowledge and history of his people. His duties within the warband is to help teach and educate the new Guardians who join the ranks. Each year, following the Mid-summer festivals, Woden receives either the most promising Initiates from the yearly selection, or the most troublesome.
He also helps train and moderate over the Neophytes who show greater Psychic potential, showing them the ways of communing with the Nine, and the powers they can grant. The power of the Warp is a fickle, and often dangerous thing, and the Guardians know this all too well.
Woden’s Master had developed the concept of building the "níu sinnum hlið", mental gates that are built into the Skald as they learn. This way the flow of power from the Warp is choked, reducing the risk of taint or corruption to minuscule levels.
The beginners would only be be capable of opening the First or Second gates, while Masters like Woden and Surtr are able to open even the Ninth gate, if only for a short period of time.
Marcus Mettalus; Arch-Magos of Forgeworld Muspelheim, Chief Architect of the Nidhogg.
Prior to becoming the chief designer and architect to the floating-void-worthy-city-totally-not-a-craft-world that is NIDHOGG, Mettalus used to be the Chief Magos Biologis in the Kingdom. He adores the beauty of Nature, and how various creatures have evolved over eons to be part of their niche of life.
He has, over the past ~900 years or so, documented and sketched out a myriad of species of mammals, flora, insects, mega-fuana and more. If one went to one of the many libraries in the Kingdom, a lot of the books of wildlife or the artist renditions of animals are probably his.
The Iron Lady; Arch-Magos of Forgeworld Gofannos, Keeper of The Black Ancients, "y to gwellt".
The Iron Lady, a follower of the gods of the Forge and Metal, she is possibly one of the oldest beings within the Kingdom apart from possibly High King Surtr and some of the Ancients. She has replaced almost all of her mortal flesh and bones, to that of sturdy steel, sacred silica, and hallowed mithril. Though she has crafted her new vessel to not resemble the bulky and looming figures that are commonplace with her fellow siblings of the Red Cloth.
Shaped to be like that of a sculpted statue, not of marble, yew or clay, but of wires, cables and armor plating. Like that of an elder artist of old, she carved her new body with her own hands, to be what she envisioned herself to be, or always was.
Moving with the usual fluid grace of her mortal serfs and citizens, but powered by gears, potentia coil, and synthetic muscle bundles. Clad but in her new inorganic flesh, and the robes of her Office, though this hides the veritable nest of cables, tethers and mechadendrites shadowed within the folds of the cloth.
The Iron Lady oversees a sacred charge, apart from her usual duties as Arch-Magos of Gofannos. The Black Ancients.
Ancients, the name given to the men and women interred into Dreadnought chassis, with time begin to deteriorate mentally. The process takes decades if not centuries before the mental state of the Ancients become borderline feral, or have taken on the name and persona of a figure of legend, the previous self gone forevermore.
These are the Black Ancients, feral beasts of adamantium and wroth. The Iron Lady is the seemingly only one able to corral and maintain these warriors, her unusual mannerisms and aura able to keep these Black Ancients focused, and more a danger to the enemy than their own brethren.
Eiyr Stormborn; Jarl of the Valkyries, The Matriarch, Spear of the Nine.
Lady Eiyr is an Ascended, a human who has been blessed by the Gods with powers and an augmented form to deliver the will of the Gods. Eiyr wields the powers of Frejya, Goddess of Magic, Lust and War. Her psychic abilities lets her control the minds and bodies of her enemies, forcing them to either do her bidding or perish.
Eiyr was born on Midgård and when she came of age, like many others, took the Trials to see if she may become a Vanir, or an Astartes as they are called. While she was not able to complete the third trial (out of the three), she was able to still continue her training in the human military.
Through numerous campaigns and perils, Eiyr served within the Soturit, earning some acclaim and several scars. Here was she seen by Freyja, Queen of the Valkyr, and was offered the gift of Ascension. Eiyr Hasseldottir, was remade under the darkened storm clouds, into the now Stormborn. Hair of red gold, tawny wings, and blood of a demi-goddess.
Erik Greyraven; Jarl of the Ulfsarks, Grey Ancient, Voice of the Nine.
The eldest on the seat of the Council (the collection of Jarls and Hesirs who command the Guardians of Asgård), Erik Greyraven grumbles and trundles around in his terminator armor, heavily reliant on the suit to keep his frame moving around. Almost 2,000 years old, he and a few others were responsible in the creation and success of the “Ascended” Project.
The project was responsible in finding a way to augment humans, and even Astartes to the next level with the aide of The Nine and their pantheon. Magis Biologis and Inquisitorial agents can not help but draw comparisons to the Chaos Chosen, mortal bodies that have been imbued with either Demons, or some other malefic powers.
Ascended must surely be no different.
Haralde Celtos; Chief Ambassador, Child of Bretannos, Dealbroker of Ultramar and Xerxes.
A middle aged Bretannos born man, having risen through the ranks among the noble trade of Wordsmiths, before applying to join the Embassy and plying his trade and expertise there. The ambassadors and their corps help with establishing trade routes, bettering relations with the neighboring kingdoms, Rogue Traders, and Xenos who live near/within the Kingdom. They have become more critical in years following the return of the Guardians into the greater Imperium, as they had to work with the horrors of the Administratum and Bureaucrats system and help smooth over the transition.
Now as Chief Ambassador, his skills and talents to handle the more sensitive and crucial situations, to save a situation where the worst outcome might lead into an unnecessary conflict or even war. (Currently working on solidifying a potential Alliance between the Kingdom of Midgård and the Empire of Xerxes)
Grande Dame Noemie Durand XIV; High Lord of House Chevailer, Scion Pilot of Dominon, Queen of Karseille, and Head of the Durand Dynasty.
Noemie Durand is the current figure head of House Chevalier, a small kingdom along the southern border of Midgård, near the edge of the Ultramar Segmentum. Only having been the leader of her people for barely a century, compared to many rulers near her lands who have governed for several centuries if nor millennia, Noemie has much to learn how to rule her people as they are slowly drawn into the wider conflict across the galaxy.
Karseille was a former Imperial Colony, founded some time during the Great Crusade Era, following the discovery and addition of the Ultramar Empire of Roboute Guilliman. However, given the sub-sector's location to the far north and near the Ghoul Stars, along with the lack of trade, Karseille soon became an isolated region and ended up being an independent realm.
For more information about the Guardians of Asgård, their history, their forces, please click on these: History 1, History 2, History 3, History 4, Short AU Explanation, Guardian Mythos
(Going to edit this properly when on PC. Mobile Tumblr be caught lackin'.)