Tankrid

History
Earl Tankrid, of the Rhovanine house of Ogh-Feandghainess, is an important feudal lord in the easternmost division of Dale - Redwater. As a backwater fief, Tankrid had gained acquisition of it after his acts of heroism during the rebellion of Oleg Jeglion.

Tankrid is not a northman of Dalish stock; originating from the wide wastes of Wilderland-Rhovanion, he was born with the name 'Beolagh', descended from the wilder-clan of Ogh-Feandghainess, one of many petty-fiefs vying for power within the expanse of the shattered old kingdom. He gained notoriety within his household after killing a bear at the fresh young age of seventeen, when most similarly-aged individuals were still sparring with wooden swords and boasting of their 'exploits'. Becoming the clan-chief soon after, he directed wars against the detestable Dhaoghoiteainn and the marauding MacKeighein(blackface) tribes, scoring major victories against their hosts and putting them to rout.

Despite these early successes, fate is not a forgiving creature, and his many victories have achieved naught. A surprise attack was called while he was away on a hunting expedition soon after, and his village was sacked to the ground by the MacKeighein during a retaliatory strike - a thousand blows would not have prevented this tide of hate from the most feared tribe, whose inhuman black faces resembled the goblin hordes of the south.

The future Earl ran hastily from the scene, vanishing into the wilderness. But a tithe of the village's original population remained, and many followed him in hopes of reaching a safer land free of black-faces and other vile enemies. There, amongst the tall golden grasses of wilderland, Beolagh met many acquaintances and companions...but they inevitably were swept away as quickly as they met him, as chaff flees before the wind. In spite of this, the young chieftain did at last find one valuable companion - Eachdonn, a young man with sparkling eyes and many bright ideas, skilled with the bow and quick on his feet. Now, it was during this time that the realm of Erebor was restored, and the town of Dale beneath it's shadow; hearing the news of a resurgent kingdom to their north, Beolagh led his band of misfits towards the river running to reach this united realm of men...for the divided and impoverished peoples of broken Rhovanion, this surely was a land of milk and honey.

Settling inside a village on the banks of the River Running, the two companions changed their name to a more fitting northman moniker: Tankrid and Sigurd, respectively. Beolagh, now Tankrid, worked as a smith in the Dalish countryside ere his wanderlust brought him back up on his feet, to find purpose in his life. He travelled to the far east, where he befriended the Poltzen tribes of the Redwater and led them as chieftain against the local warlord, the notorious and oppressive Oleg of Jeglion.

Now head of his own fortress on the Celduin, Tankrid fought many wars against his neighbours and secured hegemony over all the tribes of eastern Dale, uniting them under his banner of red, green, blue, white and gold. The now-Earl Tankrid is now thirty-four years of age, and while the scars of the past remain with him, he has a bright future ahead to fight for...to become one of the greatest and most monumental men the Kingdom of Dale had ever known.

* The image is not mine. It was done by the actual Lord Tankrid, back when Ancar's Dale was a thing. A replacement is incoming.