Thorvald Hjaltason

Thorvald Hjaltason (Old Norse: Þórvaldr Hjaltason) was an Icelandic skald and Hidden One active during the 10th century. He fought alongside King Eric the Victorious, believing it to be for the betterment of the country. He was an ancestor of the 21st-century teenager Javier Mondragón.

Biography

At some point in his life, Thorvald joined the Hidden Ones before the reign of King Olof Björnsson. When the Hidden Ones allied themselves with King Eric, Thorvald formed part of his court as a royal skald.

In 985, Thorvald and his blind Mentor Torgny the Lawspeaker fought against Styrbjörn the Strong, as the Hidden Ones suspected that the fearsome prince and his ally Harald Bluetooth were affiliated with the Templar Order. While having a meeting with Eric about blocking a river to prevent Styrbjörn's allies from advancing, Thorvald started to seek reliable men for such a task. It was at that point that he met Östen Jorundsson, a farmer who had joined Eric's army and whom Thorvald would select to be his helper.

As Styrbjörn's men were being slowed down by the stake wall they had built, Thorvald ordered Östen and his men to lay poison traps and snares to hinder Styrbjörn's advance, which they would impede even furhter by conducting night raids to terrify their enemies and deprive them of sleep. At night, while attacking an enemy camp in the Mirkwood, Thorvald used the trees to hide and silently attack the Jomsvikings, managing to slay several of Styrbjörn's key men including their leader Palnatoke.

Eventually, Thorvald fought alongside Östen against Styrbjörn's forces during the Battle of Fýrisvellir. On the night before battle, he infiltrated Styrbjörn's camp and left poisoned silver as a deceit for enemy troops to pick up. While Thorvald was placing the silver in the camp, he witnessed one soldier hide a dagger inside a boulder. He claimed the dagger for himself a short time later before gifting it to Eric.

When Östen was named Eric's champion following their victory against Styrbjörn, Thorvald entrusted Östen with the Trident of Eden's Devotion Prong that his enemy had wielded. Afterwards, Eric offered a great reward to whoever could compose a poem about the battle that had just taken place. Thorvald immediately composed two lausavísur of skaldic poetry commemorating the triumph, for which the king rewarded him with a golden bracelet.

Legacy

Thorvald's continuous interventions against Styrbjörn the Strong were a constant irritation for the prince and his men, who gradually became demotivated and weary of their surroundings after losing numerous soldiers before even reaching the decisive battlefield. Thorvald's actions ultimately played a crucial role in King Eric's victory over his rival, and the skald made sure to commemorate the triumph through his poetry.

Thorvald fathered at least one child sometime after the Battle of Fýrisvellir, through whom he became an ancestor of Javier Mondragón, a 21st-century teenager who relived his genetic memories to collect intel about Harald's Devotion Prong. It would appear that, in spite of his Hidden One affiliations, all knowledge about Thorvald was lost to the Brotherhood by the modern era, as the Assassin Griffin was unfamiliar with him and became curious to learn about Javier's Assassin lineage.

Equipment and skills

Thorvald, as a trained Hidden One, had mastered freerunning, owned a Hidden Blade, and possessed the ability of Eagle Vision, though he referred to it as "Odin-sight". He also owned a horse named Gyllir.

While being known as a skald, Thorvald was in fact a skilled warrior and, when provoked by five men, noted to himself that he could easily kill three of them before the two others could even draw their weapons. He also dueled and killed Palnatoke, who as the Jomsvikings' leader was considered to be one the deadliest warriors of his time.

Gallery

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  Concept art by Studio Lounak
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  Concept art by Studio Lounak

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods