Hlíf Áskelsdóttir
Etymology
Hlíf is pronounced Leaf.
Old Norse name meaning cover, shelter, protection, esp. shield
She is also known as Honey Badger or simply Shield Maiden.
In Avacal she changed her name to Hlif Angarsdottir to fit her knight at the time's name but recently submitted a name change to Hlíf Mjoksiglandi (much sailing) Askasmiðr (shipwright) to representher passion for sailing and the fact that she's travelled the known world. Her submission is still pending.
Persona Background
Hlíf was born in the fall of 813 and hails from Samsø, a Danish island in the Kattegat.
She lost her family in the summer of 827 to the Anglo-Saxons. She's been roaming in search of knowledge and adventure since.
SCA History
Hlíf's introduction to the SCA was when Wulfgar Bradaxe put her in armour and gave her a sword in September of AS XLVIII.
In March of the same year, she was taken as Man-at-Arms by Dmitrii Ivanavitch, a squire from the Barony of Seagirt.
At Sealion war of that year, Her Excellency Letitia Talbot, Baroness of Seagirt took Hlíf as her personal Shield Maiden.
She was released as Man-at-Arms to Dmitrii Ivanavitch 3 months after, to be taken by Sir William of the Battered Helm.
Hlíf was surprised with an Award of Arms in October AS XLIX, a few days after taking office as Seagirt's Master of Stables.
Daffodil tournament, 15 March AS XLIX, Sir William of the Battered Helm released her as Man-at-Arms and took her as squire.
Yule, she entered the A&S championship on the spur of the moment. Presented two tablet woven bands. One, a reproduction of a band found on the Oseberg ship and another a grave find from Mammen. She became Seagirt's A&S champion on December 12th AS L.
On May 7th AS LI, she was taken as Protégée by His Excellency Baron Uilliam mac Fearchair mhic Gillie Aindrias and was made an Official Ambassador of Tir Righ by Their Highnesses Thorwulf Bjornsson and Wulfwyn of Meduseld.
She has a nasty tendency to start wars... or so they say in Tir Righ.
She relocated to the Kingdom of Avacal in July of AS LI with her Lord husband Brother Aldric Ambrose and their daughter Berserker Hlífsdóttir. They live in the Shire of Bordergate.
In Bordergate Hlif was knight marshal and then became Kingdom chatelaine. She asked to be released as a squire from Sir William as distance was not working but they remain good friends. Her pelican stopped playing and she qbecame protégée and apprentice to Mistress Sadb. She squired to Sir Angar on the Warfield of Quad war. Hlif became Kingdom A&S champion.
The family has now moved to the Kingdom of Northshield and they call the Barony of Castle Rouge their home. Hlif can still be found in armour although an accident kept her off the field for 3 year, she came close to not being about to fight but hard headed as she is... She still deals with severe pain and awaits surgery but keeping her off the field is hard. She once again asked to be released as a squire due to Sir Angar not being active anymore and for personal reasons.
When she can't fight she marshals. Her priority is to get people in armour, teach them to make armour, train them, and keep them safe. She's still known to be aggressive regarding safety and hydration. She has helped over 5 dozen people across 3 kingdoms to get in armour and get authorised. To this date she has commanded 2 armies and several battle groups and battalions. Her knowledge in war tactics makes her a great leader and terrifying opponent.
She's Northshield's problem now, but she's a good problem.
Interests
Hlíf feels at home in the eric and on the warfield. If she's not fighting, she's marshalling or waterbearing. She's known to be a very aggressive waterbearer who believes in the "drink it or wear it" philosophy.
List of Awards
Award of Arms AS XLIX
Order of the Rock AS XLIX
Seagirt A&S Champion AS L
Order of The Narwhal AS L
Order of l'Étoile d'Argent AS L
Defender of A&S of Bordergate AS LII
Order of the Winged Lynx AS LIII
Avacal A&S Champion AS LIV to AS LVII
Elder of Avacal AS LVII
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif
Hlif was honoured with a song at Sealion war LI! During closing court, she was called up to be serenaded but an epic bard. His song was very catchy and had the entire court signing along! It's hard to make her blush, he succeeded!
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif
By Brother Emrys of Lions Gate
May 10, AS LI
Once upon a time in the shire of Ramsgaard,
The Quest for the Golden Fleece,
Lords and Ladies came from miles around,
A truly nice and fancy feast
(Not the Cat food).
Arrows were-a-flying, the sounds of rapiering steel,
Though the combative arts seemed to draw mass appeal.
I met a noble fighter, said his name was Zach,
Who's like 5 foot 3 and poised to attack.
I said I like the way that he threw his throws,
He said "I Just learned it from watching a pro...."
Her name is Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif, Hlif, Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me. Me. Me.
He said "That woman scares me, She's shorter than I."
I said "I've heard the name, But mind if I pry?"
He said she was a monster with steel and Rattan,
With a cold dead stare,Which could kill any man.
Put an upset Berserker behind enemy shield wall,
And a half-a-dozen lives and she'll cleave through them all.
And with the sword-a-flying, The body count's rising,
And yet no one else got hurt,
And once she's satisfied her implaceable rage,
You'll find her napping in her yurt.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif, Hlif, Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me. Me. Me.
She's caused a great headache for Lions Gate,
But is so damn lovable she's really hard to hate,
But when she draws her sword, and she's ready to slay,
She's like that green haired samurai from that one anime.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif, Hlif, Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me. Me. Me.
Now it's true my friends, this time doth end,
Travels take her away,
To a far away land untouched by her,
Berserker, and their ways,
Though I admit, Sir William too, of the fact we'll miss her how,
She'll surely find an Eric 1,000 miles away,
For the trouble she's caused,
She's their problem now.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me.
Super Rabid Honey Badger Hlif, Hlif, Hlif!
...Please don't come and murder me. Me. Me.
The Little Lai of Hlíf
This lai was written by Hlíf's inspiration and friend, Lady Athelina Grey as part of her bardic competition that she won. It's about the Baroness's walk at Sealion War AS XLVIII.
We all know a badger's a terrible beast
on the hearts of its victims it readily feasts
but tempered by HONEY, a badger grows wise:
compassion and caring will shine from its eyes.
A tale of a badger of honey I'll tell
And her quest to save cookies from villians so fell.
One day she was camping at Sealion War
to protect good Letitia she humbly swore
so when word was given of thieves in the woods
Hlif shouldered her sword to guard precious goods.
The cookie-guards ten faced thieves only two
but paths through the forest are tough to get through
when blocked with a cart and defended by sword
with brigandly wiles, they needed no horde
for one of the bridgands held in her hand
a crossbow (one recently Papally banned)*
The cookie guards halted to look at the path.
The badger felt rising her warrior's wrath.
Her companions were shot one by one in the head
and soon all but badger lay on the field dead.
The badger considered a valiant charge
but all by herself, her chances weren't large.
The wise honey badger dove under the cart
clutching the cookies right close to her heart
for rather she'd die than let any mean thief
steal Baroness' cookies away from the Hlif.
The brigands stopped shooting, the way it seemed clear
to run to the stronghold with cookies so dear.
The badger of honey crawled out from the cart
expecting the sting of a fierce crossbow dart:
but stronger than arrows or darts is the stuff
that badgers are made of: they're just too darned tough.
Two steps and then three Hlif badger did try
then found herself knocked through off her feet soon to fly
through the air like a bird in the storm's fearsom grip:
the badger'd been hit with a sword on the hip.
She fell to the ground, cookies clutched to her chest.
Lights flickered, then darkened: she went to her rest.
The Baron surveyed the most grisly scene
all bloody dismemberment, innards and spleens
but clutched to Hlif's breast, kept safe till the end
were the cookies still safe and ready to send.
The badger of honey was later awoken
and of the fine cookies, not one had been broken.
This story of love for her Baroness fair
and the guarding of cookies with great loving care
the Badger of Honey against villains two
this short Lai of Hlif, I swear it is true.
- In 1139, at the Second Lateran Council, Pope Innocent II issued a Papal bull banning the use of crossbows.