Thorbjorn inn Mikligerzki

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Per bend sinister argent and azure, an anvil sable, and a quill pen bendwise sinister Or.

Award of Arms (KoAtlantia)

Companion of the Order of the Pearl (KoAtlantia)(GoA)

OoOrca (BoTir-y-don, KoAtlantia)

OoSwan and Signet (BoTir-y-don, KoAtlantia)

OoWelk (BoTir-y-don, KoAtlantia)

OoSilver Dolphin (BoAqua Terra, KoAn Tir)

OoPlate (BoAqua Terra, KoAn Tir)

Speaker of the Law, House Redstone

Persona Biography:

Born a few years before the turn of the first millennia in the city of Constantinople to a Norseman Varangian Guardsman father, and a minor Byzantine nobleman’s daughter. Given the name Thorbjorn Garisson by my father, and christened “Joel” by my mother. My father was notably disappointed with my early development where I showed a strong tendency towards intellectual and artistic pursuits compared to an only weak interest and aptitude to martial skills.

My father died in the service of the Emperor’s Guard when I was still a pre-teen. Owing not insubstantially to the generous pension arising from my father’s service, my mother and I were taken back in by her family. From that point I received quite intense education in the Greek and Arabic sciences. I retain a lingering perception that my mother’s family would like to have divorced me of my barbarian heritage, but several of my father’s fellow guardsmen took a rather godfatherly role in my development as well, so I continued to grow up in both worlds.

At age 14 I took on a paid role with the Emperor’s Varangian Guard, not as a guardsman, so much as an errand boy and translator. The coincidental enhanced access to the imperial libraries was taken full advantage of during this time. Much studying and copying was done, when I was not being put to task by others.

Unfortunately, this “best of both worlds” situation did not last. At age 19, I found myself an unwilling pawn in a bit of court intrigue. The details are irrelevant except the particular detail of my being figuratively, and quite potentially literally sacrificed in the role. Again, my father’s fellow guardsmen were looking out for me, this time arranging my passage on, and indeed employ with Viking traders that were passing thru.

My new Viking friends quickly got over my excess luggage, when they came to realize that the books, maps and learning I brought with me afforded them unprecedented knowledge of, and access to the lands and trade opportunities to the South and East. They, it was, who contrived the new sir name for me of the man that came to them from Mikligarthr; the Great Walled City. (Inn Mikligerzki is read like “the Londoner”) Thus began a period of several years of sailing about from distant points east all the way back to the Northlands of my father’s kin. Many adventures were had, some great enough to become the stuff of story and song.

While the kind of access to state sponsored repositories of knowledge that I had grown up with in Constantinople proved a condition of the past, I instead developed an appreciation for the artistic styles and technologies that were in evidence where ever we ported. While my shipmates were off in the bars, or brothels, I’d be about making sketches and notes about what I saw, be they industrial workings, or examples of art. When I could manage it, I shared knowledge in the very industry centers or craft halls that were creating the local art.

While I made the best of the port calls, the sea going periods wore heavily on me, and it seemed to me that I was ill well suited to sailoring. Eventually I had had enough. I secured a post still serving my enterprising kinsman, but from a shore base in the Kingdom of Atlantia. There I found a novel culture especially to my liking and full of folks more-or-less like myself; interested in studying and reproducing the best of the many cultures that made up our “modern” world.

But the fair maiden who would be my wife called to me from yet another, distant kingdom, and I could not long resist that fate. After only a few short years in Atlantia, I concluded my business there and I made the perilous land crossing to the Kingdom of An Tir. There, not only did I take up the hand of my lady wife, but I also found other folks much like those I had enjoyed the company of in Atlantia, and amongst whom I could continue my explorations of various arts and sciences.

These days I work with my family to develop the homestead we have established in the outskirts of the Barony of Aqua Terra. I continue to offer my skills and knowledge in the service of local industry, nobility, and my Lady’s Clan Redstone with whom I have formally affiliated.

A few Mundane notes:

First SCA event attended was an SCA wedding at my neighbor's house in 1984.

Most intense activity followed my winning of the Baronial Archery Championship in the Barony of Tir-Y-Don in 1990 where after I served as the Barony's Archer Marshall and was recognized for volunteership, contributing to the war fighting prowess of the Barony and for arts and sciences (primarilly scroll work) for both the Barony and Kingdom.

Moved back to the Barony of Aqua Terra in 1992.

Became a member of House Redstone on, or about 1994.