Taðkr ormstunga

Summary

Taðkr began participating in the SCA during the summer of 2000 as part of the House of Hormones. In 2001 he became man-at-arms to Sigurd the Dark, who had previously been training him in heavy fighting. When the House of Hormones joined the Village of Bjorgvin in 2002 his lengthy oath swearing kicked off a series of events that resulted in an enduring nickname, "Loki." By the time he registered his name in 2006 his persona had developed a strong Norse slant; so he opted for the Norse spelling of Taðkr and adopted the byname ormstunga, which means "serpent tongue." In 2007 he began attracting members and forming a new house, becoming goði of House Jormungandr.

Pre-SCA Persona Background

Tadc MacBeccáin, son of Beccán Riabaig, was born in the Kingdom of Osraighibh in Ireland in the year 908. In 919 his father joined Niall Glundub, the Cenél nEógain king of Tara, in the Battle of Dublin against the northmen and was killed. Tadc continued supporting his mother for three years after that, but left home in 922 looking for higher paying work near the emerging norse trade towns. With few marketable skills, and no worldy experience, he soon resorted to banditry in order to make his living.

This continued off and on for some time, until one day in a Dublin pub he picked a fight with a northman. If you asked him today he'd tell you he did it for nothing more than the thrill of fighting, but whatever the reason he received a brutal thrashing that day. Úlfgrímr, another northman who had witnessed the fight, bought Tadc a drink and offered him some tips on brawling. After another couple hours of drink he quickly picked a fight with Úlfgrímr, who laughed after handing him another beating. To Tadc's surprise, Úlfgrímr's companion Sigurðr offered to hire him onto his ship crew after seeing him apply the things he'd been shown. The northmen, unused to Tadc's then quiet demeanor, began calling him Tadc the Thinker.

It was at that point that his adventures with the northmen began, and his life started down a path that would eventually lead him to adopt a new name in Scandinavia; Taðkr ormstunga.

Skills

• Armour Making
• Belly Dancing
• Glass Bead Making
• Heavy Fighting (all styles)
• Leather Working and Repair
• Sewing
• Singing
• Storytelling

Honours

• He has received two favors from the Barony of Terra Pomaria; one for a best death, and one for staying to finish patching a muddy road after the work party was adjourned for court.