Vaylo Bludd

Initially considered an antagonist of the series, Vaylo Bludd is the chief of Clan Bludd; a very harsh and prestigious clanhold. Vaylo is widely feared and detested by other clansmen, but beloved by most of his own people.

Profile
Description

Despite his age and widening girth, Vaylo Bludd is still one of the most feared men in the clanholds. He is often wrongfully believed to be heartless and uncaring. While Vaylo is certainly aggressive, gruff, stubborn, and ill-tempered, he is also a strong and inspiring leader, and loves his dogs and grandchildren the same. Vaylo shows an inordinate amount of affection for his grandchildren he never expresses while considering any of his sons and daughter-in-laws; even going so far as to forget the women's names.

Vaylo wields a giant war hammer in battle, and loves the adrenaline of combat. Most often he is strict and cruel, fearless of all men, except perhaps Penthero Iss. With a strong will, Vaylo leads and cares for his clansmen, willing even to sacrifice his own safety for theirs.

HIstory

Vaylo was the bastard son of Clan Bludd chief Gullit Bludd. As such, he was often disregarded, forgotten, and beaten. Once as a child, Gullit sent Vaylo out of the clanhouse and into the wild for several days. Imagining that his father would be concerned, Vaylo remained away several more days, and was disappointed to discover Guillt had left the clanhold without even inquiring about his son.

Vaylo bonded with dogs from a young age, finding the loyalty and affection elsewise missing his life. The year of his first oath, Vaylo's father summoned him into the chief's chamber. As Guillt lay dying, he bid Vaylo to kill him. But even as Vaylo complied with this wish, his two half-brothers entered the chamber, and Vaylo was forced to slay them as well. He would later on marry his half-sister, who gave birth to seven sons.

In his first year as clan chief, Vaylo led a small group of men to steal Clan Dhoone's guidestone. While it's widely believed that Vaylo had shattered the stone and used it to build an outhouse on Bludd territory, he had in fact dumped it into a nearby lake (much to his own amusement), and later spread the tale himself of the guidestone's supposed fate.