Description

Gwalcavad Branmor is a Woodman of the Elfwald, or Mirkwood as most men call it. He stands taller than many of the men of Bree, but no giant. His thin, muscular build allows him to escape the notice drawn by some adventurers. That is well, though, for he prefers to go unnoticed. His dark grey eyes are ever alert and deeply observant. His body carries the poise of a trained warrior, and the scar at his temple confirms this, but his mouth carries a smirk that might easily become a smile if coaxed, and it is clear that this man is as ready for a good tale as he is for a fight.

Personality Description: Gwalcavad is a quiet man until befriended. He is generally trusting, but hard experience has made him more careful where he places that trust. In conversation he is easy going and loves to hear and tell stories.

He enjoys drawing maps of the new lands into which he has strayed and his kinship has quite a nice collection now. A woodworker by trade, he loves to work with his hands, making bows and staves and musical instruments of cunning design with deftly carved designs.

In a fight he is a fierce enemy. More calculating than his aggressive brother, Gwalcavad is none the less capable of deadly rage when his friends are threatened.

History: Gwalcavad was born in Mirkwood at Caer Branmor, a woodman settlement in the Mountains of Mirkwood. The Caer is one of the few remaining Woodman settlements within the woods themselves, many of the clans having moved into the valleys on the forests western edge in the last few decades. Still, a few clans maintain a vigil on the darkness of Southern Mirkwood from their mountain fastness. It was into one of these clans -Clan Branmor- that Gwalcavad was born. His father was the chief of that clan and raised him to be a warrior. Gwalcavad's youth was spent in the shadows of his father and his brother. The one a great chief and a respected man, the other a mighty warrior and war-leader. His solitude was found in hours of hunting deer in the forest and at private weapons practice, where he became deadly with many weapons, but especially the bow.

When he was of age, Gwalcavad joined his brother riding the marches of Branmor territory, hunting the orcs of Dol Guldur where they could and keeping them in check otherwise. Gwalcavad soon proved his skill at the slow, sneaking irregular warfare required, and was given command of a small band with which he maintained constant watch on the southern marches, while his brother Caethuin continued to lead the main warband out to battle against raiding orcs and wargs. Through this both brothers became famous, but ever Caethuin remained the leader and most renowned, which suited Gwalcavad fine. Many battles they fought - too many to be here recounted, and earned their people some small respite from the constant orc raids.

In March of 3018, a great orc raid was reported coming down out of the Misty Mountains.Warned by the Beornings, Gwalcavad and Caethuin rode out, leading only their person guard and racing ahead of the main warband. With the aid of the Beornings they defeated the Orcs and wargs in a battle near the Woodman Settlement of Tor Faolchu.

Following the battle, the brothers led their guard on into the mountains, pursuing the orcs and leaving a trail of fallen orcs with green-feathered arrows in them. Of a sudden, a great blizzard fell upon them out of the north, and with it came more orcs, coming to aid their kin. There was a great battle there in the High Pass, and the men of Branor were worsted and scattered. Gwalcavad and Caethuin were driven down out of the pass on the western side. The drove their pursuers back and sheltered in a cave until morning. When the sun came, they looked up and found the pass blocked with snow. After searching for their comrades for days, they turned their faces west and made their way to the settlements which they had heard of in that direction, soon making their way to Bree.

Since arriving in Bree, Gwalcavad has found that he rather likes living a life away from the shadow of his father and brother. In Eriador, he has lived his own life, fought his own battles, and formed his own alliances. His mind remains conflicted between his duty to return to Mirkwood when he is able, and his happiness here. For now, duty has the upper hand.