• Rank: Seasoned
• Attributes: Agility d6. Smarts d6. Spirit d6. Strength d8 [d10], Vigor d8
• Skills: Athletics d6. Battle d4. Boating d6. Common Knowledge d6. Fighting d8. Intimidation d6, Notice d6. Persuasion d4. Stealth d6, Survival d6
• Traits: Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (8 with shield) [7 (9 with shield)]; Toughness: 8 (2)
• Hindrances: Arrogant, Curious, Outsider (Major—Dane)
• Edges: Berserk, Danger Sense, Soldier, True Berserker, Block
• Gear: Leather jacket (+2), helm (+4), medium shield (+2 Parry), sword (Str+d8), cold iron long seax (Str_1dd), spear (Range 3/6/12, Damage Str+d6, ROF 1), waterskin, tinderbox.
• Languages: Norse and English

Damage: (wild swing +2)

Berserkers become wild and nearly uncontrollable when the “red rage” takes them, but they are deadly killing machines as well! Immediately after suffering a Wound or a Shaken result (from physical damage only), your hero must make a Smarts roll or go Berserk. She can voluntarily fail this check if she likes.

Going Berserk has the following effects:

• FURY: The character’s Strength increases a die type and every melee attack must be a Wild Attack (see page 109). She cannot use any skills that require wit or concentration (GM’s call). She may scream out threats and use Intimidation, for example.
• ENRAGED: Adrenaline and rage fuel the berserker’s muscles, adding +2 to Toughness. She ignores one level of Wound penalties (this stacks with any other abilities that reduce Wound penalties).
• RECKLESS ABANDON: Anytime a berserker rolls a Critical Failure on a Fighting check, she hits a random target within range of her attack (not the intended target), friend or foe. If there are no applicable targets, the blow simply misses, smashes nearby objects, etc.

Wild Attack Sometimes a desperate character may want to throw caution to the wind and attack with everything he’s got.

A Wild Attack adds +2 to the character’s Fighting attacks and resulting damage rolls for the turn, but he is Vulnerable until the end of his next turn (not this one).

Wild Attacks can be used with multiple attacks, such as from Multi-Actions or the Frenzy and Sweep Edges.

VULNERABLE: Actions and attacks against the target are made at +2 until the end of his next turn. This doesn’t stack with The Drop (see below)—use only the highest.

Your hero can sense when something bad is about to happen. When rolling for Surprise (page 108), he adds +2 to his Notice roll to act in the first round. With a raise, he starts the encounter on Hold.

In other situations not covered by the Surprise rules (a sniper shot, pit trap, poisoned drink, etc.), Danger Sense gives him a Notice roll at −2 (or +2 if a Notice roll is usually allowed) to detect the hazard and take appropriate action. If this was an attack and the hero makes his Notice roll, the foe doesn’t get The Drop against him.

Professional soldiers get used to carrying heavy loads, and enduring harsh conditions. After a few days getting used to their gear (GM’s call), they treat their Strength as one die type higher when determining Encumbrance (page 67) and Minimum Strength to use armor, weapons, and equipment without a penalty (page 66). (This stacks with the Brawny Edge.)

They also get a free reroll on Vigor rolls made to survive environmental hazards (see Hazards, page 125).

Some warriors nurture the rage inside them, learning to call upon it almost at will. A True Berserker may make a Smarts roll to activate his Berserk Edge at any time.

Warriors who engage in frequent hand-to-hand combat are far more skilled in personal defense than most others. They’ve learned not only how to attack, but how to block their opponent’s blows as well. A fighter with this Edge adds +1 to his Parry.