Thorn Hammerhand

Thorn Hammerhand
Personal Information
Nationality	Skandian
Aliases	Old man (Lydia) Thorn Hookyhand (himself) Thorn One-Hand (Orvik) Thorn the Mighty (Crowley)
Occupation(s)	Crewmember of Wolfwind (formerly) Battle Commander of Heron Maktig (formerly, three years)
Physical Information
Gender	Male
Hair	Graying Blond
Eyes	Blue
Kith and Kin
Family	Karina Mikkelswife (wife) Hal Mikkelson (step-son)
Education
Apprentices	The Herons

Thorn is one of the main characters in the The Brotherband Chronicles.

History

Thorn is a former crew member of The Wolfwind, Erak's ship. He was also, of course, a warrior, and was a good friend of Hal's father Mikkel before Mikkel later died on a raid where a lucky spear throw went under Thorn's arm and killed Mikkel.

Thorn lost his right hand to his skirl, surprisingly, in a storm in which Erak had to choose between cutting the hand or letting Thorn fall off the side of the ship. Later, he said to Erak that he wished he could have gone off the ship than losing his right hand. Before he lost his hand, he was Maktig, the champion warrior of Skandia, three times in a row.

After that, he fell into a devastated depression, getting into the habit of "washing" his pain away temporarily at the local tavern. Finally, six years later, Karina, Hal's mother, manages to rouse him from this with the idea that he really is needed. Subsequently, he started working odd jobs around her eating house in exchange for housing, food, and pay. Most important, he becomes the mentor-fatherlike figure Hal needs, with the reasoning that "If he couldn't use the skills he had learned anymore, at least he could teach them to someone else."

Thorn also joins The Herons on the expedition to steal The Andomal back. During the expedition, he helped improve the Herons' weapons skills. After Hal tells the Herons about him being the Maktig three times in a row, they look up to him even more and follow him into battle.

Description

Thorn is a homeless vagabond, uncouth, dirty, and messy, especially in the first book. He has a bath once a month but says that he doesn't really need one. However, Hal makes a new "grabbing arm" that lets him row again, and a new war club to hit people with. He is built like a typical Skandian and is far more nimble than he seems.

Skills

Thorn has a great many skills, mainly in the areas of weaponry and fighting.  He gives tips on fighting to Hal and Stig in The Outcasts, and in The Invaders teaches the Herons to fight with greater skill which proves incredibly useful in the coming battles against the pirate Zavac and his crew. Thorn is usually described as being the greatest warrior in Skandia, having previously been its prime warrior for three years straight, and is likely the best warrior seen in any of the books.

Many of his great feats involve catching a crossbow bolt aimed at Cassandra with his hook, using two small shields to deflect a barrage of arrows in The Invaders andknocking Gilan's sword from the air after he attempted to do his signature hand switching.

Despite being rather large, Thorn has the ability to move very silently.