Harald

Harald
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Harald.jpg}}|250px]]
Details
Race	Elf
Birthplace	Skemfar, Kaldheim
Lifetime	Mending Era
Parents	Tyvar Kell (brother)
Colors
Sources
Creating Tyvar Kell

King Harald the Elder is an elf warrior from Skemfar on Kaldheim. Harald managed to unite both of his plane's elf tribes, the wood elves and shadow elves. His younger brother is the planeswalker Tyvar Kell.

Description

Harald is a natural-born leader. When he speaks, even his most-hated enemies wait to hear what he has to say.

History

Youth

As a young wood elf, after eating the fruit of a Jaspera tree and sleeping beneath its boughs, Harald had a vision foretelling the rise of a great elven dynasty that would unite all descendants of the Einir under a single banner. Harald became convinced that it was his destiny to bring this vision into reality. After long years of struggle, wood and shadow elves were joined together at last and Harald proclaimed himself king of the elves, ruler over all Skemfar.

Some elves believe the Einir imprisoned in the Jaspera tree is guiding Harald's actions. Some even claim that Harald is possessed by the spirit of this ancient elf god. Among those who believe such things, opinions are divided as to whether the involvement of this Einir spirit bodes good or ill for the destiny of the elves.

Under Harald's leadership, the elves are held together by a shared desire to reclaim the power of the Einir and what they believe to be their rightful place as rulers of all the realms. Despite this shared goal, though, old antagonism still simmers just beneath the surface, and it seems clear that Harald is the only tie that truly binds the two elf factions together. If he dies, the shadow elves and wood elves will almost certainly split once more and resume their ancient war.

Tibalt's machinations

Tibalt (disguised as Valki) visited Harald, subverting him with his lies and prompting him to prepare his army for a war. Suspicious of this "Valki", Tyvar Kell began to follow and investigate the god through the realms.

With the opening of the Omenpaths during the Doomskar initiated by Tibalt, Harald marched with his army to invade the other realms. In Bretagard Tyvar, who was helping Kaya bring the Sword of the Realms to Halvar and end the Doomskar, separated himself from the Kaya and went to meet his brother. Tyvar explained Tibalt's machinations to Harald, after which the Elven King decided to help fight the invading army of Immersturm and Karfell. Harald helped Kaya find Halvar and deliver the Sword. When Varragoth managed to overtake the elven army and attacked, Harald used his magic to summon snakes from the ground and trap the demon, but Varragoth easily broke free. The demon was only stopped by Kaya who killed him. After the great battle and with the closure of the Omenpaths, Harald and the leaders of the human Clans of Bretagard made a deal, where elves and humans must live in peace until the elves would be able to return to Skemfar.

Fighting the Phyrexians

During New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse, Harald and his brother led the defense of all ten realms of Kaldheim against the intruders.

Trivia

• Harald may have been based on Harald Fairhair, who unified the Norwegians and became Norway's first king.

Story appearances

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Episode 3: The Saga of Tibalt	Roy Graham	2021-01-20	Kaldheim	Kaldheim	Tibalt, Vorinclex, Narfi, Koll, Halvar, Harald, Varragoth, Koma
Episode 5: The Battle for Kaldheim	Roy Graham with contributions by Jenna Helland	2021-02-03	Kaldheim	Kaldheim	Hakka, Arni, Fynn, Inga Rune-Eyes, Sigrid, Kaya, Tyvar Kell, Alrund, Halvar, Varragoth, Vorinclex, Cosima, Harald, Koma, Niko Aris, Esika
March of the Machine - Episode 4: Beneath Eyes Unblinking	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-03-17	March of the Machine	Kaldheim, Kaladesh, Capenna	Tyvar Kell, Harald, Pia Nalaar, Saheeli Rai, Atraxa
March of the Machine - Episode 10: The Rhythms of Life	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-03-28	March of the Machine	Kamigawa, Kaldheim, Kaladesh, Zhalfir, New Phyrexia	Nashi, Tamiyo, Tyvar Kell, Harald, Pia Nalaar, Karn, Teferi Akosa, Kaya Cassir, Thrun, Koth of the Hammer, Ajani Goldmane, Nissa Revane, Chandra Nalaar, Melira, Saheeli Rai, Elspeth Tirel

In-game references

Represented in:

• A-Harald, King of Skemfar
• Harald, King of Skemfar

Associated cards:

• A-Harald Unites the Elves
• Harald Unites the Elves
• King Harald's Revenge

Depicted in:

• Struggle for Skemfar

Quoted or referred to:

• Revitalizing Repast