Tor Timeline and Summary

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Tor Timeline and Summary

A Long, Long Time Ago

  • Thorolf is present at the execution of King Eirikr. He holds a golden hammer and kind of runs the whole thing.
  • He's a sage who's also a pretty big fan of the dragon orchid, too.
  • When he sees that Eirikr and Melle are going to cause trouble, he has Melle restrained. He slams Eirikr with his hammer when he sees the king is trying to move off the stone table.
  • After the king dies, Thorolf praises his sacrifice. Gee, thanks.
  • He also starts to lay off the dragon orchid potion.
  • When Melle comes back into the village, Thorolf tries to talk to her, but she won't respond.
  • Eventually he dies of old age.

In the 10th Century

  • Tor's older brother, Wulf, is chief of a tribe of Vikings.
  • As chief, he's able to take any girl he wants as his wife, and he just so happens to pick the one that Tor likes. Bummer.
  • But, because Wulf likes drinking beer made from dragon orchids, he's never able to have any children. Enter Tor, who comforts Wulf's wife in her loneliness. You know what that's code for, right?
  • Finally, Wulf's wife gets pregnant and has twins—Tor claims that the kids are his.
  • He keeps causing trouble until he's banished from the island for a least three years.
  • After seven years, Tor is found again and demands to be taken home.
  • When Tor returns, he starts making the rounds around town and causing trouble. He wants his kids and he's not going to stop until he has them.
  • One night, Wulf and Tor get in a fight and Tor is killed by his older brother.
  • But Tor's story doesn't end there. After a few days, he rises up out of his grave as a vampire and starts killing things—first animals, then people.
  • All the time, he keeps leaving messages: He wants his children.
  • Wulf attempts to keep him in his grave by pounding wooden spikes through his mouth and chest, but you can't keep a dead Tor down.
  • Finally, one night Eirik meets him out on the road and goes back with him to his grave.
  • Tor is satisfied and is finally able to rest in peace.

In September 1902

  • Tor Bearvald, a representative from the Swedish National Museum, visits with Eric Carlsson to take a look at his latest painting, Midwinterblood.
  • Tor questions Eric about the theme of the painting: Isn't the idea of sacrifice a little outdated?
  • Later, he writes to Eric to reject the painting and express his disgust of it.

In June 2073

  • When Eric Seven arrives on Blessed Island, Tor is there to greet him at the dock.
  • He's the Ward of Blessed Island, an old man with one damaged eye who is suspiciously friendly to Eric the entire time he's there.
  • Tor offers Eric some freshly brewed dragon orchid tea. He keeps pushing the tea on him until Eric starts to lose track of time and forget why he came to the island in the first place.
  • Later, he argues with the other wards of Blessed Island. They have to follow through and do the same thing their ancestors did—and that's final.
  • When Eric finally ventures to the western half of the island and sees the church-like building and the painting of Midwinterblood, Tor follows him.
  • There, he orders the other islanders to grab Eric and drag him to the stone table.
  • Tor believes that Eric must be sacrificed just like King Eirikr was. This is the only way that children can be born on the island again.
  • Just before Eric is killed, Merle asks to be the one to do it, and Tor agrees. Good plan.
  • Merle instead uses the knife to free Eric and slashes Tor's throat pretty badly in the process; he tries to give orders to the other islanders, but he can't speak.
  • In the end, Tor lies bleeding on the ground as Merle and Eric are murdered.