Askeladd (Asheraddo アシェラッド) also known as Lucius Artorius Castus (Rukiusu Arutoriusu Kasutusu ルキウス・アルトリウス・カストゥス), was a cunning, mysterious Viking who commanded mercenary band of Vikings that included Thorfinn. Askeladd was half Danish and half Welsh, claiming descent from the legendary Lucius Artorius Castus, for whom he was named by his mother, with "Askeladd" being a nickname.
He was contracted by Floki to assassinate Thors and shortly after took Thorfinn in, who grew up on the battlefield and became obsessed with avenging his father's death by killing his commander. After his band was wiped out by Thorkell, Askeladd pledged his service to Canute to achieve this goal of keeping Wales safe from Viking invasion.
Appearance
As a child, Askeladd's chin-length wavy light blond hair was parted in the middle and worn loose. His eyes were light blue. His eyebrows were already rather thick, flicking out upwards at the outer edges. He was always plastered black and white with residue from his various jobs, earning himself the nickname of "the Ashen Lad". Askeladd wore trousers and a short sleeved tunic belted over a long sleeved shirt with a piece of fabric. Being very poor, his clothing was frayed and dirty, and he wore no footwear. After being taken in by his father at the age of 11, Askeladd is noticeably cleaner and wears nicer clothing. His appearance is similar when he arrives on the shores of Wales at age fourteen, though his hair is shorter and less noticeably parted.
Askeladd in his early 20s can be seen in a very brief flashback, likely at the Battle of Maldon in 991. He looks much the same as he does later in adulthood, including his clothing, though his goatee does not include a moustache. Adult Askeladd is first seen in the present-day Vinland Saga timeline in his early 30s. As an adult, Askeladd is an average-sized Viking warrior, standing at 170cm and weighing in at 65kg. He is muscular but lean, an expected build for such a fast man, though his stature belies his incredible strength. His eyes are light blue and his hair remains light blond in adulthood, telling of his Welsh and Danish heritages. He wears it short and slicked back. His eyebrows are thick and flicker upwards at the outer edges, and he styles his facial hair in a small, neatly groomed goatee.
Askeladd's other features include heavy eyelids (which make his unimpressed facial expressions particularly obvious), prominent cheekbones, sunken cheeks, an aquiline nose and a creased brow. He is often shown frowning, cocking one eyebrow, and/or wearing a sly smirk, often showing teeth. Adult Askeladd is typically pictured in the same warrior's outfit: a light, cowl-neck gambeson with detailing on the sleeve fringes (hooded and red in some of the anime), belted over a dark long sleeved shirt tied at the wrists, dark trousers, and dark boots hitting right below the knee. He typically wears an impressive dark breastplate, reminiscent of the Roman tradition, as well as a scabbard and his sword at his left hip. He occasionally wears a dark capelet and gloves, and a heavier long cape in colder weather.
As he grows older throughout the series, Askeladd's widow's peak becomes more pronounced as his hair thins, leading Thorfinn to occasionally call him names such as "baldy" and "pointy hair". His face also becomes more heavily lined as he approaches his mid-40s. After the battle against his own men, he gains a visible scar above his right eye.
