Baldur Norddahl

Baldur Norddahl
Fictional Character
1632 series POD: May, 1631
Appearance(s):	1634: The Baltic War 1635: The Eastern Front 1636: The Saxon Uprising
Type of Appearance:	Direct
Nationality:	Norway
Date of Birth:	c. 1594
Occupation:	Adventurer

Baldur Norddahl was a Norwegian who was a self-proclaimed adventurer, and a friend of Prince Ulrik, the son of Christian IV of Denmark. Despite their friendship, Prince Ulrik suspected that Norddahl was not completely honest about his past and his tales of adventure. Ulrik even doubted that "Baldur Norddahl" was his friend's name, as "Baldur" was the name of a Norse god and "Norddahl" simply referred to "the north valley" -- and Norway had many "north valleys".

Nonetheless, Norddahl helped Ulrik organize Denmark's research and development department, and was instrumental in producing new and effective weapons in Denmark's war against the United States of Europe. Among them: spar torpedoes and floating mines.

He was aboard the Lossen at the Battle of Wismar, when Hans Richter flew his plane into it, and claimed to have escaped because he was in command of one of the ship's boats.

Eddie Cantrell described him as "a cross between Harald the Bloody-Handed and Herr Professor Doktor Doktor Über-Weaponsgeek".

In mid-1635, he accompanied Ulrik and Kristina to Stockholm. There, he helped defend them from an assassination attempt by members of Michel Ducos' band of Huguenot fanatics, killing Gui Ancelin and Guillaume Locquifer. Later, he assisted them in their flight from Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna.

Note

"Diving Belle" in Ring of Fire II makes a passing reference to an unnamed "nosy Norwegian" who "looks like a pirate and is almost certainly a spy". Since Norddahl is sometimes referred to as looking piratical, and refers to having been in Stockholm before going there with Ulrik and Kristina in mid-1635, it is possible that he was that "nosy Norwegian".