Atli

Atli shares the rough prejudices of Askeladd's Viking company, including hostility toward Christian believers, but otherwise appears comparatively amicable with his fellow mercenaries.

His strongest personal attachment is to Torgrim. After their shared experiences destroy Torgrim's ability to continue as a warrior, Atli abandons the battlefield life and looks after him.

Atli is pragmatic enough to accept that surviving may matter more than preserving loyalty to a commander whose plan appears doomed.

Atli is an experienced Viking fighter familiar with armed combat, raids, horsemanship, and battlefield survival.

No specialized technique distinguishes him from the elite warriors of the series, but surviving years in Askeladd's band demonstrates substantial practical experience.

He is also capable of exploiting openings during chaotic combat, including against physically stronger opponents.

Atli travels with Askeladd's company during the flight from Thorkell and becomes involved when many of the mercenaries decide to abandon their captain.

Bjorn responds to the betrayal by consuming a berserker mushroom and attacking former comrades. Atli survives the resulting chaos and manages to inflict a serious wound on Bjorn.

After Thorkell's arrival and the collapse of the mutiny, Askeladd permits Atli to leave the band and care for the psychologically broken Torgrim.

Years later, during the Baltic Sea conflict, Atli reappears after being seized and interrogated by Vagn's faction. Information connected to him helps reveal the old arrangement between Floki and Askeladd concerning Thors.

Torgrim is Atli's older brother and the person he continues caring for after Torgrim's mental collapse.

Askeladd commands Atli until the band's internal rebellion.

Bjorn fights Atli during the mutiny and is seriously wounded by him.

Thorkell's pursuit creates the crisis that fractures the mercenary company.

Vagn later has Atli captured and questioned during the political struggle surrounding the Jomsvikings.

Floki's old actions become connected to information obtained from Atli during that later conflict.