Snake

"I've eaten more than my share of free grub. It's time for me to pay the price for that food..."

- Snake prepares to defend Ketil's Farm

Snake (蛇) is a warrior who is employed by Ketil as head of his farm's guards. His real name is Roald (ロアルド).

Appearance
Snake is in his 30s. His oriental saber and equipment suggest that he possibly had been in the service of Roman Emperors in Constantinople as a Varangian Guard.

Personality
Snake is compassionate and a man of reason. During the Ketil's Farm arc, Snake often shows to be genuinely concerned for other people, free men and slaves alike. He has saved Thorfinn and other slaves countless times from brutal treatment with both reasons and his intimidating combat prowess.

Snake rarely lets his emotion gets the better of him, however when his comrades are slaughtered by Gardar, he quickly gets angry when seeing his men being treated like mere pawns.

Snake seems to have a strong bond with both Ketil and his father but refuses to explain further, replying that they are mere strangers. Snake is also a man of honor, staying on the side of Ketil's family despite being aware the fake story of Ketil due to feeling indebted to Ketil for letting him stay there when most needed, seen when he goes to fight against Canute despite knowing they didn't stand a chance against Jomsvikings.

History
Although it is never stated in the manga, an anime original line in Episode 41 (S02E17, The Road Home) confirms that Snake was a warrior of Miklagard (the Old Norse name of Constantinople), implying that he was a member of the Byzantine Varangian Guard - an elite unite of bodyguards employed by the Byzantine Emperors, comprised of mostly Norsemen and Rus.

Abilities and Powers
Snake has strength greater than Askeladd and speed nearly matching Thorfinn, who attested that Snake was faster than anyone he had ever fought before.

History
Роальд