Red Hat is a Named Northman, who eventually joins The Dogman's crew of rebel Northmen, opposed to Bethod's ruthless ambitions to be King of the Northmen.
History[]
Red Hat was loyal to Old Man Yawl, one of the chiefs opposed to Bethod. He fought against him in the battle at a town called Ineward, where he first encountered Logen Ninefingers on the opposing side. Later, Yawl was killed in a duel against Bethod's new champion Fenris the Feared, and Red Hat had to reluctantly go over to Bethod, becoming one of Littlebone's Carls.
Last Argument of Kings[]
After the Battle for Dunbrec, Red Hat joins The Dogman's growing crew, as more and more Northmen turn against Bethod, displeased with his witch, his allies from beyond the Crinna, his champion The Feared, and worst of all, his alliance with the Shanka. Red Hat plays his part as Dogman's crew seize the city of Uffrith with as little bloodshed as possible, in order to allow The Union to use the port for supplies.
Later, when Logen returns to The North, Red Hat tries to welcome the famed Named Man to the crew, but Ninefingers is too wary even to appreciate well-intended goodwill. In the seven days of bloody siege in the High Places, Red Hat fights in Logen’s crew on the walls. He later holds a shield for Logen's duel with Fenris the Feared.
After Bethod's final defeat in Carleon, Red Hat accompany new King Logen south to help The Union repel the Gurkish invasion of Midderland. During the Battle of Adua, many of the war-weary Northmen are unenthusiastic, but, when Red Hat expresses all their doubts, he gets headbutted in the face for his efforts. Nevertheless, Red Hat does actually fight, one of the first into the fray when Ninefingers is confronted by an Eater in the Agriont.
By the end, Red Hat has become disillusioned with Logen's leadership, but when he expresses his thoughts to Dogman, his former chief sends him slinking away chastened.
The Heroes[]
In the intervening years, Red Hat has remained loyal to The Dogman. During the third day of the decisive battle between The Union and The North, Red Hat's crew are hidden in the orchard beyond the central ford. They pretend that the Bloody-Nine is with them to cause the enemy to panic and flee, then kill as many as they can. This allows The Union forces to make their attempted assault on the hilltop, known as The Heroes, though it ends in failure, with the battle concluding as a stalemate.
The Age of Madness[]
Red Hat has become one of The Dogman’s War Chiefs in the Protectorate of Uffrith, alongside Oxel and Hardbread. He fights at the Battle of Red Hill, against King Scale Ironhand, his brother Black Calder, and nephew Stour Nightfall. When The Dogman dies, the conversation quickly turns to the future of the Protectorate; Red Hat wants it to become a full member of The Union, and Oxel favours rejoining The North, while Hardbread can’t decide either way. The Dogman's daughter, Rikke, assembles the war chiefs to her father’s hall to decide the matter, pointing out that The North has old ways, proper ways of settling contentious decision; a Duel in the Circle. Isern-i-Phail then wipes back a canvas to reveal a circle already marked-out, five strides across. The two old warriors are reluctant, but their reputations are built on not backing down from a fight. And so, they set to killing one another, with Oxel getting the luck when Red Hat slips. Afterwards, Oxel is himself killed in the same Circle by Caul Shivers, with Rikke choosing to have the Protectorate remain independent. Rikke has made her point; she is chief of Uffrith now.