Empress Britta

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Called: The Young Empress

Early Life and Election

In 349 YE the Steinr Britta Gilderling was born in Skarsind, the north-eastern Wintermark. Her territory beset by problems with the Thule barbarians. She grew up to be a competent warrior and an inspiring battlefield commander.

In 369 YE she joined the Imperial Military Council as one of the Wintermark generals and served with distinction in that role. While she was a capable fighter, on the battlefield, she served as a bannerman fighting with standard in one hand, sword in the other and her mighty horn Warcaller at her belt.

Appointed by Kallavesi mystic senator - Tekupala?

Always at the heart of the action she was seriously injured numerous times, especially during the retreat from Skarsind. She fought desperately to help as many of her people survive the Thule incursion as possible, and was instrumental in defending the smiths of Gulhule as they fled the oncoming barbarian tide.

Those who fought alongside her were often smitten by her, although she never married. The scops began to tell stories of the way she burnt with a spiritual fire that inspired and strengthened everyone around her, and after her coronation these stories became commonplace among troubadours and bards.

She was often pointed to as the epitome of a Steinr hero, and an example of what every virtuous warrior should aspire to be.

Serving under the incompetent leadership of Emperor Walter, she saw first-hand the damage that was caused by someone unsuitable occupying the Throne.

• Interregnum period after Walter. He's on the thone for a short time, so can push the dates back,
• Orchestrates a powerful campaign against the Jotun in Kallavesa and Sermersuaq - she defends the places she can win rather than fighting obsessively in Skarsind.
• She might have an eye to the throne from the get-go (Ambition). She goes over to the east and fights in Holberg and Semmerholm helping the Dawnish keep their regions there. She leaves the WIntermark imperial army in Wintermark and brings her retinue and her sworn men (sometimes called "Britta's Legion") to reinforce the Dawnish and League armies.

• She stands on a platform of recovering what's been lost and then taking more. She orchestrates a series of brilliant campaigns in wintermark against the orcs. That brings her to prominence in the Empire.

Reign

In the wake of the disastrous Walter she took up the sword and shield and challenged the corruption of the Senate and Synod. Her impassioned speeches shamed many senators and priests, and when she declared herself as candidate for the Throne she was elected by a significant majority.

While some senators were inspired by her, the more self-serving senators quickly saw which way the wind was blowing and concealed their dislike of the new Empress, voting in her favour to try and secure their political careers.

She had seen the mistakes of the previous three incumbents, and vowed openly not to repeat them. She had the courage to speak her mind, but she tempered this with the wisdom to select competent advisors, and give those advisors the freedom to act on behalf of the Empire.

She surrounded herself with competent generals, and began to formulate and prosecute a campaign to recover lost territories and drive the barbarians back. She demanded that the Synod turn its eye on the Empire and weed out the virtueless parasites who had grown fat feeding on it's life-blood. She called on the Conclave to resolve it's internal squabbling and find magical ways to support the Empire and it's people.

A popular and charismatic figure, she united the people of the Empire behind her and dealt ruthlessly with her enemies using all the tools available to a popular Empress.

People began to call her the Young Empress, and hailed her as the reincarnation of the First Empress, come to protect the Empire in its time of need.

She found particular favour with the Imperial Orcs; wheras previously the throne had tended to keep them at arms' length, she brought them into the inner circle of her advisors. She promised them her support in gaining lands for themselves if her campaign of expansion was successful.

They kick arse clearing barbarians out of regions across the Empire and securing the current boundaries, as well as pushing to several of the occupied territories and reclaiming land.

Death and Legacy

Britta was killed on campaign a month before the Winter equinox of 376 YE, in battle against the Thule barbarians in Skarsind. Her death takes out a swathe of her supporters. Her key supporters are by her side and they go down with her.

She teleports into battle at the previous Equinox, it goes hellishly wrong and they all die. Not one of them comes back. A lot of rumour trickles down, and confirmation of her death is received a month ago. Scouts and such confirm the Empress is dead. She dies in battle; she hopelessly overestimates her abilities, and does a really hard battle. She is overconfident about the ability of the heroes of the Empire to turn a battle with thousands of orcs in it. This creates a leadership vacuum.

News of her death has come as a particularly bitter blow to many Imperial Orcs. One of their strongest supporters been snatched away before she could fulfill her promise to help them take land.

Many now fear that the Empire may return to the dark years of divided and weak leadership.

"Something a bit Joan of Arc-y."

..

Britta in Play

The young Empress is definitely dead, and part of the story of the first Empire event will deal with what her death means for the Empire as a whole. Some elements of that death are intentionally obscured with that in mind. For the most part, any character can have had interactions with Britta, simply because she has been the most recent holder of the Throne.

Almost anyone who has attended a meeting at Anvil over the last five years or so will have had a chance to meet and work with her.

Anyone may have fought in one of her campaigns, both before and after she was Empress.

You can't have been her closest advisors or her bodyguard or her lover because they are dead. All of her key supporters are dead.