Queen Serilda
Queen Serilda Njordsdottir (a.k.a. Honeytongue, She-Wolf of the North)
Serilda is the young ruler of Escanthus, ostensibly married to King Athan of Lore to secure an alliance between the two countries and bring Lore, the major grain producer of the continent, under Escanthan control.
Clever, well-educated, and determined to do right by her new people and prove her worth as queen... and declaw those at court who'd sooner see her set aside or otherwise gotten rid of.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Slim, fit and generally in good health
Body Features
Golden skin, hair "the color of ripe wheat," usually worn in a simple braid
Facial Features
Heart-shaped face, evenly arched brows, a kittenish mouth
Physical quirks
Left-handed, very dominant body language and posture that tends to give the impression she's much more physically imposing than she actually is
Apparel & Accessories
Simple wool or linen dresses in greens and blues, usually utilizing elements of Escanthan fashion such as empire waist and fewer layers of petticoats; minimal jewelry in her day-to-day
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Born in Winter of 1293 to Njord Alriksson and Ragnhild Dagrundottir, followed by her brother Aleric in 1296. By 1298 the High Priest and Priestess of the Twelve Divines had pressured Njord into renouncing Ragnhild as a heretic and turning her over to the Faith for trial; she was found guilty and executed, and the following year Njord remarried to Eydis Iarundottir.
Though she was never unkind to the children, Serilda's relationship with her cooled as she grew old enough to understand what exactly had happened to her mother, and she showed more desire to learn about the dead woman than bond with the living one.
Njord himself would die of the Sweat not long after, and though pious and gracious Eydis was ill-equipped to act as Speaker for the Althing or protect her stepchildren from the machinations of the other members.
Thus, Serilda was forced to grow up very quickly, to study among much older students, protect her own interests, and generally never show a moment of weakness.
She grew intensely frustrated by the limitations of her youth and the largely ceremonial nature of her role - though the Speaker traditionally retained the roles of both Thayn of Genora and High King or Queen of Escanthus, in practice she was little more than a city governor with a tie-breaker vote in the kingesmote. As this frustration and dissatisfaction grew, she took refuge in the stories of the kings and queens of old.
This led to some worry among the members of the Althing that she might attempt a restoration of the monarchy, and the first of many bids to replace her as Speaker in favor of the milder Aleric - seeing the way the wind was blowing, she offered herself as a marriage candidate when word reached her that King Athan was looking for another wife.
True, he had a reputation as a fool with no head for statecraft, but the prospect of being the one to rule while he hunted and wenched was, if anything, an enticement for Serilda.
Gender Identity
Born female, identifies as such
Sexuality
Bisexual
Education
Studied history and philosophy at the University of Genora, studied economics and politics as part of her training to rule Escanthus
Employment
Thayn of Genora and Speaker for the Althing since the age of eight
Accomplishments & Achievements
Accredited by the University of Genora as a Master of the Applied Arts (rhetoric, arithmetic, music, logic, and astronomy), as well as a Master of History (honorary) and Master of Philosophy (honorary)
Failures & Embarrassments
Never quite managed to step out of her mother's shadow, in her homeland; simultaneously looked at with suspicion as a heretic's daughter and heaped with pressure to live up to Ragnhild's reputation as one of the finest Thayns of Genora in living memory
Mental Trauma
Was not allowed to publicly grieve for her mother, also still suffering the effects of adultification; these mostly manifest in a tendency toward overwork, isolation from her peers, trust issues, and a preoccupation with her mother's memory/legacy
Intellectual Characteristics
Strong abstract reasoning and pattern recognition, calm under pressure, creative thinker, patient, confident
Morality & Philosophy
She firmly believes in the First King's command to his heirs of "be ye for the people," and combines that belief with a personal philosophy that blends effective altruism with enlightened self-interest.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
She wants to attain a position of real power and build herself a legacy independent of her "heretic" mother and weak-willed father, and to outwit and declaw her rivals and enemies in the Lorian court
Likes & Dislikes
Likes histories, tafl, old ballads, debate, flyting, horseback riding, gardening; dislikes toadying, hypocrisy, embroidery, overindulgence
Virtues & Personality perks
Confident, calm under pressure, well-spoken, gracious
Vices & Personality flaws
Too clever for her own good, bad at delegating, shares her mother's "heretical" worship of the Missing God
Personality Quirks
Tends to think of/discuss politics as an elaborate game of tafl
Hygiene
Generally good; Escanthus has a deep-rooted culture of communal baths and saunas, and she also picked up some bathing/hygiene habits from her half-Zenyran mother, so Lore's bathing culture didn't take much adjustment
Social
Reign
1312 AD - upon her marriage revived an old custom wherein petitioners of any status could come directly to the monarch and have any request granted (within reason)
Contacts & Relations
Close Contacts at Court: Athan, Princess Lysbeth, Prince Niall, Valda Sigurdottir, Ragnar Ivorsson, Ambassador Tyr Al-Muruz, Lady Marcher Ailis Kentillie, Charissa of Elfael, Ser Mal ir'Cedewain, Lady Esabel Almerry
Rivals/Enemies/Unknown Factors: Lady Nessa Druiryn-Builth, Ser Thierry Artanges, Eliaz of Gris, Lady Maelisse Tanet d'Chaillot
Rivals/Enemies/Unknown Factors: Lady Nessa Druiryn-Builth, Ser Thierry Artanges, Eliaz of Gris, Lady Maelisse Tanet d'Chaillot
Family Ties
Aleric Njordsson, younger brother
Eydis Iarundottir, stepmother
Eydis Iarundottir, stepmother
Religious Views
Publicly, a devout follower of the Faith of the Twelve who adopted the Twain after marrying Athan; privately, she worships the Missing God/Fallen Thirteenth, the trickster of the Escanthan pantheon
Social Aptitude
Confident, witty, outspoken
Mannerisms
Very forthright her attitudes and speech, with a tendency to talk with her hands and way of focusing on her conversation partners that makes it seem as if they're the only other person in the room; fond of hand/arm clasps in greeting
Speech
Low, smooth voice; speaks Lorian with a "faint northern burr" by the time she arrives in Lore
Relationships
Current Location
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Thayn of Genora, Speaker for the Althing, Queen of Lore
Year of Birth
1293 AD
19 Years old
Birthplace
Genora, Escanthus
Spouses
King Athan
(Husband)
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Caer Cordonia
Pronouns
She/her
Gender
Female
Eyes
Dark Gray
Hair
Long, wavy, wheat blonde
Height
5'8"
Weight
115 lbs
Belief/Deity
Faith of the Twelve
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Related Plots
Character Prototype
Natalie Dormer
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