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.

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.

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 sizable majority.

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.

• The string of losses means that five decades after they won their freedom, the Imperial Orcs still do not possess lands of their own. It is claimed that the Empress Britta promised the orcs lands in return for their support in first reconquering the lost territories.
• The Imperial Orcs strongly supported Empress Britta, and fought in all her campaigns. She promised them her support in gaining lands for themselves if her campaign of expansion was successful, but with her death that promise remained unfulfilled.
• Solvi

Once a foresting town providing wood and charcoal to wider Wintermark, it was adopted as the base of campaign for the Imperial forces led by General Dunstan Irontongue. The settlement was hard pressed, and he led an aggressive series of sorties to relieve the pressure. He fell on one of these raids early in 376 alongside Empress Britta.

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.

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.