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Finally, after much waiting, I've finished my half of Rosette and mine's princess duo.
To the north of the land, there sits a kingdom nestled among great, snow-capped mountains, resting in the lush valleys and rolling, green hills that make up the Tyrlands. It is Tyrhart. The rising industrial age has changed much of the land, but its wild spirit and the echoes of ancient myth burn strong. Indeed, of all the countries left in the world, it is perhaps the closest to the ancient legends that in other lands might be left to the stuff of storybooks. Mere child's tales. But to the Tyr, these stories of the old age aren't child's tales. They are their heritage. Passed down not in writing, but in song, and lyric, and poem. Their warriors, known across the land, reenact acts of heroism on the battlefield, singing the victories of their ancestors as they strike with blade and wills like steel.
There are many values that the Tyr uphold, but two stand out as the most important to Tyrish culture. They are honour, and wit. Every warrior is expected to have as sharp an intellect as any weapon they hold, or they are not considered a warrior at all, merely a person holding a weapon. Every king is expected to be a warrior, standing with the people who would protect his borders and interests, wielding sword and song orders greater than the rest of them.
Honour, in Tyrish terms, is respect for oneself and each other, regardless of class. It is to hold onself on personal merit, not inherited titles or stolen valour. It is to face any challenge with a smile, and not to back down in the face of adversity, or danger. To dishonour another, is to dishonour who they are, their people and their ancient lineage as one being. The only valid response to such a slight is age old tradition of an Honour Duel.
Held in the ancient Tyrish style, an Honour Duel is essentially a match-up of one's intellect and their skill in battle. You could be the strongest person in the world, and simply kill your opponent with your sheer skill with a weapon, and win no honour for yourself under Tyrish rules. Rather, you are expected to surpass your opponent, typically through song, or cultured and well-stuck verbal insults. The opponent must then respond in kind, until one of the two of you falters and fails. The combat part of the Tyrish duel is actually not a part of the duel itself, but rather, its an ancient stratagem intended to distract your enemy from their wordcraft and trip them up in their counterargument.
Legends passed down by the Tyrish people speak about the hero Henrik, ancestor of the Royal Family, who once fought a mighty dragon to retake the Tyrlands for the people, and widely considered the First King of Tyrhart. If there is a god of the Tyr, it is Henrik and the other heroes of myth who have fought to secure their people's place in the annals of time.
There are some unusual customs in place surrounding the Royal Family of Tyrhart. There is a royal succession, but rather than being based on order of birth, it is merit-based and decided using a traditional duel of honour. Sometimes, when a victor can't be easily decided, others from the branch families might be considered eligible, but this rarely happens. The blood of heroes is strong, after all. Royal children not chosen are encouraged to lead groups of warriors known as Warbands, aligned either with the Royal family or with other, allied countries. This applies to both genders, and Tyrish princesses are considered desirable if they lead a successful Warband, often pledging their warriors to whomever they end up marrying. This makes them an attractive prospect, despite their masculinity relevant to other nation's customs and perceptions of gender.
In terms of Tyr's relationship with other countries, it has a longstanding friendly trading relationship with the western nation of Eagrose. Primary exports are strong hands carrying well-forged steel, and Coal Gems. Tyr's relationship with the other Northern country, Ludoran, is... rocky, to put it lightly. There is a long history of blood between the two nations, although the peaceful state of the world has resulted in an uneasy ceasefire between the two Great Powers. Tyrish people tend to view those from Ludoran as cowards, and shun them in a sporting fashion (similar to the British and the French in real life).
Their relationship with the Costisian Empire is the most interesting of their diplomatic ties. For ages, the faraway Empire has gladly hired Tyrish Warbands to compliment its armies, valuing the hardy, professional soldiers that could pick up the slack for their own admittedly frail military force. Even after major reforms of their countries government and military structure, they remain solid partners who continue to hire auxiliaries from the Tyrish people. In order to cement a recent trade decision between the countries, and for other, unspoken reasons, one of the highest princesses of the Empire was sent away to Tyrhart to stay for an unspecified amount of time.
Technology wise, the people of Tyr stick firmly in the middle of old and new. Utilizing Coal Gems in a variety of place in daily life, infrastructure and warfare, and training in both firearms and traditional weapons, they are some of the most versatile people in the world. In recent years, there has been a surge of popularity in the field of clockwork machines and automatons, coming from the Costisian Empire. One of the Royal Princesses even has a clockwork nanny. This acceptance of new technology is what will pave the way for the Tyrish people, headed towards the future.
Name: Hilde Henrik
Aliases: Hilde the Unmastered, Hilde the Thundering, Hilde the Runaway, Little Hilde.
Titles: Third Princess of Tyrhart, Honourary Royal Guardsman.
Age: 14
Place of Origin: Kingdom of Tyrhart
Kingdom: N/A
Gender: Female
Eyes: Green, like sunlit meadows and the rolling hills of her homeland.
Hair: Her hair is a very distinctive Tyrish gold in colour, and is worn in the traditional style, long and carefully braided. Shes been growing it out since she was five, when she made her first kill.
Day To Day Attire: When dressed in her typical, Tyrish style, Hilde wears a knee-length skirt and a fitted undershirt with an ornate, clearly hand-crafted leather tunic. She wears tall boots, or shoes with knee socks depending on where she is. In court, she wears a crown of freshly picked wildflowers and substitutes the more practical clothing for silks and flowing, dyed fabrics. She has yet to earn the right to wear military wear in the throne room, this distinct clothing marks her as a child and member of royalty.
Strengths: Graceful beyond her years. Equally accurate with blade, wit and powder. Completely without fear.
Weaknesses: Her fearlessness. That she's a little girl.
Sexuality: N/A
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: Hilde is like the Tyrish heroes of old, incarnate. Raised on stories of heroism and song, blood and thunder runs through her veins. She is like a fearsome beast in the shape of a girl, tempered by a life of regulated violence and etiquette. Concepts of Tyrish honour are ingrained in her so deeply, they might as well be a natural extension of her being.
These things said, it might seem as though she's hardly a human being at all, more like an embodiment of Tyrish values and virtues. While not inaccurate, this isn't quite the case.
She certainly has her own insecurities and flaws, fragile like patchwork and existing just below the surface of her apparently unbreakable confidence. She's constantly pushing herself to be the best that she can be, and she secretly fears that someday she'll come across a danger that sheer determination can't conquer. She's still a little girl at heart, no amount of skepticism can stop her from taking things at face value at times. Her purity of heart, and lack of understanding of the adult world, leads to her often not understanding the motives of adults, which leads to a disconnect with people not of her same age.
At the same time, she feels like an adult herself, and tries to portray herself in that light despite her genuine inexperience with social politics. She'd like to make friends, and to relate to other children her age, but the barrier of her upbringing and strict adherence to Tyrish codes of honour hinders this. She's the Third Princess of Tyrhart, and her Father's favoured daughter, who may one day wield the whole, unbroken military might of the Tyrlands at her fingertips.
That isn't to say her Tyrish heritage is all bad. Her love of song, festivity and the arts is matched only by her love of sharing these joys with those around her. She learned through her countless trists into the castle town and the surrounding wilderness, to hold respect for the world, and the people who inhabit it. This core of respect in her outlook is the bridge between her, and the people who so idolize her.
One of the Tyrish values that she embraces stronger than her sisters, is the love of single combat. Ever since she was seven summers old, shes loved nothing more than the thrill of a Tyrish honour duel, fought with a combination of blade and song. She has never lost. Whenever she has a disagreement, this is essentially the only acceptable way to resolve it in her mind. Any matter not settled with a duel of honour is not worth discussing.
She's kind of a weird girl.
Parents: King Anders of Tyrhart (Father, living ), and his second wife Queen Margareta (Mother, living )
Siblings: First Princess Agna (Older Sister, living), First Prince Amund (Older Brother, living), Second Princess Gerda (Older Sister, living), Second Prince Gerard (Older Brother, living) Fourth Princess Sonja (Younger Sister, living).
Childhood: Hilde's childhood is everything she has, being a child. It has not been an easy life, the Royalty in Tyr must not take half measures, and spend much of their childhood training their body and mind for the possibility of them becoming Monarch. Combat training, military tactics and poetry are the primary areas of study for a Tyrish Princess, who is expected to lead her own Warband in the future even if she is not to become Queen.
Special Moments: When she was five years old, she made her first kill under her father's supervision. A fox had been preying upon the castle village's chickens, and along with the Royal Guard and King Anders himself, she tracked down the beast and struck its heart with a flintlock pistol. That was the day she earned her warrior's braids, and she wears them with pride. Keeps the fox's pelt in her bedroom at home, as a memoir.
At eleven, Hilde and her best friend began to suspect one of Hilde's uncles from a branch family of something, and uncovered a dark, well-kept secret. This discovery stayed with her, and tinged her view of noblemen with distrust for the rest of her days.
Current Events: After running away from Tyrhart with Cassima and their nanny, Hilde has arrived in the capital of Eagrose with the plan of getting into contact with the order of knights here, and finding allies against the darkness festering in her country. Hopefully, she can find and recruit one of her cousins who she knows is serving in this country, but she doesn't really know where to start.
Aura: Darkened pink, like stormclouds in her soul. Occasionally, radiant pink like lightning flashes across it.
Scent: Honey and pine needles, with a hint of wild mint.
Anything Else: For her and Cassima's shared assets, see the accompanying post.
There will be another post coming with Hilde and Cassima's travel supplies, automaton maid and more. Just waiting for Rosette to finish their sheet, and then we're all set! Squish!
EDIT: This also makes me the second character in the roleplay who can write! Exciting stuff, people! Literacy ho!
Tyrhart
In the temperate land of the north, of long winters and lush summertimes, live a race of men who dedicate their lives to song, laughter and the thrill of battle...
There are many values that the Tyr uphold, but two stand out as the most important to Tyrish culture. They are honour, and wit. Every warrior is expected to have as sharp an intellect as any weapon they hold, or they are not considered a warrior at all, merely a person holding a weapon. Every king is expected to be a warrior, standing with the people who would protect his borders and interests, wielding sword and song orders greater than the rest of them.
Honour, in Tyrish terms, is respect for oneself and each other, regardless of class. It is to hold onself on personal merit, not inherited titles or stolen valour. It is to face any challenge with a smile, and not to back down in the face of adversity, or danger. To dishonour another, is to dishonour who they are, their people and their ancient lineage as one being. The only valid response to such a slight is age old tradition of an Honour Duel.
Held in the ancient Tyrish style, an Honour Duel is essentially a match-up of one's intellect and their skill in battle. You could be the strongest person in the world, and simply kill your opponent with your sheer skill with a weapon, and win no honour for yourself under Tyrish rules. Rather, you are expected to surpass your opponent, typically through song, or cultured and well-stuck verbal insults. The opponent must then respond in kind, until one of the two of you falters and fails. The combat part of the Tyrish duel is actually not a part of the duel itself, but rather, its an ancient stratagem intended to distract your enemy from their wordcraft and trip them up in their counterargument.
Legends passed down by the Tyrish people speak about the hero Henrik, ancestor of the Royal Family, who once fought a mighty dragon to retake the Tyrlands for the people, and widely considered the First King of Tyrhart. If there is a god of the Tyr, it is Henrik and the other heroes of myth who have fought to secure their people's place in the annals of time.
There are some unusual customs in place surrounding the Royal Family of Tyrhart. There is a royal succession, but rather than being based on order of birth, it is merit-based and decided using a traditional duel of honour. Sometimes, when a victor can't be easily decided, others from the branch families might be considered eligible, but this rarely happens. The blood of heroes is strong, after all. Royal children not chosen are encouraged to lead groups of warriors known as Warbands, aligned either with the Royal family or with other, allied countries. This applies to both genders, and Tyrish princesses are considered desirable if they lead a successful Warband, often pledging their warriors to whomever they end up marrying. This makes them an attractive prospect, despite their masculinity relevant to other nation's customs and perceptions of gender.
In terms of Tyr's relationship with other countries, it has a longstanding friendly trading relationship with the western nation of Eagrose. Primary exports are strong hands carrying well-forged steel, and Coal Gems. Tyr's relationship with the other Northern country, Ludoran, is... rocky, to put it lightly. There is a long history of blood between the two nations, although the peaceful state of the world has resulted in an uneasy ceasefire between the two Great Powers. Tyrish people tend to view those from Ludoran as cowards, and shun them in a sporting fashion (similar to the British and the French in real life).
Their relationship with the Costisian Empire is the most interesting of their diplomatic ties. For ages, the faraway Empire has gladly hired Tyrish Warbands to compliment its armies, valuing the hardy, professional soldiers that could pick up the slack for their own admittedly frail military force. Even after major reforms of their countries government and military structure, they remain solid partners who continue to hire auxiliaries from the Tyrish people. In order to cement a recent trade decision between the countries, and for other, unspoken reasons, one of the highest princesses of the Empire was sent away to Tyrhart to stay for an unspecified amount of time.
Technology wise, the people of Tyr stick firmly in the middle of old and new. Utilizing Coal Gems in a variety of place in daily life, infrastructure and warfare, and training in both firearms and traditional weapons, they are some of the most versatile people in the world. In recent years, there has been a surge of popularity in the field of clockwork machines and automatons, coming from the Costisian Empire. One of the Royal Princesses even has a clockwork nanny. This acceptance of new technology is what will pave the way for the Tyrish people, headed towards the future.
Princess Hilde, of Tyrhart
Character Summary
Name: Hilde Henrik
Aliases: Hilde the Unmastered, Hilde the Thundering, Hilde the Runaway, Little Hilde.
Titles: Third Princess of Tyrhart, Honourary Royal Guardsman.
Age: 14
Place of Origin: Kingdom of Tyrhart
Kingdom: N/A
Gender: Female
Physical Attributes
Eyes: Green, like sunlit meadows and the rolling hills of her homeland.
Hair: Her hair is a very distinctive Tyrish gold in colour, and is worn in the traditional style, long and carefully braided. Shes been growing it out since she was five, when she made her first kill.
Day To Day Attire: When dressed in her typical, Tyrish style, Hilde wears a knee-length skirt and a fitted undershirt with an ornate, clearly hand-crafted leather tunic. She wears tall boots, or shoes with knee socks depending on where she is. In court, she wears a crown of freshly picked wildflowers and substitutes the more practical clothing for silks and flowing, dyed fabrics. She has yet to earn the right to wear military wear in the throne room, this distinct clothing marks her as a child and member of royalty.
Strengths: Graceful beyond her years. Equally accurate with blade, wit and powder. Completely without fear.
Weaknesses: Her fearlessness. That she's a little girl.
Psychological Attributes
Unyielding * Honourable * Adventurous * Energetic
Sexuality: N/A
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: Hilde is like the Tyrish heroes of old, incarnate. Raised on stories of heroism and song, blood and thunder runs through her veins. She is like a fearsome beast in the shape of a girl, tempered by a life of regulated violence and etiquette. Concepts of Tyrish honour are ingrained in her so deeply, they might as well be a natural extension of her being.
These things said, it might seem as though she's hardly a human being at all, more like an embodiment of Tyrish values and virtues. While not inaccurate, this isn't quite the case.
She certainly has her own insecurities and flaws, fragile like patchwork and existing just below the surface of her apparently unbreakable confidence. She's constantly pushing herself to be the best that she can be, and she secretly fears that someday she'll come across a danger that sheer determination can't conquer. She's still a little girl at heart, no amount of skepticism can stop her from taking things at face value at times. Her purity of heart, and lack of understanding of the adult world, leads to her often not understanding the motives of adults, which leads to a disconnect with people not of her same age.
At the same time, she feels like an adult herself, and tries to portray herself in that light despite her genuine inexperience with social politics. She'd like to make friends, and to relate to other children her age, but the barrier of her upbringing and strict adherence to Tyrish codes of honour hinders this. She's the Third Princess of Tyrhart, and her Father's favoured daughter, who may one day wield the whole, unbroken military might of the Tyrlands at her fingertips.
That isn't to say her Tyrish heritage is all bad. Her love of song, festivity and the arts is matched only by her love of sharing these joys with those around her. She learned through her countless trists into the castle town and the surrounding wilderness, to hold respect for the world, and the people who inhabit it. This core of respect in her outlook is the bridge between her, and the people who so idolize her.
One of the Tyrish values that she embraces stronger than her sisters, is the love of single combat. Ever since she was seven summers old, shes loved nothing more than the thrill of a Tyrish honour duel, fought with a combination of blade and song. She has never lost. Whenever she has a disagreement, this is essentially the only acceptable way to resolve it in her mind. Any matter not settled with a duel of honour is not worth discussing.
She's kind of a weird girl.
Skills
A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking. Levels include novice (1 pt), apprentice (2 pt), journeyman (3 pt), expert (4 pt), master (5 pt). Each character can spend 21 points & only two skills can be mastered. If your character knows magic, it counts as a skill.
- Songwriting/Poetry (Master): The traditional Tyrish royal upbringing has two equally measured parts. Wit, and blade. Of the two, Hilde is certainly more skilled in the former, having already written an epic recounted throughout the land by the tender age of twelve. Her grasp of language and how it applies to lyricism, as well as her understanding of music and verse is far beyond her years. One of the world's greatest linguists.
- Singing (Master): Ever since she could speak, Hilde could sing. She has complete mastery over her voice, as the result of natural talent combined with years of careful training. She can preform in a wide variety of voices and styles, and further apply her skills to disguise her voice, or speak over loud noises clearly. Having trained in the Tyrish style, Hilde can sing evenly even in the heat of combat, and is unhindered by obstructions such as background noise or intense pain.
- Martial Arts (Expert): Training in three core disciplines; Hand-to-Hand, Armed Combat and Marksmanship. Her skill in hand-to-hand, considered a weapon of last resort or one to use in the case of civilian disputes, is sufficient enough to incapacitate an unskilled assailant regardless of size. Hilde's favoured weapons are a shortspear or dagger, although she can use a hand axe, shortsword and shield if necessary. With firearms, Hilde has trained exclusively with pistols of various makes, and is especially skilled at drawing quick and aiming/reloading under pressure.
- Etiquette (Journeyman): Skilled enough to correctly maneuver in foreign courts, but most suited to upholding Tyrish customs and values. Skill level appropriate for all royal princesses her age.
- Riding (Apprentice): Can ride saddled on a deer-steed or similar beast, drive a wagon in a pinch and maneuver a rowboat or canoe effectively in calm water. Very rudimentary understanding of trailfinding and navigation.
- Survival (Novice): Effectively "Girl Scout" level of skill, able to create shelter, produce fire under neutral conditions, forage basic materials, food and water, fish, trap and hunt. Knows enough basic herbalism to find a few useful herbs, identify edible mushrooms and create a good tea from wild ingredients. Can swim and climb trees.
- Mathematics (Novice): Can do her additions and subtractions. Can handle large purchases on her own, and measure her own finances. Understands the basics of haggling, sufficient to know if she's being utterly ripped off.
History
Parents: King Anders of Tyrhart (Father, living ), and his second wife Queen Margareta (Mother, living )
Siblings: First Princess Agna (Older Sister, living), First Prince Amund (Older Brother, living), Second Princess Gerda (Older Sister, living), Second Prince Gerard (Older Brother, living) Fourth Princess Sonja (Younger Sister, living).
Childhood: Hilde's childhood is everything she has, being a child. It has not been an easy life, the Royalty in Tyr must not take half measures, and spend much of their childhood training their body and mind for the possibility of them becoming Monarch. Combat training, military tactics and poetry are the primary areas of study for a Tyrish Princess, who is expected to lead her own Warband in the future even if she is not to become Queen.
Special Moments: When she was five years old, she made her first kill under her father's supervision. A fox had been preying upon the castle village's chickens, and along with the Royal Guard and King Anders himself, she tracked down the beast and struck its heart with a flintlock pistol. That was the day she earned her warrior's braids, and she wears them with pride. Keeps the fox's pelt in her bedroom at home, as a memoir.
At eleven, Hilde and her best friend began to suspect one of Hilde's uncles from a branch family of something, and uncovered a dark, well-kept secret. This discovery stayed with her, and tinged her view of noblemen with distrust for the rest of her days.
Current Events: After running away from Tyrhart with Cassima and their nanny, Hilde has arrived in the capital of Eagrose with the plan of getting into contact with the order of knights here, and finding allies against the darkness festering in her country. Hopefully, she can find and recruit one of her cousins who she knows is serving in this country, but she doesn't really know where to start.
Relations
* ☠ Enemy * ⚜ Unfriendly * ☯ Neutral * ☮ Friends * ღ Ally * ♥ Crush/Significant Other *
- Cassima Laskaris (ღ Soul Sister)
To say they're allies, would be to drastically understate the depth of their relationship. She knows that there is an ulterior reason for Cassima being sent to live with them, but they became friends anyways, going on all sorts of adventures together. Before the darkness came. Now, far away from home and with nobody to look after them but the Gods and their faithful nanny, the two of them are closer than ever.
Hilde loves, and respects Cassima in a different way than her family or the heroes in her daddy's songs. Its like she didn't know she was flying towards the shining sun, until it came down to sit beside her and join her for a spot of mint tea. Together, they make up a duo that has explored all of her ancestral home and the surrounding lands, and uncovered countless secrets in the family's prodigiously sized halls of records. - Anders Henrik (☮ Father, Kindred Spirit)
Her dearest father, who taught her all she knows about the ancient Tyrish customs and traditions. Some of her dearest memories are staying up late by the fireside, quietly singing of ancient battles and lost loves of the Old Age. They love and trust eachother as equals, but there is a constant air of affectionate competition between the two of them. Anders believes in all of his children, but deep down he knows that when the time of succession comes, Hilde will be the first one to challenge him for the throne. He awaits this moment, knowing that it will be the time when he finally sees his beloved little girl become the Queen he knows she will be. - Agna Henrik: (☮ Sister, Idol)
Agna, the eldest princess of this generation of Henriks, is already at the age where she is serving as second in command in a Warband of some repute. Its been a while since her and Hilde have spoken, one-to-one, but she has nothing but positive memories of her older sister. Agna is the next most favoured child to lead the Tyrlands, a skilled warrior through and through, although falling behind Hilde in terms of singing abilities. You could say she's more "warrior" than "poet". Still, she was Hilde's idol growing up, with her mastery of martial combat reaching the level of the strongest men in their family. - Harald Hansson: (☮ Protector, Mentor)
The one who taught Hilde the art of warfare, and by far the most famous victim on the list of honour duel victories under her belt. A kind man, with a love of children. Unbeknownst to her, he left Tyrhart shortly after her, and tracks her and Cassima across the lands in hopes of confirming their safety and offering them assistance. - Kennet Henrik: (☠ Uncle, Mortal Foe)
A nobleman of the branch family, Kennet is the cause of her and Cassima leaving Tyrhart in search of a certain object of myth. A terrible creature, steeped in shadow and evil. If it catches them, its dark secrets die with her. But she will not die. She will return to her homeland, at her journey's end, and reveal the beast for what it truly is, saving her kingdom.
Extras
Aura: Darkened pink, like stormclouds in her soul. Occasionally, radiant pink like lightning flashes across it.
Scent: Honey and pine needles, with a hint of wild mint.
Anything Else: For her and Cassima's shared assets, see the accompanying post.
There will be another post coming with Hilde and Cassima's travel supplies, automaton maid and more. Just waiting for Rosette to finish their sheet, and then we're all set! Squish!
EDIT: This also makes me the second character in the roleplay who can write! Exciting stuff, people! Literacy ho!