Name: Sieglinde Volsung
Aliases: Just 'Sieg' will do.
Titles: Dragon Heart Sieglinde, Dragon Slayer, Jarl Sieg.
Age: 32
Time of Death: Roughly 8,445 years ago, when the Volsung clan ruled over the north.
Place of Origin: The main Volsung holding, Skorravik (Near modern day Illisk)
Gender: Female
Eyes: Dull Grey
Hair: Silvery White.
Day To Day Attire: When not wearing her armor, Sieg can be seen wearing very loose fitting undergarments that show off quite a bit of her body. A loose fitting, sleeveless cloth top that only covers her chest, a thin leather strap cutting it off just beneath her chest. On her arms, she wears thin fur gloves. Around her waist is a simple cloth and fur skirt that hangs to her knees, with fur boots that come up halfway to her knees. Upon her left side, a number of runic tattoos with various meanings can be seen etched into her skin.
Her armor she wears when out adventuring or during conflicts, is a mix of lightweight metal as well as cloth and fur. It's designed to be warm, offer decent protection and still allow one full range of movement. yes, the helmet has cat ears on it. Ask her about the story sometime. She'd love to tell it.
Sieglinde herself is tall and sturdily built and stands at a tall 5'9".
Strengths: - Physical strength beyond that of a normal human
- Physical endurance that makes her able to go all night. Hell, all week.
- Her extreme skills with swordsmanship and weapons of all kind.
Weaknesses: - far too reckless. She sees an enemy, she'll run head first towards it.
- Far, far, too trusting at times
- Doesn't know when to quit, even if her body is breaking. Someone may have to drag her out of the battlefield by force.
- Extremely impulsive. Will jump in front of a stampeding horse, suplex the horse, and then make it her own horse...just to stop it from trampling over a little bunny.
Reckless * Friendly * Jovial * Trusting
Sexuality: ...is there a term for 'Loves everything, and everyone?'
Relationship Status: Will never stayed tied down to a single partner.
Personality:If there is one thing one would immediately notice about Sieg, is that she is hardly ever seen wearing a frown. And the first word used to describe her, would be extremely passionate. About everything. The jovial, friendly, northern woman hardly is ever down, sad, or upset over something. She takes everything in stride, and can easily be found laughing over most things. Even inconveniences or things that one might find bad. At all times, she keeps moving forwards, and never looks back to see where she has been. The woman is friendly and amicable, even to her enemies and foes. She doesn't hate or get angry, she only is disappointed that people behave less then they should. She hardly ever acts out of anger or malice, and when she does it is usual righteous fury over something.
When it comes to conflict, Sieg welcomes it with open arms as she would anything. She'll run headfirst into danger alongside her comrades, or alone if she must, and she'll be the last one out. She treats everyone as family, and will never think less of them for anything they do. At times, she is far too trusting, however. She always keeps her words and promises, and expects others to keep their promises in kind. She is humble, for the most part, and refers to herself as
'Not a hero, but just a crazy woman swinging around a giant metal stick.'
Oathbreakers, betrayers, and other such people are the only ones that will ever see the side of Sieg she doesn't like showing. Those who do not keep their words, and actively betrays others...will face the complete fury of the north, and while she may not kill them - they will never, ever, have her aid again in anything.
A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking and abilities or magic. You can have a total of ten, but temper them to not be overly powerful - except one can be noticeably more powerful, usually the one skill/ability/magic/item that makes them recgonizable.
- Master Swordsman (Skill - Master): She trained for so many years with the blade, starting when she was just a babe with her faster father - a traveling blacksmith by the name of Reign. While she may lack a bit of finesse other swordmasters might have, she has more than ample strength to make up for it. She can take on a number of opponents at once with relative easy.
- Clarity of Mind (Skill - Master): Long hours of training and her own personality gives Sieg a unique sense of purpose. She knows what she wants, how to get it, and knows what she doesn't want. Affecting her with any sort of charm or mind-altering abilities will fall incredibly flat, or at least have reduced effectiveness.
- Passionate Charisma (Skill - Expert): Sieg doesn't know the meaning of the word fear, and her words carry that. Those around her, her comrades and even the general populace simply finds her words much more enthralling. While it could perhaps not stand up to a divine blessing or magic, the passion and sheer certainty with which she speaks tugs at the hearts of many, driving them to always give their best in whatever they do, and she seems incredibly trustworthy, even to the more mistrustful sorts.
- Battle Rage (Skill - Journeyman): In the olden days of the north, when it was even more untamed than it is now, many of the fierce northern warriors fought with a ferocity of a dragon themselves, driven by a raging clarity that induced an almost trance like state and enhanced their strength, mental resistances, and made them numb to pain and able to fight regardless of their wounds. While Sieg never fully finished her training in this particular battle style - wielding a sword as large as Gram meant she didn't have the required agility, but she still has some of the effects of it.
- Dragon Hearted - (Blessing): After killing Fafnir and consuming part of the dragons heart and bathing in its blood, Sieg gained dragon like strength. While she can never match a true dragon in terms of strength, her physical abilities far outweigh that of most mortal men without blessings of their own. She is able to last much longer than humans in a number of fields, and her skin simply seems much more durable than it should be giving her great amounts of natural defense and making her able to shrug off blows that would leave most men crippled.
- Bird Song (Blessing): Additionally after consuming part of Fafnir, Sieg learned to speak with the birds. While not inherently useful for many things, it is a useful skill for Intelligence gathering, scouting, etc. If used creatively, she could do a number of things with it.
- Dragon Sight (Blessing): The third and final blessing she received from defeating Fafnir. When activated, her eyes turn similar to that of a dragon. In essence, it allows her to think faster than most humans, and allow her to have a faster reaction time because of it.
To put simply think of it as a bit of a 'bullet time' effect she's able to have if she activates it. The 'buff' takes a bit of a toll on her body however, and is only able to be active for a short time. Roughly two-three minutes at most, and even then it will start straining her body as a human one was not meant to hold such power. It's enough to last through most typical conflicts. It is best used in short bursts, rather than all at once to maximize its effectiveness.
At times, it can also reveal things unseen. Things that perhaps may be otherworldly in nature, but such information is hardly useful most of the time. At time though, it might reveal important things. - Dragon slaying sword, Gram (artifact): A golden sword that gleams with a pale blue flame, able to cleave a dragons hide in two in a single light stroke. It is a large, two handed sword that she wields with the grace and dexterity of a master swordsman. The sword, is the one she is most well known for using. It is the sword that tasted the blood of the rampaging dragon Fafnir alongside her and as well as.
The abilities of the sword include inducing fear in dragons, the ability to cut through most non-magical material with ease, and to slay mighty beasts such as dragons and similar creatures.
Upon speaking the words - "Bane of dragons, wrath of the north...I call upon the, Gram!" The blade can ignite itself in a bright flame that shines for a time. The flames envelop the blade - making all dragons and any who carry dragon blood cower in fear from it, unless they are an especially strong one. Even then, though, it would cause them great discomfort and unease.
The effects of the flame are rather obvious upon dragons. A dragon or similar creature cut with the blade in its active state, will have a wound that will never heal. Or at least, take a great amount of time for it to heal and no matter what, it would leave a nasty scarring. The flames themselves also act as a shield of sorts against dragon breaths of all kinds, its own cold flame burning away the raging fire of a dragon.
Upon human foes and other people, the blade is a bit less effective. The flames are meant only for harming dragons, not humans, and it will never harm a human. The flame to most humans cool to the touch, and somewhat calming.
Backstory:To understand Sieglinde and Gram, one would first need to understand her families history and the origins of the sword itself. The story of the Volsung family, is generations old and Sieglinde is merely one in a long line of them - and it could be argued the family is far, far, from heroic save for Sieglinde herself. Treachery and backstabbing seems to run in the families blood.
The tales starts with a man named Sigi, banished from his homeland for murder. Sigi was a stout man, strong, courageous, if had some anger problems. For a long time after being banished from his tribe, he wandered the land as an adventurer until he decided to rebuild a home for himself. It started out small, but eventually he built his own holding, and was deigned Jarl. For a time, there was peace and the family was happy and thrived - until his wifes brothers grew jealous and greedy of his power. They raised an army, and incited war against Sigi and his home. He is killed, and his son Rerir takes the throne after he takes revenge and kills his uncles, wresting the throne from their dead hands. Some years later, he dies of illness and shortly after his wife gives birth to Volsung - the one who would become known as the first of the Volsung Line, though little is really known about him and his own adventuring exploits - but it is said after a while of traveling and adventuring he met a Giantess by the name of Hljod, and had eleven children by them. The oldest of which...being the twins Sigmund and Signy. Sigmund of which, is Sieglinde's father.
Sigmund became a renowned adventurer in his time - and was the very first wielder of the sword, Gram. A mysterious divine artifact given to him by a cloaked traveler. He carved the name 'Volsung' into the north with great heroics and tales of grand adventures. At the time, the sword Gram was simply an unnaturally sharp sword able to cut through a number of mundane items with ease.
His peace and the Volsung name wouldn't last, however. Years pass and Signy is married to Siggeir who grew jealous of both the sword and Sigmunds prowess. After Sigmund refused to sell him the sword, Siggeir grew vengeful. He hunted down all of the Volsung family, murdering them one by one. Sigmund only survived thanks to his sister. In order to restore a pure, Volsung family line Signy tricked sigmund into sleeping with her, and produced a child. Together, Sigmund and this child, Sinfjotli. Eventually, they manage to do this and Sigmund returns and takes his fathers throne, ruling for many years where he marries Hjordis and has a child - Sieglinde.
Unfortunately, one of her suitors she turned down grew jealous once again. King Lyngvi brought an army to the Volsung's holding doorstep, where Sigmund eventually lost his life - and the sword Gram was shattered.
Hjordis fled with their child after being mortally wounded by King Lyngvi, but not before retrieving the broken sword from Sigmund in the aftermath and finding a traveler found the babe and recently deceased mother.
This, is where Sieglinde's history starts.
This kind Traveler took in the babe, and raised her as their own. The traveler was a wandering blacksmith by the name of Riegn.
Growing up, Sieglinde kept the shattered remains of Gram with her at all times - it was the only connection she had to her mother and father after all. She grew up healthy, happy, and most noticeably strong and courageous...just like her father. Reign treated her just as her own daughter, never having a child of his own. And like her father, she quickly took to matters of the sword and battle.
She had many adventures in her youth, before being known for using Gram. She and Reign became quite popular and renowned in the area for their exploits. She was known as a bit of an oddity. Always happy, laughing and smiling...as well as perhaps enjoying fighting a bit too much. She often had the tendency of challenging the warriors in whatever town they were staying in to a fight.
It was around the time she was 20 though, did the terrible dragon Fafnir make its mark upon the world. It pillaged, plundered, and looted from the north. Many of the northern people couldn't do a thing about it - not many men, even the brave norther warriors of the time could stare down a dragon. It'd take someone with a special kind of bravery and foolhardiness to stare down such a beast in an attempt to slay it.
Sieglinde, was one such person. In her time growing up, she grew to love the world. The land of the north - it was harsh and difficult at times, but beautiful and forgiving to those who loved it back. The people were loved equally - as rough and crude...imperfect as
human as they were. It tugged at her heart to see so many people at the mercy of a cruel dragon.
So she decided to kill the dragon.
Reign tried to tell her she was a fool, but she wouldn't listen. She asked him to forge her a sword that is capable of slaying the beast. Reluctantly, her foster father agreed. He forged three swords - the first two Sieglinde were simply not able to make even a single mark against the dragon. It seemed that no matter what, there was simply not a sword sharp enough to harm the hide of the beast.
It was then, a mysterious cloaked traveler appeared to Reign and told him how to reforge the sword, Gram...and how to make it better than it previously was via magical means. Riegn was skeptical at first, but Sieglinde readily agreed. It was better than simply having the pieces of the sword laying around doing nothing. Following the instructions of this odd individual, Riegn reforged the gold blade - that now shined with a brilliant blue flame.
Testing the sword, Sieglinde brought it down upon the anvil - and the anvil split in half. Feeling satisfied, Sieglinde left to find Fafnir once again. Reign stops Sieg once again, and implores her not to fight the dragon and tells her a story - a story about his own family. He once had two brothers - by the name of Otr...and Fafnir. Fafnir was once a mighty warrior, but a cursed ring saw to it his heart was clouded by evil and he eventually turned into a violent dragon. Reign implored Sieg at least visit the Soothsayer to determine her fate.
Reluctantly, Sieglinde agreed and went. The Soothsayer spoke of the future in tongues, but Sieg could at least make out what she had to do. The man who killed her parents - King Lyngvi, was once again plotting to finish off the last of the Volsungs...her. In his old age he had gone mad, and was a threat to him and her north, just the same as Fafnir. So she took some men who were willing to, and sailed to his kingdom. A fierce and bloody battle ensued, where she took the reforged sword and avenged her parents and destroyed just one threat to her North.
After she returns, Fafnir had grown even more aggressive. Now that she didn't have to worry about King Lyngvi showing up at their doorstep with what was likely going to be an incredibly difficult fight, she could fight without worry. Before she could though, the mysterious robed figure appeared once again and told her how she could use the dragon to strengthen herself even further. She was skeptical, but he had been truthful about Gram and whoever it was said this was not dark magic or evil of any sort, merely doing what she did best - surviving. She had no reason not to trust him, so she did.
The ensuing battle was dangerous and quick, and Sieglinde ended up more than nearly dead a number of times. eventually though, she won the battle and shoved Gram into the dragons shoulder, burying it deep in the creatures flesh. With its magical flames, burning the dragon from the inside and sealing its fate with a mortal blow. As the dragon fell, it spoke to Sieglinde - telling her that his gold and Reign would be her death. Silencing the dragon, she did as the old traveler instructed. She drank the beasts blood, and cooked up its heart.
The effects were noticeable immediately. The dragon heart bestowed the strength of dragons themselves, and the blood allowed her to hear the birds, as well as seemingly always knowing how to best fight. Almost as if it was a sixth sense...oddly enough though, the birds spoke of the same thing Fafnir did. That Reign would be the death of her. Reign suddenly came almost from nowhere, asking to partake of the dragon heart and blood himself.
It wasn't until the betrayal happened did she believe anything she had heard from the dragon and birds. She was hurt. Incredibly so. It was the first time in her life that she could say that she was angry. Unfortunately for Reign, his plan didn't work as he had hoped. She survived, but in the end didn't kill him out of revenge - just left him half for dead. Heeding Fafnir's words, she took none of the gold - but using Gram she sealed the entrance to the cave, to insure that its fell hoard would never tempt anyone with greed again, for some time.
It was in this time, did Sieglinde retook her fathers throne, remaking the Volsung holding. During her travels and administration as the ruler, she meet a woman that would later become one of her many...partners, for a time. A warrior by the name of Brynhild. For a time, the woman traveled across the northern kingdom with Sieglinde when she was able, and simply enjoyed life. They had many traveling companions over the years, and Sieglinde became well known across the north for her feats of inhuman bravery, endurance, and of course, the slaying of Fafnir. It is said that the north lands loved her just as much as she loved them.
During one of their travels, they met a witch by the name of Grimhild. The witch was said to never have loved, and never have been loved. She tried to charm the dragon slayer through various means - make her a thrall of hers, but all attempts eventually fell and when she finally asked about it, Sieglinde simply smiled, and told her that she already loved her - loved everyone in the North, and there was no need for any trickery.
It was then, the witch broke down. It was difficult to deceive someone like Sieglinde for long, and not even the most reproachable sort feel at least some manner of guilt about it.
When Sieglinde died, it was at the planning of Reign. Reign, after Fafnir's defeat took the cursed ring from the hoard and began planning to kill Sieglinde once again. Disguised as a merchant, he gave the ring to Brynhild - after all the ring brought misfortune to those who possessed it. Eventually, the ring bought misfortune to the Sieglinde and her holding. Bandit attacks, everything that seemed to go wrong did go wrong.
The thing that ended it all though, was a single night where a simple mistake when a feast was being held during the annual winter feast. During such times, the hold was open to all who wanted to make merry, feast, and forget old grudges and otherwise enjoy a friendly festivity. Of course, human nature isn't always so good, and enemies can easily use such an occasion to slip in, which is exactly what happened.
For as kind and generous as Seiglinde was, she made her fair share of enemies over the years. After all, while she never considered herself to be a hero or leader of any sort the other kings of the time saw her differently, and grew covetous and jealous.
The party was crashed as the holding was attacked from within, but not without putting up a fight themselves. In the end though, the defense failed and Grimhild was killed, Brynhild was wounded and Sieglinde was cornered. It is said Reign struck the final blow himself, and that when she died all she did was smile and say;
"Ah...such a pleasant breeze today, isn't it father?" It is said that later, Reign would die a cowards death, fleeing from the very allies he enlisted to help him.
Brynhild managed to survive, and rally the remaining survivors but it was too late. House Volsung died with Sieglinde, and so too did their holdings. In typical fashion of the time, Brynhild made a funeral pyre for them, enshrining Gram in a now long-forgotten place near the old Volsung holding.
Myth: Myths are oft untruthful, though not intentionally. Not much is mentioned about her origins or her past family in the surviving myths. Many a bard sung her tales at the time, but time wears on such traditions and practices.
What survives though, is the most important tale - Her slaying of the dragon Fafnir. Legends say that one night, there was a knock at a young blacksmiths door. When he went to answer, there was a cloaked figure who thrust the baby into his arms who simply said 'Raise the child, and teach her. She will be blessed by the North.' Before he could even comment, the cloaked person was gone in a flash, leaving nothing more than a cold night and a wind behind.
It says that she was raised as an orphan by a blacksmith, who would teach her the way of the sword. She traveled all over as a child, adventuring with her foster father and carving her adventures into the lands of the North when the Dragon Fafnir began rampaging. So Reign forged the sword Gram for her, and she slew the dragon with it.
After this, the legends are much less precise. It says that she traveled with Brynhild for a number of years, but eventually left her for Grimhild. Some say she never traveled with either - they were simply allies or enemies of hers in important battles. What the myths to say however, is that Brynhild was a constant friend and ally while Grimhild was a trickster and a foe of hers - and the cause of the massacre at the winter day feast.
As for Brynhild, she went down in legend as a shieldmaiden and warrior in her own right. Myths are much less kind to Grimhild, however. Even though by her death she changed her ways the stigma that she was a witch who did evil deeds stuck forever. She was ultimately blamed for what happened at the winter feast, and her name was forever attached to treachery in the region.
* ☠ Enemy * ⚜ Unfriendly * ☯ Neutral * ☮ Friends * ღ Ally * ♥ Crush/Significant Other *
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Character Quote: "In doing anything, one should always do it with a happy heart and to their fullest. For without passion and a smile, one is simply living their life as a mindless slave."Theme Song: AHAHA! My friends, comrades and allies! Fear not the dragon, the wraith, or even the gods! Live each day with life, and without hesitation! Jump into things headfirst, with no regrets, even if you could get hurt! As long as you do it to your fullest, it matters not as long as you don't harm another without cause."Anything Else: 
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