Leoda Kjetilsdotter (571-present)

The Sisters of Sorrow Some thirty years ago, a terrible plague struck Svinik. The Druids were busy dealing with major disputes between Rjurik realms, and were unable to offer succor. The suffering was great. No family was without losses. The CTN, from the Siren's realm, sent priestesses to assist. They brought together several disorganized shrines to Narikja, the Goddess of Mourning and the Sea. The Sisters fought the plague and eventually won the trust of the entire people of Svinik. As memories of the plague faded in recent years, the Sisters began to emphasize more the power of the sea, an especially powerful idea to the Rjurik sea raiders and fisherman. With this, an underlying factional split occured, as some sisters focused on healing and comforting the suffering, where another faction focused on the sea and seapeople. Due to the divisions, the Sisters of Sorrow was split off from CTN to allow each faction to focus on its chosen ideals without having to argue with the other. Their name reflects the sorrow of the division.

Svinik During the plague, a Ghaellie Sidhe raid plundered much of Bjarnheim. The King, Kjetil, led a counter-attack and pushed the raiders out. He took as a concubine a beautiful elf woman. Kjetil's wife had died while both were young, and he never remarried or had children. When his concubine became pregnant, Kjetil wanted to marry her, yet neither the Sisters nor the few remaining druids would marry the two, as she was unwilling. When Leoda was born, Kjetil legitimized her as his heir. One other child was born to Kjetil and his dungeon-bound concubine, but the boy child died shortly after birth. Kjetil died two years ago, and Leoda's succession was without incident.

Leoda Growing up in Bjarnheim, Leoda was a fierce and wild spirit. She obeyed no rules, and laughed when physical discipline was attempted. Fearing for the future of his realm under such a chaotic spirit, Kjetil asked the Sisters of Sorrow to take a hand in her upbringing. She studied for six years under the sisters, completing their training while still very youthful in person and demeanor due to her Sidhe heritage.

When Jarl Kharl recruited warriors for a raid south on the Anuirean Coast, Leoda snuck off and joined the raid. When the Jarl realized who had joined, he decided not to turn the ship around, as a Priestess of Narikja is always welcome on any ship. Proving herself an effective warrior, she earned the respect of the Jarl and his warriors.

Returning home from her first raid, she found the Sisters in dissaray. Several of the church leaders had been killed by unknown assassins, and there were now two factions, threatening to split the church in twain. As one of only three blooded priestesses, and the only one who wasn't leading a faction the other couldn't tolerate, she found herself Tidecaller(regent) of the Temple. The two major factions are a classic case of good versus neutrality.

She busied herself with learning to run a temple, and while the first couple of years were rough, eventually she united everyone under her. When the plague returned that winter and claimed her father and another swath of Svinik's population, Leoda became Queen of Svinik as well as Tidecaller of the Sisters of Sorrow.

Her first official act was to decree her mother to be released. This act of familial devotion and loyalty was immediately betrayed as the woman demanded the right to duel Queen Leoda to satisfy vengeance against Kjetil. Under Rjurik tradition, Leoda had little choice but to accept. The more experienced Sidhe woman fought with sword and shield against Leoda's Harpoon. While at first Leoda was on her back foot, Leoda's natural talents in combat overcame her mother's experience(and years of malnutrition in the dungeon). With her mother bleeding before her, asking for mercy, Leoda denied the request and impaled her with the harpoon.