Freija Runeshield's page

Freija will be a frontline fighter, focused on protecting and enhancing the other members of the party, while still being capable of defeating enemies, especially the undead.

Freija Runeshield was born in Janderhoff to Tavak, a crafter of weapons and armor, and Ishild, a priestess of Bolka. The second of seven children, Freija was often called upon to look after her younger siblings, the oldest of which being 20 years her junior. Even as a young girl she was pious and took her duties very seriously. Freija learned her father's trade, and did and admirable job of it, in order to keep up Tavak's work while he and Gurnod, Freija's older brother, were away fighting off an orc incursion to the northeast, in the Mindspin Mountains near the Hold of Belkzen.

After his return, Tavak kept Freija on as his assistant for several years, until Freija decided she wanted to travel to Larrad in the Five Kings Mountains and become a priestess, like her mother. Secretly Freija also wanted to allow her favorite little brother, Barek, a place beside their father, which wouldn't happen if she were still around.

Initially, Freija wished to become a priestess of Bolka like her mother, but she became entranced by the necropolis in Larrad, and transferred to the Cathedral of Magrim, the dwarven god of the Dead. Borgni Deadhand, the head of Magrim's holy warriors saw potential in the young dwarf, who was both stout and strong from her work as a smith, and quite pious. Taking Freija under his wing, he taught her the art of hammer, crossbow, spear, and shield alongside her spiritual training.

The most dangerous parts of Freija's training involved clearing the fallen Sky Citadel Saggorak of undead, a neverending task. In these excursions the priestess gained a fascination with and loathing of those who would desecrate corpses, and the creatures those corpses became, eventually becoming almost fanatical in her fervent hatred.

On one such excursion Freija's squad came upon an old human man being harried by the zombies in the depths of the ruined Sky Fortress. Calling upon the power of Magrim the priestess and her companions slew the undead and saved him. Once finished, she tended his wounds and berated him for his foolishness. The old man, who introduced himself as Professor Petros Lorrimor, heaped praise upon the young and begged her name. Freija begrudgingly gave it (Freija Runeshield of Janderhoff) and Lorrimor promised he would never forget her. The priestess merely shrugged and escorted the old fool out of the Sky Citadel, warning him not to get himself killed.

Freija forgot about the old man, and eventually returned to Janderhoff after completing her training. She spent the next few years working in her father's smithy, performing funerary rites as necessary, and occasionally supporting Janderhoff's troops when the orcs draw too close to her Sky Citadel home.

Nine years had passed since her encounter with Lorrimor, when she received a letter by courier informing her of the man's death and her apparent place in his will. After reading up on Lorrimor's home country, Freija decided to go to the funeral, though she is secretly more excited to encounter and destroy the undead horrors of Ustalav than she is to find whatever it is the old fool left to her.

Freija Runeshield stands a bit over four feet tall and weighs nearly 200 pounds. She is well muscled and stout, a product of her life as a smith and warrior-priest. Her eyes are a grey-green and she wears her dark auburn hair in two thick braids that barely hang past her shoulders, less for style than for the utility of keeping her hair out of her way in combat. Freija has a pretty, but not striking face.

She is dressed in well made but plain clothing beneath a suit of scale mail, with stout boots and a utilitarian leather cloak. A brown wool scarf hangs around her neck to protect her face from the cold and rain. The Rune-Carved Cave Entrance that is Magrim's holy symbol hangs, crafted in iron, from an iron chain around Freina's neck.

She bears a large spiked steel shield upon which her family crest and Magrim's symbol are emblazoned, a gift from her father. Freija also bears a warhammer, a dagger, and a shortspear she uses as a walking staff.

The young dwarf also wears a full pack with plenty of supplies for extended travel, as well as a set of tools to pursue her craft, though she would need to find a forge and anvil to do much more than pound out a few dents or straighten a blade. A few small casks, filled with her favorite mead, are tied to the bottom of her pack, made by a brewer in Janderhoff.

Freija thinks of herself a generally of a friendly sort, until you act in a way she deems foolish, insulting, or disrespectful. Unfortunately, she finds a great many things to be in those three categories. She is especially prickly about her honor and character, and has been in a number of arguments, and even fistfights over the matter.

That said, those she meets that manage to avoid offending her pride and acting foolishly will find a stalwart ally, and perhaps even a friend. Freija will put her life on the line to protect an ally, or an innocent, especially from an undead horror.

She is generally reserved, and tends to speak only when she has something worth saying. When she's been offended however, she is rather brash, and unleashes a litany of curses in a mixture of Dwarven and Varisian (a language she learned both because of Varisia's nearness to Janderhoff and the language's plethora of profanities).

While Freija hates the undead, and especially those who would create them, she is also secretly enthralled and fascinated by them.

Goal: In her heart of hearts Freija wants to clear all the undead from Saggorak and reclaim the fallen Sky Fortress for her people, becoming a great hero who will be remembered for centuries in the process. To do so, she needs to learn all she can of the undead and grow her skills as a warrior-priest.

Reputation: Freija is known as a capable smith, staunch warrior, and devout priest. She has quite the temper when provoked, but is kind to most she meets.

Friend: Freija's greatest friends are her younger brother Barek and her mentor Borgni.

Home: Freija's has two homes, her room in her parent's home and Magrim's Cathedral.

Signature Item: You can always tell it's Freija when you see her spiked shield emblazoned with her family crest and holy symbol.

Problem: Freija has a driving need to be remembered, and so far in her life she's only managed to perform well. She demands herself to be a true hero of the dwarves.

Secret: Freija is secretly fascinated with the undead. She views it as a moral failing, but can't seem to shake it.

Reason for Bravery: Freija wishes to be brave to honor her family, her god, her city, her ancestors, and her entire race.

Fear: Freija's greatest fear is failure. She cannot stand the thought of someone witnessing any sort of failure.