Helgar von Drachenfels
Sister of Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels of Aalban
Secret Leader of the Free Anachronic Society of Aalban
White Dracologist of the Second Circle
AC 1016
"Ja, ja, how foolish of me! You're absolutely right! You always are..."
Appearance
Frau Helgar von Drachenfels is unremarkable in beauty, stature, or demeanor, and very little can distinguish from the retinues of Aalbanese ladies in Schloß Ritterburg. She dresses richly in the traditional Aalbanese dress, and always in white—but so do many of the followers and sycophants of the Prince of Aalban. Her hair, once dark brown, is streaked with gray. Her tired brown eyes have little sparkle. Her complexion, with a fair share of wrinkles, is rather pale and wan, belying the Alphatian blood in the Drachenfels line.
The few people who have looked at Helgar carefully have noted her face has subtle draconic features, and she keeps her neck stiffly held back, as if she were a dragon that had bitten into a pungent piece of goblin flesh.
Personality & Quirks
With the years of oppression from the Drachenfels matriarch, Frau Hildegarde von Drachenfels, Helgar does has little strength of character nor motivations of her own. An Aalbanese noble once likened Frau Helgar to a broken-down iron golem under the complete control of its creator, except perhaps the rusted automaton moved wit more spirit and initiative, and far more entertaining.
Helgar has trained herself to maintain a pleasant and soothing tone in her speech, even when complying with matters against her liking—or to the liking of her mother. Helgar hardly argues or disagrees, but she can never hide the constantly bitter expression on her face, one of disgusted acquiescence.
Background
Frau Helgar was born in AC 946, the second child of Frau Hildegarde and Prince Morgaithe von Drachenfels of Aalban. Helgar was raised by her authoritarian mother, undergoing the proper, rather rigid, and quite dull education of an Aalbanese noblewoman. Coming from the racist Ludenberg family, Frau Hildegarde made it a point to correct Helgar's lessons on the acceptance of the Alphatian influence of the Aalbanese culture, stressing instead their proud Hattian traditions.
Even in other matters, the Drachenfels matriarch ruled her daughter's life with an iron fist. In AC 968, Helgar fell in love with Herr Anselm von Silberstein, an aristocratic military wizard from a family long loyal to House Ritterburg. In spite of Anselm's numerous virtues, Helgar still feared her mother might disapprove of the match, so the two lovers kept their romance secret. However, when Frau Hildegarde took Anselm into her army of bodyguards, Helgar took courage to reveal their affaire de couer. But the night Helgar decided to confess her love, Frau Hildegarde informed her that Anselm perished in their latest expedition into the Elemental Plane of Earth, run through then petrified by a rampaging gorgon.
Since then, Helgar never loved another man again, disregarding the battalions of other suitable Aalbanese bachelors that Frau Hildegarde constantly paraded before her, only keeping company with the only man that had always been acceptable to her mother, her brother Herr Jaggar von Drachenfels. Helgar devoted herself to Jaggar, and when he became Prinz of Aalban, she became his closest and most trusted confidante, particularly against the machinations of their controlling mother.
When Jaggar pursued to marry Gertrud Krema, an Aalbanese lady of Alphatian descendent thoroughly despised by Frau Hildegarde, Helgar was Jaggar's foremost supporter in the matter. Later however, when Frau Gertrud died and Helgar suspected the complicity of Princess Dolores Hillsbury, she agonized in silence as no one believed her—not Jaggar, who became much enamored by the Princess, nor Frau Hildegarde, who was the primary suspect of Gertrud's murder and would even benefit if suspicion were placed on the Princess—and she was powerless to pursue the matter further!
Helgar has little in her life to live for and cannot wait for her mother to die. But since the matriarch has not yet done so, and shows no sign of doing so any time soon, Helgar is on the brink of giving up hope altogether.
Web of Intrigue
Frau Helgar has constantly found herself in the middle of conflicts of House Ritterburg, mainly between the immovable Drachenfels matriarch, Frau Hildegarde, and the overpowering Prince of Aalban, Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels. Helgar tries to maintain the peace and minimize the devastation during clashes, and as such, found a kindred soul in her much-victimized sister-in-law, Frau Gertrud, an ally that (as critics are quick to point out) drew the brunt of Frau Hildegarde's wrath away from her daughter! Helgar has genuine affections for Gertrud and Jaggar's sons, but has serious doubts about Herr Sigmund von Drachenfels as the heir to the Aalbanese throne—more so now that he is married to the ambitious Frau Walburg von Drachenfels. It was generally agreed that should Frau Helgar succeed Prinz Jaggar as the ruler of Aalban, it would be Frau Hildegarde who would actually rule; but the present alternative of having Frau Walburg as the true power behind the ineffective Herr Sigmund is a somewhat unpleasant option. Ultimately, Helgar is loyal to Jaggar and the Drachenfels family, and would sacrifice her life, as she has already done so all these years, for House Ritterburg.
Upon the death of Frau Gertrud, the leadership of the Free Anachronic Society of Aalban was passed on to Frau Helgar, though she is less concerned and thus less involved in the cause of the Society than her predecessor. Frau Helgar has however kept the position for herself, as she suspected that her bizarre and possibly deranged cousin, Viktoria von Drachenfels, has been making a bid for power among the Anachronics. (Previously, Helgar had already suspected Viktoria of theft and possibly plotting against Jaggar, and thus duly eased her cousin out of Ritterburg by marrying her off to Herr Rolf Löwenroth, heir to the Barony of Adlerturm.)
Frau Helgar has no political influence, thus no dealings, outside of Aalbanese society—though it could be argued that she has little power even within Aalban.
Style of Magic & Combat
Statistics: 8th-level mage, White Dracologist of the 2nd Circle; Str 13, Int 16, Wis 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Cha 16; AL N (D&D and AD&D).
Languages: Thyatian (Aalbanese and Glantrian dialects), Alphatian (Blackhill dialect).
Weapon Proficiencies: dagger.
Skills: diplomacy, etiquette, persuasion, reading/writing, spellcraft.
Frau Helgar was schooled in the Aalbanese system of education, which requires strict discipline, rigid attitudes, and a structured way of thinking. Her spellcasting is sound, precise, well-timed, and always on the mark; it is almost predictable—even in its spontaneity. Like all traditional Aalbanese wizards, not much can said in the way of personal flair or artistic creativity when it comes to spellcasting or spellcraft. The only thing that sets Frau Helgar apart from the rest is the naturally powerfully sorcery that courses through her veins, a legacy of the Drachenfels bloodline.
Helgar is an accomplished Dracologist, but her expertise in dragon lore surpasses those of any Dracologist of her rank. Though her mastery of the Secret Craft is far less than Jaggar's, she does have access to as many dragon-related spells, magical items, and resources. She chose the white dragon in emulation of her brother, but she is still far from being the consummate Dracologist that Jaggar is.
"If I may be so bold, milady, your true power lies in supporting the opposing forces that threaten to tear this noble house apart. If you were placed in its leadership, the Drachenfels would be a dragon with no head nor tail."
(an astute political analysis from Frau Walburg von Drachenfels, delivered with that distinctive candor that so endears her with the rest of the family)
References:
Author: Kit Navarro