Walburg von Drachenfels

Daughter of Baron Franz Löwenroth of Adlerturm

Daughter-in-Law of Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels of Aalban

Amber Dracologist of the First Circle

AC 1017

"Thank you for once again reminding me, but I assure you, I am keenly aware of my proper place."

Appearance

Walburg is rather plain-looking in appearance. Her brown hair is cropped short. Her features are not delicate and her build is somewhat robust for a woman. She dresses simply, mostly in tans and browns. Function and efficiency reflected in her attire, ever for social events. As a dictate of function, Walburg sometimes dresses in trousers. And it has been remarked, more than once, that when dressed in pants and shirts—Walburg looks like a young man!

It cannot be denied however, that Frau Walburg has a certain majesty, as befits a wizardess and noblewoman of Glantri.

Background

Born in AC 994, the daughter of Herr Franz Löwenroth, Baron of Adlerturm, Walburg Löwenroth had a lively, active, and boisterous childhood. She was a tomboy at that age, and could outwit and outplay her boy playmates in Adlerturm. Gifted with magic, Walburg was sent at a young age to the Great School of Magic at the same time as her sickly older brother Rolf Löwenroth, and as such, Walburg grew up fast and precocious. At the Great School, Walburg would sometimes dress up as Rolf when he was too sick to attend his classes. More than once, Walburg even disguised herself as Rolf, in order to confront some bullies tormenting her weak brother; though she did not always win such face-offs, she would at least save her brother's reputation—and more importantly, his life!

Walburg had a more difficult adolescence, with Herr Franz so disappointed in her brother, and yet so dominating and restrictive of her—because she was a girl—even though she was more the man and the wizard that Rolf could ever be! It was in this idea that Walburg formed a plan to escape her father's overprotective and chauvinistic clutches. By dressing herself as a young man, using magical and mundane disguises, Walburg was able to romp freely in Glantri City, occasionally excursing the countryside and even joining adventurers.

Once, on a lark, Walburg attended a ball at Schloß Ritterburg, hosted by none other than the Prince of Aalban, Herr Jaggar von Drachenfels. Dressed in a tailor-made military uniform, Walburg was just one of many dashing Aalbanese gentlemen in the ballroom. Her own father, who was in attendance, did not recognize her, and Walburg mingled freely among the guests and members of the noble Drachenfels family. She was even able to talk to Prinz Jaggar himself, giving her views on women in the military and her opinions about equality of the sexes. She even caught the attentions of the Prince's rather naïve and totally smitten cousin, Viktoria von Drachenfels, who insisted on dancing endlessly with this enigmatic young solider, not knowing her true identity.

At the stroke of midnight, when her enchantments would end, Walburg tried to make her exit, but was stopped and confronted by Herr Roderick von Drachenfels, son of the Prince. Accustomed to roguish tricks, Roderick had figured out that the reason behind the soldier's odd behavior and nonconformist opinions was that he was a woman! And once the illusions were dispelled and her true identity revealed, Walburg begged Roderick not to reveal her secret to the Prinz—or her father! Amused by Walburg and her predicament, Roderick agreed to the conspiracy, and even distracted a tearful Viktoria when she came running from the ballroom desperately seeking her mystery man!

After graduating from the Great School of Magic in AC 1011, Walburg expressed her desire to join the Glantrian Army, but was severely censured by her father. She was to be married off someday (preferably in a politically-advantageous marriage) to be a proper Aalbanese frau. Herr Franz would not lose her to the army—or worse, to some army solider. Walburg even contacted Roderick to pull strings with Prinz Jaggar himself, the Warden of the Marches, but was wisely advised not to pit her father against his allies.

At that point, Walburg changed her plans in life. Her up close encounters with House Ritterburg shaped her ambitions of power. Her dream was to become a Princess of Glantri, or at the very least, the power behind the throne. Walburg began studying politics, history, heraldry, the bureaucracy and the nobility of Glantri. By AC 1016, Walburg executed her plan: she positioned herself to be "courted" by Herr Sigmund von Drachenfels, son and heir of Prinz Jaggar, an eccentric inventor who had no mind to rule his Aalban. When marriage was proposed, Prinz Jaggar greatly approved of the intelligent and capable Walburg, while Herr Franz was overjoyed at this profitable match.

In AC 1017, Walburg Löwenroth married Sigmund von Drachenfels, alongside her brother Rolf Löwenroth who married (ironically) Viktoria von Drachenfels.

Personality & Quirks

Walburg is a remarkable woman. She is capable of many things not customarily done or allowed to ordinary Aalbanese women. And yet she knows how to play demure, though not necessarily obedient nor docile. She can be shrewd and conniving to achieve her goals of power, and not above trickery or deception to achieve it.

Walburg is a feminist and believes in the personal strengths of an individual, regardless of gender. She cannot stand the patriarchal and chauvinistic attitudes of the Aalbanese, particularly from her own father! And yet, Walburg is also intolerant of weak-willed and submissive women, even if there are subservient out of no choice of their own.

Walburg shares the typical Aalbanese bias against the Krondaharans, but hers is due to the misogynistic, chauvinism of their culture. In fact, she has several friends who are Krondaharans, mostly strong-willed women who have broken away from the oppressive conventions. Though they have never met, Walburg is a great admirer of Lady Lan-Syn Virayana.

Web of Intrigue

Walburg had been very careful in plotting her rise to power. As such, she has positioned herself to have the most allies and only a minimum of enemies. She is, at best, fond of her eccentric husband, Herr Sigmund, but she knows that the best arrangement would be to leave him to his crazy inventions and leave the reigns of Aalban to her competent hands. Prinz Jaggar does not see her as an actually ruler in Aalban, but hopes that her political savvy would somehow rub off on his crackpot son. Frau Helgar von Drachenfels, forever uninvolved, remains neutral to her. Frau Hildegarde von Drachenfels has recognized the crafty power-mongering schemes of this girl, though she does not disapprove, the matriarch of House Ritterburg is apt to watch Walburg very closely.

Even during their first meeting in Schloß Ritterburg, Walburg has had a powerful attraction to Herr Roderick von Drachenfels. She had only met him twice again. The last time, they consummated their passions, but she has never seen him since, even after Roderick's older brother became her husband. He has been missing since AC 1014, and Walburg is not sure how she would feel if he were to return.

In her own family, she plays the devoted daughter to Herr Franz Löwenroth, who is only too happy that his troublesome daughter has finally obeyed him and settled down. She loves her brother Rolf, but his recent changes in behavior and personality have caused a rift between them. Walburg thinks little of her sister-in-law Viktoria—who has still not figured out their past "romance"—and wonders just how insipid she truly is.

Outside the nobilities of Aalban, Walburg has not yet made many connections or contacts, although Prince Urmahid Krinagar of Bramyra has been duly informed of a potential alliance with House Ritterburg if and once Sigmund becomes Prince. As such, he is arranging his sister Lady Lan-Syn to have a "chance encounter" with Frau Walburg von Drachenfels.

Walburg is a great supporter of the Glantrian military, which has made her quite popular among the soldiers of Aalban.

Style of Magic & Combat

Statistics: 9th-level wizard, Amber Dracologist of the 1st Circle; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 13; AL C (D&D), CN (AD&D).

Languages: Thyatian (Glantrian and Aalbanese dialects), Alphatian (Blackhill dialect).

Skills: disguise, dragon lore (amber dragons), etiquette, heraldry, reading/writing, spellflash.

Weapon Proficiencies: knife, dagger.

Walburg's selection of spells is a product of necessity rather than personal interests. Since her childhood, Walburg has had a wide range of alterations and illusions to change her physical appearance and disguise herself as a young man. Combined with nonmagical techniques, her masquerade is almost perfect.

Walburg does not hesitate to engage in combat, and has many effective direct-damage offensive spells she has been using since fighting against bullies at the Great School of Magic. She also has abjurations for this purposes, and also to protect her identity when in disguise.

After graduating from the Great School—and deciding her goals of the throne of Aalban—Walburg began studying dragon lore, particularly the rare gemstone dragons. By AC 1015, Walburg had compiled an extensive treatise on the amber dragon, and was thus discreetly invited to join the Secret Craft of Dracology. At that point, Walburg became certain this would ingratiate her to the Drachenfels family. What she did not realize was that the High Master of Dracology, Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels, was already quite impressed by her efforts—and secretly sponsored her himself!

Walburg has since been striving to achieve the next Circle of Power—mainly to impress to the powers-that-be that her interest in Dracology is more than for show—but is facing difficulty due to the scarcity of lore on amber dragons.

Walburg owns a rare girdle of masculinity/femininity, which she once used to punish a chauvinistic Aalbanese soldier, by transforming him into a woman and leaving "her" naked and drunk in a military barracks after the Gondola Games.

"You like her for the same reasons you dislike her. Her ambition and scheming reminds you of yourself."

(Frau Helgar von Drachenfels, to her mother Frau Hildegarde, regarding the new addition to House Ritterburg)

References: History of House Ritterburg

Author: Kit Navarro