Brunhilde the Valkyrie

By Athyra Di Giovanni (demonsreiche@yahoo.com)

Totem of War, Honour, and Respect

Background Cost

6 (for most tribes), 8 (for Get of Fenris and Black Furies)

Description

As beautiful as she is deadly, the warrior-maiden Brunhilde rode through the skies, taking only the most valiant of the warriors on the battlefield to Valhalla, the final resting place for those souls who were deemed worthy to fight in the final battle. As the warriors trained for Ragnarok -- the end of the world -- Brunhilde and the other valkyries would search the fields of war for more brave and powerful warriors to bring back to Valhalla.

Traits Bestowed

As a warrior maiden, she ensures that all of her followers are knowledgeable in the ways of war. She gives all her followers the Merits: Danger Sense, Acute Sense of Smell, Acute Vision and Acute Hearing. All of the warhost of Brunhilde also gain the following traits while in battle: +2 dice to Melee, +2 dice to Dodge, +2 dice to Brawl, and +1 die in all the physical attributes. These may go above five, but will go away immediately after the battle is over. Whenever Glory, Honour, or Wisdom is gained, one extra Reknown is gained in any of the three.

Restrictions

Only women are allowed to claim this totem as their own, for men do not have either the will, the strength of purpose, or the proper balance of fierceness and wisdom needed. On top of that, the women may only use archaic wepons in combat. Modernized version of said weapons are possible, but using guns and other modern-day inventions are almost impossible for them. (+6 difficulty anything involving such weapons)

Bans

Sexual relations are typically frowned on by the warhost of Brunhilde, who believes that chaste living makes for successful valkyries. There is no official punishment for those who commit themselves to such actions, but many followers of Brunhilde will shun or disparage the person. All of the followers must subject themselves to a rigid code of honour, one which does not allow mercy to be shown to their foes -- or their allies. Brunhilde was never one to blindly follow the commands of Odin, and all Brunhilde's followers suffer a +2 difficulty when trying to deal with male authority figures or those who follow totems of male authority figures. Brunhilde demands that her followers never give up a hunt for the unfit (read: guilty or evil) until all available avenues have been exhausted, despite its physical and mental cost. The warhost of Brunhilde is not a tolerant group, and all of them suffer from at least one Intolerance or Hatred, and are either very vengeful (Flaw: Vengeance) or hot tempered (Flaw: Short Fuse).