Tekla Volmark

## Apperance

Measuring at 5’11’’ she is quite tall, has dirty blonde hair in a length that reaches her shoulders but are usually set up. She is most often dressed for the occasion she is in and this probably does not come as a surprise. But she is known to often get down and dirty as well as being able to dress up on occasion.

## Biography

Tekla Volmark was born on Harlaw to be the eldest daughter of Maron Volmark and Esgred Myre. Not much happened for the first couple of years of her life other than the birth of her sister Ylsa. At the age of 3 however, her father was called away and joined the Ironfleet in the War of Seven Banners.

It was during these years that her childhood began shaping her personality. She would sneak away from her mother and smaller sister to seek out the world around at the holdings at Volmark. She would study its people and their work and mimic what they were doing in a way to learn about the world. Soon there were also other avenues for her will to learn as the maester of Volmark was put in charge of teaching her some of the things that a young lady of the seven kingdoms should know, such as the names of the different houses of the realm and courtly behavior. It was indeed something she took to quickly and the maester was known to praise her for being “autodidactic”.

The theoretical work in the rookery began to bore her however as the long repetitions became more and more a part of the teachings. She would sneak away and watch as boys worked in the training yard with steel and iron. She would again study their movements and listen to the instruction of the master at arms. She would then find stick and find a place to practice herself. It was several years before she was discovered doing this because of the covertness with which she practiced. Instead of punishing her for this, her father, missing a son and heir, allowed her to continue her training in the open. This allowed her to switch from sticks to real weapons and she soon gravitated towards the weapon of choice of her father, the axe.

As Tekla was developing into the start of her teens, the house of Volmark was beginning to have a real problem with the linage. Lord Maron desperately wanted an heir and as his third child was also born a girl, the problem would not go away. His daughter’s tendencies toward the martial training and her mind to quickly pick up on new things was not enough. It wasn’t until his wife Esgred died giving birth to a stillborn boy that Maron gave up on this venture. It crushed him but the trying time connected the Ironborn lord with all of his daughters and he began to truly see himself in his girls.

He allowed them to grow wilder, to pursue their interests
and for Tekla that meant the pursuits of any other lordlings on the Islands. She was allowed to join a crew and sail the Ironman’s bay aboard the longship called the Blowhole. Again Tekla showed her prowess. She quickly learned the behaviours and work on the ship and also learned the ways of reading a map and navigation. After proving herself for a couple of years, she was given command of her own ship, The Grey Marlin. With this longship if found out how to apply the covert games from her childhood and apply it to ambushes on open water.

It would not be long however, before her father fell ill. Her hunting grounds were moved closer to home and as the eldest child of house Volmark she began taking over more and more responsibilities from her father in managing their lands and holds. As her father grew sicker and sicker over the years, it became apparent that she would be the one to inherit the lordship.

## Timeline

* 361 AC: Tekla is born
* 363 AC: Her sister Ylsa born
* 364 – 368 AC: War of Seven Banners.
* 370 AC: Her sister Unna born
* 371 AC: Tekla is discovered training in secret
* 373 AC: Her mother Esgred dies giving birth to a stillborn son
* 374 AC: Tekla is allowed to join the crew of the Blowhole
* 377 AC: Tekla is given command of the Grey Marlin
* 378 AC: Her father Maron falls sick. Tekla takes on more and more responsibilities in the running of the lordship of Volmark
* 380 AC: Tekla has mostly taken over in running Volmark and is also tending to all official business of the Lordship.

## Household

* Maron “The Younger” Volmark – Lord of Volmark, Father – Gift: Martially Adept; Negative Trait: Sickly
* Ylsa Volmark – Sister – Gift: Towering
* Unna Volmark – Sister – Gift: Agility
* Hage - Quartermaster of the Grey Marlin - Gift: Administrator
* Agnar - Master at Arms of Volmark – Gift: Martially Adept