Torvi Eiríkssdóttir

## Intro

**Torvi Eiríkssdóttir** is the youngest offspring of Erik the Red Thorvaldsson, the famed viking warband chieftain, settler and explorer. She recently arrived at Kattegat in hopes of finding a raiding band to embark on adventures in a quest for glory, wealth and infamy; she is currently in the process of becoming a shieldmaiden.

## Personal Life

Torvi hails from the northernmost region of the Land of the Black Flame. She is the only daughter of Erik the Red and the youngest of four siblings including Leif, Thorvald and Thorsteinn Eiríksson.

Her name means "dedicated to thunder" or "thunder's fighter" because she was born on a stormy night, coincidentally the night when her father managed to return triumphant from one of his raids. The storm was so severe that upon arrival one of his two ships nearly sank and a few raiders were lost at sea. Rumor has it that Erik the Red prayed hard to the Gods for a safe return and as it seems, the Gods kindly obliged. Ecstatic over reaching safety, he returned home to find his wife holding a fire-haired newborn crying on her bosom. Overjoyed, Erik perceived the series of events as an omen and immediately decided to honor the Gods by naming his youngest after the very force that nearly destroyed him.

Torvi grew up hearing the sagas about courageous people and their legendary deeds.This fact along with her family's tradition in raising raiders and seafarers sparked a fiery passion in her to achieve that same glory and renown, a passion shared by her siblings as well. This led to a competitive upbringing; the siblings, enthralled by the tales about their father and other vikings would turn the smallest things into competition: Cracking riddles,winning board games, picking the most wood for the fire... which as they grew escalated to fist-fighting, wrestling, running etc. Torvi from a young age displayed signs of a keen mind and wit; being the youngest though, she couldn't always keep up with the physical activities. That is when she usually followed in spirit, watching cheerfully her older brothers and learning from them as they all grew under the care of their parents.

Some years passed and her physical fortitude started to catch up to her mental capacity. Unfortunately though, upon her reaching puberty, the three brothers were well into young adulthood and had started embarking on raids and exploration missions with Erik. Now that she was finally taller, stronger and faster, she had nobody to challenge herself with and train. As she felt the stabbing pain of being left behind in the race for renown, Torvi decided not to give up: Whether alone or with her friends, she decided to better herself any way possible, even though lacking proper technique except for the basics.. and her overly busy father's guidance.

Her passion was further supported by her mother, Thjodhild, even though deep down she wanted her daughter to settle down and have a family, a fact which sometimes was brought up in fights. Erik's only daughter strived to balance out running the house with her mother, working the fields and honing her skills, until the day came that she reached her 20th year and became a *maer,* a maiden*.* Upon blossoming into a young woman and legally becoming her own person, Torvi decided to embark on a personal journey of self-growth, an exciting adventure with the ultimate goal being one: to become the stuff of legend, a viking heroine in the sagas sang by skalds around the lands, a shieldmaiden with a legacy.

## Character

Besides the fiery-red hair, Torvi has also inherited the fiery-hot temper of her father, thankfully countered by the fact that she also got her mother's patience. It takes a lot of work to get her angry, but once at that point she is almost bound to fly in a fit of rage, accompanied by a barrage of cursing (father's side) and knife/axe throwing (mother's side). That point aside, she is as calm and collected as it gets; stubborn too, especially regarding her sibling rivalry with her brothers in their mutual quest for greatness.

Torvi was raised with respect for family values as well as respect for the Gods and their will. She is fiercely loyal to kin, whether family or friends and loves them to death, her brothers especially so. She is particularly intolerant to injustice of any kind and will probably speak up or react if she judges she's up for the challenge. She is the kind of person with trust issues to strangers and the unknown, but is inquisitive enough to not get instantly prejudiced, unless given a reason. If given the time and effort, that cold exterior will give way to a hearty and kind lass. She aspires to greatness, her father being her primary role-model, and has the most respect for people with vision, strength and intelligence.