Torvi Ylvakrí

“ᚺᚨᚱᛏ ᛖᚱ í ᚺᛖᛁᛗᛁ ∙ ᛋᚨᛗᛏ ᛖᛏᛏᛁ í ᛋᚨᛚ ᛗᛁᚾᚾᛁ ∙ ᚦᚹᛇ ᛖᚷ ᚨᚠ ᛗᛖᚱ ᛗᛁᚾᚾᚨ ᛟᚷ ᚱᛖᛁᛞᛁ ᚱíᛏᚱᚨ ᛗᚨᚾᚾᚨ”

Torvi was born in a small village in rural Norway. As a child, she began to show signs of being attuned to the supernatural, whereupon she was taken in by a coven of witches and taught to hone her talents. After a decade of training, and several more years of operating as a mystic for a local village, the jarl exiled her, deciding that he couldn't risk her paganism influencing his people.

She opted to move to England, to ply her trade in a quiet village and perhaps even find some of the old Norse settlers. Though she didn’t encounter any other pagans, she exhibited enough kindness, wisdom and pathos to be tolerated – if not accepted – by the peasantry. She became friends with one particular local, another so-called witch a day's travel away naminged Arianne, and the two enjoyed a correspondence and occasional meeting to discuss spirituality, healing and the world around them.

This new peaceful life of hers was disrupted by Christendom once more when Robert Giscard's men came storming into the area, looking to make an example of Arianne, who interacted more frequently with the locals than Torvi and whose naming had therefore come to his attention. Torvi received a premonition of Arianne’s impending capture, but was too far away at the time to provide enough warning for her to evade capture.

After hearing later that Arianne had somehow escaped after her imprisonment awaiting trial at Normanston, Torvi reckoned that Giscard's men would begin to seek out other witches for trial to save face. She feared that it wouldn't take long for them to discover her – secluded though she may be, a Nordic pagan of her description is hardly inconspicuous. Therefore, she fled and sought out the counsel of the witch known as Granny. Needing a hidden location inhabited by less judgemental people who were no friends of Giscard’s, she advised Torvi seek a covenant of magi she knew, residing within Sherwood Forest…

Description
Born: 1165 Height: 5'4" Weight: 112lbs Build: Skinny

Torvi, despite her somewhat feral appearance, is a very calm and compassionate woman, as displayed by her willingness to help even those who mistrust or even hate her due to their prejudices. She goes about her activities with care and patience, often quietly humming or singing to herself in the process. She often lingers towards the back of a given group, observing discussions and events with great perspicacity.

Notable Features: Vivid blue eyes, very pronounced canines, sharp fingernails and rough-soled feet (Padfoot blood).

Downtime: As a quiet, contemplative person who also knows that others sometimes find her unnerving, Torvi chooses to live in a small tent on the edge of the covenant grounds rather than the covenant barracks. Every sunrise and moonrise, she dons her ritual garb and performs short rituals to the gods, and will occasionally venture out of earshot from Sagehollow to sing and play music.

She often works with Doctor Maynard as an apothecary and occasional assistant, though her efforts in the latter capacity are not always appreciated due to their differing education. She sometimes roams far in search of her herbs and healing stones, sometimes even remaining out in the wilderness overnight.

Fun Fact: Torvi's second name is an epithet given to her by those she lived alongside in Norway, which loosely translates to "watchful she-wolf".

Characteristics
Strength -2 Stamina +1 Dexterity +1 Quickness +0 Perception +3 Intelligence +2 Presence +1 Communication +1

Virtues

 * Clear Thinker
 * Dowsing
 * Folk WitchFree
 * Herbalism
 * Intuition
 * Premonitions
 * Second SightFree
 * Strong Faerie Blood (Padfoot)M
 * Well-Trained Folk Witch
 * Well-Travelled

Flaws

 * Compassionate
 * Foreign Upbringing
 * PaganM
 * Primitive Equipment
 * Primitive TraditionM
 * Visions

Personality Traits

 * Brave +1
 * Compassionate +3
 * Patient +2
 * Serene +2

Key Abilities

 * Folk Ken
 * Herbalism
 * Dowsing
 * Premonitions
 * Second Sight

Languages
Artes Liberales 2: Latin, Futhark
 * Old Norse 5
 * English 2
 * Old English 1

Abilities

 * Language: Old Norse (Storytelling) 5
 * Dowsing (In Woodland) 4
 * Folk Ken (Hidden Motives) 4
 * Herbalism (Physician) 4
 * Premonitions (Supernatural Dangers) 4
 * Second Sight (Regiones) 4
 * Awareness (Incongruity) 3
 * Chirurgy (First Aid) 3
 * Music (Singing) 33
 * Survival (Woodland) 3
 * Animal Handling (Canines) 2
 * Athletics (Woodland) 2
 * Artes Liberales (Rituals) 2
 * Concentration (Performing Rituals) 2
 * Faerie Lore (Faerie Forests) 2
 * Intrigue (Rumours) 2
 * Language: English (Medical Vocabulary) 2
 * Magic Lore (Paganism) 25
 * Organisation Lore: Seithkonur (Norway) 2
 * Profession: Apothecary (Herbs) 2
 * Area Lore: Germany (Politics) 1
 * Area Lore: Norway (Personalities) 1
 * Area Lore: Sherwood (Geography) 14
 * Brawl (Scratching and Biting) 1
 * Charm (Conveying Benevolence) 1
 * Etiquette (Peasants) 1
 * Hunt (Tracking) 1
 * Guile (Conveying Innocence) 1
 * Language: Old English (Rituals) 1
 * Stealth (Hiding) 1
 * Swim (Diving) 1

Typical Gear
Leathers, dagger, dowsing rods, mortar and pestle, ritual headdress and garb, ligatures, herbs, various bone runes, fetishes and tchotchkes

Opinions of Others
Mages Great Bird – Has plans in plans. Thinks well of herself, though she cares some for nature and healing. The Old Child – As a child, but there are much years within. The only other right-believer I have meetinged, and I enjoyed our talkings in the underneath. The Keen-Eyed – Friend-like, but she has iron in her. Seems a good friend and bad foe. The Young Woman – Treated well as she is nice-faced, so she does not see the true nature of the world. Companions The Holy One – She is much good, but she looks to the sky too much to see the land beneath. The Crusader – He seeks to do bloody doings for “peace”, for a God too distant to care. That divine light blinds him. I must be watching him much. The Warrior Leader – Has much flaws; all from the animal within, too close to the fore. I did not liking his lookings when I went to swimming. Grogs The Bow Man – Courage and folly are much alike. Though to make dead the beast at the long lake shows skill. The Tall Warrior – He was wary of me, but seeking to hide his thinkings talks of him better than most English I have met. The Skjaldmӕr – She did not talking much, but her doings are as good as many others. She is a true skjaldmær. The Talking Man – I am thankful for him calming harsh talkings against me before they became harsh doings. Others Arianne – Little have welcomed me but her – she helped my English in letters and visitings. I was happy hearing she lives. Grandmother – Powerful witch to respect. She hides it, but within her is much goodness. Judges not for thinkings, but doings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiufRA2LveQ&t=460s

Spring 1184 – Summer 1188: Life in Norway
After doing my training and being a full member of my coven, I was sent out to a village a walking day away. It was a happy and peece peace-full life, where I was kindly welcomed. The peoples came to me not just for alements ailments and seeings, but also gi guidance.

Though they were some times wary of closeness with me, there was no fearings. I had no need to prove my self; I was respekted respected and my thinkings were listened. Though I had little frend friends outside of fellow Vǫlva who were often afar, I did have some. Though such times were little, I much enjoyed the times where we would sing, dance and play musics without ritual purpose. All things must end, however, and for me that ending happened soonly.

The Jarl, who I had little talkings with, came to my abode. I thinked it a mark of my trust within the village that he visited with no wari warriors. He talked me that he had no wishing of me within his land, lest I affect the Christians there. He seemed sorry, and I beleeve believe he was made to give such a decision for fear of others wanting worse for me.

With that I was made exile. I could see that Christian zeel zeal would make me into a nomadic, as it spred spread north and the old ways are shunned. I choosed to instead journey to England, where Christianity had calmed; Pagans perhaps may be seen as less of an imi imminent threat, and I hoped to find some of the Norse settlers of yore.

'“Have you ever noticed you feeling kindly to peoples, just from you knowing them? That is because we all are kin. We must remembering this. Always.”'

Summer 1188 – Spring 1191: Settling in England
I journeyed through Þýskaland Germany and then came to Snotingaham Nottingham. Though I found no such settlers still following the old ways, I did find another Vǫlva, which the Enska English call a Witch. Her naming was Arianne, and she showed much kindness to me. We have beginning giving ritings writings in English, and she has much patience for my flawed writings, which has helped my learnings grat greatly. This is why my writings are in English. Arianne talked me that it helps, and I saw her wisdom.

We talked of healing, magic, and the hapenings happenings around us. At times we would also tell of our cultures and practices. Some times, she would come to me in her journeying. She did so much more than I, as she was not clearly other than the peoples. It was good, even if my talking was slow.

As I sat meditating during the falling of the leafs, I saw her being taken and chained by warriors. I was days of walking apart, and could not arrive to her before it happened. As there was no other doing I could make, I looked for help. Before I could find any, I heard telling of her freeing. I knew the warriors that captured her – warriors of Guy – would seek other Vǫlva witchs witches. It would be soon for them to heer hear of me, and so I hid. I knew Arianne talked of another witch hoos hose whose naming was Grandmother, whose thinkings I searched.

It was not difficult to find her, and after explaining, she agreed I should hid. As the snows would soon be falling, she kindly allowed me to stay with her until the thoring thawing. Her doing is much kinder than her talking, and I am grea grateful. It is better that way than the other.

After the growing of the plants, she talked me to find a majical magical place in the Forest of Sherwood. The peoples there were foes of Guy and his fellows, and less likely to shun my Paganism than others. They would maybe allow me to live there for my galdr magic.

I roamed for moons until I heard tellings of strange hapen happenings at the village of the long lake, where a basilisk was talked to have lived. I thinked that such strangeness may be where the magical peoples would be, and so I journeyed there.

'”Miðgarðr is a harsher place than I knowed before. Though the Christians in Norway were not kind, they were not very harsh; they still knowed the old ways. The Christians in England have forgettened, and in their forgettings have became fear full, which has become hating.”'

Autumn 1191: Encountering People of Sagehollow
Misfortunately, the villagers would not talk with me, and I unwisely remaned remained, unwanting to leave without finding more knowings. In my second sun, the peoples tried to drive me away. It was during such harshness that a peoples of other folk arrived and a man within them convinced the peoples to leave me. With that done, a child stepped forward and talked with me, thow though we both had our sheel shields raised so little was said.

The peoples talked that they were surc searching the strange happenings, and wished to journey to an island upon the long lake, where a new serpent people thinked may now live. Men had gone thair there some time ago and not returned. Thinking that such strange folk as to be led by a child could be the magical peoples, I offur offered to join them as thank you for there their help with the harsh peoples.

I also talked of my friend Arianne, and my wish to find the magical peoples of the forest of Sherwood as talked to me by Grandmother, though they did not seem liking to talk of that. I did not pursue them, thinking I would maybe need to show myself to be trust worthy.

They found a boat to bear us to the iland island, owned by a commander of the red beard. The child then warmed my hopes when she performed a qwi quiet incantation to rouse the wind for us. I choosed not to talk of that, as I knew magicks are not liked by many and the commander of the red beard was with us.

Upon the island, the tall warrior wisely looked for the shining rocks to shine his shield to war the serpent. Keen to show my useful doings, I donned my ritual garb and began a seeking. I gave him several, which he took. He was unee uneased with me, and then choosed to stay a way from me. I did not worry much, as I have became used to such doings. So ir early in his knowing of me, it was better than many have been.

As the peoples readied to face the serpent, I remained upon the boat and looked. It left the caiv cave within the island, and the warriors raised their shields. It was made blinded and struck them aside. The child began an incantation again, raising statchu statues of past victims and throwing them with great magicks at it. It feeled such blows keenly, and then the bow man sent an arrow into its eye, and with such an attack it was made dead. In its death it thrashed, deel dealing a great blow to the warriors, injuring all but the woman harshly.

Once it stilled, I moved to help. The healing of the bow man was a simple doing – his major wounds were his fingers which had broken in his landing, and I crafted a support for them to remain yunified unified until they healed true. The warrior (I thinked their leader) had a fractured rib, but in trying to push it into a better place for mending, I fully broked it.

I cursed at my error, and unlistening his shouting, I made sure the rib had not rent any organs and bound his body. I fear I did not make myself well in their eyes.

We then went to the cave, and found a water. The skjaldmӕr leaved her armours and wepons weapons and dived in. The child turned into a water cat and followed! I have never looked such a thing. After some times, I choosed to follow them, and leaved all my things. The warrior whose rib I broked broke looked much at my body when I did. Did he not knowed that keeping clothings in cold waters would risk the cold death? I did not do it for his looking.

The water had a passing that leaded to another cave. In there was the skjaldmӕr and the child-water-cat with a small fire, and a round them were many egg casings, from the serpent. They could not looked in the darkness, so I looked into the passing beyond and leaded to a crossings. I had a feelings about the passing to the right, and in there were statch statues. The child returned to a child.

Some had carved Futhark runes, and I was glad to help the child by turning them to English. Others, the child said, were ancestors of hers. There were many tellings in the walls, of the story of V and the child’s ancestor. Some of it I knowed, or could make supposings. There was also a door that asked a trickery-question, which we ansered answered rightly.

There was the broked parts of a great sword and a coldron cauldron, and the skjaldmӕr took to taking them in the water passage to the others. As she did, we arrived at two tooms tombs, with many more tellings on the walls. Much of it was English lore and I knew only some, but I helped with the Norse things.

As we looked at the tellings, we talked of things. I asked if she was of the magic peoples of Sherwood, and she talked that she was, and would bring me there to looked at and talked to the others there.

After learninged learning all we could from the tellings, we journeyed to another passing. This leaded to another cave, where many unbroked egg casings were. There were two peoples who must have been stoned by the serpent while sexing. The skjaldmӕr looked to fire them, but I said the serpents were to protect the tomb. The child agreed, and she instead broked the roof to stop the cave passing coming to the tombs.

The other passing led to another water, which we supposed leaded to outside. The child and the skjaldmӕr swimminged there, and I journeyed the passing I came from. The rib-broked warrior talked of drying me, but I did so myself before I put on my clothings. I may be a way from my land, but I am no fool and I did not liked his thinkings. Some Vǫlva I knowed of in Norway would sunder a man's finger for jesting of placing a hand on her.

We returned to the commander of the red beard and then to the village of the long lake. The talk man who had talked the villagers from harming me talked to them that the island was still harmful, and they promised to be away from it.

We then journeyed to her coven of Sherwood, naminged Sagehollow. On the journeys, we talked some. Her naming was Syrise Sirise Cirice, and I talked her my naming. She gave me warnings of the man Tankred Tancred, who had warred with much Pagans.

The other peoples at Sagehollow lookinged much at me, and I choosed to be a far from Tancred. Thow Though their there was much strangeness there also - the metalled cats most. After a small time, a woman arrived and some of the coven peoples had a Þing thing. They then talked me to goin join, and I did.

They talked of my thinkings of the gods, and talked that there was a powerful witch magical woman who wood be harshly thinking of me if I did not make some doings to show my goodness. The woman who arrived, whose naming was Essel, talked me to make writings of runes and my past living to give to the woman. I talked that I would. Another woman, with the naming of Evelyn, talked me to make more writings of runes for her to learning, and I enjoyed my then talking with the viking Erik in my first talking - it had been much time sinse since my last talking with it.

The tall woman with the shining godly ring made lookings at me worried, but I saw a kindness in her. I did not thinked of maybe harshness from her as I did Tancred, though I thinked she will not to be liking more closeness from me.

The peoples then well welcomed me to joining Sagehollow fully, and they gived me a seating at future things, for my knowings of the gods and the rituals and my seeing of peoples and things. I think it will be time before I thinked it a true housing, but it is much good to be sayf safe feeling. My tenting is close to the nature and there are much trees. I am liking.

'”These peoples are strange, but have showed me much understanding than most and have welcomed me. I hope my seating at their things to take part in big talkings will let me be showing my helpingness.“'

Experience
Spring 1191: Area Lore: Sherwood 2xp Summer 1191: Area Lore: Sherwood 2xp Autumn 1191: Magic Lore 5xp, Music 3xp