Birgitta Jarlsbane

Brigitta was the presumed daughter of Blackspear, a Rjurik mercenary from Hjorig famous for carrying her around in the battlefield. Blackspear taught Brigitta how to fight, survive and a lesson she carries with her even as an adult: better to die by your own hand than be a slave. While she was a good fighter, she found herself to be so quick that she was pretty difficult to hit, so she soon abandoned heavy weapons and started to prefer lighter weapons such as the knife and the bow - she would compensate the lack of damage with speed, surprise and the occasional poisoning of the arrow's tip.

One day, when she turned 20, she accompanied her father in Molevof, at the eastern border. Blackspear told her that he was not his real father. Once, he got lost in the Mistmoor and was starving to death, unable to find the exit. A mysterious cloaked figure appeared and gave him Brigitta, still a newborn, striking this bargain: He would be able to exit the Mist with her, but he would be her protector and teacher. In 20 years, she would have to return to the Mist. Blackspear gave her his bastard sword and told her that he would not have her go back in such a realm, and disappeared in the Mists, never to be seen again.

In the same month she was attacked by a group of guards, whom she easily killed. Those were the guards of Marisha Rodelovisk, who was so impressed by Brigitta that she made the Rjurik her personal guard and companion during her adventures. During a campaign requested by the Nyur family against a massive horde of brigands from Hjorig, Brigitta managed to kill 3 jarls in battle , earning the title Jarlsbane for her and her sword. However, Marisha had darker plans for her younger companion. She pushed her towards the art of deception and assassination, sent her to study with the Night Walkers, and so Brigitta became her personal assassin, more than her personal guard. Although never confirmed, Brigitta is suspected being the hand behind the mysterious death of at least one of Marisha's brothers and contender to the throne. In battle, her role was to kill Beranhgian generals before the battle even started. And Brigitta was exceptionally good at her job. So, when Marisha ordered to find and kill the infamous Brother Luther, leader of Ayairda's Cleansing Home, she took the job as a personal challenge.

Brigitta spent five years looking for the First Sage by any mean necessary - bribery, torture, kidnapping, threats, even posing as a faithful slave trying to escape. In the end, she found him in a secret lair in a cove inside the Dwarfhame. The assassin confronted Luther alone, and the fight was fierce - Brother Luther wasn’t a fighter but he was well prepared in the divine spellcasting arts. He set Brigitta on fire with a spell, but when the assassin tried to reach for a tapestry near the wall to cover her, he removed to spell to prevent the tapestry from being destroyed. That was his last, fatal mistake, as Brigitta stabbed him in the guts, finishing him.

Then, Brigitta took a moment to watch the tapestry and something happened. The tapestry depicted the moment Alisse Ulfer and Richard Roslöw felt in love on the battlefield. Such was the magnificence and the passion the artwork arised in her that Brigitta started to cry. How could someone hate something so beautiful? Suddenly she felt a deep regret of her actions, and tried to heal Brother Luther. But Luther reassured her and helped her finish himself by a stab in the heart; thus Brigitta inherited - instead of usurping - both Luther’s blood and the lead of the brotherhood. The other Bröers came and consoled her and gave her a red mantle - that moment was her rebirth as the face of the Ayairden Vierklevven.

Brigitta took the following years in studying the arts, helping the brotherood in both faith and practice, by creating the Third pillar of the creed and reorganizing the cult into an active, although secret, political force, bent to stray the people of Rzhlev from the teachings of the Belinik Tsarevic and towards peace.

In the original HotGB book (2nd edition or 2E), all we know about Brigitta is that she is a female Rjurik fighter of unknown level. The possible rationale for this could be that, since Rzhlev is considered an evil realm but recommended to PCs, in the event of an evil domain campaign Brigitta could be the main foe, so her levels and abilities should be targeted toward your PC's abilities. The stats proposed here are a useful suggestion in case Brigitta appears as an NPC or if someone wants to play as her.

Regarding the missing bloodline, there is a rumour that she might be a descendant of noble blood, even that she may be the rightful heir of Rzhlev. If the DM decides that's true, then she could be of Major or Great bloodline. Her score is left unknown for that reason.

In AD&D 1E, Brigitta can easily be a dual-classed Assassin / Priest of Laerme or Assassin / Fighter. In AD&D 2E, if allowed, she may be a dual-class Fighter / Priest of Laerme. In Dungeons & Dragons 5E, she could be an Assassin / Priest of Laerme. Finally, if the DM allows it, Brigitta's Priest levels can be replaced with Paladin levels, making her the first paladin of Laerme known in Cerilia.