Table of Contents
Rojden
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Hero Status | Hero |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Cottalem (formerly Kingdom of Skyss) |
| Role | Antagonist / Ruler of Cottalem |
| Apparent Age | 35 |
| Born | 567 AM |
Stories/Function
Rojden serves as the architect of geopolitical consolidation and the primary antagonist within the narrative of Fierce. As a renegade Hero of Skyssian origin, he functions as a systemic threat to the established maritime order, leveraging his mastery of clandestine statecraft to unify the southern realms of Osnines into a singular power bloc. He is the biological father of the protagonist Noren, and his obsession with securing a loyal heir initiates the conflict that drives the central characters from the isolation of Straven into the wider world.
Description
Born in 567 AM in the royal palace of Kronstadt, Rojden is the son of the legendary warrior Noren the Elder and the royal advisor Magnhildr. Descended from Meniaxter, the god of war and death, he possesses the divine traits of significantly extended longevity and strategic brilliance. Despite being over two centuries old, he maintains a vigorous, athletic physique and the apparent age of a man in his mid-thirties.
Rojden’s personal history is defined by his tenure as the head of the Department of Resolutions within the Board of Trade. During this period, he mastered the art of the ruse de guerre and covert stabilisation, which he eventually subverted for his own ends. He chosen to defect from Skyss to Cottalem, arguing that the Skyssian policy of maintaining numerous small, competing states was economically inferior to a unified empire. He is a strategic genius who prioritises surrounding enemies and causing political capitulation over tactical battlefield skirmishes.
To manage his vast interests, Rojden employs “The Three Rojdens” protocol, utilising two low-level Heroes as magically disguised doubles, allowing him to appear in multiple locations simultaneously—such as the Citadel, Beretha, and the front lines of his army. He is a prolific user of the geas, binding both his doubles and a pervasive network of subverted Board of Trade agents, such as ormrun, to his absolute will. His ultimate motivation is the accumulation of sufficient temporal power and religious devotion to facilitate his ascension to godhood.
Marriage and Scandal
Rojden’s personal life is a series of calculated political scandals and betrayals. He is responsible for the alienation of the demi-god Alfarinn, whom he impregnated through the use of tainted wine to bypass her divine control over her own fertility. This resulted in the birth of Noren and led to Alfarinn’s century-long reclusion in the round-leaved forests.
Furthermore, Rojden is the biological father of King Alasdair V of Dael Riata, having previously entered into a clandestine union with Queen Caoimhe. This secret lineage positions Rojden as the silent power behind multiple continental thrones, a fact that remains a point of acute concern for the College of Heroes and the Skyssian Small Council.
Relationships
People
- Father: noren_the_elder (deceased)
- Mother: magnhildr (deceased)
- Children: Noren, Alasdair V, King of Dael Riata
- Former Associates: Alfarinn, Queen Caoimhe Ranald