Varangus Gertrud av Hrist

The Varangus of the Mithran army are some of the most skilled and committed warriors of the north, accolades all the truer for Varangus Gertrud av Hrist, drotten of the army at the borderlands between Kandar and Hrist. She is also one of the few drottens to have risen to such a lofty position without having a familial connection to Clan Mithra. Gertrud is a Downcast , a lesser angel who has retained none of her angelic powers—but the loss of those abilities has given her a firm sense of purpose. She has embraced her mortality and devoted her life to defending Kandar from whatever enemies may come.
In her previous life, Gertrud never rose to a position beyond common soldier, but her many years of experience in battle served to elevate her above her mortal peers. But she views herself primarily as a defender, and thus her sense of strategy is sometimes criticized by other drotten, who would take a more aggressive approach.

The Loneliness of the Unnamed Fort

The drotten’s current post is at a fort at the southern tip of the Grensfal Mountains, making it the fort nearest to Hrist. The location is not without difficulties, however; the terrain makes direct travel to Hrist challenging and slow. Gertrud relies primarily on the ravens to communicate with the queen. Gertrud’s status as drotten and her heritage set her apart from her peers, making it difficult for Gertrud to form connections. Her sense of duty helps alleviate some of her loneliness, and her devotion to Clan Mithra’s cause of forming alliances and wholeness in the face of invasion and destruction are a solace on darker days. Her other bright spots are primarily in the personal letters she receives from Revna, with whom she is gleefully in love (though she has no idea whether Revna returns those feelings). But despite her personal feelings of loneliness, the Varangus remains focused on the mission, and she takes to the field alongside her troops as much as her largely administrative and tactical position allows.