Drottnira
She speaks with the strength of the roots and rules with the weight of the stars.
The Crown of Blood and Bone
The Drottnira is the sovereign queen of the Velkara. She is their undisputed political, spiritual, and ancestral leader. Her authority is absolute within Velkaran society, encompassing law, ritual, and tradition.
Her authority is not symbolic. The Drottnira’s word carries legal weight across all Velkaran enclaves, regardless of distance or dissent. While clan members are often scattered across Earth, it is the Drottnira who binds them. They are connected through ritual tradition, ancestral continuity, and spiritual obligation. Her presence legitimises rites, resolves disputes, and affirms the identity of the people.
The role is not merely symbolic. Without a Drottnira, no Velkaran rite of passage is considered complete. No judgment is binding. No new life is formally welcomed, nor old one honoured. In every function that maintains Velkaran identity, from initiation rites to inter-clan disputes, the Drottnira’s presence is essential.
Chosen by Root and Rite
The succession of a Drottnira is a process governed as much by tradition and spirit as by blood. While the title often passes through matrilineal descent, heredity alone does not determine legitimacy. The Velkara believe that the right to lead must be affirmed by the land, the people, and the old rites - in that order.
At the heart of this process lies the Ash Tree, a sacred site in the northern forests of Scandinavia. It is there, during ritual gatherings, that candidates are often tested or revealed. Signs of spiritual resonance with the Tree, such as physical reactions, ancestral visions, or altered natural phenomena, are taken as confirmation of divine sanction. In rare cases, a Drottnira may be chosen by such signs even without a known lineage.
In the absence of a clear heir, or when legitimacy is disputed, the Council of Elders may be called to deliberate. This council, composed of elder seers, warriors, and lorekeepers, holds the authority to confirm or reject a candidate. Their decision is final, though tradition dictates that they seek consensus with the will of the people.
While it is technically possible for a challenger to contest the title, either through ritual combat or spiritual trial, such events are exceedingly rare. Open challenges are viewed as disruptive and dangerous, and any who seek the role without spiritual grounding are unlikely to find support.
The path to becoming Drottnira is therefore neither fixed nor predictable. It is a convergence of heritage, recognition, and the enduring will of the Velkara people.
Keeper of the Ash
The spiritual authority of the Drottnira is rooted in her unique connection to the Ash Tree, a sacred and ancient site believed by the Velkara to be the heart of their ancestral power. While all Velkara revere the Tree, only the Drottnira is entrusted with maintaining its rites, interpreting its signs, and leading ceremonies in its presence.
As high priestess, the Drottnira presides over all major spiritual observances: initiations, seasonal rites, ancestral offerings, and the rare but potent Dreamwatch rituals, wherein visions are sought for matters of grave importance.
Magically, the Drottnira is often the most powerful among the Velkara, though this is not a requirement of the role. Her command of druidic magic typically surpasses others in breadth, subtlety, and spiritual resonance. Common expressions include the acceleration of plant growth, healing through touch or chant, communion with animals, and rare glimpses into prophetic or ancestral memory.
It is said that the Ash Tree responds to the Drottnira alone. It blooms, sheds, or pulses with unseen energy during moments of ritual alignment. Whether this phenomenon is biological, magical, or symbolic is unknown. Among the Velkara, it is not questioned.
Through her guardianship of the Tree and the rites it anchors, the Drottnira ensures that Velkara remains bound not only to itself, but to the ancient truth that shaped them — even if that truth has been long forgotten.
Law by Spirit, Not Sword
Velkaran justice is not enforced through a written legal system, courts, or a standing military. Instead, all legal authority flows directly through the Drottnira. As sovereign, she is the final arbiter of conflict and the interpreter of what is considered just, right, or in violation of ancestral law.
Disputes are often resolved through ritual arbitration, involving offerings, memory rites, or symbolic acts of restoration. However, in cases where the offence involves personal honour, betrayal, or contested leadership, formalised combat is permitted, and in some cases, expected. These ritual duels are governed by strict ceremonial codes and are overseen by appointed elders or the Drottnira herself.
Velkaran society holds physical strength, discipline, and controlled violence as worthy expressions of one’s nature, especially among those descended from predatory forms. While such confrontations are rare, they are not seen as primitive but as legitimate methods of establishing truth, dominance, or consequence within the boundaries of tradition.
Day-to-day governance is managed by elders or seer-councils, but no ruling is fully ratified until affirmed, directly or indirectly, by the Drottnira. Her authority exists not in force of arms, but in recognised legitimacy, strengthened by the belief that she speaks with the weight of both the ancestors and the wild blood that still runs through her people.
Type
Religious
