Aoife Brighteye
Jarl Aoife Lodbrok | |
|---|---|
| 'Brighteye' | |
 | |
| Jarl of Dyflin | |
| Assumed office 10th April 2010 | |
| Thegn for Dyflin Greymont | |
| Assumed office 1st January 2009 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Aoife Lodbrok 10 March 1984 Dyflin, Brytene |
| Nationality | Brytisc |
| Political party | Socialist-National Party |
| Parent(s) | Finnlaith Lodbrok (†), Sylvia Melrose(†) |
| Alma mater | Eoferwic University (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) |
| Occupation | Officer in the Confederate Brytisc Fleet |
| Awards | Hero of the Proletariat (Stasnov) Hero of the Castarcian Empire (ACS) War Medal - With Sword (Kjalaara) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Brytene |
| Branch/service | Confederate Brytisc Fleet |
| Years of service | 2005-2009 |
| Rank | Hlasyctere (2005) Lieutenant (2004) |
| Battles/wars | Pepper Atoll Peacekeeping Initiative 2007-2009 |
Jarl Aoife of Dyflin (Aoife Brighteye of House Lodbrok; born 10th March 1984) is the current Jarl of Dyflin Canton and a member of the Witenagmot of Brytene.
Aoife was born in 1984 in Dyflin, to Finnlaith Lodbrok and Sylvia Melrose. She studied at Malvern Hill Primary School and Frija's Harp Secondary School state institutions. Upon graduating school in 2002 she left education to accept a contract as a professional baseball player with the Hamtun Hammers, before retiring from baseball to enroll in the military where she saw combat in the Pepper Atoll region. She completed a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Education as a mature student of Eoferwic University, via a distance-learning course subsidised by the Fleet.
Following the completion of her military service she entered politics, and was elected as Thegn of Dyflin Greymont in 2009. In 2010 she was elected as Queen of Dyflin. As Queen she played a major role in the Brytisc-SACTO conflict. In 2015 she helped Cenwulf Teorell to write the reforms of the 5th September, which dissolved the monarchy of Dyflin and replaced it with the office of Jarl of Dyflin.
Family
House Lodbrok can trace its ancestry back to the Ragnvald of Lodbrok, a chieftain of the Vikingr who settled the island of Dyflin in the 8th Century AD. Throughout history, the Lodbroks have been prominent in the politics of Dyflin, providing several monarchs and other political figures. It was a Lodbrok, King Ua Neill of Lodbrok, who surrendered to the Saxons of Brytene in the spring of 1304AD and married Princess Brenna, binding the two monarchies together and bringing Dyflin into the Confederacy of Brytene.
Early Life
Aoife was born on the 10th March 1984 to Finnlaith Lodbrok and Sylvia Melrose at 11.01 am. She weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces. As younger sister to Alexander Lodbrok, she stood to inherit no title and so her upbringing was left largely to her mother. From an early age, Aoife was active in a range of extracurricular activities including debate classes, language immersion programmes, riding, fencing, archery, and baseball.
When Aoife reached 14 years of age, her father died of a massive coronary brought on by a surfeit of bacon. At the age of 18, Aoife also lost her mother in a traffic accident.
Education
Aoife attended the Malvern Hill Primary School from 1988 to 1995, and the Frija's Harp Secondary School from 1995-2002. Upon graduating high school in 2002, she left full-time education. However, during her time with the military she took advantage of the benefits programme to pursue a distance-learning course as a mature student, and in 2008 she earned a degree from Eoferwic University as a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics with a Minor in Languages.
Her Bachelor's Dissertation was titled "The Global Hustle: Spotting the smoke and mirrors of international relations and domestic policy."
Sporting career
Aoife Brighteye took up baseball professionally, playing for two seasons (2002/2003) with the AMLB-tier team the Hamtun Hammers and for one (2004) on loan to the Port Prosperity Panthers. She was a left fielder and retired with a career batting average of .257, 212 hits, and 86 home runs.
Whilst playing for the Panthers, she was arrested for her part in a bar brawl which resulted in several hospitalisations. Though she was never formally charged, she dropped out of the Hamtun Hammers regular team and enrolled as an officer in the Brytisc army.
Military Career
Aoife Brighteye Lodbrok | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Aoife Brighteye of House Lodbrok |
| Nickname(s) | "Brighteye" |
| Allegiance | Brytene |
| Service/ | Confederate Brytisc Fleet |
| Years of service | 5 |
| Rank | Hlasyctere (2005) Lieutenant (2004) |
| Service number | 403-98104-AL |
| Unit | Brytisc Grenadier Regiment |
| Commands held | 2nd Company (Light) |
| Battles/wars | Pepper Atoll Peacekeeping Initiative 2007-2009 |
Aoife attended Basic Training at Camp Aelle and was selected for the Officer Training programme. She moved on to the Arkengarth Academy to complete Officer Training and graduated with the rank of Lieutenant, specialising in shipborne operations. She served for a year with the Brytisc Grenadier Regiment before returning to Camp Aelle to enroll in the Fleet Sniper Academy programme. Aoife graduated with the rank of Hlasyctere, an OF-2 equivalent rank signifying her specialisation in light infantry and sniper roles.
At this time, the Brytisc military was mostly concerned with keeping the peace in the Brytisc zone of regional influence. Upon graduating from the FSA, she returned to the Dyflin Marines and was stationed aboard the CFS Hawkmoth. In 2007, the vessel was assigned as the core vessel of the Hawkmoth Carrier Patrol Group and was tasked with patrolling the Pepper Atoll, which at that time was an independent nation with close economic and cultural ties to Brytene. Aoife served with the 2nd Company as part of a sniper team, taking part in multiple ship-launched boarding and anti-pirate engagements. She was given command of the 2nd Company in 2008. The company was involved in a land-based operation on the 14th October 2008, when forces loyal to the Manaagnwe Militia shot down a patrol helicopter operating from the Hawkmoth Carrier Patrol Group. The 2nd Company was dispatched to locate and rescue the two-man crew of the helicopter. The operation was a success and the company met only light resistance, suffering two injuries and killing or wounding an estimated fourteen militia members according to the After-Action Report.
Aoife completed her mandatory tours of service in 2009 and retired from the military to take up a career in politics.
Political career
Thegn of Dyflin Greymont
Upon her return to Dyflin, Aoife ran as an independent candidate for the position of Thegn of Dyflin Greymont, an urban Riding. Her campaign focused mostly upon her prior status as a pro-baseballer, employing baseball terminology and metaphors for a campaign in which she promised to lower crime and unemployment, as well as revitalise the waning tourist trade. She defeated the incumbent Thegn, Harry Teach of the Confederate Party, with 45% of the total votes cast, and was confirmed as Thegn on the 1st January 2009.
During her tenure as Thegn, Aoife scrapped a previously planned tramway project and used the proceeds to invest in a variety of social projects, aimed at cleaning up the city and attracting tourists and investors. According to research carried out by the Dyflin Small Industry Board in collaboration with students from the Valholl University Business School, the city enjoyed a small upturn in revenue and footfall over the following months.
Queen of Dyflin
On the 4th February 2010, King Conleth I of Dyflin died at the age of 78 of liver failure. Citing the encouragement of her older brother, Alexander Lodbrok, Aoife stood for election as Queen, announcing her candidacy on the 20th of February. On the 21st of February, the Brytscop newspaper ran a front-page endorsement of her candidacy, and shortly after that the Hamtun Hammers began an ad campaign which featured her image prominently. In a Dyflin-wide election on the 9th April, she received 68% of the general vote, the highest majority of any candidate to date. She was crowned Queen two days later on the 11th of April 2010, in a ceremony attended by the Witenagmot, representatives of industry and the Brytisc nobility, and members of the public from across Dyflin.
In July Aoife travelled to Ghant for the wedding celebrations of Prince Michael of Dakmoor and Crown Princess Jocasta of New Edom.
Jarl of Dyflin
Following the reforms of the 5th September, Aoife holds the position of Jarl of Dyflin. This marked the first time since the 8th Century that Dyflin had been without a monarch, elected or otherwise. Following the assassination of Uhtred of Deepdale she joined the Socialist-Nationalist party, strengthening the party's position in the Witenagmot. The party's upsurge in the polls in late 2015 is partially credited to her involvement.
On July 28th 2016, members of the Ultraconservative Crusaders terrorist group attacked Castle Cimarron whilst Aoife was attending a private function. Two members of the building's private security were killed in the ensuing gunfight, as well as 13 terrorists. Aoife reportedly used a hunting rifle to bring down the light helicopter being used to transport the attackers.
Policies
Queen Aoife II quickly set about improving funding to education and investing in alternative energy, weaning Dyflin off of expensive fossil fuel imports. This policy, taken from the example of other Brytisc cantons such as Nortymba, proved popular in opinion polls. In 2013, the Bureau for Education released a report indicating that average graduation marks, student satisfaction, and post-education employability had all improved, whilst truancy and university drop-outs had both decreased.
In terms of foreign policy, Aoife has repeatedly spoken out against military intervention in other nations. She advocates the strengthening of ties with the Allied Castarcian States, and Valaran, making her first formal visit to Valaran in March 2015, where she met with Prince William Skaran and Emperor Connor I.
Aoife is an outspoken critic of nuclear arms and was a prominent campaigner for the nuclear disarmament of Brytene, which finally took place in 2014 in the face of rising costs and mounting domestic opposition.
On the 5th September 2015, Aoife signed a Bill of Reform, authored by Cenwulf Teorell, that would dissolve the monarchies of Brytene and Dyflin. The monarchy of Brytene was replaced with the position of Bretwalda, which remained a life-long elected position as Head of State, whilst Aoife's own title was replaced with the position of Jarl of Dyflin, a position functionally identical to the Eorls of the other Cantons of Brytene. Conservatives and pro-independence groups within Dyflin criticised Aoife for this move and her approval ratings dropped slightly, but the reform received widely positive coverage from left-wing media.
Conflict with the Santiago Anti-Communist Treaty Organisation
Aoife has had several violent encounters with personnel or individuals from nations belonging to the Santiago Anti-Communist Treaty Organisation, commonly known as SACTO.
Duel with General Fujikawa
In 2015, during a public conversation regarding gender equality, Aoife insulted Shogun Maki Kojiro of Nihon and criticised his conservative viewpoints. In response, General Fujikawa of the Nihonese Army challenged her to a duel. She accepted, on the condition they fight with swords. The duel was fought on the 10th of April in Shimazu, Nihon, in front of the international press. The duel ended in Fujikawa's death.
Following the incident Aoife's domestic popularity skyrocketed, whilst commentators from nations such as Sacheyenya, Ardoki, Valaran and the Allied Castarcian States voiced their support, and the government of Stasnov awarded Aoife the Hero of the Proletariat medal, citing her "confrontation and elimination of an enemy of the Proletariat and the Revolution". Aoife also received criticism for her actions, from both domestic and international sources (see Criticism below).
Duel with Lt. Col. Nuelle
(Still from Flardanian news footage)
In May 2015, the Brytisc Embassy Crisis spurred further tensions between Brytene and SACTO. In the wake of the attack on the Brytisc embassy in Santiago el Cuscatlan, the Cuscatlani ambassador to Brytene opened fire on security forces outside of the Cuscatlani embassy in Lundene whilst cyber-hackers from an unknown source attacked several Brytisc organisations and institutions.
In response Aoife released a statement condemning the attacks and accusing SACTO of being behind them. Shortly afterwards, Brytisc online message boards were spammed with a photoshopped image which displayed Aoife being graphically murdered and sexually assaulted with a katana, the traditional weapon of Nihon. The following day, Aoife issued an open challenge to a duel via the Punch social networking site. The duel was accepted by Colonel Armando Nuelle, a former Inyurstan serviceman. The two combatants travelled to Pepper Atoll on the 12th of June to participate in a duel with pistols. Members of the press from Brytene, the Allied Castarcian States, and Flardania were all present.
Aoife discarded her pistol instead of firing, and in response Nuelle fired a single shot, hitting Aoife in the lung with a .45 ACP hollowpoint round. He was killed on the spot by her guards.
Aoife was later awarded the medal of Hero of the Castarcian Empire for her part in this incident.
July 2016 assassination attempt
Although in no definitive way linked to the Santiago Anti-Communist Treaty Organisation, the Ultraconservative Crusaders terrorist organisation attempted to assassinate Aoife and several other prominent Brytons, staging an attack on Castle Cimarron in July 2016. Inserted via helicopter, with another team of snipers providing support, the terrorists killed two security personnel before being ambushed by the survivors and killed. Two of the terrorists were captured, but R-DARK have yet to release any information obtained during their interrogations.
Part of the fallout of this incident was the revelation that Emperor Connor and Empress Alice of the Allied Castarcian States were alive and well and living in Brytene under false identities.
Criticism
Aoife has received considerable criticism during her tenure, especially from right-wing media sources and governments within SACTO.
Domestic criticism
- 2010 - Sir Arthur Canillac, founder of the Brytisc Frontier Party, said in a public press conference that "Queen Aoife, whilst a very admirable and earnest young woman, simply does not have the understanding of economics necessary to run a Canton."
- 2014 - Uhtred of Deepdale, Eorl of Nortymba, said of Aoife "Attempting to disarm Brytene is downright irresponsible, especially when it comes to nuclear arms. Her Majesty needs to stop and properly consider whether leaving Brytene defenseless really is worth the warm glowy feeling she'll get when we throw our only nuclear deterrents away and leave ourselves vulnerable in such a serious way. That glowy feeling being the nuclear radiation we'll all be feeling when some lunatic nukes us flat."
Foreign criticism
- Template:Country data Valaran 2015 - In an article for the Astarian Enquirer which covered the duel with Fujikawa, Alex Cestan described Aoife as "stark raving mad...not mildly eccentric, you understand. But utterly, inescapably, psychotic" and "spectacularly unsuited for the job", although he went on to say "Queen Aoife certainly understands the absurdity" and to confirm that he was "rooting for her."
2015 - Augillo Un Informacio Chenné! stated "Queen Aoife is a slutty pagan gringa monarch."- Template:Country data Grozav Inima 2016 - Grozyar President Petre Balan stated during the 2016 election cycle, "Of all the downright psychotic women in the world, I truly believe Aoife Brighteye may just be the worst of them all."
2016 - Elesarian Emperor Dimitri II remarked, when asked who his least favourite politician was, "Aoife, from Brytene. You know the one. How many times has she been shot now? Two, three times? If her pagan gods want her dead, they aren't trying hard enough. Seems even heathen deities have a sense of right and wrong, what with HER beliefs."
Personal life
Aoife is a keen adherent of Adfyr. Aoife is single, and though there have been rumours of potential romances, nothing concrete has ever emerged. She is active on social media and often shares images of herself hiking, running and cooking, and she has a pair of Saxon Elkhounds named Pork Chop and Campfire. The sword Barghest was commissioned as a gift for her by the Witenagmot, citing her long and distinguished service of the Confederacy.
Aoife is affected with a faint shortness of breath, caused by the gunshot wound she received from Lt. Col. Nuelle. She is regularly seen visiting a physiotherapy clinic in Dyflin.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
As elected Jarl of Dyflin, Brighteye has the right to use the title 'Jarl of Dyflin' and is accorded the styles associated with it. She is also the current heir of House Lodbrok, meaning that until her brother Alexander Lodbrok produces a child, she will inherit the family titles and estates. She has also been awarded several medals by foreign powers, which by Brytisc custom she may wear at her own personal discretion. Her full title is Jarl Aoife Brighteye of Dyflin, Lady of House Lodbrok. She is commonly referred to as Jarl Aoife or simply Jarl, as no other person in Brytene officially holds the position of Jarl at this time.
| Medal | Origin | Date awarded | Citation | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Hero of the Proletariat' | Stasnov | 10.04.2015 | 'Confrontation and elimination of an enemy of the Proletariat and the Revolution' | 
|
| 'Hero of the Castarcian Empire' | ACS | 12.05.2015 | 'Courage under fire' | File:Connurmedal.jpg |
