Iduna O'Rourke, Countess of Halstaig

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Iduna Anne O'Rourke
iduna.jpg
"The Emerald of Erin" by Rayehm Wynsehn, c. 1825
Countess of Halstaig
Tenure: 23rd of the Amber Cold, 1828 - 2nd of Harren's Folly, 1849
Predecessor: Anastasia Cassia
Sucessor: Theodosia Illeana
Mistress of the Arts & Culture
Tenure: 15th of Owyn's Flame, 1831 - 18th of Owyn's Flame, 1833
Predecessor: Mary Casimira
Successor: Title Dissolved
Race: Adunian
Born: 16th of Horen's Calling, 1804, Erin Hall, Halstaig, Holy Orenian Empire
Death: 2nd of Harren's Folly, 1849, International Waters, Kahaen Sea
Spouse: Elias Asul'onn (m. 1823)
House: orourkecoa.png O'Rourke
Father: Carter Komnenos II
Mother: Anastasia O'Rourke

Iduna Anne O'Rourke (16th of Horen's Calling, 1804 - 2nd of Harren's Folly, 1849) otherwise referred to as Iduna of Halstaig or Iduna the White was the eldest daughter of Anastasia O'Rourke, Countess of Halstaig and Carter Komnenos II of Trabzon. She was the 4th Countess of Halstaig, 2nd Matriarch of House O'Rourke, and 2nd Mistress of Arts and Culture for the Augustine Palace.

Biography

Childhood & Adolesence

Iduna Anne O’Rourke was born the eldest daughter of Azariah O’Rourke and Carter Komnenos on the 16th of Horen's Calling, 1804. The lady never had an eye for adventuring as a child, resulting in her sealing herself away by a locked wooden door at the highest of Erin Hall's tower. As her mother and father were at little disposal, the tenants who aided in the upkeep of the county began to serve as her parental figures up until the age of nine when she broke from her quiet shell. Depending not on those who’d been at her flank throughout the years, Iduna’s love of traveling spiked and she began her mischievous trend of sneaking out of the nation's capital.

On one afternoon in 1815, the girl at a young age of eleven had been called to halt on the roads back to her home from a bookstore she’d found on the winding roads toward Yong Ping. Her politeness and manners would not aid her, however, she found her footing slowing then turning to face one man who snapped the command of; “Empty your pockets!” With a visage of pure confusion, she nodded and flipped each inside out - nothing dropped and she explained so. She’d never forget the looks on their faces - regret, shame, and guilt - as they thrusted their swords into her chest. Iduna’s knees dropped as blood oozed down her satin white dress, lips parting and failing to release a scream as she took advantage of their turned backs to continue on while beginning to lose consciousness. A group of men from the Imperial State Army came across her, rushing past toward the bandits before one who’d fallen behind lifted her and dashed back to the city in search of medical help. A mere year after her attack, a bodyguard - Akello Cenobia - was assigned by Countess Halstaig to protect her daughter and heir. The protection given stopped her none as the young woman continued to sneak out, one day finding herself within the capital of Haense - Karosgrad - where she met Elias Asul’onn.

Marriage

Initally, at a young age Iduna was betrothed to Victor de Sarkozy, the eldest son of Franz Nikolai de Sarkozy & Irene of Metterden. It was thought to be a powerful marriage, uniting the Houses of Sarkozy & Rourke however, the young Iduna did not see it this way. She protested, not wanting to marry someone she hardly knew, and instead, she eventually came to profess a fondness for Elias Asul'onn; a Haeseni noble living in Karosgrad at the time. The idea of Iduna marrying a Haeseni, let alone a human bearing an elven last name was widely unpopular with the Courts. In the spring of 1822, the wedding between Victor and Iduna was publicly announced to be held in Providence however, this did not sit well with Elias who held feelings for Iduna. A month later, Elias ventured to Providence to meet with Anastasia O'Rourke to plea with her to allow him to marry Iduna instead of Victor. After several hours of negotiations, Anastasia permitted the two to get married if Iduna refused to travel to the Kingdom of Haense and if she called off the wedding herself. The young lady swiftly obliged to both terms.

After sending word to the Sarkozy of the end of the betrothment, Iduna and Elias got engaged the same night. Seeing how a venue and catering were already booked and paid for, Iduna and Elias agreed to wed within the next saints day in Redenford. Their wedding remains to be the largest wedding attended to in Redenford along with having the highest number of foreign attendees as many friends of the couple came from Sutica, Norland and Haense. A reception afterward was held in Cassia Hall.

"The White Rose of Winter" (circa 1822), by Miss Nora James of Halstaig.

As Countess of Halstaig

After her mother's presumed passing in 1828, Iduna assumed the role of Countess of Halstaig and Matriarch of House O'Rourke. However, even after Emperor John VIII's announcement at Court of the vacancy of the Halstaig title, members of the House of Lords chose to dispute Iduna's claim to the title, most notably the Speaker at the time, Erik var Ruthern, who had somehow gained knowledge of the entire O'Rourke lineage and cited both of Iduna's elder brothers being ahead of her in the line of succession. While naturally in Oren, males inherit prior to females, both Gareth and Auden O'Rourke, her older brothers were ineligible for the title due to Orenian law; Gareth no longer held any loyalty to the Empire as he was a resident of Karosgrad and Auden being attuned with the arcane arts. The dispute lasting for approximately a year finally came to a close when Iduna with extensive help from her uncle Patrick Adrian, was able to provide a legal document to the House of Lords detailing Iduna's claim to the title to which she was quickly recognized throughout Oren as the new Countess of Halstaig.

Much like her predecessor to the title, Iduna set to work to progress and safeguard the future of her house. Several missives and documents were published in the following year from the desk of the Countess of Halstaig, detailing the state of Halstaig and House O'Rourke. In addition, Iduna hosted several festivals and parties at Erin Hall to celebrate the life of the late Countess of Halstaig and her own accession to the title. As the west began filling with activity due to Iduna's events, she began shifting her eyes eastwards back to the capital of Providence where she applied for the newly vacant job of Mistress of the Arts & Culture of the Augustine Palace upon the disappearance of Amadea of Pompourelia, the former head of the Augustine Court. In the following year, she had received the job and began planning several events to increase palace activity.

Publications

Titles, Styles and Honors

Titles and Styles

  • 1804-1828: Lady, Iduna Anne of Halstaig
  • 1828-1831: The Right Honorable, Countess of Halstaig
  • 1831-1833: The Right Honorable, Iduna Anne O'Rourke, Countess of Halstaig, Mistress of Arts and Culture
  • 1833-1840: The Right Honorable, Countess of Halstaig
  • 1840-1849: The Right Honorable, Iduna Anne O'Rourke, Countess of Halstaig, Imperial Grandee

Issue

Name Birth Death Marriage
Theodosia Illaena O’Rourke, Countess of Halstaig 17th of Sun's Smile, 1825 1876 Leopold de Ruyter Firstborn daughter of Iduna O'Rourke & Elias Asul'onn. Named after her maternal great-grandmother.
Alexander Erin O’Rourke 21st of Owyn's Flame, 1831 6th of Sun's Smile, 1841 Unmarried Firstborn son of Iduna O'Rourke & Elias Asul'onn. Named after the founder of House O'Rourke.
Eloise Helen O’Rourke 21st of Owyn's Flame, 1831 6th of Sun's Smile, 1841 Unmarried Secondborn daughter of Iduna O'Rourke & Elias Asul'onn. Named after the imperial city of Helena.
Nikolaus O'Rourke 1833 Unknown Unmarried Secondborn son of Iduna O'Rourke & Elias Asul'onn.

Ancestors

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