Alicia I Feuerbrand

Alicia Feuerbrand, as of year 765 of Borean Reckoning (year 4 of the Age of Crimson Sail) is the reigning Queen of Borealis. Her full titles are Alicia the First of the most noble House of Feuerbrand, Kaiserin ot-Borealis, Kaiserin ot-Entfernt, Blood of Boreale, Blessed by the Roundelay, Grand Duchess of Volgen, Protector of Kharad and Warden of Eolan, High Queen of the Distant East.

Despite ascending to the throne at the age of seventeen, mere days after her father was killed, in the age of unprecedented turmoil and chaos in Borealis, Alicia quickly defied the expectations of her critics, who thought the young Queen will quickly become some powerful faction's puppet or be simply "removed" from the throne, one way or the other. She consolidated the support of her father's allies and put them in positions of power, purged both overtly zealous loyalists and Firestarters of their titles and offices, while offering concessions to those of less radical disposition and installed herself as the supreme commander of the Firestarters. This helped Alicia retain power in the first turbulent year of her reign.

After this, she initiated a series of scorching reforms - in the military, civil service, Kingdom's administration and trade. Backed by the constant threat of imposing obedience with her Firestarters, the reforms went more smoothly than expected and by year 765, the Kingdom was already showing first signs of economic growth and return to peace - although by no account it remains stable.

Alicia is a strong advocate for increasing the power of Borean crown while at the same time making the government more meritocratic and open to common-born talent. This made her widely popular among commoners, burghers and petty nobles - while earning her the burning hatred of traditional noble houses, especially in former Weideland and Placia. She also aims to assert Borealis on the global stage and transform it into an international power to rival Albion.

The biggest criticisms of the Queen are:
 * Her continued willingness to turn the blind eye to grand duke Sforza's clandestine schemes, which are slowly turning Frugia into a failed state ruled by brutes and mobsters. While it could have been once excused, since Sforza was one of the very few allies she originally had, nowadays most people consider her support of Sforzas unacceptable;
 * Her persistent alienation of traditional Borean nobility who find her reforms too radical and long for the fat Abendstern years, when grass was greener and you would not get a visit from the Royal Inquiry for cutting down a few peasants;
 * Her behaviour on the international scene and willingless to claim the uncharted land for Borealis is interpreted by some as begging for a full scale war with Albion.