A rune witch is the definite dream girl for TC
Kaija Jokiharju isn’t just an emo/gothic rune witch for kicks. If you ask me, I’d take a girl like that any day, as long as they’re not batshit crazy.
It’s almost Halloween, so it’s more than appropriate to talk about gothic rune witches like Kaija. When I concocted her, I used a character model based on the book cover you see to your left, or the original cover for Cursed Mage.
And I said to myself, “Yeah, this girl’s gonna be a rune witch, and a damn good one, too.” The dark brown and blue hair, pale skin, blue eyes, and athletic build added to Kaija’s mystique. It was also one of those moments when I said to myself, “Hot damn. Where the hell can I find a girl like this?”
More cute than hot, but with a build like hers and an interest in Nordic runes and using magic to concoct talismans, I would’ve been all-in here. Throw in that snake-out-of-water tattoo and the occasional “Valley Girl” speech patterns, and Kaija’s a 15 outta 10.
Kaija’s rune witch ways are libertarian leaning
Best yet, Kaija is often more mature than the average eighteen-year-old, As a rune witch, she’s inward-looking and cares little about what rests outside of her control. For example, in Cursed Mage, she makes runic talismans for herself and unleashes their universal power.
She doesn’t stress herself out over sports, something I also share in Cursed Mage. Further, Kaija is smart enough to realize there’s nothing she can do about her home nation’s destructive foreign policy. She doesn’t even whine about her impoverished living situation back when her father was still around.
As Kaija’s backstory unfolds, you’ll find that she’s good at taking matters into her own hands, and using her resources wisely. Knowing what she wants and adapting to her situation are strengths that libertarians possess, and it’s Kaija’s mentality through and through, whether in Cursed Mage or its sequels.
When she meets a spirit named Marko, Kaija goes out of her way to help him, even when she puts her sovereignty on the line.
Kaija isn’t without her flaws, but that’s any human being. She’ll overthink things, try to do too much at times, and occasionally refuses help even if it makes sense.
But realizing that, ultimately, nobody can help her out more than she can help herself out, is what makes Kaija such a strong, likable, and powerful character.
Meet Kaija in Cursed Mage
Want to see this libertarian-leaning rune witch in action? Make sure you check out Cursed Mage, where Kaija’s thrown into the absolute worst scenario of her life.
Her father’s killed, she moves across the country to live with a weird, rich uncle, she starts seeing and interacting with spirits, and she learns of her Mage heritage in the worst ways. Kaija doesn’t fold, even when she wants to, and she has every reason to.
It’s what makes her one of the strongest female protagonists you’ll ever meet, and one who doesn’t stop until she gets to the bottom of mysteries she’s meant to solve. Nobody in my books moves forward with the same grit and toughness as Kaija, and she will always be one of the most respected and attractive characters in the Renegades Epic shared universe.
Get to know her in Cursed Mage.
