Sigrun Surenaal (background)

[Sigrun Surenaal]

Sigrun's youth was shaped largely by two events: the first time she was allowed to sail her father's pinda by herself and her elder sister's death.

Sigrun's father, Hjarn, is a now a fisherman in Froyby. He had spent some time as a sea pilot in his youth, and was quite accomplished, but he returned to his home, as he prefers the simple riverways of his native land to the chaos and noise of large markets across the sea. Her mother, Mira, is Hjarn's only wife. Sigrun had only one sibling, her sister Kyli. Kyli was five years older, and one of the young beauties of Froyby.

Hjarn loves both his daughters, but Sigrun has always been special to him - she shares his love of boats. Her lightning fast hands, sharp mind, quickness, and eyesight as sharp as a hawk's have all made her a natural sailor since she could walk, and she adored his tales of far off places. She helped her father with his small fishing boat for many years, and first took control of the rudder at age ten. A year later, she sailed all the way to Froyaheim and back by herself - a strange site on the Froya river for sure! On that trip, Sigrun's dream of becoming a sailor like her father were cemented.

When Sigrun was thirteen, her sister was married to Lornd Surenaal. He seemed to be a good man, although a heavy drinker, but Kyli was his first wife, and he didn't make the adjustment to that life well. The first time she showed up in her father's house with bruises, he sighed and sent her back to him, not allowing himself to interfere in the affairs of husband and wife. The second and third times as well. That autumn, a drunken argument got too far out of hand and Lornd beat Kyli to death; he didn't even realize it until he awoke the next morning.

In his grief, Hjarn determined that a similar fate would not befall his only remaining daughter, and he realized he had a way out for her. They sailed the pinda all the way to Vulenheim, not speaking a word the entire journey. There, Hjarn found the harbor master, old Yanar Stahler, whose life he had saved decades earlier, when Yanar had been Hjarn's master. He called upon this old lifedebt and asked Yanar to find someone who would apprentice Sigrun as a pilot. Seeing the sorrow in Hjarn's eyes, Yanar considered for only a moment before agreeing. It was the last time Sigrun saw her father.

So began Sigrun's adventures under Jarla Stahler, the last of Yanar's apprentices. They have been at sea for nine years, from exotic locals as varied as Cherafir and Berema, to gliding within sight of the Hepekeria coast. Sigrun's natural skills and eagerness to learn have molded her into a highly skilled pilot, earning the respect of the regular members of the crew. She has grown from a dreaming girl to a capable young woman, who has seen more of the world than most others would dare to imagine even exists.

Sigrun has been granted membership into the pilots' guild, and will be released as a new master upon arrival in Vulenheim. She had planned to visit home this year, and ship out again next spring, but upon arrival in Pelyn, she and the crew learned of the Ibanvaal invasion of Froyby; they had last left Vulenheim almost two years ago for a long journey all the way to the Venarian Sea, mere weeks before the attack occurred. She is dismayed, and is trying to get word of her parents and clan. While waiting in Pelyn, she has learned of the recent counterattack from Ygesdram.

She has asked a final favor of captain Sorli, to take her past Vulenheim to Ygesdram, as it's obvious to all that the Froya is likely hostile at this point. Sorli has agreed, as he also is eager to learn of current events.