Above you see my shield. This is known as
Heraldry. Heraldry was a medieval way to keep track of
one's family lineage. To put it simply.
My name is Valeria Asgautr. I was named for my great
great great Grandmother who was 'a spoil of war' as my
Father so eloquently put it. She was Roman and not too
much of her past before joining our family is known to
us. The last name 'Asgautr' is a very old name meaning
'son of Odin'. I am Norse.
I was born on the small island of Gotlund. It has always
been a fairly wealthy island with commerce....although
some would have called it 'Pirates Heaven'. I was born in
the year 1475. My Mother died birthing me so I was raised
by my Father. We are the last of our line.
My Father would tell me stories of the old days when
Vikings would conquer new worlds and often told me I
possesed the spirit of my ancestors. Sometimes I fear he
may have been right.
When I was still young, my Father begged me to marry. I
was stubborn and refused to choose from the unworthy men
of our small villiage with any excuse I could. I always
wanted to travel the world, sail the seas. One day while
my Father was doing business in a port city on the island
I noticed a young sailor by the name of Isaiah Kane. He
was a Brittish man but rather fiery of spirit himself. My
Father negotiated with his Captain and was making
arrangements to load cargo aboard the vessel (whose name
escapes me I'm afraid). To my horror from the market
place nearby I watched as one of the cargo's ropes gave
way. I ran expecting to find my Father dead but instead
found him beneath Isaiah just out of harms way.
My Father was not an overly rich merchant but pledged
anything he had to the young man for saving his life.
Much to his eternal dismay, Isaiah that very day acquired
a ship of his own....and the merchant's daughter as well.
My Father's two most valued possessions.
For a long time we roamed the seas together, him as
Captain and myself as Shipsmaster. Nowadays Isiaiah is
retired and I stayed aboard the ship, as her Captain.
Before departing Gotlund my Father carved
two ancient runes on the ship. It was his last hope of
wishing me a happy life for the runes translate to 'Home
of Joy' in old Norse. Isaiah once asked the names of the
runes to which I answered..'Wynn' and 'Othel'. Since the
Brittish read left to right the name of the ship became
'Othel Wynn'.
For more information on the ship, please continue on your
journey...
