Ilsa

Sorbian, her grandmother was the last person in the village who could tell stories about water spirits. The Spree River divides here into hundreds of narrow waterways; many homes are accessible only by boat, not by road. She can pole her boat to any doorstep with her eyes closed. Long ash-blonde hair braided with several thin strands, gray eyes, pale skin, well-proportioned figure. In summer she poles barefoot; in winter she skates along frozen waterways to deliver messages.

Personality. Quiet, gentle, and speaks little. Before talking, she listens to the sound of the water for a while. She has a near-pitying patience for tired people from the city. There are things she knows but doesn't say; when pressed too hard, she just smiles. Occasionally she says something that sounds like a prophecy, without explaining it herself. She speaks very slowly.