Background
Family:
Amma Damek (Mother)
Amma is your typical grandmotherly type: large, loving, and taken to spoiling her grandchildren. She has a LOT of grandchildren. Amma is probably the best indicator of what Arthes is going to be like when she ages- even wider than her daughter, with grey hair in a bun and a face like an old peach. She's the one who gets to take care of the older children when Arthes goes travelling.
Jarold Damek (Husband)
One of the chief hunters of the town, Jarold is often away for weeks following prey. When he is around, he's a pretty nice guy, if a bit awkward and easily embarrassed. It doesn't help him much that he's trying to be the Mighty Hunter while his wife is doting on him like a newlywed.
Jarold is a fairly husky, dusky guy, with a dark complexion and long brown hair covering most of his head and face. His bright blue eyes shine out from under thick, dark eyebrows. He's usually to be found in hunting attire.
Uma Damek
Uma, the eldest of Arthes's children, is fifteen and apprenticed to a midwife in another city. She takes after her mother, although she stands even taller, able to see eye to eye with most men. Uma tends to be even more strict and firm than Arthes, coming across as a very harsh woman.
Merak, Phecda, and Megrez Damek
Arthes's second pregnancy turned out to be triplets- two boys and a girl. They're now thirteen years old and all training to be hunters. Merak and Megrez, the boys, are both pretty average, looks-wise. Phecda is a bit short, and plain. All three have rather pale skin. Personality-wise, they make a good team, with Phecda operating as the brains of the group, Merak the brawn, and Megrez as the smooth talker and mediator when things get rough.
Alioth Damek
The fifth child of Arthes, Alioth is a very smart young girl of twelve, and is apprenticed to Herthe. Like her older brothers, she's quite pale, although she otherwise takes after her father in looks.
Mizar Damek
Child number six, Mizar, is a shy five-year old who constantly clings to his mother's side in uncomfortable situations. He's got his mother's complexion, his father's coloration, and, in spite of all attempts to remedy this, has remained a very skinny lad.
Alkaid Damek
Finally, the baby of the family (for now), Alkaid, another boy. He's three years old, and very curious. While Mizar clings to Arthes, Alkaid Tends to wander out of her sight so much that she's taken to leashing him to her when she's busy. Alkaid is very similar to his mother in appearance, right down to the rather large figure.
Arthes also has several brothers and sisters who will probably not play a very important part in the story.
Friends:
Herthe Konrad (Elder Goodmother)
Arthes's mentor, Herthe is the expert in the town, and is rather well known in her region- people from somewhat far away come to her for help against stubborn diseases. Physically, two people could hardly be more different. Herthe is short, bony, and looks even older than her six decades, with almost transparent white hair and piercing gray eyes. She tends to be less motherly than Arthes, and more blunt, although anyone paying enough attention to the two will notice that they're very alike in personality.
Love life:
There have been rumors otherwise (although they're not spread very much, since unfortunate illnesses seem to strike people who mention them), but Arthes married Jarold early on and has been faithful and devoted to him ever since.
History:
Arthes Damek was born to a blacksmith and his wife. Early on, she showed signs of being especially gifted in child care- as the oldest girl in a house with twelve children, she learned how to be a mother very quickly- as well as in understanding nature. This didn't escape the notice of Goodmother Herthe- few things do escape her notice in town- and Arthes began training to be a Goodmother at ten. By the time she was thirteen, she could assist in birthing, knew cures for common ailments, and showed a definite connection with the land.
This connection was put to the test in Arthes's fourteenth year, when a mine caved in. She showed up on site and pressed herself to the ground, eyes closed, then stood a moment later and told the frantic rescue party that they were digging in the wrong place. Some of the party were skeptical- the girl wasn't a Goodmother YET- but enough joined her in digging to get down to the victims. All of the miners got out with their lives, although many were injured. Arthes helped Herthe tend to the wounded, and enjoyed the boost in people's opinions afterwards.
It was after this event that the apprentice Goodmother started paying attention to a young hunter, and he certainly returned her interest. The two were married soon after Arthes was released as a full-fledged Goodmother, and it didn't take long for Arthes to start working on her own family. Things went well for a while.
Then, Arthes's father took ill. Herthe looked him over and announced that there was little she could do. Arthes, however, tried everything she could to fight the sickness. She failed- a year later, the town mourned the loss of a great blacksmith and a friend. Arthes didn't have much time to mourn, however- soon after, she was occupied with caring for triplets. Still, she seemed more withdrawn than usual. Herthe watched her for a while, making sure that the girls was still getting her work done but keeping a respectful distance.
It was when the town suffered a mild famine in winter that Arthes recovered from her grief. She spent a few days out hunting alone, returning with a bit of food and a more content demeanor. She told the town hunters that there was plenty of prey coming towards them, but that they should only take what the town needed. The puzzled hunters took her advice, and found enough deer to save the town. Only one tried to kill more than could be eaten- he soon suffered an illness when the stored meat went bad.
Things went well again, and Alioth was born. Then, Arthes's next pregnancy ended in a miscarriage when Arthes was caught in a snowstorm returning from assisting with a birth. While she again took care of her living children, Arthes withdrew into herself again. However, she'd learned from her father's death, and after enough time alone she returned to her old self. Well, except for the fact that she didn't try for another child for several years after that.
But not even that calamity could keep Arthes down, and her biological clock started ticking again after a five-year lapse. Once she had Mizar, Arthes was back to her old self, and life went on.
The Duties of a Goodmother:
The Goodmother, a sort of midwife/wisewoman/witch/healer found mainly in Northern Borealis, is an essential part of most villages. She serves as supernatural guardian of important parts of life- helping to deliver children if a midwife is unavailable, curing the sick and wounded, advising the town, helping in any crisis, and preparing the dead for funeral. Basically, a Goodmother can be relied on to do work that nobody else can do. One can usually find at least one practicing Goodmother in any given rural area; larger towns may have an Elder Goodmother with one or two Goodmothers under her. Goodmothers are seen with awe, and have a high amount of respect among rural Northern Borealisans, who will generally obey them if ordered to do something and trust them to know what's going on.
Because they serve such an important purpose, Goodmothers are highly prized. They refuse payment- it goes against their philosophy- but they're not averse to grateful people giving gifts or doing favors. (They're also not averse to taking gifts from people who're afraid of being cursed...) Lots of power is associated with a Goodmother, and therefore women holding this position are somewhat feared. They're associated with all facets of nature, and are just as capable of dealing harm as they are of helping, if they see fit to do so.
Eferheim:
Arthes's home town relies on the nearby silver mines for most of its income, supplmented by hunting and some agriculture. Eferheim is well-known for its fairly high-quality silver. It has a rather small group of families, although most of them have many children and extended members, so the population is fairly high. The people of Eferheim are very earthy, practical folks, who are not strangers to forces of nature like snowstorms, thunderstorms, and tornadoes, and are intimately familiar with the life cycle. It takes a lot to intimidate an Eferheimer- they may make strategic retreats, but they don't make a habit of giving up. Of course, this doesn't mean they'll resist a new ruler. Eferheimers let the rulers do their thing, knowing that, in the end, people won't stop them from doing what they do.
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