Character development | Worker

The Smith is a Tier 2 resident, available in the province of Britannia if the player chooses to develop the Celtic branch from the Tier 1 local resident, the undecisive Wader. She has a quiet strength and has been looking out for her community since she was a foster kid. She is, however, reserved most of the time, which leads to an occasional sense of loneliness. She’s very good at her craft despite having lost a hand during her apprenticeship, and she takes good care of her own apprentice – even though she’s not interested in parenting them.
She’s independent and optimistic, and confident enough in her Celtic identity and ways to know that a little romanization won’t affect them at the core.

Quotes:

Trigger	Line	Comment
Idle to Self	They said we wouldn’t notice that so-called civilization’s part of our own enslavement. Oh, we know.	Bitterly ironic
Low satisfaction	Should I starve the youngling to death too? Upside is, we sure fend for weselves.	Dismissive
High satisfaction	Water’s clear, forge’s lit, house’s standing… To anoter beautiful day! Governor’s work makes Gobniu smile. And me.	Gentle gruffiness
Neutral state	I’m sure we’ll be fine. Always have been. Nothing to say, great deal to do.	Undisturbed

Role:

• The Smith is a middle class resident.
• She strongly represents Celtic culture
• She has an underlying optimism which allows her to be proud of her culture while cherry-picking whatever she likes about romanization
• Still, there’s a sense that keeping balance between integrating new ways and being integrated oneself is hard
• The smith works for the player and pays taxes
• She is providing feedback on the player’s city management
• She aims to safeguard the Celtic ways and is a pillar of the community
• She is driven to pursuing harmony between nature, tradition and principle of reality.
• She will be angry and bitter if the player decides to cut down a sacred ancient oak.

In a context of government continuously shifting from Roman to Celtic, she’s well aware that cultural interactions and exchanges have always happened, with Greeks, before that with Etruscans. She is proud of her Celtic identity and traditions but acknowledges that culture is not a fixed picture. With that in mind, she’s okay with partial romanization and made a choice to live in a new Roman settlement while still abiding Celtic traditions. When things are good, her mere existence is defense enough for her traditions. However, if things were to go south, she would resent the governor for his poor management.

She made that decision out of a practical mind: romanization isn’t keeping her community from its traditions, and kicking the Romans out would require yet another war, the damage of which would largely surpass its benefits. Life, like culture, is a transformative flow and the smith chose what seemed to her the best way of caring for her community. After all, Celtic culture has had a much longer history than Rome, and romanization is but a blimp in this bigger picture. For these reasons, and because of her interest in technological improvements such as aqueducts, baths etc., she decided to move in a Roman settlement.

Unlike the Wader, the smith made a strong decision that could be summed up as jolly stoicism: since things can’t stay « the way they were » forever, it’s better to embrace change to protect what truly matters.

She underlines the big differences in status between Celtic women and Roman ones, she’s much freer and well able to fend for herself – which allows her to speak her mind in a playful way. She is literate even if more about craft than intellectual pursuits, and she’s definitely not duped into thinking culture cannot serve as a colonization weapon.

Unlike the character of Voada, a Celtic chieftain inspired by Boudicca, she is not a mother and doesn’t want to be, even though her apprentices are almost like fostered children to her. But she does that out of sense of responsibility rather than maternal instinct. She feels like a big sister with strong responsibilities. Like Voada, she cares very much about protecting her community, she just adopted a different strategy.

Background:

• From a medium-sized tribe north. Parents aren’t rich but not in need either, they’re artisans and work together.
• Parents die as last wave of Romanization casualties. She is placed in a Celtic foster home soon after, along with other war orphans.
• Grows up fighting with her adopted siblings, but will also be the one stopping one kid from being bullied. Overall it’s a nice childhood.
• Usually silent, speaks with her hands, whether that means punching or making things.
• Becomes a smith apprentice and dives deeply into the craft. Social relations were uncomfortable anyway, but she keeps an eye out for the others.
• Loses her left hand in a forge accident.
• Her master is ready to take on a new apprentice, but she won’t hear about it and, in the end, she’s stubborn enough to stay.
• Becomes a proper smith of her own right. Pursues mastering.
• Gets comments about her not being on the way to parenting. Doesn’t mind much. Missing hand might serve as an excuse but the truth is, she’s not keen to it.
• Has a secret girlfriend. Well, it’s not so much a secret as she is really private and nobody thought to ask.

Personality:

• Independent.
• She has a quiet strength and goes about her life, honing her skills, transmitting her knowledge of metal and other Celtic crafts.
• She is very much about community but also really likes her own space.
• Big shell, any uncomfortable feelings will come out as sarcastic humor.
• Proud of her culture, of her craft, of her goods.
• Self-sufficient.
• Gets a new tattoo whenever something big happens.
• Might come across as dismissive or snobbish, really is just focused on practical things.
• Gentle gruffness.
• Confident that things eventually sort themselves out, if you give them a hand.
• The only thing that seems to get her excited is whenever a new threshold is crossed at the forge (by her or her apprentice)
• Doesn’t speak much but definitely has her own mind.
• Thoughts will come out through facial expressions rather than words.
• Elusive
• Gets impatient because she doesn’t understand why it can take so long to people to get up to speed
• Physically strong
• Quietly charismatic
• Curious but won’t make a fuss about it
• Strong will, keeps a course once decided.
• A loner
• Won’t ask for help, thinks she has to sort everything out herself
• Won’t really profit from community
• Difficulties to open up
• Doesn’t see her flaws as flaws so it’s unlikely that she’ll improve them any time soon.
• A rough woman who saw some shit going down and chose to adapt rather than fight.

Daily life:

• Rises with the sun
• Adds combustible to the forge to wake the fire
• While the forge is warming up, feeds herself and apprentice
• Does some forging (weapons, tools, votive offerings and carefully crafted bracelets and torques)
• Takes a walk towards sacred groves and/or temple. If no one’s there, she might stay a bit longer, enjoying the peace. The presence of gods isn’t that important, she’s more after a feeling of belonging.
• Trains for wrestling, pole vaulting
• Bathes before evening meal. Carefully cleans her hand prosthetic.
• Cooks next day’s food before going to bed
• Sometimes plays board games at night with other people
• Definitely participates in sports competitions whenever they take place

Reputation

Character	Thoughts
Wader (T1)	I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of the lass – but she’s as frightening as she makes you feel safe when she’s a mind to protect you.
Mercator (T2 romanized)	Still mot quite living with her time, and a bit of a loner, but she’s got craft, we can’t deny it!
Mystic (T3 celtic)	Our secular self is as vital as the spiritual one – each needs the other to bloom, and each can nurture the other back to life.
Noble (T3 romanized)	Who does she think she is? Looking down on people while still bathing in the ashes of her forge and in the salty sweat of her own barbarian customs!

Opinions

Own work	Very proud of it. Everything she consumes, she is able to make herself. The forge can be a meeting point, it’s definitely part of the community but the very nature of the work allows her to not speak more than is necessary, so it’s perfect for her.
Economy	Amused at the thought that her works travel as far as the Mediterranean sea. Doesn’t mind the occasional typical Roman dish, curious as long as it doesn’t replace her own things.
Politics	Politics don’t really affect the soul of the land anyway. Doesn’t care about it as long as things are good. The Governor shouldn’t push his luck. Internal conflicts / doubts about her choice to come live in a Roman settlement when the Governor fails to make the people happy.
Military	To be avoided as much as possible. War isn’t good for anyone. She will forge weapons but she doesn’t want any part in the mess. We do make brilliant chariots though! Whatever those capitol’s snobs say about it.
Slavery	There hasn’t been a lot of meaningful fighting in the area during the last decades, and slaves usually start out as war prisoners. Maybe it’s time we let slavery where it belongs – with war, in the past?
Foreigners	They’ve always come and gone. At least, these days they do so without pulling weapons out. Interested in what they have to say but not over-friendly.
Innovations	As a technician expert herself she’s very interested in, excited about even, innovations and new technologies. Sometimes she thinks some of them are just polish and not real innovations. It takes a lot to impress her.
Public entertainment	She prefers taking part in it (sports contests and so on) than sit there and watch.
Hierarchy	Must be based on actual craft rather than birth. Is the new governor worth his title? We’ll see.
Friendship	Friendship is important but also hard. She’s not into phatic interactions, as everyone has better things to do. But she will show up if and when needed – that’s the least you can expect from anybody.
Fate	Doesn’t think of it that way, but yes, some movements are inevitable and it’s human’s job to go about their lives while adapting to that reality. It doesn’t mean that the notion of choices is off their hands of course – far from it.

Visual Detail: Strong features, light-browned skinned, Celtic tattoos, prosthetic hand