Catherine of Pulverbatch
A generally quiet and obedient girl, she was somewhat overwhelmed by the sense of her mother's struggle to maintain control of her father's estates and not have her married off to one of the local knights (or their sons) and acquire the lands. She is by no means stupid, but was partially sheltered by her mother. She is proud to have been brought up literate, along with her sisters, and is accustomed to her mother looking to her comfort. She is slender and somewhat pale, making her attractive to the aristocratic standards of the day.
She may be taken as a bit of mouse given her tendency to deference, but can match her mother's determination if pushed. She combines a certain naivete with an aristocrat's privileges of someone of her status; this includes the expectation that she will marry a rich husband. She is conventionally religious but has no interest in a cloistered life.
Her elevation to a lady-in-waiting to Angharad of Wales (starting 1224) is the kind of thing she expected her mother to provide, though while an exciting new chapter of her life, she does miss her mother's presence and writes to her very regularly for advice. Her new station gave her the opportunity to interact with the man to whom she had been betrothed, which she now understands was to keep her safe. She remained undecided on the issue of marriage to Sir William for a while but is at least intellectually grateful for the protection his betrothal has offered.
She married the recently landed Sir William Cornwell on the summer solstice of 1226 and took up residence at his castle. She quickly determined that William had no practical, and little theoretical, knowledge of how to actually run an estate. She quickly took over the management, writing to her mother for advice before finally returning to her side to actually learn the practical considerations of her new position. After a few years, she found herself missing the pace and prestige of Angharad's court and began accompanying William there during the summer months. She continues to write to her mother and sisters regularly.
In March of 1228, she gave birth to her first son. In November of 1230, she gave birth to her second son.
| Name: | Lady Catherine Cornwell of Pulverbatch |
| Race/Nationality: | English |
| Place of Origin: | Pulverbatch |
| Birth Year/Age | 1208 (age 27) |
| Apparent Age | 27 |
| Family | Sir William Cornwell, husband Lady Martha of Plessis, mother |
Characteristics
| Intelligence | +1 | Presence | +2 |
| Perception | +0 | Communication | +2 |
| Strength | -2 | Dexterity | +2 |
| Stamina | +0 | Luck | +0 |
Virtues & Flaws
| Virtues Educated |
Flaws Magical Fascination |
Abilities
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| General Skills | |||
| Animal Handling | Avian | 1 | 5 |
| Area Lore (Shropshire) | Personalities | 3 | 30 |
| Area Lore (Powys Fadog) | Welsh nobility | 2 | 17 |
| Area Lore (Lincolnshire) | Ashby Moor | 1 | 7 |
| Area Lore (Staffordshire) | Cavernham | 1 | 7 |
| Bargain | Extra Privileges | 1 | 5 |
| Charm | First Impressions | 3 | 30 |
| Etiquette | Nobility | 5 | 75 |
| Folk Ken | Nobles | 4 | 66 |
| Guile | Lying to authority (usually her mother) | 3 | 30 |
| Intrigue | Nobility | 4 | 50 |
| Leadership | Servants | 1 | 14 |
| Magic Lore | Stonehenge | 3 | 30 |
| Profession Singer | English Carols | 2 | 15 |
| Profession: Steward | Manor | 5 | 86 |
| Profession: Gardner | Decorative | 1 | 9 |
| Church Lore, Organization | Personalities | 2 | 15 |
| Speak Middle English | Conversational | 5 | 75 |
| Speak Welsh | Conversational | 5 | 80 |
| Speak Hebrew | Conversational | 2 | 29 |
| Academic Skills | |||
| Artes Liberales | Music | 1 | 5+? |
| Speak Latin | Converational | 4 | 50 |
Mundane Qualities
Family Members:
- Lady Martha of Plessis, mother
- Lady Marguerite, eldest sister, married to Sir William de Neville of Ashby Moor, Lincolnshire
- Lady Maria, the second eldest sister, married to Sir Edmund fitz Edmund of Cavernham, Staffordshire
Reputations
- Heiress 2 (local)
Known Languages
| Language | Dialect | Specialty | Fluency Level | Score |
| Middle English | - | Conversational | Fluent | 5 |
| Welsh | Northern | Conversational | Fluent | 5 |
| Latin | - | Conversational | Functional | 4 |
| Hebrew | - | Conversational | Basic phrases | 2 |
Personality Traits
Seasonal Activities
- 1235: Winter (Profession: Steward +2xp); Spring (Practice: Leadership +4 xp); Summer (Profession: Steward +2 xp); Autumn (Lesson: Intrigue (Jeanne) +16 xp); Exposure: Speak Hebrew +4; Correspondence: Folk Kin +2, Area Lore: Lincolnshire +1 xp, Area Lore: Staffordshire +1 xp
- 1234: Winter (Profession: Steward +2xp); Spring (Practice: Leadership +4 xp); Summer (Profession: Steward +2 xp); Autumn (Study The Ulster Cycle: Magic Lore +15 xp); Exposure: Speak Hebrew +4; Correspondence: Folk Kin +2, Area Lore: Lincolnshire +1 xp, Area Lore: Staffordshire +1 xp
- 1233: Winter (Profession: Steward +2xp); Spring (Practice: Intrigue +4 xp); Summer (Profession: Steward +2 xp); Autumn (Befriend the Lift Raven: Animal Handling +5 xp); Exposure: Speak Hebrew +4; Correspondence: Folk Kin +2, Area Lore: Lincolnshire +1 xp, Area Lore: Staffordshire +1 xp
- 1232: Winter (Profession: Steward +2xp); Spring (Practice: Intrigue +4 xp); Summer (Profession: Steward +2 xp); Autumn (Study Merlinus Caledonensis: Magic Lore +15 xp); Exposure: Speak Hebrew +4; Correspondence: Folk Kin +2, Area Lore: Lincolnshire +1 xp, Area Lore: Staffordshire +1 xp
- 1231: Winter (Profession: Steward +2xp); Spring (Practice: Intrigue +4 xp); Summer (Profession: Steward +2 xp); Autumn (Lesson: Etiquette +16 xp); Exposure: Speak Hebrew +4; Correspondence: Folk Kin +2, Area Lore: Lincolnshire +1 xp, Area Lore: Staffordshire +1 xp
- 1230: Winter (Profession: Steward +2xp); Spring (Practice: Intrigue +4 xp); Summer (Profession: Steward +2 xp); Autumn (Lesson: Etiquette +16 xp); Exposure: Area Lore Powys Fadog +2xp, Speak Hebrew +4; Correspondence: Folk Kin +2, Area Lore: Lincolnshire +1 xp, Area Lore: Staffordshire +1 xp
(2x Running the Manor, Spring free time at Lady Angharad's court, Autumn for free time at home. Correspondence is mostly with her sisters.)