Name: Old Gerta, Elkweed Witch
Real Name: Gerta Elkweed
Age: 53
Gender: female
Occupation: former Seamstress, Cunning Woman (aka Witch)
Family: Iris (cat), Adam (wolfhound), Ivy (goat)
Appearance: age has not been kind on Greta, as she suffers from cataracts on both eyes and a mild case of rheumatism that acts up when it's about to rain. Her hair still has most of its caramel color of her youth but she carries many wrinkles earned by the hardship of her life, making her look somewhat older than she truly is. Her clothing is as worn out as her appearance, used and reused so many times it's hard to tell the original color
Personality: ever since she was kicked out of Loghedge, Greta never managed to completely trust people. It takes a long time to earn her trust, but despite that she always offers her services in exchange for some food, clothing or other services that help her survive. But to those she trusts or has a liking, she will offer valuable advice and sometimes a meager meal
Although she's nearly blind and has a calm demeanor, one should not mistaken her for an easy target. She survived the harshness of Ironwood and has a hidden strength under her old and seemingly peaceful attitude. If given the chance she is quite capable of giving a wolf second thoughts, cursing loudly and waving her heavy cane like a weapon. She is the Elkweed Witch and she won't be taken for a helpless fool
Likes: her animals, a warm fire, sunny days, freshly baked bread...
Dislikes: food stealing animals, preconceived idiots, the Church, rainy and cold weather...
Story:
Born and raised in Loghedge, Greta was the youngest of 5 daughters and 2 boys. Although something completely outside of her control, this was her first step for being considered a witch, since it was a well known "fact" the 7th child having always a strong affinity to magic
Her parents weren't wealthy, so both of them worked to sustain their family, her father as blacksmith and her mother as seamstress, leaving their children under the care of their elderly grandmother until they were old enough to help with the chores. Greta had always been quiet as a child and she had a profound amazement of all the stories her grandmother told her
It was this woman who carved Greta's path as a cunning woman, or at least provided her the knowledge to practice magic outside of the canons of the Church. It was a tradition passed down from mother to daughter through lore, but in her case refined by her grandmother because she was the 7th
This tradition existed in many families and were not something grave enough to report to the Church, since small household magic was hardly recognized as such. But what caused her to be pointed out as a witch and an heretic was the bad intentions from another woman
She was 15 when a local baker asked her parents her hand in marriage, but a close friend of her had fallen in love with that man and decided to do everything to claim him as hers. Knowing of Greta's birth position, she used that to accuse her of heresy for practicing illegal magic. It didn't took long until the Church found the herbs and small talismans her family used and expelled her out of Loghedge
Without means of travel, she was forced to take refuge in one of the abandoned huts in Ironwood, where she still lives today. The first few years were the hardest, as she tried to fend for herself against the dangers of the forest, but the little help her family and their connections could provide helped her survive. Still the poor conditions had an effect on heal, or so she believes, as the cataracts slowly started to steal her from her eyesight in later years
Also as the years passed she put her knowledge to good use and became known as the Elkweed Witch. Occasionally villagers come buy and bring her food and clothes in return of her services in guessing the future, prepare talismans or cures, when the Church can no longer provide answers or becomes too costly for them. And because of the connection she established with the local wildlife, the hunters who intent to look for game in her area often ask her permission, to avoid a curse to fall on their heads
