Grisolda Marsh

As seen in

(a.k.a. Cook, Grizzy)

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

While Grisolda isn't particularly agile or physically fit, she does have a sturdy build that is somewhat round. She has remarkable endurance and a surprising amount of strength. Many don't take into accound her years of kitchen work and caregiving.

Body Features

Grisolda has soft, slightly calloused hands from decades of cooking, cleaning and hard labor. Her posture is slightly hunched due to carrying heavy pots and long hours standing at the stove.

Facial Features

She has a gentle, round face with crow's feet and smile lines, showing a life full of both hardships and laughter. There's a small mole beneath her left eye, adding a unique charm.

Identifying Characteristics

Grisolda has a white tulip tattooed on her right temple, symbolizing rebirth and resilience. She has nature-inspired tattoos (flowers and vines) across her arms and shoulders, representing her connection to her people, to life and growth.

Physical quirks

She fidgets with apron when she's nervous or deep in thought. She tends to hum lullaby she used to sing to her daughter when she's working, usually under her breath.

Special abilities

Grisolda ahs an extraordinary sense of smell and taste, allowing her to elevate even the simplest meals into comforting masterpieces. She has a near supernatural ability to bring calm and unity to tense situations with her nurturing presence and wise words.

Apparel & Accessories

Clothing Style: Grisolda wears practical yet clean clothes: long skirts and simple blouses, often paired with an apron. Her clothes are well-worn but well-maintained, reflecting her careful, resourceful nature.

Accessories: Always wears a sturdy leather belt with pockets for small cooking tools and a kerchief. A simple silver ring, her wedding band, which she still wears in memory of her husband.

Specialized Equipment

A cherished iron skillet passed down from her mother, which she uses for cooking and occasionally as a weapon in emergencies.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Grisolda was born into a poor farming family, her early years marked by hardship and instability. Her mother fled an abusive relationship, moving them frequently and forcing Grisolda to mature quickly.

At a young age, she began working as a maid for noble families, where she learned not only domestic skills but also how to navigate the complex dynamics of aristocratic households. Despite the instability of her youth, Grisolda found solace in the friendships she formed, particularly with a young noble girl who taught her to read and opened her world to the joys of storytelling.

As a young woman, Grisolda’s beauty often caused jealousy among the women of the households she worked in, resulting in her being dismissed from several positions. Despite this, she honed her skills in cooking and household management, eventually apprenticing under a talented chef in one of the noble houses.

It was during this time that she met her husband, a kind and steady stableman. After marrying, they settled in Whitewell, where Grisolda became the Cook at Guardian Solace. Tragedy struck when her husband was killed in a tavern brawl, leaving her to raise their daughter alone. Her strength and resilience during this time shaped her into the compassionate, unyielding woman she is today.

Gender Identity

Grisolda embraces traditional femininity, expressing it through her nurturing demeanor and her dedication to home and family.

Sexuality

Heterosexual. Grisolda deeply loved her husband and has remained single since his death, focusing her energy on her daughter, grandchild, and those she considers family.

Education

Largely self-taught, Grisolda learned practical skills through her work in noble households. Her ability to read and write is limited, but her knowledge of cooking, herbal remedies, and household management is extensive.

Employment

Early years: Worked as a maid in several noble households.

Later: Became the Cook at Guardian Solace, where her meals became a source of comfort and stability for the community.

Accomplishments & Achievements

  • Raised her daughter single-handedly after her husband’s death.
  • Developed a reputation as an exceptional cook whose meals could bring warmth and unity to even the bleakest days.
  • Helped maintain morale at Guardian Solace during the apocalypse.

Failures & Embarrassments

Feels lingering guilt for not being able to protect her husband during the tavern brawl that claimed his life.

Mental Trauma

Haunted by memories of her husband’s death and the instability of her childhood.

Intellectual Characteristics

  • Highly practical and resourceful, with an intuitive understanding of people and situations.
  • Relies on her emotional intelligence to navigate challenges.

Morality & Philosophy

  • Believes deeply in the tenets of Infinite Grace, especially the values of compassion and community.
  • Prioritizes the well-being of her loved ones and the greater good over personal desires.

Taboos

  • Refuses to waste food, seeing it as a sacred resource.
  • Will not tolerate cruelty or neglect of the vulnerable.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Grisolda’s primary motivation is to protect and nurture her daughter and grandchild, ensuring their survival in a dangerous world. Her motherly instincts extend to the community at Guardian Solace, whom she sees as an extended family.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Savvies: Cooking, herbal medicine, conflict resolution.

Ineptitudes: Combat, though she can wield a skillet effectively in a pinch.

Likes & Dislikes

Likes: Freshly baked bread, the laughter of children, and quiet moments in the garden.

Dislikes: Wastefulness, unnecessary conflict, and the sound of thunder (a reminder of gunfire).

Virtues & Personality perks

Deeply compassionate, endlessly patient, and fiercely protective of those she loves.

Vices & Personality flaws

Struggles with overprotectiveness, sometimes smothering those she cares about.

Can be overly self-critical, particularly when it comes to past failures.

Social

Mannerisms

Frequently clasps her hands in front of her when speaking.

Nods slowly when listening, a habit from her years in service.

Speech

Speaks in a warm, soothing tone with a slight Aurelian accent. Her words are simple but carry wisdom and sincerity.

Wealth & Financial state

Grisolda lives modestly, with no personal wealth beyond her basic possessions and resources provided by Guardian Solace.

Table of Contents

Current Status
Cook at Guardian Solace
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Year of Birth
2948 52 Years old
Birthplace
A small farming village in the Edria country side
Children
Pronouns
She/Her
Sex
Female
Gender
Woman
Presentation
Feminine
Eyes
Warm brown, round, and expressive, often showing her kindness or concern.
Hair
Long, black, with streaks of grey at the temples, usually pulled into a neat bun for practicality
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Light brown with some soft weather undertones from when she used to work outside
Height
5' 3"
Weight
150 lbs
Belief/Deity
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Related Plots
While she can never replace my own mother (and has never tried to), she still deeply cares. I have to admit the food she prepares is better than what Mother had our Cook make. Perhaps it's the simplicity of the meals or maybe it was just the company and a reminder of what I have been missing.


Cover image: by Lady Wynter
Character Portrait image: by Lady Wynter