Dollmaker (Indie)

The dollmakers are the Indies' most spiritual folk, as those who deal with death tend to be. They're named for their most well-known duty-- the creation and restoration of memorial dolls. Dollmakers also handle the coroner's work, as they need to take a good look at the body and take a tooth as they work on the doll. So they also confirm the death, figure out to the best of their ability the cause, and sometimes do a little investigation into the circumstances before sending the body off to the butchers.
Because they are, now and then, given living but injured or comatose bodies, dollmakers often know a little basic medicine as well, to save the patient from becoming another doll. And they already have the pliers for pulling teeth, so if someone has a loose or painful tooth, they usually come to the dollmaker for that as well.

Career

Qualifications

Woodworking skill is absolutely required, as is some familiarity with what death looks like and what can cause death. Medicinal knowledge will help as well.

Career Progression

Usually a dollmaker trains under another dollmaker for some time.

Payment & Reimbursement

The Indies don't really use money within the tribe. The only payment is the satisfaction of performing a necessary duty.

Other Benefits

Dollmakers are very respected among the Indies, almost as much as the matron.

Perception

Purpose

At her core, the dollmaker exists to counteract the pain and fear surrounding mortality, particularly for the children of the deceased. The dollmaker also performs basic coroner work.

Social Status

Dollmakers are appreciated and valued, though most Indies are content to simply be mothers.

Demographics

For every one-hundred to one-hundred-fifty Indies, there's usually one dollmaker.

History

It started as an act of kindness that quickly took on spiritual significance. From there, new duties were tacked on as convenient.

Operations

Tools

Carpentry tools (at least some sandpaper, a knife, a saw, and an auger) and some scissors, for shaping the wood. A needle and some brushes for clothing, painting, and decorating the doll. A pair of pliers for plucking out teeth.

Materials

Wood and leather cord or string for assembling the doll. Paint (mostly indigo) and ink to paint and inscribe names upon the doll. Light cloth and thread to clothe the doll. Some herbal medicines will help with those who aren't actually dead or need their teeth pulled.

Workplace

A dollmaker's shop is either her home or a room set aside for her work. It usually has a table large enough to lay a body on, somewhere to store her tools and materials, and a strong source of light for the finer detailing. To prevent the shop from smelling like a body that's been sitting out for a day, fragrant plants or, more rarely, incense, are often burned.

Provided Services

Confirmation and minor investigation of death. Creation and restoration of memorial dolls. Pulling of teeth.

Dangers & Hazards

Not everyone dies cleanly. Also sometimes people seem dead until you pull their teeth out, in which case, they have accidentally lost a tooth. Poorly-ventilated rooms underground tend to fill up with smell or plant-smoke, depending.

Type

Religious

Demand

Though no Indie community can go without a dollmaker, there is seldom need for more than a couple on-hand at a time.

Legality

Completely legal where performed.

Related Locations

• Indies' Warren