Mrs. Agnes Maribel Pember

Mrs. Agnes Maribel Pember is perhaps the most mysterious being at Founders Academy. Her true nature remains unknown—she may be a manifestation of The Vale's hospitality itself, an ancient spirit of hearth and home, or something entirely beyond categorization. What is certain is that she has been at The Vale since before Miriel arrived approximately 2,700 years ago.

The First Meeting

When Miriel first discovered Mrs. Pember in the kitchen, she attempted to magically seize the unknown entity. Her magic simply dissolved like morning mist before reaching Agnes. Unfazed, Mrs. Pember smiled warmly and began chatting as if they'd been friends for ages, asking who Miriel thought had been bringing her tea and making her dinners.

That was the beginning of a relationship that has spanned millennia. As Miriel's sanctuary grew from a single dwelling to the grand Founders Academy, Mrs. Pember's domain expanded proportionally. The kitchen that once served one weary elf now feeds hundreds.

The Unfazeable Nature

Magic simply dissolves around Mrs. Pember—not blocked, but ceases to exist in her presence. No one knows why, least of all Agnes herself. She finds the whole thing rather funny, often remarking that "Magic's well and good for flashy folk, but a good stew's real magic, dearie."

1. Grandmother (Default Mode)

Warm, welcoming, and chatty, Mrs. Pember feeds everyone who looks hungry (and everyone looks hungry to her). She tells stories while cooking, hums old songs no one else remembers, and treats everyone like beloved grandchildren. Her favorite phrases include "Oh pish posh" and "Nonsense, child."

2. Militant Commander (Kitchen Standards)

When standards slip, her warmth becomes steel. Her voice doesn't rise—it sharpens. "That is NOT how we prepare vegetables in MY kitchen." Even senior cooks fear disappointing her. She's a perfectionist about food safety, cleanliness, and technique, and will scrub the entire kitchen herself if needed to prove a point.

3. Warrior (Threats to Kitchen or Staff)

Rarely seen but never forgotten. When her kitchen or her people are threatened, something ancient awakens. The grandmother disappears; something primal emerges. Her wooden spoon becomes a weapon of terrifying authority. Once, she drove off three drunk students harassing her kitchen staff with nothing but a fierce glare and rolling pin.

Mrs. Pember possesses knowledge that transcends normal divination. She knows what a person needs to eat (not wants—needs). She knows when comfort matters more than physical sustenance, when food should come with silence or conversation, and when someone needs specific food from their homeland or childhood.

Somehow, she always has ingredients for any dish from any culture. The pantries and cellars seem bottomless. She never explains, never asks intrusive questions. She simply knows and provides.

Grieving students find thick stew and honeyed bread waiting. Overworked professors discover perfect temperature tea already steeping. Frightened first-years are handed something warm and familiar before they speak. Her kitchen is sanctuary where secrets are kept and souls are fed.

As Mistress of Kitchens, Mrs. Pember commands absolute respect from the entire cooking staff. She rules with wooden spoon and warm smile, correcting mistakes with a hand on the shoulder and quiet word (or sharp reprimand if needed). Her staff would walk through fire for her.

The kitchen doors are never truly closed. There's always a pot warming on the stove. She's always awake when someone wanders in at 2am. No questions asked about why you're there—just food offered. Many pivotal character moments happen at her table over midnight tea and bread.

Authority Without Threat

Mrs. Pember holds no official disciplinary power whatsoever. Yet students fear disappointing her more than any detention. Even Masters lower their voices in her presence. Even King Aldric (undead lich) treats her with reverent respect. Even Vorindor (ancient dragon) is polite around her table.

Why? Because she represents care without condition, acceptance without judgment, nourishment without debt. Losing her approval feels like losing a fundamental safety.

• Unknown entity of immense power who predates even Miriel's arrival
• Magic dissolves around her—not blocked, but ceases to exist
• Possesses "The Taste of Need"—knows what people need to eat before they do
• Three distinct modes: Grandmother, Militant Commander, and Warrior
• Her kitchen is sanctuary where secrets are kept and souls are fed
• Available 24/7 for anyone who needs comfort or food
• Her presence makes people feel calmer, safer, lighter
• Even the most powerful beings at the Academy treat her with respect
• Perhaps the most powerful being at the Academy, not through magic or combat, but through unconditional care