Hearthwife
In the Shattered Teeth Tribe, only chieftains and sons of the chief are permitted to take wives and have children, and each of those wives is assigned a duty determined by the order in which they were wed.
Traditionally, the fifth wife is the Hearthwife and is responsible for preparing meals for the tribe, sewing clothing for the tribe, managing the tribe's food stores, directing the setup of temporary camps, and watching over and caring for the tribe's younglings. If she is the wife of the chieftain, she will spend a year under the tutelage of her predecessor, the last chieftain's Hearthwife. After this year, she will spend her time seeing to the domestic needs of the tribe.
If she is the wife of one of the chieftain's sons, she will train with the chieftain's Hearthwife while she travels with the tribe and will assist in carrying out the domestic duties of the tribe.
Upon the deaths of their husbands -- or their ultimate dishonor -- all Hearthwives take a permanent home in Drodkur.
Qualifications
Must master the arts of cooking, sewing, and resource management from her predecessor.
Requirements
Must be the wife of the current Chieftain.
Appointment
After being paired with the chieftain, he will make a formal declaration to the tribe announcing her elevation to the rank of Hearthwife.
Responsibilities
Sewing and mending clothing for the tribe members, cooking meals, watching over the tribe's younglings, and managing the tribe's food stores.
Benefits
While the other Named Wives enjoy honor, respect, and privilege as a result of their status, the Hearthwife is the least respected of the bridal positions. That being said, the Hearthwife does garner more respect than an unmarried woman in the tribe, who is viewed as being good for little else than labor and serving the Named Wives.
Type
Familial
Form of Address
Hearthwife
Alternative Naming
Cookwife
Source of Authority
Chieftain
Length of Term
Life, or until another Hearthwife is appointed
Reports directly to
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