Aurene Maia Kraft
Born and raised in Novaroma, Aurene Kraft (neé Silvanus) had a fairly uneventful childhood of juvenile theft with her three brothers and two sisters. She grew up ducking specs and running glass for some of the less reputable folks in her neighborhood until her father, captain of the Miners' League, found out and offered her a choice - contribute to the family in a meaningful way, or leave the family for good. At fifteen she followed her two older brothers into the silicate mines, but couldn't completely give up her life of petty crime.
She worked alongside
Simeon Kraft for four years before he finally asked her out on a date. In another two years they were married, and
Silica Kraft was born shortly thereafter, locking Aurene into the mundane life she'd come to resent.
Physical Description
She has been in a coma for twelve years that preserves her body, but doesn't prevent the passage of time.
She has a sharp, wrinkled face, but projects an image of youthfulness.
Aurene lies within a glass case of Al's design that keeps her body alive and her mind active despite the physical damage resulting from the mine collapse.
Mental characteristics
As the middle child of a large family, Aurene was often at war between responsibility and a desire for freedom. As a child she took odd jobs around the neighborhood to help support her siblings - including an occasional bit of glass-running for the local Silicate. When she was eventually caught with more glass than a girl her age could reasonably be expected to have, her father convinced the local specs to drop the charges, on the condition that Aurene get a proper job. She joined her father and brothers in the local Allway silicate mine, hoping it would be a temporary sentence. But with a lack of education, talent for glass-blowing, or any other skills, she was stuck.
Despite a lack of education, Aurene's cleverness allowed her to rise within the mine's hierarchy to mine supervisor - above her brothers and future husband. She earned a reputation for ruthlessness that often saw her butting heads with her father, and refused to mellow even after marriage and a child. Returning to work shortly after Sil was born, Aurene wound up in the middle of a labor dispute that almost got her fired. Instead, she secretly financed the campaign of her father's rival, and had him ousted from the Miners' League. Cutting corners saved her job, but had serious consequences down the road.
Several years later, as predicted by Granville Allway's stained glass window, there was a mine collapse that killed twelve people and injured dozens more - including Aurene, who was inspecting the shaft that day. She has remained comatose ever since, kept alive by a machine designed by her brother-in-law
Alkali Kraft, which allows her to project and image that can interact with people in her home.
Allway Mine Consolidated [Supervisor until 2007]
History
They met as miners and despite Aurene's rise to mine supervisor, they fell in love - though it was many years before Simeon found the courage to ask her out on a date. They married after a couple of years and had Sil a few years after that. When Aurene was badly injured in the mine collapse, Simeon dropped everything to take care of her, only returning to work when his brother built the machine that sustained her.
Nicknames & Petnames
They call each other 'Mine' as an inside joke to how they met, something their daughter finds nauseating.
Relationship Reasoning
It was love at first sight for Simeon, but it took awhile for Aurene to come around. She finds his sweetness and empathy very attractive, especially as she feels she lacks those qualities herself, while he thinks her strength and courage are dazzling. They were very happy together before the accident, but the current arrangement does put strain on the relationship. Simeon has never considered stepping outside his marriage, however, despite Aurene's encouragement.
Shared Acquaintances
Legal Status
Married
History
Aurene has always been hard on her only child, as she wants Sil to have the freedom she never had. Sil, in contrast, has always believed her mother finds her wanting, that she can't live up to Aurene's expectations. They love each other, but don't understand each other, and Aurene's current state of limbo puts a lot of stress on their relationship.
Nicknames & Petnames
Aurene calls Sil 'baby bird' and 'baby.'
Shared Acquaintances
History
Aurene and Al met through Simeon, but didn't spend much time together. Despite this, Al fell in love with his brother's wife, though he never spoke of it or made any overtures. For her part, Aurene never trusted Al and disapproved of his interest in Sil - even before his activities with the Void were known. She has no idea that his association with the Void is in part due to the circumstances surrounding her accident.
Shared Acquaintances
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