Lady

Gertrude Claus

Lady of the house, chair of operations

Queen of Hearts

Long ago, Gertrude swore to never play second fiddle to her barrel-bodied partner. And yet, the charismatic old man captured the imaginations of the populace in a way she could never stake claim. Instead, the Lady of the Manor turned Santa’s little outlay into a global philanthropic operation.

Behind her sweet little button of a nose and rose-speckled glasses, Lady Gertrude Claus looks at the world through cunning glacier-blue eyes. Her presence warms the room, making even more noticeable her frequent passage through hidden secret passages staff only know about through rumor.

In Conversation

Warm yet reserved, always exuding the sense that she’s thinking two steps ahead like a chessmaster. She’ll make you feel like you’re the only person in the world who matters aside from her.

Trouble 

Gertrude has been secretly running a reindeer jerky operation for centuries.

Normal

Gertrude always seems to have extra cash on hand, and tips generously if staff take their sleigh house and stables during the hours Santa's asleep.

Tier 1

Lady Gertrude Claus requires someone she can trust to accept a delivery from a certain "Mr. Nonny Mouse," a painfully obvious pseudonym belonging to a genuinely dangerous individual. Mr. Mouse, she says, will need to be convinced that you are not a member of any law enforcement organization. Provide whatever proof you can to take possession of the wax paper-wrapped parcel.

Tier 2

Lady Claus, a true believer in the value of the postal system, has become aware that mail addressed to "Gertie Rainclaw's Charcuterie" has been delivered to the Manor's address mixed in with thousands of letters from children asking for toys. Lord Santa is too busy to be distracted and as such, you should make certain every piece of Gertie mail is purged from the drifts of received mail.

Tier 3

For years, the considerable expenses of operating Claus Manor has been covered by Lady Claus' secret side business: selling jerky made from reindeer in training. Sales have slowed, so a potential investor, Madame Gentle, is visiting. Her eyesight is quite poor, so Lady Claus asked you to keep them safe on their jerky tour, especially while the bladed machinery is being upgraded and tested.

Tier 4

Someone told the reindeer. It's a full-on revolt. Seal the Manor against the sieging army of angry flying reindeer, or if you can't, then at least get Lady Claus to safety. So long as she lives, she can regain her fortune and start again. Everyone else is expendable.