Background

Susan's parents were Mort, the apprentice of Death and Ysabell, the adoptive daughter of Death. This makes Susan Death's grandaughter. Not literally of course, he's not equipped for the squidgy bits of reproduction. But Discworld being what it is genetics have less to say about the matter than heredity and narrativium. Susan's well meaning parents went to a great deal of effort to protect her from her supernatural heritage such as naming her Susan and discouraging her from believing in such things as the Hogfather and the Tooth Fairy. Finding out that they all really exist has left Susan with an abiding fury at the world.

Being Death's grandaughter has some strange perks. Susan can walk through walls, use THE VOICE, and put herself outside of time as well as making herself effectively invisible by vigorously encouraging others to not notice her. She also has the unfortunate habit of seeing things that really exist. She likes chocolate and is good at sports, such as hockey and lacrosse, that require the player to swing a stick.

Appearance

Susan is skinny and looks like a Susan, a fact which she resents enormously. Her hair is white with a single black streak and it has a life of its own. Untamable and medusa like in Soul Music, as she matures so does her hair and by Thief of Time it can rearange itself and is willing to be worn in a suitably school marmish bun. She also has an odd birthmark - three pale lines across her cheek - which only shows up when she blushes or is angry.

Feature Roles

Susan first appeared in Soul Music while attending the Quirm College for Young Ladies. In that novel she is forced to take over the family business for a while and attempts to help Buddy, a young man posessed by music. Since her parents died at the start of the novel she is the Dutchess of Sto Helit.

We meet her again in Hogfather. Graduated from school and working as a governess for a pair of children named Twyla and Gawain. She becomes involved in preventing a plot to control people through their teeth and kill the Hogfather.

In Thief of Time Susan has moved on to a teaching post and has learned the mysterious arts of protecting the stationary cupboard and keeping the class pet alive. She is drawn into the events that lead up to time stopping when she is told that there is a young man who is, like her, only mostly human (though it turns out that he's mostly not).

Associates

Besides her Grandfather, DEATH Susan also associates with The Death of Rats and his crony Quoth the raven, though she'd probably rather not.

Back to the Cathedral