Mortimer is a main character in the novel Mort. His given name is Mortimer, but he prefers to be known as Mort. For a brief time he was an apprentice to Death and temporarily carried out The Duty on his behalf.
He is described as being very tall and skinny, with muscles like knots in string. He has a shock of bright red hair, and looks as if he is made entirely of knees.
Family
Mort is the youngest of a family of famers, living in the Ramptop Mountains, close to the town of Sheepridge. His father is called Lezek and he has an uncle called Hamesh.
He is married to [[Ysabell] and has one daughter called Susan.
History
Mort grew up on a farm in the Ramptop Mountains. Mort's life in the mountains was highly unremarkable until, one Hogswatch eve his father took him to Sheepsridge to find him an apprenticeship. Mort was largely unsuccessful in finding an apprenticeship at the job fair. That is until at the stroke of midnight when a dark, hooded figure arrived on a white horse to offer him an apprenticeship "ushering souls in to the next world".
Mort accepted the apprenticeship out of a desire to please his father and left with his new employer, Death. Whilst living in Death's Domain Mort met Ysabell, Death's adoptive daughter and Albert Death's servant.
Mort's duties initially consist of mucking out the stables and general cleaning duties. However, he is eventually invited to assist with what Death refers to as The Duty. This involved assisting with the death of the King of Sto Lat, after his assassination by the Duke of Sto Helit.
Personality
Mort is a well-meaning, but rather dim-witted young man. He has an enquiring mind and is eager to please. He is a moral person and found that the job of ushering souls in to the next world did not suit him, as he rather regretted the unfortunate necessity of having to kill people.