Post by Abbot Vivian on Nov 5, 2009 14:23:47 GMT -5
Name: Vivian
Gender: Male
Age: 53 (While I do not like listing exact ages, I find it’s necessary in this case to indicate Vivian is neither young nor extremely old.)
Species: Wood Mouse
Occupation: Redwall Abbot
Physical Appearance:
The mouse is of considerable age, but he is by no means a feeble beast. Most unlike many of his predecessors, Vivian has surprising reserves of stamina and a body to match. He is anything but a thin wiry figure you might imagine when picturing an old mouse of a peace-loving order. Rather, he possesses a physique with a plentiful amount of both muscle and fat. His thick limbs are but a glimpse of the mouse’s considerable strength. Meanwhile, his rotund belly is the result of several seasons spent eating more than he should have.
For the most part, his fur varies in shades of grayish-brown around his face, atop his head and ears, and along his back and sides. Typical white fur begins beneath his chin and spreads down his throat, chest, and plump belly. His paws, all four of them, and his tail, which measures longer than he is tall, are expectedly hairless pink-fleshed features of the abbot. Unlike his dull-colored fur, his eyes exhibit a fierce brown hue as though reflecting the astonishing amount of life left in the aging abbot.
Most times he can be found wearing his green habit or at least one of them. One he keeps for warm weather because it is light and breathes, helping him stay decent and cool. The other he owns for cold weather for the warmth it provides because of how densely the fabric was sewn together. Occasionally, he will dress a little more casually for a swim. And, of course, he will wear a featureless white gown at bedtime.
Possessions
He owns an unassuming ash walking stick that measures as long as his tail.
Personality:
Vivian believes strongly in all that Redwall was built for and what it stands for; one of the reasons that landed him his current position. He makes it his honorable duty to preserve peace and provide food, warmth, shelter, and various other comforts to any beast in need. He will never turn away anyone in need unless they have severely wronged him or another beast in an unforgivable manner. He will even sometimes overexert himself and become personally involved and attached to certain individuals who need love and care above all others. He is immeasurably compassionate; Redwall is his life and he is passionate about his duties to it, its occupants, and all who visit or reside in Mossflower.
He is lenient about the supposed rules of the abbey, most of which he personally does not observe with the exception of the important ones he abides by without question. He appreciates good humor and enjoys having fun. He immensely treasures young beasts and frequently acts like one of them. Sometimes he collaborates with them on ways of procuring some extra sweets. He also imparts his own personal knowledge including that of the abbey and its secret passageways that he discovered during his seasons as an initiate of Redwall's order.
It is because he loves his home that he would never sit idly by while someone attacked or threatened it. He will defend his precious abbey whenever necessary and will not hesitate to sacrifice himself to save the life of a single good-natured beast. He despises war and the terrible amount of destruction, pain, and bloodshed it brings and he would never start one of his own. Make no mistake, however, should someone ever start a war against Mossflower, Redwall Abbey, or both, he will do everything in his power to finish it!
Strengths:
Physical strength; Vivian is definitely no badger, but he is truly strong for a mouse, especially for one his age. He can definitely hold his own against most enemies through brute force alone, but he hardly prefers that sort of application for his might. He would rather use his strength to help carry heavy loads for weary travelers or transport shipments of food, water, supplies, etcetera into the abbey.
Despite his looks, Vivian is a skilled and experienced combatant even though he hasn’t killed anyone yet. He can attack and defend either with a stave, hence the reason he carries with him a walking stick when he hardly needs one, or without any weapon at all. Of course, as the abbot of Redwall, he normally reserves his talents for entertainment and lessons in self defense.
Hearing; despite his age, his wonderfully inherited trait of powerful hearing has strengthened through countless occasions of eavesdropping even in his current seasons. He can identify many sounds and detect others that are otherwise silent to those without this natural gift. His sensitivity to sound is not limited to his ears. He can even feel the vibrations that even some of the softest sounds create. He has learned that hearing something is often more important than seeing it; after all, eyes are far too easily tricked.
Weaknesses:
Vivian is quite the glutton and while that may serve as a subject of humor for most abbey-dwellers, it causes its own share of problems. It doesn’t take much to make him hungry and he can eat several helpings of a large dish without ever feeling full. If it wasn’t for Redwall’s plentiful stores and various suppliers, he would have a difficult time satiating his overwhelming hunger.
Vivian is seemingly absentminded and accused of being forgetful at times. He is quite inattentive to what most have to say to him unless it’s truly important. His age certainly has not had any effect on his mind because that is always how he has behaved. He is simply an easy going character and a notorious procrastinator.
History:
Vivian was born in a farming village to the far south; at that time he had three older sisters and four older brothers. His father, Paul, valued hard work and made an honest living with the help of his loving children and wife, Susan. Even Vivian was given his share of farm duties at the end of his infancy and his obligations to both his family and their farm only grew as the seasons passed.
He often shirked his duties and was reprimanded for it. Despite the disciplinary actions his father took, he never learned to appreciate his farm life. In fact, he couldn’t stand it and often daydreamed of one day running away for something better.
By the time he entered adolescence, his four brothers had all found wives of their own and left the home to make a living and have a family of their own elsewhere. Vivian inherited many of their responsibilities to his discontent, but that didn’t last. The summer that followed the departure of Vivian’s fourth oldest brother was a disastrous time.
Drought and famine plagued their village and, to make matters worse, his mother fell gravely ill. When she died, Vivian, his father, and sisters, who were all aggrieved, especially Paul, performed a burial service.
They packed what belongings they could carry with them afterward and journeyed north in search of a new home where water continued flowing and edible vegetation grew abundantly. The journey was seasons long; they scavenged and foraged what they could from the near lifeless land around them to stay alive. Despite their tremendous efforts to survive, the youngest of Paul’s daughters died one fateful winter.
There are no words to describe the terrible sadness that afflicted the family. Racked with sorrow, Vivian’s father buried the body and performed a service for her. The remaining four wood mice in the family pressed onward after that. Paul swore he would not let any of his remaining children die, but it was a promise he could not keep.
They reached their destination months after the passing of Vivian‘s sister and weeks after the first rains of spring. They happened upon a lush forest fed by a small freshwater lake. Vivian, his father, and his two remaining sisters were all overjoyed to have finally reached the end of their treacherous journey. Even Vivian, the lazy son, labored to help construct for themselves a new home, within which they lived happily for nearly five seasons.
Their happiness came to a miserable conclusion one dry summer day. A traveling band of slave traders chose to rest in their forest and a terrible accident occurred as a result of their clumsiness. The fire, they built to cook their midday meal, spread uncontrollably and consumed the forest.
Vivian and Paul managed to escape, but neither of his remaining sisters made it out safely. Vivian’s second oldest sister died agonizingly in the fire. Meanwhile, his oldest sister panicked and lost her way only to be found and captured by the slave traders.
The vermin who enslaved Vivian’s only surviving sister were also in a hurry to leave the burning forest; neither Paul nor Vivian ever laid eyes on them. Paul assumed, to his own unbearable grief, both his daughters had died. He could not bury the remains of his girls, but he insisted on performing a service for them. He even placed two grave markers at the edge of the burnt forest.
Not knowing when life would return to the forest, Vivian and Paul left in a desperate search for yet another home. They traveled together no longer as father and son, but as equals for Vivian had matured both physically and mentally to an extent. It was also Vivian’s undying humor, unfaltering hope, and seemingly senseless cheer that kept Paul going. For all of his losses, Paul still had his son and he made it his final purpose in life to help Vivian and to ensure his survival.
Father and son traveled together until the end of summer at which time they arrived at Salamandastron. There, the badger lord, Ashstripe’s predecessor, greeted them and welcomed the weary and starved travelers. It was most irregular, but both mice were allowed to stay as long as they needed to and as long as they contributed to the maintenance of the fortress even if it simply meant tidying up.
Vivian remained there throughout all of autumn and the entire winter that followed. Members of the Long Patrol personally taught him how to fight; knowing how to defend oneself was practically a requirement for any of Salamandastron’s residents. He not only picked up the Hares’ fighting talents, but also their notorious appetite.
Life at the fortress was fun at times and Vivian enjoyed the company of his newfound friends. However, it was also a bit difficult for him at times. The countless strict policies and the amount of responsibility placed on him was discomfiting. Not only did it remind him of his childhood, causing painful memories to resurface frequently, but it also was neither the desire nor style of a fun-loving mouse to live in such a manner. If that weren’t enough of an explanation for his unease at the fortress, he never felt comfortable within its warlike atmosphere. It seemed oppressing to him.
Paul passed away peacefully toward the end of the following winter; he had fulfilled his purpose to his son and was neither saddened nor frightened to die. The badger lord respectfully allowed the honorable mouse to be buried alongside the remains of past Long Patrol members who had sacrificed themselves for the lives of others. After conducting the burial service, Vivian spent almost a month mourning the loss of his remaining family.
His grieving came to a sudden conclusion one morning. He explained during breakfast that he had dreamt of a fearsome warrior mouse. The mouse appeared before him and spoke to him, saying that his quest for a home was not over. The badger lord listened intently to Vivian’s words and, at the end of the wood mouse’s recollection, revealed to him that it had been written long ago that he would visit Salamandastron with his father and leave without him for another sanctuary, Redwall Abbey.
Vivian packed his belongings, some food, and plenty of water and left the fortress that very day to find his true home. One of the Long Patrol’s finest fighting hares who was also one of Vivian’s closest friends accompanied him on his journey. It was the hare’s duty to protect and guide the mouse as instructed by the badger lord.
It was to their immeasurable delight that they arrived at Redwall in time for an early summer celebration. It was a nameday, which meant a grand feast for its visitors and residents alike. Being the gluttons that they were, both Vivian and his hare companion showed their appreciation by devouring just about whatever food came within their paws‘ grabbing range. It was during the celebration that the wood mouse realized he was home and had a new family even if it could never replace his parents, brothers, and sisters.
Vivian was later initiated into the order of Redwall upon his request. He sometimes regretted making that decision because, as an initiate, he spent many seasons studying and attending lessons. The only reason why he endured the tedious learning experience was the fact that he spent a lot of time with and befriended abbey dwellers far younger than he was. Despite the age difference, they shared many things in common including several personal interests and knack for getting into trouble.
He eventually became a brother of Redwall’s order, but time itself had failed to make him into a mature model representation of its members. Instead, he remained young at heart and continuously shirked any duty he considered far too menial for its worth. He continued having fun and sneaking about, breaking all of the little rules of the abbey on several occasions. He was told by the abbess of that time that he was setting a poor example for potential and new initiates, brothers, and sisters.
Vivian replied and said, “I believe that for the improvement of life it is important to encourage imagination and creativity. To tell someone that there is only one correct way of doing things and forcing it upon them is to remove from them the potential to try, fail, and succeed and make wondrous things happen.
“We cannot confine and restrict the minds and bodies of the young with endless rules and expect them ever to understand and appreciate love, life, and peace. For how can there ever be peace if the laws that enforce it oppress their followers?”
Regardless of the many mistakes he made over the seasons, he became a beloved member of Redwall by young and old alike. Shortly after the untimely passing of their valued abbess, it was agreed upon almost unanimously who would take her place. Vivian the immature wood mouse, the foreigner, the traveler, the sufferer, the shirker; it was he who became the next abbot of Redwall Abbey.
Relationships:
Mother: Deceased
Four Brothers: Whereabouts unknown.
Three Sisters: Two deceased. The oldest of the three is presumed deceased. Refer to Vivian's history for further details.
Ashstripe’s Predecessor: Deceased
Various Long Patrol members from seasons ago: If any are still alive, they are either at Salamandastron under Ashstripe’s command or they have retired.
Former Abbess: Deceased
Abbey Dwellers: Every resident of Redwall Abbey he considers his family even if he hasn’t met them yet.
Gender: Male
Age: 53 (While I do not like listing exact ages, I find it’s necessary in this case to indicate Vivian is neither young nor extremely old.)
Species: Wood Mouse
Occupation: Redwall Abbot
Physical Appearance:
The mouse is of considerable age, but he is by no means a feeble beast. Most unlike many of his predecessors, Vivian has surprising reserves of stamina and a body to match. He is anything but a thin wiry figure you might imagine when picturing an old mouse of a peace-loving order. Rather, he possesses a physique with a plentiful amount of both muscle and fat. His thick limbs are but a glimpse of the mouse’s considerable strength. Meanwhile, his rotund belly is the result of several seasons spent eating more than he should have.
For the most part, his fur varies in shades of grayish-brown around his face, atop his head and ears, and along his back and sides. Typical white fur begins beneath his chin and spreads down his throat, chest, and plump belly. His paws, all four of them, and his tail, which measures longer than he is tall, are expectedly hairless pink-fleshed features of the abbot. Unlike his dull-colored fur, his eyes exhibit a fierce brown hue as though reflecting the astonishing amount of life left in the aging abbot.
Most times he can be found wearing his green habit or at least one of them. One he keeps for warm weather because it is light and breathes, helping him stay decent and cool. The other he owns for cold weather for the warmth it provides because of how densely the fabric was sewn together. Occasionally, he will dress a little more casually for a swim. And, of course, he will wear a featureless white gown at bedtime.
Possessions
He owns an unassuming ash walking stick that measures as long as his tail.
Personality:
Vivian believes strongly in all that Redwall was built for and what it stands for; one of the reasons that landed him his current position. He makes it his honorable duty to preserve peace and provide food, warmth, shelter, and various other comforts to any beast in need. He will never turn away anyone in need unless they have severely wronged him or another beast in an unforgivable manner. He will even sometimes overexert himself and become personally involved and attached to certain individuals who need love and care above all others. He is immeasurably compassionate; Redwall is his life and he is passionate about his duties to it, its occupants, and all who visit or reside in Mossflower.
He is lenient about the supposed rules of the abbey, most of which he personally does not observe with the exception of the important ones he abides by without question. He appreciates good humor and enjoys having fun. He immensely treasures young beasts and frequently acts like one of them. Sometimes he collaborates with them on ways of procuring some extra sweets. He also imparts his own personal knowledge including that of the abbey and its secret passageways that he discovered during his seasons as an initiate of Redwall's order.
It is because he loves his home that he would never sit idly by while someone attacked or threatened it. He will defend his precious abbey whenever necessary and will not hesitate to sacrifice himself to save the life of a single good-natured beast. He despises war and the terrible amount of destruction, pain, and bloodshed it brings and he would never start one of his own. Make no mistake, however, should someone ever start a war against Mossflower, Redwall Abbey, or both, he will do everything in his power to finish it!
Strengths:
Physical strength; Vivian is definitely no badger, but he is truly strong for a mouse, especially for one his age. He can definitely hold his own against most enemies through brute force alone, but he hardly prefers that sort of application for his might. He would rather use his strength to help carry heavy loads for weary travelers or transport shipments of food, water, supplies, etcetera into the abbey.
Despite his looks, Vivian is a skilled and experienced combatant even though he hasn’t killed anyone yet. He can attack and defend either with a stave, hence the reason he carries with him a walking stick when he hardly needs one, or without any weapon at all. Of course, as the abbot of Redwall, he normally reserves his talents for entertainment and lessons in self defense.
Hearing; despite his age, his wonderfully inherited trait of powerful hearing has strengthened through countless occasions of eavesdropping even in his current seasons. He can identify many sounds and detect others that are otherwise silent to those without this natural gift. His sensitivity to sound is not limited to his ears. He can even feel the vibrations that even some of the softest sounds create. He has learned that hearing something is often more important than seeing it; after all, eyes are far too easily tricked.
Weaknesses:
Vivian is quite the glutton and while that may serve as a subject of humor for most abbey-dwellers, it causes its own share of problems. It doesn’t take much to make him hungry and he can eat several helpings of a large dish without ever feeling full. If it wasn’t for Redwall’s plentiful stores and various suppliers, he would have a difficult time satiating his overwhelming hunger.
Vivian is seemingly absentminded and accused of being forgetful at times. He is quite inattentive to what most have to say to him unless it’s truly important. His age certainly has not had any effect on his mind because that is always how he has behaved. He is simply an easy going character and a notorious procrastinator.
History:
Vivian was born in a farming village to the far south; at that time he had three older sisters and four older brothers. His father, Paul, valued hard work and made an honest living with the help of his loving children and wife, Susan. Even Vivian was given his share of farm duties at the end of his infancy and his obligations to both his family and their farm only grew as the seasons passed.
He often shirked his duties and was reprimanded for it. Despite the disciplinary actions his father took, he never learned to appreciate his farm life. In fact, he couldn’t stand it and often daydreamed of one day running away for something better.
By the time he entered adolescence, his four brothers had all found wives of their own and left the home to make a living and have a family of their own elsewhere. Vivian inherited many of their responsibilities to his discontent, but that didn’t last. The summer that followed the departure of Vivian’s fourth oldest brother was a disastrous time.
Drought and famine plagued their village and, to make matters worse, his mother fell gravely ill. When she died, Vivian, his father, and sisters, who were all aggrieved, especially Paul, performed a burial service.
They packed what belongings they could carry with them afterward and journeyed north in search of a new home where water continued flowing and edible vegetation grew abundantly. The journey was seasons long; they scavenged and foraged what they could from the near lifeless land around them to stay alive. Despite their tremendous efforts to survive, the youngest of Paul’s daughters died one fateful winter.
There are no words to describe the terrible sadness that afflicted the family. Racked with sorrow, Vivian’s father buried the body and performed a service for her. The remaining four wood mice in the family pressed onward after that. Paul swore he would not let any of his remaining children die, but it was a promise he could not keep.
They reached their destination months after the passing of Vivian‘s sister and weeks after the first rains of spring. They happened upon a lush forest fed by a small freshwater lake. Vivian, his father, and his two remaining sisters were all overjoyed to have finally reached the end of their treacherous journey. Even Vivian, the lazy son, labored to help construct for themselves a new home, within which they lived happily for nearly five seasons.
Their happiness came to a miserable conclusion one dry summer day. A traveling band of slave traders chose to rest in their forest and a terrible accident occurred as a result of their clumsiness. The fire, they built to cook their midday meal, spread uncontrollably and consumed the forest.
Vivian and Paul managed to escape, but neither of his remaining sisters made it out safely. Vivian’s second oldest sister died agonizingly in the fire. Meanwhile, his oldest sister panicked and lost her way only to be found and captured by the slave traders.
The vermin who enslaved Vivian’s only surviving sister were also in a hurry to leave the burning forest; neither Paul nor Vivian ever laid eyes on them. Paul assumed, to his own unbearable grief, both his daughters had died. He could not bury the remains of his girls, but he insisted on performing a service for them. He even placed two grave markers at the edge of the burnt forest.
Not knowing when life would return to the forest, Vivian and Paul left in a desperate search for yet another home. They traveled together no longer as father and son, but as equals for Vivian had matured both physically and mentally to an extent. It was also Vivian’s undying humor, unfaltering hope, and seemingly senseless cheer that kept Paul going. For all of his losses, Paul still had his son and he made it his final purpose in life to help Vivian and to ensure his survival.
Father and son traveled together until the end of summer at which time they arrived at Salamandastron. There, the badger lord, Ashstripe’s predecessor, greeted them and welcomed the weary and starved travelers. It was most irregular, but both mice were allowed to stay as long as they needed to and as long as they contributed to the maintenance of the fortress even if it simply meant tidying up.
Vivian remained there throughout all of autumn and the entire winter that followed. Members of the Long Patrol personally taught him how to fight; knowing how to defend oneself was practically a requirement for any of Salamandastron’s residents. He not only picked up the Hares’ fighting talents, but also their notorious appetite.
Life at the fortress was fun at times and Vivian enjoyed the company of his newfound friends. However, it was also a bit difficult for him at times. The countless strict policies and the amount of responsibility placed on him was discomfiting. Not only did it remind him of his childhood, causing painful memories to resurface frequently, but it also was neither the desire nor style of a fun-loving mouse to live in such a manner. If that weren’t enough of an explanation for his unease at the fortress, he never felt comfortable within its warlike atmosphere. It seemed oppressing to him.
Paul passed away peacefully toward the end of the following winter; he had fulfilled his purpose to his son and was neither saddened nor frightened to die. The badger lord respectfully allowed the honorable mouse to be buried alongside the remains of past Long Patrol members who had sacrificed themselves for the lives of others. After conducting the burial service, Vivian spent almost a month mourning the loss of his remaining family.
His grieving came to a sudden conclusion one morning. He explained during breakfast that he had dreamt of a fearsome warrior mouse. The mouse appeared before him and spoke to him, saying that his quest for a home was not over. The badger lord listened intently to Vivian’s words and, at the end of the wood mouse’s recollection, revealed to him that it had been written long ago that he would visit Salamandastron with his father and leave without him for another sanctuary, Redwall Abbey.
Vivian packed his belongings, some food, and plenty of water and left the fortress that very day to find his true home. One of the Long Patrol’s finest fighting hares who was also one of Vivian’s closest friends accompanied him on his journey. It was the hare’s duty to protect and guide the mouse as instructed by the badger lord.
It was to their immeasurable delight that they arrived at Redwall in time for an early summer celebration. It was a nameday, which meant a grand feast for its visitors and residents alike. Being the gluttons that they were, both Vivian and his hare companion showed their appreciation by devouring just about whatever food came within their paws‘ grabbing range. It was during the celebration that the wood mouse realized he was home and had a new family even if it could never replace his parents, brothers, and sisters.
Vivian was later initiated into the order of Redwall upon his request. He sometimes regretted making that decision because, as an initiate, he spent many seasons studying and attending lessons. The only reason why he endured the tedious learning experience was the fact that he spent a lot of time with and befriended abbey dwellers far younger than he was. Despite the age difference, they shared many things in common including several personal interests and knack for getting into trouble.
He eventually became a brother of Redwall’s order, but time itself had failed to make him into a mature model representation of its members. Instead, he remained young at heart and continuously shirked any duty he considered far too menial for its worth. He continued having fun and sneaking about, breaking all of the little rules of the abbey on several occasions. He was told by the abbess of that time that he was setting a poor example for potential and new initiates, brothers, and sisters.
Vivian replied and said, “I believe that for the improvement of life it is important to encourage imagination and creativity. To tell someone that there is only one correct way of doing things and forcing it upon them is to remove from them the potential to try, fail, and succeed and make wondrous things happen.
“We cannot confine and restrict the minds and bodies of the young with endless rules and expect them ever to understand and appreciate love, life, and peace. For how can there ever be peace if the laws that enforce it oppress their followers?”
Regardless of the many mistakes he made over the seasons, he became a beloved member of Redwall by young and old alike. Shortly after the untimely passing of their valued abbess, it was agreed upon almost unanimously who would take her place. Vivian the immature wood mouse, the foreigner, the traveler, the sufferer, the shirker; it was he who became the next abbot of Redwall Abbey.
Relationships:
Mother: Deceased
Four Brothers: Whereabouts unknown.
Three Sisters: Two deceased. The oldest of the three is presumed deceased. Refer to Vivian's history for further details.
Ashstripe’s Predecessor: Deceased
Various Long Patrol members from seasons ago: If any are still alive, they are either at Salamandastron under Ashstripe’s command or they have retired.
Former Abbess: Deceased
Abbey Dwellers: Every resident of Redwall Abbey he considers his family even if he hasn’t met them yet.
