Post by Nicodemus on Aug 12, 2010 2:13:22 GMT -5
Name: Basil Nagant (He says it Ba-zil Nah-shont.)
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Species: Mouse (Specifically, a white-footed mouse)
Occupation: He hangs around Redwall, his home, and has no running occupation other than reading and wood-carving, both of which he is very good at.
Physical Appearance:
Being a white-footed mouse, Basil has the customary white underside of his species, coupled with darker brown fur on his face and back. Along his spine, the fur darkens to a rich brown, the same color as his ears. His feet- as the name says- are very pale, almost white in color. He has a shock of hair on is forehead that is longer than the rest, and the fur around his paws is also much longer. As it is, he is constantly forced to be washing his paws so that the white fur does not get too dirty. He has a tan nose, not pink, and eyes so dark that they are nearly black; in addition, his ears, instead of being as rounded as many other mouse's, are more oval, and sit far back on his head.
As a dapper mouse, he fancies dapper clothing, preferably with a collar that he can pop up. Also among his favorites are: ties, cravats, and anything red or white. However, Basil is most often seen in a simple white shirt (albeit with a collar) and dark brown trousers that cinch, gypsy-style, just below his knees. The only jewelry or decoration that he wears are one earring in his left ear and a large gold belt buckle that he wears constantly. He carries a dark, cherry wood cane with him, and leans heavily upon it, due to the fact that he injured his left hind paw some years previously.
The cherry wood cane does not quite count among his 'personal decorations' because it is a necessity. However, being the mouse he is, Basil took the liberty of staining the wood with the dye from the berries around his house in the woods, thus creating a richer, purplish color that would never be found naturally. Also, he braided a cord to go with the cane and laced it through a small hole in the wood, so that he could carry it easier.
Basil has two scars: one is from carelessly cutting himself with a knife when he was 12- that is on his right forepaw- and the other is from the time when he slipped down a river bank and broke his paw. The bone was twisted, so that it cut through the skin, and it left a scar when it healed.
Possessions
Other than his prized possession, the belt-buckle, which he found lying about in the woods, and his cherry wood cane, Basil keeps himself mostly free from possessions. They weigh him down.
Personality:
Basil is, at first glance, a dapper mouse, as mentioned before. He keeps his clothes and fur clean, his cane polished, and his trousers unwrinkled. The shock of long fur just above his eyes is always brushed to the side daringly, and his collar is popped up. A handsome fellow, Basil makes full use of his looks and suave voice to get on many creatures' good sides. Long, fancy words are his favorite; he has adopted a version of the hares' accent after hearing them speak once. A smooth talker since the day he was born, Basil often makes it hard to hold a grudge against him, unless it was of the strongest origin.
However, that someone should hold a grudge against Basil is entirely conceivable. He is constantly talking, constantly commenting, and often thinks aloud. Basil is a well-read mouse, so his conversation is not horrible, but you have to fight to get every second word in. Basil does not apologize; he is completely merciless when it comes to judging another's appearance; he is most often inconsiderate and pays no attention to the people surrounding him. This is most evident in the fact that he never remembers anyone's name, unless it has been said to him a thousand times before.
If you want to complain about his actions, it is most effective to go straight to him and tell him directly. While he may dismiss you with a, "Whatever", or, "It's all in the name of work", or, "I really can't be bothered with that just now", or even, "This is really a most inopportune moment, you know", he will certainly take what you say into consideration. Despite his carefree ways, Basil likes to please people, and, when his lovable nature and eccentricities aren't enough to win your heart, he may go a little out of his way to please you.
Everyone has those moments when the world seems to go wrong and nothing seems to go right. Basil does, too, and when he does he retreats from the public into his room, shutting the door firmly behind him. He would much rather sulk or sob in private than force his stormcloud over other people's heads. However, it is easy to tell when he is upset, because he ruffles his forelock and turns his collar down and walks very slowly. The last time he was seen like that was when he let one dear friend of his, Marianna Ivan, leave while she was angry with him.
Guilt is the primary producer of black moods.
Strengths:
Basil is very well-read, and quite intelligent. His dark eyes sparkle when someone begins to talk to him, and he can go on for hours, supplementing the conversation with little anecdotes, short stories, faerie-tales, poems, quotes, or whatever else is needed to keep you talking. Needless to say, he enjoys talking and is very good at keeping up a conversation. With this talent comes the logical end: he is also a sweet-talker who can butter up most anyone and get his way. This comes in handy most of the time, but occasionally gets him in trouble.
In addition to being smart, Basil is adventurous, to the point of being reckless. His mother's theory is that, when he lost the ability to run well because of his limp, his adventurous spirit grew ten-fold. His tail twitches in delight, and anyone can count on Basil as a volunteer for an exploration party (He seems to walk better when he's doing something exciting, bringing up the theory that he exaggerates his limp). After a little expedition, he'll tell stories or the like, adding in his love for acting and dramatics to the mix.
Not a particularly strong or fast mouse, nor a skilled swordsman, Basil wanted some way to protect himself, as he lives out in the middle of the woods. Therefore: a bow. He's a crack shot, though more of the kind of mouse that would shoot an apple off of someone's head than shoot to kill. He doesn't use it much, nor does he carry it with him, but if he ever needs to shoot something, he knows how.
One of Basil's major strengths is that he loves having people around. He is a complete and utter extrovert, and presents his eccentricities (such as randomly appearing where he is not expected, dramatic hand gestures and fancy words) in such a way that they make him all the more lovable. He doesn't care what someone thinks of him, so he is completely himself. There is no pretending involved when he is sad, or angry, or happy. Basil is always Basil.
As a hobby, and to please other people, Basil carves wood. His cane is plain, mainly because he hasn't brought himself to cut pieces out of the staff his mother made him. But, he enjoys whittling and carving, and would happily do a piece for anyone that asked him to.
Weaknesses:
First off, and most obvious, is the matter of Basil's limp. He broke his paw when he was about fourteen, and, being impatient and restless, began to walk on it too soon. The break had been bad to begin with; when he pushed it too far the foot never healed properly. Ever since, he has walked with a limp. Basil cannot run very fast, and wishes he could, since he had been very fast before the fall.
Secondly, Basil is incredibly clumsy. When he was fourteen, he managed to slip off of the side of a river bank and break his left hind paw badly, causing his limp. When he was twelve, he was working in the kitchen with his mother and the knife slipped, cutting his right paw. Basil is taken to slipping down stairs (more because of the cane losing purchase on the stone than because of his clumsiness) and dropping things, especially if they break.
After he drops the aforementioned vase or pot or other breakable item, Basil will then shrug it off with a cool, "Whatever," and think no more of it. His attention span is incredibly short, and he cannot be bothered to care about someone else's possessions, nor can he be troubled to remember someone's name. His entire personality is slick; you can't catch ahold of him for even a moment before he's somewhere else, jabbering, thinking aloud, and generally bothering people. This habit of his gets on other's nerves and has earned him some bad reputations.
The fourth- and entirely unexplainable- weakness of Basil's is that he simply cannot (openly) stand children. They make just as much noise as he does, and talk just as much as he does, and so compete (not really) for his little niche in the community. He would never tell a Dibbun he liked them (even though he really might) and most certainly would not admit to being as fond of them as he really is.
History:
A small home in the middle of the woods, close to nothing and far from nothing, excepting that it was by the riverbank, was Basil's early home. His mother and father had lived there for a long time, and it had been their first house: his mother was a Redwaller, and his father a wanderer. For six long years, all Basil knew was his mother, his father, and the little lonely house in the woods. On winter nights, his father would tell him stories, and on summer nights, they would build a fire by the river and sleep outside under the stars. His mother was a sweet creature, but a poor cook, and there was many a night when Dorem would cook in Delilah's stead. Basil has fond memories of his father's scones and soup, and often watched Dorem work in the kitchen. Basil himself had no talent cooking: when he was twelve, Basil tried to cook breakfast for his father's birthday. The knife slipped from his left paw and cut his right, causing the scar on his forepaw.
Just after the cut healed, Robin, Sola, and Lupi were born. Immediately, all of the attention Basil's parents had bestowed on him was directed at the three little girls. However, instead of becoming sullen and distant from his family, as many do in his situation, Basil also devoted his time to the little ones. His favorite of the three was Sola, for she was the only one that was brave: she walked and talked before any other the others did.
The triplets were turning two before Basil realized it. He had nothing to give them, and wanted desperately to have a present for all three. His solution: to go mudlarking along the riverbank, hoping for a treasure. He finished his chores early in the morning, setting off down the riverbank. Clumsy Basil- he was not more than fifteen minute's walk from his house when his right footpaw caught on a root, sending him sliding down the steep river bank. He landed hard on his left foot, breaking it in such a way that the bone protruded out through the skin. He fainted dead away, but, thankfully, his father had come after him with his lunch, since Basil had forgotten to take it with him. Dorem carried him back to their house. Delilah, in her Redwall days, had shown great interest in healing, and so was able to set Basil's footpaw for him.
He could no longer walk, at least until the foot healed, and Basil found it incredibly annoying. He spent much more time with his little sisters, telling and re-telling their favorite stories, talking to them, playing with them, etc. It felt like forever had passed before he was convinced that his footpaw was completely healed. One day, when Delilah and Dorem were out, Basil stood up on his foot, putting his full weight on it. It was not, however, as healed as he thought it was, and the already broken bone was damaged further by his little stunt.
When at last Basil's foot healed, and he was allowed to walk on it again, his family discovered that Delilah had not set it right/standing up had done more damage than they had imagined it would/the break had been worse than they thought, because Basil walked with a limp, favoring his left paw. Feeling guilty, Delilah spent several weeks making and perfecting the cherry wood cane, and finally presented it to Basil with many tears and apologies.
Basil felt even worse, because his mother thought that she had been the cause of his limp, even though he believed it to be his preemptive standing. But, if he told her, she would scold him beyond belief. So, he told her. All Delilah did was shake her head sadly, give him a kiss, and say, "Be a little more patient."
When he was eighteen, Basil was bored with the little house and its humble occupants. He began a regular trip to Redwall, going there every few weeks and then returning for a day or so. Sometimes he spent entire seasons there: the abbey was warmer in winter than his home, for example. He became fond of the abbey, its residents, and its library, and spent a great deal of time there. When Sola was eleven, she went with him for a week, and when Robin and Lupi were twelve, they made their first trips to the abbey with their brother. Delilah and Dorem made no objection, but stayed in their little home, awaiting their children's returns.
Relationships:
Basil has three sisters: triplets Robinia (Robin), Solanum (Sola), and Lupinis (Lupi), all ironically named after poisonous plants. He also has a mother, Delilah Nagant, and a father, Dorem Nagant.
Other
Nothing, other than the fact that Basil is left-pawed.
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Species: Mouse (Specifically, a white-footed mouse)
Occupation: He hangs around Redwall, his home, and has no running occupation other than reading and wood-carving, both of which he is very good at.
Physical Appearance:
Being a white-footed mouse, Basil has the customary white underside of his species, coupled with darker brown fur on his face and back. Along his spine, the fur darkens to a rich brown, the same color as his ears. His feet- as the name says- are very pale, almost white in color. He has a shock of hair on is forehead that is longer than the rest, and the fur around his paws is also much longer. As it is, he is constantly forced to be washing his paws so that the white fur does not get too dirty. He has a tan nose, not pink, and eyes so dark that they are nearly black; in addition, his ears, instead of being as rounded as many other mouse's, are more oval, and sit far back on his head.
As a dapper mouse, he fancies dapper clothing, preferably with a collar that he can pop up. Also among his favorites are: ties, cravats, and anything red or white. However, Basil is most often seen in a simple white shirt (albeit with a collar) and dark brown trousers that cinch, gypsy-style, just below his knees. The only jewelry or decoration that he wears are one earring in his left ear and a large gold belt buckle that he wears constantly. He carries a dark, cherry wood cane with him, and leans heavily upon it, due to the fact that he injured his left hind paw some years previously.
The cherry wood cane does not quite count among his 'personal decorations' because it is a necessity. However, being the mouse he is, Basil took the liberty of staining the wood with the dye from the berries around his house in the woods, thus creating a richer, purplish color that would never be found naturally. Also, he braided a cord to go with the cane and laced it through a small hole in the wood, so that he could carry it easier.
Basil has two scars: one is from carelessly cutting himself with a knife when he was 12- that is on his right forepaw- and the other is from the time when he slipped down a river bank and broke his paw. The bone was twisted, so that it cut through the skin, and it left a scar when it healed.
Possessions
Other than his prized possession, the belt-buckle, which he found lying about in the woods, and his cherry wood cane, Basil keeps himself mostly free from possessions. They weigh him down.
Personality:
Basil is, at first glance, a dapper mouse, as mentioned before. He keeps his clothes and fur clean, his cane polished, and his trousers unwrinkled. The shock of long fur just above his eyes is always brushed to the side daringly, and his collar is popped up. A handsome fellow, Basil makes full use of his looks and suave voice to get on many creatures' good sides. Long, fancy words are his favorite; he has adopted a version of the hares' accent after hearing them speak once. A smooth talker since the day he was born, Basil often makes it hard to hold a grudge against him, unless it was of the strongest origin.
However, that someone should hold a grudge against Basil is entirely conceivable. He is constantly talking, constantly commenting, and often thinks aloud. Basil is a well-read mouse, so his conversation is not horrible, but you have to fight to get every second word in. Basil does not apologize; he is completely merciless when it comes to judging another's appearance; he is most often inconsiderate and pays no attention to the people surrounding him. This is most evident in the fact that he never remembers anyone's name, unless it has been said to him a thousand times before.
If you want to complain about his actions, it is most effective to go straight to him and tell him directly. While he may dismiss you with a, "Whatever", or, "It's all in the name of work", or, "I really can't be bothered with that just now", or even, "This is really a most inopportune moment, you know", he will certainly take what you say into consideration. Despite his carefree ways, Basil likes to please people, and, when his lovable nature and eccentricities aren't enough to win your heart, he may go a little out of his way to please you.
Everyone has those moments when the world seems to go wrong and nothing seems to go right. Basil does, too, and when he does he retreats from the public into his room, shutting the door firmly behind him. He would much rather sulk or sob in private than force his stormcloud over other people's heads. However, it is easy to tell when he is upset, because he ruffles his forelock and turns his collar down and walks very slowly. The last time he was seen like that was when he let one dear friend of his, Marianna Ivan, leave while she was angry with him.
Guilt is the primary producer of black moods.
Strengths:
Basil is very well-read, and quite intelligent. His dark eyes sparkle when someone begins to talk to him, and he can go on for hours, supplementing the conversation with little anecdotes, short stories, faerie-tales, poems, quotes, or whatever else is needed to keep you talking. Needless to say, he enjoys talking and is very good at keeping up a conversation. With this talent comes the logical end: he is also a sweet-talker who can butter up most anyone and get his way. This comes in handy most of the time, but occasionally gets him in trouble.
In addition to being smart, Basil is adventurous, to the point of being reckless. His mother's theory is that, when he lost the ability to run well because of his limp, his adventurous spirit grew ten-fold. His tail twitches in delight, and anyone can count on Basil as a volunteer for an exploration party (He seems to walk better when he's doing something exciting, bringing up the theory that he exaggerates his limp). After a little expedition, he'll tell stories or the like, adding in his love for acting and dramatics to the mix.
Not a particularly strong or fast mouse, nor a skilled swordsman, Basil wanted some way to protect himself, as he lives out in the middle of the woods. Therefore: a bow. He's a crack shot, though more of the kind of mouse that would shoot an apple off of someone's head than shoot to kill. He doesn't use it much, nor does he carry it with him, but if he ever needs to shoot something, he knows how.
One of Basil's major strengths is that he loves having people around. He is a complete and utter extrovert, and presents his eccentricities (such as randomly appearing where he is not expected, dramatic hand gestures and fancy words) in such a way that they make him all the more lovable. He doesn't care what someone thinks of him, so he is completely himself. There is no pretending involved when he is sad, or angry, or happy. Basil is always Basil.
As a hobby, and to please other people, Basil carves wood. His cane is plain, mainly because he hasn't brought himself to cut pieces out of the staff his mother made him. But, he enjoys whittling and carving, and would happily do a piece for anyone that asked him to.
Weaknesses:
First off, and most obvious, is the matter of Basil's limp. He broke his paw when he was about fourteen, and, being impatient and restless, began to walk on it too soon. The break had been bad to begin with; when he pushed it too far the foot never healed properly. Ever since, he has walked with a limp. Basil cannot run very fast, and wishes he could, since he had been very fast before the fall.
Secondly, Basil is incredibly clumsy. When he was fourteen, he managed to slip off of the side of a river bank and break his left hind paw badly, causing his limp. When he was twelve, he was working in the kitchen with his mother and the knife slipped, cutting his right paw. Basil is taken to slipping down stairs (more because of the cane losing purchase on the stone than because of his clumsiness) and dropping things, especially if they break.
After he drops the aforementioned vase or pot or other breakable item, Basil will then shrug it off with a cool, "Whatever," and think no more of it. His attention span is incredibly short, and he cannot be bothered to care about someone else's possessions, nor can he be troubled to remember someone's name. His entire personality is slick; you can't catch ahold of him for even a moment before he's somewhere else, jabbering, thinking aloud, and generally bothering people. This habit of his gets on other's nerves and has earned him some bad reputations.
The fourth- and entirely unexplainable- weakness of Basil's is that he simply cannot (openly) stand children. They make just as much noise as he does, and talk just as much as he does, and so compete (not really) for his little niche in the community. He would never tell a Dibbun he liked them (even though he really might) and most certainly would not admit to being as fond of them as he really is.
History:
A small home in the middle of the woods, close to nothing and far from nothing, excepting that it was by the riverbank, was Basil's early home. His mother and father had lived there for a long time, and it had been their first house: his mother was a Redwaller, and his father a wanderer. For six long years, all Basil knew was his mother, his father, and the little lonely house in the woods. On winter nights, his father would tell him stories, and on summer nights, they would build a fire by the river and sleep outside under the stars. His mother was a sweet creature, but a poor cook, and there was many a night when Dorem would cook in Delilah's stead. Basil has fond memories of his father's scones and soup, and often watched Dorem work in the kitchen. Basil himself had no talent cooking: when he was twelve, Basil tried to cook breakfast for his father's birthday. The knife slipped from his left paw and cut his right, causing the scar on his forepaw.
Just after the cut healed, Robin, Sola, and Lupi were born. Immediately, all of the attention Basil's parents had bestowed on him was directed at the three little girls. However, instead of becoming sullen and distant from his family, as many do in his situation, Basil also devoted his time to the little ones. His favorite of the three was Sola, for she was the only one that was brave: she walked and talked before any other the others did.
The triplets were turning two before Basil realized it. He had nothing to give them, and wanted desperately to have a present for all three. His solution: to go mudlarking along the riverbank, hoping for a treasure. He finished his chores early in the morning, setting off down the riverbank. Clumsy Basil- he was not more than fifteen minute's walk from his house when his right footpaw caught on a root, sending him sliding down the steep river bank. He landed hard on his left foot, breaking it in such a way that the bone protruded out through the skin. He fainted dead away, but, thankfully, his father had come after him with his lunch, since Basil had forgotten to take it with him. Dorem carried him back to their house. Delilah, in her Redwall days, had shown great interest in healing, and so was able to set Basil's footpaw for him.
He could no longer walk, at least until the foot healed, and Basil found it incredibly annoying. He spent much more time with his little sisters, telling and re-telling their favorite stories, talking to them, playing with them, etc. It felt like forever had passed before he was convinced that his footpaw was completely healed. One day, when Delilah and Dorem were out, Basil stood up on his foot, putting his full weight on it. It was not, however, as healed as he thought it was, and the already broken bone was damaged further by his little stunt.
When at last Basil's foot healed, and he was allowed to walk on it again, his family discovered that Delilah had not set it right/standing up had done more damage than they had imagined it would/the break had been worse than they thought, because Basil walked with a limp, favoring his left paw. Feeling guilty, Delilah spent several weeks making and perfecting the cherry wood cane, and finally presented it to Basil with many tears and apologies.
Basil felt even worse, because his mother thought that she had been the cause of his limp, even though he believed it to be his preemptive standing. But, if he told her, she would scold him beyond belief. So, he told her. All Delilah did was shake her head sadly, give him a kiss, and say, "Be a little more patient."
When he was eighteen, Basil was bored with the little house and its humble occupants. He began a regular trip to Redwall, going there every few weeks and then returning for a day or so. Sometimes he spent entire seasons there: the abbey was warmer in winter than his home, for example. He became fond of the abbey, its residents, and its library, and spent a great deal of time there. When Sola was eleven, she went with him for a week, and when Robin and Lupi were twelve, they made their first trips to the abbey with their brother. Delilah and Dorem made no objection, but stayed in their little home, awaiting their children's returns.
Relationships:
Basil has three sisters: triplets Robinia (Robin), Solanum (Sola), and Lupinis (Lupi), all ironically named after poisonous plants. He also has a mother, Delilah Nagant, and a father, Dorem Nagant.
Other
Nothing, other than the fact that Basil is left-pawed.
