Sister Moira Deeptrench

[nikki]

Name: Sister Moira Deeptrench
Gender: Female
Age: 36
Species: Common Mole
Occupation: Abbey Sister/Seamstress

Physical Appearance:
A stocky, powerfully built creature as moles tend to be, Sister Moira is a tan-furred beast of average size with hairless pink paws terminating in digging claws slightly thinner than seen in most of her species. As with most moles her eyes are small and bright black; she wears a pair of crystal spectacles when reading or embroidering, but otherwise carries them, feeling no need to use her vision too heavily in day-to-day life. A scar runs down the left side of her back, from shoulder to hip; though healed, it is a broad white line of flesh where no fur will grow. Not something Moira is overly concerned about, and normally hidden beneath her habit in any case.

As any proper seamstress would, Moira keeps her clothing in fine condition. Always clad in a dusky green habit of the Redwall order, she still has a tendency to add decorative touches - an effective advertisment in her traveling days - and embroiders her hems with paler green vines and leaves, a service she is happy to perform for anybeast within the Abbey. She belts her habit in the same pale green; she is not in the habit of wearing anything on her head, paws, or footpaws, eschewing even the use of a thimble. A small sewing kit is attached to her beltrope; Moira is ready to perform at any time, both to add decorations for Dibbuns and other Abbeybeasts and to keep everyone's clothing in top condition.

Possessions:
Sewing Kit: Contains both bone and steel needles (two of each) as well as threads of various materials and colors - mainly fine, strong wool, though she does have twine, cotton, and even silk.

Spectacles: Crystal spectacles used for reading and sewing, carried in her sewing kit.

Notebook: A small, well-worn notebook for recording stories and songs heard while traveling (or now, from visitors to the Abbey).

Personality:
Genial and friendly, Moira presents a welcoming face to anybeast she encounters. Though not overly excitable - never a creature to overwhelm one with enthusiasm - Moira never meets someone she doesn't like until given firm reason to feel otherwise, and never seems to meet a stranger either. Steady and practical, she takes everybeast as he or she comes - though she can't abide dirty or ill-kept clothing, and will always try to wheedle her way into cleaning it or fixing it.

Despite her initial openess toward others, once Moira forms an opinion about another creature very little can change it. Stubborn and unyielding as the Abbey's own walls, broken trust from Moira is all but impossible to regain. On the flip side, gained trust is just as difficult to lose; Moira will always stand by her friends until given overwhelming reason not to. Not a creature to listen to, spread, or tolerate gossip, she will always believe the best of those she has befriended.

Though hardworking as any mole, Moira has a tendency to be a little more imaginative and daydreamy than other moles. Fascinated by heroic stories, Moira never grew out of a habit of casting herself in the center of them; it's one of the reasons for her collection of stories she's heard from travelers, and she is always happy to accept a new story in exchange for her services. A storyteller in her own right, she is often found in the Gatehouse looking over the Recorder's books or in Cavern Hole telling stories she's found or made up on the spot - something she's nearly as known for as her embroidering skills, and like her embroidery and sewing something she continues to hone.

Strengths:
Strong Memory: Moira remembers what she sees and hears; as such, she knows the layout of Mossflower quite well from her traveling days, can recall events easily, and - most important to her - has a head full of well-recalled stories.

Artisan: A skilled seamstress and embroiderer, Moira is capable of crafting beautiful and useful garments as well as pretty kerchiefs, flags for Dibbun games, labeled kitchen sacks, and other textile chores. She cannot, however, spin or weave.

Unbiased: Moira places no previous expectations on new acquaintances, and is thus able to judge anybeast exactly as they come.

Focused: When given a task, she focuses strictly on that to completion.

Weaknesses:
Tunnel Vision: ...no pun intended. Moira's ability to focus can cause her trouble, as she has been known to focus on her current task to the exlcusion of all else.

Stiff Side: Moira's injury gives her stiffness on the left side, more noticeable in cold or wet weather.

Noncombatant: For all her heroic fantasies and love of tales, Moira is completely helpless in a combat situation - others have tried to train her during her traveling days, but she simply lacks any kind of talent.

History:
Born to Abbeybeasts and named for her mother's friend Sister Myra, Moira had a peaceful Dibbunhood behind the famous red walls. Always a bit dreamy by mole standards (though still rather practical to the eyes of any other species), Moira grew up dreaming of travel and heroic stories. At the same time, growing into chores of the Abbey led to the discovery that the molemaid was talented with menting, sewing, and finally embroidery; as such, she was fully trained as a seamstress and performed her services for all the goodbeats of Redwall and any passing travelers.

It was this same talent that gave her the opportunity for travel.

In her twentieth year, Moira set out in the spring, bidding her family farewell; with an ottermaid bodyguard, Turna Plank, at her side, the mole ranged across Mossflower, hearing tales and selling her wares and skills in exchange for supper, a warm bed for the night, or simply a tale or song she'd never heard before. In this way, Moira honed her skills and learned the lay of the land, as well as a bottomless font of songs and stories to share with her friends back at home. (Attempts to train into her heroic daydreams also revealed her utter lack of talent, but that was a minor disappointment.)

Every fall, Turna and Moira returned to Redwall; every spring, they set out again. This continued for ten years, the otter and the mole forming a close team to traverse Mossflower looking for work and words. Then, when Moira was thirty, the two friends ran into trouble on their way back to the Abbey. Vermin thieves, believing they could take the females as hostages to gain entry to Redwall, waylaid them less than a mile from the gate. Never one to take such things lying down, Turna fought back, urging Moira to escape; realizing she could only hinder the otter, Moira turned to obey. One of the thieves, realizing the two females would not easily be taken alive, decided to take what spoils he could. In trying to relieve Moira of her pack, the stoat's sword scored deep along the left side of her back. Moira fell, unable to prevent the theft or rise with the wound. Turna saw this and broke free of the fight, snatching her molefriend into her arms and sprinting for the Abbey with the burden.

They made it only for Turna to die of wounds inflicted in the fight and subsequent flight. Moira still dreams of the attack when feeling particularly stressed, and consideres the sword scar a small price in return for the loss of her comrade.

Once healed, Moira made the decision to remain in the Abbey rather than range out at the thaw; she had spent a year recovering, and found herself both enjoying permanent residence at the Abbey and unwilling to risk another friend despite the reassurances offered. That year the mole became a full Sister; woodlanders still come to the Abbey to seek her skills and offer their stories, and she has led a contented life at Redwall ever since.

Relationships:
Turna Plank - The otter was her closest friend, and Moira still occasionally speaks to her when muttering to herself. (deceased)
Sister Myra - Moira's mouse godmother still lives at Redwall, though she is very old and rather deaf.
Toola Deeptrench - Moira's mother is alive and well, and works in the Abbey kitchens.

[Tracy]

Accepted.