Character Sheet for Jenskette Arboranne Barbrush
Species
Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
Character Description
Jenskette Barbrush was the recorder of Redwall Abbey in the years prior to, during, and after the time of the Rendezvous of the Six Armies. She is considered a historical figure due to her influence on written abbey history. She had an uncanny ability to eavesdrop on events and conversations thought secret. This included many conversations held by the Long Patrol and other military leaders regarding the upcoming battle with the Siberians. Jenskette didn't do this to be nosy, she felt it her job and duty to record all goings on in the abbey.
Although not understood at the time, Jenskette was autistic. She had a very clear understanding of the world around her and even beyond, but lacked the ability to interact with it. Her social interactions were very strange with feral mannerisms, little eye contact, limited conversing ability, and little maturity beyond adolescence. She communicates best through her actions as a scribe and recorder. Never without a feather pen, ink, charcoal pencil, and official abbey log. She writes left-pawed with flawless, immaculate penmanship and grammar, but speaks like a child. She forgets to eat, bathe, and wash her clothes if not guided by Badgermum Liza or other abbeyfolk. Redwall is her safe place where she is accepted for who she is. Jenskette does not discern between goodbeast and vermin in her judgement of others, however she fully understands it as a long-time feature of Mossflorian society and culture.
Jenskette does not venture beyond Redwall Abbey, except to visit her childhood home. Even then, she must be accompanied by her parents or her closest abbey friends. Yet she yearned for information from the outside. This was stoked by the arrival of the Long Patrol in 5637 following the eruption of Mt. Salamandastron. It was further stoked by the arrival of Queen Guivderin from Dugroznik in 5644 with news of invaders from the east. This was the stuff that Redwall history is made of, and Jenskette was alive to record it. Warriors, quests, far away places. These were the things she'd read about and fit together in her years-long project of creating Redwall Abbey's new archives. But alas, she could never see these places or witness these events. Second hand accounts often frustrated her, especially when the ones telling them weren't interested in the tales they were telling. Jenskette's answer came in the form of a young mouse.
The former abbey dibbun named Timeous Frent became Brother Timeous on his 12 birthday. He'd always been a history buff and frequented the gatehouse or the underground abbey archives. He formed a true friendship with Jenskette and could relate to her. Most importantly he had the patience for her. "You like me! Even though I'm nuts!" she'd say. He became her liaison to everyone else. Timeous was also fearless when it came to social interaction and journeying outside the abbey. And when the Long Patrol returned in defeat after their first battle with the Siberians, it was Timeous who ventured out to view the injured, the dead, and the burials. It was disturbing, but he returned to Jenskette with a detailed account of the outside mass burial of Long Patrol hares. He subsequently went back out and documented warriors' accounts of the battle. When he returned with this information, Jenskette's excitement could not be contained. These were trusted, first hand accounts of historical events outside the abbey. She ran around the gatehouse, hugged and kissed Timeous, ran around the gatehouse again, gripped him and near violently dragged him to Abbot Serney. "Timeous is my apprentice!!" she demanded loudly.
"Oh! Yes ma'am! Does Brother Timeous accept?" Serney asked.
"I don't believe I have a choice Father Abbot, yes!" Timeous said enthusiastically. On August 1st, 5644, Timeous Frent became Recorder Jenskette's apprentice, although he was more like a right hand man. He would do some of the dirty work that forever changed the course of Mossflower's history.
Personality
The cogs need to fit, the gears need to turn, all must connect. Jenskette is level 2 autistic with mild OCD. She looks for patterns in the world of creatures and events. If you meet her, she'll stare right at you for about 15 seconds. Enjoy it, it's the most eye contact you'll get from her. She's fitting you into her world.
Jenskette is happiest when left to complete her tasks HER WAY. She likes new challenges, thus she enjoys visitors because they provide mental stimulation. She's constantly building her picture of the world.
Not usually emotional, which can be very disconcerting to others. Little need for constant companionship. Develops emotional bonds through trust. Little sense of humor. Will become very upset when pieces of her world puzzle no longer fit. If you're the source of her frustration, she'll stare you down and piss herself in front of you.
Jenskette's mental maturity has not developed beyond that of a young girl.
Likes/Dislikes
Jenskette likes fitting things together through patterns. Whether chronologically, numerically, alphabetically, or even friendships, it's how she makes sense of the world. She likes Redwall Abbey and everyone in it. She likes visitors as well, more connections to fit the world together.
Music! Sweet sweet music with its rhythms, repeats, and patterns. Traveling minstrels are some of her favorite visitors to the abbey.
She does not like being shut out of events in the abbey, in fact she finds it highly offensive. This was especially evident during battle plan discussions held behind closed doors. She would be on the floor with her ear to the gap between the door and stone.
Background/History
Jenskette Arboranne Barbrush was born on March 12, 5615 to Scart and Trebloom Barbrush. The Barbrushes were a standard Mossflower Woodland squirrel family that lived only 10 miles southwest of Redwall Abbey. The area is loosely inhabited by woodland creatures common to any Redwall story. Scart is a carpenter, Trebloom is a seamstress and weaver. Simple folk who found pleasure in smoking a brown powder from poppies rather than partaking in the 'dangers' of ale and grog.
Little Jenskette was born beautiful, healthy, and strong. She ate when fed, crawled fast and nimble, and never cried. But then, she didn't talk either. And when encouraged to climb a tree, she would only cling to the bark with a death grip and scream. Her complete lack of eye contact was disturbing. 4 years old, then 5, then 6, no words. But she loved puzzles, organizing things, arranging objects in various orders. The Barbrushes were literate creatures, they showed her books and tried to teach her the alphabet. Jenskette's lack of speech left them distraught.
One day, shortly after Jenskette turned 6, Trebloom gave her a charcoal pencil and paper. The little squirrel stared at her parents for a short time, right eye squinted. Then, with her left paw, started scratching rapidly at the paper. After 10 minutes or so, she turned the paper around. Their likenesses were hauntingly recognizable. Jenskette had drawn herself and her parents standing together with the words, 'Mommy, Daddy, Jenskette, my family together.' Her handwriting was flawless, slightly tilted forward. It was a bombshell. Their daughter could communicate through writing and illustration. She became visibly much happier and even started speaking in sudden bursts, although not often.
As the years passed, Jenskette's parents noticed she did not mature, despite growing into her abilities. As a teen, she still acted like a child. She could not, and would never be able to fend for herself. They felt a visit to Redwall Abbey was a good idea.
It was autumn of 5632, Jenskette was 17. Abbott Josiah welcomed her in, Badgermum Liza took to her immediately. As twisted as it sounds, Liza liked the idea of someone needing a permanent caregiver, and Jenskette was quite receptive. As the special young squirrel adjusted to her new home, her parents quietly returned to their's. Jenskette found Redwall Abbey too interesting to miss them, thank goodness. She was an enigma of curiosity to the abbeyfolk, but the dibbuns didn't like her, she was too weird. It wasn't long before most creatures grew frustrated with her odd behavior. Brother Serney being the exception.
Redwall had been without an effective recorder for some time, the duties being divided among abbey staff, and rather disorganized at that. One beautiful summer day, Brother Serney brought Jenskette to a bench in the abbey orchard. He presented her with the most recent volume of the abbey logs, and a few preceding ones. He watched her pour over them with increasing interest, but gaze in frustration at the more recent incomplete volume. "This isn't good! I'm not here! Where am I?" she asked loudly. Serney led her to the abbey gatehouse, the historical home of abbey recorders. Inside was a disorganized mess of abbey logs, scrolls, and volumes. "Jenskette, can you put the story of Redwall Abbey together?" he asked. She sifted through the mess with fascination, then looked at Serney. "I'll tell the story!" she yelled as she hugged him. Later that day, Jenskette presented a drawing of herself and Serney sitting together in the orchard. It brought joyful tears to his eyes, another soul given purpose. Thus was born Jenskette, Recorder of Redwall Abbey on July 10, 5634.
Jenskette received her signature monocle from Sister Jallop six months later, who recognized her vision problem. She served as recorder for the next 25 years, meticulously documenting the arrival of the Long Patrol, Queen Guivderin, the war with Siberia and Mossflower's unification.
Relatives/Family
Father: Scart Barbrush, age 61.
Mother: Trebloom Barbrush, age 55.
Other relatives around Mossflower whom she has little contact with.
World/Setting
Set on planet Earth approximately 50,000 years in the future. All of my Redwall OCs are depicted as they were in the year 5645(Year Zero was when time measurements switched from seasons to years.), the year of the Rendezvous of the Six Armies. Most of the anthro world is stone aged to medieval at this time, with some increasing industrialization. The most modern cities have technology equivalent to that of Ancient Rome. Worldwide ocean travel exists with celestial navigation as a risky undertaking.
Jenskette Barbrush is from Mossflower Wood, about 10 miles southwest of Redwall Abbey. She was raised in a small community of a few hundred woodland squirrels and other 'goodbeasts'. Her family would fit the description of most simple woodland creatures found in the Redwall books. There is no community leader, just heads of families. Most beasts are self reliant with a barter system to exchange goods and skills. Many squirrel homes are elevated, built in the trees and connected by suspended walkways. Literacy and mathematics is about 50 percent, solely dependent on in-home teaching or community volunteering. Jenskette was fortunate to have literate parents who valued education, otherwise she likely would have ended up as "that crazy Barbrush girl."
Jenskette was 22 and living in Redwall Abbey when the assumed extinct Mt. Salamandastron erupted, destroying the millennia-old home of the Long Patrol. The city of Salamandastron remained intact and continues to flourish under Badgerlord Paulvo the Savvy. Most badgers and the Long Patrol relocated to the forest surrounding Redwall Abbey. This was the start of what would become Mossflower City. Most Redwall stories take place in Mossflower Country. For the purpose of crossover with Chucky's world, Mossflower is what most of Western Europe is known as. Mossflower Proper covers the Iberian Peninsula. Redwall Abbey sits near what we know as Valladolid, Spain.(yes, I know there are some holes in my geography, but just go with it.) Although this area experiences a semiarid Mediterranean Climate in our time, in Jenskette's time, the earth has cooled and Mossflower experiences a climate more like Western Europe.
Mossflower Country has no centralized government, just a common language of Mossflorian. It is a collection of kingdoms, species-based tribal communities, communal settlements like Redwall Abbey and Mt. Salamandastron, and a few true cities like Southsward and Marl. Its history is that of survival and tribal warfare. Small kingdoms under a feudal system run by a lord or chieftain trade or fight with each other for better land and resources. Larger communities grew in places where farming was done on a large scale. Redwall Abbey was built between early 4109 and 4129. It became known throughout the regions as a place of sanctuary, and a place of riches. The Redwall book series does a good job of explaining life in Mossflower over the next thousand years or so.
Mossflower began seeing changes in past centuries. Free markets began forming allowing creatures to make a living with their own skills. The quickest change was the sudden lack of 'vermin hordes'. Rats, weasels, stoats, foxes, and other 'vermin' no longer needed to join hordes for survival. The rat city of Blaggot, fox city of Marl, and northern coast trade port of Coltswart were such places. Relations between creatures and kingdoms softened. Internal trade and travel grew, Mossflower felt smaller.
Most historians agree that the 5637 eruption of Mt. Salamandastron ended the era of 'Old Mossflower' for good. The displaced Long Patrol became the new horde for a short time. Then a new enemy approached from the east, not set on riches, but on empire building. 'Goodbeast' and 'vermin' alike cowered as the Long Patrol's first attack was efficiently cut down. Was this new invader unstoppable? Can Mossflower put its past permanently behind and become a nation that stands together? Recorder Jenskette will be there to tell the story.
Body
Jenskette is a skinny 5'5" tall anthro squirrel with little feminine curve and small breasts. She has a standard rusty red squirrel fur pattern. She has a somewhat feral appearance since she does little self grooming. Long boney fingers with lots of dexterity enables rapid, beautiful writing and illustration.
Flexible and fast on her large feet. Takes to rapid crawling sometimes, giving her that feralness that fascinates some and unnerves others. When she gets frustrated or excited, her movements become rapid and exaggerated. Her eyes tightly shut, nodding aggressively for the affirmative or shaking her head aggressively with her shoulders hunched for the negative.
Blurred vision in her right eye corrected with a monocle.
Clothing
Always wears her purple nighty, until Badgermum Liza makes her change out of it so it can be washed. Standard female undergarment if she remembers. She'll often sit or squat in an undignified, revealing, but comfortable manner. A passerby will notice the 'view' and remind her to put on underwear.
Accessories
Usually a Redwall Abbey official log and writing utensils. A monocle for her right eye attached around her ear, an expensive technological marvel for the time purchased from Southsward.
