Character Sheet for Yeobrach Albret Leiff
Species
Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
Character Description
Yeobrach Leiff is the 'High Argyll' or warrior class chief of Upper Englshire, the equivalent of a general. Upper Englshire is part of what are simply known as The Northlands in the Redwall books. Yeobrach is from the same region as Rakkety Tam MacBurl, the hero of the book, Rakkety Tam.
Rakkety Tam, also a squirrel, was an early hero of Redwall Abbey, wielding the sword of Martin the Warrior against Gulo the Savage. These events from centuries ago created a long standing alliance between Upper Englshire and The Long Patrol. So naturally the squirrels of Upper Englshire were one of the first allies to answer the call to defend Mossflower against the invading Siberians. They arrived at Redwall Abbey on June 21, 5645, The Rendezvous of the Six Armies, led by none other than High Argyll Yeobrach Leiff.
Yeobrach is loved by his warriors, but wasn't exactly a favorite among the other armies and certainly not the Redwallers. He is brash, arrogant, rude, and crude. He harbored a real disdain toward the many vermin species present, many trying with all their hearts to become warriors under the Long Patrol. He considered Queen Guivderin to be a joke, a token of diversity propped up by Abbot Serney. The fact that she could wield Martin's sword like the best of them meant nothing to him. He would have been happy to sodomize her and leave her for dead. He harbored the same feelings toward the Marlfox queen. As far as he's concerned, vermin are vermin, and will always be vermin.
Yeobrach took little interest in Redwall Abbey and its long rich history. But he was happy to take advantage of the hospitality. He was more interested in getting in a real war so he and his squirrel soldiers could make names for themselves back home. The idea of getting their names in the history books alongside those of Rakkety Tam and his fellow warrior, Wild Doogy Plumm, was irresistible.
When the second battle with the Siberians came, Yeobrach Leiff made good on his alliance with Mossflower. They joined in the second infantry charge with the main body of the Mossflorian army. The High Argyll and his 250 squirrel warriors fought like crazed berserker Vikings, losing only 10 warriors who underestimated the enemy. No spoils of war, no prisoners, just the bloodbath they were looking for. It was a battle they'd all heard about in stories, and they were quite satisfied.
High Argyll Yeobrach Leiff and the squirrels of Upper Englshire are immortalized in Mossflower history as one of the six armies that helped defeat the Siberians. In truth, they fought more as mercenaries than allies. They played no further part in the history of Mossflower, other than goods trading.
Yeobrach Leiff met his end a few short years later. His ego unchecked, he started affairs with two of his soldiers' wives. He bragged drunkenly about it at his 43rd birthday feast, while also insulting the soldiers who's wives he was screwing. They pulled their swords, he pulled his. In the ensuing fight, both soldiers were permanently injured, but they managed to kill Yeobrach Leiff with two swords in his heart. No one tried to stop the fight, everyone was tired of Yeobrach.
Mossflower history credits Yeobrach as an incredible help in the defeat of the Siberians. But Upper Englshire history will not be so kind to him. He was no Rakkety Tam. He was a tyrant, a bully, and more of a warlord than anything else. In fact, the only reason he wasn't considered a villain during his time was because he was the right species. Had he been a rat, a stoat, or any other creature considered vermin, he would have fit right in with the rest of the Redwall baddies.
Personality
Yeobrach is confident, arrogant, and usually happy. A constant seeker of attention with a great, but mean spirited sense of humor. Really enjoys making those around him laugh. Charismatic. Determined and very persistent in his interests. He doesn't take no for an answer and does not give up. Has no problem using violence to achieve his means.
Little ability to feel remorse or fear, but doesn't feel hatred either. He commits violence and misdeeds more for his personal thrill and entertainment, and maybe a bit of self validation in there too.
Likes/Dislikes
Likes to have a following and being looked up to. Enjoys entertaining friends and especially his soldiers. Loves to party, drink, feast, and sex, lots and lots of sex. Likes to dominate, whether physically in a fight or verbally by cutting someone down with insults.
Dislikes anyone or anything superior to him and takes it as an open challenge and threat. Boredom and idleness, he must have something to do. Feels threatened by the gradual integration of vermin into goodbeast societies and vows to never let it arrive on the shores of Upper Englshire.
Background/History
Yeobrach Leiff was the firstborn child of Heygrid and Dreybach Leiff in the seaside hamlet of Bruiny Bay, Upper Englshire on October 15, 5605. Heygrid was a rigging master at the local shipyard due to his climbing skills and upper body strength. Dreybach was a master seamstress for sails. Squirrels were not a common site near the sea, so the Leiff family were well known. Young Yeobrach was confident, strong, and friendly. He required little care once he could walk, and once he could climb, the world was his. Not the academic sort, Yeobrach liked physical games, exploring, and leadership. He had a winning and confident personality that gained him popularity among other kids. By age 8, he had his own little gang of dibbuns to pall around with.
Yeobrach always fancied himself a warrior. When he was 10, he decided to take on the town bully, a 14 year old hare. It was Saturday afternoon entertainment, most of the village youths showed up. The hare teen was much bigger, stronger, and faster. Yeobrach took the hare's punches, ignoring the pain and striking back with equal force. The young squirrel's fearlessness unnerved the hare, shaking his confidence. Yeobrach leapt onto the hare and punched relentlessly, then dug his claws in when the hare tried to push him off. He headbutted the hare, shattering his nose, then jumped off. Yeobrach stood victorious with his opponent sniveling in a puddle of blood. He had gained a love of violence and no one ever messed with the young squirrel again.
Yeobrach hated the ocean with its stink and dampness. When he was 18, he ventured inland to join the warrior class of squirrels. Interior Englshire was a rugged land of rocky peaks and forested valleys. He loved it. He learned survival, physical combat, and swordsmanship. Yeobrach was relentless in his fighting skills, he was unafraid of pain or injury and quickly gained a reputation as someone you never wanted to spar with. Despite his constant joking, hard drinking, and girl chasing, Yeobrach took his warrior training very seriously. At age 21, he was a skilled Highland Squirrel Warrior.
Yeobrach grew up on tales of warriors fighting vermin. Englshire's past is one of constant conflict between 'goodbeast' and 'vermin', not unlike Mossflower's past. He was taught to hate all vermin species through stories and experience. The saga of Rakkety Tam MacBurl was the most prominent story. Then he saw actual combat due to occasional vermin raids from the west. It was during these battles that Yeobrach gained his ruthless warrior reputation. He inspired his fellow warriors with his fearless charge into the fray. He loved being the first in and the last out. "Och, save some killin' for meh!" he'd say if a battle started without him. He began showing his darkness too. He'd unabashedly single out female vermin to rape, eyeing them during battle to take as prisoner rather than kill. This shocked his fellow warriors at first, then he got some takers. Over time, it became a lucrative vermin sex slave business. "Goodbeasts" could unleash all their carnal desires on a helpless weasel, rat, stoat, etc.
Yeobrach Leiff was elected to High Argyll on July 31, 5636. Celebrated by many, worried by others. Many village elders knew the sicko under the surface. On November 24, 5636, a ship of rats ran aground in a storm 20 miles south of Bruiny Bay. Yeobrach and 24 warriors descended upon them, slaughtering all and burning their ship. A few villagers went to the site for spoils. The burned corpses were those of elders, females, and dibbuns, not a weapon was found. One female child burned to death clutching a doll of Triss the Squirrel, they were from Riftgard. The sickened villagers confronted Yeobrach that night. The squirrel turned to face them. In the lack of firelight, his eyes and those of his warriors made their heads look like skulls. Upper Englshire was being ruled by a den of murderers, and it was too late. Yeobrach would rule for the next 12 years.
Relatives/Family
Father: Heygrid Leiff: age 74.
Mother: Dreybach Bunratty Leiff: age 66.
Sister: Sarah Dorray Leiff: age 30.
Multiple aunts, uncles, and cousins around Englshire and Mossflower.
Claims to be a descendant of Rakkety Tam MacBurl, as do many Highland squirrels. There is no evidence to support this.
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 at Redwall Abbey. 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.
Yeobrach is from Upper Englshire, the approximate northern 1/3 of Great Britain, we know this area as Scottland. His birthplace of Bruiny Bay is near our present day Dundee, Scottland. The climate of the time is a somewhat colder version of the present oceanic climate. Subsistence living is common. The most reliable source of food is the sea or hearty agriculture on land.
Between species differences and harsh climatic conditions, this was a place of constant conflict. Unlike Mossflower, where relations between 'goodbeast' and 'vermin' has softened, Englshire has remained mostly unchanged in its culture. Power balance between the two groups ebbed and flowed throughout the centuries. When one group gained control, the other group would either fight or flee south. For this reason, many residents of Mossflower have roots in Englshire, goodbeast and vermin alike. In fact, many infamous vermin horde invasions throughout Mossflower's history can be traced to the times when they were driven out of Englshire by goodbeasts.
The 112 years from 5298 to 5410 became known as the Century of Summer. A climatic anomaly caused the Earth's climate to warm slightly. A reliable tropical jet stream brought mild winters and warm wet summers to Englshire. Crops flourished and goodbeasts bred, especially the rodents. Vermin would raid goodbeast settlements for food and valuables. Walled cities were built to protect the new larger families. After two generations, goodbeasts not only far outnumbered vermin, but had become a culture of warriors. In the mid 54th century, the tables turned for good. Tribes and settlements of goodbeasts forged alliances and combined their armies to purge the land of vermin species. Iconic battles were fought, heroes emerged. The Englshire of Yeobrach's time emerged.
Englshire is divided into three regions, Upper, Middle, and Lower. It operates in a Feudalistic class system. Warrior class(self explanatory), Noble class(land owners, royalty, and village elders), Merchant class(skilled professions), Servant class(unskilled labor which includes loyal vermin serfs). Each of these classes has a chief or High Argyll who is peer elected, except the Servant Class who's Argyll is appointed by their respective Noble Class Argyll. The Council of Clans occurs when all the Argylls of Upper, Middle, and Lower Englshire meet for broad decision making.
In Yeobrach's time, Englshire is stable with good trade relations with Mossflower. The population is 82% goodbeast species. The small number of Servant Class vermin are well fed, uneducated, and committed to complete subservience. Voices of opposition to the treatment of vermin are occasionally heard, then silenced quickly by the warrior class. In time, Englshire will have its reckoning, with much assistance from Mossflower.
Englshire is surrounded by water. It's nearest neighbor is Mossflower to the south and east across the narrow English Channel. To the west is independent Grenmoher(Ireland). The creatures of Englshire speak a dialect of Mossflorian with harsh inflections on consonants and short vowel sounds. Creatures from Upper Englshire are called Highland or Border. Yeobrach was referred to as a Highland or Border squirrel.
Body
Stocky and muscular, about 5 feet 10 inches tall. Tan fur with rusty highlights on arms legs and face. Rusty fur from the top of his head all the way down his back to a big bushy tail. Large brown eyes of a woodland critter. Walks tall and confident with a constant grin of mean spirited amusement. Left handed, a trait others learned very quickly not to tease him about.
Clothing
Always wears a 'Tam' on his head, green with a plaid pattern and a pheasant feather attached. Thin wool single piece undergarment, tank-top style up top and boxer style below(so no, he's not naked under his kilt, but yes, he will do that for shock value on occasion). Kilt with a tartan pattern and red base color. Thick leather belt with a large flap covering his privates area. The leather flap is embroidered with an image of Rakkety Tam MacBurl holding the sword of Martin the Warrior. Leather wristbands.
Accessories
Large curved sword with pointed pommel. Thick spiked knuckle guard for punching.
