Character Sheet for Boldren Rudd Berryessa (married name)
Species
Common Rat (Rattus Norvegicus)
Character Description
Boldren is Gwendolyn's mother. Here she is in Redwall Abbey's infirmary at age 20, shortly after taking on her position as a healer. She is the first rat to ever hold the position within the Abbey, making her a historical figure in its long history. Her achievement was overshadowed by the fact that this was during Rat Queen Guivderin's time as Redwall Abbey's heroine. But she was not forgotten by those who worked beside her. Sister Jallop, Sister Papavera, Badgermum Liza, and many other Redwallers remember her very fondly. They certainly remember her young romance with warrior Laiken and followed it like a romance novel until the two rats left to begin their life together.
Boldren arrived from Southsward on June 21, 5645 as a conscripted soldier in King Foldore's army. Carrying inadequate equipment and undernourished, she was frightened beyond belief. A few days after her arrival, she and the other conscripted vermin from Southsward were turned over to the Long Patrol for training. Boldren had barely recovered from the three week march when she found herself training for battle. A day of running, push-ups, pull-ups, and all manner of exercise. Boldren was never a physical creature, always a bookworm or lab-rat. By day's end she was destroyed. She could barely stand and hobble to get chow. She was unable to lift the bowl with her cramped arms. That's when a short muscular rat-boy named Laiken came to her aid.
The cute grey rat with a bad-boy hairdo spoon-fed Boldren her dinner. They sat together and talked, it was love at first sight. They eventually kissed, it was her first kiss. She forgot her aching arms and it turned into a make-out session that lasted until midnight. The passion was intense, the feeling of his muscular body and strong paws holding and caressing her was so wonderful. It was the first time she'd felt wanted, desired, and beautiful. She was in love.
Six days later, she was running with her training group. It was almost July and very hot. Boldren stopped, she felt a coldness run up her back and into her head, making everything spinny and fuzzy. It hit her stomach, she vomited, then the world turn grey and tipped on its side. Time was lost in blackout, then she was laying on her back in a comfortable bed covered in wet rags feeling impossibly weak and vulnerable. A female hare and mouse where fanning her, a red stone ceiling above her. She was in Redwall Abbey, she closed her eyes. Time was lost again.
Boldren felt a grip on her right paw and opened her eyes. Laiken's smiling and tear streamed face filled her view, flanked by the same two nurses and a big badger. She'd suffered heat stroke and must spend the night in the abbey infirmary, Laiken was allowed to stay with her until his training the next morning. Boldren was deemed unfit for combat, a relief to them both. They also knew she was a witch, a safe secret in Redwall Abbey. Boldren awoke refreshed 15 hours later, Sister Jallop introduced herself.
While walking through the infirmary, Boldren noticed a cart of medicine and couldn't resist taking a look. She and Jallop got to talking and Boldren revealed her incredible knowledge of botany, chemistry, and alchemy. This included healing potions. Jallop led her quickly in to Great Hall. Boldren suddenly found herself in front of Father Abbott Serney Blanders, a position of 'healer' being offered to her. She accepted on July 1, 5645.
She rushed to Laiken's tent that night to tell him the news. The two youngsters made love all night, and most nights thereafter. Boldren thrived in her new position and fit right in with the creatures of Redwall. Her knowledge was indispensable in treating training injuries, and eventually the sicknesses and injuries of battle. Boldren kept her cool and stuck to her duties as Laiken went into battle against the Siberians. Mossflower was victorious.
Boldren left Redwall Abbey with Laiken on December 8, 5645 to start their new life.
Personality
A very gentle soul who thinks logically and compassionately. Focused and persistent with tasks, duties, and interests. Sweet and silly with her loved ones, good sense of humor. Known for cute snappy comments that will bring a giggle to everyone. Very patient with others.
Introverted, avoids attention of all kinds. Looks to a pillar of strength in family and friends for security in times of stress.
Cautious and fearful, Will become very stressed and distraught in bad and unfamiliar situations.
Likes/Dislikes
Boldren is a nerd who loves botany, chemistry, alchemy, potions and books. She treasures her alone time. She does very good on her own, but loves her family and new Redwall friends. Experimenting with potions is her favorite pastime. Sharing her knowledge with others, which she does in a very non-condescending way.
Boldren is scared to death of war and violence above all. Being out of her element in any form is very also stressful, she doesn't adapt well to change.
Background/History
Boldren Deylonesse Rudd was born on April 19, 5625 to Harmond and Belendra Rudd of Southsward, Mossflower. She is the younger of two siblings. Her brother, Ponsor, is 10 years older. The Rudds are part of the 'Privileged Vermin Class' in Southsward, a clean city of mostly tolerant 'goodbeasts'. Belendra was a powerful witch with vast knowledge of botany and alchemy who ran an apothecary. Harmond was a normal rat but skilled at the concept of property investment. As rats, the Rudd family were well off. Little Boldren was weak and sickly, but well behaved. A sweet quiet little rat girl who liked books, but was often frightened of the world. Her big brother took to her immediately. He was her guardian and hero throughout her childhood and into adulthood. Boldren's magic was very weak, so she followed in her mother's footsteps of potions and apothecary.
Boldren was 19 when the Long Patrol and badgerlord were defeated by the Siberians at the Battle of Langchex. The news spread across Mossflower like wildfire. For weeks, all anyone could talk about were these all powerful 'Siberians'. Until the news of a female rat being the new heroine of Redwall. "Fake News! Propaganda!" is what the 'goodbeasts' of Southsward said. "The Redwallers would never allow such vermin to wield the sword of Martin the Warrior." But sure enough, the rat Queen Guivderin arrived in Southsward 4 months later with General Longstride of the Long Patrol. King Foldore pledged his finest warriors to help defeat the Siberians.
In late May of 5645, the Rudds received a letter. It read, In defense of Southsward, King Foldore calls upon one member of each family into military service. Boldren Rudd, report to Castle Floret at sunrise on June 1st, 5645. Boldren wet herself and went into a panic attack. Ponsor, now a young land baron, went to appeal her summons and take her place. He was denied, and soon Boldren found herself marching toward Redwall Abbey with other vermin being led by Southsward's elite mouse warriors. In a letter home she wrote."The other rats are too skinny, or too fat, or sick. Some are even retarded! Something's amiss. I think we're all undesirables marching to our deaths! I'm so scared!" Three weeks later, she arrived at Redwall Abbey, where her life improved drastically as described above.
Nine months later, Boldren is looking at her new husband in their little flat in Marl. How wonderful her life had become, it was like a dream. Marl was clean and safe, just expensive. Not all was well though. Her new life was magical, but she wanted to be a mother, and she miscarried several times. She cursed her weak body and went through times of melancholy. Finally, a pregnancy stuck, and she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. They named her Gwendolyn, the Mossflorian pronunciation of Guivderin, after Redwall's recent rat heroine.
Boldren's life was complete. Now in her early 30s, she had the life she always wanted. Loving heroic husband, sweet little daughter, and a happy little home. But she wanted to be closer to family, and little Gwendolyn was a powerful witch who needed a real teacher, her brother Ponsor would be perfect. So in fall 5659, they moved to Southsward.
They lived better, but it wasn't the Southsward she remembered. Goodbeasts were openly hostile to vermin. Then Abbot Serney was assassinated. The Berryessas attended the funeral at Redwall Abbey, where Boldren reunited with her companions. It was the last time she'd ever see them. A year later, the Vermin Purge of Southsward by King Foldore saw the Berryessas fleeing for their lives. They escaped by boat and sailed for North America with several other rat families. Sea travel introduced Boldren to a new concept of misery and sickness. Her health deteriorated. Her family members were her comfort and kept her spirit alive for a temporary recovery in the tropics.
Boldren met a sorrowful end on February 12, 5662. She died at sea of malaria contracted during portage through Panama.
Relatives/Family
Father: Harmond Iriden Rudd: likely killed at 71 during the Vermin Purge of Southsward.
Mother: Belendra Vyrmm Rudd: likely killed at 69 during the Vermin Purge of Southsward.
Husband: Laiken Berryessa, age 17 when they met. He was 33 when she died.
Daughter: Gwendolyn Berryessa, aka The White Witch continues a prolonged life over eight centuries after Boldren's death.
Brother: Baron Ponsor Rudd, age 47 when she died.
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.
Boldren is from the Southsward, a seaside kingdom in Southwestern Mossflower nearly 400 miles from Redwall Abbey. It appears in the Redwall book The Bellmaker, which takes place only a century or so after Redwall Abbey was built. It was ruled by Gael Squirrelking, then conquered by a vermin horde led by Urgan Nagru, a fox from The Land of Snow and Ice. It was retaken during the Battle of Southsward by various Mossflorian armies and the Squirrelking's former guards. Southsward is not again mentioned in the Redwall books, but its subsequent rulers most certainly maintained some sort of alliance with Redwall Abbey and the Long Patrol over the centuries.
1300 years later, Southsward is currently ruled by Mouse-King Duncan Foldore III. He and his sycophant family rule from the magnificent Castle Floret, a fairy tale castle if there ever was one. The city and kingdom itself are in a beautiful Mediterranean coastal setting. Hills, farms, and forest surround it with a shipyard on the coast. Southsward operates under a feudal system with some free market among the citizens. The citizenry are classified as 'goodbeasts' or 'vermin', each group has its commoners and nobles. Vermin occupy a smaller group and live in separate areas from goodbeasts, but interact directly in the market areas. Boldren is of the 'vermin noble' class with their own family business and property.
Directly west of Southsward is the rat city of Blaggot, the two cities are separated by South Stream. South Stream is spanned by two bridges connecting the cities. Blaggot is not part of the Kingdom of Southsward and the two populations distrust each other, but commerce between the two is stable. Many vermin residents of Blaggot work in Southsward and vice-versa.
Southsward is located near our current city of Huelva, Spain. It experiences the more familiar Mediterranean climate that allows a nearly year round growing season. Although the winters are cooler and wetter than in our current time. The creatures of Southsward speak Mossflorian with the same accent and dialect as the rest of Mossflower. Most, including vermin, are literate and comparatively well educated compared to the rest of Mossflower.
The Foldore line of mousekings have ruled Southsward for the last 120 years. They are staunch patriarchal traditionalists who believe goodbeasts and vermin must remain in their places. The current King Foldore is very opportunistic in the sense that, despite his traditionalist views, he'd rather use his vermin population's talent to benefit his kingdom than lose them to neighboring Blaggot. Thus rose an affluent vermin class. This pleased progressive goodbeasts and was disliked but tolerated by traditionalists. As long as vermin knew their place, all was good.
Southsward is credited in Mossflower history as helping to defeat the Siberians in the Battle for New Europe. But everything turned sour shortly afterward. Southsward's traditionalist goodbeasts were not accepting of the new integrated Mossflower, animosity grew toward the now larger vermin population. Civil unrest and violence followed. Following Abbott Serney's assassination, 400 defected Long Patrol hares came to Southsward, pledging their loyalty to King Foldore. The king saw his opportunity and unleashed them on his vermin population. He gave a "kind" warning to those rats who worked in Castle Floret, including Ponsor Rudd. Boldren's family escaped the purge by a few hours.
Body
Slightly tall for a female rat at 5 feet 10 inches. Classic albino fur and squinty pink eyes. Skinny with small breasts and a noticeable female curve. Large overbite causes her top incisors to protrude. This combined with her pointy snout gives her 'rat caricature' look that occasionally attracts the wrong attention from 'goodbeasts'. Long fingers and toes.
Walks slightly hunched forward with head hung low to avoid attention. Moves slow and a little 'gangly', but very meticulous with her fingers.
Large round glasses for reading and close vision.
Clothing
Long modest dresses, usually in some hue of purple to rose. Always long sleeved with a closed chest. Over-sized witch's hat. Standard female undergarments of the time.
Light tank-top style nightgown to bed.
Accessories
Simple polished wooden wand for limited magic.
