"Red Nose" Bon Vaygan

[Promatera]

Name: "Red Nose" Bon Vaygan
Age: 29
Birthplace: Mossflower Country
Gender: Male
Species: Weasel
Job/Position: Opportunistic Hermit and occasional wanderer
Physical Description:

Slender and somewhat taller than the average weasel, Bon Vaygan displays his body proudly maintaining excellent posture. With well kept light brown fur and a white underbelly it is obvious that he keeps clean as well. He once also had a rather long tail, but after he cut his losses and left the horde, it also meant cutting off his own tail in order to escape. The stub that remains is easily hidden with Bon Vaygan’s cloak. He also easily hides his left ear, which has been slightly torn from a stray arrow shaft. Despite the high risk he went through as a hordebeast he left with hardly a scratch on his face. Combined with his olive green eyes, his appearance would suggest that of a dashing rogue. Yet to his detriment, Bon Vaygan’s nose is a bright red. His red nose seems almost clownish and is very distracting to any onlookers, which greatly upsets him. If his nose is even mentioned things tend to turn sour.

For a wanderer he dresses quite sharply. Bon Vaygan usually sports a doublet with a surcoat that stretches down to his waist. Tied around his neck is a dark green travelers cloak, which aids him in blending in with Mossflower. He has also taken to sporting a small feathered cap Being well-dressed gives him a more grandiose and dramatic appearance, which he enjoys.

Belongings:

A rapier, which he stole from a Guosim shrew during his mercenary days (marking him as a target for the Guosim). It is a small sword shaped to fit the paw, but is very sharp, light, deadly effective with its easy to use design. It would do any best well, but Bon Vaygan possesses little knowledge of swordplay except for what he learned practicing stage combat.

Personality:

Bon Vaygan is a colorful character to say the least. Always courteous and well-spoken, he could charm anybeast not foolish enough to inquire about his appearance. Those who do, evoke Bon Vaygan’s wrath where he’ll do anything to ridicule or even threaten the other beast. Yet despite his big talk, he’s never actually murdered anybeast, surprising considering his background. Beneath all his airs and self-interested goals lies some real moral character, but it is tough to find.

Suffering from a bipolar disorder Bon Vaygan cycles through two states every few weeks. In his manic state, he is very excitable, quick to anger and please, and somewhat rash. To some he could even come across as eccentric, which could be a result of being raised by a hare. Here Bon Vaygan is at his prime. In his depressed state Bon Vaygan is extremely apathetic. In this state it is hard to get him to do anything as he seems to almost lack a will to live. In his depressed state he will often lament some of his decisions in the past.

As the years passed, Bon Vaygan grew into an opportunist. Always ready to take advantage of any travelers and jump at any opportunity that will further his goals. After all, Bon Vaygan comes first.

History:

It was a beautiful day in the southern regions of Mossflower when Bon Vaygan was found abandoned. It was by pure chance the Travelling Players, a group of beasts led by a hare, had even found him. As they practiced during the day they had heard a small piercing cry. When they found the source it was discovered to be a lone kit. Sir Worstechire, the ringleader, was the first to pick him up and in his paws, he decided to adopt the kit. Having to think of a name, the hare fondly recalled his grandfather he had nicknamed “Bonny” as a child though his real name was Gand McVay. As the name swirled in his mind he suddenly had it. From that day forth the kit was known as Bon Vaygan. He admitted the name was eccentric, but its uniqueness was “unprecedented,” so the name stayed.

In the years to come, Worstechire made a fine father figure to Bon Vaygan and watched as he grew into a well-behaved and talented dibbun, which surprised everybeast. As he grew older, Bon Vaygan began to show interest in performing so he was given lessons in several different performing disciplines. It paid off and he was soon allowed to perform alongside the other performers when he was old enough. However, it soon became obvious that Bon Vaygan was a very selfish beast. Demanding and hard to please, the only reason he was hardly ever punished was because of his obedience and the effort he put into performances.

For many years the troupe travelled around Mossflower country performing to anybeast who was interested. For Bon Vaygan it was an idyllic existence, which meant that he was able to focus on perfecting his performance ability. Unfortunately it was not to last. As he grew better and better, he became critical of the other performers and began to undermine Worstechire’s ability as ringleader. Bon Vaygan loved his father, but he grew to question the hare’s ability and so one day he challenged his position. Sir Worstechire, a reasonable beast, did not take this lightly. He would show this ‘kit’ that he was still his father and his disrespect would not go unpunished. From then on Bon Vaygan was banned from performing in any shows.

Bon Vaygan was outraged. Performing was his art and had been his life, to take it away was worse than a death sentence. Furious and spiteful of his father, Bon Vaygan ran away in the night to act and perform for others all he wished. He was nearly eighteen when he left.
Spending a cold night alone, Bon Vaygan’s spirits were dampened, but he did not want to give up yet. Eating some of the rations he had prepared for his jump of independence he set out searching for anybeast who would watch his performance. It was not long before he came across several goodbeasts and he jumped at the opportunity. However, seeing a vermin the goodbeasts quickly became defensive and as he tried to convince them to watch him perform they believed he was planning something and quickly left. Discouraged he sought out any other beast, but had similar results. For several days he continued to search for any audience, but had failed almost every time. Finally realizing the harsh reality he was facing and feeling overcome he tried to return home.

Unfortunately, his home had left without him. The troupe had left no sign for him to follow, only a small bag of rations had been left behind. It was then Bon Vaygan he realized he was now alone. To Bon Vaygan, a hole seemed to open up within him, swallowing any confidence and hope he had. Drained of his spirit, Bon Vaygan crawled into a small hallow and just laid there. His soul had fallen into a profound depression and he had little will to live. For two weeks he laid within the hallow, barely moving only to eat or to drink from a nearby stream. As the weeks went by he realized how foolish it was of him to leave his home and father who had taken him in and raised him. During this time he realized that he was no longer alone. A tribe of weasels who carried this extremely strong incense with them, passed through. As he watched them pass, Bon Vaygan was horrified to think that this savage state could have been him had his father not found him. He quickly grew ashamed of who and what he was and gave up any hope of working with his own kind. When two weeks had passed, Bon Vaygan finally felt the whole within him closing and realized he was moving on. Slowly his spirit returned and his confidence grew. He had never felt more energized, more full of life, and he was going to take advantage of every second of it.

He was through trying to perform for the benefits of others, since they would not listen perhaps they would not hear him steal their food. For a week he roamed Mossflower, stealing from any beast who crossed his path, if he was caught he could always escape into the forest to his burrow. His favorite heist during this time was when he had managed to steal a rapier from a sleeping Guosim shrew. He realized it could leave him marked as an enemy, but he no longer cared. Growing bolder and bolder Bon Vaygan found himself satisfied, but wanting more.

Bon Vaygan had heard of a horde settling down within the country and at the time the idea appealed to him. He believed that once he joined a horde he would probably not have to worry about stealing his next meal and he could rise to a powerful position. The next day he travelled to Redwall and officially became a horde beast of N’tashi’s forces. He was sure that he would soon rise to power and was eager as he signed on, but his enthusiasm vanished when he came face to face with reality. He had not thought about it until then, but he had just cast himself among murderers and thugs and his fellow horde mates certainly acted like it. Offensive and disgusting beasts; Bon Vaygan finally realized why they were all dubbed vermin. In the horde, beasts were often given nicknames, and soon enough Bon Vaygan became “Red Nose.” He absolutely hated the name, but it stuck and there was nothing he could do. From then on he hated his nose.

Along with his initial enthusiasm, Bon Vaygan could feel the pit within himself slowly opening itself up once more. He could no longer stay, and as night fell Bon Vaygan knew it would be the best time for his escape. Unfortunately it was not as easy as he thought.

When Bon Vaygan escaped he managed to avoid being noticed for the night, but the next morning he was caught as he tried to get some rest. Branded as a deserter he was to be put to death, but thinking quickly, Bon Vaygan dashed deeper into Mossflower. As he tried to throw himself in the bushes an arrow clipped him on his left ear, leaving a small hole. The pain caused Bon Vaygan to stop and his captors used it to catch up with him. They were going to put Bon Vaygan to death there and then by slicing off his head with an axblade, but the fear of death pushed Bon Vaygan into a frenzy. He released himself from those holding him, but the executer swiftly swung his blade and managed to slice off Bon Vaygan’s tail. Pain engulfed him, but his fear of death was greater than the pain and so he pushed onward, darting deeper and deeper into Mossflower until he was sure he would not be found.

In the clear, his depression took over and Bon Vaygan was once more nearly lifeless. Bon Vaygan was able to staunch his wounds and keep himself fed, but that was all he did for almost two weeks. Shortly afterwards, Bon Vaygan felt the hole within him close along with his other wounds. Aimlessly, he returned to his burrow where he became a hermit from then on. Having hit rock bottom he began to till the soil and grow his own food, however, as an opportunist he would always keep an eye out for travelers he could ‘coerce’ extra food from.

For the next ten years Bon Vaygan lived his life this way, breaking the monotony with an occasional ‘adventure’ through Mossflower. He would never admit it to himself, but he always hoped he would find his former troupe. Still believing N’tashi to be in power, he avoids the Redwall area of Mossflower.

Code Words: Tears, Candlestick, Trifle

[Django]

Excellent work on this bio, Promatera. I especially love how you incorporated N'tashi into the history. Well-rounded character, overall, and great descriptions.

ACCEPTED!!

-Django