Date of birth: aged 34
Place of birth: Calaria
Ethnic origin: Calaria
Citizenship: Calaria
Current residence: Bonvidaeo
Current occupation: Envoy of Calaria
| date of parents’ marriage: | |
| age of mother at time of birth: | |
| age of father at time of birth: | |
| are parents still living? | Father is not |
| where? | |
| character’s relationship with them? | Greatly resembles his father |
| relationship with each other? | |
| parents’ background and occupation? | Gentry |
| siblings? Older, younger? | One sister, approximately 8 years younger; presumably an elder brother since he doesn’t appear to be the heir |
| close uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, nephews, nieces | |
| spouse or ex-spouses (or other significant intimate relationships) | Unmarried |
| children | None |
| Institution | Years | Studied | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private school | A mediocre student |
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Rescued sister from millrace | aged about 12 |
| Joined Foreign Ministry | aged about 19 |
| Posted to Bonvidaeo as Ambassador | aged 34 |
| apparent age | 34 |
| race, skin colour (and condition of skin – greasy, clean, hairy etc.) | |
| height and weight | Medium height, big-boned and muscular, inclined to plumpness |
| habitual clothing: | Good but conventional, dark colours |
| physical stance, body language | Open and friendly |
| head: | round |
| hair: | mid-brown, worn in a short queue with a plain ribbon |
| face: | round, cheerful |
| eyes: | brown; direct, innocent gaze |
| nose: | somewhat flat |
| lips: | plump |
| teeth: | |
| jaw: | starting to get a double chin |
| neck: | thick |
| voice: | light |
| shoulders: | wide |
| arms: | strong |
| hands: | large |
| chest: | thick |
| waist, hips: | thick |
| legs: | strong |
| significant scars, tattoos, moles, other distinguishing marks: | |
From a well-off gentry family, but must earn his own living in the Foreign Service.
The archetypal Innocent Man. His self-description is: “I have always been a physically strong man, though I am not quick. I am, I hope, a man of honour; I am industrious, and I think reliable. I am not cunning, and dislike cunning men. Apart from that I know of no virtues I possess, save loyalty.” Corius adds: “he is also a courageous and courteous man, gentle to his friends, fierce to his foes, and generous to those less fortunate,” to which he responds, “It is true that I have no fear of man, beast, or natural force, beyond what is prudent and necessary; that I keep the ways of my gentle ancestors in these decayed times; that I am not a man to frustrate; and that I sometimes give trifles to those in need.” Rivers thinks him a fool and despises him for his dullness, but this may be Rivers trying to hide from himself that, unlike Rivers, Bass is an honest man to whom the thought of corruption would never occur, and who does the right thing without thinking about doing the wrong thing, regardless of how this will affect him personally.
Wants to be liked and respected.
Easily deceived by the malicious.
Amiable, friendly, slightly bumbling.
Bass is quite consciously based on Sherlock Holmes’s Watson, although his relationship with Corius is more Bertie Wooster to Jeeves.