Name
Kenneth "Kenny" Blankenship

Age
27

Appearance
Short and wiry, Kenny might be described as something akin to a weasel if it wasn't for his crippled right leg rendering him unable to move any more graceful than a drunkard with a limp. Many are the comments made by the fellow man that Kenny has had to hear about his knock-kneed gait - especially considering how he received it - and even more plentiful are the amused glances women give him. Unfortunately, Kenneth never was a looker to begin with. His nose, crooked from being broken more than a few times, is too large for his small face and his bleak grey eyes convey little else than despondency and disinterest. Kenny's chestnut hair is short but naturally thick and impossible to groom, something Kenny never bothered with anyway. By contrast his facial hair is nonexistent. Yet, for all his faults, plenty are those who would readily admit Kenneth has one of the most infectious smiles and accompanying laughter one could imagine. A strange juxtaposition which is endearing enough for some.

Personality
Kenny is something of a shell. Superficially, he's commonly perceived as being callous, withdrawn, unlikable and dishonest - none of which is wrong, yet none of which is entirely accurate either. Kenny is something of a lost soul, someone so dissident yet lethargic that even the slightly-above-averagely perceptive person can pick up on the fact that Kenny is not necessarily as much of a dickhead as he comes across, but more-so a result of unfortunate circumstance and - perhaps - not truly a lost cause. Kenny can be witty and gregarious when he wants to, though he usually relegates himself to making snide remarks and hurtful comments; a way to keep people at bay.

Kenny is someone who desperately needs attention in the form of confirmation and affirmation. After living a life largely met with neglect and/or contempt, Kenny wants to be liked, yet is unyielding when it comes to letting people inside of his abrasive shell. Kenny is the kind of guy more likely to respond to affection or empathy with a biting "go fuck yourself" than acceptance, despite thoroughly wanting such attention. Moreover, Kenny harbors deep feelings regarding Negroes in specific. He was taught they were worth less as a young child, a belief cemented by a profound betrayal that left him scarred for life.

Speaking of the devil, the consequences of said betrayal has left Kenny severely emotionally distressed. He'll wake up in the middle of the night screaming or crying, usually unable to remember his dreams yet always able to tell what they were about regardless. His past has left him utterly unwilling to commit violent acts, and he detests the thought of killing (though he wouldn't admit it). The murders he has committed has haunted him for years, and he has so far been unable to find remedy. Somewhere deep down inside, Kenny has a fiery need for making amends and doing something with his life, but he has yet to find a catalyst.

History
Born in 1907 to Robert Blankenship and his wife Margaret, Kenneth is the youngest of the couple's six sons and a local of Cypress Hollow. Robert was as the owner of Head On Inn a well-known and respected member of Cypress Hollow's community. Offering food, beverages and lodging, the Head On Inn was one of the more popular establishments in town. With their older brothers already helping out with running the inn, there was little reason for young Kenny and his youngest brother, Raymond, to do the same. Instead the two would from a very young age be allowed to follow their uncle Harold into the surrounding forests and swamps. Harold was a hunter and trapper and would often sell his game to his brother Robert for a discount. When Kenny was ten things would change dramatically, however. The four eldest sons of the family where all drafted into the War. Less than a year later three of them were gone. Edward died fighting, David died from pneumonia and Henry simply went MIA, presumably killed. Meanwhile Kenny's father suffered a heart attack and followed his sons into the afterlife, and when Thomas, the only surviving brother, came back from Europe he was not the brother that had left.

According to Robert's wishes, before he past, the eldest son Thomas assumed ownership when he returned. Left embittered and despondent from the horrors of war, Thomas did little good to Head On Inn. Kenny and Ray were hounded hard, having to help out with washing, serving, cooking and cleaning around the inn as well as receiving regular beatings from the older sibling while their hapless mother mainly spent her time softly weeping. Eventually uncle Harold had enough of Thomas misgivings. Although he could do little about the inn, Harold managed to talk enough sense (after beating him and putting a rifle to his temple, according to some) into Thomas to be able to take Kenny and Ray away. With Harold as their new guardian, the two kids entered adolescence somewhat hopeful.

Kenny spent the better part of his early teens following his uncle around, learning how to navigate the surroundings of Cypress Hollow by heart as well as how to live weeks-on-end in wilderness, using the local flora and fauna to your advantage. School suffered, but Kenny could care less. The runty little kid had, unlike Ray, never been a popular figure amongst the other kids anyway. Unfortunately the death's in the Blankenship family was not over yet, and in 1923 Harold was killed by a Negro. He had assaulted Harold in a botched robbery, ending up stabbing the man to death (years later, Kenny would hear that Harold was the one attacking the Negro, though whether Kenny could allow himself to believe this is another story). At the time, Ray was of legal age and worked at the local saw mill. He managed to take over custody of Kenny after Harold's death - a task no doubt made easier by the fact that Thomas had been sent to prison for extortion while their mother Margaret was an emotional wreck. Together with Kenny, Ray took over Harold's business. While Ray was the true talent at hunting, Kenny proved to be more than apt at trapping animals as well as constructing various shelters and watch towers throughout the country side, to the extent that he would get hired by other locals to build or fix whatever they needed. They had a good couple of years until the summer of 1926, when Kenny managed to fall for a Negro.



Following the events of 27-28, Kenny fell into a depression. He left Cypress Hollow for a few years, working on various construction crews in the south. Although Kenny was a thankful victim due to his short stature, comical gait and repressed demeanor, his talents did not go unnoticed. He was even hired to lead comparably large construction projects, the height of his career being the architect as well as principal foreman of the Cedar Springs town hall (another small town some 60 miles west of Cypress Hollow). Yet for all his success in his career, Kenny was never destined to go anywhere beyond that. He drank away his money, spending his days either alone and self-loathing or with prostitutes, constantly trying to keep his mind off the guilt he felt for what he'd done to Norma. It wasn't until 1932 he decided to return to Cypress Hollow. His brother had written, asking him to come home and help out with the business as Ray himself was suffering from a head injury sustained in a fight, causing him migraines and short term memory loss.

Kenny decided to return to his hometown, at least temporarily, and help Ray. Although Kenny managed to quit drinking, the two brothers didn't exactly make for a productive partnership any longer, and business declined for a few months after Kenny's arrival until Ray one morning never woke up. The medical examiner later explained that Ray suffered from a blood clot in his brain, and that this was likely the cause of his previous symptoms as well as his death. Kenny was devastated by the loss of his brother. Unwilling to continue their business venture, Kenny closed it down. He spent the next six months doing some transient work for the surrounding community, becoming something of a local original and spectacle with his silly walk, quiet demeanor and absurdly efficient handiwork. In 1933, after providing some repairs to property owned by Henry Tackett, the farmer decided to offer Kenny employment indefinitely.

Accordingly, Kenny moved out to the Tackett farm. In the past year, Kenny has been a jack-of-all-trades handyman at the Tackett farm, used for construction, repairs and sourcing food as well as teaching willing (or ordered) farmhands how to do said things.

Speech Color F4A460

Traits
Positive
Expert Craftsman (+5) *
Local (+2) **
Trapper (+2)
Woodsman (+1)

* Kenny is a handyman's handyman. He's well-known for his uncanny ability when it comes to construction, whether he's waterproofing a shed, creating a garden or doing plumbing.
** Kenny is very familiar with the creeks, swamps, caves etcetera of the area as well as the flora and, more so, fauna in them. I figured it'd probably cost an extra point.

Negative
Racist (-2)
Crippled (-5)
Ugly (-1)
Shell-Shocked (-2) *
Skittish (-2)
Untrustworthy (-3)

* Kevin never fought in the war, but he suffers from similar PTSD-related symptoms described above.

In total: 10 - 15 = -5 points

Inventory
Various tools and materials corresponding to his trade and task at the Tackett farm. Everything from hammers, nails, screwdrivers and pliers to mechanist squares, spirit levels and building materials are to be found in Kenny's shed on the Tackett property. As for what Kenny's carrying on his person, it's usually a standard tool belt with assorted tools along with suspenders and a sturdy shirt.