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absentconstellationCharacter Name: The Cat (or Pounce, or Faithful)
Series: Tamora Pierce's Tortall
Age: Ageless
From When?: Post Mastiff, after the Great Gods banish him from the Mortal Realms
Inmate/Warden: Warden
The Cat has acted as chaperon to two of Tortall's greatest heroes in history. (I won't tell you why though, because that would be spoilers!) He came into Alanna's life later, when she was already well on her way to adulthood, but Beka he as good as raised from childhood. He has some experience overseeing the actions of mortals, especially the dramatic kind that are likely to end up on the barge. He parents with a firm hand, knowing that it isn't good to be too soft on people if you want them to learn. He is also very skilled at picking out learning opportunities and, shall we say, allowing them to happen. Growth and change are processes that he encourages.
It may help some inmates that he is not overly concerned with conventional morals. He doesn't approve of wanton murder and theft, but nor does he seem to have any problem with the petty thefts that often occur around him, the many deaths life as a lady knight entails, nor Beka's rogue friends who have been known to kill. He has lived a very long time and learned that morality is mostly subjective.
Additionally, petting cats has been shown to lower blood pressure and domestic animals are known to be helpful in some forms of therapy.
Item: A charm on a dark purple collar, in the shape of the Goddess' triple moon.
Abilities/Powers:
As a constellation the Cat in mortal shape is immortal and able to heal himself quickly. His mortal body can be killed only by a killing blow, any hit strong enough to kill him in one go. He is able to perform all manners of magic, most of which are small practical things. He can clean things with magic, cut up meat for himself to eat, get out of basically anywhere, roar like a lion, teleport, disappear, turn himself invisible to anyone but those he wants to see him. These are for the most part telekinetic and illusory abilities. He does not display any more showy magic powers.
The easiest way to describe how the Cat communicates is to call him a telepath. It is stated that Gods are able to see into the minds of mortals, but choose not to for whatever reason. It is suggested that the Cat is able to read minds as well, though it appears that he must consciously choose to do so. Sometimes his cat noises correspond with human noises, such as laughter. Sometimes his cat noises inexplicably translate themselves in the hearer’s mind as human words. Sometimes he speaks directly mind to mind. In all of these cases he is able to choose who understands him and who does not.
Personality:
The creature sometimes known as Pounce, despite being a constellation (whatever that means) is truly and utterly a cat. He is lazy, preferring to let others do things for him that he could just as well do for himself. This makes it harder than it might be for humans to notice his abnormality – unless he has a specific need, he eats the food that humans give him and goes through doors when they’re open. It takes some time living with him to realize that closed doors, even locked doors mean nothing to him. This is not a symptom of selfishness. He acts for the benefit of others on many occasions, and even inconveniences himself to take care of what constellations stay in the sky when there’s a need. He is simply a lazy cat, whose instinct and personality tell him to conserve energy for when he truly needs it.
Like a cat, he is a master manipulator. He’s good at figuring out who he can butter up with affection and who will respond better to directness. This explains most of his seemingly secretive behavior. Most people will react poorly to a talking cat, so he doesn’t talk. Instead he acts like a normal stupid cat and begs scraps or demands affection in such a way that the average person will oblige. As Beka tells Farmer, he isn’t shy about letting people know what exactly he is. He prefers to use the information strategically in order to get what he wants.
Unlike other immortals, the Cat lives his life much like a mortal would. His primary role seems to be accompanying heroes on their adventures and lending them some help (but not too much, because that would be meddling). He does this because he loves to. He loves watching the changes that mortal life undergoes, meeting great heroes, making friends and living in the moment. He takes care of Beka as well as his other friends because he loves them. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have come into Beka’s life in time to comfort her after her mother’s death. He is a good friend, the kind who comforts his friends as best he can and takes good care of them when they need it. He can be very protective of those he considers under his care.
The Cat is very proud and dignified. He doesn’t like being kissed or carried around like a baby, and will even go to the trouble of finding homeless street kittens for Beka’s friends to play with instead of his noble self. Cats do not like to be wrong, and the Cat takes some care so that he never seems to make a mistake. He prefers to be angry rather than scared and coy rather than confused. He furthers this illusion by choosing not to speak up or to hint vaguely when he knows something that his companions don’t. Although he wouldn’t let it show, it bothers him how often he isn’t able to help his friends because it’s against the rules. There’s a surprising variety of things he can do to help while still behaving like a cat, but there is so much more he’s capable of that he can’t do.
He is rarely serious and often teasing. Although he will scold Beka or comfort her when things get serious, he seems to live mostly to tweak her nose. He likes to magic himself out of her rooms when she would prefer he stay home, and often makes her want to laugh when she really shouldn’t. In this sense he is someone mothering. He jokes about having raised Beka, but it is true that he has taught her many things. He protects her when she needs it, and fails to protect her when she might learn from it. He worries after her and acts as a chaperon, even a matchmaker at times. The Cat makes a very good friend, and a decent parent too.
Barge Reactions: The Cat adapts well to change. Unless it's gross and full of mud, then he would much prefer to wait someplace more pleasant. The exciting and ever-changing life of a Provost's Guard doesn't bother him in the least, and neither will the barge. He will treat strangeness in much the same way he treats normalcy - apparently smug and endlessly dignified. Floods may make some impact, rather like a spray bottle full of water. Any discomfort this causes him will largely be ignored and stored away alongside memories of that one time he walked into a glass door.
Path to Redemption: N/A
Deal: The Cat needs very little and knows enough of the future to know that the Mortal Realms will be alright. The one thing he does need is something to while away the hundred years until he's allowed to return there. For now he is satisfied to take the work as its own reward. This may change in the future, depending how the barge changes his perspective.
History: The Cat on the Tamora Pierce Wiki
Sample Journal Entry:
Test Drive Thread
Sample RP:
He could easily have been someone’s pet. On the barge even his purple eyes didn’t make him too strange to be believed. And even if they did, no one would notice them if they didn’t come close enough. If that happened he could simply change them to a more ordinary shade of green. He wasn’t interested in getting attention or starting conversation. He was interested in getting an idea of who was who and what was what. He felt he could do this best by curling up on a couch in the common room outside of the dining hall. Everyone went to the dining hall, after all. Everyone would have to pass by him if they chose to eat there.
He had noticed that wardens were permitted the means to make their own food in their cabins. Inmates, he assumed, were not. Inmates were also made to use communal bathrooms and showers. In short, they were forced to socialize, even in minor ways. This was good, he thought. Some people are so shy that you have to force them. Beka had been like that at first. He had trained it out of her for the most part, before he was made to leave.
But it was too sad to think of her starting her new life with Farmer without him, and of Achoo and her growing puppies. He had always known he would have to leave them eventually, but he missed them none the less. He would return in only a century, and accompany the Goddess’ next pick. Until then, this place would give him other work to do.
He wondered if the Black God of Death knew about this place.
Only the end of his tail flipped up and down, showing any clever observer that he was in a pleasant enough mood. He was curled into a ball, angled just so that he could see anyone who entered the common room. His eyes weren’t closed, but opened only a slit. He might appear to be sleeping to any passerby. That suited him well. If someone came along and petted him he would purr for them. It was very difficult to refuse being petted. Humans knew it too, though they were loathe to admit it. And they thought cats were proud. Humans were the proudest of any species Pounce knew. He hated it, even though he knew that pride so often caused the strife that made life interesting. So often it ended up hurting those under his care. Excessive pride could get even the greatest of heroes killed.
He sat, and he watched, and he wondered which of these poor souls he was going to be responsible for. He could tell from their expressions that some would take more work than others. Some had a look in their eyes like they had been here since the dawn of time, and intended to be here until its dusk. Those would take convincing. He thought, with a whisker twitch of a smile, that he would enjoy the challenge.
Special Notes: Who needs hands when you have hand-wavey magic?
Series: Tamora Pierce's Tortall
Age: Ageless
From When?: Post Mastiff, after the Great Gods banish him from the Mortal Realms
Inmate/Warden: Warden
The Cat has acted as chaperon to two of Tortall's greatest heroes in history. (I won't tell you why though, because that would be spoilers!) He came into Alanna's life later, when she was already well on her way to adulthood, but Beka he as good as raised from childhood. He has some experience overseeing the actions of mortals, especially the dramatic kind that are likely to end up on the barge. He parents with a firm hand, knowing that it isn't good to be too soft on people if you want them to learn. He is also very skilled at picking out learning opportunities and, shall we say, allowing them to happen. Growth and change are processes that he encourages.
It may help some inmates that he is not overly concerned with conventional morals. He doesn't approve of wanton murder and theft, but nor does he seem to have any problem with the petty thefts that often occur around him, the many deaths life as a lady knight entails, nor Beka's rogue friends who have been known to kill. He has lived a very long time and learned that morality is mostly subjective.
Additionally, petting cats has been shown to lower blood pressure and domestic animals are known to be helpful in some forms of therapy.
Item: A charm on a dark purple collar, in the shape of the Goddess' triple moon.
Abilities/Powers:
As a constellation the Cat in mortal shape is immortal and able to heal himself quickly. His mortal body can be killed only by a killing blow, any hit strong enough to kill him in one go. He is able to perform all manners of magic, most of which are small practical things. He can clean things with magic, cut up meat for himself to eat, get out of basically anywhere, roar like a lion, teleport, disappear, turn himself invisible to anyone but those he wants to see him. These are for the most part telekinetic and illusory abilities. He does not display any more showy magic powers.
The easiest way to describe how the Cat communicates is to call him a telepath. It is stated that Gods are able to see into the minds of mortals, but choose not to for whatever reason. It is suggested that the Cat is able to read minds as well, though it appears that he must consciously choose to do so. Sometimes his cat noises correspond with human noises, such as laughter. Sometimes his cat noises inexplicably translate themselves in the hearer’s mind as human words. Sometimes he speaks directly mind to mind. In all of these cases he is able to choose who understands him and who does not.
Personality:
The creature sometimes known as Pounce, despite being a constellation (whatever that means) is truly and utterly a cat. He is lazy, preferring to let others do things for him that he could just as well do for himself. This makes it harder than it might be for humans to notice his abnormality – unless he has a specific need, he eats the food that humans give him and goes through doors when they’re open. It takes some time living with him to realize that closed doors, even locked doors mean nothing to him. This is not a symptom of selfishness. He acts for the benefit of others on many occasions, and even inconveniences himself to take care of what constellations stay in the sky when there’s a need. He is simply a lazy cat, whose instinct and personality tell him to conserve energy for when he truly needs it.
Like a cat, he is a master manipulator. He’s good at figuring out who he can butter up with affection and who will respond better to directness. This explains most of his seemingly secretive behavior. Most people will react poorly to a talking cat, so he doesn’t talk. Instead he acts like a normal stupid cat and begs scraps or demands affection in such a way that the average person will oblige. As Beka tells Farmer, he isn’t shy about letting people know what exactly he is. He prefers to use the information strategically in order to get what he wants.
Unlike other immortals, the Cat lives his life much like a mortal would. His primary role seems to be accompanying heroes on their adventures and lending them some help (but not too much, because that would be meddling). He does this because he loves to. He loves watching the changes that mortal life undergoes, meeting great heroes, making friends and living in the moment. He takes care of Beka as well as his other friends because he loves them. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have come into Beka’s life in time to comfort her after her mother’s death. He is a good friend, the kind who comforts his friends as best he can and takes good care of them when they need it. He can be very protective of those he considers under his care.
The Cat is very proud and dignified. He doesn’t like being kissed or carried around like a baby, and will even go to the trouble of finding homeless street kittens for Beka’s friends to play with instead of his noble self. Cats do not like to be wrong, and the Cat takes some care so that he never seems to make a mistake. He prefers to be angry rather than scared and coy rather than confused. He furthers this illusion by choosing not to speak up or to hint vaguely when he knows something that his companions don’t. Although he wouldn’t let it show, it bothers him how often he isn’t able to help his friends because it’s against the rules. There’s a surprising variety of things he can do to help while still behaving like a cat, but there is so much more he’s capable of that he can’t do.
He is rarely serious and often teasing. Although he will scold Beka or comfort her when things get serious, he seems to live mostly to tweak her nose. He likes to magic himself out of her rooms when she would prefer he stay home, and often makes her want to laugh when she really shouldn’t. In this sense he is someone mothering. He jokes about having raised Beka, but it is true that he has taught her many things. He protects her when she needs it, and fails to protect her when she might learn from it. He worries after her and acts as a chaperon, even a matchmaker at times. The Cat makes a very good friend, and a decent parent too.
Barge Reactions: The Cat adapts well to change. Unless it's gross and full of mud, then he would much prefer to wait someplace more pleasant. The exciting and ever-changing life of a Provost's Guard doesn't bother him in the least, and neither will the barge. He will treat strangeness in much the same way he treats normalcy - apparently smug and endlessly dignified. Floods may make some impact, rather like a spray bottle full of water. Any discomfort this causes him will largely be ignored and stored away alongside memories of that one time he walked into a glass door.
Path to Redemption: N/A
Deal: The Cat needs very little and knows enough of the future to know that the Mortal Realms will be alright. The one thing he does need is something to while away the hundred years until he's allowed to return there. For now he is satisfied to take the work as its own reward. This may change in the future, depending how the barge changes his perspective.
History: The Cat on the Tamora Pierce Wiki
Sample Journal Entry:
Test Drive Thread
Sample RP:
He could easily have been someone’s pet. On the barge even his purple eyes didn’t make him too strange to be believed. And even if they did, no one would notice them if they didn’t come close enough. If that happened he could simply change them to a more ordinary shade of green. He wasn’t interested in getting attention or starting conversation. He was interested in getting an idea of who was who and what was what. He felt he could do this best by curling up on a couch in the common room outside of the dining hall. Everyone went to the dining hall, after all. Everyone would have to pass by him if they chose to eat there.
He had noticed that wardens were permitted the means to make their own food in their cabins. Inmates, he assumed, were not. Inmates were also made to use communal bathrooms and showers. In short, they were forced to socialize, even in minor ways. This was good, he thought. Some people are so shy that you have to force them. Beka had been like that at first. He had trained it out of her for the most part, before he was made to leave.
But it was too sad to think of her starting her new life with Farmer without him, and of Achoo and her growing puppies. He had always known he would have to leave them eventually, but he missed them none the less. He would return in only a century, and accompany the Goddess’ next pick. Until then, this place would give him other work to do.
He wondered if the Black God of Death knew about this place.
Only the end of his tail flipped up and down, showing any clever observer that he was in a pleasant enough mood. He was curled into a ball, angled just so that he could see anyone who entered the common room. His eyes weren’t closed, but opened only a slit. He might appear to be sleeping to any passerby. That suited him well. If someone came along and petted him he would purr for them. It was very difficult to refuse being petted. Humans knew it too, though they were loathe to admit it. And they thought cats were proud. Humans were the proudest of any species Pounce knew. He hated it, even though he knew that pride so often caused the strife that made life interesting. So often it ended up hurting those under his care. Excessive pride could get even the greatest of heroes killed.
He sat, and he watched, and he wondered which of these poor souls he was going to be responsible for. He could tell from their expressions that some would take more work than others. Some had a look in their eyes like they had been here since the dawn of time, and intended to be here until its dusk. Those would take convincing. He thought, with a whisker twitch of a smile, that he would enjoy the challenge.
Special Notes: Who needs hands when you have hand-wavey magic?
