Predicted stats:
Highest: health 20Lowest: perception 5-6
This compassionate not-cat wants nothing more than to uplift the downtrodden and to help the helpless. To Gourd, the happiness of those around xem is sacred, and xe feels a strong sense of purpose helping others overcome hardships so they can return to their peaceful lives. The not-cats who know xem personally describe xem as both very warm-hearted and very funny - the kind of someone where, after a long day of nothing going your way, xe's the one you want to play tile games with until you feel better.
Xe is a skilled survivalist. Xe spends a lot of xyr free time reading guides to improving your wildlife survival skills, as well as going on practice expeditions into the woods. Someday, xe wants to become a part of a rescue team and go on dangerous quests to help not-cats in need!
Gourd has a familiar in the form of a Beacon of Hope. Xe has sworn to fight to preserve the hopes of all the not-cats across Not-Earth, and in return, the Beacon has gifted Gourd a magical crown made from its own shed antlers. Whenever Gourd needs help from the Beacon, xe activates the crown with xyr mind, and a great rainbow light shoots out of the antler tips and high up into the sky! The spirit then comes running at supernatural speed to come to Gourd's aid. Apparently, the crown can do all kinds of other nifty magic stuff, too. It's also a very bold fashion statement. Gourd tries to remain humble about it, but it's hard not to grow at least a tiny bit of ego over being chosen to wear such a special ha- uhh to carry out such an important task, that is!!
Since just before reaching adolescence, Gourd has been experiencing mental health problems, which come and go. Hearing voices, seeing things that aren't there, occasional delusions ... Though they're not usually unpleasant experiences, they can be distracting and annoying, and xyr senses playing tricks on xem makes going into the woods by xemself more dangerous than it already is. Gourd worries that if xe wants to fulfill xyr dreams, as well as xyr promise to the Beacon of Hope, xe will need to find a reliable team of like-minded not-cats, who won't mind having to help with being xyr extra eyes and ears. This requires a lot of trust, however, and Gourd fears xe would become more of a burden than a help.
Once before, Gourd experienced a threat that wasn't there while all by xyr lonesome and ended up summoning the Beacon for help over nothing. Gourd felt terribly guilty when xe realized, but the Beacon only wrapped its great feathery wings around xem and held xem until the hallucinations went away ... Maybe Gourd isn't as alone with xyr problems as xe feels.
Background:
Gourd was born in Little Respite and grew up alongside xyr littermates, Cantaloupe and Peach, and xyr not-littermate, Moldspore. When xe was little, Gourd suffered from chronic boredom, utterly understimulated in the sleepy little village in which xe was born. Every day, xe would daydream about the day xe would be old enough to leave the village and go see the world. In the meantime, xe would try to make interesting things happen on xyr own, most often by harassing xyr littermates into helping xem with an interesting plan or scheme, or leading the little group on secret outings into the wilderness. Peach seemed to quite enjoy all the fun goings-on, but Cantaloupe would cry the entire time about wanting to go home and play quiet indoor games instead. Gourd also got into many slap-fights with Moldspore, who was scared of everything up to and including aer own shadow, and tended to react to aer bad nerves with lots of cursing and violence.
The four kittens were a rowdy bunch, and at times, their parents worried all the in-fighting would leave permanent scars on the children's friendships with one another.
However, when they started school, Gourd's temperament began to change. Once bold and loud and pushy, xe slowly but surely grew more quiet and fearful. Gone were the days when xe would seek out xyr littermates and bother them until they agreed to entertain xem. Now Cantaloupe, Peach and Moldspore were the ones trying to help Gourd remember to play and have fun.
It soon turned out that Gourd was developing a psychotic disorder. However, with extensive help from xyr parents, xyr teacher and the village doctor, Gourd was able to prepare for the more difficult symptoms, and when the hallucinations and delusions began to become a part of xyr everyday life, xe was able to handle them without getting too upset.
Still xe couldn't help but feel terribly sad. Xe remembered being small and carefree, xe remembered doing so many fun things, wanting so many fun things. Xyr world felt so much smaller now. Xe feared xe would never live xyr dreams of exploring the world outside the village.
However, in late childhood, xe had a wonderful encounter that would change xyr life forever!
Around the time when the not-cats of Nestor's Wood were helping Nestor create a portal to allow Guardian Melody to pass over from Earth to Not-Earth, the efforts of the not-cats attracted many beasts and spirits, who were drawn to their hopes, dreams, wishes and devotion. While helping xyr village collect comets to give to Nestor, Gourd encountered one such spirit at the edge of the village - a Beacon of Hope, who saw all of the crushed hopes in Gourd's little heart and knew it had to help xem!
The Beacon gifted Gourd a feather, and as if by magic, Gourd knew it would come back to xem when the time was right, and things would get better. With a spark in xyr heart that hadn't been there for a long while, Gourd resolved to hold out hope a little longer. Just knowing things wouldn't be like this forever helped xem gain back some of the happiness xe had lost.
When xe was on the cusp of adolescence, the Beacon of Hope returned to Gourd and gifted xem a magical crown! When Gourd wore the crown, it created a psychic link between xem and the Beacon, and the Beacon revealed to xem that it saw something very special in Gourd's heart, and it would like to help xem become strong enough to achieve xyr goals, if Gourd agreed to act as a bringer of hope across Nestor's Wood in return.
Gourd had grown much since the days when all xe wanted was to go exploring for the fun of it, and xe took on the task with a fire burning in xyr heart. The Beacon was very happy and very proud.
Throughout xyr adolescence, under the Beacon's guidance, Gourd underwent rigorous training of both the body and the mind, learning how to protect and care for xemself so that xe would be able to protect and care for others in turn. The experience gave xem such a sense of purpose and clarity, xe never again doubted xemself.
Gourd was born in Little Respite and grew up alongside xyr littermates, Cantaloupe and Peach, and xyr not-littermate, Moldspore. When xe was little, Gourd suffered from chronic boredom, utterly understimulated in the sleepy little village in which xe was born. Every day, xe would daydream about the day xe would be old enough to leave the village and go see the world. In the meantime, xe would try to make interesting things happen on xyr own, most often by harassing xyr littermates into helping xem with an interesting plan or scheme, or leading the little group on secret outings into the wilderness. Peach seemed to quite enjoy all the fun goings-on, but Cantaloupe would cry the entire time about wanting to go home and play quiet indoor games instead. Gourd also got into many slap-fights with Moldspore, who was scared of everything up to and including aer own shadow, and tended to react to aer bad nerves with lots of cursing and violence.
The four kittens were a rowdy bunch, and at times, their parents worried all the in-fighting would leave permanent scars on the children's friendships with one another.
However, when they started school, Gourd's temperament began to change. Once bold and loud and pushy, xe slowly but surely grew more quiet and fearful. Gone were the days when xe would seek out xyr littermates and bother them until they agreed to entertain xem. Now Cantaloupe, Peach and Moldspore were the ones trying to help Gourd remember to play and have fun.
It soon turned out that Gourd was developing a psychotic disorder. However, with extensive help from xyr parents, xyr teacher and the village doctor, Gourd was able to prepare for the more difficult symptoms, and when the hallucinations and delusions began to become a part of xyr everyday life, xe was able to handle them without getting too upset.
Still xe couldn't help but feel terribly sad. Xe remembered being small and carefree, xe remembered doing so many fun things, wanting so many fun things. Xyr world felt so much smaller now. Xe feared xe would never live xyr dreams of exploring the world outside the village.
However, in late childhood, xe had a wonderful encounter that would change xyr life forever!
Around the time when the not-cats of Nestor's Wood were helping Nestor create a portal to allow Guardian Melody to pass over from Earth to Not-Earth, the efforts of the not-cats attracted many beasts and spirits, who were drawn to their hopes, dreams, wishes and devotion. While helping xyr village collect comets to give to Nestor, Gourd encountered one such spirit at the edge of the village - a Beacon of Hope, who saw all of the crushed hopes in Gourd's little heart and knew it had to help xem!
The Beacon gifted Gourd a feather, and as if by magic, Gourd knew it would come back to xem when the time was right, and things would get better. With a spark in xyr heart that hadn't been there for a long while, Gourd resolved to hold out hope a little longer. Just knowing things wouldn't be like this forever helped xem gain back some of the happiness xe had lost.
When xe was on the cusp of adolescence, the Beacon of Hope returned to Gourd and gifted xem a magical crown! When Gourd wore the crown, it created a psychic link between xem and the Beacon, and the Beacon revealed to xem that it saw something very special in Gourd's heart, and it would like to help xem become strong enough to achieve xyr goals, if Gourd agreed to act as a bringer of hope across Nestor's Wood in return.
Gourd had grown much since the days when all xe wanted was to go exploring for the fun of it, and xe took on the task with a fire burning in xyr heart. The Beacon was very happy and very proud.
Throughout xyr adolescence, under the Beacon's guidance, Gourd underwent rigorous training of both the body and the mind, learning how to protect and care for xemself so that xe would be able to protect and care for others in turn. The experience gave xem such a sense of purpose and clarity, xe never again doubted xemself.
Social circle:
- Beacon of Hope: Gourd's mentor and familiar. Though they are unable to speak with one another, they can communicate information and emotions to each other through a psychic link. The Beacon helps Gourd out with everything from training to battle, to traversing dangerous places to managing xyr mental health problems. In turn, Gourd acts as a disciple of the Beacon, spreading hope across all of Not-Earth. Although Gourd tries to think of the relationship as purely professional out of respect for the noble spirit, it's clear for most to see that the two of them have become dear friends.
- Cantaloupe: Gourd's littermate. The two were very close growing up, to the point where neither thought to make any other friends, outside of their other littermates. Sadly, their lives are fundamentally incompatible, as Cantaloupe is only really happy among the comforts of home, while Gourd is following xyr grand destiny out in the wilds of Nestor's Wood. Whenever they do see each other, they rarely leave one another's side until it's time for Gourd to leave again.
- Peach: Another littermate. When they were little, Gourd and Peach used to get into all kinds of shenanigans together, but now that Gourd wants to be more responsible, Peach is of the opinion that xe's grown old and boring. Gourd is quick to tease Peach in return, with xyr go-to being a deep, dramatic sigh, followed by asserting that surely Peach will understand when it grows up ... Any day now! This is guaranteed to get under Peach's skin - 5-pounds-nothing that it is - and the two inevitably end up roughhousing as a result.
- Moldspore: A not-littermate.
- Sandgrain and Melon: Gourd's parents. The two of them are immensely proud of Gourd for xyr kind heart and devotion to helping others - although Sandgrain specifically is also a little jealous that xe gets to live the life of a hero that it never could. At the same time, it also fears for xyr safety, worrying xyr mental health problems will endanger xem more than the average not-cat. Sandgrain often assures Gourd that there's nothing wrong with helping others in safer, more low-stakes ways, and it's kind of hard to tell if it's doing so for Gourd's sake or for its own. Melon opts to help xem by simply being a stable, supportive presence in xyr life; Gourd always knows that if xe needs help with anything, or just needs to be cared for a bit, xe can always come to Melon. Melon often reminds Sandgrain that Gourd is going to do what xe wants to do with or without their blessing, so the best thing they can do to protect their child is to simply be the kinds of parents xe knows xe can always come to with xyr problems. Deep down, Sandgrain does agree with them. It's just easier said than done sometimes ...
- Truffle and Eclipse: Moldspore's parents, who were like an extra pair of piblings to Gourd growing up. Truffle finds the whole magical contract thing Gourd has with the Beacon of Hope incredibly interesting and exciting, and she always wants to hear all the details about their various outings. Eclipse has served as something of a mentor figure to Gourd over the years, always happy to teach on what she knows about surviving out in the wilderness. She often comes along with Gourd on xyr trial expeditions to watch xyr progress, give feedback, and watch xyr six.
Notes:
- Part of the village's second batch of beans.
- Had very low perception growing up, which served as inspiration for xyr disability.
- Nearly the same size as one littermate at birth (Cantaloupe), but 3 times the size of the other (Peach).
- Briefly overtook Cantaloupe as the biggest in their litter during young kittenhood, but fell behind during kittenhood.
- Gained Moldspore as a not-littermate at birth.
- Made no friends growing up, usually sharing scenarios with family members instead.
- [C][NS][SS][OBFD3][YYTS][YN5C][BC][BL]
Plans:
- Make xem a permanent traveler.
