Beware the Jabberwock, my son
Koli is somewhere between 1900-2200 years old (he doesn't remember the exact number anymore) but appears to be in his mid-twenties. He would pass for human if it wasn't for the almost over-exaggerated length of his body and limbs. Koli is about 6'8'' but with no apparent muscle to make his frame look proportional; everything about him is thin and wiry. His skin is almost white, with dark, bruise-like marks under his bright, red, eyes, and his hair is coal-black to the point of not reflecting any light. A very faint scar circles his throat and though it is clearly the oldest and faintest of all the scars he carries, it is also clearly the one that bothers him the most; Koli has a habit of touching the scar periodically, as if checking that it's still there--perhaps in the hopes that one day it will be gone. Even while in his human shape, Koli's mouth is full of razor sharp fangs, his fingernails are ivory claws and his tongue remains as black as his hair. All of Koli's wardrobe is black, and ranges in style from suits to simple trousers and shirts.
In his secondary form, Koli is a mainly amorphous creature seemingly constructed out of pure shadows. All that can be seen of his true form are his claws, teeth, and flaming red eyes. Lately he seems to have taken a liking to the form of various mythological creatures, his favorites being hydras, griffons, manticores, and chimaeras. He can change his form at will by rearranging the shadows that make up his body, but he can never coalesce into anything more defined than a rough outline. Despite appearing to be something along the lines of a black cloud, Koli is still a solid creature and is more than capable of taking and inflicting damage. The jaws that bite, the claws that catch.
Beware the Jubjub bird and shun
Koli prides himself on being as quiet and unobtrusive as the shadows he is so fond of; he walks slowly and silently, relying on his long strides to allow him to keep up with everyone else. He's always present at the meetings Hatter calls, whether the others are aware of it or not, but he rarely speaks unless directly spoken to first. When he does speak, he almost never raises his voice above a whisper, except in the most extreme circumstances. What Koli considers a normal volume is a shout to most others, and his shouting can be plausibly compared to an eldritch scream that has caused more than one person to go deaf. He hisses a little when he speaks, though whether this is a by-product of his whispers or not is uncertain. Koli also takes immense satisfaction in knowing he is a very honest individual--most of the time. He will truthfully answer any question he is asked, but the phrasing of the question has to be very specific or you may not get the whole answer. Koli is not the kind of person to read between the lines and will not elaborate on his words unless directly asked to do so.
He is proud of his strength and his intelligence, sometimes to a fault. He's quick to retaliate if his skills are called into question and often regards dismissive statements as challenges--though whether or not he rises to those challenges is a different story. Half the time, Koli will be the bigger person and ignore those who have doubts about him. The rest of the time he acts like he has something to prove, although nobody is quite sure what that is--not even Koli himself. He can be extremely defiant and stubborn, occasionally going so far as to intentionally sabotage a project just to spite whomever he's angry with; luckily this side of him only shows when he feels as if he's too restricted and losing his freedom, which doesn't happen often, for who would want to get on a Jabberwocky's bad side?
The frumious Bandersnatch
One two one two and through and through
In his secondary form--and only in his secondary form--Koli has the ability to breathe a jet of purple flames that can reduce bone to ash in seconds. Also, when raised even beyond a shout (such as a scream or a roar), Koli's voice can be fatal to those who aren't properly protected. Beyond that, he relies on his claws and fangs to fight.
Strengths:
Spades Knowledge -- Having served in the Spade Empire's military for centuries, Koli has a very detailed knowledge of the army's inner workings, strengths, and weak points. He knows which parts of the borders are patrolled less often and when the guard changes over. He also knows the best way to get in and out of the palace quickly and without being seen. However, he is very reluctant to divulge this knowledge as he is still somewhat loyal to the Spade Empire and doesn't want to betray his home.
Persistent -- Koli's blunt and direct nature has made him relentless when it comes to pursuing the answer to a question. He doesn't know when to let the matter drop. While this can prove useful for gathering information, it's quite an obstacle socially as his blatant refusal to leave well enough alone often alienates him from others. It should be noted that giving Koli some kind of answer, even if it's not true, is the best way to get him off your back.
Need for Speed -- Though he certainly possesses enough brute strength to give almost anyone a run for their money, Koli relies more on speed and exploiting his opponents' weaknesses to win fights. He has trained himself to move faster than most eyes can follow, allowing him to slip past someone's guard and deliver a killing blow before they've even noticed his presence.
Weaknesses:
Dense -- In spite of his tremendous age, Koli is about as socially adept as a small child. He is completely clueless when it comes to subtext and frequently needs messages and instructions spelled out for him.
Monster -- Regardless of the shape he chooses to assume, Koli is a monster and can be considered highly dangerous in any given situation. When threatened, he abandons his rational mind in favour of his primal instincts, and should not be approached under any circumstances until the perceived threat is gone. Centuries past have given him better control over himself, but that control remains shaky at best.
Whatever It Takes -- Survival is Koli's biggest concern and he is not above fighting unfairly and/or recklessly to ensure his continued existence.
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack
He left it dead and with its head
Koli's origins were lost in the sands of time ages ago, even he can't quite remember where he came from. He tells people that he's from "somewhere very far away" though he knows he's a native Wonderlander as he still has scattered memories of familiar Wonderland locations. His early childhood was spent as the Queen of Hearts' beloved pet Jabberwocky. The persona of "Koli" had not yet appeared, so the young Jabberwocky had no sense of self-control, and thus spent much of his time as a pet chained to the castle wall. The iron collar that held him there was never adjusted to accommodate the youngster's exponential growth; the metal dug into his flesh whenever he moved, leaving deep cuts all around his throat. The Jabberwocky learned that if he stayed completely still, it didn't hurt as much and he was given the chance to heal. However, that peace never lasted for long, there was always something going on that required him to move and begin the cycle all over again. It wasn't until he was about four centuries old that he began to really think, and so brought forth the personality and appearance of "Koli" as a ploy to trick the Queen into releasing him. What the Jabberwocky didn't foresee, however, was that Koli would become the dominant personality, overshadowing his own animalistic nature and maintaining a semblance of humanity. From that time on, his place in the Heartland's court was elevated from pet to ward, and the Queen took it upon herself to raise and educate the boy. Koli proved to quite intelligent for his age; after the Queen taught him how to walk and speak, he needed no further assistance--he even chose his name himself. He also learned how to balance his conflicting natures: the pacifist human and the bloodthirsty monster, although there are many who still question how stable this balance really is.
The Queen of Hearts doted on her "Jabberbabywocky" and saw to it that Koli wanted for nothing. Yet, it wasn't enough. Koli didn't care about the material things he was surrounded by, he wanted to find out where he came from. No one seemed to know when or where the Jabberwocky had first appeared, even the Queen, who figured so largely in his earliest memories, couldn't tell him where he came from or who his birth parents were. The Queen had a very adamant stance against Koli's investigations into his origins, and it only took a few months before he understood that she was afraid he would leave. To her, he was still her pet, and still her property; expressed intelligence and a more human appearance hadn't changed that, in her eyes, he was still an animal. All that changed was she had finally "tamed" him after all those years of failure. He made up his mind then: it didn't matter if he had nowhere to go, he was at least getting out of there. Two nights later, with nothing but the clothes on his back, he left. He felt guilty, he hadn't told anyone of his plan for fear that they would force him to stay, one way or another, but he told himself it was his only option. Koli didn't want to make a fuss or cause a scene, he wanted his departure to be quiet.
The following centuries were spent wandering the four kingdoms and the Intertwining Paths with no one to answer to but himself. He liked his life; he was finally free to do as he pleased. He learned how to hunt and fish and how to mingle with other Wonderlanders. He got much stronger during this time, and though he wasn't challenged often, word of the Jabberwocky began to spread--eventually resulting in a poem about Koli, the Bandersnatch, and the Jubjub Bird that was recited in all four kingdoms. Though it spoke of his death by a sword called the Vorpal Blade, Koli found the poem amusing. He had met the Bandersnatch already, and the Jubjub Bird was another of the Queen's prized pets. Anya had been a logical choice to include in the tale, Koli knew that from experience, but himself? He couldn't deny that he'd hurt people (he'd even eaten one or two before), yet he was certain his tale paled in comparison to other denizens of Wonderland. And including the Jubjub Bird? That had to be for a lark. There was no way, in Koli's mind, that poofy-feathered peabrain was anything close to threatening.
At about eight centuries old now, Koli felt it was about time he settled down somewhere. The nomadic life was beginning to bore him, and he longed to have somewhere to put down roots again. He found that the Spades kingdom, with its already very diverse population, was more willing to accept him in both his forms, so it was there he chose to make his home. About forty years later, he decided to join the emperor's military. Koli had grown very attached to his home, and wanted to defend it should any threats come.
So when the war broke out Koli originally fought for the Spades kingdom, but it didn't take him very long to see that there could be no winner, only more senseless violence and death. He couldn't avoid having to defend his home's borders from invading forces, but he tried his best not to take any more lives and he refused to be the attacker, whether on his own or as part of a raiding party. Eventually, he caught wind of a resistance movement known only as TOP HAT who were trying to end the war and restore peace to Wonderland. Koli had thought about trying to leave the military for some time, and though he knew doing so would make him a deserter and a fugitive, the rumours about TOP HAT and the hope for peace they brought was enough to push him over the edge. Not one week after he first heard the rumours, Koli faked his own death, fled the Spades kingdom, and wandered the Intertwining Paths until he ran into none other than the Mad Hatter himself.
He went galumphing back
Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe
Likes
Dancing: Koli finds the simple rhythm of dancing incredibly relaxing, however the only styles he knows are classical and they all involve partners--so he doesn't get to dance very often.
Small animals: Since some animals are too small to provide a decent meal, why not just enjoy their company instead? He likes rodents best.
Dislikes
Nightmares: They don't happen often, but when they do they're fairly horrific.
Collars: In general, Koli hates anything tight around his neck. He avoids wearing scarves and ties if he can, and wears them very loosely when he must. Being forced to wear a collar might make him go ballistic.
Extra
- Koli doesn't care if people use his name or simply refer to him as "Jabberwocky", though he does prefer "Wock" over "Jabberwocky".
- Sometimes, when he's relaxed enough, Koli will purr. It sounds a lot like growling, however, so it's often mistaken for a sign of aggression. His purring grows louder depending on if someone's scratching his head or his tummy.
- Koli is almost exclusively a carnivore. He can eat fruits and vegetables in small amounts with no repercussions, but too many will induce vomiting. He does this on purpose sometimes if he's sick and throwing up is the only way to feel better.
- He cannot have chocolate as the cocoa makes him ill and if ingested in exceedingly large quantities, could be fatal. White chocolate on the other hand, is perfectly safe.
- His blood is black, like ink, so it can be hard to tell if he spilled ink on himself or if there's a wound and he's slowly bleeding out.
- Every day around lunchtime, Koli leaves TOP HAT's headquarters to go hunting. This is as much to feed himself as it is to keep his skills sharp.
Themes:
All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome rath's outgrabe
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