Tam, that was seriously impressive, I just have to say.
Oh my gosh Wib! Have you ever seen the movie Bug? Asdgiohdafogh go see it now. You'll be itchy for a week, but it reminds me of what you just wrote, so you might enjoy it.
Goennec Pen #: 8
Name: Willoughby
Goes by Willy, or Will
Why do you want this goennec?:
Toad.
I think that pretty much sums it up.
But really, he is so pretty. I definitely approve of the choice to base this one off of a Great Plains Toad. Those things are epic! I used to have one named Willy, who lived in the garage. I ended up keeping him indoors because he was less likely to get squished, and the little critter was so adorable. This guy reminds me of Willy, and I just can't help wanting to try for him.
But besides that, when I saw him he gave me an idea. I love images that spark inspiration, and this seems to be one of those moments when I see something and a story comes to mind. One of my favorite things about adopting these Goennecs is that I can turn it into a sort of ongoing story, each character not only serves to be an individual, but to further the other characters by essentially adding pieces to the larger puzzle of their lives.
I'd be lying if I said that isn't an entertaining challenge.
How would you use this character?:
Oh, well, I'll be honest. I'd pretty much use him the same way I use any of my other characters. I could probably copy and paste what I've written on one of my other forms, but there are always seem to be different ways of expressing my intentions. So heck, I'm going to run with that!
He would certainly be up for RP on the site, and one-on-ones. I feel like at some point I'd like to write short stories about my personal herd, so he would be involved in those, and I'd share them at the club. Quite possible a subject for doodles as well. I'd like to start posting more of those around, especially since I just finished my giant project of the year, I'll have a bit more free time than I have in the last 5 months or so.
Define your Goennec:
Gender~ Male
Height~ 2'6
Age~ 10
Tier~Soldier/Prince (for personal herd purposes)
Characteristics
Mild~ Will is just kind of your normal, average guy. He's not overbearing, or particularly under-spoken most of the time. If he has something to say, he'll say it, but his statements are usually brief and to the point. He's never one to talk for hours on end, nor does he try to be clever. He just is what he is.
Temperamental~ Usually mild, even Will is liable to snap if he's pushed far enough. It's pretty unusual, but when he gets angry he can be pretty darn intimidating. Willoughby would never hurt anyone, but he'll sure get scary, and has a nice deep voice that he uses to express displeasure quite clearly.
Individual~ Willoughby likes doing his own thing. He likes his freedom, and his privacy even among herd life. Of course, he enjoys the members of his herd, but he just needs space. One of the things that ticks him off is being pestered. He doesn't particularly want close friends to bother him all the time, but rather more casual companions.
Burly~ There's no debating it. Will is exceptionally masculine. He's a bit bulky, tall, has a deep voice, and a scraggly beard. Like a lumberjack, and you bet he knows it.
Hearty~ Will easily adapts to different situations and even habitats and herds. He can take the heat of the desert or the cold of the mountains without complaining, but he prefers warmer climates since that's where he was born.
Brave~ Sometimes Willoughby will fight, if he thinks it's worth his time. When he does, it's very difficult to get him to back down, and he won't usually lose without first giving an opponent a piece of his mind. However, to his credit, he's not stupid. Will would never challenge a predator by himself, and unless he's got decent backup he'll probably just run away. Like a real man.
Loyal~ For the most part Willoughby's loyalty is subjective. If he thinks he is somehow in debt to another, he tends to be loyal to them in ways they might not recognize. He doesn't like a lot of attention, so if he's going to do something noble he probably won't be loud and proud about it.
Directionally Challenged~ Despite loving his freedom and individuality, Will has a terrible sense of direction. He's prone to getting lost and if nobody was nearby he would probably just wonder around until he died. It's unfortunate for him, because it means he generally has to have others around him all the time to avoid the risk. Being a herd animal this is usually appealing, but there will always be those occasions when he just wishes he had more independence.
Slow~ Physically, Willy just isn't very fast. He's a fine runner and all, but in a fight he tends to just throw his bulky self around, and is practically incapable of making fast attacks. Because of this, he has a difficult time defending himself, but since he is so heavy he's hard to knock over or unbalance in the first place.
Stoic~ That's kind of a generalization. Willoughby doesn't use a lot of facial expressions and doesn't really experience a lot of strong emotional feelings. It's very difficult to make him upset of any length of time. Usually if he gets angry, it's in a short burst and he'll quickly appear to forget about the whole thing and go back to his usual routine. Being moody, love-struck, or overly cheerful just isn't his style.
Ambitious~ Perhaps not consciously. Willoughby has no private wish to rule over a gigantic herd as an evil overlord or anything like that. He just knows how to get what he wants. He has good intuition, and knows how to make the right friends. So if he ever really wanted to be Prime, he could probably figure out a way (preferably without killing anyone).
Likes and Dislikes
Toads. Stuff.
He's so subjective that Willoughby will frequently change what he does or doesn't like based on the circumstance or where he happens to be located. Therefore, if one were to ask him directly what he does and doesn't like, just in general, he wouldn't be able to answer.
History;
A Brief and Somewhat Vague Summary.
"My mother is dead."
Things happen. Sometimes bad things, but that's life. Willoughby's mother belonged to a decent sized herd, and she in a small but comfortable harem with one other doe. But they were inhabitants of the desert, and that was no easy life. It didn't matter that she was a strong doe, for one bad scratch from a retaliating rabbit was all it took. There were no 'healing herbs', and without more than a tongue to properly clean her wounds that festered in the summer's heat, they quickly became infected. She died within a few days. It wasn't really all that uncommon, but still quite upsetting to any young kid.
Willoughby sat quietly by his mother's body after she had died, waiting patiently for her to wake up and feed him like she usually did. Of course it was a worthless pursuit, but he was so young that death was not something that his mind understood. Her physical body was still there, so surely she must be also. But his determination was in vain. Eventually his father came forward, and pushed him away from the body. He protested at first, but the other female in his father's harem was willing to take care of him along with her own son, his half-brother. So he forgot the face of his maternal mother, and the way she used to curl around him and warm his tiny body at night when it was cold. Instead he had two new faces to be his companions, if only for a while.
His entire youth was spent with that several-weeks-older half-brother. They were thought of as twins, and Willy was at first considered to be the 'younger twin' as it were. He was younger, but not so small for long. Will was a fast grower, he soon grew and grew to be the taller, bulkier, and more blunt of the two.
His sibling was a fancy talker, always making a fool of himself as if he believed he were invincible, and that nobody could possibly dislike him. He just didn't seem interested in looking smart, as long as he sounded smart enough for the ladies. Will was more interested in respect. He was, perhaps, the brighter of the two. He had street smarts, and a bullish appearance to boot. Willy didn't need to beat up the other kids, he could give them a funny look and they'd leave him alone if that was his wish. So nobody bothered him, and in this way Willoughby grew to be the more dominant of the two; as far as their little herd out in the desert was concerned.
But eventually there was bound to be conflict. As often as the brothers spent time together, they did not entirely get along. Their personalities easily clashed. Willougby liked honor, and he was so soldier-like in behavior that he saw little need for words (why talk when you can kick?). His brother was very clean and social, to the point of being flirtatious even in daily situations.
Willougby didn't mind his brother, but he hated being followed all the time and having to listen to his sibling jabbering on about this and that. He didn't care who the prettiest does were, how to best keep his fur shining, what was so special about words, words, words. Like flies attacking his mind, Willoughby didn't want to live his life through words. Words were for the man-things, not for animals who could rely mostly on brute strength. And yet, it took a very long time before he said anything.
Their entire childhood he gave the impression that he didn't mind listening non-stop, because in some odd way he cared about his brother, and how his brother thought of him. Perhaps only because he seemed so adoring, Will couldn't bring himself to change that. For a number of years, it just wasn't worth it.
That was, until the day came. The day when Willoughby actually needed his brother. But his brother was a coward, and ran away without so much as a second glance. In any other situation Will might have found it funny, but that day it was unforgivable.
And so the next time Willougby saw his brother, he told him to leave. To leave him alone, for they could not be brothers anymore. Will got his wish, and so his brother left, to join a herd that was traveling through the area. Willy meant every word that he said, but he still would not abandon the sibling he grew up with. In a way, he owed his life to that brother and the doe who had fed him.
When his brother left, so did Willoughby. He followed at a distance, neither speaking or attempting to hide himself. His brother surely knew, but made no sign that he was aware of Will's existence. Their bond was broken. But even so, they still managed to look after each other in little ways. Because he knew that Will would probably get lost and die alone out in the desert without a guide, his brother made sure to walk slow enough to stay within sight. Similarly, when they approached the herd Willoughby managed to pick up the pace enough to get there first. He convinced the blue ram to let them stay.
And they did. They were both happy there, though they rarely spoke anymore and few even recognized that they were related. Willoughby only told the blue ram, Threonine, why they had come. That was the payment he gave for letting them stay. That, and his friendship. The two got along quite well, and Will eventually found himself in the herds "Prince" position. It wasn't anything he had ever aspired to, nor did it surprise him too terribly.
There was only one thing in his new life that bothered Willoughby. His replacement. After they had assimilated into the herd, his brother volunteered to keep constant watch over a somewhat unruly young ram. Someone he could follow and talk to constantly, who could never make him go away.
Will never interfered. He had resolved only to watch from a distance, as the poor youngster his brother tied himself to was slowly dragged into his unusual situation. Part of him missed the bond he had once shared with his brother. It was odd to see himself replaced by another who was so different from himself, and perhaps somewhat amusing. He was sure neither would admit it, but they needed each other's company.
In the end, he decided, Virgil was better off with Norman anyway.
Oh my gosh Wib! Have you ever seen the movie Bug? Asdgiohdafogh go see it now. You'll be itchy for a week, but it reminds me of what you just wrote, so you might enjoy it.
Goennec Pen #: 8
Name: Willoughby
Goes by Willy, or Will
Why do you want this goennec?:
Toad.
I think that pretty much sums it up.
But really, he is so pretty. I definitely approve of the choice to base this one off of a Great Plains Toad. Those things are epic! I used to have one named Willy, who lived in the garage. I ended up keeping him indoors because he was less likely to get squished, and the little critter was so adorable. This guy reminds me of Willy, and I just can't help wanting to try for him.
But besides that, when I saw him he gave me an idea. I love images that spark inspiration, and this seems to be one of those moments when I see something and a story comes to mind. One of my favorite things about adopting these Goennecs is that I can turn it into a sort of ongoing story, each character not only serves to be an individual, but to further the other characters by essentially adding pieces to the larger puzzle of their lives.
I'd be lying if I said that isn't an entertaining challenge.
How would you use this character?:
Oh, well, I'll be honest. I'd pretty much use him the same way I use any of my other characters. I could probably copy and paste what I've written on one of my other forms, but there are always seem to be different ways of expressing my intentions. So heck, I'm going to run with that!
He would certainly be up for RP on the site, and one-on-ones. I feel like at some point I'd like to write short stories about my personal herd, so he would be involved in those, and I'd share them at the club. Quite possible a subject for doodles as well. I'd like to start posting more of those around, especially since I just finished my giant project of the year, I'll have a bit more free time than I have in the last 5 months or so.
Define your Goennec:
Gender~ Male
Height~ 2'6
Age~ 10
Tier~Soldier/Prince (for personal herd purposes)
Characteristics
Mild~ Will is just kind of your normal, average guy. He's not overbearing, or particularly under-spoken most of the time. If he has something to say, he'll say it, but his statements are usually brief and to the point. He's never one to talk for hours on end, nor does he try to be clever. He just is what he is.
Temperamental~ Usually mild, even Will is liable to snap if he's pushed far enough. It's pretty unusual, but when he gets angry he can be pretty darn intimidating. Willoughby would never hurt anyone, but he'll sure get scary, and has a nice deep voice that he uses to express displeasure quite clearly.
Individual~ Willoughby likes doing his own thing. He likes his freedom, and his privacy even among herd life. Of course, he enjoys the members of his herd, but he just needs space. One of the things that ticks him off is being pestered. He doesn't particularly want close friends to bother him all the time, but rather more casual companions.
Burly~ There's no debating it. Will is exceptionally masculine. He's a bit bulky, tall, has a deep voice, and a scraggly beard. Like a lumberjack, and you bet he knows it.
Hearty~ Will easily adapts to different situations and even habitats and herds. He can take the heat of the desert or the cold of the mountains without complaining, but he prefers warmer climates since that's where he was born.
Brave~ Sometimes Willoughby will fight, if he thinks it's worth his time. When he does, it's very difficult to get him to back down, and he won't usually lose without first giving an opponent a piece of his mind. However, to his credit, he's not stupid. Will would never challenge a predator by himself, and unless he's got decent backup he'll probably just run away. Like a real man.
Loyal~ For the most part Willoughby's loyalty is subjective. If he thinks he is somehow in debt to another, he tends to be loyal to them in ways they might not recognize. He doesn't like a lot of attention, so if he's going to do something noble he probably won't be loud and proud about it.
Directionally Challenged~ Despite loving his freedom and individuality, Will has a terrible sense of direction. He's prone to getting lost and if nobody was nearby he would probably just wonder around until he died. It's unfortunate for him, because it means he generally has to have others around him all the time to avoid the risk. Being a herd animal this is usually appealing, but there will always be those occasions when he just wishes he had more independence.
Slow~ Physically, Willy just isn't very fast. He's a fine runner and all, but in a fight he tends to just throw his bulky self around, and is practically incapable of making fast attacks. Because of this, he has a difficult time defending himself, but since he is so heavy he's hard to knock over or unbalance in the first place.
Stoic~ That's kind of a generalization. Willoughby doesn't use a lot of facial expressions and doesn't really experience a lot of strong emotional feelings. It's very difficult to make him upset of any length of time. Usually if he gets angry, it's in a short burst and he'll quickly appear to forget about the whole thing and go back to his usual routine. Being moody, love-struck, or overly cheerful just isn't his style.
Ambitious~ Perhaps not consciously. Willoughby has no private wish to rule over a gigantic herd as an evil overlord or anything like that. He just knows how to get what he wants. He has good intuition, and knows how to make the right friends. So if he ever really wanted to be Prime, he could probably figure out a way (preferably without killing anyone).
Likes and Dislikes
Toads. Stuff.
He's so subjective that Willoughby will frequently change what he does or doesn't like based on the circumstance or where he happens to be located. Therefore, if one were to ask him directly what he does and doesn't like, just in general, he wouldn't be able to answer.
History;
A Brief and Somewhat Vague Summary.
"My mother is dead."
Things happen. Sometimes bad things, but that's life. Willoughby's mother belonged to a decent sized herd, and she in a small but comfortable harem with one other doe. But they were inhabitants of the desert, and that was no easy life. It didn't matter that she was a strong doe, for one bad scratch from a retaliating rabbit was all it took. There were no 'healing herbs', and without more than a tongue to properly clean her wounds that festered in the summer's heat, they quickly became infected. She died within a few days. It wasn't really all that uncommon, but still quite upsetting to any young kid.
Willoughby sat quietly by his mother's body after she had died, waiting patiently for her to wake up and feed him like she usually did. Of course it was a worthless pursuit, but he was so young that death was not something that his mind understood. Her physical body was still there, so surely she must be also. But his determination was in vain. Eventually his father came forward, and pushed him away from the body. He protested at first, but the other female in his father's harem was willing to take care of him along with her own son, his half-brother. So he forgot the face of his maternal mother, and the way she used to curl around him and warm his tiny body at night when it was cold. Instead he had two new faces to be his companions, if only for a while.
His entire youth was spent with that several-weeks-older half-brother. They were thought of as twins, and Willy was at first considered to be the 'younger twin' as it were. He was younger, but not so small for long. Will was a fast grower, he soon grew and grew to be the taller, bulkier, and more blunt of the two.
His sibling was a fancy talker, always making a fool of himself as if he believed he were invincible, and that nobody could possibly dislike him. He just didn't seem interested in looking smart, as long as he sounded smart enough for the ladies. Will was more interested in respect. He was, perhaps, the brighter of the two. He had street smarts, and a bullish appearance to boot. Willy didn't need to beat up the other kids, he could give them a funny look and they'd leave him alone if that was his wish. So nobody bothered him, and in this way Willoughby grew to be the more dominant of the two; as far as their little herd out in the desert was concerned.
But eventually there was bound to be conflict. As often as the brothers spent time together, they did not entirely get along. Their personalities easily clashed. Willougby liked honor, and he was so soldier-like in behavior that he saw little need for words (why talk when you can kick?). His brother was very clean and social, to the point of being flirtatious even in daily situations.
Willougby didn't mind his brother, but he hated being followed all the time and having to listen to his sibling jabbering on about this and that. He didn't care who the prettiest does were, how to best keep his fur shining, what was so special about words, words, words. Like flies attacking his mind, Willoughby didn't want to live his life through words. Words were for the man-things, not for animals who could rely mostly on brute strength. And yet, it took a very long time before he said anything.
Their entire childhood he gave the impression that he didn't mind listening non-stop, because in some odd way he cared about his brother, and how his brother thought of him. Perhaps only because he seemed so adoring, Will couldn't bring himself to change that. For a number of years, it just wasn't worth it.
That was, until the day came. The day when Willoughby actually needed his brother. But his brother was a coward, and ran away without so much as a second glance. In any other situation Will might have found it funny, but that day it was unforgivable.
And so the next time Willougby saw his brother, he told him to leave. To leave him alone, for they could not be brothers anymore. Will got his wish, and so his brother left, to join a herd that was traveling through the area. Willy meant every word that he said, but he still would not abandon the sibling he grew up with. In a way, he owed his life to that brother and the doe who had fed him.
When his brother left, so did Willoughby. He followed at a distance, neither speaking or attempting to hide himself. His brother surely knew, but made no sign that he was aware of Will's existence. Their bond was broken. But even so, they still managed to look after each other in little ways. Because he knew that Will would probably get lost and die alone out in the desert without a guide, his brother made sure to walk slow enough to stay within sight. Similarly, when they approached the herd Willoughby managed to pick up the pace enough to get there first. He convinced the blue ram to let them stay.
And they did. They were both happy there, though they rarely spoke anymore and few even recognized that they were related. Willoughby only told the blue ram, Threonine, why they had come. That was the payment he gave for letting them stay. That, and his friendship. The two got along quite well, and Will eventually found himself in the herds "Prince" position. It wasn't anything he had ever aspired to, nor did it surprise him too terribly.
There was only one thing in his new life that bothered Willoughby. His replacement. After they had assimilated into the herd, his brother volunteered to keep constant watch over a somewhat unruly young ram. Someone he could follow and talk to constantly, who could never make him go away.
Will never interfered. He had resolved only to watch from a distance, as the poor youngster his brother tied himself to was slowly dragged into his unusual situation. Part of him missed the bond he had once shared with his brother. It was odd to see himself replaced by another who was so different from himself, and perhaps somewhat amusing. He was sure neither would admit it, but they needed each other's company.
In the end, he decided, Virgil was better off with Norman anyway.
