Ikselam/Tybalt
Tybalt, Prince of Cats
Who is Tybalt? More than Prince of Cats! The dashing Cat-God of Nexus can be found virtually anywhere one looks (and numerous places one doesn't), from the rankest alley to the poshest villa, from society balls to tavern brawls.
Tybalt sometimes appears as a sleek orange tabby, but he's equally comfortable in his human form, that of a slim, almost effeminate man with green cat's eyes. He adores disguise and dressing up, and is always on the cutting edge of fashion. He is especially fond of fine leather boots and plumed hats, and is never far from his magic rapier.
Unlike his straightforward canine counterpart, [[[Ikselam/Tybalt/BigDog]] | Big Dog]], Tybalt is maddeningly mysterious and roundabout. All cats in Nexus report to him, but they are organized in a mind-bending maze of interlocking bureaus and agencies, none of which seem to ever have any direct contact with the Prince of Cats. Tybalt himself plays his cards so close to his chest that even he isn't sure what he does or doesn't know -- but always manages to come off as smug and inscrutable nonetheless.
Tybalt regularly interacts with human society, frequently disguising himself as a mortal and mingling with the nobility. He finds courtly manners and intrigue endlessly entertaining, and often stirs up scandal just to make things more fun. He is also well-known, under his true name, as a swashbuckling thief who stages daring heists and break-ins. The authorities always arrive just in time to see him making his brilliant escape, and he usually leaves behind a monogrammed velvet glove just in case they fail to recognize him.
Something of a lothario, Tybalt always has his sights set on some lovely woman or another. He romances everyone from dowager widows to tavern maids, but is especially fond of pursuing foreigners who are visiting the city, since they have the tendency to leave Nexus at just about the time he begins tiring of them. Although never long-term, his relationships tend to be thrilling and melodramatic for everyone involved; Tybalt is never satisfied to simply seduce, but instead feels compelled to orchestrate elaborate, action-filled scenarios which end with the damsel swooning into his arms.
When intrigue, skulduggery, and romance fail to hold his interest, Tybalt turns to his other time-honored hobby: tormenting Big Dog and his canine henchmen. Assuming feline form, he leads the dogs on a merry chase through the city, always one step ahead of being caught. Despite this, when danger threatens Nexus, Tybalt and Big Dog are the first to put aside their differences and oppose the threat.
Tybalt abides by a code of conduct as labyrinthine and mysterious as the Society of Cats he heads. It is commonly known that if one sets a bowl of cream by the door and recites "Puss, puss, come to my door; I have a saucer of cream for you," he will quickly appear. On certain days of the year, he never tells anything but lies; on others, he only speaks the truth. Tybalt is also known to leave baby kittens in the beds of red-haired, green-eyed girls; if the girls take good care of the kittens, they receive his special blessing.
- back toIkselam/Tybalt/LittleGods.
