Grumpi

{{

Core, who used to be known as Grumpi, is an outsider to The Hoard. He currently resides in Little Tokyo

Core is a hypersomniac ram hybrid that tends to get mixed into the isle's issues, being witness to it since the beginning. He promises the Hoard will pay for the injustice that the innocents people were shown and a warning that the Hoard should keep the promises they make.

He was set into a temporary Hardcore mode on March 18th, 2021 due to his empty Soul Piece being melted. He was set into permanent Hardcore on April 8th, 2021, after he burned his soul piece.

Appearance
Core's face resembles one of a certain historical figure. His face being roughed up with scars across his nose, jaw, and across his left eye, rendering him partially blind. He still holds small facial stubble on his chin.

Core brandishes fully grown ram horns with cuffs and studs, symbolizing relationships and battles of his lost/wins. With his hybrid status, he also can shift his legs into one of the rams. Adding to his human height of 5'10 and growing to be 6'4 when he shifts.

A key noticeable feature of the ram is the acid marks covering both of his hands and forearms. He noticeably has a missing ring finger on his left hand, bearing two rings on his right hand.

Grumps has two outfits:

Normally, wearing a jacket reminiscing of a historical figure adorned with patches of flags of Little Tokyo, The Shibuya, and unknown one looking close to the old L'manburg flag with alternative stitching. He wears a fur coat with hardcore hearts clasped onto it along with a black beanie. His acid marks are easily seen more with his now equipped fingerless gloves.

Around Hoard, he wears a gray turtleneck under underneath a black leather trenchcoat with three tails following it. He wears black pants with brown leather boots, equipped with red gloves and a fur coat crafted by him.

Main Personality
Core grown to be standoffish and a pessimistic mess.

With him growing confidence, Grumpi worries in his changes. Contradicting with that, he still stammers when out of place and even more wary when meeting with people. He keeps a stance with people, keeping them a poles distance to protect himself incase of eventual hurt, especially with his impulsive way of speaking before thinking.

With people he trust, hes outgoing and open-minded. Being free with the ones he calls friends, Core always speaks openly with them and isn't afraid to speak his mind. He tries to create a safe space for his trust circle.

Although with a personality shift, Grump still is a pushover to certain people. Looking for praise and validation, he offers services to make him feel like he is still worth something.

"Puppet" Personality
With Core's "wake up" call, he spiraled into a mindset of being controlled. Being forced to either follow orders or atone for disobeying was a driving force of the Dreamon's deal, conditioning this into his way of life. This personality, once triggered, leads Core into a sense of numbness. Tending to either start rambles of hysteria or panic attacks due to memories. In this state, Core can be easily manipulated into a way of thinking.

Even being founder of The Shibuya, he sees himself as a throwaway to his teammates. Connecting to his mental state in The Shibuya Arc.

Mental State (Shibuya Arc)
Sharing personalities with his After "Holder" one, Cores state is always rocking. Stated in-between journals, Core would be distraught or paranoid one moment and switch to complete hysteria the next. He soon came to terms that he seems to be the bad guy and always will be. Fueling it more and more, Core is heavily accepting of death. Writing in his entries that when he enters dreamscape that he heavily breaks down and even dreams that will die by "trusted" allies. He wishes for death or freedom to come faster.



Ideology
After the shattering of his soul piece and the amount of being a toy to people, Core reversed his motives.

He wants to show flaws in the system people are trying to raise. Although with these flaws and narratives being pushed onto him, he leans to wanting to be used for everyones own purpose. If he dies helping accomplish someone's goal then he has succeeded.

Pre-Hoard
Before Hoard, Core was apart of another land. Not much to go off except the name "Spade", he could assume the worse of the land he was once apart of is gone. His memory would be affected by this, going off about a samurai, an alchemist, an apple, a ghoul, a pirate, and a bee. They seem to be old bonds to Grumpi and he still tends to hold them to his heart. Not much more is known of this "Spade" land, but he hopes that soon he could remember his homeland.

Arrival
Grumpi was one of the first groups to awaken on The Hoard. He was there for the start of The Crafting Tree and the many buildings that were soon to follow. Going into his first coma, he woke up to the building of Connections, a growing housing business established by Mad. With that awakening, he was threatened by Mads to either join her growing business or give up his land the hard way. He hesitantly prolonged his answer, claiming an excuse, and going into yet another sleep. Although the fall of Connections happened in a weeks time, Grumpi seemed to be by Mads side after that. With reasons being unknown, he shows up to the meetings the town has and witnessed the events of establishing the protectors to Link's Murder.

Hypersomnia
Grumpi shows a tendency to go into a "coma". That being cause of his half-phantom status or because of an item, no one can call it. Grumpi's hypersomnia seems to also lead him to memories. When in a coma, it looks like he can enter others dreams or nightmares. Although he has never been in one of the Hoard members dreams yet, he seems to visit other lands outside The Hoard isles. Once waken up however, it becomes hazy and cannot remember faces. He mentions in an entry of his Dream Journal, "'Most dreams I tend to walk through have been ones of distress. Either a cry of help or the weight of the world has finally come down. I wake up in sweat and shaking from just the aura of the threat still roaming in the air. I hope whoever they were, they are safe now.' -Grumpi, Dream Journal Entry 3"Mentions of him visit a lilac field were also brought up, mentioning that "his sunce" is there waiting for him, but left his mind as soon as he brought it up.

Post-Link's Execution
Being one of the witness's of Link's Murder, Grumpi went into a spiral of denial. Declining the fact that Link is dead and he will soon come back. Despite that however, Grumpi seems to go into fits of hysteria, knowing that something has worse has happened. With the death, "The Holder" has jumped into the scene, asking Grumpi to deal with more tasks. One of them, getting people to give up their Soul Piece to be put into a vault made by The Holder. With the guilt, he does as his Holder wishes.

After 1.22's entry, Grumpi goes into a coma once more, the guilt of the tasks hes been giving weighing heavy on his heart leading him to the only dream he remembers fully when waking up. He recalls the Spadelands and a memory that was with him when he was there. The only difference was his appearance, with an addition of some ram horns on his head, he recollects how free he felt, how much safer he was in this dream then he has been in The Hoard. He starts to build a shrine for Ori, his "sunce" and guide in his dreams, in hopes to regain more of his lost memories.

Building of the "Ori" Shrine and Little Tokyo.
Stating in Entry 2.15 in "Not Read" and referring to it in Entry 8 of Grumpi's Dream Journal, Grumpi realizes that he is indeed on the wrong side of history. With the ever-growing threat of staying in the Hoardlands and the fear of his Holder, Core starts work on building his shrine for Ori, along with a little town for him and whoever is deemed trustworthy to stay. With each day of work, a new memory is uncovered. Most of them being either minor or inconvenient to past times, he works harder to build a haven of trust.

Along with the building, Grumpi seems to shift in personalities. Gaining a bit of confidence and becoming more free-spirited, he realizes that this is who he used to be.

"Holder" Confrontation
With his building of Little Tokyo, Grumps tried breaking hold of his "Holder". Distancing himself as well as prolonging tasks to make sure he can warn any of his "hits" to not accept. However with time, the Holder realized of Grumpi's plans of action and decided to check in with the man. They met in the marketplace to discuss, Holder stating to Grumpi that they don't need him anymore and willing to give his soul piece back. Grumpi immediately went into denial. Stating that there are still tasks to be done- an excuse so Grumpi could ties off for himself - The Holder reasons that he is done.

With a new voice, he yells at his Holder about the crap they have done to him. Making him do "Holder's" dirty work with collecting pieces and making him betray others trust and while dealing with the failure that he couldn't protect the newcomers on the server. Stating that their valuable they owned was his Soul Piece, his phantom membrane with a scar to prove that the Holder watched him take his own gut in return for resources. The Holder laughs maniacally and threatens that he can have the piece back, however, no soul will be attached to it. He insults the Holder, telling them that they can keep mocking him with their "empty threats" only for his boss to take up the offer and start a fight. With Grumpi beaten and bruised, the Holder states;"'Even with your piece back I will always see through you Core. Now, I think its time to wake up from your little coma.' -The Holder"Delivering a final blow to the hypersomniac and delivering him his first canon death.

Recollection
Core wakes up back in Little Tokyo, with the wind of the blow still lingering in his bones and a new scar on him, physically and mentally. Along with that scar, he realized the changes he went. The killing blow rid him of his phantom status, waking him from his half-dead state and bearing fully grown ram horns and a whole set of memories. He remembers everything from the Spadelands to the confrontation, everything he pushed away came back, and he promised himself that he will do all that he can to make sure his trusted circle is safe. He continues to build Little Tokyo and gather resources.

The Dreamon Meeting
Getting called with the rest of the Hoardlands, he assembles with the others at the spawn podium. Neb, leading the meeting, warns that a Dreamon is amongst them. With revealing that Mad's might be possessed with a Dreamon. Core reveals that he was the subordinate helping her after making a deal for his soul piece in exchange. Revealing that she is his "Holder". With that he also reveals the blood on the marketplace floor as his after trying to stand up for himself. Even with the town acknowledging his deeds and swore to protect him when needed, he still feels guilty over what he has done. As the meeting dismisses itself, Samson welcomes Grumpi to talk to him about his Dreamon encounter.

Going into the sewers with Samson, he came to the realization that Sam works along with him in Mad's control. Stating that Grumpi has betrayed Mad by snitching about her deeds to the rest of the Hoard, Sam leads him to the newly built courthouse. Monologuing about how once the Dreamon is takin care of, that he wants Mads and Core by his side to create a new system of order. Samson stating that they wont tell Mad that Core snitched and instead let Grumpi work for him as well. With Grumpi stating that he would rather get prosecuted and deal with the guilt then get controlled once more, Samson apologizes and throws a poison at Core.

Even with the "caring" reassurance of words, Samson throws a instant damage at the ram, giving him his second canon death.

Recollection Act II
His second death brought him back with more memories and acid marked hands, his ring melted onto his skin as a reminder of not only his promise, but a looming threat that he will always be controlled.

With the memories being one of bad times, he comes to term that he must break the chain and not let anyone control him anymore. He decides to be more free, avoiding his killers and bonding more with Nugget and getting closer contact with Shy. He feels at peace and realized maybe his little place away from Hoard is the thing he needed most.

After the Dreamon meeting however, many around Hoard put a target on his back. The townspeople not falling for his theatrics and label his “dealings with the devil” as one of betrayal. With that, Grumpi claims he’s guilty, taking whatever that will come his way as an act to atone.

The first one to take that was Poketto. As Shy, Nugget and him hung out near the Wibble Shrine, Poketto came to tell his acts of foolishness deserved to be returned in form of death. With that threat, a brawl started as Shy and Nugget tried to protect the ram against the robot, both of them getting slaughtered in his name in front of them.

Poketto delivered the final blow to Core, claiming it as retribution, as he take the rams third life

Call for Blood
Awakening in Little Tokyo, Core wakes to reveal more memories and a much bigger scar, taking away half his sight and leaving him partially blind. Even with the new disability, he rushes to Nugget and Shy to make sure they are in one piece. Only for them to already be there in Little Tokyo for him. They recollect and talk about the events that occurred. Grumpi apologized for dragging the two into this before ranting about the system Hoard tries so desperately to create. Core stating, "“I am guilty. I will take what I get. But as I get punished for speaking out against myself, others murder as they please and get away with it, especially when dragging two innocent people into the fray. Its time they see what a ram can do...its time for a call for blood.” -Core"To show the flawed system of the so called order in Hoard, Core builds a allegiance, dubbing it the Shibuya. Shibuya’s purpose playing as a way to expose the flaws in the system that the isle of Hoard tries to create. Letting murderers getting away as the helpless get punished. Stating to Nugget and Shy that once the time comes, he will call on them once more.

With his newfound family leaving, Tin calls Core for an “emergency” meeting. Alone. Core accepts this call and meets Tin at the spawn. Listening to Tins rambling, Tin tells that Mad is coming after Shy’s soul piece. Stating that if Grumpi does not give it to him, Mad will find the ram and make sure he stays dead for good. Not taking the chance, he declines. Getting called an idiot and selfish, he gets threatened that he will stay dead and still declines, fully not trusting Tin after what happened. He does tell Tin that he’s in contact with a goddess named Ori, and will help if needed. And leaves him in the night.

With the new found plan, Grumpi approaches Light at Icecaine, stating that he has questions on behalf of himself and not for Hoard. Being on guard, Light listens to the ram and lets him into his fortress to talk. Light lists all the problems about Hoard. Claiming that they are pushing a narrative onto the people to try and "redeem" people to save them so they can deem themselves "saviours". Core agrees. Stating that his own naivety blinded him as he was controlled. Also sharing that the Hoard plays "favourites" and let them get away with whatever they want. Both of them agree, if they want to see a bad guy, they will give them a "bad guy." Core extends an invitation of The Shibuya to Light. The shifter accepting and starting a new bond with the ram.

With Shibuya forming, the dreamon problem raised extremely. Overhearing from Tin that Shy was in contact and threatened by the Dreamon, Core formulated a plan to not only trick it but to hopefully gain Nugget's soul piece as well. In return came sacrifice. Core chopped off his left ring finger to get the matching matching ring to "fake" Shy's soul piece. On the day, he tried to bargain with the Dreamon, offering Shy's "piece" for Nugget's piece. The Dreamon looked through him and laughed, resulting in Core's soul piece to be thrown into the lava pits of the nether. Putting the ram into Hardcore status permanently.

Hardcore Symphony
Now set into Hardcore and having the dreamon on the top of his hit list, Core revaluates his existence. Spiraling in the dreamscape and coming to terms that no matter how hard he tries to atone, he will always be seen as the bad guy one way or another, cementing it more to his mental state. He starts grinding to fend for his own and for his family. With the grind, he comes face to face with Phoenix, one of the Hoard citizens that witnessed the meeting. Phoenix chatted with him, saying apologies that they didn't believe him and stating they will now give the ram protection, stating he doesn't deserve the fate that's gonna happen to him. Core laughs before rambling about how the lands brought him nothing good and served as a reminder of what's to come. Phoenix denies his accusations before gifting him a totem after learning of his hardcore status. Core takes it as a sign of pity, putting it in his ender chest, claiming that he will "let it collect cobwebs till the end of his time." He later finds out that Phoenix was responsible for the wither attack that led the attack on his blood's bastion, hurting the view of the nether-born more.

Tensions grew as the threat of the Dreamon grew stronger and Core noticing his family hurting more and more. With Nugget stuck in Haven, the ram decides to stay with his brother on the turf of the dreamon. However, that proved to be useless as Nugget tosses Core out of his land and breaking the portal, cutting the connection between the two. This conflict created a lasting effect on Core, assuming that not only is the Dreamon growing stronger, but came to the conclusion that Nugget and Shy were dead. Fueling his spiral more and his disdain for the people of the Hoardlands.

Personal Items
Corehunter - A netherite axe that he upgraded himself, breaking its ties with his "Holder". Grumpi's main weapon of choice.

Ori's Judgement - An enchanted diamond axe blessed by the goddess Ori. Meant to take care of the Dreamon.

Nichirin Blade - A netherite sword Grumpi achieved himself. With unknown enchantments, he uses it to protect Ori's Shrine.

Mental Baggage - A netherite pickaxe that he upgraded with help, breaking its ties with his "Holder".

A Thief’s Treasure - A diamond silk touch pickaxe used for Grumpis enderchest.

Core's Horns - A netherite chestplace that he upgraded himself, breaking its ties with his "Holder".

Core's Haori - A netherite chestplace that he upgraded himself, breaking its ties with his "Holder".

Core's Techwear - A pair of netherite pants that he upgraded himself, breaking its ties with his "Holder"

Core's Yeezies - A pair of netherite shoes that he upgraded himself, breaking its ties with his "Holder"

Coma Inducer - A crossbow Grumpi made himself

Dream Journal - A book Grumpi keeps on hand with him at all times. Recounts the dreams he has been through as well as whatever he can remember from his own past.

Not Read - A journal Grumpi keeps hidden that keeps all of his thoughts from his time on the server. He doesn't even let his closest read it. Was signed on Entry 3.1, the morning before Grumpi's "Death".

Hardcore Symphony - A journal Core documents his way of life with being in hardcore and the side effects of losing a soul piece.

Pets
Titan - Grumpi's first pet on the Hoardlands. A dog with a red collar that watches over his house.

Callisto (deceased) - A skeleton horse that Grumpi keeps around. Callisto was killed by Mads in an accidental shooting.

Tofu and Atlas (deceased) - Tofu and Atlas were Grumpi's tropical fish to be guardians of the Moon Pool. However, Tofu was killed by a transfer accident and Atlas was slain by The Hoards infamous pet killer.

Quotes
"You all say that makes sense in this land, but NOTHING makes fucking sense! Everyone keeps contradicting each other and themselves! LOOK WHAT JUST FUCKIN HAPPENED!" -Grumpi, Link's Execuction aftermath.

"You have my soul piece...isn't that enough for you? I'm in this position no matter where I stand." -Grumpi, to "The Holder"

"All you are is all bark and no bite! You leave your threats empty and that just makes you weak!" -Grumpi, to his Holder in his confrontation.

"I'd rather bury myself with this guilt than be controlled anymore." -Grumpi, to Sam.

“Kill me once shame on you, kill me twice shame on me, but fuck with me a third time and drag my blood and lover with it- then there’s gonna be a price to pay.” -Grumpi towards Shy and Nugget after the Poketto Massacre

"You wanted a villain, I'll give you a villain!" -Core, The Dreamon Aftermath meeting.

Trivia

 * Grumpi's soul piece seems to come from his own gut, a phantom membrane.
 * Grumpi's favourite figures from the Twitch Tapes (and his history books) are Wilbur, Sapnap, and Dream.
 * Grumpi seems to speak another language. The word "Sunce" being a prime example of it.
 * Grumpi tends to be nervous to sleep around others. Afraid of going into a coma or getting nightmares, he tends to rush home immediately when feeling any sort of drowsy.
 * Grumpi is afraid of loud noises, thunder and fireworks set him into a fit of panic and zones out.
 * Grumpi is afraid to step on and near the marketplace. He will only step foot near if hes with a trusted ally.