Tonka

## **Appearance**

There are no gentle words to describe Tonka. He is gross. He is a short, bald, lumpy, and sinister looking. Skin the color of rust, diminutive horns, pointed teeth, and disproportionately long hands further repulse any who see him. He has many scars, including burn damage that mottles an already patchy complexion. His eyes, though an unsettling icy blue reminiscent of his Falias home, are his most inviting feature.

In stark contrast to his natural ugliness, Tonka drapes himself in the finest clothes he can find. Silk and fur on top of designer labels, the Imp is a firm supporter of conspicuous spending. The net worth of his wardrobe would support an African village for years. The finery, it should be noted, does nothing to distract from his visage.

## **Background**

### **Fae**

Tonka Tailsplitter was lucky to be born into a house that emphasizes wits, treachery, and skill because he would never have made it as a diplomat. As it was he earned something of a reputation as a sneak and a thief, skills that served him well as a Falias spy.

### **Mortal**

Harold Grisby was born and raised in Flagstaff, AZ. He caused no end of trouble there until Kennedy's assassination, after which he went to fight in Vietnam to get away from some trouble that was catching up to him. After the was he effectively abandoned his hometown and family, traveling the country and perfecting his criminal skill.

### **Fatebound**

Since Tonka bound he has put all of his skill and experience into making his life better. As a human he was poor and looked down on, as a fae he was just another cog in the military machine. Fatebinding was an easy decision. Earth has so many more opportunities for an ambitious bastard of an imp. On July 10th, 2015 he became Majordomo following the death of Judas. He was killed by his own court on September 11th, 2015, deemed incompetent as Majordomo.

## **Connections**

* **Jeremy Croots:** Tonka's ever-faithful butler. The Imp is not an easy man to work for, and anyone but a Cinder would probably have left by now. He is discrete and keeps both the surface home and the palatial sidhe fit to entertain a king. More Woodhouse than Alfred, he isn't good for much beyond cooking and cleaning and answering the door. At least he knows better than to poke his nose in Tonka's business.
* **Tom Harris:** A mortal who lives next door. As far as the old man knows Tonka is a grumpy, reclusive Vietnam vet named Harry with severe burn scars. He's mostly right. He plays bridge with Jeremy on Tuesdays.
* **Mai Tran:** A pixie fatebound who lives next door to the other side. She has a big heart and sensitive soul, traits Tonka finds easy and entertaining to abuse. When they aren't fighting they occasionally go clubbing together. Short-statured faerie folk have to stick together.
* **Carl:** Tonka's broker. They have a strictly professional relationship, and everything is above board. Tonka isn't going down like Capone, he pays his taxes.
* **"Skinny" Balboni:** Tonka's bookie. They have a strictly professional relationship. Not everything is above board.
* **Maxim:** Maxim owns a Russian dumpling truck in Little Moscow. They're the best dumplings in the city in the Imp's opinion. The man is very large and very Russian. He might be part bear.
* **Vanessa Leroux:** Tonka's favorite tailor. She has plenty of practice altering garments and rarely comments on how fine clothes are wasted on him.
* **Pat Schwartz:** A thin and unpleasant lawyer Tonka keeps on retainer. Excellent rates and a decent lawyer.
* **The Stump:** A legendary criminal syndicate Tonka has barely entered the ranks of.

## **Opinions**

### **People**

* **Queen Saya:** A woman to be feared and respected. Usually fair, always blunt, rarely liked. In the back of his mind, Tonka plots how to take her place.
* **Judas (Deceased):** Tonka was legitimate sad to hear of her death. She was capable, likable, and put faith in the imp when so few would. He respects her memory all the more for not dragging him down with her; he can't say he'd have done the same for her.
* **Alastar:** After the Irishman put a bullet in Judas, Tonka was certain he was next. Imagine his surprise when Alastar was the first to support Tonka's appointment to Majordomo. Alastar is thorough and trustworthy, dutiful, and was a great drinking buddy until he quit the bottle. The Imp hopes to keep him on good terms. A little quick to shoot but otherwise a worthy successor to Chiaru as Blackguard.
* **Resh:** Tonka used to respect the Nephilim sorcerer. Scholarly, classy, fatherly. The ancient's pride needled the Imp, the way he spoke down to Tonka-the-Herald ruffled his feathers, but it wasn't until the Imp was made Majordomo that the Black Ash truly bothered him. Keeping his plan for Ekur-Zakir secret from himself and the queen was a major strike against the arrogant prince. Continuing to look down on Tonka-the-Majordomo was another. Being intimately involved with Lady Pearl is just so much bad luck but hurting Little Isla... that's not easily forgiven. The "birth" of Isabelle has forced the Imp to back off and stop pushing the Nephilim's buttons. He hopes it's not too late to save his skin.
* **Chiaru (Deceased):** Tonka didn't often speak with the old Blackguard, but he bore her no ill will. She was good at her job, brought the best out of everyone, and genuinely cared about the people around her. The domain is worse off without her.
* **Tex:** If there's anyone the Majordomo trusts with a technological problem it's this kid. Tech whiz, healer, scientist, all-around genius and good in a fight. An incredible boon to the court when his head is in the right place. Tonka hopes he follows Ahzee's path as Hearthtender.
* **Faust:** So far so good. Cool under pressure, sensible, and has the decency to openly respect Tonka's ability. He'll go far if Valour doesn't drag him down.
* **Swayne:** Tonka shot at him but he didn't really mean it. Swayne has the makings of a useful guy to have around and the Imp enjoys his upbeat personality.
* **Blake:** Tonka knows little about this one other than that she birthed a mooncalf and seems to be in the back pocket of Alastar.
* **Ace:** The most promising of the bunch. Ambitious, clever, sneaky, and with a secret. Tonka has made a note to learn more about Riza Mordant and her shadowy past. In the meantime Ace, with her companion Bard, should earn her place as a respected member of the court.
* **Gadriel:** A craftsman, beyond that Tonka doesn't know anything about the cyclops.
* **Stella:** Tonka has a soft spot for Cait Siths. Stella seems unassuming enough with her cat cafe but Tonka will nevertheless keep an eye on her.
* **King Torian:** Tonka has never really spoken to the lion-headed King of the Seelie Court and he'd honestly rather keep it that way.
* **Tally (Left):** The old Seneschal. Tonka dealt with her rarely as she was often busy but he saw her occasionally around Old Cove and Quiver.
* **Monte:** Paladin of the Seelie Court. A bit of a goofball. Tonka doesn't peg him as the sort to live a long life.
* **Adara (Left):** The Satyr was Herald at the same time Tonka was but they worked surprisingly little together. She comes across as aloof at times and she tends to run hot. Generally seems to care deeply about the people around her, making her all the more sensitive to their actions.
* **Luka:** Tonka doesn't much care for the Kitsune popstar. He doesn't like her familiarity with the monarchs, he doesn't like her speaking above her station, and he doesn't like her tacit approval of Resh. He really doesn't like her appointment to Seneschal. He does, however, share a mutual appreciation for mischief and so the two occasionally share a laugh.
* **Tempest:** She was too young for the duties of Paladin, too inexperienced. Far too young to have been involved with the egotistical Shazak. She seems to be doing better without the stress of an official position.
* **Pearl:** The most beautiful woman in the domain and its most precious treasure. Tonka has shared some misadventures with her and has become somewhat fixated on her. He first took an interest when she started spending time with Resh. He was trying to bother the Nephilim and she was a convenient button to press. In time he began to see her as the greater prize. She became an obsession when he entangled his heart with hers, entwining himself into Izanami's mark. A marriage ritual that removed the cursed black rose from their hearts also created an island and switched their souls into the wrong bodies. The few weeks Tonka was running around in Pearl's skin probably got him into more trouble than anything else in his life. Their souls were set right and their island given new form in a strange otherworldly experience. With a fae baby to look after together Tonka can't afford to continue to risk Resh's wrath and has rather painfully vowed to relinquish his impish hold on her heart.
* **Isabelle:** Formerly an island called Little Isla in the bay of KGC, she was given new form as a pure fae child in the strange ritual that righted Tonka and Pearl's mismatched souls. She is beautiful and thus looks nothing like her father, save for a pair of impish horns. Full of potential and hopefully destined for great things.
* **Zephyr:** The Raijou doesn't take much seriously, so naturally Tonka gets along pretty well with him. They're frequently on the same page about how problems should be handled. He just doesn't see what the *very* young in comparison boy sees in Luka.
* **Kaendor:** A big dumb guard dog, as far as Tonka is concerned. Happy when all is well or when he has a juicy steak, but quick to bite your throat out if you cross him. Tonka loves poking guard dogs.
* **Bob:** Doesn't do much to live up to her noble heritage. Despite her extreme difficulties socializing, a fairly capable individual.
* **Donald:** One half of the dwarf duo. Always genial, usually smiling, ever up for a drink. A good guy to have around, so long as you don't need to be quiet.
* **Simon:** The other half of the dwarf duo. Snarkier than Donald, at times he seems barely a Seelie. Quick with his tongue and fond of a good ribbing.
* **Dean:** A sword of few words.
* **Balthazar:** Happy-go-lucky, fairly devious, and possibly contains treasure.
* **Ban:** Way more fun than the other Nephilim. Words cannot even describe.
* **Valour:** Quick and harsh with her words, but willing to put others before herself.
* **Ahzee:** Tonka was generally fond of the old woman, and respected her as one of the few that could make his life difficult. It will be impossible to replace the wisdom and utility she brought to the domain.
* **Bree:** Drifts through life and seems happy for it. Tonka is content to let her keep on keeping on.
* **Lilybell:** Initially he was put off by her constant sunniness but either she mellowed out or he lightened up. An odd duck but good to have around.

### **Courts**

* **Seelie:**
* **Unseelie:**

### **Principles**

**Seelie**

* **Honor**: Honor is useful, in that those who hold it dearly are most inclined to assume it in others. Tonka has little honor and even less loyalty. That's not to say that being truthful or keeping your word are bad, but being beholden to others at the expense of yourself is foolish.
* **Love**: Much like honor, putting anyone before oneself is perilous at best. Attachment is dangerous. Sometimes the risk is worth the reward.
* **Beauty**: The finer things in life are wonderful, but nobody as hideous as Tonka can afford to put too much stock in beauty.

**Unseelie**

* **Power**: Few things are as fulfilling as improving your station. Financial success, learning a language, mastering a skill; whatever the means and whatever the goal, every day should leave you better off than the day before. Plant the seeds of success, take whatever you can, aim for the moon, revel in victory and accomplishment. Be better than you hoped. Be better than other people. Inspire envy, respect, awe, fear.
* **Passion**: If you can't put your heart into something, don't do it. Complacence is the enemy. Being passionate about what you do is the only way to succeed. Emotion is trickier. It is important to feel, it is important to express, but it is more important not to show too much. Laugh too loud, get too angry, or show regret at the wrong moment and you've shown your cards. Learn to turn it your advantage or get good at hiding it, but don't deaden your heart.
* **Change**: Keep things fresh to keep you on your toes. You don't have to do anything wacky like re-paper your living room every month or intentionally mismatch your socks but don't fall into predictability. Never settle; you can always be doing better.
* **Deceit**: Knowledge is power, so the simplest way to defeat someone is to know something they don't, or something they don't want you to know. In practice this means to lie, insinuate, and conceal to keep any potential enemies from getting one up one you. Let slip the full truth only when necessary or entertaining.

## **Metadata**

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