Corkindale

* Human
* Chimera

## First Appears In

Season One: Pilot

**Corkindale** appears as a disreputable old man who's indifferent to his frequent nudity, with a scraggly beard and yellow eyes that appear to be glowing. He has the singular ability to separate into a pack of rats, also with yellow eyes, making him a Swarm chimera, the second level of ability among chimera. He can also, at need, transform into a single giant rat, doing just that during the Toad's attack during the Battle of the Bands.

## Biography

Corkindale came to Walker's Point looking specifically for the human that Ralabast had reincarnated in — Joe Gomez to be precise. He came with the intention of controlling the way Ralabast returned to world. At first Corkindale tells Joe that only Joe could prevent the return of the scourge that was Ralabast, and he is merciless in his pursuit of that goal. When it became apparent that this won't work, he becomes Joe's teacher, in as much as he can, and teaches him what being a chimera means.

Corkindale is introduced when he first arrives in the urban portion of Walker's Point. He traveled through the sewers in his rat swarm form and coalesced into his human form down below. He then came up through a manhole, removing the manhole cover — *from beneath* — with his bare hands, and climbed out, naked, into a darkened back alley. He was immediately set upon by a pair of muggers, and he got to demonstrate the power of the swarm when he made even their bodies vanish without a trace. A lot of rats with a lot of sharp little teeth.

Corkindale originated in Eastern Europe and considers that to be his normal territory. He is reputed to be over a hundred years old, though he's never confirmed his actual age, however one of the creators "accidentally" disclosed that "Corkindale has centuries of experience." Corkindale does make a comment during combat when he tells Yaslatol he should ask Europe about the Black Death. His connection with the Black Death is confirmed when Corkindale explains to Sienna how he came to be two people born of one soul.

### The split

* Kagan reveals during a heated discussion with Corkindale that the split did in fact occur 600 years ago, and N'Daigoshii had existed as a single individual a long time before that.
* Corkindale makes a very brief reference to the 'split' while talking to Phoebe.
* During an encounter with Jaeger, the White Wolf recognizes that he is *not* N'Daigoshii, but is the other, and he calls Corkindale the heretic.
* While battling with Corkindale, the devourer Ellie insists he's nowhere near as strong as N'Daigoshii. He admits to maybe but states he's better than her.
* During a conversation with Sienna, Corkindale fills her in on why there are two of him, the other being N'Daigoshii. He explains that the singular self was directly involved in spreading the plague during the Black Death, but he became so conflicted over the mission to destroy mankind he literally tore himself in two. Corkindale came to be on that day 650 years ago.

### N'Daigoshii

Main: N'Daigoshii
He has a unique type of evil twin brother as a result of a soul shearing: N'Daigoshii. Kagan makes reference to this when she calls him an 'echo' and a 'lie he tells himself'.

The most notable differences between Corkindale and his soul twin N'Daigoshii is that the former has yellow eyes while the latter has red eyes and a mustache. Corkindale does not have a mustache.

### Human form

Corkindale is a grizzled old man in his human form, slightly balding, with an emaciated physique. Due to his preferred method of long-distance traveling, he appears naked quite a bit. He has no way to carry clothing any great distance in his chimera form, although, if he's not traveling far several of the swarm will split off and fetch it or just bring it along. He also doesn't have the skill to form clothing from plants, as Joe and Kagan do. He has been around for a long unspecified time, and he has lived many different lives as a human.

### Chimera form

Corkindale is a Swarm chimera, the second level of chimera ability, and his animal form is a rat; in his case it's a mischief of rats. He can, by choice, take the form a single giant rat, although he has expressed reluctance at assuming that form. The rats appear to be of the brown rat species *(Rattus norvegicus)*, which is a highly adaptable species wherever it goes.

He doesn't have a separate identity when he assumes his chimera form but is still "Corkindale", even as a rat. Speaking to any one rat is speaking to them all, and when they speak as individuals, they speak from a single mind. He has admitted that he at times finds matters difficult when he returns to a single body.

When Corkindale sustains an injury, he's able to choose where and how to manifest the damage, usually as a deep cut somewhere nonessential. Should the rats take a beating, like they did during the Battle of the Bands fight, Corkindale's body will show bruising when he reforms. In the event of a loss of a large portion of his rats, he will be missing one or more limbs to compensate for the missing body mass.

## Trivia

* Corkindale is never introduced. Instead, Joe subconsciously recalls his name and calls  out for him when he 'feels' like Corkindale is near. It could have been that he felt the presence of another chimera just before encountering Yaslatol riding Evans' flesh.
* Corkindale's name was derived from Simon MacCorkindale, the lead actor from 1983’s short-lived television series *Manimal*.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Slow Sin
2. ↑ Throne
3. ↑ Slaves **John Amor** Dec 30, 2018 *in a reply to* **Comics\_Raizen** Dec 29, 2018
4. ↑ End of Season One Q&A **Justin\_Jordan** *in a reply to* **General Q&A**
5. ↑ The Messenger
6. ↑ The Old and the Young
7. ↑ Sea Legs
8. ↑ Blood in, Blood Out
9. ↑ Imaginary Enemy
10. ↑ No Tourists **Justin\_Jordan** Mar 9, 2019 *in a reply to* **joesse** Mar 9, 2019
11. ↑ Welcome to the Fold
12. ↑ No Tourists **John Amor** Mar 9, 2019 *in a reply to* **THATSAMOANLADY** Mar 8, 2019
13. ↑ End of Season One Q&A **Justin\_Jordan** May 31, 2019 *in a reply to* **himself** May 31, 2019
14. ↑ Biting Down
15. ↑ *MANIMAL* **Facebook.com** The Urban Animal 10-07-2022