Katzen

Katzen (username _Katzen_) is a member of the main cast. They are a veteran Avian from the town of Ferplume, having fought a war that took place in the (former) country of Avia. Katzen is played by Nikita.

Appearance
Katzen is noticeably out-of-place, with pastel pink hair and quite pale skin. They wear their old army uniform everywhere they go, often keeping their rifle slung over their shoulder and their wool side cap atop their head. Their pockets are full of papers and books that they can’t read, but cling to in the hopes someone will be able to read for them. They've got a tail like a swan's, and feathers around their ears. There’s a singular scar on their left cheek, from a shrapnel wound. They have visible wings, they're small and white like the rest of their feathers. They also wear glasses. Katzen's right arm is missing, from the elbow down, lost in the war. Their shoes are made of white canvas with leather soles, and are rather ratty and torn, but the Avian refuses to replace them and periodically patches them up as they do with the rest of their uniform.

Personality
Katzen is timid, melancholic and very jumpy. They’re avoidant of conflict or arguments and prefer to be led rather than to lead. They’re reluctant to talk about the war or their arm, however they aren’t totally adverse to it if they trust the person. Katzen is very very ashamed of their desertion, and they despise being called a coward in any form. Their first instinct is to help people however they can, and they believe in kindness above all else.

The War
Katzen was conscripted into the Eighth Company of the 478th Infantry Regiment in 1840, at ten years old, however they did not get sent to the frontlines until they were nearly eleven later that year. Majority of the war was spent by Katzen at the forefront of most major offensives and campaigns, with their regiment typically being one of the first to attack enemy positions. Katzen was promoted to Corporal sometime in 1842, at this time also being awarded their first medal for bravery.

In 1843, Katzen was one of three survivors of an attack that ended in horrific failure, and this earned them their other medal - one to commemorate the survivors of the event. Afterwards, Katzen was asked by an officer as to the whereabouts of the eighth company, and Katzen remarked that the three of them were all that was left.

Katzen oft volunteered for trench raids and other similarly dangerous jobs, coming back with either a few wounds or covered in blood. Nobody else wanted to go, and so Katzen took it upon themselves.

Later in 1843, while advancing on enemy positions, Katzen was struck by a stray artillery shell and had their right arm severed.

They were sent home, having their sleeve sewn back onto their jacket, and spent the next three months wandering their hometown trying to find some sense of purpose. The people on the homefront didn’t care for the war, or anything other than their own lives, and they felt disconnected from civilian life. People even asked “Where the hell were you?”

And so Katzen decided to go and enlist again, being allowed to fight even with one arm. After another four months at the front, in 1844, the war finally broke Katzen, and they deserted and hid themselves away until the war’s end. They had planned to sneak back to their hometown when the sector quietened down, but instead the war (and Avia itself) unexpectedly came to a complete end - and so they left it behind entirely.

Post-War
After the war, Katzen wandered aimlessly, unsure if any other life was out there in the world. They climbed mountains and travelled through valleys and hills, occasionally taking photographs with a camera they’d found before leaving home. They spent a few months atop a snowy mountain, only leaving when bad blizzards hit and it was unsafe to stay. Their next place of residence was a small forest far to the north, where they stayed until they couldn’t bear the claustrophobia they felt from the trees. They wandered past a desert, but the sand was too reminiscent of the horrid conditions of the war, and so they passed through as quickly as they could. After that, Katzen did not try to settle down anywhere, and instead just kept walking on, convinced that they truly were alone in the world.

They did not see anyone for three years, only wandering endlessly in whatever direction they chose, arbitrarily picking paths to go down or things to reach out of boredom and as a means to distract themselves from their loneliness.

The Clearing
When they stumbled into the clearing, they were terribly shocked by the sight of other people. People who had no wings and a machine that was sentient. Baffled by this, they asked the group where their wings were - only to be met with an understanding that they were the odd one out with their wings and feathers. The group introduced themselves, and after a bit of argument (which the Avian disliked) they decided to follow Ozma to her cottage and stay the night, and Ozma mentioned knowing a lot about Avians - something Katzen intends to inquire about further out of curiosity.

Ozma's Cottage
At Ozma’s cottage, Katzen spoke with everyone while exploring the house, commenting on how they’d never really seen one intact before - they were also marvelled by all the books on the shelves, despite being unable to read any of them. Shortly after, they passed out in a corner due to sheer shock and exhaustion, only waking up later after being poked in the shoulder. Katzen and Tabris went outside to discuss the events of the day and talk about their thoughts, while Ozma spied on them trying to eavesdrop (to no avail). As the group decided to head off to sleep, Katzen went back inside to stave off the cold of the night and slept by the fireplace.

Sidequests
Katzen has not gone on any known Sidequests.

Weapons
Katzen carries their shovel, bayonet, and rifle. However, they refuse to use the rifle - and the shovel and bayonet are purely for self-defence, and only in the most extreme of cases. They don’t like to fight, and would only ever defend themselves without harming another.

Origin
Katzen, being an Avian, cannot fly. However, they can glide softly and run faster than most. They also can’t eat meat.

Tabris
Katzen and Tabris's main interaction was at Ozma's Cottage, where they broke away from the group to discuss the events of the day under the cover of one of the nearby trees while being spied on by Ozma.

Shelly
Katzen and Shelly didn’t talk much in their first interaction, however Katzen heard Shelly’s mentions of seeing evil, and wondered about maybe talking about their experiences as they too have seen things they would consider evil.

M43-8R34K
Katzen feels an odd sense of comfort with M43, as if they can let themselves be vulnerable and let their guard down. They aren’t exactly sure why, but M43 radiates a feeling of long-lost familiarity.

Ozma
Katzen relates to Ozma’s loneliness, and also felt a sense of trust towards her as she reminds them of their old Sergeant, who they were quite close with and who they considered their only friend. Katzen sees a leader in Ozma, and decided to follow them and the group wherever they go. They are the first people the Avian has seen in years, after all.

Trivia
• Katzen can’t read or write, so they commit their poetry and things people say to memory.

• Katzen can’t tie their shoelaces, so they leave them untied and often trip over them.

• Katzen is loosely based on Franz Kemmerich and Paul Bäumer from Erich Maria Remarque’s 1927 Novel In Westen Nicht Neues.

• Katzen is both long and short sighted.

• Their hair is naturally pastel pink.

• Katzen doesn’t know what love is, as they’ve never even heard the word. They have felt love, but they haven’t been able to find any sort of understanding for those feelings.

• When flustered, they revert to speaking in Avian and tend to repeat themselves a lot.