Mythlands: THE HEIST

Character Profiles: Convention of Cats (1-5)

NOTE - This section of the character profiles will cover characters who first appear in the CONVENTION OF CATS 9 PARTER - Convention takes place between HEIST parts 'Babar the Elephant.' and 'Reflections While Flying.' and contain vital plot elements and characters that continue in the main story. I chose to separate these 9 parts with it's own title simply to focus on The Glass Cat and introduce the concept of the Cat Movement - consider it a spin off that is still part of the ongoing tale. Cats like THE GLASS CAT and THE CHESHIRE CAT who appeared prior to this section have already had their profiles.

Jólakötturinn - Otherwise known as The Yule Cat of Icelandic legend, Jólakötturinn is a giant cat, about twice the size of an elephant. The origins of the Yule Cat are supposedly quite ancient and may even go back as far as contemporary Norse myth, but the earliest written accounts only date back to the 19th century. Jóhannes úr Kötlum an Icelandic poet and member of parliament brought new popularity to the old tale by including a poetic rendering of the 'Christmas Cat's' story in his 1932 published book 'Christmas is Coming - Verses for Children.'

As in the ancient legends, the Yule Cat is a monster who prowls the snowy wastes in the Christmas period, hunting and eating humans.

Jólakötturinn arrived in the Mythlands at it's beginning and sought out countryside and a culture similar to his Icelandic origins, becoming a denizen of the Asgardian sphere, living in the countryside where it was coldest. Despite the legends, the Yule Cat does not eat humans and is reasonably sociable.

Recruited by the Glass Cat, the huge feline transported himself to the city of Myth Vegas and acted as a bouncer outside Function Room F, preventing anybody but invited cats from entering. He is a Glass Cat loyalist and acts as muscle for the cat cause, though he is also greatly respected at the same time and not just seen as a flunky.

King Felis - The king hails from the nation state of Merryland, once independent but now part of the Greater Ozian Sphere ruled over by Queen Ozma. Within Merryland there are many areas such as the Valley of the Pussycats, whose ruler Felis is a sub monarch to Queen Dotty of Merryland, who is now herself a vassal queen answering to Ozma.

Felis is the largest of the cats in the Valley - a Maltese with big yellow eyes. He first appeared in L. Frank Baum's 1901 novel 'Dot and Tot of Merryland.'

A benevolent and caring monarch, Felis lives in the first of a row of houses - while he is at Number 1, other cats live in the same row including his uncle Pallidus at Number 9 and his cousin Mrs Tabby at Number 16.

Felis is a prominent supporter of The Glass Cat and a high ranking member of the Cat Movement. He appears at the convention and speaks in support of the Glass Cat.

Though not having a prominent ongoing role in the first two parts of The Heist, he stars in his own story in the companion collection MYTHICAL ORIGINS In Story 7 entitled 'These Unnatural Urges.' In the story it's revealed that although popular, Felis lives with a dark secret that he can never reveal for fear that his people will turn on him and drive him from the valley if they don't kill him outright. For in the privacy of his own house, where no one can see or overhear him, the king can finally give into his urges and admit ... he is a dog trapped in a cat's body! 

NOTE: Though the above is presented in a semi humourous way, I have labeled the story LGBT and it presents a serious topic with deeper meaning seen through the prism of satire.

Dinah - Dinah is Alice's pet cat from Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (published in 1865). She also appears in the sequel Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1871). At some point Dinah becomes the mother of two kittens, Kitty and Snowdrop. 

In the Mythlands Dinah and her kittens were reunited with Alice and mainly reside in Wonderland. Dinah was present at the Convention of Cats as part of the crowd. It is not confirmed if she is a talking cat like so many others. It is unlikely, but she is still able to communicate with fellow cats through cat language, even though English is the norm among talking creatures.

MERRYLAND CATS - See above (King Felis) for information about the Valley of the Pussycats and Merryland. As a few appear in the Heist, apart from Felis, who plays a larger role, I will group them under one profile. 

Mrs Tabby - cousin to King Felis, she lives at Number 16 in the row of houses with her niece Flitter and two kittens they're looking after for a neighbour Mrs Mewling, whose home is too small to fit all her children. Mrs Tabby is a shy and respectful cat who answers a question posed by the Glass Cat at the Convention.

Flitter - niece of Mrs Tabby and a resident of Number 16. She attends the conference - a kitten at the time of the original story, she is now a young cat.

Snowball - A beautiful snow white cat who is the niece of Palladius (and therefore a cousin to Felis) - she lives at Number 9 with her uncle and her two kittens. Snowball attends the convention while her kittens observe from afar and are seen with other cats not in attendance, on a screen. Snowball's kittens are blue tinged with a slightly reflective sheen and Bungle, the Glass Cat winks at them, implying he is their father.

Palladius - The uncle of many of the cats in the Valley including the king, Palladius is a jet black cat who wears spectacles - he is resident at Number 9 and lives with Snowball and her kittens. Pallidus is observed at the convention, so it is unknown who remained in charge of the Valley in the absence of the king.

There are numerous other residents of the Valley of the Pussycats. Undoubtedly most remained home in Merryland and observed from their homes or a central location

The English Lion - Not all the cats at the convention were actual cats - some were big cats like the English Lion. Originating as an image since the Union of England and Scotland in 1603, the English Lion was the subject of a nursery rhyme along with his rival/frenemy The Unicorn. Both are citizens of Wonderland and on and off again friends and enemies.

The English Lion is a haughty proud creature, given to bravado and boasting - many of the fights that have started between him and the Unicorn have been sparked from friendly drinking in a pub. The Lion would most likely be the initiator, bragging of some feat or another and trying to get one over on the Unicorn, who would eventually lose his temper and charge his friend in a rage.

Both the English Lion and the Unicorn are anthropomorphic uprights, though more creature than man. They traditionally dress in Jacobean clothing, with ruffs and silk doublets and hose that the vain Lion is especially proud of and when they easily rip during a fight, it enrages him even more.

The Unicorn is mentioned but not seen and The English Lion plays only a brief part as a convention goer.