Connor Umpa'i "Tsunami" Felidow

Connor Felidow (14 March 1961 – 5 March 1998 Gregorian Human Calendar, GHC) was a Kalubian musician, songwriter, and soldier. He was a close friend of Kalubian Föcan Reinder Stuhy and of war hero Joseph Rodenski. Connor was the frontman for the groups Fluffball (Khwöbpáf), X-orsyzm, and The Heavy Spirits (Þun’nzaı Ka’aı) where he sang, played fiddle, and guitar.

Early Life
Connor Umpa’i Felidow was born the first of three at home in Herbiv, Kalubio. Not long after the birth of his twin sisters Katherine and Yanna, his mother left the children with their father, who was an addicted gambler and traumatized veteran of the Liberty War who turned to alcohol and hard drugs to cope. It wasn’t long before the family was evicted due to the father’s excessive habits, causing him to grow bitter to the children he thought made his wife leave and destroy his life. He was neglectful to them most of the time, and violent the few times he ever paid them any attention. This caused Connor to rapidly become a defender to his younger, more vulnerable sisters. He would often go to school exhausted from sleeping on the floor of the literal caves and alleyways they used for homes, and from getting into fights with his drunk parent or scavenging food. At school though, he remained a lighthearted and friendly mate to anyone who returned the favour. Connor performed well in school, preferring to spend more time there than at “home.” It was enough to keep Kat interested, but Yanna was quick to drop off and spend her time working small jobs in the city. Connor had to find a balance between doing his studies and spending time at home to protect her from their father. As a coping mechanism, he took mini lessons from a market busker to learn fiddle. He was a talented player by six years of age, which was impressive even for Kalu-bloods. Along with Kat (failing to persuade Yanna), he started an after-school band with his friends Joseph Rodenski, Theo Y’Danäköba and Stephen Vmi’kodjki. The group was known as “Fluffball” (“Páfkhwöb” or “Khwöbpáf” in Kohl). They began to gain traction in Connor’s ninth year of education, which was his hope of being able to take his sisters and find a suitable place for the first time in years.

DQA and Gamian War (1971-1974)
Main article: Gamian War

Connor’s plans were shattered when the DQA was enacted on April 5th, 1971. Along with roughly two and a half million Kalubian children, he was whisked away as a conscript in the infamous war. Connor trained as a medic, and was coincidentally assigned to the same squadron as his younger maternal cousin Mason Felidow (UKM-KFAF spec. ops. Onyx). Also in this squadron was California Reikovra, a UKM commando that Connor would develop intense feelings for during the course of the war.

Connor was deeply affected by many events in the war, ranging from the deaths of half of his squadron during a rescue operation in Jogor’oe to the near-death shooting of Mason during a trench skirmish. The worst event to happen was his rape at the hands of California though, an encounter that mentally crippled him for the rest of his life. Connor lost his virginity to his squadmate at the age of twelve and was sexually exploited by her for the rest of the war. He fell madly in love with her, resulting in several self-destructive behaviours once the Gamians surrendered in 1974 and they were separated. Due to his developed Stockholm Syndrome, this separation would also further damage his mental state.

Connor returned to Herbiv after the Gamian surrender in 1974, having narrowly survived the battle of Tropai. Here, he found his sister Yanna had committed suicide in his absence, due to the abuse suffered at the hands of their father. When Connor found him sexually assaulting Kat, he murdered him and took Kat to Dinotopia to start a new life. The two of them would find a tenement room with the Klaus brothers (Reinder, Bluar and Pingew), where they would stay for roughly a year.

Connor remained in Dinotopia for the Kalubian Revolution, assisting in a coup against a government embassy resulting in the deaths of several officials including Tangeth Klaus, Reinder’s father. Following the revolution, the Klaus and Felidow children would take up a more permanent residence in a leased hut in southeastern Dinotopia.

Post-Revolution Kalubio and Post-Secondary (1975-1985)
After the war, Connor returned to schooling, though now no longer in Herbiv. He announced the dissolution of his band Fluffball, performing a final relief concert in his new hometown. This was the last time he would see his friend Joseph Rodenski for roughly a decade. While living in Dinotopia, Bluar and Reinder handled most of the finances through inherited funds and Bluar taking up jobs. However, Connor would frequently busk when not studying to make extra for the group.

It did not take long for Connor and Reinder to become drinking buddies, bonding over their experiences together in the Gamian War. Connor, still traumatized from his intimate experiences with Cal, began experimenting with drugs such as LSD, MDMA, cannabis, ketamine and Sinex around this time as well. He managed to finish public education with impressive grades, earning him entrance into Dinotopia Post-Secondary Educational Institute (DP-SEI, also known as "Daipsei"). He studied business here, moving into a boarding apartment with Reinder. They met their roommate, Aiza’ak Katzjung, and formed a three-person garage band (X-orcyzm). Aiza’ak also became a frequent drug user, coping with the deaths of several siblings during the war and many suicides following it. He grew close to Reinder, who had known his brother (and was also in a political science major) but was still good friends with Connor.

Not long into his first year, Connor developed a desire to expand musically. At a party before his second year began, he jammed with one Sabrina Y’Wixwun, and invited her to the band. They became known as the Heavy Spirits, or “Þun’nzaı Ka’aı.” Connor also began progressing as a lyricist, writing more personal and poetic songs such as “Ichōchtli’s Acropolis” and “The Demon (Paranoia),” about his trauma and suicidal thoughts, as well as those of his band members. He became notorious for his intense party antics, often drinking himself nearly to sleep and relying on drugs such as MDMA and cocaine to keep going. He was also a popular frontman because of his role in the Heavy Spirits. Connor faced more pressure to keep his grades up, but still managed to pass all of his classes. Towards his graduation, he began to see the effect his addictions were taking on his sister back home. By graduation, Connor became sober to attempt to guide her away from the vices that had consumed him.

Peacekeeping in Jalfxia (1985-1986)
With the military covering three years of his schooling, Connor was required to participate in one more for his fourth to have his entire degree paid off. He was deployed as a peacekeeper in the unstable region of Jalfxia. Connor, despite being a Kalubian Kalu-blood in Dragonia territory, quickly became well-liked by the locals for his friendliness with the young and his musical performances. The experience motivated Connor to spend a few more years in the military, hoping to continue to help others in need as a peacekeeper.

Skabb Inter-Regional Crisis (1986-1988)
In 1986, after the Skarred threatened Kalubio with seized weapons of mass destruction, all KFAF forces were withdrawn and deployed to Skabb, including Connor. He met with Joseph again here, only to be quickly disappointed by his former friend’s drug-induced episodes and hostile, abrasive personality. Still, the fact he was with Mason was a major help to him, as they had not seen each other since the end of the Gamian War.

In Skabb, Connor was Joseph Rodenski’s principal handler, doing what he could to keep his friend in line under the command of Kapitan Verjan "Feuer" Landa. He would grow frustrated with his former best friend’s self-destructive antics, fearing for the safety of his cousin Mason. In the “Corrupted Fire” arc, this comes to a head when Connor nearly shoots and kills a brainwashed Joseph, who has become an enforcer of the terrorist Janeiro.

Kalubian Civil War (1988-1998)
Main article: Kalubian Civil War

Connor initially served as a medic on the front lines with the DMDO during the siege of Dinotopia between 1989 and 1992, in addition to serving as KFAF Alfa squadron’s medic. He also participated in several training programs and reconnaissance missions. Connor butted heads with his DMDO superior, Lieutenant “Shan,” which eventually resulted in his transfer to an infiltration position abroad.

In 1993, Connor was sent to Bathole with a fake identity to gain the trust of a royal Equalwi scholar, Tina Sparxnik, in order to gain influence on the Throne and sever their alliance to BBA commander Ballaiy Luvvar. He managed to win Sparxnik’s favour, becoming good friends with her until his capture by Marko “Spike” Whiksi and California Reikovra in 1994.

Connor was held for years in a BBA POW compound, where he was brutally tortured and driven totally insane. Eventually, thanks to the efforts of Joseph Rodenski and Hamlin Zoller, he was rescued, and after a brief detainment due to his disobeying of orders in Khaucy, he was released by order of Föcan Reinder Stuhy and resumed his task of infiltrating the Throne. In 1998, during a royal gala, he revealed his true identity to Sparxnik and exposed Luvvar as a liar and tyrant to the Throne. Pursued by BBA, Connor narrowly escaped with his life, however Tina was killed.

Connor assisted with the raid on the BBA WMD facility operating in Schrema territory, and participated in a failed kill/capture mission against California Reikovra. Coming to terms with the reality he could not live without her and was too insane to be a reliable asset to his allies anymore, Connor decided he would die during Operation Jericho following the mass nuking of Kalubio. During an encounter with Spike and Reikovra, Connor committed suicide with California.

Appearance
Connor is a blue Egyptian Kalu-blood cat with grey eyes and a blue-white chest pattern. He is of average height for a Kalu, standing around 4’ (122 cm). He has a broad stance, especially for a Kalu, and his quite muscular beneath his fur.

His Käɱ symbol is football “war paint” beneath his eyes, and a vertical stripe down the center of his face. Connor is an unusual Kalu fighter in that he wears a protective flak/bulletproof vest when in combat, instead of virtually no armour. He carries a PM12 radio on his shoulder and a standard issue harness complete with sidearm holster, rifle sash, dagger sheath and four grenade pouches.

Equipment
Connor was trained as a combat medic during his DQA conscription. His primary weapon is an MP5 submachine gun, often of the A2 or K variant. He prefers to equip his with a vertical foregrip and reflex optic sight. His secondary weapon is typically a Steyr AUG rifle. Unlike most medics, Connor wields a semiautomatic sidearm; a heavily-modified version of his original M2119 pistol. His melee weapon is a curved, jagged dagger, given to him as a gift during his time as a peacekeeper in Jalfxia.

Personality
Connor behaves as a silly, witty, charismatic charmer to most people. He often makes more “appropriate” jokes to lighten the mood, having a strong belief in teamwork and morale. He is deeply attached to his former squadmate California Reikovra, in a Stockholm Syndrome-type of way. He is also very interested in language and foreign culture. Connor is an avid flirter, using much of his foreign knowledge and humour to instigate conversation.

Underneath his charismatic act, Connor hides vicious trauma and fear. As he values morale, he is determined to keep his true emotions suppressed to not expose others to them. He is often reserved about his personal problems, in an effort to avoid being a burden or afflicting others. He vents instead through military training and music, a former passion of his before his home was consumed by war. Connor is very protective in a “big brother” sense to his allies, especially his surviving sister Kat. While often fired up, he is difficult to anger, save through Cal and Kat. Most who incur his full rage do not survive to tell of it.

Trivia
-       During his impromptu performance in Khauchi, Connor plays a fiddle riff and exclaims "phant-astic!" This is a reference to the Iron Maiden song "Phantom of the Opera," from which his riff is borrowed.

-       Connor proficiently plays fiddle, guitar, bass guitar, and can sing. He has a vocal range of over three octaves.

-       Connor’s mother tongue is Kohl. However, he has been speaking Kalubian Ba’it at home since he moved with Reinder Klaus IV to Dinotopia, virtually eliminating his accent. Connor also speaks fluent Coastal Ba’it, Frãpal and Skalrein. In addition, he knows some Sjeverrköw, Nãtu and Khrae’akholl.

-       Connor is mostly sober, having suffered from severe addiction to drugs in post-secondary. He quit partially because of his duties with the military, but also to set an example for his sister who was turning to similar vices.

-       He has an undergraduate degree with a major in business, and a double-minor in ancient history and languages. He was posthumously given an honorary degree in music.

-       Connor has a street in Calubiu named after him.

-       Connor is one of the only Kalu-bloods in-game to be seen ever wearing protective combat equipment, in the form of a flak vest.