Tard

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Tard is an ancillary character in the rough draft version of the novel Nocturnal by author Scott Sigler. The character is initially introduced in episode sixteen of the audio version of Nocturnal.

Character Background

Tard is member of the San Francisco area cult known as Marie's Children, led by First Born. In episode sixteen, Tard is seen watching The Savior's home. Sly had told Tard that only the bravest of Marie's Children watched The Savior's house and if he could do it then everyone would like him. This convinced Tard that it was acceptable to break the rules and spy on The Savior.

Attributes

Name

The character's full name is not known. He is identified with the primary nickname of Tard. He wanted to be called Chameleon and asked his fellow clan members to call him by this name but they laughed at this request, and instead called him Tard. Tard also envied what he considered “cool” names, such as his favorite movie star, James Bond.

Outward Appearance

Tard has the unique ability to change his skin to match his surroundings such as brick walls, roofing tar, or even dead logs. However, his default size, shape, and texture have not been revealed.

Personality

Tard is not the brightest creature. Based on his thought processes, it can be deduced that he is naïve, open to suggestion and easily manipulated. Sly in particular, makes several suggestions to Tard to do dangerous tasks that both knew were forbidden. On one such instance, Sly dared Tard to eavesdrop on First Born knowing this was dangerous. On another instance, Sly told him it was acceptable to not listen to First Born's instructions to stay away from The Savior's house.

Skills

In addition to having the ability to camouflage with the environment, Tard also had the ability to mask his scent. This came in handy for occasions where he eavesdropped on conversations that First Born was having. Since First Born could smell anyone, this ability made it possible for Tard to glean information from First Born's conversations without detection. Tard also made an excellent hunter as he had the ability to stay motionless for several hours at a time.

See Also