Nickname: Nugget the Buttstabber, Nuggs, Nuggie (if you feel like dying)

Gender: Male

Species: Mantipede

Weapon of choice:
modified fishhook, it's very heavy and is used more for climbing around fast enough to keep up with his larger kin; but will also use it to snatch up prey while hanging from the ceiling. Will crush other bugs with it when he's especially cranky.

Backstory:
Nugget is a comically small (comparatively) garpede that makes up for it by being unusually aggressive and is attentive to his surroundings in the sense that he will occasionally acknowledge the existence of other bugs. His unusual appearance and demeanor is due to the fact that his father was a mantis, who was crushed accidentally during Nugget's conception. Nugget was the only child of his brood to survive past the larval stage, as all of his siblings were too deformed or weak to be viable. His relationship with his mother is quite strong as a result.

When the mantis tribe found out about his existence they actively tried to kill him at first for being a hybrid, but soon discovered his tough garpede shell made this essentially impossible. Instead they made a deal with him: they let him exist in peace so long as he refrains from attempting to breed. To make sure he can maintain his promise, he took up a life of solitude away from both the mantises and the garpedes. He still regularly visits his mother and sometimes the mantis lords, who warmed to him somewhat over time, for a bit of sparring.

He has spent his entire life largely within Deepnest and has no desire leave, as garpedes don't really give a shit about anything and prefer not to engage with the soft-shelled ones. This lifeplan however got ruined when he came across Vim, a strange little bug who seemed to take an immediate liking to him despite his attempts at shooing her away. He initially left Deepnest in the interest of dumping her into someone else's care, but after learning about Vim's apparent healing abilities he comes to realize she might be far more valuable than he initially thought.

Personality:
Comes across as gruff and ill-mannered, making it very difficult to get to know him or even befriend him at all. He'll pick fights with just about anyone and anything, even other garpedes, just to show off his strength. The concept of friendship is alien to him and he views non-garpedes as being weak and barely worthy of his presence. His extremely tough shell also leads to him being very reckless and often forgetting that not everyone is as resilient as he is; sometimes causing accidental harm in the process. Despite all of this he is unusually gentle with Vim and will protect her no matter what. Perhaps underneath that tough exterior hides a genuinely soft-hearted person.

Other:
-His thick shell is heavy, leading to his balance being somewhat precarious on those thin mantis legs. He's very easy to tip over if caught off guard as a result. His garpede legs are fully functional though, so he can still easily skitter away at surprising speed even if he is knocked off of his main legs. It looks as ridiculous as it sounds.

-He's reluctant to touch anyone because of how easy it is for him to cause accidental harm. He's especially wary of this when it comes to Vim, whom he allows to ride on his back as a way to keep her safe, both from others and from himself.

-Apparently knew the Traitor Lord well before he gave in to the infection and went rogue. Nugget doesn't want to talk about it.

-Nugget understands very little about how other bugs live. He is used to an environment where everyone will potentially try to eat him if given the chance and goes into all interactions thinking this is how everyone else is too. What he does understand has been warped by the rather narrow and harsh views of the mantis lords, absorbing both their species elitism and the constant awareness that he's nothing but a lowly half-breed. Hi cognitive dissonance how are you.

-If anyone upsets Vim he will crush them. No questions asked.