Gilmore Gardener, a social outcast who hails from the Middle Layer. He is said to be an avid admirer of the dramatic theater, and has a love for puppets and storytelling. So vast is his knowledge that if you were to simply point at a piece, he could name its material, its historical significance and perhaps even mention something of the person who wrote or crafted the work. Unfortunately, though, this knowledge is of an obscure nature, for most would never bother presenting the question, as he is not particularly well acknowledged or even necessarily liked among his peers. The most attention he'd ever receive would be annoyance or ridicule, and at best a minor favor. “Home” for him, isn’t that much warmer, his father is often away for work and even when he was home he was always emotionally distant and never had much time for the boy. His mother isn't much better, dotting over Gilmore's significantly more successful elder sibling, and always talking of his achievements. She usually saw Gilmore as a nuisance, but would never directly speak on it, preferring to instead put up with him and hope he’d be either too dense to notice or too timid to question it. His brother was often off doing other things, but Gilmore wouldn't say he's particularly close with him either. Conversation between the two was always brief, and he always talked of ways that Gilmore could become more successful, and occasionally scoffing at those who couldn’t afford his level of success. For most, Gilmore assumed, family meetings would be warm and welcoming, but for him, he could never shake the feeling that he was always being judged and sneered down at. As such, Gilmore has spent a good part of his life moving alone, getting on where he can and often keeping those around him at a distance, shutting off any excitement he could receive from an interaction, as there wouldn't be much use looking forward to something that he knew in his heart would never happen. 

Though one day, something had changed. When who he took for a musician had taken interest in him. Gilmore was wary at first, but the two began to converse, and he quickly found that the older woman had many interests similar to him. Gilmore developed a strange respect for her, even if she seemed a little odd and lurid at times. They had a number of conversations about theatre, art, philosophy, and she had even taken the time to teach Gilmore how to play the drums and the guitar that she used for performances. Gilmore, despite everything, had finally found a kindred spirit, someone who understood them, someone who respected him and saw in him a person of great knowledge and creative talent. Though, one day, the Musician had promised to tell Gilmore a secret. The truth was, she saw great potential in Gilmore, and asked what he planned to do with his life. Not much of a secret though it was a peculiar question however, one he attempted to find an answer for nonetheless. Though it was one that seemed to escape him, of course. It became apparent to him at that moment that he’d never thought of such a thing before. He suspected the theatre, he guessed, but his family would advise him against it, noting the strife related to it and the notable lack of a consistent stipend. While difficult to admit, perhaps his parents could be right, he could never make a stable career in the arts, and the best he’s done for networking is the Lady that sat beside him. So all he could manage to do to truly respond to the question was give a nervous shrug and a discontented grunt. The Musician had then said something even more peculiar than the previous question...she had offered a job. She said that if Gilmore is to work for her, she can promise to awaken the potential that lies within him. To awaken a power that would allow him to stand above the fleece of the Top Layer and become something more than he already was. Gilmore laughed it off initially, something so preposterous couldn’t be true, under no means could such a talent lie dormant within him. However, his tune changed when the Musician revealed herself to be a powerful demon, clad in vantablack and crimson. A deity whose form stretched to the heavens themselves and surrounded Gilmore in its ethereal, embrace. Gilmore was quite terrified at this sudden reveal...he didn't know what to say. Was he dreaming? Was this some kind of ruse? Is this monster here to claim his soul? The wise in this situation would turn tail and run, hide somewhere and hope the beast does not follow them back...but Gilmore, though intelligent, was far from wise. The creature before him spoke again, “Do you want a job?”. The foolish boy, despite his terror, saw in this a calling to destiny, something he felt he’d been owed for the hardship he experienced. 

Without a second thought, Gilmore agreed to the demon’s deal, all to her repulsive delight. Like that, she spoke a series of words he could not quite discern but caused his vision to turn dark. What happened then was a blur to him, though he recalls having been hooked up to a machine of some sort and shown visions of a horrid wayward world which promised to rend the sanity of mortal men. A world that existed in-between the cracks and to his horror had always been there, but just out of reach. The darkness of this domain called to him, called to his mind, and soon he found not terrifying, but a glorious though uncanny comfort. A world bathed in irrelevance, a place where he could well and truly…disappear. As a result of the events, he found himself with powers he had never noticed before. He could hear the minds of his peers, lift himself from the ground, and could move things with a single thought. He also was able to travel to an alien space that lie between the lines and cracks of his reality, a realm he began to refer to as “The Backdoors”. After using his newfound powers to exact revenge on a group of former harassers, on this day, he swore one thing... That he would use this power for the very purpose he was granted them for. If his fate were to be cast out by the flock, then he would rise above the rest and become the Middle Layer's wolf. He dons a mask and cloak, hiding among the shadows, and turning the abandoned corners and walls into his kingdom of darkness and stage play. Gilmore, with his now instructor ever pushing him forward, cast aside himself in order to become the being who would change the world...the being called Morpheus. Though, as the die is cast, one must wonder where this story will end. Will Little Gilmore become the savant he envisioned himself to be...or would he end up obtaining more than he bargained for? Only time will tell the end of this tale...the tale of Gilmore and the Backdoors 

Gilmore "Morpheus" Gardener

• Has a passion for puppets, poetry, and storytelling
• Enjoys dark and quiet places
• Saw a Little when he was 7 and staunchly believes that gnomes built society
• Listens to far too much prog rock and classical music
• Can you tell he's a theater kid?

ABILITY Backstage Pass: A gear that was designed to magnify Gilmore’s psionic potential. Gilmore/Morpheus even without this gear is naturally attuned to a dimensional space that he personally refers to as "The Backdoors", a sort of in-between that lies the behind the borders of reality and is inhabited by a number of reality bending creatures, and many more horrifying things that no mortal man should ever bear witness to. To a lesser extent, his ability allows him access to basic psionic traits such as telepathy, telekinesis, and minor premonition. Its main feature enables him to open and travel through gaps that allow him to enter and exit The Backdoors as well as hide himself, rendering him undetectable to anyone or anything that is not also within The Backdoors. In opening said gaps, he can also call forth and or pull out anything that he is aware to be contained inside space, as well as being able to pull things into said dimension. Being a resident of the middle layer, he is able to wield these powers without much complication, though his physical abilities are not anything particularly extraordinary.