Gurder

Gurder is a central character in The Bromeliad trilogy of children's stories, written by Terry Pratchett. Gurder features in all three books – Truckers, Diggers and Wings – as a religious store nome who later becomes The Abbot.

Story

Truckers

Gurder is first seen when Masklin and his tribe attempt to talk to The Abbot. Unlike the other Stationeri (a priesthood complete with monks and an abbot filling a similar role to the pope or Dalai Lama as religious leader to all the store nomes, charged with interpreting the wishes of Arnold Bros (est. 1905) for them), he half-believes in the Outside, quipping, "I sometimes wonder where the lorries go ..." He is assigned the task of climbing to the top floor to find Arnold Bros (est. 1905) alongside Masklin himself, and Grimma, who is less than happy at Gurder's unwitting sexism. Among other things, Gurder believes that teaching females to read will cause their brains to overheat.

After a brief encounter with a human he believes to be Prices Slashed (a figure roughly occupying the position of the Devil in the Store Nome belief system, whose opposite is Bargains Galore), he discovers a document telling him that the Store will, indeed, be demolished.

The trio return to the Stationeri, only to learn that The Abbot is on his deathbed. Gurder is proclaimed his successor, much to his terror. Gurder helps steal the Truck and is instrumental in its driving.

Diggers

Gurder's part in Diggers is minor but nonetheless important. When a newspaper falls from the sky, he believes it is a sign, much to Angelo de Haberdasheri's chagrin. Upon reading it, and promptly finding out that Richard Arnold, a relative of those who founded the Store, is apparently jetting to Florida, he sets out to find him and to ask him for help against the invading humans. He is joined by a sceptical Angelo as well as Masklin, who has plans of his own concerning Florida. Their adventure is told at length in Wings.

Wings

Joining Masklin and Angelo on the quest to Florida, Gurder is depressed to learn that Arnold Bros (est. 1905) was just a human, or, as Angelo pointed out, two humans. He eventually leaves the tribe in search of other nomes around the world, alongside the Thing, to tell them of The Ship and their true home in Outer Space.