NAME: _______________________________ "Not gonna lie, I kinda hate you." | _______________________________ The Quick-witted Schemer The Quick-witted Schemer "If you're dumb enough to get yourself into this shit, then you deserve what you get." ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ What are you? What are you? APPEARANCE ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You into freckles, and scars? So was my master." Kai is an enigma to everyone that meets them. Everything about them, from their face to their body can either be a flat-chested angley girl or a slight boy with little muscle definition. Their look makes it easy to switch between feminine and masculine clothing for whatever role they need to put on for their current scheme. Their tan skin has freckles everywhere, and is marred by old whipping scars on their back, and other cuts and wounds that come with being an ex-slave. Their high cheekbones and defined jaw were said to give them a regal look by their ex-master. Their light brown hair is wavy and comes down a little below their chin. Exposure to the sun gives their hair blond highlights. Their voice is neutral and a little husky. Their eyes are dark, their lips are thick, and when they truly smile it unsettles people like there's an ulterior motive behind their happiness. On their left shoulder is a red swirl tattoo that trails off into a straight line down their arm and ends in a circle on the palm of their hand. It is the mark of the Deveau family slaves. Their day-to-day clothing is a simple high-necked, tight black crop top revealing their abdomen, a red puffy mid-sleeved robe that ties around the waist with a burgundy belt that has a gold hoops at the end of it, tight black capri pants, and flexible close toed shoes. CAPABILITIES ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "If people just gave me their shit, life would be easier." Con-artist: Kai spent the first eight years of their life learning how to con people for money for their family's personal gain. They use disguises, both masculine and feminine, for whatever their newest scheme requires. Taylor and Shoemaking: Costumes for cons are hard to come by when Khym won't fund their newest project, so they have to improvise, and use whatever cloth they have on hand, or steal, to make outfits. Sailing: They knew how to sail before they learned how to walk. At least that's what their father used to say. Kisha making: Kai worships Khiar-koff, the death god, and through ritual sacrifices she learned from Khym. EQUIPMENT ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Not saying I'll stab you in the back...more likely in the chest." Coin bag: It's not just for purchases. When there's coins inside, it makes a good weapon to knock someone in the face with it. Dagger: Their clothes don't have enough loose fabric to conceal weapons, but they carry a dagger in the back of their pants that's covered by their jacket. Kisha: Kai has their own bird-cat homunculous. It has the skull and wings of a bird, and the skeleton and conscious of a house cat. It's name is El, and it helps them do recon for whatever con they are scheming. |
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
▅▅▅▅▅
Who are you?
Who are you?
Who are you?
GOAL
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"The wealthy are only one bad investment away from being poor."
PERSONALITY
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"There's me, then there's whoever I have to be to get the job done."
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"The wealthy are only one bad investment away from being poor."
Kai is a con artist for survival and because they owe Khym their life, but they long for independence. To have a stockpile of riches in their own basement, so they can relax and live freely.
PERSONALITY
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"There's me, then there's whoever I have to be to get the job done."
Kai doesn't trust anyone, but El and Khym. They hang around the crowds of Darington, was raised by a pirate, and a thieft, so they know no one can be trusted. It takes a lot to catch her off guard, because she assumes everyone will stab her in the back eventually. They are guarded and never talk about themself passed general information. When asked questions about themself, they'll either lie or deflect. If someone knows too much it can be used against them. Kai is introspective, always to the first to beat themselves up when a plan goes wrong. They can't afford for that to happen. They are calculating, and make contingency plans for contingency plans. They never follow through with a plan, unless they accounted for all the ways it could go wrong. But no matter how much they plan for it, life is full of surprises, and when something unexpected happens, they are good at coming up with improv to unfuck the situation. Kai is good at putting on a fake face for whatever situation they are in. Comes with the con territory. Kai is a workaholic. Once a job is done, they move onto planning the next one, and will work for days without sleep before they pass out. Dreamless sleep is the only way they're able to rest. Nightmares of their time as a slave is crippling and they can't afford to be out of it for a day to recover from anxiety and extreme paranoia.
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
▅▅▅▅▅
Why are you?
Why are you?
Why are you?
"If my past was a person it'd be at the bottom of the sea."
Nikaiel was born in Krist (town on the west coast near the Shattered Isles), Dakora to one of the finest con artist, turned pirate, of the Shattered Isles. He made his money conning people in Krist during his youth, before he turned to piracy. His ship, the Forgotten Goddess, was where they learned all the tools in the conman trade. They started off conning people out of their money by pretending to be homeless and starving, but they had to sell the act. No one would feed a child that looked healthy, so whenever father thought it was a good time for them to go out on a con he would starve them for two weeks, then set them to work as a beggar child. They never got much, but it was a lesson learned in how to be someone else for the long game. When Nikaiel was eight their father had pillaged from the wrong ship. A noble woman from Dakora by the name of Lady Deveau, lord of the Deveau estate, and one of the most dangerous lords in Dakora, had a ship transporting money to Darington in exchange for slaves. Their father stole from her ship and it didn't take long for him to get found out. When Lady Deveau caught up to him, she made him pay with the freedom of his crew and his child. She didn't care where she got her slaves, as long as she got them. Nikaiel never saw their father again.
As the child of Deveau's thief, Kai was not treated kindly. They became Deveau's plaything; barely clothed, starved, and beaten for the smallest mistakes. Deveau used to have Nikaiel whipped during social gathering just to see how strong their threshold for pain was, and to put on a show for her guest where she waged bets on how long it was take them to pass out. On the rare days she decided to be kind, she had Nikaiel dress in noble clothing like a doll and praised them for their regal features. It's the only reason their face was spared scars and abuse no stronger than a slap. Nikaiel knew not to fight back no matter how much they wanted to, so they kept their head down, did as they were told, and became "loyal" to Lady Deveau, waiting for the opportunity to slit her throat. The moment never came. Deveau a political falling out with a neighboring lord, and the ensuing disagreement lead to her assassination when Nikaiel was twelve. They didn't stick around to be taken as a spoil of war and stowed away on a merchant ship going literally anywhere else.
Nikaiel ended up in Darington hiding and keeping to the shadows, so they wouldn't be taken by a slaver. They weren't on the street long, before they were found by Khym. The augury was an ex-slave that got spoiled by having at least one meal a day, which was more then he got when he traveled with his tribe through the Bone Sea, before he got caught by slavers in Darington decades ago. Khym didn't spend too much time with his master, having been cunning enough to steal coin and gems from the master's own safe, and pretended that the goods were stolen from someone else so he could buy his freedom. When Nikaiel and Khym met, Khym was getting on in years, and wasn't as agile as he used to be. In the time of his freedom, he spent most of it stealing gold and gems from merchants and the rich in Darington, so he never went without another meal again. He was able to get in and out without getting caught. He keeps a low profile, virtually a nobody, no one knowing he's the richest creature in Darington with his basement full of riches.
Khym took Nikaiel in when they caught him sneaking off with stolen goods. They'd been hiding in an alley next to a jewelry shop for the night and just happened to see Khym's escape. Nikaiel was desperate for money, so they could buy food, and thought they could take Khym in a fight, since he was tinier than them. Nikaiel had the element of surprise and was able to take the bag Khym carried. They would've made off with the loot had they not been malnourished and passed out from running. Khym was surprised the kid was able to get the drop on him, since he's usually aware of his surroundings. He took his bag back and would have left Nikaiel on the street, but decided to wake them up and welcome them into his home. Once Nikaiel got their strength back, they told Khym everything, minus details of their life with Lady Deveau. Learning they were an amateur con artist, Khym saw this as an opportunity to mold Nikaiel into his new money maker. Combined with the skills Nikaiel learned from their father and Khym, they became the best con artist in Darington. They did away with their birth name and took up the name Kai. Kai wasn't a slave with a master, but a master of disguise.
Khym set Kai to work, unfortunately spending gold and jewels on temporary crews to help Kai get the job done. Kai never worked with the same people twice, and whatever cut Khym gave them had to be spilt with their partners. Kai learned quick to vet potential crewmates, never tell the crew the entire plan, and keep it to four to five people. Any more than that and shit gets messy. Khym also inducted them into his religion worshiping Khiar-koff. Kai is a devout follower, and often prays to Khiar-koff first thing in the morning praying for their death to be delayed another day. Through the ritual sacrifices, Khym taught them Kisha making. Kai's first few attempts at making kisha failed, but when they finally got the hang of it they made El, a bird-cat homunculus.
After working for Khym for over a decade, Kai wants to branch out on their own, and find riches that'll be all for them and not mostly for Khym.
As the child of Deveau's thief, Kai was not treated kindly. They became Deveau's plaything; barely clothed, starved, and beaten for the smallest mistakes. Deveau used to have Nikaiel whipped during social gathering just to see how strong their threshold for pain was, and to put on a show for her guest where she waged bets on how long it was take them to pass out. On the rare days she decided to be kind, she had Nikaiel dress in noble clothing like a doll and praised them for their regal features. It's the only reason their face was spared scars and abuse no stronger than a slap. Nikaiel knew not to fight back no matter how much they wanted to, so they kept their head down, did as they were told, and became "loyal" to Lady Deveau, waiting for the opportunity to slit her throat. The moment never came. Deveau a political falling out with a neighboring lord, and the ensuing disagreement lead to her assassination when Nikaiel was twelve. They didn't stick around to be taken as a spoil of war and stowed away on a merchant ship going literally anywhere else.
Nikaiel ended up in Darington hiding and keeping to the shadows, so they wouldn't be taken by a slaver. They weren't on the street long, before they were found by Khym. The augury was an ex-slave that got spoiled by having at least one meal a day, which was more then he got when he traveled with his tribe through the Bone Sea, before he got caught by slavers in Darington decades ago. Khym didn't spend too much time with his master, having been cunning enough to steal coin and gems from the master's own safe, and pretended that the goods were stolen from someone else so he could buy his freedom. When Nikaiel and Khym met, Khym was getting on in years, and wasn't as agile as he used to be. In the time of his freedom, he spent most of it stealing gold and gems from merchants and the rich in Darington, so he never went without another meal again. He was able to get in and out without getting caught. He keeps a low profile, virtually a nobody, no one knowing he's the richest creature in Darington with his basement full of riches.
Khym took Nikaiel in when they caught him sneaking off with stolen goods. They'd been hiding in an alley next to a jewelry shop for the night and just happened to see Khym's escape. Nikaiel was desperate for money, so they could buy food, and thought they could take Khym in a fight, since he was tinier than them. Nikaiel had the element of surprise and was able to take the bag Khym carried. They would've made off with the loot had they not been malnourished and passed out from running. Khym was surprised the kid was able to get the drop on him, since he's usually aware of his surroundings. He took his bag back and would have left Nikaiel on the street, but decided to wake them up and welcome them into his home. Once Nikaiel got their strength back, they told Khym everything, minus details of their life with Lady Deveau. Learning they were an amateur con artist, Khym saw this as an opportunity to mold Nikaiel into his new money maker. Combined with the skills Nikaiel learned from their father and Khym, they became the best con artist in Darington. They did away with their birth name and took up the name Kai. Kai wasn't a slave with a master, but a master of disguise.
Khym set Kai to work, unfortunately spending gold and jewels on temporary crews to help Kai get the job done. Kai never worked with the same people twice, and whatever cut Khym gave them had to be spilt with their partners. Kai learned quick to vet potential crewmates, never tell the crew the entire plan, and keep it to four to five people. Any more than that and shit gets messy. Khym also inducted them into his religion worshiping Khiar-koff. Kai is a devout follower, and often prays to Khiar-koff first thing in the morning praying for their death to be delayed another day. Through the ritual sacrifices, Khym taught them Kisha making. Kai's first few attempts at making kisha failed, but when they finally got the hang of it they made El, a bird-cat homunculus.
After working for Khym for over a decade, Kai wants to branch out on their own, and find riches that'll be all for them and not mostly for Khym.
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
▅▅▅▅▅
What else is there?
What else is there?
What else is there?
Kai has plenty of names they use for different cons. And when they introduce themself to people, it's always a name on the long list of aliases. If their enemies ever found out their true identity they'd be in trouble.