ALL MINE !

the truth is just what everyone chooses to believe.

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗨𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗟𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀tsurumi island

[balemouns]

the informant her children found for this mission is proving to not really help answer the question; it sounds as though she's claiming some form of magnificent and supernatural form of speed rather than helping truly gauge how long recovery of the lost fatui cargo will take. arlecchino's brows flatten --- then, she takes out a mora coinpurse, and sorts out the payment to offer to the ferryman with one blackened hand. the captain of the small ship seems content to stay put then, and heads back onto his ship --- arlecchino turns then, and starts to walk to the feline-like young woman further down the shore.

it really is strange, the way she looks like she could be related to some of her own children; slow, steady steps along the shore bring her closer slowly as marked eyes observe the way the contact accompanying her on this journey explores the ruins of what remains of tsurumi. this part is not drenched in fog, at the very least; further in, she expected they'd want to stay closer together, else they be lost, too...

with an exhale, she calls ahead to the woman once close enough. "the captain has been paid to remain a while longer; let's head on to where you last saw these men with their shipment, then." calm, composed walk continues, until she's caught up completely and walking alongside the other. ahead on the road lies a large altar of sorts... if the sparse records the fatui maintained of this island were to be believed, this was once a civilization with a religion that followed an old god of thunder, one that flew in the skies long before her excellency, the almighty narukami ogosho.

perhaps that old holiness was why the veil between life and death felt eerily thin on this island; the restless fragments of spirits bound in blood whisper an octave higher, louder, but do not speak so loud that they cannot be ignored with simple conversation. "I don't believe we formally introduced ourselves on the way over --- arlecchino is fine, no need to come up with more nicknames like gray lady. I would appreciate knowing how to address you as well: the children simply referred to you as 'the cat girl who knows stuff with blue eyes', after all. it felt a tad preposterous to address you as such myself."

[thiefstcr]

THIS LADY SHE'D AGREED TO TAKE AROUND　𑄝　is so serious! well, figures that the kind of person who'd been sent to pick up after some lost coworkers would be, huh——wouldn't find her taking up that kind of job unless the pay was really sky high, no way.

. . . was this lady's pay sky high? cipher looks over her slimly-tailored outfit with a new consideration of greed before keen eyes snap back up at the question. "me? huh, so those snooping little guys didn't even bother giving you a name? calling me ' cipher ' is just fine, ar—le—cchi—no." she sounds out each individual syllable in a partial sing-song, deciding it's ultimately too much work. with a flick of her tail tip, she looks forward again to where they're heading, a trail up ahead along the shoreline that leads deeper into the mistbound inland. "you sure even ' arly ' wouldn't work better? might not be as as good as grey lady, but at least it's snappy, quick off the tongue."

she doesn't even bother looking at the woman to guess what kind of face she might get in return, picking up to step a pace-and-a-half ahead to take the lead. part of considers running off and leaving her in the mist, see how far she could get on her own and popping out here and there to give her a good scare for the kicks——but if she's getting paid on this, then she guesses it's worth doing a decent job and making it worth the money for now.

cat-like gait is lithe and easy, back straight and limbs relaxed, ears angled and swiveling to pick up any unusual sounds as her tail stays on a leisurely swing with its dark tip curled. she looks like she belongs just as easily on this eerie and abandoned landscape as anywhere else as they take their turn at the copse of dry and overgrown grass and start up the dirt-worn trail toward rolling flatlands of greener pasture dotted with tall rock formations, embedded with the colorful lilac head of wildflowers.

"anyway, last i saw your guys was at a pretty important-looking spot. bunch of old candles, big pile of rocks. looked like they'd set up a camp there. i didn't check back after to see if they were still there, though."

a lonesome wind begins to pick up as they move further away from the salty sea, and a whiteness starts to set in all around——the stupid fog. really made everything a pain in the ass to see. "by the way, i don't know how good you are with monsters, but i'd stay sharp. the dog ones here are no joke ; they can fly around and just keep getting in your way. i had scratches from them that lasted for hours and took forever to heal."

[thiefstcr]

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐒　𑄝　———　belobog reminds cipher of dolos: a vertical city with the poor and disenfranchised crouched in the dark below where the sky is blotted out, stark social stratification. i'd like to flip this prompt on its head——up top is where the Solwarm funds have been mysteriously disappearing, and when there's finally a lead, it seems to point to citizens of the Underworld who've suddenly been making purchases and doing things they aren't usually capable of. this threatens to unseat the delicate balance of diplomacy between the two halves of belobog, with Underworld citizens only hotly proclaiming that they deserve to have a Solwarm festival too when confronted. 　 because of this tension, on the eve of what's supposed to be a time of celebration, the city looks like it's on the verge of open dispute and discrimination again. at the heart of it all is cipher, the one who actually has been stealing from the top and distributing the wealth throughout the Underworld. staunch ally of the poor, she refuses to take any responsibility for her part in the brewing conflict, or that it has anything to do with her. in her eyes, all the people up top in belobog are guilty of greed and complacency, even if belobog as a whole is a poor city and even the upper class are middle class at best. 　 i'd like to use this thread to explore cipher's callousness toward those she sees as ' better off ', and how deeply her past influences her perspective, stubbornly rooting her in broad brushstrokes of bias rather than having any interest in nuance. i might also like to work in shades of grey when it comes to how helpful her robin hood actions actually are to the less fortunate, touching on the wastefulness or selfishness that some Underworlders might use the extra money for, and in general how short-lived of an impact such windfalls actually make in the grand scheme of systemic inequality. 　 i'm open to any kind of muse to bounce this off against, and the direction we end up focusing on for exploration will depend on the role they're playing in this scenario. please come with your own ideas for how your character will be part of this and how they'll be interacting with cipher to touch on any of the concepts above or any concepts you would like to explore as well! if you're interested, please leave a comment or dm me. as always, likes to be assumed to be moral support. thanks!　[ TAKEN ]

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗨𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗟𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀tsurumi island

[balemouns]

a silver brow raises at the question --- even with the note of humor in her tone, that does sound fairly plausible for a small transportation crew trying to move equipment made for fatui research purposes. perhaps one of the more surprising aspects was that it sounds like they had made no move to threaten her; possible if this young lady had remained unseen throughout her surveillance. many teams of fatui agents conducting that sort of work in a foreign land had orders to engage with any potential threats on sight.

still, the less she shared the better --- she does catch the look of a helmsman eavesdropping, which could mean she had said too much already. marked eyes continue to watch him as the engine of the boat slows further into the small harbor... and when the boat finally comes to a stop, gaze follows as he heads over to grab a thick rope bunched up at the bow of the ship. while he moves, she asks a question she's been considering: "how long will you remain here in anticipation of our return?"

the helmsman looks around at first, as though he believes she's addressing someone else; then, a who, me? look levels towards her that solicits a nod, and the helmsman finally answers after a pregnant pause. "er... well, you paid for the journey here, plus two hours. so... two hours."

"mhm, that was the agreed-upon price back in inazuma city. but... if I pay you more upon our return, how much longer are you willing to wait?" searching this island would certainly take longer than that. some part of her hoped the missing team's transportation would still be docked somewhere on the island, too... but that seemed unlikely.

the helmsman is tying the boat to the dock post as he looks up at the next question, still seemingly uneasy. then, he shakes his head and looks down again to the knot he's tying as he answers. "nah, no payment on return. you pay now, and I'll stay for four hours."

seems he really doesn't believe they have a good chance of making it, then. as the boat steadies, arlecchino moves to step off of it and onto the dock, and then turns back with a smile towards the young woman who'd provided the lead on the missing team. "well, miss... do we think we could get what we need to do finished in that little time?"

[thiefstcr]

CIPHER'S THE FIRST TO HOP OFF THE BOAT.　𑄝　land, sweet land! mouth curled in a gratified smile, she gives a big stretch the moment her feet are on solid ground again, both arms toward the sky as a shiver runs down through her spine and up to the tip of her tail, making the fur puff out before it settles back down. looks like this island still had that creepy sort of feeling from the last time she was here——shadows that were too quiet ; the feeling of always being watched. if the lady hadn't offered to pay so much for her trouble, she'd avoid coming back too.

so she can't blame the ferryman all that much for not wanting to stay either. "if it's me you're asking," she starts confidently, turning back around to face the other two with a hand on hip, "if i was alone, i could cover this whole island to look for your lost research equipment in less than the time it'd take to tie up the boat. so what's keeping us back isn't me."

she makes a dismissive gesture with one hand as she looks directly at arlecchino, lips still pulled in a smirk. "it's only fair that the one slowing things down pays the price, right? how long do you think it'll take us?"

to her, anyway, it doesn't really matter. she'd just like to get this whole thing over with and have a way off at the end of the day, and the second part was easy as long as she had a coin left to flip. she was a lot more interested in seeing just how much the lady was willing to shell out to book her own exit ticket, so she could see just how much she could wheedle from her if she really tried.

another luxurious stretch completes the picture on the outside though, without a care in the world. "myaaaurr, i'll be over here while you guys are deciding. let me know when you want to start ~ !"

and with that, she turns and makes her way further down the length of the island's beach, toward some crumbled formation of stones she remembers snooping around last time. they'd looked like they were part of some old ruins from the island's past, along with some other structures she'd found further inland. but too bad——none of it'd really had any treasure to speak of for the taking, not even a sparkly artifact or two.

probably just a bunch of old villages that used to live here back in the day, no richer than she'd ever been growing up, dressed in rags.

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀natlan woven scroll

[tartagliare]

A half-step forward and the thief has all-but vanished, leaving behind the sharp echo of laughter that pings from one stone to the next. Dull blue flickers to find traces of her, a lash of a tail here and a golden heel that glitters when caught by the Natlan sun. In the blink of an eye, she’s managed a day’s worth of an average adventurer’s travel. So…he’s impressed.

Reluctantly! Though what he wants is a fight, he concedes in the moment. Beggars can’t be choosers…and what the thief is offering is almost just as good.

The truth is, he’s used to people running. It seems to be the natural default where he’s concerned. Something about the looming threat of death just does that to people, and Childe would be lying if he said it was entirely off putting. ‘Strength isn’t everything’, he reasons, and how else is he supposed to test his speed and endurance?

There’s no question that he’ll need his delusion to keep up with her, the answering shockwave of electro igniting as soon as he calls it. “You’re on!” He’s aware that the wind and distance swallows the sound of his voice, skating hydro where his feet must touch the ground. Just who is this girl? His thoughts race – normal people don’t move like this, and even with her head start being only a few seconds, it’s clear to him that he’s losing ground even with the assistance of his delusion.

Teeth grinding in frustration, the harbinger adjusts his strategy. The thief is already on the last floating island, Ochkanatlan opening to them in the flourish. If she gets there…will he have hope of finding her?

Better question, what’s a challenge without a few risks taken in between?

Using his delusion at full capacity stings, but it’s exhilarating in equal parts, honing his focus where it really matters. His inhale is sharp, air burning in the back of his throat and everywhere else as he makes his largest jump to date, crashing into the island with a blind force that rings his head and his ears, dust and debris clouding his vision.

He’s participated in a fair number of explosions in the past. Self-made. Enemy made. Weaponry and visions of fire and ice, raining all kinds of blood and dirt over a battlefield. It's always disorienting, but Childe forces his eyes to stay open as he tumbles through the air, his shoulder connecting with the jagged edge of a rock on the way down.

A long way down. The dust hasn’t cleared yet, but he can tell that he’s falling, pushing from larger pieces of the island that he’d managed to knock from the sky, taking with it a decent chunk of the mainland too. Hitting a lower, less connected island stings, joints buckling as we keeps his head tilted skyward to begin sidestepping the rain of sharp stone. The thief has fallen with him, but right now? He’s too busy making sure that no sharp stones get lodged into his head, hydro deflecting what he’s unable to dodge. “Hey, you’re pretty quick.” If he sounds winded it’s because the air down here is surprisingly thin, the edges of his vision are already a little shadowy from lack of oxygen. He’s not worried, dancing around the falling objects to get that much closer to her.

She looks normal, anyway.  He reaches out to grab her, but a splintered pillar forces him to pull back as it crashes between them. “So, does this count as catching you? Nowhere to run yet, either. Makes me wonder what a Dolos cat does when they’re cornered?”

[thiefstcr]

JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SEE WHAT HE'S GOT.　𑄝　nothing huge. with ears angled to catch the sounds from behind on the whistling wind this high up, she keeps up a steady pace moving forward, a medium run that doesn't use up too much energy ; she picks everything intentionally, from her angle against these huge, sloping blocks of earth to where she puts her feet, but it's all second nature now. truth is, ninety-nine percent of people out there didn't have a baby's chance in dolos of catching her if she got serious, and it was just as much about the technique as it was about speed.

ozone tints the air with its chemical little smell again, and she knows that he's got to have put that lightning on again to catch her. she doesn't even need to look to know. okay, race is on.

her weight leans forward, tail flaring out for balance, and she puts more stride into her run. it's still not a coin flip, but it's close to about as fast as she'd get without it. and back there? she hears cracks of lightning, something that sounds like splashing ; a glance tells her she's outpacing him——yep, thought so.

——huh?

until he vanishes.

a thundering boom lands ahead of her, staggering her footing, but there's no chance to wonder how he'd made the leap that far before the ground beneath shudders. arms flail, a gasp half out of her mouth——then it crumbles. soil, stone, bedrock gives out beneath golden heel and before she knows it, she's in freefall, eyes wide as she grabs out for anything in reach to pull herself back up, but even with a cat's reflexes, it's too late. the edge of the landmass peeling up and away into the sky, more of it raining down in groaning, silent blocks and chunks threatening to bury her under a landslide. what the heck did he do?

gotta survive. instinct kicks in, and a shadow falls just close enough for her to twist herself around midair and get her feet on it to push off, launching toward a smaller mass of broken stone nearby. hands grab on, rock chipping at nails ; lithe spine twists, and she pushes again, turning a freefall into something a little more controlled. but just because she reaches the bottom doesn't mean it's over ; she still has to look out for everything raining down from above, and because of that, misses the guy who'd started all this lunging close.

an earth-shaking crash kicks up a plume of white dust inches from her face, walling them off. she coughs, steps back, hand waving in front of her face. through the cloud of debris, his outline is still visible, taunting her from the other side. a brow folds in disbelief. "you think this means you've caught me? you really are something else. i can't remember the last time someone was willing to bring down a whole city for a little pickpocketing. between the two of us, i'd say you're the real threat to history and culture."

overcome obstacle ,　5 .　fail

think fast, cipher. of course, any thief worth their salt has more than just one or two tricks up their sleeve. he thinks he's got her trapped here with him, huh? she could work with that.

leaving a clone standing where she does and looking around, she splits herself off with every bit of zagreus' sleight of hand and uses the cover of the dust plume to crawl away. keeping head and body low to the ground, she squeezes under a steep overhang, practically little more than a crack above the ground held in place by some of the bigger chunks of land that'd fallen. visibility's no better here either, and all she's really doing is buying a bit of time. . . but a little time's all it'd take to find some backdoor out of here, eventually.

[generalforesight]

𓂃˚ 𝜏𝘩𝜀 𝜕𝜀𝜈𝜄𝑙 𝜄𝑠 𝜄𝜋 𝜏𝘩𝜀 𝜕𝜀𝜏𝛼𝜄𝑙𝑠

𝗃𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗎𝖺𝗇 ｡ 𝖼𝗂𝗉𝗁𝖾𝗋 ｡ 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝗈𝖺𝗋𝖽 ｡

[generalforesight]

Sturdy chains seem to do little to restrict her movements, and hm, isn’t that interesting? Jing Yuan’s eyes are fixed there, knowing them to be weighted enough to keep runners at half speed, to shatter bone when wielded as a weapon. Cipher is fluid as any cat, unbothered. Something to file away for consideration.

Regardless, the person that meets his eyes does so with ruffled fur and a bit of a bite. Nothing like the feral, bloodthirsty things concealed in the depths or the simpering minor criminals that line the upper floors. A balance, which lends points in favor of what they are trying to accomplish here.

Restless armor shifts behind him, the scrape of weaponry being moved even as Jing Yuan holds a leisurely position.  While he’s always admired the sentries willing to feel indignant at the first signs of a slight made to his person, he’s never found it all that necessary. “Your hospitality is appreciated,” He says, as if the thief is the one doing him a favor by hearing his plea, such that it is. “As is your patience.”

At the gesture of a few fingers, a device is placed between them. As it hums to life, the setting washes both in pale blue. He allows seconds for the eyes to adjust, before striding forward. “His name is Yaruf, a recently arrived borisin refugee.” Recently arrived seems almost comical for the display that paints the timeline. The docks spread before them are streaked with translucent blood, the figure of Yaruf is curled inward to press against unknown injury, managing to bark his plea for immunity through clenched teeth.

The image shifts, and while Yaruf is being dragged before the Seat of Divine Foresight, crowds of angry citizens call for his head. It is not their finest moment; the knowledge of it curls in his chest as something barbed and needing to be handled with delicate hands. Though, he can expect little else, having so recently dealt with disasters brought to their doorstep. “The Borisin are a longstanding enemy of the Xianzhou, catering death to our people and any who cross their paths. Yaruf’s request for immunity is not unheard of…but it is not something that can be granted lightly.”

When the device falls silent, the room’s darkness has multiplied, casting shadows in every corner. Jing Yuan ignores them, crossing his arms over his chest. “I will investigate this matter personally. Given the histories between our people, having an outside eye may yield a new perspective. By all accounts, you have proven to have a keen sense for the finer details,” Now is not the time to bring it up, he knows, the accusation of her own crime hovering overhead. “You will be tethered to the Luofu, but free to walk at my side and judge for yourself. There is little I can offer other than my word as Arbiter General, though you are welcome to return here if at any point you deem the trials ahead to be outside of your best interests.”

[thiefstcr]

THEY'VE REALLY GOT AN ODD WAY OF DOING THINGS ,　𑄝　this ' xianzhou luofu '. when a little object is placed in front of her, she directs her attention to the pictures it projects, illuminating her little cell in a wash of ocean blues. soundless, recorded scenes play on repeat——a big wolf-looking thing, definitely having seen better days ; a fancy interior chamber with even more guards than she's got looking out for her today. should she be jealous of this yaruf guy ~ ?

then out it comes, the rest of the story. this general gets to the point at least ; she'll give him that. interracial tensions, history of enmity, resentment and distrust, etc. etc. she listens carefully to the end, to everything he has to say, all the offer he has to make. the only hint of a reason he gives for extending this oh-so-generous opportunity to her is ' an outside eye may yield a new perspective ', which doesn't mean anything, really. no doubt he knows about how she'd stolen the ambrosial arbor from right under their noses in broad daylight, and he's going to just let her walk? even ' tethered ', that's pretty rich. so either this guy's an absolute blockhead, or, more likely, it's something else he's got up his sleeve. some xianzhou-specific trial by fire for their prisoners for public entertainment? a sadistic streak personal to the general himself? who knows.

none of this is what she asks, though. instead, she lounges back against the wall with one leg bent, looking up at him with a lackadaisical pout now that the movie's over——sympathy on the rocks. "i really don't envy you leader types. if it were me, i wouldn't even think about asylum or no asylum——just lop off his head, and you don't have any more problems to worry about." it's what everyone wanted, right? well, besides the yaruf guy. but what had he been expecting when he'd come here, anyway?

which, though curiosity killed the cat, she had to wonder: if things were really as bad as it looked like, what sort of chance did this " borisin " think he had? and why was this general thinking about granting it? she doesn't imagine it'd put him too high on the popularity polls.

her tail swishes once back and forth, the only indication that she's thinking about it. but there really isn't much to think about. guaranteed imprisonment and terminal boredom or walking around about as good as free besides some supervision? spoke for itself, didn't it? a chance for escape was a chance, no matter how small. it might be pretty fun to see if this guy really thought he could keep a cat on a leash.

"as far as ethnic conflict goes, i don't really care about what happens or what decision you make, and i'm not one of those people who just likes learning about culture for the sake of it. but sure, this sounds pretty fun." if that's really what this was about. "only, i've got my own creeds to follow, and they say it's a coin for your thoughts, so——each time you ask for my help, you put a coin on my sentence to sweeten the deal. five coins, and i get to go free. deal?"

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗨𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗟𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀tsurumi island

[balemouns]

ill omens hang around this part of the inazuman sea. though marked eyes glance up every so often to observe surroundings, her own attention has turned back to a small stack of papers that had come in an envelope stamped with the regrator's seal. somewhere after the fatui's withdrawal from watatsumi island, and relatively failed attempts to make something workable of the tartatsuna island furnace... important and proprietary equipment had gone missing.

it seemed from his letter that the snezhnayan banker was less concerned about the men who had vanished than recovering the technology they had lost. still, while trying to gather any clues about where they were last seen... a child of the house of the hearth in inazuma had pointed her in the direction of the catlike young lady who was now calling for her attention.

"... 'grey lady.' that's a first," the letter folds and is tucked back into its envelope, which then returns to a pant pocket; arlecchino then turns to push off the railing, and walks over towards where the young woman with oddly familiar catlike features is standing on the ship. "... what is there that you feel you need to know? the little boy in hanamizaka who directed me to you --- hirofumi, if you recall --- said you'd have information about a missing fatui platoon that was transporting equipment in the area."

a sigh --- she supposes she can say just a little more about what's going on, though. the boat is slowing towards the dock --- it wouldn't be much longer before they'd be heading into the dense fog that surrounds the eerily quiet island. "these men were transporting machinery needed for one of my colleague's experimental research. while it would be wonderful to find the men themselves... the top priority is locating their cargo."

[thiefstcr]

ARMS STAY FOLDED AS THE LADY　𑄝　makes her way over, confidence worn like a second skin in a lackadaisical posture and the leisurely motion of a long tail. honestly, after this little stunt was over, she'd be glad if she never came back to this soggy corner of teyvat ever again. who thought it'd be a good idea to live on an archipelago? 3/10——too much water.

what is it she thinks she needs to know, the lady asks. shouldn't that be obvious? everything, of course. she better not think she'd just duped any old islander into coming along willy-nilly into the fog-shrouded, abandoned island overrun with ghosts for a light-hearted day trip. this kind of thing had a price tag. "mm, mm, experimental research machinery," she rolls the words around on her tongue, nodding. "that definitely sounds familiar. pretty sure i saw guys like that wandering around when i was here. bulky suits, weird accents, no concept of sanctity of the dead. ring any bells?"

it was a joke, you know. because what does a thief care about sanctity of the dead?

but it wasn't an inaccurate description of the men she'd seen, surprising enough just for being the only other living, breathing bodies around the place. they'd caught her eye because of that, sure, but also⠀(⠀and more importantly⠀)⠀for the stuff they carried on them. not the equipment——who cared about lugging that around——but the nice stuff: the feather-stuffed beds they slept on, the shiny trinkets some of them wore. she almost licks her lips thinking about it.

with her mind on that and her back turned, she doesn't see how their helmsman gives arlecchino a dubious glance from the corner of his eye, then goes back to focusing on steering, pretending not to be taking in any of their exchange.

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀natlan woven scroll

[tartagliare]

As luck would have it – the oppressive mists and crumbling structures, terrain devoid of any friendly life is like a second home. When the tribesman had warned him of the dangers Ochkanatlan presented… well, he had definitely hoped for something more. ‘Don’t you worry about me,’ In hindsight, he sees how his initial excitement had made the closest few take that reflexive step away from him. They’d be good in a fight, too, if they could feel the edges of a near-murderous intent from just a few words. ‘If this thief is as skilled as you say, then there’s nowhere I’d rather be.’

It’s better than the alternative excuse – having to laugh along with a bunch of starry-eyed scholars, ready to sightsee and pick around for bits of the past in approved safety zones. Safety zones! As if all the fun wasn’t lingering beyond, in places untested by even the bravest warriors Natlan could produce.

Childe would have ripped through the red tape in an instant … and not one person would have lifted a finger to try and stop him.

Now, he has a blanket sort of permission to cleave through enemies in dusty corners, gliding from one broken ledge to the next. His blood races, exhilaration painting a wild grin over his lips as rippling water offers a clean cut through the neck of a foreign beast. He forgets, for a while, that he is looking—

As they say, the best things in life are unexpected. He hasn’t even begun to build expectations for Ochkanatlan’s little thief problem, so when he tracks the voice to it’s source, the surprised breath he takes is genuine. “Ah…haha. That’s a good way to give a guy a heart attack you know.” The sound of his laughter echoes, the bit of breathlessness carrying the undercurrent of anticipation. “Besides, I think you might be selling yourself short. You look exactly like the person I need direction from.” His voice travels, bouncing clearly to where she seems so comfortable overhead. With a decisive spark, the harbinger feels electricity burning over his skin as he flashes up toward her, pieces of the bridge crumbling under his weight as he lands on the other side of her little haunt.

“Cat ears through a decorative hood, long tail, blue eyes several shades lighter than mine,” He’s listing off the most obvious features, even if all the tribesmen could really give him were the ears. According to them, she’d been too fast to really look at.  “Oh! Right…and a scroll. Probably ancient. Definitely stolen. So..." The set of his stance hasn’t shifted, loose limbed and relaxed even as he imagines leaping at any given moment. “…know anybody that might meet that description?”

[thiefstcr]

SNIFF, SNIFF. HM. NO.　𑄝　on second thought, there was something else going on here. he doesn't smell like any old tourist losing his way in the ruins ; there's too much old blood. and——

the sharp odor of ozone alerts her just early enough to prepare, like the charged air before a storm. just as the other suddenly materializes a few steps away, she's able to leap nimbly back to keep outside the range of danger. brows furrow as her posture tenses, curious as she is wary, noticing the soft trail of lingering smoke in the wake of his sudden move. it's the evidence of a sudden heat's flash through liminal space ; so it was lightning, huh?

though he has the advantage of recognizing her already, cipher's careful to keep her expression cool, taking in the confident way he holds himself and the hard line of his frame up close. the killing intent she'd caught a whiff of earlier comes off him like sweat now ; he might act relaxed, but the small of his eyes are wide and threatening, a predator locked in on its prey.

yeah, she's tangled with people like this before, and it's rarely ever been pretty. but where'd he even come from?

". . . ohhh, i get it now. so they sent you after me to grab this, right?" the old artifact, presented in her right hand, curled behind the cage of long, golden nails. by comparison, its dilapidated old parchment——still soft with the memory of being some animal's skin once——tangled amid flaking feathers and dull beads looks like something dug out of a centuries-old cavern.

actually, that's not too far from the truth.

"well, you're definitely not the first." she folds forward cockily at the waist and eyes him with a smirk, long, pale tail waving high back and forth. "but all these years, and still no one runs better than a dolos thief. myahaha!" a pivot, and she's gone from the ruins of the bridge in an instant, covering meters in a bound and a flip that take her effortlessly to the next lopsided segment, then the next. "catch me if you can ~ !"

the perilously tilted structures and jagged corners of rubble and earth might as well be polished floor under her fluid landings despite the long, sheer drop to the slivers of rocky beach far, far below. within moments, she's hardly more than a black pin in the distance headed up the road, dwarfed by the goliath tapestry of crumbled stone beyond her: a city that had once seated history.

[thiefstcr]

What Makes a Personality

A template for analyzing features of a personality.

Self-Concept

View of Self: unmatched thief, demigod of trickery. independent and unattached ; skilled, street-smart, and adaptable enough to manage fine just about anywhere she goes, someone who has a way to get anything she wants——and if she doesn't, is confident she can figure one out. cipher sees herself as the quintessential, almost romantic, vagabond who answers to no one except herself, a creature of desire and one with the means and skill to sate that desire, and the fault in everybody's best-laid plans. she sees herself as the bringer-down of the mighty from their high seats and an action-oriented answer to systemic inequality. to some extent, she sees herself as a representative of the side of society that everyone would rather forget. at the same time, she also sees how ultimately low she and her skills are compared to those who can truly wield power. she sees herself as an escape artist, the shock and awe, a clever trick——quickly to be forgotten as people move on afterwards. knowing she'll never be favored or lasting or truly impactful.

View of Others: one of three categories: the havers, the have-nots, and the people in the middle. to cipher, the rich and the powerful aren't people ; they're symbols of greed, cruelty, and exploitation, just like she knows that in their eyes, she's not a person but a symbol of dirtiness, crime, lawlessness, and everything else they hate laying eyes on. every single wealthy person might as well be the one who was personally responsible for her childhood in dolos. to her, every one of them deserves whatever's coming to them. the have-nots are people just like her, or at least just like she used to be. she sees in them the same motivation that she had: survival. they may not always be good people, but it's worth helping them out when she can anyway——because in the end they could always do with a little more to make tomorrow easier, and the people up top could do with a little less. of the people in the middle, cipher has no outstanding opinion. most of the time, they're targets just the same as the rich, someone to have a little fun with, someone to mess around before she's on to the next thing.

View of World: a collection of social systems based on power and privilege. the how and why of each civilization might be different, but ultimately it boils down to the same: the havers and the have-nots, the differences between me and you.

Motivations & Goals: to live a carefree, hedonistic life. to experience sometime what it's like to have been born privileged. ( to leave a lasting mark or impression. )

What they Value Most: her own capability.

Emotional Reactions

Reaction to Stress: bluff forever and believe in her ability to make it through. loss of composure means vulnerability, means exposing it to others who could take advantage of your vulnerability, means putting yourself in danger. looking like you haven't let things get to you is everything ; more often than not, you can figure out a way to turn it around as long as you maintain the impression that you can to others. as soon as they smell your stress, they know they've won the greater half of the battle.

Reaction to Fear: if it's a mid-level threat around, she'll make it clear that she's not too keen on staying. higher vocal pitch, fur standing on end, on edge, and generally leaning towards a flight response——she's looking for the best exit, and will typically only resort to fighting if cornered. contrastingly, if it's a fear she's committed herself to facing, the external indications all but vanish and her presentation becomes closer to her above stress response.

Reaction to Success: braggadocio. tends to jump to vainglory, a gleeful ' i win, you lose ' response, because her gain just about always comes at the cost of someone else's loss, a schadenfreude she enjoys.

Reaction to Failure: glum, pouting, sullen. withdraws for a spell to lick her wounds silently, but gets over the injured pride relatively quickly. is willing to acknowledge when the other side just outdid her, and often wants to know how they did it. if the failure is not in competition with another and more of a task she's failing at, weathers the harsh bruises and lessons learned in silence. demonstrates resilience——it does not keep her from trying again, better prepared next time. the life of a thief and criminal has taught her that any mistake that doesn't kill her is setting itself up for her comeback.

Development

Ideal Self: cipher's ideal self is very close to what she is today: no longer cold, desperate, driven by where her next meal is coming from ; a self that is able to control the trajectory of her life rather than have it be controlled: by pursuit of basic necessities, everything that fights to keep those from her, and pitying handouts from strangers ; a self-actualized self with agency and ability to pursue on her own terms. the only thing she feels she's missing is the ability to make a real difference, but doesn't recognize this very consciously about herself. she assuages some of that unconscious desire by distributing a fraction of her spoils among the less fortunate, but this doesn't scratch the itch completely. the ideal self is also someone wanted, valued, and respected ; however, this is something she also inherently chafes against due to her methods and her dislike for responsibility and expectation.

Areas of Growth: developing altruism, being able to trust and rely on others, growing in self-awareness. cipher is described as being "cunning, but naive" ; though capable and clever, she is a pretty simple person because her behaviors are driven mostly by the lowest tiers on maslow's hierarchy. to oversimplify it, you might call her a reptilian hindbrain kind of person. she's never been able to leave a mindset that focuses on needs ; for a long time, these were food, shelter, warmth, safety from danger. as these physical needs faded, emotional and psychological wants took their place as fundamental needs. higher levels of cerebral thinking and motivation are somewhat out of reach for her ; even if they register on a subconscious level, she rarely recognizes them for what they are. the same goes for more complex emotions.

Barriers to Growth: lack of realization that she answers largely to the traumas of her past and that her behaviors and beliefs are governed by them. even if she did realize it, lack of willingness to be anything or see anything different. preoccupation with pursuit of short-term satisfactions. an inherent selfishness born of trauma and spite. preference for escapism and avoidance over confrontation.

[generalforesight]

𓂃˚ 𝜏𝘩𝜀 𝜕𝜀𝜈𝜄𝑙 𝜄𝑠 𝜄𝜋 𝜏𝘩𝜀 𝜕𝜀𝜏𝛼𝜄𝑙𝑠

𝗃𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗎𝖺𝗇 ｡ 𝖼𝗂𝗉𝗁𝖾𝗋 ｡ 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝗈𝖺𝗋𝖽 ｡

[generalforesight]

Let’s not be hasty—

He finds himself uttering this phrase more often than any others. It’s a simple and effective rule to live by, and a lesson that he often attempts to impart to any number of eyes that look to him for guidance. Even in the most brutal battles, the narrowest circumstances…preparing a counterstrike took time. Pieces needed to be positioned on the board, such that no weaknesses would be left for an enterprising enemy.

𝖦͟𝗋͟𝖺͟𝗇͟𝗍͟𝖾͟𝖽͟, 𝗍͟𝗁͟𝖾͟ 𝖠͟𝗆͟𝖻͟𝗋͟𝗈͟𝗌͟𝗂͟𝖺͟𝗅͟ 𝖠͟𝗋͟𝖻͟𝗈͟𝗋͟ 𝗁͟𝖺͟𝖽͟ 𝗇͟𝖾͟𝗏͟𝖾͟𝗋͟ 𝖻͟𝖾͟𝖾͟𝗇͟ 𝗌͟𝗍͟𝗈͟𝗅͟𝖾͟𝗇͟.

Mass panic was the least troubling aspect of board that had been set for him.

To that end, it takes him three days to maneuver his men, to contact each one of the six commissions and then the seventh, that the criminal awaiting trial might be useful enough to postpone a trial that would take too long to truly serve them well. In his years serving as The Divine Foresight … Jing Yuan is known for making strange requests. This, perhaps, is what tips the scales in his favor.

He sets his dutiful pace, washed in the eerie shadow of the Shackling Prison’s depths. By all accounts, it had taken every ounce of manpower and luck possessed on this ship to subdue her. Jing Yuan had never been one to squander good fortune, waiting in the reception hall while the prison’s caretakers ready for the meeting.

It’s the drag of heavy chains that draws his gaze, announcing the arrival. He takes a step, eyes obscured by the shift of his hair as he tilts his head down to examine her. Foreign, the reports had said, and Jing Yuan concedes it quietly. Unknown, they had said of her abilities, the reports of her movements that had landed across his desk seeming more at home on one of the Luofu’s many exaggerated fan sites. Dangerous, and while Jing Yuan agrees that talent and skill come in any size—

Even he can’t imagine where she would be hiding the Ambrosial Arbor on her person.

A sigh halts at his lips before it can become a yawn, the gold of his eyes crinkling as he acknowledges her. Behind them, there are guards that flank every exit, though the technology here has been imprisoning beasts more powerful than her for centuries. “Though I am sure you have been informed of our meeting, I am Jing Yuan, Arbiter General of the Xianzhou Luofu.” All he can do is smile, one hand carding through the stubborn pieces of hair attempting to obscure his vision. He paces a few steps, observing her from a different angle. “In line with the allegations, I am aware of the interrogations that have already been leveled against you.” Truly, his people did not waste time or energy – the curse of immortality at least afforded them efficiency.

“This is not the reason for my visit.” He pauses, closing his eyes. Ah, but the lighting here is so dim…it would be easy to drift, only for a moment. After a breath, his eyes open, focus shifting. While he often enjoys toying with others’ patience, this does not fall into the same category.  “I have been granted permission by the Ten-Lord’s Commission, that you might walk freely at my side as ah- an asset in a particularly troubling endeavor. If you agree, if the outcome is favorable, your sentence could be…reconsidered.” At this, Jing Yuan falls silent, returning to stand in front of her. It’s a lot to take in, and so he folds his arms to his sides and practices patience.

@thiefstcr

[thiefstcr]

YEAH, YEAH. SHE'D BEEN INFORMED ALL RIGHT.　𑄝　a bunch of glaive-wielding armor guys had stopped by in the morning, waking her up with loud clangs of steel against the doorway. through the peephole, she'd seen some official-looking person with them, glimpses of a dark uniform she recognized others around this compound had been wearing the day she'd been brought here. must be the wardens around here. it was this person who'd talked, telling her real crisp and clear that the arbiter-general would be coming to see her later in the day and warning her to be ready for whatever he had to say.

whatever that meant.

she didn't get the chance to ask, and if even if she had, a couple days here had shown her it probably wasn't worth it. everyone here was like statues, never responding to anything she said or any noise she made, question or comment, as if they couldn't even hear her. any other prison and she'd've tried her luck anyway——they'd have to give in eventually, after all, and she had all the time in the world to keep yapping in someone's ear until they caved. but this place was out of the ordinary ; she couldn't even pretend to cause trouble until they paid attention. instead of iron bars, the cell she'd been left in was a fully-enclosed room ; if not for the peephole that opened to let food in or for the wardens to talk, it'd be easy to forget which wall was front or back. on top of that, there was no mechanism on the inside of the room at all either, nothing that she could pick at or sit around trying to figure out. she had to give it to them: it was pretty airtight. these xianzhou people knew their criminals or something.

duh, that didn't mean that cipher the master thief was just going to rot in a place like this for the rest of her however-many-years of life. but she'd already thought about that too——they could keep her here however long they wanted, but it wouldn't get them any closer to having their precious tree back. if they wanted the ambrosial arbor, they didn't have any other option but going through her eventually.

maybe this arbiter-general had figured that out. only took him two days——not bad.

the guy kinda looks the bit, for the most part. no doubt he's important, considering they'd even let down the wall just so she could see how he was all that, with all the men he had at his back, standing at attention in parallel lines down the rest of the corridor. but he doesn't talk like any general she's ever met before. she's used to them being the stuffy, uptight types, all work and no play, probably never smiled a day in their lives. this guy drawls like he'd just woken up——and the way his hair looks, might actually be the case——and eyes her with an easy smile that makes her think it has to be a trap. ' your sentence could be reconsidered? ' come on.

". . . wow, what an honor. ' arbiter-general '?" she looks again at the contingent of statues behind him. "all this for little old me? i guess you must really think i'm something to worry about."

"walking free though. . . myaaah, that does sound nice." she gives a long stretch with both arms above her head, a movement that makes the chains around four limbs rattle where they drag along the stone, emphasizing her captivity. "but don't you think it sounds a little too good to be true? ' an asset '? ' a particularly troubling endeavor '? i wasn't born yesterday, you know." and she knew these types. the people at the top always had plenty of ways to make sure they stayed there, and any generosity they might show was carefully thought through so it didn't upset that delicate balance. if it wasn't twisting whatever she did into a reason why it wasn't ' favorable ' enough to let her go free in the end, it was fine print that showed up at the end in the terms and conditions that'd never been there in the first draft.

"but you got all dressed up and came all this way, so you might as well tell me what you want. i've been locked up in here all alone and none of your people are the chatty types. really boring."

[ohisms]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐙𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐂 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 . ( a collection of headcanon prompts based on each zodiac sign . adjust questions as desired . )

⊹ — ARIES . ≻ how does your muse handle competition ? ≻ what is your muse's biggest regret ? ≻ how does your muse handle losing control ? ≻ how does your muse express their passion ?

⊹ — TAURUS . ≻ what is your muse's most prized possession ? ≻ how does your character show their reliability ? ≻ what is your muse's favorite way to relax ? ≻ what simple things does your muse find joy in ?

⊹ — GEMINI . ≻ how does your muse communicate with others ? ≻ how does your muse handle the duality within themselves ? ≻ is your character predictable ? unpredictable ? ≻ how does your muse react to change ?

⊹ — CANCER . ≻ how does your muse react to emotional manipulation ? ≻ what is your muse's most treasured family tradition ? ≻ what is a cherished memory your muse holds close ? ≻ how does your muse express love & care ?

⊹ — LEO . ≻ does your muse lead others effectively ? ≻ what is your muse's most arrogant behavior ? ≻ is your character confident ? charismatic ? ≻ how does your muse handle being ignored ?

⊹ — VIRGO . ≻ what is your muse's most dedicated project ? ≻ how does your muse assist others in times of need ? ≻ what are your muse's standards for themselves ? ≻ what does your muse find beauty in ?

⊹ — LIBRA . ≻ how does your muse bring balance to their surroundings ? ≻ is your muse a people pleaser ? ≻ how does your muse navigate justice & mercy ? ≻ how does your muse handle having to confront someone ?

⊹ — SCORPIO . ≻ what is your muse's most transformative experience ? ≻ is your muse the jealous type ? are they possessive ? ≻ does your muse engage in introspection often ? ≻ how does your muse deal with obsession ?

⊹ — SAGITTARIUS . ≻ is your muse a workaholic ? what's their view of workaholics ? ≻ what is your muse's most reckless decision ? ≻ how does your muse handle commitment ? ≻ does your muse experience wanderlust ? where would they go ?

⊹ — CAPRICORN . ≻ how does your muse demonstrate their ambition ? ≻ is your muse an optimist , realist, or pessimist ? ≻ does your muse value their legacy ? what have they done to ensure it ? ≻ what is your muse's average daily routine ?

⊹ — AQUARIUS . ≻ what is a cause or a movement your muse is deeply involved in ? ≻ how does your muse handle unpredictability ? ≻ does your muse challenge the status quo ? how ? ≻ what subject or field is your muse passionate about learning ?

⊹ — PISCES . ≻ is your muse sensitive, or do they have a thick skin ? ≻ does your muse have any escapist behaviors ? ≻ what does your muse dream about ? are they lucid , do they sleepwalk ? ≻ how does your muse handle harsh criticism ?

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗕𝗢𝗪𝗦 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀natlan woven scroll

[thiefstcr]

CROSS HER HEART, SHE HASN'T EVEN　𑄝　taken a peek at the darn thing. not that there hadn't been time——between getting away from those bat guys living in caves and taking a jog around the scenery of this place, she could've grabbed five at any moment, gotten comfortable on a rock somewhere, and opened it up for a spell. but there were a couple things:

what kind of bored did she have to be to waste time sitting around reading some dusty old history? it's not like natlan had anything to do with her ; what difference did it make to her how their ancestors had befriended some birds or lizards or whatever it was? 　

this thing still felt like it was prone to falling apart any second. who knows what trying to carefully pick apart all those knots and stitches might do to it? she'd gone so far out of her way to take it ; it'd be a shame if it got ruined.

so, if anyone was going to see what it actually had on the inside——well, it probably wasn't going to be her. to some, that might be a waste, but for her? treasure was treasure, riches were riches. no need to know their ' value ' or get all stingy about it like rich people who gave you a rundown of where every button and statue in their house came from.

it was enough to have treasure. something she saw, and wanted.

end of story.

or, it would be, anyway, if her nose didn't pick up on something right then. a sniff ; ears twitch. these old ruins had looked abandoned when she'd first spotted them from a distance, so she hadn't expected anyone else to be out here. that was on her for not knowing the place, so it couldn't really be helped. with any luck, maybe it'd just be an archaeologist or someone else clueless.

on cue, there's footsteps coming up, her hearing a couple beats behind her nose, and she turns around where she's perched atop a half-crumbled stone bridge, a good ways up from the ground where the stranger approaches. huh. doesn't look like a native. least, as far as she knew.

"if you're looking for directions around here, sorry, but i'm not the one to ask," she calls out breezily, letting the whistling wind and the echo of towering gorges carry her voice. "think you might be hopelessly lost, though. hasn't been a single hair around for miles."　/　@tartagliare

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗨𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗟𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

comm. DESTRUCTION⠀∶⠀tsurumi island

[thiefstcr]

THE FURTHER OUT THEY GO FROM THE BIG ISLAND ,　𑄝　the more the ocean loses its smell. that's the first thing she'd noticed, standing at the bow of the little ship they've gotten to take them back out to the ' cursed place '. she's stood out here almost since they'd left the capital's port, outside of wandering now and then to check out other spots on the rig to pass the time ; it's not a huge ship, just the two of them and the rare guy they could find to take them all the way out here ; there isn't even a crow's nest, which is where she'd rather be if she had a choice.

so she's stuck next to the water with the sea that'd stopped smelling like sea. and at some point, after they'd passed the big purple island and there stopped being anything else they could use as landmarks, everything had gone quiet, too.

that's really her cue that they're getting close.

"hey, it's not much farther, right?" gold-stopped heels click, hollow and heavy-sounding, on the light wood of the ship's deck as she nears the stern now where the young sailor's still manning the wheel. he looks at her with surprise.

"i think so. should be another few minutes before you'll be able to see it."

"heh." a smirk cracks her lips as arms fold. "thought so." head turning to look toward the far side of the ship where a tall-backed figure can be spotted by the railing through all the poles and ropes that hold together the sails in between, she calls out stridently. "grey lady, come on over! we're almost there, so it's about time you told me more about what's going on."　/　@balemouns

[thiefstcr]

𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐖𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋⠀(⠀REQUIRES TEYVAT MUSE⠀)　𑄝　———　cipher stole the scroll. yea that's right. she's got her paws on an unspeakably ancient and delicate cultural artifact and is gonna run off with it. it's hers now! u snooze u lose. she practically had time to take 30 loops around the entirety of natlan while those sloooooooooooow tribespeople took their sweet time trying to chase her. but now she's found herself lost. so. 　 cipher wandered into ochkanatlan with the scroll and eventually she'll get herself out, she's sure, but for now she doesn't think she's in any hurry. enter your character, who's trying to catch the thief that stole the priceless artifact and return it to its original owners. cue: cat and mouse chase through ochkanatlan. 　 i'd like to gamify this just a little bit to add some degree of unexpected obstacles, indiana jones style. each post where our characters are not currently dealing with an obstacle, we'll roll a D20, with 1 to 5 being nothing, and 5 - 20 being some manner of obstacle or thing that gets in their way, scaling with the number value. the obstacle that occurs should obstruct both characters, but whoever's rolling can decide what it exactly is: i.e. a monster, an illusion, a collapsing floor, something else. once the obstacle is introduced, beginning with the next post, our characters will be trying to overcome the obstacle. low-level obstacles ( a roll of 6 - 10 ) can be cleared on a D20 result of 6 or higher ; mid-level obstacles ( an initial roll of 11 - 15 ) can be cleared on a result of 11 or higher, and high-level obstacles ( 16 - 20 ) require a 16 or higher to clear. 　 if cipher clears an obstacle, she will be trying to get away from your character ( most likely ). if your character does not clear the obstacle within 2 tries after she does, she will escape. we'll go up to 5 obstacles in the thread. if your character does not manage to either catch her or convince her to give up the scroll after 5 obstacles, she escapes. 　 even though this is slightly gamified to add randomness, i do not want this thread to revolve around the game. i'm looking for someone who will creatively yes-and this temple run with me, focus on the interactions between our characters, and isn't just going to rely on the rolls to tell them what to write in their post. who knows, you may be able to convince her to hand back the scroll willingly. how will my character catch cipher? up to you! if your character clears an obstacle before she does, that doesn't mean an auto-capture. it's up to how you set up the narrative of what they do after that, the same as it would if we weren't gamifying this at all. 　 if you're interested, please leave a comment or dm me. as always, likes to be assumed to be moral support. thanks!　[ TAKEN ]

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

#GHRevelation2025⠀∶⠀a different definition of ' hot wings '

[whistledart]

Not only can the bird talk, but it also has a sense of humor, and a high, squawky kind of noise, unmistakably mimicked laughter, follows the cat thief tumbling back down to the ground. That's one for Cacucu, zero for felines.

It also gives him an opening to make his escape, and he flutters his wings as hard as he can. Only to slump back down on the branch, chest heaving with the effort. He's flown too far today - probably farther than he's ever had to before - and his strength is just about spent. If only Ifa was here with his bag full of goodies, Cacucu thinks, but he's not. He's probably still on the beach, and that means Cacucu's on his own for this one. It's time to prove that he can still be a reliable, self-sufficient assistant without him.

The cat girl is quick though. She's already back on her feet at the base of the tree and peering up through the branches like he might just be her next meal (not that saurians can tell the difference between all the different kinds of desires people have, cat-people included). With a soft chuff, Cacucu leaps up onto the branch above him. It's laden with pinecones that jostle loosely as the bough bounces under his weight, which means he has a whole arsenal of spiny weapons to keep the cat at bay.

"Lay off, bro!" he chirps in warning again before he sets to work pecking loose a bundle of pinecones.

"!!" With a startled whistle, he pitches forward too far, his body not built for the same kind of reach and maneuverability as his kin. But he flaps his wings frantically to scrabble back upright, showering the cat thief below in pink feathers and pinecones.

[thiefstcr]

A NIMBLE TWIST KEEPS HER FROM LANDING　𑄝　flat among the scattered leaves like a greenhorn ; with a breath, she steadies her footing, stretching a little this way and that to work out any kinks while peering back up through the crisscross of branches at her target. lucky for her, that hash of pink stands out like a sore thumb amid the green, and she rubs at her nose with the back of her hand and gives a sniff, pride smarting from being caught off guard by something so dumb.

but a talking bird. . . greed bares its teeth in the depths of her. she knew she'd been right about this thing being special. and now, she'd expected it to take off again as soon as it could, but it's stayed right where it is, only fluttering up a little bit higher. it didn't look like all it wanted to do was mess with her——she'd know the signs of something flagging anywhere, pursuer or pursued. "laugh all you want. but you and i both know you're on your last legs though. it's only a matter of time."

and precision.

she's not as topped up as she was this morning either, but there's still enough in her for a few more go's——compared to the type of stuff she had to do back in the day? a half-day hike like this was nothing. rustling through the leaves, something brown and a little sharp pinches her on the cheek as it drops, but then she makes her move.

up, and up ; deft leaps and grabs take her from branch to branch like steps on a ladder. now that the jig was up, there was no point in being stealthy anymore. right until she's just about level with the bird again, grin flashing a pointed canine.

"no more running, hot wings. you're mine——!"

[thiefstcr]

“If you are here to report something stolen…” The security guard is one of many to wear the same haunted expression. Dark circles speak volumes, “I can assure you, Sir, there is an ongoing investigation. Please, if you can, detail your lost possessions in your app, and you will be notified when the situation is resolved.”

With his phone already in hand, Zhongli frowns. “I am having trouble navigating-“ A shriek draws his attention, followed by a deafening crash of shattering glass. At his side, the guard stiffens, muttering apologies as he goes.

The hotel is in chaos. Crying, shouting, pointed fingers at every corner – it seems nothing has been spared. Casino credits, jewels, priceless artifacts and…

His vision. Stolen directly from where it was secured to his person. How? His mind reels to think of it – he might never have noticed, were it not for the trace amount of geo energy that he tethers there, so that it would react as a normal vision for anyone who might be looking. It’s not the first time in six thousand years someone has attempted to steal directly from his person-

Though. It is the first time they’ve gotten away without swift retribution.

After several more swipes of his phone, Zhongli slips it into his pocket with a sigh. The resort’s app may have security features, though he’s unsure about the purchases behind identity theft that scroll across the screen. What good would it do him now, if his effects have already been carted away?

As before, there are very few traces afforded by his elemental sight.

‘A commendable skill, surely,’ He admits this to himself, eyes of molten cor lapis glimmering as he catches the smallest sliver of a golden trail, as good as any footprints etched into the ground before him. Not the thief’s trail, but his own. The geo aura clinging to the vision calls to him. An unfortunate oversight…but how many others could claim to maintain a false vision?

Despite this, the hunt is not a simple one. Confusion has him faltering, the trail vanishing in an instant, then drawing in a different direction. Somewhere far, like a seelie playing tricks – lighting here and then there and back again with only a flash of silver to ground him to a person over a ghost.

As the sun begins to set, Zhongli notes his patience is chipping. This time, his target is unmoving, wariness lining his shoulders like a shield as he approaches. It is the same woman, distinctive ears and tail unmistakable as he turns the corner to spot her. The damning geo trail of his stolen property halos around her, but he stifles the instinct to strike before she can flash away. If she were a specter…it would cause more spectacle than it was worth, trying to detain her.

“Pardon me,” He begins, the politeness of the greeting nearly overshadowed by the circumstance of their meeting. “I do not think we have been acquainted. I am Zhongli,” Normally, introductions are meant to be more. Tea and pleasantries, names and idle chatter. It’s a skill he has mastered, and so he folds his hands at his front and tilts his head down to examine her, “Forgive me. I seem to have lost something quite precious to me. If you have the time to lend a second pair of eyes, I would be most grateful. Miss…?” The clip of his tone offers honest curiosity. How did she do it?

FOR HOW ALIEN AND ADVANCED THIS PLACE LOOKED ,　𑄝　it'd taken her almost no time at all to figure out its ins and outs. empyrea wasn't so complicated ; once you got past how boxy and dead everything looked, how there was more metal than people, it was actually a pretty welcome place for someone like her! tall buildings that scraped the sky like obelisks meant plenty of vantage spots and hiding places ; lots of crowds and noise meant lots of distractions ; and everyone was staring down at their teleslates all the time like it was their default head position, so nobody was paying attention.

not to their surroundings, not to each other, and definitely not to one little kitty cat in the window, readying her pulleroo ~

"let's gooooo, mraurrrahahaha ~ !!!" in the midst of the shattering glass and screams and everything falling over, her happy trilling laugh gets totally drowned out. "mine, mine, mine! every little bit is mine!!"

credits, chips, sparkling crystals ; that one guy's nice belt. all of it, all of it!

she hops off the ledge and back out of sight to the song of chaos ongoing behind her, the haul already tucked away nice and easy. only one piece still stays on her person: a dangling little glowing thing she twirls around one finger as quick leaps vault her over onto the next rooftop over, then down the ledges of a fire escape and into a dark side street. the first week, she'd still been feeling things out, so she'd stuck to small prey: individuals here and there, a bauble or two hush-hush, building up to a much bigger heist like this one.

still though, it's not satisfying——it'd been too easy, too quick. barely any security to get by, no traps, hardly any stealth needed. and, as she takes a look around and behind her, not even anyone giving chase. where's a girl to have her fun? maybe on the next one, she'll at least let herself get caught to make things more interesting. "hope the haul at least makes up for it," she says to herself, zigzagging through some alleys and skirting the trimmed hedges at the edge of a mid-city park. since there's no one after her, she can afford to take her time: doubling back here, taking a detour there, grabbing some ice cream. thieving could be hard work! and in the height of summer?

finally, she finally settles down on an out-of-the-way bench in the shade of some big civil-looking building just as the sun is starting to make its way down the sky. as she lets down her hood to catch some of the early evening breeze to dry out the sweat, she gives the chocolate cone a few idle licks while turning the amulet curiously over the fingers of her other hand. at least, she thinks it's some kind of amulet. "now just what kind of trinket are you, hm, little shiny?" it looks pretty old-fashioned, maybe something traditionally-made. the amber rock fixed in a case in the middle had been glowing when she'd first taken it, but now it's gone dull and lifeless, like some power source had been shut off. how does she get it to shine like that again? she gives it a good shake, then flicks it.

maybe she needed some magic words.

hm? she sniffs the air, fur at the base of her tail prickling. someone's close.

"pardon me." not a couple seconds later, a deep voice interrupts her thoughts, and she drops her hands. when she turns around on the bench to see him, only the ice cream cone is still in them, and she gives the man addressing her a wary down-up.⠀(⠀it's not just because he might've come here for her ; who just walks up to strangers in a city and introduces himself?⠀)⠀a beat passes as if she's thinking for a second before replying: "what does you losing something have to do with me? i'd be rich if i had a credit for every careless person in this city." finishing the last of the chocolate cone, she gets up and stretches luxuriously with a sigh ; maybe he was here because he somehow managed to track her down, or maybe he really was just a clueless, desperate guy. oh well. it's not like she had anything better to do, and maybe this'd end up more fun than her earlier stunt.

she turns around, hand on her hip. "fine, i'll help you look. so then, what exactly did you lose? and just how precious are we talking?"

[thiefstcr]

゛𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

#GHRevelation2025⠀∶⠀a different definition of ' hot wings '

[thiefstcr]

SHE DOESN'T THINK SHE'S EVER MET　𑄝　a bird this feisty in her life. she'd tracked it all over the park, from the start of the valley down close to the edge of the beach all the way inland, through woods and over hills. she's not sure where it's going, and honestly, it's not even that she wants to eat it——what, did you think she's a cat or something?——but it's gotta be something rare, she just knows it. her nose knows it by now, with just a single sniff.

"why'd you have to be such a pain in the ass. . . ?" she's almost got it now, though. it's cornered up in this tree and it's obviously tired ; it's been flying lower and slower for the last few hours. ha! there's no competing with the thiefstar's stamina when it comes to chasing and running. "if you'd just come all nice and easy the first time, we wouldn't have had to go through this whole cat-and-mouse, and i wouldn't have wasted half my day."

another foot up the tree. another foot.

she grabs onto a higher branch and hoists herself up soundlessly. the boughs don't even shake ; not a single leaf quivers. her ears flicker, and she lowers her weight slowly down onto her heels, tensed to spring.

one, two. . .

suddenly, the bird looks straight down at her with a stormy, exhausted look in its unpatched eye. "lay off, bro!"

wha——?? did it just talk?! she's so startled that she narrowly loses her footing, grabbing with her whole body onto the branch, now definitely shaking, before she falls off completely.　/　@whistledart

[thiefstcr]

CIPHER is officially present at empyrea!! where there's lots of people, there's always lots to pilfer. honestly, she's not here for a vacation or anything ; she's mostly just curious by nature and needs little reason to come and go, sowing a bit of chaos in her wake. anything shiny? she probably has her eyes on it. especially when it comes to the bigwigs and everything overflowing with luxury at the hotel —— it's practically begging to be nabbed.

cipher is open to receiving event asks, and i'm definitely aiming to grab her the prize. since i'm still prioritizing the lore event otherwise, i'm not open at the moment to extending interactions into threads other than the one i already agreed to.

　　ᯓᡣ𐭩　generally speaking, you can reasonably find her anywhere other than chora beach and the wave pool —— she does detest water 　　ᯓᡣ𐭩　she likes to indulge and live up the high life from time to time, who doesn't? but she doesn't stay in one place for long