[hider=Cricket, Sheikah Operative] [b]Name:[/b] Cricket [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Race:[/b] Sheikah (Sheikiri?) [b]Appearance:[/b] Cricket is of average height and lean, with thick white hair, tawny skin, and wiry muscle. His eyes are his most striking feature, red and very expressive, with three triangles tattooed above and a teardrop tattooed below his left eye. His style of dress is distinctive, combining elements of Kokiri and Sheikah attire, mostly colored black with an extra scarf-like bit around his neck that acts as a half mask when necessary. Cricket’s ears are pierced in three places each with small, simple gold rings. A brown hooded coat covers most everything. This is good because he is generally covered with kunai daggers, and two particularly large and nasty blades: Sheikah kodachi. The last two are worn openly. He carries a simple, utilitarian backpack that looks like it is made of tree bark. [b]Personality:[/b] In contrast to the reputation of his people, Cricket is warm and friendly, and just a bit of a showoff. When he’s on the clock, however, he’s all business and no emotion. This has caused people to wonder if he has a split personality, and this is exacerbated by his lack of speech. He adores music, either performing or listening to it. [hider=Background] [b]Background:[/b] Leave it to the Sheikah to have a Plan B. Kakariko was destroyed, but not everyone was present for the massacre. There was an Outpost, hidden carefully in the Kokiri Forest with the permission of the Great Deku Tree. It had been around for a long time, its existence kept secret from any non-Sheikah. The Kokiri in the area were aware of the presence of Sheikah elsewhere in their forest, but the exact location of the Outpost was still unknown. Cricket was born into the clan of Sheikah that ran this outpost. The two peoples, Sheikah and Kokiri, were more than a little wary of each other at first, but over time they came to be allies. The Kokiri helped them adapt to the ways of the forest and attune their skills to their new environment, and in return the Sheikah very quietly helped defend their patch of earth and trees. As time passed, the cultures diffused, resulting in a more forest-running and musical clan of Sheikah, skilled in the use of Kokiri tools in addition to their own. But back to Cricket: His clan was part of a networking hub, running goods, people, weapons, supplies, and most importantly, information. News of the various occurrences reached him because he was part of the clan spreading it. A few of the Sheikah survivors took to the Kokiri Outpost, as it was an unknown location from which they could regroup. From the point of Hero’s Fall onward, the Sheikah of the Outpost dedicated themselves to training for war. Cricket was barely before adulthood when all of this mess started, and he dedicated himself to his training (Sheikah and Kokiri, both) with rigorous zeal. Eventually, as the enslaved Kokiri began deforesting the land, a portion of the clan was sent away, so that their lore would survive if the Outpost were ever found. Cricket was among those chosen to do so. The seemingly mute Sheikah found his piece of the Triforce just prior to leaving his home. It was a routine trip into the woods, to hunt and forage for food for the first leg of the journey. Dusk was fast approaching, and an angelic blue light in the distance drew him. Cricket found himself staring into the pale light of a crystal shard, listening to a voice he couldn’t quite understand, but instinctively recognized as Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom. The light swelled in intensity and the crystal disappeared, it and the voice becoming part of him. Cricket felt fundamentally changed, but still fiercely himself. From time to time, he will get little feelings of certainty, as he makes connections that others miss. Hunches, if you will. Cricket has come to trust these frequent flashes of intuition. His first one motivated him toward Oasis. [/hider] [b]Skills:[/b] Extensive Stealth Training – [i]Sheikah Rule #1: Don’t be seen, don’t be heard. [/i] Agility Monster – [i]Fast, dexterous lunatic, Cricket is an accomplished acrobat, juggler, and is a devilish little bugger with sleight of hand.[/i] Musically Adept – [i]Plays several instruments proficiently, particularly his fiddle. Reads music and can genuinely feel emotion from the notes.[/i] Intrusion Expert - [i]He’s finding a way in. Locks, traps, dogs, walls, no problem.[/i] Combat Proficiency - [i]Extensively trained in the use of Sheikah weaponry and tactics, though Cricket is most proficient with short blades and thrown items. He has good experience with unarmed fighting and Kokiri tools, and has even taken an interest in Gerudo techniques.[/i] Multi-lingual - [i]Familiar with Sheikah, Hylian, Ancient Hylian, and Sheikah hand signs. Good luck getting him to translate for you, though. [/i] [b]Magic:[/b] He summons, and seems to be able to communicate with on a rudimentary level, small chirping insects. There may be more, but his ability to use magic is largely untested. [b]Gear:[/b] Kodachi (2), Kunai (12), Deku Nuts (20), Bomb Bag (12) Deku Stick, Finely crafted fiddle (in case), Some rations (basic), large blanket, pen, ink, and papers in a scroll case Thin, strong cordage (50 ft) Firestarters Various lockpicks, files, and skeleton keys Backpack Rupees, 50 [b]Weaknesses:[/b] Mute – [i]Cricket cannot or does not speak, for reasons unknown by most outside of his clan.[/i] Race – [i]Sheikah are distrusted by many, and he cannot hide his appearance short of magic.[/i] [hider=Fun Facts:] For some odd reason, crickets seem to like him. He will often walk out into a clearing in the dead of night, sit down, and play short chirps rhythmically on his fiddle. A truly remarkable chorus of the little guys respond, creating an awe-inspiring nocturnal symphony. He is rarely without one or two on him, who appear to know when he needs to be quiet. They seem to take care of themselves. It is unknown why this phenomenon occurs, or if he has some kind of unconscious control over them. Regardless of why, it has served no actual practical purpose thusfar, aside from being fairly impressive and a little creepy. It earned him his public name. His birth name revealed only to his clan, maybe a trusted few. Cricket doesn’t speak, communicating with hand gestures, facial expressions, and occasionally his music. He is multi-lingual, being familiar with Sheikah, Hylian, Ancient Hylian, and Sheikah hand signs. Good luck getting him to translate for you, though. Prefers to sleep in trees, rafters, or other high places when possible. [/hider] [hider=Theme song:] "Shadows", by Lindsey Stirling. I try to imagine the percussion done by rhythmically chirping crickets. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGCsyshUU-A[/youtube] [/hider] [/hider]