[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/PVXYWf6.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/qAakc1A.gif[/img][/center] [center] [color=7DBC89]Race:[/color] Yuan-ti [color=7DBC89]Class:[/color] Rogue Arcane Assassin [color=7DBC89]Location:[/color] Port Verge [color=7DBC89]Interactions:[/color] [@FunnyGuy] [@Infinite Cosmos] [@princess] [@Lava Alckon] [@Samreaper] [@Potter] [@Oso] [color=7DBC89]Mentions:[/color] [color=7DBC89]Equipment:[/color] [hider=Full Equipment List]🌸 A finely crafted katana 🌸 A concealed dagger laced with paralytic venom 🌸 Throwing needles coated with different poisons 🌸 Black silk combat outfit reinforced with hidden Mithril chainmail 🌸 Soft-soled boots that allow for near-silent movement 🌸 Smoke bombs and illusion charms for quick escapes 🌸 A set of forged documents under multiple aliases 🌸 A tea set and an assortment of teas 🌸 Incense 🌸 Leather gloves[/hider] [color=7DBC89]Attire:[/color] [color=7DBC89]Gold Balance:[/color] 98 [color=7DBC89]Injuries:[/color] Gash on hip and thigh, small cut on her head, aching shoulder [img]https://i.imgur.com/phiFSQQ.png[/img][/center] Corin’s arrival drew Meiyu into a predator’s hush, every muscle stilled beneath the silk of her robe. Her gaze flicked to him—sharp, measuring—taking in the gleam of his armor, the easy way he greeted the Elf. She watched, silent, as if deciding whether he was prey or threat. [color=7DBC89]"Corin,"[/color] she said, her voice returning to its natural, cool precision. [color=7DBC89]"It seems your friend has a talent for attracting the wrong kind of attention. Or perhaps exactly the right kind."[/color] She let her eyes linger, just a moment too long. When Corin moved, the armor at his throat shifted, and there it was—a jagged shard of light, unmistakable, glinting just above his sternum. The gem, half-hidden, half-daring her to notice. Recognition struck, cold and clean, but her face gave nothing away. Five now. Herself. Phia. Bastion. The Elf. The Soldier. One was a wound. Two, a warning. Five was a snare tightening around them all. Not to mention, she suspected the others of the ragtag group all had them as well. She hadn’t observed Minerva closely enough yet, but she would if only to confirm her suspicion. A chill crept up her spine, untouched by the salt wind. This was no accident. The crash, the tavern, the way their paths tangled...something was pulling them together, threads drawn tight by unseen hands. Did the gems call to each other, weaving a net she hadn’t seen until now? When Phia appeared, scolding them with that earnest, unhinged seriousness, Meiyu didn’t rise to the bait of an argument. She simply adjusted her gloves, her expression flat. [color=7DBC89]"The ferret was attempting to rob me of my coin, Phia. I was merely performing a public service by ensuring his hands stayed where I could see them."[/color] They moved toward the Kraken’s Wake, Meiyu gliding in their midst, her steps silent, measured. She glanced back to see Minerva scribbling furiously in her journal. Quietly, Meiyu slowed her steps so she was subtly beside Minerva for a moment. She leaned in, just enough to catch the scent of ink and the fever behind it. She caught a couple of things of interest, like the mention of Darius' home turf as well as Minerva still having her “playtime.” This only served to add to her suspicions about Minerva... and Wendel and this Darius character. She didn’t linger for long before moving back to where she had been before. Inside the tavern, the sensory assault of sea salt and smoke was a wall of static, but Meiyu remained centered. She didn't lead the charge for food or drink. Instead, she claimed a seat at the periphery of the table, her back to a sturdy timber pillar, her eyes sweeping the room and noting every exit before settling on her companions. Phia drifted to the bar, Arya hovered at the edge, all nerves. Meiyu’s attention stayed on Elithar as well as Corin and what she had spied under his armor. No questions yet. She leaned back, fingers tracing the scarred wood, waiting. When Elithar shouted to the barkeep for a round for everyone, Meiyu’s eyes narrowed slightly. [color=7DBC89]"Quiet your heroics, Ferret,"[/color] she said, her voice cutting through his bravado like a blade through silk. She didn't look up, her focus remaining on the table. [color=7DBC89]"You made a deal for two pints, not a banquet for a battalion. If our ‘friends’ are thirsty, they can find their own coin. I’m not interested in watching you go broke before you’ve answered a single question and risking you attempting to steal from me again."[/color] She looked toward Corin, then back to the Elf, her gaze cold and proprietary. [color=7DBC89]"The rest of them can fend for themselves. You owe Minerva for the bruises, and me for the time. Don’t overextend your welcome, or your purse."[/color] She let the tavern’s roar wash over her, silent and watchful. The ale would loosen tongues soon enough. She needed to know; were they caught in the same snare, or were they the bait she’d already swallowed?