Profile
In the corner of a mysterious underground workshop is a small, nondescript wooden cabinet with a simple lock on it. Against your better judgment, you decide to pick the lock to take a peek at whatever is inside.
Upon opening the cabinet doors, you're greeted with the sight of random knick-knacks placed haphazardly on the shelves. Nothing here looks particularly interesting and you're about to close the cabinet and leave when you notice a row of file folders lined up neatly on the bottom-most shelf. You reach for the one closest to you and are greeted with this:
ALIAS DETAILS SHEET
Personality
Enjoyer of the great indoors Avid book reader Just A Guy
Mild-mannered and unintrusive, Yinzheng easily blends into the background by virtue of simply not standing out. It's not uncommon for people to forget that they're there, which suits them just fine – they really hate being the center of attention. It makes them a great eavesdropper listener, which has ironically made them quite popular with detectives.
Yinzheng is a real introvert who keeps to themself most of the time, rarely venturing outside the Saltspray's Roost or their apartment. While they often chat with their customers, they almost never talk about anything that's not work-related and will often deflect or ignore any personal questions about their life. Sometimes they'll drop a hint or the tiniest bit of knowledge, but that's reserved for those they consider "friends." Some people have described them as a "black hole of information."
Despite their bookish nature, Yinzheng's not the squeamish or neurotic type. It takes a lot to phase them, which means they're not afraid of doing things that others might find distasteful. That's not to say they enjoy doing those things, just that they're willing to if things came down to it. One could argue that their sense of ethics and morality is warped, but Yinzheng would say they're just good at compartimentalizing.
Background
Yinzheng was born in a small fishing hamlet in the Eastern Wilds. When they were 14, their village was destroyed by naga attacks1, forcing them and their family to flee to New Kaineng City as refugees. While most of their family worked on the docks, Yinzheng decided to apprentice at a printmaker/bookbinder's2 to try and bring in more money. However, a terrible accident involving a leviathan near the docks left them an orphan3, and they dropped out of school to work full time at the shop.
While they enjoyed their work, they never felt fully satisified with it. They didn't realize what they wanted to do until they had the opportunity to visit a cafe/bookstore in upscale Gwangsan-Hill. After saving up for a long time, Yinzheng eventually got enough funds (and loans) to buy the deed to what would eventually become the Saltspray's Roost.
It took a lot of money and work for the space to be fully converted into a suitable dining/reading area, but once the cafe/bookstore formally opened, it became an instant hit with the denizens of Cobble Ward. However, due to its massive popularity, Yinzheng has to spend most of their free time maintaining and managing the Saltspray's Roost and has little opportunity to do things unrelated to their business.
Notes
- 1Kamiki Village (island southeast of Seitung) destroyed approx. 1832 CC/1322 AE by naga. Do not mention village by name when talking about past on off chance survivors are around. OK to mention Seitung Province.
- 2Printmaker/bookbinder shop name = Shimamiya's Printshop and Books in Grub Lane, closed 1838 CC/1328 AE. Can mention last owner Shimamiya Sayaka (deceased) if necessary, avoid otherwise.
- 3Leviathan Disaster of 1833 CC/1323 AE. OK to mention all details pertaining to incident as described in news reports.
Connections
Wu Liang
Cafe regular Local Detective Green tea drinker
One of the regulars at the Saltspray's Roost and a detective at the Wu Detective Agency. Loves to regale Yinzheng with tales about the on-goings of the detective agency, or more specifically, tales where he dunks on his dad.
Yinzheng enjoys chatting with Liang and hearing about the latest NKC news, though they always have to watch what they say in response. Despite all the shenanigans he gets into, he's still a good detective – which means Yinzheng doesn't want to give him any reason to look further into them.
Wu (Father)
Cafe regular Local detective Black tea enjoyer Pastry addict
Liang's dad and the head honcho of the Wu Detective Agency. A real grumpy, brooding kind of guy who's unintentionally hilarious. Yinzheng doesn't actually know his name because he's never bothered to introduce himself.
Yinzheng derives a lot of entertainment from watching him interact with his son and other members of the detective agency. They're a little concerned about his not-very-well-hidden addiction to their pastries, but they don't want to end up on the wrong side of his hammer, so they continue to enable him regardless.
Identifying Features
Wide-rimmed glasses Loose side ponytail Long dangling earrings Long, lacquered nails
Yinzheng aims to look as nondescript as possible. While they have the slightest bit of flair in their accessories, they don't like to wear anything that makes them stand out. They're willing to spend an inordinate amount of money just to look like everyone else.
Physical:
- Waist-length blue-black hair
- Brown eyes with blue highlights
- Average height with lean build
Demeanor:
- Pleasant next door neighbor vibe
- Soft voice with a slight Seitung accent
Style:
- Colors: blacks, greys, browns
- Phoenix motifs, but as subtle as possible
- Tight pants with thigh-high boots
- Nail guards (optional)
Capabilities
Average human civillian. No magical capabilities. Skilled at working with hands. Not skilled with fighting.
Skills
Printmaking:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Bookbinding:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Baking:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
- Specializes in pastries from Seitung Province.
Drinkcrafting:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
- Specializes in teas.
Finance:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Miscellaneous
- Should not have capability to be an engineer! Have forged purchase orders for all jade bots/mechs/skins.
- Expenses for ink, paper, etc. can be explained with printmaking hobby. Offer prints to prove side hustle.
- Report "extra" income as tips from Saltspray's Roost and print/bookbinding sales.
- Half of saved income should be in physical assets in case identity needs to be quickly retired.
Alias File
Status:
Active Inactive Retired
| Created: | 1840 CC (1330 AE) |
| Retired: | N/A |
| Name: | Feng Yinzheng |
| Age: | 28 |
| Pronouns: | they/them |
| Height: | 5'8" |
| ID: | 325 261 110 |
| Class: | None |
| Job: | Cafe/Bookstore Owner |
| Res.: | New Kaineng City |
Notes
Owner of the Saltspray's Roost Cafe/Bookstore down in Cobble Ward.
Local nerd.
You put the file folder back in its rightful place as a sense of unease envelopes you. You shouldn't be here. These files are not meant for your eyes.
But your curiosity is still too strong, drowning out the voice in your head telling you to leave everything alone and go. Your eyes continue to scan the row of file folders until you notice a one that looks considerably thinner than the rest, which you proceed to pull out and read:
ALIAS DETAILS SHEET
Background
No one knows anything about the master forger known as Cangjie.
Their forgeries – or at least what are assumed to be their forgeries – began appearing in New Kaineng City approximately a decade ago. At first, there were slight imperfections that set the forgeries apart from the real thing, but now they're completely identical. The only way to detect a Cangjie forgery is to use external records to match chains of custody.
Cangjie is a bit of a folk hero amongst the populace, who are glad to have a service that bypasses the never-ending nightmare of Canthan government bureaucracy. However, critics argue that their absurdly long waitlist makes them no better than the slow-moving ministry offices, and that they're actively harming people by taking money to produce products that could land their owners in big trouble. As expected, Cangjie has never responded to any of these allegations and continues to operate their business in complete silence.
While the ministries appear to be aware of Cangjie's existence, there has been no movement to find or arrest them. It's speculated that officials in positions of power are shielding them due to their usefulness.
Capabilities
Very good at covering their tracks and staying out of the limelight. Suspected to be a thief or mesmer.
Skills
Forgeries:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Stealth:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Communication:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Alias File
Status:
Active Inactive Retired
| Created: | ??? |
| Retired: | N/A |
| Name: | Cangjie |
| Age: | ??? |
| Pronouns: | any |
| Height: | ??? |
| ID: | N/A |
| Class: | ??? |
| Job: | Counterfeiter / Document Forger |
| Res.: | ??? |
Notes
One of Cantha's most notorious, yet mysterious, criminals. Known for their immaculate forgeries, as well as their policy of never asking any questions. Will forge any kind of document or art piece upon request, as long as payment is enclosed and sufficient details are provided.
Demand for their services is incredibly high, with their waitlist being several months long. Their clientele ranges from the average Canthan citizen all the way to big name ministry officials.
Your hands shake as you wedge the thin folder back what you think is its original position. The voice in your head is screaming at you to leave. But at the very end of the shelf, all the way in the corner where the light does not reach, is a file sealed behind several enchantments and physical bindings.
Are you sure you want to read it?
ALIAS DETAILS SHEET
Personality
Hates authority figures Thrill-seeker Always causing trouble
Xiaoan is not someone who cares about the perceptions of others, especially the perceptions of authority figures. His refusal to heed the advice of his elders makes him come across as brash and impudent, but he does put a decent amount of thought into his actions. He believes that there's no point in pleasing other people at the expense of his own happiness, and therefore is only interested in doing things that he wants to do.
Many people have accused him of being a selfish and immature brat who's suffering from affluenza. Xiaoan resents this idea, arguing that he would have chosen this lifestyle regardless of his parentage, but a small part of him wonders if they're right.
Despite his delinquent demeanor, Xiaoan doesn't really enjoy conflicts. He prefers to avoid them if at all possible, but will strike back to defend himself if necessary. While he finds human interactions tiresome, he doesn't like being left alone and will often seek out the company of other people.
Background
Xiaoan was born as the youngest of three children to the wealthy Sui family of Seitung Province. While his parents doted on him at first for being the baby of the family, their attitude quickly changed when he became old enough to attend school. He was expected to get good grades and attend multiple extracurriculars so he could follow in his siblings' footsteps and enter a high-powered career.
At first, he went along with their demands. He began studying to become an engineer, learning from the best tutors that money could buy and rising to the top of his class. But as time went on, he felt increasingly suffocated by the pressure to succeed and began associating with the school delinquents, entranced by their carefree, dopamine-chasing lifestyle. Eventually, his grades began to plummet as he started skipping class to hang out with his new troublemaker friends to do whatever sounded fun or exciting, regardless of legality.
Xiaoan discovered a talent for forgery after being tasked with making fake IDs for his friends. He would often falsify school records for anyone that asked or sell counterfeit goods at black markets for a bit of extra money. This, combined with all the other not-so-legal activities he kept getting himself involved with, got him into repeated trouble with the law. The incidents were swept under the rug thanks to the Sui family's influence, but tensions between him and his parents continued to mount with each trip to the Daigo Ward jail.
One day, after being bailed out yet again by his family, Xiaoan got into a huge argument with his mother, which ended with her disowning him. He packed his bags that night and hasn't been seen again since.
Some of Xiaoan's belongings, namely his ID and a ferry ticket stub, washed up on a beach south of New Kaineng City, suggesting that he had been on one of the ships destroyed during the Leviathan Disaster of 1833 CC.
Connections
Sui A-Ling
Older sister Ministry of Intelligence Agent
The oldest child of the Sui family. The age gap between her and Xiaoan meant that she wasn't really around for most of his life. He has some vague memories of her from when he was younger, but he mostly just knows her as 'that person my parents keep comparing me to.'
Sui Mingye
Older brother Corporate laywer
The middle child of the Sui family. He originally wanted to be an artist, but gave in to their parents' demands and became a lawyer instead.
Although Mingye was sympathetic to Xiaoan's situation and always consoled his younger brother after particularly bad days, he would still try to convince Xiaoan that their parents only wanted the best for him. Xiaoan resents him for drinking the kool-aid and never standing up to their parents.
Identifying Features
Jade pendants Bright green dyed hair Colored contacts
Xiaoan often stands out, not because he's doing it on purpose, but because he doesn't really care about what society says he's supposed to look like. As long as he likes it, he'll wear it.
Physical:
- Yolked
- Short faux-hawk hairstyle
- Brown eyes with blue highlights
Demeanor:
- "Probably a gangster" vibe
- Speaks in a very strange mix of posh Daigo accent and rural fishing village accent
Style:
- Colors: Greens, blacks
- Sleeveless, low-cut shirts
- Steel toed boots
Capabilities
Average to above average engineer. Would rather not have to fight, but can hold his own in a brawl. Prefers guns to physical weapons. Pays a lot of attention to details, but can easily miss the big picture. Skilled at creating forgeries.
Skills
Mechanist:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Holosmith:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Scrapper:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Rifle:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Pistols:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Hammer:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Mace:
Not achieved 1 2 3 4 5
Miscellaneous
- Why do you still have this? Burn it already.
Alias File
Status:
Active Inactive Retired
| Created: | 1818 CC (1308 AE) |
| Retired: | 1833 CC (1323 AE) |
| Name: | Sui Xiaoan |
| Age: | 15 |
| Pronouns: | he/him |
| Height: | 5'6" |
| ID: | 002 591 878 |
| Class: | Engineer |
| Job: | Student |
| Res.: | Seitung Province |
Notes
Third child of the rich Sui family.
Overall nuisance and family disappointment.
