Lagomorpha

《 むふ 》

   Lagomorpha's career changes with the setting sun; a street mime by day, a curious gossip peddling information by night. Or, that's what they'd like you to think. They're a curious figure, deathly silent as long as the sun shines down, face and form hidden behind a rabbit mask and all-covering fabric. By night they seem to transform, lurking under street and candlelight as the moon glows overhead, playing their flute and chatting to trade gossip with the tipsy or suspicious locals. 

【 Detail 】

- Lagomorpha & Lapin are both acceptable nicknames. [ Real name, Tobin, only allowed to be used by one person. ]
- They/them, gender unknown by the public [ male, he/him allowance to a single person ]
- Unknown Sexuality, though they have a close bond with a male
- In their mid 20s
- Roughly 170cm tall

【 STAT 】

- Attack      | ◆◇◇◇◇     |     Temper       | ◆◇◇◇◇
- Defense   | ◆◆◇◇◇     |     Kindness     | ◆◆◆◇◇
- Agility      | ◆◆◆◆◇     |     Confidence | ◆◆◆◆◇
- Magic      | ◆◆◆◆◆     |     Charisma     | ◆◆◆◆◇
- Intellect   | ◆◆◆◆◇     |     Sneakiness  | ◆◆◆◆◆

【 Like/Dislike 】

⇈ Beer                              |     ⇊ Hot weather
⇈ Masks                           |     ⇊ Root vegetables
⇈ Ricecakes                      |     ⇊ Heavy lifting
⇈ Coin games                  |     ⇊ Closed spaces

【 Interest/No Interest 】

✔ Stage performance       |     ✘ Heavy conversations
✔ Musical instruments     |     ✘ Open honesty
✔ Letter writing                |     ✘ Caves
✔ Gossip                          |     ✘ Cooking

【 Discovery 】

   Lagomorpha had been following the party for longer than Yaotl should've allowed without asking what was going on. Every large town they'd stopped at, every hub-port, the rabbit-bard had been lingering around, ready to throw a little bit of information in the group's direction if they came asking at night. It wasn't until the group had picked up Farah that Lagomorpha was confronted. A gossip and performer known well in Farah's circle. Someone you wouldn't want to play a few rounds of cards or dice with since nobody can see past the mask's blacked out eyes. Farah knew the rules of the bard and, that night, orchestrated a meeting to get Rabbit alone. Just the promise of a coin-cup game-- against Yaotl, thank you. They've seen what the team's gambler can do and never take losing bets.
   Though the team never learned much about them in that cup game, they did get one helpful bit of information. For one, their name-- both Lagomorpha and Lapin, if the other was a little too long, and the why. Truthfully, Lapin hadn't been that interested in following Yaotl. There was a moment, though, they remember overhearing a few rumors they couldn't let go-- not until they learned the truth behind them. What were those rumors? Unimportant. The important part was it made Lapin want to shift their life around a bit and follow Yaotl's team around, two steps ahead at every turn. They're not an enemy, you could almost call them a friend.
   The end of their meeting came down to one last cup game. And here, Lapin made a promise. They know the rest of the gambling types in Yaotl's party have been secretly helping the man not lose terribly, it's rare someone wins twice against them. An even split, 2 to 2. So, if he can win one single round with everyone out of the room, they'll do whatever Yaotl requests. Whether that's leave them alone forever, or continue helping as they've been. It was a reluctant agreement. Once the door clicked closed, Lapin shuffled the cups again. Speaking, just loud enough so it could be heard if someone pressed an ear to the thick but splintered wood, "It's inspiring for you to have such a close group of friends so quickly. You started with nothing and your friends would help you cheat for no sake at all, just pride." To which Yaotl responded, "of course! They're my family. Even the kinda twitchy ones, they wouldn't be here if they didn't care."
   Lapin stopped their shuffle, pushed the center cup forward, and with it leaned in over the table to whisper low in a voice that was truly theirs-- not the octave-shifted stageplay one they've been using before. A decision had been made. Something about Yaotl was too interesting to just stay on the sidelines forever. "There's someone trying to kill you. Where I'm two steps forward, they're one back. Waiting. They'll take your friends, your family, if you are not careful. There is no escaping him. He is following, always, you cannot stay comfortable for too long." Before Yaotl could respond with more than a flustered stutter they leaned back, holding up the cup as they did, to reveal the shiny coin heads-up staring right at Yaotl.
   Again, loud, "Impressive, you win! So what's the score deal, then, Chief?"

【 Relationships with the Team 】

   Lapin's main connection point is through Yaotl, though they never mean to take it romantic. They're curious about the man, the rumors surrounding him, and every step he's taken on his path so far. There's something drawing about him, something almost supernatural, for Yaotl to be able to entangle even Lapin into his web through no more than a few chit-chats. Lapin doesn't expect to make a lot of friends with the group; the suspicious ones keep too many tabs on the bard's movements. Karas, Farah, Keola, Aritsune, Charmonix-- even talking with Lapin in the bar has them acting like the rabbit is one second away from pulling a knife if they get too close to Yaotl or someone else they care about. The others are less twitchy, less tense, but that doesn't make them drinking buddies. In the rare chances Lapin is traveling with Yaotl's team, even for a short period, they do all manage to get along but that may be from Lapin's difficulty breaking their "sun is up, time to be mute" mentality. It's hard to hate someone when they don't speak to give you a reason.

【 Romantic Relationships 】

- Lyall
   It's unclear if their bond is platonic or romantic, but the item shop owner in Farah's hometown seems to know more about the rabbit bard than anyone. While most people talk about Lagomorpha as if they're some kind of spirit or deity, a trickster here to confuse and swindle, or for some reason steal children, Lyall tends to talk about them like an old friend. "Oh, hey there, travelers huh? Have you stopped by to see Lagomorpha? Word is they have some good tips for a decent price if you're interested." Any time Yaotl did a return visit to Farah's home after confronting Lapin directly, it seemed that Lyall's tone and tune had changed. "How goes my old friends?", "Have you seen Lapin lately?", "Hey! Tell me the good news, and I might cut a deal for you,"-- a less forced retail friendliness and someone who seems curious about what's going on, almost like his connection to the gossip mill is now distracted and he can't get news as readily anymore.
   Which can all come across as generic, honestly. It took someone besides Yaotl to visit the shop and ask some questions for Lyall to slip, "...take care of him for me, okay?"

   Truthfully, Lyall is Lapin's old friend and somewhat of a business manager. He'd been who convinced Lapin, then Tobin, to don the rabbit mask and take to the streets to gather information and sell it for coin. Money had been tight but this proved lucrative and through the now-named Lapin's skills, they managed to open an item and weapon's shop to keep the funds flowing just in case the business of Gossip ran dry. They've been through a lot together, but neither of the pair seem quite willing to push the boundary of their friendship. They're comfortable like this, and Lapin needs to remain free to do as they need, travel where they need, without fear someone can tie them back to Lyall and the shop. 

【 Backstory 】

  Tobin had been a stage performer, specializing in interpretive dance, ballet, shows where the actors used their bodies to speak rather than their voices. Tobin was never at the center, always preferring to stay in the back and help form the scenes. It was probably this position choice that saved them-- their troupe had disbanded after a tragic accident in the theater where too-quick work had caused a weak point in the hanging set pieces and one fell mid-practice, crushing the lead. With no understudy, and too many cries of negligence and cursed performances, Tobin gave up the life. They took all they could from the storage supply once everyone had gone with the idea to sell it off slowly for coin but ended up unable to get rid of any of it.
   'Lapin' had been their stage position, and it became their new name. Tobin had been the dancer, Lapin was the charismatic bunny who snuck in the background and stage-whispered secrets to keep the plot going. Their home grew dusty with clutter. Lapin didn't want anyone to know that Tobin had chosen to steal and flee and survived. Only with Lyall's help were they able to pull this off and get back on their feet to become who they are, now. Someone who helps from the background, silent to gather the secrets during the day and at night spread them to help move the heroes along. It's not that Lapin wants redemption for what they consider their own crimes, they just feel hollow doing nothing at all to make up for it. 

【 Secrets 】

   Despite their reluctance to fight, Lapin can be convinced to join Yaotl's group for short bursts, going in between towns or pull specific missions off in order to gather information.

   Lapin's mask never comes off in front of people. Some people began to think it was their actual face or cursed to be stuck on forever until, after a particularly nasty hit that had Lapin retreating from battle at first chance, they returned with a whole new rabbit mask. While not a peek at what lies under, it did confirm the wooden rabbit face is a mask that can be removed.
   Their flute has a name, Brer, and it's the only instrument to stick with Lapin through everything. Violins, other flutes, castanets-- everything else comes and goes but their faithful flute will always hang from their waist. It's a relic of their previous life before taking up gossip, a stage piece from when they performed. Their collection of masks as well also come from this time; a seemingly endless supply of animal faces that almost always land in hares.

   Despite acting playful and friendly, Lapin doesn't feel much of anything. "Empty" would be a decent word for it, but a clinical diagnosis may lean them closer to controlled depression. It makes it difficult for them to have any heart to hearts, or dig too deep into someone's life and feelings. Lapin wants to help, but there is a cloud of fog always pushing them to remain neutral and just watch.
   After everything finishes, after Yaotl's arc comes to a close, and it's time to part ways and let the party figure out what they want to do on their own, Lapin is back where they started. There won't be any heroes out to save the world, actually save the world, coming around in towns at night to needle information. Back to routine, and the daytime performances, and mask after mask after mask. These aren't Lapin's friend's. The group doesn't know them. They're back at a bar again, back in a far room playing a cup and coin game one more time. "To round out our arc, after all." Just Yaotl and Lapin in the room. Coin under a cup, the three pushed forward. Choose one, so they can end this and go back to being Lagomorpha. The spirit of the town, who whisks your children away at night, and tempts your husband and wives, and--
   Yaotl was speaking. Had been speaking, as the cup edge scratched the tabletop. "I wanted to be cool so I kept askin Ari what to say, 'cause 'thank you' sorta sucks. But you helped a lot, yknow? Except you weren't just helping, you were right there in it. Thanks makes it sound like we paid you off and you're gonna bail out, but we're friends right? Everyone thinks so! I saw you playin' cards against Karas, dude. Err. Not dude. Haven't figured that one out yet. But! Yeah, uh, awkward. You're-- you, yknow? And you helped before. Here. People think I'm dumb but I remembered that. The creepy thing you did with the cups before?" Yaotl had been staring at the cups the whole time like he was really, really focusing on getting it right. Lapin hadn't bothered watching which way they all shuffled, too focused on watching Yaotl's eye track each cup. "I didn't know he was followin' us. You really saved my ass there. So I didn't wanna let you go, unless you like, wanna go. Is that what we're doin here? I kinda forgot to ask what we're betting on. Can it be that? If I win, you're gonna stay our friend and I'll write those letter things you like... but uh, I can't read fancy script so you gotta write it plain. And Ari says my handwriting is a crime against ink. Is that okay?"
   Lapin had mostly stopped listening, head pounding with all the strength it took to keep their hands steady. A stage performance, their final one. Yaotl's rambling was the prop falling. They really hoped their voice held steady as they stopped shuffling the cups and pushed a single one forward. "You cheat, Yaotl." They lifted the cup to show the coin. "I guess I'm yours."