KASUMI

Race: Apkallu
Age: 22
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 145lb
Class: Bard

Occupation: Performer
Skills: Music (shamisen, biwa and shakuhachi), singing, enchantment and illusion magic, basic healing/medicine

Likes: Music, performing arts, food, socializing, hunky men
Dislikes: Conflict, having to engage in combat, overly serious people

Born as the only daughter to a fisherman and an artist in the primarily-apkallu town of Widpool, Kasumi developed her interest in music and storytelling early in life, initially by learning and singing along with the various songs her father sung - some shanties detailing the exploits of apkallu folk heroes, some prayers for luck and favorable fishing conditions. Her mother, an artist primarily working with coral, also encouraged Kasumi's creative inclinations. The first instrument she learned to play was the biwa but she favors the shamisen for its simplicity and distinctive sound.

Unpretentious, charismatic and energetic, Kasumi easily found herself at the center of attention and performing came naturally to her. She grew bored of a rote repertoire of songs and stories about heroes and the workings of the world, eventually adopting a more personal, conversational cabaret-style of performance where she offered monologues of observations, musings and (often humorous) anecdotes between musical pieces.

With a strong morbid curiosity, Kasumi has held a strange, lifelong fascination for all things weird, awful and repulsive. She set out from Widpool some time ago with the intent to travel the world and expand her horizons, but also in the hopes of crossing paths with her muse, the Marchioness.

Hyper-social and vivacious, Kasumi prides herself on her uncanny ability to befriend almost anyone: each new person presents a wealth of opportunities for fun, growth and most importantly, stories. At first blush she might appear to be a ditzy party girl, mostly concerned with chasing pleasures and entertainment, but she is a true artist at heart and is serious and surprisingly methodical about her craft. Her dream is to establish herself as a widely known, world-class performer, distinguished from other artists by her shamisen mastery and unconventional style.

Her mind is incredibly occupied with thoughts of romance and relationships - both her own and those of others around her.

Unfortunately, her gregariousness is frequently also her greatest weakness. Her insistence on "befriending" everyone and forgoing formality can cause annoyance at best and offense at worst. She is quick to dispense with honorifics and seems bizarrely status-blind, often ignoring a person's titles if they have them. To an observant eye she seems somewhat ill at ease in highly formal situations, relying on her ability to act to see her through.

Kasumi is a young female apkallu with an average build and height. Her scales bear a calico patterning, predominately pearly white and broken up with blotches of orange and black. Her semi-translucent headfin is too long to stand upright and is usually swept to her left. Wide, vivid blue eyes stand out against the orange scales of her flat face and seem full of curiosity. Her lips are full and plush, an indication of her cyprinid heritage. Slightly kinked barbels sprout from her cheeks and end just above her collarbone. A thick, sturdy tail with a broad caudal fin trails behind her as she walks, often knocking things over. Evidence of simple padded armor can be seen beneath her lightweight pink kimono. She appears to be constantly pulling things out of it, suggesting the existence of many concealed pockets.

> Prone to superstition thanks to her father's influence, often doing small rituals (bad luck warding gestures, avoiding areas known to be 'cursed', seeks out fortune-tellers for advice etc).
> A voracious eater: unlikely to turn down any food offered to her, very food-motivated.
> Occasional smoker - the kiseru she carries in her pack is an antique and has been passed down several generations of her family.
> Her bachi (plectrum for the shamisen) has a sigil on each side. One side reads 'love', the other 'destroy'. This seems to aid her spellcasting somehow.
> The goldfish charm hanging from her shamisen is 'Mini-Kasumi' and was given to her by her best friend before she left her hometown. It's a prototype of a piece of merch she someday intends to mass-produce when she's more famous.