Xiuying, Bai Xiuying
Xiuying is a blind changeling living on Mudan Mountain outside of the village of Liuye. Born fae but abandoned as an infant, she was raised by a local witch and now resides alone.
Appearance
Born a cwn annwn, her humanoid form is entirely pale. Her skin is paper-white with a hint of pink and hair as colorless as freshly fallen snow. Xiuying has learned to manage her hair on her own, and keeps it trimmed to about her waist. She often wears it up to help make sure it doesn't get snagged or that things don't get snagged inside of it. Her eyes, which might have been a lovely amethyst and lilac, are clouded over and entirely blind. She can remember seeing shadows as a child and can still recognize bright light, but otherwise sees nothing. Her long pointed ears help her pass for an elf among humans, and she has not corrected that local assumption.Long and willowy, she is tall for her region but short for a fae. She moves with an innate grace and deliberate calculation. Xiuying will often sit perfectly still and even moves quietly so as to always listen to her surroundings.
Skills and Abilities
Shapeshifting. As a cwn annwn, Xiuying can shift between a humanoid and canine shape. Her cwn form is a tall, lean dog with wavy, pure white hair.Glamour. Born with an innate ability to cast charms, a glamour can subtly influence the minds of non-fae. Xiuying can cast a glamour over herself like an illusion or she can use it for the purposes of coercion, but neither of these are skills she takes advantage of.
Faerie Magick. Like all fae, Xiuying can tap into the ley lines running through the world to perform various feats of magick. These are all taxing to some physical extent; the greater the magick, the higher the price. Xiuying does not usually ask for much.
Iron Weakness. As fae, Xiuying is technically allergic to iron. Touching it is akin to being burned by a brand and serves as a powerful deterrent.
Honest Tongue. Fae cannot lie, and changelings are no exception. Xiuying can not speak untruths without facing the physical consequences, of she can speak them at all. She can, however, twist the truth as she knows it.
Blind. Xiuying was, presumably born blind at birth. She has never seen and, therefore, relies on her other senses. This affects her magick abilities, in that she generally cannot cast glamours that manipulate sight as she has never seen and has no reference for the changes required.
Personality
To the villagers living on the same mountain as her, Xiuying is as strange as the witch who raised her. Rumor would have it that she is dangerous and evil, a practical of dark arts and in league with faeries. They would be correct on only one account.Xiuying is quiet and soft. She rarely speaks unless spoken to and, because of her reputation, lives well away from the village of Liuye. This suits her just fine. Xiuying prefers to be alone, and had no issues going extended periods of time without seeing or speaking to other intelligent creatures. When she does occasion to speak, her voice is light and clear.
Raised by a strange woman, blind, and naturally fae, Xiuying is thrice damned to be strange to the world. Lacking most qualities that would give her away as fae, she is still quirky and light-hearted. She smiles a lot and is an eager conversant to the few people who will speak to her. Xiuying was brought up with a simple education but is a very clever creature.
It is true that she keeps a trio of brownies in her home and is kind to the black dog that is sometimes seen in the shrine's shadow, proving that she is indeed in league with faeries. This rumor amuses Xiuying only because she is fae. However, she was raised by a human woman and is unassociated with Court as a changeling. Rather than making mischief (as many fae are wont to do), Xiuying likes to make medicines and lesser charms and spells for the village and surrounding area, as her mother did before her.