#➤ hcs: bygone whispering woods / kinich

[amemoire]

EDIT #2: Because this somehow made it outside of the intended audience I need to clarify that these are my HEADCANONS and are NOT 100% canon fact. Yes, majority of it is rooted in canon, but there's a good mix of my own thoughts too. I guess its flattering that they were liked this much, but quite frankly I'm also uncomfortable as this should never have been reblogged and inadvertently risk spreading false information. If you enjoy them, just like the post. Do not reblog.

Just me compiling some notes about Kinich don't mind me:

He was noted to be one of the few people that has won the pilgrimage several times. While in the AQ there are also others who have ( i.e. Mualani, Chasca, etc. ), they went out of their way to note this in a live letter. And we can still assume that number is relatively small because we as the players will only meet people important to the plot.

In addition to the above, his skill speaks for itself when you have a whole group of people willing to switch to his team without problem just because its him.

He's died at least once during the Night Warden Wars— stated himself during the AQ. This is noteworthy to me because it keeps him on a very human level rather than making him into an unbeatable, untouchable person. He even lost the recent pilgrimage because of an injury sustained during the team competition. He's vulnerable, he makes mistakes. Or you can take it to mean that he might've put himself at risk for the sake of another any of these times.

He cooks, he cleans, he grows crops, sews, does the laundry, etc. etc. His tragic background and lack of adults to help him as he grew up meant that he had to learn all the household chores at a VERY early age. By the time he was seven, Kinich was on his own and refused to accept anyone's help or kindness. Not because he was stubborn, but because he'd already adopted the mindset that everything in the world came at a cost.

His character trailer implies that he's both skilled with a variety of weapons and will utilize anything he can to his advantage— being that one of the ' weapons ' was a selfie stick. The others were his claymore, a sword, and a pair of dual blades. He's crafty, adaptable, and seizes the opportunity. It's likely that he prefers two-handed weapons that can also be held in one hand when needed.

Being from the canopy, there's his interest in sports— both extreme and not. But to be honest, he prefers the extreme. They're more stimulating and the sense of danger brings about the feeling of freedom his people believe in. Normal sports might seem boring in comparison and he's admitted to finding something new once that happens. Mountain climbing, cave diving, bungee jumping, surfing, etc. If you name it, he's tried it. If he hasn't, then he will later.

He's been crowned dance champion— supposedly. This fact came from Ajaw, so it's fair to cast doubt. However, since when has Ajaw ever willingly offered Kinich some kind of praise ? I think this statement is most likely true and he was indeed being humble about it to avoid dancing. But even if it is false, we can still safely say he can. Music and dance are a vital part of Natlan's culture.

Life is more important than any kind of payment. He will always prioritize the life of another and has a strong disliking for anyone that would seek to endanger that life. With zero tolerance for poachers, bullies, and the like, no amount of mora can win him over. And getting to settle the score with them— whether its through himself or Ajaw— is all the payment needed.

He prefers his good deeds to remain in the shadows. No one has to sing his praises, in fact he's prefer they don't. Kinich has little interest in making a big deal about his actions and always keeps hush about anything he might've done. For example, Kachina had to find out from elsewhere that he'd dealt with her bullies before they were even friends.

He's so SO incredibly the mom friend. While he's not good at offering comfort or encouragement, he's observant and accommodates for others where he can. You can look at a couple of his voice lines for this where he's looking out for you and reminding you to take care. During the AQ, Mualani even knew that she could count on him to wake her and Kachina for the pilgrimage. Their exchange strongly suggests it wasn't the first time he'd had to do something like that.

EDIT:

Idk how I forgot to add this but he is ENTIRELY self-taught !! He never had someone to train him when it came to tracking, hunting, weaponry, and using the grappling hook. ( And for much of the housework after his mom left ). Instead, he learned on his own through sheer observation of others. And now he's lauded as one of the best in the nation.

It's implied during his story quest that he's the ONLY ONE to have inherited the Malipo name in 500 years. When Huni and Toba are talking to Sanka about who the name has been passed down to, they only mention Burkina and Kinich.

Taking the web event into canon consideration, Kinich is not only highly skilled in tracking and hunting saurians but also in raising them from egg to newborn.

[amemoire]

ㅤㅤAs a result of his pact with Ajaw, there are a few physical changes that come about whenever Kinich is borrowing his power. These changes typically go away once he gives the power back, but there is one permanent change. It's slight, the sort where you have to stare a little longer before noticing, but Kinich does have some small FANGS now. Because he isn't evaluating his appearance everyday or dawdling in front of the mirror, it did take him some time to realize this— somewhere around a week or two. ( And naturally Ajaw sung his own praises while explaining why the change occurred ).

ㅤㅤAs for the other temporary changes, they can vary in intensity depending on the amount of power that he's borrowing. Their pact doesn't grant Kinich free reign to Ajaw's full strength, but he is allowed to borrow up to a certain degree ( under certain circumstances ). Because of this, he's careful to only take as much as needed according to the situation. So the changes are as follows:

Enhanced sight: No matter how little he is borrowing, Kinich always gains a reptilian's visual capabilities. This means he can see color on a wider spectrum than usual, including ultraviolet light, and gains enhanced visual acuity. This allows him to see things that would otherwise be invisible to him and detect movement on a greater level / greater distances away. It took him some getting used to and even now he sometimes needs a moment to readjust when transitioning back to normal.

Enhanced hearing: This is also one he gains regardless, though the distance and clarity at which he can hear will vary based on amount.

Patches of scales: Just outside of what would be a small amount, a mix of yellow and green scales will begin to appear around his body. In its earlier stages, most will never be seen as they start with his torso. But as he borrows more, they spread to his neck, arms, and legs. Usually in that order.

Enhanced strength: Around the medium point, the borrowed power begins to grant him greater strength. This continues to scale until he hits his limit.

Claws: When borrowing a great amount of what he's allowed, the last change that comes will be a sharp set of claws. This is almost always a bother as they rip through his gloves, leaving him to patch them up or acquire a new pair.

[amemoire]

ㅤㅤKinich isn't afraid to die. Growing up in Natlan— the nation of war, home of warriors— he's long since made peace with that inevitability. Its why he doesn't hesitate to take up arms or put himself in harms way when necessary. Of course, it helps that his skills grant him so much confidence that he doesn't feel the need to worry. ( But that doesn't make him overconfident to the point of recklessness ). Nonetheless, he knows that day will come and has already faced death in the Night Warden Wars. The only concern he has is dying while he's still in top form, allowing Ajaw to take his body and do who knows what with his prowess.

ㅤㅤHowever, just because he isn't afraid to die and has already done so once, this doesn't mean it didn't affect him. In addition to having a large scar on his back and chest from being pierced, he also has mild PTSD. He's able to go about his days and still participate in the pilgrimage for the most part. But sometimes he has nightmares and flashbacks to that day. Having to kill monsters wearing familiar faces— of tribe members, his friends, his parents. Something he didn't have the time or liberty to think about in the moment. And the memory of being the last one standing against a seemingly endless horde. Tired and powerless in that cold, dark place where even Ajaw didn't dare to make some snide remark.

ㅤㅤThe events of 5.1 wrenched all this to the surface. But he had to shove those memories aside as much as he could, not unlike like that day, and let instinct take over. He had a job to do and people to protect.

[amemoire]

ㅤㅤSince people native to Natlan can't leave without experiencing memory loss, I think it makes sense that a large majority of them would have ACCENTS when speaking common. There's seldom a reason for them to use anything other than their own languages, so its not often spoken. Yes, I said multiple languages. I headcanon that all the tribes have their own tongue. Some might be similar to another and others completely different. ( This is to reflect the different dialects of Spanish as well as the other cultures that are a part of Natlan ).

ㅤㅤThat said, Kinich can speak all of them to varying degrees depending on how often he's had to take jobs there. Currently, in addition to his own, he's also fluent in that of Kachina and Mualani's tribes. Partly because they're friends, so he's visited those areas often, and partly because they're within the same general region. He also has a distinct accent when speaking common.

[amemoire]

if you're not imagining kinich with this body build then idk what to tell you jkdsng

boy is FIT like ???? all those sports and hunting and weapon training he does. ain't no other way for him to be built lbr