#rogue things

[thecat-inthehat]

10. Heady

Italics are for hand signing, as Aiden uses both in this cutscene. I’ve been idly poking Aiden through Limsa starting story some more, so this came to mind.

(683 words) [Masterpost]

---

The leather glove creaked as Aiden pulled it on and flexed his fingers. His fingertips were bare, which he didn’t care for, but the leather was good and sturdy and wasn’t immediately recognizable as coming from Ishgard. He’d already had to put away his woolen tunic, on account of the heat and the cut being obviously not from Limsa. 

“How’s it feel, lad?” Jacke asked, leaning against the frame of the door. “Here’s hopin’ yer cotton’s more breathable n’ wool, eh? Ye damn near had a heatstroke.”

Aiden clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn’t deny it as he worked on transferring more of his knives into his boots and belts. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt yet, or tying up his hair, as he wanted to get his lower half sorted first. His hair reached his mid back when it was down, and Jacke had seemed surprised at the length of it. He’d probably start tying his hair off of his neck, just to help with some of the weather.

Limsa Lominsa was … hot. And very humid. He wasn’t used to summer anymore, let alone a blazing sun that was intent on burning his skin, ever since Coerthas’ perpetual winter had started.

“The aether here is different,” Aiden signed with a quick flash of his fingers, then went back to flipping a knife between them. The glove would do, he decided. “I keep getting headaches, bouts of aethersickness. It’s annoying.” 

Jacke’s eyes flicked to Aiden’s fingers, and there was a moment where he seemed he lost the thread but ended up following along easily enough. He was more used to the Rogue’s variety of symbols to catch a target, but he picked up Aiden’s lexicon relatively quickly. 

“Ye might want te ask around about it,” Jacke shrugged, and tossed another dagger at Aiden. “Miqo’te lass by t’name Y’shtola, knows about aethersickness.” 

“I’ve met her,” Aiden signed after catching the dagger, and sliding it into his boot. “Those disappearing pirates in Summerford, she was investigating something. Ended up fighting an enraged goobbue together.” 

“Oh?” Jacke asked, tilting his head. He was staring now, Aiden noted, more than happy to ogle Aiden’s bare chest as he plied away more knives. “Llymlaen’s tits, ye get into the craziest shite when I’m not around. Bene that you’re a skilled cove in yer own right, else I’d have a heart attack like me dear departed cousin’s sister’s aunt.” 

“It’s the years of experience.” He snorted, motioning with his offhand. He paused for a moment, as another small wave of aether washed over him, making his head pound. He blinked slowly for a moment, willing it to go away, and shook his head. “She showed up again after I fought that strange golem. Seems to be everywhere and nowhere. Why haven’t you recruited her?” 

Jacke rolled his eyes and huffed. “Tried. She’s a scholar, or somethin’, and has the Admiral’s ear.” 

Aiden huffed a small breathy laugh and shook his head. “If it lasts for a few more days, I’ll ask her about it. It only started the morning we pulled into the harbor.” 

“Bene,” Jacke laughed, and crossed his arms as he watched Aiden pull on a thin undershirt with long sleeves. “Ye sure a shirt like that is best? Ye practically fainted on the doorstep when we got ye in here.” 

“You’re just sad to see my chest go away,” Aiden teased lightly, his voice rough from disuse as he croaked out an answer. “I don’t like people touching me.” 

“Mm. Shame, that,” Jacke murmured, looking put out. “Also a shame ye don’t use that voice more, ye sound pretty, like yer disheveled.” 

“Something you’d like to hear in private?” Aiden asked, shooting Jacke a soft smirk. 

“... Maybe,” Jacke grinned, and stood up from where he was leaning to walk over. He flicked a knife between his fingers, and offered it to him, hilt first. “Tuck it away somewhere special, since I can’t touch ye.” 

The Raven smirked at him as he took the knife and tucked it into his shirt, right over his heart.

[raevanmun]

A good day writing.

So, I totally wasted spent my whole day writing for my new rogue character. I have to say, it is some of the best writing I’ve done in a long while. I might be a little in “love” with her.  I built her tumlbr today, though I won’t link it until I am done with my plans for rolling her out. I want to finish a serialized story about her, something of a several bite sized intro and then schedule via “que” all the 100 days of character dev.  I’ve never really taken this much time or put in this much effort on a character reveal. But, I’ve been inspired lately. Writing has been good, people I’ve met of late have been super fucking supportive and it all comes back to @trisandrah.  It helps to have some one in your corner.  I feel really good about her, though I’ve got a long row to hoe. I need to buy about a billion tokens so I can afford to level her engineering. egh... yuck. I’ve been thinking a head as well to fitting transmog for her feel.  She’s going to be cyber-punk meets steam punk with elf thrown all over it.  This may be a good deal of bullshit to arrange but! I am not giving up. Good for me that rogue gear, the best of it anyway is pretty easy to get to and I already have a load of it on Nolah and my monk.  It also doesn’t hurt that the whole “cloak and dagger” bullshit won’t be needed most of the time on her. She’s not the sneaky go stabby sort of rogue, she’s the lurk around look zoned out while she’s plotting her next invention before slipping in somewhere to steal the goods to build it, kind of rogue. I have to say, I do wish this game was just a touch more like guild wars 2, because wish she could be packing her steam powered pistols on her hips instead of swords. Bleh. 

[thecat-inthehat]

8. Adroit

I apologize for my atrocious attempt at Limsan thieves’ cant. This is gonna be a bit rough, I’m still finding my voice/footing for Aiden’s character in writing. CW for mentions of drug use and addiction.

(1666 words) [Masterpost]

---

Aiden Ware sat on a crate on the docks, slowly chewing on a piece of hardtack as he tried to figure out what to do. One of the sailors had given it to him after witnessing his inability to keep anything down, and the bland bread was probably the best for his stomach at the moment. He had never gone on so much as a canoe on a river before finding a ship that was headed to Limsa Lominsa, and hadn't realized it would take so much out of him. He probably had lost about ten ponzes on the journey here, and he wasn’t thrilled at his chances of trying to gain it back. Then again, food seemed a little more plentiful here than at home, so… 

He had little and less in the way of supplies, no earthly clue about the layout of the city at all, and no idea what half the people here were even saying. He thought it was Eorzean. Maybe. The man on the ship had been nice enough to answer a few questions, but Aiden didn’t think the kindness would extend to a town full of pirates and pirate-adjacents. At least with the Knights back home he knew how to handle them -- here he couldn’t tell a Pirate from the law enforcement. 

“Quiet! D’ye want to get caught?” A rough voice hissed somewhere behind him, making his ear twitch slightly. He tilted his head and chewed some more on the hardtack, and silently cast a spell to let him hear a bit better.

Two voices filtered into his ears, a gruff clip, and a smoother tenor. 

“Sorry, sorry!” The tenor said, giving a little sigh. “The package will be in the hawker’s alley until noon, by the weather vale.” 

“Good.” Gruff snapped, and there was the sound of the gruff person shaking the tenor. “If ye cheat us again for your own gamblin problems, it’ll be the least of yer worries.” 

“It’s not my fault, I--” 

“Spare me! Ye gambled yer life away, lost yer child n’ wife, and then started sellin’ spice to fund yer habits. I’d have just killed ye meself if me brother weren’t addicted to the stuff.” Gruff said, and there was a slapping sound. 

“Alright, alright!” Tenor whined, and shook themselves. “I’m sorry about your brother, really I am, but I had to make a sale--” 

“Shut yer mouth, and just give me back the money. Tch, parasite.” 

Aiden finished his hardtack and stood up, starting to walk away. He angled himself to catch a glimpse of the two speakers, a rougher looking lalafell in green, and a hyur with nicer clothes. Now he knew who to circle back to. 

As he walked, he let loose his hair then went to pull it up again, folding his pointed ears back underneath the strands of hair and tie it at the nape of his neck. It wasn’t perfect, but a slightly strange hairstyle that covered his ears wouldn’t be as noticeable as his half-elezen heritage. Hilda was lucky, he mused, she got the ears that pointed up, while his stuck out like most of the elezen he’d met. It just took her a hood to hide if she needed, and he had to make his ears uncomfortable. 

The chatter of the marketplace washed over him, with people hawking their wares and shouting as they bartered. He walked at a fast clip through the alley, dodging merchants and buyers and knowing better than to look as though he was gawking. If he acted like he knew what he was doing, then no one would question it. 

Gruff probably wouldn’t go and grab the package immediately, wanting to avoid suspicion and likely would wait another bell or so. More than enough time for him to grab what he needed. He spotted the weather vane easily enough, and a package sitting underneath. A quick stride over to grab it, and he was walking through the paths to the upper level in a minute or so. 

The package felt a little light, admittedly, and he frowned a tad as he went to open it. He couldn’t help the snort of wry amusement that left his lips at the sight of a few rocks tied together instead of a spice pouch, and a meager coin purse. A note was inside as well, seemingly a note from Tenor -- 

My sincerest apologies, but I couldn’t get any more spice. The coin should pay for a soothing potion for your brother. By the time you read this, I’ll be long gone. 

So Tenor was a cheater and a dick. Wonderful. Just the type Aiden needed. 

He swung back around to the docks with the “package” at hand, and spotted the hyur tapping their foot as they waited for a ship that was out in the harbor. Aiden went to stand next to the man, putting on a bored air as if he was waiting for the ship as well, and held the package in clear view. 

“Excuse me, could you not stand so close--” Tenor said, turning to face him, only to yelp. “You’re not-- You shouldn’t have that package, who are you?” 

“Insurance,” he said, the lie coming to his lips easily. His voice was rough from disuse, but he didn’t have his hands free to sign the way he wanted, nevermind that signing would be more memorable than a gruff voice in Limsa. “They figured you’d cheat them, you know.” 

“That--That’s impossible, I covered my tracks--” 

“You’re just digging yourself deeper.” He sighed, shaking his head. “If you give me what you actually owe, maybe a little extra for my troubles, I won’t hand you over to them.” 

He was totally going to hand Tenor over. Spice, really? Tenor blanched, their lightly tanned skin turning pale at the casual threat. 

“N-now listen here, I am an upstanding gentleman of Ul’dah--” 

“You’re not in Ul’dah, are you?” Aiden said lightly, and gave a wan smile. “That ship is getting a little closer, don’t you think?” 

“F-Fine--” The man huffed, and flushed dully as he dug into his bag, pulling out the actual package this time, as well as another coinpurse. “You’re all brigands, all of you, I just need a little more time to pay my debts…”

“And you thought selling spice was the best way to do that?” Aiden snapped, his temper getting the better of him. “If you were actually honest about it, you wouldn’t be in this situation.” 

“I don’t need your judgement,” the man growled at him, and handed over the package to him. Aiden could see another pack in his bag, and noted it. “There, take it. Just let me leave, now that you’ve extorted me.” 

“Pleasure doin’ business with you,” Aiden said, taking the coin and the pack. “Don’t let the boat’s cannons hit your ass on the way out.” 

Before Tenor could do more than splutter indignantly, Aiden was already walking away and back into the hawker’s alley. He got rid of the bigger box and pocketed the packet of spice and the coin, and went up to the Yellowjacket stationed at the market entrance. 

“Excuse me, ma’am?” He asked, pulling his brow together in mock worry, and a grimace. “I think a hyurian man over there, in the black coat, had some spice in his bag. Maybe it’s nothing, but…”

The miqo’te woman blinked in shock, but gave a nod. “Thank you for letting me know, I’ll go and see what I can do.” 

Aiden watched her go, her hand on her ear as she called for back up from a linkpearl, and nodded to himself. Now all that was left was to go and meet Gruff, under the weathervane. It didn’t take long to get there again, and he sat himself down on the low wall, placing his elbows on his knees and keeping a careful watch on the crowds. Roughly ten minutes later, a pair of Yellowjackets hog marched Tenor through the marketplace, his hands bound behind his back. He was complaining about the rough binds, that he was innocent and didn’t have to be treated this way. Aiden’s eyes tracked them through the crowd, until they disappeared in the northern section of the Alley that led to the Yellowjacket’s command. 

When he finally looked back to the plaza, a rough looking lalafell in green was staring at him, their arms crossed. He nodded to them, and beckoned them over. 

“He was going to jump ship and cheat you. The package had nothing but a few rocks and enough gil for a sleeping potion.” Aiden said by way of greeting, and reached into his bag for the packet of spice and the coin. “I went and got what you needed.” 

The lalafell stared at him for a long, long moment, before taking it. “You’re a mite strange for a mort. Why’d you not cut the coin n’ scamper off?” 

Aiden didn’t answer immediately, just rubbing his gloved hands together idly. “A friend of mine died due to addiction, after he couldn’t get more from his supplier. It was ugly, and I don’t want to see it happen again. Your brother -- if you take that and start weaning him off of it, you might be able to save him. Use some of the coin for soothing potions, if it gets bad.” 

“Hm.” The lalafell said, scratching at their head underneath their green bandana. “... The name’s Underfoot. I think a mort like you might just be who my brother needs to see.” 

Aiden glanced at them, lifting a brow. 

“Jacke’s the sort that likes to thank who helps him. And I think you might be interested in what he has to say. That and the Dutiful Sisterhood’ll thank ye handsomely.” Underfoot said, giving a grin. “Yer new to Limsa, ain’t ye? Well, it’d be a shame to let your talents go to waste - why don’t we see if we can set ye up, as thanks.”

[paradoxmimzy]

Really love my ability to lockpick a jar

[iya-marjasa]

September 22 - Has your character ever broken any laws? Did she get caught?

So many laws. Just so many. She’s avoided jail time, though. So far.

[iya-marjasa]

When you’re a hustler, you've got to hustle There ain't no time for sleep Just keep on moving, do what you're doing, You've always played for keeps

[iya-marjasa]

Can't fight the temptation When you get the vibration Won't do you no good It won't do you no good You better start running When you hear the man coming Won't do you no good It won't do you no good No we don't mind If you don't mind Hell I never mind Don't let the mold break you Let the feeling come take you Won't do you no good Won't do you no good And you know I got fevers When you hit me right, you know you might as well Won't do you no good Said it won't do you no good And I said, kiss your baby goodbye Come on, love, it's alright! Heaven knows they wanna break you apart, yeah Kiss your baby goodbye Come on, love, it's alright! You never know unless you give it a try, oh baby

[iya-marjasa]