#( verse: the stalwart rook. )

[stillresolved]

"This is mu*tual aid, not charity." He slides them a cup of coffee. "On the house. Drink it or else."

[ofgentleresolve]

alfred jinwoo choi. 35. barista/bodyguard. the rook.

[rockiesturnrose]

The Good Ol’ Days of RP-Some other Generations

Following up on this post, just to introduce some more characters.

So after the last generation of characters  got their shit as sorted as possible, it was time to bring in another generation or five. And hold on to your butts, because this gets complicated. The next generation brought in a few more plotlines, including (I believe?) some kind of fey persecution thing where one friends almost-entirely-fey characters were hunted down and had to go into hiding back in their home realm. It made for some confusing relationships and some devastated loved ones. And then dragons appeared? 

So first, Landon and Grove. That relationship had its ups, and its downs, and nothing really in-between. Grove went kind of…batshit with her spy work, which Landon wasn’t a huge fan of, but he also didn’t want to leave her. The relationship got a bit dysfunctional, and then Grove disappeared during the fey persecutions mostly because she was a VERY WANTED CRIMINAL. Like, she had broken off from Anya’s criminal guild because she thought it wasn’t extreme enough. The two had Kaelem and Ananse, twin boys. Kael, controlled by me, was the more…laid back of the two? The independent free spirit whose motto was essentially “I’m here for a good time, not a long time.” His mother did not like this, and the two frequently clashed. Kael would eventually run away from home (detailed later on). An, played by my friend, was essentially his mother’s little mini-me, the good boy whose ambitions were whatever his mother wanted them to be.  

There was also Anya and Arram, who eventually had Zenona Anika (who insisted she be called Ani on pain of death). She turned out to be a very, very good thief. She also had a huge crush on one of her thieving partners, Shalan (who was Rook’s bastard son). However, given there was a huge age gap between them (think: Shal used to babysit her when she was born), she eventually decided to set her sights on men more her age. There were other reasons beyond the age gap: despite his centuries, Shal had never been in a serious relationship. He was a love ‘em and leave ‘em kinda guy, even if he was respectful about it. Ani, though inexperienced, knew she was as monogamous as one could possibly be, and that casual relationships didn’t do anything for her. She was unaware that, by the time she turned 20, Shal actually reciprocated her feelings and wanted to be her One. So she got with a man named Renner, and they were a pretty happy couple, until they weren’t, and then Renner died. Anika and Shal eventually got on the same page with regards to their feelings and had a very good relationship…up until Shal also disappeared during the fey persecutions, leaving her with no answers.

Seila and Ore would eventually go on to have Yaretzi, but given they waited about 200 years to do so, she’ll be in a different post.

Now, after all these people disappearing and I think some mass slaughter, what this world needed was some stable rulers who wouldn’t persecute the fey. Enter into this Callum’s bloodline. Callum, who I essentially removed from the RP pretty quickly, went on to have some sprog, who had some sprog who eventually intermingled with some elven blood. Somewhere along the line, some nobility entered that picture (important for later).  I don’t know how many generations this was compared to my friends, but Callum’s line eventually produced the strapping and stalwart Liam and his twin sister, Ghislane. The twins would’ve been happy as minor nobles famed for breeding impeccable horses, but some disaster in the Elven kingdom meant they had to take the throne. They were not pleased, especially because (I think) they were intended to be puppet rulers? I think, given the fey-persecution plotline, Grove wanted to ensure the next rulers would think more favourably of fey? So she strong-armed them onto the throne.

This actually made it easy to converge the plotlines of a bunch of characters.

First, we have Kael. Now, Kael had wandered the world for a long time and had a pretty good time being a jack of all trades. He was never serious about anything or anyone, and then he met Rena. Rena, who he would swear up and down was the only woman for him. But he was still unsure of how to reconcile his independence with commitment, and when Rena wanted them to move in together after only a short while together, he panicked. She accused him of being a commitment-phobe, and then she just disappeared. Turns out, she had been working for Grove, who (I think) would only let Rena out of her service if Kael had agreed to move in (some kind of test of character, I think? I imagine Grove as a smirking villain a la Mother Gothel from Tangled: “You think he loves you? Ask him to move in and you’ll see he’s just a scared boy who can’t commit to anything or anyone. Then you’ll come to your senses.”) So Kael failed this unknown test, Rena completely disappeared, and he was left to his wandering ways. Along the way, he learned that the new Elven royalty were seeking a diplomat to make overtures with the Orcs, and Kael (who had spent a few years up in the Orc kingdoms) readily and happily applied. And during this, he fell in love with Ghislane and arranged a marriage for Liam (to an Orc who I think I played as once. Liam was unimportant for a while).

Meanwhile, Ani, also at loose ends, made her way to the Elven kingdom and met Ghislane. Seeing as the new royalty was not very well versed in lying, or anything courtly, Ani stepped up to be her personal spymaster and best friend. Ani was well aware that most people in the court didn’t have Gi’s best interests at heart, or would try to use the woman, and she wanted to make sure Gi knew there was absolutely someone she could rely on. Ani also managed to learn that Shal was living as a baker in the Elven city, but when she went to reconcile with him she was flat out refused. Shal, it turns out, was not a fan of the Elven crown for reasons I can’t remember (they didn’t stop the persecution fast enough? They started it? I honestly don’t recall) and didn’t like Ani’s new life plan. The two parted with angry words, despite the fact they still loved each other deeply. Shal tried to reconcile with Ani by leaving her baked goods, but Ani wasn’t convinced they’d be able to work out their issues (she was not going to quit, and Shal didn’t want to change his opinion of the Elven royals). And then just when it felt like they were making headway towards reconciliation, Shal disappeared again and Ani decided to be proactive and try to find him. She was tired of being left without answers.

During this period of Shal-searching, a new guard named Sky started at the palace. Ani accidentally ran into the man and they had this weird month of tension because Sky said all the right things, and seemed to know her even though she didn’t recognize him. And then she discovered Sky was just Shal, reincarnated, and with different goals (AKA: his family could get along without him, everyone was safe, and he just wanted his own life back). So Ani got the chance to get to know this new, but familiar man, and they got their HEA (honestly, they were one of my favourite romances just in general? I had others, but especially these two)

Ani also got a little brother named Rhen during this time, but that’s for a different post as well.

Ananse was, I think, placed in the service of the Elven throne to act as Grove’s puppet/spymaster. He also fell in love with Gi, who loved both brothers. But her spymaster wasn’t very popular, whereas Kael was beloved of the kingdom. She ended up marrying both of them—only Kael got the public ceremony, whereas An got the private one. It was an arrangement that worked until Rena came back into the picture, and Kael was released from his marriage vows. Gi wants people to be happy, above all else.

There were also Fel and Jareth, at least for a bit. Fel had a daughter from a previous relationship, Fia, who was a testy individual with brightly coloured hair. She was a delight to play if only because she was such a bitch.

[stillresolved]

continued from here. / @hymnoire

ALFRED DOESN’T USE CRIMINALITY TO CATEGORIZE PEOPLE, let alone those who are welcomed in the shop. No, that would be hypocritical of him, first of all, but secondly, that’s just a bad business practice. “‘s a free country. We can say whatever we want; if they don’t like it, they can drink coffee somewhere else. We’ve got nothing to hide here.” Well, he might, but that doesn’t have to apply to the coffeehouse. Besides, who’s going to question the legitimacy of the place when there are families with small children sitting at the tables? Or college students hunched over laptops in the booths?

This might be an information hub within the criminal underbelly of Seoul, but it is also a community center, a safe house for those who need it most. He keeps wiping the mug, refusing to look the Minister of Justice’s daughter in the eye. People like her don’t deserve his respect.

“The sign needs revision; we don’t serve politicians either. If you’re looking for brownie points with the media, take your business somewhere else.”

[stillresolved]

"See the sign there?" He's pointing to it before he goes back to wiping the glass. "Doesn't matter if you're off duty. We don't serve cops here."

[stillresolved]

The spill is, well, big and far reaching as are the shattered porcelain pieces. He huffs, grabbing another mug from behind the counter. He can see them, opening their mouth to protest. Fresh coffee fills the new mug anyways.

"We're not Catholic," Alfred says simply, sliding over the mug. "Don't drop this one."

[stillresolved]

"Hey, cool guy." Selena speaks entering the coffeehouse, her shades on and a playful grin lighting up her face, always happy to visit him on her days off. Reaching the counter, she leans forward, elbows down, chin resting in her palms."Mmm, need some help over there, or can I just sit here, flirt with you and look pretty all day?" she teases, pulling her shades down just a bit, mischief in her eye. // Selena to Alfred. 🎂 Ferre’s Day personalized asks edition !

@geaesaekki / unprompted.

DEPENDING ON WHO’S TALKING TO HIM, HIS REPUTATION CHANGES. Within the underworld, he’s a shrewd businessman, a cornerstone in the art of information brokerage. Amongst the rich and the law enforcement, he’s an asshole, forever a thorn in their side. For the community, he’s a trusted figure, a title he does not take lightly. With Nell and Myungdae, he is the Rook, the only ‘competent one because you two fuckers are hot messes you know that’.

And with Selena, Alfred is–

"Why not both? You can sit pretty and help out; if we have a pretty lady sitting at the counter, we'll make more tips. You can keep the shades on too, it'll be free marketing- a win-win situation for the both of us." Of course this is said in jest. The point of the coffeehouse isn't to make bank so much as maintain a space for the community to come together. And keep a front for him and his friends' less-than-legal activities but who needs to know that? 

Selena certainly doesn't. Alfred leans forward on the counter, closing part of the distance between them. A roguish grin spreads across. "What'll you say, honey?"

And he doesn't want her to find out. She's not involved with any of his business(es) in the criminal underworld and that alone is freeing. Makes her an unexpected source of peace. Selena does not require anything of him, nor does she ask anything of him and if Alfred can keep it that way with her, he will do so.

He grabs a mug to make her usual and slides over a croissant her way. "But seriously, you sure you want to hang out here for the rest of today? I thought you said you don't get day offs often."

[stillresolved]

continued from here! / @ergebenheit

WELL THAT WAS A LUCKY GUESS ON HIS PART. She just happened to confirm it for him. Call it a sixth sense; cops, retired or not, really don’t know how to conceal themselves in these parts. Or maybe Alfred just got lucky with this one. Either way, he keeps on wiping the cup. “You chose to put the badge on; that’s not discrimination. You said yourself anyways.”

Ever relaxed in the face of confrontation, he is. It’s the main reason he’s made a name for himself as an information broker; he stands his ground and always verifies the customers first, no exceptions made. “Once a cop, always a cop.” Or least her clear aggravation confirms this for him; law enforcers have never been great with accepting a no for an answer in his experience. “How do I know you’re not just here to make trouble for the rest of us, huh?”

[stillresolved]

"Word of advice. Don't threaten the guy who pours the drinks."

[stillresolved]

alfred jinwoo kim. 35. information broker & coffeehouse owner. the rook.