#ravensblade

[thecat-inthehat]

"oh hey i should check on Aiden's msq run, since they've updated ARR+HW and stuff. I know he was in the ARR patches but where--"

"Ah."

[pytas]

So I did a picture thing for my dnd characters I've played and o gosh they're so different

We have

The RavensBlade, one who was wielded by the Bladesinger but who is now a Paladin with the Bladesinger trapped in thier weapon

Enyo the Fighter accidental warlock with intense paranoia

Edria the Sorcerer with Daddy issues

Asherah the druid who made a warlock pact that slowly ate away her mind

And my baby Conary the wizard who is BABEY and got turned into a tree and now have a panic disorder

[reflectionsofacreator]

Upon receiving the “Raven Fatigues” blood veil I cackled like a madman and immediately made sure that Aiden would never wear another blood veil ever again. It’s perfect. 

(His last name is Ravensblade. And he’s been known to be called The Raven in lieu of his name)

[ravensblade-promos]

Welcome to Ravensblade Academy. Headmistress Honoria Baker is honored to welcome you to the prestigious ranks. We hope you find the academy to be everything you desire as you grow and explore the different aspects that magic has to offer. May your senses guide you, may your mind be open and may the academy be your safe haven.

ravensblade-academy is a new appless RP for a school of magic arts for college age + muses and their professors

                      what’s your power?

            MAIN / ASK / FULL PLOT / TAKEN FACES / APPLY

[thecat-inthehat]

1. Cross

Searching for illegal crystals is so much easier once you’ve got a bloodhound of a carbuncle~ This year I’m going to try and just do banners for different continuities rather than full on gpose art, so we’ll see how that goes.

(516 words) | [Masterpost]

__

Aiden hooked his leg around the ship’s mast and tucked his foot into the rigging to keep his balance. He still swayed with the motion of the ship, but he’d learned to lean into it by now and didn’t get sea-sick nearly as often. It’s just as well that he didn’t empty his stomach on the unsuspecting crew below, having climbed up towards the crow’s nest as soon as he got on board. The other rogues would be poking around the deck and milling through the belly of the ship, but he wanted to keep an eye on the pirates scurrying about like ants. 

The other ships in the harbor floated innocently enough, but they knew at least one of them was allied with this strange merchant’s ship from Rothlyt Sound that might’ve been carrying crystals to the local tribes. He didn’t exactly want to search both ships before dawn came and exposed them, but he did want to make sure that Leviathan wasn’t about to be summoned once more. Minfilia had expressed concern over the possibility when she received a letter from the Admiral on the ferry, and Aiden had suggested that he needed to go back to the Rogues anyways, he might as well take a peek. 

Now it was midnight and he was swaying over a hundred feet in the air, precariously balanced on the cross section of mast and sail while he waited for the last of the guard to settle into his chair. Underneath the sheer curtain of his midnight black hair, Dandelion chimed softly and flicked their long tail. He reached up to pat the carbuncle’s small little head, scratching under their chin, and sighed. 

“Ready to sniff out any good crystals?” He asked, and his voice was soft enough that it didn’t rasp. “You can eat as many as you like if we find them.” 

Dandelion yipped next to his ear, and vibrated with excitement. Their glow was muted for stealth, barely more than the brightness of moonlight through fog, but still they hid under his hair until he set them free. The years of being alone and having to hunt for aether meant that even after spending months with Aiden, the little carbuncle still craved crystals like no other, and would hunt them down given the chance. Quite useful when trying to catch illegal summonings. 

He inhaled the briny air of the sea, and let it out with a sigh as he waited for the clouds to roll past the moon. He never thought he’d miss the smell of the sea like this, and the feel of rigging under his hands. He hadn’t exactly enjoyed his time in Limsa Lominsa at first glance, but it had become something of a second home with the Rogues. A third home now lay in Vesper Bay, true, but the second was special in its own right. 

The clouds drifted past the moon, and he grinned. “Let’s go.” 

Dandelion didn’t even wait before flinging themselves down his arm and off across the rigging, their tri-tipped tail waving as they started to hunt.

[thecat-inthehat]

He looks so good, I’m so happy I learned how to crime to give him his hair.

[thecat-inthehat]

21. Feckless

I wrote and discarded about 3 different two paragraph starters before I settled on this. I fully admit to Hilda’s voice not being very good, I haven’t played the sections of msq where she shows up in quite some time, and I was more concerned about getting this idea out.

Set two years after the Calamity

(2194 words) [Masterpost]

---

The snows were starting to come down, again. Two years of it, since the Calamity had shifted the aether of the whole region to ice, and people were still surprised by it all. Food was scarce still, and more and more people poured into the city after their hamlets and villages were towed under the blizzards. Some had lasted longer than others, but the strata of the city was starting to become overfull of people clustering together for warmth. 

On the one hand, it meant that there was an easier time distributing resources and working together, which was always one of Ishgard’s strengths. On the other… 

“Watch where you’re going, you lout!” The driver of the carriage shouted, throwing up his hands. 

“You better get your chocobo’s beak out of my arse, or I’ll shove this lance up yours!” The guard shouted back, blocking the path of the cart and making a rude gesture. 

“I’m taking this to the marketplace, it’s a delivery from Gridania, and if the Mistress of the Markets hears it’s late--” 

The arguing continued, with no one paying it much mind save for a slip of a teenager perched on a barrel, digging a knife into an apple and eating it slowly. His pointed ears were pricked for any scrap of information he might be able to glean from the arguing, as well as from the other street-goers. The news of a new shipment to the market was certainly useful, as well as the infighting amongst the Temple Knights over who would get first pick.

The Temple Knights were overworked at current, desperately trying to keep the city afloat from the sudden influx of citizens and the mounting horror that was a two year long winter with no end in sight. Many of them had taken to tossing their privilege around at every turn, if only to try and alleviate the long hours and the constant barrage of problems hurtled their way. Of course, the people they were exploiting were the lowly and poor, which didn’t sit too well with the teenager. 

He sliced into the apple again, cutting a wedge out for himself and chewing on it thoughtfully. 

“Where did you even get that?” His sister asked waspishly, coming out of the alleyway and standing next to him. “Fresh fruit? In this frozen city? Who did you knife?”

“Valesiya.” He signed, his fingers working around the knife in his hand. 

“You shanked the healer?” Hilda demanded, throwing up her hands. “I thought you liked her!” 

Aiden rolled his eyes at her, slicing into the apple and making a sizable chunk, going to shove it in her mouth. She blinked at him, then grinned and nibbled on it, her eyes closing happily. 

“Went to visit her earlier,” he said aloud, his voice a quiet rasp against the busy marketplace. When Hilda opened her eyes again to look at him, he continued signing. “Idraut needed medicine for his sons, but couldn’t leave them. I offered to go in his stead, and she gave me some other stuff to spread around.”

“Well. At least someone cares about those down under,” Hilda groused, finishing off her portion of the apple and glancing out over the roads. “What other stuff?” 

Aiden wordlessly kicked at the basket between his feet and pushed it over to her, letting her dig through it while he continued to munch on his apple. His gaze drifted between some of the Knights on the road and the other citizens gathered to gossip, or some of the merchants and crafters that were heading to and fro along the path. There was even a dragoon on the street -- out of their distinctive armor, but the way they carried themselves, and the spear on their back set them out to the trained eye. 

“Tonics, potions, herbs, fruit, vegetables…” Hilda murmured, digging through the basket. “And she just handed it to you?” 

“She likes me.” 

Hilda’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You know, if you have a lady friend…” 

“Not like that, Fury’s tits--” Aiden spluttered, nearly coughing out what was left of his fruit. 

Hilda cackled and nearly shoved him off the barrel, “You’re as red as the apple!” 

“Because I’m choking you arse!” He signed, coughing and thumping his chest. He gave her a withering glare when he could finally breathe again and shook his head. “You’re just jealous, as if you don’t have a dozen girls hanging off your every word.” 

“But I could have more,” she grinned. 

Aiden rolled his eyes again. “You’re not getting any more of my apple. Anyways, weren’t you supposed to meet with someone?”

His sister’s face darkened, and her ruby red eyes narrowed. “I was, yeah. But the bastard stood me up, and had already sold what I paid for to someone else. We’re not going to be getting the crystals we need to keep the Burme warm. We’re going to have to find something else.” 

“... Shit.” He whispered, going pale. 

“I might know someone else I can talk to -- that crazy son of the Haillenarte who’s always tinkering away in that shop of his,” Hilda grimaced, rubbing the back of her neck. “He might have some extra crystals or fuel to spare.” 

“We need to get those supplies back. Half the lower city block won’t survive when the next storm comes in.” He signed frantically, his apple forgotten in his lap.

“I know!” She hissed back, throwing up her hands. “But it’s not like you or I have the clout or ability to get it all back! You might be good at sneaking, and I might be good at distracting, but he’s got guards and all sorts of precautions. We can’t do anything.” 

“I… I’ll think of something. You take this basket down, and hand it out. Make sure Idruat gets his medicine first, then hand out the rest.” He signed, hopping to his feet. He tossed her the rest of the apple, and pocketed his knives. 

“Where are you even going to go?” She demanded, snatching the apple out of the air. She didn’t chase after him, knowing better than to do that. 

“I’m going to find some shadows.”

-x-

The Burme was the lower levels of the city, built into the mountain that it rested on. The mist and winds blew in from the Sea of Clouds below, blanketing the entire area in a foul miasma that made it near impossible to see the end of the street some days. If the Burme fell, most of the city would follow, but of course those in the Pillars didn’t think of it that way. 

Aiden walked with purpose down the lane and tried to set his shoulders square, and practice what he would say. He might’ve been eighteen and lived in the Burme all his life, but the thought of approaching them was… unsettling, at best. They might’ve helped people on occasion, but their idea of help didn’t exactly mesh with what was good and Godly. 

The fog was rolling in again, swirling around his feet as he walked deeper into the places the Temple Knights dare not travel in. The worn leather of his boots didn’t stop the cold from seeping into his legs--each movement felt sluggish and chilly, like he should turn back and go to warmer fires near the top. Each step felt … wrong somehow, his stomach twisting with anxiety as he descended into the depths. It was a test of wills really, between his nerve and the increasing feeling that he wasn’t welcome. 

“Well well… What cawing does the Raven have for me today?” A voice said, soft and gentle in the darkness of the alley. 

“Still using that nickname?” He croaked, and his voice was near swallowed up by the fog that covered everything around them. 

“It fits, doesn’t it? Better than your sister, the Mongrel.” They said, their soft laugh rippling through the air. 

A shadow melted out of the alley and stepped into what scant light lay in his feet. They were taller than Aiden’s scant five fulms, and the only distinguishing feature he could see was golden eyes staring at him from under an all concealing helmet. Fray Myste sometimes seemed more shadow than hyur, dressed all in black with a massive greatsword strapped to their back. 

“A-A merchant,” he stuttered, and couldn’t meet the piercing gaze. 

“A merchant.” They repeated, their voice coming out as a comfortable drawl. “And why do I care about a merchant that cheated you out of an apple?” 

Briefly he wondered how the boogeyman of Ishgard knew what he had been eating, but he ignored it and tried to square his shoulders. “Not me. Whole south east district.” 

Fray’s eyes widened momentarily, then narrowed. “Really now.” 

“Hilda and I--” He had to stop to cough, rubbing his throat. Normally he could talk for longer, but between the trek down and the smog of the Burme… 

“Just sign. I can read it.” Fray said, waving a hand. 

“Thank you.” He signed, then tried again. “Hilda and I made a deal with a merchant coming in from Gridania so we could distribute it, but he didn’t show up for their meeting today. Hilda already paid for it all, so it’s ours by law and rights. But he went and tried to sell if off to people in the Pillars for higher profit.” 

“I’m not an errand boy,” Fray said quietly, but they didn’t immediately shove him away, so maybe the whole cause wasn’t lost. 

“We can hand it out. We just need what we already paid for, even half of it. If the next storm comes in, the south east district won’t survive.” 

“Right. The pipes burst last storm, and the architects aren’t keen on fixing it when they’ve got fancy homes in the Pillars to work on.” Fray murmured and crossed their arms. They turned away from him, starting to pace. Their greatsword gleamed in the scant light, the edge of it righteously sharp. It was clean now, but Aiden had seen it be dirtied once before. He didn’t want to see that again. 

“Do you have anything else for me?” Fray asked, tilting their head to glance at him so they could see his hands. 

“He’s a wildwood, with shaggy brown hair and a scar on his cheek. On the shorter side, with ears that tip down. Earsplitting accent, can’t miss him.” Aiden signed, watching Fray pace. They were probably one of the most dangerous people in Ishgard, aside from their big, cloaked companion, and Aiden probably didn’t even have a chance if it came down to a fight. He still wanted to keep an eye on them, just in case. “If you can get me and my sister the supplies, we can do the rest.”

“Awful lot of initiative for you young twins,” Fray mused, tilting their head at him. “What’s in it for you?” 

Aiden hesitated, his hands falling slightly. He wasn’t noble in the traditional sense of the word, not really. “Not much. But no one else up there is going to care for us, so we might as well care for each other.”

Fray snorted softly in amusement, rolling their wrist and adjusting their gauntlet. “Sid.” 

Aiden nearly jumped out of his skin when another figure melted out of the shadow, covered by a thick cloak and a hood that obscured nearly everything. The only thing he could see was pale skin with patchy bits of black, and almost unnaturally glowing light green eyes. They were huge, almost seven fulms tall, broad shouldered and wearing thick armor just like their companion. Aiden could see another greatsword on their back, this one even bigger than Fray’s. 

“My mate, Sidurgu,” Fray said easily. “You’ve seen him around, I’m sure, with those sharp eyes of yours.” 

“I… have, yeah. Not this close.” He signed, and tried not to stare. “You’re both going to take it on?”

Sidurgu’s smile was sharp. “Two pairs of eyes are better than one, aren’t they?” 

“We’ll deliver it tonight, at moon high,” Fray said, and their eyes squinted into a smile. “Make sure your sister and whatever helpers you have are in place to receive it, it’ll have to be quick.” 

“Of course. I’ll let her know.” 

“If you have any other information for us, we’ll take it,” Sidurgu said, and Aiden got the sense he didn’t mean just about this one incident. “You’re free to come down here, if you need.” 

Fray flicked their fingers, a trail of red-black aether following them, and almost instantly the near-oppressive feeling of anxiety and Not Welcome faded. The three of them just stood in a normal alleyway, not a pit of danger and darkness. It didn’t change how dangerous Fray and Sidurgu were at all, but Aiden could finally take a breath. 

Sidurgu strode past them and headed up the stairs, and Aiden swore he saw a long, thin tail peeking out from under the cloak. Fray started to walk past as well, but paused and looked at him. 

“Don’t misuse us.” Fray said, meeting his eyes. “But something tells me you’ll be quite the useful little bird.”

[thecat-inthehat]

A baby boy and his carbu, Dandelion

[thecat-inthehat]

24. Illustrious

The Echo can manifest in a bunch of ways and I don’t think we explore that enough, quite frankly

(725 words) [Masterpost]

---

The deck of the ship pitched underneath Jacke’s feet, and he instinctually distributed his weight as to not be tossed forward. His crew had finished milling the little shites who thought they could get around the code, and now it was just clean up. Underfoot was searching the ship and getting into the nooks and crannies, Stray was taking care of the rest of the dimwits that needed to be tied up, and the Raven… 

Sitting against one of the crates on the deck was their newest recruit, a hand to his mouth as the ship pitched again. He let out a groan, and Jacke couldn’t help but laugh just a little. 

“Sorry, colt,” he grinned, and crouched next to him. “Ships’r par for the course on the seas.” 

“I know that,” Aiden said, barely more than a whisper against the creaking of the ship.

“How’s yer head?”

“Fuzzy.” He said, and shut his eyes. His hand pulled away to rub at his temples, and Jacke hissed. A smear of blood stretched from his lip to his chin, and a bruise was already starting to swell horribly along his jaw. 

“Ye got hit? Damn it, ye should’ve said something,” He said, his fingers already sparkling with a Physik spell as he took Aiden’s face in hand. 

--A backhand to his face, knocking him off balance as the ship bucked underneath his feet as it made his stomach roll. Damn it, he couldn’t afford to throw up again, he’d already lost too much weight and now wasn’t the time. He had seen the attack coming from a malm away, but he couldn’t avoid it in time due to his gut twisting and distracting him for a critical half second. 

He hated this. He wasn’t incompetent, he was damn good at what he did, but he was out of his element in a place like this. Jacke and the others recognized his skill, but they still treated him with training gloves, and it grated on him. He knew it was for good reason, given that he couldn’t even walk the deck of a damn ship without losing his footing, but by the Fury he hated it. He’d been doing this for years now, stalking through the shadows enough that he was feared and known to those in the right circles. But he didn’t have any of that here.

He wanted to go back home. But he couldn’t.

The pirate guffawed at him as he fell, and he couldn’t stop the flare of anger that made him strike his leg out and trip the man. He pitched backwards with a yell, and his blade found the pirate’s throat with a whisper, cutting off the sound into blessed silence. The cries of battle still filtered over the rest of the ship still -- Jacke, Underfoot, Stray were all locked in their own fights, and Fury’s tits was that a damn coeurl coming out of the hold?

He picked himself up once again, twirling his daggers in his hands and throwing them at the beast, before slipping ‘round back to--

Jacke blinked to find his hand pulled away from Aiden’s face by his sleeve, Aiden very carefully not touching the bare skin of his wrist. 

“What--” He asked, only to lurch a little and clap the hand to his own face, feeling pain bloom over his jaw. He hadn’t taken a hit to his face during the fight… had he? 

“Don’t touch me.” Aiden said, his voice was clear and firm, devoid of that characteristic rasp of his, and brooked no arguments. It… sounded a bit like Jacke’s tone when he had to lay down the law--

The Raven got to his feet with a wobble, and shook his head as if to clear it. The blood still was smeared over his lip, but he paid it no mind, simply reaching into his pouch to grab a potion. He downed it all in one, and turned to walk away to help Underfoot. Jacke simply stared after him, mouth agape as he tried to process what he … saw? Experienced? He wasn’t sure. It felt so real, as if… but his thoughts didn’t move like that, he didn’t view the world in such shades. Did he?

“Jacke!” V’kebbe shouted across the deck. 

“Comin’, m’love!” He yelled back, and winced. His jaw ached.

[thecat-inthehat]

I got to crack open Aiden’s first lb3 on SCH the other night, and even got to snag some good pictures of it~

[thecat-inthehat]

Hehe boys~

Logged in to Aiden for the first time since before EW dropped since I got some new toys to play with, and messed around with Jade’s design some~ I’ll get back to doing my msq rerun eventually, there’s a couple of higher priority items on my to-do list right now.

[thecat-inthehat]

29. Debonair

I kept meaning to write a proper blend of the Rogue quests and the Limsa starting quests, but unfortunately I made bad life choices and started playing Nier Replicant and it has since consumed my soul. [throws confetti]

(399 words) [Masterpost]

---

“I am… not wearing those,” Aiden signed, staring down at his fellow rogue with a mixture of trepidation and exasperation. 

“Awe, com’mon,” V’kebbe said, waving the fancy dress shoes in front of his face. “Ye need to wear somethin’ nice for meetin’ with the Admiral.” 

“But heels?” The Raven asked, staring at the dress shoes like they had personally offended him. “I’ll trip and break my neck.” 

“Don’t ye offend Baderon, he paid for em!” V’kebbe said even more insistently, pushing them into his hands. “Sides, ye can use all the height ye can muster.” 

The offended scoff could be heard throughout the Dutiful Sister’s Convent, and was met with Jacke and Underfoot’s stifled laughter. 

“Stow it, both of you,” Aiden hissed, crossing his arms and looking away. “I’m taller than my sister, that’s all that matters.” 

“Yeah, yeah, ye still need to wear ‘em!” V’kebbe said, shoving them at him again. He dodged out of the way, only to be chased by her around the  table and up the stairs. 

“What if I just don’t go to the party at all?” Aiden yelled, which came out more like a croak. 

“Canae do that, colt!” Jacke yelled back, trying to stop his laughter. “Ye don’t refuse a summons from the Admiral, specially not after ye saved Swiftperch single handedly!” 

Aiden’s face poked out of the rafters and he scowled fiercely at the man. “Wouldn’t have to have done that if you didn’t run off after the Reavers. V’kebbe don’t you dare--” 

There was a throaty yelp and V’kebbe’s signature yowl as the two ran through the upper levels. It sounded like a herd of buffalo trampling through the attic. Jacke sighed and shook his head at Underfoot, who shrugged at him. 

“We thought the Reavers were done there!” Jacke called. “How was I s’possed to know there was a black robed wizard summonin’ voidsent?” 

“Sides, the Admiral’s gonna have good food!” Underfoot said, raising his voice to be heard over the din above. “Ye’d be mad not to appreciate it!” 

“I’m trying to keep a low profile--V’kebbe!” 

“Shoulda thought of that before ye saved the village,” Jacke mused, slicing into an apple. “Ye stabbed yer bed, now lie in it.” 

There was another crash and a yell, and V’kebbe came down the stairs, dragging Aiden behind her by his collar. “Got ‘em!” 

“I hate you all.” The Raven croaked.

[thecat-inthehat]

🍓 shining, 🍓 rosebud, 🍓xylle, 🍓 aiden <3

Give me a: 🍓 and one of my OCs, and i’ll tell you some random facts about said OC !!

Aaaaah ty so much for sending me an ask~

🍓 Shining

While she doesn't craft, Shining does tend to pick flowers and enchant them to never wilt or die and peddle them for a few gil here and there. The enchantment fades after a few years unless you occasionally sprinkle the flower with some crystal shards, giving them a faint sparkle that floats around them. It's not uncommon to see her handiwork in various towns and hamlets in Thanalan, or even Ul'dah proper.

🍓 Firion

While Firion of Fynn is a master at arms, he has a special fondness for the teachings of the Fist of Rhalgr. When Fynn was burned to the ground by the Empire as they took a greater control over Gyr Abania, a traveling monk worked to save him and his adopted siblings, Maria, Leon, and Guy, out of the wreckage of their village and beat off any Imperials that lingered. Even while he learned other weaponry under the watchful eye of the Ala Mhigan resistance, he could never quite get the image of the monk tearing the imperials apart with her bare hands out of his head, and resolved to be like her.

🍓 Xylle

Being a veteran Nutter in her earlier days before her attempt at one of the Cardinal Virtues, Xylle learned how to be rather self sufficient at both income and taking care of her gear. She's not a master leatherworker like some of the members of the Mean, but she's more than adequate at gearing herself or repairing her own leathers that have been damaged. When bounties were thin she took to hunts and typically sold the skins, and learned the trade from a small hamlet to the east of the Crystarium. The town fell to the eaters some decades later, and she keeps the particular way of leatherworking alive as a way of honoring their memory.

🍓 Aiden

At the age of 21, Aiden stands at about 5'7", but he's actually not done growing! He was only 5' tall at the age of 18, and will probably be his full height around 23 or so. The way I headcanon it is that half elezen/hyur have a slower rate of maturity, starting later than hyur but earlier than elezen, and it isn't nearly as drastic as elezen going from four foot nothing to almost seven feet tall.

[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.

[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.”

[thecat-inthehat]

[inhales] MY BOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

I’m still working on porting this m!au ra hair the way I want it, so he’s not “done” yet. But I’m learning how to mod my own shit so I can have my oc’s canon hair ;w; So far it’s going pretty well, and if it actually comes out solid I’ll release it as a mod for people. Then I need to see about giving him some elezen ears, maybe...

This is Aiden, one of my older OCs (from 2009ish), and I’ll be using him to do another run of msq which I talked about here. In the XIV verse, he’s the adopted brother of Hilda Ware, though they’re mistaken for twins due to them both having dark hair and half-elezen ears. He’s been nicknamed “The Raven”, and is known as one of the Burme’s main brokers of information. He’s got more knives than the inquisitors know what to do with, and has since gone on the run from Ishgard, fleeing false charges.

Sure would be a shame for his Echo to awaken and get swept up in MSQ, wouldn’t it.