[ OPEN ] Heart's on fire

[ombranera]

WHO: Character(s)
WHAT: Zevran Aranai's School for Rogues Who Can't Sneak Good and Want to Do Other Stuff Good Too.
WHEN: Wintermarch, all month
WHERE: Skyhold: Courtyard, Stables, Rookery, Battlements, etc
NOTES: Sass, Stealth, and Violence

He had mulled over the notion for a few weeks now; watching the soldiers take themselves to task, the warriors practicing as best they could; the mages training in their spells and thought- aside from combat (and even then there were tricks soldiers did not always think to teach) how was a rascal, a scoundrel, a rogue to learn more tricks? A well trained operation of any sort had well trained members of all sorts; the bruisers, the wizards, the rogues. Perhaps it was high time someone did something for the sneakier sorts.


[ Courtyard ]

Every lesson starts the same- a quick lap around the courtyard as fast as possible, vaulting over people and structures, running along the wall, making use of all the same skills that kept him alive all those years in Antiva City. For those that did not know them? The tricks came as a brief primer after the lap was finished- even a brief demonstration is offered. Afterward he runs them through a few training locks set into empty chests, some of the them wound with ringing alarms for the sake of practice. Trip the wrong tumbler? Off goes the alarm. After that it's stealth and pickpocketing. Sneaking about through a field of tripwires connected to more ringing bells and powder packets, a veritable labyrinth. Any bells go off, any powder on your person? You go through again. One of the training dummies has been re-purposed with bells and pouches on it- each pouch has a bell attached. They're timed and told to get as many as possible without ringing any bells. Ring a bell? Run a lap.


[ Stables ]

Here there is room enough for him to demonstrate proper trap production and dismantling. Every wound spring, every steel mechanism. They start with the basic bladed traps- though none of the blades are sharpened and none of the powder explosions hold more than dye. Once they've made traps that are...decent or satisfactory, Zevran walks them through detection and dismantling. Some of the practice traps have trick springs and triggers- if set off they'll be dusted with powder instead of losing their fingers. Later he goes through a list of common poisons and venoms to create and how to build up a tolerance for them. He does not provide them with samples this early on.


[ Battlements ]

Rappelling and dueling and improvisational combat and you! Here Zevran shows them how to climb, how to fall, how to make their own ropes when they've none of their own, how to throw a rappel to make it stay, how to haul it down, and how to dual wield on uneven ground. Demonstrations with Isabela and sparring with whoever wishes to take their turn happens throughout the day as requested; Zevran also covers grappling, breaking holds, and how to fight dirty. An honorable rogue is a dead rogue after all.


[ Wildcard ]

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Comments

[issala]

He sighs deeply at that, but he can't exactly argue with Zevran Aranai then it came to shit like this. Gritting his teeth, the teen kneels down again and gives it another try. Trying to feel the pins and lifting them one by one. Twisting the lock. Nothing. Still too unsteady, too fast.

"Fuck," he growls, dropping the thief's tools on the ground and leaning over the chest with a frown. He hadn't given up about the archery, so he was not giving up on this.

"...what kind of lock did you first pick?"

[ombranera]

"A lever lock, a bit more complex than this one. The incentive was a bit higher and it took me the better part of an hour." Fail and die. Zevran kneels down and picks up the tools, slipping the first pick into place. "Hold this still. Do nothing else but hold this in place to start, yes?"

[issala]

Kas studies Zevran for a moment and then nods, convinced. He might not know the actual details, but he could imagine some consequences well enough. If that had taken the elven hero about an hour, he should be able to at least manage an easy lock.

Kneeling next to the elf, the small qunari takes the tool and keeps it in the right position, just as instructed. "Alright. I'll hold it."

[ombranera]

"Now take the second and press in slow until you feel the first catch. There will be a bit of pressure, like leaning against a spring." He keeps his voice low, his eyes focused on the task at hand. "When you find it, tap towards the top of the lock gently to find the right tumbler. It will either move freely if the first pick is positioned correctly, or not at all."

[issala]

Reaching down, Kas takes the second tool and very, very slowly inserts it before he starts feeling around. Frowning, it takes him nearly a minute before he finally feels the catch, and he stops.

Biting his lip, he pushes the tool up rather than tapping, causing it to flinch and pop, nearly breaking the lockpick. Cursing under his breath, he pulls the tools out - but instead of complaining, he just goes back to the beginning again.

This time he taps.

[ombranera]

"Very good. Learning how each lock feels takes time and practice, given time you'll recall what ought to be where and have no trouble. For now? Tap upward lightly until you feel it catch and hold- then move the pick deeper inside to find the next tumbler." He rests a steadying hand on Kas' shoulder, knotting up will only make this more difficult for him.

I'm amused that ZEVRAN is teaching lockpicking, with his 0 points in it XD

[issala]

Listening, he tries his best to follow Zevran's instructions, going slowly as he felt for the proper hold before he went to the next one. To his credit, he doesn't flinch when touched this time, even if he pauses a bit before continuing.

Another tumbler, and he's grinning. This was going to work!

Click.

Kas feels like cheering when the lock opens, and he turns to Zevran with all the need for approval in the world. Look what he did, senpai!

He got better! /monty python

[ombranera]

"And there you have it." Zevran lets pride color his voice, lending a warmth to it and his smile in a way he normally wouldn't. You learned or you didn't in the Crows but this? This is something new. Something more diverse and less terrible.

"Excellent work. The next time you attempt it, try to keep track of how long it takes you, and every time afterward shave off a second or two until it is reflex." Muscle memory is king, after all.

XDDDD

[issala]

The teen beams with pride, feeling his chest fill with excitement. He just got complimented by ZEVRAN-FUCKING-ARAINAI! How amazing wasn't that? Someone who helped stop the Blight actually thought he did something right.

"T-thanks. I'll... I'll do it again!" Putting the lock back on the chest, leans down again to give it another try.

[ombranera]

"Make certain not to rush, otherwise you risk snapping the pick in the lock." Still, he keeps a steadying hand on Kas' shoulder and watches him work, offering no nudging or guidance this time. He should be able to manage it so long as he takes it slow. Speed comes with practice.

[issala]

The teen slowly goes through the movements again, concentrating and biting his lip a bit as his fingers work the pick and find the tumblers. It takes about the same amount of minutes, but he didn't need to start over this time - and the lock snaps open into his hand.

He grins again. "Yessss. I can do this!" Now he could eventually move on to fight training without feeling like he completely failed a step.

You're a good teacher, Zevran. Look how well things work with praise rather than threats. The Crows should take notes.

[ombranera]

"Keep that lock for yourself, practice a little every day when you have nothing else that requires your attention." Zevran pats his back, pleased by the boy's progress. It is...a strange feeling to have, this sort of pride, but he finds he likes it.

Kas will learn well and do well with what he learns; he does not think he has anything truly malicious in him.

[issala]

Oh, Zevran, If you only knew what lay beneath the sweet kid that was desperate for approval. Not even the Crows were that crafty.

"I'll do it every day before breakfast... it should make me want to do it quicker and quicker." Food was a really good motivator for Kas, and he was starting to realize how to use that to his advantage. Remembering archery practice before lunch. Running errands and rewarding himself with a hearth cake. Not forgetting to check, clean and fix his weapons and armor? Dinner.

"So are you gonna teach how to fight, too? I only actually stabbed someone once but I've cut a few people."

[ombranera]

No, no they weren't.

"That is one way to offer your own incentive. Check in with me once a week to show off your progress, yes? After you feel comfortable with this lock I shall give you the next one up." Little by little they will work his skill up until no one in Skyhold is safe. Or, well. Able to keep anything locked. Which was probably just as bad.

Perhaps he ought to be training them in discretion as well as stealth. Hm.

"Basic dual wielding techniques? Certainly. There is an art to it- you wish to end the fight quickly and cleanly and on your own terms. Half the battle is knowing where to hit."

[issala]

...it's probably a really good thing.

Listening to Zevran, the boy nods sharply and slides the lock into his pocket in a fluid motion. It would probably be a unnoticeable move if they weren't actually talking about it. "Alright! I bet I can do the next one really soon, you'll see!"

Nothing in Skyhold would stay locked, and he could finally settle his bet with Katniss about stealing a marker from the War Room.

At the mention of fight techniques, he nods and pulls out one of the standard Inquisition scout daggers. "I kinda know where to go for it to hurt, but not much more than that. Got me out of some trouble, though."

[ombranera]

Considering how difficult Kas had found the pickpocketing- the fluidity of the gesture is curious.

Zevran quirks a brow but lets it go without actual comment. Sometimes one is more familiar with their own person than they are ones they are attempting to steal from. He makes a mental note to mind Kas in his practice in the future.

Nothing seems overtly off but- it is worth minding.

"We are going for death over killing. We are rogues and assassins, not sadists. Flee if you cannot fight- but if you must? Be swift, be certain, and make the kills clean."

[issala]

There are some odd things Kas can do subconsciously - but actively trying to pickpocket was different. At least he wasn't as abysmal at that as he was with the locks.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not looking to be a torturer or anything. S'just that shanking someone in a painful place is good for getting away and not becoming wanted for murder later." He shrugs again. "It helped if you or someone you ran with got grabbed. These enemies are different."

These assholes - Venatori, red templars, bandits, demons, fuck if he knew - were going down.

[ombranera]

"War is different from survival." He nods, that much is certain. "Come, let us move to the ring and I shall show you the basic forms we have been covering today, yes?"

[issala]

"Yes, ser!" Kas replies excitedly, rolling his shoulders a bit to get rid of the tension there before he starts moving over to the ring. He was going to get tips on how to fight from a (former) Crow, how cool isn't that?

The more he learned, the more useful he would be. The more he would feel he mattered.

Holding actual daggers were different from the shivs he had used for so long - heavier and more substantial than sharpened rusty metal pieces wrapped in cloth. Still, he gets them out pretty easily and keeps his eyes on the elf.

[ombranera]

"Watch closely, yes?" The field was clear for the moment and Zevran, reminding himself Kas is new to this, keeps his motions slow. The forms are simple ones, high blocks, low cuts. Basic things he learned as a child in the crows. How to twist the blade to grate past bone and into the spine, how to angle an upward dagger to strike the liver, the heart, how to punch through the bone of a man's chest to end him. But these were...less visceral. Counted off with simple enough footwork.

Forward two, twist, block, right two, three, parry, cut, duck- etc.

[issala]

The boy watches closely, determination set in his features and jaw a bit clenched as he sees how Zevran moves. It was really a lot different from the haphazard flailing he'd done on the streets, robbing someone or getting away from dangers.

This was killing, and he's glad he had learned to use a bow before he became a scout, or he'd probably been useless in a real fight.

His fingers tighten a bit around his daggers, and he starts following the way Zevran moves - the twist of a dagger, the block, the parry... it's not graceful or smooth, but he's stubborn. He'll get it.

[ombranera]

"Angle your blade up. You want the meat of the throat, not the base- a swift death, not a lingering one." TO bleed out in the dust takes a long while, it is gruesome. He knew better than most how that might sound. "Swift, silent, clean."