an errant bartender

[Chai High Tuba]

[Chai High Tuba]

The Investigative Virtuoso Played by Chai High Tuba
Locke Rathbone . 34 . Bartender/Assassin for the Guild of Thieves
Main Character . Basil of Baker Street from The Great Mouse Detective/The Boogeyman from Fables


The keeper of the Guild Tavern, Locke prides himself in what he calls, “preserving friendly rapport and a damn healthy flow of money within the Guild.” Wicked in a variety of ways, the fabled fallen nobleman uses a sharp sense for detail to slip in and out of disguise and reveal the truths and weaknesses of those that would stand for the continued social oppression of common people throughout Fantasia. He has been a proud recruiter to many thieves, most especially Guinevere Wylde, to whom he has formed a close bond — or as close as he can get. As of late, as the country falls further into war, the Guild has been affected for better and for worse. While it has been a useful tool for purposes of targeting and assassination of confounding nobility, Guild ties have also been weakened. Locke has come to trust fewer and fewer of his own, including the Warden himself. Key players and promising recruits alike are falling further from the cause. For the time being, this errant bartender has chosen to watch his comrades closely. As he struggles for the cause, he must consider: do the methods that they use ultimately work toward a goal he can believe in?

[Chai High Tuba]

Character Basics

Agedonotbeafraidofme

Thirty Four

Genderdonotbeafraidof

Male

Orientationdonotbeafra

Bisexual

Height & Weightdonotb

6’6” & 164 lbs.

Physical Descriptiondon

Tall and slender, he could blend in with the trees if not for being so pale. His limbs are long and gangly, giving off the appearance of a malnourished teenager in the prime of a growth spurt -- either that, or a skeleton with some skin. His musculature, then, is light but surprisingly strong and he is remarkably agile, talented in deft motion from years as a musician as well as a thief. His face is bony and angular, but his eyes are wide as if surprised at all times. Most people will recognize him for his smile -- completely lacking in charm, but crooked and wide like a crack in the ice, menacing in a way that promises dastardly plans. Compared to these constants, he avoids conventions of posture and motion in many cases to keep up appearances. While most often seen as a bartender, he is known for putting on different aliases by changing his mannerisms as opposed to his appearance. Generally he appears as one of lower class, but he has also been known to recall his noble heritage in favor of gaining proper favor.

[Chai High Tuba]

Character Details

Personalitydonotbeafr

Distant but friendly, carefully navigating conversation while picking up hints and clues, Locke is the kind to know enough about a person after ten minutes of conversation to cut into the core of them. He is observant and calm in all things, even in moments of stress or danger among the Guild. A kind of eccentricity still characterizes this man, most especially in times when he shrinks into himself to find answers to a question that are not obvious. In these times, his brooding can be a hinderance to his job, but he fears not for his security within it. However, even in darker times, Locke is known for being talkative, if only to chastise and play with the people he comes into contact with. He enjoys being on the wrong side of a person, going so far as to offend them if he thinks it will serve a purpose.

The mandolin is his inspiration on many occasions, and he keeps a fair collection of them neatly stashed away in his private quarters. Things lose his interest quickly when he has analyzed them at proper length, but he has mastered feigning interest. He can pick up on the slightest of details, however, and will be the first to see trouble in a situation.

Biographydonotbeafr

A minor lord of some house in some country far, far away, Locke was well known in a previous life for his insatiable hunger for truth and justice, paired with an eccentricity that sent most would-be-peers far from him. Infamous for a knack for keeping himself a part of everyone’s business in some way or another, he seemed at times thoughtful for his memory but at other times terribly nosy. To the perspective of his peers, he lacked a filter at crucial moments, and while he could easily hold his own in court, he was not immune to the ire of nobility.

People and their capacity for cruelty fascinated Locke, who learned the ways easily enough with a burly older brother and three vicious older sisters. Not an heir, the very youngest of a small but "culturally rich" clan of Dunbroch, he grew up watching his elder siblings go about their lives with an awe-inspiring amount of backstabbing and sniping for fun. He absorbed it like a sponge, looked for reasons, made connections. What he lacked in the pure verbosity of greater conversation, he made up for in quiet retorts and inelegant intelligence. Members of higher society took to him for his perspicacity and his talent for having the last laugh, even if it was only to himself. While his brother was groomed to take over lordship from their father and his sisters were married off one by one to gain political favor, he was welcomed into social circles across the country with familiarity from strangers. He enjoyed his freedom, happy to see his range of observation grow. Where his family had been beastly, the outside world was so much more savage.

He began following more troublesome information as time carried on, and by the time he was in his late teens, he was tracking down thieves, rapists, and murderers and bringing their stories to light. What appeared at once was that he was a noble invested in greater justice for all, as many of the victims he aided were from lower classes, but he was also ambitious in his pursuits, playing previously untouched angles within court to gain favor and tease out the worst in his otherwise poised peers. It was on one of these cases in the latter that he experienced real tragedy for the first time. On the tail of a man who had much to lose from exposure, he had drawn suspicion for the last time. His family was killed shortly before his twentieth birthday. Knowing then that he could no longer do as he pleased where he was, he dropped everything and made his escape into the world.

Locke’s history with the Guild includes a lot of well-placed lies or obtaining knowledge too valuable to lose, his standing with those above him is rocky at best, but in fourteen years he has learned how best to deal with them. He has been an assassin, a recruiter, a spy, and even a ring-leader for local crime in various countries, all in the name of the same goals he sought out as a younger man -- justice, equality, personal gain, and irritation. It his own brand of political motivation that inspires him to make people angrier if he can help it.

Fearsdonotbeafraidof

Losing everything — again. Titles, recognition, and family. The things that build his pride and make him who he is are his greatest treasure to lose.

Strengthsdonotbeafra

‣ Gathering Information: Connections come from all walks of life, from the oldest priest to the youngest brat. He pays well for good information, and can tell the difference from a mile away.
‣ Deductive Reasoning: Despite his often frivolous behavior, Locke thinks about problems very logically, working through an entire process before arriving at an answer he deems worthy. Most often, this translates to reading others, but he picks up the smallest differences in a room with a casual glance.
‣ Music: A virtuoso with a prime interest in the easy-to-carry mandolin, though he can easily play anything and sing to boot.

Weaknessesdonotbea

‣ Desire for Ire: He loves making people angry. He loves it so much that it's nearly gotten him killed on a number of occasions.
‣ Physique: Tall and skinny, he's easy to fell and easy to break.
‣ Caring: Despite his adoration for cruelty in others, he cares a lot more than he will show. His remaining family, adopted or otherwise, is worth sacrifice in his mind, even in the most perverse ways.

Weapons/Combatdono

What he can’t win with wit, guile, or a bit of persuasion is generally attained with small blades and well-placed arrows, his naturally sharp eyes complimenting the popular sport of his homeland. Despite his early casual indulgences in archery, he was trained for its use in combat for fear of self-defense and lordly duties. Of course, while he has a talent for long range weaponry, his true powers lie more with being in a position of power. It is said he can get information out of anyone.

[Chai High Tuba]

Affiliations & Relationships

Organizationsdonotbe
xo‣ The Guild of Thieves: Joined at the age of twenty after political disgrace drove him from his homeland. Serves as bartender and parttime assassin.
xo‣ The Kingdom of Dunbroch: His homeland, from which he was turned away.

Peopledonotbeafraido
xo‣ Guinevere Wylde: Greatest ally, closest friend.
xo‣ Merida Dunbroch: Cousin, distant in age but close in heart.
xo‣ Figaro and Cleo: Playthings.
xo‣ Aurora Rose Montegue: Potential recruit, new inspiration.

[Chai High Tuba]

Miscellaneous Links

User Journaldonotbe

xo‣ Introduction and Opening Thoughts
xo‣ Origins 1
xo‣ Origins 2

Videosdonotbeafraid

xo‣ Prélude (Scriabin) as performed by Punch Brothers [0:58]
xo‣ Movement and Location by Punch Brothers [4:12]
xo‣ "Why Only One?" - Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer, The Bluegrass Situation [4:32]
xo‣ Bach: Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001 (Complete) performed by Chris Thile [15:08]

Referencesdonotbeaf

xo‣ Mandolin commonly carried by Locke.

Storiesdonotbeafraido

xo‣ Sola Fide - Main Thread
xo‣ The Guild of Thieves - Base of operations.
xo‣ Blood on the Ice - Organized crime and the law that ends it.

[Chai High Tuba]

Music
Spotify Playlist for Locke

Main Themesdonotbe

"Movement and Location" by Punch Brothers
"No Concern of Yours" by Punch Brothers

Songsdonotbeafraidof

"Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: I. Allemanda" as performed by Chris Thile
"Helping Hand" by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile and Stuart Duncan
"If the Sea was Whiskey" by Chris Thile
"Prélude (Scriabin)" as performed by Punch Brothers
"Squirrel of Possibility" by Punch Brothers
"Attaboy" by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile and Stuart Duncan
"Rye Whiskey" by Punch Brothers
"Your Time Is Gonna Come" by Led Zeppelin
"Black Mountain Side" by Led Zeppelin
"Katniss Afoot" by James Newton Howard
"Searching For Peeta" by James Newton Howard
"New Tail" by John Powell
"Capaillín Dubh ina Thaibhreamh" by Zoë Conway and John McIntyre
"Waiving to Ryan (The Rolling Waves/The North Star/Sean Ryan's Jig)" by Fretless
"See You Tomorrow" by John Powell
"Feeling Good" by Muse
"Patchwork Girlfriend" by Punch Brothers
"Kid A" as performed by Punch Brothers
"Conquest Of Spaces" by Woodkid

[Chai High Tuba]

Post Layout

[xoL O C K ExoR A T H B O N Exo]
Thieves Guild Bartender

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[Chai High Tuba]