Aerius Destroven
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WIP, man.
   Not The Best of People
Ul'dah, as far as he's concerned, has always been a vapid, heartless city. It's just that he never noticed until he'd seen first-hand what secrets it kept. Tall, looming spires and opposing outer walls had originally given him the impression of a city bright, hopeful, and safe. What he found upon meeting its inhabitants and taking his jobs from the common crowd was just the opposite. The city's exterior gleams with a thin layer of cheap, carefully applied polish, where the many merchants and middle-class commoners exchange rumors and commodities. The air is sweltering and parched and the streets are filled to the brim with bustling, oblivious crowds. A prime location to blend in and observe—his favorite pastime. Far beneath all that is the rotten, sleazy underbelly that the criminal, the corrupt, and the predatory call home. This is his home, too, and he can't leave. Aerius is a man of many talents: a thief, a spy, an investigator, and a scoundrel. He's careful, resourceful, agile, attentive, and for hire. He deals in the morally ambiguous and the shady, doing the sort of work befitting of a crook for the sort of people who have too much to lose to stoop that low. A perfect fit for the dark corners of an otherwise dazzling city. On the outside and to anyone else, he's an outgoing, excitable, and playfully sarcastic individual. This is not entirely a façade. He does well to maintain an attractive composure in the company of others and often enjoys himself when away from his work. He befriends people quickly, hardly appears to take anything seriously, makes a point to help others when he thinks he's able, and has a knack for putting those around him at ease and gaining their trust. Maybe under different circumstances, he could offer them the same privilege. But Aerius is truly a man too cautious, too secretive, and too elusive to ever really make a genuine connection with anyone. A life of working in his trade will do that to you. He's quick to keep a person comfortably at arm's length and hardly speaks a word about himself. Any insight he offers to who he really is is often misleading inconsistencies or convenient half-truths. Maybe that's the way he prefers it, or maybe it aches every time he denies someone that tries to get a little closer. Maybe all that matters is that he's good at his job. And then there's his cough.
  Shrouded by Deceit
Both professionally and personally, Aerius keeps to his secrets. They are his trade and his most prized possessions. They are the only things in his life that he feels he is in control of and the only things that have stuck by him throughout all of his life. Without them he is vulnerable and defenseless, and in his business those kinds of qualities are unacceptable. They are the corners he hides behind to remain out of sight and out of reach. Confidential information, whether stolen or permitted, can only get someone so far, however. Information is quickly exchanged and easily overheard, and those privy to the more sensitive kinds are obvious targets for those looking to take advantage of their intelligence. Aerius knows this all too well. As such, it is out of necessity that he's learned and refined his own methods of concealment and self-defense. Sleight of hand is an invaluable asset to his skillset, and one that has roots in nearly every aspect of both his work and his life. Where some might move exaggeratedly or explicitly about their day, Aerius remains deliberately subtle and misleading in every movement and every word, simply appearing to be lax, careless, and negligent. Sticky fingers discreetly move objects onto his person and deft hands keep them concealed there, while clever wordplay and acuteness to his surroundings keep the attention away from himself. In combat, Aerius behaves in much the same way. Generally, he is the type to prefer not to fight at all and instead defer to those in his company better equipped and better skilled for confrontations. That isn't to say he is a diplomat over a fighter, however. Aerius only opts to avoid combat because his skills are put to better use before a fight can even begin. However, when it is absolutely necessary to involve himself in a fight, his primary goal is to engage the opponent, create an opening, and then escape as quickly as possible. This is usually achieved through disorienting, disarming, or otherwise crippling his opponent long enough that he may flee. His methods of doing so are purely situational, usually dirty, and never consistent—which is done on purpose. One cannot make it as far as he has in his field without being a little unpredictable. At least he finds that part enjoyable.
 How They See Him
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