Wokou Kiku Honda

((The first description here is of a younger Kiku, translated from his native speech into one understandable by Yao, but still with his cadence and mannerisms intact. Younger Kiku speaks Rouglin, an adapted language for those living on the docks and streets from the various languages they hear with the incoming ships. The bio information below that is written by present-day Kiku, which serves as both a translation to the Rouglin way of speaking, as well as to give a more accurate and up-to-date background))

The following is transcribed by one Zhang Yi, temporary assigned scribe for Captain Wang Yao. The text is a verbatim record of one Kiku Honda.

Transcribed on the sixth month after the first new moon.

Name: Kiku Honda, ‘as wha’ Cap’n Yao call’ me. ‘e ‘lso call’ me a ‘wokou’. Methink’ it mean’ pira’ or summat li’ ‘at.

Age: I’m twice th’ count o’ th’ fingers on me right han’…or one o’ both han’s, wi’ the fingers sprea’ abou’.

Appearance: Wha’ you wan’ me t’ say now? ‘m scra’ny ‘n bit ‘n the pinish side as they say a’coz I ‘nt well offen. I wear me hair in wha’ sum’ll call a Rattail, tho’ ent really on’. M’ eyes ‘re wood ‘n m’ skin ‘s li’ th’ insi’ o’ loaf o’ brea’, afresh from th’ car’. M’ stringl’ts ‘re coal an’ ‘m standin’ ‘s high ‘s th’ penc’ box ‘n th’ shops. ‘m quick on m’ feet ‘n ‘m learn’ in mos’ thin’s y’ mi’ no’ b’ knowin’.

Class (captain, wench, crew member, cabin boy): Cap’n Yao call’ me summat…a stOHaway…yeah. Buh’ I think he means t’ make summat else outta me.

Sexuality: Wha’…I’m a boy, last I check’d…yeh, still a boy. Bu’ I don’ ge’ wha’ yeh wan’ me t’ tal’ abou’.

Personality/Background: It is with great regret that the original summation of one Kiku Honda’s personality and background have been lost. The documents cannot be replaced, as the scribe Zhang Yi has passed away. (Written by one Kiku Honda upon revision of these records, present day)

[This is] The Translation of the above, written by present-day Kiku, with editing where the information has gone out of date. Also, the addition of Kiku’s background has been added here, as the original document was lost and the original writer passed away.

Name: My name is Kiku Honda. I am also called a ‘Wokou’ by Captain Yao. It is the Chinese word for pirate. It literally translates to mean ‘Japanese invader’. Yao believes my origin to be of one of the other lands called Japan.

Age: I am currently 19. When Captain Yao found me, I was only about ten years of age. These ages are approximate, as I had no true measure of time until I came aboard the ship.

Appearance: When I was younger, I was quite thin and small for my age (‘Pinish’ being a Rouglin term meaning ‘thin’ as in the thinness of a pin). Since I was not properly groomed and lived on the docks and streets, I wore my hair in what nobles and visitors called a ‘Rattail’, which was simply the long and messy hair pulled back from one’s face by a tie of some sort. Occasionally, the hair would be twisted in some slightly fancy fashion by someone, weaving the rattail into some sort of fancier style, though it still did not compare to the nobles. Back then, I was short, comparing my height to how close I was to the storage area for the cash boxes in each store (of course, it was important to be tall enough to reach into them at the time…). Due to my small stature, I was easily quick and able to do many things not expected of me. I knew my surroundings and was able to adapt to them quickly, making me a tough Rat to catch and corner.

My eyes are brown (‘wood’ being the term for brown, as those that speak Rouglin often have not learnt colours unless they are lucky enough to be messenger Rats), and my skin is pale, with slight yellow to it (like the inside of a loaf of bread, fresh from the baker’s cart). ‘Stringlets’ were another way of naming one’s hair, while coal is of course the colour ‘black’.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Though I am rarely in full uniform, the above were portraits painted of me during a visit to two local artists in a small harbor town. I still think the hat is just a little much….

Class (captain, wench, crew member, cabin boy): After some time with Captain Yao, I have become his first mate. However, when I was younger, I was a stowaway on his ship. I did not know what this term meant, as we Rats did what we had to in order to survive. In our minds, sneaking onto a ship was legal, because like Rats, we were destined to live wherever we could find food and shelter. Another term some Rouglin use for ‘Rats’ is ‘Dockers’ though I have come to know this term to mean those who intend to never leave the safety of the docks for the open sea, even if they die of starvation.

Sexuality: The transcription of my writings from before reflects my ignorance of the actual meaning of the word ‘sexuality’. I have yet to discover my sexual identity.

Personality: As the original documents of my younger days were lost, I will begin my summation of both my personality and my background with my younger self. I will then record the present-day personality and background.

Although I was a Rat, I had a sense of morality and a code of honor that I invented myself and that I followed without fail. If I had to steal, I would steal for someone else, and not myself. I was good in the head, or smart. I was a fast learner, though I was always happy to share my knowledge with others who needed help. Weapons fascinated me, though so did all of the Otherlanders and foreigners visiting our little dock. I liked to imagine myself with them, learning about the things they knew, even though I thought I would never get my chance.

I could and still can swear up and down the docks in several languages, and knew how to say and do things that would make women blush and sometimes cry. I was hellish back then, truly a son of the upbringing of lawlessness that when I look back on it, it makes me cringe. I am far more refined now, softer spoken but not a weak man at all. Secretly, I enjoy fighting, though my inner sense of honor still remains. Though I normally do not boast of my skills, here I will say that I am quite good with the sword and other weaponry, as well as quick to learn the functions of the ship or the customs of the places we sail to. I am polite, always respecting those senior to me in command or otherwise (so different from my childhood!), though respect is something that can be lost.

I am not sure what else I can say that would describe me. I still occasionally slip into Rouglin talk, though Captain Yao broke me of the worst of it years ago. But remembering the Rouglin helps me to continually communicate with other Rats, even in foreign countries.

Background: I was a parentless product of a lawless and poor society as a young Rat. I lived on the docks, stealing and helping other fellow Rats to survive, while they in turn did the same for me. Those who knew us as scum called us all manner of negative things…Rats, Scummer, Dockers…anything that sounded like bile coming off the tongue. I in turn would cut their purse strings or some other manner of justice that would bring help to the other Rats, and eventually, to me.

I learned rough play from my fellow boys and girls; to us, the concept of gender didn’t seem to exist since we were all poor and uneducated. However, the one instance gender mattered was in insult. ‘Walkin’ or ‘Airin’ the pet’ was a favorite of Rat boys who enjoyed scurrying about without trousers. Showing someone your ‘pet’ was considered the highest insult among Rats, though only in a situation where insults were meant to hurt. The non Rouglin speakers did not get this; though I am pretty sure they understood they were being insulted.

One day, as I was turning about ten, a ship pulled into our harbor. The man I now know as Yao disembarked and traded for a stock of strange plants that were crushed and put in barrels (that I now know as ‘tealeaves’). Since the men paid highly for it, I intended to sneak aboard and steal some for my fellow Rats to sell, but as I was about to leave a rather stupid crew member shut the barrel I was hiding in.

The rest is as history tells it, though I suppose it will be nothing if no one reads my logs. I will add additional information to this at a later time, as I continue to translate my own background.

Rouglin Dictionary of Words and Phrases

(Note: Keep in mind...I'm making tons of this up as I go, so feel free to PM me with questions. Also, this post will be updated whenever a new word or phrase is used in the RP)

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Airin' - showing, flaunting.

'Airin' the Pet' - A slang phrase meaning to drop ones trousers to show off ones privates. An exceedingly rude gesture, which is pretty understandable across the board.

'As ye mind' - As you know/remember. A phrase that utilizes the Rouglin 'mind' word to signify remembrance, or 'know'.

Aye - Hey; yes (depends on context)

Brog - brute; a stupid, ugly man

Bron - brought, bring

Cap'n (CAP-in) - Captain (as if they couldn't be arsed to say the entire word, in a way showing how little respect they actually hold for someone with that title). Can refer to a captain of a ship, or a captain of a guard. Most Rats can actually say 'Captain' just fine, and will do so if an authority figure becomes irked enough to make them respect his/her title.

Chammin' - Cluttering, jamming, or charming (a rather begrudging admission). In this instance, the person is impressed, but still irritated...so it could hold the double meaning.

Circused - Well traveled, or well practiced in some art...usually entertainment. The art form suggests a whimsical one, like the art of a circus performer. Also tricks, as in flipping or acrobatics. (The second reference is Kiku saying he won't be showing off his ability to evade a weapon)

Coal - the 'color' black.

Dockers - Rats, specifically Rats that never leave nor have the intention of leaving the Docks.

"ent m' matter" - 'Isn't my concern', 'isn't my business'

Fan silly - Sounds like 'fancily', but means crazy. It is derived from the 'fanning' motion of the hand, which is rather 'silly' since it doesn't actually cool you down.

Ha Ha - (badly, sorry x.x) Romanized Japanese word for 'mother'...but in this case an affectionate nickname for the lady Kiku considers his mother figure. 'Ha Ha' acts like code, like the sound you would make before a joke...but to the Rats it's a clear call

Hamm'r = hammered (even though he technically uses 'hammer' here, Kiku means 'hammered'. Rouglin doesn't always pay mind to subject-verb agreement in tense or number)

Honors 'n th' li' - Honors and the like. A reference to the 'honor' system Rats follow, which varies from group to group, and sometimes, from person to person. They do have some sort of 'moral compass' or 'code', but since they are Rats, not many believe that they do.

"‘m standin’ ‘s high ‘s th’ penc’ box ‘n th’ shops." - A way of measuring (comparing yourself to whether you can reach the cash box in a shop or not)

"I’m twice th’ count o’ th’ fingers on me right han’…or one o’ both han’s, wi’ the fingers sprea’ abou’." - the method used to 'count' age. Twice the count of the right hand, or one of both of the hands with the fingers all spread out (versus a closed fist). Other things with smaller value are counted similarly.

Knocked abou' - Knocked about; same as 'knocked over the head'; stupid

"m’ skin ‘s li’ th’ insi’ o’ loaf o’ brea’, afresh from th’ car’." - a description of his skin, being slightly yellow.

Mae - Maybe

Mem - A term used for a man who looks like women. If it is surrounded by compliments, it is a flattering term calling the man beautiful/handsome. However (and more likely with Kiku), it is meant as an insult. The more polite words surrounding it, especially masculine titles (i.e. 'Sir' or 'Cap'n'), the more sarcastic, biting, and insulting the term is meant to be. Also, it is only used when the speaker KNOWS that a man is in fact, not a woman, adding to the insulting or complimentary nature of the word.

"minds li' a signal" - Reminds me of a signal.

Nae - No, nope

Name' - called

Nattering - idle chit-chatting, talking

Nog - Noggin or brain, sometimes head (specifically the head that contains your brain. Specified because sometimes the 'head' words have two meanings, often the other one being vulgar. This word is one of the few exceptions)

Otherlanders - foreigners

Pet - slang term for ones privates.

Pinish - small, thin like a pin.

Pocker (PAH-ker) - Both a stick (i.e. poker from the fire) or weapon used to chase off a pick-pocket, or the pick-pocket/thief. The first use is the 'thief' case, while the second refers to the 'weapon'. Plural is 'Pockers'.

Rat - The term for an urchin.

Rattail - a hairstyle in which the hair is held back by a tie, occasionally twisted up in some fancier style.

Righ' - Right; interesting or special

Rouglin - The language spoken by the Rats of the Port, a mashing of all of the languages they hear, which mostly contains Common. But other words (i.e. Ha Ha) can be heard, suggesting that many Otherlanders visit the port and leave snippets of their language behind.

Scrills - scribbles, scrawls, writing.

Scummer - term for 'Rats', like calling someone 'scum', vulgar (because even the criminals below Rats are scum)

Sommat - Something

Stringlets - hair

'Walkin' the pet' - See 'Airin' the Pet'

Watchers - Different way of saying 'gods'

Wood - can describe the color 'brown'

Ye' - Yes, or 'yet', dependent on context. (This is different from 'ye' or 'yer')