AITA OC Tag Game

I was tagged by and @sulphuricgrin and @changelingsandothernonsense :D :D

The rules are simple: Write one of those AITA posts, but from the POV of your OC, and tag your friends to do the same!

r/AmItheAsshole • u/AuxiliaryDicorus

AITA for hitting a grieving father?

My new friend K (20F) and I (21M) recently sailed from Winterhold to Windhelm to purchase alchemical ingredients for my grandparents, P&M (68M & 70F). At first, all was well. The voyage was pretty quiet.

K calls this magnificent heap of frozen boulders the "City of Kings," and while it's no Samuruik, the bones of the place still has shreds of beauty clinging to them. Too bad it's founder decided to build it so far up north he might as well stayed put in Atmora.

The dock workers were nothing but helpful, but one complained of appalling wages. K informed me that while the Argonians will work for any paying captains, they only do this because they're employed by a specific clan she describes as close-fisted. This family owns a sizable hall in Valunstrad, a well-stocked warehouse near the harbor, and several ships.

Given their elevated circumstances, there's no good reason for their boss to be so stingy, right?

Well, it turns out this place only gets worse. There's a serial killer on the loose, unhindered by supposedly understaffed guards (who nonetheless have ample time to pester me for not being as pale as parchment). This murderer's latest victim was a member of this clan.

If that wasn't enough, they've been robbed of an heirloom in a separate incident, so I didn't really know how to approach this despite agreeing to help.

As soon as the gates are opened for us, we're greeted by an extensive slum that would embarrass any sensible ruler. You're telling me the legendary "City of Kings" is full of frostbitten beggars and ignored refugees? Some are both!

Instead of the decidedly unfriendly inn in front of the main gate, I've been staying in K's quarters at the palace with the help of a veil and servant's gown. When there's actual servants around I just hide in a wardrobe. It's not breaking in if someone on the jarl's council wants me there. Besides, I've found ways to make myself useful.

Speaking of useful, K's advice for the situation was to gift the clan patriarch – a known alcoholic – a keg from a nearby meadery. I was not receptive to this. If we're going buy an entire keg of honeywine instead of just a bottle, I'm keeping it for myself (for his health, of course).

P&M decided they were going to simply talk to him, which turned out to be anything but simple. According to them, this man had the audacity to call the only people willing to haul his cargo boots.

Admittedly, the constant snowfall and horrendous gales off of the sea got to me before anger did. Sympathy only goes so far, and if I had to delay a twice-postponed dinner one more time, I was going to spontaneously combust in the marketplace.

I tried talking to him myself, which went nowhere. Threats weren't working either, predicably. I'm not necessarily the most intimidating man. He obviously realized this, because he started getting kind of hostile, like he was trying to start a fight.

It was then I realized this was a very public altercation. K has told me again and again that reputation is paramount in this country. I'm nobody here. There's real danger in being an outsider. If I wanted to go about my business with any semblance of peace of mind, I needed to present the image of someone who isn't to be fucked with.

So, I offered a "bribe." We shook hands, ensured neither of us held a conventional weapon, then I struck the poor drunkard several times with my coinpurse.

Obviously I wasn't going to give money to someone who doesn't need it! Ridiculous! Him not currently owning a giant heirloom hammer was a blessing in disguise. For me, anyway.

I made sure to do this in full view of the merchants, smiths, guards and his family. Because reputation. This would have been sort of pointless otherwise. He wasn't going to change wages on some stranger's word. I swear the bloodstain was already there. Honest-to-Tava.

By the way, isn't it weird no one really tried to stop me? Some people placed bets! Is that normal here? What's up with that? He fought back, if that helps.

I definitely hit him a little too hard that last strike. I already regret it a little, even if it was kind of cathartic. Secondly, and maybe more importantly, K approved of this course for action way too much, which has to mean I went too far.

TL;DR: I tried to convince a mourning merchant to increase his worker's shit wages. When he didn't do this, I faked a fiscal bribe so I could get close enough to hit him with my purse.

Edit: I'm trying to diffuse the situation by staying outside the city for now. P&M took a separate route with the wagons, so mine is nearby.

Edit: As an apology of sorts, I've sent a courier to deliver an amulet of Tu'whacca to his household on my behalf, but now that I'm thinking about it... this might seem like a threat. I am still not going to give him a keg of mead, though. It's mine.

---

Top Comments

u/Sahrot-Konahríkr • 3d ago
Þú mindok ek nimindok Cyrodvaak.
↳ u/AuxiliaryDicorus OP • 3d ago
Siiv mér wahvulon, ruz vit fen tinvaak. Drun mjǫðr <3
↳ u/Sahrot-Konahríkr • 3d ago
Nid.
↳ u/Sahrot-Konahríkr • 2d ago
Mind changed. Bex þínn dyrr.
↳ u/Sahrot-Konahríkr • 2d ago
YTA <3

u/ShatteredShields • 3d ago
YTA. You neglected to mention the part where your grandfather hit him with his cane and said "Bitch, I'll make you into boots!"
↳ u/AuxiliaryDicorus OP • 3d ago
I mean, your father threw the term around first.
↳ u/ShatteredShields • 3d ago
The way I see it, he was outnumbered and threatened by strangers on his way to buy eggs.
↳ u/Mama_Isa_Badass • 3d ago
Technically my husband wouldn't be making these hypothetical boots, I would. He'd be modeling them.

u/Mama_Isa_Badass • 3d ago
Just thought of something. Where is this nobleman's servants? He can't convince any "hard-working" Nords within the walls to work for him? Or Dunmer? The Cruel-Seas have no such problem...

u/MysticPapa • 3d ago
I feel for his loss, I truly do, but the killer is still out there and all he does is drink. That's going to fuck up your aim! Put down the bottle and pick up a weapon, you greedy coward!

u/DourPower • 2d ago
ESH. Is there a specific reason you're sneaking into the Palace of Kings?
↳ u/AuxiliaryDicorus OP • 2d ago
To gather intelligence, like you do during those long embassy visits with the ambassador.
u/DourPower • 2d ago
↳ YTA.

u/Morokonungr • ?̵̤̕d̴͎̼͂̆̓̄ ̶̪̏͌͌̌̃ȁ̴̭̻̪͈͆̚g̷̨̹̍͊̃͂͘ͅỏ̴̢̡̹̱̺̄̀
Bróðir, wundun wah Sólstheim.
↳ u/Sahrot-Konahríkr • 2d Ago
Ímar los dilon.
↳ u/AuxiliaryDicorus OP • 2d ago
It's beyond fucked up to impersonate a dead person's account.
↳ u/Morokonungr • ?̸̛͕͔̈͌̋̈͝͝d̸̨̧̰̞͕̥͙̾̿͗̈́͝ͅ ̷͎̠̻̹̖̚ȁ̶̻͔̗̹̦͇͂͑͐͗͒͝g̴̟͋̇̔̈́̔o̴̡͔̻̊͊̋͋͌̆̂͝ͅ
By night he reclaimed what by day the axe had stolen. Far from myself, he had grown ever nearer to me.

u/WayfaringStranger • 1d ago
ESH. How-ever, the Saxhleel have been payed, so I care not. She would look upon these stones and despair, Mera Thane's shade would, if I were to raise her in to-day's Windhelm.

u/Zubb-Zubb-Master • 1d ago
NTA. This one thinks you should've hit him more.

u/Zubb-Zubb-Master • 1d ago
Btw, you might be developing your own alcohol problem.
↳ u/AuxiliaryDicorus OP • 1d ago
I am just very particular about things that are mine.

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