Rogue Careers
Rogues are scoundrels, living by their wits day to day often to the expense of others. Not all rogues are outright criminals, but many of them possess a shady past they'd rather not have made public. Rogues have several special abilities which help them to survive the daily struggle in the crowded cities of modern times.
Below we list the various career paths a rogue may take.
Amazon
Women who have separated their lives from the male-dominated human society. Amazonian tribes tend to live in the wilderness. They either kill men on sight, or use them to their own ends. Men are cattle to them. Amazons have some knowledge about the woods, and are very quick and agile. They recruit their members from warrior and rogue females. It is also rumored that shamen join their ranks.
Skills/Spells
Acrobatics Camouflage Direction Sense
General Perception Herbs Horsebreaking
Jugular Slice Loudless Marathon
Read Tracks Riding Set Traps
Skinning Trip Tripwire
Warcry
Assassin
Assassins are hired killers, thorough professionals who are expert fighters. They are expert in the use of a wide variety of weapons, and are trained to a far higher level than most warriors, footpads and other petty killers. They are also skilled in the use of poisons and the construction of traps. These skills are for hire to the highest bidder, and it is not unknown for assassins to be employed by two warring factions to assassinate the leaders of both sides. In Ayreon the assassin is one of the most potent tools in the armories of warring families, governments and religious bodies.
Skills/Spells
Assassinate Cast Critical Strike
Deadly Venom Faerie Fire Hide
Invisibility Locate Person Martial Arts
Mathan Set Traps Spikehole
Stalk Strangle Surveillance
Sword Tripwire Use Poison
Dragon Ninja
The Dragon Ninja is an ancient and extremely secretive type of rogue that draws its powers from a far more mystical and spiritual source than its more materialistic fellow rogues. They are true masters of employing their whole body as a single weapon and so disdain the usage of anything in the hands and arms that impede their skills of body and mind.
It is not known how the first Ninjas learned to harness the power of the mythical world into its combat styles. However there are legends linking them to an ancient wanderer well versed in the arts of both combat and magical known to have taught several alleged ninjas. The few living Ninjas that allow themselves to be known serve as teachers in Belarion's mighty fighting schools and in fortress Ishikawa where many of its greatest figures have been said to have been dragon ninjas - though it is unlikely that this will ever be confirmed.
Dragon Ninjas are known to have no allegience to any god though do not normally begrudge those that have to rely on such things for aid. It is speculated by some that an active devotion to any god can disrupt the ninjas connection to their source of mystical energy. It may because of this that many ninjas do not join clans that are linked too heavily to immortals no matter how much their services might be desired. This means only the clans Tarealen and Ofcol are open for Dragon Ninjas to join.
The few known habits of these loners link them to remote places such as ancients woodlands and remote mountaons as few as able at survival in harsh conditions than the Dragon Ninja.
Only certain races are known to conform to the high standards of the ninja senseis. All the human and elves races fulfill those standards, including the two reinc elven races. Also halflings, cherubims, celestials and shapeshifters are known members of this secretive career.
Skills/Spells
Adrenal Dodge Adrenal Speed Adrenal Strength
Chi Fist Climbing Dragon Chi
Drug Tolerance Fasthealing Focus Chi
Fortitude Mountainheart Stunned Maneuver
Two Track Whirlwind
Footpad
Footpads and cut-throats are a menace in towns and on the road. They often act in groups, waylaying travellers or helpless passers-by. They prefer to avoid bloodshed unless absolutely necessary, but can fight ferociously, though they generally attack from ambush with an advantage of at least two to one. Most will normally only seek to disable their victim through a stunning blow to the head, but there are those known as cut-throats, who actually seek to kill those they rob. Mostly footpads earn their money these days by working for larger organisations which push merchants and rich people into paying 'protection money' and the like. As mentioned above, footpads like to bully their victims around more then killing them.
Skills/Spells
Beg Brawling Bully
Cutthroat Fasthealing Frenzy
Intimidate Mace Merchandise
Second Aid Spike Attack Strangle
Stunned Maneuver Sword
Minstrel
Often referred to as bard, the minstrel is a poet at heart. He rhymes, sings, develops tales, tells them and so forth. He is an artist. Due to their connection with other artists, especially carnival people, minstrels develop a certain proficiency for thieving skills. Also they are often found in taverns and bars, where they can spread their lore, improve their fame or simply gamble and waste time. Any minstrel has a repertoire of personal songs which he guards feverishly only exchanging them to his best friends. These lyrics have developed a near-magical life of their own happening to affect the audience and listening people. Thus minstrels are capable of weaving their own kind of magic.
Skills/Spells
Brawling Cast Doublecross
Falsify Mathan Music
Play Instrument Second Aid Sing
Song of Ages Song of Courage Song of Dance
Song of Pain Song of Peace Strangle
Weaponsmastery
Outlaw
Outlaws are a bunch having invoked the wrath of society upon them. It is not necessarily the city they are found in, where their dubious 'career' started. Having fled their kin for one or the other reason, outlaws become experts at surviving on their own. They gain abilities to escape the clutches of the law and receive abilities making them better brawlers, a mixture of thief, warrior and a tiny part of a ranger. Combining these three professions' lesser abilities enables the outlaw to survive.
As he is despised by his people, shopkeepers of the same race will not serve the outlaw, likewise justice seldom is in favour of this kind of person and all common folk view the outlaw not only with disrespect but with a certain reservation. You do not trust a person that cannot be trusted.
Skills/Spells
Brawling Camouflage Crack Shot
Drug Tolerance Peek Ropemastery
Second Aid Set Traps Shield Block
Slingtrap Spikehole Strangle
Tarnish Waylay Weaponsmastery
Whip
Pickpocket
Pickpockets are specialised thieves whose forte is stealing valuables from pockets and purses. The pickpocket is a regular curse in cities, and on crowded market days there can be any number of individuals or teams operating through the crowds. Cash, of course is the favourite, the most common technique being to cut the purse from the victim's belt with a small, sharp knife or straight razor. Jewellery has a high value, but is too often difficult to steal unnoticed and can be easily traceable which makes it difficult to dispose of without the help of a reliable fence who will probably rob the thief even more than the thief has just robbed the former, true owner.
Skills/Spells
Brawling Cast Contortions
Doublecross Identify Locate Object
Mathan Merchandise PickPocket
Smoke Bomb Spike Attack Staves
Steal Strangle Sword
Trickery