Rogue

Rogues are masters of their craft - and their craft is being good at what they do. Unfortunately, what they do tends to be rather illegal. Many classical rogues are cutpurses, thiefs, assassins, and con artists. This is not the case for all, however, as some rogues may decide to make their living as locksmiths, investigators, explorers, or exterminators. Some realize the wrongs of their ways as criminals and choose a better path, pursuing other profeessions that use their honed crafts. Regardless of their chosen profession, rogues have a knack for problem-solving, stealth, and precision - they prefer to strike only once, but strike effectively and to kill.   Due to the sheer variability of what can be considered a rogue, they are very common. The captain of the guard that favors fencing over brute strength can be a rogue just as much as the assassin hiding in the shadows on their way to complete a contract. Some rogues operate independently, occasionally choosing to take on aprentices to pass on their skill. Others unite into organizations or guilds, which can be legal or otherwise. There are few organizations that are uniquely populated by rogues, as they can be found just about anywhere. The legal assassin organization Raven Wings, the Bracer Guild, and the criminal organization the Southpaws are the most well-known for recruiting promising rogues into their ranks.   What sets the rogues apart from others, aside from their honed talents and sharp strikes, is their secrecy. Few give away their secrets free and easy, even fewer let live those who find those secrets out. It is no surprise, then, that such a secretive profession is known for their ability to make cyphers - a secret language of sorts. They use common words and jargons to string together what on the surface appears a simple conversation or correspondence, but in reality hides a meaning that can only be understood by those who know. This 'language' is called Thief's Cant. Every Cant is unique, typically tailor-made for an organization or an individual. However, all rogues know how to pick up such secret meanings and notice when words seem to mean more than what they should.

Roguish Archeotypes

Rogues are as varied as snowflakes in a blizzard. Different rogues steer their skills in different directions, depending on their chosen pursuits. Some have magical abilities that help them with their deeds. Others perfect the art of assassination. A rogue's archeotype is not so much a reflection of their profession - an assassin rogue does not have to be a literal assassin - but rather of their preferred approach and skillset.

Arcane Trickster

Among the people of the world, some are capable of bending the magical energy of their surroundings to their benefit. The rogues with such abilities combine stealth with magic to achieve unique results, which are often devastating for their foes. These kinds of rogues also tend to be the most mischievously-oriented, using their tricks to cause chaos or play pranks.

Assassin

Those who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of perfecting the art of murder are known as assassins. They work as vigilantes, killers for hire, bounty hunters, or even inqisitors that seek out and destroy enemies of their church or deity. They practice their art with deadly precision. Not all assassins are illegal, however. Notably, the legal assassin organization Black Ravens are the most famous (or infamous, depending on who you are) for employing a number of assassins.

Inquisitive

Where there are lies and deceit, there will be those who study to pick them out. The inquisitive rogues focus less on their hands and more on their eyes and ears, learning to pick up lies and half-ruths. They also train on history, the arcane, and other topics of interest - because knowledge is power, and they have to be able to wield it.

Mastermind

All powerful people and nations need spies, and none are better at intrigue than the mastermind rogue. They are spies, courtiers, tacticians. They weave words into weapons more powerful than the daggers they hide under their silks and poison their opposition with a smile. Of all the rogues, these are perhaps the most devious and difficult to identify.

Phantom

Those who bring death eventually attract the eyes of the ones that make it their domain. Phantom rogues know death more than anyone else. Some have even come in contact with the creatures of death, or deities of the afterlife. Some have died and come back to life, forever changed as a consequence. For pieces of their mortal essence, they are granted powers from the grave. While many - especially the Church - consider them abominations, their effectiveness cannot be denied.

Scout

Not all rogues find their calling behind the tall stone walls of cities and towns. Those who spend their days searching through forests and plains most often become scouts. These rogues feel most at home in the wilderness, where a moment's lapse in attentiveness can turn you from hunter to hunted. Scout rogues are most numerous in frontier towns and villages. They serve as the front line of defense against incoming threats, warning people of what is to come. Or they become the threat themselves, scouting out weaknesses in defenses for war bands and mercenaries.

Soulknife

Those born with unique psychic abilities find no need for physical blades or lockpicks. Individuals with psychic powers are incredibly rare, all affected in some way by the same force from beyond. For what reason, no one knows. Only one thing is sure - no one trusts a soulknife rogue, but no one would pass up a chance to employ them, either. Unfortunately, controlling such powers is hard, and more die in simple attempts to understand what they are.

Swashbuckler

While warriors swing their blades with strength and purpose, swashbuckler rogues make their combat a performance. They specialize in single-combat, one-on-one, and they put on a show as much as they exterminate their foes. These rogues are hardly keen on operrating in the shadows - sneaking around is not their style. No, they bring the flair and pizzaz to the fight, keeping all eyes on them. Many pirates and court duelists are swashbucklers.

Thief

Not everyone wants to make their living taking lives or fighting for glory. Some just want to survive in an environment where money rules and those who have a lot could do with a little less. Thieves are masters of not only entering and exiting places silently, they excel at nabbing anything useful or shiny they find along the way. Though the title of 'thief' is infamous due to the profession, there are thieves that turn their pursuits away from stealing from the rich. Some work as investigators. Others put their skills to use exploring dungeons and finding lost treasure.