Eschewing knowledge or force for more practical means, the Rogues were not the most numerous but according to the Sekk-Sotyll Scrolls still formed a comprehensive group. Petty thieves and scoundrels were included as well and as such the Archetype missed a clear goal. It was only after the Great Collapse that these elements somehow reformed and strengthened their influence. Whether it be magic, mechanics or natural occurrences, the Rogues now use and abuse whatever they can get their hands upon, often with little regard for the consequences.
Deathhand
The Alchemist Discipline is one of the oldest Disciplines existing and yet, it hasn’t truly evolved. During the starting days of the Discipline its alchemic skills were of use during combat and support tasks, but as people learned about magic and the ancestral magics the lure of alchemy and nature’s forces dwindled and seemed too elaborate and clumsy by comparison. By the time of the Great Collapse it was seen as a superstitious hobby, not fit for the current era of magic.
Of course after the Great Collapse things were different. By the time the Runemages had finally found piece with how magic was structured in this new age, new avenues to compliment magic were researched. It was almost by mere chance that old records of the Alchemist Discipline were found. Yet the old records were not complete and focussed on toxins, poisons, venoms and the mixing of volatile substances by the grace of nature’s bounty. Accidentally that proved to be of exceptional interest to both House Rune and Shroud and the ancient unwanted Discipline of the Alchemist gave way to a darker more deadly version.
The modern Alchemist still used alchemy, but does so to create volatile substances, plagues and tamper with the bodily functions of his adversaries, or rather its victims. House Rune adopted the Discipline to further its research, but it was House Shroud that would put the Deathhand to use in a manner that ultimately gained them their name and turn them into highly specialised assassins.
Skinshifter
Little is known about the Skinshifter. Obviously its ability to change its outer appearance is paramount, but nobody actually knows anything about them or their origins, not even the Skinshifters themselves. In a way they have always existed, with tales and stories having references to them by that exact name. However they were never prevalent. The times that people saw an actual Skinshifter were preciously few; probably because they were so good at their trade.
During the rebellion against the Vhelgar they stepped more into the limelight, with the allies High Houses using them to invade territories only daevi could venture in. Their knowledge of the weaknesses of whatever shape they take being instrumental in their success. The use of Skinshifters was partially responsible for involving the daevi into the war to start with and making them side with the humans.
In present times the Skinshifter focuses on its alternative shapes to infiltrate dangerous areas and where possible assassinate its opponents. But the true art of the Discipline – being able to act and mimic another person to every detail – is still something only very few Skinshifters can manage nowadays. Yet, its intrinsic knowledge of its opponent’s weaknesses and its ability to act quickly, erratically and lethally can easily make up for not having access to the ‘noble art’.
Trickster
The Great Collapse took away a lot of the ancestral magics taken for granted and while this wrecked havoc on the magical establishment one of the High Houses wasn’t as perturbed: House Onyx. Architects and engineers by heart, the challenge of creating something new to circumvent this magical absence proved intoxicating. Their solution was the creation of gadgets, little mechanical trinkets able to set off effects. However, the development of these gadgets grinded to a halt, when House Onyx chose to join the Deadspell Alliance and the art was lost to the Enclave.
Not all was lost though. The other High Houses picked up the gadgets and over the years developed them further by even adding some of the magical Deadspell energies that were available. However, it was the complex mechanical sophistication that caused the project to be abandoned as pure magic was deemed more important. It was then that some gadgets were quite literally stolen by Ousted rogues and only there did they reach their full potential.
These Ousted rogues loved the idea of tinkering with the mechanics and improving them where possible, while the simple magical additions proved to be useful during combat and comprehensive enough to expand upon. As such they rapidly started developing all kinds of gadgets like bombs, traps and tools. The Enclave got reacquainted with these new gadgets soon enough as the Ousted used them in their assaults against the Enclave. Quickly the rogues of the Enclave started stealing these new gadgets and cultivated its users in a new Discipline: the Trickster. Eccentric and chaotic at heart, the Enclave Tricksters now race their Ousted counterparts into creating the most elaborate gadgets possible.
