Scout

Some are assassins or pickpockets, some trackers or hunters; some are artful saboteurs, or skilled in siege engines and battlefield traps. But scouts all have one thing in common: lacking either powerful magic or great might, they must rely on their talents and their wits to survive.

Most scouting skills align with four main paths:

• Diplomat: Glib and charming, skilled in influencing others;
• Scoundrel: Skilled in deceit and theft, masters of the hidden blade and the broken lock;
• Ranger: More at home in the wilderness than the cities, friend to beasts and caretakers of the forests; or
• Stealth: Both rangers and scoundrels are skilled at vanishing into their surroundings.

Many Scouts, of course, dabble with multiple paths.

Advice for Scout Characters

Ranger or Scoundrel skill is essential, of course – if not both – and most learn at least a couple of the skills branching off these two. Any Scout will tend to eschew noisy heavy armour, so Body Development is invaluable. Resist Poison is useful for Beastmasters risking venomed bites or for thieves fearing treachery alike, while Iron Body can aid in escape.

Assassins may dabble in Alchemist for brewing their own poisons, while thieves will benefit from Evaluate to determine which treasures are worth stealing. One of the greatest assets of any Scout is surprise – most Scouts will take at least some skills their enemies don’t expect, especially magic.

Scout Skills

Diplomat

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Detect Lies	6	Intuition
Diplomat’s Insight	6	Evaluate
Friendly Face	8	Diplomat’s Insight
Silver Tongue	8	Diplomat’s Insight

Ranger

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Beast Empathy	6	Ranger
Beast Command	8	Beast Empathy
Hunter’s Insight	8	Ranger
Hunter’s Mark	12	Hunter’s Insight
Tracking Proficiency	5	Ranger
Pathfinder	8	Tracking Proficiency
Trapper	6	Ranger

Scoundrel

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Treacherous Blow	5	Scoundrel
Dirty Fighting	6	Treacherous Blow
Killing Blow	12	Treacherous Blow
Knockout Blow	10	Treacherous Blow
Poisoned Blow	8	Treacherous Blow
Device Proficiency	5	Scoundrel
Wardbreaker	8	Device Proficiency
Subterfuge	8	Scoundrel

Stealth

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Chameleon	6	Ranger
Move in Cover	10	Ranger

Siege Weapons

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Siege Weapons	4	Projectile Weapons
Siege Engineer	6	Siege Weapons

Resistences

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Immune to Body Effect	6	Iron Body
Immune to Disease	4	Resist Disease
Immune to Poison	5	Resist Poison

Note: Maximum of 3 immunities

Armour

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites
Medium Armour	2	Light Armour

Scout Study Paths

Much of the study available to scouts is grounded in Training in the various skills listed above, and in further improvements in those skills; but characters may find scope for Researching different or exceptional applications of those skills.

Study paths include the following:

Stealth

Whether thieves in cities or rangers roving the wilderness, subtle movement is the keyword of the whole scout archetype. Scouts can train to use Chameleon and Move in Cover more often, to travel further under cover or to retain concealment when breaking cover. With research, they can extend this subtlety to a supernatural degree, concealing themselves even to magical detection; the true masters of this discipline are said to be able to become shadows, or assume the forms of plants or trees.

Treachery

As deadly as it is unexpected, the rogueish skill of the sudden blade or cosh (per Treacherous Blow and its specialisms) can be trained to work more often, to make more efficient use of blade venoms, or to bypass even magical defences. Research can unlock different applications of Dirty Fighting to confuse, blind, distract or paralyse opponents.

True masters boast of being able to steal life from their victims, or to kill even creatures that elude death.

Traps and Locks

Although often overlooked, cracking locks, breaking traps and sabotaging mechanisms can too often be the difference between success and failure. Scouts devoted to this path train to use Device Proficiency more often or more swiftly, or to overcome exotic or unfamiliar devices. The mysteries of the Wardbreaker skill take this into the realms of mysticism, bypassing all manner of wards and opening mystical portals.

The greatest claim to be able to steal across the border between worlds.

Beasts

Many Rangers are the siblings of all wild things, using Beast Empathy and Beast Command to control simple animals. Aside from training to use these skills more often, some can learn to speak the tongues of beasts, or to summon them from the wilderness to serve them. Some, it is whispered, even learn to assume bestial traits themselves, growing claws or thicker hides – perhaps even to transform into beasts altogether.

Tracking

Beyond the Tracking Proficiency skill is the potential for further knowledge: to follow even older tracks or gain greater insights into their targets, or to make their prey in their souls so they can follow them even where there are no tracks. Some trackers are said to gain a mystical insight into their environment, communing with the spirits of nature to learn about the movements of others.

Trapper

Whether they set traps to snare animals for meat or hides, or seek to litter battlefields with hazards, trappers are skilled in setting the world against their foes. With research, Trappers can improve on existing designs, or design new traps – they cannot duplicate the intricate devices of a mechanician, but with some care they can even incorporate flasks of poison gas or trigger magical charms.

Example Scout Characters

Assassin

Dragging themselves up from the streets in a major city, the assassin became a murderer for hire. They pay only lip service to the faction they travel with – those who can afford their services know how to reach them. They have the skills they need to close in on their prey and strike when least expected, for the most deadly effect.

Skills: Chameleon (6), Light Armour (2), Scoundrel (5), Treacherous Blow (6), 1 unspent point

Description: No make-up; dark, close-fitting clothes including light leather armour and a cloak, and a short sword and several daggers worn about the body.

Ranger

Born of a tribe of self-appointed guardians of the wilderness, the ranger is a skilled hunter and tracker, able to slip into the trees and disappear. While their duty – and their devotion – is to the forest of their birth, they’re travelling with the warband for a time to see more of the world.

Skills: Chameleon (6), Light Armour (2), Projectile Weapons (6), Ranger (5), 1 unspent point

Description: Pointed ears and a stripe of greenish-white across the eyes; rugged clothing including leather armour and a cloak in greens and browns, with a bow and a quiver of arrows and a light axe.

Treasure Hunter

Sent to study history at a college from a young age, the treasure hunter abandoned their studies to work in the field. Ruined temples, fallen castles, dusty tombs – all these are the stock in trade for the treasure hunter, who is a master of locks, traps and unexpected dangers.

Skills: Device Proficiency (5), Resist Poison (5), Scholar (5), Scoundrel (5)

Description: Fine red stripes across the temples and cheeks; rugged travelling clothes, with a coil of rope and digging tools.