Empiric Coaching

The Trickster

Lokkar the dwarf stood in the window and urinated down into the yard. “Great plan, Baz,” he said. “I just nearly burst from waiting under the bed.”

The young hobbit, Bazimir Baloun, sat on said bed, papers spread out before him that he had pulled from a crevice under the mantelpiece.
“It was the only option, Mr. Lokkar,” he said. “You know yourself that we have turned this room upside down and found no hiding place with the papers.”

“What did you actually do to get Verena of the Eel to go and remove the letters from their hiding-place?”
“You should have seen me, Mr. Lokkar,” chimed in the halfling. “I visited her in a richly embroidered caftan, my skin sallow and my voice trembling with age. Even you would not have recognized me.”

“I believe it,” the dwarf replied. “I remember you once coaxed two pennies out of me disguised as a beggar.”

“Well,” resumed the hobbit, delighted, “I introduced myself as the head of the linen guild, and hinted that our noble lord Radmir and I were not on good terms. And that we would pay handsomely for something that would allow us to negotiate with him from a position of strength.”

“And that was enough?”
“Of course not. She wouldn’t even hear of showing me those confidential writings. So I started talking like she was stealing honey, saying all the things that would have offended me in her position. That I respected her magical abilities, but I could hardly believe that some incantation to summon the wind could get such closely guarded documents into her possession. And that everything she has revealed about the contents of those documents so far is evidence of a rich imagination. Finally, she stood up and angrily stalked back to her bedroom.”

“I saw the rest of it with my own eyes from under the bed,” the dwarf added as he tied his fly. “We should get out of here, Baz. However, I’m beginning to understand your success. You obviously share certain character traits with the witch.”

“You mean cunning, Mr. Lokkar?” The hobbit winked conspiratorially. “Vanity, trickster,” the dwarf replied dryly. “I meant vanity.”

Becoming a Trickster can be chosen to begin with by street children who can blend in with the rabble and wriggle out of any danger. That they don’t always act with complete integrity is understandable. They master all sorts of tricks and sleights of hand, from picking pockets and fake games to disguises and wall climbing. They’re as good as anyone at navigating the city, gathering information and finding hidden objects. And they won’t hesitate for a moment when it comes to throwing a hidden knife or rock at an enemy.

But trickstery is more than just street thievery. Such a hero is a true artist in his field. He can be the star of a comedy troupe, a mounted acrobat, a folk storyteller or troubadour, as well as a celebrated pickpocket. The honest townspeople and peasants often call him a bagman, a vagabond and a comedian, call him a vagabond, a grabber and a loafer, but they still end up being charmed and laughing at his stunts.

The trickster, who makes his living as a comedian or minstrel, travels from castle to castle and from town to town for his livelihood, where his stories and performances are not yet known. If he has been settled in a town, he may flee into the wilderness to escape justice. Or from the cronies he has betrayed, or from the embittered husbands of the women he has seduced.

Skills

Common throw (Body)

Throwing small objects and weapons (from knife to spear)
Slinging stones against common opponents (especially humans and animals) Proficiency with throwing weapons, target throwing, juggling

Mobility (Body)

Acrobatics, running, sprinting, agility, jumps and falls Dodging, climbing and crawling, balance
Stretching through narrow openings, urban movement Riding a horse or cart, holding on to the saddle

Tricks and sleight of hand (Soul)

Tricks with small objects, fake play
Stitching, hiding and revealing things on the body or in clothing, pickpocketing Working with ropes, tying, wriggling out of handcuffs, knowing knots
Making rope obstacles, bridges, ladders

Orientation in the city (Soul)

Knowledge of the laws of the city environment, estimation of the correct direction Avoiding dangerous places and phenomena
Hiding or detecting a person or objects in the city, stealth
Disappearing in a crowd, moving quietly in the city, sneaking, following

Tactics of fighting from a distance in the city, choosing a suitable location, waiting and staying in the chosen position

Charisma (Influence)

Seduction, eliciting sympathy or emotion, joy and laughter, sadness, love or hate from people Exploiting human nature, attracting, summoning people

Disguises and pretending (Influence)

Hiding one’s identity, disguises, disguises, make-up and masks Imitating someone else’s voice and facial expressions

Art (Influence)

Playing musical instruments, singing, recitation, dancing, acting, verse Painting, sculpting, entertaining or emotionally moving an audience

Special abilities

Frightening Accuracy (Body, Quick Pick: Level 1)

Description: If the weapon thrown by him quivers in the beam next to your head, rest assured that he did not miss. It was a warning.
Effect: The player chooses one type of throwing weapon (e.g., “knife” or “spear”). The character is gifted (2 maneuvers) to throw this type of weapon at any target.

Acrobat (Body, Quick Pick: Level 2)

Description: He is a great rider and runner, and if he has somewhere to jump, climb over, or squeeze through, pursuers can hardly keep up. Effect: The character is proficient (free basic maneuvers) in Agility.

Thrower (Body, Quick Pick: Level 3)

Description: He has killed from a distance so many times that he anticipates his prey’s every move and intent. Effect: The character is proficient (basic maneuvers free) in Normal Casting.

Cloak (Body)

Description: A garment well chosen for the occasion can be a weapon. Literally.
Effect: When a character is fighting, he may use his cloaks, tablecloths, drapes, blankets, etc. with one hand as if they were a shield.

A flurry of daggers (Body, Quick Pick: Level 4)

Description: “And then the sky was torn open and it began to rain rocks.”
Effect: If the character is throwing across the board at a maximum of a clutched handful (dozen) of targets, and has plenty of easily accessible ammunition (such as throwing knives in sheathes on his forearms or ready rocks on the ground in front of him), he can use the maneuver extensively for free.

Thief (Soul)

Description: Throwing an anchor against a castle wall is as easy for him as cutting off someone’s pouch or pulling an ace from their sleeve. Effect: The character is proficient (free basic maneuvers) in Tricks and Tricks.

Spy (Soul)

Description: Knows exactly where to hide in a town or village, and conversely where to look for what should have escaped his prying eyes. Effect: The character is proficient (free basic maneuvers) in Orienteering.

Talent (Influence)

Description: When he plucks the strings, time stands still and many a heart grows fonder.
Effect: The player chooses one type of musical instrument or other artistic device (e.g. “mask”, “dance costume”). The character has a talent (2 maneuvers) for Art using this type of aid.

Dog Eyes (Influence)

Description: When she wants to, she is the epitome of innocence and vulnerability, which she can properly exploit. Effect: The character is proficient (basic maneuvers free) in Charisma and Disguises and feints.

Comedian (Influence)

Description: When he performs, a caravan of camels can pass behind him and no one will even notice.
Effect: The character is proficient (free basic maneuvers) in the Art. If the character is trying to gain attention across the board with Art, he may use the maneuver extensively for free.

Change Face (Influence, Quick Pick: Level 5)

Description: Needs no disguises or makeup. He simply wrinkles his face, ruffles his hair, slouches, or mimics the twitches of a madman so skillfully that even his friends won’t recognize him.
Effect: A character can impersonate someone else (such as an old woman or a beggar) using Disguises and Pretending, even though they didn’t have the time or resources to put on makeup or use a disguise. However, she cannot impersonate a specific existing person in this way. (Activation 1 Influence)

Hidden Pocket (Body)

Description: No one knows how he does it, but he’s capable of carrying some small item anywhere, even if he’s being frisked at the entrance.
Effect: With this content power, the player can determine that his character is carrying one small item from his equipment up to the size of his palm, even after being searched. (Activation 1 Body)