What word would you use to describe this "class"?
Greetings everyone. I've a question for you all, something that has been puzzling me for a couple of days now--and as many times as I try to define this "class", I've come up unsuccessful.
Within a story/universe I am working on, two characters, both young males, function as sort of an "elite scout/ranger" role for their clan. Deeply loyal to their chief, as they were both trained from a very young age by him and his most trusted lieutenants, these two youths basically employ total stealth and discipline as they move through the bush in both offensive and defensive recon roles. However, they also function as border patrol at times and at other times are tasked with espionage roles and intelligence gathering, such as attempting to befriend someone suspected of wrong-doing in order to obtain all of the finer details necessary to exile or execute the apparent enemy.
On rare occasion they will even be asked to infiltrate rival clans for intelligence gathering operations, intending to blend in and act like they are simply unaligned wanderers looking for a home.
I am hesitant to define these two as "rogues" or even "rangers", nor do I want to restrain myself to using typical D&D classes to come up with a name for the class these two would fall into. So any word/words in the English language would be suitable, I just am really stumped as to what to call these two.
Thanks so much for taking the time, I really look forward to reading your replies
Within a story/universe I am working on, two characters, both young males, function as sort of an "elite scout/ranger" role for their clan. Deeply loyal to their chief, as they were both trained from a very young age by him and his most trusted lieutenants, these two youths basically employ total stealth and discipline as they move through the bush in both offensive and defensive recon roles. However, they also function as border patrol at times and at other times are tasked with espionage roles and intelligence gathering, such as attempting to befriend someone suspected of wrong-doing in order to obtain all of the finer details necessary to exile or execute the apparent enemy.
On rare occasion they will even be asked to infiltrate rival clans for intelligence gathering operations, intending to blend in and act like they are simply unaligned wanderers looking for a home.
I am hesitant to define these two as "rogues" or even "rangers", nor do I want to restrain myself to using typical D&D classes to come up with a name for the class these two would fall into. So any word/words in the English language would be suitable, I just am really stumped as to what to call these two.
Thanks so much for taking the time, I really look forward to reading your replies
3
Comments
But I do agree with you, that is the obvious choice
Reconnoiter, Vanguard, Sentinel, Sentry, or Picket. There are probably others too.
A raven is a smart bird, in Mythology it's often used as a scout. Remember ravens by Woden?
I just imagine how that chief says: "Fly, my ravens, fly!"
Wolfguard
Sentinel
There's "Ghost" if you dont mind borrowing from Starcraft.
This one is actually a verb. The noun relevant to a person would be reconnoitrer or reconnoiterer.
Lots of words to name a commando force such as this can be found. Shadowers, or the even more generic Shadows, for example.
It seems like this one fits the Slayer hybrid class. http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/slayer
Stalker is not bad either. Even in BG, the Stalker seems almost like a Thief/Ranger multiclass (backstab, lighter armor).
Then I suggest "Reaver"
An excellent description of the people who owed no allegiance to either the scottish or english throne... But would raid and reave as far as York and Edinburgh.
Part of the problem was that the Reavers had to police themselves... So... During periods of nominal peace between the Scots and English, a special body of customary law, known as March law or Border law, grew up to deal with the situation. Under border law, a person who had been raided had the right to mount a counter-raid within six days, even across the border, to recover his goods.... This basically meant that everyone was involved in bloodthirsty fight every six days... A culture that would generate fighters more fearsome than anywhere else in the world... So much so, that some believe that Reavers are a myth, their achievements mere fanciful legend...
Read more here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Reivers
I prefer the Old English spelling... Wiki uses the Scottish... The modern english spelling is less cool. It is Ruffian... However you will appreciate where the term "ruffed up" comes from.