Assassin

Class Origin

In 3,540BK, the Eternal Wars began. Master thieves were called upon by Eternals to carry out strategic strikes against opposing factions. Their abilities to dash in and steal intelligence and resources, and neutralize targets, was highly valued.

In short order, however, it became apparent that anyone who could infiltrate an enemy’s stronghold unseen could also murder them – a practice that became known as assassination. Was it better, mortals and Eternals alike reasoned, to merely steal from your enemy, when you could kill?

These “assassins” cut down yzarc, judges, alchemists, berserkers, thieves, dread priests, cryomancers, pyromancers, and even other Eternals, all from the shadows. For the first time in all of Altius, on a large scale, it became apparent that even the most advanced mages and warriors could not defend themselves from the stillness of the night. No power could resist a quick and unseen blade to the throat.

So, while armies faced one another and battles were fought, assassins struck critical blows, tearing apart entire factions with their abilities, and their blades.

Following the Eternal Wars, the victorious sought out assassins from the war, and cut them down.

Secret societies emerged in the underground places of societies where assassins managed to escape. Those on the victorious sides, meanwhile, operated as the “official hand” of the Eternals. Where judges failed, assassins would be sent. To avoid another Eternal War, order would be established at any cost.

As times changed, the “official assassins” of the Eternals disbanded. Yet their teaching lived on through a series of scrolls written by an ancient figure who lived in the Desert Rose, known only as “the assassin.”

Modern assassins may be anyone who follows the profession, or who treats it as a life path. The very best, they say, have all learned from a copy of these “sacred scrolls,” combining the methods of blades, poisons, stealth, and mindset from the old masters.

Assassin Combat Style

When it comes to combat, the assassin class functions as an all-or-nothing damage dealer. It's a fun experience to use "Unassuming" to initially avoid combat, letting your allies run into the fray.

While your enemies are distracted, you can constantly use "Premeditate" to bolster your impending attack(s), while passively letting "Cold Blood" provide the same effect for you.

Once you've accumulated enough "Lethality," it's time to "Sprint" in and "Assassinate," making use of your dual-wield effect from "Assassin's Blades." Alternatively, you can use "Rupture" for a near-guaranteed hit, with the chance to apply "Assassin's Poisons" to your target for debilitation effects.

Finally, if you're attacked or under too much pressure, you can use "Feint" to more or less reset the battle, gaining distance from your enemies to again amass "Lethality" and otherwise let your poisons do their work of weakening your foes.

Assassin Lore

Scorn’s Sword: a small shack nestled between two waterfalls. Very few people know of its existence.

Not all Assassins are trained in this location, but some of the greatest masters are found within. The shack contains only a single room. A series of complex clues points to a secret door, and beyond the door is a series of training rooms built into one of the rocky cliffs behind a waterfall.

If one can survive the training rooms, they are accepted as a pupil.

Training usually takes 7 years, but the results are indisputable. Trainees are taught from scrolls written by a man known as, “the Assassin.” The scrolls have been kept and passed down through “the Assassin’s” protégé, Scorn. Scorn’s soul, kept in a katana, lies unsheathed on a wood floor within the dojo. Occasionally, if he deems a person or student particularly interesting, he may take time to engage with them in a mentoring conversation.