Forsooth wrote:
I think you're missing the point here. The question is why a principled or aberrant person would take up the profession of rogue. Aberrants value honor above all else. Principled people aren't slouches in the honor department either. What's their motivation to learn this profession?
Principled:
There are evil murderous freaks in the back row of combat formations that desire to murder babies and drink their blood. There are locked doors that both give shelter to said evil, and also keep innocent slaves locked in. For those doors which are locked, there are people who may hold these keys, and the only non-violent way (Besides charm or persuade) to rid them of said keys is to steal them. In fact, when it comes to obtaining keys for certain areas, rogues are -better- equipped than other principled characters for using violence as a last resort.
Principled people are indeed not slouches in the honor department, but without someone with the rogue's skillset, both defending a city against evil and taking the fight to enemy territory becomes much more harrowing. A principled person would value his reputation below the greater good, and use his skills as needed, even if he may look bad in the process. Someone's gotta do it, and a principled person would do it -right-.
Aberrant:
Two choices right off the bat.
A) You're a contract killer, you go wherever you want, whenever you want, and when the time is right to fulfill your contract, you strike with deadly force, and never fail to bring back a corpse, even if it means your death multiple times. In time, your reputation will precede you, and those who have fallen under your contracted list live in terror of your presence.
B) You're a servant of Algorab, who brings forth the Lord of Fear's wrath to all who deserve it. Once someone has incurred your wrath, you let them know, via an ominous tell, or a note planted on their person. Someone who has incurred your wrath will be hunted endlessly until they beg for forgiveness. Until then, they live in fear, because they know you could be lurking around every corner.