Premise
A band of Rogues tries to escape from their sisters because Kashya, who is under Diablo's mind control, is sending them to their deaths as if they were Lemmings. Once escaped, they seek to destroy the Wanderer, who corrupted Kashya in the first place. (The Cad!) Note: Killing Baal in Hell is optional: it's the Wanderer who caused all of the problems!

Team Variant
Class: Amazon Class or Assassin, possibly Sorceress. No Men allowed, unless they can find a Rogue named Agusta to play.

Tag: Name yourself after one of Kashya's mercenaries. See Spirea's site, or the end of this post, for a complete list.

Storyline
"SHE'LL KILL US ALL!!" Amplisa shrieked.

"I'm too well-dressed to die!" Elsa screamed.

"Calm yourselves, girls! We can't let panic overcome us. We must have clear heads or our escape from Kashya's death grip will not succeed," came the encouraging voice of Elly.

"She's sending more of us to our deaths every day! Whenever somebody visits the graveyard, another one of us follows some would-be hero into the wilderness never to return," cried Kyoko.

"I said calm yourself! We can do this and we will do this! We'll take as many of our girls along with us as we can! We'll come back for the rest once we slay the Wanderer! Remember, it was after his passage through this land that Blood Raven revolted and Kashya started acting strangely. I suspect that she is under his control, and we must escape it! This is a power we can defeat! Join with me and we will!"

Introduction
Some of Kashya's rogues suspect that she is secretly under the influence of the mysterious Wanderer and that she is knowingly sending rogues to their deaths. A band of rogues has decided to escape and take as many of their fellow sisters with them as they can. They must work in secret to escape the Rogue Encampment (aka the Concentration Camp) and then to take out the Wanderer who they suspect has caused all Hell to break loose in this once relatively peaceful land.

1. Rules
Hardcore encouraged, not required. The fatalistic attitude of this variant reflects death as being final. Origin in pre-Expansion Pack days where dead rogues could not normally be resurrected.

Rogue Rogues generally play only with other Rogue Rogues, or other Merc Variants. You can't play in the same Act as a Rogue Rogue who has already escaped that Act (or difficulty). Solo play is OK.

Gifts may come only from gaming partners (Rogue Rogues or other mercs of equivilant game progression, in the same team).

2. Items
Armor/Boots/Gloves
Quilted, Leather, Hard Leather, and Studded Leather.
Boots, Heavy Boots.
Leather Gloves, Heavy Gloves, Chain Gloves.

Helms
Skull Caps and Circlets preferreed, although some Rogue Rogues wear masks so that Kashya won't recognize them!

Weapons
Short, Long, Hunter's, Composite Bows, Short War Bows, Short Battle Bows. No Crossbow Class weapons.

Option: If a nod to the Diablo I Rogue is preferred by the team, then curved Swords and any round or Triangular shields are allowed. No bone, no tower. This makes it then Mandatory for Weapon II to be the S/S set up.

Note: When returning to Act I in NM and Hell diff, Masks can be worn in any case so that Kashya can't recognize us. Whether or not to trust Deckard Cain is a party decision.

3. Shrines
None. These special facilities were planted by Kashya. If one is triggered, she'll know and she'll send YOU to your death the next time somebody kills Blood Raven. Exception: shrines can be used in the Chaos Sanctuary, and anywhere in Act V, since you are now either on the heels of The Wanderer, or have already killed him and are going to be able to finish undoing the corruption of Kashya before she has time to interfere.

4. Spells/Skills
Amazon Class:
Jav Skills: Zero

Bow Skills: Any single-shot, non-area effect arrow skill may be used. (Magic Arrow, Fire Arrow, Cold Arrow, Ice Arrow, Guided Arrow) Strafe is ok at Slvl 1, usable only after Diablo has been slain. Multishot may not be used.

Options: Immolation Arrow and Exploding Arrow are allowable if the Diablo I rogue emphasis is being explored.

Passives: Valkyrie not allowed until Hell Diablo: then a point in Evade and Valkyrie MUST be expended for this "Gotterdaemmmerung." Avoid kept at one point. Decoy helps fool Kashya into thinking that she has caught us!

Assassin:
Skills: No claw skills
Shadow Skills: Any and All. Use of Shadow Master or Shadow Warrior in Act I on any difficulty is Not Allowed.
Weapons: Bow, all others as Amazon above

Sorceress:
Cold: Cold Bolt, Cold Mastery. Simulates Cold Arrow.
Lightning: Lightning. Lightning Mastery. Emulates +3 skills Lightning Hose.

Fire: Fire Bolt, Enchant, Fire Mastery.

Note: If D1 rogue emhpasis, Cold Blast and Glacial Spike allowed for Stone Curse emulation, as well as Chain Lightning and Fireball allowed: just not usable in Act I on any difficulty, since Kashya will notice! She has her spies Everywhere!

Names
(Cut and Pasted From Spirea's)

Aliza____Amplisa___Annor___Abhaya
Basanti__Blaise
Debi_____Diane_____Divo
Elexa____Elly
Floria___Fiona
Gwinni___Gaile
Hannah___Heather
Iantha___Isolde____Ithera___Itonya
Kyoko____Klaudia___Kundri___Kyle (Eh? A guy?)
Liene____Liaza
Maeko____Mahala____Meghan
Olena____Oriana
Paige
Ryann____Rozene____Raissa
Sharyn___Shikha
Tylena
Visala
Wendy