Heh, you can still track animals and so on, you just don't have the ability 'Track'.

No you can't. Tracking mobs/items is a BOND ability. You can't track anything. All you keep are the abilities to climb trees, scale mountains, dive under water, and set various traps.

I think he meant stuff like PRINTS.

Thats hunting animals in Hunting.

I guess that could be why rogue Trackers aren't called Trackers, they're called mercenaries.

Wait, so there's still people who choose Tracking? I always thought they died out... I don't think I've seen a single hound in action ever since maybe two Lusternian years after the skill was introduced.

As to mercenaries working for orgs: I don't see how that would happen. Right now I think neither of our four organisations is roleplayed in a way that allows hiring mercenaries. I don't think even Celest would agree to hire an ex-serenwilder mercenary or vice versa, they may work together at times but they still seem to be quite uneasy about each other. Except a handful of individuals, maybe.

And of course, the enemy status problem would be just as you described.

If I recall correctly, tracking is nowhere as neat as any of the alternative skills, so I always assumed that was meant to be the balance for them being the only skill combination that was fully redundant and thus functional as rogues. Do we actually have word from the admin side as to why there are no neutral kennels?

Maybe a mercenary could be worked out as 'Ill continuously do your village's quests for commodities and other things to help keep them happy with you and getting you commodities coming in, Ill fight for you during village revolts that are combative/debate for you in non-combative ones' stuff like that. Normally people don't enemy for village actions, I think. You wouldn't raid or randomly jump enemies or anything, but that would have to be part of your contract with the hiring organization. If another group wants your services, or wants you to NOT help the other group, then you just hire them instead. Of course, most people would just say 'OMG ENEMY BCUZ HE IS NOT US!!!!' as opposed to counter-hiring, but hey, you never know.

You already can do that with any character though, provided they're not roleplayed fanatics regarding everyone not of their org worthless piles of manure.

There's no need for an explicit "mercenary" skill for it, nor does it solve the problem of guildless trackers being bereft of a good portion of their skills.

I can't see an organization ever paying someone out of their coffers to fight for them, even if it were someone like Murphy.

Especially if it were someone like Murphy. People who are extremely loud and active in politics are unlikely to ever be allowed to switch organization at the drop of a hat. People who are quiet, reserved and willing to follow orders are much more likely to succeed as mercenaries.

See, its a lose-lose situation.

The only people anyone would hire to fight for them would be someone like murphy - someone whos proved themselves to be an excellent combatant.
However, no one would allow them to switch to their side after what they had done to prove that they are a good combatant.