Araskes, the Trickster

"Whatever you do, don't trust anything she touches. I promise you, it'll bite."

- Cayde-6.

Araskes, the Trickster, is a Baron of the Scorn. It seems that the Trickster takes on the form of a Raider, as she is able to use an Ether Smoke Dash to escape the player.

Biography
Little is known about her beyond legends of her own creation. As the spokesman and envoy of the Scorn, she is often the first to strike. Utilizing cloaking technology and leaving traps for unsuspecting enemies, Araskes has little skill in all-out battle beyond her ability to avoid it.

She bartered with the Spider and nearly cost him his life, she swindled numerous Hunter Bounties and profited off of them, she won battles where there is none, killed more rivals than could challenge her. At one point, she is known for her gambling habits in the Tangled Shore, it wasn't until Cayde's Six came along to eliminate her, though she managed to get away. Unbeknownst to her, Cayde planted a tracking device that would lead them to the other Barons.

She was captured later alongside the other Scorn Barons and imprisoned within the Prison of Elders. A year after the events of the Red War she was freed by Uldren Sov and was witness to the murder of Cayde-6 at his hand. She established herself in Diaviks Mine afterward, attempting a shipment of rigged engrams to The Last City, but was stopped by the Guardian.

When returning to the Prison of Elders, The Guardian team sent there failed to realize that the Warden Servitor was tampered by the Trickster herself.

Personality
"A liar and a schemer. Friendly advice: Trust nothing that she touches."

- The Spider

Araskes has demonstrated herself to be quite sadistic, as she seems to take perverse joy in duping the Guardian and cackling insanely whenever they fall for one of her traps. She also seems to be quite unhinged, frequently laughing in her dialogue, speaking in a maniacal, almost sing-song voice, and calling herself pronouns such as "our" or "we" rather than "me" or "I". She also seems to be quite overconfident, as she lured the Guardian directly into her lair in the hopes that the Guardian would fall at the hands of another trap, which ultimately lead to her death.

Her greatest weapon is the dissolution of truth, she gives people certainty, only to reshuffle the deck, she grants us desire only to come to regret it. She is described as the "first among devils to gods", where she is unknowable, unpure and her tongue would cut down anyone before their body fell, makes you question your own actions and the depths of her deceit, whether or not if we really killed the Trickster or if her trap is set.

Gameplay
True to her nature, Araskes engages in little direct combat, preferring to use her smoke dash ability to escape trouble. She will also deploy Web Mines disguised as loot as well as bombs made to resemble Exotic Engrams, both as a means to distract and trick Guardians as she is chased down. When cornered, she will chip away at The Guardian's health from a distance with her Scorn Rifle, stomp the ground when faced at close range, teleport to evade or flank her opponent, and call for aid from lesser Scorn units. Due to her tendency to slip away from an engagement, it is best to keep watch of her by following her smoke trails. Once spotted again, one must keep the attack on her as to not let her escape.

Quotes

 * [laughs] Oh no... it found our factory of delights. If only we planned for this... [laughs]
 * [laughs] Welcome, minion of Cayde-6. [laughs]
 * [laughs] It wants revenge? Yes, we deserve it. Here is some ammo for you. [laughs]

Trivia

 * Araskes is the second shortest member of the Scorn Barons.
 * Araskes is the First Female Fallen to be seen speaking English, second being Elykris, the Machinist.
 * According to dialogue from the Warden of Nothing strike, The Drifter had some relation with Araskes.

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2
 * Forsaken