Nice summary!
> It's possible that their magic
> would be useful for secular "wet work" as well (e.g. spying or dirty
> tricks against enemies).
Very likely, in fact, though it usually goes wrong in some way. Just remmeber that to be truly useful in this line, the Trickster will require a dangerous amount of freedom. How high are you willing to gamble?
> Bonded Eurmali will
> usually obey their rulers' commands, even when the stakes are high and
> a betrayal would seem to be in order.
Yes - they don't *mean* to betray their benefactors and protectors. Any more than they mean to have their tricks backfire. It's just inevitable, and they may be as horrified by the idea as anyone else.
> Under the conditions above, it seems like it would be possible to play
> an Eurmali player character. However, he would have to be bonded to
> someone close to the player character group. Even then, the
> trickster's random behavior could create a lot of strains with the
> other players. Socially, it's probably better to have him as a
> narrator character.
A Trickster PC can be done - I've GMed one. But it was very hard work. The player was a natural - I knew he was going to play a Trickster whether his PC was one or not, if you see what I mean. He was bonded to another PC, who didn't really have the in-game power to protect him but did it anyway, partly out of ambition, partly because the Trickster was an old friend who'd be lynched if he wasn't bonded.
Hard work, but worth it, I'd say. If you've got a player and group who could do it, and want to do it, go ahead. But discuss it with all of them before-hand.
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