Sleuth

An eye for mystery, an ear for trouble and a nose to sniff out the answers. Those are the most touted traits of any good sleuth. They are like detectives, but with a penchant for the more unsavory kinds of investigation. Sleuthing originally was a term for animals who had a nose for scents. Nowadays, it means people trying to figure things out. But sleuths do still have that connotation of a lesser kind of investigator, compared to the often state-sanctioned detective. Sleuths are scrappier and work at their own leisure, much like private eyes or private hires, rather than policeman detectives.

When making a character of this background, keep in mind the key feature: curiosity. Sleuths rarely have a good sense of privacy. They'll peep and pry to get down to the bottom of things like sharks to blood. Their own lives are often second to an investigation, meaning many of them are quite reckless and meet some ill-fated end. However, that is not to say all sleuths follow their noses without a brain. Sleuths are best known for their deductive thinking capabilities and questioning faculties, which is what keeps the wheels turning and the plot thickening. Mysteries are their daily bread and butter.

When making a sleuth character, ask yourself these questions: What prompted your character down this path of investigation? Justice? Pure curiosity? What was the biggest discovery your character ever made in their career? Or is this just some side hobby to amuse their boredom? Do you dive straight into a good story, or do you like to take a step back and wait for more clues to appear? Do you even care if you're peeping in a bath or snooping in someone else's house?