borrowed from Anglo-French & Middle French, "trade, craft, craftsmanship, contrivance," borrowed from Latin artificium "artistry, craftsmanship, craft, craftiness, cunning," from artific-, artifex "practitioner of an art, specialist, craftsman, creator" (from art-, ars "acquired skill, craftsmanship" + -fic-, -fex, agentive derivative of facere "to make, bring about, do") + -ium, denominal or deverbal suffix of function or state
… believing that characters had to be created from within rather than with artifice.
trickrusestratagemmaneuverartificewilefeint mean an indirect means to gain an end. trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end. ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.