Thief

Description: This class is relatively weak in battle, but gains special abilities on adventures. A Thief may wear any form of costume or garb, from a Mage's robes to a Noble's silk and lace. The only requirement is that a thief must carry a Skeleton Key somewhere on their person. This is symbolic of their abilities and class. Because of a Thief's need for stealth and agility when performing their craft, a Thief may wear armor up to Ring Mail/Studded Leather (AC-3). In addition, a Thief may only use bucklers. A thief can use any weapon except yellow chained weapons, black damage weapons, and weapons over 4 feet in length.

Thief Abilities

Rank 1: Looting - This is done by searching the dead for treasure. The Thief presents their Key, indicating the part of the body (i.e., right arm, torso) to be searched. For each body part, the Thief must say: "I am searching your body part, do you have any treasure there?" If so, you must reveal it, including Relics. Note: If mortally wounded, you dont have to answer. This is a normal battle skill.

Rank 2: Pick Pockets - This allows a Thief to steal an object from a living being. To do so an Elder must be present and know what item is being stolen. The Thief must place a clothespin upon the item or upon the person carrying it (near the item), in order to steal it. The Elder will allow sufficient time, then give a pre-determined sign that the task is done. After the Thief has left, the Elder will inform the victim, and discretely give the item to the Thief at a later time. This is a normal battle skill. The times needed for a succesful pick pocket attempt are below.

Level
Seconds
Level
Seconds
2
60
8
30
3
55
9
25
4
50
10
20
5
45
11
15
6
40
12
10
7
35
13+
5

Rank 3: Back Stab - This ability can only be performed with a dagger. This is a normal battle skill. The attack must be by surprise against the victims back. The Thief must indicate this attack by calling "Back Stab" instead of calling the color of the weapon. Below is the Back-Stab Hit Chart for damage:

AC:5
1H = D
AC:4
1H = D
AC:3
1H = D
AC:2
1H = M
AC:1
1H = M
AC:0
1H = M

Rank 3: Climb Walls - To do this the climber must be 10 feet from the wall, lying flat on the stomach, crawling. Nothing can be in the climbers hands while climbing. Once the wall is reached they may enter the structure. If caught climbing the wall, the climber can only be hit with Missile Weapons until reaching the top. If hit normal damage should be taken and you must fall to the ground. Jumping/falling from a wall causes a light wound to both legs. This is a normal battle skill.

Rank 4: Open Locks - Open Locks allows the Thief to open locks or barred doors. It is a timed ability based on the Level of the Thief and the difficulty of the lock being picked. A Thief has a base of three minutes during which time their hand must be on the lock in order to pick it. For every difficulty level above the Thief's rank, add one minute to the time with a maximum of 10 minutes. Any lock that takes more then 10 minutes is beyond their ability to open. For every difficulty level below the Thiefs rank, take away 30 seconds with a minimum of 30 seconds to open the lock. This is a normal battle skill.

Rank 5: Find & Remove Traps - This ability will be determined by the Host of the Adventure as to procedure. This is an adventure only ability.

Rank 6: Disguise - This allows the Thief to appear as any class or race that exists in the game. It also allows the thief/assassin exceed his armor and shield restrictions of his class. In disguise a Thief may wear up to AC 1 and use a 36" shield. However, when a thief exceeds his armor/shield restrictions he can not use any other class ability until 15 minutes after the armor and/or shield are removed. A Thief can never wear AC 0 or carry a tower shield, nor can they ever disguise themselves as another character in the game.

When a thief reaches 15th rank they get the added bonus of being able to detect disguises. This skill allows the high level Thieves "see" that a person is not what they claim by noticing flaws in the disguise. They are not able detect who the disguised person really is, just that they are not who or what they claim. This skill can be employed after interacting or observing the suspect interact with another character for 60 seconds. After 60 seconds state "nth rank Thief, are you in disguise". The player must then answer honestly and continue acting as if nothing is wrong. The act of asking if the player is in disguise is Out-Of-Game but the observing must be In-Game.

When in disguise the Thief should wear some physical representation of the disguise. Examples are armor, dress, robes, surcoat of another country etc.

Rank 7: Read Languages - A Thief can decipher languages and translate them into Common. It does not allow them to converse or understand the spoken, only the written word. In order to perform this ability, the Thief must spend 15 minutes in concentration on the message to be deciphered. This is an adventure only ability.

Rank 8: Poison - This allows the Thief to make poison. The requirements to make it are to provide the Magistrate or Marshal with the material components and any money needed to concoct the appropriate poison. A purple ribbon or tape, a Writ with the type of poison containing the poison's affects and time duration, signed and dated by the Magistrate or Marshal is necessary to be valid. This is an adventure only ability. See appendix for poison types.

Attacking with a poison weapon:

When making a poison attack with a weapon, either purple ribbon or tape must be tied around the weapon blade. If the attack is unsuccessful the ribbon must be removed and the writ must be destroyed immediately. It is wise to inform an Elder of your intended action so as to avoid game disputes. If the attack is successful, the following steps are taken:

At the time of the attack, you must call out "Poison" and the affects of the poison. For example, "Instantaneous Death Poison". If you do not inform the victim of the poison's time value, it will be assumed to be a value of 10 minutes for Death Poison and 5 minutes for all other types of poison. Either you or an Elder must show "The Writ" to the victim, then destroy it in front of him. The tape/ribbon must be removed from the weapon. A slight slash to an area with no armor does no damage, but poison does enter the body to cause its affect.

Poisoning Food and/or Drink:

When poisoning food and/or drink, purple ribbon or tape must be affixed or tied around the utensil if their is no Elder present at the time of the placing of the poison. Then you must inform an Elder of this action, giving them the poison writ, so that it may be adjudged as successful or not. This proves to the Elder that you did indeed have possession of the utensil long enough to do the deed. If an Elder is present, give them the poison writ, and then they must see you with possession of the utensil. No ribbon or tape needs to be affixed with an Elder present. The attack is unsuccessful if the utensil is not used within one half () hour of the arrival of an Elder (if not present) or from the point of the Elder witnessing the placing of the poison, also the ribbon is removed and/or the writ destroyed. If the attack is successful, the Elder discreetly informs the victim immediately of the poisoning and it's affects. It is then the responsibility of the player to role-play their demise.

Rank 9: Read Magical Languages - As a Master of their craft the Thief learns Magical Languages with the same restrictions as Read Languages. This is an adventure only ability.