Sorted by alphabetical order.
ADVENTURER
There
are several romanticised notions of what a professional thief looks
like (or should look like) floating around in the popular imagination
of Aporueans. Few ideas are as pervasive as that of the hooded,
caped, quiver and utility belt wearing hoodlum who enters one
abandoned tomb, crypt, catacomb, underground temple or palace, cave,
cavern and whathaveyou after another, in order to search for
treasures of long-vanished cultures and ancestors. Or, if they're in
the mood for more easy pickings, they'll no doubt try to infiltrate a
museum, art gallery or treasury in order to nab some priceless
trinkets already stored there. Either way, the Adventurer is your
notorious archetype of a more roguish and generally much less
scientific treasure hunter. Unlike any professional in the
now-emerging field of archaeology, the Adventurer tends to care about
the prized artefacts, artworks and treasures he or she is hunting
down only insofar as not damaging them and getting them safely to a
client or fence. How far removed is the typical, imagined version of
the Adventurer from the actual thing ? Well, both “not much” and
“quite a bit”. A good amount of what has already been said is
wholly true, but what is generally a bit more fluid is the appearance
of a thief-Adventurer. Individuals are individuals and contexts in
which one performs his trade can vary all the time, so it is only
expected that Adventurers also vary from each other in terms of
dress, the equipment they choose and some of their attitudes and
approaches to the job at hand. Furthermore, performing a museum heist
is not exactly the same as navigating the subterranean ruins of s
lost civilisation - different assignments and challenges require
different planning and different choices. The devil is in the
details. Nevertheless, Adventurers do tend to share some
basic similarities in their gear and clothing choices, as well as
their methods. Combinations-wise, Adventurers are predictably good
choices for trainer roles, such as the Lightsneaking, Soundsneaking,
Melee and Marskmanship Teacher. However, they are also excellent when
combined with the Boxman and Master of Disguise professions, the duo
that is closest to their heart. They also make good Gentlemen Thieves
(while doing more urban jobs instead of tomb raiding) and Heist
Planners (catering to one's museum/bank/gallery/whatever heisting
needs).
Type of profession:
Stealth Expert, Field Agent
Profession in a nutshell:
Lightly armed, unarmoured or lightly armoured, and carrying plenty of
useful equipment, the adventure focuses on hunting down ancient
treasures and artefacts, though not in as scientific a way as an
archaeologist.
Recommended combinations with: Heist Planner,
Gentleman Thief, Boxman, Melee Teacher, Marskmanship Teacher, Master
of Disguise
See also: Stealth and sneaking skills,
Combat skills and self-defence, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills, Movement skills
BEGGAR
You
see them nearly everywhere in the cities throughout Aporue. Beggars.
Huddled down in a corner somewhere, or against the outside wall of a
public building… Sitting, crouching, lying on the ground (or in old
boxes or even some fresh dung), in a world-weary, decrepit, tattered
and smelly state. A living, clothed pile of misery and ill fortune.
Beggars. They are outright ubiquitous, both hated and pitied by the
average citizen (whether poor or well-off), a living reminder of how
unlucky some people can become when life gifts them an undeserved
fate, or how one can end up on the mean streets thanks to alcoholism,
gambling and other sinful addictions that the various churches and
sobriety clubs preach against. Beggars, so ubiquitous, such a mundane
sight… Which means they must be all the more plain and
uninteresting, little else than “part of the scenery, part of the
traditional inventory and ambience of all cities”, right ? Well,
wrong ! Because there are beggars and… “beggars”. The
quote-unquote versions are, predictably, not exactly the real deal.
In Melza and many other Aporuean cities, there are whole gangs of
cunning crooks and conmen who use their own members (often
involuntarily) as “pitybait” (to use their own words), posing as
actual beggars and trying to earn a potent daily income from the more
soft-hearted passerbys who can't tell the difference between genuine
cases and scams. And in the professional theiving world, fake beggars
also come into play - though in a rather different role. Honourable
thieves frown upon conning people in ways that blatant and ways
abusive to their own members, and in addition, they see little point
in the paltry income, when they could earn much more through usual
operations and other types of cons. Thus, fake beggars employed by an
actual thieves' guild can best be described as a form of informants.
Remember the “part of the scenery” attitude ? That's exactly what
lends guild-employed beggars something of a “cloak of public
invisibility”. For all intents and purposes, they are a guild's
eyes and ears on the streets, squares, plazas, marketplaces, docks,
and all other manner of corners and byways throughout a city. Beggars
of thief guilds often form outright networks of strategically spaced
and closely cooperating informants. Sounds interesting and thrilling
in its own way ? Then be sure to ask your superiors for the position
of Beggar. The job is not all sunshine and roses, though - sometimes,
you can be harassed a bit by the City Watch or by private guards,
especially if you tresspass on what is considered a “beggars be
gone” property. (And another thing you need to remember is that
you'll often have to cooperate closely with a fellow member of your
guild - a Courier, running messages about your latest observations.)
Unlike the similar specialisation of the Squealer, a Beggar doesn't
necessarily have to gather verbally expressed intel from people,
whether directly or by carefully eavesdropping. There are quite a few
recommended specialisation combinations for the Beggar, many of which
are other informant or conman types of professions. Some of the most
recommended are the aforementioned Squealer, and then in particular
the likes of the Master of Disguise (useful if you want to be
convincing) or the Guttersnipe (useful if you want to be a
sewers-and-tunnels based informant). The position of Beggar is also a
good jumping off point to those Footpads or Hoydens of a guild who
want to move further up in its ranks, usually towards a more specific
conman profession.
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Conman
Profession in a nutshell: A
fairly multi-purpose guild informant operating in various public
spaces. Can easily “blend into the city's social scenery” and
work as an “early warning system”, decoy or obstacle for his
fellow guildmates during recons, active heists and other larger-scale
thieving operations.
Recommended combinations with:
Footpad/Hoyden, Squealer, Cutpurse, Guttersnipe, Thimblerigger,
Dogsbody, Boxman, Master of Disguise
See also: Tricks
and conmanship, Stealth and sneaking skills,
Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills
BOXMAN
As
you walk the twisting Melzan streets, you notice two men around the
corner, chatting. As you pass them, you overhear their canty
conversation. “Well, not just any old dab hand. I'm a boxman,”
you hear one of them declare, with a smirk. His friend frowns,
scratches his beard or forehead, and looks at him with an expression
that betrays 'All right, I've got this…'. “Ah, I knows
what you is !,” he finally smiles triumphantly. “You one o'them
guys who do fist fighting in dem secret dens and places, roight ?”
The previously smirking man groans loudly, rolls his eyes and turns
to his less-savvy friend. “No, no… Don't you know the good old
street lingo ?!” “Well, coitanly, methinks I do.” “Tut-tut,
well I've just proven you wrong. A boxman is not a boxer. A boxman is
good at…” “Disguising himself fur a box, innit !” “Noooo !
A boxman is good at picking locks ! So good at it that he can leave
even the most skilled of locksmiths green with envy !” “Ohhhhh…”,
the pal raises his eyebrows and nods in appreciation. “Haha, and
now you know !”, retorts the smirker, amused and satisfied. Well,
is there any better way to introduce the Boxman, aka the classic
expert lockpicker ? Hardly. These men and women are one of the bread
and butter professions of professional thieving (and even non-Boxmen
thieves take pride in knowing how to break into or out of various
spaces with a few lockpicks up their sleeves, or in their pouches, at
the very least). Let's put aside old wives' tales of picking a lock
with a hairpin: Lockpicking is a skill that's relatively easy to
learn, but harder to master. Nevertheless, once you approach the
latter, you capability and versatility as a general thief will
increase greatly, and if you work hard to become a true pro, you can
become one of the most valuable thieves of a non-violent
specialisation. A well-trained Boxman can pull asunder the common but
infuriating obsctacle that separates you and the rest of your
teammates from a successfully carried out heist - a series of locks,
often with no stolen or replicated key at hand. A natural
professional combination for the Boxman is with the more narrowly
focused and demanding-in-technique Safecracker specialisation. Other
palatable crossovers on offer are with the Clacker, Gadgeteer, and
last but not least, the Gentleman Thief. In addition to his regular
work, the Boxman can also be valuable as a trainer of his other
thievy colleagues. Whereas the Safecracker is needed as a teacher for
more advanced lockpicking (including the titular safecracking), the
Boxman is indispensable for teaching them the more mundane forms of
outsmarting locks of all shapes and size.
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Teacher/Trainer
Profession in a nutshell:
An expert lockpicker, to whom no (or very few) locks, padlocks or
chests are a daunting prospect. Can double as a teacher of
lockpicking to other thieves.
Recommended combinations with:
Safecracker, Gadgeteer, Clacker, Adventurer
See also:
Lockpicking and trap disarming, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
CHARMER / CHARMETTE
Often,
sneaking or intimidation are insufficient while trying to gain an
edge in a freelancer’s or guild’s day-to-day activities and
business. So, if you can’t beat them… charm them. Or persuade
them. Whether male or female, a true master of street-wise psychology
can always find a way to convince otherwise stubborn, savvy or
irreproachable individuals to see things their way, without resorting
to even the slightest bit of violence or a single coarse word. Such
masters of mixing empathy and inquisitiveness are the "Charmers"
(males) and "Charmettes" (females).
Type of profession:
Conman
Profession in a nutshell: To a true
professional thief, the arts of diplomacy, haggling, deceit and
seduction should never be frowned upon. Charisma and personality can
often go a long way in acquiring what you want…
Recommended
combinations with: Gentleman Thief, Master of Disguise, Adventurer,
Squealer
See also: Tricks
and conmanship, Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills
CLACKER
One
of the newest professions of the thieving world, it has nevertheless
already found its footing and is bound to only further increase in
importance. Though electro-mechanical calculating engines (“calcs”)
and the information networks that connect them are still very rare,
some early birds have already popped up throughout the more civilised
parts of the known developed world. Our fair city, always trying its
best to keep up with the times, is no exception. This puts a
competitive strain on the thief guilds, old and new, but thankfully,
given the low level of diffusiveness of calcs so far, there's no need
for an extensive clacker-training programme yet. Nevertheless, it can
pay off having at least one “clacking” expert within a guild, for
extracting invaluable information useful for the planning of a major
heist, or for tampering with the city's public records in an way that
favours the low profile and survival of a guild. Due to the
new-fangled nature of the clacker profession, it takes quite a bit of
time to learn and it is very much a grasp-it-as-you-go-along-process,
but a clacker can certainly find employ if he/she looks hard enough.
Just beware of the Calc Crime Prevention and Policing Team while
operating in Melza. Those Watch guys are just no fun… When it comes
to profession combinations, the downside of the Clacker profession's
overall newness is that one simply doesn't have too many compatible
specialisations to choose from. Nevertheless, there are certain
natural choices available in terms of skillsets, such as Gadgeteer,
Boxman and Safecracker, and also attitude-based choices, such as the
Gentleman Thief.
Type of profession:
Conman
Profession in a nutshell: Cyberpunk this
isn't, but a hacker of mechanical and electro-mechanical computers
can always come in handy in this world…
Recommended combinations
with: Gadgeteer, Boxman, Safecracker, Gentleman Thief
See
also: Exploration, investigation and burglary skills, Artisan skills
CONJURER
Let's
clear up one thing right away: Thieves don't actually have
any sort of wizards, sorcerors or mages. Being a savvy lot that's
more knowledgeable about technology and physical skills than anything
arcane, this should hardly surprise anyone. Nevertheless, magic
exists in Aporue, and it can be somewhat harnessed and utilised, so
it's only natural thieves would show an interest in at least some of
its capabilities. Though hardly equipped with enough of a resource
base and knowledgebase to work on any advanced magic, the more
experimental-minded thieves have developed some tricks and practices
that can be put to good use. The distilled and refined version of
these magical procedures are the so-called "Seven
Spells of Larceny". If the Conjurer's title
sounds like something out of a circus or roadshow, that's no
coincidence. A Conjurer is able to utilise said Larceny Spells in a
way that compliments his own skills at stealth and sneaking, and at
coning, tricking and confusing various people. Even the most cunning
ones. To this end, a Conjurer needs certain natural energies for the
casting of his spells. He or she gains that energy by drawing it from
certain natural objects (samples of ores, herbs, etc.), or from
particular special items imbued with a finite amount of that energy
(e.g. amulets, pendants, charms, etc.). Combinations-wise, Conjurers
are predictably good choices for trainer roles, such as the
Lightsneaking, Soundsneaking and Pickpocketing Teacher. However, they
are also excellent when combined with the Alchemist and Shadowblade
professions, the duo that is closest to their heart. On the
street-savvy spying front, Conjurers can make dependable Squealers
(especially thanks to their eavesdropping spell-signs and
spell-scribbles) or focus on some money-earning or artefact-acquiring
conmanship as crafty Thimbleriggers.
Type of profession:
Stealth Expert, Conman
Profession in a nutshell: A
person in the thieving business who uses magic or „magic“ to
assist him in his escapades and to fool or dupe his adversaries if
needed.
Recommended combinations with: Lightsneaking Teacher,
Soundsneaking Teacher, Pickpocketing Teacher, Alchemist, Shadowblade,
Thimblerigger, Squealer
See also: Artisan skills, Magic
skills
COURIER
No
large-scale thieving enterprise could survive without the regular
movement of news and messages, both mundane and urgent. This is where
couriers come in, tirelessly and carefully peddling depeches from one
guild-allied place to the next. Couriers are true masters of getting
around as fast and incospicuously as possible, whether on foot or
mounted atop a living or exhaust-spewing steed. They not only take to
the streets when delivering messages, but also to the proverbial
“thieves' highway” - the scalable and traversable parts of the
city's many rooftops. A Courier is a good choice of profession for
those who have already dabbled in the Footpad/Hoyden specialisation.
As footpads often have similar (but more amateurish) skills, choosing
to specialise in courier skills can be a rather natural progression
choice in one's professional thieving career. An even more powerful
combination is that of a Courier and a Driver, as it lends an almost
wholly new degree of added mobility to one's Courier-focused
character. It is certainly worth a try, if you get the opportunity
and feel like it… Note that, while certainly available and
possible, the Courier profession is rather superfluous for freelancer
characters, as it has little use outside of an organised guild (other
than some of the individual skills and abilities associated with
being a courier). In addition to providing messenger and
communication services during specific missions (robberies, heists,
recons, etc.), the Courier can offer his or her fellow thief (or
thieves) message-delivering services during off-hours as well. Though
this time, it's for a small fee, of course… (Don't grumble over
this too much. “The money needs to be in circulation”, as a wise
old Guild Boss said once…)
Type of profession:
Field Agent
Profession in a nutshell: A swift and
skilled deliverer of the latest news, messages and intel. The
steampunk version of le parkour is the courier's bread and
butter.
Recommended combinations with: Driver,
Footpad/Hoyden, Thug, Brigand
See also: Movement skills
CUTPURSE
Also
referred to by many other names, including “snatcher”, and the
ever-popular “pickpocket”. What can be said about cutpurses ?
Quite a few things, actually. They aren't one of the most archetypal
ideas of a thief in the minds of many for nothing… Whether it's
Melza or any other larger city and town in Aporue, a Cutpurse is an
ubiquitous character of the thieving and criminal world, especially
on the more seedier streets, lanes and pathways of these tiny urban
worlds. Amateur pickpockets are the ones you either catch and tackle
yourself, or at the very worst sic the nearest Roundsman on them. But
you will virtually always hear them a bit, or notice them out of the
corner of your eye, or at least feel them making fidgety movements
while trying to nick something out of your pocket or relieve you of
that nice purse you're carrying on your belt. They are amateurs, dime
a'dozen street robbers, uncomplicated in their tactics or finesse.
Now, the expert pickpockets… Those are the ones you reall have to
be on the lookout for ! They mean business, and are not prone to
clumsily giving away their illicit activities committed on unlucky
fellow pedestrians, in any way, shape or form. Often, while walking
or standing somewhere, you will only feel an odd, faint breeze
passing next to one of your arms… Then nothing, things are back to
normal. And then… After a short while, you realise your clothing is
somehow lighter. Bypassers then witness the old familiar, almost
stereotypical scene: Your's truly going through his or her clothes
with a mounting expression of astonishment, bewilderment, shock,
followed by that well-worn phrase: “Robbed ! I've been robbed !
Help, help, there's a thief on the lose !”. With the proliferation
of professional thievery in many great cities of Aporue, it is not
all too shocking to see commoners not even react to these regular
displays of individual exasperation anymore. Somebody got
pickpocketed ? Big deal, just another mundane occurence, like the
first few millions of times. If this sounds good to you, it's time to
practice those “quiet sneaking up on someone” techniques or
“accidentally bumping into someone” maneuvers, and maybe you too
will soon broaden the roster of infamous Cutpurses in Melza or
elsewhere. Beware, like many of the stealthier professions,
pickpocketing is something fairly easy to learn the basics of, but
often hard to truly master (it takes some time, from months up to
several years, if at all). An indisputably logical combination of
specialisations for the Cutpurse is the position of a Pickpocketing
Teacher. Some other common (but obviously not only) combinations
include the Dogsbody, Footpad/Hoyden, or other related conmen, such
as the Thimblerigger. Of the primarily stealth-focused professions,
the most natural combination choice by far is the Shadowblade (as a
Skulker is better suited for eavesdropping-focused sneakers).
Type of profession:
Conman
Profession in a nutshell: A bona fide
versatile pickpocketing specialist, pure and simple.
Recommended
combinations with: Pickpocketing Teacher, Dogsbody, Footpad/Hoyden,
Thimblerigger, Shadowblade
See also: Tricks
and conmanship, Stealth and sneaking skills, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
DOGSBODY
Among
the higher-up positions within an established thieves' guild or
fellowship of thieves, the Dogsbody walks a fine line between
increased relevance to his superiors and being just another thief who
does all sorts of chores. The Dogsbody is often (but not always) what
you get when you have a Footpad or Hoyden partly follow their
established trajectory. The Dogsbody can, in a nutshell, be described
as a more mature and comfier variation on being a Footpad/Hoyden.
However, just like that entry-level specialisation, the Dogsbody
suffers from being something of a jacks-of-all-trades, master of
none. While some enjoy the role of a Dogsbody and stick to it (often
combined with another profession), many professional thieves opt to
eventually abandon it for other professional orientations (just like
their Footpad or Hoyden status earlier) once they continue with
training new skills. To freelancer thieves, a wholly Dogsbody
specialisation is almost useless, as they already are their own
managers and caretakers in virtually everything pertaining to their
livelihood. Freelancers grouped in unofficial, non-guild fellowships
can find the specialisation somewhat more useful. Due to being one of
the most versatile specialisations, it is no surprise that the
Dogsbody has a fairly large number of recommended combinations with
other professions, available to freelancers and fellowship or guild
members alike. However, this number certainly isn't infinite, nor is
it unlimited in scope. The majority of recommended combinations
available to a Dogsbody can be summed up as a collection of
managerial or security specialisations. The managerial ones include
the likes of Recruiter, Cook-quartermaster, Pencil-pusher, Profiteer
and Pawnbroker, while the security ones include virtually all of the
four archetypes (Guard, Brigand, Fixer, Thug). The most prominent
combination with a field agent specialisation is that with the
Courier.
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Guild Management
Profession in a nutshell:
One of the most versatile occupations in a guild, a
jack-of-all-trades lackey for both guild management and lower-level
street work. Dogsbodies can be thought of as a more mature variation
on the Footpad/Hoyden.
Recommended combinations with:
Courier, Recruiter, Cook-quartermaster, Pencil-pusher, Thug, Brigand,
Fixer, Guard, Profiteer, Pawnbroker
See also:
Managerial skills, Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills
DRIVER
Everyone
needs to travel, to varying degrees, in various ways. Even for
professional thieves, getting around is one of the most common and
crucial aspects of their everyday lives and careers. While walking
remains the cheapest and most obvious method of transport to
virtually everyone, there always comes a time when you can't rely on
a calm stroll, a spirited jog or on your le parkour skills.
Sometimes, you simply need to employ other methods of transport, with
various mounts and vehicles as your people-movers of choice. While in
truly advanced city states like Melza, there is already a tradition
of public-funded mass transit systems for the general public (or at
least part of it), most of the animal-drawn or motorised vehicles are
in private hands. That includes the vehicles of professional thieves,
often disguised to blend in with every other civilian vehicles, be
they on wheels or floating. The question isn't “What use would
thieves have for vehicles ?”. It should be rather phrased “What
vehicles could be of most use to thieves ?”. Well, a little bit of
everything, really. Seemingly inconspicuous vehicles used for
reconaissance and smuggling, speedy vehicles with skilled drivers
used for getaways, there are many potential uses… Whether powered
by animal or human muscles or by one of the new-fangled steam, petrol
or even electric engines, an array of two-wheeled and four-wheeled
land contraptions and boats of various sizes can be found virtually
in every larger grouping of professional thieves, even some of the
poorer guilds. However, one element in the equation that the vehicle
by itself can never replace on its own is the person who ties it all
together - the Driver. Train your drivers well, or develop some
Driver skills yourself, and your little fellowship or guild of
thieves might gain a surprising new level of mobility, one never
dreamed before. As far as specialisation combinations are concerned,
a natural choice for a Driver character would be to also dabble in
the Courier specialisation. (This can be particularly effective to
characters who further specialise in speed and reconnaissance and
come equipped with a fast method of transport, such as a courser or
postal horse, a bicycle, or even a motorbike.) Due the nature of the
Driver's mundane chores, he or she also offers good combinations with
the likes of the Smuggler, as well as swift-footed fighters like the
Thug or Brigand. Even fairly “generic” specialisations, such as a
Footpad/Hoyden or a Dogsbody, can work well with a driver once you
develop your own pace and approach to things. In addition to
providing transportation during specific missions (robberies, heists,
recons, etc.), the Driver can offer his or her fellow thief (or
thieves) a lift during off-hours as well. Though this time, it's for
a small fee, of course… (Don't grumble over this too much. “The
money needs to be in circulation”, as a wise old Guild Boss said
once…)
Type of profession:
Field Agent
Profession in a nutshell: The fellow or
lady who helps you get around the city or its surrounding countryside
in a faster way, usually via some vehicle that can carry at least one
passenger. Depending on their personal skills and further degrees of
specialisation, drivers can operate anything from bikes and
rickshaws, horse carts, buggies and carriages, rowboats and shuttles,
to motorbikes, passenger cars and vans, and steamboats and
speedboats.
Recommended combinations with: Courier, Dogsbody,
Footpad/Hoyden, Brigand, Thug, Smuggler
See also:
Mounts
and vehicles, Riding
and driving
FOOTPAD / HOYDEN
A
thieves‘ guild can be thought of in many different ways: As a
peculiar but honest business like any other, as a fellowship of
like-minded people, as a true family with its own relationships and
ties… But you can also think of it as an army – an army that
always appreciates new recruits, and is always in need of
footsoldiers. You can think of footpads and hoydens as exactly that
(in a manner of speaking). Mostly recruited among younger people
(from children to 30s-somethings), and usually among the lower social
classes or among individuals down on their luck, footpads and hoydens
act as the basic gofers of an organisation of thieves. Entry-level
professions in a thieves‘ guild have two defining characteristics:
They’re some of the most versatile specialisations available, and
they usually don’t offer too much advantages in terms of one’s
skills and equipment. Footpads and hoydens fit the aforementioned
sentence like a glove. In their own little way, they are (almost)
jacks-of-all-trades, but masters of none. Any professional thief
interested in his or her own career growth usually abandons the
Footpad or Hoyden status, once he/she continues with training of new
skills, for other potential professional orientations. Even the most
immediate natural choices of new specialisations - mostly made up of
smaller “field agent” offerings - have plenty of room for one's
continuing early career growth. Also, it isn't too unusual that many
Footpads or Hoydens partly follow their established trajectory and
become a fellowship's or guild's Dogsbodies at first (or remain in
that role), as it's effectivelly something of a more mature and
comfier variation on being a Footpad. To freelancer thieves, a wholly
Footpad specialisation is almost useless, unless they are starting
absolutely from scratch, and at a relatively young age. Freelancers
grouped in unofficial, non-guild fellowships can find the
specialisation somewhat more useful. The same rule of thumb also
applies (broadly) to those (usually older) freelancers that have
chosen Dogsbody as one of their specialisations.
Type of profession:
Field Agent
Profession in a nutshell: One of the
most versatile occupations in a guild, a jack-of-all-trades lackey
for lower-level street work and occassionally for guild management as
well. Dogsbodies can be thought of as a younger variation on the
Footpad and Hoyden.
Recommended combinations with: Courier,
Driver, Skulker, Cutpurse, Thimblerigger, Beggar, Guttersnipe
See
also: Movement skills, Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills
GENTLEMAN
THIEF / LADY THIEF
When someone says “thief” or
“professional thief”, the first thing the vast majority of people
imagine is a gruffer, rather plainly clad fellow or lady. One that
might not be that knowledgeable about manners and ethiquette, and
though smart, might speak in a somewhat overly “two quips and the
truth” argotic twang. No matter the effort and no matter the actual
nature of a person, it's hard to shake off these preconceptions, as
far as first impressions are concerned. What better way to avoid them
then, than to train yourself as the proverbial Gentleman Thief (or
Lady Thief) ? Now we're talking ! Suave, stylish, snarky and maybe
even a wee bit sultry, the male or female “Gent” (to use a term
common to guilds) makes even the greatest doubters and the poshest
members of local society raise their eyebrows in surprise and maybe
slightly nod in appreciation. Unsurprisingly, specialisation
combinations ideal for this thievy profession come from an array that
can be deemed somewhat… “milquetoast” (at least at face value).
Conman professions such as Charmer/Charmette and Master of Disguise
are rather self-explanatory as choices, but powerful combinations can
be found in more managerial (Heist Planner) and field agent niches
(Adventurer) as well, or even those that potentially blend the
characteristics of a field worker and a teacher (Boxman,
Safecracker).
Type of profession:
Conman
Profession in a nutshell: Most professional
thieves are a rather gruff and earthy bunch, both in appearance and
mannerisms, but the gentleman thief is the slick exception that
proves the rule.
Recommended combinations with:
Charmer/Charmette, Boxman, Safecracker, Master of Disguise, Heist
Planner, Adventurer
See also: Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
GUTTERSNIPE
To
many, guttersnipes are the lowest of the low even among the ranks of
the city’s impoverished (and often street-dwelling) social classes.
But, to people in organised crime and particularly to professional
thieves, guttersnipes can be a real godsend, to the point that they
deliberately train their own. How to describe an average Guttersnipe,
whether a genuine one (e.g. a sewer dweller) or a professionally
inclined one (e.g. a thief guild agent) ? Well, this profession is
essentially based around being a subterranean scout, one who „knows
the lay of the land“ in the city’s sewer and drainage system, as
well as where and what to look out for while performing above-ground
recon around the city’s polluted riversides and riverbeds.
Guttersnipes also tend to have a fair share of near-intimate
knowledge of old catacombs, crypts and other rarely-visited spaces
beneath the city’s surface. Being a guttersnipe is not a walk in
the park: Due to their skills requiring a near-obsessive level of
knowledge and a willingness to explore every nook and cranny in even
the most foul-smelling and unsavoury places, professional
guttersnipes are often somewhat avoided even by their fellow thieves.
As an old paraphrase of a popular idiom goes, „for a guttersnipe,
it’s lonely at the bottom“. If one is looking for combining
specialisations, several street-savvy ones provide the best choices.
A particularly effective pair of combinations is the Guttersnipe-Skulker
and Guttersnipe-Squealer (both great for intel gathering), though
other good choices include the Guttersnipe-Beggar, the slightly
exotic Guttersnipe-Adventurer and others…
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Conman
Profession in a nutshell: Might
smell insanely, but you'll never find a person more knowledgeable
about the city's sewers and ancient catacombs than the fearless
guttersnipe.
Recommended combinations with: Skulker,
Squealer, Beggar, Footpad/Hoyden, Thug, Adventurer
See also: Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
MASTER
OF DISGUISE
It's the old theme that has fascinated many
for centuries, and since the rise of cheaper printing and penny
dreadfuls, the number of those captivated by it has only risen. You
know what we're talking about. The art of disguise. And the people
skilled in choosing and switching their clothing, their facial hair,
facial expressions and gestures, and even their voices. Like with all
sorts of conman skills, the ability to disguise oneself and adopt
different fake identities is often seen by some as being almost akin
to magic. In truth, only very few rogues and criminals throughout
Aporue rely on any sort of magic to disguise their true identities
from the unsuspecting public. What the vast majority of them use
instead is a great degree of cunning, an obsessive attention to
details others might overlook, a great knowledge of people's
behaviour, tics and thinking, and last but not least, also the good
sense of not overdoing one's physical as well as behavioural
disguise. (Yes, there is such a thing as overdoing - it can raise
others' incredulity or cause an outright alarm just as much as
underplaying the disguise.) The Master of Disguise is something of a
strange beast in the world of professional thieves. Unlike most, he
or she isn't one who relies primarily on sneaking around unseen and
unheard, but instead openly risks by relying on what can be only
described as “social stealth”. Instead of the worrying about the
amount of darkness around him or the footsteps he makes, like his
colleagues do, the MoD prefers to be finicky about his exterior in
the most complex manner possible. Complexity and details are
everything to a user of disguises. Combinations-wise, Masters of
Disguise are predictably good choices for trainer roles, particularly
the Pickpocketing Teacher. However, they are also excellent when
combined with the Beggar, Gentleman Thief and Charmer/Charmette
professions, the trio that is closest to their heart. Their skillsets
can also prove valuable to Shadowblades and Adventurers.
Type of profession:
Stealth Expert, Conman
Profession in a nutshell:
Sometimes, a classic approach to stealthiness will not do. In such
cases, having a specialist in the art of faking one's own appearance
and identity can be a major asset to any fellowship or guild of
thieves.
Recommended combinations with: Pickpocketing
Teacher, Charmer/Charmette, Gentleman Thief, Shadowblade, Adventurer,
Beggar
See also: Stealth and sneaking skills, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
PICKPOCKETING
TEACHER
There really isn't that much to say about the
Pickpocketing Teacher - the name says it all. Any professional thief
that's been doing pickpocketing for long enough and effectivelly
enough can try their hand at raising the next generation of
purse-and-pocket-pilferers (or, to put it in thief argot,
"threepees").
Type of profession:
Teacher/Trainer
Profession in a nutshell: Thieving
and stealth expert who teaches others how to become proficient in the
art of pickpocketing.
Recommended combinations with:
Cutpurse, Shadowblade, Lightsneaking Teacher, Soundsneaking
Teacher
See also: Tricks
and conmanship, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
SAFECRACKER
Opening
up safes and other treasuries of higher complexity is not exactly the
same as unlocking a simple chest or storeroom door. Where basic
lockpicking skills are usually adequate, they might prove too
unrefined while attempting to figure out the mechanism of safes and
other high-security encasements of the most valuable and profitable
pieces of loot. Where a Boxman might become vexed and admit he's met
his match, his more specialised cousin, the Safecracker, can take
over. Often eschewing more typical forms of lockpicks, but carrying
sound-enhancing devices and having a mind well-trained in analytical
thinking, the Safecracker can pull asunder even seemingly
insurmountable combination-based obsctacles that separate you and the
rest of your teammates from a successfully carried out heist. A
natural professional combination for the Safecracker is with the more
mundane Boxman specialisation. Other palatable crossovers on offer
are with the Clacker, Gadgeteer, and last but not least, the
Gentleman Thief. In addition to his regular work, the Safecracker can
also be valuable as a trainer of his other thievy colleagues. Whereas
the Boxman can teach them the basics of lockpicking, the Safecracker
is indispensable of teaching them more advanced and more specialised
techniques.
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Teacher/Trainer
Profession in a nutshell:
Being a lockpicking expert in the vein of the Boxman is just the
start. For more complex and demanding burglaries and heists, you
might as well hire the services of a safecracker. Recommended
combinations with: Boxman, Gadgeteer, Clacker, Gentleman Thief
See
also: Lockpicking and trap disarming, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
SHADOWBLADE
If
the Skulker is one who specialises in absolute stealthiness without
the use of any aids, and the Adventurer is one who bolsters his
stealth with the use of simple tools, then the Shadowblade is a
stealth expert who sits rather comfortably between these two sneaky
opposites. Where an Adventurer might pull out a trick arrow from his
quiver and use it to disable a trap or light source, the Shadowblade
would „simply rough it“ and rely on his/her highly-trained or
slightly magic-enhanced reflexes. Where a Skulker would scoff at the
mere idea of carrying anything larger than a pouch of lockpicks, the
Shadowblade will not shy away from bringing smaller melee weapons
(usually bladed, hence the name) and simple gadgets along for a job.
If they run into opponents that are hard to avoid without triggering
an even greater threat, they often have a tendency to dispatch them
almost in the manner of an ambush predator: At the least expected
moment, “from nowhere” and tidy away the knocked out (or killed)
adversary as swiftly as they took him down. They are perhaps the
fastest of the stealth-focused thieves, in terms of their field work
and the occassional combat. Shadowblades are, not surprisingly,
something of a problematic specialisation to get down right. In a
certain sense, they don't really exist as a perfectly distinct form
of thief/agent, but rather combine the traits of several archetypes.
They have the weaponry focus of the Adventurer (albeit different, for
close combat), the concealment prowess or blending-into-a-crowd
abilities of a Master of Disguise (though usually more secretive and
less complex), and last but not least, the propensity to utilise
magic as an additional tool to their limbs and cold steel sidearms.
Combinations-wise, Shadowblades are predictably good choices for
trainer roles, such as the Lightsneaking, Soundsneaking and
Pickpocketing Teacher. However, they are also excellent when combined
with the Conjurer and Master of Disguise professions, the duo that is
closest to their heart. In a branching out to the more mundane and
managerial professions, Shadowblades can also make for decent
Smugglers, and among conmen, they can also be good Cutpurses with
enough training.
Type of profession:
Stealth Expert, Field Agent
Profession in a nutshell:
The master of combining sneaking skills and fast melee skills. In
between the Skulker and the Adventurer.
Recommended combinations
with: Lightsneaking Teacher, Soundsneaking Teacher,
Pickpocketing Teacher, Conjurer, Master of Disguise, Cutpurse,
Smuggler
See also: Stealth and sneaking skills,
Combat skills and self-defence,
Movement skills
SKULKER
As
their name implies, Skulkers are genuine specialists at stealthiness,
no ifs or buts. Whereas the Adventurer might bring along some
projectile and melee weaponry, the Shadowblade might rely on his
movement skills and melee weapons if needed, and the Conjurer might
have some magic trickery up his sleeve, the Skulker is someone who
goes completely and utterly for a “back to basics” approach to
stealthiness. As the practitioners of skulking among Melzan thieves
say: “No extra equipment, no gimmicks, just you and your movements
and senses.” Throwing aside notions of armaments, gadgetry and
spells, Skulkers might seem foolhardy at face value, to other stealth
trainees and stealth veterans alike. But its that exact confidence in
their abilities that ensures they rarely fall into a trap or get
caught, despite carrying almost no gear with them, save for their
clothes and maybe a set of lockpicks. Some of the more specialised
missions Skulkers excel at the most are ones related to eavesdropping
or spying on others. Many people seem to doubt that Skulkers rely on
little else than their months and years of patient training. They
doubt it more out of an impression that Skulkers possess near-magical
degrees of keen senses and self-control of their own movements,
rather than a general disbelief in the probability of these being
achievable via exhaustive but all the more rewarding “stealth
dressage”. Nevertheless, pretty much all of the doubters tend to be
proven wrong fairly quickly once they observe a Skulker in action,
especially over a period of time. The downside to being a Skulker by
trade is one's own uncompromising defencelesness (though some
Skulkers learn some basic fisticuffs techniques), one's reliance on
patience and focus at all times, and finally the fact that training
to become a true Skulker… well, takes a lot of time. In fact, the
most out of the five primarily stealthy specialisations favoured by
professional thieves. Becoming a Skulker is not something achieved in
relatively short order by a newbie in the professional thieving
world. Combinations-wise, Skulkers are predictably good choices for
trainer roles, such as the Lightsneaking Teacher and Soundsneaking
Teacher. However, they are particularly excellent (almost unmatched)
when combined with the underground-prowling Guttersnipe and
street-observing Beggar professions, the duo that is closest to their
heart. Other rather compatible combinations include the Squealer
(eavesdropping/intel-gathering jobs) and Courier (stealthy le parkour
message running). And due to the oft-early age one starts his Skulker
training, also the Footpad/Hoyden option (often sharing the Squealer
and Courier traits).
Type of profession:
Stealth Expert, Field Agent
Profession in a nutshell:
Many thieves and scouts prefer to be at least lightly armed and be
willing to hazard a confrontation, but the Skulker prides himself in
being a true master of stealth, a complete ghost of a person. The
Shadowblade is further up the scale and the Adventurer is the other
end of the scale.
Recommended combinations with:
Lightsneaking Teacher, Soundsneaking Teacher, Guttersnipe, Beggar,
Squealer, Footpad/Hoyden
See also: Stealth and sneaking skills,
Movement skills
SQUEALER
Professional
thieving could simply not exist without professional intel provided
by professional scouts. The squealers are the traditional and
time-tested (if not always reliable) sources of intel, hearsay,
rumours and gossip in the city. They are the extended eyes, ears and
noses of a freelancer and guild affiliated with them. Though the info
they provide can be depended on to be reasonably accurate most of the
time, it often needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. It can always
be rather pricy and require some degree of haggling to acquire.
Nevertheless, info provided by a squealer might prove very
interesting to any self-respecting thief who carefully plans ahead.
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Conman
Profession in a nutshell:
Informant for freelancers and guild-organised thieves alike. Hire or
train squealers and pay them well and they'll happily bring you the
latest gossip, rumours and overheard conversations.
Recommended
combinations with: Skulker, Beggar, Courier, Guttersnipe,
Footpad/Hoyden, Dogsbody, Charmer/Charmette
See also: skills
SMUGGLER
Let's
not beat around the bush. These people are virtually //everywhere//,
dealing with nearly every imaginable type of goods worth smuggling.
Officially, city authorities like to pretend the vast majority of
trade in The City (and the income from it) is conducted legally, but
this is hopelessly idealistic. Even before the founding of the local
monarchy, the city state was home to illegal trade that, like its
criminal underworld, formed the other side of the same coin. A
shadier side, but one that became the traditional, near-equal
lifeblood of the state's economy, for better and worse. Contemporary
smugglers in Melza and beyond are people from a wide variety of
backgrounds, from near-destitute henchmen looking to earn a bit of
coin, to wealthy and unscrupulous speculators belonging to the
nouveau riche. Average people, tradesmen and shopkeepers smuggle. The
mobsters smuggle. The mudlarks and scamps smuggle. Dubious men for
hire smuggle. Some merchants from abroad risk smuggling as well. Even
the authorities often turn a blind eye to smuggling, provided there
are some benefits ! And thieves are no different, having some of the
better organised local smuggling networks. Of all the field
occupations in a thieves' guild, smuggling might be the most
perpetually dangerous business. The risk of eventually getting caught
red-handed is often higher than in the case of heists, those more
unpredictable endeavours. Whole departments of the local police force
have been devoted to stamp out the worst of smuggling, or keep it
under control. Enter you, someone brave enough (or foolhardy enough
?) to take part in this effort, an effort ill fit for anyone unable
to cope with a near-constant sense of paranoia. A good smuggler
trusts his instincts, a good smuggler is paranoid in just the right
ways. Ask the professionals.
Type of profession:
Field Agent, Conman
Profession in a nutshell:
Without the tireless efforts of these people, traders and smuggling
missions would be practically impossible. Smugglers might not be the
most pleasant bunch at face value, but they are invaluable to any
bigger and better connected guild. All smugglers are directly
subordinate to a guild Aide.
Recommended combinations with:
Profiteer, Dough Fence, Artwork Fence, Jewellery Fence, Brigand,
Driver, Shadowblade
See also: Tricks
and conmanship, Managerial skills, Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills
THIMBLERIGGER
A
little extra income never hurts anybody. And as everyone knows,
certain types of people are gullible enough to fall for a few cunning
tricks involving some small-scale hazard. The more disreputable
strata of townsmen who specialise in thimblerigging, forged card
games, or games of dice with loaded utensils, can quickly realise
these are a good source of a small, but steady and continuous income.
The big Money is in the proper „jobs“, Whether a thimblerigger
is making money for himself as a freelancer, or earning
something on the side for the needs of a fellowship or thieves'
guild, knowing a thing or two about fooling others can come in
handy anytime
Type of profession:
Conman
Profession in a nutshell: Conman who
specialises in robbing people clean of their hard-earned money via
cunning gambling tricks.
Recommended combinations with:
Dogsbody, Footpad/Hoyden, Thug, Brigand, Pawnbroker, Squealer
See
also: Tricks
and conmanship, Dialogue, diplomatic and social skills
2.) TEACHERS AND TRAINERS
Sorted by alphabetical order.
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Copyright
(C) 2014 - 2024 P. Molnár
(C) 2014 - 2024 Knight-Errant Studios
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