The Social Overview of Thieves

How does this society view thieves? Are they vigorously exterminated wherever they can be found? Are they encouraged to leave town by the closest available gate? Or are they an integral part of the city's infrastructure, contributing to its economic life every bit as directly (if not, perhaps, as constructively) as the trading of merchants?

The answers to these questions determine, to a great extent, what kind of status a thief might hold in the society. Of course, status is almost always enhanced by wealth, but a wealthy thief, in many societies, is still regarded as mere scum, however cleansed and sanitized he may be on the surface.

In areas where thieves are vigorously persecuted, thief characters will have to operate almost entirely underground. Even the location of such a major establishment of the thieves guild will be a carefully guarded secret. The guild headquarters might move around frequently, changing locations at the first hint of detection.

Thieves in these types of societies will probably need to have several alternate hideouts lined up, ready for use at a moment's notice. The number of thieves working together, whether in a guild or a more informal band, will be small. Paranoia among the members will be common, and even the hint of betrayal will likely meet with gruesome consequences.

Indeed, thieves in societies that strive to root them out will often be forced to resort to a cover occupation or identity, simply to maintain appearances with neighbors, casual acquaintances, and even curious members of the city watch. The development of the cover can involve as much time and detail as player and DM want to spend. In this type of culture, a thief's success at his cover can affect his fortunes every bit as much as his performance on the job.

While a cover provides a thief character with an inherent professional weakness, it can also provide wonderful opportunities for roleplaying. Additionally, a thief who works to preserve a cover might find himself working in an area that is normally closed to thieves. This entails a corresponding increase in the likelihood of encountering lucrative targets for theft. Also, there will often be a relative lack of competition from other thieves in such an environment.

Conversely, societies where thieves are at least tolerated, and those where thieves are accorded rank of some status, present thief player characters with other challenges. Because of the notoriously chaotic nature of the class, thieves are constantly adjusting the status of members within their ranks. Thieves who would succeed must struggle to stand out from the masses. Where every street has its cutpurses and every neighborhood its petty boss, the thief PC will find himself in the midst of savage competition. He will nearly always be forced to choose sides. Although this selection can include the choice of independent operations, of course, most thieves look upon those who are not declared friends as undeclared enemies. Competition from other thieves and thief organizations becomes a major conflict for these characters.

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