Tuluk - registering as a thief/assassin

Started by Anonymous, February 28, 2003, 08:35:50 AM

I'm intrigued by the idea of thieves and assassins getting a license of some sort from the templarate in Tuluk.  

My question is this - what would someone living in Tuluk know about this?   And is it at all public information?   (It would seem to defeat the purpose if it were, but just wondering...)   I mean, it's not like magickers wearing their black gems in Allanak is it?  


The two main things I was wondering - if someone was licensed as a thief or assassin, would that be likely to get back to their clan?  And would being licensed in Tuluk create issues with moving to Allanak later on?

I know anything's possible - but I guess I'm just trying to get a sense of the 'danger' to someone's reputation that would be associated to the idea of being licensed

I think yer mistaken about assassin registration as a guild, anyone can be an assassin regardless of their chosen guild.

And I think I read somewhere in the faq_files or help system that in order to assassinate someone inside the town of Tuluk that a license must be obtained to do so. However, I'm remembering that it did not say that the specific person performing the assassination has to buy the liscense.

And it specificly said that the license was not a "free kill" but only for the right to kill someone specific.

Yep, I reread the documentation on Tuluk, and I see now how it works for assassins.


And actually I was more curious about registering as a thief.   e.g. who would know who the registered thieves are besides the templars?

Who would know besides the Templarate?

Gods, I hope no one, except the thief!   :wink:

Might be difficult to make a living if the following occurs whenever your thiefy PC enters a room:

The man in black enters the tavern.

The balding, well-dressed man glances over at the tavern entrance, his eyes widening slightly.

A hushed silence falls over several tables, including the balding, well-dressed man's.

Leaning closer to him at their shared table, the luxurious-haired, blue-eyed woman whispers to the balding, well-dressed man.

The balding, well-dressed man nods his head to the luxurious-haired, blue-eyed woman, quickly removing his belt purse and tucking it within his snug-fitting red silk tunic.

The luxurious-haired, blue-eyed woman nods to the balding, well-dressed man and removes her rings, placing them within her sturdy closable leather shoulder pack, and hugging it tightly to herself.

The man in black sighs softly and steps out into the street.


This might happen to you if you're not careful as a registered thief in Tuluk!   :twisted:

If you mean who would know about the registration policy of thieves in Tuluk, and not specifically registered thieves themselves, I believe the entire city's populace would know of the policy.  While they would also probably know of the assassination policies, I think that due to the greater rarity of assassination licenses, citizens would know less of any specific workings than they would with theif registration.

As far as who knows of a specific registered thief, its safe to assume the templarate would know, and could perhaps be speculated that certain other members of the government might know, but specifics of that would probably have to be found out ICly.
iva La Resistance!
<Miee> The Helper Death Commando is right.

For all the morrowind players... I picture it kinda like the Morag Tong.
They grant writs of execution to registered members, and these are carried out with the approval of the law.

I wouldnt see why the templarate would register people as assassins unless they expected them to kill people.

Its probably a secret between the templarate and other members... until you've started killing I imagine.

anyways, just some thoughts.

You don't register as an assassin, you purchase a liscense before each kill. Different people will cost more or less money depending on who they are, who they know etc...

Thieves register once and don't have to buy liscenses.

Both are expected to do thier jobs discreetly.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Though I may not be the best person to answer this question, I'll take a crack at it as best I can:

Who would know who has a thieves liscense, other than the Templarate and the Thief? Probably anybody who the thief told, or was around when the thief got the liscense in the first place. Why would a thief tell anyone? Lots of reasons:

You have to remember that Tuluk (or anywhere on Zalanthas, really) isn't a culture we're really used to on Earth. Tuluki's are very interested in The Arts and Culture - and many things are considered an 'art form' to the Tuluki, from fighting, to painting, to even thievery.

From the helpfiles:
QuoteThe society of Tuluk is based on strong ritual and symbolism. In all parts of its culture, levels of knowledge are unusually high, yet practical applications of knowledge were few. The citizens of the north have a well known hunger for art of any kind and of any quality.

Ergo...being a 'Thief' in Tuluk could possibly be as open and accepted a job as being a Mercenary (which is basically a hired killer/grunt), or a weaponsmith (a hired crafter). Will they still arrest you for being a thief? Yes. Might someone still want to kill you for stealing their stuff? Yes. Might a Templar, Noble, or even Merchant house want to hire someone, specifically as a thief? Possibly.

On the same vein, 'assassin' might be an open job for someone in Tuluk. The Tuluki don't have the same issues (At least, exactly the same) as we do.

Some things to think about being a thief in Tuluk: Just because you have a liscense to do it, doesn't mean you should go willy nilly stealing everything under the sun. I imagine a Tuluki 'Thief' would be very professional about what he does: takes contracts to steal -certain- things for his employers, or 'finds' rare and expensive objects for collectors and the like. A Tuluki thief might specialize only in stealing certain things...art, weapons, etc - and might consider simple pickpocketing to be too easy...alittle like Elves in this way.

Regular Tuluki might view a Thief or an Assassin (or someone known to pick up a few Liscenses for Assassinations from Templars) with alittle distrust and caution - afterall, if he isn't working for you, theres a chance he's working against you. This is why professionalism would be of the utmost importance to a good Thief or Assassin.

Think of it alittle like Conan: when Conan meets Subotai for the first time, Subotai introduces himself as "Subotai - Master Archer, and Thief!" Subotai, in this example, would have already gotten his liscense from the Templarate. Conan, also a Tuluki, doesn't care much, since he's got both eyes on Subotai, and they've become friends. Unless he's a real prick, why would someone steal from his buds? Eventually, Conan, Subotai and Valeria all hook up, and become thieves together. Do they become highway brigands? No...they go after the real deal: the Eye of the Serpent. Later, Conan takes out an Assassins liscense on Thulsa Doom, and kills him in front of his Cult.

Does this makes it alittle clearer?

-Tlaloc
Tlaloc
Legend


I think that, for some, it would be a mark of proffesionalism.  In real life would you preffer to deal with a registered and liscenced accountant, Lawyer, Doctor, Tutor, mechanic, hairdresser, etc., or your friend's cousin who does it under the table?  Sometimes you might just have a buddy help you put in new sparkplugs, but if you are paying someone for the job you want a proffesional.  Some begger kid who has started nicking things to survive won't have the money to purchase a theives license, you have to be putting a little money aside to be able to afford the liscense at all.  It's like a Merchanting Liscense in Allanak; newbie money aside, you have to be somewhat successful before you can even consider buying the liscence.  Unlike a merchant license, you don't get a nifty token to show people, but if are interested in getting jobs you might tell people you are a registered thief.

Having the liscense also means that the Templars have you on a list of people they can contract to do certain kinds of work.  Suppose you are a Templar and you find a mysterious chamber, and you have reason to believe it might have a hidden exit or cupboard, who are you going to call?  Most soldiers don't specialize in smuggling and hiding loot, so a thief (with the search skill) might actually be better at finding that hidden exit than a platoon of regular soldiers.  You might find a locked room, chest or wagon and want to examine the contents without destroying them, your loyal half-giant soldier is willing to use his massive axe to get you past the lock, but that is indiscrete.  Then there is the Mission: Imposible stuff that they need done, but don't want to get their hands dirty with, and don't want traced back to them.  It isn't like you can just go up to a random elf and say "I assume you are a theif, I'll pay you 2000 coins to break into the Tor estate and bring me back the green marble vestric statue," because the elf may not have the skills to do it, may prefer to have his cousin carve a new green marble vestric statue and try to palm it off as the one you wanted, or in general do things in an unproffesional and indiscrete manner.

A registered thief isn't satisfied with scratching out a meager living by stealing people's knives off their belts.  He is, or at least aspires to be, a master of the art.  In Tuluk master thief or master assassin is as much an Artist as a master painter or master carver.

AC
Treat the other man's faith gently; it is all he has to believe with."     Henry S. Haskins