You cover your mistake... Not

[RogueGunslinger]

>
steal coins blah
You quietly approach your target.

>
You cover your mistake before he discovers you.
The blah-blah, blah human shouts, in northern-accented sirihish:
     "Thief! Thief!"


Is this a bug? If I covered my mistake, why the hell is he shouting abut a thief?

[Xygax]

If he feels a hand on his purse without knowing -you're- the thief, he'll still yell "Thief, thief!!" but you won't take the blame.

-- X

[jcljules]

If he feels a hand on his purse without knowing -you're- the thief, he'll still yell "Thief, thief!!" but you won't take the blame.

-- X

So if this happens, the victim shouts but you aren't automatically crimmed?

[SMuz]

Only if there aren't any PCs in the room

[Xygax]

Right, you shouldn't acquire a criminal flag, and soldiers will not codedly pursue you.  PCs should play (ideally) as if the offender is not known, as well, if the room is described as containing VNPCs or contains NPCs.

-- X

[jcljules]

Can an outside observer tell that you covered your mistake, though? Won't they just see "Thief! Thief!" and assume you to be a criminal?

[Simple]

It could be someone hidden. Don't assume.

Edit: Or do assume for RP fun.

[mansa]

I think the echo for the victim is:

You feel something in your belongings.

Or similar to that.  It doesn't give an sdesc of anybody.  You will get this echo even if the thief is hidden in the room.

[Thunkkin]

Oh man.  If I felt "something" in my belongings, I'd totally freak out assuming there was a rat or lizard or something in there ...

[jcljules]

You feel something in your belongings touching your junk.

The problem is... if I was a third party, outside observer PC--and I saw a PC in the room, then heard "Thief, Thief!" from an NPC. I probably wouldn't stop and think to myself--hey, that could have been a vNPC who committed the robbery. I would just assume it was the PC and that the NPC spotted them.

Is there any indication to third parties that the thief was not identified?

[Thunkkin]

You feel something in your belongings touching your junk.

The problem is... if I was a third party, outside observer PC--and I saw a PC in the room, then heard "Thief, Thief!" from an NPC. I probably wouldn't stop and think to myself--hey, that could have been a vNPC who committed the robbery. I would just assume it was the PC and that the NPC spotted them.

Is there any indication to third parties that the thief was not identified?

I'd actually assume that the thief, PC or (v)NPC, is "hidden" ... blending into the crowd and not the person who is standing there as obvious as daylight.  Unless it was an elf.  Then we all know it was the elf.

[mansa]

You feel something in your belongings touching your junk.

The problem is... if I was a third party, outside observer PC--and I saw a PC in the room, then heard "Thief, Thief!" from an NPC. I probably wouldn't stop and think to myself--hey, that could have been a vNPC who committed the robbery. I would just assume it was the PC and that the NPC spotted them.

Is there any indication to third parties that the thief was not identified?

No, there is just this line:
The blah-blah, blah human shouts, in northern-accented sirihish:
     "Thief! Thief!"

It doesn't say who done it.  There are some echos when some people fail and the thief -IS- noticed, but that depends on the NPCs in the room.

It's weird when you have some NPC just shouting it on repeat, when there appears to be nobody else in the room.

[Jingo]

PC's always seem to know who it is when they get that message though.

[X-D]

Of course they do. Normaly because of the player of the thief PC though.

Code Select Expand

You feel a hand on your belongings.

look

Tavern full of people sitting down and chatting...Oh, cept for that hooded elf standing over there without even a ldesc change.

look hooded elf
You see an elf with an mdesc that basicly says SHADOW NINJA!!!
Worn on head, Soft black something
Repeat for all other wear locations.
Oh, Foodpads.

think Looks like a thief, acts like a thief, smells like a thief, race is thief....Nah, maybe its the virtual dwarf over there wearing plate armor and an axe.

Best thing I ever saw played out is when a rinthi elf came into a tavern in which 5 PCs were there, one was standing, human and chatting with somebody else. Once the elf arrived the pickpocketting began. Of course the hooded rinthi elf in all black and footpads got blamed. Although I'm sure it was the clean cut human PC that had already been there taking advantage of a perfect scapegoat.

[Bogre]

When everyone types in watch elf....

it is your time to start looting their goodz.

[SMuz]

Pickpockets have some of the most strategy of all the classes in the game. I want to play a pickpocket again

[Synthesis]

If everyone types 'watch elf' and you start stealing things, that's the surest way to rule out the elf as a suspect.

I mean, everyone was watching him and nobody saw anything? Probably means he wasn't the one who did it.

Of course, rudimentary logikz isn't for everyone.

[FantasyWriter]

He's the front man... he came and sat in the bar so all eyes would be on him while his tribe-mate snuck in and picked everyone's pocket...
So he's STILL responsible.  Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[a strange shadow]

Or the elf was just that good.

[Thunkkin]

And "rudimentary logikz" doesn't tell you who the thief is, if they're six people all sitting in group.  If everyone is watching the elf, each person may feel fairly sure that the elf didn't do it, but won't know for sure who did.

[Dan]

I've started brawls to steal a persons weapons.

Then when I got them during the scuffle I would suddenly be "soundly beaten" and limp off to sell them with a smile.

[RogueGunslinger]

The good thief's the one never seen.

Roll a burglar and play it right! No more of that "steal everything not bolted to the floor" shit.

[a strange shadow]

Roll a burglar and play it right! No more of that "steal everything not bolted to the floor" shit.

THIS... and lock up after yourselves, you sloppy jerks! You can do that now!

[Riev]

The most amazing thief is the one that nicks the target or robs the apartment and leaves the target with -no- idea it happened. Don't steal furniture and benches. Steal the ONE thing they have worth a bit of 'sid every week and I bet they won't even notice.

[Synthesis]

The most amazing thief is the one that nicks the target or robs the apartment and leaves the target with -no- idea it happened. Don't steal furniture and benches. Steal the ONE thing they have worth a bit of 'sid every week and I bet they won't even notice.

Yeah right. Stealing their valuable shit is the #1 way to instigate utter hatred and a city-wide witch-hunt against you.

If you want to prosper as a burglar, steal their semi-valuable shit that is easily replaceable.  If it's a crafter's apartment, steal a few of the crafted items they haven't sold yet.  If it's a hunter's apartment, steal some of the hides they've stocked up.  You'll make some coins, they'll be a little miffed, but the shit is easily replaceable for them, so they'll probably let it slide.

If you steal their gemstone-studded intricately carved glass spice pipe or the badass sword they got from House Salarr after waiting an entire IC year, they will crush your nuts (or pay someone to crush your nuts) the first chance they get if they ever find out.

Another pro tip:  only steal things that they have LOTS of.  Chances are nobody keeps accurate count of how many arrows they have, if they have a pile of 20 or more.

[X-D]

On this point, Synth is 100% correct.

Pretty much like real life, Steal a couple $200 diamond studs, you can pawn anywhere without worry. Steal the Hope diamond though....

[Gunnerblaster]

Roll a burglar and play it right! No more of that "steal everything not bolted to the floor" shit.

Maybe the burglar, for all intents and purposes, was roleplayed correctly.

It's burglars that break in, it's your damned neighbors which rob you blind!

[Eloran]

I remember the good ole days..city elves dragging couches, bed frames and wardrobes behind them.

[Agent_137]

Roll a burglar and play it right! No more of that "steal everything not bolted to the floor" shit.

Maybe the burglar, for all intents and purposes, was roleplayed correctly.

It's burglars that break in, it's your damned neighbors which rob you blind!

burglars can lock doors back now. and should if they don't want the target to immediately know they've been robbed.

[Synthesis]

The problem is that burglary seems largely to be used as a form of retribution or griefing, since that's basically the easiest and most straightforward way a newb class_burglar can strike back at someone who's insulted them.

Thus, leaving the door unlocked after leaving is an intentional invitation for your neighbors to come in and loot your stuff.

[RogueGunslinger]

What kind of player checks to see if all the doors are locked in an apartment? As far as I know, you can't even tell if it's open unless you look.

Stop being such twinky neighbors.

[Simple]

You don't have to be a burglar to be a thief.