Not so Random thoughts about footpads

[Gunnerblaster]

These footpads are made of a dark, but very soft, leather, that are worn
upon the feet, laced up to fit tightly around the mid shin.  They appear to
offer very little in protection, but they are padded so as to make a minimal
amount of noise.

I really wish people would stop assuming if someone wears footpads, that they are an assassin or thief or burglar.

Many NPCs all across both city-states wear footpads. And they are just good soft leather up-to-your shin boots.

I associate footpads & black cloaks with badass.

Here is how my thought association works whenever I think of footpads:

Footpads which brings up the mental image of:


Which brings to mind this:


So if you have a PC who wears footpads and walks around in a dark cloak, don't be surprised if there is an overly paranoid PC out there who seems to go out of their way to avoid you

[BlackMagic0]

@Gunner:

If someone was walking around like that, I could see the issue with trying to avoid them.

Though what if they are wearing bright pink cloaks, white tembo hide leathers, and purple feather hats?
That is when you go "wtf?" to them assuming the footpads make them a criminal or assassin.

Yes. I've seen it.

I guess it works. Since for those PCs I have that want people to be scared or avoid them. They wear dark things and footpads.
So it works in your advantage, sometimes.

[Jingo]

These footpads are made of a dark, but very soft, leather, that are worn
upon the feet, laced up to fit tightly around the mid shin.  They appear to
offer very little in protection, but they are padded so as to make a minimal
amount of noise.

I really wish people would stop assuming if someone wears footpads, that they are an assassin or thief or burglar.

Many NPCs all across both city-states wear footpads. And they are just good soft leather up-to-your shin boots.

I associate footpads & black cloaks with badass.

Here is how my thought association works whenever I think of footpads:

Footpads which brings up the mental image of:


Which brings to mind this:


So if you have a PC who wears footpads and walks around in a dark cloak, don't be surprised if there is an overly paranoid PC out there who seems to go out of their way to avoid you

In context, those two-toed boots wouldn't mean a thing. They were worn by village peasants in their rice paddies. The only time they were actually ever adopted by ninjas was so they could disguise themselves as peasants.

Secondly, it's a pet-peeve of mine when a pc assumes someone wearing footpads is a sneaky. They are only described as soft-soled sandals or boots. So how does your character assume that they have anything to do with sneaking?

Not picking on you, Gunner, but it's bad roleplay if someone ignores what their character might actually sees to what shows on the screen.

[X-D]

Last footpads I looked at were described as soft and even stated silent movement. Pretty straight forward there.

[a strange shadow]

Footpads are merely soft-soled boots, maybe, but they're often used in conjunction with shady things.

It's an IC perception as well as an OOC one. Don't like it? Tough. Wear job clothing on the job, not when you're in the bar.

[Gunnerblaster]

Though what if they are wearing bright pink cloaks, white tembo hide leathers, and purple feather hats?
That is when you go "wtf?" to them assuming the footpads make them a criminal or assassin.

I'd assume it was a dirty necker

[Jingo]

Footpads are merely soft-soled boots, maybe, but they're often used in conjunction with shady things.

It's an IC perception as well as an OOC one. Don't like it? Tough. Wear job clothing on the job, not when you're in the bar.

I don't accept that it is an IC perception.

That would assume that everyone would know what they are just by looking at them. Since the only common descriptor is that they have soft soles, then your character would first have to be aware of the possibility of footpads disguised as boots. They have to closely inspect the footwear of everyone he or she meets in order to identify the footpads. It would be ridiculous.

The only reasons players are able to identify footpads is because the code tells us "he is wearing footpads" rather than a description of a boot or sandal with "soft soles". And therefore players are able to make a boatload of assumptions about the offending character.

[a strange shadow]

You make a good point, but I've always envisioned footpads to be fairly distinctive. Very thin, soft, mobile.

I imagine that's where most of the contention lies between the "ignore them" and the "thief, thief" crowds.

It doesn't help that they're usually worn with a bunch of "HEY LOOK AT ME, I'M SHADY' crap, but that's beside the point.

[jhunter]

They are distinctive enough that the term "footpad" in RL was coined to also mean thief, due to the obvious nature of the footwear.

[Armaddict]

Very thin, soft, mobile.

Hell, that sounds like what I would wanna wear.  And I'm not out stealing shit.  That sounds comfy as all hell.

[BlackMagic0]

Very thin, soft, mobile.

Hell, that sounds like what I would wanna wear.  And I'm not out stealing shit.  That sounds comfy as all hell.

They are comfy. And you can buy a fair of them, cheap too.

[boog]

Trendy, sleeker slippers. They sound fantastic.

[WagonsHo]

I always picture these, even though that's incorrect.

[Grey Area]

Footpads are a tool designed for a profession: skullduggery. I see a dude wandering around with a glasshacker, there's an excellent chance he's a miner. Man with a lumber axe, he's probably a woodcutter. Fellow wearing footpads, odds are good he's a nogoodnik of one stripe or another.

Which is fine if you're in an area where nogoodniks happen to congregate. Other places, it's gonna stand out like a construction worker's bright yellow hard hat.

[boog]

Minus the skull, I'd say it's pretty accurate.

[Armaddict]

Footpads are a tool designed for a profession: skullduggery. I see a dude wandering around with a glasshacker, there's an excellent chance he's a miner. Man with a lumber axe, he's probably a woodcutter. Fellow wearing footpads, odds are good he's a nogoodnik of one stripe or another.

Which is fine if you're in an area where nogoodniks happen to congregate. Other places, it's gonna stand out like a construction worker's bright yellow hard hat.

Which is fine, but think of how you react to those first impressions in real life.  You don't see a dude wearing slippers and assume he just got done breaking into a house.  You see it, and it's a thought in your head, and then you watch, and you -may- find out, just may, that he's dressing for the function of his life, which is comfort.  Otherwise, you can go ahead and start attacking all those wearing black leather, black cloth, and so on and so forth.

The first impression is fine.  It's the rampant, overzealous, overreacting accusations that come first hand that are out of control.  The first impression is not.

[Jingo]

They are distinctive enough that the term "footpad" in RL was coined to also mean thief, due to the obvious nature of the footwear.

This is incorrect. Wikipedia seems to be down right now, but the historical meaning of footpad was a distinction made because they were robbers on foot. As a opposed to gentlemen robbers on horseback.

Until I can find any evidence contrary, I'm going to assume that a footpad-as-footwear is a modern fantasy invention.

[Barzalene]

On the other hand, if I see a guy wearing a ski-mask, even in winter, unless he's on a mountain and holding skis, I'm going to assume he's robbing someone. I might even assume he stole the skis.

[Armaddict]

On the other hand, if I see a guy wearing a ski-mask, even in winter, unless he's on a mountain and holding skis, I'm going to assume he's robbing someone. I might even assume he stole the skis.

Difference being one grants immediate anonymity.  The other is just a pair of comfortable looking shoes.

[BlackMagic0]

Footpad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see dance pad.

A footpad is a robber or thief specializing in pedestrian victims. The term was used widely throughout the 16th century until the 19th century, but gradually fell out of common use. A footpad was considered a low criminal, as opposed to the riding highwaymen, who in certain cases might gain fame as well as notoriety.[1]
[edit] Etymology

According to The American Heritage Dictionary, the origin of the term is not entirely clear, but it may be a concatenation of foot and the word pad, related to path.[2] This would indicate a robber who is on foot, as opposed to his equestrian counterpart.

The term has now fallen out of use and has, more or less, been replaced by the term "mugger".

To Jingos thing. Didn't notice it was -that- far back.

[X-D]

I love the people that go "Oh Hei, Comfy footware...everybody would like them."

Alright, HA...look, its a desert world of hardship and poverty. You would not wear some soft soled shoes unless your VERY rich or a criminal.


Why, because soft souled shoes would wear out in a few days of use. And you being the broke commoner trying to scrape enough sid for water every day would want something that would last you for a month or more. Which is why almost ALL commoner style footwear is boots of thick leather and sandcloth, Hell, even the lower end stuff is described as "sturdy".

So, if I see somebody that is not a human wearing slippers, toe shoes, soft leather wraps, I don't care what you call it, if it says it has soft comfy soles and they are not a noble, I'm going to assume thief.

[Synthesis]

Man, this thread is making me want to roll a rogue magicker who wears footpads, just to blast the guild-sniffers right in the fucking face.

[Dan]

Man, this thread is making me want to roll a rogue magicker who wears footpads, just to blast the guild-sniffers right in the fucking face.

Don't forget though-

Subguild: Thief.

[RogueGunslinger]

Assume at your own risk.  

[X-D]

Meh, I assume everybody is a mage anyway.

Besides, I like thieves and usually leave them be.


Random thought.

I really hope Synth does that...now to start looking for wilderness PCs in footpads.