Burglar

From ThreadsOfTime

The consummate Burglar is an expert at breaking and entering the most difficult buildings, bypassing walls, locks, traps and guardians, grabbing the best loot, and escaping unnoticed as stealthily as he arrived.

In many ways, the cat Burglar is the stereotypical professional thief. He probably uses more of the traditional thief skills, and more frequently, than any other kit.

Even within the ranks of Burglars, thieves often specialize even further. Some specialize by skills. A "box-man," for instance, is an expert at opening locks, especially safes and well-protected chests. A cat Burglar or second-story thief specializes in climbing walls (which can be a remarkably effective protection, especially if ground-level entrances have people around them). Teams of Burglars who specialize by skill often find the most success.

Other Burglars specialize by target. Jewel thieves in particular are the elite among Burglars; the protection found around the objects of their attention demands that their skills and cleverness be honed to perfection.

Burglars of any background may be found. Even thrillseekers of the privileged classes may take up jewel Burglary as a challenging, profitable, and exciting pastime.

Almost all successful Burglars have some sort of guild affiliation. In order to get rid of the loot they take, they of course need a fence (especially if their score is distinctive—e.g., fabulous gems, valuable artwork). Guilds provide the Burglar with innumerable benefits: fencing of even the most distinctive items, connections with potential "business" partners, access to specialized equipment, and, not least of all, protection. A guild can arrange the fix (to free an imprisoned Burglar), and provide deterrence, protecting its Burglars from other guilds and powerful criminals—people who don't take kindly to being robbed themselves, and are more likely to make hasty decisions about a suspect character's guilt or innocence.