Roguery

List of Skills | Rogue

There are elements in any society that do not always hold the welfare of their fellow citizens in a position of high regard. There are those whose talents lay outside the norms of productive labour, and there are those who care for nothing except easy money. Those who do not perform a trade or service for income will seek other means of acquiring wealth. These elements of society are commonly referred to as "rogues". This includes thieves, gamblers, thugs, and even in the extreme, professional murderers. While not all rogues are necessarily evil or subversive, they are generally viewed as scoundrels. The skills that most have mastered tend to support this perception.

Thieving

Theft or "acquisition without permission" can take several forms. We will begin by saying that actual OOG theft will be handled severely. We will expel and prosecute, to the fullest extent possible, anyone who steals property from another player, from The Wyvern Group, or from the camp facilities or owner. The following rules apply to theft of in game items.

Any in game item is eligible to be used/borrowed/stolen by another character. When in possession of someone else's property, players are expected to take reasonable care in their use. It is, however, advisable to not bring delicate, or expensive props and materials to the game environment.

Theft From Persons

Surreptitious removal of small items from a person's pocket or pouch requires use of the Pick Pocket skill. Never actually place your hand in someone's pocket. This is a violation of personal space. A Character with the Pick Pocket skill will be issued a few tokens with his/her character number on them. This token is an out-of-game item and cannot be stolen or destroyed. To pick someone's pocket, you must successfully insert your token into the targets pocket or pouch without being detected. If the act is successful you, or another person (game staff preferred), must approach the target and advise him/her that their pocket has just been picked. The target must hand over one random in game item from that location along with your token. If the pocket was empty or contained no game items, then nothing is given. Retrieval of the stolen item is an OOG sequence. The target still does not know, in game, that he/she has been ripped off.

It is a good idea to have a Wyvern staff member retrieve the item and token from the target. This will ensure that the item selection is fair and that your identity remains hidden. Only items of palm size or smaller may be taken. Pick Pocket is a continuous skill and may be used repeatedly.

Theft From Cabins

If you are successful in gaining entry to a building, public or private, you may have the opportunity or desire to acquire some of the contents for yourself. Any game items in the structure are eligible. Personal, out-of-game items may not be touched, searched or moved. All such personal items should be stored under a bed, cot, or bunk. Only non-game items may be placed in this protected location. Things like mundane clothes, bath/toiletry items, etc. should be stored here, out of game play. Extra weapons, coins, armor, scrolls, etc. may not be placed under your bunk because they are in game items and not subject to the protection of the OOG area. Items may also be protected by the "Rubbermaid® Rule." This refers to the fact that many players like to use large plastic bins to transport their equipment. These do not always fit under beds and bunks. They must be labeled "OOG" and are subject to the same rules for under the bunk items. It is suggested that these bins be covered or decorated so as not to detract from the game atmosphere.

Because there are personal items stored in cabins and sleeping areas, it is recommended that you locate a game director or staff member to accompany you on these missions. The director will ensure all locks and traps are dealt with properly, and will witness that no OOG items are disturbed. You must now deal with any items that you liberate from someone else. If the item is recognized or you are caught there could be heavy penalties to pay. If you are successful in managing your stolen bounty, it is yours to use as you will, but all items must be returned to the owner or to Logistics before the end of the event. You will be given Item Cards for any objects that you have obtained. Additionally, it is customary for the owner of a stolen item to loan it to the thief for use at future events.

Dealing With Traps

Traps can take various forms and have a variety of effects. A game director must inspect all traps for safety and assess for the intended effect. To set a trap that has an effect other than simply causing noise, you must have the skill Set Traps or the skill Woodland Trapping. The difference between these skills is only in the environment where they are used. Set Traps is a universal skill, while Woodland Trapping is for use in a forest environment only, and usually deals with various types of snares.

To set a trap you must rig a trigger mechanism that will set off an alarm, or throw a flag, or some other indicator that the trap has been sprung. Also, determine what the intended effect will be. This could range from causing damage, to ensnaring a person, to releasing alchemical substances. The mechanism and effect are only limited by your imagination. Be sure you have all materials and components ready before you begin construction. When your trap is prepared, find a game director to inspect it for safety and determine effect and DEX cost. The director will give you a TRAPPED! card to apply to the mechanism. The director will write a brief description of the trap along with the effect and DEX cost on the card. All you need to do now is wait for the prey.

Upon encountering a trap (if you're lucky enough to notice it) you may attempt to disarm it if you have the skill Disarm Traps. Persons without the Disarm Traps skill may not disarm any trap that has been created with the Set Traps or the Woodland Trapping skill. Any trap, regardless of how large or intricate it is, may be disarmed, but only through the use of Disarm Traps. Traps can only be disarmed before they are sprung. If you set off a trap, it is too late to attempt to disarm it. When a trap is sprung, locate the TRAPPED! card and take the described effect. A game director or staff witness is required for any attempt to disarm a trap. Declare how many DEX points you wish to expend on the attempt. Locate the TRAPPED! card and compare your DEX effort to the amount used to create the trap. If your DEX equals or exceeds the amount for creation, the trap has been successfully disarmed. If your DEX expenditure is less than the creation cost, you have made a mistake and sprung the trap. Take the effect listed on the card. As you can see, disarming traps is a risky business. Characters may disarm any traps they have set themselves without the Disarm Traps skill and at no DEX cost. Pollux is about to open a door, but he notices a string running from the inside of the latch to somewhere above the doorframe. This is obviously some sort of trap. He role-plays disarming the trap for a few minutes. During this time he checks his tag ring to see that he has only 8 DEX points left. He decides to allocate them all for this attempt. He's come too far to be stopped now! He tears the DEX points off his tag ring and hands them to the game director who is accompanying him, then reaches inside for the TRAPPED! card. The card indicates that the trap was set with 10 DEX points and has the effect of causing the person who springs it to fall asleep for 10 minutes. Pollux's luck has run out! He swings the door open, springing the trap and collapses in the doorway to snooze for a while.

Dealing With Locks

For reasons of safety, doors, chests, and other items are never actually locked or bolted shut. In-game locks that are built in to an item such as those on a chest or in a door must be left open, but are assumed to be locked. Padlocks, on the other hand, will be closed on the latch, but the hasp must be left open. All locks must have phys-reps and keys. An extra key should be deposited at Logistics.

All locks in Wyvern Rising are assigned a rank of difficulty. Lock ranks are designated by numbers and correspond to the Pick Locks skills. Simple locks are typically rank 1-3. Padlocks will rarely be higher than rank 5. Large or intricate locks on doors or vaults can range higher, with no strict upper limit, but anything beyond rank 8 is exceptionally rare. To pick a lock, you must possess the Pick Locks skill and have a set of lock picking tools. All locks will have a small envelope attached that has information regarding the rank of the lock and any other special properties. You may not open the envelope until you have spent necessary role-playing time in your attempt to pick the lock. After opening the envelope, compare the rank of the lock to your Pick Locks skill level. If your Pick Locks ability equals or exceeds the rank of the lock, you are successful. Expend DEX points for the appropriate rank lock and insert them into the envelope. Return the envelope, and you may continue on your way. Pollux is very interested in finding out what is kept inside that utility shed, but there is always a sizeable padlock on the door. Since there is no one about, he decides to take a chance on it. Pollux has been practicing a long time for this and has purchased up to Pick Locks 5. He gets out his set of lock picks and role-plays for several minutes the act of picking the lock. He then locates the small envelope that is fixed to the back of the lock and opens it to find that this lock is actually rank 4. Success! He tears off 12 DEX points (Pick Locks 4=12 DEX, see Rogue skill path) and puts them in the envelope with the lock tag. Now, to see what this lock was protecting…

If the lock rank is higher than your Pick Locks skill your attempt has failed. Expend points for your highest Pick Locks level, insert them into the envelope and replace it. The lock remains closed and you do not have the access you were seeking. Failure also occurs if you have the necessary level but fall short of the required DEX cost. In this case, expend all remaining DEX.

There are cases when the effort to keep people out of where they don't belong is far more insidious than a simple lock: a lock may contain a trap to prevent tampering. If this is the case, then picking the lock is only the first hurdle in obtaining the goods that are being protected. If you attempt to pick a lock, and open the envelope, you may well find a TRAPPED! envelope within the lock's envelope. This may represent a pin that is set to spring if the lock's tumblers are manipulated, or perhaps a small glass filament that releases a sleeping gas if the lock is opened without the appropriate key. Whatever the case, the TRAPPED! envelope will contain any details and effects, and will also tell you how many DEX points are necessary to avoid the menacing trap you may be about to spring. If you attempt to pick a lock and find a TRAPPED! envelope within, regardless of success or failure with regards to opening the lock, you must now deal with the trap. The basic procedure follows any other trap that may be encountered. First, assuming you have the Disarm Traps skill, you must decide how many of your DEX points you will put into the effort of disarming this trap, and the appropriate tags are removed from your ring. The TRAPPED! envelope is then opened, and your DEX points are compared to the DEX points printed within. If your dedicated number is higher, you have succeeded. Put your tags into the envelope, and continue on. If your dedicated total is lower, put the tags into the envelope, read on, and take whatever effects may be listed. Pollux is again messing around where he probably shouldn't be. This time it is a small chest he recently 'liberated' from a local alchemist. What could he possibly have that needs to be in such a small box that's so heavy and strong? Time to find out. He sits down in a quiet place, and pulls out his tools and role-plays picking the lock for a few minutes. He pulls the LOCK envelope off the bottom of the chest and finds the item tag within declaring that this lock is Rank 3: piece of cake! He then, however, notices the TRAPPED! envelope also inside the LOCK envelope and begins to sweat. He pulls out his tag ring, and removes his 9 DEX points (Pick Locks 3=9 DEX). This leaves him with 18 DEX points. After some internal debate, he decides to give it his best shot and rips off his remaining points to see if he can defeat the trap. After all, there's no telling what the alchemist might be capable of hiding in such a small item. With bated breath, he opens the TRAPPED! envelope. He sees from the description that the trap was an explosive charge designed to inflict 4 damage to anyone messing around with the lock. OUCH! No wonder the box is so heavy. He finally breathes a sigh of relief as he reads that it only required 11 DEX to disarm! He puts all 18 DEX into the TRAPPED! envelope, and silently thinks to himself that it's always better to be safe that sorry, especially in this case.

Jacobin is a new thief in town with a bright future in front of him, and the skills to make the world his own. He has cased out the local bank and knows no one is going to be around for hours. He has brought a Director with him for his nighttime foray, and they are now ready for his final assault on the vault. He pulls out a very elaborate set of tools and begins role-playing the picking of the large lock on the vault. For nearly an hour, the director watches as he carefully selects tools and works efficiently on the prop meant to represent the locking mechanism on the vault. Finally, Jacobin looks at him with a grin and whispers that he is going to open the LOCK envelope. Jacobin grins as he senses that success is near. He rips open the envelope and his heart sinks as he sees the lock's Rank: 8! His own Pick Locks skill is only Rank 7. He pulls 21 DEX points off his ring (Pick Locks 7=21DEX, per Rogue skill path) and the director puts them into the envelope. The Director then pulls out a TRAPPED! envelope. Jacobin nearly faints. He dedicates all his remaining DEX points to the effort of avoiding the trap: an astounding 42! Jacobin hands them to the Director. The Director opens the envelope and spends a few moments reading. He then walks over to a shelf full of props, and pulls out an air horn that Jacobin hadn't noticed amongst the clutter. Failure is evident as the Director squeezes off the noisy device, and Jacobin re-thinks his choice of careers as he begins to run away.

Utilizing The Underground

A thief usually doesn't make acquisitions for the sole purpose of starting a collection. Once items have been obtained you must consider how to make the best use of them. Coin can obviously be spent easily enough, and potions have their own unique uses. But jewels, weapons, and other items may be recognized if they are not handled discreetly. Possession of stolen merchandise can result in severe consequences if you are caught.

A Contact to liquidate these items is a virtual necessity. The skill Contacts will give you the opportunity to meet with an individual who is in a position to assist with the redistribution of your products. Contacts might also be used for a wide variety of illicit products and services. Upon the purchase of the skill Contacts, the player defines what type of Contact is going to be made. Possibilities include: fences, smugglers, bribed leaders and officials, advocates, or even assassins. This skill can be purchased multiple times, but be warned that your Contact will be a character with his own goals and ambitions, not a dupe who will do all of your dirty work for you. Also, Contacts are not always the most dependable of individuals. When you wish to meet with your contact, go to the Logistics building or find a director and explain what you want to do. Your contact will be 'notified' and will appear when he/she has the opportunity. Because someone is your contact does not imply that he/she is at your command. Sometimes the individual may be too busy to meet you. Occasionally, your contact may come looking for you (for good or bad.)

Another unique way of gaining coin is through the Forgery of various items. Forgeries of art work, documents, and even personal letters have the potential of earning vast amounts of money for those with skill and talent, but lacking in morals. Producing fake coin, although very difficult and extremely risky, has even been attempted. Be warned, however, that the penalties for deceit by false representation are universally harsh in all kingdoms of the world. The quality of a forgery is directly dependent upon the amount of DEX invested in its creation. A director may give a DEX bonus for exceptionally good role-playing of the forgery attempt or for a character's unique familiarity with the item being copied. On the other hand, characters attempting to reveal a forgery with the Detect Forgery skill will have the same advantages for role-playing and familiarity. Donsun has spent four hours meticulously creating a false property deed for some potentially lucrative real estate. He has decided to commit 20 DEX to the task. Since he has done some fine role-playing and actually created an excellent document, the supervising director gives him an extra 10 DEX bonus. In order to expose this document as a forgery, someone would have to use Detect Forgery with at least 30 DEX. This is a fine reproduction indeed! Donsun then takes his forgery to the new businessman in town: Vintorio Lorenz. Mr. Lorenz looks at the document and seems very pleased with it. He sets up a meeting between the two of them for later in the evening, after the feast. Vintorio takes the document immediately to logistics. The Director there has just finished recording the Forgery's existence in the logbook. Vintorio shows him the document, and says that he will spend 20 DEX in discerning whether or not this document is a forgery. The director takes the document and looks it over, and makes a show of looking through the log to determine if it is real or not. After a few moments, the Director asks for the DEX points, and says that the document is most likely the genuine thing…

Rangers and Scouts

The Rogue path contains several unique skills pertaining to knowledge, movement and survival in a wilderness environment. These skills allow a player to create a classic ranger or Robin Hood type of character. While they are by no means necessarily thieves or assassins, rangers and scouts do fall under the general category of rogues. Their unconventional and semi-nomadic lifestyle places them on the fringes of society. Their skills as trackers, hunters, and wardens are very valuable. Most nobility and large landholders employ rangers to keep watch over their domain and to report brigands, poachers and other unusual activity.

Often working alone, and sometimes in small skirmish units, they can move swiftly and quietly through the forest. Usually proficient with a bow, rangers and scouts can strike targets from distances without ever revealing their own position. They are capable of subsisting on wild game and plants for extended periods of time. Due to the harsh and unpredictable conditions in which they live they tend to be very hardy individuals, of strong muscle and constitution.

The Rogue Skill Path is one of the most varied in Wyvern Rising. It represents a wide variety of people, and skills, and allows incredible flexibility for those who travel down it. Not always mean of spirit, or cruel of heart, Rouges can well represent spies for the crown, or special forces of a Duke, or even simple trappers and hunters. It is not the skills that necessarily lack morals, but rather the people who put them to use. Still, the vast majority of people whose tread falls upon this skill path have only their own welfare in mind. The real question is: What do you want to do with the skills you are taught?