Criminal

You are an experienced criminal with a history of breaking the law. You have spent a lot of time among other criminals and still have contacts within the criminal underworld. You’re far closer than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilisation, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society.

Attribute Score Increase

Increase one mental attribute of your choice by 1 and add +1 to your Awareness.

Connections

  1. The master criminal who inducted you into your first gang.
  2. The cleric or herald who convinced you to use your skills for good (and who may be legally responsible for your continued good behavior).
  3. Your sibling or other relative—who also happens to be a representative of the law.
  4. The gang of rascals and pickpockets who once called you their leader.
  5. The bounty hunter who has sworn to bring you to justice.
  6. Your former partner who made off with all the loot after a big score.
  7. The masked courier who occasionally gives you jobs.
  8. The crime boss to whom you have sworn loyalty (or to whom you owe an enormous debt).
  9. The master thief who once stole something precious from you.
  10. The corrupt noble who ruined your oncewealthy family.

Equipment

A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood and a pouch containing 15 gp.

Criminal Specialty

There are many kinds of criminals, and within a thieves’ guild or similar criminal organisation, individual members have particular specialties. Even criminals who operate outside of such organisations have strong preferences for certain kinds of crimes over others. Choose the role you played in your criminal life, or roll on the table below.

d8 Specialty
1 Blackmailer
2 Burglar
3 Enforcer
4 Fence
5 Highway robber
6 Hired killer
7 Pickpocket
8 Smuggler

Mementos

  1. A golden key to which you haven’t discovered the lock.
  2. A brand that was burned into your shoulder as punishment for a crime.
  3. A scar for which you have sworn revenge.
  4. The distinctive mask that gives you your nickname (for instance, the Black Mask or the Red Fox).
  5. A gold coin which reappears in your possession a week after you’ve gotten rid of it.
  6. The stolen symbol of a sinister organization; not even your fence will take it off your hands.
  7. Documents that incriminate a dangerous noble or politician.
  8. The floor plan of a palace.
  9. The calling cards you leave after (or before) you strike.
  10. A manuscript written by your mentor: Secret Exits of the World’s Most Secure Prisons.

Feature: Criminal Contact

You have a reliable and trustworthy contact who acts as your liaison to a network of other criminals. You know how to get messages to and from your contact, even over great distances; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you.

Variant Criminal: Spy

Although your capabilities are not much different from those of a burglar or smuggler, you learned and practiced them in a very different context: as an espionage agent. You might have been an officially sanctioned agent of the crown, or perhaps you sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder.