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Teneck
Learned Scribe
USA
133 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 18:28:10
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As I mentioned in another thread I am writing a story/book about my groups campaign(mostly for their entertainment).
And I am keeping as close to cannon as possible.
In writing the rogue's intro I have him pulling a second story job, and he has to pick a lock. Now in game this was always Roll to find trap/roll to disable/ roll to pick lock. And followed by yes/yes/yes.
Now that I am writing about it I find I need a wee bit more mechanical description.
SO...that being said...I have named some of the tools from his kit that he used as...
"He pulls out his heavy Bent Pick and Medium Tumbler Spoon from the kit strapped to his left forearm and inserts them into the keyhole."
Is there any cannon/description of the thieves tools and their use/function that I can use to add some flavor?
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"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.
"He's like a trained ape...without the training"
Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 19:55:44
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Probably the best D&D description I can think of for your standard thieves tools is in Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. There's a bunch of other stuff under that section for thieves that might be useful.
I'm thinking of a neat short story I read in high school about a professional safe cracker. It's set at the turn of the 20th century, so a bit more modern than you'd be looking for, but it might serve as inspiration. I'll see if I can track down a reference.
edit: Found it. It's "A Retrieved Reformation," by O Henry. It also happens to be in the public domain. Here's a link to it in full:
http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/106/ |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
Edited by - Hoondatha on 20 Jun 2009 19:59:11 |
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Teneck
Learned Scribe
USA
133 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 20:16:59
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I like the description of the safe crackers flair and style...not a whole lot on the tools aspect except right at the beginning...still it is a lot more than I had.
Thank you very much Hoondatha...the tip about the Aurora's guide will also help greatly with this and other aspects of the story. |
"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.
"He's like a trained ape...without the training"
Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 20:58:34
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In one of the Drizzt novels - probably that first one that actually featureed Artemis Entreri and became part of the Sellswords trilogy retro-actively - we had a pretty cool scene wherein Artemis disables soemone else's (another rogue) traps and locks to break-in to the guy's apt., and then re-sets them all for the guy on the way out... fixing one that had a bad spring (he replaced it with a spare he carried).
Like I said.. Entreri in all his glory, and of course RAS described in much better detail then I.
I think that's the only time I ever encountered a detailed description of a 'breaking & entering' job by a Rogue - most of the time we just get a quick "he picked the lock" from the author(s). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Teneck
Learned Scribe
USA
133 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 21:21:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I think that's the only time I ever encountered a detailed description of a 'breaking & entering' job by a Rogue - most of the time we just get a quick "he picked the lock" from the author(s).
I know...it seems that aspect of the story telling has gotten short shrift from authors...I am also looking to detail spell descriptions more in depth..like how a healing spell feels from the casters viewpoint.
Example(sorta)
"She pulled in the energy of nature into her body and focused her mind to channel the spell into her hands. Slowly trailing her fingers down the gashes she watched as the flesh knit together, leaving a healed, red scar."
Ranger casting a cure spell on a wounded deer.
That's the gist of it...but my manuscript is at home and I'm not...I am pretty sure it sounded cooler when I wrote it...hmmm may have to go back and check now. |
"Go ahead...Sleep in the church...the vampires can't get ya in the church" Any DM...any time.
"He's like a trained ape...without the training"
Simon after Jane trashed the Med lab |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 21:46:02
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| Thought of another example. There's a thief character in I think the Black Bouquet, that is trying repeatedly to get around a trapped coffer. It's been a while since I read it, but I think the author went into some specifics. Temple Hill would be another book to look at, though there it was more crawling through trapped tunnels, I believe. Neither of the books was all that great, which is why I'm a little vague on everything, but they might serve as inspiration. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2009 : 00:33:15
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The problem with spell descriptions is that authors do describe those fairly frequently, but no two ever describe them the same.
Since it IS magic, I just chalk-it-up to individual casting methods... their only stories, after all, not sourcebooks.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36812 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2009 : 00:42:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
edit: Found it. It's "A Retrieved Reformation," by O Henry. It also happens to be in the public domain. Here's a link to it in full:
http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/106/
Oh, wow... I've not read that story in 20 years! And I was thinking about it fairly recently, too! Thanks for the link! |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2009 : 01:44:56
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| You're welcome. It's my favorite O. Henry story, and I dust it off every once and a while. And it's in the public domain, which helps spread the enjoyment. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Thieves tools
