Beggar-Thief
The cities of Yusuf include all levels of society, but among the lowest are those who have no home and hearth, no natural family or clan, and no money for food and drink. These are the ragged, tattered beggars. Some have been forced into poverty by circumstance, some have been born to it, and others have chosen this lifestyle in rebellion against the moneyed classes. Beggars survive on the kindness of others, on the gleaning of the harvested fields, and on the remains of market day. Among this underclass are those who aim to do better, to improve their lot in life - whether to regain a lost position of power, to aid family and friends, or merely to seek revenge on wealthy merchants. These are the beggar-thieves. They are heroes among beggars and the subject of this kit.
Role
The legends speak regularly of those who have risen from the lowliest of origins to become leaders and potentates. Such tales and the hope they generate are a driving force to beggar-thieves who aspire to greatness. Many are sure that once they attain great wealth and power, they will aid the poor and downtrodden, ruling with wisdom and understanding. On a more immediate level, however, beggar-thieves must focus on day-to-day survival. Cash-poor, ill-bred, and half-starved, they must strive to fill their own basic needs before campaigning for the needs of others. Gnawing hunger and intense desire lead beggar-thieves to take risks that others would not. Unlike sa’luks, most beggars are generally respectful of authority - if only until that authority has its back turned. Members of this kit treat those who have money and power well, even while they strive to share or remove their riches. A regular feature of Sufic myth is the king or sultan who masquerades as a tatterdemalion among his own people, to discover what they are truly saying about his rule. Beggar-thieves keep such legends alive; at a minimum, it helps make merchants think twice before kicking them out of a market stall. In addition, the hope that some newcomer is royalty in disguise is a common theme in beggar romances.
Distinctive Appearance
None
Special Benefits
The greatest ability of beggar-thieves is what some call their greatest flaw: the cities are full of others who look just like them. A beggar-thief can disappear in a crowd or trail another person unnoticed (ability check based on Dexterity). This is possible only in areas with a large number of beggars; a deserted oasis and the sultan’s palace are not locations in which these abilities are useful.
Special Hindrances
Beggars are regarded as being among the lowest levels of society. As a result, members of this kit suffer a 4-point penalty to all reaction rolls involving other intelligent creatures. Unintelligent creatures, animals, and monsters in the desert, as well as those hostile to humans and other civilized creatures, behave normally and pay no attention to the individual’s social station.
Skill Progression: Thieving skills undergo the following adjustments: Pick Pockets: +10 percent, Open Locks: -5 percent, Find/Remove Traps: -5 percent, Hide in Shadows: +5 percent, Read Languages: -5 percent
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