In-Game Items, Searching, and Theft

In-Game Items

There are certain items that are referred to as being "Stealable." Stealable items are generally magic items or magic weapons issued by Event Holders (or created by the Create Magic Weapon spell), Realms currency, silver weapons and occasionally non-magical items and weapons that are labeled "Stealable." In nearly all of these cases, with the exception of currency, the word "Stealable" is likely written somewhere on the object.

Searching

Searching is a touchy subject. In the real world, if a bandit has just killed someone they can just take everything they own. In the Realms, an object has to be considered stealable to be taken from a person or location without the owner's permission. The problem is that often these stealable items are not easily recognizable, especially the smaller items. Also, while "secret pockets" and such seem like a good idea at first, frisking a dead character could be considered a form of harassment towards the player and should be avoided. To handle this situation, the searching rule exists.

The searching rule is verbose because there have been a lot of problems about searching in the past. The rule is mostly common sense. Once you think about it, it will seem quite simple.

There are two ways you can search someone. To simulate ransacking a character's pouches, weapons, and clothing quickly, a player can "point search." Essentially, the searcher says, "Search" and tells the victim where he is searching (e.g., "I search your pouch".) If there are stealable items in the area being searched, then all the items in that area are handed over immediately. The area that a person point searches cannot be any larger than one hit location on the body (i.e., you would have to search each sleeve of a shirt and the front and back of a shirt to search everywhere inside the shirt). Pockets and pouches have to be pointed out to be searched. You cannot say, "I'm searching all your pockets," you have to search each one individually). Left and right sleeves, boots, gloves, etc., all have to be searched separately, one at a time. Only one person can point search a victim at a time. Point searching does not wake up an unconscious character.

The other way to search someone is to simulate taking your time to do it thoroughly. That is, the character simulates stripping the body from head to toe, rips everything to shreds, garners every last item you own, etc. In order to do this, the searcher simply says, "Complete search." Every stealable item the victim has must be handed over to the searcher. The characters should take 120 seconds to do this. If so, then the items should be considered in the searching character's possession in-character. Complete searching will wake up an unconscious character.

If someone complete searches a character and a different character comes by during that time and point searches the victim, the complete search is stopped and the point search is taken care of. If a character does not specify what kind of search they are performing, then it is assumed that they are performing a point search. If told only that they are being searched, the player whose character is being searched must assume it is a point search and respond, "Where?"

Realms Thieves

The only objects that are always in-play, are fair game for theft, and can be stolen without consulting the bearer of the object are those considered stealable in game (see In-Game Items above). In order to steal any other object, you must have the explicit permission of the owner/bearer before making the theft. This means that to steal another player character's jewelry (assuming that some of it is considered treasure), you must ask the person who plays that player character. One way to do this is to kill or flat-of-blade the character and tell them that you are searching them. If they have anything that is in-play, they must show it to you, for you to take or leave as you wish. You should never pick up something off a table or from in front of someone's tent, unless it is a magic/silver weapon, or Realms currency.

It should be re-stated that people's tents, bags, packs and pouches are completely off-limits and out-of-play. No matter how many magic/silver weapons or how much Realms currency someone might have, you may never, under any circumstances, enter their tent or go into their bags, packs, or pouches and take anything out without the owner's explicit permission.

A magic item is the property of the EH that created it. It is the EH's will that the item be able to be circulated around the Realms by theft, as a gift, as part of an inheritance, or any other means so long as it occurs at an event.

In-character theft, not gift, of stealable items in out-of-character situations, not at an event, is not acceptable and will not be upheld.

Currency

Various groups and nations issue different currencies for use as treasure and to pay for goods and services in-game. These currencies are often represented by stamped metal disks or roofing tins, sometimes bearing printed stickers for identification or are minted in metals, plastic or even clay. In- game these currencies usually represent "Gold" or "Silver." Denominations vary from currency to currency. Generally ten silver pieces are worth one gold piece. The more prized issues are backed, meaning that if you accumulate enough of any one currency, you can trade those coins in to the issuer for goods, weapons, or services. Many older coinages and silver pieces are not backed, and while they're still in-play, many people either heavily discount them or don't accept them at all. Issues and worth of coins fluctuate. If you're in doubt as to what a coin is worth, ask the merchants and the gamblers.

Silver Weapons

Silver weapons are created by players with the spell Silver Weapon or are released by Event Holders (see the spell description for Silver Weapon for more information).

Magic Items and Magic Weapons

All magic items and magic weapons are stealable.

Magic weapons must be made out of blue duct tape, so that they are distinctive. No permanent magic item may be issued by anyone except an EH (see Part III: Being a Realms Event Holder for more information).

Should a magic item or weapon become broken or disenchanted at an event it requires a repair through the Repair Magic Item spell to return to a functioning state. If its current owner does not attempt to repair it, nor make plain to the EH that he wishes to do so, the item is effectively destroyed. It reverts back to the EH who issued it, and should be returned to him as soon as possible. Additionally, magic items which have been revoked by their EH/creator are no longer considered magic items and also revert back to the EH who created them.

All magic weapons that are currently in existence may not be re-bladed without the use of a Repair Magic Item spell. When the foam in one breaks down, it is retired or repaired. Magic weapons may never be re-foamed without the use of a Repair Magic Item spell.

Event-Stealable

The props for certain spells and items as designated by the EH are considered "Event-Stealable," meaning they are stealable treasure during an event, but should be returned to thier OOC owner when you leave an event. Before you leave an event site, you must return (to the best of your ability) any items maked as "Event-Stealable" to the EH/MM. Props for the PC spells are returned by the EH/MM as an OOC courtesy, and will be done so without revealing the identity of the thief. If you have a spell that has an event-stealable prop as a component, you may replace it without penalty at the next event if it is not returned to you for whatever reason. You can never declare permanently stealable items as event-stealable.