“I don’t steal because I must. I steal because no one noticed I already won.”

Some thieves vanish into alleyways. Others are invited through the front door.

A Gentleman Thief is a criminal of immaculate manners and impeccable timing. They are connoisseurs of etiquette, art, and social leverage, wielding charm as deftly as lockpicks. Where common rogues rely on shadows, the Gentleman Thief relies on access. They dine with dukes, flirt with magistrates, and leave parties with heirlooms no one realizes are missing until dawn.

In Aetheris, Gentleman Thieves thrive in republics, courts, mercantile leagues, and cosmopolitan city-states, especially where wealth, secrets, and hypocrisy accumulate.

A Gentleman Thief learns early that power is rarely guarded by walls alone. It is protected by custom, distraction, and vanity. You studied manners as carefully as you studied maps, memorizing which fork to use and which lie to tell. You know how to read a room, how to disarm suspicion with a smile, and how to disappear politely.

Your crimes are precise, often symbolic. You steal to prove a point, correct an imbalance, or simply because something beautiful deserves a better owner. Some Gentleman Thieves are idealists, others hedonists, and a few are cold professionals who understand that reputation is the most valuable thing they own.

“If you’re going to steal a kingdom blind, the least you can do is thank them for the invitation.”

Ability Scores: Choose one of the following:

• +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity
• +2 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence

Feat: You gain the Silver-Tongued Operator feat (or a setting-appropriate equivalent).

Silver-Tongued Operator (Summary):

• When you spend at least 1 minute conversing with a creature, you gain advantage on your next Deception or Persuasion check against them.
• You can never critically fail a Charisma-based skill check unless you choose to take the lower result.

Skill Proficiencies: You gain proficiency in:

• Deception
• Persuasion

Tool Proficiencies: You gain proficiency with:

• Thieves’ Tools
• Disguise Kit
• One gaming set of your choice (cards, dice, or a regional equivalent)

Languages: You gain two additional languages, often learned through courtly exposure, trade circles, or espionage.

Equipment:

• Fine clothes with hidden pockets
• A signet ring, invitation card, or letter of introduction (real or forged)
• Thieves’ tools
• Disguise kit
• A flask of high-quality spirits or perfume
• 15 gold coins

Suggested Characteristics

d6	Personality Trait
1	I never rush. Urgency is for amateurs.
2	I treat everyone with courtesy, even my enemies.
3	I enjoy explaining things after they can no longer stop me.
4	I keep my voice calm, even when everything is burning.
5	I value aesthetics as much as results.
6	I always leave a calling card, literal or metaphorical.

d6	Ideal
1	Elegance: If it isn’t done beautifully, it isn’t worth doing.
2	Freedom: Wealth should circulate, not stagnate.
3	Reputation: Fear fades; legends endure.
4	Balance: Excess deserves correction.
5	I value aesthetics as much as results.
6	Amusement: Life is short. One should enjoy the game.

d6	Bond
1	I underestimate people who lack refinement.
2	A rival thief who knows my style far too well.
3	A noble house I humiliated publicly.
4	A mentor who taught me refinement instead of survival.
5	An object I stole once and intend to steal again.
6	A city where my name is spoken fondly and dangerously.

d6	Flaw
1	I underestimate people who lack refinement.
2	I take unnecessary risks for dramatic effect.
3	I can’t resist a challenge wrapped in silk.
4	I believe I’m always the smartest person in the room.
5	I linger when I should leave.
6	I confuse charm with safety.

Contacts

Gentleman Thieves maintain a discreet web of contacts: tailors who ask no questions, stewards who accept bribes gracefully, courtiers who trade secrets for favors, and criminals who respect style. These networks cross social strata, allowing you to move between nobility and underworld without ever fully belonging to either.