A list (with brief descriptions) for populating the alleys and side-streets of an urban setting. Many of these are Victorian era and may be out of place in a pseudo-medieval setting but since when was fantasy RPG shy from anachronisms?
Fishwives- a coarse woman prone to shouting and banter
Gutter Snipes- a poorly behaved child that haunts the streets
Fogle-hunter: young thief that steals handkerchiefs and scarfs.
Skin and sneezers- thieves of snuff boxes and small purses.
Flimper- able to snatch jewelry and small items right off a mark’s person in a tight press.
Rampers- a small gang (4-6) that will lift small personal items, jewelry, purses and hats by tripping or jostling a mark.
Cracksmen- burglars, well actually break in men once they crack a place open they depend on speed not stealth to get the goods.
Screwsmen- burglars noted for use of false-keys and elaborate lock-picks
Sneaksmen- gains access posing as a tinker or petty peddler and lifts small items while busking.
Bawdy Basket- a female sneaks man that may also covertly ply her trade as a prostitute
Lob-sneak- a thief that sneaks into a premise on all four and crawls about to snag the till or choice goods.
Dog-Fancier- a dog thief.
Bit Faker- someone who passes counterfeit money.
Duffer- sells stolen goods
Palmer- a shoplifter
Nobbler- a criminal punishment enforcer
Bludger- nobblers and hired beatersthat made use of bludgeons.
Snoozer- steals luggage and belongogns from travelers and inn guests
Skinners- women who lure children and the hopelessly naive into alleys and strip their victims of all they wear.
Dollymop- an amateur part-time streetwalker.
Toffer- a prostitute of good looks that draws in higher end clients
Abbess- a madame/brothel keeper, her husband would be an Abbot
Almsman- a beggar
Anglers- thieves who steal with hook starves, poles, and lines through windows.
Blag- a smash and grab thief
Blower- a low down dirty snitch
Bonnet- a covet assistant to a sharp..
Broadsman- a card sharper
Buck Cabbie- a dishonest cabbie that cheats fairs, robs passengers, or delivers them into the hands of tother thieves
Buttoner- a sharpers assistant that entices marks
Bug Hunters- robbers of drunks, usually late at night
Chaunter- low end street performers, usually singing.
Crow- a lookout
Curbers- anglers that pretend to be infirm, or blind so as to conceal purpose an easily conceal their thieving gear in plain-sight
Demander- threatens marks into giving them money
Dipper- a pickpocket
Don- a distinguished person a leader, at least in the neighborhood
Dookin Seer- a palm reader, probably not legit
Dragsman- steals from carriages and wagons
Fanner- one who can quickly feel someone’s clothing to search for valuables
Glimmer- a petty arsonist that lights fires to distract marks.
Hector- a pimp or assistant pimp that is a whore’s minder.
Judy- a professional prostitute but not a brothel worker.
Lurker- a lookout and sneak thief that poses as a beggar
Mandrake- a male prostitute that dresses as a woman.
Gigolo- a male prostitute that caters to female clientele
Moucher- a vagrant that depends on the kindness and charity of strangers
Nose- informer or spy
Palliard- a beggar that uses unguents and nasty materials to feign illness
Platterer a hawker that earns money by oratory
Prater- a bogus itinerant priest
Roller- a prostitute that steals from clients
Screever- a scribe that fashions forged papers
Scruf- a gang leader, maybe a lieutenant in a larger mob.
Snakesman- a thin or young thief that can squeeze into tight spaces
Snoozer- a thief that steals from sleeping inn patrons
Speeler- a cheater/gambler that does sidewalk games
Jigger- defrauds customs a smuggler
Bubble-men- sham business men that con hapless victims
Drummer- drugs a dupe and steals from them when they are overcome
Mud lark- steal small bits of wood, rope, and fule left on the docks or on worksites
Burglar- break in men
Assassin- a hired killer that will strike from stealth most of the time
Busker- street performer
Thief-Takers- urban bounty hunters both honest and dishonest acting for publicly posted reward but also blackmailers of criminals, and liaisons Some can locate stolen goods and get them returned for a fee, sometimes by direct payment to the thieves themselves.
Kidnapper- steals children and others for disreputable land lords or for ransom.
Highwayman- literally highway robbers.
Road Agent- a highwayman who acts in concert with an established chain of other thieves and scoundrels. Road Agents sometimes act as hired killers striking on the roads between towns in the countryside where there are few possible witnesses.
Rake- a swashbuckling freebooter.
Footpad- a sneak and mugger
Scoundrel- an all about con-man and rogue
Charlatan- a fake magician
Mountebank- scoundrel/charltans
Grave Robber- some rob the tiny bits of treasure folks bury with loved ones, other take the funeral clothes, some are in it for the corporeal remains of the dearly departed.
Bravo- a rough and tumble mercenary hired as a bodyguard and bully-boy
Thug- another name for assassins but also applicable for lowlife ruffians.
No comments:
Post a Comment