Hiring a Master Thief

[Bane-Wordsmith]

How much would you charge, or expect to be charged by, a Master Thief?

A little bit of context. I've been scattering around the edges of my current campaign coins that make a character obsessed (On a failed Will save). They constantly are on the lookout for more but the more they have the worse the addiction becomes.

Two of my players (party of 6) have one and two each respectively, and have realised they the other has one. Neither are sneaky characters, and don't want to risk open warfare with each other. The Barbarian has approached me and asked how much a Master Thief would cost, to steal the coin from the Cleric, and I honestly have no idea.

How much would you charge?

Side bar: if anyone wants to include the cursed coin

Based in Eberron, but you can modify what you need.

In your palm is an old, slightly worn gold coin, when polished the gold shines with a faint red hue. On one face of the coin sets a complicated geometric design of Squares, Triangles and Circles, on the other side of the coin is a worn side portrait of an ancient face.

The character must make a Will Save 20 or become extremely possessive of the coin. Accompanied by this is the certainty that there are more coins out there, and they must have them. This through is a constant itch in their brain, that may rise or fall in strength depending on the situation.

If a situation demands they must give up the coin, they must pass another Will Save, if passed, they may give up the coin, but the longing remains, if failed, they will not surrender the coin.

A Remove Curse stops the compulsion, but if the subject handles a cursed coin after 24 hours they must again pass a save.

Notes
- if the coin is in good condition, preserved in a collection perhaps, the face resembles a humanoid tiger.
- The coins are an ancient Rakshasa relic from the age of demons. They can be found in old dungeons of hoards mostly on Khorvaire and Sarlona. Rakshasa are not effected by possessing these coins, and use them to bribe and compel lesser mortals.

[Karl Aegis]

Triple the perceived value of the object they were tasked with stealing, payable in magic items.

[Kid Jake]

Does the barbarian not see a problem with getting a master thief hooked on the same coin collecting binge he's on? Seems like he'd want to avoid tipping people off about these awesome coins.

[Bullet06320]

barbarian pays thief to steal coin, thief falls will save and keeps it, barbarian rages on thief, fun ensues

[Bane-Wordsmith]

Does the barbarian not see a problem with getting a master thief hooked on the same coin collecting binge he's on? Seems like he'd want to avoid tipping people off about these awesome coins.

barbarian pays thief to steal coin, thief falls will save and keeps it, barbarian rages on thief, fun ensues

He hasn't mentioned it, and I haven't reminded him. We'll see how it plays out, he might have a plan, like have the thief steal the whole bag.


Triple the perceived value of the object they were tasked with stealing, payable in magic items.

Well the item is, at least in the minds of those addicted, invaluable. How do you out a price on that? It's as if you asked a Thief to steal a sentimental item, no real set price.

[Bullet06320]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spellcastingAndServices
trained hirelings, 3sp per day? depending on level may require a bit more tho

1st AD&D phb has a chart for hiring assassins, maybe use that as a base

[Spore]

Go by the Treasure table for the level your NPC is. Cut it by half if it doesn't involve the danger of dying or ruining one's reputation.

[atemu1234]

Triple the perceived value of the object they were tasked with stealing, payable in magic items.

No, not even then. Because then they know to steal from YOU.

Simplest route- be a Diviner. You can keep an eye on him, track everything, and proceed to be ready for anything. Namely, his sudden yet inevitable betrayal. (curse you!)

[Mr. Bitter]

It's kind of boring to out-source the master thief, but since that is your premise...

I'm not sure what the price should be, but (assuming the coin properties are known) the plan should be to have an NPC or other PC cast remove curse on the cleric so he stops caring about the coins, then convince them with some sort of diplomacy check that giving the coin up is in their best interest. What character wants to use a cursed item that doesn't impart a benefit? The person you relieve of the compulsion will probably thank you. You'll need the NPC to cast remove curse on the master thief as well, otherwise he'll probably be affected by the curse and try to waltz off with your coins, too.

[Bane-Wordsmith]

I don't want this to tie up too much of the weekly play time, so I'm glad he's chosen and out of scene option I can do with him alone.
At the moment he's juat inquiring for prices, so we'll see how his plan goes.

I think I'll go with the idea of the NPC charging what a PC would expect as a general treasure reward at their level. Then let the Barbarian choose how experience a thief he can afford.

[thecrimsondawn]

I would like to point out that any task that requires the work of a master thief would almost always involve more then one party.

Scanning the mark, gathering information, plotting the hist, getting equipment, talking to contacts, arranging the day, and pulling it off.

Not to mention the escape.