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Thief
v53.10 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF.Note that some content may still need to be updated. |
In fortress mode, a thief is, usually, a disgusting, dishonorable, invading creature that can skulk around the map unseen until detected. When a thief is detected, the game pauses with an announcement and moves the game view to include the threat (this can be modified in settings). Wild animals are automatically detected as they enter the map, but have no special announcement associated with them.
Whether or not they are detected, all thieves will move more or less directly to their single targeted item (valuables, food, drink, children - see below), pick up that single item, and then run for the edge of the map. If they leave the map, they and their chosen item are lost for good (with the possible exception of children - see below). They can be deterred (temporarily), killed or captured, or chased away.
- Note: A "full" military response is complex to organize and slow to engage with these weaker intruders, who may be long gone by the time an armed and armored squad arrives, so may not be the most effective response. If you simply want to send a few nearby dwarves after a thief, or are unfamiliar with the military, see Attack.
"Thief" in other Languages 
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There are three types of intelligent thieves that can threaten a fortress: kobold thieves, goblin snatchers, and questers (*). Their appearance seems to be dependent on whether your fortress is located close to kobold or goblin sites, and maintaining a large distance from their territory will dramatically decrease - if not completely nullify - the chance of thieves spawning. This is more easily manageable with goblins, but kobolds are more complicated, as by default, their caves do not show up in the embark map.
- (* These last usually being dwarven, or other suborned tools of perfidy by criminal masterminds intent on acquiring large parts of the fortress's wealth, or the wealth of local dwarven families for their own.)
A typical thief will carry a large copper dagger, but the less common "master thief" is known to carry an iron one. While neither of these are a particularly dangerous weapon, they are potentially lethal, as with any combat; bad luck can easily cripple or kill an unlucky or lightly armored dwarf.
Thieves and snatchers will usually come in small groups of about 1-4 individuals. They try to escape once detected, and only fight when cornered. Due to typical citizen traffic around fortress entrances, thieves are often spotted fairly early, alerted to their own danger and then run, so they are often not captured or engaged and also seldom succeed in stealing anything that isn't outside the fortress. However, they can lurk around the map for quite some time and wait for their opportunity, even when they are already inside your fortress. They may arrive more or less simultaneously with sieges or ambushes, distraction and general turmoil working in their favor. Guarding any entrance with guard animals is a wise countermeasure. A successful theft of item or child will be announced only when the thief leaves the map.
Spotting the thief is half the battle, but catching and killing them is not always easy. A thief can typically outrun an armored recruit, and usually has enough of a head start that even a trained military dwarf will rarely be able to catch up; even thieves can't outrun crossbow bolts, though.
A thief will not only steal your fort's own objects, but any loose items lying around - picking through and filching the best items left behind by sieges, for example. Thieves will never target items which are tasked for jobs, or parts of buildings/constructions (this includes weapons in weapon traps, encased in stone, or on fire).
Kobold thieves[edit]
Kobold thieves can start appearing quite early (first year) and will sneak right past all of your traps, only triggering them if they are injured during their escape attempt and happen to fall unconscious on one. Their ability to sneak into your fortress is not to be underestimated; locked doors do not slow them down, although doors that are linked to a lever (and are closed) will. They may be detected when they move into vision range (about fifteen tiles) of a dwarf or tame animal, in which case they'll immediately run away and escape through the map's edges. Armed with only a large dagger, they offer little threat to anyone should they get caught - an armed dwarf or dog should be able to take them down, but extreme bad luck is always a possibility in any combat situation. They try to get hold of valuable objects, which can lead them into the heart of your fort. Especially when the fort is in lockdown, they may also pilfer any items left outside.
- The announcement for a kobold thief is...
- Thief! Protect the hoard from skulking filth!
- ...and the game will zoom to a section of your fortress with a small grey
kvisible - that's your intruder.
Beware - if kobold thieves successfully steal enough items from your fort, their civilization will become bold enough to send their military to ambush your dwarves. Thus, you might consider it important to neutralize any such thieves early.
Goblin snatchers[edit]
Unlike kobolds, goblin snatchers happily run into any kind of trap - they aren't after your trade goods; but your children. They are detected the same way kobolds are, plus cage traps trigger their usual announcement. Snatchers should be approached with a little bit more caution, but any average soldier should take them down unharmed. Snatchers are often unarmed, but, like thieves (above), may carry a dagger. When they get their hands on one of your beloved(?) children, they will stuff them in a bag they carry with them for that purpose.
The announcement for a goblin child-snatcher is...
- Snatcher! Protect the children!
...and the game will zoom to a section of your fortress where the creature was spotted, these will be listed as "goblin thief" but they're only after children and should be terminated with equally extreme prejudice.
The child is considered part of the snatcher's inventory, and can be seen on the items tab if that goblin is viewed. Of particular note, if the goblin is caught in a cage trap, the child will be caught with them, but will not be displayed as "occupant" of the cage. Since the event of a child being stuffed into a bag produces no notification either, one can easily fail to realize the predicament of the child, which, if left in this condition for too long, may go insane or die from hunger or thirst.
Should the kidnapper escape the map while carrying an abducted child, you will be notified that
- "a kidnapper has made off with <childname>!".
The child is removed from the fort and its parents and other relatives may start to "search for child", and will get the "sad at being separated from a loved one" unhappy thought as a result.
Dwarves may be sent out on missions to recover kidnapped children. It is also possible to rescue children not from your fortress, who were kidnapped from other locations, which will add them to your fortress.
Other thieves[edit]
In rare instances, creatures of other races may come as goblin snatchers; these are citizens of goblin civilizations, raised from children either kidnapped or born to those who were. When these are dwarves, they retain their ability to enter a martial trance, a combat state that significantly enhances their fighting capabilities; this unique skill makes them more formidable than their goblin counterparts and requires additional caution.
Wild animals[edit]
Certain "playful" creatures will also try to steal items from your hoard, if left open to more general traffic. These include raccoons (which tend to be solitary), groups of keas (which are frustrating to face because of their ability to fly), rhesus macaques and mandrills (which aren't just playful, but downright dangerous) and finally the most threatening animal thief, the justifiably dreaded giant kea. In addition, hungry and thirsty critters will try to eat your food and drink your booze respectively, if they can get to it. None of these animals has any special ability to avoid standard traps, or bypass locked doors.
If a wild animal has successfully acquired their target, you can see what they are carrying off by viewing their info; the overview should show them as hauling it, and it should list listed on their items tab.
While (most of) these threats are weak compared to intelligent, armed thieves (above), they should not be ignored. Having a macaque steal your only anvil before you can build a workshop with it, or watching your ☼steel battle axe☼ fly off with a kea, can put a noticeable crimp in your fortress' future.
Playing a thief[edit]
In adventure mode, the player can find goods marked with $dollar signs$. Taking these items without trading for them constitutes theft, and witnesses will give you a reputation as a thief. You can use stealth to avoid getting caught. Carrying stolen items will make you unable to fast travel until you leave that civilization's territory. Not all items marked as such can be traded for, mainly only those in a trade depot, shop, or market stall, and not those in a stockpile or warehouse.
As artifacts have proper ownership records, taking an artifact is also an act of theft regardless of their item designations or how well-guarded they are. Unlike ordinary items, this does not block fast travel, and creatures that witness you stealing or carrying the artifact may confront, or even attack you.
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