This is the fifth of many character articles I will be producing about my own personal character builds in Skyrim; today I’m introducing Bael the Thief.

Sticky fingers

As I have stated in my past character articles, it’s difficult for me to roleplay as a dishonest or immoral character.  I enjoy the feeling that comes from being honorable, doing what is right, and refraining from temptation. However, I fear that in doing so I have missed out on understanding the complexities of villainous characters which are as important to understand as are heroes.

Thus, in my attempt to walk off the righteous path, I have decided to explore the mechanics of the thief. With great reluctance I am focusing primarily on pickpocketing, a form of theft which focuses on sleight of hand and getting up close and personal with the victim. Of course, other forms of theft are more practical, when trying to avoid getting caught, such as focusing on taking items which are left out in the open when no one is looking. Yet, there is something so rewarding about being a thief about town, moving as a shadow from person to person, rifling through their possessions and making off with whatever suits your fancy.

Instead of focusing on combat and outright banditry, Bael will be more of a city-oriented thief, whose primary goal will be pickpocketing the people he bumps into on the streets by day and sneaking into the houses of the ultra rich by night to steal their most valuable possessions.  Bael has a keen interest in gems and jewelry, and seeks to avoid conflict at all costs, slyly moving undetected from mark to mark taking whatever peaks his interest.

This is the first installment in my character series titled Bael the Thief, if you enjoyed it please feel free to read through the other articles within the series. I welcome discussion on this topic and if you have experiences of your own you wish to share please do so in the comments below, or write in to playprofessor@gmail.com.

Andrew Mantilla is a ludologist and video game journalist for Play Professor.  You can check out more of his content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.