*********************************
* PURSE-CUTTING ENCOUNTER TABLE *
*********************************

By Bill Gant, 1989

Not everyone wanders the streets with a full purse of silver hanging from their
belts! Many people, particularly in crowded settlements (and especially in 
Golotha!), take precautions in order to prevent their precious coins from being
lifted from them. Below is a typical "encounter" list to use for cutpurses:

1d20
-----
  01  Purse is tied tightly to belt - it takes the owner 3d6 rounds just to
      get his/her money out! Legerdemain EML is reduced by 1d8x5, or 1d8x3 if 
      a small bladed instrument is used (the sharper the better, of course).
      The victim may make a Touch x 5 roll to detect the purse-cutting
      attempt, Touch x 3 if the cutpurse artfully bumps into the victim at
      just the right moment.

02-03 Victim is clutching his/her purse. Picking the purse is impossible unless
      or until the victim releases his or her grip.

  04  A decoy! The purse contains worthless shells/slate discs! No coins.

05-07 Purse contains something of value other than coins, such as herbs, salt,
      spices, sugar, keys, even gems.

  08  Small bells are attached to the purse. Legerdemain EML is reduced by
      1d8x3. The victim is permitted 2 checks for detection: Touch x 3 and
      Hearing x 3.

09-11 The purse contains 1d10x10% of the victim's carried coins. The rest is
      hidden elsewhere.

12-14 The purse is not hanging from the belt, and is instead hidden under the
      victim's tunic, robe, etc. If the cutpurse knows where the purse is and
      attempts to take it anyway, Legerdemain EML is reduced by 1d8x10. In
      addition, the victim may make a Touch x 8 roll for detection, or Touch x 5
      if the cutpurse masterfully bumps into the victim at just the right
      moment.

15-20 The purse contains the full amount of money. Legerdemain with just the
      fingers yields only a small quantity of coins. Cutting the purse off with
      a knife, etc, will obviously yield the entire contents of the purse, but
      the victim is entitled to a Touch x 5 detection roll (Touch x 3 if the
      cutpurse bumps into the victim at just the right moment).

Note that if a victim is bumped into by the cutpurse, he/she may become
suspicious and check to make sure that his/her purse is intact. Just how
suspicious the victim is depends on the general crime rate of the settlement.
In Golotha, for example, just about *everyone* is wary of thieves.