Thief (series)

For the 1981 arcade game, see Thief (arcade game).

Thief is a series of mainly first-person computer games where the player takes the role of Garrett, a thief in a steampunk world resembling a cross between the Late Middle Ages and the Victorian era, with some primitive technology thrown in. The series consists of Thief: The Dark Project (1998), Thief II: The Metal Age (2000) and Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004). An expanded version of Thief: The Dark Project, titled Thief Gold, was released in 1999 and features three extra maps, new enemies and several bug fixes.

Looking Glass Studios developed both Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age. After the studio went out of business in 2000, many former employees moved to Ion Storm Austin and began developing the long-anticipated third part of the series, Thief: Deadly Shadows. The game was released on May 25, 2004 and is believed to be the last in the series. Although there have been comments suggesting a continuation, they have not yet been confirmed. Eidos Interactive published all four releases in the series.

With the release of DromEd, a map editor, an active community of fans began providing a wealth of home-grown missions for the first two games (see External links, below). A few of these were so successful, in fact, that their creators were invited to work with Ion Storm Austin on Thief: Deadly Shadows.

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The protagonist Garrett from Thief: Deadly Shadows

Style of play

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Garrett hides in a shadowy hallway as he ponders his next move in Thief: Deadly Shadows

The main tactic of Thief is to avoid fights and instead sneak around the enemies. For example, killing an innocent will often cause the player to fail a mission; on higher difficulty levels, killing anyone, even an angry guard, will result in mission failure. And (especially in the case of Thief 2) several levels will result in failure if the player is so much as spotted by a guard. Thief is sometimes described as either a "first-person sneaker", "sneak-em-up" or a "first-person looter" to emphasize this difference. Classification of the game has been slow coming, as three-dimensional stealth games, such as Splinter Cell (released in 2002) for example, only became more common years after the first Thief.

Another innovation introduced by Thief is the careful use of sound effects as an integral part of gameplay. Sound cues not only tell the player of other characters in the vicinity, but also indicate how much noise Garrett makes when moving about an area. Too much noise can alert nearby guards, who will grow suspicious and come looking for intruders. There are a variety of tactics to avoid being heard, however, such as walking gently, steering clear of noisy pavement, or using magical arrows to create a moss carpet that muffles the sound of footsteps.

In a similar vein, lighting became one of the most important strategies. A gauge at the bottom of the screen (called the 'Light Gem') indicates how visible the protagonist is. Entering deeper shadows or ducking made the character less likely to be noticed. Walking about increases the risk of being spotted, and having a sword or bow drawn makes him very conspicuous in the game. The astute player is constantly keeping an eye on areas of light or shadow in case a hiding place is needed in a hurry. Arrows with water-filled tips can be fired at torches and braziers, dimming the surrounding light and creating a handy pocket of shadow which can then be used for hiding.

Story

The Thief series follows the exploits of Garrett, a master thief living and working in a steampunk metropolis constantly being fought over by a corrupt aristocracy, an order of religious fanatics and a horde of vengeful woodland beings, all under the eye of a secret organization of Keepers.

Setting

Thief creates a living, breathing steampunk world for the player. The games are set in what is always referred to as "The City", with occasional excursions into nearby areas like Markham's Isle.

The technology present in the game seems to be a cross between the Victorian Era and medieval times. The city has the air of a 19th century metropolis, and electricity is somewhat prevalent, yet torches are still used in many homes and businesses. Weapons such as broadswords, bows, and maces are common, and firearms seem to be nonexistent, except in the artillery carried by the robotic Mechanist sentries. Many guards wear mail armor and helmets similar to those in the middle ages, and quite a few structures are more like late medieval fortresses and castles than Victorian houses.

Factions

There are three primary factions at work in the City. Below is a description of each.

The Keepers are an ancient sect of expert observers, dedicated to preserving balance in the world. Garrett once belonged to the organization and still makes use of the skills learned as a Keeper for his own clandestine purposes. Even though Garrett refuses further involvement with the Keepers, they inevitably manipulate him into acting out their prophecies and obscure designs in all three games. Much of the Keeper's powers are derived from their special Glyph magic, which spells out their prophecies and allows them to weave extremely powerful spells. The Keepers seem to be highly dependent on the Glyphs for their powers, with Garrett and Artemus seeming to be the only Keepers able to operate effectively without the aid of Glyphs. Glyph magic only begins to affect gameplay in the final game - previously, Keepers, while present in cut-scenes and mission briefings, were mostly absent from the actual game environment. Their symbol is the Keyhole.

The Order of the Hammer is a group of technocratic religious fanatics, also known as the Hammerites. They seek to carry out the vision of the Master Builder, their architect god, and are the burning force of progress in the Thief world. They represent Order and Orthodox religion (which has many similarities to the medieval Catholic Church). The Hammerites are skilled warriors and routinely carry large metal sledgehammers with them, which are both a religious symbol and a very effective weapon against trespassers. They despise the nature-worshipping Pagans, and are also mortal enemies of the Undead. Their scriptures are very harsh and draconian, but many Hammerites temper their religious zeal in order to better accommodate the realities of City life. Their primary symbol is the Hammer. Much of the religion's other symbology is drawn from various processes of metalworking. Sinners are cleansed with the fire of the Builder's forge, the worthy must be separated from the dross of humanity, and so on.

In Thief II, a group of Hammerite schismatics under the leadership of the charismatic (but insane) Karras, gives birth to the Mechanist sect. Even more fervent about technology than their Hammerite cousins, the Mechanists invent steam-powered robots to act as servants, and rumor has it those robots might be intended for more than just subservience. Their symbol is the gear. The plotline of Thief II: The Metal Age revolves entirely around this sect, and they receive a few brief mentions in the third game in the series.

Finally, the Pagans represent the forces of nature and chaos in the Thief world. Nature worshippers who live in the deep forests away from the City, the Pagans shun technology and live in harmony with wild, supernatural creatures. They despise the ordinary people of the City, and are completely inimical to Hammerites and Mechanists. Pagans are for the most part unskilled at combat, and rely on stealth and subterfuge in their ongoing campaign to undermine and subvert the City. Their demonic god, the Woodsie Lord or Trickster, and the facts surrounding their resurgence are central to the plot of Thief: The Dark Project. Owing to a twist of fate, they side with Garrett against the Mechanists in Thief II. Their symbol is the third eye of the Trickster.

Language

The game uses the expletive "taffer" and variations in place of English profanities. This also has a special in-game connotation as a corruption of the name of the evil nature god, the Trickster Spirit. As such, to curse someone as a "taffer" is to insinuate that that person shares some of the spirit's dubious qualities. It is a fairly broad oath that can mean "scoundrel", "joker", "fool", or simply indicate a contemptible person whom the speaker both scorns and derides. Curiously, the Pagans, worshippers of the Trickster, also use the epithet, sometimes in the pidgin form of "Tricksie." "Taffing" (or "taffing around") is also a nebulous term that generally involves an activity that lacks proper forthrightness or diligence, such as lying or exaggerating to someone or shirking important responsibilities in favor of play or frivolous pursuits.

The developers have more than once remarked that all such words in the game are made up.

Also, the Hammerite and Pagan factions both have their own dialects. The Hammerites speak a dialect of English that uses many archaic-sounding constructions and words, although grammar and usage do not necessarily correspond to the older dialect it is presumably based on (Instead it seems to use the structure as presented in modern American or British English). The Pagans speak in a euphonic pidgin dialect with even more grammatical irregularities, at least when compared to American English. Examples taken from Deadly Shadows are presented below for reference.

Hammerites:

"Make thou a fortress of thy heart, for thy most valuable treasures art the words given to thee by the Builder." - Words of the Sixth Forger

Pagans:

"To us him bes the Trickster, sometimes the gillsweet, sometimes the bear, but to thems that carry the Hammer, him bes them worming death." - Unknown

In addition, late into Deadly Shadows there are statues granted life by an ancient lost Glyph that can animate non-living objects. The statues speak slowly in an odd form of normal English centered around repetition, stating something repeatedly and often in a random manner, often with excessive use of the conjunction "and" to tie the repetitions together. For example, they would render "Gone" or "Stolen" as "Gone and missing and gone and stolen and gone". They are occasionally even heard to say "Die and die and die and die and die", in other words saying the exact same thing over and over again. It is unknown if this is limited to statues alone, or all objects granted life by the Glyph.

The Games

Thief: The Dark Project

Thief: The Dark Project

Main article: Thief: The Dark Project

Released by Looking Glass Studios in 1998, and powered by their own in-house developed DARK engine, Thief: The Dark Project was in many ways a revolutionary title. Although it utilized a first person perspective, it was not an action-oriented shooter like almost all other first person games. Instead, the emphasis was on stealth: The character was not particularly agile nor a skilled fighter, and much of the gameplay involved using shadows to avoid enemies. However, for those who desire action, there are weapons available that allow direct confrontation. A skilled player can often break cover and go head-to-head with the enemies. An even more skilled player can stay in cover and never let the enemies know that he was there.

The game's original gameplay quickly developed a cult following. However, many players complained that the game's "Thief" theme was underutilized. Although the first few missions are typical "rob a rich guy's mansion" levels, the latter 2/3s of the game takes place largely in monster-infested ruins where the player is pitted against various zombies, beasts, and Trickster creatures.

Thief Gold

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Thief Gold

Thief Gold is a 1999 re-release of Looking Glass Studios' Thief: The Dark Project computer game.

In addition to various bug fixes, Thief Gold added three new levels which contributed significantly to the existing plot. The package also contained the DromEd Thief editor as well as a behind-the-scenes "making of" video.

Looking Glass were working on a similar re-release of Thief II: The Metal Age, provisionally entitled Thief II Gold, at the time they went out of business in 2000.

Thief II: The Metal Age

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Thief II: The Metal Age

Main article: Thief II: The Metal Age

Looking Glass Studios released the sequel to Thief in 2000. Utilizing the same DARK engine that powered the original Thief, Thief II had an almost identical look and feel, with only minor graphical and programming improvements. The basic gameplay was also fundamentally similar to the original Thief, but many new elements had been added, including technological gadgets such as a remote eye camera. Other changes include an increase in the number of A.I. behaviors, and the addition of female guards and soldiers.

Responding to criticisms of the original Thief, the missions in Thief II were designed much more around typical thief-like behavior, and much of the game is spent robbing the rich denizens of the City rather than battling monsters. In fact, the player encounters almost none of the monsters from the original Thief except for burrick heads mounted as trophies in some of the mansions, and a few zombies and apparitions. Also, the designers stated that unlike the original Thief where levels were developed to suit the plot, in Thief II levels were designed first and making the plot work with them was somewhat of a retrofit.

Thief: Deadly Shadows

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Thief: Deadly Shadows

Main article: Thief: Deadly Shadows

A major departure from the first two games in the series, Thief: Deadly Shadows was developed by Ion Storm rather than Looking Glass Studios (albeit with many of the same people). The game was powered by the Unreal-based Deus Ex: Invisible War engine. Unlike the original two titles, the third Thief game was developed simultaneously for the PC and the Xbox.

Because of all these factors, Thief: Deadly Shadows (Ion Storm decided not to name the game "Thief III" for fear that it would alienate console gamers who had never played the previous two titles) was different from the first two games in the series in both appearance and gameplay.

One of the game's major new features was the ability to explore the City. While previous games sent Garrett straight from mission to mission, Thief: Deadly Shadows allows him to walk the City streets between missions where he can steal from passersby, spy on the townspeople's daily lives, and search for sidequests in addition to major story missions. Unlike games such as Grand Theft Auto III, the city is not one large continuous map, but rather several small neighborhood maps connected by load zones (similar to Postal²). The game also introduced an ability to switch between first and third person views, and to flatten against walls.

The Shalebridge Cradle

One of the most notable parts of Thief: Deadly Shadows was the mission "Robbing the Cradle," carrying on the tradition of creating atmospheric levels in the Thief series. The level takes place at the Shalebridge Cradle Orphanage, which also served as an insane asylum and at the time of the game lies abandoned, after being partially destroyed by a fire years earlier. It quickly became a fan favourite due to what fans felt was an impressive use of ambiance and atmosphere to create a chilling environment of fear rarely explored in many video games, with the notable exceptions of games such as Silent Hill. For example, the outer part of the Cradle created what many fans found to be an unnerving environment through ambient sound and lighting effects — despite containing no enemies. Shalebridge Cradle is widely assumed to be the largest of all the missions in Thief: Deadly Shadows. The "Cradle" itself was designed in a traditional format of using an abandoned haunted house as a backdrop but contained a developed backstory for the location, as mentioned above. It also has many other backstory strands containing in-game information (through the medium of old books and notes) about the inmates in the inner Cradle.

Some reviewers have referred to the cradle almost as if it were a sentient personality in the game, and indeed if the player looks into the sky above the gate to the Cradle in Shalebridge, through the mist can be seen a high, dark window which strongly resembles a malevolent pair of eyes.

Game editing

A mission editor, Dromed, was available for Thief, Thief Gold and Thief II. Hundreds of fan missions for these games have been created, some equally or more complex than the original game missions. After a letter-writing campaign by fans, an editor was released for Thief: Deadly Shadows in February 2005.

Thief 2X: Shadows of the Metal Age

Some time after Looking Glass went down, a small group of enthusiastic developers took the opportunity to extend the Thief universe using DromEd. The result was an unofficial Thief II expansion pack titled Thief 2X: Shadows of the Metal Age [1]. The game — though an expansion pack for Thief II — presents a new protagonist, a young girl named Zaya. The game has features similar to those in retail Looking Glass games: complex level design, lengthy campaigning (consisting of thirteen long missions), pre-rendered introduction and ending sequences, redesigned voice-over sound effects, original artwork, and animated mission briefings. The expansion, however, has more sexual content (including frontal female nudity during one mission) and gore than Thief II.

This expansion is freeware and can be downloaded from the developer's site [2], although it requires the original Thief II in order to be played.

The City

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Part of The City

The universe of Thief is centered mostly on a dense, sprawling metropolitan complex known only as "The City." Garrett works with the underground economy of the City, making a lucrative living for himself. The City is comprised of a mosaic of districts that are visited by Garrett over the course of the series, and has a single river that seems to run through the middle of it. In addition the Keepers have worked Glyph magic into hidden passageways that interconnect all of the districts, permitting unfettered and clandestine movement throughout the City for themselves. The sewer network that runs under the city also houses all manner of things and people that do not wish to be seen, including ruins that are older than the City itself.

Districts of The City

The gamer sees most of the districts as the series unwinds. Some still are uncharted, however, and have only been heard of through documental or vocal references.

• Auldale: One of the wealthiest districts in the City (if not the wealthiest), situated on the east side of the River. Hammer Inspector Drept, and the Citywatch make the area seemingly safe to walk the streets at night there. The well-to-do residents spend their leisure time shopping at pricy goldsmiths, strolling the parks, or gazing at art in the renowned Wieldstrom Museum. In spite of the perceived safety in this high-end district, rumors of Pagans dwelling in Auldale Park have been growing. Some of the most recent murders and sightings of the fabled Old Grey Lady have also been around the Auldale Canal.

• Dayport: An upscale seaside area, as opposed to the run-down Docks. The area is populated with densely packed high rise apartments and business buildings. The Mechanist Tower, Angelwatch, was constructed in Dayport.

• The Docks: One of the roughest neighborhoods in the City, and a popular area for Pagan establishment. A landmark commemorative plaque mounted at the Docks states that this is believed to be the original area that the first people of the City set foot on.

• Downtowne: A district east of the old city wall. A Public Works station and the Hammerite Temple in the first Thief are located here.

• Eastport

• Hightowne: An upscale residential district west of New Market. The site of Ramirez' castle.

• North Quarter: The site of the City's First Bank and Trust.

• New Market: Location of Fargus' shop. Not far from where Garrett lived in the first Thief.

• The New Quarter

• Old Quarter: A diverse middle-class neighborhood in the heart of the City. In the first Thief, the area is a walled-off City section. A generation or so ago, a mystical artifact called the Eye caused the Cataclysm, a horrendous event that created undead in the Hammerite Cathedral cemetery, and somehow in the ensuing chaos (the fire may have been a defensive measure) the Old Quarter caught fire and burned out of control. The Old Quarter was walled in to keep surviving zombies in and people out. What remains is an abandoned mess of ruins, debris and wandering undead (as well as wild animals). By the time of Deadly Shadows, the Old Quarter is once again inhabited, with the Hammerite headquarters, Fort Ironwood, located here. A solemn monument sitting in the cemetery was erected as a Cataclysm memorial. The main gated entrance to the Keeper Compound is also here, but hidden by Glyph magic.

• Shalebridge: A district between the Old Quarter and the Docks. The Shalebridge Cradle Orphanage is located here.

• South Quarter: One the largest and busiest residential areas in the City. Where Garret resides in Deadly Shadows. After the demise of Sheriff Truart, South Quarter's corruption has been burgeoning. Black Alley is one of the most notorious spots here. Pavelock Prison, one of the Citywatch's largest penitentiaries, is also located here. The commemorative plaque located here states that the fountain in South Quarter is where the first masonry stone of the City was believed to have been lain.

• Stone Market: Commercial nexus of the City. Many merchants dwell in guild homes here. Many of the businessmen make crooked deals with City thugs as well. The district is divided into the Stonemarket Plaza, and the Stonemarket Proper. The Plaza is home to the Clocktower, the tallest skyscraper in the City and also one of the greatest sources of Hammerite pride. The Proper cradles St. Edgars church, and is a center for black market activity.

• Undermarket: The crime lord Raputo lives here.

• The Warehouse District: Adjacent to the dock. A popular hangout spot for smugglers and the like.

• Wayside

• Westport

Characters

Here is a list of specific characters who either play a major part in one game, or have recurring roles throughout the series.

• Garrett: The protagonist of the series. A cynical, highly disciplined master thief who only wishes to be left alone to steal in peace, but who unwittingly becomes embroiled in a series of epic events. As a child, Garrett was recruited into the Keepers but later rebelled against their secretive, hierarchical ways. He left the organization, went into business for himself as a thief, and now uses his Keeper skills to steal from the rich and give to himself. Garrett comes across as cold and ruthless, but also seems to have a professional pride and will only kill when absolutely necessary. He is even a caring and warm person to those whom he regards as friends, like Viktoria and Artemus, although not overtly. A large scar runs down one side of his face, the result of his enemy plucking out one of his eyes in Thief: The Dark Project. During the second and third games Garrett sees with a mechanical eye, a piece of Mechanist technology given to him by the Hammerites at the end of The Dark Project, although his organic eye is restored at the conclusion of Deadly Shadows. The mechanical eye incorporates a zoom lens; however the eye is unable to render colour while zoomed, instead everything appears as shades of weathered bronze. (Near the end of Thief II Karras claimed that he had made the eye, but whether this is true or if it was just Karras boasting is unknown.) At the end of Thief: Deadly Shadows, Garrett catches hold of a small child trying to pick his pocket, and their conversation is almost identical to that between Artemus and child Garrett, concluding the series (roughly) where it began.

• Keeper Artemus: Garrett's one-time mentor, who took in the young Garrett and taught him all his skills. Artemus frequently contacts Garrett in attempts to enlist his help with the various Keeper Prophecies. He still holds genuine affection for Garrett, in spite of Garrett's rejection of the Keeper ways. Artemus appears to be the only Keeper whose stealth skills rival Garrett's own, and once or twice Artemus has even managed to sneak up on Garrett. In Thief: Deadly Shadows, its not clear if he was killed by the hag or not, but she used his form to fool garrett near the end of the game.

• Viktoria: A cunning and beautiful woman who works for Constantine. Like her employer, she has a hidden nature.

• Constantine: A strange and eccentric wealthy man who hires Garrett to perform a series of jobs for him in Thief: The Dark Project. The consequences of these jobs and Constantine's true nature form the crux of Dark Project's story.

• Sheriff Gorman Truart: A corrupt medieval lawman who becomes the leader of the City Watch and the apparent main antagonist in Thief II. Truart oppresses the people, collects bribes, implements outrageous taxes, brutally suppresses the criminal element, and seems to have a particular personal grudge against Garrett. Truart regards the law not as an end in itself, but rather as a means for those with power (specifically, himself) to control those without. Despite his corruption and questionable morality, he did dramatically modernise the Watch, improve its efficiency and introduce a new, blue uniform by the time of Thief II, although not all of the Watchmen are fully up to date with the new system (some can occasionally be heard forgetting the numerical code they need to report a crime in progress). Due to Truart's modernisation efforts and his close links with the Mechanists, the Watch headquarters at Shoalsgate Station are bristling with new technology during the second game.

• Father Karras: A brilliant inventor, genius, and prophet who split from the Hammerite organization to found his own faction, the Mechanists. He and his organization play a major role in Thief II's story. While still a Hammerite, Karras invented the mechanical eye and gave it to Garrett as a gift. Karras suffers from an extreme speech impediment, yet somehow is highly charismatic and able to command the loyalties of numerous followers.

• Lieutenant Mosley: A member of the City Watch under Sheriff Truart, and one of his two lieutenants. Unlike Truart, Mosley is a solid, honest officer, and her conscience eventually causes her to question Truart's brutal methods. Mosley eventually forms an alliance with the Pagans to bring down Truart.

• Keeper Orland: A member of the Keeper organization with a strong dislike of Garrett. Orland eventually becomes the leader of the Keepers in Thief: Deadly Shadows. His leadership quickly proves officious, bureaucratic, and secretive, and Garrett quickly learns to dislike him.

• Interpreter Caduca: An old woman in the Keeper organization in charge of reading and interpreting the Glyph Prophecies. The Prophecies are central to the Keepers' work, so Caduca plays a very important role in the organization, and even the Keeper leader listens to her advice. In reality, Caduca is actually relatively young. Prolonged exposure to the Glyphs causes accelerated aging, an effect which limits the amount of knowledge and power any single Keeper can obtain from studying the Glyphs.

• Translator Gamall: Caduca's assistant, an eerie pale and emotionless girl who translates Caduca's interpretations into English. As the Translator, Gamall will succeed Caduca as Interpreter when Caduca is no longer able to fulfill her duties.

• The Hag: A mythical serial killer who purportedly stalks the night, slaying victims and stealing their skin. Even the Pagans, who deal regularly with monstrous creatures, regard her as an abomination. The Hag appears to be the Boogeyman of the Thief world, and features in a variety of children's rhymes and night-time tales. However few believe she actually exists, except Garrett and a Hammerite called Inspector Drept. According to Drept the Hag 'wears death upon her as a cloak. Some who meet her doth vanish. Others perished with bloody work upon their bodies. There are hints spoken of creatures made of stone. The tale of a Hag, a bent of woman, ever old but grow no older'. She has connections to the prophecy of 'When the progress of the time ceases, the evil one will be pointed out for all to see'.

• "Benny": A recurring drunkard guard whose mood swings and amusing ramblings made him endearing to fans of the game. The name is informal, but comes from a specific drunken guard in the Sherriff's mansion in Thief 2. The character's voice is used for a number of different guards throughout the series. In Thief: Deadly Shadows he is at one point called "Sinclair".

• Moira*: The captain of 'Abysmal Gale' in Thief: Deadly Shadows, living in an overlook mansion on an island not faraway from the city. The ship comes to the dock one day, but Moira and all his crew are missing. According to his log, he has found a strange golden slab in a cave and has brought back to his mansion. The ship is battered and occupied by zombies. The City Watch has sent at least two people, including one named Reggy, on board to investigate, but they never come back, so it is assumed that Moira and his crew are either killed or turned to zombies. According to a sailor's log, Moira had been acting strange one day suddenly, turning over everything, kept shouting 'where have you hidden it' and had not eaten anything. The crew had planned to rebel, but none is known afterward.

• Widow Moira: The wife of captain Moira. She seems to have lost her mind and does not know that her husband is never going to be back.

• Inspector Drept: A Hammerite bent on tracing and finding the Hag in Thief: Deadly Shadows, due to his childhood experience. When he was little, he lived in the Shalebridge Cradle. One day he was playing hide-and-seek in the attic with his friend, Lauryl. During the game, while Lauryl was searching for the hiddden Drept, the Hag appeared and killed her. Drept was frozen with fear and could do nothing. Afterward he informedthe Cradle staff that it was done by a hag, not an insane patient, although no one believed him. When he grew up, he joined the Hammerites, and began searching for the Hag. His working desk in St. Edgar's Temple has a small monument placque hanged above on the wall, in memorial of Lauryl.

• Lauryl: Originally an orphan who lived in the Shalebridge Cradle, as did the eventual Inspector Drept, but was killed and skinned by the Hag. Her body was buried in a secret room in the catacombs in Fort Ironwood, with a spell marked on the tomb. Since her death, her ghost haunted the attic in the now-abandoned Cradle . During the events of "Thief: Deadly Shadows", Garrett manages to liberate her spirit.

Enemies

During the course of the games, Garrett encounters a variety of enemies; the general groups are listed below. During the third game, Garrett can befriend the Pagans and the Hammerites by performing certain tasks for them, allowing him unrestricted access to some of their public areas, although they remain thoroughly hostile during actual missions. If they become sufficiently friendly towards Garrett they will occasionally join his side during street fights.

Human enemies include:

• Guards

The most common enemies in the series, and patrol buildings and streets. They are divided into swordsmen and archers. Garrett can usually sneak past them with ease, without knocking them out or killing them. Some guards in Thief II wear unique, head and neck covering helmets, which prevents the player from blackjacking these guards. If this is tried, a large metal clanking sound will occur, and alert many guards in the nearby vicinity (as well as the target turning round and attacking). Varieties of guards include Knights (yellow/purple checkered mail armour), Purple and Red coloured Guards, the City Watch, and Constantine's Guard force (dressed in crimson). When not alerted to an enemy's presence they are usually extremely bored and tend to whistle, shuffle, wander about and grumble to themselves, often providing clues or story details to the careful listener.

• Hammerites

Hammerites are armed with, logically enough, large hammers. While they wear armor, the primary challenge in dealing with Hammerites is the fact that they tend to appear in areas with metal or stone floors, which increases the amount of noise Garrett produces. These areas include Cragscleft Prison, Hammer Temple, St. Edgar's Church and the Clocktower. Hammerite Priests are only encountered in the first Thief game, and appear as old men in red robes. They attack by waving their hands in the air and calling forth a flaming hammer projectile. Hammerite Novices are also encountered only in the first game, however they do not attack the player (acting very similar to Children Mechanist robots). Hammerite Hammers (and Mechanist Maces) are capable of 'gibbing' Zombies (see Zombie description below), and are perhaps the only living entities other than the player capable of effectively fighting Zombies. The Hammerites have an archaic English mode of speech.

• Pagans

Garrett tends to encounter Pagans in woods and other organic environments. Many of these environments have more lighting than the relatively dark Hammerite establishments.. These include the Maw and their sanctuary. Pagans do not actively attack Garrett, and are rarely seen inside the actual levels of the games (excepting Thief III). They have a crude dialect very reminiscent of Tolkien's Gollum character.

• Mechanists

Essentially identical to the Hammerites (apart from subtle differences in philosophy and doctrine, which have far-reaching consequences during the second game), the Mechanists are found as enemies only in the second game. They appear in Mechanists Church in Dayport, Angelwatch, Markhem's Isle, the Lost City and Soulforge Cathedral. Like Hammerite Priests, Mechanist Priests (and the Mechanist soldiers themselves) are dressed in teal/gold robes/armour rather than red/black. The Priests here summon forth a burning gear projectile. Mechanists also employ Crossbow soldiers, who fire arrows much in the same way as regular Archers.

• Mages

They appear in the Mage Towers, where they practise their arts of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, as well as in the Lost City. Fire and Water mages call forth a ranged projectile (fireball and magical sphere respectively). The Air Mage attacks with an invisible projectile. The Earth Mage shoots out vines that can ensnare the player in much the same way that Spider Beasts can with their webs.

• Thieves

They appear in the downwind Thieves' Guild. Thieves may also be found in the Docks, smuggling illegal substances into the City. When encountered, Thieves are usually twice as fast as regular guards.

Non-human enemies include:

• The Undead

They are further divided into zombies, apparitions, Hammer Haunts and Cradle puppets.

Zombies are walking corpses that emit moaning sounds. They are slow in Thief 1 and 2, but can run in Deadly Shadows. Zombies may be struck down by the sword (no undead can be knocked out), however if the player goes near their corpses again, they will rise up with full life and continue their attack. Flashbombs, Fire Arrows, Explosive Mines and Holy Water are the only objects capable of destroying a Zombie (or, making it explode, thus rendering it unable to rise up).

Apparitions are semi-transparent and shoot smoky skulls, resembling Hammerite Priests. Despite a transparent appeareance, Apparitions may be struck by the Sword and normal arrows, and will disappear in a puff of smoke when killed. Apparitions are particularly noisy, emitting a distorted blur of screams and voices whenever nearby.

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Several Hammer Haunts preparing to attack

Hammer Haunts are the undead ghosts of Hammerites, found in crypts beneath Hammerite buildings. They have a tell-tale atmospheric sound similar to Apparitions, however some dialogue is said. Hammer Haunts are found to famously say 'Join Us, Join Us... Join Us NOW!', or 'Flames around you, Flames around you, nothing but flames, burning your flesh...' however most of the sound consists of mumblings and non-English words. They sound as if they are dragging chains when they walk, and will emit a ghostly maniacal laughter when attacking. Hammer Haunts resemble regular Hammerite soldiers, however their clothes are tattered and worn, they wear gloves, and the flesh from their faces has been removed, leaving a skeletal grimace. When attacking, Hammer Haunts are almost twice as fast as regular enemies.

Cradle puppets as they are commonly known to players, more officially referred to as inmates, are corpses of insane patients, resurrected by the will of the Cradle. They wear the remains of straight jackets with broken metal protective cages around their heads and hands, and have a characteristic rapid breathing sound and unnatural motion. Their damaged attire is unfortunately no longer capable of shielding handlers from their attacks. They are not exactly undead, but merely controlled by the effectively invulnerable force which inhabits the cradle (hence the name "puppets"), and thus are almost impossible to kill. Most weapons normally effective against the undead will at most temporarily disable an inmate. The process used by the cradle to reanimate the inmates tends to cause severe disturbances to electrical devices in their vicinity. The inmates do not behave as aimlessly as most other undead - each inmate retains much of their character and mental instability from when they were alive.

Cradle orderlies are apparitions which behave as the staff of the Cradle did before it was shut down. They only appear when the cradle begins to behave as it did before the fire, as all the orderlies were killed when the staff wing burnt down. Their speech is bizarrely distorted and unintelligible, and they appear as perfectly black silhouettes - possibly because their bodies were turned to soot in the fire, unlike the inmates who survived the fire and presumably killed each other or starved to death in the sealed building. Like the inmates, the orderlies endlessly reenact their former lives and behaviour.

The Undead are afraid of flashbombs, fire arrows and holy water. In very rare circumstances, it is possible for enemies to attack each other, and one of the most common events such as this is when Undead meet the living. In Thief II, mission 5 'Eavesdropping', the level takes place in and around a Mechanist Church (which was once an old Hammer Cathedral). The Church is filled with living, breathing Mechanists, however Hammer Haunts inhabit the crypts below. If one was to open the crypt door, and lure the Haunts out into the Workshop (on the same level as the Crypts), and if one was to able to make the Haunts see the living Mechanists, they will fight. Usually, it would take at least three Mechanists to bring down a Haunt, and in very rare circumstances, wounded soldiers may run away, dragging the vengeful Haunts behind them into the Cathedral proper, ensuing a major fight scene.

Another example of Undead meeting the living is also in Thief II, in the mission 'The Courier'. Towards the end of this level, the Pagan runs into the graveyard. The graveyard contains some chambers, containing zombies (however they are lying on the ground and cannot see anything). One may alert the Zombies to one's presence, and lure the Zombies out into the City streets, backtracking as far as one may like. Zombies have a limited memory span, and if a player was to go into shadows for even a few seconds, the Zombie would forget that they are there, and start to roam randomly, eating pedestrians and soldiers if they come into contact with the living.

• Mechanist Servants

Robot-like entities that guard Soulforge Cathedral, the exact details of their creation are an important plot point of the second game.

• Mechanist Robots

These come in two sizes. The larger robots have a powerful range attack, while the smaller units are only able to alert other, more dangerous enemies. Both types of robot can be disabled by firing water arrows into their boilers at their backs.

• Mechanist Turrets

Not seen that often, these emplacement weapons guard doorways and rooms. They are connected to the Mechanist's cameras and alarms. They track quickly, and fire what appear to be sawblades at Garrett. It fires and reloads relatively quickly. The best thing is to avoid them, barring that a fire arrow should take them out, or disable their power or cameras. Versions of the turrets fitted to the entrance of Shoalsgate Station launch heavy iron balls which explode after a delay, although they are quite capable of killing Garrett outright just by hitting him.

• Burricks

Dinosaur-like animals living in underground tunnels, they appear in the Bonehoard Catacomb, the Old Quarter, the Lost City and Ramirez's castle basement. They have a gas attack with an area effect.

• Kurshok

The Kurshok are a fallen race of fish-like amphibious beastmen that live deep below the city. The ancient Citadel is the Nexus of their civilization, or whats left of it, and a once great city enveloped their caverns. Their warriors are sturdy and powerful, albeit slow-witted, weilding their unique brand of massive two-handed blades. They verbally communicate in the same language as every other faction or city-dweller, with their own unique dialect consistsing of snarls and clicks mixed in with verbal words. The Kurshok are sworn enemies of the Pagans, who seek to reclaim an important relic which the Kurshok took with them down to their underworld.

• Bug Beasts

They are green fly-like creatures and appear in Constantine's mansion and the Pagan Maw. They attack with bug clouds.

• Apes

These appear in Constantine's mansion and the Pagan Maw. In the Dark Project they carry swords, but in the Metal Age they use blow arrows and bare hands.

• Spiders

These are divided into sewer spiders, huge spiders and spider beasts. Sewer spiders are pale green and small. Huge spiders are dark green and are about the size of Garrett. They attack with their bites and can move very quickly. Spider beasts are at the same size of huge spiders and are bright red in colour. They shoot webs and magical shots.

• Tree Beasts

They only appear in the Pagan Maw in the Metal Age. They are disguised as trees, and move extremely rapidly. They only take damage from fire arrows, mines and sword strikes at certain positions.

• Elementals

First seen in "The Lost City" section of The Dark Project, Fire Elementals are floating, flying balls of fire. They are not intelligent, but their tenacity is something to be wary of. They fire blasts of flame at their enemies. As expected, fire arrows will make them grow, while water arrows will snuff them. They will call for help if they spot any being invading their patrol, or if they are destroyed.

• Craymen

Craymen are humanoid beings, whose heads resemble Crayfish. Craymen are tanned in colour, and have pincers for hands (like lobsters), and are encountered only in the first Thief game (though their heads may be found in Mansions as trophies, like Burricks). They emit a high, clicking noise, and will shriek when attacked. They wield their claw arms in a similar fashion as Guards wield their swords, and when the player's sword is deflected, the same metallic clang is heard. Craybeasts are found only within the Maw, and are blue in colour with red stripes. They can take more damage, but are otherwise much the same as regular Craymen.

Equipment

Garrett is a master thief, but he still requires the aid of tools and equipment to assist him in his dangerous occupation. To this end, Garrett employs all manner of items, most of them off the black market such as special arrows, while others must be acquired, such as holy water from a Hammerite place of worship. This list is accurate as of Deadly Shadows, and only covers items that can be bought and used.

Mêlée

Garrett usually employs weapons of this class for stealthy operations, such as knocking someone out or backstabbing them.

• Blackjack

A small club that Garrett uses to hit people over the back of the head and knock them unconscious. It's the quietest and cleanest weapon in the game, and as such is the most useful weapon in Garrett's arsenal. On the other hand, it is next to useless if the target has already been alerted to Garrett's presence. In Deadly Shadows, the Blackjack can eventually be upgraded to destroy Glyph-animated objects.

• Sword

In the first two games in the series, Garrett carries a short sword. The sword can be used both to attack enemies and to block their swords. Wielding a sword makes Garrett more visible; however, during the course of The Dark Project it is replaced with a sword that does not have this handicap, and can also be used against ghosts, who cannot be struck by ordinary weapons. The events at the end of the game cause the sword to lose its power, and it becomes a mantle decoration in Garrett's apartment, which he leaves behind when he is forced to abandon his home in Thief 2.

• Dagger

In Deadly Shadows, Garrett's sword is replaced by a dagger. It has been blackened to minimize its visibility, and is his last-resort weapon if he must engage in close-combat. If the enemy is a living creature and unaware of Garrett's presence, Garrett can stab the person in the back to rapidly facilitate death. This method leaves a telltale pool of blood on the floor, however.

Projectile

Garrett carries a wooden shortbow with a custom metal sight mounted on the left of the frame. He has had it since the events of the first Thief game, and uses it to launch the selection of arrows at his disposal.

• Broadhead

The standard arrow type, the broadhead sports a broad-headed metal arrowhead, hence its name. A shot to the back of the head with this will usually kill the target. They can later be upgraded to destroy giant insects called Rust Mites, which feed off metal and are thus hated by the Hammerites. If shot into wooden surfaces, they can be collected afterwards.

• Water

Water arrows are arrows whose heads have been replaced with water elemental crystals. The crystal shatters on impact, releasing water over a very small area. They are used to douse torches, clean up blood stains and also extend the effective coverage of a moss arrow.

• Moss

Moss arrows carry magically-enhanced moss that grows at an extremely rapid pace in the immediate area of which it lands. If necessary, the moss can be extended by exposure to water. The rapid-growth aspect of the moss allows it to be used as a distractive device; fired into the face of a person it will cause temporary choking. Moss arrows can also be used to help silence the sound that footsteps would normally make on certain surfaces (such as metal or tile).

• Fire

Fire arrows carry fire elemental crystals in place of regular, metal arrowheads. Taking the arrow out of the quiver causes a risk of discovery from the bright light that the crystal creates. Fire arrows are useful against any opponent, but even more so against metal security devices, the undead, and supernatural creatures. They can also be used to ignite the liquid contained in oil flasks, and to light torches and illuminate hallways.

• Noisemaker

A noisemaker arrow carries a simple mechanical device that creates a loud ticking noise, or muted firework sounds in Deadly Shadows. The arrow's only use is for distracting other characters while Garrett either sneaks past, or blackjacks them.

• Rope

When fired into a soft surface (wood or earth), a rope extends downwards from the arrow, allowing Garrett to climb up and reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Rope Arrows are a great aid in getting around maps and avoiding guards. In Thief: The Metal Age they are replaced near the end of the game with Vine Arrows which give out a longer rope and have the added bonus of sticking to metal grillworks. Rope and Vine arrows are not available in Thief: Deadly Shadows.

• Gas

Gas arrows are tipped with an elemental crystal of air, which acts as a knockout gas. The crystal shatters on impact and releases the gas, sending any living person in the area to sleep. Gas arrows can also be used to put torches out.

Explosives

This section covers the items carried by Garrett which are to be deployed on their own, and activate by means of exploding. Note that given Garrett's professional nature, only two items in this section are actually fatal, and even then only one of them will work against all enemies, the other being fatal only against the undead.

• Flash Bomb

The flashbomb is a spherical device that generates a short-lived but extremely-bright burst of light. The light can disorient the living, including the supernatural, but is most useful against the undead, to whom it is fatal (Apparently bright light is dangerous to the undead). It is based on the flashbang in real-life. Detonates on contact with any surface.

• Gas Bomb

A hand-thrown version of the Gas Arrow. Detonates on contact with any surface.

• Explosive Mine

A landmine that arms itself with an audible beep once it is thrown and lands on the floor. The mine triggers the internal explosive the moment anything steps on it, making it excellent for laying traps. The downside is that the device generates a large amount of noise, which will alert more or less everyone in the area.

• Gas Mine

Functionally similar to the explosive mine, only that it releases knockout gas and not an explosive. Useful for non-lethal attempts.

Potions

The potions in this section are all held in flasks.

• Healing Potion

The healing potion is Garrett's lifesaver whenever he sustains injury, replacing health points lost through injury. It appears in the game as a red vial.

• Holy Water

Only procurable from the Hammerites, holy water is sought for its ability to bring instant death to the undead, whom the Hammerites hate intensely. It appears as a small adorned vial holding the glowing, blessed water. In the original game, holy water was not thrown directly on the ground to harm undead who walked over it, but was instead used to make all water arrows fired by Garrett act as holy water arrows (i.e. they gained the ability to harm the undead) for thirty seconds. Thief Deadly Shadows does not allow the player to use the holy water on arrows, but acts more like the oil flask when thrown. Note that some exceptionally powerful undead enemies must be hit directly by the flask, or must stand on the water for a comparatively long period of time (i.e. they could run off it)

• Oil Flask

The oil flask is a large container housing a slippery, flammable oil which can be used to trip guards and pretty much everyone else. As the oil is flammable, it can be set on fire to create a barrier that most will not pass.

• Slowfall Potion

The slowfall potion enables Garrett to take less damage from a high fall. It can be taken prior to falling, or mid-fall if quick enough.

• Breath Potion

The breath potion can be used while swimming to avoid drowning.

• Speed Potion

Allows Garret to run faster, and in some places jump higher.

• Invisibility Potion

Allows Garret to walk anywhere unseen for a few seconds.

Items

The items in this section are all earned or bought throughout the game.

• Climbing Gloves

The Climbing Gloves are only available in Thief: Deadly Shadows. They replace the Rope/Vine arrows, and give Garrett the ability to climb walls.

• Scouting Orb

As mentioned above, Garrett may have been given his Mechanical Eye by Karras, and this device behaves in much the same way. The Scouting Orb is a device that can be thrown arround corners, through cracks and down holes to give Garrett a first person view of what may lay ahead.

• Lockpicks

These are the primary tool used by a thief to open any door, lock or chest that may conceal valuables.

Spells

Though Garrett cannot cast any magic himself, he can intercept any helpful spells cast by mages in Thief Deadly Shadows. The spells go as follows:

Keepers: Invisibility

Hammerites: Damage increase and the ability to harm undead with normal weapons

Pagans: Speed increase and healing slowly

These spells only last a short period of time and will not last through a mission. Also mages fire harmful spells, so be wary of what you intercept. Helpful spells usually travel slowly. It is possible to steal a spellcaster's scepter, rendering them a useless civilian.

External links

Official sites

• Thief: The Dark Project
• Thief II: The Metal Age
• Thief: Deadly Shadows

Fan sites

• Thief: The Circle
• Through The Looking Glass forums
• Fleshworks, the Thief 3 editing wiki

Fan missions and modifications

• The Dark Mod A total conversion mod for Doom 3, which aims to create a moody, stealth experience reminiscent of the 'Thief games from Looking Glass Studios.
• Mod (computer gaming) Wiki article containing information on Thief FM's
• Cheap Thief Missions
• Dark Loader, a freeware application to quickly and easily play fan missions
• The Keep of Metal and Gold
• Thief: The Circle
• The Circle of Stone and Shadow, an unofficial Thief II expansion
• T2X: Shadows of the Metal Age, an unofficial Thief II expansion

Game Archive and Review sites

• MobyGames' entry for the Thief Series

Miscellaneous

• Journey into the Cradle - analysis of one level of Thief: Deadly Shadows
• Thief & Thief 2 level design credits
• Stealing Beauty: A Thief Retrospective
• Thievery Unreal Tournament Mod - allowing multiplayer thieves vs guards gameplay.