Thugs & Thieves is a fantasy RPG where the characters are, well, thugs and thieves. In the most basic of definitions, these are men and women who eke out a living by doing work that involves the use of force and/or guile.
Let's not beat around the bush. It's dangerous work, and the risk of injury, imprisonment, death, and worse is very real. So why do it? Why live by the sword? Apart from a love of adventure, there's a simple pragmatic answer: For the money. Thugs and thieves have no marketable skills other than their fighting and stealing abilities. In order to make money to live, they are forced to capitalize on their talents. Further, each character has a weakness, be it a fondness for sex, gambling, good food and drink, or other entertainment. These pursuits cost money as well.
Thugs & Thieves is a game of sword and sorcery adventure. It's about kicking ass, taking names, partying hardy, and the consequences thereof. Characters make their way in the world by putting themselves in danger. The risks are great, but the rewards can be even greater if you're strong enough.
Think of 80's B-grade fantasy movies and you'll get an idea of what a good Thugs & Thieves game should be like. Specifically, think of The Beastmaster, Conan the Barbarian, and The Sword and the Sorcerer. Think giant snakes. Unspeakably evil sorcerers. Incredibly attractive people. Fell beasts and monsters of every description. Kings and queens who live in opulent splendour. Peasants who live in squalor and poverty. Big, stupid-looking weapons.
The protagonists of these films do not have any special magical abilities, but they are extremely competent in what they do, and what they do (once you strip away the highfalutin' personal vendettas and special destinies) is thuggery and thievery. These are characters who know how to get down and dirty. Unlike in the movies, however, when the adventure comes to a close, they don't ride off into the sunset; they look for more. Thugs & Thieves is focused on emphasizing the garishness and hedonistic nature of the settings and societies commonly portrayed in pulp fantasy films.
Click here to download the current version of Thugs & Thieves. The ZIP file includes all the rules you need to play, as well as a sample scenario to get you started quickly.