1) Fist thing is first...you must love what you do...it is a gut feeling that tells one that thieving is for him or her...you must be totaly devoted to the skill and focused upon it's use as you use it. There is no such thing as a good long-lived thief who has a moral battle every time they pick a pocket.
2) Learn as much as you can...Remember the old lesson,"Knowledge is Power?" They weren't jokin' bub...With knowledge, you have access to more abilities than your normal thug or run of the muck pursecutter...For to be a thief is to be ambitious...more so than the lawful good. If, however, you turn to the evil complacency of alignment, you may find that you are more consumed with ambition than your soul can handle...Thieving is an art, not a tool of destruction. As with any power, knowledge can either make you evil, or a reasonable agent of good. Keep your head about you and your wits sharp, and you will see yourself through.
3) Hone your skills...Remember, "Practice makes perfect!" Always work and train and perfect your skills...they may have more use than you think. Work to keep your body and mind in peak condition...don't buff up or brain out, but keep your size and knowledge in balance so as to better your talents. Try new things...practice your techniques.
4) Find fellow thieves and know them as well as you know yourself. There are three problems with thievery. 1, The moral deficiency. 2, The punishment of capture. 3, The competition with other thieves. Number 3 can be the worst of these problems...Don't ever work another thiefs territory unless you are intent on taking the territory out from under him/her, and are ready to face the repercussions. You will have them, Count On It!
5) In finishing this somewhat bizare list of insights into the art we practice often, I find only a few simple words to set the mind of a thief into perspective as it should be. These words are as follows: "Know the bounds which make our trade our trade...learn the things that make this trade our trade...and surpass all things bound by the unadventurous so that this will always be our trade."
