Zurchin (Character Kit)

Class Information 	Class Information
Class Requirements 	Thief
Racial Requirements 	Halfling (hairfeet, tallfellow)
Ability Requirements 	Charisma 11, Dexterity 9
Prime Requisite 	Charisma, Dexterity
Aligments 	Any but LG
Social Rank 	Lower class (may fake higher)
Hit Die Type 	d6
Attack as 	Rogue
Save as 	Rogue
Advance as 	Thief
Spell Ability? 	No
Exceptional Strength? 	No
Exceptional Constitution?	No
Starting Cash (x10 gp) 	2d6
Proficiencies 	Proficiencies
Weapon Slots 	2
Initial Weapons 	Club, dagger, dart, knife, sling (see below)
Additional WP Slot 	4
Additional Weapons 	As above
Nonproficiency Penalty 	-3
Nonweapon Slots 	3
Additional NWP Slot 	4
Available Categories 	General, Rogue
Bonus Proficiencies 	Appraising, disguise, gaming, local history
Recommended Proficiencies	Blind-fighting, cooking, etiquette, forgery, juggling, jumping, languages (modern), musical instrument, reading lips, rope use, singing, tumbling, ventriloquism
Secondary Skills 	No skill applicable except possibly gambling
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==Overview==
"Zurchin" is short for "Zazesspur urchin," after the city where this practice has become best known, thanks to halflings from the neighboring Purple Hills. Zurchins are specialized urban thieves, all halflings, who disguise themselves as human or elven children. Zurchins are accomplished at
blending in with local crowds, looking every bit like adolescent youths from every level of society and ward in the city. They use their disguises to enter numerous homes and businesses, casing them for other thieves or for their own attention later. Zurchins often escape suspicion for the sophisticated crimes they commit, as no one ever suspects a child.
Zurchins are known to exist in numerous large human dominated cities across the Realms. Because zurchins' disguises are so effective and they do not work in large groups, most cities do not know they have a "zurchin problem." Zurchins have been found in Waterdeep, Baldur's Gate, Myratma, Suzail, Raven's Bluff, and even in racist Hillsfar, where they go after slave-taking human soldiers (the Red Plumes) with a vengeance. Large cities give zurchins great freedom, as no one keeps track of where street children go or who they belong to. High local merchant traffic by land or sea also gives a wide selection of goods to steal, as well as allowing the zurchin to blend in as a visitor.
==Description==
A zurchin looks every bit like a normal human, elf, or half-elf child, ranging in age from 6 to 10. The zurchin appears to have no weapons, because they are either carefully hidden or disguised to look like toys or minor tools. A zurchin usually keeps many sets of clothing, shoes, and makeup to take on different identities, combined with wigs, haircuts, hair dyes, and materials to fake injuries or change skin color slightly. Body hair (especially on the feet) is carefully shaved, and normal footwear is worn. Changes in voice are continually practiced. Tallfellow halflings best mimic elf and half-elf children, as well as tall, lean, older human children; hairfeet halflings do best mimicking younger kids with "baby fat."
==Roleplaying==
A zurchin usually gets her start in life by playing on a natural but normally irritating resemblance to a human or elf child, causing larger folk to treat the halfling in a patronizing manner. Many peasant halflings migrate to human cities in search of work but are not treated with respect and remain unemployed. Theft is the best answer to starvation and poverty, and halflings who can pass as children soon take up the zurchin life.
Zurchins habitually study real children around them for tips on bettering their disguises. Skilled zurchins know all the local kids' games and interests, and often know a lot about the children's home lives plus any family or business secrets. Zurchins come to empathize greatly with children and sometimes find themselves using their powers, tools, and skills to help real children out of bad situations. Zurchins pose a special danger to those engaged in child kidnapping or slavery, who may seize an armed zurchin by mistake and suffer the consequences. Still, zurchins are thieves, and whatever information they learn is put to use in relieving bigger folk of their valuables. A "good deed" done by an zurchin could be done purely out of self-defense or other, less pure motives.
Some zurchins have allowed themselves to be adopted by wealthy but unknowing parents, living in guaranteed comfort for a few years until their lack of growth becomes obvious. They have even allowed themselves to be placed in orphanages, from which they secretly continue their careers as thieves. Others have served as spies for foreign powers, keeping tabs on political or military activities in their city.
==Special Advantages==
One advantage that zurchins have is that physically, with no makeup at all, they are naturally identical to real children of humans or elves. This look is reinforced greatly by using professional disguise techniques to gain childlike speech patterns, dress, behaviors, mannerisms, and interests. A +4 bonus is applied to the disguise proficiency check when the zurchin takes on a child persona.
Further, zurchins gain a +15 bonus to their pickpocketing ability. They are so good at it that victims only notice the attempt if a score is rolled on 1d100 that is equal to or greater than twice the victim's level subtracted from 100 (for example, a score of 74 or better for a 13th-level victim).
Early on, a zurchin learns a special form of combat: trip ping. When hiding in shadows within 5 feet of a running humanoid, the zurchin can adroitly stick out a foot and, with a successful attack roll vs. the victim's legs (no shield bonus, +2 from surprise, possibly unarmored), cause the victim to fall prone and take 1 point of damage. The prone victim can be attacked by the zurchin at the end of the same round with a +4 bonus to the attack roll.
A zurchin is very good at throwing rocks at opponents from constant practice. A good throwing rock does 1d3/1d2 damage (S/M/L range = 10/20/30 yards), and rocks or like items are plentiful in most areas. A zurchin gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls with rocks and can throw 3 per round.
If the local history proficiency is taken for the city the zurchin inhabits, a successful proficiency check grants her knowledge of local escape routes and hiding places she can use to evade capture. This check won't work for any other city but her home.
==Special Disadvantages==
Zurchins have no ability to backstab, and they do not gain followers when they reach 10th level. (Who wants to work for a kid?) Criminal elements that prey on children are also a frequent hazard.
The worst problem a zurchin faces is having to pose as a child. As a result, no armor can normally be worn, no weapons can be displayed, magic and valuables must be hidden, and a constant act must be put up that cannot fail at any moment. Even going on an adventure can be a problem, as NPCs never regard the zurchin as a leader or take her advice seriously. If discovered to be a halfling, the zurchin might face imprisonment or exile with facial tattooing, branding, or the like to permanently identify her as not being a human or elf child but a criminal imposter.
The weapons used by a zurchin are limited to only those that can be hidden or disguised as nonlethal, unremarkable items. A club can be a thick stick the zurchin drags along, poking at things, or a brightly painted but broken pole from an abandoned building. A sling could be a belt or even just what it seems: a child's sling, with which the zurchin is often seen skipping stones on a lake.