- Roll d6 to determine whether your Thief is mortal or undead. Rolls of 1-4 indicate Human. A 5 or 6 indicates Vampire. The Dealer may opt to allow free choice in this matter.
- Familiarise yourself with the special rules for your Thief, and use the tables provided to generate a name, appearance, and personality. Any results are suggestions only, and can be overruled if the player already has a strong vision of their Thief.
- Create a history for your Thief. Humans should roll for a Human Background; the life you were born into before you became a Thief. Vampires should roll to discover which Vampire House they are a member of. Your Background or House will give you one Tool and one Skill.
- Choose a Profession for your Thief. Professions determine the role you will play in the heist, and give your Thief three Skills and three Tools. You may either pick a Profession, or roll 1d6 and consult the table below. It is recommended that groups of Thieves incorporate a variety of Professions, but this is not mandated.
| d6 | Profession |
|---|---|
| 1 | Murderer |
| 2 | Shadowjack |
| 3 | Liesmith |
| 4 | Gearhead |
| 5 | Alchemist |
| 6 | Occultist |
- Choose the Rituals known by your Thief, if any. Each Ritual you memorise raises your minimum Doom Score by one point.
- Each player draws a Secret, using a standard deck of 52 playing cards. Keep the result hidden from the other players.
Note: If this is your first time playing, or your table is uncomfortable with player vs player conflict, it is recommended that the players do not draw Secrets. Only draw them if you are certain you want a more challenging heist.
- Fill your Criminal Record with your Thief’s name, Tools, Skills, Rituals, and starting Doom Score, if you haven’t already. You are now ready to embark on your first heist.