Outlaws & Rogues

Outlaws & Rogues: Living Outside the Law

"There's only two types of men in this world—them with loaded guns, and them who dig."

The West is wild for a reason. Out here, the law's reach is long but thin, and there are plenty of folks willing to take advantage. Some are hardened desperadoes who'd gun down a preacher for the silver in his collection plate. Others are smooth-talking confidence men who'll sell you shares in a gold mine that doesn't exist. A few are just desperate people trying to survive by any means necessary in a hard land.

Not all outlaws are evil. Some are falsely accused, framed for crimes they didn't commit. Others turned to crime only after society turned its back on them—former slaves, displaced Indians, immigrants with no other options. And yes, a few genuine Robin Hood types steal from the rich to help the poor, though they're rarer than dime novels make them sound.

What unites outlaws and rogues isn't their morality but their relationship with the law: they operate outside it, against it, or in spite of it. They rely on their wits, their speed, and their willingness to bend or break rules that others follow. In the Weird West, where supernatural horrors lurk and civilization is stretched thin, outlaws often find themselves in position to become unlikely heroes—if they can survive long enough and find a reason to care about something beyond themselves.

What Makes Someone an Outlaw or Rogue?

There's a difference between breaking a law once and being an outlaw. Real outlaws make a living—or at least an existence—outside legal society. They're wanted, hunted, and have learned to survive despite bounties on their heads and lawmen on their trail.

Key characteristics of Outlaws & Rogues:

• The Outlaw Hindrance (levels 1-5, indicating both severity of crimes and how wanted they are)
• Often the Wanted Hindrance as well (representing active pursuit by authorities)
• Skills for avoiding detection: Sneak, Bluff, Disguise
• Skills for their "trade": Filchin' (pickpocketing), Gamblin' (cards), Lockpickin', Sleight of Hand
• Often good at Streetwise (knowing the underworld) and Scrutinize (reading marks and detecting lies)
• May have Enemy Hindrances (lawmen hunting them, victims seeking revenge, rival gangs)
• Usually practical fighters—not duelist gunslingers, but competent enough to survive

Outlaws come from every walk of life. Some are born into poverty and crime. Others fall from respectability after one bad decision or stroke of misfortune. A few choose the outlaw life deliberately, rejecting society's rules. But all of them share one thing: they can't go back to being law-abiding citizens without facing consequences.

The Outlaw Hindrance Explained

The Outlaw Hindrance measures two things: how vicious and bloodthirsty you are, and how widely known and wanted you are. A small-time card cheat might be Outlaw 1. A murderous desperado like John Wesley Hardin is Outlaw 5.

Important Note: Outlaw 5 should be reserved for the most vicious desperadoes—men who'd kill you for snoring too loud or looking at them wrong. These are not suitable player characters unless the Marshal specifically allows an anti-hero campaign.

Types of Outlaws & Rogues

The criminal world is diverse. Here are the major types you'll encounter:

Bank & Train Robbers

Outlaw Level: 3-4 | Primary Skills: Shootin', Horse Ridin', Demolition | Typical Take: $500-$10,000

The most famous outlaws—Jesse James, the Dalton Gang, the Younger Brothers. They strike banks in broad daylight or stop trains in isolated areas, usually working in organized gangs of 5-12 members. Bank robbery requires careful planning: case the target, plan the escape route, know when the most money will be available. Train robbery is simpler but riskier—you either stop the train with obstacles on the tracks or catch it while it's slow on a hill.

The Reality: Most bank and train robberies fail. Vaults are hard to crack, guards shoot back, posses form quickly. Many outlaws die or get caught within months of their first job. The ones who survive learn to work fast, shoot straight, and always have fresh horses waiting.

Skills Needed:

• Shootin': pistol, rifle, shotgun 3+ - You'll face armed resistance
• Horse ridin' 3+ - Fast escapes save lives
• Demolition 2+ - For blowing safes (dangerous but effective)
• Overawe 2+ - Controlling hostages and bystanders
• Guts 2+ - Nerves of steel when bullets fly

Stagecoach Robbers (Road Agents)

Outlaw Level: 2-3 | Primary Skills: Shootin', Ambush tactics | Typical Take: $50-$500

Simpler than train robbery but less profitable. Road agents ambush stagecoaches on isolated roads, rob passengers and strongboxes, then disappear. No special preparations needed—just a gun, nerve, and a good ambush spot. The catch is drivers and passengers are often armed, and stages don't carry as much money as banks or trains.

Famous Road Agents: Black Bart (who left poetry at robbery sites), "Rattlesnake Dick" Barter, and numerous others who worked California gold country.

Cattle Rustlers

Outlaw Level: 2-3 | Primary Skills: Horse Ridin', Herdin', Brand Blottin' | Typical Take: Variable

Cattle rustling is a hanging offense, but it's also profitable and common. Rustlers cut cattle from the edges of large herds, rebrand them with a "running iron," and sell them to buyers who don't ask questions. The invention of barbed wire in 1874 made rustling harder by confining cattle, but clever rustlers adapted.

Techniques:

• Brand Blotting: Using a running iron to alter existing brands (turn an "L" into a "B")
• Maverick Brands: Unregistered brands used to claim unbranded calves
• Relay Systems: Networks of rustlers, underground butchers, and hidden ranches for quick disposal

The Risk: Cattlemen's associations hunt rustlers relentlessly, often hiring "regulators" (basically legal assassins) to kill anyone they accuse. Many rustlers end up decorating a cottonwood tree with their boots swinging in the wind.

Gamblers & Card Sharps

Outlaw Level: 1-2 | Primary Skills: Gamblin', Sleight of Hand, Bluff | Typical Take: $10-$500 per night

Professional gamblers walk a fine line between legal and illegal. Winning through skill is fine. Cheating—dealing from the bottom of the deck, palming cards, using marked decks—is grounds for getting shot. Good card sharps are subtle enough that marks don't realize they've been cheated until it's too late.

Essential Skills:

• Gamblin' 4+ - Need genuine skill to hide the cheating
• Sleight of hand 3+ - For palming cards and dealing seconds
• Scrutinize 2+ - Reading other players and detecting their cheating
• Bluff 3+ - Keeping a poker face and selling the lie
• Quick draw 2+ - For when someone catches you cheating

Gambler's Tools: Marked cards, sleeve holdouts (spring-loaded devices for hiding cards), shaved dice, loaded dice, and most importantly—fast horses waiting outside.

Thieves & Pickpockets

Outlaw Level: 1-2 | Primary Skills: Filchin', Sneak, Lockpickin' | Typical Take: $5-$50 per theft

Light-fingered scoundrels who lift wallets, pick pockets, and burgle homes. More common than bank robbers but less celebrated. Good thieves work crowds—train stations, saloons, theater shows. They bump into marks, apologize profusely, and walk away with the victim's purse or pocket watch.

Essential Skills:

• Filchin' 3+ - For picking pockets and lifting items
• Sneak 3+ - Moving unseen through crowds or buildings
• Lockpickin' 2+ - For locked doors, strongboxes, and safes
• Scrutinize 2+ - Spotting good marks and avoiding lawmen
• Streetwise 2+ - Knowing where to sell stolen goods

Cat Burglars: Elite thieves who specialize in breaking into secure locations. John Robey, "The Cat," is one of the most infamous—he leaves calling cards at his robberies and has never been caught. Cat burglars need excellent climbing skills and nerves to match.

Con Artists & Confidence Men

Outlaw Level: 1-3 | Primary Skills: Persuasion, Bluff, Tale-Tellin' | Typical Take: $50-$5,000

The smooth talkers who sell worthless mining claims, run rigged gambling games, peddle miracle tonics, or run investment schemes. Con artists rely on greed, hope, and gullibility. The best ones are so charming that victims don't realize they've been swindled until days later—sometimes never.

Common Cons:

• The Mining Claim: Selling maps to nonexistent gold strikes or shares in salted mines
• The Investment Scheme: Promising huge returns on phantom businesses or inventions
• The Miracle Cure: Snake oil salesmen peddling colored water as medicine
• The Inheritance Scam: Pretending to be a lawyer with news of a wealthy relative's death
• The Rigged Game: Three-card monte, shell games, or crooked poker games

Essential Skills:

• Persuasion 4+ - The core skill for any con artist
• Bluff 4+ - Selling the lie convincingly
• Tale-tellin' 3+ - Creating elaborate backstories and maintaining them
• Scrutinize 3+ - Reading marks to know what they want to hear
• Disguise 2+ - For playing different roles in complex cons

Building an Outlaw or Rogue Character

Here's how to create an outlaw character that fits the heroic adventurer mold:

Required Elements (Choose One Approach)

For Active Outlaws (Still Wanted):

• The Outlaw Hindrance (1-3 for heroic characters; avoid 4-5)
• Often also the Wanted Hindrance (represents active pursuit)
• Enemy Hindrance (lawmen, bounty hunters, or victims seeking revenge)
• Skills appropriate to your type of outlawry
• A compelling reason why you're not evil despite being wanted

For Reformed Outlaws (Trying to Go Straight):

• May still have Outlaw or Wanted Hindrances (past crimes haunt you)
• Likely has Enemy (someone from your criminal past)
• Often takes Vow (never go back to the outlaw life) or Loyal (to someone who gave you a second chance)
• Skills from your criminal past remain useful

Essential Skills by Outlaw Type

Useful General Skills

• Streetwise 2+ - Knowing the underworld, finding fences, understanding criminal networks
• Disguise 2+ - Changing appearance to avoid recognition
• Area knowledge 2+ - Knowing escape routes, hideouts, and safe territories
• Survival 2+ - Living in the wilderness when hiding from the law
• Trackin' 2+ - Knowing when you're being followed

Recommended Edges

• Quick Draw (3 points) - Essential for bank robbers and gunslingers. Draw weapon as free action.
• Fleet-Footed (2 points) - +2 to Pace. Good for thieves and anyone who runs from the law.
• Light Sleeper (1 point) - +2 to Cognition when waking up. When lawmen hunt you, you need to wake fast.
• Luck o' the Irish (5 points) - Extra Fate Chip each session. Outlaws need all the luck they can get.
• Nerves o' Steel (1 point) - Stand ground instead of fleeing on failed guts checks. Useful in shootouts.
• Gift of Gab (1 point) - Never speechless, +2 to Tests of Will with conversation. Perfect for con artists.
• Friends in High Places (1-5 points) - Corrupt lawmen, crooked judges, or wealthy backers who protect you.
• Keen (2 points) - +2 to Cognition and all related skills. Helps with scrutinize and search.

Common Hindrances

• Outlaw (–1 to –5) - Your criminal reputation and how wanted you are. Core Hindrance for this archetype.
• Wanted (–1 to –5) - Represents active pursuit by authorities. Often taken with Outlaw Hindrance.
• Enemy (various) - Lawmen, bounty hunters, victims, or rival outlaws who want you dead or captured.
• Vengeful (–3) - Must always try to right wrongs against you. Common among outlaws with grudges.
• Greedy (–2) - Argues over loot division, takes unnecessary risks for money. Fits many outlaws.
• Bloodthirsty (–2) - Prefers to kill rather than leave witnesses. Appropriate for darker outlaws.
• Mean as a Rattler (–2) - Bad attitude, quick to anger. Common among hardened desperadoes.
• Habit (–1 to –3) - Gambling, drinking, or other vice that causes problems.
• Overconfident (–2) - Thinks you're smarter/faster than you are. Gets outlaws killed regularly.
• Loyal (–3) - To your gang, your partner, or someone who helped you. Noble quality even in outlaws.

The Criminal Underworld

Outlaws don't operate in a vacuum. There's an entire shadow economy supporting criminal activity:

Fences & Black Markets

Stolen goods need buyers. Fences purchase hot merchandise for 10-25% of value and resell it elsewhere. Every town has at least one—often a pawnbroker, saloon keeper, or "merchant" who asks no questions. Major cities have entire black market networks.

Hideouts & Safe Houses

Famous outlaw hideouts include:

• Robbers Roost, Utah: Remote canyon system, nearly impossible to find without a guide
• Hole-in-the-Wall, Wyoming: Natural fortress used by Butch Cassidy's gang
• Border Towns: Places where multiple jurisdictions meet and nobody has clear authority
• Indian Territory: Federal marshals have jurisdiction but limited presence
• Mexico: Beyond reach of US and CSA law, popular with border outlaws

Criminal Slang

Outlaws have their own language. Understanding it helps you fit in—or recognize who's talking about what:

Criminal Techniques

Understanding how outlaws work helps you play one convincingly:

Robbing a Bank

Planning Phase:

• Case the bank—learn when most cash is present, how many employees, guard schedules
• Plan escape routes—multiple paths out of town, fresh horses stationed strategically
• Pick your day—ideally when the marshal is out of town and the bank is busy
• Coordinate timing—usually midday when banks have the most cash on hand

Execution:

• Enter in force—at least 4-6 gang members, weapons drawn
• Control the room—threaten everyone, get them on the floor, no shooting unless necessary
• Empty the tills and vault—bring bags, work fast, take no more than 5 minutes
• Exit and mount up—covering each other, watching for armed citizens
• Ride hard—use relay horses if possible, split up if pursued, regroup at a safe location

Why It Usually Fails: Banks often have hidden alarms, armed guards, or citizens who shoot back. Even successful robberies attract pursuit. Most bank robbers are dead or caught within a year.

Stopping a Train

Method 1 - Block the Tracks:

• Find isolated section of track far from towns
• Place obstacles (logs, rocks) on the tracks to force a stop
• Use red lantern to signal "danger" to engineer
• Board when stopped, control crew and passengers, rob strongbox and passengers
• Escape on horseback before authorities arrive

Method 2 - Catch the Train:

• Wait near steep hill or sharp curve where train slows
• Ride alongside on fast horses (Fair (5) horse ridin' roll to board safely)
• Fight your way to the strongbox or take control of the engine
• Stop train near accomplices with fresh horses

The Problem: Express companies hire armed guards. Many passengers carry weapons. Telegraph can summon law enforcement quickly. And trains are hard targets that fight back.

Confidence Games

Con artists work through psychology rather than violence:

The Setup: Identify a mark with money and a weakness (greed, vanity, loneliness, etc.)

The Hook: Approach with an opportunity that appeals to their weakness. Make it seem like their idea or lucky chance.

The Convincer: Provide "proof" the opportunity is real—fake testimonials, salted mines, rigged demonstrations.

The Payoff: Get the mark's money. Often involves having them "invest" or "buy in" to the scheme.

The Blow-Off: Disappear before they realize they've been conned. Leave no trail to follow.

Why It Works: People want to believe they're getting something for nothing. Greed blinds them to warning signs. And victims often don't report cons because they're embarrassed.

Playing an Outlaw Character

Here's how to bring outlaw characters to life while keeping them heroic:

Know Your Line: Establish what crimes your character will and won't commit. Armed robbery? Maybe. Murder? Probably not. This is what separates Robin Hood from John Wesley Hardin. Heroes might steal, but they don't kill innocents.

Have a Code: Even outlaws have principles. Maybe you never rob from the poor. Maybe you never harm women or children. Maybe you keep your word once given. These codes make you more than a common criminal.

Show the Consequences: Being wanted isn't glamorous. You can't go home. You sleep light. Every stranger might be a bounty hunter. Every lawman is a threat. Friends and family are in danger because of their association with you. Let this weight show.

Be Practical, Not Romantic: Dime novels romanticize outlaw life. Reality is harsh—sleeping rough, eating poorly, always moving, trusting no one. Real outlaws are survivors first, not glory seekers.

Use Your Skills Creatively: Outlaw skills have legitimate uses. Filchin' works on trapped devices. Disguise helps with undercover work. Bluff is useful in negotiations. Lockpickin' opens locked doors when you're trapped. Don't just use these skills for crime—use them to solve problems.

Seek Redemption (Maybe): Many great character arcs involve outlaws trying to go straight. You can't undo the past, but you can choose a better future. Working for Colonel Brennan might be part of that redemption—or it might be one last score before you disappear.

Respect Other Outlaws: There's professional courtesy among criminals. You don't rat on other outlaws to the law. You honor deals made with criminal contacts. Breaking these unwritten rules makes you worse than a criminal—it makes you a traitor to your own kind.

Fear the Right Things: Outlaws aren't afraid of fights or risks—that's the job. But they should fear: the noose, betrayal, becoming like the monsters they fight, losing what humanity they have left. These fears drive interesting choices.

Outlaw Archetypes

The Gentleman Bandit: Polite, educated, charming. Robs banks but doesn't kill. Tips hat to ladies during robberies. Leaves poetry at crime scenes. Believes in style and panache. May donate portions of stolen money to orphanages or churches. Examples: Black Bart.

The Reluctant Criminal: Forced into outlawry by circumstances—falsely accused, defending themselves, protecting family. Hates what they've become. Dreams of clearing their name. Every crime weighs on their conscience. Would go straight if they could.

The Vengeful Outlaw: Turned to crime seeking revenge against those who wronged them. The law failed them, so they took justice into their own hands. Now wanted for it. More interested in vengeance than profit. Example: Modified Joaquin Murieta.

The Con Artist: Smooth-talking trickster who prefers brains over bullets. Never uses violence if a lie will work. Has 17 different identities and knows which one to use when. Enjoys the game more than the money. Master of the long con.

The Robin Hood: Steals from rich oppressors, gives to the poor. Seen as a hero by common folk, villain by authorities. Walks the line between outlaw and folk hero. May lead a gang of idealistic thieves. Rare but memorable.

The Reformed Outlaw: Former criminal trying to go straight. Past catches up regularly—old gang wants them back, victims seek revenge, law doesn't believe they've changed. Uses criminal skills for good now. Constantly proves they've changed.

The Survivor: Not evil, just desperate. Stole to eat, killed in self-defense, did what was necessary to live. Society gave them no options. Now they're wanted, but they're not murderers—just people who refused to starve quietly.

Outlaws, Rogues & the Troubleshooters

Colonel Augustus "Gus" Brennan has an interesting relationship with outlaws. He's a respectable businessman who values law and order—publicly. Privately, he understands that sometimes the most effective troubleshooters are people who don't let legal niceties stop them from getting the job done.

The Colonel employs several people with questionable pasts or present activities. He doesn't ask too many questions about your background as long as you're competent, loyal, and don't cause him political problems. That said, he has standards:

What the Colonel Tolerates:

• Reformed criminals who've left that life behind
• Technical outlaws who broke unjust laws or were falsely accused
• Skilled thieves who use their talents for his benefit
• Con artists who can gather intelligence or manipulate his enemies
• Former gang members who left criminal life for his employ

What the Colonel Won't Tolerate:

• Active bank/train robbery while in his employ—it attracts too much law enforcement attention
• Murdering innocents or causing unnecessary collateral damage
• Stealing from him or his business interests (that's suicide)
• Getting arrested in ways that embarrass him or expose his operations
• Working for his competitors or enemies—loyalty is non-negotiable

The Arrangement: The Colonel pays well—often better than most criminal enterprises. He provides protection, connections, and legitimacy. In exchange, you work exclusively for him, keep your criminal activities low-profile (or nonexistent), and don't make problems he has to clean up. It's a good deal for outlaws who want steady income without constantly running from the law.

Dodge City Complications: Dodge City has real law enforcement—Marshal Larry Deger and deputies including Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. These aren't corrupt small-town sheriffs; they're competent, honest lawmen. Troubleshooters with outlaw backgrounds need to avoid drawing their attention. The Colonel has influence, but he won't protect you if you start a gunfight on Main Street.

Using Outlaw Skills Legitimately: Many outlaw skills have perfectly legal applications when working for the Colonel:

• Filchin' and lockpickin' work on trapped rooms and secured documents
• Disguise and bluff are essential for undercover work
• Gamblin' and scrutinize help gather intelligence in saloons
• Streetwise provides contacts in the underworld for information
• Sneak and burglary skills work for reconnaissance

The Unspoken Understanding: The Colonel knows some of his Troubleshooters skirt the law. He doesn't ask for details. You don't tell him. As long as you're effective, discrete, and loyal, your past is your business. But if you become a liability—if your crimes endanger his operations or reputation—you're on your own. He'll cut ties and deny everything.

Next: Shamans & Medicine Men – Those who walk with the spirits of the land...