# Artifact Thieves (Roundstart/Midround Antagonist)

## Abstract

Artifact thieves are a new roundstart and midround antag type, centered around multiple thieves who are all vying to steal the same (randomized) artifact from somewhere on the station, fully power it up, and escape alive with it. This will be a new mid-impact antag type, with a similar concept to the old Thief - but with both a competitive aspect and high potential for mayhem and destruction.

## Goals

1. Provide a new, relatively simple antag type, with more impact on the round and more things to do than the Thief had.
2. Encourage a playstyle combining stealth and deceit with occasional open conflict.
3. Artifacts should provide a continuous escalation and a fair chance of causing a shuttle call.

## Non-Goals

1. Incentivize locking the artifact away at the start of the round so no one can get to it. It would be extremely boring if the crew placed the artifact in, say, the AI core every round, protected by turrets.
2. Encourage the thieves to kill people more than necessary, or especially to dispose of bodies. Artifact thieves are not meant to leave a trail of bodies in their wake, and shouldn't be killing and disposing of their rivals as a first resort. Fighting is inevitable if one claims the artifact, but ideally someone who loses the artifact will get to come back and try to take it again.

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