Crime Wave

Crime Wave is a series of quests received from Slim Couldry.

Background
While not exactly a modern-day Robin Hood, Slim manages (through his shady dealings) to make enough scratch to support himself and give a little back to the community.

Walkthrough
During this series of quests, Slim expects The Warden to engage in a little cloak-and-dagger: namely, a little pickpocketing and home invasion. To find Slim, head over towards the Chantry in the Denerim Market District - he is standing next to Goldanna's House (looking at the door to Wade's Emporium, off to the left).

Once Slim has been located, he will engage in a little banter with the Warden, eventually coming to the point: pay him money for tips on "merchandise" to swipe. The quests are divided up into two categories: "marks" and "burglaries".

This quest can be exceptionally lucrative for a Dwarf Noble Warden, by selling the proceeds from your various heists to Gorim. This means you can get 48 from Loghain's Crown alone (provided you use the trick to get two crowns from the Seneschal).

Marks
This series of quests involves stealing, directly or through persuasion, from various individuals. The quests are as follows:
 * Lady's Maid (dressed in green) - Costing a pittance of 50 up front, this quest snags a Bag of Gems worth 1 . The mark is standing in the central bazaar of the Denerim Market District (a stone's throw away from Slim himself), next to Cesar.
 * Ser Nancine (female knight) - Double the cost, at 1, Ser Nancine's Ornamental Sword is worth 2 50 . Nancine is located in the Wonders of Thedas shop. If the dialogue stealing option is used, then the sword can be stolen twice from her (if she isn't dead, obviously). It's possible to be more subtle by using the other dialog options: herbalism to sell her a remedy (2 ) or poison to dupe her with a sleeping potion (5 ). Unfortunately, no gold will be obtained, only the sword.
 * Master Tilver (merchant) - A small mortgage, at 3, will procure a key that will open two chests with a plethora of booty. Tilver is located in front of The Mages' Collective bag (behind Wade's Emporium), and has several guards with him. If The Warden is a wordsmith, it is possible to "talk" their way into stealing the key; otherwise, stealth plus stealing will get the job done and will net the regular pickpocket loot. The nearby messenger boy can also be paid 10 to distract the guards. The two chests that can be unlocked with the key contain a lot of Gems, and are located in the central bazaar of the Denerim Market District, opposite from Gorim.
 * Steal the teyrn's crown - Seneschal - The price of happiness, at 6, produces Teyrn Loghain's Crown worth a respectable 12 or 24 if you are a dwarven noble and sold it to Gorim. The Seneschal is located in the Gnawed Noble Tavern, in the room with The Blackstone Irregulars' representative. Entering this room triggers a dialogue with the guards present. If The Warden can Intimidate their way into the room then the guards will actually leave; otherwise, there will be blood. (If you Intimidate the guards, and then tell them to run, a conversation with the Seneschal will immediately begin. You can Intimidate him into giving you the crown. Choose the option to leave, and then you can still pickpocket him, successfully obtaining 2 crowns.) Alternatively, any of the three waitresses can be spoken with, and they can be convinced to pamper Loghain's men (by lying or paying 3 ) or getting them another round of drinks by buying them the strongest liquor (5 ); or, if the Warden possesses sufficient Poison, have them deliver spiked drinks. Afterwards, the crown can be retrieved and the Seneschal either killed or let go. Alternately, sneaking in is an option: steal the crown, avoiding both the dialogue with the guards, and with the Seneschal, and no one dies or is the wiser.

Burglaries

 * The Absent Mistress - Lady Sophie's Room - Costing 1, this nets various loot. The room is located in the Gnawed Noble Tavern, in the north-western corner of the map. Note that this quest can be completed before talking to Slim, at which point he will produce a compliment or two, and return the initial cost for the tip.
 * A Fistful of Silver - Market Warehouse - 4 for the tip, expect around 6  minimum for the silver bars, plus other vendor trash items laying around. The location for the Warehouse is past the Wonders of Thedas shop, at the end of that alley.

Further quests cannot be accepted until after the Palace District is unlocked.


 * The Private Collector - Bann Franderel's Manor - 10 for the tip. After accepting, a new location will be added to the Denerim City Map. Travel there, and it will soon become obvious that things are awkward. Blaze a trail back to Slim, and he will apologize profusely, returning the initial fee, and promising to make up for it. Afterwards, he vanishes, only to return later. DO NOT TAKE ZEVRAN WITH YOU ON THIS QUEST, the other assassin talks him into going with him no matter what you do and he will be killed.


 * The Tears of Andraste - Bann Franderel's Manor - (No tip needed). Slim will reappear after the Landsmeet, and offer to get back at Bann Franderel. He will weave a tale about the Tears of Andraste, and try to rope The Warden into helping him (refusing is an option). The quest involves going back to the previous location, stealing the Tears, and then either giving them to the Chantry (anonymously) or keeping them. 10 is received if the Tears are given up, however, whether delivered personally or through Slim. It is highly recommended to bring a rogue in your party, since there are about 4 locked chests and 2 or 3 doors which you have to open.

Exploit
There is a bug with a couple of the parts that allows you to gain duplicate items.

When you have marked Ser Nancine to steal her sword, talk to her first and try to examine her, follow through any of the dialog paths that lead to an option (Stealing). Once you select that, you gain the sword. But afterwards you can still use the normal pickpocket method and gain, if successful, another sword will be retrieved. These cannot be used but both can be sold together for 5, giving you 4 profit.

The same kind of trick applies to stealing Loghain's crown from the guy who's getting it cleaned. If you intimidate your way in successfully, you can talk with him, and through an Intimidate speech check, you can get him to hand over the crown. Afterwords you may also pickpocket the crown from him again. It is also possible that simply killing him will net you two of the crowns when you search his body.

Result
Unsurprisingly, this side quest arc has no major effect on the storyline of the game, but provides additional opportunities for experience and loot (completing the entire sequence of marks and break-ins can provide well over 50 sovereigns). The major rewards are the money, though the additional areas to play in and the chance to really be a thief are pleasant as well.

=NPC's Involved=

Strategy
There are a number of ways to get Ser Nancine's sword from her and a number of skills that can be employed: Herbalism, Persuade, Poison-Making. Using these it is possible to get her out of her armor, making stealing the sword that much easier. Nancine can be made to wear a dress if convinced that the Warden is selling things. Or, she can be made to strip naked if convinced that she is ill. If asked to breathe hard rather than taking off her armour, she will breathe too hard and pass out. If convinced she is ill, 2 can even be made selling her medicine. (Bug on PC v1.02 - although the dialogue states that she pays 2, you do not actually receive it.) Perhaps the most "creative" way to get the sword is to poison her. She will die, and you can loot it off her body like a normal fallen foe. On PC prior to v1.02, it was possible to pickpocket one copy of the sword from her, and then persuade her out of her armor and remove a second copy.