Searching and Hiding Things

[llywelyn]

From the ARB pg 147—148, Searching and Stealing:

If you are searched, you also have the op- tion of saying, “Describe your search.” The searcher then must describe what he or she is doing to search (“I am looking through your pockets,” “I am searching your cloak,” etc.) This is not only to help you hide items, but it also takes up the time that the search should take. When the searcher asks about a place where an item is hidden, you must turn over the item at that point.

You must really have the item hidden where you say it is. In other words, you can’t say “I’m pretending to have a secret compartment in my shoe, and you didn’t ask about secret compartments there!”

So, to use this example, what if you do have a secret compartment built into in your shoe large enough for an alchemy packet (by way of example) and maybe some lockpicks. Does this imply that if someone says "I search your shoes" they would automatically find such, or would they have to say (as the text may be inadvertently implying) that they should specifically search for secret compartments?

Basically, I'm looking for a granularity guide.

 

[norman b]

If someone says "I search your shoes", this is saying they are searching for obvious items but also for secret compartments. They will have to wait to get the item until you dig it out so that is taking up the time to search the shoe for the compartments.

 

[jpariury]

There is no clear, hard-and-fast rule on "what does 'I search your shoes' mean, exactly". Different people have different expectations and different ways of dealing with it. The simplest way to deal with a generic "I search your shoes" is to take off your shoes and dump them out with a really strong shake. If things fall out, great, that's what they get. Alternatively, take off your shoe and hand it to them to search through themselves.

Some players get annoyed and start doing the "Well, I cut up your clothes to sort out anything worth keeping" thing, or they throw your body in a big sack and wait for you to dissipate, etc. The best, truest advice I can give as a marshal is to try and be reasonable and keep the flow of play going. If you took the time to develop hidden compartments and such, make it reasonably possible for the player and character to discover the compartment.

 

[llywelyn]

Thanks for the prompt answers!

 

[norman b]

I should add to mine, if the person just states "I search you" and you ask "describe your search" and they state "I search your jacket and pants" then I would not turn over your secret shoe compartment nor your obviously-stuck-in-the-shoe items either.

 

[Draven]

I am not comfortable with the idea of being in possession of your shoes while I search you.

As a Marshal, I wouldn't force other players to actually physically search your clothes, either. I can safely assume they are checking the nooks and crannies of your shoes, checking for secret compartments, etc, without having them actually do it.

If you have a hidden pocket in your pouch, and someone searches your pouch, I would expect you to assume they search it thoroughly enough to discover your hidden pocket and to give them the loot (it's likely going to take extra time to get it from said pocket, so that can create the illusion of a thorough search).

 

[Avaran]

I am not comfortable with the idea of being in possession of your shoes while I search you.

As a Marshal, I wouldn't force other players to actually physically search your clothes, either. I can safely assume they are checking the nooks and crannies of your shoes, checking for secret compartments, etc, without having them actually do it.

If you have a hidden pocket in your pouch, and someone searches your pouch, I would expect you to assume they search it thoroughly enough to discover your hidden pocket and to give them the loot (it's likely going to take extra time to get it from said pocket, so that can create the illusion of a thorough search).

I think this is pretty close to the intention/spirit of things. I don't think it is intended that they have to actually search through pockets, shoes, cloaks, pouches, shirts, or other things one might be wearing/carrying. I think the intention is that if someone says, "I search through your cloak" and you have a hidden compartment there, it is safe to assume that they would find it during their "detailed" search.

I would say if someone states that they search your shoe, you should give them whatever is hidden in the compartment. I think the core of "searching" is meant as a representational action rather than a literal one, much like most other things in Alliance.