Corpse

“	Heh heh, that's not loot yer carryin'!	”
	— Thief Sword Guard upon spotting Garrett carrying a body.

A corpse is the remains of certain characters in the Thief games. Some corpses can be found as a natural occurrence in certain missions but often a corpse is "made" be killing a character by using combat or other harmful actions (such as drowning). This harm can be done either by Garrett or other characters that are hostile to one or another. Note that not all characters leave a corpse behind, such as certain elementals and Apparitions that disappear completely without leaving anything behind. Others undergo a certain transformation like Zombies that will explode upon being dispatched, but most characters leave behind remains which are a dead version of their former self.

Strategy

Assault

It is often unwise, unnecessary, and sometimes forbidden to kill someone (directly) but when it is necessary, is important to consider where to kill someone or something as certain bodies cannot be moved after they have been killed, and, when discovered, most corpses will alert other characters to Garrett's presence which may cause trouble. If possible, a corpse should be moved to a less patrolled area or hidden to stop it from being detected (in a similar fashion as Unconscious Bodies). Also consider that carrying a corpse will considerably slow Garrett down and other characters will often have shocked or flustered reactions when they see him carrying a body. Luckily Garrett can still jump, swim and - even though the body is over his right shoulder supported by his arm - can still climb ladders (and ropes) remarkably fast for being heavy and having use of only one arm. Also note that most characters leave some traces like blood behind during combat which can alert other characters, however these can be washed off by using Water Arrows.

A more favorable strategy, and a more quite one, is just using the Blackjack and knocking someone out if possible, which results in an Unconscious Body that can always be killed afterward if so desired.

Discovered

Sometimes, corpses will be naturally found in certain missions like "Into the Pagan Sanctuary", "Framed" (in the laboratory), and even made directly like in "Life of the Party", where a conversation between Van Vernon and Master Willey guards goes wrong and in The City streets at certain days of Thief: Deadly Shadows.

Sometimes it can be tricky to tell the difference between a sleeping person, an unconscious body, or a corpse. A sleeping body will often 'snore' or mutter, and are easily awoken by any noise or contact; unconscious bodies will sound in pain when attacked, and can be murdered directly by using force or when placed in a dangerous area, such as a fire, or water; and corpses will do none of those things.

Some examples of corpses occurring more or less naturally in game:

• Thief: The Dark Project/Thief Gold

  

  Nammon's Remains

  • Break From Cragscleft Prison - There are some truly dead cadavers in the mines; Cutty dies, after talking with Garrett, because of the damp conditions of his cell (and Nammon in Thief Gold);
  • Down In The Bonehoard - the bodies of the thieves and the Burrick remains;
  • Assassin - Bernard Farkus is murdered in the beginning of the mission;
  • The Sword - a guard gets stuck in an enormous mouse trap (Thief Gold only);
  • The Mage Towers - Lt Scarle's remains;
  • Strange Bedfellows - several corpses are littered on the streets;
• Thief II: The Metal Age

  

  Sheriff Truart lying dead in his bedroom being an important example of a corpse found in game.

  • Shipping... and Receiving - a dead body can be found in Captain Davidson's ship (only appears in newer versions) and some Yellow Spider bodies can be found in the cold storage of Mynell Steaks;
  • Framed - the dead body in the morgue;
  • Eavesdropping - several dead bodies can be found in the servant laboratory and underneath it (also a dead Mechanist can be found in the catacombs in a newer version);
  • Blackmail - Sheriff Truart's body in his bedroom (also a dead body on the torture rack in the cellar in a newer version);
  • Trace the Courier - the Mechanists seemed to have murdered the residents of the apartment next to the graveyard;
  • Trail of Blood - the Unnamed Pagan Courier;
  • Life of the Party - a conversation between guards that goes wrong will result in some dead bodies, some human remains can be found in the Necromancer's Spire and one guard has fallen to his death at a building near Angelwatch;
  • Precious Cargo - Lotus dies shortly after his conversation with Garrett;
• Thief: Deadly Shadows

  

  Ramien's dead body.

  • Into the Pagan Sanctuary - a dead body can be found;
  • Old Quarter - the Fence Ramien can be found dead in his Store, murdered by the Keeper Enforcers;
  • Bloody Ears Tavern - on day seven a body can be found on the floor that needs to be disposed of in a side-quest;
  • Auldale - First Keeper Orland gets murdered by The Hag near the end of the game and lies dead on the streets;
  • The City's streets - at later days Hammerites and Pagens will engage each other on the streets often resulting in death, and at the climax Keeper Enforcers or stone statues will attack random citizens resulting in massive amounts of death, and even The Hag murdering people on the streets.

Different Kinds of Corpses

Humans and Human Like Corpses

Humans are the most basic form of corpses that are encountered in the Thief games. They can be carried in the manner described above. The remains of Haunts are just the same but in a more cadaverous state and the remains of human like creatures like Ape Beast are basically the same but with also a different appearance.

Builder's Children

The remains of the Combat, Worker and Spider Bot need to be broken down into small 'corpse' pieces with, for example a Blackjack, before the big boiler part can be moved. The other smaller parts disappear eventually after some time has past.

Zombies

Zombie corpses will typically be found in chunks, with a torso or head. The limbs will vanish from the game after a few seconds. Unlike a human or robot, the chunks will not slow Garrett down and the parts can be thrown with visceral sound effects. If a zombie is drowned in Break From Cragscleft Prison, the zombie will appear on the screen like a normal human. This is not a bug, as the legs of the zombie will look like its character model, and the icon on the bottom of the screen will be unique.

Other Corpses

Large creatures like Burricks, Craymen, and Craybeasts cannot be moved as they are too heavy. Spiders cannot be moved, but there is little use to as many characters just ignore them.

Uses

In the Bonehoard, Zombie remains can be used to trigger certain floor traps after which it is safe for Garrett to stand on. In the mission "Into the Pagan Sanctuary" a dead body is necessary to complete the Ritual of the Root to gain the Jacknall's Paw.

In other missions corpses can be used as a distraction although it might or might not be that guards will sound the alarm if they find one.

Notes

• In various difficulty levels, and some missions, creating a corpse will cause the mission to fail.
  • In the mission "Running Interference" Garrett is not allowed to murder anyone because Jenivere would be aghast if anyone died in her rescue.
  • in "Framed", Garrett is limited in the amount of corpses (or Unconscious Bodies) he can make.
• In other missions will the discovery of a corpse result in the detection of Garrett his activities, which may also fail the mission.
• in the mission "Blackmail", Garrett can bury Sheriff Truart's body in the secret family graveyard as an extra objective.