The Thievius Raccoonus (2nd Edition)

by Stratocaster821

In his years of working with Sly, Bentley has carefully studied every detail of his dear friend's family heirloom. Now, he has compiled a digital copy of the Thievious Raccoonus, to preserve the Cooper legacy should the original book fall into enemy hands (again). This version features the origins of the most famous Coopers, thieving skills and additions by both Sly and Bentley.

2. Slytunkhamen II

Slytunkhamen II - c. 1270 B.C.

How does one amount to such greatness? How does one live in the shadow of the King of Thieves? I believe that the only way to match my father's greatness is to immortalize his fortune, the proof of that greatness.

I have only just found these pages in the tomb of my father. He must had written them just a few years before his passing. I now understand the depth of his desire to create a thieving legacy and I feel it only necessary to add to this tome my own reflections.

I spent my whole life learning from my father the subtle art of stealing. I desperately wanted to learn his abilities to manipulate light and shadow and appear totally unnoticeable. Over the years of my youth I've learned to perfect my swordsmanship, using my father's khopesh. Their hook shape has proven useful to me for climbing unreachable heights and even swiping valuables from the pockets of passersby. My father would scold me whenever I alerted guards to my presence. But I had no fear, for I believe a thief must also be ready to fight, just as a warrior prepares to go into battle.

Now that he has passed onto the Afterlife, I feel that things must change. My son is beginning to ask about training under me and I am unsure if I can match my father's tutelage. All I can do is teach him what I was taught at his age and believe that he will carry on the legacy of Slytunkhamen as I am. For now, we must cement that legacy for the generations to come.

My father had requested that he be buried with his wealth, as per tradition. I have fulfilled his wishes, but I will not be so old-fashioned. After stealing slabs from the current Pharoah's architect, I have devised a plan for a thieves' vault, one large enough to contain all the wealth I have stolen throughout my life, as well as my son's. And with each new generation of thieves we usher in, this vault will expand and fill up with more gold and treasures than even my father could imagine. I have also designed intricate traps to be implemented in the vault after learning from robbing pyramids. No honorable thief would leave their treasure unguarded.

To this day, the name of Slytunkhamen has resounded throughout Egypt as the name of the ultimate master thief. Therefore, this land is no longer safe as the location for such a vault. I am making preparations to explore elsewhere, across the waters beyond the Nile, in search of a sanctuary to preserve our wealth and our history. Even if I must travel to unknown corners of the world, I will see to it that a fitting tribute to Slytunkhamen is constructed.

But for now, my son is young and a novice to the art of theft. I will teach him as my father did me, until he is ready to survive and carry on those teachings. Only then will I venture out to construct this vault, for I may never see his face again.

Slyten, if you are reading this papyrus, know that I still hold you deep in my heart, even if I am far away. And please understand that all I do is in the name of our family, in the hopes that we will inspire future masters of our craft.