Social Alignment
The other factor which will always be of importance in determining the nature
of a thieves' guild is the dominant social alignment (see the Dungeon Master's Guide, Chapter Four). Usually this will be reflected in the alignment of the rulers
too, but this may not always be so: the possibility of a "divided alignment"
society is discussed after the social alignments have been considered. Also, the
following descriptions are tendencies, not absolutes. The final paragraphs on
Special Social Factors shows how, for example, two Lawful Good societies
dominated by different religions could have a very different view on thieves!
Lawful Good
Thievery will be strongly disapproved of—thieving is by definition unlawful,
and few thieves are good. The penalties for thievery will be harsh, but will
usually involve banishment, confiscation of goods, and long sentences of socially
useful labor rather than death, mutilation (e.g., amputation of a hand) or such
other cruel treatment. Lawful good rulers may go to some lengths to extirpate
thieves' guilds, and lawful good people will certainly inform on thieves. There
will be a strong sense of civic duty among such people to report any
observations suggestive of thievery to the authorities. Tip for thieves: Find somewhere
else.
Neutral Good
Thievery will not be disapproved of in the same way as in a lawful society,
but thieves are rarely good, and neutral good societies are unlikely to have much
regard for them. However, punishment for thievery may not be so severe, and
the rulers may feel there are better things to do, and more important social
priorities, than persecuting thieves. Assassins, for example, will be rated a much
more important target for the authorities.
However, while the authorities (and society generally) may tolerate a certain
level of thievery, there is likely to be a "threshold level" above which
thieving will no longer be tolerated. Over-powerful thieves may be deemed a major
social evil, and neutral good societies may be less fussy about the means
(neutral) taken to achieve the ends (good). Do not forget that a viable interpretation
of the neutral good philosophy is "war on evil without remittance or mercy,"
such that only direly evil ends will be eschewed in the prosecution of good!
Certainly, plants, spies, moles within guilds—all may be used by the authorities
against over-powerful thieves. Tip for thieves: Keep a low profile and you can
get away with it, but otherwise—watch out!
Chaotic Good
Such societies do not often have effective, strong law enforcement, because
the people prize personal freedom as a primary virtue. For this reason, thieves'
guilds can grow strong in a Chaotic Good society. Even if the will is there to
do something about the thieves, the means may not be adequate to the task.
The attitudes of ordinary people will be complex here. Some may regard thieves
in a heroic light, as individualists and nonconformists, and be positively
disposed to them. Others will regard thieves as taking the fruits of the labors of
others away, and that this curtails personal freedoms—the undeservedly poor
have not the freedom they should have. Reactions will tend to be individualistic
(as with most Chaotic societies) and somewhat unpredictable. Tip for thieves:
Stick around!
Lawful Neutral
This may be the most intolerant of all societies. Thievery is the very
antithesis of law, and punishments for transgression are likely to be harsher and more
cruel and unforgiving (e.g., amputation of a hand, a long sentence of forced
labor) than in a Lawful Good society. Lawful Neutral rulers are likely to be
rather stern, and worst of all, law enforcers are likely to be as numerous and
unbribable here as anywhere. The only bonus for the thief is that Lawful Neutral
societies are appallingly bureaucratic and its civil servants lacking in
imagination and initiative.
Lawful Neutral citizens will snitch on a thief at the drop of a hat and,
moreover, will do so out of a sense of real civic duty. Tip for the thief: Very
dangerous, but definitely outsmartable. Faked papers and the like go a long way,
and fast talking helps a great deal.
Neutral
Absolute Neutral rulers tend to be rare, except in countries which border on
extreme alignment societies. Here, performing some kind of balancing act may be
the only way to survive. Such rulers will probably ignore thievery unless it
gets out of hand; they will have too much else to worry about. When it does get
out of hand, their instinct will be to take whatever steps are necessary to
restore the balance—more militia, more watch, more nightwatchmen and lamplighters
in the streets, and so on. They will be highly pragmatic in their response.
While pure Neutral rulers may be rare, ordinary people will often be of this
alignment. This reflects the fact that they aren't clearly of any other
alignment: They're just pragmatic, doing what they need to get by day to day. Most
medieval societies were hardly rich; even the "middle class" (until the 15th
century in Europe) had a standard of living which could barely be termed comfortable.
Survival is the name of the game, and clearly demarcated principles often go
to the wall under such circumstances. The resulting blurred alignment can often
be summarized as Neutral. Neutrals will tend to regard thievery as something
they can't do a great deal about; thieves are mysterious, dangerous people with
secret organizations. Neutrals look the other way; they don't want to get
involved. Corruption can operate on a wide scale—it can even become a staple of
commercial exchange. Tip for thieves: Good pickings!
Chaotic Neutral
Almost no societies, save for disorganized anarchies and some frontier lands,
are dominated by this alignment. A Chaotic Neutral ruler is unlikely to survive
for any time at all—ruled by whim and caprice, his subjects will likely rise
up to put an end to such arbitrary rule.
Such societies, or ones comprised of Chaotic Neutral people, will likely not
care a fig about thievery. Gambling, corruption, bawdery, muggings, and lowlife
are likely to flourish in such societies, and thieves may grow very strong
organizing such activities. Tip for thieves: Excellent pickings, and a strong guild
can effectively rule such a society behind the scenes.
Lawful Evil
While, like all Lawful societies, Lawful Evil will not care for unlawful acts,
Lawful Evil accepts what is necessary to maintain the strong in power. Fear
rules here. If a Lawful Evil ruler uses thieves to backstab (literally!) his
enemies, so be it. The ordinary people will cower if a thief swaggers
around—providing that thief has the muscle to back any threats he makes. Thieves' guilds in
such lands may be very strong, but they must have an emphasis on the brutal and
thuggish to survive. Assassins will be stronger than thieves here, and the two
may work closely together. Tip for thieves: Walk loudly and carry a big stick.
Neutral Evil
Neutral Evil is uncaring and unconcerned. Such people—rulers or ordinary
folk—are out for what they can get. How one gets what one has in life doesn't matter
at all. Neutral Evil folk are often cleverer than Lawful Evil ones, being more
flexible and less respecting of a dumb "superior" just because he is in a
position to push people around. They are also better organized by far than Chaotic
Evil people. Neutral Evil is a flexible, smart, highly dangerous alignment.
Thieves have excellent chances here, but they will have to watch their own
backs more than in any other society. Rival thieves' guilds may be particularly
likely here. Since there is no stricture other than "don't get caught", competing
guilds and gang wars are highly likely. Tip for thieves: Good prospects for
the pragmatic amoralist.
Chaotic Evil
Such societies are likely always to be in ferment, since the arbitrary cruelty
of the rulers will drive even a passive population to revolt before long. Only
Chaotic Evil societies with a powerful clerical group, demonic presence, etc.,
will have the sheer force needed to tyrannize for any length of time.
At all levels of a Chaotic Evil society, backstabbing and intrigue, treachery
and betrayal, is the basic coin of exchange. The strong take what they want
however they like, and the rest are ground into the dirt. Since organization and
cooperation are minimal, a thieves' guild where the members don't spend all
their time backstabbing each other can grow to dominate behind the scenes very
swiftly. Tip for thieves: Trust nobody, sell your granny into slavery, and have
magic items allowing a fast exit.
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