Adventuring Guilds

In some cases there may be an unusual reason why thieves are strongly opposed to (or allied with) an adventuring guild (including temples, etc.) in a city. The most notable example is a cordial alliance with clerics of a deity favoring thieves (e.g., Erevan Ilesere for half-elven and elven thieves, or Olidamarra, in Oerth; or Mask in Faerun). If some particular type of multi-class thief is common in a city for some reason, then there will obviously tend to be a stronger link between the two relevant guilds than usual. For example, if mage-thieves are common, then the Guild of Wizardry will take a definite interest in the activities of thieves. Under such conditions, the mages will probably not attract unwanted attention from light-fingered thieves (although few sane thieves try stealing from mages anyway).

But other possibilities exist. Consider a burgeoning frontier town, which is close to wild hills and forests with bountiful resources. Furs, gold from prospectors, meat from hunted animals, even some gems from a small mine; all these and more pour into the town, which grows rich and attracts many new settlers. Unfortunately, it attracts humanoids and bandits (as external threats) and many thugs and foreign cut-throats and evil thieves (as opposed to the neutral-aligned indigenous thieves). The rulers of the town grow fearful . . .

A twin alliance springs up to defend the town by stealth and cunning. Rangers patrol the distant countryside to give advance warning of marauding humanoids or bandits. Within the city, the thieves use their skills to tip off the powers-that-be about unsavory types arriving from outside, conspiring robbers and thugs, and the like (and may deal with a few of them themselves). Bandits beyond the town have spies inside it; the thieves tip the rangers off about this, and pass on intercepted messages. The thieves trade a magical shield (which they cannot use) they got from one of the thugs they dealt with to the rangers (who can use it). The rangers hand over a magical shortsword they took from a hobgoblin leader in return. Half-elven thieves and rangers share a drink together in an elven tavern, sharing the latest dwarf jokes. The two groups then save money by a joint bulk purchase of leather armor, and so it goes on . . .

Having an unusual, unexpected alliance like this spices up any adventure locale. It's well worth a DM's time to devise such a backdrop, to make a town or city unusual and particularly memorable.

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