The Fellowship of Balance

The Fellowship of Balance
Information
Slogan:	“Everything earned can be lost.”
Location:	Back Alley, Drache
Type of Business:	Thieves Guild
Owner:	Asteria Nyxas

Description

Cradled in the heart of Back Alley’s winding maze of streets, a rickety old building holds one of Drache’s best kept secrets. The Fellowship of Balance operates under the cover of night’s darkness and in the shadows of day. Its membership are everything from small dark elves to hulking orcs and half-giants. Anyone can find their home in the Fellowship.

Membership

Membership is neither automatic nor compulsory. Thieves may operate without joining the Fellowship, but talented individuals with a reputation can earn a visit from a particularly persuasive recruiter. In some cases, depending on how RP shall dictate it, a character may be pressed or harassed to join—only with express consent and desire from the character’s mun.

Once weekly, on each Sundas, members of the Fellowship are required to tithe 5 silver or 10% of their earnings, whichever is greatest. This does not apply to Initiates, who are mere apprentices in the art.

Benefits

• Insurance. Guild membership carries the benefit of a thief never paying his or her own fines. A thief caught in the midst of a theft will most likely have all money and goods confiscated, after all, how would anyone know what was rightfully taken or what was their own property prior to the capture? The Fellowship will make arrangements with the magistrate to pay all corresponding fines to gain the thief’s freedom. This is not a benefit to be abused recklessly.
• Protection. Specific members of the Civic Guard receive kickbacks to look the other way. They are approached in secret, screened, and given an offer. At present, those whom are affiliated with the Fellowship wear a single black coin embedded in the sole of the right boot. This will change, if ever it is discovered.
• Lodging. Members of low rank will receive bunk style, semi-private, partitioned quarters in a dormitory. Officers receive private rooms. Three meals a day are provided. Officers receive open access to the larder.
• Training. Each member of the guild is entitled to training in stealth, lockpicking, forgery, sleight-of-hand, the Cant, Undersign.
• Purse of Expanding. Each member receives a small bag no larger than a coin purse, charmed to expand and hold up to fifty pounds of mass whether it be coins, jewels, or priceless tomes and artifacts. It can only be accessed by the hand wearing the accompanying ring. In the event that another person attempts to access this space, they will find lint instead. If a purse is lost or destroyed, the cost of replacement is 50 lurithoons. Another will not be issued afterward. Upon expulsion or departure from the Fellowship, the purse is to be relinquished.

Tenets

In addition to the Rule of Five in Back Alley, the Fellowship follows three tenets designed to maintain unity and safety of the group. One does not wrong a brother. Theft, abuse, or harm of a fellowship member will incur a disciplinary measure or fine. The Fellowship is family. Should one have a grievance with a guild member, it is to be discussed or handled in a rational manner. If that cannot be done, seek a guild member of a higher rank to act as a mediator. Murder of a fellow guild member will result in expulsion from the fellowship. One never steals from the Civic Guard. Discretion is key. Stealing from the guard places the entire Fellowship at risk. Murder is never part of a job and must be avoided at all costs. Should an unauthorized life be taken during the course of a theft, 50% of the take will be surrendered as a fine.

The Fronts

Two official fronts exist for the Fellowship, though more are underway as the guild grows. Certain menu items are coded speech for services.

The Sweet Spot is a bakery in the BlkDragon District, in which all manner of fine foods are prepared. In the larder of this establishment, priceless gems and traceable objects are concealed within loaves of bread, in the event of a raid by the Civic Guard or other parties.

The Grub Hub is a small deli near the wharfs at the edge of Back Alley. Handpies, meat pies, any sort of small and cheap meal can be sold for a few coppers to the poor. Mostly, it is a way for thieves to quickly dump expensive valuables that must be concealed. After all, who wants to rifle through raw, minced meat for a diamond ring.

Ranks

• Captain - the duties of a captain are to step into the shoes of the guild mistress in the event that she is indisposed and unable to fulfill her duties. They assist with the day to day operations of the guild. Salaried position.
• Lieutenant - In addition to being the first level of authority in the guild, a lieutenant within the Fellowship is tasked with listening for lucrative opportunities. Salaried position.
• Fence - Trusted and established merchants who use their legitimate businesses to pass stolen goods through. They answer directly to the guild master and receive a cut of the take. All fences are identified by a small, soot thumbprint in the lower left storefront window. For stalls, this will be an ink print on the sign.
• Enforcer - Every guild needs a brawler or two. These are the intimidating faces and walls of muscle who deal out punishment to those who upset the delicate balance in the guild. When shops in the market fail to pay their protection dues, the enforcer is the visitor who comes to collect. Salaried position.
• Prowler - Thieves experienced with breaking and entering have the greatest potential for wealth. They pilfer jewelry boxes, raid wardrobes, and visit shops after hours.
• Padfoot - Every day pickpockets are the meat of the guild, the foot soldiers who pluck purses from markets and snatch pearls in the Diplomatic Quarters.
• Initiate - Newly recruited thieves under probation with tests of loyalty.

JOBS Jobs can be found attached to a pinboard, quite similar to the adventurer’s guild or bounty hunter’s postings. Performing jobs, earning a reputation, and participating in the guild is the only way to advance in rank.

(OOCly, at her discretion, the guild mistress will put together such outings and DM short events for players.)

Services

• Fees negotiable.
• Acquisitions—that guy got something you want? Let us get it.
• Forgery—need something signed? Leave it to us.
• Framework—need to punish an enemy, rival, or former lover? That’ll cost you.