In the New City district of the Lordcity of Palanthas, along the Old City Wall lays the Thieves' Guild. Located in a warehouse southeast of the city docks, the guild's windows and doors are boarded up, and the only surface entrance is a door that is accessible through a rear alley. The alleyway that leads to the guild door is a twisting narrow passage that runs between various buildings. The guild door is kept barred and only opened to those who know the correct guild password at the time. Guildmembers are stationed both on the roof of the guild and watch through slits set high in the walls of the guild. Some of the guards are armed with crossbows to protect their headquarters, whilst others merely watch and utilize a series of whistles and catcalls to warn their fellow thieves of approaching folk.
Inside the Thieves Guild, the guildhall looks something like a huge inn. A bar runs along a wall, whilst a fireplace and wood stove are also set nearby, serving as the kitchen facilities for the guild. Thieves of almost every race can be found in the guildhall, gambling, drinking or looking for information. Shadowy alcoves run off from the main guildhall, leading to training rooms, barracks, prisons, treasure rooms and the luxurious apartments reserved for the guildmaster, lieutenants and respected guests of the guild. Traps are set throughout the alcoves of the guildhall, to catch unwary intruders into the Thieves Guild.
History of the Guild[]
The origins of the Thieves Guild began with a thief by the name of Cat Pete. In ancient times (although no-one knows precisely when the guild was actually formed), Cat Pete led a band of brigands who plagued travelers and merchants throughout the wilds of Solamnia. Over the course of one bad winter, Cat Pete decided to journey to the city of Palanthas to try his luck. More thieves came to the city and Cat Pete and his lover Quick-hand Bet were the recognized leaders of the thieves. Cat Pete called himself the founder of the Thieves Guild of Palanthas, however it was little more than unorganized lawless mob of cutthroats. Following an incident in which several groups of thieves tried to rob the same mansion, ended up brawling and were all caught and hanged (one of whom was Cat Pete), Quick-hand Bet set about truly founding the Thieves Guild. Bet rallied the thieves and staked out territories of the city so that no thief ever crossed another during a job. The guild prospered under Bet's rule and both laws and codes of conduct were drawn up and adhered to by all guildmembers.
Age of Despair[]
The Thieves Guild continued to prosper even through the War of the Lance under the rule of Lucky Leppomanto, and it wasn't until the Summer of Chaos that they were truly impacted. When the Knights of Takhisis conquered Palanthas, the current guildmaster Lynched Geoffrey, went to pay his respects to Lord Ariakan, leader of the knights. Whilst waiting to meet Ariakan, Lynched stole the purse from the head cleric of Chemosh. He then presented himself to the lord, offering a bag of money in return for the knights' cooperation with the guild activities. The cleric returned and told that his purse had been stolen; Ariakan recognized the symbol of Chemosh on the bag that Lynched had offered and ordered the guildmaster to be hanged. The sentence was carried out immediately. Soon after, the Thieves Guild mobilized in preparation for an attack by the knights and set about aiding in any way to upset the activities of their foe. However the attack never came, as Ariakan's forces were committed elsewhere and later found them decimated by the forces of Chaos.
Age of Mortals[]
In the wake of the death of Lynched Geoffrey, a new guildmaster was appointed in the form of Daavyd Nelgaard. Daavyd set about continuing the fight against the Knights of Takhisis, and again turning a profit for the guild. Once more the guild prospered, until a betrayal by one of their own in 417 AC, led to an assault by the Knights of Takhisis that resulted in the guild being destroyed and Daavyd being killed. The surviving thieves fled underground, where they formed a new base of operations, and where the new guild was established. The identity of the betrayer is not discovered and the guild is publicly led by a thief known as Captain Oros uth Jakar and secretly by a thief known only as Mulciber. In 421 AC, it is discovered that Mulciber and Oros are one and the same, and that Oros' true name is Avaril, and that he is one who betrayed the guild four years earlier. A thief by the name of Caelthalas Elbernarian uncovered the plot and exposed Avaril/Oros as the traitor and the leader was ousted from his post. Free of traitors, the revived Thieves Guild is again on the rise as the oldest and most established guild in the Lordcity of Palanthas.
Kender Tales[]
In some reports, the Thieves Guild has been listed as being located in the Old City of Palanthas. This is incorrect and is believed to have been spread by guildmembers themselves to throw off the city guard.
References[]
- Dragons of Summer Flame, p.183, 185, 251-256, 370-375
- Dragons of Chaos, "The Dragon's Eye", p.121, 123
- The Thieves' Guild (Novel), p.5, 10, 114, 123
- Wizards' Conclave (Novel), p.70
- Palanthas (Sourcebook), p.80-81
- Seeds of Chaos, p.37-38
- Chaos Spawn (Sourcebook), p.15
- War of the Lance (Sourcebook), p.164