Dandy's Rat Catchers (Thieves Guild)

"Dandy and his boys are just the best. We had rats coming in through the scupper somehow and they came in and did away with them. I didn't know the rats chewed through my priceless paintings and gold buckled boots, but Dandy was nice enough to tell me they did and even got rid of the chewed up items for me. I recommend him to all my friends!"

— Another satisfied customer

They say the best place to hide is in plain sight, and the thieves guild of Portsmark does exactly that. Openly advertised as a group that deal with in home rats and other pests, this gives them the in they need to infiltrate homes, oft convincing the tenants they will need to evacuate the house to ensure all the rats are caught. This also commands a sense of professionalism, and so when the 'rat catcher' claims that the type of rat caught was an infamous 'coin eating rat that chewed through the coinpurse in the dresser', their victims are more oft to believe such a wild tale.

by Valeriy Vegera

Dandy, the leader of this operation, is a shrewd and charismatic sort, barring murder from his fellow robbers, insisting it would make their crimes (were they caught) even worse, and a dead client isn't a repeat client. While he does instill a sense of brotherhood and honor among his fellow thieves, he feels no moral quandary in separating himself from a killer, even to the point of turning them into the authorities.

"A thief that kills is an assassin, and assassins have no place here."

— Dandy

That said, if it's a means to a payout, he's not against some abuse, either to silence a potential onlooker or to mug an unsuspecting victim who wandered a bit too deep into the underbelly of Portsmark. Those roughed up can usually find themselves dumped into the cargo hold of a ship, or cast into woods far away, forcing the person to wander their way back and focus their ire more on the journey than the happenings.

Fortunately he has been in the business long enough that he has a slew of tricks to incorporate in his trickery.

These include:

• Releasing rats and vermin near homes to incite the client to reach out to them.
• Keeping actual rat corpses as a sort of 'proof' for their deeds.
• Selling out individuals who join his operation under the assumption they will be actual rat catchers (Meaning people who don't know the true nature of the business)
• Using his business as an excuse to invite himself to events or to properly snoop around a home.

by Jordan Kerbow

Only a few know the true nature of the operation, most notably the duke of Portsmark. Fortunately for Dandy, the duke is a man rife with avarice and false superiority, so for a monthly penance, he allows this farce to continue. In a layer of thick irony, however, the duke's manor is one of their prime places to snoop into when he is away.

Structure

To Join

It's worth noting that there are two 'sections' of the Rat Catchers one could join depending on their method of applying, which is to say the easy way, or the hard way. Indeed, the 'easy way' involves someone hearing about the Rat Catchers' wholesome business front and applying to do that exact job: Catching rats. They will join as honorary rat catchers and will be taken on a few jobs, but eventually and inevitably, they will be pinned for a crime, framed by Dandy and his boys. This is normally theft, executed during the rat catching job, where Dandy will take the goods and then report a theft in the home. At this point he will turn in the recruit, adding to his credibility to clients as well as working in the plausible excuse of 'The darned pilferer is a sneaky one and hid your coinpurse where it couldn't be found. We looked all over for it!'
The 'hard way' of joining is to learn of the organization's true motives and to carefully map out a way to become visible to them without seeming threatening. This can mean diverting the attention of the authorities if one of Dandy's boys is being pursued, or pickpocketing a noble at a bar one of the members is attending (and watching) and then offering to buy said member a drink with the prize.
The nature of the business rightfully breeds paranoia with the threat of guards and rival gangs looming around every corner. Because of this, for initial recruits, a pinch of charity and flattery goes a long ways.

Remaining Structure

Upon joining the 'correct way', they are initiated as a footpad and allowed to join in basic 'rat catching' missions, normally as a lookout. Their job is to make sure that any potential intruders, especially if they're the local authorities, do not get too close without their cohorts being made aware. A lookout also needs to be aware of escape routes and which ones are available or dangerous in the event an evacuation is necessary.
After a few successful missions, they become an honorary 'true' rat catcher and are allowed to enter the homes. Here they're taught the ways of pilfering, such as what to take, how much to take, leaving things how they found them, excuses, how to properly escape, so on and so forth. After a year or so of this they are promoted based on their aptitude.
A 'Rat beater' is the muscle of the group and is usually sent to deal with rival gangs encroaching on territory, extortion, or just 'general muggery', such as following someone into a dark alley and 'persuading' them to part with their coin.
A 'Rat sniffer' is used to investigate places such as new targets, and take notes. Entries for men and rats, escape routes, new potential targets, these people are usually the most active, expected to always be on the lookout for the next big hit. These will also double as lookouts during high profile rat catching.
A 'Rat runner' is used to create diversions. These people know the best way to get in and the best way to get out, and as such will often lag behind when things go south so as to become the main target of a chase. Here they'll lead the guard on a chase away from the scene as well as Dandy's base before escaping in totality. They also double as a safe cracker during high profile heists.
Members will spend enough time in their place until they demonstrate clear aptitude for it, at which point they'll be shuffled to a different 'rat job'. This will continue until they're considered core assets to the team, at which point they reach their final promotion.
This promotion is one of 'Dandy's boys', which is the elite few capable of all three jobs and all things heists. Only deployed on the largest payouts, these hardened criminals are even capable of prison breaks if absolutely necessary. Although the operation has never been obscenely rich, Dandy's Boys receive the highest cuts of the pay.

Public Agenda

Publicly their agenda is to provide a service of pest extermination to the people of Portsmark, or even close, neighboring cities, ensuring a thorough sweep of the house or ship.
Privately their intentions are more nefarious, stealing items where they can. They disavow murder, but are not against roughing up a would-be witness to their crimes.

Don't let the rats inside your home!

Type

Illicit, Front

Location

Portsmark

Honor Amongst Thieves (HAT)

A common term used by Dandy and his boys is 'HAT' which is an unspoken code between fellow rogues. This honor roughly translates to:

• Never steal from your fellow thieves.
• Never bring harm or kill your fellow thieves unless agreed upon.
• Never sell out your fellow thieves. If you're caught, you know no one.
• Never deceive your fellow thieves.
• Always have each other's back.
• We split the earnings. Never take more than your share.

Anyone caught dishonoring this tradition is secretly sworn off and considered appropriate for backstabbing, and in rare cases, quite literally.

Secret Languages and Lingo

To keep their intentions secret, thieves will often invent words and phrases and Dandy is no different. A rudimentary example of this is calling a mugging a 'gab', or stealing something as 'doing away' while also listing something comparable to actual stolen item, belonging to a name of similar gender and social standing. The trick is less about the words and more the context and possibilities, meaning it doesn't matter if they're talking about stealing a golden goblet or a silver candelabra, simply that something of a similar size and intent was stolen successfully. This make it so they can discuss in broad daylight, seemingly having a friendly conversation.
Example of a discussion involving pair of shoes mugged from a rich man named Adam:
"How did the gabbing go with Ser Martin of Yorkton?"
"Quite alright. We talked about his longsocks and how they looked right proper with the trim. Fine work, that one."