Thieves' Duel

In the Iron Shadow, there are many rules. Always pay your taxes. Don't kill guards. Never steal from other Guild members. Non-members must never steal from Guild marks. Do not steal from the Skalxien family. And never, ever kill another Guild member. 
Naturally, two thieves might come to blows, or a non-member might stand accused of trying to muscle in on Guild territory. There is an age old tradition among thieves, commonly called a Thieves' Duel.

History

Long before the Iron Shadow came into being, the thieves of Coppershore practiced Thieves' Duels- in fact, the practice was one of the customs that led to the creation of the Guild in the first place. Initially, it was meant as a way for rival crime families to settle disputes, with a third family serving as judge. This was put into place following the Night of Bleeding Shadows, in which the bloody Cutpurse's War finished in the deaths of six crime family heads.

Execution

Once a duel is agreed upon (or ordered by a Guild leader), a time is chosen for the duel, traditionally the following midnight. The thieves have this time to prepare. At the time of the duel, both thieves are unleashed on the city to find and be the first to steal an item of great value chosen by a neutral third party when the duel is arranged. The duelists may use any means at their disposal, but must not fight directly and must not be apprehended by the law. The first to make it back to the starting location with the chosen item wins. 
There are a few variants on the challenge, such as seeing who can steal the most, or most valuable items without being given a specific target. A particularly popular legend among the Guild tells of a Thieves' Duel in which the duelists were instructed to steal the most dangerous item in the city.

Participants

The neutral third party serves as judge. Most often, this is the leader of the local chapter of the Guild. Other times, it is a mutual acquaintance. In the city of Vigilance, local underworld custom dictates two judges, each an enemy of one of the combatants. The judge determines the winner, and chooses the target.