The Thieves Guild
The Thieves Guild is a clandestine organization of criminals whose headquarters lies beneath the capital of Vevia, Lebetyn. They guild is known to operate pretty much everywhere in Människar, its influence often reaching even the city-states across the Wintermar. Known for their mastery of stealth, espionage and extortion, the guild does more than only steal - they control the very flow of wealth, protecting their assets and clients while brutally eliminating their enemies and rivals.
Following a strict code of rules and guidelines, those who join the guild don't do so merely for the coin, it is a pact of commitment as one intertwines their fate with the guild's as a whole.
Identity and Structure
Officially named the Zielonik Thieves Guild of Lebetyn and Polotyn, the organization sigil depicts two serpents entwined with a downwards dagger, a mark of the alliance between each and all members around their code and brotherhood. The dagger, a representation of their ruthless efficiency and swift action against betrayal.
The guild is highly organized, following a intricate system of hierarchy, based on trust, merit and character. However, for the sake of security and competence, the majority of the members know only their immediate subordinates and bosses, given there's no need for a lowly cutthroat or pickpocket to be in touch with the guild's great leader, referred only as The Saint. In the same way, powerful overseers and master spies need not to speak with the tip-agents of their networks, instead, commands and messages are passed down through the link of thrust and duty, which guarantees anonymity and efficacy.
The guild has countless allies and enemies, organizations big and small, kings, counts and beggars, for every man has their worth, no matter their class. One of their closest allies is the Covenant Rose, the Assassins Guild from Umera, with both organizations often relying on each other—thieves hiring assassins for dirty work, and assassins calling on thieves to fund their silent contracts. They also hold close ties with the Reavers of Zernomir - pirates from the Smuggler Islands, who smuggle goods, weapons and artifacts in and out of the vevian coast.
Their greatest rival and competitor is the sarusian Thieves Guild, named the Bronze Fingers.
Laws
Although the guild is made up mostly by criminals, they have the utmost respect for their code, which has guaranteed the integrity of the organization for centuries.
The Law of Silence - The walls have ears, and loose tongues invite the dagger.
No member may reveal guild secrets, its operations, or its members to outsiders. Uttering the guild’s name where it should not be heard is punishable by heavy fines and mutilations at best and execution at worst. Oaths of silence are sacred, and members, specially those of the higher echelons, are expected to give up their lives for the safety of the guild.
The Law of Debt – What is taken must be repaid, and what is owed must be claimed.
All debts, be it in gold, favors, or blood, must be honored. He who accepts a contract must see it through, and those who fail to repay their dues are marked for death. Likewise, the guild never forgets a service rendered and ensures that those who aid them are rewarded.
The Law of Brotherhood – We are born of the same shadow. To strike at one is to strike at all.
The guild is family, and betrayal from within is the gravest mistake. A Thief does not steal from, kill, or conspire against another member. Breaking this law is punishable by death at worst and mutilation at best – a thief missing a finger is a sign that they have made a grave mistake in the past, and paid for it.
The Law of Silent Hands – A true thief leaves with gold, not blood.
The members of the guild are thieves, not butchers. Murder is a last resort, used only when there is no other escape or when the guild itself is threatened. Killing draws attention, invites retaliation, and disrupts the delicate balance of the underworld. A skilled thief relies on cunning, misdirection, and silence—not needless violence. Those who spill blood recklessly may find themselves marked for death, for a corpse speaks louder than an empty vault.
The Law of Mercy – Prey on the fat, not the starving. Spill no blood where none is owed.
The guild steals to prosper, not to oppress. Robbing beggars, harming children, or ruining those who have nothing to give is strongly discouraged, although not forbidden. Such acts brings only needless enemies and a tainted name. The best marks are those who can afford to lose, the greedy and the powerful who hoard wealth beyond reason. A thief who breaks this law invites the guild’s wrath, for even shadows must have standards.
