Mountain Highwaymen
Of all the factions in the Brotherhood of Thieves, only the the Mountain Highwaymen are truly bandits instead of thieves. Living in small bands in the wilds of the mountains, far from civilization, they can be a rough lot. Preying on the caravans that cross narrow passes along the Trans-Rheuthengage Highway, they either lighten wagons in the dead of night or demand tolls of from merchants in exchange for safe passage. As different bands spend little time with each other, the same caravan may be forced to pay tolls several times as they travel through the kingdom. Those that complain about the repeated tolls are reminded sharply that payment only guarantees their safety for a particular stretch of highway.
Imperial Legionnaires patrol the highway, of course. They march along it broad, well rutted stones and should they encounter any Highwaymen are quick to dispense justice in hastily erected roadside gallows. They do not, however, leave the highway. Galencia's treaty with Eldoria for protecting the road specifically excludes it. As such, unless a band is foolish or unlucky enough to stumble across a patrol in the act of robbing a caravan, the Legion holds little fear.
The Kingdom of Galencia counts most of its wealth in the precious metals, gemstones, and ores that it digs out of the unforgiving Rheuthengage Mountains. Once extracted, it must make the long, perilous journey from Ghendra and other mining towns to the center of the Kingdom. These routes travel narrow paths filled with opportunity for ambush. The Royal Ghendran Mining Corporation knows this and usually supplies these wagon trains with heavy guards. Still, many a ship has arrived in Geran lighter than it left.
The cities and towns of Galencia certainly still see their share of crime. Pickpockets and cutpurses are common in both Geran and Geyla. Unlocked shop doors still lead to stole merchandise. The frequency of these crime, however, is nothing like that of the cities further south. Galencians, a proud folk by nature, are proud of this fact and will happily aid authorities in an investigation or even stick out a leg if a thief is seen running through past them in a crowd, a stark contrast to the head down tendencies of southerners. Furthermore with much of the faction living in the wild, the great extortion rackets so common in Gartcha are non-existent. A shopkeeper in Geyla is more likely to respond to a threat with cudgel than coin.
Tehrith, of course, is a hot spot of activity. Technically under the jurisdiction of the Rheuthen Basin, the Highwaymen have been extending their influence in the small border town over the past several seasons, leading to no end of discussion amongst the other Puppeteers and more than few bodies floating in the Lord's River.
Type
Guild, Thieves
Parent Organization
Location
Notable Members