Thief

The Thieves Guild has fought long and hard to claim that all "real thieves" are recognized members of the guild; all other lawbreakers are simply "robbers" or "thugs". As such, "Thief" is a distinct and recognized title and profession, with specific assumptions of professionalism and skill.

Career

Qualifications

Guild Thieves must be relatively capable in combat, but they also must be literate, display some ability to reason, and be able to remember lots of information (say, the floor plans of a mansion).

Career Progression

Guild Thieves spend some time, sometimes many years, as apprentices to older thieves. They accompany them on "missions", absorb their wisdom and tricks, and build connections for themselves in the underground. At some point they will attempt their own mission, solo, as a way to prove their capabilitity; if they are successful, they take an oath to the Thieves Code are named a true Thief.

Payment & Reimbursement

Thieves do not recieve a constant salary, but gain access to guild missions, facilities, connections, and safehouses. They make most of their money through an above-board profession (merchant, bodyguard, etc) or through odd jobs, with occasional windfalls from lucrative guild missions.

Perception

Purpose

Guild Thieves are supposed to do the illegal activities which inevitably come into demand in reliable, safe, and professional ways. In theory, their work is always supposed to improve the world (or at least keep it roughly neutral). They are there to outcompete thugs and burglars, Robin Hood the rich, and help people get around unjust laws. In theory, capital T Thieves keep the underworld clean.
They also get filthy rich in the process, of course.

Social Status

Despite their professionalism, Thieves are still seen as dirty, if not quite so bad as outright murderers and bandits. They do constantly break the law, of course.

Demographics

Real Thieves are relatively rare, though are more common in areas with higher crime. They tend to come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, but most experienced thieves actually make it to middle or upper-class lifestyles. They often lead double-lives; a town doctor or innkeeper could be a Thief, as could a travelling bard or unassuming merchant's secretary.

Operations

Tools

Thieves use all the classic tools; lockpicks, climbing ropes, crossbows, smoke bombs, etc. Individual thieves may also use magical items they've "acquired" throughout their careers.

Workplace

Thieves typically congregate in marked taverns or other known public gathering places for basic guild updates (and fun). For more complex plotting or sensitive matters, they meet in underground guildhalls.

Provided Services

Jobs professional thieves may be contacted to perform include: -Spying on people, like a private investigator -Stealing stuff without leaving a trail or hurting people -Stealing stuff from people who deserve to lose it (the thief must be convinced of this) -Sabotauging things -Dungeon-crawling with adventurers

Type

Illicit

Demand

Surprisingly In demand

Legality

LMAO