The Unseen Hand
With the birth of life, came the first thief; Desperate and hungry.Motto: Success Lies in the Shadows.
Greeting:
- Call:With the birth of life they came.
- Response: Desperate and Hungry.
- Nothing is out of reach of the Guild.
- Nothing worth anything remains a secret for long.
- If you steal from the Unseen Hand, you will never steal again.
History
Thieves have been a part of existence since people began to interact. Where someone has more then they need, another with less will be ready to share. It has long been accepted by those who matter, that the Unseen Hand began when the first item was stolen. There is no history of the guild written down, as names like The Crimson Fox and Swifty Cliffs serve no purpose to future generations of the guild. Only the Fence's carry a history of the guild. Stacks upon Stacks of log books, containing every item that passed through the Guilds Hands. The records also contained the items worth, who it was sold to, and the Moniker of the Thief who retrieved it.
Hierarchy:
The Shadowed Veil
Those who have met the Shadowed Veil, the leader of the Unseen Hand, rarely agree on what they look like; a slender dragonborn female, or an elderly gnomish male. Half-orc, human, halfling. Perhaps that's due to spells or potions, or maybe the Shadowed Veil is a moniker more than a person. A title passed from master thief to master thief. Gaining audience with the Shadowed Veil requires more then just a desire. One must climb the ranks of Unseen ladder to be offered the honor. The wheel of the Unseen Hand has continued to spin, in no small part to the actions of the Shadowed Veil. No one knows of who reigned before the Shadowed Veil, but the guild has been fully in their control for the last 300 years.
The Lower Shadows
The Unseen Hand has their fingers entangled in the societal affairs of most major cities, and this has afforded them a network of outposts and strongholds across the continent. Only those who have been contacted by the Unseen Hand will learn of an outpost location, so the average person is more likely to believe the Unseen Hand is just an urban legend. Most Outposts are administered to by an established guild member. One is usually required to have earned the rank of the Shadow Hand to be appointed a position of leadership. This has prompted many in the guild to refer to these local leaders as The Lower Shadows.
| Leadership Hierarchy | Renown Experience | Unseen Hand Title | Membership Dues (Yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Shadowed Veil | |||
| The Lower Shadows | Level 50+ | ||
| Master | Level 50+ | Shadow Hand | 2500 GP |
| Contractor | Level 34-49 | Stealthy Hand | 1000 GP |
| Journeyman | Level 20-34 | Gloved Hand | 500 GP |
| Apprentice | Level 7-19 | Open Hand | 250 GP |
| Associate | Level 1-6 | Sticky Fingers | 100 GP |
Guild Perks
| Unseen Hand Title | Gloves of the Unseen Hand | Milestone Gifts and Perks | Monthly Supply Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Hand | The Gift of Invisibility |
50% Discount at all Guild Establishments A private apartment readily available at all Guild Outposts. A Key to the Guilds Capitol Outpost. |
Choice between the following: A tip to an item of uncommon quality or better. or 1 Scroll of the Gift Of Gab. 1 Potion of Disguise Self 2 Guild Lockpicks |
| Stealthy Hand | The Gift of Displacement |
30% Discount at all Guild Establishments Free Room and Board at Guild Outposts. A Key to the Guilds Capitol Outpost. |
1 Scroll of the Gift Of Gab. 1 Potion of Disguise Self 2 Guild Lockpicks |
| Gloved Hand | None |
Your Time within the guild has helped you learn a new skill. Choose one of the following Feats; Actor, Alert, Keen Mind, Linguist, Lucky, Observant, Skilled, Skulker 20% Discount at all Guild Establishments Free Room and Board at Guild Outposts. |
1 Potion of Disguise Self 2 Guild Lockpicks |
| Open Hand | The Gift of Darkvision |
20% Discount at all Guild Establishments Free Room and Board at Guild Outposts. |
1 Potion of Disguise Self 1 Guild Lockpick |
| Sticky Fingers | Receive Gloves Gift of the Unseen |
10% Discount at all Guild Establishments. Free Room and Board at Guild Outposts |
1 Guild Lockpick |
Gloves of the Unseen Hand
The Gloves of the Unseen Hand are a magical Item requiring Attunement. They are only usable by members of the Unseen Hand. If a nonmember of the guild tries to don these gloves, the material will tighten around the wearers hands until the hands of the wearer are separated from the body and the gloves are free again. As a guild member climbs the ranks of the Unseen Hand, the gloves will evolve and bestow new gifts and abilities upon the wearer. While worn, these gloves will bestow a number of gifts upon the wearer for a number equal to 1d4+ their Dexterity Modifier. The number of gifts resets after a long rest. Please see the following list of Gifts.
The Gift of Unseen
These gloves blend into their surroundings and are almost invisible to others. Your Stealth and Slight of Hand checks are done so with advantage.The Gift of Darkvision
You touch a willing creature to grant it the ability to see in the dark. For the duration, that creature has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
The Gift of Displacement
When activated, this gift projects an illusion that makes the you appear to be standing in a place near your actual location. Any creature making an attack against you does so at disadvantage. If you take damage, the illusion ceases to function. This property is suppressed while you are incapacitated, restrained, or otherwise unable to move. The illusion is unable to make attacks or speak.
Gift of Invisibility
With such devotion to the guild, the Gloves of the Unseen Hand are now fully upgraded. This gift can be activated as a bonus action. Once activated, this gift will cause you to become invisible. Everything on your person is also invisible. You cease to be invisible when you make an attack or cast a spell.
Guild Lockpick
Lockpicks are a standard good for any would be thief. While most lockpicks success can be attributed to the user, a guild lockpick is said to be blessed by the Animas itself. A Guild Lockpick can be used to automatically open a locked door, chest, or any other type of lock. This lockpick does not work on locks sealed by magic, and will disintegrate upon an attempt to do so. There is a 50% chance that the key will vibrate in the wielders hand if near a magically protected lock. Once a lock has been opened by the lockpick, the lockpick will disintegrate.
Contracts and Requisitions
There are number of ways to earn renown within the guild and climb the Unseen ladder. Stealing items and having them laundered by the local fence may be a good way to earn some extra coin, but the best way to earn renown within the guild is to complete contracts. Depending on the size of the outpost, there may be one person who handles all the contracts or there may be multiple people who are each handing out different types of contracts. Most contracts can be split into a three categories:Requisitions
The Requisitions Officer can usually be found at the entrance to a given establishment. They are typically the first point of contact for a member as they are usually the ones offering Milestone and Monthly rewards. If enough repour is built with the requisitions officer, they have been known to obtain shipping and caravan manifests on occasion. Most of the items on these manifests list items that are useless, crates of food and ale, or a chests of fresh cloth and linens, but many have turned a profit on what they found that wasn't listed on the manifest.
The Acquisition
There is no Unseen Hand without the local Fence. Artists of acquisitions, the Fence almost always has a lead on a job. These jobs range from a market pickpocketing, to breaking and entering well guarded keeps. It should be noted that the wealthier targets typically have safe rooms riddled with traps. The renown earned for one of these jobs is based on the worth of the item and the difficulty at which it was obtained.
Blackmailing
You can speak with the UnseenMarket to learn of Blackmail opportunities. These usually involve acquiring something that someone of high importance wants in exchange for money. Contractors can except to kidnap or steal an important item or creature(person, pet, important documents) and drop it off at a specific location. Once there, they will be paid a fee.
Renown:
Gaining Renown: Completing Quests will earn you a certain level of renown within the guild. The more contracts that you complete, the more renown you will receive. It is imperative that quests be completed with stealth, or the expected renown you would have received will be reduced.
Losing Renown: If you are seen and identified, you will lose renown. If you are seen, captured, and/or expose the Guild or its whereabouts in any way, you will lose a great deal of renown or potentially be expelled from the Guild. In which case, you should be on alert as you may become prey to other members. Killing people is not condoned by the Guild, but is acceptable in dire circumstances. Instead, players should consider using Chloroform or sleep spells.
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