Each guild equips special teams of thieves to hunt down members of the rival organization, which results in ongoing battles from shadow to shadow and rooftop to rooftopOrganization : Each, guild in this type of conflict has its own structure, which mimics one of the other types detailed in this section . It's unlikely that two parallel thieves' guilds would evolve in the same city at the same time, so the warring guilds are usually of different typesTwo similar guilds are possible, however, if a leadership struggle in a monolithic thieves' guild has resulted in the breakup of the organization . In that case, the factions would start out with the same protocols and styles but quickly diverge . Guild Rules : Loyalty is the most important element in a guild war- Even when members are under constant scrutiny, betrayals are common . Advancement Opportunities : Advancing in rank is often easier in this situation than it is when a town has only one guild- War causes attrition in both guilds' ranks, so openings are common . Of course, some thieves try to advance by switching sides and offering the enemy information, but this is particularly risky-no one really trusts a traitor. Assets : The primary asset for either side in an ongoing thieves' war is armament- Every thiefon the street must be better armed than in peacetime, or the profits from jobs may never make it back to the guildhouse. Not only must thieves hide their activities from law enforcers, but also from members ofthe rival guild, who would be more than happy to raise an alarm, ruin a job, or even attack if they spotted their enemies at workLocations : Ifthe guilds are trulyseparate, each has the same sorts ofbases it otherwise would- Ifa single thieves' guild has split into warring factions, however, most of the splinter groups quickly establish their own small, secret bases and hideoutsGoals: Most factions in a thieves' war share one goal: Wipe out the otherfactions and become the only thieves' guild in the city- However, small factions may simply want to survive, or a losing faction might want to move to another city where the pickings are easier. (Of course, such a relocation could result in conflict with the thieves' guild in the new city) Conflicts : The primary conflict each guild faces in this situation is with rival guilds, of course, but all the usual pressures are still present as well- Law enforcement doesn't stop just because the thieves are killing each other, and merchants and nobles remain just as committed to protecting their riches. Finally, a thieves' guild that splintered once can certainly do so again . Just because a thieves' war is raging doesn't mean that every guild member has put away all grudges and rivalriesHooks : The characters find themselves allied (on purpose or through circumstance) with one faction in a thieves' war- This, of course, draws attacks from the other factions-
Characters might not realize that there's more than one faction of thieves in a city. When they describe the habits of one thief to a member of a rival guild, they might unwittingly ignite a new battle in the thieves' war-and find themselves in the crossfireA beginning character might decide to adopt the life of an adventurer after her mentors find themselves on the losing end of a thieves' war .
Monster-Based Guild
Thieves' guilds operate from the shadows, and theirleaders rarely see the light ofday. That makes guild leadership a perfect vehicle for a spectre (or any other monster wishing to influence city dwellers) to use in accomplishing its goals- Another such guild is the type dominated by members of one humanoid race. Like all guilds, a monster-based guild typically takes on the characteristics of its members . Organization : A guild dominated by a particular racial or monster type has either a traditional guild structure or one that reflects the society of the creatures involved. Dwarf-dominated thieves' guilds, for example, are organized into "clans" with hereditary leaders . A thieves' guild run by mind flayers, on the other hand, might rely on enthralled slaves and have an illithid elder brain for a guildmaster. Guild Rules: The activities stressed or forbidden by a guild of this type reflect the nature of the dominant members and the ulterior motives (if any) of its leaders . Advancement Opportunities : As with most other guilds, moving up in the ranks requires impressing the leaders . What exactly that entails depends on the goals of the creatures involvedAssets: The key assets for this guild are the unusual abilities of its members. Shadows, for example, are totally silent, so they can glide into almost any building and eavesdrop- (They leave the actual thieving to other guild members, however, since they can't pick up solid objects.) An all-kobold thieves' guild might have a number of sorcerers in its ranks, and an elven guild would approach its political moves with the patience of thieves who can afford to case a location for decadesLocations: Because few cities have large populations of unusual creatures, the leaders of a monster-based thieves' guild take extra pains to provide a safe haven where members can live when not actually thieving . Many monsters favor underground locations, although any secret place works. Some creatures (doppelgangers, for example) don't require anything special in terms of a hideout because hiding is part of their nature . A guild dominated by a single race, on the other hand, usually has locations that fit its members' heritage. Halfling guilds, for example, are more mobile than their traditional counterparts, so their leaders often disguise their guild headquarters as trade caravans. Goals: Most monster-based thieves' guilds have the same goals as their human-centered counterparts : Get
