Queen's Men

We lurk in the shadows

The Queen’s Men are a loose affiliation between a hundred gangs of brigands, outlaws, and scoundrels, all of whom swear fealty to the enigmatic Queen of Thieves. These reprobates prey upon pilgrims, prospectors, and explorers drawn to the city, extort and rob adventurers, smuggle delerium to disreputable clients in distant lands, and plunder the fantastic treasures and incredible wealth left behind in the city.

Background

Drakkenheim is a haven for criminals, deserters, and fugitives. The ever-present dangers of the dark city make it the perfect place to hide for someone on the wrong side of the law with nothing left to lose. Opportunities for plunder abound within this new frontier for banditry. Many more ply their trade raiding the supply caravans making their way to Emberwood Village. Sly cutthroats know that simply taking the spoils from a weakened but successful adventuring party at swordpoint makes for a highly profitable enterprise, and a far less risky one to boot!
When the The Hooded Lanterns arrived in Drakkenheim a few years ago, they resolved to restore order. Presenting a united front against the fractious outlaws, the The Hooded Lanterns met with early success in driving out the more violent and bloodthirsty among them. Then, an enigmatic figure emerged. This self-proclaimed “Queen of Thieves” used assassination, trickery, intimidation, and guile to reshape the disparate gangs into a budding criminal empire. Her plots have sabotaged many important Hooded Lanterns operations, and the Elias Drexel believes the Queen of Thieves blackmailed several of his important backers into withdrawing their support.
More importantly, the Queen of Thieves has established a general truce between the various bandit leaders occupying the city to share territory, resources, and contacts. In exchange, every gang must pay a regular tribute in gold and plunder to the Queen of Thieves. Those who don’t become a target for all the others, while loyal and successful scoundrels enjoy extra benefits and kickbacks. Though the Queen of Thieves is now infamous for her schemes and skill, her web of black market smugglers secures her rule over the underworld. Her agents funnel treasures and Delerium purloined from Drakkenheim to skilled fences and unscrupulous merchants in the world beyond. This ensures ample gold and booze flow back into Drakkenheim to keep her army of scoundrels happy and well-supplied.

You won’t know she is there unless she wants you to. She is not to be trusted and never to be underestimated. The most dangerous royalty I’ve ever met

-Pluto Jackson

Outlaws and Scoundrels

The Queen of Thieves upholds a general truce between a hundred individual gangs of brigands. Each outfit holds a claim to its own territory within the ruins that is their exclusive right to plunder. In return, each must pay a share to the Queen of Thieves. They must also heed her summons, which takes the form of a playing card showing the Queen of Diamonds. She arbitrates disputes and enforces dissent in a ruthlessly efficient manner. Ultimately, the gangs are disposable pawns to the Queen of Thieves

Rose & Thorns

This group is known for its confidence. They often are known for using daggers, spears, and shortswords and always have high-quality leather armor and steel-toed spiked boots. A lot of the most well-known members of this gang are a group of women renowned amongst the thieves as the Bouquet, led by the unwavering Rose Carver

All beautiful things have their sharp edges. Let’s show them ours!

-Rose Carver

The Wounded Hearts

The Wounded Hearts use cunning, deceit, and charm to get what they want. They are masters of swindling, scheming, and double-crossing. Nowhere else will you find better liars. They often wear elegant noble’s garb and act stuck up, as if they deem themselves superior to the other gangs.

Chivalry and cordiality will get you far in this world. Kindness is the great mask of all evils

-Christian Lament

The Howlin’ Dogs

These bandits are all about intimidation. They have size usually only the strongest get into this gang. They often wear vests and very little else, letting their muscles speak for themselves. They often carry axes or greatswords. Many of them dual wield. They are rude, mean, and ferocious. If you see one looking at you, it’s best to look away.

Most people think they can handle a dog cornered and rabid, but they can’t, they don’t know how sharp those teeth can be.

-Baskerville

The Catacomb Cobras

Dressed all in black, and often adorned with capes or masks, these bandits are the stealthiest of the lot. They use a lot of poisons and sleight of hand. It’s more often that those who double-cross the Cobras never see them coming. A lot of mysterious deaths are assumed to be linked back to this gang. Sometimes, if you don’t pay attention, you wind up

in a snake pit by simply taking a wrong turn, and those snakes don’t care if you’re lost, they still bite

-Veronica Venom

Pins & Clubs

The Pins & Clubs are general ruffians. They often have iconic colorful mohawks or other wild-colored hairstyles. They wear a lot of spikes and chains and notoriously break the legs of people who cross them.

If ya don’t like the way they looked at ya, if they seem too pompous, too arrogant, too wise, or too righteous, you club them down and let them know where they really stan

-Leon The Swine

Objectives

Transform Drakkenheim into an Outlaw’s Haven

The Queen’s Men see no reason for Drakkenheim to change. As it is, the city is a bandit’s paradise. They scour the ruins for treasure, Delerium, and lost magic items to sell to the highest bidder on the black market. Most outlaws don’t have any loftier goals, but the Queen of Thieves wants to expand her criminal empire.
However, other factions are trying to gain ground in Drakkenheim. Driving them off isn’t a simple matter, either. Several of these new rivals are also potential customers: the Amethyst Academy pays top dollar for Delerium. The pilgrims flooding into the city to join the Followers Of The Falling Fire are easy pickings for shakedown and robbery as well.
Others pose a more existential risk to the Queen of Thieves If she pushes too hard against the The Hooded Lanterns or the The Knights Of The Silver Order, a much more aggressive military crackdown could ensue. To preserve the delicate balance, the Queen of Thieves has resolved to deceive, blackmail, exploit, and outwit the other factions, but not to destroy them — that would be bad for business! Therefore, she aims to disrupt and sabotage the other factions’ goals. Perhaps she might even install a puppet on the throne of Westemär!

Strongholds

The Skull & Sword Taphouse.

The Skull & Sword Taphouse in Emberwood Village is a favored haunt for many outlaws in Emberwood Village. In Drakkenheim City Watch itself, the gangs often meet in several run-down pubs along this dingy street.

What's yours is hers

Drakkenheim is mine. Nothing moves in Drakkenheim without me allowing it to happen. I have eyes on every street, a fix on every prize, and tabs on every would-be band of fortune-seekers. Only one can rule this city — me.

-Queen of Thieves

Appearance and Equipment

There is no official outfit or standardized equipment for these thieves

Type

Guild, Thieves

Leader

Queen of Thieves

Notable Members

• Mel

Leader

Queen of Thieves

Lieutenant

Blackjack Mel

No matter how she may look on the outside, I know the Queen of Thieves is rotten to the core.

-Veo Sjena