The Obscured
"Don't go 'round town come the dark, less'n you don't mind losing yer coin pouch. Ye're pretty safe durin' the daylight hours s'long as ye don't talk to no strangers. Durin' the day, the streets belong to The Obscured. Come night, the alleyways belong to Mask." - Unknown
Structure
Tier One
-Footpad: Legwork extraordinaire. Does the majority of lower-level jobs; pick-pocketing, package-running, and collecting protection money are their specialty. Pays 50% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Two
-Apprentice Penman: A footpad that has chosen to specialize in more artistically dishonest endeavors. Their burgeoning talents are to be guided by a Master Penman. All but the most trusted Penmen at this rank typically handle lower risk forgeries; bills of sale, artwork from unknown artists, and the like. Pays 40% of their daily take to the organization.
-Apprentice Breaker: The specialized rank for those with nimble fingers and hard knuckles. Under the guidance of a Master Breaker, these thieves hone their lock-picking, stealth, and, when the occasion calls for it, "coercion." Jobs handled by these apprentices consist of collecting protection fees, pick-pocketing, and burglary. Pays 40% of their daily take to the organization.
-Apprentice Whisperer: Sometimes information can be more valuable than the largest precious gem. Whisperers are typically rather intelligent and exceptionally well spoken and a Master Whisperer is responsible for fostering these traits in their charges. Tasks available to an Apprentice Whisperer are information gathering and delivering verbal communiques, typically conveying some threat of blackmail. Pays 40% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Three
-Journeyman Penman: At this stage, the apprentice has begun showing signs of true artistic talent. Journeyman Penman are able to consistently produce satisfactory work in multiple artistic mediums. Having shown this degree of expertise has expanded their job listings to include forging signatures of public officials, copying artwork by relatively well known artists, and may be asked to assist the Master Penman in running a coin forgery operation. Pays 30% of their daily take to the organization.
-Journeyman Breaker: Having deepened both their understanding of lock-picking, escape artistry, and "engendering motivation," these sneak-thieves are now allowed to take on more complex jobs. These include burglaries conducted in more upscale homes and businesses as well as pick-pocketing more wealthy targets. Pays 30% of their daily take to the organization.
-Journeyman Whisperer: Hours of discussion with their Master on the theory of persuasion, manipulation, and making themselves seem trustworthy have allowed the Journeyman Whisperer to spread their sphere of influence among the populace. Running their own protection rackets and designing their own blackmail schemes are now within the Whisperer's purview. Pays 30% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Four
-Master Penman: The skills of this Penman are not in question. They have become skilled enough to create exact copies of high-end artistic works and to forge the signature of government officials that only fail at the most precise degree of scrutiny. Pays 20% of their daily take to the organization.
-Master Breaker: No lock is safe and no protection fees will go unpaid when the Master Breaker is on the job. After having deftly unlocked dozens of doors and having broken dozens of noses, these Breakers have proven their efficacy. They may now plan and conduct their own heists. Pays 20% of their daily take to the organization.
-Master Whisperer: These silver-tongued devils could charm the ugly off a troll. Having proven their worth, they are now able to pull blackmail jobs concerning government officials. Pays 20% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Five
-Signatory: Only the most skilled forgers attain this position. Given their incredible talent, they rarely have jobs concerning actual forgeries as most tasks can be handled by those of lower rank. When they have a contract for the organization, it is typically a forgery of a royal seal, some governmental decree, or piece of art generally considered to be priceless. The majority of their time is spent in coordinating Master-Apprentice pairings among the Penman ranks. Pays 10% of their daily take to the organization.
-Pilferer: It isn't realistic to expect a pickpocket to be able to steal an eye stalk off a beholder, but the pilferer's skills may make you pause before placing a bet on that. Their day-to-day operations consist of creating elaborate lock, athletics, and acrobatics tests for the lower ranked Breakers. They are rarely called in on jobs but, when they are, it is truly a spectacle to behold...or it would be, if you could see them. Pays 10% of their daily take to the organization.
-Secret Keeper: Seemingly all information is known by the Secret Keeper. Secret Keepers are among the most active of the Tier Five Obscured. They provide services to the lower ranked Whisperers such as acquiring additional information on blackmail targets as leverage in case a scheme doesn't go as planned. When called upon for a contract, it is treated as a passion project; executed with the utmost degree of care and guile. Pays 10% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Six
-The Faceless Few: The leading body of the organization. No one is sure of their exact identities as their meetings are secret, both in time and location. It is unknown what their monetary contributions are to the organization.
-Footpad: Legwork extraordinaire. Does the majority of lower-level jobs; pick-pocketing, package-running, and collecting protection money are their specialty. Pays 50% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Two
-Apprentice Penman: A footpad that has chosen to specialize in more artistically dishonest endeavors. Their burgeoning talents are to be guided by a Master Penman. All but the most trusted Penmen at this rank typically handle lower risk forgeries; bills of sale, artwork from unknown artists, and the like. Pays 40% of their daily take to the organization.
-Apprentice Breaker: The specialized rank for those with nimble fingers and hard knuckles. Under the guidance of a Master Breaker, these thieves hone their lock-picking, stealth, and, when the occasion calls for it, "coercion." Jobs handled by these apprentices consist of collecting protection fees, pick-pocketing, and burglary. Pays 40% of their daily take to the organization.
-Apprentice Whisperer: Sometimes information can be more valuable than the largest precious gem. Whisperers are typically rather intelligent and exceptionally well spoken and a Master Whisperer is responsible for fostering these traits in their charges. Tasks available to an Apprentice Whisperer are information gathering and delivering verbal communiques, typically conveying some threat of blackmail. Pays 40% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Three
-Journeyman Penman: At this stage, the apprentice has begun showing signs of true artistic talent. Journeyman Penman are able to consistently produce satisfactory work in multiple artistic mediums. Having shown this degree of expertise has expanded their job listings to include forging signatures of public officials, copying artwork by relatively well known artists, and may be asked to assist the Master Penman in running a coin forgery operation. Pays 30% of their daily take to the organization.
-Journeyman Breaker: Having deepened both their understanding of lock-picking, escape artistry, and "engendering motivation," these sneak-thieves are now allowed to take on more complex jobs. These include burglaries conducted in more upscale homes and businesses as well as pick-pocketing more wealthy targets. Pays 30% of their daily take to the organization.
-Journeyman Whisperer: Hours of discussion with their Master on the theory of persuasion, manipulation, and making themselves seem trustworthy have allowed the Journeyman Whisperer to spread their sphere of influence among the populace. Running their own protection rackets and designing their own blackmail schemes are now within the Whisperer's purview. Pays 30% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Four
-Master Penman: The skills of this Penman are not in question. They have become skilled enough to create exact copies of high-end artistic works and to forge the signature of government officials that only fail at the most precise degree of scrutiny. Pays 20% of their daily take to the organization.
-Master Breaker: No lock is safe and no protection fees will go unpaid when the Master Breaker is on the job. After having deftly unlocked dozens of doors and having broken dozens of noses, these Breakers have proven their efficacy. They may now plan and conduct their own heists. Pays 20% of their daily take to the organization.
-Master Whisperer: These silver-tongued devils could charm the ugly off a troll. Having proven their worth, they are now able to pull blackmail jobs concerning government officials. Pays 20% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Five
-Signatory: Only the most skilled forgers attain this position. Given their incredible talent, they rarely have jobs concerning actual forgeries as most tasks can be handled by those of lower rank. When they have a contract for the organization, it is typically a forgery of a royal seal, some governmental decree, or piece of art generally considered to be priceless. The majority of their time is spent in coordinating Master-Apprentice pairings among the Penman ranks. Pays 10% of their daily take to the organization.
-Pilferer: It isn't realistic to expect a pickpocket to be able to steal an eye stalk off a beholder, but the pilferer's skills may make you pause before placing a bet on that. Their day-to-day operations consist of creating elaborate lock, athletics, and acrobatics tests for the lower ranked Breakers. They are rarely called in on jobs but, when they are, it is truly a spectacle to behold...or it would be, if you could see them. Pays 10% of their daily take to the organization.
-Secret Keeper: Seemingly all information is known by the Secret Keeper. Secret Keepers are among the most active of the Tier Five Obscured. They provide services to the lower ranked Whisperers such as acquiring additional information on blackmail targets as leverage in case a scheme doesn't go as planned. When called upon for a contract, it is treated as a passion project; executed with the utmost degree of care and guile. Pays 10% of their daily take to the organization.
Tier Six
-The Faceless Few: The leading body of the organization. No one is sure of their exact identities as their meetings are secret, both in time and location. It is unknown what their monetary contributions are to the organization.
Culture
The Obscured are known by their deeds and not by name. Their presence can be felt in every back alley and every marketplace. They are typically known to be devious but fair; not changing terms of an agreement without discussing it with the party involved, for example. This concept of fair-play doesn't necessarily garner a good reputation within the community, however. They are still considered outlaws and brigands and are to be pursued by law enforcement. Given their illegal operations and the frequent pursuits of certain individuals focused on bringing the Obscured to justice, it is theorized that they may have friends in high places covering their tracks and making evidence disappear.
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