The Pale Fox

As an organization, the Pale Fox dates back centuries. Its formation came about as a response to the Stormgårdian incursion upon Weströnd. While Alexander II Veôr’s conquest and the subsequent establishment of his empire was swift and ruthless, it did not come without significant opposition—both through legitimate political and militaristic avenues, as well as from underground and clandestine operations. Nearly 400 years ago, the Stormgårdian’s made landfall upon the northern shores of Longcross Bay. From here, Alexander established the Veôrlands and went about conquering a number of the other provinces that comprised the midlands of Weströnd. As he expanded his empire, Alexander faced opposition all throughout the continent. Not long after launching a foothold in the south, Alexander made his way north to Lake Vänern and set his sights on the settlement of Lakebarrow. It was from within this modest metropolis that the Pale Fox would emerge to wreak havoc upon the young conqueror. Legend has it that when the Stormgårdian army arrived in Lakebarrow, they brought with them an unmanageable level of martial law. As the soldiers marched through the streets and military encampments were erected, Stormgårdian soldiers began to seize and extract the town’s collected resources and wealth from its people. In response to the insurgency, a shadowy and righteous figure emerged to push back against the tyrannical rule of the newly forming empire—the Pale Fox. Much like Robin Hood and other virtuous thieves of legend, the Pale Fox went about disrupting the agenda of Alexander and stealing back the resources and wealth his army had taken from the people. Not much is known about the original Pale Fox, but this individual was highly successful in developing and organizing a thieving faction to fight back against the oppression of the Stormgårdians. Throughout the Stormgårdian Wars of Conquest, the thieves’ guild grew and founded a foothold in the underground communities of Weströnd. It was here that the Pale Fox waged her war against Alexander and developed a legacy that would live on for centuries to come. Today, the Pale Fox exists both as an underground thieving organization and as the title given to the denizen of this longstanding secret society. Very few people if any are typically aware of the true identity of the Pale Fox; however, he or she is often considered the greatest rogue of their respective era. The organization itself has expanded greatly over the past few centuries, generating a strong presence all throughout the continent of Weströnd, as well as Eldamir and the island of Vindr. The thieving guild has even developed a level of infamy further south in Saayanda and backwest in Valennia.

Goals

While many assume that the Pale Fox as an organization is merely interested in its own profit and gain at any cost, they fundamentally wish to preserve the function and prosperity of civilization. Any person with a basic education in economics and politics understands that a thriving city is a profitable one, and an enemy of that prosperity is a foe of the Pale Fox. The group generally considers themselves a necessary dark underbelly to civilization, often willing to do the under-the-table work that the wealthy and politically powerful cannot accomplish on their own. The Pale Fox also recognizes that competition generates a healthy economy and has occasionally helped to kindle the flames of unrest to keep things tense and profitable.

Relationships

While some of the Pale Fox’s activities are secretly state-sanctioned, typically sponsored by Sirkaar or the Free Cities of Eldamir, it is highly illegal and extremely dangerous to be a member or be caught doing business directly with them. Most city guards have orders to arrest and detain members of the guild upon discovery and raids are occasionally conducted against the underground organization. The Pale Fox looks down upon dogmatic religion or cultish behavior, as these ideologies have conflicted with the organization in the past. The thieving operation holds individual liberty and prosperity as its two most important tenets and any group that works to undermine those values is regarded as a stark enemy to the guild. Since the arrival of the Seven Rings to Eldamir and Weströnd, the Pale Fox has been on incredibly high alert, seeking out information and intelligence on them, as well as any means of overcoming this new competition. Seeing as the Seven Rings share the support and backing of the Stormgårdian Empire, the Pale Fox has found itself in a difficult and at times bloody turf war. Rumors have it that the Rings are currently making a move to take control of the Aislada Isles, the supposed headquarters of the Pale Fox himself.

Structure

Pale Fox agents are trained to act alone or in small groups and rely on their own resources and abilities. When they enter into conflict, they don’t count on their fellow guild members to rescue them. Nevertheless, Pale Fox affiliates are committed to helping one another in times of need, and friendship among these thieves is practically unbreakable. Masterful spies and infiltrators, the Pale Fox use assorted guises and cover stories to form relationships, cultivate their information networks, and manipulate others into doing what needs to be done. The following is a list of the various ranks within the Pale Fox: