The Guild and Adventurers

The Thieves' Guild does not take kindly to nonguild thieves plying their trade within the city's boundaries. The guild takes great care in balancing its activities so as not to provoke angry reactions from some of the more powerful groups within the city. Freelance thieves who are caught by the guild will be dispossessed of their valuables, told to join the guild, pay their dues, and abide by guild law, and are warned of the dire consequences should they wish to carry on their own individual activities. Freelance thieves caught a second time by the guild do not get a second chance to make amends.

The guild will provide training for non members, but only when the applicant has made a sworn statement not to use his abilities within the boundaries of the Free City, nor to betray any of the guild's secrets. Training for nonmembers is charged at the nominal rates for training by NPCs, and the character's name is entered in the register of thieves in the Guildhall. All nonguild thieves, once on the register, must report to the Guildhall prior to their departure from Greyhawk and whenever they subsequently return to the city.

Guildmember thieves receive free training from the guild. Since joining the guild is a viable option for thief player characters, some details on the benefits and responsibilities of guildmembers should be detailed here. Guildmembers pay an annual fee of 3 gp and, in return for free training and the use of guild facilities, member thieves are required to pay a full 10% of all their earnings into the Guild Treasury. Such payments are normally made to the guild's agents within the Union of Moneychangers and Pawnbrokers, who will also fence goods for guildmembers. Guildmembers must also avoid protected businesses and households, and operations against any city guilds may only be undertaken with the consent of the Quarter's Master.

One final note about free training of guildmembers: While training is indeed free, such training will be undertaken at the tutor's leisure, and since there is nothing really in it for the tutor, it could be a while before he gets around to starting the course. It is a well-known fact among member thieves that a little palm greasing goes a long way, and tutors are much quicker to respond when they are given a suitable financial incentive.