The Underbarons

Unfortunately, Bral is a city with more than its fair share of criminal activity. Although the streets are generally safe, a great deal of racketeering and extortion goes on underneath the deceptively still surface. Every shopkeeper pays some amount of "insurance" to one or another thieves' guild. Every captain who puts in with an illicit car­ go requires some assistance in getting his wares to market. These roles are filled by a small group of powerful people collectively referred to as the Underbarons.
The Underbarons are the criminal lords of the city, each sitting at the center of a web of theft, extortion, gambling, drinking, and any number of other illicit activities. They are the fences, financiers, and the neighborhood patrons. The Rock of Bral is divided into their territories, and they constantly scheme and maneuver to keep their own positions secure while attacking those of their rivals.
The Underbarons can be valuable resources or deadly enemies, depending on how a person ap­proaches them. Poor families in need often get interest-free loans from the local crime lord, because he knows that someday the goodwill of the citizenry might be all that stands between him and the jettison. On the other hand, a wealthy merchant looking for a partner in a shady venture must be prepared to deal with the devil.
In any given area of the city, the stores, shops, and craftsmen are under the protection of one or another of the guilds. This is a fact of life on the Rock of Bral, and for the most part, the "insurance" fee is a reasonable part of the monthly upkeep on a shop. On occasion, foolhardy entrepreneurs have bucked the system and found their shops to be "open territory;· subjected to the depredations of all thieves' guilds. By the time they come to their senses, they often find that the once reasonable fee is now doubled or tripled. Most people on the Rock consider "insurance" to be a part of their business overhead and leave it at that.
While many merchants may rebel at the galling thought of bribing criminals not to commit crimes on their premises, buying insurance is often a good idea. The Underbaron guaranteeing the safety of the business not only places the store off­-limits to his own men, but also guards that business against the attentions of the other Underbarons. Some crime lords even reimburse shops under their protection for losses sustained when a rival guild slips through and pilfers the shop, in spite of their protection.
There are four basic districts claimed by the Un­derbarons. A Shou crime lord controls the docks and most of the Low City, performing smuggling and kidnappings. A halfling Un­derbaron rules the district of the craftsmen, watching over common burglaries and extortion. A human Underbaron, known as The Juggler, supervises the activities of the various swindlers, minstrels, and con men throughout the city, and provides a security service for the noble estates. Finally, a faceless Underbaron is believed to operate in the Rock's underdark, monitoring the illegal slave trade.
Each Underbaron is the master of a thieves' guild, but as stated above, their activities extend much further than the simple organization of thievery. The dark web of the Underbarons includes warriors, rogues, nonhumans, and the oc­casional mage.

Type

Illicit, Cartel

Location

The Rock of Bral