Thieves Guild Names

Order of the Ember Blade

Disciplinarians

Black Orchard

Company of Valkave

Vultures

Umber Eye

Last Rites

Copper Dozen

Parting Song

Dying Word

 
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Honor Among Thieves

Thieves guilds have been a fixture of Dungeons & Dragons since the game's inception. These organizations offer players a unique way to engage with the world while offering exciting opportunities and challenging, often atypical missions. Those who join these guilds regularly take on assignments that require infiltration, burglary, and other forms of deception. Quests like these can be a welcome change of pace from the stereotypical combat encounters seen in most campaigns and allow players to use their often lesser-used dexterity-based abilities like stealth, lockpicking, and pickpocketing.

Larger guilds can also provide players with access to unique resources. Members and their representatives may have access to safehouses, fences, and other contacts that can help players in future quests. Their guild affiliations may also allow them to purchase specialized equipment not typically sold to the general public, such as lockpicks, grappling hooks, and poisons.

One of the most exciting aspects of using thieves guilds in a campaign is the potential for creative storytelling. The secretive nature of these organizations can add intrigue and mystery. Players may encounter a guild as part of a larger story arc or stumble upon one during their adventures. And while most deal with the darker side of the world, it remains up to the players whether or not the guild is worthy of their time.

In this way, thieves guilds can help players explore the moral complexities of a campaign setting. Not all guilds are evil, and some may even serve as protectors of their communities. However, even the most well-meaning guilds may still engage in illegal activities, raising questions about the nature of law and order in the surrounding realms.

Partners in Crime

In the earliest editions of the game, thieves were one of the core character classes, and players could choose to join a guild as part of their backstory. These guilds were often depicted as shady organizations, engaged in illegal activities and operating in secret. However, as the game evolved, the depiction of thieves guilds became more nuanced, with some organizations serving as protectors of their communities or even as legitimate businesses.

Throughout the years, countless examples of thieves guilds have existed in Dungeons & Dragons lore, though a particular few have stood out from the pack. The Astorians were the prevailing thieves guild in Teziir in the mid-1300s DR, whose primary activities revolved around petty theft and protection services. The Fire Knives and the Night Masks were criminal organizations that operated out of Westgate. While the Night Masks were notably more prolific, both were known for their brutality and love of gold. The Hand of Yartar was an all-female thieves guild operating within their namesake city. The Shadow Thieves was a mysterious and influential consortium of multiple thieves guilds in western Faerûn. They were known for their subtlety and secrecy, operating in the shadows to manipulate those in power for personal gain. Perhaps the most recently famous guild involves the thieves of Xanathar. Run by a paranoid elder beholder, this criminal/slaver network quickly became the most powerful organization on the Sword Coast. The Xanathar Guild became so dominant and fearsome that it often acted as an unintentional buffer against other evil organizations.

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