Thieves' Guild

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Lore & Background

The history of the Guild is one of gradual professionalization. In earlier eras, theft was a chaotic endeavor where trust was scarce and betrayal common. The establishment of formal rules changed this dynamic, creating an environment where thieves could operate with a degree of safety and predictability. This allowed them to specialize in different skills, from burglary to pickpocketing, without fear of internal sabotage. The relationship with the City Watch is complex. While they frequently clash over jurisdiction and enforcement, there exists an unspoken understanding between the two organizations. Both serve Ankh-Morpork in their own ways, maintaining order within their respective spheres to prevent total societal collapse.

In Their Own Story

The candlelight flickered against the stone walls of the Guild Hall, casting long shadows across the ledger books. Detritus sat behind his desk, a mountain of muscle and rock in a tailored suit. He listened as a young thief explained how he had swiped a watch from a nobleman's pocket without a sound. The troll did not smile; trolls rarely do. Instead, he tapped a heavy finger on the wood. There were rules about nobles. There were rules about watches. There were always rules. The young man straightened his cap, realizing that in this place, the only thing more dangerous than the law was breaking the code of the Guild itself.

Reader's Guide

The Thieves' Guild serves as the organized backbone of illicit commerce within Ankh-Morpork. While they began as a loose collective of pickpockets and burglars, the organization has matured into a regulated entity with strict bylaws. Their primary goal is profit through theft, but also through providing insurance against theft for those who pay dues. Membership requires skill and adherence to guild codes, most notably the prohibition against stealing from fellow members. The Guild operates under the leadership of a Guildmaster, historically a human but later a troll named Detritus. This shift symbolized a broader integration of non-human species into Ankh-Morpork's power structures. They maintain a complex relationship with the City Watch; while often adversarial, mutual respect has grown over decades of coexistence. In modern times, the Guild functions more like a legitimate business corporation than a criminal syndicate. They manage stolen goods inventories and settle disputes internally to avoid police interference. This professionalization ensures stability in the underworld economy, making them a necessary evil for the city's functioning.

Did You Know?

• Actual thieves' guilds in Cairo during the Ottoman period were known to return stolen goods for a price and survived until the 19th century.
• Edward William Lane mentioned these Egyptian thieves' guilds in the 1830s.
• In Miguel de Cervantes' story Rinconete y Cortadillo, thieves have their own church which they share with prostitutes.

Historical Roots and Literary Origins

Some stories of One Thousand and One Nights celebrated artful thieves and criminal brotherhoods with a hierarchy and code of honor. The Sandalwood Merchant and the Sharpers features an old man known as the 'Sheikh of Thieves' who delivered judgement on less experienced sharpers. This was based on actual thieves' guilds in Cairo in the Ottoman period, that were known to return stolen goods for a price, and which were managed by a sheikh. These survived up until the 19th century, and were mentioned by Edward William Lane in the 1830s.

Fantasy Literature and World Building

Lankhmar, in Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series has an important Thieves Guild. In the works of Raymond E Feist set in Midkemia a Thieves' Guild, known as the Mockers, based in the Kingdom city of Krondor features in many of the novels, often playing a significant role in the story. The guild is run by a mysterious figure known as the 'Upright Man.' The Black Magician series, by Trudi Canavan, involves a Thieves' Guild as a central plot element.

Role-Playing Games and Mechanics

In Dungeons & Dragons, the Greyhawk supplement from 1976 adds thief characters and gives them the Master Thief title at the highest levels. The AD&D Players Handbook, published in 1978, specifically mentions thieves' guilds in the thief class description. In 1980, Gamelords published Thieves' Guild, a role-playing game system centered on thief characters which included rules on thieves' guilds.

Video Games and Player Agency

The Elder Scrolls series of role-playing video games contains a prominent Thieves Guild. The Thieves' Guild appears in all installments of the game, from the first game, The Elder Scrolls: Arena to the present releases. The Thieves' Guild is a joinable faction in-game. Quest for Glory series has a Thieves' Guild that the player can join, and plays a major role in completing the game, depending on the player's career path.