Broad Axe Tavern - Thieves' Gangs From: scorpion@titan.rice.edu (Vernon Lee) Date: Mon, 23 Oct 1989 15:57:41 +0000 This article contains a brief description of the various thieves' gang in Ghlerhovllen, the city in the "Broad Axe Tavern" game. It is a little long, but I think people not involved in the game might be interested in reading it, so here it is. I posted to rec.games.pbm because all of the players need to read it, although discussion should go to rec.games.frp (I have directed followups there). If you are a player in the BAT game and not a local, and feel that you don't want to know this information (to help you stay in character), I applaud you, and you should hit 'n' now. There are five thieves' gangs in Ghlerhovllen, and almost every thief who lives here is a member of one of them. The gangs compete in some areas, but there is a clear leader in each area they operate in (for example, the Key gang is by far the best to buy illegal and untaxed goods from). Most residents of Ghlerhovllen know the information below, and many residents (for example, thieves) know much more. Note that members of thieves' gangs are not all thieves - gangs also have wizards, warriors, and anyone else who can help. Also, there are many people who are not gang members but have ties to certain gangs. The Fist gang was established a little over a year ago when a man known as Freeholder, the leader, came into town amidst rumors that he had stolen the jewel from the Khotani Emperor's crown. He quickly made himself unpopular with the other gangs by carving out a niche from himself, partly out of the Snakes' territory and partly out of the Stars'. Thus, this is the one gang that most others are not on good terms with, although fights are rare (occasionally a few Snakes and Fists will spend the night in the hoosgow after a brawl in a bar or alley). The Fist gang members can generally be found in the Brown Orc's back rooms, or on the streets. The Snake gang deals in the middle ground of thievery. They specialize in the "nice" crime; that is, violence is simply bad form. It is perfectly ok to pick pockets in the bazaar, quietly lead people down alleys and ask for their cash, or (the best way) run a con on some unsuspecting visitor looking to make quick money. The Snakes are led by a man known as Karl "the Snake". Several small shops in Ghlerhovllen pay protection money to the Snakes, that basically keeps the other gangs at bay. The Snakes can generally be found in the Rusty Beaver's back rooms. The Star gang doesn't care much for finesse - they prefer straightforward thievery. Protection rackets (especially in the SW corner of town), muggings (they usually don't kill anyone), drunk-rolling, anything to make a buck. Their leader is named Jones, who can usually be found near the Arena. The Stars also reportedly have a hangout behind Grant's Inn, where they wait for the really rich tourists to come out and go for a walk down a blind alley. Although they are less concerned about style, they do try to avoid hurting people, since this can only bring them unwanted attention from the town guards. The Key gang, sometimes called the Turnkey gang, is usually found en masse in the Broad Axe tavern. Although most gangs sell black market goods, the Key gang are the primary fences in Ghlerhovllen, from whom one can buy almost anything illegal (although at prices as high as the penalties for possessions of the items). Most sales of these items go to adventurers who come to Ghlerhovllen knowing its that type of town, or stocking up for a trip to the Dungeon, so the potential destruction and disaster these items are capable of doesn't affect the town itself (much). This gang is led by Manny "the midget", a large (6'6") man who is almost always at the BAT. The Leaf gang is above all this petty stuff mostly, preferring to deal in places where money can be made more quietly. Buying and selling of information is their trade, and they are said to have contacts in many places...their leader is named Keleher, and she or another Leaf can usually be contacted by visiting the local HoJo's. Their motto is "any information can be bought for the right price." The thieves of Ghlerhovllen have as much interest in preserving the peace and quiet as others who make their home here, and thus are sometimes found in the rather embarrassing position of helping the town guard solve crimes. They try to avoid making this fact public, of course. Their various names (Key, Fist, etc.) are also used for identification amongst them, so Snake gang members often wear snake jewelry, for example. Over the years, their symbols sometimes change, as their leaders change, as well as their relationships with each other and with the city. "Let's not go into a piranha-like feeding frenzy every time somebody mentions drugs." - John Glenn Vernon Lee (scorpion@rice.edu) Up