The Cult of Thieves

[Effervescent]

Information is power, and power is easily acquired. It can be bought, inherited, or even sold for the right price.

To that, money is the catalyst for power. It is the universal tangibility to denote status.

Weapons are the tools that power uses be it inanimate or living. Evidence riddles the land in more ways than darkness.

All of these things are visible. Tangible. But there is something far more valuable: invisibility.

A count may fall prey to the sifting of grain slipping from their grasp, their power lost.

A duke may find his purse featherlight with the disappearance of coin.

A dull blade in the hands of the oppressors cannot cut through flesh nor uprising.

We are the stick that stirs the pot; the whispers that form cohesion. We are the shift in the peripheral and the unsolved upon the mind.

We are The Cult of Thieves.

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Through the forgotten catacombs of the Labyrinth deep within the Underbelly of Windfeld presides what is fabled to be the Cult of Thieves lair. They are the antiheroes of Faledrin who target the kingdom's true flaws: its upper class. No one knows their true motives, but citizens like to believe they are for the common folk as their work tends to favor the needy and downtrodden. Its members hide in plain sight, and the only reason why they are even known throughout the land is through rumors both by witness accounts and by ones they incite themselves. Their members, however, remain anonymous and thus remain a mysterious enigma.

Every member of the Cult of Thieves is voted into by way of unanimous vote. Any new member must be approved by veterans and carefully considered before the vote is cast. It is even common practice for members to find ways to interact with their prospects before voting them in to join to get a better feel for who they're allowing within their ranks. Comradery and teamwork are of the utmost importance, and within this concept there is no true leader. Every member, despite their specialization, holds equal sway with every decision.

They're never hired for work, and rather work falls into their lap via the Organizer. Any profit they make for a particular job is given back to the citizens, and so members are forced to find real work outside of the Cult of Thieves. This allows each member to hold a front and to give them a means of income honorably. And despite their gray morality, they do believe in equality, honor, and respect for those who deserve it.

 

[Effervescent]

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Becoming a Thief

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Despite titling themselves as a cult, the Cult of Thieves prefers to conduct themselves more casually when gathered together. It is designed to promote comradery and equality rather than the business drol common to Windfeld and its hierarchy. Even when inducting new members, they still carry a light air about them. It is a tradition that has carried through the decades since the Cult's inception during the reign of the Tyrant King that usurped the throne from his brother to perpetuate Faledrin's failing economy for the gain of the richer. This drives their inspiration and their cause.

The Cult of Thieves is an organization geared towards achieving what they believe to be the Greater Good. This self-defined "good" is important to them and thus there is a considerable amount of vetting and testing without potential members even knowning. Their system relies heavily on unanimous favor, and so they will be particularly fond in individuals who share a like mind. Thief is more than just a petty crime, for they intend to steal back Faledrin from the vice of the nobility. Anyone who would not wish to do whatever it takes to free the people from oppression and bring equality into the kingdom would likely not be a fit. Thus, they look into people not only with like mind but with particular skills, often the best in the lands. Most of the recruited come from Windfeld, though there have been a select few that were pulled from the farms and copper mines.

During initiation, the proposed is asked a set of questions to solidify their position within the Cult of Thieves like an oath. These questions delve into every aspect of what they do, particularly if the proposed is willing to do whatever necessary to see to the Greater Good of Faledrin. Their ultimate goal, though rather hush hush, is to eventually dismantle the monarchy to establish a new order governed by the people, similar to how it is rumored in Estwynd.

Once a member of the Cult of Thieves, an individual can volunteer their time for as long as they desire, though under oath of secrecy. Proclaiming even the most seemingly minute information results in assassination, though towards the end of the First Era they brought in a practitioner of Shadow Magic who could erase memories if need be. For the most part, members both active and retired keep their lips sealed out of respect for their oath and for the Greater Good.