B/X Thieves Guild Info — Services

This is the 4th of my posts for a B/X thieves’ guild reference I'm working on. Today, the services available to members...

Services

General Services

The following services will be available in most thieves’ guilds, regardless of the size of the settlement where it is based. Unless otherwise specified, these services are not available to non-guildmembers.

Repair & Replacement of Thieves’ Tools. Repair is free and takes 1d3 days. New tools are available at standard pricing (25gp). Specialty tools (with a singular purpose) are available for purchase for 50gp or rental at 10gp per day (paid in advance, with the balance refunded upon their return).

Money Changing. Conversion of one type of coin into another (e.g., platinum to gold) is free.

Gem & Jewel Assessment. This service costs 1gp per item assessed.

Fencing/Black Market. This involves the movement of stolen goods through a middleman to an unsuspecting third party. Guild members generally receive 50% of the price the fence believes he can get when selling the stolen merchandise. The guild and fence split the profits at a negotiated rate. If this service is available to non-guildmembers, they will receive as little as 25% (or less). 

Lockpicking Assistance. Guild members may bring in a locked item which they were unable to open and receive assistance from more-skilled guild members. There is generally no fee for such assistance, but a thief who successfully picks the lock may require a favor in return.

Knowledge/Information. The thieves guild is a wealth of knowledge for its members, particularly in regards to planning jobs (e.g., information about a mark, the weaknesses of a location, the most opportune time to strike, etc.). Information is usually shared freely between members, and may be made as a Lore Check to determine how much or little any member knows about the question being asked. It should be noted that 

Location & Procurement. One of the main benefits of guild membership is help in locating assistance, support, people, and goods. This includes, but is not limited to: henchmen and hirelings, sages, cartographers (including map analysis & consultation), transportation, accommodation, equipment, and illegal and illicit goods, including poisons. There is no guarantee that what the guild member is searching for will be close or cheap.

Safe Houses. Safe houses are locations which provides thieves protection from capture. In every community, there will be a number of buildings assigned as safe houses—locations where a thief can lay low until the heat is off. The use of a safe house is free for guild members. Non-guildmembers will not be allowed in a safe house unless accompanied by a guild member, but there is no guarantee they will be allowed in to a safe house that is being attended by guild members.

Legal Help. Should a thief become entangled with the law (have a bounty placed on their head, get arrested, etc.), the guild may be able to provide legal help. This most often involves bribes or the calling in of favors. The costs of bribes will, in one form or another, be passed on the member in need of assistance.

Specialized Services

The following services may or may not be available from the thieves’ guild. Additionally, specialized services (like forgery and translation) require the engagement of a retainer with expertise in that area. If the guild does not have the relevant specialist (or specialists) in their employ, they may be able to refer the guild member to the specialist. In such cases, the fees outlined below do not apply, and the guild member must negotiate directly with the specialist.   

Forgery. The creation of false documents (identification papers, licenses, forms, etc.) is the domain of the forger. The forger is a specialist that usually works independently of the guild, unless the guild operates a forgery racket (see “Thieves’ Guild Activities (Rackets),” below). The cost of a forgery varies, but guild members will usually receive a discount.

Magic Item Identification. Unless the guild employs a magic-user who knows the spell identify, the identification magic item is based on experience and intuition, and is not foolproof. The cost for identifying a magic weapons is 10gp and the cost of identifying a miscellaneous magic item is 25gp. 

Magic Item Exchange. Only minor items may be exchanged. 

Scroll Exchange. This service is only permitted to thieves of a level high enough to read magic. The rate of exchange is based on the level of the spell on the scroll (as a spell for hire).

Language Translation. The cost and time required for this varies based on the obscurity of the language and the length of the sample being translated.