TEXT: Society of Shadows v3.5                                                                                                                                           1
  The Society of Shadows
  Thieves and brigands waging a secret war against the Pomarj on behalf of the Prince
  The Society of Shadows is the preeminent guild of thieves and outlaws in the Principality of Ulek. For
  decades, the Society conducted its activities and grew rich in secret, largely under the nose of the
  Prince’s government.  However, since the beginning of the Pomarj War, the Society leadership
  recognized that the humanoid threat, if allowed to overrun the entire Principality, would mean their doom
  as well.  The leadership reached out to contacts in the Corond royal family and arranged a secret meeting
  with top officials from the Prince’s court.  The Society volunteered to immediately cease and desist all
  criminal activities against the government for the duration of the war, so as to not disrupt the war effort, in
  exchange for being allowed to continue its other activities as it saw fit.
  After some consideration, the Prince’s emissaries agreed, on the condition that the Prince would retain
  the services of the Society to carry out special missions against the Pomarj forces.  The Society accepted
  the terms, and an unprecedented agreement was reached.  Both sides, however, still hold a degree of
  mistrust of the other, and both are fully aware that the pre-war status quo will return as soon as the war
  ends.
  Organization
  Very few people really know who rules the Society of Shadows, even amongst its members. Rumors vary
  from a reclusive sorcerer, to a red dragon in human form, to a denizen of the lower planes.  These rumors
  are merely hearsay, however, and in reality, it is much more likely that the Society is ruled by a Guild
  Master who conceals his identity to all but his most trusted associates. Perhaps this guild Master also
  holds some position of importance in the Prince’s government.
  Local guild leaders, known as Patrons (or Matrons), oversee the various day-to-day operations of the
  Society in the cities in which it has a presence.  While the Patrons are supposed to work together for the
  betterment of the guild, rivalries may also ensue. A friendly competition between the Patrons of Havenhill
  and Gryrax has been in effect for years, and the two are always trying to outdo each other.
  Society members usually fall into one of four specialized groups, known as the Fist of the Shadow, the
  Face of the Shadow, the Eyes of the Shadow, and the Fingers of the Shadow.  The Fist of the Shadow
  consists of enforcers and thugs who apply intimidation and brute force to carry out the will of the Society.
  The Face of the Shadow is made up of con men and smooth talkers who act as the voice of the Society
  to outsiders and form the backbone of the Society’s information network.  The Eyes of the Shadow
  consist of spies and sneaks, remaining unseen and unheard as the secret observers of the Society.  The
  Fingers of the Shadow are made up of burglars and cutpurses who specialize in safecracking, pick
  pocketing, highway robbery, and other forms of theft and larceny.  Members of the different groups tend
  to work together on difficult jobs, each lending their particular talents to the task at hand. 
  It is possible to become a member of the Society in several ways.  One way is to have been personally
  trained by a member in good standing of the guild during a formal apprenticeship period.  At the end of
  this training, the student must succeed at a heist of the teacher’s choosing, without any help.  Success
  means induction into the guild.  Failure usually results in the apprehension and imprisonment of the
  student by the authorities.  Alternatively, a member of the Society will contact those people who are
  already experienced thieves but who may have just moved in.  Decisions are made on a case-by-case
  basis by the Patron of the guild branch of the city in question. The Society does not appreciate non-
  
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  members practicing thievery on its turf, and the lack of any other thieves’ guild in the Principality is proof
  of its intolerance of competition.  Since accepting its new mandate from the Prince, however, the Society
  is finding itself with fewer resources to maintain its monopoly on criminal enterprises in the Principality.
  Furthermore, the Society is increasingly finding itself having to deal with members who disagree with the
  new direction the guild is taking, and who steal from the government in spite of the current treaty.  If these
  wayward members ever get organized, they could pose a threat to the Society’s secured place in the
  Principality.
  Induction rituals of the Society are shrouded in secrecy.  It is known, however, that at this induction
  ceremony, each new member is branded with the mark of the Society on his or her chest.  It is rumored
  that the ritual brandings are a magical mark of justice that deters any thoughts of betraying the Society.  It
  is a widely rumored that those that betray the Society eventually wind up dead under mysterious and
  often painful circumstances, though whether this has any basis in truth is unknown.
  The majority of the membership of the Society is of neutral alignment on the good-evil axis, although
  there is a significant percentage of both good-aligned members (people who are attracted by the guild’s
  new anti-Pomarj mandate, and who wish to fight for their country but would not fit in well in the Royal
  Army for various reasons) and evil-aligned members (people who belonged to the guild since before the
  Society worked for the Prince, and wish for a return of the old ways).  Members of evil alignment are to be
  expected in a guild of thieves, but it must be noted that they are a minority of the membership, and that
  their proportion of the guild as a whole are slowly dropping.  Members of the Society venerate a wide
  assortment of deities; Olidammara has the largest following by far, but other less known deities such as
  Dalt, Kurell, Norebo, and Rudd also have their devotees within the Society.
  Members of the Society are offered the opportunity to learn Thieves’ Cant, a secret language made up of
  low speech and street talk from the Common tongue.  Two people speaking Thieves’ Cant to each other
  could discuss robbing a caravan, for example, and the untrained listener would either have no idea what
  the two are talking about or gain a completely off-topic misunderstanding of the gist of the conversation.
  However, Society members are strictly forbidden from teaching the language to outsiders.
  History
  Organized criminal organizations in the Principality of Ulek were largely unknown until the time of the
  human migrations into Ulek from Keoland.  Before that time, crime of any sort was rare among the dwur
  of Ulek, whose culture placed great value on law, order, and the community. That changed when the
  Principality was incorporated as a province under the Keoish Lion Throne, and Keoish settlers poured into
  the region.  The Principality quickly became more cosmopolitan and less provincial, and the wealth
  generated by the province fueled the greed of unsavory characters.
  Two thieves’ guilds developed independently of each other in the cities of Gryrax and Havenhill. The
  Gryrax Association of Thieves sprung up to take advantage of the opportunities offered by that city’s
  wealth earned by its status as a major port city, such as robbing trade goods, running gambling
  operations, and the like.  Northeast of Gryrax, in the city of Havenhill, the Brotherhood of the Cobra was
  formed by thieves who preyed on that city’s vast mining operations.  Eventually, the two guilds came into
  contact and clashed for territory.  War was declared between the two guilds, which led to two years of a
  shadow war that the average citizen knew nothing about, fought in dark alleys and back rooms.  Peace
  was reached between the guilds when an agreement was made regarding the future expansion of the
  guilds.  The Gryrax Association of Thieves would remain in Gryrax and would be allowed control over
  business in Eastpass, while the Brotherhood of the Cobra would remain in Havenhill and be allowed to
  expand into Thunderstrike.  Over time, the two guilds lost their hatred of each other, and formed an
  alliance in 367CY.  In 402CY the two guilds finally merged, and adopted the moniker “Society of
  Shadows.”  In the nearly two hundred years since its inception as the unified criminal organization of the
  entire Principality of Ulek, the Society has firmly entrenched itself in such activities as gambling,
  smuggling, protection rackets, and burglary.
  
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  Rules
  Thieves’ guilds inherently attract unruly and rebellious types who reject the rules of society.  The
  leadership wisely decided to impose as few rules as possible to prevent unrest in the ranks. However, the
  few rules that do exist are very important and strictly enforced.  Guild members are generally given a
  great deal of flexibility in their activities, but the rules are boundaries that must never be crossed. 
  1. The poor and children are protected from the activities of the guild.  One reason for this is that
  they have nothing worth stealing anyway; another reason is that these groups have traditionally
  been on good terms with the Society.  An understanding has come to exist between the Society
  and the poor.  A thief on the run from the city watch can hide amongst a group of beggars and will
  not be betrayed, and in return, the thief may leave a small portion of his take.
  2. Murder in cold blood is forbidden.  Killing for the sake of killing does nothing to advance the goals
  of the Society, and attracts negative attention.  The Society seeks to expand its wealth, not
  indulge in slaughter.
  3. For the most part, members have enough respect for each other to not interfere in each other’s
  work.  It is thus an unwritten rule that guild members do not undermine each other’s ventures, as
  the success of any one member benefits the entire guild as a whole. 
  4. Members must give 5% of their gross income to the guild, whether the money comes from
  thieving, legitimate business, or adventuring.
  5. Above all other rules, members must never betray the secrets of the Society of Shadows,
  especially the secret Thieves’ Cant language, and must obey the orders of a superior. 
  6. Punishments for breaking these rules can vary from heavy payments and restitution, to
  disfigurement, to expulsion from the guild, to death.  The guild is rumored to have several magical
  items that can make this last punishment long and painful. 
  Notable Members
  Septien Selfareine, High Patron-at-Large of the Society of Shadows (CG male half-elf): Better
  known as the “White Lily,” Septien emigrated to Gryrax from his native Celene after the tragic end of a
  romantic relationship.  His alias is derived from his flamboyant trademark of leaving a fresh white lily at
  the scene of each of his daring burglaries.  Once in Gryrax, he became famous as a thief after pilfering
  the priceless White Lily Diamond from the Gryrax Palace of Culture.  His reputation was further
  immortalized when he sold the diamond back to the Prince for a fraction of its true value.  Septien does
  not steal out of malice or greed, but merely for the thrill of the game.  He became the Patron of the Gryrax
  guild soon after the White Lily Diamond heist, and was promoted to the personal council of the Guild
  Master in 588CY.  Septien was the guiding force behind the Society’s offer to serve the Prince in the war
  with the Pomarj, having conducted the negotiations with the Prince’s representatives himself, and
  oversees most of the Society’s operations against the humanoids in the Disputed Territory.
  Durmann Morkar, Patron of the Gryrax Shadows (N male dwarf): A dour and stern taskmaster,
  Durmann has earned the nickname “Durmann the Grim” from his underlings who chafe at his overbearing
  micromanagement.  Durmann was installed in his position five years ago by the Guild Master himself,
  when the previous Gryrax Patron, the White Lily, was elevated to serve under the direct command of the
  Guild Master. Durmann’s only true friend is Kendrick, Patron of the Havenhill guild.
  Gant the Elder, Patron of the Eastpass Shadows (CN male human): Gant the Elder has firmly held
  power over the guild in the city of Eastpass for the past thirty years.  He has personally trained dozens of
  the Eastpass guild’s thieves, and commands loyalty and respect from them.  He is a steady earner, but
  some suspect he has become complacent with his position and might be toppled.
  Kendrick, Patron of the Havenhill Shadows (N male halfling): A nondescript halfling with a love of
  jewels, feasts, and good company, Kendrick became Patron of the Havenhill guild by buying out the
  previous Patron with a chest full of gold coins and gems.  His investment has paid off fifty-fold, as his
  shrewd fiscal acumen and business instincts made him the most successful guild Patron in the
  
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  Principality.  Kendrick is reputed to be the only known person to ever make Durmann the Grim crack a
  smile, which led to the two becoming good friends.
  Allinel Nightshade, Matron of the Thunderstrike Shadows (NE female human): Allinel is a strikingly
  beautiful woman of mixed Suel-Oeridian descent.  She is the first female to head the Thunderstrike guild,
  and gained her position when her consort, the previous Patron, died under mysterious circumstances and
  left everything to her.  She is the most outspoken critic of the treaty with the Prince among her peers, and
  would happily abandon it if she had her way.  She is further enraged by the fact that Thunderstrike,
  thanks to its proximity to the Disputed Territory, is being used as the base for secret Society operations
  there.
  Requirements
  The Senior-level member requirements are built upon those of the Junior-level member rank, and costs
  are cumulative. Thus when a Junior-level member is promoted to Senior-level member status mid year,
  he need pay only the additional costs of the Senior-level member (because he has already paid for all
  Scout benefits that year). Annual costs must be paid for all qualifying ranks on the first AR of the New
  Year. Initial training costs are paid only once.
  Junior-level member
  All Specialties
  • 
  Must be a citizen of the Principality of Ulek. (Must have had Principality of Ulek as home region for
  the past 52 Time Units.  Characters created within the last year whose home region is the Principality
  of Ulek are also eligible.)
  • 
  Must follow the rules of the Society and obey ones’ superiors within it.
  • 
  Must choose to join only one of the four specialized groups.
  • 
  Must spend 2 TUs upon joining the Society for initial training, orientation, and initiation ceremonies.
  • 
  Must spend 2 TUs per year performing various services for the Society. These TUs must be paid at
  the beginning of each calendar year, and must be paid by new members in addition to their 2 Time
  Unit initiation.
  • 
  Must tithe 5% of one’s gross income (before any upkeep, taxes, etc.) to contribute to the running of
  the Society.
  • 
  Knowledge (Local: Sheldomar Valley) skill 2 ranks.
  Eyes of the Shadow
  • 
  Hide skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Listen skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Move Silently skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Spot skill 5 ranks.
  Face of the Shadow
  • 
  Bluff skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Diplomacy skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Gather Information skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Sense Motive skill 5 ranks.
  Fingers of the Shadow
  • 
  Disable Device skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Open Lock skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Sleight of Hand skill 5 ranks.
  • 
  Search skill 5 ranks.
  Fists of the Shadow
  • 
  Base Attack Bonus +2
  
  Society of Shadows v3.5                                                                                                                                           5
  • 
  Weapon Finesse or Weapon Focus feat.
  • 
  Intimidate skill 5 ranks.
  Senior-level member
  All Specialties
  • 
  Must meet all the requirements for junior-level membership, and must have spent 52 TUs and 12
  months (real time) as a junior-level member.
  • 
  Must spend 2 TUs upon becoming a senior-level member for advanced training and indoctrination.
  • 
  Must spend 4 TUs per year performing various services for the Society. These TUs must be paid at
  the beginning of each calendar year, and must be paid by newly promoted senior members in
  addition to their 2 TU training.
  • 
  Must tithe 5% of one’s gross income (before any upkeep, taxes, etc.) to contribute to the running of
  the Society.
  • 
  Knowledge (Local: Sheldomar Valley) skill 4 ranks.
  Eyes of the Shadow
  • 
  Hide skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Listen skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Move Silently skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Spot skill 10 ranks.
  Face of the Shadow
  • 
  Bluff skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Diplomacy skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Gather Information skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Sense Motive skill 10 ranks.
  Fingers of the Shadow
  • 
  Disable Device skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Open Lock skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Sleight of Hand skill 10 ranks.
  • 
  Search skill 10 ranks.
  Fists of the Shadow
  • 
  Base Attack Bonus +7
  • 
  Weapon Finesse or Weapon Focus feat.
  • 
  Intimidate skill 10 ranks.
  Benefits
  Junior-level member
  • 
  Free Standard Lifestyle in the cities of Gryrax, Eastpass, Havenhill, and Thunderstrike. The Society
  maintains guild houses in each of these cities, and members are entitled to seek lodging there.
  • 
  Access to the Thieves’ Cant language. Society members may spend skill points to acquire the Speak
  Language skill in Thieves’ Cant.
  • 
  A +2 competence bonus to Knowledge (Local: Sheldomar Valley). 
  • 
  Access to purchase the following mundane items:
  Boots, Smuggler’s (A&E)
  Silent Shoes (A&E)
  Quiver Scabbard (A&E)
  • 
  Access to purchase the following magic items:
  Vest of Escape (DMG)
  Slippers of Spider Climbing (DMG)
  Goggles of Minute Seeing (DMG)
  
  Society of Shadows v3.5                                                                                                                                           6
  • 
  Access to purchase the following magic item enhancement:
  Merciful (DMG)
  • 
  Access to the following prestige class:
  Thief-Acrobat (S&S). Membership in the Society of Shadows fulfills the requirement of
  membership in a thieves’ guild.
  • 
  Access to the following feats:
  Charlatan (S&S)
  Trustworthy (S&S)
  Shadow (MotW)
  Senior-level member
  • 
  Free Standard Lifestyle in the cities of Gryrax, Eastpass, Havenhill, and Thunderstrike. The Society
  maintains guild houses in each of these cities, and members are entitled to seek lodging there.
  • 
  Access to the Thieves’ Cant language. Society members may spend skill points to acquire the Speak
  Language skill in Thieves’ Cant.
  • 
  A +4 competence bonus to Knowledge (Local: Sheldomar Valley). 
  • 
  Access to purchase the following mundane items:
  Boots, Smuggler’s (A&E)
  Silent Shoes (A&E)
  Quiver Scabbard (A&E)
  Housebreaker Harness (A&E)
  Finger Blades (A&E)
  Book, False (A&E)
  • 
  Access to purchase the following magic items:
  Circlet of Persuasion (DMG)
  Goggles of Minute Seeing (DMG)
  Vest of Escape (DMG)
  Slippers of Spider Climbing (DMG)
  Gloves of Dexterity +4 (DMG)
  • 
  Access to purchase the following magic item enhancements:
  Merciful (DMG)
  Silent Moves (DMG)
  Shadow (DMG)
  • 
  Access to the following prestige classes:
  Thief-Acrobat (S&S). Membership in the Society of Shadows fulfills the requirement of
  membership in a thieves’ guild.
  Temple Raider of Olidammara (S&S). In lieu of the requirement of seeking out invitations 
  from three current Temple Raiders, a member of the Society of Shadows may spend 
  100gp and 2 Time Units to gain access to this class, representing the time and resources
  spent to find three Temple Raiders of Olidammara within the Society itself. The applicant 
  must still meet all other requirements for this class, including the requirement of being a 
  worshipper of Olidammara.
  • 
  Access to the following feats:
  Charlatan (S&S)
  Shadow (MotW)
  Chink in the Armor (S&S)
  Trustworthy (S&S)
  Expert Tactician (S&S)
  Leaving the Society of Shadows
  Membership in the Society of Shadows is a high honor among thieves, and is not to be taken lightly at all.
  The Society takes a dim view to those who would join the guild without the intention of being a member
  for life. 
  Failure to abide by the rules or to pay the required tithes or Time Units results in a 400gp fine and
  revocation of free Standard Lifestyle for six months (real time) on a first offense.  On a second offense,
  the member must undergo a 600gp fine, revocation of Standard Lifestyle benefits for one year (real time),
  and closure of access to all prestige classes, items, and feats from the guild for six months (real time). 
  On a third offense against the rules of the Society, or if the member has committed an offense so heinous
  as to warrant extreme punishment on a first offense, the Society’s wrath is unleashed. The judge of the
  scenario should immediately contact the Triad Metaorg contact for instructions, along with the name of
  the character, the name and RPGA number of the player, the scenario being played, the event at which
  
  Society of Shadows v3.5                                                                                                                                           7
  the scenario is being played, and the date.
  Credits:
  Author:
   
  Tom Kunzen
  Additional Design and Editing:
  PoU Metagaming Committee
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Ulek/Society of Shadows v3-5.pdf