There are very few thieves in Damkina maybe ten at the most and these are all known to
the authorities. The number of really adequate thieves is even smaller: one of the really
skilled operators was murdered a last year. Mostly the thieves target travellers rather than
the resident population. By convention items of sentimental value may be 'recovered' by the
City Guard for 75% of their normal value. Such 'recoveries' mean that the guard will consider
the case closed. Many of the lower level thieves spend at least part of the year in the city
jail but sentences are surprisingly lenient.
The reason for the tolerant relationship between the Thieves' Guild and the City is that
the real crime spree takes place in the summer at the height of the Market's popularity.
Out of town thieves arrive in some numbers to take advantage of the milling crowds. Although
such thieves may buy a licence to operate within the city from the Thieves' Guild most
external thieves consider it beneath their dignity to do so. Members of the Thieves' Guild
in turn regard it as fair game to turn in unlicenced wrongdoers and make a reasonable
profit from doing so since they are better than the Guard at spotting shady characters and
their scams. Since it is a high priority for the Overlord to limit crimes in the Market
the Thieves' Guild are seen as on balance providing net worth to the City.
It is also rumoured that sometimes the Guild will be contracted by the state for various
operations that the Overlord does not wish to be connected to. The Thieves' Guildhouse is
a 'secret' building in Thieves' Alley which the Guard know all about but by convention do not
raid.