Although Thieves' Guilds have existed in all the major cities of Reetland stretching back to the founding
of the nation the Reetland Thieves' Guild first came into being in 853 when the heads of five major Thieves
Guilds met in Coranan to resolve disputes and work to a common set of rules. In is no secret that the
driving force behind this move was the inspirational Phantasal the Quick the head of the Coranan Guild
who was generally recognised to have set new standards in criminal best practice. Phantasal was admired
not only by his fellow thieves but also by Guildsmen throughout Reetland society and was believed to be the
first person in Reetland to properly work out how to provide funds for the widows of Guildsmen who
died while on the job.
As well as running a Guild Phantasal wrote many tomes that are still consulted today such as 'Minimum Impact
Thieving', 'Why Reetland Needs Thieves', 'The View from the Rooftop', and 'Staying in the Shadows' and commissioned
many ballads designed to show the Guild and himself in a favourable light.
The new
Guild gradually expanded to include most of the major towns and cities of Reetland with the notable exception
of Golotha. The Guild has also required something of an international reputation for how to run a stable
businesslike criminal organisation. Phantasal saw the Guild as a pillar of Reetland society and it is true
that the Guild encourages its members to be patriotic and to donate to worthy causes such as orphanages.
It also believes in fostering good relations with other organisations (where possible - the Merchants' Guild
will never be happy with Thieves Guild activities) and is rumoured to cooperate with
Giraldo's Men.
Many of the Guild's practices such as its apprenticeship scheme and benefit structure are widely known by
the public and are used as recruitment tools. The Guild's Manual on Thieving Best Practice is, however, a
closely guarded secret and copies of the Manual (which now runs to several volumes) are never allowed to
leave the local guild headquarters.
Not every criminal in Reetland, however, has been happy with Phantasal's vision of crime as a business and
some find it too restrictive. As a result many short-lived criminal gangs are formed and attract new members with
promise of more freedom and excitement before the Guild cracks down on them and turns them into the Watch. Its
mortal enemy is, however, the
Golotha Shipping Company, or Shippers as they are known, who eschew
the Guild approach and rely on fear, intimidation and not a little violence and are the only other criminal
organisation to achieve national prominence.