Zazesspur Thieves' Guild

The Zazesspur Thieves' Guild was the primary thieves' guild in the port city of Zazesspur in the 14 century DR and later became a branch of the much larger criminal organization known as the Shadow Thieves.In The Complete Thief's Handbook this guild is presented as an organization without ties to the Shadow Thieves and it is stated that the Shadow Thieves had Arkail assassinated because they "Feared the rise of the Zazesspur Guild". With Lands of Intrique stating that it is part of the Shadow Thieves, this would imply that it was adopted into the organization.
==Organization==
This guild was part of the Sword Sect of the Shadow Thieves, overseen by its respective Shade. It was ruled despotically by the merchant Tulmara Zir Bharann and her partner Arkail Rhassan. The identity of the guildmaster was known by very few members.
Tulmara and Arkail ruled through fear, cruel edicts, and harsh discipline. Following her paramour's death, Tulmara became an even more cruel and harsh leader. Her style of rulership caused no shortage suffering among the junior members of the guild, driving some to even flee from Tethyr. But Tulmara's leadership ultimately proved to be effective over her decades in charge, with the fear she inspired causing very few to be willing to go against her.
==Activities==
Unlike the majority of mainline guilds controlled by the Shadow Thieves, which each oversaw one type of criminal activity within their sect’s jurisdiction, the Thieve’s Guild of Zazesspur was allowed to eschew hierarchical conventions and oversee three different types of criminal activities. These included burglary, pickpocketing or cutpursing, and racketeering.This unorthodox leeway with criminal activities could possibly be explained by Thieves' Guild having been adopted into the Shadow Thieves.
==Tactics==
The members of this guild primarily targeted foreigners and outsiders with their activities, a focus which helped to keep them out of the sights of Zazesspur's authorities.
==History==
Sometime around the Early-to-Mid 14 century DR, Tulmara Zir Bharann began indulging in criminal activities soon after poisoning her parents for their inheritance. She began with committing robberies on merchants, then slowly expanding into kidnapping and blackmail. Her activities drew the attention of Zazesspur's Thieves' Guild and she was recruited by member Arkail Rhassan. The two quickly became rising stars within the organization and eventually arranged to have its then-guildmaster befall an "accident", allowing them to take control of the guild.It is unknown when exactly Tulmara became a member of the guild or when she took it over. Since the Lands of Intrigue boxed set is dated to take place in 1370 DR and states she had at that point been in charge of the guild for "several decades", it would have to be assumed that her career began sometime in the early to mid point of the 14 century DR.
Under the leadership of Tulmara and Arkhail the Zazesspur Thieves' Guild prospered, becoming quite wealthy. Its growing success was viewed as a threat by the Shadow Thieves and their control over Tethyr, leading them to order an assassin to kill Arkail. At some point after this, the guild became part of the Shadow Thieves.
==Members==
This thieves' guild had around roughly 140 full-time members.
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===References===
Category:Guilds
Category:Thieves' guilds
Category:Criminal organizations
Category:Organizations in Zazesspur
Category:Organizations in Tethyr
Category:Organizations in the Lands of Intrigue
Category:Organizations in West Faerûn
Category:Organizations in Faerûn
Category:Organizations on Toril
Category:Year of Metropolises