The Thief Campaign (CTH)

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Terrak, the Master, looked through the hazy air of the hideout. The acrid scent of charcoal smoke mingled with the sweat dripping freely from his assembled thieves. Indeed, the air in the attic remained always fetid, for even on a cool night such as this they dared not open any passage to the outside. So precarious was their position in the city, so firm was the Black Duke's grip on the populace, that any hint of their presence here would bring swift and brutal reprisal.
For the hundredth time, Terrak examined the members of his small band. They were brave men and women, and he trusted them all. They were bound to him not by any bonds of love—though he knew they respected him—but instead by a common, flaming hatred. He wondered, again, if such a ragged assemblage could actually be a threat to one as mighty as the Duke. But then he sighed, knowing they had no choice.
Straight across from him, Terrak saw Ardina, the weaver. The old woman practiced her trade skillfully during the day, and none suspected that her bottles of dye, or her carefully wrapped bundles of cloth, were used to smuggle the gains of the band around the city, and even to locations beyond the high wall. Even now the band gathered in the attic of her shop, since she had risked her cover and her life to provide them this temporary hideout.
Wistfully, Terrak remembered the guildhall, built with the profits of his long labors, and even the sweat of his own brow. The building had contained secret passages, hidden compartments, deadly traps, and easily defensible combat stations. But it had all gone up in smoke when the Black Duke's enforcers had attacked. Terrak's eyes misted as he thought of Serana, his beautiful, young Serana, calling to him with her last words before the flames had taken her, had taken so many of them.
But the Master Thief hardened his mind and his plans. Indeed, it had been those same precautions, the secret doors and the hidden compartments, that had allowed this small remnant of his band to escape. Now they gathered here, dry kindling awaiting the spark that would ignite the flames of their revenge.
Terrak turned to an old man beside him. "And so, Rorden, the Duke's treasury awaits us now?"
The man nodded his balding head. Terrak reminded himself that the man was not as old as he looked. The Duke, however, had seized Rorden's wife for use as a concubine many years earlier. By threatening her with death, the ruler had forced the talented Rorden to keep his books and provide him with information. Now, the Duke's threat to claim the man's daughter for a similar fate had finally driven Rorden to fight against his brutal lord.
"Indeed, Master." Rorden spread a piece of parchment on the floor. "You see here the layout of the Duke's mansion. I have marked the secret passage to the vault, though I could not gain the key to the lock. I am sorry, but the Duke keeps it on a key around his neck."
Terrak waved away the man's apology. Once they found the lock, he knew Xeno could open it. Indeed, the lockpicker even now instinctively flexed his fingers and licked his lips. Xeno, too, had lost his woman in the Duke's raid. Terrak knew he would perform with skill on this night.
"And the painting?" asked Terrak, carefully watching the other members of his band. He saw Rocko flex unconsciously, grasping the stump of his right arm with his left hand. Rocko had lost his hand as a mere boy, when the Duke's watchmen had caught him stealing bacon in the marketplace. Rocko was brave, but not terribly bright. He, of all of them, had expressed the most misgivings about the plan to steal the piece of art along with the Duke's treasury of gems.
"Remember, the Duke is ruled by his vanity above all else," Terrak reminded them, directing his measured stare at the unflinching Rocko. "That painting of himself, the work he paid thousands of gold pieces for that it may hang in his great hall, serves as a symbol of his vanity. It has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the entire city. Its theft will put a large dent in the Duke's armor of rulership!" (At least, I hope it will!), Terrak concluded silently.
"Now, the challenges," the Master Thief continued. He looked at Kyrin, to his left.
 "I will have the wagon ready," the girl answered solemnly. She had been just old enough to understand her loss when her parents had died in the inferno of the guildhouse. Terrak knew that she spoke the truth.
  "Here are the magic mouths." Terrak gestured at the parchment as Rorden nodded.
 "My spell of silence will be ready," nodded another thief, a thin and wiry man of indeterminate age. Only the golden sheen of his blond hair suggested his true race. The half-elf was a skilled thief, but at times his talents as a magic-user were even more valuable to the band.
  "These walls are oiled to prevent scaling," explained Rorden, gesturing around the periphery of the courtyard.
  A snicker came from a young woman across the room, and Terrak allowed himself a slight smile of his own. The Black Duke would need more than slippery walls to stop Bria the acrobat and her grappling hook. "Just remember to drop a rope for the rest of us," reminded the Master.
  "And finally, the guards," pointed Rorden. "They are commanded by Puroch, whose loyalty the Duke extorts by holding his family at knifepoint."
  "The family is now safe in hiding?" asked Terrak, looking at the old weaverwoman.
 She nodded with a toothless grin. "Puroch will join us now."
  Terrak looked again at his small, capable band. He knew them all, understood their strengths and their weaknesses. He would not betray them, and he knew they would not betray him.
  "We cannot hope that the theft of a painting and a few gems will bring the power of this duke crashing down," he said softly. "But if, by this theft, we can force the entire city to see him for the madman he is—and his madness will be plain to all when he discovers the defaced painting hanging above the outer gate of his mansion!—we can do him great harm."
  "And too, we can pave the road to our return. Soon, my loyal comrades, we will become the influential guild that we were once before!"
==Elements of the Thief Campaign==
The thief campaign resembles any other AD&D® game campaign in many respects: There must be a challenge for the PCs to face, the challenge must be balanced to the strength of the characters, and the rewards must be enjoyable enough to keep everyone having a good time—but not so abundant as to drastically inflate the finances of your campaign world.
But it is in the specifics of play that some of these campaign aspects can take on unique and entertaining features when applied to a campaign involving many thief characters.
This section explores some of these features, providing detail to DMs and also players.
==Cultural Considerations==
The cultural overview of the campaign setting is an important consideration for the adventuring careers of all PCs, none more so than the thief. Some cultures have a strong and deep-running tradition of thievery while others will be quite foreign to the concept.
Generally, the more primitive a civilization, the less the likelihood of a strong thief element within it. Savage tribesmen or aborigines, of course, have few possessions that a thief would deem worth stealing. While characters from these backgrounds might covet the possessions of other cultures, their methods of acquisition will be less subtle than those of a ``civilized'' thief.
Of course, nothing prohibits a character from a savage or barbarian background from joining the thief class. Ideally, the character will have the opportunity to learn a little about his chosen trade before he meets up with an experienced city watch patrol.
Rural cultures, too, will be less likely to provide interesting settings for thief adventures than will urban locales. Thief characters can of course learn their trades in small town or country settings, but unless they have a steady stream of travelers passing through from which to select their victims, such thieves will have difficulty maintaining a career of any long duration.
But perhaps an even more significant cultural consideration is the view of that culture towards personal property and an honest day's labor. It is in this context that a city, with a strong class of merchants, an important economic system, and a reliance upon trade, becomes the ideal setting for the thief's activities.
The culture of such a bustling city cannot help but give rise to laws and law enforcers, to objects of value, and to interesting inhabitants. All of these items, as they relate to the thief's activities and opportunities, are discussed below.
==Social Campaign Environment==
Thieves, more than any other character class, must interact with NPCs in order to utilize the full capabilities of their class. Unlike the fighter or the magic user, who can face an opponent from the safety of spell or missile range, or in the heat of melee combat, the thief must often communicate with his enemies, staying alive as much by his wits as by his strength.
It is incumbent upon the DM, of course, to provide the necessary environments for his players' enjoyment. For thief characters, and particularly in a campaign with numerous thief-types, this means the creation of numerous NPCs, detailed sufficiently for smooth interaction with the PCs, and a society or culture with enough features to provide motivation and ambition to thieves and to allow plenty of room for adventure.
Some of the significant features of such a campaign include:
==Social Overview of Thieves==
How does this society view thieves? Are they vigorously exterminated wherever they can be found? Are they encouraged to leave town by the closest available gate? Or are they an integral part of the city's infrastructure, contributing to its economic life every bit as directly (if not, perhaps, as constructively) as the trading of merchants?
The answers to these questions determine, to a great extent, what kind of status a thief might hold in the society. Of course, status is almost always enhanced by wealth, but a wealthy thief, in many societies, is still regarded as mere scum, however cleansed and sanitized he may be on the surface.
In areas where thieves are vigorously persecuted, thief characters will have to operate almost entirely underground. Even the location of such a major establishment of the thieves guild will be a carefully guarded secret. The guild headquarters might move around frequently, changing locations at the first hint of detection.
Thieves in these types of societies will probably need to have several alternate hideouts lined up, ready for use at a moment's notice. The number of thieves working together, whether in a guild or a more informal band, will be small. Paranoia among the members will be common, and even the hint of betrayal will likely meet with gruesome consequences.
Indeed, thieves in societies that strive to root them out will often be forced to resort to a cover occupation or identity, simply to maintain appearances with neighbors, casual acquaintances, and even curious members of the city watch. The development of the cover can involve as much time and detail as player and DM want to spend. In this type of culture, a thief's success at his cover can affect his fortunes every bit as much as his performance on the job.
While a cover provides a thief character with an inherent professional weakness, it can also provide wonderful opportunities for roleplaying. Additionally, a thief who works to preserve a cover might find himself working in an area that is normally closed to thieves. This entails a corresponding increase in the likelihood of encountering lucrative targets for theft. Also, there will often be a relative lack of competition from other thieves in such an environment.
Conversely, societies where thieves are at least tolerated, and those where thieves are accorded rank of some status, present thief player characters with other challenges. Because of the notoriously chaotic nature of the class, thieves are constantly adjusting the status of members within their ranks. Thieves who would succeed must struggle to stand out from the masses. Where every street has its cutpurses and every neighborhood its petty boss, the thief PC will find himself in the midst of savage competition. He will nearly always be forced to choose sides. Although this selection can include the choice of independent operations, of course, most thieves look upon those who are not declared friends as undeclared enemies. Competition from other thieves and thief organizations becomes a major conflict for these characters.
==Detailed and Varied NPCs==
Obviously, NPCs are a major part of any social campaign environment. For a campaign with major roles for thieves, this must be one of the primary areas of DM concern.
Details are important, as always. Because of the number of NPCs needed, DMs will probably want to develop a convenient shorthand procedure for keeping track of all these characters. It is not necessary, for example, to include stats and proficiencies and equipment for each shopowner and innkeeper in the player character orbit. Often a name for the character and a one or two word personality description will suffice to give the DM all he needs to roleplay the NPC in an interesting and consistent manner. (Remember, if the innkeeper is "greedy and bigoted" the first time the PCs encounter him, he is likely to be that way next time as well.)
Of course, NPCs who might logically be expected to enter combat with the PCs (guards, rival thieves, thugs, bullies, etc.) will need to be detailed with the relevant combat information. Other NPCs who fill the roles of the potential targets for PC thievery (merchants, nobles, dandies, caravaners, fences, influential criminals and thieves, etc.) will need additional information on valuables possessed, how those goods are secured—including notes on locks, traps, secret compartments, and the like—as well as enough combat information to allow the DM to quickly adjudicate an encounter should matters come to blows.
Chapter Twelve of the AD&D® 2nd Edition DMG includes valuable information on defining the personalities of NPCs (pg.114) and on creating fast, realistic characters when needed (pgs.115-117).
The DM, after working out an easy way of recording his NPCs, must then keep this information close at hand where it can be easily referenced. He is then ready for any encounters the characters might decide to find.
A variety of NPCs is every bit as important as the detail used to record them. In all campaigns, the player characters will interact with folks from all walks of life—in a thief campaign such interaction is common and expected.
Some of the NPCs will need to be peers of the PCs—fellow thieves and rogues inhabiting the same area. These NPCs can serve as rivals, temporary helpers, sources of information, and even sort of a measuring scale for the PC's successes.
Thieves will often develop contacts with NPCs even lower in status than the thieves themselves. These characters can include beggars, urchins and orphans, harlots, and other low-life types. A stable of these NPCs can provide the PCs with a ready source of information ("Here's a copper, kid—go and count the guards outside the storehouse for me!"), as well as providing a touch of believability to the campaign background. These low-life NPCs will, of course, have the same variety of personalities and abilities as other NPCs. Because the PCs represent persons of power to them, however, player character actions can have a great rebounding effect in their relations. For example, a thief that always shares a (however small) portion of his take with the gang of urchins constantly roaming the neighborhood will find those urchins to be useful lookouts and helpful, willing sources of information. The thief who spends his time cursing and kicking the youngsters away from his abode may just find them leading an elite unit of the city watch straight to his door.
Potential targets for robbery include a whole vast realm of NPCs: wealthy merchants, powerful nobles, influential foreigners, even thieves and other adventurers who have enjoyed a certain amount of financial success in their endeavors. A variety of characters is essential here because this gives the PCs the opportunity to determine for themselves what will be the site of the next furtive operation.
Here your group might try pacing the gaming sessions to give the players complete freedom of choice, while not burdening the DM with the task of detailing every mansion, noble house, and merchant shop in town. Simply use the expedient of closing a gaming session with the PC planning meeting for the next operation. Then, when the target for the theft has been selected, the DM has the next week (or next few hours, depending on how often you play) to prepare a detailed layout of the setting.
No campaign is complete without at least one, or ideally several, strong villains to serve as antagonists for the player characters. Villains, of course, do not have to be criminals or other low-life types. They can be nobles, government officials, law enforcement officials or magistrates, foreign ambassadors, powerful wizards or sinister clerics—in short, all types of characters can make good villains in a thief campaign. And don't overlook the grandmaster of the thieves guild or some other powerful criminal who might be a rival of the PCs; these kinds of long-running feuds can kindle the fires of many an extended campaign adventure.
Whoever the DM picks as a central villain for the campaign, a few general principles apply. The villain must be a powerful character—one who can inspire fear, or at least grudging respect, in the PCs. Power can be expressed in financial resources (an estate, fortress, collection of treasures, etc.), authority (such as a troop of guards or command of the city watch), personal abilities (such as magic powers, magical artifacts, combat skill and weaponry, or sheer intelligence or charisma), or, ideally, some combination of all these characteristics. Certainly in order to seem formidable, a villain's power must exceed the combined power of the PCs.
Scenes involving the villain should be paced and staged carefully—the PCs probably will not find him in a back alley rolling drunks. (If they do, that should tell them something about the drunk!) Villains, being powerful and influential individuals, are not stupid. When they are encountered, they will usually be surrounded by their lackeys and henchmen (some of these can be quite stupid, at the DM's option).
In fact, the villain's lackeys should be common antagonists of the player characters throughout the campaign. It is well worth a DM's time to develop some of these henchmen as detailed NPCs—minor villains in their own right. What is the Sheriff of Nottingham without his loyal house guards, after all?
Any villain worth his black mustache will have one or two escape routes planned from every location where he is likely to be encountered. These will only be used in emergencies, of course, but can serve an important campaign function in that, as a villain escapes from near-certain death time after time, the players will develop their own motivation in wishing to go after him and end the conflict once and for all. This resolution, ideally occurring after many gaming sessions, then becomes a major triumph in the PCs' careers. Of course, if they blow it, the last battle can make a glorious final chapter in a PC career . . .
A final category of NPCs, impossible to overlook in the thief campaign, are those characters entrusted with the enforcement of law, or justice, or power—whatever prevails in your campaign environment. Even should you have created an anarchistic society, people will take steps to protect their belongings and some of these steps usually involve big, tough fighters.
It is interesting and enjoyable to have several of these characters become very well-developed NPCs in the campaign. The gruff sergeant-major of the city watch, for example, might have a few stern words for the PCs each time they are apprehended. A villainous thug in charge of a platoon of mercenary guards might develop a personal grudge against the PCs that can grow into a major campaign storyline. Even a severe magistrate can be a recurring character, especially if PC lawbreakers are coerced into helping the forces of justice in exchange for their freedom, lives, or whatever.
The DM need not go overboard on details for these NPCs. After all, having 100 NPCs in the campaign isn't much use if the DM has to shuffle 100 pieces of paper every time a player character asks a question. It is best to work out to your own satisfaction the level of detail required for consistent, enjoyable play, while allowing a brief enough format that the DM does not become overwhelmed with recordkeeping and NPC creation.
==Unique Buildings and Structures==
Whether these are temples, fortresses, vaults, inns, palaces, or mansions, the buildings in a thiefly environment should be well detailed. Determine, as much as possible, details such as window placement, even on higher floors.
Features of construction can be important; a brick wall may prove easier to climb than a surface of smooth plaster. Are there trees or clinging vines near the walls? Are the grounds well-maintained? (Many a thief has failed a move silently check because the leaves rustled beneath his feet!)
Add entertaining features to your buildings such as balconies, atriums, wide stairways with railings, chandeliers, swimming pools, secret passages, and so on. Hanging draperies can make wonderful emergency transportation, and a wine cellar, icehouse, or other specialized room can also be put to interesting use.
Experiment with unusual settings as well—just because your thieves adventure in a social environment doesn't mean that you can't put a dungeon under a noble's manor, or a hidden cavern leading to and from the lair of a rival band of thieves. After the PCs have plundered several houses, you might offer a tower or a pyramid for a change of pace.
Insomuch as a great portion of a thief's career might be spent skulking about the buildings of the campaign world, it is well worth the DM's time to prepare them carefully and imaginatively.
==A Well-Defined Economic System==
This can be as simple as consistent observation of the prices and costs listed in the Players Handbook, or as complicated and involved as a DM cares to make it. Because so many thieves measure their accomplishments in financial terms, however, some sort of consistent measure of worth is extremely important.
Another consideration within the economic system is the effect of theft on the items being re-sold. Certainly a jeweled tiara can be appraised at 1,000 gp. However, if word of its theft has traveled far and wide, PC thieves might have difficulty getting someone to pay half the listed amount.
Other aspects of economics often overlooked in a campaign can be very relevant for thieves. Bribes are often necessary in order to gain information or to persuade a guard to look the other way—keep rigorous track of this cost of doing business! Protection money might be offered by victims; conversely, if a merchant is paying protection money to someone else (a thieves guild, for example), those being paid will leave no stone unturned in seeking the one who has flaunted their warnings.
All such extra costs and hidden consequences should be determined by the DM, at least to the extent of their impact upon the campaign environment. It can be left up to the PCs to discover for themselves how these little extras can impact (perhaps even shorten!) their illicit careers.
==Interesting Objects D'Art and Other Treasures==
A well-defined cultural store of valuable objects always gives a thief something to think about, and can provide some wonderful impetus for roleplaying. ("I simply must have that last Van Hoot original!") These items add a great deal of color and life to a campaign, encouraging players and the DM alike to think in terms other than simply the gp value of a treasure. Indeed, a valuable art object may be worth far more than its base value to a collector. By the same token, such an object might be recognized far and wide as stolen property—a complication that can make disposal of the goods an adventure in its own right.
Part of this campaign aspect involves establishing a consistent economic system for the world, of course, as mentioned above. But taking the time to specify treasures and their worth within that economic system carries the concept to a level of detail that greatly enhances any campaign—but particularly one involving many thieves and their illicit activities.
Objects can be classified by type and artist, most obviously, but also by such things as materials (especially in the area of gems and jewelry), intricacy of design, and size.
It doesn't so much matter what you choose to invent and define here. It is more important for the DM to create enough detail about some area that the most treasured pieces are known to one and all, and enough other facts about the art to allow PC thieves to make proper value judgements.
Of course, establishing an artistic level of a culture is an ingredient of any campaign. Thieves, however, are more apt to become involved in the gaining and losing of such items than are characters of other classes, and because of this the thief campaign calls for a little extra attention to be paid here.
Whether these objects are paintings, statues, jewelry or gemwork, tapestries or rugs, ornate crystal, or religious icons, a well-defined set of existing treasures helps a thief put his own acquisitions and losses into context. Dungeon Masters will find the time spent creating a detailed cultural and artistic background for the campaign well spent.
Player character thieves will doubtless find one or two more things that just might cause them to lick their chops.
==Well-Defined Legal System==
This does not mean that your campaign has to have a law-and-order basis with plenty of tough penalties for thieves, and a gung-ho team of watchmen and sheriffs to see that unlawful perpetrators are quickly apprehended.
Instead, a well-defined legal system in a campaign means that the DM must give careful thought to the role of law and order in the campaign culture. It is far more important for penalties to be consistent than for them to be harsh.
Once the DM has established a consistent legal structure for the society, a working knowledge of that structure should be communicated to the players.
In any event, the laws of a society will usually be formed to reflect the standards and expectations of the majority (or at least the most influential portion) of the populace.
As always, game balance is important here as well. Societies with harsh penalties for thievery tend to discourage such nefarious activities. Because of the risk involved, potential gains should be correspondingly higher than in locations with more easy-going magistrates.
A few words about specific penalties: While the death penalty for lawbreakers is not an unrealistic sanction in a medieval-based society—and, indeed, many a nail-biter of a rescue has pulled a character from the shadows of the gallows, headsman's axe, or whatever—it is not the most enjoyable thing to roleplay.
Far better to have a character who has gotten himself in deep trouble be subjected to leverage from the law, perhaps being coerced to betray his companions or spy upon a powerful rival thief in exchange for his freedom and pardon. This way the sanction is a device propelling the character into another adventure instead of a one-way ticket out of the campaign.
==Counter-Thief Tactics==
This is an area all too often neglected in campaign and city design. It reflects the truism that people who have been robbed, or who know they are susceptible to robbery, will take steps to guard their belongings.
Counter-thief tactics include structural features such as locks, walls, traps and alarms; NPCs such as guards, judges and investigators; magical procedures for locating lost objects or protecting items of value; and any other steps property-owners and societies might take to hamper the activities of thieves among them.
The degree of counter-thief tactics employed in a campaign can be a useful balancing tool for the DM, as well as a source of endless challenge and adventure for the PCs. As with any roleplaying game situation, the degree of challenge should be compatible with the amount of reward offered. Not every small strongbox in a city will have magical locks and a full-time patrol of high-level guards.
However, the protections employed by a society to counter thievery will also relate directly to the amount of thievery to be expected. In places where robberies are common but wealth is valued, those who have the wealth will take vigorous steps to protect it.
Such protections do not all have to be of the common nature—extra guards, a trap built into the lock, etc. Some NPCs will certainly hide their loot in unexpected locations—the nightmare of many a cat-burglar. Another occasionally employed tactic is the substitution of some worthless object for the real thing. A nasty twist on this latter case has the thief actually stealing something harmful to himself or others. For example, the thief who has just poisoned his guildmaster with what he thought was a potion of eternal youth finds himself in a very awkward situation indeed.
==Background of Interesting Conflicts==
A thief campaign can probably run for a long time on the central conflict of "Haves vs. the Have-nots". Players and DMs alike will find a lot more flavor and depth in a setting with a little broader background of conflict, however.
Conflicts appropriate to a thief campaign are little different from those that should liven up any campaign. Every social setting will have tension between the various legs of the power structure, whether these are ruling houses, political parties, or even different members of the same ruling family.
Conflict between different classes or social strata is another common point of tension in society. The rich might seek to dominate the poorer folk, who strive in their own right to gain a share of the good life. In a mercantile society there might be a middle class of merchants and artisans who seek to insulate their privileges from those less fortunate, while at the same time striving for financial betterment for themselves and their families.
Religious conflict is a common feature of campaigns, particularly appropriate in worlds with a wide pantheon of varied gods. Thieves and others can often be employed by the clerics of different temples in order to spy upon, pilfer, or sabotage the centers of rival religions.
Conflicts among thieves themselves, and obviously between the law and breakers of the law, should be standard features of the campaign. The conflict between a thieves' guild and independent (usually player character) thieves has become a cliche, but it still creates a tense background for a thief's activities. Just try to establish that this is not the only conflict around which the campaign is based.
Conflicts, as always, are most effective when they can be personalized. In a religious conflict, for example, detail the influential clerics on each side. If a thief PC encounters a challenge from an NPC thief working in the same territory, give that NPC a face and a personality. When conflicts are personalized, player characters develop a natural motivation and enthusiasm for their resolution.
==Challenges to Thief Character Class Abilities==
Finally, the thief campaign should ideally include a multiplicity of opportunities for thieves to employ their own unique talents. Most significantly, this means many opportunities to pick locks, to find and remove traps, to climb sheer surfaces, and so on.
The DM should additionally tailor the challenges to the specific type of adventure suitable to the thief or thieves in the campaign. A character with great proficiency in disguise, for example, should have opportunities to use a cover identity, or to find work as a spy.
By successfully creating challenges that match the particular strengths of the player characters (of all classes), the PCs have a chance to carve out a solid niche for themselves in the campaign world.
==The Thieves' Guild==
Whether or not to place a guild in your campaign setting is a decision central to the gaming careers of your thief player characters. Guilds can provide many interesting conflicts, and also require a certain amount of DM commitment in order to exist believably in a campaign world.
Consequently, the creation of a guild is not a decision to be taken lightly. Of course, they are more or less standard in many gaming environments, and if everyone in the campaign expects there to be a thieves guild, there probably should be a guild.
Thieves guilds can provide many opportunities for adventure, as detailed in Chapter 4: Thieves Guilds. Many of the ideas there can be used in creating a guild for your own campaign environment.
Remember also, should you decide not to have a guild in your own campaign world, that the absence of a guild does not mean there aren't plenty of thieves running around out there, looking for their share of the spoils and working actively to defend their "turf."