A scoundrel and a thief

You are Jordan Farcourt, aspiring member and soon to be rising star of 'The Rogue's Tryst,' a guild of thieves. Members of The Tryst are generally common folk who are willing to risk life and limb in the pursuit of taking pleasure with the noblewomen of Avaria, and relieving them of some of their more precious items.

As a street urchin growing up in the slums of the city of Cadra, theft and dishonesty were a part of everyday life. As a child, you would steal food or money just to survive; with a quick wit and a faster hand, you managed to eke out a life, miserable though it was. To you, the Rogues represent the idea that if a man is smart enough, fast enough, and daring enough to take control of his life, there is nothing in the kingdom he cannot have.

Having just turned 18, you are slight but strong, standing 5'7". Not the most impressive figure, but luckily you've chosen a career path where blending in is paramount. A thief that stands out doesn't stand for long, as they say.

Tonight is the night that you will finally join the The Rogue's Tryst; a meeting is set at a local tavern, 'The Ragged Jester,' a rough establishment housing many of the city's less savory types.

Stepping up to the tavern, you can hear wisps of conversation, and the occasional boom of laughter. Upon entering, you see men of various professions taking their rest after a days work. You scan the patrons, eyes darting to and fro in search of your contact.

In the far corner, a group of dock workers are enjoying a round of beer, eagerly spending their hard earned pay. They toss a pretty young blonde between them, taking turns with every hole she's got.

Closer to the bar, you see three heavily armed men in mismatched armour, likely bandits or mercenaries... Not that there's much distinction. As you watch, a redheaded bar maid carries drinks over to the men, and they mutter their thanks. One man stretches his hand out to the girl, offering a tip, before dropping the copper pieces on the floor. When she bends down to retrieve them, the man grabs a fistful of her hair and pulls her beneath the table. The girl calmly scoops the coins off the floor and pockets them as her head bobs back and forth under the table.

On the opposite side of the the room, a group of five sailors begin complaining; from what you can hear, they're displeased about the lack of service. Spotting the barmaid under the armoured men's table, one of them shouts an insult over at them. One of mercs stands up, stares at the offending sailor, and draws a long dirk. Without breaking eye contact he swings it down into the table, driving it in with a thud; needless to say, the seamen quiet down immediately. A few moments later, the redhead scrambles out from the under the table, still swallowing the rest of the mercenary's tip as she goes to take the sailors' order.

Looking over the scene, it's easy to remember why you chose to join the The Tryst... Too many people scraping along, breaking their backs for a few mugs of ale and fighting over a piece of worn out bar-room pussy.

In the far corner, behind the sailors, you spot the contact: a slightly scruffy looking man with a mess of black hair, streaked with grey. The only well-groomed thing about him is his beard, a little goatee styled into a point. His clothes are nothing to speak of, and that's probably the point. The stained green tunic, topped with a patched-up hooded cloak, blends right in to the crowd. The man's boots, however, give him away as a man of wealth; though dirty, they're obviously well-made and built to last. At first glance he might look like a journeyman carpenter or tinker... Easy to overlook and underestimate.

Sitting with the man are a pair of boys around your age. They look a bit nervous, a stark contrast with the smug grin of the contact.

Skirting the table of sailors, who are now taking there leisure with the run-down redhead, you walk over and sit across from the The Rogue's Tryst representative. He gives you a nod as you take your seat.

"Ah, and here's number three... Let's get started, shall we? Name's Neal, I'm your rep for The Tryst. You're all sure about this, yeah?" You glance at the other two boys. They both nod immediately, and you follow suit. "Good! Glad to hear it. Too late to quit now, in any case," he says, flashing you all a grin. "Now, let's hear your names then, eh? Startin' with you big man."

Neal gestures towards the farthest boy from you, and he is indeed big. He must be around 6'2", with broad shoulders and arms like tree trunks. Only his youthful face and lack of facial hair betray his age.

''Reindrok, sir," he replies. "But people just call me Rok, most times."

"No need for the sir, Rok. Neal is fine."

A bark of laughter comes from the boy next you. He's a scrawny lad, barely five feet tall. He has dark hair down to his shoulders, and a wolfish grin. He looks like the type to love a good joke, as long as it's at someone else's expense.

"Isn't Reindrok a lord's name? Ha! Aren't you a fancy one," he jeers. Rok reddens at his words, suddenly looking younger than before.

"Uh huh... And what're you called, boy?" Neal says, raising an eyebrow at the joker.

"Call me Pip, everyone else does" offers Pip with a smile.

"Alright Pip, here's the thing. You don't talk 'til I say you can, or this little meet ends for all three of yah. Got it?"

Seeing the glares from the other three men at the table, Pip's smile quickly dissolves. "Uh... Yep," he manages, slumping back into his chair.

After a few seconds of awkward staring, you break the silence. "I'm Jordan."

Neal nods. "Jordan, right then. Nice to meet you." He takes a deep breath before continuing. "Now, let's go over the rules of the guild. Membership to The Rogues Tryst requires that you bring any and all stolen items to a local chapter rep. In Cadra, that's yours truly. The item will then be fenced, and you will receive a cut of the profits. Your slice depends on your rank, and your rank is decided by the number of noblewoman successfully taken. You've gotta prove that, though, so whenever you give me loot, you'll also want to bring a token of the fair lady you've dishonored." He chuckles. "A silk scarf, ribbon or some nice pretty underclothes are the most common, though other more… Ah… More unusual articles have been known to qualify. Any items you bring without a token will still be fenced, and you’ll still get your pay, but it won’t affect your guild standing. Similarly, we can’t have you bringin’ in tokens for the prestige without including some loot as well… We have to make money, after all.” Neal pauses, leaning back in his chair. “Any questions so far?

"Why are we just givin' our money to you?" Pip asks incredulously. “If I’ve already risked my neck for a bag of jewels or whatever, why wouldn’t I just keep it?

Neal raises an eyebrow. "Well, kid, do you know where to sell a diamond ring? Or a broach with a noble family’s emblem on it, plain as day? Can you get rid of some princess’s favorite jewels when every guard in Avaria’s lookin’ for em?” Pip lets out a sigh, then shakes his head slightly. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Don’t worry, though. You pay your dues, take enough noblewomen, and soon you’ll be raking in the big money.”

"How much do we get right now?” you ask.

"You guys? One tenth, for now." Neal answers curtly.

Pips jaw drops, and eyes just about fall out of his head "What!? That's fucking nothin', what gives?"

Neal sighs again. "Look… You three are just prospects, not even in the guild yet, so part of it is just the price of admission. Apart from that, The Rogues Tryst is responsible for any fines or bail if you get caught… And let’s be honest, most of you green recruits are gonna get caught sooner or later.”

"I thought you got hanged for stealing from nobles?" Rok pipes up.

"Well, since your only trespassing by bein' inside a noble’s chambers… Or inside a noblewoman… You’ll usually walk free the next day with the guild’s help. But if they find out that you've been stealin? Yeah, they'll like as not have you hanged. So my advice is, 'take the woman, then take the booty,’ understand?" All three of you nod in agreement, and Neal smiles. "Good. Now, as of this moment, you three are all Rogue’s Tryst prospects. After your first successful outing you'll make first rank, which gets you a 15% cut and a bed in the local hideout. So! You boys have got the rest of the night to take a noble. You can work together or alone, just get it done tonight or the offer is off the table. We clear?”

"Right!" both Rok and Pip answer. You nod your agreement.

"Well then? What are you waiting for?” Neal shouts, slamming his hand on the table top. “Only a few hours of night left, so get out of my face and into a lady’s chambers!”

As you and the other prospects scramble to your feet, Neal calls after you. "Remember, if you work together, you all need some loot and you all need a token. No sharing!”

The three of you leave the tavern, stepping into the night air. You glance at one another, considering your options.