The Thieves’ Guild Chapters
Author’s Note
As a former Spymaster of the Thieves’ Guild myself, I have come to know much about these Thieves that I once called brothers and sisters. Their Guilds are more than a simple group of misfits and thugs, it’s a society. The Guilds of Skyrim and Cyrodiil are societies with their own set of rules, a hierarchy, and some even say religion. Even if these two guilds call themselves the same thing, they are still vastly different in many ways, whether it’s in their methods or in their society. But even with these differences they always share one thing in common, ironic as it maybe even if most thieves aren’t religious it’s a prince that holds them all together.
The Cyrodiil Chapter
The Cyrodiil Chapter of the Thieves’ Guild is undoubtedly the strongest and the most well connected of all of the Thieves’ Guilds in Tamriel. Back in the 3E the Cyrodiil Chapter was a myth, they were so well hidden that no one outside the Guild were certain that they existed. What people did know at the time was the notorious Grey Fox. He was the leader of the Cyrodiil Chapter for centuries, people thought that he was immortal but people don’t know the truth about the Grey Fox. The truth is the Grey Fox possesses the Cowl of Nocturnal, a Daedric Artifact that makes the wearer unrecognizable to anyone. It was obtained by the Thieves’ Guild when the Guild Master Dareloth stole the cowl from nocturnal herself. Since then the Cowl became a badge of office of every Cyrodiil Guild Master. But people never knew the difference between these Guild Masters so they thought that they were all the same person, the Grey Fox.
But there are other reasons why the Cyrodiil Chapter is the strongest of all the other Guilds aside from the Grey Fox. It is because of their elaborate networks of spies, fences, and agents, spread throughout the province, some even say they extend beyond Cyrodiil stepping on the toes of another Guild maybe. They have a headquarters in the Imperial City Waterfront, in the old house of Dareloth, their presence in other cities isn’t within guild halls but in their spies, the beggars and the doyens. The terrifying thing about this Guild is their power, they have had members and contacts in high places, including the east empire company, counts, and even in the Elder Council itself. Any other competition that tried to set up shop in Cyrodiil in the past, was either disbanded or assimilated to the Guild. The guild will probably be most famous for the theft of an Elder Scroll back in the Obllivion Crisis. Till this very day no one knows what happened to the scroll or where it is. Though this chapter of the guild is powerful, there is no doubt that Nocturnal may still hold a grudge on them, for stealing her cowl. But other Thieves’ Guilds are on her goodside.
The Skyrim Chapter
The Skyrim Chapter is the Strongest crime syndicate in Skyrim, and for good reason. They are well connected to the noble and ruling families of Skyrim, and thus they have a strong connection in every major city in Skyrim. But that was all in the past. The Skyrim Chapter has hit a rough patch as of late and is going downhill, people say it’s just bad luck or that it’s a curse, the scary thing they’re correct. You see the Skyrim Chapter has an unfair advantage over all their competition, Nocturnal’s very own blessing. In the Skyrim Chapter the three best thieves are handpicked and are inducted into the Nightingales, the guardians of Nocturnal’s Ebonmere. The Ebonmere is a conduit to the Realm of Nocturnal known as the Evergloam, it is where luck seeps into our world and it influences the luck of all thieves. The Nightingales are to make sure that the Skeleton Key, one of Nocturnal’s Artifacts, is there to keep the Ebonmere open, without it luck will fail to enter this world and the guild will be heavily affected. The Nightingales are said to be the best thieves Skyrim has to offer, that and their blessings from Nocturnal make them a force to be reckoned with.
The Skyrim Chapter may have the blessing of the Patron Saint of Thieves, but you can’t forget about the skill of their members as well. The Guild has a headquarters in the City of Riften, just like the guild they are both shadows of their former selves but let’s leave it at that. The Headquarters is a place of learning for thieves, they have trainers who are willing to train new members, for a bit of gold of course. Skilled as their thieves may be they still have spies, and contacts in high places, though not as much as the Cyrodiil Chapter. They have contacts in the East Empire Company, and even in their cities’ courts. The Skyrim Chapter isn’t as politically involved as the Cyrodiil Chapter, nor is it as noble, but they are capable nonetheless. Where the Cyrodiil Chapter aims to help the poor the Skyrim Chapter may be more self-centered, aiming for gold no matter who they step on. This Chapter has been known to be a little more messy than the other Chapters since they are allowed to kill, in order to get what they want, though they would prefer to stay hidden. If the reason for this Chapter’s success is because of their skill or Nocturnal’s blessing, we may never know.
The Other Chapters
I intend to write about the other chapters someday if I do get admitted into their ranks, but for now I’m only able to tell of the Cyrodiil and Skyrim Chapters of the Guild. The High Rock Chapter is a fairly simple syndicate, with Guild halls throughout the major kingdoms, as far as I’ve heard. The Morrowind Chapter, was destroyed by the Fighter’s Guild back in the 3rd Era, and the ruling syndicate there now is the Cammona Tong, I’m unsure if the Guild has returned to Morrowind in the past or if they’ve abandoned it completely, It’s unlikely that I can inflitrate the Cammona Tong, as they won’t accept anyone that isn’t a dunmer. The Guild in Valenwood is reported to be the fastest to complete contracts, there are rumours that the Valenwood Chapter is run by nobles who use the Guild as hirelings. The Elsweyr Chapter focuses heavily on smuggling, and sometimes even skooma production, they operate more like a drug ring if you ask me. The Summerset Isles Chapter is heavily suppressed as of the moment, the guild there is in heavy competition with the local syndicates, but they manage. The Hammerfell Chapter has merged with the High Rock Chapter, ever since the Great War. I don’t think the Guild has a chapter in Black Marsh, or maybe they’re just that good. I’m sure that all these Chapters have some relation to Nocturnal one way or the other, just not sure how exactly but I’ll find out.
One of our Spymasters was sending these reports on the Guild’s activities in both Skyrim and Cyrodiil. I want this man hunted down and ruined. For years he has been sending reports to the City Guards causing most of our plans to fail. This is one of the documents that he intended to send to the watch captain in the Imperial City, luckily one of our members intercepted the courier along the Gold Road. We believe this snitch is now residing in Anvil as of the 5th of Evening Star 4E 197, he is scheduled to board passage on a boat towards the Summerset Isles come 16th of Evening Star. Find him and send him to me. Shadow hide you.
—The Grey Fox