An Out-of-Session System for Guild Expansion & Intrigue
📜 Guild Overview
The party now controls a thieves’ guild. Starting small, they will expand its influence, crew, and territory over time. This out-of-game system is handled via chat messages (Discord or otherwise) and resolves during downtime.
🔍 Guild Tier Structure
Each guild has a Tier (1 to 5):
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Tier 1: Street crew
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Tier 2: Neighbourhood gang
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Tier 3: City-wide influence
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Tier 4: Regional network
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Tier 5: Criminal empire
Each Tier gives 1 Guild Action per downtime cycle.
🕵️♂️ Crew Types (Choose 1 per Tier)
Choose crew specialisations as the guild grows:
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Footpads: Pickpockets & muggers
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Burglars: Home invaders & safecrackers
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Fences: Sell & launder stolen goods
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Fixers: Deal in contracts, bribes, assassinations
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Smugglers: Transport illicit goods or people
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Saboteurs: Arsonists, wreckers, and blackmailers
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Spies: Infiltrators & informants
⚖️ Assets
Players may accrue assets over time:
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Safehouses
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Blackmail material
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Magic items
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Political or trade connections
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Named NPC operatives
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Hidden caches or coded maps
⚔️ Weekly Turn Sequence
Every downtime cycle, players select 1 action per Tier.
The DM rolls 1d20 + crew modifier.
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Public DC: 12 (unless otherwise stated)
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Players do not roll this check themselves.
Critical Success (Nat 20): Special bonus or opportunity
🎲 Guild Actions
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Heist | Gain gold, items, or assets |
| Recruit | Add new crew or named contact |
| Spy | Learn secrets, weaknesses, blackmail |
| Expand Turf | Seize control of new area or business |
| Sabotage | Disrupt a rival, guard post, or political figure |
| Fortify | Reduce heat, protect assets, or defend turf |
| Smuggle | Move illegal goods; gain coin or rare items |
| Bribe | Influence guards, courts, or factions |
| Lay Low | Spend a week staying hidden and inactive. No roll required. Reduces Heat by 1 (25 gp × current Heat level). |
Each success yields one or more:
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Influence: Spent to upgrade Tier, unlock upgrades, or gain political favours
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Coin: Direct profits to the party fund
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Information: Secrets, leads, or blackmail
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Items: Magic or contraband
You may also gain:
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Access to covert missions
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Named informants or allies
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Faction leverage
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Passive income streams
🔥 Heat (Suspicion)
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Heat is gained from failed rolls, high-profile jobs, betrayals, or repeated activity in one area.
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Heat represents how much unwanted attention the guild is drawing from guards, rival factions, or the general public.
| Heat Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Low profile. No major consequences. |
| 3–4 | Increased patrols, minor NPC suspicion, rivals sniffing around. |
| 5–6 | Raids begin; some guild actions may become riskier or costlier. |
| 7 | The wider party may be targeted in public. Guards grow more hostile. |
| 8+ | Friendly NPCs learn of the guild’s actions and may turn on the party. |
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Reduce Heat via Bribe, Fortify, or Lay Low.
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Avoid reaching 6+ unless you are prepared for social and mechanical consequences.
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DMs may introduce narrative fallout or session complications based on high Heat.
📈 Upgrades (Costs in Influence)
| Upgrade | Cost | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden Vaults (i) | 3 | Protect (i x 10)% of income from seizures or theft |
| Secret Passages | 4 | Auto-succeed Fortify once per week in 1 district |
| Whispers Network (i) | 4 | +2 x i to all Spy actions |
| Trained Crews (i) | 3 | +2 x i to one crew type’s rolls |
| Magical Aid | 5 | Access minor spells (alarm, disguise, unseen servant) |
| Blood Price | 6 | 1/month contract killing on rival or official |
🔢 Example Chat Turn
Player:
Tier 2:
Footpads: Heist in Dock Ward (target: noble merchant)
Spies: Gather dirt on Watch Captain Arlond
DM:
💰 Footpads: Success (15 vs DC 12)! 45 gp stolen.
🕵️ Spies: Major success (19 vs DC 12)! Discovered illicit affair with a Masked Lord.
Use this system to fuel intrigue, faction politics, and personal vendettas. When the players grow to Tier 3+, they may unlock playable guild-focused missions.
“Every empire begins in the shadows.”