The PCs are likely are going to try to get into a safehouse of the local thieves’ guild in the next two sessions. The setting is Ptolus, using the D&D 5E rules.

The safehouse in question is in a lower middle class region on the surface, but it has another entrance to the vast dungeon systems beneath the city. This, in itself, is not unusual - the bedrock on which the city stands is filled with tunnels and long-forgotten vaults. But while most house owners just try to brick those passages over, the thieves’ guild actually uses these passages for their business dealings.

And I need some ideas on both what might be inside the premises, and what kinds of systems they use to secure the safehouse. The PCs will likely be coming from the “dungeon” side, and this is the kind of city where criminals expect inconvenient adventurers to pop up in all sorts of places.

I’ve already determined that the location includes:

  • a vampire ally of the guild
  • some cells for prisoners who get interrogated for information
  • a bunch of drugs for resale

Any other ideas? The party consists of four 8th level characters, if this helps.

  • ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
    4·
    4 days ago

    Is this a safehouse or a headquarters/guild hall/ hub area for thieves? To me, the former implies a spot for thieves to lay low while the fuzz is on them or to collect themselves and distribute loot after a nervewracking heist, or maybe to stock up on supplies and sleep before moving on to the next safehouse. A place to disappear to, in a sense.

    Edit: Or perhaps a place where a thief or group of thieves live and keeps their shit.

    • Jürgen Hubert@ttrpg.networkOP
      3·
      4 days ago

      The main headquarters are elsewhere, but the guild maintains lesser safehouses in most districts of the city.

      But you are right, I haven’t put much thought into whether this is a hub for activities or a place to lay low. I’d say it’s primarily the former.

      • ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
        2·
        4 days ago

        Hmm gotcha. If it’s a place for activity and you already have stuff in mind for the headquarters, you could theoretically copy and paste what the HQ has and just trim things off as you like. Otherwise, here’s my two cents. Feel free to include what you need and leave off what you don’t.

        1. Sleeping areas. Maybe a whole section dedicated to barracks, or maybe just a couple mattresses/cots/sleeping bags in a corner.
        2. Restrooms.
        3. Tables and chairs, or at least places to sit down and be comfortable.
        4. Games of chance. Maybe some are scams, maybe some are legit, most are just for some R&R.
        5. Depending on size, a stocked bar with a bartender. If it’s too small, maybe some guy specifically selling booze and nothing else.
        6. Fences buying and selling illicit goods, whether stolen or just outright illegal. You mentioned drugs earlier but (again depending on size) a black market here would encompass all that and more.
        7. Along the same vein, maybe someone selling tools of the trade. Rope, lockpicks, small knives, crowbars, etc.
        8. A kitchen, or at least a place where food is made. Maybe just simple stews and gruel for people who are hungry, or maybe fucking Sanji and Gordon Ramsey are here serving up 10 star meals for no reason.
        9. If there’s prisoners in cells, then there’s guards tending to the prisoners. A guard post, or some such.
        10. Maintainers. Essentially, people who watch over the place and take care of it. Maybe they clean and dust everything, cook food, manage the bar, guard the entry points, referee the market, do conflict resolution, etc. Or maybe they’re just there to keep track of who comes in and who goes out. Or maybe there aren’t any and people are expected to pick up after themselves.
        11. Crates and barrels. More generally, space for storage, or if not a separate space, containers scattered around.
        12. Along the same vein, maybe a dedicated locker room, as in a place where people can safely store things without fear of it getting stolen. Maybe they trust it to the maintainers who handle the keys, or maybe they hold the keys themselves, or maybe there isn’t a safe place to store stuff because everyone’s a thief, or maybe everywhere is safe because the guild’s rules are that there’s no thievery allowed in safe houses, and anyone caught doing so is punished.
        13. Less of a “thing” and more of an idea. No keys whatsoever. They’re thieves, they just pick the locks closed and pick them open when needed. If there’s no keys, then there’s no threat of the prisoners stealing one, and if the prisoners are good enough to pick the lock to their cage, then shit they’re good enough to join the guild.
        14. A bard. People like music. Doesn’t have to be a professional either, maybe someone plucking a few strings on a guitar to lend some ambiance.
        15. Corrupt officials doing business.
        16. Guild officials. Might fall into the category of maintainers, might not. Someone with authority who’s here to answer questions and watch the place.
        17. People offering services. Bodyguards selling protection, thieves looking to join a heist for a cut, professional lockpicks offering to crack open really hard locks, perhaps a mage or mages selling magical services like spell casts, enchantments, potions, etc. Maybe sex workers, assassins, ruffians who will harass or beat someone up for cash or get beat up to make a scene. Guides who know the undercity like the back of their hand, or underground performers on a bad turn. City officials or guardsmen open to bribes. Maybe these people aren’t advertising and are just existing in the area, but can be spoken to and hired.