Guild Tattoos: a means of identification, in a shadowy profession

Here's an idea I came up with last saturday, for use with the new thief PC
in the campaign I run.  He didn't like it much, but I didn't give him much
choice....


Tilaurin
tilaurin@?????????????????.com
or
tilaurin@???????.com
http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/atreus/index.html
"Out of the silent planet/Dreams of desolation.
Out of the silent planet/Come the demons of creation"
Iron Maiden - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World album) 2000



Guild Tattoos


 One of the most difficult things when working with thieves is, to be blunt,
working with thieves.  Never knowing if they will double cross you, are
lying about, generally, anything, haven't already sold you out to your
enemies, or are even the thief you think they are, it is hard to trust
someone who is, again bluntly, totally untrustworthy.  This is the basis of
how thieve's guilds were formed hundreds of years ago, and how the Guild
Tattoos now becoming more frequently used, came into existence.

 By using the spell below, a thieve's guild protects both itself, its
reputation, and its members.  The spell marks a member, on his or her left
shoulder, for identification by those with the appropriate command words.
Each guild has a specific design, sigil, or rune, typically known by other
guilds.  By placing his or her fingers on a tattoo, a guild master (who has
had a specific spell cast upon him marking him thus) stating the command
words causes the tattoo, normally invisible, to glow.  This reveals, to the
guild master, and anyone else watching, which guild the thief belongs to.

 This may be useful to other guilds, particularly magic user guilds with
powerful secrets, but at current, it is only used by rogues guilds.  Note
that the person having the tattoo enchanted onto them need not be,
specifically, a thief, but guild master's certainly use their brains when
determining whom to mark as their own.

 Not every thief within a guild has this tattoo - only the well trusted
ones.  This is to prevent acts being committed against other guilds, without
the guild master's consent.  This is not to say that no thief with a guild
tattoo has ever reneged upon his guild, but that it isn't exactly common for
a thief who has been branded in this way - possibly for life - to get
himself in trouble with those he is marked for.

 Note that guild master's themselves also have these tattoos, as they were
(hopefully!) once trusted guildsmen themselves before becoming masters.

 The spells to brand one with a tattoo, and to mark a guildsman for tattoo
revelation are listed below.

Imbue Guild Tattoo
Level: 4
(alteration)
Range:  T  Components:   V,S,M
Duration: P  Casting Time:   1 round
Area of Effect: one person Saving Throw:  special
Subtlety:  +6  Knockdown:   none
Sensory:  Small visual Critical:   none

 This spell is used to imbue magical tattoos upon rogues, for identification
by guild masters.  When cast, it imbues a small, 3 inch radius tattoo, on
the target's left shoulder.  This tattoo, however, is not always visible.
Only a person marked by the Mark Guild Master spell can reveal these
tattoos - although they can reveal the tattoos regardless of the origin.
The revelation is done by placing the index and forefingers in specific
spots, and speaking the words "Reveal allegiance, honor among thieves".
Note that these words are the only ones that will reveal the tattoo, and the
revelation can only be performed by someone marked by the spell below.

 The tattoo, when revealed, glows for 5 rounds, with a fluorescent light, in
a colour specified by those originally casting the spell.  The design is
also specified, but requires someone marked for revelation to acknowledge
the design - and they must have the same design on their own shoulder.  This
makes it incredibly hard to fake these tattoo's, but it has been known to
happen.

 The tattoo is permanent, and the spell can only be cast upon willing
targets - anyone wishing to resist it automatically passes their saving
throw.

 The material component of this spell is a 150 gold piece gem, typically
provided by the rogue himself.  There is no currently known way to remove
the enchantment of an imbued tattoo, save removing part of the shoulder it
is imbued in.  Even after this area is regenerated, if somehow it is healed
unnaturally, for some reason it leaves a scar, alerting those in the know to
the fact that the person HAD a guild tattoo, and it has been removed.


Mark Guild Master
Level: 6
(alteration)
Range:  T  Components:   V,S,M
Duration: P  Casting Time:   1 round
Area of Effect: one person Saving Throw:  special
Subtlety:  +6  Knockdown:   none
Sensory:  Small visual Critical:   none

This spell marks someone as a guild master able to identify Guild Tattoo's.
The spell enchants such a master with a permanent magic that allows him,
with a specific verbal, and somatic command, to reveal any Guild Tattoo
imbued into someone.  The verbal component is, specifically, "Reveal
allegiance, honor among thieves", while the somatic involves placing the
index and forefinger of the master's right hand upon the area where the
tattoo would be.  This causes the guild tattoo to glow for 5 rounds, with a
fluorescent colour designated at its creation.

 The material component for this spell is the area of flesh on the shoulder
of the previous guild master, where his tattoo was imbued.  Of course, this
requires it being removed, making a somewhat painful retirement, but it is
required both to remove the retiring persons tattoo, and their power to
identify tattoos.  Normally, this is done after death, but the example of a
retiree is given so that it is apparent it CAN happen.

 Note that this spell allows anyone with it cast upon them to reveal ANY
guild tattoo, regardless of its origin.  This is to allow revelation of
spies, general infiltrators, and allegiances of supposed allies.