Thieves and assassin guilds for group games

[Ollumhammersong]

So i'm thinking of pitching a group game soon, and like many fantasy lovers i'm a big fan of the idea of thieves guilds and assassins guilds. 

They're a lot of fun. Even if the logistics and operational structure and credo doesn't always make the most logical sense. 

Assassins guilds are the easiest idea to run a game off of. An assassins guild could be completely detached from politics or deeply intwined with it or simply living on the boundaries of it. For a potential assassins guild themed group game I envision an organization like the Morag Tong from the Elder Scrolls. Not strictly legal, but they are tolerated by the people in power. Partly because they do enforce strict behavioural standards and rules on themselves so no one gets out of hand and serial-killerish. As an organization they stay largely out of politics despite being frequently hired for political reasons, to them it's just a job and they have no interest in launching coupes or toppling nations. Finally they have been around and operating for so long they simply 'are', having woven themselves into the culture of an entire society. 

That could easily work for a game as the players kinda get caught up in politics despite their order's attempts to remain as removed as possible. 

A thieves guild idea is a little harder. In part because despite how cool they are, i've always thought fantasy thieves guilds were a bit of a silly concept when you really think of it. At least assassins can have the concepts of honour and professionalism to guide them. Maybe even a religious angle to guide them. But thieves guilds are kinda harder to piece together a mission statement for such an organization beyond 'steal stuff and sell it'. 

What would the larger goal of a thieves guild be? For the sake of a larger plot I mean. Are they secretly a religious organization? Hiding behind simple larceny as a cover while the higher ups are really scouring the land for specific relics.

A Robin hood esque band of merry men stealing from the rich? 

What would the long term goal (plot) of a thieves guild game be?

[Captain America]

I would point out that everything you said about the assassin's guild actually applies to the thieves guild. A guild by definition implies structure/organization and organized crime, of ANY type, can intertwined (or not) with politics at various levels from neighborhood to global, depending on the enterprise/organization.

That said any such group that survives and actually has any success, is going to be intertwined at some point. No order stays out of politics, even if their participation is in the attempt to maintain "neutrality". A guild of professional thieves will often have a code of honor as well "honor (or no honor) amongst thieves..."  There are actual such guilds for example the Russian Vory. Vor customs are very serious about their concepts of honor and professionalism.

As to "mission/goal" for sake of plot, I would point out they do not have to be the same thing. The "mission" of a guild can simply be to ensure protection, profitability, and consistency for members. Your game plot can be most anything, and still have guild involvement via a dedicated strategem of the guild in question or simple accident. (Someone or multiple members are in the wrong time and place and get caught up in something that requires assistance of their guild.)

If you want the plot to be specifically involving the guild, it could be things like:

Influencing, Leveraging, or Deposing the King, Lord, Mayor, whomever to get someone in place that would be more "understanding" of the guild's presence.

A young/newly forming guild establishing a scheme, or set of schemes to establish income (e.g. setting up a regular set of payoffs from local shopkeepers for protection, tapping a crooked official or two to assist in skimming taxes or some such to the pockets of the guild.)

Maybe a couple of pissed off criminals decide "screw this" we're banding together to make a guild and (leave current organization, or protect each other instead of letting meaner tougher folk prey on us individually, etc)

Guild/Gang war. Open or discreet could also be a plot. Expanding/claiming turf.

A twist on Robin Hood. Evil scumbag is in charge and keeps the people broken and under heel, or even sacked the kingdom/took over the town. Now the guild decides that the best way to fight scum is with craftier, faster, better looking, far more talented scum.   Geurrilla war in the shadows ensues. Perhaps one or more of killing off or embarrassing, implicating, removing key holders of power, or simply bleeding out the coffers of the oppressors until it is costing more to keep the territory than to cede it.

A lot of this is on my brain as I too look at fleshing out a guild for my game. So hopefully something in this will help you with yours.