Gather round now children....I've gots a tale to tell ya...
Now everyone is familiar with your garden variety thief who steals items from his victims.
And although I know you'll find it hard to believe...there are other more sinister thieves...
At the bottom or top of the hierarchy as is your perspective is the thief that steals another man's ideas and work. They are not concerned with respect for the efforts of a beloved & honest man. They only wish to profit.
All this is well and true but tonight's tale is not of these thieves, common as they be, tonight's tale is about a different kind of thief.
Tonight's tale is about Shinobi - "The Thief Tax"
I sat down with the man responsible for uncovering this dastardly plot, none other than our own beloved Tazar from ODE. I asked him what had occurred earlier this week.
He said to me...
"Today, a small book was casually slipped into the pocket of one of our guild members at the crowded Luna Bank. Minutes passed before she realized that she had a book."
Upon opening the book, she read: "The Thief Tax - by Shinobi" and he took out the very book and opened it.
"Greetings" it said...and he read it aloud for me to hear.
"It has come to our attention that your guild roster has reached over 50 active members."
"You are now going to be part of a tax that will be enforced by thieves, to provide partial protection to your guild."
I looked at Tazar with widening eyes and urged him to continue....He shifted his weight, looked about the room we were in, looked me in the eyes and in a deep very serious voice he picked up the threads of the tale.
"We are the biggest thief guild in all of UO. Our guild currently has over 60 active thieves. We are enforcing a tax on any guild with 50 or more active members on it's roster. The tax will not be too large, only 1 million gold per month.
"Why would you pay this tax you ask? Well, as thieves, we have the ability to infiltrate your guild, and steal whatever we wish."
"Paying this tax will keep us from going out of our way to infiltrate your guild and rob your members. "This does not mean that you are 100% protected from us. This just prevents us from purposely targeting your guild."
"If you fail to pay the 1 million gold each month, or refuse, then we will begin to send thieves into your guild until you agree to make the payments."
"1 million gold a month is nothing for a large guild. That is why this should be no trouble for you and your fellow guild members."
"How simply horrible," I said, interrupting his words. He looked at me with intense eyes and continued without waiting for my approval.
"In order to make the payments, one emissary of your guild will be selected to have access to our guild house, Thieves' Fortress."
"On the top floor of the fortress are 4 towers. Inside these towers will be containers, each engraved with a specific guild abbreviation. The emissary who is selected, will receive a key for your guild's designated container."
"Once a month, this person must come to the fortress, and place a 1 million check into your guild's container, and then lock it back. We will have a copy of the key, which I personally will be in control of, so that only I may open these containers. The only people who will be able to entry the chests are the selected guild emissaries and myself."
"If you fail to make a payment for a month, you will be given a 3-day grave period, and a warning if we can track you down. If after the 3 days ends, you have not provided us with the 1 million gold, we will begin to send thieves into your guild, and they will take whatever they wish."
"Thieves come in and shape and form these days. We can appear as a noble tamer, a strong warrior, and many other forms. "
"Do not take this as a joke, because we will go out of our way to infiltrate your guild and steal something worth far more than just 1 million gold."
"The payments will begin in the month of February, so if by the beginning of March, you have not made a payment, then prepare to lose valuable items."
"Thank you for your time."
"That's just crazy...are they serious?" I said in total disbelief.
"What can be done?"
"What can we do?"
"Do you know of other guilds or organizations that have received such a book as this one?"
"Who is this Shinobi?
"And where is the Thieves' Fortress??
I fired off more questions than he could answer at the moment and he left me wondering where the answers would come from and feeling grateful that I didn't have such a new friend as Shinobi...
Andrasta
Atlantic Shard Reporter
GRL
Now everyone is familiar with your garden variety thief who steals items from his victims.
And although I know you'll find it hard to believe...there are other more sinister thieves...
At the bottom or top of the hierarchy as is your perspective is the thief that steals another man's ideas and work. They are not concerned with respect for the efforts of a beloved & honest man. They only wish to profit.
All this is well and true but tonight's tale is not of these thieves, common as they be, tonight's tale is about a different kind of thief.
Tonight's tale is about Shinobi - "The Thief Tax"
I sat down with the man responsible for uncovering this dastardly plot, none other than our own beloved Tazar from ODE. I asked him what had occurred earlier this week.
He said to me...
"Today, a small book was casually slipped into the pocket of one of our guild members at the crowded Luna Bank. Minutes passed before she realized that she had a book."
Upon opening the book, she read: "The Thief Tax - by Shinobi" and he took out the very book and opened it.
"Greetings" it said...and he read it aloud for me to hear.
"It has come to our attention that your guild roster has reached over 50 active members."
"You are now going to be part of a tax that will be enforced by thieves, to provide partial protection to your guild."
I looked at Tazar with widening eyes and urged him to continue....He shifted his weight, looked about the room we were in, looked me in the eyes and in a deep very serious voice he picked up the threads of the tale.
"We are the biggest thief guild in all of UO. Our guild currently has over 60 active thieves. We are enforcing a tax on any guild with 50 or more active members on it's roster. The tax will not be too large, only 1 million gold per month.
"Why would you pay this tax you ask? Well, as thieves, we have the ability to infiltrate your guild, and steal whatever we wish."
"Paying this tax will keep us from going out of our way to infiltrate your guild and rob your members. "This does not mean that you are 100% protected from us. This just prevents us from purposely targeting your guild."
"If you fail to pay the 1 million gold each month, or refuse, then we will begin to send thieves into your guild until you agree to make the payments."
"1 million gold a month is nothing for a large guild. That is why this should be no trouble for you and your fellow guild members."
"How simply horrible," I said, interrupting his words. He looked at me with intense eyes and continued without waiting for my approval.
"In order to make the payments, one emissary of your guild will be selected to have access to our guild house, Thieves' Fortress."
"On the top floor of the fortress are 4 towers. Inside these towers will be containers, each engraved with a specific guild abbreviation. The emissary who is selected, will receive a key for your guild's designated container."
"Once a month, this person must come to the fortress, and place a 1 million check into your guild's container, and then lock it back. We will have a copy of the key, which I personally will be in control of, so that only I may open these containers. The only people who will be able to entry the chests are the selected guild emissaries and myself."
"If you fail to make a payment for a month, you will be given a 3-day grave period, and a warning if we can track you down. If after the 3 days ends, you have not provided us with the 1 million gold, we will begin to send thieves into your guild, and they will take whatever they wish."
"Thieves come in and shape and form these days. We can appear as a noble tamer, a strong warrior, and many other forms. "
"Do not take this as a joke, because we will go out of our way to infiltrate your guild and steal something worth far more than just 1 million gold."
"The payments will begin in the month of February, so if by the beginning of March, you have not made a payment, then prepare to lose valuable items."
"Thank you for your time."
"That's just crazy...are they serious?" I said in total disbelief.
"What can be done?"
"What can we do?"
"Do you know of other guilds or organizations that have received such a book as this one?"
"Who is this Shinobi?
"And where is the Thieves' Fortress??
I fired off more questions than he could answer at the moment and he left me wondering where the answers would come from and feeling grateful that I didn't have such a new friend as Shinobi...
Andrasta
Atlantic Shard Reporter
GRL
