>
> In message <696921.36563.qm_at_...> Jane Williams writes:
>
> >> Years ago, Stephen Martin and I thought up the Whitewall thief gang
> >>patron as the Safecracker - a hero with special magics to overcome
> >>Argan Argari anti-thief magics. When we got the list of Lanbril cults
> >>published (I think in Tradetalk), we stated that the Safecrackers had
> >>been subverted by Krarshti.
> >
> >That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm a little surprised that Whitewall
> >has a high enough population to support a thief gang, but if Pavis
> >does, why not?
> >
> >> Now Jeff Richard says that Whitewall won't have a Lanbrili gang.
> >
> >Is there any logic or suggested better story behind that idea?
> >Stated as baldly as that, it's just "so? And we say there is."
>
> IIRC it was on the basis that Lanbril is not a part of the Heortling
> pantheon. Which makes sense, you don't get criminal gangs in a
> rural tribal culture.
>
> I would agree in normal times WW doesn't have enough people to
> support a gang but once the clans gather to defend it in 1620
> there will be a horde of support people - merchants, servants
> and so on. Along with them will come thieves and other dubious
> characters. With the leadership concentrating on defending the
> city they won't have much time for dealing with a crimewave
> and sometimes they will want someone to do dubious jobs for
> them.
>
> --
> Donald Oddy
> http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
Firstly, one of the defining characteristics of 'criminal gangs' is that they are very adept at spotting opportunities to make money and exploit markets/demand. So Whitewall seems a natural place for an enterprising gang to set up operations.
Secondly, Lanbril is able to offer very specific skills and abilities and so it strikes me as highly likely that both sides would wish to utilise these skills - I think of the French government's use of the Union Corse that was mentioned in The Day of The Jackal?
I also think about The Thieves' Arm, and about the Mafioso partisans in WW2. My own view is that Lanbrili are going to be at Whitewall, even if they are an opportunistic gang of interlopers. I know I can guilt my players into staying if the likes of the Lanbrili aren't going to bug out.