I'm looking at the possibility of developing my own publication in a racial/faction book for gnomes based on a racial thieves guild. I'm developing it own pantheon, and church which operates as a bank and the government of their society. An offshoot of the gnomes that came from the Fey lands long ago, this branch encountered a Dwarven merchant community and the gnome leaders were cheated in a trade agreement. This lesson taught them that earning profit through whichever means should be the focus of gnomes among the other races.
The Gnomic Syndicate is the church, government, military, arcane, and socio-economic structure of the gnomic people. The central government comprises a council of clerics who are also mercantile magnates each with their own extended commercial empire. They serve as the center of faith, franchiser of gnomic licensed thieves guilds across the world(s), and tax collector of gnomic society. All members of gnomic society are lifetime members of the Gnomic Syndicate (unless outcast and liquidated).
Gnomic Military - because gnomes are small, they are less effective combatants (in most cases) than other races. The gnomic military has units of fighters and rogues, but only as the lower echelon of the military. The officer corps form the bulk of gnomic military tactics and that is arcane based attacks. Gnomic wizards, sorcerers and bards serve as the primary combatant with a relience on stealth and subtlty. Assassins are also members of the gnomic military. All members of gnomic society have dual ranks in the military as well as the syndicate (unless outcast...)
Auditor (inquisitor archetype) are agents of the church of the Syndicate and ruthlessly pursue problems in the franchised guildhalls, especially undeclared profits hidden from the annual profit reports. Auditors have the power to outcast and liquidate any gnomic guild member who cheats the home church of its proper share in profits.
Thieves Guilds - perhaps not true in every case, but many thieves guilds existing in the communities of other races, whose members are of those races were founded by a Gnomic Profiteer, licensed and franchised by the Gnomic Syndicate. In some cases these gnomes are the standing guildmasters, though often the gnomes hide behind the scenes with a puppet guildmaster of the local race as a 'front man'. The goal of each guildhall is to find creative means to drain the local ecomony into the Syndicate coffers.
The method of operation isn't just thieving, however, but any profitable commercial activity. Some operate legitimate trading concerns, some operate with agents as 'traveling salesman', all the dark trades of slavery, weapon/drug-running, smuggling, prostitution, loan-sharking, protection rackets and other black market activities, even night clubs and other entertainment centers are common among the franchised guildhalls.
While spellcasters rule their society, the bulk of its members exist as family business concerns as rogues and profiteers. Profiteers are independant traders, con men, purveyors of products and entertainments.
New Skill:
Perform (sell) Using presentation skills to sell a product or idea to a potential customer.
Alternate Gnome Traits:
Counter's Gift - recognizing discrepancies in bookkeeping and forgeries. Gain a +1 bonus to Perception and Linguistics checks regarding accounts, legal and contractual documents.
Canny Eye - recognizing the value of goods and services. Grants a +1 bonus to Appraise and Knowledge (local) checks.
Silver Tongue - the consummate salesman and story teller. Grants a +1 bonus to Bluff and Perform (sell) checks. Must speak the language of the potential customer.
Profiteer (Alternate Bard Class)
Skills: add Perform (sell) and Profession (merchant)
Market Knowledge (Ex) - a profiteer adds half his level (minimum 1) to all knowledge checks the regarding the trade value of goods and services across multiple markets and may make knowledge checks untrained. This replaces Bardic Knowledge.
Bardic Performance - a profiteer gains the following performances:
Empathic Dialog (Ex) - grants a +1 to Sense Motive checks, +1 at 5th and every 6 levels thereafter. Can be used to detect the real wants and needs of a potential customer, as well as what they are willing to pay for it. This replaces Inspire Courage.
Fast-Talker (Ex) - at 3rd level, can bewilder a potential customer who is already fascinated. This does not affect the fascination, but does require a standard action to activate (in addition to the to the immediate action to continue to fascinate.) The target must make a successful Will save, DC = 1/2 profiteer's levels + Chr modifier or miss important details regarding a given commidity and compelled to make a purchase or accept an idea. This replaces Suggestion.
Language of the Deal (Ex) - at 8th level and higher your consummate sales skills are so finely tuned, you needn't speak the language of the potential customer. As long as he can see the product offered and understands the trade value required, there is no need for Linguistics checks. This replaces Dirge of Doom.
Bait and Switch (Ex) - at 9th level, by distracting the attention of a targeted person, one of your allies gain a +2 bonus to Steal Combat Maneuver, Stealth or Sleight of Hand. For each 3 levels beyond 9th an additional ally gains this bonus. This replaces Inspire Greatness.
Sell Anything (Ex) - at 14th level and higher, a target accepts your deal or latest proposal with little to no problem. Will save, DC = 10 + 1/2 profiteer's level + Chr modifier to negate. If they make their Will save they are not aware of the attempt to swindled, but their attitude is shifted down one level. Each attempt in a 24 hour period gives the target a +2 to their Will save, whether they saved on the last attempt or not. (Requires a Perform Sell and a Bluff check for others watching.) This replaces Frightening Tune.
Golden Tongue (Ex) - a profiteer of 20 levels or higher can use his performance to cause a single potential customer to pay you all their worldly goods to purchase something you are selling. To be affected the target must be able to see and hear the profiteer perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save, DC = 10 + 1/2 profiteer's levels + Chr modifier, to negate the effect. If the target's Save succeeds, he does not recognize your attempt to swindle him, and the profiteer cannot use to the same target again for 24 hours. If the target's Save fails he is compelled to offer everything he owns. Golden Tongue is a mind-affecting effect that relies on visual and audible components. This replaces Deadly Performance.
Thoughts?
Michael "GP" Tumey