…still waiting for a clever title…

This little bit was published in A&E, but later converted over to Warhammer FRP and published in Warpstone. This is the original version, that appeared in A&E.

Timmon Rollingcroft is a baker of great renown. For the past eleven years he has served as guild master for the Baker’s Guild, which he founded. Before founding the guild there were no standards for baked goods, and prices were so cut-rate that many bakers could not make enough to live on. So Timmon formed the Baker’s Guild, and because of him business is booming and profits are rising.

Timmon was raised as a baker, and was always an enterprising halfling. From the minute he could walk he was working in the kitchen mixing batters and lugging ingredients. As he grew older the baking business lost its appeal and the young halfling began to crave excitement. Seeking this excitement he began running the streets where he fell in with the wrong crowd. Soon the boy was committing petty thefts and raising hell. Timmon got into all kinds of trouble, and it seemed that getting into a jam was a weekly occurrence. His father, who was a kind-hearted man, thought Timmon would out grow all of this. Sadly he was wrong.

As Timmon grew older the call of adventure became too much to ignore. Every day he would rise early to begin a long day of baking in his father’s bakery. To escape the monotony he would lose himself in his dreams. Then one day, after decorating a cake in a lewd and suggestive manner, Timmon had had enough. That night he crept into his parent’s room, stole enough gold to live on, and left seeking his adventure. His father was hurt to see what his son had done, but quickly passed it off as a mistake of youth. Secretly he hoped that Timmon would sow his wild oats and when he returned he would once again join the family business as a respectable halfling baker.

Once away from the daily grind of the bakery Timmon lived life to the fullest. He left the city and found himself in a distant seaport town out of work and penniless. Faced with no money, no job prospects, and no work ethic, Timmon began stealing in order to survive. His thefts caught the attention of the local thieves’ guild and soon Timmon found himself pressed into service.

Agile, even for a halfling, Timmon soon found himself learning the art of burglary. The risk was high, but the benefits more then made up for the danger. As he toiled away in the guild Timmon saw how little those with power worked. The Godfather (as the leader of the guild was known) and his lieutenants made their riches off the backs of the common thieves, and did nothing but protect their position. It was then that Timmon was struck with a stroke of brilliance, he would lead his own guild. Timmon realized that back home the climate was ripe for a thieves’ guild. He also realized that in order for it to be an effective guild it would need a cover operation to hide behind. Hearing the news of a grain shortage, and that the merchants were gouging the bakers with inflated prices, inspiration hit once again, and Timmon was on the next ship bound for home.

Once back he learned that the merchants were hoarding grain and claiming supply was low. Many bakers were out of business because they could not afford to pay the high prices the merchants had set. Arriving on the scene, Timmon began organizing meetings where he called for the formation of a guild, the Baker’s Guild, as he called it, would operate like other craft guilds in the city and protect all members from greedy merchants. Many agreed with Timmon but few were brave enough to join, until the promise was made. Timmon had contacts with distant grain suppliers and he had bought shares in a large quantity of grain, enough to break the merchants strangle hold, would be delivered within a week. If Timmon could deliver on his promise of the grain the bakers agreed to form a guild and make Timmon its leader.

Truth be told there was no supply of grain and this was just an elaborate ruse. Timmon learned of a large grain stockpile two days south of the city. The grain was lightly guarded, and Timmon planned to steal it. It took six days, but the night before the promised grain shipment was to arrive Timmon executed a daring robbery. Emptying the granary he cemented his leadership of the fledging Baker’s Guild. Seventeen years later the Baker’s Guild still exists, and unknown to most, is the largest thieves guild in the region.

Organization

The Baker’s Guild is a true craft guild that looks out for its members. Its organization structure is small and is solely run by Timmon. He, along with the input of four other baker’s, set policy and standards for bakeries. In addition, the guild oversees all grain purchases as well as the status of apprentices, journeymen and master bakers. Once looked at as a joke, the Baker’s Guild is now respected and wields much in the way of wealth and clout in the city.

All of this is, of course, a cover and most of the apprentices and journeymen are actually thieves. They work in the bakeries by day, and on the streets at night. Timmon controls all crime in the city, and uses a few bakeries as distribution points for the delivery of drugs. The drugs, which are stored in fire proof clay balls, are baked into the center of loaves of bread and then delivered to the few pubs that sell them.

Not everyone in the Baker’s Guild is a thief, and even though Timmon uses it as a cover for his real work, he does also work for the betterment of legitimate bakers. Under his watch the Baker’s Guild has become a powerful organization and every baker in the city is a member. The guild has kept the price of grain low and members enjoy good profits and market protection. In addition Timmon and the guild have grown rich from selling surplus grain, and other produce. Much of this wealth goes back to the members, but unknown to all, a good portion ends up in Timmon’s pockets.

The lowest rung in the Baker’s Guild are called Kneaders. Kneaders are the rank and file members of the guild. They perform all the dirty work and work along with being footpads, burglars, and pick pockets. Also on this level are the Crumbers, which are a network of beggars that act as the eyes and ears for the Baker’s Guild.

The next layer of guild leadership is the Fillings who are the middle men who oversee the Kneaders and Crumbers. It is their job to supervise operations and make sure monthly quotas are met. Depending on the operation, Fillings have anywhere between 10 and 30 Kneaders or Crumbers answering to them. Some Fillings also oversee the prostitution and gambling rings in the city, and they are the ones who distribute the drugs to the Kneaders to sell.

The third layer of leadership are the Muffin Men. They each supervise one area of the guild’s operation, answering only to Timmon, and they are the ones that ensure things run smoothly. There are a total of six Muffin Men who oversee: prostitution, robbery, drugs, fencing, enforcement and smuggling. The Muffin Men have anywhere between 15 to 30 Fillings answering to them. At the top of this chain is Timmon. He has complete control over all facets of the organization, his word is final and those who do not agree with him find themselves in the middle of a loaf of bread.