Every town has a thieves' guild. No town ever did.

Every town in your campaign has a thieves' guild. No real town ever did — and what real guilds actually were is stranger, funnier, and far more useful for your game. This one is longer than usual, because history is the best worldbuilding teacher there is. Tell us in the comments whether the longer form works. Religion, done properly — Build Convincing Religions for Your TTRPG Setting:    • Build Convincing Religions For Your TTRPG ...   Your Gold Pieces Are Boring:    • Your Gold Pieces Are Boring   Chapters: 00:00 Every town has a thieves' guild. No town ever did. 08:17 The guild Cervantes invented as a joke 10:09 What a guild actually was: a monopoly with a funeral plan 13:39 The silver key: buying the right to work 15:53 London: the guilds elect the mayor 19:10 The mayor who arrested a rebel in front of his king 22:21 Florence: when your job is your vote 26:26 The Ciompi: a revolution demanding more guilds 29:39 Hire your mayor from another city 31:55 How the Medici stole a republic without breaking it 34:44 The adventurers' guild, done properly 41:58 "Quested without a membership": a campaign in one writ