Lia Kavair Chapters

The following article was taken from the HârnList on Fri, 20 Mar 1998 16:57:14 -0500 (EST). It is copyright Marc Renouf.

Coranan

Perhaps the most cutthroat criminal organization in western Hârn, the Coranan Lia Kavair is also the largest. Controlling the poorer section of the city west of the old Imperial Wall, the Coranan Lia Kavair oversees gambling, prostitution, pickpocketing, purse-snatching, extortion, protection, begging, and burglary operations for the entire western half of the city. In particular, the Coranan Lia Kavair has a stranglehold on the illegal gambling associated with Coranan’s bustling Pamesani arena,which lies squarely in their territory.

With a reputation for violence above-and-beyond brutal, the Coranan Lia Kavair has the necessary size, strength, and attitude to impose its will upon other criminal organizations in the area. In particular, the Kotros, Kerabin, Thard, and Omagil Lia Kavair [chapters] all pay significant tribute to the Coranan Guildmasters. Only the Kuseme Lia Kavair maintains independence, and then only by the slimmest of margins. The position of Guildmaster of the Kuseme Lia Kavair is not a precisely long-lived office.

The current Guildmaster of the Coranan Lia Kavair is Koral of Geldryss, known colloquially as "Koral the Bloody." Starting out as an enforcer, Koral has beaten, murdered, and extorted his way to the top, and the Coranan Lia Kavair’s attitudes towardother organizations mirrors Koral’s attitudes toward other people; either they bow dow in fear and give tribute or they will be crushed and made to lament the error of their ways. In addition to his own forceful personality, Koral has surrounded himself with the roughest, meanest criminals that Coranan’s streets have produced over the past decade, forming a surprisingly loyal core group of "Senior Masters," all of whom are seasoned killers.

Lia Kavair (Kerabin)

One of the smaller criminal organizations in the Coranan area, the Kerabin Lia Kavair none the less does quite well for itself. Led by Maldros of Kolgar, known as "The Snake of Kerabin" and a close compatriot of Koral the Bloody, the Kerabin Lia Kavair benefit strongly from their ties to the Coranan Lia Kavair. Though the Kerabin Lia Kavair pay tribute to the Coranan thieves, this amount is substantially less than would be expected due to the relative friendship between Maldros and Koral. With a reputation for violence that rivals the larger organization, the Kerabin make most of their money through protection rackets among the village’s semi-urban poor. Though the amount is not much, nearly all households pay some amount to the Lia Kavair to keep unfortunate accidents from occurring. Additionally, there is a certain amount of labor graft that occurs among the laborers who live in the village, a concession worked out with the Coranan Guildmasters. Finally, Maldros has recently begun using the movements of these common laborers into and out of the city to smuggle small, easily concealed contraband, correctly guessing that their common appearance and demeanor, as well as their familiar faces will result in their going unharrassed, and more importantly unsearched by the guards at Kerabin Gate. Though Koral the Bloody currently knows of these operations and tacitly approves, it is likely that if discovered, Maldros’ intrusion into the smuggling monopoly traditionally held by the Thard Lia Kavair will not be taken lightly.

Lia Kavair (Kotros)

Centered loosely around the vicinity of Kotros Square, (from which the organization takes its name), the Kotros Lia Kavair is in almost total control of all criminal undertakings east of the Imperial wall dividing Coranan. With a veritable stranglehold on the mercantyle districts of the city, the Kotros Lia Kavair is heavily involved in running extortion and protection rackets amongst the local unguilded (and a few guilded) merchants. In addition, control of the riverside half of the city allows them easier access to the wealthy mansions on Achiva street, which are occasionally subject to minor burglaries and the like. The current guildmaster, Baran of Whartol is a ruddy-faced man of about forty. Formerly a burglar, Baran is getting a lot of pressure from members of his guild due to the fact that he is unwilling to confront the much rougher Coranan Lia Kavair, and thus is forced to pay tribute. Many Kotros guildsmen find this situation insulting, and are increasingly vocal in their opposition to it. While Baran has repeatedly tried to explain that such a conflict would only bring about bloodshed and a loss of profits, his pleas are falling on increasingly deaf ears. Unless the tense situation changes soon, it is likely that Baran will be "replaced" and violence will erupt between the two factions.

Lia Kavair (Kuseme)

Stubbornly refusing to pay tribute to the Coranan Lia Kavair, the Kuseme thieves are fighting an ongoing criminal war with their larger and more violent cousins. The current Guildmaster is a man known as Kheldos "One-Eye." He earned this epithet at the hands of Koral the Bloody several years ago when both were still journeyman thieves. Having only been Guildmaster of Kuseme for several months, Kheldos One-Eye has already embarked on a mission of expanding and restructuring the way the Kuseme Lia Kavair do business, including stepping up smuggling operations into Coranan via Kuseme Haven and Kobar Bridge, as well as stealing money and other small items from caravans travelling along the Salt Route. As a result, he has earned the emnity of most of the other factions in the area (most notably the Thard Lia Kavair), as well as several members of the Mercantylers’ Guild. While most of Kheldos’ subordinates feel that he is not long for this world, they respect his drive to succeed and his refusal to back down. It is of note that Kheldos is the third Guildmaster that Kuseme has had in just a year, and that the position of head of the Kuseme Lia Kavair is not precisely a coveted one. Regardless, Kheldos One-Eye jumped at the chance, which leads many to believe (not without reason) that he is carrying out a personal vendetta against Koral the Bloody himself.

Lia Kavair (Omagil)

The smallest and poorest of Coranan'’s criminal factions, the Omagil Lia Kavair struggles to eke out enough to subsist upon. This is due mostly to two unfortunate circumstances. First, Trallek of Bolrin, Omagil'’s current Guildmaster has along time emnity with Coranan’s Guildmaster Koral the Bloody, and while the situation is not severe enough to warrant outright murder, the tribute demanded of the Omagil thieves is much higher than is customary. Second, Trallek'’s brother Melss, who operated a small band of highwaymen on the Noru road just west of Coranan and who shared his profits with his brother in return for a safe place to hide out, was recently caught and hanged by the Coranan Legion. Without even this small and unsteady income, the Omagil Lia Kavair are nearly as poor as the villagers and stray travellers they prey upon.

Lia Kavair (Thard)

Holding only a small amount of actual "turf," the Thard Lia Kavair is Coranan'’s smallest criminal organization. Though their territory comprises only the small area around Eldin Haven in the village of Eldin and the entirety of Rafter'’s Wha fin Coranan, the Thard Lia Kavair has a criminal monopoly in both locations. Specifically, they control all smuggling operations into and out of Coranan, as well as significant labor graft amongst the longshoremen. Better still, the Guildmaster of the Thard Lia Kavair is none other than Dewell of Joltruin, Coranan'’s Harbourmaster, a arrangement which makes it quite easy for certain cargoes to be overlooked when inspection time comes. Though the Thard Lia Kavair pays tribute to their Coranan brethren, this is seen as merely an expeditious, if unpleasant necessity. Recently, the Thard Lia Kavair has again been attempting to wrest control of Kuseme Haven away from the clutches of the Kuseme Lia Kavair, feeling (not without cause) that their brethren across the rivers’ use of Kuseme Haven and the Kobar Bridge threatens the Thard organization’s monopoly on smuggling operations. In particular, the Thard Lia Kavair has petitioned the Guildmasters of the Coranan Lia Kavair for aid in taking control. Since the Thard pay tribute to Coranan and the Kuseme don'’t, it is likely that at least some help may be forthcoming.

Golotha

Golotha | Kalphor | Lorjan | Mamai

Lia Kavair (Golotha)

Named merely for the city in which it operates, the Golotha Lia Kavair is merely one of several criminal factions within that city. Their areas of control extend to prostitution, gambling, mugging, and the protection of beggars and peddlars. Particularly lucrative is their control over the gambling at the Pamesani arena every Yaelah and Yaelmor, and their veritable monopoly over criminal activity at the town market (including picking pockets, a special deal worked out with the Mamai Lia Kavair). Though not as wealthy as the Lorjan Lia Kavair, nor as brutal as the Kalphor Lia Kavair, the Golotha Lia Kavair is simply pervasive. They are everywhere. Their operations range across the entire city, as well as outside it (they get tribute from Chakta thieves as well), and they make up for the generally smaller scale of their operations in sheer number of criminal ventures. The current Guildmaster is Kruug of Mertosta, a quick-witted man of forty-five who worked his way up to Guildmaster from a lowly urchin picking pockets in the market square. He has a reputation for being very harsh in the punishment of subordinates who cross him, disobey him, or who simply fail.

Golotha | Kalphor | Lorjan | Mamai

Lia Kavair (Kalphor)

Though nominally in charge only of smuggling operations in and around Golotha, the Kalphor Lia Kavair effectively controls nearly everything that goes on in, around, and under Kalphor wharf. Guildmaster Jarop of Zarainsen has a virtual stranglehold on that area, including gambling and prostitution in the wharfside taverns, as well as a protection racket on the unguilded wharfside merchants and longshoremen. Jarop's younger brother Oparn also runs a usury business. As many of these operations would normally fall to other branches of the Lia Kavair, considerable emnity exists between Jarop's people and other Lia Kavair chapters in Golotha. Especially intense are the rivalries between Jarop and the Lorjan brothers, who are seeking to extend their influence into the smuggling business, which Zarainsen currently monopolizes. It is also of interest to note that Jarop's and Oparn's places of "legitimate" business are located on Chafin square, a deal worked out with the Golotha Lia Kavair to allow Jarop's people smuggling rights to the canals.

Golotha | Kalphor | Lorjan | Mamai

Lia Kavair (Lorjan)

By tidy arrangement, a large section of organized criminal activity within Golotha occurs as a result of the relation between and occupations of brothers Largo and Harald of Lorjan. Largo is the Guildmaster of the Golotha chapter of the Mercantylers' Guild, and uses this position to exert control over the protection rackets over most of the non-guilded (and some of the guilded) merchants in the city. Harald, on the other hand, is the master of the local bonding house, and sees to it that a certain amount of graft and "product damage" occurs to those who do not keep up with their protection payments. It should be noted, however, that Golotha has some of the lowest hawking and bonding taxes in all of Hârn due to the coziness of this arrangement. To make the deal sweeter, the Lorjan brothers effectively control most of the longshoremen operating in the Northaven Wharf area and get a cut of that business as well. Finally, due to their prominence in mercantile ventures, the Lorjan Lia Kavair also has a heavy hand in the city's usury businesses, several of which charge outrageous rates of interest. Surprisingly, the Lorjan brothers manage to control their ventures collectively, with neither making any significant effort to force the other out. Such cooperation is rare in the criminal world. Of late, the Lorjan brothers have been eyeing the operations of the Kalphor Lia Kavair with more than a touch of greed, and are seeking to extend their operations into the lucrative smuggling businesses controlled by Jarop of Zarainsen.

Golotha | Kalphor | Lorjan | Mamai

Lia Kavair (Mamai)

Named for the Azeryani word for "silent," the Mamai Lia Kavair holds a near monopoly over the various burglary, thieving, and cutpursing operations that go on in Golotha. The current Guildmaster, Magran of Korgra, is sixty-six years old, and in poor health. Though he is expected to name his successor soon, it is unlikely that the transition of power will occur bloodlessly. Several of the more prominent thieves and burglars are slowly building up tiny empires within the Mamai for the day when Korgra actually dies. It should be noted that both the Golotha and Kalphor Lia Kavair are looking on speculatively, waiting to take what opportunities they can from the impending situation. Typically, Mamai Lia Kavair are far more professional than members of other branches, due mainly to the highly skilled nature of their work. As such, they command high prices from their customers and a fair amount of respect (or fear) from the rest of the criminal community.

Shostim

Shostim | King's Thieves | Parach

Lia Kavair (Shostim)

Instead of having multiple groups vying for total control of the city, Shostim'’s Lia Kavair is divided into three "factions," each of which has specific, yet roughly equal duties and responsibilities, and which complement each other almost perfectly. Indeed, there is so little friction between the three groups that most people don’t even realize they are different organizations. The Shostim Lia Kavair proper, however, is the faction that is in charge of the lucrative operations of smuggling at Shostim Haven and gambling in and around the Pamesani arena, as well as in smaller games in inns and taverns all over the city. The responsibility of owning and maintaining safehouses also falls to the Shostim Lia Kavair. The houses are for use by various members of all three factions, generally for such activities as holding meetings, storing contraband, interrogating informants, or "lying low," and they have several such houses ready for use at a moment’s notice. The current Guildmaster is Geldren of Jathpart, a skilled, albeit somewhat indecisive man of thirty-eight who made his fortune as a gambler of some notoriety. It is a well-known fact, however, that the real power lies with his mistress, Adalia of Solmeten, known to most as "The Iron Rose" in honor of her stunning beauty and her hard, unforgiving personality. Though she started out as a prostitute, Adalia has become Shostim’s most respected and feared criminal figure. Many suspect that it is only a matter of time before Adalia tires of being merely the power behind the throne and does away with her paramour, establishing herself as Guildmistress in the process.

Shostim | King's Thieves | Parach

Lia Kavair (King'’s Thieves)

One of the most unusual criminal organizations in western Hârn, the King'’s Lia Kavair is part of the criminal cooperative that runs the city of Shostim. Their specializations lie in the rare and dangerous areas of forgery and currency speculation. Engaging in everything from simple coin-clipping to wholesale re-minting of Rethemi pence, their currency operations alone bring the guild thousands of silver per year. They are aided in these endeavors by several contacts they have developed within the Royal Mint itself, and one contact in particular who has provided them with exquisite copies of several coin-mints. Indeed, Rethem'’s notoriously debased currency is due in part to the King'’s Thieves’ practice of "intercepting" an outgoing shipment, smelting it down, diluting it further, and reminting the shipment entirely. In addition, if the price is right, certain skilled members of the King'’s Thieves will copy nearly any document, aswell as forged seals or signatures on wholly contrived documents. Whether it be land grants, titles, invitations to court, prommisory notes, chancellory notes, or objects of art, the King'’s Thieves are generally assumed to have the finest forgers in Rethem. By and large, however, they keep their activities to a fairly mundane level, which results in the authorities generally turning a blind eye toward their activities. Indeed, the royal chancellory itself gets a "cut" of the currency debasing and coin-clipping operations. The current Guildmaster is a man by the name of Jentril of Tholduar, an aged, bald-headed, rail-thin man with the mind of a scholar and the heart of a thief.

Shostim | King's Thieves | Parach

Lia Kavair (Parach)

Part of Shostim'’s Lia Kavair cooperative, the Parach Lia Kavair control all of the ciriminal activities that take place in and around the vicinity of Parach Square. In particular, they control all pickpocketing, begging, extortion, and prostitution rackets in the city, most of which are based roughly around the Parach Square area. In addition, the responsibility for providing enforcers to the other criminal factions for use in persuasion, guarding, or wetwork falls to the Parach Lia Kavair. The current Guildmaster is Belren of Santular. An aging man in his late fifties, he is well-respected not only by members of his own organization but by members of the other factions as well.

Individual Thieves

Gyr of Tawden

A thug of the first degree, Gyr is one of the more active muggers of Golotha's streets. Mainly limiting his privations to the apparently weak and the foreign, he often pairs up with Jorth of Kain, who is as strong as he is stupid. Together, these two are capable of all sorts of mayhem, and have been known to try to pull off jobs as complicated as burglaries (with little success). Gyr is, however, quite talented as an enforcer, and he is used as such fairly regularly by his superiors within the Golotha Lia Kavair.

Jagreb of Goros

Also known as "Jagreb Throat-slitter," this man has spent most of his life as a burglar in the service of the Mamai Lia Kavair in Golotha. He is well versed in the arts of breaking and entering, which led him to his sideline as a killer. He earned his nickname due to his habit of slitting the throats of his targets in their sleep. He himself was victim of just such an attack, as evidenced by the puckered scar across his neck and his hoarse, raspy voice.

Kendrith of Tularos

Technically a member of the Kalphor Lia Kavair in Golotha, Kendrith travels outside the city quite frequently. As a smuggler of some reknown, Kendrith of Tularos moves stolen and contraband goods all along the Thard River and Boka Bay areas. He has a good many contacts in Coranan and as far away as Shiran, and is capable of procuring or disposing of nearly any type of merchandise. Chief among his operations is the smuggling of weapons into Golotha, though he also trades heavily in Kuboran pleasure slaves brought into Coranan without paying import duties. His operations are quite profitable, for he is generally sly enough to avoid having to bribe the appropriate officials; they simply can't catch him, and thus need no bribing. When he can be found at all, it will be underneath the Kalphor Wharf area in Golotha. He is a non-descript man, and people will generally give wildly different physical descriptions of him if asked, leading many to the correct conclusion that he is quite skilled at the arts of disguise.

Jak of Trask

Cousin of Keryne of Trask, freemaster Innkeeper and proprietor of The Tabard in Shostim, Jak is a member of Shostim'’s Parach Lia Kavair,which controls most of the criminal activities in and around Parach square. Ostensibly employed as Keryne'’s bouncer (along with his brother Parg, also a member of the Lia Kavair), Jak does a fair bit of business roughing people up at the behest of the Parach Guildmaster. In addition, the brothers report to the Lia Kavair on the relative wealth and prosperity of the Tabard'’s guests, though it is understood that pilfering attempts are not to be undertaken at the inn itself. Finally, the two brothers also occasionally harbor fugitives in the inn’s root cellar, though this is without the knowledge or persmission of Keryne and thus somewhat uncommon. Jak is a big man in his late twenties. He stands well over six feet tall, with a curly mop of dirty brown hair, hazel eyes, and a thick mustache.

Scripps of Jengrol

Known colloquially as "Scripps the Slapper," this man specializes in the not-so-subtle art of wetwork. A member of the Golotha Lia Kavair, Scripps is often called in when a message needs to be sent, as Scripps’ handiwork isalmost always messy. A true professional, Scripps won’t kill for just anybody, and hisservices do not always come cheaply. Standing slightly under six feet tall, Scripps nevertheless cuts an imposing figure, as he is densely muscled, with short, closely-cropped black hair and beady brown eyes.

Suladrin of Mael

Known more widely as "Suladrin Nightwalker," this swarthy young man is a burglar in the employ of the Mamai Lia Kavair in Golotha. Of recent date, Suladrin has become more active in local Lia Kavair politics, making quite a name (and quite a few enemies) for himself along the way. Though only 26, Suladrin is expected to succeed Magran of Korgra as Guildmaster of the Mamai Lia Kavair. Still active in his career as a burglar, Suladrin is often hiding out at various Lia Kavair safe houses. In between times, he can often be found at the Noose and Jester, and is identifiable by his flaming red hair.

Willem of Thurwych

Also known as "Willem the Quick," this wily little man is one of the more capable fences in Golotha. He is capable of disposing of stolen goods of nearly every variety in a startlingly small amount of time. His services are expensive, however, as speed costs. Also costly is discretion, as questions are rarely asked. Willem dabbles in prestidigitation and legerdemain, so prospective customers need to watch their money closely. He can frequently be found at the Bucket of Blood near Kalphor Wharf, a seedy tavern in which he also controls gambling and prostitution. He is one of the more influential members of the Kalphor Lia Kavair.

This page was last updated on July 9, 2001
Questions/Comments should be directed to the Webmaster.
All works are Copyright their respective authors, 2002.

Pax Tharda

Lia Kavair Chapters

Coranan

Lia Kavair (Coranan)

Lia Kavair (Kerabin)

Lia Kavair (Kotros)

Lia Kavair (Kuseme)

Lia Kavair (Omagil)

Lia Kavair (Thard)

Golotha

Lia Kavair (Golotha)

Lia Kavair (Kalphor)

Lia Kavair (Lorjan)

Lia Kavair (Mamai)

Shostim

Lia Kavair (Shostim)

Lia Kavair (King'’s Thieves)

Lia Kavair (Parach)

Individual Thieves

Gyr of Tawden

Jagreb of Goros

Kendrith of Tularos

Jak of Trask

Scripps of Jengrol

Suladrin of Mael

Willem of Thurwych