A fence often starts life as either a legitimate merchant, such as a shop owner or trader, or as a criminal of some sort.
Over time they realise that acting as the middle man and exploiting their connections is an effective way to gain wealth. A good fence buys smuggled or stolen goods and locates markets in which they will sell for a profit. Fences may buy the items directly, or work as a broker, taking a commission on the deal.
Many fences will alter goods or coins to prevent their provenance being traced as trouble with the law is a constant concern.
A fence gets buy with strength of personality and a network of connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds. Some will maintain legitimate business interests, others operate purely in the shadows.
Some fences make additional money as forgers or by altering jewelery.
- Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Sleight of Hand
- Tool Proficiencies: Forgery Kit, and choose one from among Jeweler's Tools, Calligrapher's Supplies, and Thieves’ Tools
- Equipment: A set of traveler’s clothes, a forgery kit, a merchant’s scale and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
Every fence begins somewhere. Maybe as a successful merchant you started dabbling in items of questionable origin, or perhaps you grew out of slipping down chimneys and began finding interested parties with gold to spare. Did you come across a deal too good to be true, and are now ensnared beyond your ability to escape, or was the chance to sell illegal poison or the local lords heirlooms just the start?
| d6 | Fall from grace or rise to prominence? |
|---|---|
| 1 | How the mighty have fallen.You were once a merchant or trader of some prominence, but dabbling in the black markets cost you your standing and reputation. Your former peers look down their nose at you, at least until they need something you can offer. |
| 2 | Who me? You have successfully protected your reputation, and the local populace thinks of you as an upstanding member of the community. Your darker dealings are conducted secretly, through contacts, dead drops or different identities. |
| 3 | Born and bred. You grew up around pirates, smugglers or criminals. These are your people. You have no need for legitimate business, except as a front for your activities. |
| 4 | Too good to be true! You were a legitimate merchant or trader, when the deal of a lifetime fell into your lap. You didn't know that the goods had been stolen! You may be being blackmailed, or maybe you can't say no to the profits, but your career as a fence is taking off! |
| 5 | Fagan. You run a group of thieves, pickpockets and muggers, selling on their wares. Many of these people are young, as you were when you were picking pockets. |
| 6 | The gentleman. You view yourself as a cut above those who provide you your wares. A true gentleman profits from the work of others, they do not do the work themself. |
You have a network of connections with thieves, pirates, smugglers and the more enterprising merchants and traders. You know the going rate for ill gotten gains and illegal goods. You can locate and arrange purchase or sale of such high risk goods with a minimum of risk to yourself and your network. You may do this by using legitimate front businesses to launder the goods, altering them so they cannot be identified, or arranging for them to be sold at a distance where they are not likely to be identified.
You have a knack for locating permits, passes, tickets, or other such items. Depending on your relationship with the buyer and the coin offered, the item may be genuine, a quality forgery, used, or an obvious fake.
Where your network does not reach, you are likely to be able to locate persons who wish to sell or buy such items without too much effort.
Suggested Characteristics
In general, fence's value profit and their connections above other things. One could be a part of a larger organization, or might run a small operation of their own. Fences live on their reputation, whether it be trustworthy no matter the consequence, greedy to a fault, or always looking out for their own safety first.
Fences are often a necessary part of the life of those who are criminal, desperate, or on the run. Whether you are a saviour or a bane to those you work with depends on you.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. |
| 2 | I think of everything in terms of monetary value. |
| 3 | I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I never raise my voice or let my emotions control me. |
| 4 | Nothing rattles me; I have a lie for every occasion. |
| 5 | I love gold but won’t cheat a friend. |
| 6 | Sarcasm and insults are my weapons of choice. |
| 7 | I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. |
| 8 | I am no common criminal; I am a mastermind. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wealth. Heaps of coins in a secure vault is all I dream of. (Any) |
| 2 | Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic) |
| 3 | All for a Coin. I’ll do nearly anything if it means I turn a profit. (Evil) |
| 4 | Peace and Prosperity. I smuggle only to achieve a greater goal that benefits my community. (Good) |
| 5 | People. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I’m determined to make something of myself. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m trying to pay off an old debt I owe to a generous benefactor. |
| 2 | I fleeced the wrong person and must work to ensure that this individual never crosses paths with me or those I care about. |
| 3 | I owe everything to my mentor—a horrible person who’s probably rotting in jail somewhere. |
| 4 | I aim to become the head of the network which I work with. |
| 5 | I was tricked by a fellow criminal who stole something precious from me. I will find that thief. |
| 6 | I give most of my profits to a charitable cause, and I don’t like to brag about it. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lying is reflexive, and I sometimes engage in it without realizing. |
| 2 | I tend to assess my relationships in terms of profit and loss. |
| 3 | I believe everyone has a price and am cynical toward those who present themselves as virtuous. |
| 4 | I’m too greedy for my own good. I can’t resist taking a risk if there’s money involved. |
| 5 | Few people know the real me. |
| 6 | Though I act charming, I feel nothing for others and don’t know what friendship is. |
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