The Grand Market and the Open Market, to a greater extent, have to contend with thieves, petty and otherwise. To combat this, they have worked out a system of voluntary contributions to fund a set of Vigilants to keep watch, deter and, if needed, catch thieves.
Merchants and traders who contribute to the Vigilants are given a badge to display to indicate that they are in good standing. While the Vigilants broadly protect everyone in the markets, they pay special attention to those with badges. The Vigilants also form the core of any firefighting that needs to be done, fire ultimately being an even greater threat than theft, knowing where buckets are stored and the sources of water in the area. Read the rest of this entry ?
Sea of Stars RPG Design Journal 