A Constable’s dirty, old missing journal:
The Men of Good Faith
This gang started out small, as a group of people taking advantage of the people of Lakeshire, Redridge. The group, lead by one who called himself ‘Baron William the Bastard’ started a faux toll booth on a bridge leading into the town. This simple fraudulent scheme soon evolved into bigger crimes, such as acts of violence, theft and brigandry. Because of this, the gang began making a name for itself around the Eastern Kingdoms and gained more members. The downtrodden of society were drawn to Baron William’s cause and with the aid of his eccentric personality and charm he convinced them into contributing ill-gotten gains to his stash of growing wealth. His cause was a pipe dream in which he told people he was rightful owner of land in the Eastweald that needed taking back. Each member of the gang expected a life of luxury if they helped the man reach his goal. Of course, the down-and-outs and sociopaths of the world flocked to this endeavour, it gave the impression of an easy path to the high life. However, some were drawn to the cause not to help the Baron but to further their own cause. Some wanted a bigger share of the wealth, some wanted fame and his own advisors wanted to put the man in power to facilitate for their own dark agendas.
As time went on the crimes of the gang increased and so did their fervour for violence. Each town they would enter they would swindle the locals and generally cause havoc. Their movement was gaining traction but at the same time, each location and each stick up brought about new enemies for the gang. Not only was the law beginning to catch wind, but rival criminals and other organisations started to detest the Men of Good Faith name. This however only seemed to spur them on and they soon took their cause across the seas to Kalimdor, began new rackets and took advantage of the war between the Alliance and the Horde when they could. Certain morals were abandoned, either from the infamy or the money they were making, but it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the gang out in the battlefield, posing as soldiers or serving as conscripts - simply to leech off the situation and steal from the fallen. It was around this time that violence often turned to cold blooded murder and not every victim of William’s brigandage would survive the ordeal. Nevertheless, their band only grew stronger in numbers, wealth and influence.
It almost began to look like the Baron’s goal got further and further away, despite the large amount of pooled funds. It started off as a dishonest path to an honest life, but the criminal life seemed to warp the minds of the gang members and some got too attached to it. Sight of the end goal became blurred and the lust for more money and committing devilish transgressions overtook. The Men of Good Faith decided to clear the playing board in the hub of the lawless, Booty Bay. The gang briefly held the bay under an iron fist and flushed out those who didn’t line up with their idea of organised crime. While many saw this as a heroic act, it did not do much to lift the gang towards their goal, but did do well to spark fear when their name was spoken. However events like that and others later on was perhaps the gang flying too close to the sun. The law they had been running from eventually caught up. Members of The Men of Good Faith had been in and out of prison but one day a whole group of them were rounded up and arrested publicly, including their leader, Baron William the Bastard who now had begun to call himself the Duke of the Eastweald. The gang who were left on the outside struggled to carry on without the bulk of their numbers and their leader and plotted to free those who were justly incarcerated.
Their plotting however went to waste, as a riot from within the walls of Stormwind’s Stockades erupted and gave the gang members a window of opportunity to escape. They of course took it, fleeing through the sewers, being responsible for the deaths of fellow inmates and even some guards along the way. With the heat hotter than ever the group slowly travelled to the north of the continent. By this point in time, tensions were high amongst the group as well and infighting began to plague the cheerful brotherhood they once had. They experienced betrayals and murders of other members took place. Even the Duke’s own advisors began to be called out for their true intentions. Everything seemed to be going downhill, despite being ‘free’ with a stash of riches. So with morale low and money high, the Duke lead the men into one final push for the goal which was almost forgotten. They set up a racket within a warzone and started how they began, tolling soldiers to cross into the land. The scheme was going well despite recent events until one fateful night.
Dressed as Alliance soldiers, the gang slept in a storehouse they would pilfer from. Upon awakening, their esteemed leader was gone - and so was their stash. The Men were abandoned in a place they were not welcome and had lost every coin they had accumulated throughout their entire run. Duke William had ran off in the night and took a boat towards the faraway island of Tel’Abim to live out the rest of his filthy rich life. Heartbroken, betrayed and angry, the rest of the gang split on that same day, all going their separate ways…
But those who survived, can’t help but remember their life with the gang and the experiences they shared. It will always be a part of them and for that reason, their story is not truly over…
