Triads as alternative Thieves' Guilds
by Marc SaindonAncient China had many strange secret societies, often politically-affiliated and made illegal because it challenged the current authorities. Some would wear yellow turbans, other dye their eyebrows red. Sometimes a toppled dynasty doesn't quite go away quietly. Other groups start out as rebel and might find mercenary work from the government. Some are successful criminals that establish themselves and find a balance with the authorities: taking a cue from Gotham, in the idea that you can't have law&order without organized crime keeping out the outsiders. For simplicity's sake, if we call all of these "Triads", I think they could play a role in making Ochalea more interesting (because "it's peaceful" is a bit boring). Some ports might host Yasukan minorities (Mystaran Japanese), so you might get a few Yakuza gangs (from the old Oriental Adventures sourcebook) into the mix. Crime groups might be tied with Ochalean independence fever, or Thyatian loyalism (especially in cities where some people have mixed heritage). Some might be neo-feudalists, wanting to go back to a fractured Ochalea where they can lord it on the peasants without intervention from either Beitung or Thyatis City. One of the key things that would be the difference with a classic Thieves' Guild would be the politics. Perhaps different Triad have different signs, different codes, according to the causes to which they're partisans.
notes:
Yellow Turban Rebellion
Water Margin
(image from: https://www.deviantart.com/thedrimdrim/art/Oriental-Rogue-977996518)