Potential history for Achelb, City of Thieves:
Achelb is known as the City of Thieves, but not for the thieves that live there, yet. No. For Buvalu the Giant-King. Buvalu was born into banditry, a member of a Raider Tribe in antiquity, among the steppes between the two rivers. He was a great giant of a man, bold and strong, wild and free. It is said he stood nine feet if he was an inch, and could tear a man's head from his shoulders with one mighty hand. A trick he performed, once, upon a rival against whom he had no claim or cause. Banished from the tribe, left to be killed by the others that wandered the steppe, he fled to the mountains to the north.
There, it is said, he found the pass to the Green Valley. Where wheat grew as grass, waters pure as diamond flowed, and orchards of fruit trees blossomed in hidden peace. He made his home, there, and told no one of what he found. But Buvalu needed iron. Worked wood. Aid to build his place in the world. So he raided from the mountain. A giant coming down to quash villages and take what he could in violence and death. There were calls for armies to kill him, but there were also those who sought his company.
Ever he would venture out on some errand, quest, or deal, and return victorious. He gained followers. Friends. A company of thieves two hundred strong and more to help defend against the forces who would rise to him... And they returned with him to the Green Valley. And saw it's wonder. The city was founded by those thieves with Buvalu as their king. He named the city after his son, who had perished in battle against Grisians to the East.
And in time Banditry was traded for Taxation. Piracy for Law. Wild nights on open steppes for Order. Buvalu died well fed and fat, surrounded by wives and sons and daughters and friends. And his blood took up the crown for two centuries after that. Now, the bloodline of Buvalu and the Crown are lost to time, and new dynasties have risen and fallen. Achelb still honors it's founder, though, by naming it's ruler the King of Thieves.
-The Chronicler-