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The Who
This is one of the easier steps to remedy, and you actually answered it in your own post: Rogues might not be known to the rest of the world, but they would be known to each other. If your initial outreach was to some rogues who had some spare time and wanted to help their brother-in-arms out with a tiny problem, then it could easily move onto your stage 2 thing. "This didn't work, do you guys know anyone who excels at ______? Maybe we should outsource a little."
Approach two to four people you think you'd have fun RP with and send them a line, see if they're interested in running through an adventure with you.
This is one of the easier steps to remedy, and you actually answered it in your own post: Rogues might not be known to the rest of the world, but they would be known to each other. If your initial outreach was to some rogues who had some spare time and wanted to help their brother-in-arms out with a tiny problem, then it could easily move onto your stage 2 thing. "This didn't work, do you guys know anyone who excels at ______? Maybe we should outsource a little."
Approach two to four people you think you'd have fun RP with and send them a line, see if they're interested in running through an adventure with you.
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The What
Go for something personal, I'd say. It can't be something large-scale enough to warrant NPC-officer action, but if it's something that sort of balloons that way?
-"Hey, I just got wind that someone who left me for dead ten years ago surfaced. Anyone want to help me give him a warm welcome?"
-"Got a lead on some stolen goods that are definitely not up for grabs. What say we go liberate them and return them to their proper owners, give or take 10%?"
-"This doesn't involve the Sisters, not technically, but this guy got away with <crime> by buying off his peers. Let's go show him no one's above the law."
If you start out as the goal being a favor to you, you can rope people into keeping it low-key while giving room to complicate after the initial action.
Go for something personal, I'd say. It can't be something large-scale enough to warrant NPC-officer action, but if it's something that sort of balloons that way?
-"Hey, I just got wind that someone who left me for dead ten years ago surfaced. Anyone want to help me give him a warm welcome?"
-"Got a lead on some stolen goods that are definitely not up for grabs. What say we go liberate them and return them to their proper owners, give or take 10%?"
-"This doesn't involve the Sisters, not technically, but this guy got away with <crime> by buying off his peers. Let's go show him no one's above the law."
If you start out as the goal being a favor to you, you can rope people into keeping it low-key while giving room to complicate after the initial action.
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The How
You don't need mechanics to settle stuff. If you're in a DMing position, just run with give-and-take. Or, settle things with dice. Or, just make it up. My experiences show that dice are risky in tense situations for the wrong reasons, but nobody wants to feel like they're sightseeing along your plot, either. Your goal as DM is to make sure no one sees how the tricks are performed.
You don't need mechanics to settle stuff. If you're in a DMing position, just run with give-and-take. Or, settle things with dice. Or, just make it up. My experiences show that dice are risky in tense situations for the wrong reasons, but nobody wants to feel like they're sightseeing along your plot, either. Your goal as DM is to make sure no one sees how the tricks are performed.