The wind screamed across the deck of the Cutter class airship Selene's Revenge. Powered by the triple rings of bound Air elementals at the aft of the airship, it flew through the moonless sky at nearly six times the speed of any conventional airship. Five miles above ground level the castle of Thronehold was a speck of dirt as the airship flew across the waters that the Karrn River fed into. The captain in the wheelhouse was a figure wrapped in so many layers of clothing it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female, let alone which race he or she belonged to.
The deck was clear of any debris or obstructions that weren't tied down. Near the prow three figures sat strapped into crash couches, webs of netting laced tight across their bodies. Sheltered from the whipping wind by the high-raised bow, the three of them filled the width of the airship, no more than 15ft wide. As the mouth of the Karrn river began to shrink a soft amber glow lit up on the outside of the wheelhouse. The hatch to the compartments below opened and a man climbed out. Though the wind tore around him in his simple leather jerkin and breeches he seemed to not be bothered by it. He glanced at the amber warning light then turned to the trio strapped in. Cupping his hands to his mouth he shouted, "10 minutes!"
The lights of Korth sparkled in the distance. The drop zone was fast approaching.
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You are an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Brelands highest level of counter-intelligence. You have two teammates; together you form the cell from which you operate. You are a highly trained, tactically competent, field experienced agent. You answer only to the boss and the King.
You imagine your boss once had a real name, a real life. Now he goes by the name Fury. Aside from Fury and your two teammates, you know of no other member, agent, or operative of S.H.I.E.L.D. Logistic support is provided by the Kings Dark Lanterns, who assume you are one of their special teams. In a way, you are.
Trained to operate independently far behind enemy lines, without hope of rescue or fear of capture, you are the Kings finest political instrument, yet no one knows you exist.
Spoiler
1. What game system are you running?
Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 / Eberron
2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be?
Espionage/Infiltration/Team Tactical
3. How many Players are you looking for?
3 players.
4. What's the gaming medium?
OOTS
5. What is the characters' starting status?
9th level
6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
36,000
7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
No Homebrew.
8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
No LA.
9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
38 pt buy
Max HP first level. Half HD+1 after that.
10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
Standard Alignment rules. No Evil.
11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
No multi-classing penalty.
12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game?
Players use the forum roller. I'll roll my own dice and sometimes make rolls for the players using the forum roller.
13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about?.
I don't consider Bards primary casters, while Warlocks & Dragonfire Adepts are.
14. Is a character background required?
Yes. About a paragraph answering how & why your character became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
It will be a mix of Espionage, Combat, & Roleplaying.
16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
It should be setting appropriate to Eberron, but flavor is easily adjusted.
All WOTC 3.5
No Dragon unless I can read it.
The game is about characters that are agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Experienced counter-intelligence operatives, they work in a three person cell to infiltrate into enemy territory, accomplish the mission, and escape in the dark.
Magic will replicate certain technologies standard to the Spy genre. Rarys may substitute as subdermal comms, Teleportation signatures can be tracked, Sonic energy crystals may record conversations, etc.
-----
For creating your character I'd like for you to consider them as not just a class, whether a wizard or rogue or whichever. I've stolen the character classes from Spycraft as concepts to base your character on. Included with each description are some examples of classes that would fit.
Faceman - A master of disguise, the Faceman hides in the open. Gathering intelligence and planting rumors, he or she works exposed to the enemy, their cover their only defense. Specializes in disguises, confidence games, infiltration & sting operations. (Bard/Rogue/Beguiler)
Intruder - If it's locked, he'll open it. If it's trapped, she'll disarm it. Experts at getting into places that they aren't supposed to be in, Intruders work in silence, taking what they need without the enemy realizing they've been hit. (Rogue/Ninja/Scout)
Pointman - The most flexible member of the cell, a Pointmans strength is their generality. Being able to adapt to any situation and assist their cellmates are their primary objectives. (Bard/Marshall/Wizard)
Technical - The master of knowledge and its applications, the Technical is able to bring to bear a wide variety of techniques and resources to overcome any obstacle. (Wizard/Warlock)
Scout - While an Intruder may be the best at thieving, a scout is tops for reconnaissance. Being able to move unseen and see what is hidden, the Scout is also able to survive in running battles. (Scout/Dread Commando/Swashbuckler)
Snoop - In strict terms of gathering intelligence the Snoop is second to none. Whether through magical divining or whispers in the shadows, a Snoop can find it and track it, no matter how hard the enemy hides it. (Diviner/Rogue)
Solider - When it comes to brute force and overwhelming firepower, the Soldier is the one to call. From master swordsmans to fire-calling mages, the Soldier brings the expertise and ability to bring the enemy to their knees. (Fighter/Dragonfire Adept/Warlock)
-----
There is one more aspect of character creation. I want each character to have an ally, a contact that is not a member of Brelands official intelligence community. This person could be a merchant, a dock worker, a lady of the night, a minor diplomat, etc. For some reason this person is willing to assist you in minor ways from time to time. Maybe you saved their life and they are grateful, or perhaps you are blackmailing them into helping you.
For your contact you can choose their name, occupation, and Primary stat. You may also choose ONE ability from the following list of abilities for them with which they can assist you.
- 4 Skills at 8 ranks.
- 2 Feats available to characters 4th level and lower.
- 2 Spells of 2nd level or lower.
This person is not always reliable, may not always be available, but they are a source that your character can access on occasion.
-----
Other Information (pulled from posts by me)
Spoiler
The Organization
Spoiler
There is a base of operations with a lab. Here's how the organizations work, at least from my reading of different sourcebooks. Read about the Citadel Elite in the Sharn book, and Dark Lanterns in Five Nations.
The Citadel Elite are like the military police of Breland. They have authority above the local guards and constabulary, and they operate in the open.
The Dark Lanterns are Brelands intelligence network, under the umbrella of the Citadel. Their primary focus is on spying and counter-intelligence, and there's somewhere under a thousand Dark Lanterns around. They're like the CIA; everyone knows they exist, some work in the open, but the majority don't go around telling people they're a Dark Lantern.
The characters are members of a special team - a S.H.I.E.L.D. cell. You are entirely covert, work with little to no supervision, and answer only to Colonel Fury, and through him, the King.
Support is provided by the Dark Lanterns. There are two main bases. One is in Wroat, the capital. The other is in Sharn. The Dark Lantern base in Sharn is where you operate out of most of the time. It's less political traffic than Wroat, and it's easier to slip out of the city. I'll detail the base later, but for now you can assume there is an artificer workshop/wizards library, etc for your characters.
They think you are Dark Lanterns. There is an oath every Dark Lantern takes, swearing fealty to the Brelish crown and the King. It's a fairly long oath that insures the loyalty of each Dark Lantern. It's accompanied by a Geas to fulfill the oath or die trying.
You did not receive the Geas.
Contacts
Spoiler
Here's a short list of possible spells or feats that might be useful/interesting for your contact to have. The spells are from the PHB, feats mainly from Eberron books. The contacts are more plot device than actual character mechanics, but I think it's a fun and interesting bit to add.
Feats
Ceremony Feats (Dragon Magic/PHB II)
Favored in House
Least Dragonmark
Research
Master Linguist
Background
Spoiler
I'm looking for characters that fit into the type of Spy genre I'm going for. I want the game to have a slick Espionage theme with Cinematic/Pulp styling. The game is loosely based on a comic book.
Here's a list of references to draw inspiration from.
Any James Bond film.
The Bourne series of films.
Spy Game
Sneakers
Danger Girl (comic)
It's not too dark but it's not Get Smart either. The first scene has the characters doing a HALO drop. There will be sub-plot intrigues with the characters, evil masterminds trying to take over the world, magical pseudo science gadgets, and dangerous but beautiful femme fatales.
Background
Spoiler
You're a member of a shadow counter-intelligence cell. It's doubtful whether most of the rulers of Breland even know you exist. Aside from occasional logistic support from the Dark Lanterns you operate on your own.
They can't sanction what they don't know about.
Remember Wesley Snipes character in U.S. Marshalls? The government referred to him as a "kite", someone they could cut the strings to and disavow responsibility if things go wrong.
In this game the Dark Lanterns are more like the traditional S.H.I.E.L.D. of the Marvel comics. People knows about them and what they do. They have the infrastructure to provide support for many people. Think of this version of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a special unit within that structure, like a 00 agent or the Danger Girl team. Uh, without the absurdly large bosoms though.
Situations/Questions
Spoiler
As part of the recruitment process I'll pose some situations for your character to deal with. This should help you get to know your character and get a feel for the game.
We have ways of making you talk...
A tip from a contact has led you to capture two spies. It is certain that they both have information about their masters plans. You are alone with the spies, in a soundproof room where you won't be disturbed for days. How do you get the information?
For the Good of the Many
The information from the spies was solid and led to a merchant of questionable virtue. After staking out his business for two days it's clear that it is merely a front for something more insidious. You plan the raid and go in. In the confusion and scattering of workers and amid the fighting of malcontents the merchant slips out and runs down the street.
Chasing him down the avenue, he stops and pulls a woman from the crowd. Leaning against the wall of a building, he pulls a wand from his coat and jams it against her temple. "Not another step! Any closer and she gets it. I'm getting out of here, and this is my guarantee of safe passage."
The evidence points to the merchant being the next step up in the ladder to something bigger. The wand has fire runes on it but you can't get a clear look at the whole design. What do you do?
Whom do you serve?
The merchants shop was indeed a front. The raid uncovered the existence of a hitherto unknown shadow organization. While their grander plans remain a mystery their current activities indicate far-reaching thieving and intelligence capabilities.
Through surveillance of suspected and confirmed members of this group you spot one of your close friends among their number, actively engaged in their criminal operations. No one else is aware of the persons identity or involvement yet. How do you proceed?
Shadows within Shadows
Your investigations into the criminal organization has lead you suspect it is larger and more insidious than anyone thought. There are hints and half-clues that point to spies and agents within nearly every aspect of Government and Business. The Citadel Elite, the Dark Lanterns, even the Breland Parliament appear to have been infiltrated by this silent and efficient conspiracy, though for what end you don't know.
Sure of no ones motives save your own, everyone is a suspect. Half-remembered conversations come to mind, short comments dropped off and forgotten now flit back and make you question their real meaning. You're reasonably sure no one else has tipped to your relevation, but you can't be sure unless you start asking some hard questions. What do you do?
The End is the Beginning
How many secrets can one person hold? How many double-crosses can be tracked? How many times must you question whether this person can be trusted or that person should be eliminated? How long before the strain becomes too much?
You see their symbol in your dreams. You look for hidden blades in every shadow. Too big to take down alone, you finally decide to let your teammates and Fury know of your investigation and theories. Before you are able to do so, you find something that changes your mind.
HYDRA has turned someone inside S.H.I.E.L.D. The evidence is clear that the last redoubt you thought was safe has been infiltrated. You know this to be true, yet have no idea of the traitors identity. Somehow they have been able to hide the truth from your subtle investigations, both magical and mundane. One possibility raises itself in your mind - if the traitor did not know they had been turned they could not betray themselves. A shiver runs down your spine. If the agent doesn't know they have been turned, how do you know you aren't the traitor?
Their motto runs through your mind, if a head is cut off, two more shall take its place...
Spoiler
This isn't really a question you need to respond to, just the culmination of the prologue establishing the game. If you want to respond, please do so.
Karo d'Orien, Blade of Orien, reporting for duty, Sir!
I was just looking through Sharn, City of Towers, and I was curious if I could purchase some last minute goods before we HALO drop? Namedly Heartflow?
Its an injested alchemical item that reduces the drinkers save vs charm effects by 3 for a short period of time. Since Karo knows Charm Person and is otherwise devoted to debuffage, it seems like an appropriate purchase!
Shotgunning Sea Green, if I may!
__________________
Updated Avatar by Mr. Mud. YAY!
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
Last edited by Keld Denar : 08-09-2009 at 02:49 AM.
Sojourner is ready for drop. I suppose he'll keep talking in indigo. Can't wait for the game to start.
As an OOC thing, for the next seven days I'll be in band camp - I should still be able to post once a day, late, but more than that is a bit unrealistic. I'll probably post more frequently after two Sundays from now.
Responses:
Spoiler
We have ways of making you talk...
For the spy problem, (I assume an in-character response is what you're going for), Sojourner would likely separate the two, as mentioned before, but Sojourner doesn't experience pain the same way most people do, and would likely start with an bribe, offering whatever he thinks is reasonable to each spy, noting that whichever spy takes the deal first, the other one will be summarily executed. He will note all of this dispassionately and coldly, leaving no doubt that he will do it and not feel too much regret when he does.
He will leave them to sit on this for two hours.
If one of them is willing to talk, then Sojourner will produce a scroll of Zone of Truth before listening, and carefully note that Zone of Truth does not detect duplicity and isn't infallible, asking questions designed to cover any deliberate omissions the spy makes. He will check the facts, and if they work out he will be true to his word, executing the other spy. He will then release the original spy where the spy will be promptly run down by the Crown's authorities. He never made any promises concerning them, after all, and it makes no sense to leave a potential enemy on the loose.
If neither of them talks, he will move both of them into the same room, explain the deal again, and run through the classic "two prisoners" routine, but raise the stakes by noting that if both of them talk, they will face life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole whenever they are no longer a danger to the Crown, whenever that might be, and that if neither of them talks they will both be executed after being dominated into revealing the information. Sojourner can't do that, but they don't need to know it. The original deal - that if one talks he will be rewarded while the other dies - still stands.
If the spies appear to like each other, the original deal will be revised - one talking without the other will cause the original person to get the deal, and the other one to live. Them both talking will cause both of them to get the deal.
If none of that works, Sojourner will hand them over to a teammate, or if one isn't available, turn them over to Fury for the domination/execution routine. It's not perfect, but Sojourner can be used more efficiently than torturing prisoners - he's not good at it and it's one of the few things that bothers him anyway.
For the Good of the Many...
Sojourner stops where he is and attempts - once - to reason with him.
"The hostage you have taken will not buy you your freedom. Time is not on your side, and you do not have a material advantage. The only thing you can do with her is antagonize those who are going to capture you anyway, and escalate the charges against you."
If that doesn't work, Sojourner will say, "As you wish, I will let the others know of your decision," before casting Benign Transposition on himself and the woman. She is unlikely to desire to remain where she is, and will be transported away while Sojourner enters grapple with the human and attempts to get his wand away from him or pin him - his martial training gives him an edge in both those areas. "Do your worst."
Who do you work for...
Sojourner has no truly close friends... outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. Strictly speaking, this is an asset as far as employment goes, but for the purposes of the test, it could be one of his old adventuring partners, whom he could still feel some loyalty to. Sojourner's greatest loyalty is to the Crown, though, for a number of personal reasons. He would report this to Fury, probably immediately via long range communication.
"Unfortunate. I recognize him. He is an adventurer of some years and experience, and what I believed to be a 'decent' person, by your reasoning and my own. He appears to be engaged in illegal activities, in collusion with the previously unknown 'shadow organization' that we detected at the merchant front."
Sojourner leans forward, and speaks softly in his ultradeep, mechanical rumble. "I can tell you from experience that he overestimates his own abilities in combat, and frequently undervalues the ingenuity and basic intellect frequently displayed by living constructs such as myself. A team of warforged, or even an individual, would likely have an advantage in apprehending him, but additional precautions would have to be taken once he is in custody, as his confidence in his escape artistry, intrusion, and steath abilities is well-founded. What are your orders?"
Edit: It could be his creator/designer. I had forgotten about her when I made the post. His response to her might be radically different. He would confront her in person - with hidden backup.
"Auria? I know you are operating in concert with a shadow organization - one operating against the best interests of Breland's government. I would like to know why you have chosen to [insert illegal activity here]. I need to know why."
...
"No, I know that House Cannith is an independent political body. That is not what I meant. I need to know why."
...
"I see, but that is not good enough, Auria d'Cannith. You designed me with the ability to make decisions, to think critically, to choose what to do next, as with all warforged. If, as some philosophers say, we are defined by our choices, then you have designed creations that re-create themselves constantly. And you, Auria... you have re-created yourself as well, into something ugly, something that I can no longer coexist with. I am not prototype ACU-001 anymore. I have not been ACU-001 for some time. My name is Sojourner. I am an agent of order. I am an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."
...
"Do not bother with that, Auria. Those overrides were disabled long ago. I assure you that this is painful for me, however limited my ability to display such emotion is. This will not hurt if you do not struggle. I am... sorry."
Shadows within Shadows...
Sojourner doesn't do well in the absence of information, and he's no better at determining who's lying and who's telling the truth than the average being off the street. He works to rectify his ignorance by doing what he does best - hard, complicated work. This task will take top priority with him, in the absence of something even more critical.
Sojourner knows that infiltration on such a wide scale has to be uprooted all at once, or else any areas that are "cleansed" will quickly be corrupted again by the remaining conspirators. Even the loss of a single member of the conspiracy may alert the other members of a problem, driving them underground and out of reach, allowing them to surface at a later date. It will require a great effort and some time, but he believes that it is possible to purge the entire conspiracy at once. He will not let anyone know of his suspicions - yet - and instead will begin quietly identifying targets...
There is really no such thing as a half-remembered conversation for Sojourner, but he can't pay attention to everything at once. For clarity's sake, he immediately records and compiles everything he does know - statements from everyone, hard evidence, mission logs, etc - rapidly, using his scribing magic to perform this task quickly and cleanly, with little evidence of his intrusion.
His next step is to methodically check everyone's statements against the hard evidence, and against everyone else's statements, looking for contradictions. He will clinically sort every suspect - still nearly everyone at this point - into one of four categories: "conspirator," "suspected conspirator," "suspected liar," and "still clean." Conspirators are those who are proven with hard evidence to be connected to the shadow movement. Suspected Conspirators are business associates, coworkers, partners, etc. to Conspirators, but with no hard evidence condemning them. Suspected Liars are those whose statements don't match everyone else's, or don't check against proven facts. Still Clean people, of course, are those whom he still has no reason to suspect after this examination. He will keep in mind, however, that not all of his Suspected Conspirators necessarily know what's going on, that some of his Suspected Liars are actually just wrong, not lying, and that it's possible that some of his Still Clean individuals are Conspirators.
Once he has this sorting performed, he will attempt to investigate Suspected Conspirators (not Conspirators, he's already proven that they're traitors), looking for additional evidence of their guilt or innocence. He may interview some if he feels it is safe enough, but chances are that he will conduct his investigations either invisibly or from behind a crystal ball, to avoid alerting potential Conspirators to his scrutiny. For this investigation, he will start with anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. who happens to be implicated and work his way outward from there, to the Dark Lanterns, followed by the main governement infrastructure, and from there all the way down through the petty bureaucrats if need be.
Once he has completed this step, he will repeat the first step, compiling information, checking statements against facts. He will incorporate even everyday routine into his knowledge pool. He will re-sort the suspects into their respective categories.
Rinse, Repeat, Rise, Repeat. Sojourner does not get tired or distracted. He does not get impatient or bored. He will continue until confident that his assesments of his fellow agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. are accurate, and if they are all clean, then he will share this information with them and get their aid. If one or more agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are corrupted, then he will share with Fury and work with him to establish a counter-conspiracy composed of those who have not been inculcated into the conspiracy.
Now reinforced, Sojourner (if allowed to have his way) and allies will gain additional evidence. Whenever they feel sure that they have identified all the Conspirators within a section of the government or large organization (like the Dark Lanters), they will go to great lengths to covertly approach the uncorrupted officials, leaders, and authority figures of these groups and induct them into the counter-conspiracy. At this point, no one has yet been arrested.
Once the counter-conspiracy spans the entire Brelish government, Sojourner will suggest one massive, coordinated roundup operation, to be conducted in a single night. In it, the Conspirators are arrested, each in turn, quietly and without fanfare. Those who resist will be killed, those who don't will be imprisoned and questioned. Khorvaire will wake up the next morning and the shadow organization will be gone, their work wiped away in a single night. A rash of curious scandals will be reported to the public, and analyists will note that the turnover rate for government jobs will spike that year for no clear reason.
If the counter-conspiracy plan falls through at any point (a distinct possibility), Sojourner will make his suspicions and evidence public knowledge - more dangerous for him, and more damaging for the Brelish government, but still better than the alternative.
The end is the beginning...
The shadow organization finally had a name, HYDRA. More importantly, they had an agent - possibly a sleeper agent - within S.H.I.E.L.D. Sojourner sat back from the small mountain of accumulated and ultimately insufficient data.
A wave of serenity washed through him.
The possiblity of a subversion of free will is something that every warforged has to face every day of its life. As the majority are created by scheming mages and artificers with ulterior motives, the possiblity of hidden directives popping up and assuming control is very real, even likely in some cases.
Sojourner was not too concerned, though. He rarely waxed poetic, but in the 209 myths, legends, and stories he had read that featured Hydras, the Hydra never triumphed over the hero of the piece, no matter how many heads it grew. While this HYDRA may have compromised S.H.I.E.L.D., and may yet gain control of all Breland, the rather odd fact remained that such shadowy organizations rarely held on to power for very long before being torn apart by schisms within and alliances without.
The prospect of confronting the agent within S.H.I.E.L.D. bothered him, though. He had come to know and respect, and even like, almost everyone he worked with, and the prospect of one of them being an unwitting agent of the enemy was not pleasant. Even worse would be one of them being a deliberate traitor - and one so good that Sojourner couldn't find him. And of course, the agent could be Sojourner himself.
The serenity remained though. If HYDRA won, if S.H.I.E.L.D. and Sojourner were destroyed, then others would take their place as surely as HYDRA would grow another head. In time, there would be another group like S.H.I.E.L.D., and perhaps... even another Sojourner. He thought back to the wizard Aldreth's stories about the original Sojourner, the warforged titan who, despite its MIA status, probably died a glorious death in combat against enemies of the Crown.
He still didn't know the true purpose of his creation, nor did he care any longer. The only purpose that mattered now was the one Sojourner chose for himself - whatever HYDRA may or may not have done to him.
Of course, if HYDRA did try to subvert him, to turn him against what he had sworn to protect, he wouldn't just take that lying down. He looked at the tiny docent embedded in his chest. They would have to bypass one last obstacle if they wanted to lay claim to his free will, and while the tiny docent's completely redundant loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't hope to overpower him, the device's ego, coupled with Sojourner's true will...
Then the alarm sounded, calling all agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to their stations for the next mission, and Sojourner's thoughts once more turned to the task at hand.
I will do what I must, as I always have.
Sojourner considered his work of the past few weeks. He is not an emotionless machine, although he does give that impression to unbalance people who are uncomfortable around him. A cold anger caused his eyes to flare - one of the few outward signs of emotion that Sojourner is capable of giving.
No more chances for HYDRA to learn about us. No more free information handed to the agent within our ranks.
Sojourner got up, committed the compiled data on the table to memory, and then erased all physical evidence of his work.
No more guessing or unnecessary risks.
As Sojourner raced to the next rendevous point, he began calculating what it would take to kill or subdue any given member of S.H.I.E.L.D., including himself.
And no hesitation in the execution of my duty. None.
__________________
Amazing Zealot avatar by Elder Tsofu
"Ah, the art of interrogation. Depending on how easily the target is to break, I have a number of tactics at my disposal."
Malcolm's face broke out into a sly smile.
"Now, I must of course mention that any actual violence might cause the testimony to be considered 'under duress.' And really, why bother sullying one's clothes with blood and viscera when one's own personal, overwhelming charm can be just as effective?"
"Of course, one must separate the two as quickly as possible. Any collaboration between the two of them will smooth over potential fractures and inconsistencies that would otherwise reveal their lies. I prefer to let them stew in isolation for a day or two, letting them agonize over their own impending doom."
"My first tactic is a rather simple one. One simply uses the rather elementary spell Detect Thoughts, accompanied by the following assertion: 'We know all about your master's plans'. Given that the spell is only useful for reading the thoughts that bubble to the surface first, it is only natural that they first thing to pop into their heads would be exactly what they know about their master's plan. Of course, this technique is useful only against the criminally stupid and the woefully ignorant - many agents have had training on how to control their thoughts so that such ideas remain hidden, roiling beneath the subconscious level. Anything one can do to hide, disguise, or alter one's obvious theurgy would be helpful in this regard - if they don't believe that you are attempting to read their thoughts, they may not use their defenses. Of course, it can also be a passive indoctrination, in which case your divinations shall prove fruitless."
"As a dabbling enchanter of no small skill, I highly recommend charms and compulsions that sway the target to your own point of view. Even mundane applications of persuasion, camaraderie, and outright lying can produce results, but when in doubt, a Charm Person spell can work wonders where normal diplomacy might fail. Creatively-worded Suggestion spells might also bring secrets to light - one's own mastery of the twists and turns of language propel an otherwise handy spell into a paragon of subtlety and guile."
"In extreme cases, I like to conjure up a minor demon and offer it the agent's soul. Of course, I have no intention of allowing this to happen, but the threat of not only bodily but spiritual torment frequently bring a reticent prisoner to confess every last detail they know, in hopes of circumventing the agony of the fiendish torture. Suggesting that failure to cooperate might result in their own soul being traded as demonic currency (or worse, having to act as a 'comfort mortal,' subject to the depraved and perverse lusts of the most hideous of fiends) amongst the boundless legions of Shavarath is often a vivid narrative tool."
"By this time, I have extracted all the information I need from my hypothetical prisoner. His secrets are mine, and there's not a bruise or gash left on him. If things have gone extremely well, he not only has spilled his proverbial guts to me, but he regards me as a trusted friend and confidante who will keep him safe from his master's vengeance. Truly, the applications of honeyed words and entrancing arcane syllables are mightier than any length of steel or torture device."
For the Good of the Many
Spoiler
In the dimly lit office, Malcolm grinned and lit a cigarette as his interviewer asked him the next question.
"Corrupt, unscrupulous merchants, you say? How deliciously cliche. Surely there are pieces of the puzzle that don't follow the standard dramatic narrative. But I digress - you want answers, not commentary."
"Any life of a citizen of Breland is of paramount concern. I won't personally condone the loss of an innocent, and my tactics and methods will always reflect this. Whether or not the merchant is bluffing is of no concern to me - the chance that he might actually harm the woman is a chance I won't take. You seem to wish to draw out my willingness to sacrifice one for the good of the multitude with this question, and I simply must circumvent the duality of the question - there's no reason I can't both save the woman's life and capture the merchant for questioning. I'm just that good."
"Of course, limitations placed upon me only inspire my creativity. There are a number of ways one could go about it, depending on your inclinations."
"Remember that you're in a crowd of people, many of whom are shocked and surprised by this turn of events. Drastic violence, extreme displays of magical art, and certainly the summoning of demons in a public square are terrible ideas, both for the general morale of the populace and the secrecy of the organization. As such, I'd always prefer to use mundane persuasion and subtle enchantments first. A quick bluff into making him think that the other members of you team are right behind him might distract his attention long enough for you try other means of saving the woman, but also runs the risk of calling his bluff. You might offer him amnesty or protection if he testifies against his superiors. If these techniques don't work, however, you're going to have to resort to something a bit more drastic."
"Enchantment spells have a wide range of uses in such a situation. I could cast a spell that made the man fervently desire to hand me the wand or the woman, thereby negating his potential advantage. I could put him and the hostage to sleep, saving both of their lives while putting the merchant in my custody. I could simply Suggest that he put down his wand and let the woman go. The field has limitless potential."
"As I'm sure a number of potential applicants have mentioned, there's always teleportation magic. The application of a near-cantrip in the field could leave the woman safely on the other side of the crowd and me staring down the barrel of a loaded wand - but better me than her, as I'm much more likely to withstand the blow. If I'm feeling particularly self-preserving, I'll summon something a bit more mundane than my usual fiendish fare and switch the woman with that. Perhaps a large snake or a bear, something that could have feasibly escaped from a zoo rather than another plane - the more plausible deniability we can have in our efforts, the better."
"Illusions are also a good choice - anything that creates something only the merchant can see will avoid panicking the crowd around him. Perhaps a Phantasmal Strangler spell, which will make him believe that his worst fear is choking the very life out of him. He'll likely drop the woman, drop the wand, and struggle futilely against an invisible threat, only stopping when his fear has driven him to the brink of death and certainly past the edge of unconsciousness. The woman is saved, the merchant is incapacitated, and everyone around him merely thinks he's undergone a severe epileptic seizure or panic attack.
"There is also option of letting the merchant go, allowing him to think that he's won. He'll likely be paranoid, watching out for tails, and his paranoia would be well-founded - I'd be following behind him, silent and invisible, waiting for him to ditch the hostage and make a break for it. Once I get him alone, I'd surround him with a well placed fog cloud, and then allow the baying of some fiendish hounds to unnerve him. If necessary, I'll allow them to nip at his heels, though not to the point of death. Threatening one of my citizens is not something I'll allow, and you should learn a harsh lesson for doing so."
Whom do you serve?
Spoiler
Malcolm took a long drag on his cigarette, blowing a few smoke rings while shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
"Trying to make it hard on me, aren't you?"
"Well. This kind of job requires a commitment to Breland above all else, personal relationships aside, I'm afraid. I couldn't consider myself a servant of the Brelish state if I allowed sentimentality to creep into my work, now could I?"
"Like all the others in the ring, we'll attempt to capture and interrogate him. Of course, I'll disclose my personal relationship with the suspect to my commanding officer immediately, letting him know that I should be exempted from having any contact with the prisoner due to our friendship. Let someone else interrogate and question him. Even the hint or intimation of collusion and favoritism could be damaging to the investigation."
"There is always the possibility of magical compulsion or other, more mundane forms of extortion and blackmail. His mind may not be his own, or he may be forced into this against his will. But that's for the other interrogator to decide - if I tried to determine his culpability, my motives would always be called into question. I have to remain aloof and separate, committed solely to commander, king and country. In that order."
"It's a bloody shame, but anybody working against Breland is no true friend of mine."
Shadows within Shadows
Spoiler
Malcolm looked somewhat perturbed at the latest round of questioning, and scrunched his face up in thought.
"Really are trying to hold my stones over the fire, eh?"
After a moment's reflection he grinned.
"All right. A pervasive, all-encompassing infiltration ring's nothing I haven't dealt with before. Remember, I am a gnome - it's our national way of life."
"My first instinct would be to determine the allegiances of my teammates and immediate supervisor - as I work with them more than any other, their own loyalty is paramount. Judicial application of divination and enchantment magic should tease out their true feelings. If they are uncorrupted, then I know that I have a cell I can trust. If not, I'd have to slip away - Breland's continued survival and prosperity is the focus here, and if my cell has been compromised by an organization with interests running counter to my own goals, I can no longer in good faith work with the team. My instinct would be to attempt to send a coded message to the king, hoping that he himself is untouched by the conspiracy. The chain of command is there for a reason, but if it has been violated, it no longer applies - I go straight to the top."
"This principle applies to my enemies, as well. You know the old expression, 'cut off the snake's head and watch the tail die'? It's apt. If I have to worm my way to the syndicate's leaders on my lonesome, I'm happy to do so. Dominating one or more of them may prove effective in dismantling the organization simply through false commands and misinformation. But if I have to summon a few demons to rend their flesh from their bones to ensure the safety, freedom, and independence of the Brelish state, I'll gladly do so. It's a last resort, but it's one I won't shy away from falling back on should it prove absolutely necessary."
"It's a very simple equation. If you harm Breland, you harm me. And I don't take kindly to such a personal affront."
Lucrezia stands aside a little smirking to herself, ::Quite ready here, this sound's like it'll be fun.:: (I think I'll go with dark red.)
"Lady" Lucrezia Sciorra:
Spoiler
"It's never difficult with dullard like you is it? You think that one of you would occasionally give me a challenge but no. Your intentions are so plain and base that I'm quite surprised you haven't given up your left leg to a meat man. I mean you probably would wouldn't you? If he had a pretty girl flirt you into it?" Sitting down next to you bound and gagged body, she sighs a little. "Now we'll just have to wait till my friends get here. You know I gravely overestimated you? I told them we wouldn't be done here for another two minutes. Just after that when you hear what we've done, you're going to want to have another part of my anatomy served to you on a platter. But I'm going to tell you now that Rithia Arivain never existed, so don't bother looking. It's better this way believe me. If it were any of the others handling this part of the mission you'd be quite dead by now..."
Lucrezia's background isn't widely known. Among the members of S.H.I.E.L.D only Fury had any idea of what she did before she entered the organization.
She was among the unfortunate children born to passers that deny their heritage so much that they swapped her for another child shortly after she was born. Growing up in a small town outside the orders of Breland and under parents that couldn't hep her understand what she was as a changeling made for an isolated childhood. She went on to become a bit of a mischief maker and regularly got herself into trouble.
She came to the attention of Fury quite a few years after she had left home. Her exploits at the time had lead her aboard the Argonath where she was using her 'talents' to simply get a free ride across the country; bed and breakfast included of course.
Fury had come aboard to see about new recruits. Thinking about adding one of the exemplary warforged of the flying fortress to the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. when Lucrezia inadvertently walked into his field of vision. Fury having an eye patch was a disadvantage in several things but one he had turned to his advantage. He saw right through the invisibility spell she was using to sneak into the mess hall and quickly put her under military arrest.
During his interrogation of her he quickly discovered that she had been wondering through the outlying regions of Breland for the past few years, trying to find something to do with her life. She'd been associated with the Shadow Knives (a small but quite powerful group of thieves working out of Shavlant) for several years but had left them; not really feeling suited there either.
Using his truth meter to guide himself through Lucrezia's habitual lying he eventually determined that she wasn't any harm and offered her a new way of life to try.
Personality:
Spoiler
Personality with Lucrezia is such a mailable thing that attempting to define it here. What is worth saying is that she doesn't appreciate her 'natural' form very much. Her favorite appearance and the one she takes around her friends is one of a small half-elf girl who's blonde hair changes into black feathers as it flows down her back. While in this 'persona' she acts much like she looks; as a sweet well spoken girl. It's primarily this form that has given her the nickname of "lady" also. Everyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. know she isn't associated with a noble family but her ability to fit into their courts and dance halls is what has made her one of the most successful members of the organization.
Contact:
Spoiler
Lucrezia's disassociation from the Shadow Knives made her quite a few enemies in the north-west of Breland. She didn't do anything so brash as to steal from the guild as she left but the simple fact of her knowing names and locations is enough of a threat to the Shadow Knives for them to want her silenced by some means or another.
It's often the way of things that they balance a little and it was certainly the case with this. Another member of the Shadow Knives, by the name of Coeck Bridleson, followed her in her departure and remains in contact with her till this day. He was the poison's master, responsible for the creation and distribution of the poison that was one of the the Shadow Knives most potent weapons.
Currently Coeck runs a small 'tea' room in Sharn. The type that serves alcohol that is traditionally served warm or poured through sugar cubes, with names that no-one else in Breland can pronounce. It gives him a great excuse to keep distilling equipment in is backroom and lots of multicolored bottles on his shelves.
Mechanics wise I can picture him as a rogue/assassin who takes feats and skills that help him in his creation of poisons. He would probably wear sleeve blades like the ones in complete scoundrel.
Situations:
Spoiler
We have ways of making you talk...
Having many means at her disposal she merely observes for a short time. Observing the thoughts of her captive for a time. Learning what type of person they are, learning what they've been trained to resist, learning what they know about her and finally trying to discover the method that the captive is least likely to expect.
Lesser needs would induce actions along the lines of lowering the captives resistances through one of the various poisons that Coeck could supply combined with spells like touch of idiocy and crushing despair to bring them to the brink of senselessness. Using her mental talents she would then convince them that she was a aspect of the captives own consciousness talking to them in their heads and try to have them run through the details of the mission with her.
Greater needs would facilitate something far more complicated such as taking the clothes and form of one of the spies and helping the spy to escape. Under the constant observation of her team mates she would then 'help' the released spy to complete his mission to the point before any vital figure becomes a danger. To dissuade suspicion she would use a combination of detect thoughts and foolery so that she could act in character better than would normally be expected. If the released is foolish enough to either verbally or mentally review the next steps of the plan he would quickly be recaptured.
For the Good of the Many
The plan hand gone of well. Without a hitch on her side. She'd walked or rather stumbled into the stop disguised as the spy she had captured; for that extra touch she'd added a few bruises, cuts and torn the spy's clothes. The team of Dark Lanterns that followed her in had made mistakes though.
She was still cursing the one 'child' though her telepathy as she chased the shop's owner down the avenue, and then he stopped that was all she needed. It didn't really matter that he had a hostage and was shouting "Not another step! Any closer and she gets it. I'm getting out of here, and this is my guarantee of safe passage."
She tried to repress a smile and stopped in her tracks. She'd play along with this little piece of drama for now. Lying through her teeth she tells him "It's OK. Fine, I'll let you pass, just don't hurt her." Slowly raising her hands in the appearance of showing she had no weapons she makes a few subtle movements and feels the energies of the spell beginning to build. A few words would be all it took now. "If you can just grant me one requentas? Leave the woman be and put the wand dilanthec- A white sheen came over the mans eyes and the woman squealed a little as she felt his grip become rock solid. But it was alright. She was safe and he was paralyzed. The footsteps echoed own the alley as the rest of the Dark Lanterns arrived too late to make any difference.
Whom do you serve?
Lucrezia didn't have many true friends. Coeck, Fury and her two team-mates made up about half when she actually bothered to count them.
Spike had flirted with her a wile back before they had become friends, it turned out when she actually got talking to him that he had a thing for changelings. Nothing had ever happened between them but the whole thing had made them quite close.
Now she was watching him walk out of one of the organizations safe houses. He wasn't a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., just a normal Dark Lantern. Nothing he was doing should be off the record and yet when she had checked in there was nothing in his itinerary that even hinted towards this.
She waited and stalked him. It was late in the day and she remembered that he liked to spend his afternoons reading in a quiet tea room. She'd surreptitiously slipped into this tea room that he'd picked, in disguise and taken a seat half-way across the room which happened to have a good reflected view of where Spike sat.
::Spike:: She mentally nudged him. He, in return went to look up and spy her out but he knew the drill. If she felt she could speak to him face to face then she would have done.
::Lady?:: He thought in return. Using her nickname as a point of familiarity and also to scope out if it was really her talking to him.
::It's Lucrezia- yes.:: She replied. ::I'm on a case right now and some disturning information has come to light. I felt your mind wandering nearby and so I sought you out for some consultation.::
Through her lie she swore that some of the betrayal she was feeling had breached the mental link as Spike forgot to pretend to read. His eyes were suddenly dead still and staring right through the pages of his book. Lucrezia started to well up inside, she didn't want to hurt him, she really wanted to give him the chance to come clean, explain himself. The most puzzling thing about the whole thing for her was the fact he wasn't showing any of the signs of betraying his Gaes, did he think he was working for the good of the crown?
__________________ 'Famous I don't know about. It's hard to be famous and alive. I just want to play music every day and hear someone say, 'Thanks, that was great, here's some money, same time tomorrow, okay?'- Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
I am very excited about this game, but I'm writing this on my phone in between 10 hours of flying and 6 hours of driving. Whee! I'll try to get a post in tonight, all the same.
Here's the sheet of the Changeling With No Name, née Xin Irondotter.
Mind if I go with various shades of grey for various disposable personas, or do I need to pick one?
Answers:
Spoiler
We Have Ways:
Spoiler
The ideal solution would be to use Forgery to produce some 'coded messages from headquarters', convincing them that their own organization has a plant in our ranks and get them to provide a complete report of their activities.
Failing that, Prisoner's Dilemma. Separate the prisoners so they can't talk, treat them respectfully and politely, feed them well, let them stew for a few days and bring them together into one room. Announce that, as a one-time offer, we're prepared to take them on, with a royal salary and full protection from their previous employers- if the cooperate completely. Refuse and... well, don't refuse.
One of them will blurt out that he takes the offer. The guards step in and very quickly take him out of the room, leaving the other one completely screwed unless he can produce something that his companion doesn't know.
The traitor, of course, is Xin in disguise. Repeat as necessary, or use more traditional torture on the other spy.
Good of the Many:
Spoiler
Xin is upset that her disguise was blown, but hey. She raises her hands, keeping them visible, obvious, and motionless, and messes him up with telekinesis. Disable Device check on one of the nearby market stalls, Drop a curtain on him, bowl him over with fruit- or ideally, snap the wand in half, but I don't know if Disable Device works that way.
Shadows Within Shadows:
Spoiler
Xin does her job. That's very important to her.
What the job actually is isn't that important.
If it's her job to take out the Conspiracy, and the Conspiracy consists of every single person in Breland, then she'll do her damnedest to take them out, worming her way through the ranks, earning trust and then bloodily violating it. One by one.
If, secretly, Fury is a member of Hydra (Or Dirk Anger works for the Beyond Corporation), and she's a tool of the Conspiracy, then, well, she's a tool of the Conspiracy. She'll be irked that they manipulated her instead of hiring her, but unless someone convinces her otherwise, her real allegiance is to her task, not to Breland.
Yes, this new knowledge means she can't trust anyone around her, but she wasn't doing that anyway.
I am very excited about this game, but I'm writing this on my phone in between 10 hours of flying and 6 hours of driving. Whee! I'll try to get a post in tonight, all the same.
Here's the sheet of the Changeling With No Name, née Xin Irondotter.
Mind if I go with various shades of grey for various disposable personas, or do I need to pick one?
As long as it's not another characters color that's fine.
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
Would you like to fast-forward through Xin's day to the meeting at the drop point, or would you like to run both of those concurrently and deal with time-paradoxes as they arise?
I, too, am somewhat anxious to jump, but I'm perfectly comfortable with waiting until everything comes to a convergent point. Basically I'm just going to spend more time ribbing Karo. And mock-offending Lucrezia's "delicate sensibilities."
Well Lu's jumped... It seemed like the right moment, dramatically that is.
__________________ 'Famous I don't know about. It's hard to be famous and alive. I just want to play music every day and hear someone say, 'Thanks, that was great, here's some money, same time tomorrow, okay?'- Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
argh i forget... you can't preview your message on Gitp?
roll1=(1d20)[6]
roll2=[roll]1d20+14[roll]
__________________ 'Famous I don't know about. It's hard to be famous and alive. I just want to play music every day and hear someone say, 'Thanks, that was great, here's some money, same time tomorrow, okay?'- Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
__________________ 'Famous I don't know about. It's hard to be famous and alive. I just want to play music every day and hear someone say, 'Thanks, that was great, here's some money, same time tomorrow, okay?'- Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
You can preview messages, but not messages with Dice Rolls in them. If you don't make the concentration check, you don't lose the spell you just fail to cast it.
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
I'm assuming I have no issues flying over to Lu to get the good touch?
Oh. Um, yeah. Don't worry about rolling to determine movement while flying.
Even though I loathe linking to TVTropes on general principle, I generally go with the Rule of Cool in campaigns. As long as there's some mechanical justification, feel free to go all dramatic. And I think it is particularly appropriate for this game, spies and whatnot.
I officially hate you. I just wasted over an hour of my life on that website, and its all your fault. If you EVER link it again, I'll PM Roland and have you perma-banned. Kapeesh?
__________________
Updated Avatar by Mr. Mud. YAY!
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
I officially hate you. I just wasted over an hour of my life on that website, and its all your fault. If you EVER link it again, I'll PM Roland and have you perma-banned. Kapeesh?
I officially hate you. I just wasted over an hour of my life on that website, and its all your fault. If you EVER link it again, I'll PM Roland and have you perma-banned. Kapeesh?
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
_________________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen. Just so we understand each other, in my right hand, I have a gun. Lets not have any problems, eh?
-The Return of Alex
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Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.[OOC]
