Operation Black - A Supernatural Spy Thriller

[Xurtan]

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
- Hamlet, Act I, Scene V

MI6 was created in 1909. The CIA, 1947. Mossad, 1949. There are countless others, both known and those undoubtedly still secret--the existence of MI6 was not officially acknowledged until 1994. One thing each has in common is knowledge of the clear advantage intelligence gives you. It allows you to act from a position of power, with full awareness of continued threats. These micro-societies exist separate from civilian life, they live in a world cloaked in shadow, and drowning in blood. The Cold War? Over. The War On Terror? Over for you, at least. You used to live in one of these societies, these secret places between worlds. Always with a smile for one group and a bullet for another; sometimes you were even sure which was which.

You used to uncover secrets, or maybe kill to keep them. You used to serve your country in the shadows, doing things--or stopping things--that couldn't be shown in daylight or on the evening news. Then... you stopped. Maybe you got tired, or maybe you got burned, or maybe you got out while you could.

But you didn't go into the daylight. Not just yet. You stayed in the shadows, in Europe's deniable underground networks of crime and conflict, but you did it on your terms. You did a few ops, and you asked fewer questions. You worked for money in secret accounts, and for people you didn't know. Nothing really changed, and at the same time everything had. The missions you took on still couldn't be shown in daylight or on the evening news--the difference was the people you took them from. Because it turns out, they couldn't be shown in daylight either. Because they were vampires.

And now you know. And they know that you know.

Vampires exist. What can they do? Who do they own? Where is safe? How much is legend, and what is the truth? You don't know those answers yet. So you'd better start asking questions and picking targets. You have to trace the bloodsucker's operations, penetrate their networks, follow their trail, and target their weak points. Because if you don't hunt them, they will hunt you. And they will kill you. Or worse. 

Now you must mount your own shadow war, on a secret terror that only you know exists. Stay alert, and stay awake. It's going to be a long night. 

Intrigued? Good. You'll need that interest to survive. This is a game of conspiracy and intelligence. You'll need your wits, your knowledge, and a healthy dose of paranoia to stay one step ahead of your enemies. Investigation will play a key point, as will guile and subtlety. A few smart skills will help keep you in the game... and a light finger on a trigger never hurt anyone.

In this game you will create a character who existed within the shadowy quagmire of the intelligence division. Perhaps you worked for CIRO as an intelligence analyst. Maybe you were an agent for the FSB. Did you work as a bagman? Did you handle bang and burns? It could be that you were a cobbler, or even an agent-in-place. You may have even just been someone that was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Whatever the case, you are shaped by these experiences. You have a certain skill set that allows you to do things others wouldn't. You enter a room and look for the exits, you do background checks on your friends. You have several identities or safe houses. While not all of this may apply to your character, some of it should. You should have had access to intelligence that a civilian wouldn't, and would have had to deal with certain expectations and levels of stress above and beyond the norm.

That is who you are. That is where you begin. Now your life is on the line and it is going to take all of your considerable talents to survive... in Operation Black.





Q: What section of the forums will the game be placed in?
A: The game will be placed within Extreme. While I don't predict the game to have a large focus on sex, seduction tactics as well as torture are practically time honored traditions among the intelligence community. How rough things get will largely depend on how the game unfolds and the decisions of the players. 

Q: Is this a system game?
A: Sort of. We'll be using a cannibalized version of several systems--notably OVA, Night's Black Agents, and the Storyteller systems to create characters, but any dice rolling will be behind the scenes and solely to keep some randomness and spontaneity to scenes. Players will not need to be concerned with the rules at all. The full character creation will be listed within this thread, so just follow along with it and you'll be fine. 

Q: Who is the RP open to?
A: Anyone is welcome to come in and make a character. Gay, straight, bi, male, female, gelatinous cube... Okay, maybe not the last one unless you're a gelatinous cube that wants to write a human. But the point remains.

Q: Can I get the elevator pitch?

A: Players take on the role of experienced spies, analysts, mercenaries, and others familiar with the 'dark side' of the world. To this, they discover vampires are real... and not at all happy about that fact being known. It will have a heavy focus on investigation, and require players to use their strengths in thoughtful, creative ways to stay one step ahead of the enemy... and survive. Though experienced, the players are mortal. Fighting the supernatural head on is generally not recommended.

Q: What about a setting tldr?
A: The setting is largely similar to our own. Events may have been influenced or otherwise changed due to the existence of the supernatural, but they still unfolded the same. The game takes place in the modern world in the year 2022, and will for the most part play out in European countries--not to say that you can't play an American. If you have specific questions regarding the setting that aren't answered further in, feel free to ask. 

Q: Is it structured or sandbox?
A: The game is closer to structured than not, though how events play out is very much up in the air--it's just hard to be fully sandbox when missions will take place in different cities, and enemies may not be far behind.

Q: To what extent will players be allowed to create/use environment or setting details?
A: Though any large changes should be discussed with me, I'm fine with minor things such as 'this building or store exists', there's a phone booth here, etc. In regards to combat, in general your best bet is make 'assumptive' posts, wherein you do something without confirming the effect; describing what you intend/want to happen.   

Q: How many characters may a player have?
A: One.

Q: How much sexual activity is likely to occur or is expected, if any?
A: Though the game itself does not necessarily have a strong sexual focus, it is still E. Should it add to the game and make sense for the scene I wouldn't rule out non-con scenes or general sex with NPCs, and I do encourage players to form bonds between them.

Q: Will PvP be allowed?
A: Though you may not trust each other immediately, you need each other to survive. Attacking your allies tends to be frowned upon.

Q: Will we be using Face Claims?
A: Yes. Live Action.

Q: Can there be only one player of each Background?
A: To keep the player's skill sets relatively unique, yes.

Q: Will there be player advancement?
A: Yes. Details as they become relevant.

Q: How will we be using abilities, if we're not rolling?
A: Largely, simply mention that you are using it or want to use it in your post and I'll relay relevant information back if the ability fits. A narrative argument for how something works would not be a bad idea, if it might be a stretch. This doesn't need to be a blatant 'I use Shooting', either, as long as your post contains you shooting, it's obvious what your intent is, etc.




Q: Will there be a Co-Director?
A: At this time, no. If someone is especially enthused and wishes to volunteer, I would consider it.

Q: How will NPC's be handled?
A: Plot NPCs will be handled by myself. If you would like to appropriate one for a short scene, contact me. Equally, if they are non-plot important you may do as you wish. EG, if you wish to write a scene with a 'friend' or a 'barista', etc.

Q: How active will the Director be?
A: I try to be fairly active and, if nothing else, am always available via PM--I strive to answer PMs within a day and will inform people if I will be away. If you need to contact me quickly I can almost always be reached on discord at Xurtan#3487.

Q: What are the expectations for thread use?
A: Ideally, everyone will post in the Event thread. Director posts will be every 5 days, and the scene will move on with or without you. I encourage chatter in the OOC thread.

Q: What are the expectations for player activity?
A: Beyond the above, I'd only ask that you don't leave people hanging. If you don't post within three 'rounds' of Director posting, I will be PMing you. Please mention in OOC if you are going to be absent.

Q: Can I contact you with questions?
A: Absolutely, please do!

Q: How will decisions be resolved?
A: The Director has final say, but I will listen to all sides if anyone has feedback or wishes to see something particular ran or included.

Q: Will this be first come, first serve?

A: No.

Q: How will you be choosing players?
A: I want consistency and enthusiasm. I will be looking at post history and getting a feel for your writing style and speed, but the most important thing is respecting both myself and the other players with the commitment you've chosen to take on. Beyond that, I'll be looking for characters that seem like they'll be fun to interact with and will push the story forward. The big thing I don't want to see is posts that are fully internal monologue within Event threads. If you wish to do so in side-threads, fine, but in an Event thread I'd like to see posts that add to the story and push the plot. Give me and the other players things to respond to! I'll be looking for such things in your history, and judging primarily based off of that. I truly am sorry if this seems harsh, but I want the best game for everyone involved, and a lot of what causes games to fail is a lack of consistency.

Q: How many players will you choose?
A: Likely 4-5. I will be playing a PC as well, and I'd like a few others on the trip with me. We'll see how applications end up looking.

Q: When I'm done with my character concept or final sheet, should I PM it to you or post it in the thread?
A: PM it to me, please.




I like to keep rules short and sweet. In general, don't be a dick out of character. If you have a problem or question, come to me. Beyond that...

• Do not Godmode.
• Give people enough to respond to in your post.
• If you have an issue with another player, come to me.
• If you have a question, come to me.
• Be respectful of everyone's time, and remember that we're all human.
• Avoid out of character drama.
• Posts should be in third person.

"Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
While night'’s black agents to their prey do rouse."
- Macbeth, Act III, Scene II

[Xurtan]

This is a slimmed down, cannibalized version of several character creation systems. It's going to be very loose, primarily based on a mere handful of decisions that need to be made. Mostly, what we play will be diceless freeform. The main main things you need to track will be Health--you start with 4 , which is already noted within the character sheet code (if you boost it with points, be sure to update your total).   

1) The first thing you need to consider is what Background you wish to take; there are enough that there's no reason to have more than one character per. Look at the options below, and select one.

2) Browse the Investigation and General lists and decide where you wish to assign your points, keeping in mind half of your point pool for each must come from your Background's Primary list. All others may be freely assigned. 

3) Decide if you want to use magic or not. If you choose not to you receive an extra 5 points to spend anywhere you like (keeping to the max rating available for each category). If you wish to use magic, consult that section... and know that you take your own sanity in your hands. 

4) Fill out the background questions on the character sheet; select an FC.

Analyst

Title: Analyst

Description: Almost all modern spy work involves sifting through the immense amount of data available to come to some kind of useful conclusion. Much of this information isn’t classified or stolen, or even picked up by spy satellites: newspapers, periodicals, and the Internet provide oceans of raw opensource intelligence (OSINT) that a good analyst can turn into useful product for his government. An analyst might also work for a university, newspaper, or strategic-studies think tank, either under cover or simply providing government quality intelligence to the private sector. Analysts have good minds for pattern matching; this might manifest in mathematical ability, musical creativity, or just low-level paranoia.

Example Career Titles: MI5 threat analyst, Deutsche Bank econometrician, European Parliament staffer, deputy CIA station chief, journalist for Dagens Nyheter, French Air Force operational analyst

Primary Investigative Abilities: Data Recovery, Languages, Research, Traffic Analysis
Primary General Abilities: Digital Intrusion, Network, Preparedness, Sense Trouble, Surveillance

Asset Handler

Title: Asset Handler

Description: Intelligence agencies get human intelligence (HUMINT) from all manner of sources, willing and coerced, knowing and duped. These sources are called “assets,” and the agent who keeps them all supplying intel is their “runner” or “handler.” Asset handlers have to juggle carrots and sticks, avoid getting involved with their assets’ lives while solving their problems, and always keep an eye out for more potential recruits. Since they actually have to meet their assets on occasion, they have to be better than average at avoiding surveillance.

Example Career Titles: CIA or MI6 case officer, SVR "journalist" under cover, Italian ROS major running Mafia snitches, French DRM intelligence officer monitoring warlord activity in Bosnia

Primary Investigative Abilities: Bullshit Detector, Intimidation, Negotiation, Reassurance
Primary General Abilities: Cover, Sense Trouble, Shrink, Surveillance

Bagman

Title: Bagman

Description: In the immortal words of Deep Throat, “Follow the money.” Clandestine operations and criminal organizations both depend on flows of untraceable cash, either electronically or in the good old-fashioned metal briefcase. Either way, the bagman’s watchwords are “keep it secret, keep it safe.”

Example Career Titles: Iranian VEVAK terrorist paymaster, American OTFI agent monitoring SWIFT transactions in Switzerland, FSB obschak ("book-keeper") collecting tribute from Russian mafiya rings, Camorra money launderer in Monaco

Primary Investigative Abilities: Accounting, Bullshit Detector, Intimidation, Negotiation
Primary General Abilities: Conceal, Digital Intrusion, Sense Trouble, Surveillance

Bang-and-Burner

Title: Bang-and-Burner

Description: “Bang and burn” jobs involve sabotage, usually through demolitions or arson. This skill set translates with unnerving ease to EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) and arson investigation. Bang-and-burners set and disarm everything from booby traps to car bombs to shipscuttling charges.

Example Career Titles: IRA or ETA bomb-builder, Albanian mafia arsonist, Polish Army combat engineer, Special Branch bomb disposal expert

Primary Investigative Abilities: Architecture, Chemistry, Criminology, Intimidation
Primary General Abilities: Conceal, Explosive Devices, Infiltration, Mechanics

Black Bagger

Title: Black Bagger

Description: A “black bag job” is FBI slang for a breaking-and-entry intrusion, usually intended to copy (or steal) documents or plant bugs or wiretaps. British spies often call break-in artists “box men,” a term originating in Victorian criminal slang. By any name, it’s burglary.

Example Career Titles: Cat burglar on the Riviera, Bundespolizei museum security specialist, DGSE or Mossad covert entry specialist, NSA contractor

Primary Investigative Abilities: Data Recovery, Electronic Surveillance, Photography, Streetwise
Primary General Abilities: Conceal, Digital Intrusion, Filch, Infiltration

Cleaner

Title: Cleaner

Description: The cleaner removes evidence of covert activity from the scene. Sometimes that evidence is just fingerprints or surveillance tapes; sometimes, it’s bloodstains or corpses. This Background, especially, combines well with others; it’s a good, useful skill set for any covert operative. A cleaner’s abilities also come in handy when removing a living person from the scene, either willingly or involuntarily in “hostile extractions.”

Example Career Titles: FSB mobile in the Interior Ministry, Special Branch security operative, Camorra-connected trucking supervisor in Naples, Bulgarian NIS officer handling "renditions" for the CIA

Primary Investigative Abilities: Bureaucracy, Cop Talk, Criminology, Urban Survival
Primary General Abilities: Conceal, Disguise, Driving, Explosive Devices, Infiltration, Stability

Cobbler

Title: Cobbler

Description: In British spy lingo, the cobbler makes “shoes” — false passports, visas, identity documents, and so forth. In an increasingly digital age, it’s good to see solid hand-craftsmanship rewarded. These abilities also point toward counterfeiting, or any sort of image or document manipulation, as well as toward stopping such behaviors.

Example Career Titles: MI6 or SVR documentation expert, Nigerian facilitator for human traffickers, Interpol document-security officer, Italian Guardia di Finanza customs inspector

Primary Investigative Abilities: Bureaucracy, Forgery, Photography
Primary General Abilities: Cover, Digital Intrusion, Disguise, Infiltration, Mechanics

Cuckoo

Title: Cuckoo

Description: The cuckoo lays its eggs in another bird’s nest, convincing the stranger to raise its chicks. Agents with this Background specialize in social infiltration; they may be “face men,” long-con grifters, or former moles or sleepers planted in an enemy agency or society by their patron. This Background blends very well with Asset Handler.

Example Career Titles: CIA Deep cover agent of influence, SVR "swallow" trained to lure Western men into "honey traps," BND-sponsored journalist, Iranian VEVAK agent monitoring dissident expats, scoundrel preying on lonely hearts in the Greek islands, MI6 "talent spotter" looking for foreigner targets vulnerable to blackmail or recruitment

Primary Investigative Abilities: Flattery, Flirting, High Society, Reassurance
Primary General Abilities: Cover, Disguise, Filch, Gambling, Sense Trouble

Hacker

Title: Hacker

Description: The 21st-century box man does his breaking and entering over fiberoptic cable and wireless networks. A clandestine-ops hacker alters data as well as steals it, suborning systems rather than crashing them. Real-world hacking depends at least as much on social engineering — working on human weaknesses — as it does on cybernetic savvy and l337 coding skillz. This Background combines particularly well with the Analyst, the Black Bagger, or the Wire Rat.

Example Career Titles: Ukrainian industrial-espionage contractor, GCHQ codes-and-signals "wrangler," Swiss bank financial security specialist, IDF Unit 8200 cyberwarfare programmer, freelance American computer security specialist

Primary Investigative Abilities: Cryptography, Data Recovery, Electronic Surveillance, Traffic Analysis, Urban Survival
Primary General Abilities: Digital Intrusion, Disguise, Infiltration, Mechanics

Investigator

Title: Investigator

Description: This is the straightforward, meat-and-potatoes sort of agent: given a problem, he tries to solve it. Sometimes that involves calling in the law or backup; sometimes it involves calling in a wet worker to “resolve” it; sometimes it involves calling in a Predator drone to really, really “resolve” it. Many investigators are reactive rather than proactive: counter-terror, counterintelligence, counter-organized crime.

Example Career Titles: MI5 or FSB field agent, French National Police inspector, Italian special anti-Mafia magistrate's officer, Triad fixer

Primary Investigative Abilities: Bureaucracy, Cop Talk, Interrogation, Law, Notice
Primary General Abilities: Disguise, Hand-to-Hand, Infiltration, Sense Trouble, Surveillance

Medic

Title: Medic

Description: It’s not just about the healing, although it’s mostly about that. It’s also about the truth serum administering, or the talking agents out of (or into) collapsing, or the spotting viral-biological threats before they hit the headlines, or the figuring out just what killed all those Triad thugs.

Example Career Titles: Scotland Yard forensic pathologist, CIA "shrinker" or MI6 "inquisitor", GSG 9 trauma medic, Paris or Naples EMT, US Navy corpsman, WHO or Médecins Sans Frontières hematologist, Russian Army biologial warfare specialist

Primary Investigative Abilities: Bullshit Detector, Chemistry, Diagnosis, Forensic Pathology, Interrogation, Pharmacy
Primary General Abilities: Medic, Shrink

Mule

Title: Mule

Description: A mule specializes in taking things from one side of a border to another: drugs, girls, fellow agents, antiquities, defectors, stolen cars, a mysterious silver briefcase, you name it. Many mules are part of a long family line of smugglers, especially in the clan-riven Balkans and Middle East; others are part of a wide network of criminals organized along vaguely ethnic lines. Still others work for specific agencies at specific border crossings; a few have good enough cover to get them across multiple borders multiple times. This Background combines well with Watcher to create a “tourist” or “lamplighter,” a long-term surveillance artist assigned to a highly mobile, high-value target.

Example Career Titles: Serbian human trafficker for the Naša Stvar, bent Spanish SVA customs officer, Israeli mafia Ecstasy smuggler, SVR "oil engineer" under commercial cover, bent Louvre art restorer, MI6 "bride" courier taking documents to an agent in a denied area

Primary Investigative Abilities: Bureaucracy, Forgery, Negotiation, Outdoor Survival, Urban Survival, Streetwise
Primary General Abilities: Conceal, Driving, Piloting, Surveillance

Muscle

Title: Muscle

Description: Security and intelligence agencies usually use ex-military types for bodyguarding, general guarding, and the occasional “put the fear of Sarkozy into them” type mission, or to run interference on ops where the other side will be heavily armed and ready to throw down. Military intelligence agencies don’t even have to go as far as ex-military types.

Example Career Titles: GRU or Carabineri NCO, ex-Bundeswehr mercenary in Bosnia, ex-Spetsnax bodyguard for the Tverskaya Bratva, DGSE "Active", MI6 "scalphunter", CIA paramilitary asset, FSB "nursemaid" for potential defectors

Primary Investigative Abilities: Interrogation, Intimidation, Military Science, Outdoor Survival, Urban Survival
Primary General Abilities: Athletics, Hand-to-Hand, Shooting, Weapons

Watcher

Title: Watcher

Description: Also called an “eyeball,” a watcher usually comes out of counter-intelligence, and specializes in surveillance. Although electronic options are ever improving, the integrated system of shoe leather and retina still works more reliably and flexibly than any other. Watchers hang out in the generic-looking van down the street, maintain foot or rolling coverage, set up “picket coverage” to monitor choke points, and ideally keep the target in a “floating box” with watchers on all sides. This background cross-trains well with Muscle, amplifies Wire Rat or Investigator, and (added to Wet Worker) makes a good cinematic assassin.

Example Career Titles: MI5 or FSB "pavement artists," Camorra "nightingale" lookout, Cannes or Berlin paparazzo, private detective

Primary Investigative Abilities: Electronic Surveillance, Notice, Photography, Tradecraft, Urban Survival
Primary General Abilities: Disguise, Infiltration, Driving, Surveillance

Wet Worker

Title: Wet Worker

Description: The charmers in the KGB’s old Special Bureau 13 coined the term mokroye delo (“wet work”) to refer to assassinations. Neither the term nor the task is exclusive to the Russians: even agencies legally restricted from carrying out assassinations and executive murders hire plausibly deniable cut-outs to do it for them.

Example Career Titles: GSG 9 sniper, FSB or Mossad assassin, Camorra hit man, IRA "hard boy."

Primary Investigative Abilities: Intimidation, Streetwise, Urban Survival
Primary General Abilities: Shooting, Weapons, Hand-to-Hand, Surveillance

Wheel Artist

Title: Wheel Artist

Description: Defensive, security, and stunt driving courses are not entirely uncommon, in Europe or America. Europe also has thriving motor sports, film, and kidnapping industries, all of which produce excellent drivers. While the dedicated “wheel man” is more usual in criminal conspiracies than intelligence ops, clandestine missions likewise depend on speedy exits when they don’t go entirely as planned. This Background is a double threat with Watcher or Mule.

Example Career Titles: Union Corse car thief, GDSE "Action Division" driver, U.S. Diplomatic Security driver, Deutsche Bank-provided chauffeur

Primary Investigative Abilities: Cop Talk, Streetwise, Urban Survival
Primary General Abilities: Driving, Mechanics, Piloting

Wire Rat

Title: Wire Rat

Description: In the clandestine world technical experts, as distinct from hackers, are almost always “nuts and bolts” electronics specialists, with a side of metal shop. Building bugs or guns into innocuous objects is another wire rat specialty in spy thrillers, as is general gadgeteering. This Background works well not only combined with the Hacker but with the Black Bagger: cutting alarms and cameras is the first half of breaking and entering. It supercharges Bang-and-Burners and Watchers.

Example Career Titles: GRU or DGSE comms expert, Interpol security systems consultant, Metropolitan Police CCTV installer, MI6 bug-sweeping "ferret," Mossad technical services officer, USIA radio engineer

Primary Investigative Abilities: Chemistry, Data Recovery, Electronic Surveillance, Notice
Primary General Abilities: Conceal, Digital Intrusion, Infiltration, Mechanics, Preparedness

[Xurtan]

When creating your character, you will be given points to spend on abilities of your choice. The modifiers are representations of how good with an ability you are, ranging from Average (+1), to Fair (+2), to Good (+3), to Great (+4). Players will also start with 1 rating in the Tradecraft and Streetwise Investigation abilities, as well as 3 points in Cover and Network. 

A Note On Abilities: This is not an exhaustive list of everything your character can do. Largely, these are lists of things you learned 'on the job', things that will make your life easier, and things that you will want to call upon during play. But your characters are living, breathing people with their own hopes and dreams and hobbies and fears and weaknesses. You're encouraged to introduce those throughout play, and really show who your character is. Is he afraid of spiders? Is she a fantastic painter? What about a fondness for books? Start considering ideas now, as some of these will be asked in the character sheet itself.

Within Investigation abilities you have 6 points to spend as you please with the caveat that half (3) of them must go into abilities that fall within your Background's Primary Investigation Abilities, and that no individual Investigation ability may go above 4.   

Investigation

Accounting:

You understand bookkeeping and accountancy procedures; you can read and keep financial records. You can:

„ tell legitimate businesses from criminal enterprises
„ reconstruct financial histories from old records (uncovering, say, slave-trading or smuggling)
„ spot the telltale signs of embezzlement, bribes, blackmail, or shell companies
„ track payments to their source
„ launder funds and set up numbered accounts
„ interact with bankers and money launderers as a professional equal


Archaeology:

You excavate and study the structures and artifacts of historical cultures and civilizations. You can:

„ tell how long something has been buried and date its construction
„ identify artifacts by culture and usage
„ distinguish real artifacts from fakes
„ navigate inside ruins and catacombs, including finding secret doors and hidden construction
„ describe the customs of ancient or historical cultures
„ spot well-disguised graves and underground hiding places
„ interpret site maps and archaeological dig records
„ estimate the market value of, and likely customers for, a smuggled artifact
„ interact with archaeologists and museum curators as a professional equal


Architecture:

You know how buildings (and infrastructure generally) are designed and constructed. You can:

„ guess what lies around the corner while exploring an unknown structure or sewer system
„ deduce or discover where sewer, power, phone, cable, and gas lines enter or pass beneath a structure, and trace them within it
„ rough out a floor plan and interpret blueprints
„ judge the relative strength of building materials
„ identify a building’s age, architectural style, original use, and history of modifications
„ deduce the existence of hidden rooms, bricked-over sewers, or secret crypts
„ construct stable makeshift structures
„ identify elements vital to the structural integrity of buildings, sewers, dams, or bridges
„ interact with architects and civil engineers as a professional equal


Art History:

You’re an expert on works of art (including the practical arts such as furniture and pottery) from an aesthetic and technical point of view. You can:

„ distinguish real works from fakes
„ tell when something has been retouched or altered
„ identify the age of an object by style and materials
„ accurately estimate the price of, and likely customers for, an objet d’art
„ call to mind historical details on artists and those around them
„ call to mind details of stolen or missing artworks
„ interact with art collectors and museum curators as a professional equal


Astronomy:

You study celestial objects, including the stars and planets. You can:

„ decipher astrological texts
„ recall the phase of the moon and time of sunset and sunrise without looking it up
„ use a telescope, including large reflectors
„ plot the movement of stars and planets, including which ones are overhead at any given time
„ predict eclipses, comets, meteor showers, and other regular astronomical phenomena
„ calculate flight paths for ballistic missiles or rockets


Bullshit Detector:

Not all lies are verbal. You can tell when a person is attempting to project a false impression through body language, using the human capacity to judge and sense motives and character. Basically, this ability allows you to tell if someone is lying to you, and make a decent guess about their motives. This doesn’t tell you what they’re lying about, specifically, or see through their lies to the truth. This ability works best on nervous, guilty, or unpracticed liars, especially civilians or petty criminals. Certain individuals — con men, actors, expert deep-cover agents, professional gamblers, and similar — may be so adept at lying that they never set off your built-in lie detector, or overload it by being “always on.” Some people believe their own falsehoods. Psychopathic and sociopathic personality types and brainwashed vampire cultists lie reflexively and without shame, depriving you of the telltale tics and gestures you use to sense when a person is deceiving you. Many of the undead, or those who have tasted their blood and been changed, will occasionally “read wrong,” but will similarly fail to send any useful signals to a human watcher. You can also use this ability to cold-read a mark for fortune-telling scams, phony séances or mentalist acts, and the like.


Bureaucracy:

You know how to navigate a bureaucratic organization, whether it’s a government office or a large corporation. You know how to get what you want from it in an expeditious manner, and with a minimum of ruffled feathers. You can:

„ convince officials to provide sensitive or inconvenient information
„ gain credentials on false pretenses
„ find the person who really knows what’s going on
„ develop and maintain contacts within a bureaucracy with which you have regular dealings
„ locate offices and files
„ borrow equipment or supplies
„ convince third parties subject to a bureaucracy that you have a legitimate work order or request

Bureaucracy is not a catch-all information gathering ability. Bureaucrats wish to convey the impression that they are busy and harried, whether or not they actually are. Most take a profound, secret joy in directing inquiries elsewhere. When characters attempt to use Bureaucracy to gain information more easily accessible via other abilities (such as Research), their contacts simply lose the request and go to lunch early. For a contact who will really stick their neck out (so to speak), use the Network ability.


Chemistry:

You’re trained in the analysis and manipulation of chemical substances, and have a working knowledge of such related sciences as biochemistry, genetics, geology, and metallurgy. Given suitable lab facilities, you can:

„ among a wide variety of other materials, identify drugs, pharmaceuticals, toxins, and viruses
„ create simple explosives, incendiaries, poisons, gases, and acids
„ analyze unknown substances, soil samples, minerals, alloys, compounds, gene sequences, etc.
„ match samples of dirt or vegetation from a piece of evidence to a scene
„ perform chemical document analysis on ink or paper
„ safely handle (or knowledgeably advise against handling at all) hazardous materials
„ interact with physical scientists and lab techs as a professional equal


Cop Talk:

You know how to speak the lingo of the police, and to make them feel confident and relaxed in your presence. You may be a current or former cop (or national police agent), or simply pose as the kind of person they immediately identify as a solid, trustworthy citizen. You can:

„ coolly ply cops for confidential information
„ get excused for minor infractions
„ imply that you are a colleague, authorized to participate in their cases
„ tell when a cop is lying to you or holding something back


Criminology:

You study crimes, and the methods for solving crimes, from laboratory techniques to psychological profiling. You can:

„ recall details of past art thefts, bank robberies, serial murders, and everything in between
„ plan a criminal enterprise successfully
„ make accurate guesses as to the upbringing and pathology of criminals or killers based on their known modus operandi
„ predict criminals’ future actions based on their past behavior, researched or observed
„ detail or predict the organizational structure, leadership, and activities of known organized crime rings
„ note relationships between objects at a crime scene, reconstructing sequences of events
„ transfer, take, and match fingerprints using the naked eye or software; you are familiar with all major fingerprint databases
„ match typewritten materials to a given machine, handwriting to a known sample, tire tracks to specific models or vehicles, etc.
„ bag and tag objects for forensic analysis without contaminating your samples
„ perform ballistics and gunpowder analysis of bullets or other residue
„ perform blood and fiber tests on crime scene evidence


Cryptography:

You’re an expert in the making and breaking of codes in any language you can read, from the simple ciphers of oldschool espionage to the supercomputer algorithms of the present day. Shown a code, you can guess who might be using it. Given some time and a dictionary, you may be able to puzzle out foreign alphabets, translating languages by brute force.


Data Recovery:

You use computer and electronic technology to retrieve and enhance seemingly inaccessible information or imagery on hard drives and other media. You can:

„ recover hidden, erased, or corrupted computer files
„ increase the clarity of audio recordings, zeroing in on desired elements
„ strip and read data from key cards, SIM cards, RFID tags, and similar media
„ miraculously find detailed, high-resolution images within a blurry video image or pixilated JPEG
„ interpret and enhance spy plane and satellite imagery intel (IMINT), or even provide a real-time feed from a series of satellite downlinks

Actually tasking a spy plane or satellite involves either Digital Intrusion, or calling on your Network. Simply discovering information (including commercial satellite imagery) in a computer or electronic database is Research; illicit use of a protected computer system or database is Digital Intrusion.


Diagnosis:

You diagnose human disease, injuries, poisonings, and physical frailties, and may be broadly acquainted with veterinary medicine as well. At a rating of 2 or more, you may have a medical license. You can:

„ diagnose diseases, poisonings, and other ailments
„ prescribe treatment for a treatable condition
„ deliver a baby
„ identify the extent and cause of an unconscious person’s trauma
„ detect when a person is suffering from a physically debilitating condition such as drug addiction, pregnancy, or malnutrition
„ establish a person’s general level of health
„ identify medical abnormalities
„ understand medical jargon
„ interact with medical professionals as a peer

At the Director’s discretion, you may be trained in a more complex specialty, as well as the sort of general practice indicated here. The Director may or may not allow very elementary Forensic Pathology (“the killer used a blunt instrument; death was instantaneous”) with this ability.


Electronic Surveillance:

You’re adept at the use of sound and video recording equipment to gather intelligence. Given proper gear, you can:

„ trace phone calls and GPS signals
„ plant secret listening devices or hidden cameras
„ create ad hoc listening devices using cell phones or other street technology
„ locate secret listening devices, sensors, or cameras planted by others
„ make high-quality audio and video recordings
„ enhance the quality of audio and video recordings, isolating chosen sounds or images

Actually tapping a phone line or fiber-optic cable requires an Investigative use of Mechanics. Evading electronic surveillance systems is almost always an Infiltration focus.


Flattery:

You’re good at getting people to help you by complimenting them, as subtly or blatantly as they prefer. You can quickly size up someone in conversation and discern areas of pride or of hidden shame (both susceptible to your approach). You can get them to:

„ reveal information
„ perform minor favors
„ regard you as trustworthy


Flirting:

You’re adept at winning cooperation from people who find you sexually attractive. You can quickly size up someone in conversation and develop a notion of their specific romantic or sexual tastes. You can get them to:

„ reveal information
„ help you in small ways
„ date you

You can also spot romantic or sexual attractions or connections between other people by watching them interact. It’s up to you whether a high rating in Flirting means that you are physically alluring, winning and charismatic, or simply exude a sexual magnetism unrelated to your looks.


Forensic Pathology:

You study crime scenes and perform autopsies on deceased subjects to determine their cause and circumstances of death. You can use skeletal evidence to reconstruct the physical details (age, sex, medical condition, sometimes occupation) of the deceased. Among other things, your examination can identify:

„ the nature of the weapon or weapons used on the victim, if any
„ the approximate time of death
„ the presence of intoxicants or other foreign substances in the bloodstream or on the skin
„ the contents of the victim’s last meal

In many cases, you can:

„ reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the victim’s death from the arrangement of wounds on the body
„ determine time (and sometimes place) of death by studying the insects at the scene (or the eggs and larvae in the body)
„ perform DNA analysis on samples found at crime scenes, matching them to samples taken from targets


Forgery:

You fake things. Given time, originals (or good images), suitable materials, and work space, you can:

„ create a false passport, driving license, visa, or other government credential
„ forge handwriting with a sample to work from
„ fake a book, pamphlet, newspaper, or other published work
„ forge a painting, sculpture, or other objet d’art
„ artificially age paper and ink
„ spot forgeries, and make intelligent deductions about the forger
„ undetectably open and re-seal a sealed envelope, document pouch, or other “soft” container
„ create an attractive, if uninspired, work of art on a subject of your choosing

For every rating point you have in Forgery, you may declare that you’re “untouchable” in one specific type of forged book, item, or document: American passports, black-letter German vampire pamphlets, late-period Gauguins, or Turkish entry visas. By narrative fiat, your work in that field cannot be detected as a forgery under any circumstances short of your confession. It is perfect. That said, a perfectly forged passport with no electronic records backing it up will be put on a watch list sooner rather than later.

You do not have to select your specific specialties until they come up in play, as long as you have the extra rating points. This does not represent a newly developed specialty, but rather something you just haven’t bothered to mention yet. As with Driving, Languages, and other similar abilities, you may want to keep “slots” open in Forgery so that during an adventure you can reveal that you’ve “always” had a stash of Romanian Foreign Ministry stationery handy. The Director is always within her rights to reject any suggested forgery as unbalancing or impossible.

Forging currency requires specialized engraving machines and one-of-a-kind inks, papers, and digital microthreads in industrial quantity, not to mention a perfect plate (or digital file) to work from. The Director will likely rule that counterfeiting is impossible for player characters. Alternatively, in the interest of “thriller reality,” she might allow an agent with an open Forgery slot to handcounterfeit a certain amount of euro, pounds, rubles, or dollars — at the cost of a little extra heat on the players.


High Society:

You know how to hang with the rich and famous, and how to chat them up without getting security called. You are comfortable with “old money” aristocracy, with the Davos elite, with the televised chattering classes, and with the crassest of nouveau riche vulgarians and celebutantes. Yachts, Gulfstreams, and Michelin-starred restaurants are your seeming natural habitat. You can:

„ dress fashionably for any occasion
„ get past the velvet rope at exclusive clubs and parties, or past the concierge at a four-star hotel
„ drop brand names, allude to current trends, and generally blend in culturally with rich scenesters of all types
„ identify the best wine, liquor, food, jewelry, and other luxury goods
„ successfully schmooze for an introduction to, e.g., a celebrity, elected official, or financier
„ recall specific or relevant gossip or news about the tastes, lifestyles, or sordid behavior of a rich or famous person
„ know where and when the best parties, most culturally important openings, or other gala events in any city are due to happen
„ score drugs or otherwise find the seamy side (if any) of high-society functions, happening nightclubs, etc.
„ interact with the rich and famous as an accepted equal

Note that this ability does not necessarily convey any actual wealth or fame. The Director can, if she wishes, allow an agent to use family connections or a liberated Company slush fund to explain it.


History:

You’re an expert in recorded human history, with an emphasis on its political, military, economic, and technological developments. You are also an expert in the tools historians use: documents and books. You can:

„ recognize obscure historical allusions
„ recall important or relevant events in a given country, city, or region
„ identify ancient languages and scripts
„ perform textual analysis on a manuscript or book to date it or identify the author
„ determine the age of a document
„ tell where and when an object made during historical times was fashioned
„ identify the period of an article of dress or costume
„ interact with historians and similar academics as a peer


Human Terrain:

Modern counter-insurgency strategy calls for “human terrain mapping,” along with the more conventional physical terrain mapping involved in combat operations. The “human terrain” includes the “areas, structures, organizations, cultures, people, and events” of a region: mapping and exploiting that terrain comprises disciplines like anthropology, sociology, theology, social psychology, political science, and propaganda.

As a trained and knowledgeable mapper of human terrain, you can:

„ identify artifacts and rituals of living cultures
„ describe and predict the customs of a foreign group or local subculture
„ predict the behavior of a given crowd, mob, or militant faction
„ supply information about religious practices and beliefs
„ quote relevant tags from the major scriptures
„ recognize the names and attributes of various saints, gods, and other figures of religious worship and veneration
„ identify whether a given religious practice or ritual is orthodox or heretical
„ identify temples, meeting places, or other locally important structures
„ analyze political and social structures — including identifying key figures, rivalries, and weak points — in a given group or society: i.e., a warlord’s militia, an academic conference, a labor union, or a majority-Muslim banlieue in Paris.
„ develop a strongly appealing political or religious message for a given subculture or society
„ detect, or conspire at, election rigging


Interrogation:

You extract information from subjects fearful of your authority, cruelty, or power. To use this ability, you must place the target in custody, or in a situation evocative of constraint and punishment. You might borrow an interrogation room from local cops, or construct a makeshift one in an abandoned shipping container or a disused Balkan cement factory. Through threats, persistence, and the occasional deception, you gradually establish a bond with your targets, convincing them to identify with you psychologically, and that giving up the information you seek — even if it’s a confession — is their only remaining option.

As a trained interrogator, you can:

„ prepare a room for an interrogation session
„ assess what lines of attack might work best on an individual subject
„ recognize someone who’s been professionally trained to resist interrogation
„ put someone on the defensive in an ordinary conversation
„ know the laws regarding treatment of prisoners of war or criminal suspects


Intimidation:

You elicit cooperation from targets by seeming physically imposing, invading their personal space, and adopting a psychologically commanding manner. Intimidation may involve implied or direct threats of physical violence, but is just as often an act of mental dominance such as a staredown or a well-directed taunt. You can:

„ gain information
„ inspire the target to leave the area
„ anger the target into involuntarily revealing information
„ quell a target’s desire to attempt violence against you or others


Languages:

For each rating point in Languages, you are verbally fluent and literate in a number of languages other than your native tongue:

Rating 1 = 2 Total Extra Languages
Rating 2 = 5 Total Extra Languages
Rating 3 = 9 Total Extra Languages

You may elect to know an ancient language that is no longer spoken (Sumerian, for example), although the Director may disallow occult, antediluvian, or inhuman languages if they turn up in the course of the campaign.

Lip-reading counts as a single language, which you can use to read the lips of anyone speaking a language you understand.

The Director may allow overlap between related languages — an agent fluent in Norwegian may plausibly claim to be fluent (or at least “mostly able to get by”) in Swedish, for example, without adding another rating point. ASL may encompass other common sign languages at the Director’s option. You may specify these when you create your character, or choose opportunistically in the course of play, revealing that you just happen to read, say, Basque, when circumstances require it. You are not learning the language spontaneously but revealing a hitherto unmentioned fact about your character.

To facilitate intraparty communication, all agents speak at least accented English for free, regardless of their native tongue. (If, for whatever reason, all the players select native Francophones, or Russian-speaking former Warsaw Pact operatives, or otherwise have a non-English language in common, you may disregard this conceit.) The Director may graciously offer players of native English-speaking characters one free language to balance this rule.


Law:

You know the criminal and civil laws of your home jurisdiction well, and are broadly acquainted with foreign legal systems. At a rating of 2 or more, you may be (or impersonate) a bar-certified attorney. You can:

„ assess the legal risks attendant on any course of action
„ understand lawyerly jargon
„ argue with police and prosecutors
„ interact with lawyers, magistrates, and court officers as a professional equal


Military Science:

You are a student of warfare, probably trained as such in a military academy. This expertise includes a knowledge of military history, strategy and tactics, and the weapons, technologies, and engineering techniques of the battlefield. You can:

„ identify uniforms and insignia
„ identify an unknown military or paramilitary force by examining the weapons they use
„ deduce a soldier’s training and assignment history from his demeanor and use of slang and jargon
„ spot weaknesses in an enemy’s fortifications or tactics
„ note relationships between objects and damage at the scene of a firefight or battle, reconstructing sequences of events
„ use Military Science as an interpersonal ability to interact with military and paramilitary personnel


Negotiation:

You are an expert in making deals with others, convincing them that the best arrangement for you is also the best for them. You can:

„ haggle for goods and services
„ gauge likely prices of items, including what someone else will pay for them
„ successfully and politely bribe a corrupt official or policeman
„ mediate hostage situations or diplomatic crises
„ sell something to a potential buyer
„ swap favors or information with others


Notice:

You’re adept at casing a scene and at finding important clues. This is the generic ability for spotting a hidden clue, general situational awareness, or noticing a non-threatening visual anomaly. You can:

„ spot hidden objects or objects of interest (including bullet casings under a car, or drops of blood behind the desk) at a crime scene or other investigation site
„ case a location to spot guards, cameras, rear entrances, security procedures, potential police response, weapon mounts, etc.
„ note entrances and exits from rooms you’re in, and who’s near them
„ notice signs of a previous search of the location
„ find and transfer fingerprints, fiber evidence, or other physical clues in a scene

Spotting enemy surveillance or monitoring a location is Surveillance; sensing a sniper lurking in the shadows is Sense Trouble. Searching for a deliberately hidden object that is Conceal.


Occult Studies:

You’re an expert in the historical study of magic, superstition, and sorcery from the Stone Age to the present. From the Templars to Voodoo to the Golden Dawn, you know the dates, the places, the controversies, and the legends. You can:

„ identify the cultural traditions informing a ritual by examining its physical aftermath
„ guess the intended effect of a ritual from its physical aftermath
„ fake a fortune-telling session, séance, or other occult activity
„ read and cast a horoscope
„ supply historical facts and anecdotes concerning various occult traditions, cult groups, demons, and legends
„ identify occult paraphernalia, grimoires, symbols, and codes
„ identify occult activities as the work of informed practitioners, teenage posers, or bona fide vampires

This ability does not cover vampire lore per se, which is handled by Vampirology. This ability does not allow you to work magic or summon supernatural entities, even if the campaign admits the existence of magic. You may believe in the occult or not; the skill functions just as well in either case. At the Director’s discretion, this ability also covers UFO lore, cryptozoology, conspiracy theory, zero-point physics, and other fringe sciences. In a campaign heavily involving such matters, the Director may instead add a Fringe Science ability paralleling Occult Studies.


Outdoor Survival:

You have worked and lived outdoors and in the wild, possibly during a rural upbringing or extensive military service “in country.” You can:

„ tell when an animal is behaving strangely
„ tell whether an animal or plant is natural to a given area
„ find edible plants, hunt, and fish
„ ride a horse
„ make fire and survive outdoors at night or in bad weather
„ navigate overland, albeit more easily with a compass and a map
„ track people, animals, or vehicles across grass or through forests
„ hunt with dogs, including tracking with bloodhounds, assuming you have friendly dogs available


Pharmacy:

You are able to identify and compound drugs and medicines. You can:

„ identify drugs and potions, and recognize their side-effects and contraindications
„ identify a drug addict after a brief interaction
„ identify poisons and determine antidotes
„ given the raw materials, manufacture morphine, heroin, cocaine, Ecstasy, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances


Photography:

You’re proficient in the use of cameras, including still, motion-picture, digital, and video photography. You can:

„ take useful visual records of sites of interest or surveillance targets
„ spot manual retouching or digital manipulation in a photographic or video image
„ realistically retouch and manipulate images
„ use filters and lights to capture images only visible in infrared or ultraviolet
„ develop film if you’re, like, stuck in 1967 or something

Interpreting satellite or aerial photo imagery uses Data Recovery or the ability connected to the imagery’s subject: e.g., Archaeology for a dig site, Architecture for a terrorist compound, Military Science for a missile silo.


Reassurance:

You get people to do what you want by putting them at ease. This may involve fast talk, genuine sympathy, or just a calming presence. You can:

„ elicit information and minor favors
„ allay fear or panic in others
„ convince frightened or worried witnesses that they saw nothing unusual
„ instill a sense of calm during a crisis


Research:

You know how to find factual information from books, records, official sources, and the Internet. You can ferret out information from collections of books, records, files, archives, newspaper morgues, or big piles of unsorted papers. If the information lies within, and you have access to the collection, you can find it. You’re as comfortable with a card catalog and fiche reader as with a search engine. Your smart phone address book brims with exotic and informative contacts. This skill covers any open source intelligence (OSINT); if the information is protected, you likely need Digital Intrusion, Infiltration, or an asset in place to get at it.


Streetwise:

You know how to behave among crooks, gangsters, druggies, hookers, grifters, and other habitués of the criminal underworld. You can:

„ deploy criminal etiquette to avoid fights and conflicts
„ identify unsafe locations and dangerous people
„ recall which gang or mafia claims a given area as turf
„ deal with fences, black marketeers, drug dealers, arms runners, and so forth
„ successfully price illegal goods such as drugs, stolen items, or weapons
„ get hired for a criminal operation
„ tell when practiced criminals and con men are lying, as with Bullshit Detector
„ gather underworld rumors

Every player character begins with 1 free point in Streetwise.


Tradecraft:

You know how to utilize the techniques of conventional espionage agents, and how to talk to them if you must hold a meet. You can:

„ set up and check a dead drop
„ spot or conduct a brush pass or car toss
„ determine which agency trained a covert operative by examining his tradecraft, surveillance methods, etc.
„ identify good places for recognition signs, cleaning passes, etc.
„ recall notorious or relevant episodes of spying, covert ops, etc.
„ gather rumors in the covert ops world
„ make contact with operatives without scaring them off
„ convey information or threats elliptically without tipping off eavesdroppers

Every player character begins with 1 free point in Tradecraft.


Traffic Analysis:

You know how to boil down a mass of data — probably raw signals intel, a tranche of phone records, or possibly a whole lot of surveillance tapes — and extract its meaning and patterns. Given the data, you can:

„ determine which numbers in a set of phone records are calling who, when, about what
„ determine which cars in a city’s traffic pattern are driving where, when, and how long they’re staying there
„ find patterns in the data flow, e.g., more murders in August, or the same museum guard on duty during all the incidents
„ work out the daily (and weekly, monthly, etc.) routine of an office, military base, museum, etc. and answer questions like: When is payroll made? Who takes delivery of parcels? When does the cleaning staff arrive?
„ find anomalies in the data flow, e.g., missing records or “dogs that didn’t bark”
„ find weak spots in security that follows a regular pattern
„ identify the source of information (or disinformation) by tracking its route through the system
„ assemble a communications or organizational picture of a social network such as a criminal conspiracy, academic email list, or division of border guards


Urban Survival:

You are familiar with working and living in cities, especially their seamier underbelly, possibly as the result of an urban upbringing or extensive police service walking a beat. You can:

„ tell when crowds or passersby are behaving strangely
„ tell whether a passerby or bystander is native to a given neighborhood
„ cadge spare change, Dumpster dive, and otherwise survive on the streets if need be
„ navigate an unfamiliar urban street layout and locate buildings without looking like a tourist
„ find open manholes, dangling fire escapes, and conveniently unlocked doors
„ interact on friendly terms with the local homeless or vagrant community
„ find (or avoid) a neighborhood where you can use Streetwise to good effect

In addition, you can recall specifics (streets, restaurants, short cuts, etc.) of any city you’ve ever spent more than a few days in, and are familiar with its layout, police patrol patterns, etc. If you need (or the Director wants you) to track such cities, add one city for each rating point in Urban Survival you have, and one city for each separate cover you invent using the Cover ability. As with Languages, feel free to save “unassigned” slots and add Familiar Cities retroactively at need.


Vampirology:

The subset of occultism dealing directly with vampires. You know the traditional lore from Hercegovina to Hammer Films, the great names, and the legendary spoor of the undead. You can tell actual vampire attacks from those of mere serial killers or the affectations of Goth wannabes. Your popular knowledge may or may not initially apply to actual vampires, although as the campaign goes on, your Vampirology ability will apply to your monstrous foes. In some campaigns, the Director may not allow this ability at character creation, either to maintain initial suspense or because very few spies know much about vampires. In such campaigns, players may buy Vampirology with experience after encountering vampires

Within General abilities you have 10 points to spend as you please with the caveat that half (5) of them must go into abilities that fall within your Background's Primary General Abilities, and that no individual General ability may go above 4. 

General

Athletics:

Athletics allows you to perform general acts of physical derring-do, from running to jumping to throwing grenades to rappelling down the side of a building to dodging falling or oncoming objects. Any physical action not covered by another ability probably falls under the rubric of Athletics.


Conceal:

You can hide things from view and conceal them from search. Your methods might include camouflage, holding items out on your person, snaking things into drawers unobserved, building secret compartments into cars or briefcases, or even altering a thing’s visual signature with paint or plaster. Among other things, you can also:

„ discover things intentionally concealed, including bugs, cameras, or bombs
„ mask an infrared or scent signature, given suitable equipment such as insulated cloth or coffee grounds
„ efficiently pat down a target or, given time, conduct a thorough strip search
„ “clean” a crime scene or safe house of evidence indicating your presence there
„ detect signs of a previous careful, professional search
„ plant a listening device, hidden camera, or bomb

Wiring or building a bug or hidden camera uses Electronic Surveillance or Mechanics. Setting a bomb uses Explosive Devices. Discovering a camouflaged object in a reconnaissance photo is Data Recovery. Tapping a phone or fiber-optic line is Mechanics. Discovering a hidden clue comes under Notice. You can also use Electronic Surveillance to detect bugs and cameras, especially those aimed at other targets.


Cover:

This ability represents your stash of cover identities. It works something like Languages in play; at any time, you may reveal or remember the existence of a cover identity that you established previously: perhaps during your old life, or while freelancing since, or even earlier during the campaign. Provide the Director with as many details as she needs to work it into the campaign

When that identity has been exhausted, it has been red-flagged in some security database, and the cover may fail at any time, or attract unwelcome attention from law enforcement, security agencies, or worse.

Every player character begins with 3 free points in Cover. This equates to three "covers" that may be revealed as desired.


Digital Intrusion:

You can enter secure databases without formal access, and read, download, alter, or delete data and records therein. Among other things, you can also:

„ monitor or even take control of electronic and computerized networks and systems, such as traffic signals, a building’s security system, or the RFID readers in a subway
„ hack digital locks, assuming you can find access to them
„ clone a cell phone’s SIM card
„ write viruses, worms, or other hostile code to disable a computer system
„ identify security flaws in a computer system
„ piggyback on existing wireless or computer networks
„ transfer electronic funds, book “free” plane tickets and hotel  reservations, commit credit card fraud, and the like
„ provide a digital “paper trail” for a forged identity
„ engage in funkspiel: impersonate another user’s electronic “fist,” sending pattern, or digital behavior
„ blend in socially on hacker bulletin boards and at “Black Hat” conferences


Disguise:

This is the skill of altering your own appearance, posture, and voice to be unrecognizable. Disguising others in anything more complex than a baseball cap or false mustache is good only for brief periods, as posture and body language are vital components in any successful disguise.

This ability also covers selling yourself as a different person: vocal mannerisms, altered body language, dress and motion sense, and realistic seeming reactions. This is how you pretend to be an arms dealer, museum official, or priest without actually having a Cover identity. (Uniforms or ID obtained with Filch or Forgery help with that, as does planted intel.)

Successfully disguising yourself as an actual person already known to those you’re interacting with is extraordinarily difficult. (Mission: Impossible style face masks are not standard equipment.)

Disguise doubles as an Investigative ability when used to:

„ create and maintain a cover identity among the unsuspecting
„ impersonate a generic figure, such as a security guard, waiter, or messenger
„ briefly misrepresent yourself, such as on the telephone or in a vestibule


Driving:

You’re a skilled defensive driver, capable of wringing high performance from even the most recalcitrant automobile, pickup truck, or van. You can:

„ evade or conduct pursuit
„ avoid collisions, or minimize damage from collisions
„ successfully drive off-road without bogging down or wrecking, assuming even minimally hospitable terrain
„ maintain high speed under unfavorable weather conditions
„ perform jumps, drifts, reverses, and other driving stunts
„ spot tampering with a vehicle
„ conduct emergency repairs

Driving doubles as an Investigative ability when used to:

„ evaluate or estimate the performance or condition of a motor vehicle
„ predict, evaluate, or plan highway or Autobahn routes between cities
„ determine the street value, visibility, or availability of a stolen vehicle
„ interact with drivers and similar gearheads as a professional equal

For every additional rating point in Driving, you may add an additional motor vehicle type to your repertoire. These include: motorcycle, transport truck, bus, construction equipment, remote-control car or robot, snowmobile, motorboat, and jet-ski. You may choose exotic types, like hovercraft and tanks, although it’s best to wait until you actually have access to one to fill the slot. Like “new” Languages, a vehicle type added at an opportune moment does not represent suddenly learning to drive a bulldozer, but simply previous training or retroactive experience you’ve never had call to mention until now. For aircraft and most watercraft, use Piloting. If you have both Driving and Mechanics, you can soup up a motor vehicle to increase its performance.


Explosive Devices:

You’re an expert in bombs and boobytraps. You can:

„ defuse bombs and traps
„ handle nitroglycerine or other dangerously unstable materials with relative safety
„ given time, blow open safes or vaults without damaging the contents
„ mix explosive compounds from common chemicals
„ safely construct and detonate explosive devices or boobytraps of your own
„ implode, or selectively destroy one part of, a structure with explosives
„ set a reliably hot and destructive fire

Explosive Devices doubles as an Investigative ability when used to:

„ reconstruct exploded bombs
„ for any bomb (exploded or unexploded), determine the method and materials of the bomb-maker, and deduce his sophistication, background, and skill
„ reconstruct burn patterns of a fire
„ determine the method and materials of the arsonist, and deduce his sophistication, background, and skill
„ interact with EOD technicians or bomb-makers as a professional equal


Filch:

Your nimble fingers allow you to unobtrusively manipulate small objects. You can:

„ pilfer small items from desks, counters, crime scenes, or museum displays, even under the supposedly watchful eyes of a guard or policeman
„ walk out openly with a briefly unguarded bulky and low-value item as if you were entitled to it; e.g., steal a security guard uniform from the locker room
„ given a diversion, lift almost anything you can carry under your clothing; e.g., cut a painting out of its frame and stuff it under your jacket
„ pick pockets
„ slip cell keys from guards’ belts, lift ID badges from lapels, etc.
„ surreptitiously relieve opponents of their weaponry
„ plant objects on unsuspecting targets
„ switch two similar objects (like two briefcases) without being noticed

Note that disarming alarms requires either Digital Intrusion (to disarm computer-controlled alarm systems remotely) or Infiltration. Picking locks is Infiltration.


Gambling:

You are conversant with the rules and etiquette of all forms of gambling, from Texas hold ‘em and roulette to horse racing and numbers rackets. To win (or strategically lose) at a game of chance or sporting flutter requires a contest if played against an NPC with the Gambling ability. In addition to playing by the rules and winning, you can:

„ spot cheating, either by the house or by another player
„ stack a deck, rig a horse race, load dice, or otherwise cheat

Palming cards, tiles, or dice is allowed as part of Gambling; anything else requires Conceal or Filch.

Gambling doubles as an Investigative ability when used to:

„ calculate the odds of events ruled by probabilities
„ use Bullshit Detector on professional gamblers despite their poker faces
„ interact with gamblers and blend in at casinos


Hand-to-Hand:

You can hold your own in a hand-to-hand fight, whether you wish to kill, knock out, restrain, or evade your opponent. For this purpose, “hand-to-hand” covers all sorts of unarmed combat, from aikido matches to bar brawls to muy thai kickboxing bouts. You can also use Hand-to-Hand as an Investigative ability to determine where a combatant has trained, and in which martial art if any, or to interact with devotees of a given gym or dojo as a pugilistic equal. Using brass knuckles, a sap, or a roll of coins balled in your fist is a Hand-to-Hand attack. Using anything else is a Weapons attack


Health:

Health is an abstract, general indicator of your survivability. It includes your ability to avoid lasting damage with the kind of luck only thriller heroes seem to have. It also measures your ability to sustain injuries, resist infection, and survive the effects of toxins. When you get hit in the course of a fight, your Health pool is diminished. A higher Health pool allows you to stay in a fight longer before succumbing to your injuries. When your Health pool is depleted, you may be dazed, wounded, or monster chow.

Every player character begins with 4 free points in Health.

If your pool is anywhere from 0 to –5, you are Hurt, but have suffered no permanent injury, beyond grazes, a few superficial cuts, and bruises, or “through-and-through” gunshot wounds. However, the pain makes everything else more difficult to accomplish. A character with Medic can still restore your Health points with first aid while you are Hurt.

If your pool is between –6 and –11, you have been Seriously Wounded. Whether or not you maintain consciousness, you are no longer able to fight. Until you receive first aid, you will lose an additional Health point every half hour. A character with the Medic ability can stabilize your condition. However, he can’t restore your Health points. Even after you receive first aid, you must convalesce in a hospital or similar setting for a period of days. Your period of forced inactivity is a number of days equal to the positive value of your lowest Health pool score. (So if you were reduced to –8 Health, you are hospitalized for 8 days.) On the day of your discharge, your Health pool increases to half its maximum value. On the next day, it refreshes fully.

When your pool dips to –12 or below, you are dead. Time to create a replacement character.


Infiltration:

You’re good at placing yourself inside places you have no right to be. You can:

„ pick locks (including handcuff locks)
„ deactivate or evade security systems
„ enter and hotwire a locked car
„ move silently
„ hide in shadows or cover
„ evade visual security, whether guards or cameras
„ find suitable places for forced entry, and use them

Despite its name, Infiltration is as useful for getting out of places undetected as it is for getting into them. Use Infiltration to hide in cover or to creep around unnoticed. To hide in a crowd, to sneakily or cleverly shake a pursuer, or to stealthily follow a target, use Surveillance. To outrun a pursuer, abseil onto a roof, or climb a fence, use Athletics.


Mechanics:

You’re good at building, repairing, operating, and disabling mechanical, electrical, or electronic devices from catapults to DVD players to key parts of a city’s power grid. Given the right components, you can create jury-rigged devices, booby traps, or weapons from odd bits of scrap. This ability also covers using heavy machinery and equipment such as cranes or artillery.

Mechanics doubles as an Investigative ability when used to:

„ evaluate the quality of workmanship used to create an item
„ discover a hidden panel or compartment in a built object
„ determine the function of a given gadget
„ tap telephone lines or fiber-optic cables
„ spot junction boxes, transformers, or other elements of an electrical power system
„ spot non-fatal tampering with or sabotage of a device
„ use any mechanical, electrical, or electronic device in good repair as intended for an investigative (clue-gathering) purpose


Medic:

You can perform first aid on sick or injured individuals. For every 1 Medic rating you have, you can heal 2 points of damage to others or 1 point to yourself. This ability needs a fair bit of safety, concentration, and supplies to use.


Network:

This ability represents your network of professional contacts. It works something like Cover in play; at any time, you may reveal or remember the existence of a member of your network in a given city and ask (or demand) a favor. Finding an AKM assault rifle in Bosnia is easier than finding one in Manchester; crossing the border into Ireland is easier than crossing into Iran. What they are capable of is up to the Director, but it will always be useful.

Your Network contacts do not necessarily know which agency you worked for, or even that you are (or were) a spy. They are simply people from before the campaign started who owe you or are otherwise disposed to help you out.

Every player character begins with 3 free points in Network. This equates to three "network members" that may be revealed as desired; each will give you a single bit of help, and then the relationship is burned. This may be weapons, a safe house, a bit of intelligence, a route out of the city, or similar. 


Piloting:

Although almost anyone can paddle a canoe or even row a dinghy, you can pilot small boats (motorboats, sailboats, dories) or single-engine light aircraft (Cessna 172 or the equivalent) with professional aplomb and serene confidence. You can:

„ evade or conduct pursuit
„ anticipate bad weather
„ avoid crashes, or minimize damage from crashes
„ spot tampering with a vehicle
„ navigate by compass or the stars, read maps, and maintain a sense of direction
„ maintain high speed under unfavorable weather conditions
„ perform dives, spins, rolls, and other piloting stunts
„ conduct emergency repairs

Piloting acts as an Investigative ability when used to:

„ evaluate or estimate the performance or condition of an air or water craft
„ predict, evaluate, or plan a flight plan or ship’s course
„ determine where a given air or water craft can be safely or discreetly landed or moored
„ interact with pilots or watermen as a professional equal

A rating of 1 in Piloting allows you to select either small boats or single-engine light aircraft. For every additional  rating point in Piloting, you may add an additional air or water vehicle type to your repertoire, such as: small boats, single-engine light aircraft, barges and tugs, helicopters, yachts, multi-engine jets, remotely piloted vehicles and UAVs, jet-skis, hang gliders, and cargo ships. You may choose exotic types, like airships, midget submarines, and fighter jets, although it’s best to wait until you actually have access to one to fill the slot. Like the additional vehicles available with extra points in Driving, you may add them opportunistically in play if you have unassigned points. If you have both Piloting and Mechanics, you can soup up a powered craft to increase its performance.


Preparedness:

You expertly anticipate the needs of any operation by packing a kit efficiently arranged with necessary gear. Assuming you have immediate access to your kit, you can produce whatever object the team needs to overcome an obstacle. With a logical enough reason, you have it. You needn’t do this in advance of the adventure, but can dig into your kit bag (provided you’re able to get to it) as the need arises. Items of obvious utility to a covert operation or anti-undead hit job that are guaranteed to be there include but are not limited to: smart phones, weapons, detonators, flashlights, binoculars, batteries, gloves, zip cuffs, duct tape, rations, cigarettes and lighters, multitools, magnifying glasses, pocket mirrors, garlic, stakes, and crucifixes.

Other abilities imply the possession of basic gear suitable to their core tasks. Characters with Medic or Diagnose have their own first aid kits or medical bags; Photographers come with cameras. If you have Shooting, you have a gun, Digital Intrusion, you have a laptop, and so on. Preparedness does not intrude into their territory. It covers general-purpose investigative equipment, plus oddball items — a Ouija board, a baseball, a tube of Super Glue, a gas mask — that suddenly come in handy in the course of the story. The traditional “rappelling line just long enough to get me down off this building” is a classic Preparedness feat of the spy thriller genre.

The sorts of items you can produce at a moment’s notice depend not on your rating, but on narrative credibility. If the Director determines that your possession of an item would seem ludicrous, anachronistic, or out of genre, you simply don’t have it. Any item which elicits a laugh from the group when suggested is probably out of bounds. Inappropriate use of the Preparedness ability is like pornography. Your Director will know it when she sees it.


Sense Trouble:

This ability allows you to perceive (either with sight or other senses) potential hazards to yourself or others. For example, you can:

„ hear the click of a safety being taken off
„ see a flittering shape cross the moon
„ smell the charnel reek of a ghoul’s breath in the windowless warehouse
„ notice the tiny marks on the inspector’s wrist
„ have a bad feeling about that glassy-eyed border guard at the seemingly deserted checkpoint


Shooting:

You are adept with personal firearms, including their field stripping, repair, and identification. This skill also, for game-mechanical simplicity, covers crossbows and similar trigger-operated missile weapons, as well as RPGs, squad weapons (mortars and machine guns), shoulder-fired missiles, and the like. Operating heavy artillery requires either Driving (for weapons mounted on tanks or self-propelled guns), Piloting (for weapons mounted on air or watercraft), or Mechanics.


Shrink:

You can provide comfort, perspective and solace to the mentally troubled. You may be a therapist or counselor, a priest or pastor, or just a empathetic and intuitive individual. You can restore panicked characters to a state of calm, and treat any long-term mental illnesses they accrue in the course of their operations.


Surveillance:

You’re good at watching and following targets without revealing your presence. You can:

„ guide a team to follow a target for short periods, handing off to the next in sequence, so the target doesn’t realize he’s being trailed
„ use telescopic viewing equipment to keep watch on a target from a distance
„ find undetectable vantage points for single-point coverage by eyeball or video
„ maintain a stakeout without rousing your target’s suspicion
„ anticipate blind spots in your coverage and plan for them, or use them to “dry clean” your own shadowers
„ determine a target’s regular pattern, including any chokepoints suitable for ambush or snatch jobs
„ hide in plain sight or blend into a crowd
„ listen at doors or windows without being overheard yourself
„ spot a tail, stakeout, or other non-electronic surveillance of another person

Spotting a tail or other non-electronic surveillance of yourself might be Surveillance (if spotting the tail probably won’t lead to combat) or Sense Trouble (if it will lead to combat); the Director should use her best judgment.

Use Infiltration to creep around unnoticed, and to hide in cover. To hide in a crowd or blend into the background, to sneakily or cleverly shake a pursuer, or to stealthily follow a target, use Surveillance. To outrun a pursuer, use Athletics.


Weapons:

You are skilled in the use of personal hand weapons such as knives, swords, or flexible batons. This ability covers most thrown melee weapons; throwing grenades falls under Athletics. Using brass knuckles, a sap, or a roll of coins balled in your fist is a Hand-to-Hand attack. Anything else falls under Weapons.

[Xurtan]

Though every character has the potential for some type of magic ability (however varied), that does not mean that it has come naturally. Quite the contrary, there are few humans capable of magic without some sort of intervention from other beings, though this may be indirectly. A character may adopt a single magical style in character generation if they wish, though should be aware of what that means for their character. With the exception of psychic powers, magic does hail from other beings entirely. As a general rule these beings will be displeased seeing their arts used by a human not under their control. Of course, as progenitors of the abilities they are rarely affected by them.

Magic is cast using its own stat -- Stability (except in one case, mentioned below). Should you decide to forfeit the 5 freebie points and take on Stability (and a magic type) instead, you gain Stability (4) and it counts as a General Ability. Every time you use a magical ability, your Stability drains. When it reaches 0, you are unable to cast again until you have rested. Stability 2 counts as a 'low' drain, and 1 or 0 counts as a 'large' drain.

Cosmic

Magic: Cosmic

Source: Otherworldly entities
Focus: Tongues, Babbling, Otherworldly objects
Domains: Telepathy, shadow manipulation, dimensional phasing

Description: Those who have cracked the forbidden knowledge of the otherworld often find modern tales on aliens a cruel irony. If only all that the cosmos threatened was little green men with embarrassing probes. No, the gaping maws that exist at the edge of space indicate something far darker, unnerving, and perhaps even inevitable...

Means: Those with cosmic magic have universally come into a contact, however brief, with the otherworldly beings in this world. Perhaps this was through a misguided and likely deadly biological experiment done by a shadow organization... perhaps a character had the misfortune of these entities simply reaching out to them, taking a part of their being and leaving something indescribably cold behind.

The Price: Those who utilize Cosmic magic feel their sanity itself tried with every use. Fear, terror, and paranoia haunt them at every turn. As stability is recovered a character suffers these effects. A small regeneration may induce bad dreams, though deeper recoveries may induce a state of catatonia or schizophrenic hallucination.

Infernal

Magic: Infernal

Source: Demons
Focus: Books, Language, Gestures
Domains: Necromancy, Warding, Combat magic (eg elemental spellhurling)

Description: If there ever was a God, the consensus seems to be that mortals were not intended to use magic, the knowledge of it hidden from the world. Nonetheless, there were those who offered, tempted, and bargained with humans. Though some practitioners may not even be aware of the realm that they tread on, ignorance does little to save term.

Means: Those with demonic magic have either made personal deals with demons or inherited forbidden knowledge from those who have. Half-art, half-science they utilize forbidden and damned languages to cast their magic.

The Price: Practitioners of demonic magic grow closer to the damned with each use. They draw attention from the demon world with celestial marks upon them, even as they physically bear taint. During a small stability recovery a human may have a slightly unsettling feature, such as purple eyes. A major stability recovery may see them dealing with fangs, the scent of sulphur, and dealing with 'offered bargains' from unwanted visitors at every turn.

Psychic

Magic: Psychic

Source: Humans
Focus: Concentration
Domains: Psychometry, Telekinesis, Pyrokinesis

Description: Psychics are unique in the sense that they do not owe their powers to another entity, though there may be plenty of those in their life that have insisted otherwise. They often did not understand them growing up and have gone through ordeals in order to learn to control them. They often have a strained relationship with shadow government agencies, often having alienating been retained and trained by them.

Means: Psychics are born with their magical abilities, though they might not manifest for some time. Though they are natural, they still can be -- and should be -- trained if they are to be used.

The Price: Unlike other magic users, psychics do not use stability. Instead their magic abilities take a toll on their physical health levels, often manifested in headaches, vertigo, nausea and nosebleeds. Though they will typically pass out before being able to produce effects that would directly end in their fatality, an unconscious state is a dangerous one.

Wild

Magic: Wild Magic

Source: Lycans
Focus: Emotions, Urges, Sex & Violence
Domains: Shapeshifting, Frenzy, Animal Magnetism

Description: Wild magic is one owing to animals, or perhaps more accurately, that of the most animal side of man. Most practitioners would state that it is a far different experience than representations of cold, intellectual magic. They often report feeling things stronger, more urgently than before practicing; it is not uncommon for a recent 'convert' to wild magic to undergo personality changes, and upset their lives and relationships out of sudden dissatisfaction.

Means: Likely no magic type has been attempted to be duplicated in a science lab more often than wild magic, though the results have often been failures or abominations that are far worse than simply failing... Nonetheless, there are some, mainly soldiers and spy-types, that have been lucky enough to escape the experiments with their sense of self largely intact. There are also those who have lycan blood in their heritage but have escaped the full werewolf curse. For these individuals that were born with the powers, for better or worse, they no know other life than one with the erratic urges...

The Price: Wild magic comes with a milder form of the humanity-devouring lycanthropy that the great beasts suffer from. Those who practice the magic find their recovery time plagued with the passionate outbursts and black-out rage legends speak of. Minor stability recovery might lead to a night of unprotected and anonymous sexual partners; those with major stability to recover learn to take special precautions so that they do not awaken naked, without memory of their week, yet covered in a stranger's blood.

Blood

Magic: Blood Magic

Source: Vampires
Common Foci: Blood, Ancient Relics, Eye Contact
Domains: Exsanguination, blood transmogrofication, blood healing

Description: Blood magic is one of the more disturbing arts to the untrained human, likely as it always involves the utilization or manipulation of blood in some way. Sure, that blood-forged dagger might just have saved their life, but the look of it isn't exactly pleasant. That is to say nothing of those who have learned to pull the life-giving fluid from their victims like an over-ripe fruit being extracted... Needless to say, blood magic is a rather unsettling practice, and the personality of those who practice it often is unsettlingly complimentary.

Means: Those most apt to practice blood magic are usually those in the thrall of a vampire, themselves being ghoulish half-changed entities that are capable of exhibiting little will outside their claimed "master's". Still, there are those who through time and distance, that is to say by the death or carelessness of their once-master, will begin to show some will of their own once more. While there are scant few cases of government agencies attempting to recreate blood magic as a weapon, certain mystical groups and secret societies have done better at manifesting those powers in selectively chosen individuals. Of course, such rites rarely go on for long without attention, and if the vampires do not manage to exterminate much of the guilty party, the demons that follow often will.

The Price: Blood magic is the blood of the damned and dead. Consequently, those who practice it often find themselves increasingly detached from the human condition, particularly in terms of empathy. Frequent reports speak of an almost surgeon-like fascination with suffering and violence in some cases, the strings that pull on an individual's capacity to recognize and act on a human in distress somehow compromised. Similarly, practitioners of the magic often grow increasingly nocturnal with a pale, gaunt appearance. A mild regeneration of stability will likely leave a practitioner coldly rational, unable to inspire emotion in the face of life-events whether that is hearing news of a new child, or mourning the loss of a friend. A major regeneration of stability can have a practitioner pained and unable to focus in sunlight, overwhelmed with an urge to study the macabre, even at the cost of another's bodily freedom. Some attribute many of the worst 'experiments' that have been done to war criminals and prisoners throughout history to individuals recovering from the use of blood magic.

Glamour

Magic: Glamour

Source: Fae
Common Foci: Runes, nature, elaborate and spontaneous gestures
Domains: Appearance changes, illusion, chlorokinesis

Description: There is no path of magic less understood by most humans than that of the fae.  This is due in large part to the likewise quiet of the fae when compared to other supernatural creatures in the modern world. When fae magic surfaces it is often surprising and met with some disconcerting glances, even among the more seasoned to the unseen world. It brings question of what the felt-but-not-seen folk are up to, or if they have motives at all.

Means: There has been little effort and no reward regarding attempts to force fae magic into an individual via laboratory or magic ritual. Though unconfirmed, those who practice it seem to have a history of being singled out and touched by the fae. That doesn't mean that an individual knows that they have been singled out; it certainly doesn't mean that they are aware of their power at all.  Most people who find that they have fae magic can recall a strange occurrence in their childhood, where they went missing, were believed kidnapped, or where they simply lost time entirely. There is one such case where a bus of long-missing children was inexplicably found months later, only for each and every one of them to later manifest fae magic. This is the rare exception though; in general these instances are isolated to individuals and almost always in young childhood.  If there is a reason beyond the strange folk's own amusement to bestow the gifts, no one is quite certain. 

The Price: Fae magic appears to alter perception itself, causing the illusions that much of it is based on to infiltrate a users mind. Fae magic users find that their perceptions are altered, often times whimsical illusion overtaking their grasp on reality. A small recovery of stability may lead a user to cease hearing noise for a time, and yet see it expressed in vivid and indecipherable color bursts in front of them. A deep recovery can be truly debilitating, with a user waking up to their life cast in an illusion complete with upside down furniture, fire-breathing dragons and mystic swords. Of course, that dragon may be the magic user's next door neighbor, or the bright butterflies they see could be the after-images of fired bullets.

Your type of magic influences how you cast things, and to a large degree what. But what effect your spells have as well as what they do is entirely up to you--within reason. You have 6 points to spread between up to six 'Spells'. These are spells you will craft yourself--the higher the rating, the more powerful the spell, but the higher the Stability cost as well. It is a one to one ratio, rating to spell cost. In other words if you put four points into a spell, you would have two left over... and the cost to cast that spell would be four Stability.

Keeping in mind the tone of the setting as well as the dangers of magic use, you should have a decent idea of what is 'appropriate' magic. If you are unsure, work with the Director. Regardless, the final decision on any spell is up to them. Largely, the negative effects that impact your character are roleplay based and something you should feel comfortable acting out and inflicting upon your character. The exception to this rule is the Psychic, who uses his own physical health to cast.

Keep this in mind.

Fill out the concept and PM it to me; I'll be judging approval based off the concept as well as your post history. Once approved you may join the OOC chatter and work on your sheet--ideally people will use the intervening time to work out connections, an idea of who wishes to specialize where, etc.

Code Select Expand

[b]Name:[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Background[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Faceclaim[/b] [i][/i]

[b]Highest Investigation Ability:[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Highest General Ability:[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Magic Type (if taken):[/b] [i][/i]

[b]Civilian Life Synopsis:[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Clandestine Career Synopsis:[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Post-Vampire Knowledge Synopsis:[/b] [i][/i]
[b]Describe How You Acquired Magic (if taken):[/b] [i][/i]

[b]Long-Term Personal Goal:[/b] [i][/i]





Once your concept is approved you will have two weeks to submit it for final approval. Once I have an idea of who will be focusing what direction as far as concepts I'll see about getting an example sheet up ASAP, for those that work better seeing a final version rather than code.

Code Select Expand

[float=right] [img height=300 padding=10]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/cYFPWZSC1lDodzb_Hy7WWvLDB65vzwp4op7wamb8gtrM8CizZrXtDyDmoyW7rQ3fe2QThuqh8ZPLqKYIvSvmbXbszQP7sdKrVYnL4ABaV6pnhYqielz5S1_5GvwgxgA6nwnm5WDncZbe-2TCevUkuayW4Ts[/img]
[/float] [b]Name:[/b] [font=courier]Character's Name[/font]
[b]Player Name:[/b] [font=courier]Elliquiy Username of Character's Player[/font]
[b]Face Claim/Play-By:[/b] [font=courier]Face-Claim, No Artwork Please[/font]
[b]Alias/Nick names:[/b] [font=courier]Nicknames, Secret Identities, Etc.[/font]
[b]Age:[/b] [font=courier]Character's Age, PCs Must Be At Least 25[/font]
[b]Height:[/b] [font=courier]Character's Height (feet, inches)[/font]
[b]Ethnicity:[/b] [font=courier]Character's Apparent Ethnicity / Heritage[/font]
[b]Gender:[/b] [font=courier]Character's Self-Identified Gender[/font]
[b]Sexuality & Orientation:[/b] [font=courier]Character's Self-Identified Sexuality & Orientation[/font]
[b]Description:[/b] [font=courier]Describe your character's physical appearance on an average day. Note any significant differences from your face-claim, such as if your character lacks a tattoo that the claim shows.[/font]

[hr]

[b]Background:[/b] [font=courier]Analyst, Asset Handler, Bagman, Bag-and-Burner, etc[/font]
[b]Magic (if taken):[/b] [font=courier]Cosmic, Infernal, Psychic, Wild, Blood, or Glamour[/font]
[b]Health (HP):[/b] 4
[b]Stability (Magic Users Only):[/b] 4

[hr]

[u]Investigation Abilities[/u] 

Tradecraft (1)
Streetwise (1)

[u]General Abilities[/u]

Cover (3)
Network (3)

[u]Magic Abilities (if relevant)[/u]


[hr]


[b]CIVILIAN LIFE QUESTIONS[/b]

[b]What was your family like? Are any of them still alive?[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]

[b]Do you keep any civilian friends? Do any of them know about your 'history'?[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]

[b]Do you have any hobbies or skills unrelated to clandestine operations? EG painting, cooking, reading.[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]



[b]GENERAL QUESTIONS[b]

[b]Why did you become a spy? (Or mercenary, assassin, etc):[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]

[b]Describe your history within the intelligence community. What agency did you work for, what did you do, etc.:[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]

[b]Why did you decide to leave?:[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]

[b]Describe your worst mission. How did it go wrong?[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]


[b]THE SUPERNATURAL[/b]

[b]You are hunted by the supernatural, the Nosferatu. You are aware of vampires... how did you become aware of them? And how did [i]they[/i] become aware that you knew?[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]


[b]MAGIC QUESTIONS (optional)[/b]

[b]If you are a magic user, how did you become one?[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]

[b]What was your worst experience with the Price magic exacts?[/b] [font=courier]Answer.[/font]





Dina Meyer
Laura Campbell
Sergey Krapiva
Sara Fabel

[Amarlo]

I volunteer as tribute

[Kuroneko]

Interesting ... *ponders*

[Praxis]

This looks rad. Great work Xurtan.

[Amarlo]

This looks rad. Great work Xurtan.

Doesn't it? I can't wait. I am really looking forward to this. 

[Crash]

Oh lord I want to be a cleaner.  Lol!

[xPeachyPuff]

I don't think I have the time to take this on at the moment, but I just wanted to say how awesome this looks and bravo on the work you've put into it, Xurtan! Hopefully I can follow along with you all c:

[akirakaneda]

Interesting

[Xurtan]

Appreciate the comments and interest, guys! It's definitely an odd genre and something I wanted to play around with, so I'm excited to see how it goes. If anyone has any questions don't hesitate to reach out, as always. :)

[Amarlo]

Are we able to call faceclaims?

[Xurtan]

Sure, if you'd like go for it.

[Hawkwood]

This looks really good fun - I've always wanted to play (rather than run) Night's Black Agents. Space for one more...?

[Amarlo]

This looks really good fun - I've always wanted to play (rather than run) Night's Black Agents. Space for one more...?

Really don't like being that person that talks like they're the gm, but I know Xurtan is probably sleeping right now. So here we go. This game is not a first come first serve game. He's looking for 5-6 reliable players. There's a concept sheet and a regular sheet. If you're interested I'd say start with the concept sheet and send it his way. As far as I know, all slots are still currently open. ^^

[Xurtan]

More or less that ^. I would be sleeping but I got three hours and my body said 'nah'. :p And hah, glad to see someone recognized Night's Black Agents. It's a bit of an obscure pull, I know. This'll largely be playing through the Zalozhniy Quartet, in case you've ran that/read it and don't want everything spoiled--it is an investigation focused game.

[Hawkwood]

I ran the Dracula Dossier rather than the Quartet, but have indeed read the adventures. I'd therefore propose being one of the more... er... "blunt instrument" members of the team. That means Muscle / Demolitions / Wheelman or something rather than analyst / asset-handler. In short, I'd play along and loyally implement the policy decided by my intellectual superiors; that way, I'm less likely to direct the cell in a spoiler-y direction even subconsciously.

The vague concept I'm toying with would be a disavowed DGSE agent. Will expand this post once I'm back in front of a keyboard.

[Amarlo]

@Xurtan - So how long do I have to get this concept in before you make your final decision? 

Also, may I faceclaim Sara Fabel for now? ^^;

[Xurtan]

Noted as far as the claim. In regards to concept deadline, I'll give everyone until the 19th. At that point I'll make a decision and we'll go from there.

[Amarlo]

Hold off on the fc. >.>;; I might end up changing it if these dweebs I'm talking to ever give me their opinions.

[Hawkwood]

I've submitted but have no idea of the length / content that's expected / hoped for. Good luck the rest of you with your writing and your muses!

[Gannameade]

I would like to be considered?!?

[Xurtan]

I've submitted but have no idea of the length / content that's expected / hoped for. Good luck the rest of you with your writing and your muses!

That's actually exactly what I wanted, so perfect. Hold tight for a bit and I'll consider options come the 19th. :)

I would like to be considered?!?

You are certainly allowed to want that. :) Feel free to make a concept and toss it my way, and I'll review it and the others come the 19th and make a decision.

[Wolfling72]

*blinks*

Why for do you do this thing to me?