The Spy

Recruited and groomed from an early age, and intensively educated in all aspects of espionage. The character has wandered the world, tasted its pleasures, flirted with danger, and learned a thing or three about how it all works.

Espionage is the art of accessing the place where desired information is stored, or accessing the people who know the information and will divulge it through some kind of subterfuge.

Espionage is usually part of an institutional effort, and the term is most readily associated with state spying on potential or actual enemies, primarily for military purposes. Many nations routinely spy on both their enemies and allies, although they maintain a policy of not making comment on this. A spy is a person employed to obtain secrets. A spy may or may not be an actual citizen of a target kingdom. While the more common practice is to recruit a person already trusted with access to sensitive information, there are cases where a person may attempt to infiltrate a target, with a well-prepared false identity for them, as cover.

Apart from simply gathering information, spies may also be used to spread disinformation in the kingdoms they are planted in, such as giving false reports about their kingdom's military movements. Furthermore, due to the highly skilled infiltration tactics required for espionage, spies may be given other roles that also require infiltration, such as sabotage.

The Spy O.C.C. is a Man of Arms, but the individual's main task is not fighting, but rather to infiltrate the enemy, whether it be to gather intelligence, acquire information, steal something, engage in sabotage, or assassinate a key target while remaining relatively unnoticed and without implicating his employer. Other O.C.C.s can function as spies, including the Assassin, Thief, Entertainer, and Merchant, but only the Spy is a master of subterfuge and intelligence gathering.

As humans, Wolfen, and other civilizations grow and expand, it becomes increasingly important for each kingdom to monitor its neighbors or risk falling behind or being invaded. Advance notice of enemy troop movements, troop build-ups, military purchases, alliances, trade agreements, the building of new fortifications, the hiring of mercenaries, and other suspicious activities give rival forces time to prepare against enemy aggression (or to launch their own). One can also get the upper hand in making or sabotaging treaties and trade agreements with the right information. It is Spies who are best suited for all these tasks.

A Spy can be a heroic patriot willing to die to defend his country, king, and god, or to advance a cause. Many sacrifices have been made throughout the ages by patriotic Spies who willingly and loyally serve their country or organization. Bravely they slip into enemy fortifications stealing vital information or items of significance, or planting misleading or false evidence or information. Many play a variety of roles to gain the trust of enemy leaders or their confidants in order to learn their secrets.

A Spy may also be assigned missions of sabotage, vandalism, blackmail, kidnapping, and assassination. During wartime, Spies will do their best to stop enemy advances through acts of sabotage, destruction, and misdirection by planting false leads, providing incorrect information, lying under torture, etc. They do so against enemy governments and organizations and their troops and agents. A Spy may poison water supplies, intercept messengers, switch messages, burn siege engines or storehouses, disrupt supply lines, and attack key officers. After accomplishing his harrowing mission, the Spy either fades into the background, resumes his secret identity, and waits for a new assignment, or returns to his homeland or base of operations.

Spies can also be self-serving freelance mercenaries, politically ambitious, or power-hungry miscreants who love the thrill of danger and intrigue so much that they sell their services to anyone who can afford them. That may be just about any powerful and wealthy individual, organization, or kingdom. This can be an ambitious politician, noble, noble house, merchant, priest, church, cult, criminal organization, wizard, or group looking to get the upper hand over an enemy or rival, or who seeks money, covets a possession or position, or desires the elimination of an enemy or rival. Getting what they want may require a particular bit of information (sometimes info that seems quite innocent, like a schedule or time, or location), leveraging a person's support or influence, removing an obstacle (probably a person) standing in their way, and so on.

Some spies may even work as double agents, supplying information and services to both sides of a conflict for their own personal gain and/or amusement. The most important attribute of a Spy is that of loyalty or at least the appearance of loyalty and commitment to accomplishing their mission.

Spy Affiliations & Special Resources

A Spy is usually employed, equipped, and supplied by a powerful and wealthy sponsor. Although the classic political Spy is employed by kingdoms, cities, armies, police forces/militias, noble houses, and other types of governmental organizations, a Spy may also work for political rivals, a church/cult/clergy, merchant/business, crime lord, practitioner of magic, or a scheming monster such as a dragon, demon, and other cunning, evil characters.

A low-level Freelance Spy without a reputation, or who comes from outside the community, gets only basic items offered to him. This is likely to include enough money for reasonable room and board expenses, light armor, a weapon or tool necessary for the mission, rope, grappling hook, spyglass (short-range telescope), paper and pen, and clothing suitable for the assignment at hand. Typically, the Spy is allowed to keep the equipment and is paid a modest payment upon completion of his particular mission. Payment may include a bonus if the mission is done flawlessly without implicating the employer.

A trusted Freelance Spy or State Spy who has been allied with his employer/kingdom for years and/or has a reputation of some renown, may be given a riding animal, an elaborate and expensive wardrobe, disguises, poison, magic potions, scrolls, magic items, the loan of special weapons, and a large expense account. Game Masters use your discretion, be reasonable but not excessive. A well-done mission without implicating the employer may result in additional rewards.

Freelance Spies have the most freedom because they decide under what terms and conditions, and for whom, they work. But freelancers are usually a one or two-person operation that has the least direct support they can call upon in an emergency. Of course, that is not always the case. Sometimes the employer may provide a support team of operatives loyal to the employer, whether the Spy wants them or not. It is the job of these "associates" to keep their eye on the Freelance Spy and ensure that he or she completes the mission for their employer. Other times the Spy may have the money to hire a support team of mercenaries, adventurers, or heroes (e.g. the player group).

State Sponsored spies are professional espionage agents in the service of a particular kingdom, organization, or cause they believe in and support. This means the Spy is probably a member of the kingdom's military, police force, or the equivalent of special forces. It also means the Spy has to answer to a leader, may have to make regular progress reports, and may have specific protocols to follow and lines they cannot cross. Furthermore, if captured, the Spy and anyone associated with him are likely to be disavowed by the sponsoring kingdom or organization. These espionage agents have the benefit, however, of superior funding and resources, providing the Spy or Spies with whatever disguises, official papers, weapons, and equipment they may need, as well as a support team.

A Spy of stature and those working for a kingdom/nation are likely to have a support team to assist in the mission as well as an ally in the area he can call upon for help and to get him out of trouble. The ally is typically able to provide a place to hide for 1D4 days, at least basic medical care if not access to a healer, a change of clothes (common appearance), a water skin, food for a week, and 2D6x10 gold to help the Spy get out of town. This ally may also be able to bail a character out of jail, provide some common information or rumors, and point the Spy to key people in town (a forger, fence, smuggler, mage, healer, alchemist, etc.). The ally is likely to be a fellow patriot, a fanatic to the cause, a low-level Spy, or a Mercenary Warrior, Thief, Assassin, Man-Catcher, or an adventurer who works for the Spy's employer. A Spy who puts this "contact" in danger or reveals his identity is considered a coward and a traitor.

A support team is usually trusted operatives who work for the same employer or for the Freelance Spy (long-term teammates/partners or hirelings), as the case may be. Much like a group of adventurers, the support team is a mixed batch of individuals with special skills and abilities, another Spy, thief, assassin, soldier, mage, psychic, etc., who helps the spy(s) accomplish the mission and make their escape. In either case, the support team may be the player characters. Whether they are long-time teammates who know and trust the spy or are hirelings being played as dupes will all depend on the Spy, circumstances, the mission, and perhaps the sponsor as well.

Of course, any Spy can purchase magic items and equipment or hire "associates" with his own money. Likewise, a Spy can also acquire his own informers, lesser Spies, and or hire his own assistants, stool pigeons, fighters, Thieves, Assassins, and mercenaries, especially when that Spy is operating in the same area for months or years.

Spy Employers

The nature of the person or organization that sponsors a Spy to do their dirty work can have a serious impact on a Spy's available resources, support team/henchmen (if any), and ability to travel. The nature of the employer and the assignment also indicates who may be automatically an enemy, rival, or obstacle regardless of the Spy's past with them, and the need to report to a local representative of the employer or sponsoring organization (regardless of that representative's competence in maintaining the Spy's secret identity and mission). To determine the Spy's sponsor, roll percentile dice or pick

Spy Special O.C.C. Abilities

Infiltration: Spies are masters of being able to observe and then try to blend into the target group, copying their mannerisms, slogans, belief systems, and codes but without appearing to be theatrical or bombastic. The whole point of this technique is to NOT be noticed and when you are, you do not seem out of place. This is not a skill to impersonate a specific member of that group, but to behave like a generic, unremarkable, unmemorable group member.
Base Skill: 30% +5% per level.
Bonuses: +10% if able to observe and interact in an un-alerting manner with members of that group for 2 or more days; +20% after two weeks, and +20% when working actively with a disgruntled/traitorous member of the group happy to reveal information, secrets, and shortcuts.
Penalties: -20% if the group is small, between 10-30 members; -50% chance if the group has 10 or fewer members; only the most exceptional Spy would be able to convincingly infiltrate such a small group.
A failed roll means the group recognizes the Spy as a suspicious outsider not to be trusted or confided in. (G.M. Note: Use your discretion and encourage role-playing. If a human Spy is trying, without any magical means, to infiltrate a group that is composed of Trolls, Orcs, and Goblins, there's no chance of him going unnoticed and it is likely to take a very long time for any of them to trust this individual. For one thing, they all regard humans as untrustworthy and enemies. That's a big obstacle to overcome.)
Casing: All professional Spies are trained to behave in a manner that is (hopefully...) unnoticed by those around them while they inconspicuously “case” the layout of a room or building, taking note of entrances and exits, the number and locations of doors and windows, places to hide, locations and furniture that may hold valuables or important documents, the construction of and general measurements of the room, guards and obvious security features, blind spots, who comes and goes, their schedule/timetable, and other pertinent information.
Base Skill: 30% +5% per level of experience.
Bonuses: +10% if the location is mostly deserted, +10% if the location is a busy tavern, inn, or other places with lots of other people to distract anyone looking for crooks who might be casing the place.
Penalty: -10% when trying to case a place that has very active security measures and well-trained people to protect it, and who may be looking for anyone casing the joint. (i.e., a bank, a Thieves/Assassins' guild, a Wizard's home, a gathering place of Knights, Paladins, soldiers, mercenaries, etc.). -25% to case a Wizard or dragon's lair, a king or dragon's treasure trove, the secret gathering place of Spies, Assassins, or cultists, all of which are likely to have hidden security and/or magic protection, Guardian Stones, familiars, and other extraordinary security measures.
A failed roll means that the Spy fails to notice all the important details and/or inaccurately notes features of the location, room, or building because he or she is noticed looking around or seen as behaving suspiciously, and is asked to leave, and forcibly removed, if necessary. Or the Spy may realize he's been noticed and finds it necessary to make a fast exit and give security the slip. Let's hope that's what happens.
G.M. Note: This is an opportunity for role-playing and fast talking on the part of the Spy who may have to come up with a cover story for who he is and what he was doing. As always, use your discretion as to how severe the Spy's mistakes are and the severity of possible repercussions when caught in the act(physically tossed out on his ear, beaten, taken prisoner and tortured, subjected to psychic mind probe, magical Charm, etc.)
Mnemonic Memory Techniques: Spies must learn the difficult art of remembering the details which they case or learn through infiltration without the danger of writing down and then carrying notes that could immediately identify them as Spies. This involves using techniques to associate the information they've learned (and which their employer is paying them to collect) with innocuous memory triggers that they can later use to recall the information and report it back, sometimes in writing, sometimes by word of mouth.
Base Skill: 50% +5% per level of experience.
Note: If the Spy has the Psionic ability of Total Recall, it's an automatic success to remember the details of the information he/she gathered. A failed roll means either the Spy cannot remember the details he/she attempted to, or inaccurately remembers them (G.M.'s discretion).
Building an Alias: All Spies must be proficient in the techniques necessary to build an alias (a.k.a., secret identity) that can stand up to scrutiny by people who would recognize a fake. An example would include a Spy who personally is an expert in heraldry and forgery or knows someone upon whom he/she can call for such services to produce a reliable pedigree and the necessary accompanying documents establishing that the Spy is in fact a member of the aristocracy. Likewise, a Spy attempting to infiltrate a pirate Federation would need to establish a credible alias as a pirate in order for other pirates to take him/her seriously. Anyone can make something up on the fly, but to the Spy, building an alias is all about knowing their target and their own limitations. This skill is centered around having the necessary background or bonafides to establish a false past association as someone else; infiltration is the skill necessary to know how to behave once you're in.
Base Skill: 20% +5% per level of experience (+10% if the alias involves a skillset (such as heraldry, military etiquette, lore: culture and customs, etc.), which are stackable, relating to the desired alias. For example, if a player has the skills: military etiquette, heraldry, lore: culture and customs (for the Western Imperial Army), language: Western human, each would confer a bonus of +10% (total of +40%) to building a credible alias as a soldier in the Western Imperial Army.
A failed roll means that the first person who is able to recognize the Spy as an intruder or fraudulent, does so.

The Spy O.C.C.

Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 10 and M.A. 10 or higher. A high P.P. and P.B. are nice but not required; the best Spies use cunning, charm, and deception, not brute force.
Alignment: Any. Most patriots will be of a good or aberrant alignment. Freelance Spies are typically selfish or evil. Those who serve dark forces are almost always anarchist or evil.
Gender: Male or Female
Race: Any
O.C.C. Bonuses:

+15to S.D.C.
+2 to P.S. and P.E.
+1 on Perception Rolls when recognizing danger
+1 to strike
+1 to pull punch
+2 to roll with punch, fall, or impact
+1 to save vs. poisons and toxins
+1 to save vs. Horror Factor

O.C.C. Skills:

O.C.C. Related Skills:Choose 2 other skills form the Espionage skill category and four other skills at level 1 , plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency.

Communications: Any
Domestic: Any (+5%)
Espionage: Detect Ambush and Intelligence only (+5%)
Horsemanship: Any
Labour: Any (+5%)
Medical: First Aid and Holistic Medicine only (+5%)
Military: Any
Naval: Any
Performance Arts: Any
Physical: Any
Rogue: Any (+10%)
Science: Any
Scholar/Technical: Any
Weapon Proficiencies: Any
Wilderness: Any (+10%)

Secondary Skills: Choose 4 at level 1, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency. These are additional areas of knowledge that don't get the O.C.C. bonus.

Starting Equipment:

One weapon for each W.P.
One stone war axe (2D4 damage), suitable for chopping wood and fighting.
One stone knife (1D4 damage).
One stone-tipped spear (1D6 damage).
One metal short sword (2D4 damage) or scimitar (2D6 damage; pick one).
Blowgun with a set of 10 darts.
Light Jungle Armor (A.R.: 9, S.D.C.: 20; no penalty to Prowl) or any leather armor.
Loincloth and other basic clothing.
Sandals or a pair of moccasins.
Oil-skinned hooded cloak or poncho.
Crafting tools suitable for bone, wood, leather, and rock for making traps.
Three small sacks.
Cooking pot.
Mortar and pestle for collecting plants to make poisons.
20 feet (6.1 m) of rope.
One waterskin.
Fishing hook and line.
1D6 animal snares.
Tinder box.
Bedroll and blanket.
Some personal items.

Note: The weapons, tools, and gear of Jungle and Woodland Fighters may range from common stone and tribal weapons to metal and magic weapons from around the world. These are prized possessions won in battle and taken from outsiders.

Money:

Starts with a small pouch containing 80 gold coins and 1D6x100 in gems.

Allies:

Jungle and Woodland Fighters are fundamentally wandering mercenaries willing to work for anyone with a cause they believe in and who can afford to pay them. They tend to side with and champion the causes of fellow jungle or woodland inhabitants, join forces with adventurers and heroes battling evil and monsters as long as they receive their fair share of treasure or reward, and are known to trade with travelers, pirates, mercenaries, and settlers.

Enemies:

The enemies of whoever hires them to fight, rival mercenaries and nomads, and other hostile groups, monsters, and people in the jungle or woodland territories.

Experiance and Combat Table:
1 0-1,850

2 1,851-3,700

3 3,701-7,400

4 7,401-13,000

5 13,001-22,000

6 22,001-33,000

7 33,001-47,000

8 47,001-66,000

9 66,001-91,400

10 91,401-131,500

11 131,501-171,600

12 171,601-221,700

13 221,701-272,800

14 272,801-326,900

15 326,901-378,000/td>

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