[Banestorm] The Ministry of Serendipity

[korbeau]

For the 4th year of my Yrth Campaign, my player will be messing with one of the darkest organisation on Yrth; The Ministry of Serendipity.

As I build up all the organisation, I thought it would be useful to receive ideas and constructive criticism from other about my project.

In the Banestorm book, p. 205, you could read about the Ministry “They include spies, scholars of forbidden knowledge, wizardly experts in Banestorm-tracing or mind-wiping magic, assassins, and warrior-trackers. “ That was the inspiration for all the work.

[korbeau]

Ministry’s Spies
The characteristic of a spy is you didn’t suspect that this person is a spy. It could be a knight, a priest, a merchant… even your neighbour. The best way to handle this is to add a lenses to an actual template/character, hiding its true nature

Ministry’s Agent (50cp):
Advantages: Administrative Rank 1 [5]; Legal Enforcement Powers [15]; Legal Immunity [20]; Security Clearance [15]; Ministry Network* [9]
Disadvantages: Secret (Serendipity agent) [-10]; Duty [-10];
Skills: Current Affaire (Science and Technology) (E) IQ+1 [2];
Background Skills: Hidden Lore (Earth) (A) IQ-1 [1], Detect Lies (H) Per-2 [1]; Interrogation (A) IQ-1 [1], Engineer (H) IQ-2 [1]

Ministry’s Spy (100cp):
Lenses: Ministry’s Agent [50]
Advantages: Contacts (Effective Skill 21, completely reliable) [12]; Another 5 points in Administrative Rank;
Skills: Current Affairs (E) IQ+2 [4], Intelligence Analysis (H) IQ-1 [4], Observation (A) Per+1 [4], Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4], Stealth (A) DX+2 [8];
Secondary Skills: Lockpicking (A) IQ [2]; Acting (A) IQ [2], Disguise (A) IQ [2]; Fast-Talk (A) IQ [2]; Forgery (H) IQ-2 [1];

*Ministry Network
It take no time for a Spy to give the information to the Ministry or receive direction from them. As soon as the Spy vanish from the observer, the work is done. That’s the main reason why the Ministry’s spies are so dangerous; they are efficient! This is represent with the advantage Ministry Network. The Spy can use this network to communicate with everybody. This communication is a ”Send Only” with person who are not in the organisation.
Under the hood: Telecommunication (Activate on a Stealth Roll; Secure +20%; Send only to person not in the organisation -25%) [9].

[korbeau]

The Library of the Ministry
Using with the Scholar template (DF4), these books are the possession of the Ministry and they don’t leave the Great Library but Scholars can consult them at will.

Complete Engineering of Century Tome 1
+1 CF, Fine +8 CF; 750$
2 points Engineer TL3
1 points Alchemy TL3

Complete Engineering of Century Tome 2
+1 CF, Fine +8 CF; 750$
2 points Engineer TL4
1 points Alchemy TL4

Complete Engineering of Century Tome 3
+1 CF, Fine +8 CF; 750$
2 points Engineer TL5
1 points Alchemy TL5

Spellbook of the Dead
+3 CF, 300$
1 points Death Vision
1 point Sense Life
1 point Sense Spirit

Grimoire of the Risen
+3 CF, 700$
1 points Summon Spirit
1 points Lend Vitality
4 points Zombie
1 points Control Zombie

Atlas of Ytarria
Annoted Map, 850$
4 Points Area Knowledge (Ytarria)
4 points Area Knowloedge Megalos
4 points Area Knowloedge Megalos (City)
2 points Area Knowledge Caithness
2 points Area Knowledge (Cardiel)
1 points Area Knowledge (Abidos)

[korbeau]

The Magical Style of the Wizard of the Ministry of Serendipity

Group Name: Ministry of Serendipity
Nicknames: black-clad wizards, Tracker (Agents from Office of Acquisition), Cleaner (Agents of Office of Truths)
Allies: Silver Hand (Caithness), Chaplaincy of St. Andrew (Cardiel), Office of Harmony and Thunder, Clan Lo, Eyes of Heaven, The Roving Inspectors.
Rivals: The Underground engineers
Group Description: As per Banestorm p. 88

Style Name: Serendipity Mage
Style Cost: 8
Style Prerequisites: Magery 1, TL4, Patron (Powerful Organisaion, Equipment +100%), Duty, Secret 3 [20]
Style Description: wizardly experts in Banestorm-tracing (known as Tracker) or mind-wiping magic (known as Cleaner)
Required Skills: Hidden Lore (Earth), Detect Lies, Interrogation, Engineer
Required Spells
Tracker: Sense Foes, Sense Life, Detect Banestorm
Cleaner: Foolishness, Forgetfulness, Weaken Will
Perks: Better Magic Items; Guild Rank; License; Magical Lawyer; Mass Magician; Mundane Magic; Paraphernalia Pro, Permit; Sanctum; Secret Spell; Special Exercice (FP can exceed HT by 100%; IQ or Magery); Spell Bond; Spell Duelist; Thaumatological Doublespeak; Wizardly Garb
Secret Spells: Seek Machine (0 - TL3 to TL5); Reveal Function (1);
Optional Traits: Claim to Hospitality; Contacts;

[korbeau]

Spell List
The Tracker Path

First Degree
Sense Foes (0)
Sense Life (0)
Detect Banestorm (0)
Simple Illusion (0)

Second Degree
Sense Emotion (1)
Seek Banestorm (1)
Illusion Disguise (1)
Mage Sight (1)

Third Degree
Identify Newcomer (2)
Know Location (2)
Seeker (2)
Trace (3)
Rooted Feet (2)

Fourth Degree
Gift of Tongues (5)
Gift of Letters (5)

Fifth Degree
Communication (9)
Knot (9)
Shrink Object (16)

[korbeau]

Spell List
The Cleaner Path

First Degree
Foolishness (0)
Forgetfulness (1)
Weaken Will (1)

Second Degree
Illusion Disguise (1)
Mage Sight (1)
Daze (1)
Terror (1)

Third Degree
Truthsayer (2)
Mind-Reading (3)
Pain (2)
Persuation (2)
Compel Truth (3)
Permanent Forgetfulness (2)

Fourth Degree
Mind-Search (4)
See Secret (5)
False Memory (7)

Fifth Degree
Communication (9)
Knot (9)
Shrink Object (16)

[korbeau]

Ministry’s Assassin (175cp or 300cp)
Taking the Assassin template [125 cp] in Banestorm p. 202 and add the Ministry’s Agent Lenses [50 cp]

For a more Fantasy game, take the Assassin template [250 cp] (DF12) and add the Ministry’s Agent Lenses (50 cp).

The Warrior-Tracker Template (200 cp/300 cp)
Use the Bounty Hunter template [150 cp] from Banestorm p. 204 and add the Ministry’s Agent Lenses [50cp]

For a more Fantasy game, take the Scout “Bounty Hunter” Template [250 cp] (DF1 p. 11) and add the Ministry’s Agent lenses [50cp]

For MA rules, you could include the Late Medieval Style (MA p. 177) for 5 cp.
They even take the Tracker Path from their Magical School for 8 cp.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Shouldn't the Cleaner wizards have Permanent Forgetfulness, too?

[korbeau]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Shouldn't the Cleaner wizards have Permanent Forgetfulness, too?

You're right! I should put that spell on the Third Degree of the Cleaner Path but for balancing with the Tracker one, it would be nice to find another spell for the Third Degree for the ohter path.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by korbeau

You're right! I should put that spell on the Third Degree of the Cleaner Path but for balancing with the Tracker one, it would be nice to find another spell for the Third Degree for the ohter path.

Well, they need Simple, Complex, or Perfect Illusion if they're going to use Illusion Disguise (which just overlays the illusion over a person, without providing it).