I am curious why no one has created an intelligence organzation.

If, before growing the organization, you take 5 players and each of them creates 2 characters (or 10 players using 3 or 4 characters...or...more) to place in whatever official and unofficial groups exist, they could become the most influential organization in the game.

Their secret leader could send emissaries (some random non-descript PC with an appropriately cool and revealing name like 'emissary') to each guild leader and offer their services. Most people are uncreative, so they poo(p)-poo(p) the possibility of there being any such useful services in this game, but there are a number of services an intelligence organization can offer that, after thinking through and designing protocols, procedures, and generic game plans for each service, can be artfully developed into a brochure (verbal, textual, and possibly a website) that would be compelling to org leaders (potential customers), and effectively game altering. If those official and unofficial org leaders (who would hire the intelligence org) aren't creative enough to find a decent reason to employ the organization, and this is likely, the intelligence organization can, like so many since time immemorial, create a reason through mischief.

To determine what kinds of mischief are feasible and effective (i.e., what RL intelligence orgs do to drum up business and/or maintain/increase government budget allocations) one must only refer to google and research the history of such organizations' 'black hat'/'dirty tricks' operations - their goals, planning, execution, and results. It would be an incredibly fun project. I won't make suggestions here because public consumption and consideration would completely negate their effectiveness and possibly the public appetite for such a service.

If this was done correctly, ultimately all organization leaders would prefer to have the intelligence organization working 'with them' rather than 'against them'. And, depending on the operational goals of a given client assignment, the fees could be exorbitant. Creating a need for such a service will take time, and the process should be carefully planned. There should be a series of steps, each accomplishing an effective goal, culminating in a successful business. The leaders need to be really creative, able to think 10 steps ahead, and plan a series of steps (operations) that will achieve their ultimate, rather lofty goal of becoming relevant and desired.

In fact, if this was done correctly, GMs might enjoy watching the process unfold and may even take a flyer and employ the organization on a one-off basis to work for one or another of elanthia's houses, provinces, cities, or other GMNPC entity.

People whine about being bored. Many people want the fun spoon-fed to them; well it has been. We were spoon-fed an entire planet with very few, simple rules of conduct; the rest is our's to control, build, destroy, manipulate, shape, mold, whatever.

If you think you're smart, and you love the Jason Bourne movies, or read Tom Clancy, or would love to role-play an intelligence operative, GO FOR THIS. You will carve out something really special for yourself and everyone involved - including victims of your tradecraft. You will leave a gigantic footprint on this game and the contribution would be immeasurable as well as a blast.

I've already done a group so I'm done - but if you haven't experienced creating something interesting here, don't cheat yourself out of it - it's worth the learning curve, the experience, the expertise, and the eventual memories.

kthxbai

>Intelligence Organization

When the Vela'Tohr was first created it was intended to be an intelligence group. Most of those folks have left the organization at this point and the current leadership decided to go in a more "hands-on" militaristic direction. But, for what it's worth, I thought it was a fantastic idea then and I still think it's a fantastic idea now.

Likewise, I've toyed around a few times with the idea of adding in an intelligence branch to the Tavern Troupe. As performers we're often at ground-zero for events when they happen and are in a position to speak with little-bias towards the actual happenings. Currently, my two newsletter workers are on a bit of a break from the game so we're not doing a whole lot of that kind of work. But, hopefully when they return we can get that ball rolling again because I feel it fits well with the Troupe's RP in the game and adds a little more variety for players to choose from when they desire to work with our Order. Not so much the "cloak and dagger" aspect though, but I do see a potential for that as well within the Troupe.

All that said, I definitely encourage others to delve into this type of RP. Some folks already do this on their own (Mistanna is a great example) but more would be neat.

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A brief, unbidden thought crosses your mind that you just implicated yourself and Anjinson in the murder of Terald Sanfala. You wonder if anyone will notice.

In addition...

Cool, Hexed.

No doubt. I totally understand that. But I can acknowledge a few ways of pushing back on that obvious observation. The reality you point out is not, to me, prohibitive, nor, to me, does it in any way diminish the validity of the RP.

Why?

1. Since the inception of this game single players have RPed multiple characters, often in relation to one another, and albeit weird and often resulting in a ridiculous number of siblings, parents, and extended family, there has been little challenge to the practice - it is an accepted RP way of explaining that your alt empath or cleric came out of no where to save you in the middle of a remote hunting area.

2. There is no way whatever to disguise ourselves in here. I agree that playing multiple characters is not a valid way of claiming a PC is incognito because there is practically no way of maintaining exact metrics including skills. Not to mention its just an entirely separate account that can effect a bonanza of resources for a single PC (e.g., 2 vaults and other amenities for a single PC), plus its just a completely stupid idea and I would pretty much laugh at anyone who thought they could do that.

3. Thieves have khris; moonmages have RF; anyone can pickpocket anyone else from hiding with enough skill; pretend titles allow us to disguise our guild - but there is no way to fool people into thinking we are playing someone other than ourselves because our name is right there for the world to see. Disguise and subterfuge are often a primary strategy in the intelligence business - and because that option is entirely impossible here any DR intelligence organization would be existentially handicapped. They simply wouldn't have the necessary tools to get done what they need to get done.

If you take all of THESE realities and bundle them together it becomes obvious that the only way to play this kind of RP out is to have a LOT of players involved. Yes, this or that person can be a spy, but to significantly impact the game the business is extremely human (or prydean) capital intensive.

For me, of course, 'many individual players' is the optimal way to do it for many reasons, but we have 11 people playing this game and we have a choice: do we want more or less action in this game. If we stick to the preferred method of each spy being an individual player (and we ignore 18 years of my #1 argument, and THIS idea is designated an exception to what is already usual and customary in this game) we preclude any real possibility of this organization having a significant, really worthwhile, impact on your fun.

There are positives and negatives in everything - but I believe, on balance, the good this can do outweighs your valid aversion.

The fact is, between 1 and X number of players can get this started. I can guarantee you that if this got off the ground there would be additional interest and the project would become even more enriching for gamers here.

I argue that sometimes a degree of flexibility is warranted and okay - especially because there is already precedent for the behavior - although this can be correctly considered a more extreme case.

>>How do you know a covert group of intelligence gathering individuals don't already exist?<<

^Love this.

________________________________________________________________


"I only automatically kill players when they're asking for it or it's funny. Or both." ~GM Raesh

That's kind of a neophyte question. Disabuse yourself of the belief that intelligence agencies are just about gathering intelligence. They are about affecting the geopolitics of the entire world.

Ya. That group would be a real snoozer...

>>Darkevilwhatever: Since the inception of this game single players have RPed multiple characters, often in relation to one another, and albeit weird and often resulting in a ridiculous number of siblings, parents, and extended family, there has been little challenge to the practice - it is an accepted RP way of explaining that your alt empath or cleric came out of no where to save you in the middle of a remote hunting area.

I see a difference between playing multiple characters (even if the player sometimes uses them in OOC ways) and recruiting players to role disposable alts.

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Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!

Vote for DragonRealms on Top MUD Sites: http://www.topmudsites.com/vote-DragonRealms.html

Okay last post - and I still say, "I get it, it was just an idea."

But now that I think about it, if a player is ROLEPLAYING each character in their stable as spies, I think it's totally cool to do it. The difference is THAT player (as distinct from how YOU do it) isn't primarily playing his moonmage to be a moonmage first an foremost whose storyline is distinct from all his other characters, and his/her other character on the same account isn't primarily playing a barb as a barb first and foremost with a distinct storyline from his/her other characters. IMO they can play all their characters as spies - with distinct personalities, backstories, etc. I think the disonance comes from the rarity of playing all characters as spies - it just isn't done regularly. I am totally confused it's okay.

If the player wants all of his/her characters (or those allocated to this) to be spies? Who are we to decide that's out of line or meta-gaming. Not me, because I'm a sensitive, generous person who just wants to make everyone feel acknowledged, understood, and loved. Chicks dig that. Also, they love it if you've read Pride and Prejudice. If you haven't say you have, but at least see the movie - and make sure it's the colin firth one - the others suck.

But I get it, it was just an idea.

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>>How do you know a covert group of intelligence gathering individuals don't already exist?

It does. We're called Mountain Elves.

rimshot!


Former EVE player. I love the idea, but also lean away from the concept of rolling alts specifically for this unless they are fully fledged actual characters independent of mains. Half the fun of spying is the danger and consequences of being caught. I like to imagine this sort of thing is already going on, because the setting and game are ripe for it. I think the group would be better served by RPing the foundation and organization in game, with actual characters rather than by a predefined group.

-= Alesche =-
Mountain Elf - Historian - Free Empath of the Crystal Tower
Heavy RPer Looking for Connections!
AIM: DRAlesche