The jaded detective was always chastised for seeing patterns in things that weren’t there – until their deductions led them to the site of ritualistic murders with no rational explanation. A socialite dines, drinks and dances among the rich and wealthy at a private party – knowing that one amongst the crowd hides an item of unknown origin that could threaten them all. The hacker pulls down another video from the web – the third that week. They used to vlog themselves until their latest venture for views led to their co-hosts death.
Intelligence Analysts are employed by Equinox to investigate potential leads on paranatural incidents, collect information and resources and determine what steps, if any, need to be taken to resolve the situation. They have a wide remit in terms of skills and responsibilities.
Examples of characters in fiction who fulfil the intelligence analyst role include:
- Gwen Cooper (Torchwood);
- Dr Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds);
- Jonathan Sims (The Magnus Archives);
- Vivek Headland (Injection); and
- Special Agent Dale Bartholomew “Coop” Cooper (Twin Peaks).
Class Skill: Insightful
Once per event, you may ask a Game Team member one of the following questions about a task at hand or course of action you are undertaking. The answer you receive is out-of-character and is one your character is determined to have come to through their own review of the circumstances:
- What is the worst choice I could make?
- What do I stand to lose here?
- What’s the safest choice I could make?
- Where could I be looking to get the answers I seek?
In addition, you may ask a Game Team member at any time the following question: “Am I chasing a worthless lead?” in respect to a proposed plot point you are intending to pursue. You will receive an out-of-character answer that is always truthful in respect of this question.
Specialisations
Intelligence Analysts can take one of the specialisations below:
Contacts
Your character has strong ties with another organisation outside of Equinox. These organisations have access to items and information not readily available to others and can, in select circumstances, take action in Equinox’s absence. Some groups are friendlier than others to Equinox’s overall remit and it will be down to analysts to manage their relationship with these contacts accordingly. Pick one group from the list below. This is the organisation with which your character has contacts. The groups available to analysts are as follows:
- The Agrippina Athenaeum
- The Central Paranatural Bureau
- The Davies Group
- The Jessie Avery Company
- The Noblesse Oblige
- The Unified Arts Coalition
These groups have access to unique resources, information and abilities with which you can negotiate for and can take action off-screen. You will also receive the latest news and gossip with respect to that organisation prior to the start of the event.
Prior to the start of the game, you will be provided with information as to who will act as your contact within these organisations and how best to get in touch with them. Communication with these organisations may be facilitated through a number of means including emails, instant messenger and, where possible, video and telephone calls.
Take this specialisation if you want to have access to information, resources and support which others are unlikely to be aware of or have access too. If you want to have a character who is not a formal member of Equinox, you can select this specialisation and the External Consultant background.
Please be aware that this Specialisation requires extensive roleplay throughout the event with representatives of these organisations. Use of this ability may not yield immediate response and the Game Team will endeavour to come back to your character within four hours of your respective request or attempt to make contact.
Grey Hat Hacker
As the times have changed, Equinox has employed more and more individuals who have the skills to identify and exploit security vulnerabilities in hardware, software or networks. Characters who have this skill are capable of:
- Hacking into computer networks to access or delete information that is contained there;
- Defending Equinox’s own systems should third parties attempt to hack into these;
- Disable or activate electronic locks and surveillance systems – the more complex the lock or system;
- Assist in research by carrying out detailed searches online and on databases or by undertaking programming in relation to devices prepared by engineers; and
- Can with sufficient time and resources, forge identification and documentation which stands up to scrutiny online.
Where there is a character in attendance at the event who has this Specialisation, prior to the event the Game Team will provide information on how to access various in-character databases and carry out hacking. There will be a computer available in the player space for your character to specifically operate on or from and we may provide guidance on how you can interact with our systems should you choose to bring a laptop or computer of your own.
Take this specialisation if you want your character to be able to remotely obtain information from Equinox’s enemies or scour its databases for information. You may also want to take this specialisation if you enjoy assisting others with research or preparing documents to allow the smooth running of missions.
Expert Larcenist
Your character is exceptionally skilled in a number of, usually, illegal skills. The character is capable of:
- Lockpicking non-electronic locks – the more complex the lock, the longer it will take to unlock;
- Searching for items which have been hidden on an unresisting individual’s person and hide small objects on their person which cannot be found via a simple search (which is done via a Show Me Lammie);
- Identifying if a location has recently been broken into, when this occurred and how well trained the individual was who carried out the break-in. This can be done by opening envelopes marked for ‘Expert Larcenist’ only or by speaking with a Game Team member; and
- Forging identification and other documentation with sufficient time and resources.
Where there is a character in attendance at the event who has this Specialisation, prior to the event the Game Team will provide you with information on how to lockpick non-electronic locks and forging identification or other documents.
Take this specialisation if you like to being able to carry out some of the shadier activities involved in the world of espionage. Identify the handiwork of others like you and ensure that you and your fellow Equinox members are able to infiltrate organisations and events with fake identification where necessary.
Resourceful
Whether through black market contacts or through access to Equinox’s (perfectly legal) series of bank accounts, your character is particularly resourceful and is able to purchase or acquire items, weaponry, armour and other equipment. Objects which are commonly available are quick to obtain, usually taking less than an hour to arrive while rarer, esoteric artefacts may take hours and the assistance of others to obtain.
Resources are purchased using the expenditure of Resources Points. The more expensive the resource, the more Resources Points needed to purchase it.
Each Resource has a corresponding Resource Point value and a time in which it takes for the item to be delivered to you. Additional Resource Points may be spent to ensure these items are provided more quickly.
Some Resources may have additional roleplay requirements before they can be unlocked or may be purchased at a lower rate if these roleplay pre-requisites are fulfilled.
Your character:
- Starts play with 5 Resources Points. You gain 3 Resources Dots at the start of each Act and may hold a maximum of 8 Resources Points at anyone time; and
- Gains access to a list of items, weaponry, armour, intelligence and other resources which they are able to acquire generally; and
- Has a list of items, weaponry, armour, intelligence and other resources which are being sought by from others and the Resource Point value attributable to these if sold.
Where there is a character in attendance at the event who has this Specialisation, prior to the event the Game Team will provide you with information on how to purchase and sell Resources as well as determine your Resource Point total during the course of the game.
Take this specialisation if you want to be a go to person for acquiring items, objects and other resources which are likely to be in high-demand from the rest of Equinox. An analyst can requisition multiple items at a time up to a certain value. The time to obtain these can take anywhere between an hour (incredibly common items such as ammunition clips) to twenty four hours (where the object is incredibly rare, expensive and one of a kind) or even more. Other characters can use their specialisations or backgrounds to unlock other items for you to obtain or speed up this process accordingly. Similarly, certain cells may have access to resources to allow you to make additional purchases.
Holmnesian Deduction
Whether investigating a room or reading a person, your character is capable of noticing things which are easily missed by others. Your character can:
- Three times per Act, after one minute of uninterrupted observation of another character (player or NPC), your character may notice or remember observe something about their character which is not readily noticeable or memorable to others. Once you have observed the character you may show them your Show-Me-Lammie which will prompt the character to reveal their chosen Background. If the character is a Cast member or another player character is willing to do so, they may reveal further information about their character which is noticeable to you. You can only use this ability once per character per game;
- Once per Act, after speaking with another character for at least five minutes, you may show them your Show-Me Lammie to request they confirm whether a statement they just told you was true or false. The player must respond truthfully and set out clearly whether their statement is also withholding any pertinent information (though they do not need to tell you what this information is). You can only use this ability once per character per game; and
- After five minutes of appropriate roleplay of examining a scene or location, be informed of any noticeable information or clues that can be discerned from your investigation which are not noticeable to others. This can be done by opening envelopes marked for ‘Holmnesian Deduction’ only or by speaking with a Game Team member. You may also ask once per Act whether information or an object you discovered is relevant to Equinox’s investigation. Information shared in this manner is out-of-character and is one your character is determined to have come to through their own review of the circumstances.
Take this specialisation if you want to be Sherlock Holmes and capable of noticing things about a person, creature, scene or location which others have not noticed. You may also enjoy playing this character if you like delving into the secret lives of your fellow Equinox members and sticking your nose in where it should not belong.
The Intern
Whether relatively young and impressionable or a jack of all trades, your character doesn’t really specialise in anything but is incredibly good at providing support to their fellow Equinox members or stepping in when another cannot assist. Your character may, following ten minutes of tutoring and guidance from another character, substitute this Specialisation for either the Specialisation or Class Skill held by that character.
The Intern will have the ability to use this Specialisation for the remainder of the Act following which they will be unable to use the Specialisation or Class Skill gained for the remainder of the event. An Intern may change Specialisation or Class Skill mid-way through an Act but will be unable to use the dropped Specialisation or Class Skill for the remainder of the event once they have done so.
A character with this skill may:
- Gain the Class Skill off a Researcher character but any research they lead or assist on may be prone to errors or incorrect information; or
- Never gain a Specialisation or Class Skill off the Paranatural character class.
Take this specialisation if you want to be able to do a bit of everything but never for long periods of time. You may also enjoy being able to fill in for any gaps in the team or the potential roleplay that comes from engaging closely with other characters in order to access and use your skills.
Way with Words
Your character is a social butterfly and a master of manipulation. Whether it is sitting down with someone for a cup of tea or interrogating them for information, they use body language and the spoken word as vital tools to achieve their goals. Your character may, three times an Act, use one of the abilites set out below:
- Manipulation – whether through effortless charm or relentless intimidation, your character is adept at using their words to manipulate others into giving them what they want. After five minutes of questioning or interrogating another character, you may show them your Show-Me-Lammie to prompt the character to answer the next question posed to them truthfully; and
- Presence – your character also knows how to use their words to convince others to believe what they say. Prior to commencing a conversation or interaction with another character, you may show them your Show-Me-Lammie. Any statement or claim you make during the course of your conversation or interaction with them will be, for the moment, entirely convincing and truthful. Dependent on what you are looking to claim, other characters may ask you to prove this is the case or demand evidence in support of your claim. If you are unable to offer this then the effect of your Show-Me-Lammie ends immediately and you may not use this on the same character for the remainder of the event.
Take this specialisation if you want to play a character who has mechanics to back up their social skills and abilities. You may also enjoy playing a character who wants to manipulate others into doing their dirty work or encouraging enemies to surrender without the need for violence.