Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Spy

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The Spy serves as the primary infiltrator unit of the Alliance of Hawke. Planned to be voiced by Jack DeSena.

Tactical analysis

 * Hidden in plain sight: Intense training and years of experience allow Alliance spies to impersonate any friendly or enemy infantry, granting them access to the most heavily guarded enemy bases. Enemy commanders suspicious of disguised spy activity must issue a force-attack order against the suspect, who will appear as one of their own forces and therefore is not automatically designated as a threat.
 * Sabotage!: Spies are trained to disrupt enemy logistics and infrastructure from behind the lines. Whether disrupting a base's power supply, stealing resources from an enemy refinery, or disabling the enemy's high-tech units and production, spies have the ability to dramatically affect the tide of a battle.
 * Money, money, money, money: It is standard operating procedure for spies to carry large sums of cash for bribing enemy troops. The spy's innate knowledge of human psychology, coupled with a surplus of foreign currency, makes a persuasive combination that even the most powerful enemy units have difficulty resisting. In practice, spies may cause large numbers of enemy forces to suddenly turn on their former commanders.
 * Don't feed the animals: If discovered, spies are extremely vulnerable. They are trained to operate without any conventional weapons and their only defense is to avoid detection. In addition, modern armies have specially-trained units that can detect spies even when disguised. Some of these, such as attack dogs and Voshkod war bears, are also trained to deal with Spies in an efficient, if somewhat messy, fashion.

History
"Getting the job done sometimes requires sophistication."

-Spy Motto

Formed as a merger of the Ferelden OSS, Vinland MI6, Orlais DPSD, Athel Loren ATEG and Ironforge BND intelligence agencies, with more organizations integrated into it since, it is completely unsurprising that not a single one of these agencies trusts each other at all, resulting in the most complicated intelligence agencies in the world and probably the only one that actively keeps secrets from itself, known simply as Alliance Central Intelligence Network, or simply ACIN. Thanks to the total chaos of its operation, almost nothing is known to anyone about its operations, agents, bases, policy, budgeting, assets, or missions by anyone at any time. Indeed, it isn't entirely clear who is in charge, and funding is accomplished through dropping a check off at Box 850 in Ferelden. It hasn't even got an official representative in Alliance High Command; instead, it's simply assumed that at least one representative of another department at any one time is probably an ACIN agent, all put under the umbrella term of Spy.

Mystery is the watchword of ACIN agents; they are contacted by Alliance personnel in overly elaborate ways, use multiple pseudonyms for every task, and speak in code deliberately designed to sound insane to those not in the loop. Because of this, ACIN is never issued orders. Instead, the ACIN operates by means of suggestion; an Alliance commander might mutter during a briefing that a mission would be much easier if an enemy commander was assassinated, and one of the ACIN agents who is almost certainly in the room will inform his superiors and the task will be carried out. Commanders have long worked out that this is how it works, of course. Though this Byzantine structure has many obvious drawbacks, it has two advantages that prevent the Alliance from attempting a restructuring. The first is that, as orders are never overtly issued to ACIN, Alliance Command can keep its hands clean, important in an organization as transparent as the G.I Divisions where public support would be quickly eroded by ACIN's actions. The second is that counter-intelligence is essentially impossible; if ACIN can't manage to keep track of itself, then the Voshkod, and various enemy, intelligence agencies don't stand a chance.

Short story
Hiding in Plain Sight, pt.2

Brian McMann

Rozzer, issue 147

I first met Gordon Hughes near the Ironforge docks in a dark, smoke-filled tavern; the kind of place often frequented by gruff old mariners in search of nothing more than solitude and a mostly-clean glass of thick ale. I was the obvious outsider, my colorful parka a stark contrast to the sea of heavy, dark outerwear and matching faces of the men that periodically shot surly, suspicious glances my way from across the tops of their quickly-draining mugs. Hughes, however, looked as if he had been sailing the Gallyis Sea his entire life. He chuckled to himself as he adjusted his watchcap, revealing a wash of salt and pepper hair. "You'd have never made it in my line of work. You're a fish out of water here," he said with a thick Prussian accent.

Hughes is a retired spy. He has spent over 30 years undercover stealing the deepest, darkest secrets of the Voshkod and, more recently, the Collective. A master of disguise, he will only consent to be interviewed at the place and time of his choosing, under a false name and an altered appearance. He is in complete control of the situation.

Now we sit outside of a small cafe in Cantha to continue our interview. He orders coffee and a pastry, his accent Orlesian now. When I comment on his white linen suit and Alliance looks, he points out that being inconspicuous does not always mean blending in.

GH: "It's a matter of expectations. It's important to appear to be what people expect to see. The people here expect to see wealthy Hawkes. And the occasional journalist."

BM: "Sounds expensive."

GH: "Well, I wasn't trying to [catch a] peek at girls in the locker room; I was trying to get hold of the most guarded secrets in the world. For that, a few francs can be very persuasive."

BM: "What sort of technology did you use? Any special gadgets or transportation?"

GH: "Most of that is just fantasy. No, no, I used my brain. The most important aspect to successful espionage is basic human psychology, how to manipulate perceptions and make people see what you want them to see. For some, the ability to read people is a natural talent--it then becomes a matter of training yourself to react appropriately, to lead the mark to whichever logical conclusion you desire. People are actually very easy to manipulate. Animals ... well, they're a different story."

I wanted to pursue this further, and better understand Hughes' ontological distinction between humans and "animals", but the expression on Hughes's face dissuaded me. Then it passed, and he was once again the urbane expatriate Orlesman.

BM: "What would have happened if you had been captured?"

GH: "...We were of course issued poison for such an eventuality, but I never knew if I would use it or not until I heard stories about those who didn't.

(He takes a drink before continuing).

If I were captured now, I wouldn't hesitate."

BM: "Of course, there would be no reason to capture you now, would there?"

GH: "Of course not."

BM: "But then, why do you carry on with the disguises?"

The smell of expensive perfume fills my nostrils and I am suddenly aware of a stunning blonde woman standing directly behind me. "You must excuse me, my date has arrived," Hughes says as he rises to leave. He dons his fedora and tips the brim in my direction before taking her arm.

"Au revoir, Monsieur McMann."

"Da svedanya," she says with a smile.

A warm breeze, pregnant with the briny aroma of the nearby ocean, wafts over the cafe, and then they are gone.

Guardians of the Tacitus

 * Intelligence Agent (Aquila)
 * Spy (Alliance)
 * Informant (ADI)
 * Shinobi (Protectorate)
 * Kunoichi (Erune Command)
 * Courtesan (Andora)
 * Monk (Empire)
 * Bandit (Community)

Destroyers of Balthazar

 * Breacher (Voshkod)
 * Saboteur (Brotherhood)
 * Sneaky Boy (Horde)
 * Thief (MLA)
 * Manipulator (Collective)
 * Empath (PsiCorps)
 * Artisan (Encantadia)
 * Shapeshifter (Scrin)

Neutrals

 * Mole (Coalition)
 * Preacher (Heralds)
 * Succubus (Path Of Slaanesh)
 * Rogue (Order)
 * Delta Ranger (Survivors)
 * Voshkod Ranger (Voshkod Exile)
 * Satyr (Syndicate)
 * Diplomat
 * Infiltrator Drone (Conglomerate)
 * Death Cult Assassin (Legion)

Bonus Factions

 * Intel Spec-Ops (ASA)
 * Void Rogue (Bastion)
 * Infiltration Creep (Rangers)
 * Forgotten Lurker (Pirates)
 * Kelran Infiltrator (Ascalia)
 * Dalit (Elona)
 * ... (Dominion)
 * Lalafell Informant (Security)
 * ... (Ascendancy)

DLC

 * Clairvoyant (Federation)
 * Crown Courtesan (Corona)
 * Spreyer Stealer (Party)
 * ... (Skynet)
 * Fontaine Photographer (Elemental)
 * ... (Autocracy)
 * Skink Informer (League)
 * Genestealer (Swarm)
 * Explorer (Confederation)
 * Harlequin (Kingdom)
 * ... (Goo)
 * Nilfgaard Saboteur (Imperium)
 * ... (Dynasty)
 * Gnoblar Saboteur (Warlords)
 * ... (Cult)
 * Sleuth (Raiders)
 * Bretonnian Courtesan (Theocracy)
 * Dome Runner (Insurgents)
 * Shadow Dispeller (Guardians)
 * Nourkias Hacker (Hierarchy)
 * ... (Sundered)
 * Chaac Agent (Ecumene)
 * Wakfu Thief (Concordat)
 * Counter Agent (Contingent)
 * Whisper of Elysea (Eden)
 * Gaiaterra's First (InGen)
 * ... (Hallows)
 * Elf Courtesan (Commune)
 * Fortune Teller (Clique)
 * Spiran Thief (Guild)
 * Control Bug (Threat)
 * ... (Traders)
 * Elf Thief (Entente)
 * Wraith (Oblivion)
 * Ja'vo Infiltrator (Corporation)
 * ... (Covenant)
 * 3rd Gen Synth (Institute)
 * Ind Informant (Commonwealth)