Spymaster
The position of Spymaster is one of several Council positions common at every level throughout The Kingdom of Somercrag. They are responsible for uncovering secrets and schemes that might affect the council.
This is one of the least restricted council positions, with no expectation that the holder will be able to fight and little need to read or write. The only requirement for the position is that its holder has the ability to get secrets out of people, one way or another.
The role of Spymaster is usually expected to have a greater degree of independence from their Lord or Lady, but that does not remove the liege's responsibility for the Spymaster's actions, should they be involved in anything illegal or immoral in the pursuit of uncovering secrets their liege will be expected to punish them for it, lest it be inferred that they condone the actions taken.
Council Actions
Each month the Spymaster may be directed to take one of the following actions. Bolded actions require the Spymaster's presence for the month, making them unavailable for any other duties.- Defend Against Schemes - The Spymaster devotes their attentions for the month to protecting the council from outside schemers. Their Spymaster skill becomes the council's Scheme Defence until the end of the next council session.
- Support Scheme - The Spymaster devotes their attentions for the month to supporting a scheme performed by another council member or another character. One action which tests against an opposing Scheme Defence may add a number of b equal to the Spymaster skill to that check.
- Investigate Target - The Spymaster spends the month producing a report to the council on one Kingdom/Duchy/Holding/Organisation/Individual/etc. They take a Spymaster skill check against the Scheme Defence of the target, with the resulting report being influenced by the success or failure of this check.
- Question - The Spymaster spends the month questioning an individual, or several individuals. They may be willing participants or captives. They take a Spymaster skill check against the target's Willpower and Determination and will recieve information based on the success or failure of this check.
- Incite Crime - The Spymaster spends the month in a settlement, making connections and discreetly moving supplies to undermine the Order in the land. They take a check using their Spymaster skill or the Crime in the settlement against a difficulty of cd, or the Order in the settlement, whichever is higher. If they succeed, increase the Crime attribute of the settlement by 1. For each additional s, and for every aa add 1 Revenue that can only be spent on creating or improving Crime developments throughout the target territory. For each t increase the Crime of another settlement in the territory or choose or create one NPC to be involved in the Criminal Network.
- Training (Subterfuge) - The Spymaster spends the month training an individual's subterfuge skills. At the end of the month they take a Spymaster skill vs the target's relevant skill. If they fail nothing happens, if they succeed the chosen skill increases by 1 (to a maximum of 5). For each additional s or every aa they may increase another subterfuge skill that begins lower than the chosen skill or gain one relevant Knowledge skill. For each h they suffer 1 Strain.
- Assassinate Target - The Spymaster spends the month (or longer if travel time is necessary) embedding themselves or one of their agents in a target organisation to attempt to assassinate someone. At the end of the month the Spymaster takes a Spymaster skill vs the target's Scheme Defence. If they succeed they or their agent will have an opportunity to strike at the target - depending on the target this may play out as a combat encounter, an opposed comabt skill check, or some other result depending on narrative. If the Spymaster's check is failed the attempt fails. If a d is rolled, regardless of the success or failure of the assassination, the plot is uncovered.
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