Occult Espionage Genre

In the genre of Occult Espionage, the world is inhabited by secret societies who are locked in a hidden struggle to acquire items of *Power* (Relics) in order to defeat their enemies and achieve their goals. The purpose of the story is to acquire more *Power* and counter the operations of your rivals. Action, danger, covert intelligence and spycraft will all be necessary.

This article will cover only the elements of the Occult Espionage Genre, for a usable system of role-playing rules please check out the Basic Role Playing system on Amazon.com.

## Elements of Occult Espionage:

-Covert Operations = The characters you create for this story will be secret agents, fighting and operating in complete secrecy.

-Weapons & Equipment = Running around with magic swords and shields will quickly sour the mood of an Occult Espionage story. While the occasional Relic is appropriate and helps build up the story when used properly, most of the time the various characters present will use modern weapons and tech.

-Globe Trotting = Any serious story in Occult Espionage will involve travel and adventure. Whether it's racing to get the long-lost historical Relic or to save a captured ally from an enemy compound, this kind of story will naturally lead to international intrigue.

-Relics Are Central = Relics, and the accompanying *Power* they come with, will take central place in stories of Occult Espionage. They will often be the objective for the end of the story and the d*eus es machina* which propels the plot along.

-Unseen Powers = The ever-present secret societies of the world and the paranormal forces behind them should keep the story forever in a state of epistemological flux. The protagonists will rarely know everything, much less be sure of what they do know. While this doesn't mean characters are forever in the dark, it does mean that open questions will always be present.

-Historical Mysteries = Relics build up *Power* from both their origins as well as accumulating it with the passage of time. In fact, it is the historical importance and persistence of a Relic which really determines how powerful it is. As such, stories of Occult Espionage will deal with historical mysteries as characters must investigate the past or interact with leftovers from previous ages in order to achieve their goals concerning Relics.

## Power:

It's name changes according to language and culture, among the Thule Society it is known as Vril, Kenosis to the Inquisition, and sacred energy to the Masons. But whatever word a secret society might use for it, its real meaning remains the same - *Power*.

Items wielded by people who are historically important may build up *Power* within themselves with the passage of time. These Relics will often have specific abilities and will bring fortune to their owners. The more Relics you and your group possess, the more things will go in your favor.

Relics vary in *Power*, with the weakest of them little more than trinkets that bring the occasional stroke of luck. However, the famous and ancient Relics are items of real *Power* and may cause miracles or call down disasters on the enemies of their wielder.

## Occult Espionage:

Occult Espionage is the specific genre for stories of secret groups vying for power in the modern world. Characters are secret agents fighting for their respective secret society over supernatural items of *Power* in a secular world that is largely ignorant of their struggle, and they do this using modern tactics of surveillance, attack and manipulation.

For more articles on the concept of Espionage, check out the Wikipedia article on it.

## Secret Societies:

-Alchemists = The Alchemist Guild seeks knowledge, *Power* and fortune, all in that order. The Alchemist Guild combines science with magic to great effect, using a synthesis of the two to combat their enemies.

-Assassins = The Hashashin remain true to their founder's vision of enforcing peace upon a world of chaos and bloodshed. The Assassins follow their own ways and will acquire Relics in order to wipe out their targets with ever greater efficiency.

-Black Dragons = These Far Easterners seek out *Power* and Relics to build themselves up and to allow them to better follow the Taoist teachings of their people.

-Freemasons = The Freemasons operate in the world of the Occult under many forms, but the FoB is their primary face for Occult Espionage. The Masons seek knowledge and believe in building up the world, they acquire Power in hopes of achieving the goals and values of their Craft.

-Hellfire Club = The Hellfire Club is a mixture of occultists and hedonists who seek *Power* more for the purpose of getting high rather than anything like domination or to eliminate their enemies.

-Illuminati = The Masters of Science seek out *Power* in their crusade for pure knowledge and to advance the cause of science.

-Inquisition = The Inquisition of the Church seeks to acquire Relics for its own goals and to eliminate those Relics and organizations deemed too dangerous.

-Nazis = The Nazis did not die but survived the end of the Great War in various cells hidden throughout the world. They have since made a return, seeking greater occult power in preparation for the day they will reveal themselves and usher in a Fourth Reich.

-New World Order = The NWO seek to enforce peace and order upon the world by amassing more Power than anyone else. They are natural leaders and politicians and their high-society status gives them access to great resources.

-Phoenician Brotherhood = The explorers and sailors of the Phoenician Brotherhood are one of if not the oldest Chapter still functioning on Earth. They seek out Relics and *Power* for no other reason that they can.

-Sons of Liberty = The hidden force behind the United States of America and the defenders of modern democracy, the Sons are fully aware of the occult forces at work in the world and seek to involves themselves. They want to acquire and master the Relics in order to bring about a more peaceful world.

-Templars = An elite group of occult fighters, the Knights Templar never died after their fall from the Church in 1307 but instead went to ground and hid in the occult underworld. The Templars are a family of various sects, each with its own goals and teachings who are united by a shared heritage.