Intrigue and Espionage
Every Spymaster runs operations. An Intrigue names its operation (gather-information, sow-dissent, blackmail, steal, sabotage, protect, counter-intel, assassinate), its target, its stage (0–6 clocks), secrecy (0–10), and status (planned, active, exposed, complete, failed).
Running ops: you may run one op per Spy-nest slot (one without a Spy-nest). Each season an active funded op advances 1 stage. Cost per stage: 100 gp base (gather, protect, counter-intel), 150 gp (sow-dissent, blackmail), 200 gp (steal, sabotage), 300 gp (assassinate), × the target settlement's size rank on the ×(1/2/4/8/16) scale. Spy-nest cuts costs 10%/tier. Contest: d20 + Spymaster rating + gold bonus (1 per 100 gp extra) vs 10 + defender rating + counter-intel stages.
The eight ops:
| Op | Stage 6 payoff |
|---|---|
| Gather-information | learn ledgers, needs rows, or one secret |
| Sow-dissent | +10 unrest aimed at one class (weighted, see Population) |
| Blackmail | leverage: +2 on one deal vs target |
| Steal | take 1 luxury/prestige stock or tech |
| Sabotage | −1 holding tier (one season to repair) |
| Protect | strip 1 enemy stage/season vs your assets |
| Counter-intel | enemy ops vs you lose 1 stage/season |
| Assassinate | kill a named officer/noble |
Secrecy & exposure: secrecy starts at 10 − the target's size rank, −1 per season active, −2 if you push two stages in one season. At 0 the op is exposed: it becomes a Happening thread the victim can prosecute as a Trial (DC 10 + stages). Assassination never succeeds above stage 5 without play at the table.
Example: Maren (Spymaster, Experienced +2) runs gather-information against a city (size rank 3: 100 gp × 4 = 400 gp per stage). Three seasons, 1,200 gp, three contested rolls — at stage 3 she learns the city's grain needs row is at 40% Shortage. She sells that to her Envoy for +2 on the next grain pact.