Sociotard Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 I'm giving a spy a summon base ability. In any given city of sufficient population there is a chance (meaning an activation roll) that his agency has a safehouse set up. I'm envisioning an apartment-sized space set up to look innoculus. It still has a few spy goodies, of course. I started up buying Disguise and Concealment (so the locals don't know it's a safehouse). Also Lockpicking and Security systems (assuming that Disguise and Concealment make the security systems not look to ridiculous for an apartment) Next I stocked it with a Bribery lab (representing a small cache of local currency, uncut diamonds and the like, in case he has lost all his other stuff). Also a nicely stocked pantry (life support) Paramedics Lab, for the obvious first aide kits. Forgery Lab. Seems like something a spy would want. There's a satelite uplink for the internet, two or three guns, soundproofing on the walls (invisibility to sound seemed like the best way to build that). Oh, and one holding cell. I defined it as a closet or shower that is much stronger than it looks. I thought about a vehicle, but even a cheap car would nearly double the cost of the power. I did include a steward; this would be someone who takes care of the safehouse when nobody is there. He might not be a spy himself, or even know that the place is a safehouse. He just cleans and maintains the place, and has a good knowledge of the surrounding area. Basically the safehouse comes with a cheap contact. Oh, and last of all, False Identity, useable by other, up to eight people. The safehouse forgery lab comes with a few identities already prepared, just fill in the names. Can you think of anything else a spy's safehouse might need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Few books,cds and dvds it he has to stay there a few days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? hmm, I could represent that as a don't-be-bored lab. Roll to stave off the effects of boredom. It sounds like an EGO roll. An EGO lab. I wonder how I'd write that up. (or I could just do what I've seen done in Computer writeups and say "KS: Popular Entertainment, 11-") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Disguise Lab. High Range Radio Hearing (Not only radio and TV (so as not to be bored, of course) but a local police and emergency scanner. Cryptography Lab? Lucius Alexander House of the Palindromedary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywind Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Escort service on speed-dial... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaJoe3 Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Can you think of anything else a spy's safehouse might need? An Area Knowledge lab might come in handy to figure out where to go next. Escort service on speed-dial... Ah, a Seduction lab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnarok Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Well, not sure if we're going with labs only here but some things that spring to mind are: Armory: Guns and ammo Money for various countries Passports for various countries Disposable cell phones Computers Clothing for various occasions (formal, casual, ethnic) Tracking devices/bugs Maps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywind Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Bed Refrigerator Food Sink Bathroom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Not sure how to write this up in game terms, but The Entrance is not the Exit. Our Hero is trailed going into the building on Fifth St. His opponents post guards on all known exits. Our hero takes a hidden stairway to a hidden tunnel and exits a building on Sixth St, on the other side of the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Not sure how to write this up in game terms, but The Entrance is not the Exit. Our Hero is trailed going into the building on Fifth St. His opponents post guards on all known exits. Our hero takes a hidden stairway to a hidden tunnel and exits a building on Sixth St, on the other side of the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? I came up with Emergency Exit: Teleportation 1", x128 Noncombat, Invisible Power Effects, Source Only (Fully Invisible; +1/2) (48 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), Restricted Path (-1), Requires A Per vs. Shadowing Roll (RSR Skill is subject to Skill vs. Skill contests; -3/4), Physical Manifestation (-1/4) Real Cost 11, END cost 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakboy6117 Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? there are probably a couple of different types of safe houses. all of them would have anonymity as standard then depending on its purpose there would be other features. clandestine much higher level of anonimty secret entrances etc a location for the most secure operations. hardened specially reinforced structure advanced security systems and heavy weapons caches location for secureing vunerable assest against heavy opposition. luxury fancy fittings all the best features the locations used to secure dignitaries and high value assets perhaps a hidden penthouse suite. ad hoc the most secret but least secure or equipped locations empty rental properties abandoned factories etc temporary safe locations secured by local assets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Not sure how to write this up in game terms, but The Entrance is not the Exit. Our Hero is trailed going into the building on Fifth St. His opponents post guards on all known exits. Our hero takes a hidden stairway to a hidden tunnel and exits a building on Sixth St, on the other side of the block. It's better if this is a feature rather than an intervention. What I mean is something like, the service closet in the underground parking has two doors --one goes through to the next door building's parking. All your agency has to do is talk to a large architectural firm, and there'll be complexes like this all over the place, and none the wiser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monster Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Given available resources from the Agency, they could have installed surveillance devices around the house - or have junior agents on-call to provide guards/sentinels. The former might be a Clarivoyance effect with Focus; the latter could be either a Clairvoyance effect or an actual Summon/Followers effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Obviously a safehouse would have a safe. Lucius Alexander The palindromedary wonders if it should have a safe or be safe, and concludes: Both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? there are probably a couple of different types of safe houses. all of them would have anonymity as standard then depending on its purpose there would be other features. clandestine much higher level of anonimty secret entrances etc a location for the most secure operations. hardened specially reinforced structure advanced security systems and heavy weapons caches location for secureing vunerable assest against heavy opposition. luxury fancy fittings all the best features the locations used to secure dignitaries and high value assets perhaps a hidden penthouse suite. ad hoc the most secret but least secure or equipped locations empty rental properties abandoned factories etc temporary safe locations secured by local assets. That's good! I already built the power as a variable summon. I could probably include notes about trading certain features for others to get the different styles of safehouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenAge Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? A self-destruction contingency. (Trigger explosion - perhaps selective to save the building?) A stack of old WWII vacuum-sealed K-rations. (Life Support?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Micro Cameras covering the main and service entrances to the building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakboy6117 Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? one thing that might be worth buying is concealment partial coverage you can use that for hidey-holes or linked with extra Def for a panic room. or even for concealed equipment like a comm system designed to look like a high end media system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywind Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? Technically, a safe-house shouldn't have anything that would set it apart from the rest of the neighborhood. At all. There might be a change of clothes, food and reloads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted March 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? A self-destruction contingency. (Trigger explosion - perhaps selective to save the building?) A stack of old WWII vacuum-sealed K-rations. (Life Support?) Aaaah, or maybe an incinerator to destroy sensitive materials. or bodies. Now that is an idea. I've considered the camera's as well, but doing anything with clairsentience is expensive as all get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcw43921 Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? I'm thinking it should have its own Concealment Skill Roll; this would represent two necessary aspects-- The anonymity of the building itself, to dissuade anyone from thinking there's anything unusual about the place. To hide all these labs from any unauthorized persons who happen to enter ("Okay, two large pepperoni comes to--whoa, is that an M-16 on the coffee table?") Other than that, I think everything else has been covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Major Tom Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Re: Brainstorm: what should a spy's safehouse have? I think the main thing to consider with regards to setting up a safehouse for a spy-type character is the location where it's going to be established -- in a downtown area, an abandoned part of the industrial/warehouse district, etc. This in turn will depend on the type of spy being played; i.e., is he or she a Jason Bourne/Beatrix Kiddo-type of spy, or is he or she more like James Bond or Emma Peel -- or, for that matter, someone like Derek Flint? If the former, any safehouse is by necessity going to be in an inobtrusive a location as possible, considering that Bourne/Kiddo types have to keep "off the radar" of whatever organization is hunting them, and will out of ne- cessity have more than one emergency escape route available to them. In addition, the safehouse will have a minimum of supplies available (currency, passports and other documents appropriate to the country that the safe- house is in -- including neighboring countries -- and maybe a weapon and some spare ammo), as it will most likely be intended for short-term occupan- cy (no more than a week at most); bathroom facilities will depend on the state of the local plumbing. If the latter, having or not having a safehouse probably won't be as much of an issue, as Bond/Peel types generally have extensive support infrastructures in place to provide them with whatever they need to accomplish their assign- ed mission, without the need of a safehouse. It is, however, not outside the realm of possibility that such an agent might, for emergency purposes, set up a safehouse of the sort being discussed here -- especially if a situation comes up where the agent would find him- or herself having to operate without the sanction of his/her parent agency (remember 007 in Licence To Kill?). In such a situation, the agent in question would try to have as much equipment available to him/her as possible, preferably without the awareness of the par- ent agency. Major Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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