Bestiary

These operatives belong to the FBI, DHS, NSA, CIA, or some other alphabet-soup organization and show up when serious crimes occur – typically terrorism, kidnapping, serial killings, espionage, counterfeiting, drastic hacking, or apparent breaches of national security. In the World of Darkness, police and other local authorities often call in government agents after encountering inexplicable events. Local and national governments recognize that the world is not what it seems to be, so they send out agents to investigate and neutralize such threats.

Regardless of whether she’s been called in to investigate a human serial killer or to check out reports about events that seem to defy the laws of physics, a government agent knows that her job is both important and dangerous. If she encounters someone performing obvious magick or triggering any other sort of paranormal event, she’ll draw her gun, call for backup,

and almost certainly start shooting if the supernatural activity appears to be in any way threatening.

Most government agents aren’t official members of the Technocratic Union and have never heard of it. Many inadvertently work for it anyway. They might even have encountered ranking Technocratic Operatives and then assumed the operatives belonged to another secretive and powerful government agency above the agent’s security clearance. The Union also monitors communications between government agents, sorts through reports, and debriefs agents who’ve been on interesting cases. If a government agent reports evidence of events that seem supernatural, the Technocracy (or perhaps the Nephandi…) might send in their own operatives to investigate and deal with apparent Reality Deviants.

Suggested Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2-3, Stamina 3-4, Charisma 2-4, Manipulation 3-5, Appearance 2, Perception 3-4, Intelligence 3-4, Wits 3-5

Suggested Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 1, Brawl 2-3, Computer 2-3, Drive 2-3, Enigmas 1-3, Firearms 3-4, Investigation 3-5, Law 4, Martial Arts 1-3, Media 1-3, Melee 2-3, Politics 2-4, Research 2-4, Stealth 2, Streetwise 3, Technology 2-4

Willpower: 7

Health Levels: OK, -1, -1 -2, - 2, -5, Incapacitated

Equipment: Badge and ID card, dark-colored suit, electronic surveillance devices, heavy pistol, sunglasses, plus body armor and heavier weapons in clearly dangerous situations.

The vast majority of people working for the Technocratic Union are not Enlightened Operatives or Scientists. Instead, extraordinary scientists, technicians, and operatives handle many Technocratic chores. Beyond those rank-and-file sympathizers and proles, both Iteration X and the Progenitors create intelligent constructs that serve as guards, soldiers, spies, and assassins. Although the Union would never call any of its members “hedge magicians,” there’s a Technocratic equivalent to that archaic conceit: extraordinary citizens. Extraordinary scientists and field agents do not count as Sleeper witnesses, so long as the Effects in question are focused through some form of technomagick. Unlike many of their co-workers, extraordinary citizens know what the Technocracy is and tend to be extremely loyal to it. When a Technocratic operative calls for backup (as per the Background of that name) in sensitive (that is, paranormal) situations, these are the folks who show up.

Image: Thorough training makes the average government field agent confident, well-groomed, capable, and at least slightly arrogant. In the field, such people wear clean and unusually durable professional clothing, with shoes and gear that look fashionable yet remain practical for heavy-duty work.

Roleplaying Notes: You’re one of those folks standing at the edge of chaos… human or otherwise. Your training and experience make you formidable but not invincible, and you’ve probably had enough tough scrapes to understand the difference.

Such personnel can also use certain Technocratic Devices, though not Enlightened Procedures. And although most of these citizens work in labs, offices, and medical and equipment repair facilities, Convention field offices also deploy extraordinary field agents as well. Those agents typically carry one or two Devices; Iteration X agents often enjoy cybernetic implants, and Progenitor field personnel have various biomods (both as per the Enhancements Background). Even without such gear, extraordinary citizens carry tech that, among the Masses, would be considered bleeding-edge mega-cool.