Sunday, February 23, 2020

The Cabal

This article details the shadowy organization known as the Cabal, as featured in the Shadow Roads comic series.



Background
This shadowy organization has existed for centuries with one purpose—to find, acquire and exploit magical knowledge, relics and power. Sometimes it has been larger, and even maintained a more formal base of operations, while at others the members have been forced to meet in clandestine locations and be continually on the move. In either case, it has employed individuals with disparate abilities to achieve its ends.


Organization
Detailed below are three types of specialists who serve the Cabal—mercenaries, thieves and occultists—in their respectively different capacities.

Mercenary (Novice)
These tough individuals enjoy—and are good at—committing acts of violence, especially when they are paid well for doing so.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d6, Boating d6, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Riding d6, Shooting d6
Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
Edges: Brawny
Hindrances: Ruthless
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, knife (Str+d4), Colt Navy pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Mercenary (Seasoned)
Those mercenaries who demonstrate their abilities throughout multiple assignments eventually rise to positions of command over their fellows, similar to a sergeant in a formal military unit.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Boating d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Riding d6, Shooting d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 5
Edges: Block, Brawny, Brute
Hindrances: Ruthless
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, knife (Str+d4), Colt Navy pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Mercenary (Veteran)
Once they've sufficiently proven themselves, some of the mercenaries employed by the Cabal are trusted with command of their fellows during the most important assignments, as well as those secret locations from which their organization operates.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Boating d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Riding d6, Shooting d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 5
Edges: Block, Brawny, Brute
Hindrances: Ruthless
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, knife (Str+d4), Colt Navy pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Thief (Novice)
In order to acquire relics and lore from around the world, the Cabal employs numerous individuals who are quick-thinking, fast-acting, and not particular about how the law regards people and their rights of owning property.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Thievery d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
Edges: Alertness, Fleet-Footed
Hindrances: Greedy
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, knife (Str+d4), Colt Navy pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Thief (Seasoned)
Those thieves who prove their abilities through success in multiple assignments find themselves living very comfortably and being give even more important tasks on behalf of the Cabal.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Notice d10, Shooting d8, Stealth d10, Thievery d10
Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
Edges: Alertness, Fleet-Footed, Thief
Hindrances: Greedy
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, knife (Str+d4), Colt Navy pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Thief (Veteran)
These individuals have earned the trust of their higher-ups and so are given only the most important assignments, for which they are handsomely rewarded.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Notice d12, Shooting d10, Stealth d12, Thievery d12
Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
Edges: Alertness, Assassin, Fleet-Footed, Thief
Hindrances: Greedy
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, knife (Str+d4), Colt Navy pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, RoF 1). 


Occultist (Novice)

Aspiring sorcerers who join the Cabal find themselves given supplementary tasks that involve research and similar objectives; as such, they are trained to assist their superiors.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Academics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Language d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Research d8, Spellcasting d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 2, Toughness: 5
Edges: Arcane Background (Sorcery), Connections
Hindrances: Curious
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 10
  • Powers Known: Boost/lower trait, detect/conceal arcana, speak language
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, magical trappings, Remington New Model Pocket Gun (Range 5/10/20, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Occultist (Seasoned)
More experienced agents are eventually sent out into the field, and as such are prepared to protect themselves when going into harm's way.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Academics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Language d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Research d10, Spellcasting d10
Pace: 6, Parry: 2, Toughness: 5
Edges: Arcane Background (Sorcery), Concentration, Connections, New Powers, Power Points
Hindrances: Curious
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 15
  • Powers Known: Armor, boost/lower trait, detect/conceal arcana, grave speak, speak language
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, magical trappings, Remington New Model Pocket Gun (Range 5/10/20, Damage 2d6, RoF 1).

Occultist (Veteran)
More experienced agents are eventually sent out into the field, and as such are prepared to protect themselves when going into harm's way.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Academics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Language d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Research d10, Spellcasting d12
Pace: 6, Parry: 2, Toughness: 5
Edges: Arcane Background (Sorcery), Concentration, Connections, New Powers(x2), Power Points (x2), Power Surge
Hindrances: Curious
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 20
  • Powers Known: Armor, bolt, boost/lower trait, detect/conceal arcana, dispel, grave speak, speak language
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, magical trappings.

Occultist (Heroic)
Rather than spending their time out in the field, these occultists are tasked with helping others by creating magical items for them to use.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Academics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Language d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Research d10, Spellcasting d12+2
Pace: 6, Parry: 2, Toughness: 5
Edges: Arcane Background (Sorcery), Artificer, Channeling, Concentration, Connections, New Powers(x3), Power Points (x3), Power Surge
Hindrances: Curious
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 25
  • Powers Known: Armor, banish, bolt, boost/lower trait, detect/conceal arcana, dispel, elemental manipulation, grave speak, speak language
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, magical trappings.

Occultist (Legendary)
The individuals who lead the Cabal are among the most powerful occultists in the world; their abilities are only matched by their aspirations.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Academics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Language d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Research d10, Spellcasting d12+4
Pace: 6, Parry: 2, Toughness: 5
Edges: Arcane Background (Sorcery), Artificer, Channeling, Concentration, Connections, Followers, New Powers(x4), Power Points (x4), Power Surge, Soul Drain
Hindrances: Curious
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 30
  • Powers Known: Armor, banish, blast, bolt, boost/lower trait, detect/conceal arcana, dispel, drain power points, elemental manipulation, grave speak, speak language
Gear: Clothing appropriate to the circumstances, magical trappings.


Meeting Places
Rather than maintaining their own base of operations, agents of the Cabal use public locations in which to conduct their business. An example of such is the typical London coffeehouse, in which people from all kinds of backgrounds gather to drink strong beverages and share news and information. It has a broad bar in the middle, surrounded by stools, with slightly more private booths with tables and benches along the outside walls.


Plot Hooks
This organization can become involved in all manner of adventures and campaigns, including the following possibilities.
  • First and foremost, this organization presents a group of rivals who might compete with the PCs in their pursuit of magical relics and lore.
  • Agents of the Cabal are also known to employ underhanded tactics in their efforts to acquire more power, such as is detailed in the adventure “Truth or Consequences.”
  • Items likely to attract their interest include the Clavicula Salmonis from the scenario “Buried but not Dead” and the obsidian mirror from “South of the Border.”
  • The same goes for entrances to the Winding Way, such as those depicted in “Beyond the Veil” and Diablerie.”
  • As such, the PCs could be hired to steal back an item that was taken by Cabal agents from an unwitting victim.
  • It's always possible that Cabal agents might infiltrate another organization, such as the Invisible College in England, the Knights of Solomon, or the Black Stars in the United States.


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