Originally posted by areleth:
I think you summed up the situation quite nicely Areleth. Also full props for utilising the
Shaarat'Khesh. But don't forget the
taarka'khesh while you're at it. The shaarat (Dhakaani for Blade btw) are the knives of the Dhakaani, the taarka are the eyes and ears. They're impartial scouts and observers. They are more adept at unseen reconnaissance than active infiltration and impersonation like the Shaarat'Khesh. They are however very adept at collating data through their own network of spies. You know that goblin beggar on the side of every street, wooden cup help up in supplication for a spare copper or two, yeah he's exactly not what he appears to be. Don't expect the taarka'khesh to slip a knife in between your ribs, but when your enemies seem to know your movements almost as quickly as you take them, that's when you know that you're being followed by the silent wolves.
I think you may be conflating the Shaarat'Khesh and the Taarka'Khesh. To my understanding, the Taarka'Khesh are
battlefield scouts. Like tiny Rambos that ride wolves, they provide excellent recon and tactical information to the Goblinoids, but they are not a domestic source of information. If you want to know what the leaders of of your opposing faction are having for breakfast, you send the Silent Knives. If you want to know the tactical disposition of your enemy, you send the Silent Wolves.
It is important to note that in 3.5 the Taarka'Khesh were Rangers and Scouts. They're at home in the wilderness, tracking movement and gauging the intention of armed formations. The Shaarat'Khesh are the spies and assassins, so they are the ones I mentioned. They are the ones the Goblinoids would turn to for covert action against the Five Nations, so they are effectively the Goblinoid player in this espionage game.
Its certainly true that they would make good use of the ubiquity of Goblin commoners in the cities of the Five Nations to their advantage, but I don't think they have the cultural understanding to really pierce the intelligence networks of the Five Nations. They are trained for inter-Goblinoid conflict, which makes it difficult for them to grasp who in the Five Nations would have the information important to their current task, and what information is important to begin with. Essentially, they're starting off on a blank slate, trying to build an information network and get a sense for how the various intelligence organizations interact with each other. Just because they can steal an important document doesn't mean they know what to do with it. Yet. Once they can get their bearings they'll be a very important player, but as it stands they aren't a major consideration for anything outside Goblinoid matters in my Eberron.
What was not touched on was the intelligence networks of Karrnath. I use the plural because they are exactly that, an overlapping series of small spy circles, each controlled by one of the warlords of Karrnath. They have their own specific (and often conflicting) goals, each trained by the individual spymasters of each warlord and each dancing to their own tune. Unlike the (hopefully) unified forces of the Dark Lanterns or Eyes of Aundair, each circle is as well trained, equipped and prepared as that warlord cares to make them. So some of them (I'm looking at you King Kaius) are quite well organised, capable and mobile. Others are merely a circle of snitches within the private lands of that Warlord, informants whom keep him appraised of the goings and doings of the local populace.
This might seem like an inconvenience, but it is in fact an asset in some regards. These small circles have no particular modus operandi, they march to the beat of their own drum and needs. Rooting out one spy won't mean that you'll have information on the six others still operating within the castle. It also means designing any counter-intelligence initiatives as difficult and painful. Think of the intelligence networks of Karrnath as more like small splinter-cells, each operating under their own auspices and radically different from one-another. Cataloguing and tracking them is hard, predicting their movements are worst and negating all of them next to impossible. They are fractured and as such communications sharing and efficiency are not their strong suite, but it also makes keeping your fingers on them rather annoying.
That's a good point, though I imagine that means that the Karrns have a rather small net to cast when they're looking to get information of others. I assume Kaius has his own specialized agents, but its likely difficult for him to know when and where to deploy them.
Speaking of Splitner Cells let's jump to another Karrnathi group, now persona-non-grata, everyone's favourite Emerald Claw. If you're looking for a much more dangerous and motivated spy agency, fresh out of Karrnath, the Last War and now itching to have a little fun, look no further. The Emerald Claw were famed for their unconventional (by Karrnathi standards) tactics, strategy and operating procedures. They were everything the Rekkenmark dogmatic Karrnathi were not, subtle, sneaky, willing to utilise information and guerrilla
tactic rather than sheer weight of numbers and military might. They were the precise knife in the dark, the shadowy weave of magic and deadly force. The Emerald Claw are fanatics of the highest order, well trained, well equipped (at least before Kaius tried to snuff them out) and well placed. They operated on a level that put them on par with Brelish or Aundarian operatives. The Emerald Claw were the spies for Karrnath during the last war, the assassins willing to do things and go places (figurative and literal) that Karrnath would not, could not, ethically or honourably.
And now they've been cut loose. Free Agents to cause as much or as little mischief as possible. Armed to the teeth with all sorts of juicy info on the other nations and no silly Thronehold Accords to keep them in check. Third Echelon would shudder at the knowledge of these guys.
I think the Emerald Claw is probably the most dangerous in the short-term, not counting Vol's goals, because they don't really have any need to insure the survival of their nation anymore. Even the Karrnathi patriots who join aren't bound by strict operating procedures that keep Karrnath from being linked to their subversive activities, so the Claw can be as bold and destructive as they want, since no one really has a target to aim at when it comes to dealing with the Claw.
Lastly I'll touch on House Medani, whom as always linger in the shadows, not so much forgotten as wearing a
Tardis Key about their necks. They are not (typically) assassins or direct action operatives, with even less of a touch on events that the Trust (and that's saying something). They are however the ultimate counter-agents, the best inquisitives that money can (and often does) buy. They see things,
see things that others do not. Patterns in events that would seem nonsensical to even a Malkavian. They collect and collate data, watch and warn others, protect those whom cannot see the danger coming. Very much the silent partner of all intelligence gathering, they instead remain apart from it, warning others and protecting their primary (person whom has hired them to keep their body, mind and soul intact). Medani watch and gather.
If Baron Trelib has any overarching goals for his information gathering, Sovereigns only know and the Shadow certainly isn't divulging.
Actually, the Medani talent for counter-spying is why I think the Dark Lanterns are so good at it. For one, Breland has the King's Citadel. While the other nations had their own Citadel agents at the start of the war, Breland had the best facilities and resources for espionage already at their fingertips. More importantly, however, they had detailed information on
every other Citadel agent ever trained . They knew the identities of every agent that had defected to their home nation, they knew where every safehouse was and they knew exactly what training enemy agents had and how those agents operated. The intelligence groups built off those former agents were built on tactics the Brelish had already devised counters for, and it took the other nations a long time to really break away from the old Citadel traditions and really get their footing. This is combined with the Medani's own long career of counter-intelligence, and the close relationship between Trelib and Boranel, producing the best counter-spies on the continent.
I think the Medani and Dark Lanterns both had something of a focused evolution together, by sharing (at some level) information and training techniques, that led to them being so capable at dealing with other information gathering organizations. Breland took an early lead with counter-intelligence, and then concentrated their efforts toward maintaining that lead.
When I imagine the different intelligence agencies, I try to remember that a little over a hundred years ago, they were all one. There were no Eyes of Aundair, there was only the King's Dark Lanterns. They were all Citadel trained and worked together. When the Last War broke out, the Lanterns splintered, went to their respective nations, and started their individual branches. With that in mind, I try to think of how each nation would deal with this fracturing and adapt their tactics.
Working off this, keep in mind that Breland had records on every agent who left to serve another nation. If we think of this intelligence war as a game, then consider that Breland started off seeing much more of the board than anyone else. They knew where all the pieces were, they knew how things connected, and they knew (approximately) just how much the other players knew. They may have had their own Citadel agents, but the other nations were starting off at a significant disadvantage. A disadvantage that Breland would be keen to maintain.
The Brelish Dark Lanterns lost a lot of their arcane and divine spellcasters. Between that and the cosmopolitan feel of Breland, I see them doing a lot recruiting and having the most agents. They also have the original Citadel facilities already up and running to train new recruits, where the other nations had to start from scratch. You're more likely to run into a small squad of them where the other nations run individuals. I also see them as being ready to stab first and ask questions later since giving the Eye of Aundair time to cast is never a good idea.
That's a good point, and I think that coupled with the inclination of the Brelish military to encourage individual initiative, I would say that the Brelish train there Dark Lanterns to be
very self-reliant. A Dark Lantern is thrust into a situation and told to solve it, with whatever tools are available. Considering that Breland is a very industrious nation, the Dark Lanterns are very likely well equipped, but considering the impressive tools their enemies have that the Brelish just can't match, I think there is a high focus on being able to improvise a solution to any situation you encounter, along with a maxim of survival. Because a dead Lantern is of no use to the Crown.
The Eyes of Aundair have a lot of magic to bring to bear, but wizards take time to train, then you have to give them intelligence training, so I see a small but elite force. All that schooling also leads to a more refined, James Bond style spy, who is more comfortable moving around the upper crust then rubbing elbows with the common folk.
That's a good point, the Royal Eyes are very likely the best cultured and educated, and using magic to compensate for fewer numbers is a hallmark of Aundairian tactical doctrine. Especially with its use in scrying, I imagine that the Royal Eyes try to be very 'hands off' in their work. You can't risk your Wizards in a front-line scuffle, and a well trained field agent is too valuable a tool to send into the sewers under Sharn chasing after some Dark Lantern. Usually.
And Thrane? As the Hellcow has said, they have a religious branch and a national branch, so I see a lot of in-fighting over jurisdiction, like the CIA and NSA. I also see them as the ones least likely to commit assassinations or any truly overt actions, mainly maneuvering the situation to let local law enforcement handle it. Unless its a supernatural evil or corrupt law enforcement, then they step in.
Karrnath has the worst of the bunch, in my opinion. When Kaius declared the Emerald Claw traitors, he lost a large portion of his intelligence capabilities. With Karrnath's strong military tradition, though, I see them as having more agent's placed in high positions in the other nation's armed forces then normal.
I don't think either of these nations has an intelligence organization that isn't outclassed in most aspects by a foreign power. Not much to speak of outside the Emerald Claw really. The Argentum seems more specialized in acquiring magical items to make up for Thrane's lack of arcane ability.
I think Cyre brings some interesting things to the table. Prior to the Mourning Cyre had to have had intelligence networks in place all across Khorvaire with assets, field agents, safe houses, and the like. After the Mourning, all those things were still there, just now they had no oversight, no control, and no orders. Just a bunch of Cyre operatives out in the cold. I'm trying how best to use these guys:
The Cyre intelligence network joined a third party. How much would the Dreaming Dark love to acquire an already in place spy network? No mind seeding, no having to build up in places they previously hadn't been in before, everything is already there. The Lords of Dust or The Daughters of Sora Kell would also appreciate them. Heck, the Darguul would love operatives who weren't goblins. But after being at war for a hundred years, I can't see them joining the Dark Lanterns or any of the other original five nations, which makes the Dreaming Dark even better. "Look at how peaceful Sarlona is, you can help us make Khorvaire just as peaceful." A bunch of displaced veterans trying to make the world a better place and instead making it darker.
The Cyre intelligence network goes out on its own. They could use their skills to try and find out the the cause of the Mourning, get revenge for Cyre, or just try to become rich. And they have no constraints anymore. Where a Dark Lantern has to act in the best interests of Breland and not drag them into a war, a Cyran operative has no such prerogative. They are working only for their own self-interest. Getting two nations to go to war might even be there main goal, or be seen as a beneficial side effect. They could even do it for the lulz, depending on how bitter and angry they are.
Ideas on what a Cyre black ops agency would be called? I'm horrible with names.
That's an utterly delicious point. In my mind, Cyre was second only to Breland in intelligence work, largely due to their position as the administrative center of Galifar. While they don't have access to the Citadel archives that gave Breland such a huge leg up in espionage, they do have access to critical national secrets of every nation that passed through the administrations of Galifar. Noted arcane projects in Aundair, civil unrest in Karrnath, even major Citadel operations. Where Breland took an early lead by crippling everyone else's intelligence efforts, Cyre started off with tons of national secrets to exploit. As the war went on and their information became dated, Cyre still kept up by fielding extremely well equipped agents. Relying on a smaller number of agents, but that number being very well trained and equipped (with Cyre's huge reserve wealth fitting the bill). Still, I don't think Cyre used its intelligence arm to subvert other nations, but rather to simply gather as much information as possible. Trying to duplicate arcane projects in Aundair and learning Karrnathi battle-plans, getting as much out of their agents as possible without risking them unduly in the field, because much like Aundair's Wizards, Cyre's agents are difficult to replace and carry very expensive equipment.
This leads into their current limbo, with Cyran intelligence having information that many nations would gladly kill for, and consequently having to dodge essentially every other intelligence organization on the continent. Its an even bigger problem when, as you said, we account for the fact that the Cyran intelligence agents have no home to have loyalty to, and no love at all for the other four nations. A group of extremely well trained and well equipped people with nothing left to lose and secrets that could reignite the Last War.
Oh yeah, that's going to work out
swell.
