What to do with a Scout force?

[Calico_Jack73]

As far as the "Scroll Tube" thing goes you could use it to make money in another way as well. Have a "Public Front" for it and allow people who need to send messages great distances quickly pay your front for the service. In essence they would help pay for your own private little network. If two Kingdoms are a hair-trigger from starting a war and one Kingdom were to decide to offer a treaty then sending a flesh and blood messenger might result in the message getting there too late. The rulers would pay top dollar to get the message there quickly.

Hey... I just invented Fantasy Fed-Ex!

 

[BlackMoria]

You don't have nearly enough people for an intelligence gathering network of the scope you want.

Look at 'recruiting' merchants, innkeepers, bards or any other occupations which have heavy contact with people to report information you are interested in. These individuals are not actually part of the organization. In fact, they don't even know about the organization. All they know is that they get paid for reporting certain types of information to certain 'contact' people. These people are the 'ears'.

One in a village, several in a town and more in city (dependent on size) should be sufficent for general coverage. If a threat is forthcoming from a region, you double or triple up on the number of 'ears' in that region.

Now, you have raw information coming in from the 'ears' - some of which will be true, but most which will be rumor or hearsay. Now you need the first 'real' agents of the organization. These are the 'eyes' for the organization.

And you need people to sift through all the raw information to determine information of a priority nature and what information requires further backup action. These peoples are the 'brains'.

So, in general terms, paid informants (the ears) sent information to a contact person (the legs) who then relay the information to other contacts (depending on how much 'depth' you want for reasons of security), who then relay the information to the analysers (the brains).

The 'brains' gather, evaluate and analyse the data from all sources. For example, several persistent rumors from different sources say something is going on in area X - but they are just that, rumors. So the brains would task one or more of the 'eyes' to go covertly into the area to verify (or not) the rumor and to gather further information on the subject of interest and report back.

Then you will need another group to take action if required - these people are the individuals who 'kidnap' valued targets, perform assassinations and, in essence, do the dirty work that comes with cloak and dagger business.

So, in general terms, this is a rough design of a intelligence agency. Beware that an organization requires money. Money to pay for information, to pay members of the organization, money for bribes, money to purchase the services of 'independent contractors'.... You get the picture.

If you intention is to be an independent information 'broker' at some point, you need to have sources of revenue to support. Stealing it is possible but stealing calls attention. So you will need to invest in several legitimate and 'shell businesses' to help fund the organization. And of course, as in independent information broker, you will 'sell' information.

Some thoughts....

 

[randomling]

BlackMoria - you're right, I don't have the people for this just yet. One of my major objectives here is going to be recruitment and training, because I'm going to need more people.

Your suggestion for a structure works for me, though - thanks! In a structure like this, the actual scouts I have access to would function as 'eyes', I guess; they'd be the ones going on missions, etc. I don't necessarily have the funds to pay a large number of 'ears', but a few in strategic positions might work. (Probably paid on a per-piece-of-info basis.)

The 'ears' can relay their information to a contact. I'd probably need one per small region, and this could easily be a first- or second-level rogue with a horse. The 'brains', at least to start, would be myself, my ranger cohort, and the commander and deputy commander of the force (the 4 highest level scouts we've got) who would analyze the information and decide on how to assign 'eyes'.

As for money - I'd expect that while I'm working for him there'll be a small amount of funds coming from him, but not a lot. I can filter some proceeds from adventuring into the scouts, and as we grow we can sell information, but I do need other ways to generate cash. While we're part of my liege's military, selling info is going to have to be reasonably limited and covert.

 

[S'mon]

Yeah, and it comes with a gazillion polyphone tunes as well...

But as you said, such an item would (and should) be quite expensive (along the lines of teleporting objects).

Using sending as a base spell for pure messaging is surely more cost-efficient.

But as I said, trained animals will do fine as well, and those are incredibly cheap in comparison to magical goodies (not playing down the value of such animals, of course).

Bye
Thanee

Listen to Thanee, Thanee thinks like your DM.

Seriously R, while you could theoretically have made Rings of Permanent Sending (hard to make this as a wondrous item IMC) or Gate-in-a-Boxes, these would cost tens to hundreds of thousands of gp to make. The cheapest possible Sending Ring made by a Cleric would cost 35,000gp, which is roughly the total monthly tax income of Dulleaberg & its environs. It might well make sense as a long-term plan but I doubt it would be feasible in the short term.

BlackMoria, interesting structural analysis.

 

[BlackMoria]

IMC, I have a covert intelligence organization which is independent of any government.

This organization raises funds a number of ways.

Finds struggling businesses or businesses that have business rivals and offers to be a silent partner by investing in the business. This means some up front money. The payoff is when the organization discredits the business rivals (usually by bringing to light their 'illegal' activities), making the financed business more profitable (since you have intimidated, blackmailed or discredited that business's rivals). The pay off is now revenue (since you are the silent partner) for your organization and a grateful owner who will 'ear' information to you on a pro bono basis.

Taking action against hostile interests. For example, suppose Baron Bloggins is rumored to be fermenting rebellion against the king. An 'eye' may be sent to acquire the evidence of the Baron's activities but the action must appear to be the action of others. So the documents implicating the baron's disloyality is stolen for the baron but to cover the theft of the documents, the 'eye' steals a number of the Baron's valuables. These valuables are then liquidated by the organization for money to support the organization.

Blackmail - ugly, but as information brokers, you get to know all the dirty little secrets that others don't want to come to light and will pay to keep quiet. Be careful using this - the person(s) being blackmailed may take hostile action if you squeeze 'em too tightly or for too long.

As the organization's financial assets grow, the organization can now buy legit businesses (like taverns and trading coasters), which not only provide revenue for the organization but can become safe houses for agents and be the legitimate front for 'sleeper' agents.

IMC, my organization owns or is the silent partner of a dozen trading coasters, which means we have the resources of ships, caravan wagons and personnel to call upon.

The organization owns or is the partner of about a score of taverns.

The organization owns a bloodstone mine. We even own a number of businesses right in the heart of the capitals of the hostile states to friendly governments we support.

This might seem daunting (you want to play D&D, not be an accountant) but one only need to roleplay a few starting 'acquisitions' of businesses. Then discuss with the DM to average monies generated by the businesses. Once a few ground rules are in place and a few startup businesses are established, it should just be a matter of the DM stating what revenue your enterprises generate within the timeframe. This revenue is now what your organization uses for operating capital.

Hope this gives you some ideas as to how to generate revenue for your organization.

 

[randomling]

Listen to Thanee, Thanee thinks like your DM.

Hehehe. this is good to know. (Thnaee, I shall be coming back to you! )

Seriously R, while you could theoretically have made Rings of Permanent Sending (hard to make this as a wondrous item IMC) or Gate-in-a-Boxes, these would cost tens to hundreds of thousands of gp to make. The cheapest possible Sending Ring made by a Cleric would cost 35,000gp, which is roughly the total monthly tax income of Dulleaberg & its environs. It might well make sense as a long-term plan but I doubt it would be feasible in the short term.

Sure thing - certainly hadn't expected it to be an immediate solution as i'm going to have to figure out how to generate some revenue before I start frittering money away.

(Just out of curiosity, would that "cheapest possible" solution be a one-a-day item?)

And speaking of structural analysis, I need to find out quite a lot about how Kanor's scouts currently operate (in terms of intelligence gathering strategy) and what the procedures of the Beskarni Foresters are like - but we're going to do that at-table right?

 

[randomling]

IMC, I have a covert intelligence organization which is independent of any government.

This organization raises funds a number of ways.

Finds struggling businesses or businesses that have business rivals and offers to be a silent partner by investing in the business. This means some up front money. The payoff is when the organization discredits the business rivals (usually by bringing to light their 'illegal' activities), making the financed business more profitable (since you have intimidated, blackmailed or discredited that business's rivals). The pay off is now revenue (since you are the silent partner) for your organization and a grateful owner who will 'ear' information to you on a pro bono basis.

Hmmm. I'd need to find some businesses, then. (S'mon - wasn't Adam Dickinson about to be released from jail? I wonder if Leo could put me in touch.)

Taking action against hostile interests. For example, suppose Baron Bloggins is rumored to be fermenting rebellion against the king. An 'eye' may be sent to acquire the evidence of the Baron's activities but the action must appear to be the action of others. So the documents implicating the baron's disloyality is stolen for the baron but to cover the theft of the documents, the 'eye' steals a number of the Baron's valuables. These valuables are then liquidated by the organization for money to support the organization.

Interesting. Like it - very Cailin.

Blackmail - ugly, but as information brokers, you get to know all the dirty little secrets that others don't want to come to light and will pay to keep quiet. Be careful using this - the person(s) being blackmailed may take hostile action if you squeeze 'em too tightly or for too long.

Yup... certainly not above that...

As the organization's financial assets grow, the organization can now buy legit businesses (like taverns and trading coasters), which not only provide revenue for the organization but can become safe houses for agents and be the legitimate front for 'sleeper' agents.

IMC, my organization owns or is the silent partner of a dozen trading coasters, which means we have the resources of ships, caravan wagons and personnel to call upon.

The organization owns or is the partner of about a score of taverns.

The organization owns a bloodstone mine. We even own a number of businesses right in the heart of the capitals of the hostile states to friendly governments we support.

Query: is this a PC-run organization, or an NPC-run one?

This might seem daunting (you want to play D&D, not be an accountant) but one only need to roleplay a few starting 'acquisitions' of businesses. Then discuss with the DM to average monies generated by the businesses. Once a few ground rules are in place and a few startup businesses are established, it should just be a matter of the DM stating what revenue your enterprises generate within the timeframe. This revenue is now what your organization uses for operating capital.

Hope this gives you some ideas as to how to generate revenue for your organization.

Definitely! Thanks!

 

[S'mon]

And speaking of structural analysis, I need to find out quite a lot about how Kanor's scouts currently operate (in terms of intelligence gathering strategy) and what the procedures of the Beskarni Foresters are like - but we're going to do that at-table right?

Yup. - Can maybe discuss it a bit at the barbecue the day before - mmm... barbecue...

>>(Just out of curiosity, would that "cheapest possible" solution be a one-a-day item?)<<

I think so (need to check DMG but off-the-cuff sounds right) - for that price (35,000gp) you'd need a 12th level cleric with 'Sending' and the 'Forge Ring' feat. You know, hm, 1 12th level cleric (Tarquin), I expect he has Sending but I doubt he has Forge Ring though.

 

[randomling]

Mmm, yeah, barbecue.

I shall see if I can pester Peter about feat choice for his cohort!

 

[Fiendish Dire Weasel]

I think so (need to check DMG but off-the-cuff sounds right) - for that price (35,000gp) you'd need a 12th level cleric with 'Sending' and the 'Forge Ring' feat. You know, hm, 1 12th level cleric (Tarquin), I expect he has Sending but I doubt he has Forge Ring though.

Unless you're game world is different, you don't have to cast it at 12th level, even if you need to be 12th level for the feat (you can cast it at minimum level you would need to be to cast the spell). Also, I'm pretty sure you can use someone else who has Forge Ring and you (your cleric) supply the spell.

Randomling, my idea would be to make "cells" of spies. You have a leader that is in communication with the local members of his cell and only the leader reports to you. This makes things like Animal Messenger more workable if it is only being used in a small area (the area of the cell) and then you have dedicated messengers (and eventually magic items) to communicate between a cell's leader and yourself. Each cell should probably consist of a few Rangers to supply the Animal Messengers as well as keep an eye on the surrounding wilderness, a Bard or two to work rumors in more respectable circles in a city and then several Rogues to do the dirty work of actually bribing and spying and, if neccassary, assasination in the cities. You may also want a few extra Ranger, Fighter/Rangers or Barbarian/Rangers to act as an emergancy strike force if an emergancy come up and you need to extract a spy or harry some forming or moving troops or their supply line.

For money you can always have one of the cell members sell off secrets you don't need. Also, with all this information haveing a larger "cell" of merchants to do trade in the area, they would know what to bring where. If needed you can even use a cell to "adjust" supply and demand in the area in your favor (say your merchants get a lot of good wine in City A, send them towards City B, while City B's cell is covertly damaging local vinyards and causing the cities current wine reserves to meet with "accidents"). You would have to be careful with this though as it may get suspicious if it happens too much.

An excellent option here is that every cell could function independantly, with most members thinking they are just part of some shady guild. This is especially good if your merchants largley belive they are independant to try and create denyability between them and your "economic adjustments". Remember, the actual leader of the cell doesn't have to be the person who the cells members think is the leader.

You could even use the merchants (or a subset of them) to sell services as "bonded couriers" or some such, delivering messages for a fee. This way they won't know they are being used to help filter information between you and your cells. I wouldn't rely on the merchants as your sole means of communications though, it's too slow and not incredibly secure for such things. Rangers on horses do a fair job, especially if they have drop points to contact the cells. Oh, and remember to make some kind of code system for all your messages, "just in case". If you can design a good mundane communication line, you can make the Sending magic items even 1/week to reduce the cost more and only use them in case of emergancies.