U.N.I.T.A.S. Breifing room (2nd Week, Spycraft)

[Number Three]

OK, we are on for this Friday people.  Before I give you the breifing, does anyone want to announce any leveling?

[ericroesch]

I'm not sure if I wrote down the most recent XP.  Please help.

[Helgraf]

Yeah, I've got level, but if Dwight and (Marisa?) are joining, I need to know because it determines what class level I'm going to take.

[Number Three]

To my knowledge Dwight is still on, although I don't think he quite made it to level 6.  I don't think started at the exact same XP amount as you guys.  I don't think Rica is ready to join yet, although it seems like they're going ahead with the Faceman we talked about.  There's also Bob to consider, I think he's making a wheelman/soldier build.

[Number Three]

In another emergency summons, your team is tasked to rendezvous at a flat on the nearby French Riviera.  It seems like a choice assignment despite the urgency — until you see Firefox, your Control, enter the room bearing a flat, expressionless face.

“Agents,” she begins, “let me preface this with an old saying: We always hurt the ones we love.”

She tosses three sets of surveillance photographs onto the table, along with a personnel folder. Although the people, uniforms, and landscapes are dramatically different, a single gray briefcase bearing the popular “Pelican” brand logo is circled in every photo.

Firefox points to the first set of photos.

“Sergi Chemezov,” she says, “formerly Number Three in the Stanislav Arms Cartel.  Two years ago, he succeeded both his superiors when Stanislav died in a car accident.  His Number Two was assassinated the same day.  Stanislav’s death was determined to be accidental, but we think Chemezov arranged the hit for Number Two — months in advance. We assumed he got lucky.”

Firefox then points to the second photo set .

“Jorge Cardona, Colombian warlord and drug kingpin.  Last year, he and three other leaders of the Colombian drug trade were set to meet at a summit outside Bogota.  The day of the meeting, Cardona reportedly delayed his arrival, thus causing him to miss the government raid.  The meeting was leaked through an electronic intercept the day before and government security was tight.  Cardona got lucky too.”

Finally, Firefox points to the third photo set .

“Henry Davenport, former B-grade Hollywood actor.  Six months ago, he retired to Sydney Australia after winning nine figures in various gambling establishments around the world, usually betting on very long odds.  See a pattern?"

“Four months ago, our analysts did, too.  They made this hit on their image recognition software.”

Firefox taps the circled briefcase.  “Analysis confirms it’s the same case.  Evidently it’s passed to each of these people in turn.  Whatever it is, whatever it contains, we want it.”

Folding her arms, Firefox walks over to the room’s bay window.

“Actually, we still want it.  In the folder you’ll find a profile of Alexi Pachirakov, Codename: Magi.  We sent him to recover the briefcase from Davenport over a month ago.  We haven’t heard from him since, but three weeks ago, two of his contacts were assassinated in Colombia, ostensibly while acting on his orders to investigate Cardona.  Then, last week, we lost three more in Russia via the Stanislav Cartel.”

Control’s voice becomes stern.  “We have the usual possibilities.  Magi might be dead or captured.  Maybe he’s gone rogue."

“We need you to take over Alexi’s mission — and if he’s alive, we need you to bring him back for debriefing.”

Control turns with look of cold fury.  “And just so I’m completely clear on this point: If you can’t bring him back, you put two in his head.”

Barely missing a beat after confirming the kill order, Firefox places several airplane tickets on the table.  “You leave tonight for Sydney, Australia. Davenport’s hosting an elite poker tournament at the Gold Coast Resort and Casino.  $100,000 buy in.  Very public, very televised.  We’ve drawn the funding for one slot if you choose to participate.  Rumor has it Davenport has something planned for the top finishers, so it might be a way into the inner circle.  It’s our best lead on the briefcase, and Magi."

“Good luck. I hope you bring him back.”

Campaign Qualities: Blockbuster
Caliber: III
Objectives: Recover the briefcase (critical), bring Magi back for debriefing or terminate him with extreme prejudice
Reputation/Net Worth Reward: 10 Reputation/$500,000 Net Worth
Known Exposure Penalties: The following occurrences generate exposure along with UNITAS usual honor code.

• Attracting media attention (without a disguise, etc.): –6 Reputation/–$300,000 Net Worth

Recommended Gear: Audio/video transceiver (Caliber III Electronic pick), PR 4 cover identity — any (Caliber III Tradecraft pick), feat training — Bullseye (Caliber II Resource pick), feat training — Traceless (Caliber III Resource pick), laser microphone (Caliber II Electronic pick), manhunt — Alexi Pachirakov (Caliber III Resource pick), rifle cane (Caliber III Gadget (miniature gear pick (RSA AK-47 assault rifle)), skill training — +4 ranks split between Analysis, Sense Motive, and Streetwise (Caliber III Resource pick), 3 doses of improved truth serum (Caliber III Tradecraft pick), tuxedo liner (Caliber I Security pick), unmarked weapon — any 1 pistol (Caliber I Resource pick).
Mssion Bundle:Pulling Strings Bundle (–O XP): 1 Caliber I Resource pick for the entire (in lieu of taking the $100,000 entry fee).
Gear Restrictions: None.
DOSSIERS PROVIDED
Gold Coast Resort Casino

• The resort is a 4-star hotel on the northern shoreline of Sydney Harbour, catering to the international jetsetting crowd and private individuals who can afford its steep rates.
• The hotel has a short dock, enough to host 10 small boats, but has no real water accessibility.
• The 25-story complex features all the usual amenities — a huge pool, fully loaded gym, a full-service business center, several meeting rooms and show rooms, banquet facilities, an illustrious nightclub, a renowned casino, and the Bandicoot Hideaway restaurant and bar.
• Nearly all the hotel’s rooms have been booked already and Davenport has reserved the Penthouse suite.

World Poker Tournament

• The Gold Coast World Poker Tournament is being televised live (with a short 6-second delay) by the GOC cable television staton.
  
• Several other news stations, such as Global Network News (GNN), are present and covering the event as well.
• Rumor has it that Davenport will be dealing the final table, and that he has a special surprise planned for the top finalists. Speculation ranges from the secret to his "gambling system” to a partnership in his new multinational company.
• The tournament is scheduled to start on Saturday at 0800 hours, the day after the team arrives in Sydney (~1400 hrs, Friday). The tournament is scheduled to span a single day, with many brutal elimination rounds planned.
• One hundred poker players from around the world have registered and paid the $100,000 entry fee.  Nearly all of them have reputations and some are past World Champions.  All monies collected are being held at a branch of the National Australia Bank.
• Several of these poker elites are known to be “colorful” or “eccentric.”

Henry Davenport

• Davenport is age 32, single, with no recent relationships on record.
• A restraining order was filed against him by Cynthia Walker, a waitress in Burbank, California, two years ago.
• Several “drunk and disorderly” arrests are found on his criminal record, along with one “assault” charge that was later dropped.
• Davenport is credited in three direct-to-DVD movie titles: Blow’d Up (as Thug Two), Zorro in the South Pacific (as John the Bartender), and S.P.I.E.S. (starring as Christian Drake).
  
• All of Henry Davenport’s known assets are liquid; he doesn’t appear to have a permanent home, investments, or any possessions except for what’s in his luggage.
• Davenport is known to be supremely self-confident, bordering on arrogant.

[Helgraf]

To my knowledge Dwight is still on, although I don't think he quite made it to level 6.  I don't think started at the exact same XP amount as you guys.  I don't think Rica is ready to join yet, although it seems like they're going ahead with the Faceman we talked about.  There's also Bob to consider, I think he's making a wheelman/soldier build.

Then I'll probably veer back into Pointman for the level I earned; my skillset is still social enough to make a good impression, without overshadowing a genuine face if/when Rica joins.  I'll _try_ to get the level completed before gametime, but can't guarantee as I did draw a work shift tomorrow.

[Dwight Marsh]

To my knowledge Dwight is still on, although I don't think he quite made it to level 6.  I don't think started at the exact same XP amount as you guys.  I don't think Rica is ready to join yet, although it seems like they're going ahead with the Faceman we talked about.

I am pretty sure I didn't make it to level 6.  I will be much happier when I can buy my own book.

Miverna Doolittle isn't ready yet.  Hopefully by next month, if we can arainge it so that John Hamption and I can both have books at the same time, so he can fix Rica and my mistakes without the week long trading book process.

[Dwight Marsh]

Then I'll probably veer back into Pointman for the level I earned; my skillset is still social enough to make a good impression, without overshadowing a genuine face if/when Rica joins. 

I just don't see this.  I think the usefulness of a face man character is greater when we have more than one of them.  Having both a suave and charismatic male and suave and charismatic female seems complementary, nor competitive.

[Helgraf]

I just don't see this.  I think the usefulness of a face man character is greater when we have more than one of them.  Having both a suave and charismatic male and suave and charismatic female seems complementary, nor competitive.

You do realize I only have one level of faceman currently, yes?  I'm getting by because most of my Pointman Crossclass skill training was in social skills so they count as in class in my pointman levels.  In other words, I'm not suddenly going to become less socially capable.  In fact, I think this level of Point gives me a fifth "class training" skill - eg, turning another cross-class skill into an in-class skill.

[Dwight Marsh]

You do realize I only have one level of faceman currently, yes?  I'm getting by because most of my Pointman Crossclass skill training was in social skills so they count as in class in my pointman levels.  In other words, I'm not suddenly going to become less socially capable.  In fact, I think this level of Point gives me a fifth "class training" skill - eg, turning another cross-class skill into an in-class skill.

Oh.

I didn't mean to comment on your actual level advancement selection, since (a) I don't understand the system that well, not having a copy of second edition Spycraft and (b) don't know your character build that well, since I haven't been studying it and (c) am not the person who has to fit into that personality and skill build.

It is just that, as a party, we have specialized in certain areas.  We have divided up the skills so that for most of them, we have at least one person who is really, really good at them, and once that need is met, we discourage others from going into that aspect.

For Computers or Electronics, that seems optimal.  It is a waste of party resources to have two great computer hackers rather than having one person put those skill points into something else.  In economic theory, it is the law of diminishing returns.  The second guy with Electonics gives a lot less utility than the first guy with Electronics did.

I feel the law of diminsihing returns hits hits a lot  later with social skills than it does with most other skills.  It sounded like you were steering your character away from social skills to maximize party resorces, and that was what I was objecting to.

[Helgraf]

Transportative concerns have been resolved ... agents aligning.