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"You wish to know what it is to be a Spy? Then watch the shadows cast by the moon as they slither silently across the nightscape. Lie still in your safe, warm bed and listen to the sounds of the city as its dark denizens carry out deeds beyond speech, or even thought. It has been said that those who follow the way of the Spy belong to the night, and it is so...in the same way that our muscles and bones belong to the skin which covers them. The night gives us shape and distinction, but beware. For the night lingers during the day...in the form of shadows.

"I have walked unseen and unheard through the very halls of Theran palaces, chuckling to myself as they discussed their plans for domination of Barsaive. Did I give that information to Throal? Such a question. I have offered some 'speculation' concerning the dealings of Thera and her allies to King Varulus III, himself -- for a fine price, of course. But I have also spoken to Theran officials on matters concerning the resistance of Theran control in their 'unruly province'.

"Do not waggle your self-righteous tongue at me. Allegiance is meant to be hard-earned, my naive young friend. And those who do not remember that fact suffer worse than any slave I have ever known."
-- Kevelian, Master Spy (of supposedly Elven descent, though several sources disagree)

Spies are the envoys of political intrigue throughout Barsaive. Spies act as specialized information gatherers, and sometimes assassins. Their reputation is dark, making them only slightly more accepted than Nethermancers, and often far more feared by those in positions of temporal power. Most spies prefer to work alone, but they are anything but antisocial, being of the of type who love interacting with people if for nothing more than to see how many lies they can get them to believe.

Though there are many involved in the art of spying, there are very few actual Spy Adepts in Barsaive. This rarity is partially due to the tremendous demands the magic has, both socially and physically, for those who wish to follow it. But more importantly is the secrecy which surrounds the magical arts of Spying. The Spy is taught never to reveal his secrets unless he is certain that the student will completely embrace the Way. Because such total devotion to a discipline is demanded, no Spy will ever attempt to add a second discipline to his studies without losing all Spy abilities forever.

Important Attributes: Dexterity, Perception, Willpower, and Charisma
Racial Restrictions: Obsidiman, Troll, T'Skrang
Karma Ritual: To perform their karma ritual, spies must sit quietly, preferably in a dark room, with their eyes closed, often blindfolded, and their ears plugged with wax. Once completely shut off from all normal sensory perceptions, the spy reaches out with magic to discern all details of his surroundings. Once the image and importance of all aspects of their surroundings are firmly grasped, the ritual ends.
Artisan Skills: Acting, Performing Arts, Writing
 

First Circle

Karma Ritual
Lock Picking
Melee Weapons
Read and Write Languages
Silent Walk*
Surprise Strike*

Second Circle

Disguise Self*
Durability (6/5)
Evidence Analysis*

Third Circle

Book Memory
Book Recall

Fourth Circle

Karma: The spy may spend a karma point on any action using perception only.
Astral Sight
Thread Weaving (Spy Weaving)*

Fifth Circle

Social Defense: Increase the spy's Social Defense by 1.
Detect Trap
Lip Reading

Sixth Circle

Physical Defense: Increase the Spy's Physical Defense by 1.
Conceal Weapons
Steely Stare

Seventh Circle

Spread Rumor: For the cost of 1 point of strain, the spy can begin a rumor, which can be infused with magic to spread. After taking strain, the spy makes a Charisma test against the first recipient of the "information". The level of success of the test indicates how far the rumor spreads. On a good success, the rumor affects a small group of people. At the GM's determination, each success level increases the size of the group in large multiples. A truly legendary success could put the rumor on the tongue of the entire population of a city.
Missile Weapons
Sense Poison

Eighth Circle

Initiative: Increase the spy's initiative dice by 1 step.
Eagle Eye*
Orbiting Spy*

Ninth Circle

Karma: The spy may spend a karma point on any one recovery test.
Social Defense: Increase the spy's Social Defense by 2.
Bardic Voice
Detect Falsehood
Memorize Image*

Tenth Circle

Move Unseen: For 4 points of strain, the spy may pass unnoticed through a crowd of people. The spy makes a Disguise Self test against a difficulty number determined by the GM representing how closely people are looking out for him. Success indicates that he and his actions seem nothing out of the ordinary and no one bothers to notice him. However, if asked later, members of the crowd may remember seeing the spy pass through, they just thought nothing of it at the time.
Multi-Tongue
Safe Thought

Rituals for Advancement

Ghost Master Ritual

Note: The Spy Adept can be especially effective in campaigns designed to thwart Theran efforts to overtake Barsaive. Spies are not always without moral convictions and can sometimes be convinced to work toward a worthy cause--such as freeing Barsaive from the threat of Theran oppression. Some Spies of legend have even been known to take up the waay of the Lightbearer, using their talents to gain information which would be detrimental to the Horrors.