Post by Vicorva on Apr 27, 2008 11:45:43 GMT
Daily updates. This is made to be in the style of the books from TES games.
The most important thing for any spy to learn is the power of discretion. While being the centre of attention will occasionally prove useful to the discerning spy, it is usually more of a handicap than an aid.
So what exactly does the young spy take discretion to mean? Well, many of my students have said ‘the ability to move unseen and unheard’ and still others ‘to hide’. And what I say to my students is- not quite.
You see, while skills in hiding in shadows and moving soundlessly are always prudent for a spy to learn, there will not always be a conveniently placed empty crate to hide inside of, or a burnt out light to provide you shade. No, a spy’s true skill lay in being unnoticed- the ability to walk, talk, speak, spit- anything, in the presence of others, and they not pay you any mind.
This is not to say that discretion will prevent you from amassing information- far from it. You see trainee, discretion is what allows to amass information. Think- it is only when you are unremarkable- unnoticed, unminded- that people will truly open up in your presence- even directly to you!
Now the question is, how does one attain adequate discretion? I expect many of you trainees- modern thinkers that you are- will immediately suggest spells- doubtlessly within the school of Illusion. Now, there are many reasons why a spy should not rely on magic (see Vol. 3 Magical Fallacies)- but in the way of discretion, a spell is neither reliable nor practical.
Think- how noticeable will it be if there is a spell worked on your target? Mages can always sense the use of spells nearby, to think nothing of the natural sense most races have for it. Think also of the failure to cast- and how that might affect your work. There is little you can do from within a jail-cell… or skewered on the end of someone’s sword. And then there is always the risk that, while successfully cast, you may impair the target’s ability to think clearly and thus provide reliable information, or cause them to act erratically enough to arouse suspicion- and a spy should never arouse suspicion about himself- only about those whom he should choose.
So what are some of the best techniques for discretion? A bland appearance will often help (see Vol. 2). Also, choosing a guise that nobody will care about- the quiet servant, the stupid slave. And of course, lip-reading skills are always useful for keeping far enough away to get the conversation without arousing suspicion.
Remember also that nobody questions a slave entering restricted rooms. Slaves are stupid, and cannot mean harm, and what could they be up to anyway? They are a slave, and their owners can axe them on a whim and feel no punishment.
Go now, and practice discretion amongst your peers and the city folk. Perhaps get into a dinner party as a servant and choose someone to learn everything about. Remember that it is your training that will get you through the real thing- if you do not learn now, then when you start it will be too late
* * * * *
Handbook for a Young Spy Vol. 1
By Anonymous
* * * * *
Discretion
By Anonymous
* * * * *
Discretion
The most important thing for any spy to learn is the power of discretion. While being the centre of attention will occasionally prove useful to the discerning spy, it is usually more of a handicap than an aid.
So what exactly does the young spy take discretion to mean? Well, many of my students have said ‘the ability to move unseen and unheard’ and still others ‘to hide’. And what I say to my students is- not quite.
You see, while skills in hiding in shadows and moving soundlessly are always prudent for a spy to learn, there will not always be a conveniently placed empty crate to hide inside of, or a burnt out light to provide you shade. No, a spy’s true skill lay in being unnoticed- the ability to walk, talk, speak, spit- anything, in the presence of others, and they not pay you any mind.
This is not to say that discretion will prevent you from amassing information- far from it. You see trainee, discretion is what allows to amass information. Think- it is only when you are unremarkable- unnoticed, unminded- that people will truly open up in your presence- even directly to you!
Now the question is, how does one attain adequate discretion? I expect many of you trainees- modern thinkers that you are- will immediately suggest spells- doubtlessly within the school of Illusion. Now, there are many reasons why a spy should not rely on magic (see Vol. 3 Magical Fallacies)- but in the way of discretion, a spell is neither reliable nor practical.
Think- how noticeable will it be if there is a spell worked on your target? Mages can always sense the use of spells nearby, to think nothing of the natural sense most races have for it. Think also of the failure to cast- and how that might affect your work. There is little you can do from within a jail-cell… or skewered on the end of someone’s sword. And then there is always the risk that, while successfully cast, you may impair the target’s ability to think clearly and thus provide reliable information, or cause them to act erratically enough to arouse suspicion- and a spy should never arouse suspicion about himself- only about those whom he should choose.
So what are some of the best techniques for discretion? A bland appearance will often help (see Vol. 2). Also, choosing a guise that nobody will care about- the quiet servant, the stupid slave. And of course, lip-reading skills are always useful for keeping far enough away to get the conversation without arousing suspicion.
Remember also that nobody questions a slave entering restricted rooms. Slaves are stupid, and cannot mean harm, and what could they be up to anyway? They are a slave, and their owners can axe them on a whim and feel no punishment.
Go now, and practice discretion amongst your peers and the city folk. Perhaps get into a dinner party as a servant and choose someone to learn everything about. Remember that it is your training that will get you through the real thing- if you do not learn now, then when you start it will be too late
* * * * *