Venice Leaks

A Council of Venice intelligence officer's dossiers on movers and shakers in Secret World Legends. IC information for OOC perusal and RP hooks; please do not meta-game this information without the individual player's consent.

[veniceleaks]

Lucca D.L. Giovanni

NAME: Lucca Damiano Luciano Giovanni

IG: LuckyBlu

ALIASES: Blue Sun/Blu/Don’s Kid

BIRTHDATE: May 8, 1989

FACTION: Council of Venice

TWITTER HANDLE: @Fking_Lucca

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Ilana V. Giovanni (Spouse/Under the protection of the Council of Venice), Selena Salgos (CoV Handler/Part of Team CERULEO), Nickoli “Rez” Sava (Part of Team CERULEO), Trev Nixs (Part of Team CERULEO), "Cieli Blu" (Known Italian crime organization currently in control of Naples, Italy), Vadik Giovanni (Brother/Recent Council of Venice Escapee), Sia St. Pierre (Illuminati Operative), Mathieu Tveskoeg (Council of Venice Operative), Lydia Murray (Templar Operative/Past Lover) 

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Lucca is known to steer clear of the Illuminati as much as possible, due to his family once being under their boots. Vadik Giovanni (Lucca’s brother) is a known Illuminati operative, as he was picked from the family once it was discovered he had Gaian abilities, where Lucca does not. Lucca also attempts to keep out of arms reach of his brother Vadik, due to a recent family issue, where Vadik attempted to kill their father for full reign of the Cieli Blu Mafia Family. 

EARLY LIFE: Lucca Giovanni had a normal life growing up, if you ignore the heavy mafia presence he was surrounded in. His father was known as the Don of the Cieli Blu Mafia, which allotted Lucca and his family great privileges in Naples, Italy. Lucca was raised mostly on the outskirts of town in a large family home. Lucca attended Catholic schooling, started smoking in his late teen years, where he was forced to give up his wishes of pursuing a life of music and art. Lucca was encouraged by his father to drop out of high school at 17 years old, alongside his brother. Lucca left school to work for his father and the family business, “The Giovanni Brother’s” restaurant. These establishments also serve as office locations in: Naples, Italy & Brooklyn, NY. 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Notes have been retrieved from the Medical Laboratory of Anima Testing and Research from within CoV HQ. On July 12, 2017, Lucca arrived to the laboratory with the suspicion that he had become imbued with Gaian/Anima abilities. However, the notes state that Lucca has already been infused with another energy source. Our source believes the Lucca is in possession of a demonic brand that is currently giving him the ability to control hell fire. However, the fire does have a tendency to harm his human body. 

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: According to the Medical Laboratory of Anima Testing and Research, even though Lucca had taken in a piece of Gaia, the “bee” has not taken full effect of his body. The bee has allowed him to: travel through Agartha and caused increased fire damage. However, our source claims that he inflicted a deep gash to Giovanni’s back, and his “bee” did not heal him. Lucca claimed that “fire burst from his wound, and sealed it shut from the inside out” once he returned home from their meeting. The effects of Lucca’s anima infusion/demonic brand are currently inconclusive. Further research will need to be gathered. Possibly a better source. It is to be noted, that at this time, it is unsure of weather Lucca will “return” from a fatality. 

CURRENT REMIT: Lucca Giovanni works as a Council of Venice Operative, effective October 13, 2016. Lucca was brought in to speak with Arturo Castiglione after Lucca turned Vadik Giovanni over to the Council authorities. Lucca works within a small team known as: CERULEO, comprised of four individuals including himself. Team members are noted until his known affiliates. Lucca works with this team on field/intervention missions that are heavily saturated with human/crime/occult cases. 

EXTRACURRICULARS: Lucca is in the works of creating a snack shop with his wife, titled “LUI’S”, in The London Borough of Camden. Lucca workout at a gym near his home in London, UK, where he prefers to spend his time boxing with a coach or other boxers. Lucca can be seen on morning runs as well, usually alternating between three routes. At times, he will return to Brooklyn, NY, to visit his family's restaurant, as it is currently under the supervision of a family friend. Lucca has been known to go on random road trips with his wife, Ilana, as well. Lucca is also known to visit Naples, Italy to be with family. 

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: It has been noted that many of Lucca’s missions, even though under Council request, have gone undocumented. Many of the mission briefing request higher clearances, and many of the names/locations have been redacted. More research has been requested. 

MICE: 

- BLACKMAIL: Lucca Giovanni was (technically skill is) wanted for crimes within Sicily, Italy. The Council of Venice put a rest to the search of Lucca Giovanni after his recruitment, but it could always be lifted. Lucca ran away from Italy to NYC, due to being wanted for: Arson/Assault with intention to kill/Smuggling/Kidnapping/Cruel and Unusual Punishment/Torture). If this information were to get back out into the media’s eyes, it could truly put Lucca on the run again, even into another faction’s awaiting arms. It is possible that the Illuminati would be the ones to play this card. 

- COERCION: Lucca and Ilana Giovanni are currently trying for a baby. Putting Lucca’s wife in harms way, whether pregnant or not, would ignite that Italian anger from Lucca. Lucca has been known to act extremely impulsive when enraged, which could be manipulated, if done correctly. 

[veniceleaks]

Anjali K. McKendrick

NAME: Anjali K. McKendrick (In-Game: Kaliratri) ALIASES: Dr Maria Pradhan, University of Genova; Agent Samantha Vickers, INTERPOL BIRTHDATE: October 11, 1981 FACTION: Templars TWITTER HANDLE: Kaliratri KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Iain Gladstone (Templar), Katrin Vaught (INTERPOL art crime specialist), Adrien Dunwall (Templar), Alima Hopkins (Templar) KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: While she maintains a quiet respect for Council-affiliated rivals, she seems to have a special dislike for the more mundane criminal organisations she interacts with, and she zealously pursues opportunities to stymie them. EARLY LIFE: McKendrick’s upbringing in rural Scotland is of little interest. It is believed that the attention of the faction was brought to her after she submitted for publication a paper charting occult symbolism recurring consistently in visual art from Sumer to the modern day - shortly after it was submitted she abruptly moved to London and fell off the radar for several years. She has since resurfaced, involved with a number of art-related crimes that intersect with the secret world. CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Her empowerment occured roughly ten months ago, and from what reports we could gather, occurred in her sleep. ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Other than the usual issues involved in transitioning into a new state of being, McKendrick does not appear to exhibit any unique eccentricities in her power. Her proclivities seem to be based around enhancing the skills she cultivated prior to her infusion - minor witchcraft, stealth, fencing, and the use of handguns and shotguns; also, the quality of restorations in the Club’s gallery has improved remarkably over the last year. CURRENT REMIT: Officially, McKendrick still works as a curator of the Temple Club’s art collection under Iain Gladstone. In keeping with her prior remit, however, she continues to engage in investigation of criminal incidents in which the Templars take an interest, as well as clandestine acquisition of items of occult significance, occasionally committing outright theft herself. Since her empowerment as a Bee, she has also been taking on more conventionally unconventional assignments. EXTRACURRICULARS: McKendrick remains an avid art historian, and has written or co-written a number of articles on historiography, occult semiotics, and restoration methodology, some of which have even been published in mundane journals outside of the secret world. She prides herself on being a bit of a polyglot, being able to hold a simple conversation in a number of languages, plus having fluency in Scots Gaelic and Latin. Activities in the Secret War: As much as she maintains a grudging respect for the other societies, and does firmly believe in the Council’s vision, McKendrick’s activities have very often put her at odds with other organisations, especially the Illuminati. They and the Phoenecians are most frequently in the way of Temple Hall’s insatiable hunger for artefacts, with which McKendrick is often involved. M.I.C.E.: For all that she gives off a quiet, unassuming demeanour, Anjali McKendrick is a fervent true believer in the Templar cause, and her emphatic reactions to coercion in the past render that route problematic. However, she is very easily distracted. A chance to steal something of historical significance or an opportunity to feed her Templar-issued paladin complex can keep her out of one’s hair for ages.

[veniceleaks]

Bethan G Bowen

NAME: Bethan Gwengwyvar Mary Megan Bowen ((In-game: ‘Gwengwyvar’))

CODENAME: Little Vixen

DATE OF BIRTH: 13th August, 1989

FACTION: Council of Venice, formerly member of the Templars

CONTACT DETAILS: Twitter: @BBowenCoV, E-mail: [email protected]

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Varied and too numerous to list, listing primarily includes Templar and Council operatives and employees. Particular note should be paid to the Templar Sergeant Thaddeus Abberley and subject’s former lover and Templar Master-at-Arms & Knight Sir Giles Masterman.

EARLY YEARS: Second of four children born to David & Megan Bowen in Bethesda, North Wales. Primary education at local school, secondary education undertaken at Roedean School as a ‘boarder’. Attended Sixth Form at Roedean followed by studying Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature at University of London, achieving a 2:1. INITIATION INTO SECRET WORLD: Employed by Templars as a junior archivist immediately post-university. Stayed with Templar organisation until 2014, when subject was employed by Council of Venice as an archivist. Subject recieved training from both organisations in unarmed combat and the use of firearms. NOTE: At some point in 2014 subject recieved intense military and survival training from Templars, purpose of training unknown. Subject has held several positions at the Council: Archivist, Deputy Director of Archives, Head of Acquisitions Department, and briefly as contact with renowned global institutions for the means of ensuring relics were moved into Council hands. CURRENT POSITION HELD: Director of Archives, Council of Venice. Took up position as of 21st August, 2017, yet to be publically announced at time of writing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: [ERROR: RESTRICTED ACCESS. GREATER CLEARANCE LEVEL REQUIRED]

MICE:

What will not work: - Drawing her away from the Council; she believes utterly in their role and is dedicated to them, like a convert finding faith for the first time.

- Trying to use her bloodline against her. It isn’t listed above as it is meant to be a hushed secret between the Templars and the Council, although it is possible both the Illuminati and Dragon have an inkling of, or know the secret. Either way, her bloodline ensures she will be protected by both the Templars and Council, for a certain reason.

What will work:

- Bethan will almost always see the best in others, except out-and-out Phoenicians, whom she will be extremely suspect of. She is quick to trust and wants (almost) everyone to be her friend. This is an obvious vulnerability.

- Undermining her position at work: Bethan is proud of her dedication to her work and is an absolute work-a-holic. As such she regards her excellent efforts as only just being 'good enough’, and if those efforts can be undermined or things to continually go wrong at work for her then she can subtly influenced.

[veniceleaks]

Polybius

NAME: Polybius

BACKGROUND: To the public, Polybius is an urban legend created in 1998 about an old cabinet arcade game of that name. The story goes like this: in 1981, the Polybius cabinet appeared in a small handful of arcades across the country. Playing the game was said to induce seizures, psychoactive episodes (insomnia, amnesia, night terrors) and intense addictive behavior in the kids who played it. “Men in black” were said to show up periodically to pull data from it, and shortly after its appearance the arcade game disappeared once more, never to be seen again. Nothing is known about the gameplay itself.

Anyone looking for a paper trail on a “real” Polybius will hit dead ends immediately: no copyright for a game of that name exists anywhere near that year, and the company that supposedly made it (“Sinneslöschen,” German for “sense delete” or “sensory deprivation”) apparently never existed. Most who know of Polybius are content to cite it as an urban legend or, if you prefer, an early version of “creepypasta.” It lives on in pop culture to this day, with homages in TV shows and, of course, modern video games.

“Polybius” was also an ancient Greek historian, but what this is meant to signify is beyond me.

TRUE HISTORY: To the best of our knowledge, there was no copyright for Polybius as civilian investigation bore out. The game, however, mostly certainly did exist. Who the “men in black” were that serviced them is currently up for debate. Given what’s known about the game and where it was found, you’d think this was an Illuminati job, or possibly Orochi, but I’m not convinced.

I have a theory. While perusing a massive data dump from the CIA’s Technical Services Division, I came across a project titled MKPOLYB. References are circumstantial, but the program appears to have existed circa 1975-1983, and it exists firmly in the infamous MKULTRA family tree along with MKDELTA, MKNAOMI, etc. (See attached.)

Most pieces of the MKULTRA family focused on experimentation with psychoactive drugs and other biological agents, but other, smaller projects looked at different ways to unlock or contain the power of the human mind. Again, any references to MKPOLYB are opaque at best, but my hunch is that the CIA was looking for ways to test for psychic potential in the wild. And really, if you want to clandestinely test a wide sampling of teenagers and young adults in 1981, what better place than a video arcade?

OCCULT PROPERTIES: The arcade game is not itself supernatural. But if I’m connecting the dots correctly, the audio-visual combinations it utilizes may represent a consistent, reproducible method for triggering latent psychics at will. If stories of seizures, night terrors, etc. are true, then its utility in psyops is obvious.

Unless the project was scrapped, we can assume the software has only gotten more sophisticated in the last 36 years.

CURRENT WHEREABOUTS: Obviously, this is a tricky one to pin down. We don’t know precisely who made Polybius or why, and we don’t know if any intact cabinets or cards still exist. We don’t even know what the game was like, so reproducing it from scratch is an impossible task. “Barcades” have experienced a resurgence in the United States, so it may be worth keeping an eye on vendors who have access to vintage working arcade cabinets and parts.

THREAT LEVEL: If the game is truly gone, then it’s obviously no threat to anyone. But if the technology used was to be tapped or refined, we could be looking at an at-will trigger for latent psychics to go supernova – or for anyone exposed to it to be wracked with seizures and psychotic hallucinations. Fun thought, no?

[veniceleaks]

Solomon Lancaster

NAME: Solomon Gabriel Lancaster

((In-Game Handle: Verum-Nomis))

ALIASES: Sol, Solly, Verum Nomis, Anokatos, Sigillum

BIRTHDATE: November 5, 1960

FACTION: Templar (Retired)

TWITTER HANDLE: @papyrusbooks

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Felicity Bane (Associate), Frank Calhoun (Associate), Jericho Blake (Associate), Eliza Blackwell (Granddaughter), Remzi Kerav (Significant other), Saki Omikuji (Employee),

Lancaster’s network of associates, both professional and personal, is rather broad. See attached file for more comprehensive list.

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Subject has a very well known and deep seated hatred for Phoenicians, stemming from their interference in a field operation that resulted in the loss of life of men under his command. See attached file for details.

Subject also has a strong distaste for Orochi and the Morninglight, but that animosity is typically reserved for higher ups in those organizations.

Also of note, subject is notably critical of Temple Hall. Particularly the “old guard”.  These criticisms has lead to friction between Lancaster and Hall officials on more than one occasion.

EARLY LIFE: Next to nothing is known about Solomon Lancaster’s childhood.  He claims a family history of magi, but we’ve as of yet been able to corroborate such claims.

Subject first appeared in the late eighties in the United Kingdom, and he surfaced sporadically across Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East through the ‘90s and into the ‘00s and 2010s.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Though the exact circumstances are unknown, subject was anima infused in early 2013, while pursuing an artifact in Marrakesh. The acquisition of the artifact, as well as his anima infusion is what brought Lancaster to the attention of the Templars.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Subject exhibits the anima manipulating abilities common in the infused. This, on top of his adeptness with weaving magic, has made Lancaster a very competent spellcaster.

CURRENT REMIT:  Subject was forcibly retired from the Templar in summer of 2016.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Subject is the proprietor and co-owner of Papyrus Books, a bookstore in Ealdwic focusing texts pertaining to the occult, weird history and folklore. See attached file for more comprehensive information on the shop itself. Lancaster also does side work as an occult consultant.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Lancaster was an officer and a front line combat magus in a Templar suicide squad (See attached file: Ordo Obscurus), and saw action in all the major hotspots.  Most notable was his unit’s extended deployment to Kaidan. By all accounts, Lancaster led from the front and typically had the respect those under his charge.

MICE: Attempting to coerce him by way of bribery or financial coercion is likely to be fruitless. However, convincing him the desired course of action is the most morally correct and his involvement is the most pragmatic and logical would lead to a more favorable outcome.

Where applicable, mention if Lancaster would possibly be used counter to Phoenician interests.

[veniceleaks]

The Wicked Bible

NAME: The Wicked Bible

BACKGROUND: The Wicked Bible, sometimes called Adulterous Bible or Sinners' Bible, is a Bible published in 1631 by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, the royal printers in London. Though it was meant to be a reprint of the King James Bible, the compositors made a mistake: in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14), the word “not” in the sentence “Thou shalt not commit adultery” was omitted. Whoops. A number of copies were printed before the error was caught, and while a majority of these were cancelled and burned, a few are still available in libraries around the world.

TRUE HISTORY: That’s the official story. The real story is that Barker and Lucas printed those adulterous Wicked Bibles to throw zealous Inquisitors off the scent of their real print run, which was much smaller and made at the behest of unknown clients.

The real Wicked Bible, of which only one is still known to still exist, is said to contain blasphemous truths and perverted Gospels that permanently damage the sanity of anyone who reads it. Scholars I talked to stress that this “real” Wicked Bible is not Satanic in origin, per se, but rather – depending on who’s translating – anti-God, or more broadly anti-creation. It stands to reason this Wicked Bible is some kind of Gospel of the Filth, but that’s just a hunch.

OCCULT PROPERTIES: The Wicked Bible contains no spells and is not itself cursed. To all appearances and psychic readings it’s just an old book. Nonetheless, legend persists that the Wicked Bible is preternaturally tempting to read; the longer you’re around it, the more likely you are to crack it open. What happens if you do read it differs depending on whose account you go by, but the gist is that readers who don’t carefully pace themselves will succumb to extreme paranoia and hallucinations of dark pursuers.

Of course, those may not be hallucinations.

CURRENT WHEREABOUTS: The Wicked Bible last pinged our radar in 2013, when then-independent operator Felicity Bane recovered it from the Wellesley clan of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA to transport it to parties unknown in New York City. My best guess is that the book may now be in the possession of the LaCroix family of relic dealers based out of New Orleans.

THREAT LEVEL: Low, provided that containment protocols are followed and you don’t read the damn thing. The Wicked Bible isn’t a risk for widespread Filth outbreaks, but it can turn insular clutches of occult scholars into murderous cults if its use is not monitored (as has happened at least twelve times in its history -- see attached). Once I free up some time (or a junior agent) I’ll follow up with the LaCroix people to see what they know.

[veniceleaks]

Aiden Burke

NAME: Aiden Christopher Burke

((In-Game Handle: Airue))

ALIASES: Airue

BIRTHDATE: 13th April, 1992

FACTION: Illuminati

TWITTER HANDLE: @AirueBurke

 KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Alexander Wakefield (illuminati fixer & boyfriend), Burke family (father, mother and big sister, not allowed to be in contact with)

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Seems to hold no hostilities. However Burke despises Illuminati’s corporate way of thinking and walking over the defenseless. He’s distrusting towards many Illuminati officials. Aiden’s boyfriend holds similar distrust towards other agents. In social media, Aiden Burke comes across chatty and weird while in reality he is very aloof. Burke’s had many templar associates and friends over years.

EARLY LIFE: Aiden Burke was born to middle-class family in Waterford, Ireland. His mother is irish and father finnish. Family has no ties to Secret Societies. Burke was first year music student in university just before anima outbreak.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: In Autumn of 2012 Burke was at a movie theater with his then boyfriend. During movie Burke’s anima woke up and caused a fire that ignited the hall and spread to nearby buildings. Approximately 20 people died in the fire, and among them was Burke and his boyfriend. To the family and world Aiden Burke died that day. He was scooped up by Illuminati, who then put him on sedatives and trained him to control his anima.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Burke has ability to see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Feeling deep empathy especially for murder victims he sees ghostly victims still bleeding and with murder weapons or torment still in full effect. The exception to this seems to be children. A side effect of his gift is vivid nightmares and feeling of displacement that follows after. Burke isn’t always sure if he is even awake.

CURRENT REMIT: Member of The Host Network. Has been involved in investigations across Illuminati lines.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Lends his ghost whispering talent to just about anyone with a homicide or occult case in their hands. Classically trained pianist since age 12. Fluent in english and Finnish.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Burke stays at the position of office rat for a reason. Paperwork is waste of Burke’s abilities but he likes staying hidden. He doesn’t want to cause stir and avoids leading at all costs. Half of the time he consults for homicide and occult cases.

 MICE: The Illuminati wasn’t Aiden’s choice. After all, how can one hold loyalty to something that feeds their personal paranoia and uncertainty? Being simply nice to Burke works miracles.

Aiden Burke is in love with Alex Wakefield and wishes he wasn’t such a pain in the ass to him. Threatening Alex’s life would bring Aiden to his knees. Burke wants to protect his man but knows he could never do so.

Burke has no interest on women but men he likes. He’s rather easy to flirt with and seduce.

Burke’s family was made to believe Aiden died years ago in theater fire. Contacting them would bring the Secret World to family soil.

[veniceleaks]

Emelia Ashford

https://twitter.com/season_of_theNAME: Emelia Ashford

((In-Game Handle: Scarlet-Arts))

ALIASES: Em, Emmy

BIRTHDATE: December 26, 1987

FACTION: Templars

TWITTER HANDLE: @season_of_the

(( TUMBLR: scarlet-arts.tumblr.com ))

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: On good terms with pretty much everyone regardless of faction, though she’s so new to the Secret World and its circles that she’s yet to actually become close associates or friends with anyone.

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Again, due to her newness, she’s yet to really make any enemies. That said, she regards the Orochi with a generally suspicious and stand-offish stance– preferring to be utterly, unfailingly polite to Orochi associates while keeping them at arm’s length. She’s also not fond of people who consort with spirits and other supernatural entities in ways she deems foolhardy or inappropriate, ie entering into pacts, freeing bound entities without prudent research, and the like.

EARLY LIFE: Born to a long line of Salem’s descendants, Ashford grew up with magic in her household and as part of her daily learning even from a young age. Born in St. Louis, Missouri and having spent her time traveling all over the midwest with her family, she learned her craft along with a healthy dose of respect for keeping things under wraps as much as possible. Frequent moves and the inability to bring other children to her home due to the family’s magical nature kept her from developing any particularly strong friendships, a trait she has seemingly carried into adulthood.

POWERS: A self-proclaimed witch, Ashford hosts the standard smattering of powers that seem to accompany true witchcraft– limited control over the elements and objects, knowledge of herbs and poultices, and other general lore. Her area of expertise seems to be centered on dealing with “the other side;” she is adept at speaking to and interacting with spirits, both of the deceased and more otherworldly entities. This skill seems to translate to a wide array of abilities, from a gift for convincing lost or lingering spirits to move on, to binding or even destroying more malevolent inhuman beings. 

CURRENT REMIT: At this time, Ashford is venturing through Solomon Island in an effort to hone her abilities in dealing with spirits while also gaining more experience in dealing with problems that must be addressed with a more “hands on” approach, like the undead.

EXTRACURRICULARS: N/A

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Ashford has shown no interest or activity in the Secret War. In fact, she seems to go out of her way to be friendly to everyone regardless of faction.

MICE: Ashford could likely be easily recruited away from the Templars should push come to shove. She joined them by her own choice, but really only seemed to do so because she claimed to a dislike for the Illuminati’s corporatist practices and a lack of understanding regarding the Dragon’s methods or goals.  Ultimately, this agent would recommend that should one seek to whisk Ashford away for another faction, the best way would be to try to get close to her personally. A lifetime lacking in strong friendships leaves her vulnerable to such an approach due to a certain desire for closeness. She flirts easily and often with men, though at the first indication of reciprocated interest she tends to play her actions off as if she was joking. Sex and romance– or the illusion thereof– could serve as tempting bait. The only other obvious choice that this agent sees regarding attempting to change her loyalties would be to convince her that she is in a level of danger that the Templars simply cannot or will not protect her from. As she is not an immortal, and as her family line exists because her ancestors were the people smart enough to get the hell out of Salem and take their practices with them, it seems to me that Ashford is a consummate survivor and would value self-preservation, to put it kindly. To put it unkindly: she’s something of a coward, and could be manipulated because of it.

[veniceleaks]

Felicity Pilton

NAME: Felicty Pilton

((In-Game Handle: Feleth))

ALIASES: Feleth, Fel, Feels, Hawtpants

BIRTHDATE: October 3rd, 1986

FACTION: Illuminati

TWITTER HANDLE: @FelethPilton

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Gavin MacKinney (Illuminati Playboy), Frank Calhoun (Templar Agent), Ellis Thams (Illuminati Cult Recruiter NPC)

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Multiple complaints levied against her to the Council of Venice (see below), but no specific animosities to known personnel recorded. 

EARLY LIFE: Ms Pilton was the second daughter of a successful hotel chain magnate born to privilege in California. Prior to attending university she ran away from home and disappeared for some time. Eventually she resurfaced in New York where she was operating as a high end burglar taking in contracts from organized crime.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Intelligence suggest that Pilton was under Illuminati surveillance even before she became anima infused via traditional ingestion methods while staying at a high end hotel. She was led into a Labyrinth and made to think that federal agents were after her when it was the Illuminati all along leading her through an initiation ritual. She was picked up from the hotel rooftop by her mentor Ellis Thams.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Records provided by the Illuminati and our own observances in the field show an ability for anima infused combat powers typical of the recently imbued. Aptitudes include chaos magic and pistols and she has been noted that be able to create limited illusions and exert extra control over doppelgangers created via chaos foci.

CURRENT REMIT: Assigned to “The Toolbox” as a scout and infiltration & retrieval specialist, alerted on a mission by mission basis by text or dead drop. Public member of a Panoptic cult within the Illuminati that espouses a worldwide surveillance state and worship of The Eye. Currently engaged to defense of Agartha against the rise of zero-point infection but data suggests she is about to moved to a new permanent assignment in Tokyo.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Pilton has been known to join various faction-neutral operations, examples include the Black Fox Research society, endeavours to bring supplies to the survivors on Solomon Island, an aborted heist on an Orochi facility and various mercenary work leveraged through Frank Calhoun. It is unsure whether her goals are altruistic, a means on keeping tabs on rival agents or merely for something to do between assignments due to boredom.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Pilton has been suspected of (but never proven) being behind the theft of numerous magical artifacts and items of value from almost every faction involved in the Secret War, including the Council itself. The fact that none of the these complaints have managed to lead to anything constructive is a testament to her ability as a thief and the Illuminati’s ability to cover things up.

As mentioned previously she has performed mercenary work outside of the Illuminati as well and generally tries to stay on sociable terms with many of the other heavy hitters in the Secret World community. She would be available for most kinds of operations but any teams employing her should expect everything that happened to be forwarded directly to The Eye, and the off chance that she may just silently disappear at some point in the operation.

MICE: While Felicity Pilton has been observed to be a faithful member of a Panoptic cult and loyal to The Eye it should be noted that this level of loyalty does not extend to the Illuminati as a whole. She is vain and self-absorbed and cares little for the rest of the individual bricks of the pyramid aside from a few personal friends and would think very little on turning on them beyond how it would affect her standing.

Her strong curiosity is a strength but also manifests itself as a mild kleptomania and she can often be led to a goal with the promise of shiny treasures. She tends to act first, maybe think about it later and then make up excuses after the fact. She maintains a sarcastic tone that can turn her allies away from her even though she’s “just joking” so it should be quite possible to isolate her, especially after baiting her on social media.

While she has had to perform violent actions and killings in the line of duty like most agents it is worth noting that she avoids it whenever possible. Claims that “if I have to kill someone means I failed already” ring slightly hollow and there may be more to it than that. Exposing the monstrous cabal she works for now in The Toolbox may also be a way to coerce her. Hearing about depravities is one thing, seeing it is another.

((Please note this is all PRE-TOKYO information))

[veniceleaks]

Daniel Martin

  NAME: Daniel Martin

((In-Game Handle: LizardSkeptic))

ALIASES: Dan

BIRTHDATE: September 12, 1986

FACTION: Dragon

TWITTER HANDLE: @LizardSkeptical

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Daniel plays things close to the chest. We know he’s interacted amicably with several other agents via Twitter, but nothing stands out as significant. As a former Kingsmouth Police Department deputy, Sheriff Helen Bannerman was his boss. We also know that he’s accepted payment recently from Orochi Group under the authority of its Kusanagi Initiative, headed by D’ante Lewis. Possible that he knows other former residents of Kingsmouth, notably siblings Vimes and Mckenzie Thatcher.

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Daniel is hard to read. Besides one public spat with Seok Dae-hyun and the Free Judges, he hasn’t shown any true animosities recently. An older spat involved Orochi Group during its bid to buy Wabanaki land on Solomon Island. Daniel was among those in the tribe who opposed the land deal and he moved to Bangor, Maine soon after to join the Bangor Police Department. Obviously, that didn’t last.

EARLY LIFE: Daniel Martin is a member of the Wabanaki of Solomon Island. Community records indicate that as a child he was very intelligent, with a natural talent for magic. His parents were divorced when he was still in elementary school, and his father gained primary custody. Against the wishes of his mother, a practitioner of traditional Wabanaki magic, Daniel’s father enrolled him at Innsmouth Academy, where he excelled. Wabanaki records indicate that Daniel actively participated in tribal events and classes in tribal history and culture. Very soon after the polarizing decision by the Wabanaki to accept Orochi’s offer to buy tribal land, Daniel, who had been being courted by the Templars, swore off magic and moved to Bangor, where he joined the police department. Daniel didn’t return to Kingsmouth until late 2009, when he accepted a job offer with the Kingsmouth Police Department. Daniel became a K9 officer in 2011, and he was paired with a German Shepherd puppy named Vlad. Daniel was also married in 2011, to elementary school teacher and childhood sweetheart Faith Brewster. The two moved into a house on Poe Cove and, as of the time of the initial fog incident, had been expecting their first child.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Details are sparse, but from what I’ve been able to gather, Daniel Martin and his (now deceased) wife, Faith, were at their home in Kingsmouth when the fog came. Faith walked into the sea and Daniel didn’t. When she came back along with the other undead, she found Daniel in their home, in the nursery they’d been designing for their first child, passed out drunk. Vlad came to his handler’s rescue, and when Daniel woke up, it was to the sight of his wife wounded beyond the ability to move and both he and Vlad completely unharmed. When agents started arriving on Solomon Island via Agartha, the Dragon recruited Daniel.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Despite having sworn off magic in his late teens, a few things stand out, both from his school records and from current events:

He appears to have a bond with his K9 partner, a bicolor German Shepherd named Vlad. Vlad has been seen entering Agartha and fighting Filth-infected individuals with no visible ill effects. Daniel and Vlad have been seen working together as if the dog was an extension of Daniel. Witnesses interviewed reported several times seeing Daniel react to stimulus that Vlad was watching but he was not. Suspected by more than one direct witness that Daniel and Vlad, despite both being separate beings, are considered a single entity by the bees, since both have been observed healing at the same rate and experiencing fatigue at the same time.

The rest is, sadly, out of date. We know from Innsmouth records that Daniel’s ability with psychic-related disciplines was excellent and might account for some of his ability with Vlad. At the time of his graduation, he was a budding touch clairvoyant. He was also able to see the auras of others and sense strong emotion. Records indicate possible limited success with psychic projection.

CURRENT REMIT: The Dragon has been making use of Daniel’s police experience, and he is often assigned tasks that require a fair bit of investigation, often also making use of Vlad’s tracking abilities. Also due to his police training, he is usually on the front lines of more militarized assignments, and Daniel has a track record of preferring to minimize both casualties and mundane witnesses to secret world happenings.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Daniel has been documented accepting payment from the Orochi Group’s Kusanagi Initiative for aiding their activities in New England.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Daniel is often on the front lines of more militarized assignments for the Dragon, including missions against other societies. Details are hard to piece together, but we know he’s been particularly active on his native Solomon Island against the Illuminati.

MICE: As stated before, Daniel plays things close to the chest. Though he’s displayed altruistic and idealistic behavior on Twitter, we also suspect that at least some of it is feigned. His behavior in the field suggests that he is, first and foremost, practical, with a particular hatred of zombies and draug that, I feel, is at least partially due the death of his wife. The most reliable method of manipulating Daniel would be using that memory, though I caution against outright lies, as between magic and police training, Daniel is adept at seeing through deception.

[veniceleaks]

Colt Moineau

NAME: Nicolette Elwen Moineau

((In-Game Handle: Scoundrelle))

ALIASES: Colt Moineau, Nikki Sing, Gabrielle Hund, Elizabeth Gregory, “The Red Herod”, “Tante Colt”, others.

BIRTHDATE: “Imbolc” 1974

FACTION: Dragon

TWITTER HANDLE: @hazardzone_TSW

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Talia Zimushka (Primary partner, Dragon), Arianwen Giger-Richards (Secondary polyamourous relationship; Dragon), Ellie DeLaCroix (Secondary polyamourous relationship, Dragon), CACHE (Dragon research cabal), Dr. Wilhelm Borromeo (Templar Emeritus, “grandfather”), Isaac/Isobel Snow, Nell Snow (Illuminati, Templar; Unclear relation), Lula DeValora (Templar).

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Mme Moineau’s psychological profile suggests an embedded animosity against most agents outside the Dragon (and skepticism to those with it). Individually: Jessie Cha (Dragon), J. Synge (Father, Pheonician), Hera Snow (Illuminati), Issac Snow (Illuminati), Knight-Inquisitor Oscar H. Knowles (Templar), Solomon Lancaster (Templar, retired), Distinctive Fae Entity #1300/185F (“The Governess”).

EARLY LIFE: Mme Moineau spent her early life in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France, not far from Nice. Moineau’s family line is traditionally Templar (with notable deviations) although there have been no active agents within the last century. At a very early age, Nicolette ventured to London to learn more about her family line and as a matter of misadventure, was a guest of Faerie for approximately ten years. Once returned to Earth, Mme Moineau’s activities are unknown and presumed to be unremarkable. In mid to late adolescence, she emigrated around Europe and eventual the United States, settling in New Orleans. At some point, Nicolette embarked on a career of petty crime and occult delinquency, although we do not believe she harbored any distinct magickal capacity at that time.

In whatever capacity, Mme Moineau was active during the 2005 Hurricane Katrina Occult Event, a local defender against the voodoo spirit intrusion and cheval uprising. It is at this point that Mme Moineau (in her identity as “Nikki Sing”) becomes known to our offices, due to her interactions with (former) operative Konrad Engel during the occult event. Not long after our conclusion of hostilities with the Petro and Ghede Loa, Mme Moineau disappears again. Our theory is that she was contacted and recruited by Carthage and her absent father.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Our available records are confusing on this point. We have two separate records, one as early as 2008 in regard to the culimination of a initiation rite administered by a Carthagian mystery cult. These records are inconsistent with other accounts that aside from a minor divination gift, Mme. Moineau was anima-inactive until several years later.

The currently prevailing understanding has that Mme. Moineau was infused in Vienna subsequent to the Tokyo Event in late 2012. Regardless, Templar histories document that Mme. Moineau’s matrilineal ancestors are known to carry a predisposition to anima infusion. Her patrilineal ancestors have a similar tradition. The fact she was infused was likely a matter of when, rather than if, she would be Chosen.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Nicolette’s anima aptitudes are predictable given her family origins: Elementalism, blood sorcery, and swordmanship. Our assets in Seoul indicate that Mme. Moineau is also showing profound aptitude in Changquan and Sojutsu long weapon forms, particularly the spear. This would make Nicolette one of the few modern practioners of spear-forms in anima expression.

Nicolette has publicly indicated that she practices some form of hedge divination, most commonly extispicy. According to social media posts, this was an occult gift she developed in early adolescence.

Although there has been no overt confirmation of the fact, her paternal lineage would suggest that she may also be a ley channeler, in addition to being anima-active. Such individuals are rare, a fortunate fact given their immense destructive potential.

CURRENT REMIT: Mme. Moineau is currently a field researcher for the Center for Applied Cliodynamics, History, and Economics (CACHE), a Dragon think-tank, analysis, and research enterprise. Her duties appear to be eclectic due to her lack of formal education. She has mentioned on social media that she is attempting to build a “Phonomancy” department. This questionably legitimate field of mystical esoterica is not expected to prevail. She is probably far better off to sticking to being a courier, research assistant, and occasional burglar for the purposes of abetting the Dragon’s pseudo-scientists.

EXTRACURRICULARS: As stated, Mme. Moineau is an admitted career criminal who likely takes on small jobs or other hustles for pay. The extent of these is beneath our notice at this time. Nicolette is also an amateur musician specializing in the bass guitar and acoustic guitar, although she lacks any known formal training or any current performance troupe. Our surveillance suggests her performance is limited to busking and unpaid, unorganized public performances. According to social media, she has either organized or participates in an unspecified grey/black market economy on Solomon Island.

Mme. Moineau also has a slight reputation for womanizing and carousing, only slightly above usual expected norms for the Chosen.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Moineau’s performance in various sanctioned battlegrounds is dismal, suggesting that the Dragon has no real need for her in any front-line engagement. She is, again, a career criminal with experience in burglary, breaking and entering, larceny, and a host of small-time criminal skills which would allow her to be a passable (if amateur) espionage asset. Nicolette has used these skills extensively in her capacity as a Secret Warrior against the other factions. On a related note, Mme Moineau was apparently pivotal in the Dragon’s recruitment of the demonic entity ‘Thym’ away from the Illuminati (although she was not the only individual who abbetted that creature’s defection). Mme. Moineau’s partner is the current host of the demonic parasite (see above). Mme. Moineau may also have some first-hand experience as a Carthagian agent, due to the influence of her father. However, this is only documented in contradicting reports which do not align with other known and verified facts. Whether this is the result of some kind of disinformation campaign or some other oblique circumstance is unclear and frustrating.

Our offices are also receiving new information that Mme Moineau may be involved in some kind of spiritual cult within the abnatural communities, particularly the ghul. Our ethnographers are connecting Nicolette with a figure called “Tanteekalte” or 'The Red Herod’. We have not extracted enough information about the significance of this figure, but it is possible Moineau is attempting to gather a cult of personality about herself.

MICE: More than any other liability we could leverage against Nicolette, it seems her Achilles heel is a self-perpetuating myth that her late mother was a Templar agent unjustly persecuted for unspecified crimes and all available records expunged as a kind of damnatio memoriae. There are no available verifiable records to corroborate this, of course.  Moineau has demonstrated a shocking lack of restraint when it comes to pursuing the exoneration of a fictional sentence on a woman who did not exist as any Templar asset. This includes multiple attempts to burgle Temple Hall itself, along with a brazen (and failed) assassination attempt on a Inquisitor, and a conspiracy to recruit multiple Templar agents to act on her behalf.

Due to Moineau’s misadventures with the Templars, her entire family has been officially censured by the Templar Inquisition for the next century, if not longer. There is also an unofficial bounty on her due to the assassination attempt. If we could remove these consequences, or convince Nicolette that we could assist her in her preposterous crusade, we may gain some leverage over her.

Coarser strategies would include putting weight on her secondary romantic attachments (particularly Ms. Giger-Richards, who is already a Council asset), leveraging conventional law enforcement to prosecute her many pedestrian criminal activities, exposing Moineau to the existence of the Hive and that her misadventures within the factions could have serious repercussions. That said, as a Dragon operative, it’s quite possible that such coarse displays of power would result in an unpredictable turn toward opposition against the Council. 

[veniceleaks]

Ulric Steinmeier (NPC)

NAME: Ulric Steinmeier

ALIASES: Samson 1

BIRTHDATE: June 21, 1970

FACTION: Templars

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: “Saint” George Lethe (Templar Brigadier), Felicity Bane (Templar operative), Frank Calhoun (Templar operative), Arturo Castiglione (Council handler), Samson Team (Templar special forces unit)

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Steinmeier’s been a Templar operative for over 10 years. The global Filth eruption hit in 2012, so previous to five years ago Steinmeier’s work was almost exclusively seizing assets, neutralizing enemy operations and recovering kidnapping victims – all in opposition to the Templars’ rivals on the Council. Most notably, Steinmeier was instrumental in scaring investors away from an Illuminati-backed corporate campus project just outside London.

EARLY LIFE: Steinmeier first pings the radar back in 1999, when he was with GSG 9. He was instrumental in the hostage situation in Aachen, and from there went on to show exceptional shrewdness, grit and leadership skills in GSG 9’s CTU for the next 8 years. The Templars keep an eye on elite police units for recruits exactly like this one, and in 2006 they made the offer. Steinmeier accepted.

CURRENT REMIT: In the wake of Kaidan’s eruption, Steinmeier was tasked with assembling an elite team of operatives to retake the neighborhood from the Filth and uncover the truth behind its infestation through surveillance, direct action and liaising with other operatives in the field (such as the KAs listed above).

This detail was touted as a tremendous honor, but I think Steinmeier and everyone else knew it was almost certainly a death sentence. Nonetheless, he took it, and he and his so-called Samson Team performed admirably (with remarkably few casualties and Filth possessions) until they were withdrawn in the last days of 2016, not long before Kaidan was cordoned off again. What can I say? He’s a worker.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: The official assignment is providing support and security for the flashier bee operatives in theaters around the world. The real assignment is surveillance and “destabilization” of minor societies friendly to Templar rivals. Lately, Steinmeier and Samson Team have been executing “sapper” operations against Romanian organized crime clans believed friendly to the Illuminati.

MAGIC ABILITIES: None, though his FN SCAR and Remington 870 are adorned with rosaries and trinkets with various minor blessings and wards. These may be more sentimental than anything else.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Steinmeier is approachable, though not exactly warm or good-humored. He enjoys industrial metal, rugby and cooking, and in the field would frequently prepare meals for Samson Team.

MICE: There’s the obvious family angle. Steinmeier is divorced with two kids, who are now ages 19 and 14. They and his ex are not especially aware of what Steinmeier really does for a living, so there’s two ways to go there: threatening to inform them of his work (the “safe” option) or just threatening them outright (the dangerous option). Given his expertise, I’d triple-check that all your ducks are in a row before you go this route.

But there’s a better way. During his time in Kaidan, Steinmeier was almost completely cut off from the outside world – so all his socialization came from Samson and from the bee operatives he encountered there. I have reason to believe during this time that he became romantically entangled with a Dragon operative, and still sees her now when he can get away. Given the Dragon’s radioactive reputation, getting solid evidence of this liaison to the Templars could see Steinmeier in front of a tribunal before the week is out.

[veniceleaks]

Andrei Zaharia

  NAME: Andrei Zaharia

((In-Game Handle: DreamFixer))

ALIASES: None

BIRTHDATE: July 21, 1919

FACTION: Templars

TWITTER HANDLE: @SomnisVeritas

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Sorin Zaharia (Father, Illuminati associate), Irina Zaharia (Mother, deceased 1978), D’ante Lewis (QR, Faust Capital, Orochi Group)

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: Zaharia is fairly neutral in his dealings with the other societies. He has a deep-seated hatred of the Dreamers, the Atenists, and the current conflicts in Transylvania. I’ve noted that despite the vocal opposition of the Free Judges by his father, Sorin, it took his father being seriously injured before Zaharia voiced his own opposition to them.

EARLY LIFE: Andrei Zaharia was born in Hunedoara, Romania. From what little I’ve been able to piece together, his mother had a strong influence on him during his early life, and he was raised by both his human mother and his Fae father to be as normal of a human boy as possible. When he was fifteen, due to rising tensions in Europe, his family moved out of their city residence in Hunedoara and to the family estate outside Harbaburesti. His relationship with his father was strained, and two years later Zaharia enrolled first in his father’s choice of universities in Moscow, then from there in a medical school in the UK. He became a UK citizen in the 50s and gave up his Romanian citizenship. He’s practiced medicine off and on throughout the years.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Through his father, Sorin Zaharia, Andrei Zaharia is half-Fae. A side effect being a natural connection to anima, weaker than the connection of those who are bee-infused. I do not believe he experiences the “Buzzing”. The method of cheating death that the bee-infused operatives use seem to be beyond him, though he has been documented using anima to assist with healing his own injuries.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: While Zaharia is capable of fairly powerful elemental magic, other magic seems to be beyond him. He is able to channel anima through a pair of pistols and uses them as a backup weapon.

Because of his Fae heritage, he is able to induce a dreamlike state in others, manipulate dreams, and has been documented by the Templars killing one person via a dream. He also has a fairly strong ability with illusion magic that he’d mastered prior to his induction into the Templars.

He reacts fearfully to certain types of iron and steel work, as well as church bells and sanctified ground in general. Zaharia can physically tolerate all of those things, and Templar files note the fears seem to be mostly psychological. It has been strongly noted, however, despite anima-assisted healing, Andrei reacts badly to bullets. It has also been noted in his file that his health suffers when he has no access to nature.

CURRENT REMIT: Zaharia is attached, broadly, to the Templars’ medical unit. His experience as a doctor is sometimes used, but more often he is employed by the Templars questioning witnesses and suspects, as well as aiding victims.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Zaharia has been documented volunteering to aid Orochi Group’s Kusanagi Initiative in New England.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: While Zaharia has worked with Council of Venice operatives in the past, he has refused assignments that work directly against other societies, with the notable exception of the Phoenicians and various Orochi groups.

MICE: Andrei Zaharia is a tough one to crack. He’s quiet, doesn’t socialize much with other agents, and doesn’t make too many waves among the Templars. I theorize because of his previous experience as a doctor, he is trying to do what is morally right. We have seen signs via Twitter that, since the Free Judges have been active, Zaharia has been thinking on his own of trying to flip to the Council of Venice, citing unpleasant talk since his father joined the Illuminati. I assume from his service record with the Templars that while he is possessed of a stereotypical Fae’s mercurial temperament, he abhors the faction-based jostling for power and underhanded plays that characterize the secret war. A perception that the Templars might quietly condone the Free Judges’ actions, whether it’s true or not, would most definitely be the catalyst to flip Zaharia.

[veniceleaks]

Alejandro Reyes

  NAME: Alejandro Reyes

((In-Game Handle: CyberFox))

ALIASES: None

BIRTHDATE: August 16, 1986

FACTION: Manticore, Orochi Group

TWITTER HANDLE: @a_flying_fox

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: D’ante Lewis (QR, Faust Capital, Orochi Group), Unknown R&D team (Manticore, Orochi Group)

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: I’ve noted a lack of true hostility towards Filth-infected individuals, the Dreamers, and Atenists in Reyes’ current stint in Egypt. Reyes shows more hostility towards betrayal from within Orochi Group than he does towards outside threats. He seems to treat outside threats as a job, more than a personal attack, but betrayal from within strikes a nerve with him. The Free Judges on Twitter seem also to have struck a nerve with him, though I have noted a lack of any true action to follow up his words on the matter.

EARLY LIFE: Alejandro Reyes is the son of Filipino-born dentists Carlos and Malaya Reyes. He, his brother Marco, and his sisters Shelley and Alisha were born and raised in Pasadena, California. Reyes trained as a helicopter pilot in the US Army straight out of high school under a program called “High School to Flight School”. He was deployed as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot to Afghanistan in 2005. After a helicopter accident, Reyes was given an honorable discharge from the US Army in 2008. Reyes was recruited shortly after by Orochi Group’s Manticore Research Group as a pilot. Per negotiated terms of his employment, he was employed locally in Los Angeles by Manticore from 2008 until 2015 and used GI Bill funds to get a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He was transferred to Manticore’s New York City R&D facility in 2015 and though currently listed as a test pilot and member of Manticore’s R&D staff, performs other duties for Manticore and Orochi Group as needed.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Though the circumstance surrounding Reyes’s anima infusion have been sealed by both the US Army and Orochi Group, the Council of Venice was able to get a rough outline of events from Orochi Group’s representative. The incident in question happened in early 2008. Reyes’s UH-60 was shot down by insurgent forces over a lake in southern Afghanistan while ferrying equipment and troops from a base in Saudi Arabia. The helicopter was completely destroyed and all troops aboard were killed, with the exception of the pilot, WO1 Reyes. Reyes, initially declared deceased by attending Army medics, regained consciousness three hours later. An Orochi representative, in the area to discuss hardware needs with Army field personnel, alerted his superiors in Tokyo to the incident. Orochi Group put pressure on Washington to seal the details of the incident and discharge Reyes. The US Army complied with Orochi’s wishes, and Reyes was given an honorable discharge in June of 2008.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Orochi files note that Reyes is resistant but not completely immune to the effects of the Filth. Whether or not he realizes this is debateable, since his containment protocol when he thinks he’s alone in the field has been next to nil. He’s been acting slightly more erratically since he was deployed to Egypt and complaining of unusually vivid dreams. I recommend keeping a close eye on Reyes, particularly since Orochi has been disinclined to share his status as a bee-infused agent.

Otherwise, Reyes shows a lot of talent with blood magic and elemental magic that he sometimes hides by using one of Manticore’s next-gen assault rifles. His real use at Manticore seems to be his knowledge of computer software and hardware, combined with bee-infused healing and his experience as a pilot, which makes him valuable to R&D teams needing to field test Manticore’s new tech.

CURRENT REMIT: Reyes is attached to a Manticore R&D team working on an experimental drone AI that includes, among other things, medic protocols and enhanced security protocols. Beyond his duties at Manticore, Reyes is also an independent agent within Orochi Group, tasked with various sensitive and difficult assignments that Orochi has been reluctant to share. One that I was able to uncover involved a search and recover/destroy mission on Solomon Island involving a rogue Filth-infected Orochi agent and several million dollars of Orochi property.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Due to intersecting interests in Egypt, Reyes has been assisting Orochi Group’s Kusanagi Initiative, led by D’ante Lewis. Although, per Council of Venice agents in al-Merayah, Reyes’ loyalty to the group is questionable. He has been seen ferrying Plethron and Vali-marked cargo to and from al-Merayah in one of Manticore’s experimental attack helicopters, not the cargo helicopter recovered from the Ankh site and dedicated to supply runs for the Kusanagi Initiative.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Reyes has actively worked against Templar, Illuminati, Dragon, and Phoenician agents in the past in pursuit of Orochi goals. Most recently in Egypt, in the City of the Sun God, he was filmed by an Illuminati agent disrupting the agent’s work in order to secure Orochi mainframes from Illuminati interference. Though the Illuminati have complained to the Council of Venice, Orochi maintains that since the Orochi camp in question was in lockdown, Reyes’ actions were standard operating procedure and the Illuminati were illegally taking advantage of an emergency situation. The matter has been referred to committee.

MICE: This one might not be as innocent and happy-go-lucky as he appears. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, and he takes no prescription or illegal drugs, as per his hiring contract with Orochi, so he can’t be leveraged with any of those vices. He displays an ability, perhaps learned during his military service, to distance his own beliefs from his orders from higher up. He seldom truly questions orders from higher up the chain of command at Orochi, except where his safety or that of the mission is at stake. While his professed beliefs seem to indicate a high level of respect for life and morality (as evidenced by a recent spat with the Free Judges on Twitter), that seldom translates into an unwillingness to do Orochi’s dirty work. I have noted communication from Reyes within Orochi Group’s networks that indicate a high level of respect for Orochi CEO Samuel Chandra. The easiest way to flip Reyes would just be to negotiate with Orochi for his services. Beyond that, he seems at the moment to be a poster boy for corporate ideals. He could possibly be flipped by presenting or planting evidence of Orochi’s betrayal, of Reyes or the world in general, but the likelihood of such evidence making an impact is 50/50 due to Orochi training.

Special note: Depending on how dirty someone wanted to get in flipping Reyes, offline he shows a deep connection to his family, particularly his two younger sisters. Introducing one or more family members to Council service might influence Reyes. Difficulty being that none of Reyes’ family members have shown any signs of anima infusion or knowledge of the secret world. This would need to be done carefully, as noted before Reyes is particularly sensitive to betrayal.

[veniceleaks]

Aleph Ryder

NAME: Alexander  Ryder

((In-game handle: Aleph ))

ALIASES: Aleph. Lumie, Blue, Alex, Lex, Xander

BIRTHDATE: July. 9, 1988

FACTION: Illuminati

TWITTER HANDLE: @FallenOmega

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Auroborus (significant other), SWL_TheSchmoe (work associate), Sorin (associate), possibly allied with the Free Judges.

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: None. He maintains a friendly (if competitive) relationship with the other factions, however he operates almost completely alone in the field. Has obvious dislike for the Filth, Dreamers, and Red Hand, as well as the Atenists.

EARLY LIFE: Aleph was born in a small, rural town in western Oklahoma. His family is devoutly Christian, to the point of being fundamental. They, to our knowledge, have no connection to the Secret World or any preternatural entities. As Aleph grew, he experienced bullying due to his orientation, and the fact that the small town was almost completely fundamentalist. He stumbled upon some old magical tomes, containing various hexes and, apparently from desperation, attempted to use some on his tormentors. As one might expect, it did not end well. Evidence also suggests some early failed attempts at golemetry.  Beyond this, however, he appears to have been a perfectly mundane member of society. After moving out on his own, he relocated to Oklahoma City, taking on a customer service roll in a call center. he appears to have been content to spend his life in such a state, and did not appear on any faction’s radar again until recently.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Aleph appears to have been falling into something of a depression at the time of his infusion. Analysis of online posts, especially private posts on Facebook, show increasing references to feeling ‘useless’ and 'pointless.’ It is the opinion of our team of psychoanalysts that had circumstances not change, Aleph may very well have successfully attempted suicide in the near future.  On June 1, 2017, Aleph was napping in a park, having gone there to enjoy a book. While asleep, one of the Bees approached and merged with him. He woke, feeling ill, and returned to his apartment where within 24 hours, his powers began to manifest. Spotters indicate extreme manifestations of both fire and lightning, cause moderate to severe property damage.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Aleph has shown increasing and dramatic affinity for Elemental magic, particularly towards fire based offensive spells. This appears to have had a detrimental effect on his temper as he is more easily angered than previously recorded. It should be noted, however, that he has yet to cause any further unintended harm with his spells after the initial infusion period. No other effects, beyond those common to all Bees, have yet been detected.

CURRENT REMIT: While officially aligned with the Illuminati (the “Blues” as Aleph refers to them on social media), currently the agent appears to be in hiding from all factions. This could be due to the end results of a recent op with members of other factions in which the agent, for unknown reasons, turned on his fellows and attempted to abduct a prisoner. Aleph is active on social media, even from his hiding location, but has not approached his Faction for further assistance. Additional analysis is needed.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Aleph tends to spend most off-hours on his own or with his boyfriend Auroborus when their assignments permit. Generally, he has done mundane activities, though it has been noted that he freely offers help to other agents from all factions if they require it. Current activities are unknown as we are unable to locate him.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Aleph’s primary role appears to have been as a lone wolf operative for the Illuminati. His handle, K. Geary, has avoided sending him to disrupt the other Factions as he strongly objects to what he sees as “idiotic bickering” between people that he believes should be on the same side. It has been noted that he has worked with both CoV representatives on missions, as well as with other agents from the three factions. His last known operation was not officially sanctioned by the three, but appears to have been at the behest of the Free Judges.

MICE: Agent appears to be firmly grounded in ideology. Unusual for an Illuminati agent, Aleph appears to be driven by a general desire to do what he perceives as “good” for the world and others in general, so long as that “other” is not causing harm. It is believed that his handler uses this information to persuade him that the faction assignments will allow him to help the most people. He has an expressed distaste for the underhanded methods used by most of the factions and prefers to refer to himself as a “person first, bee second, Illuminati third.” While this may make him useful to the Council in the future, it is my opinion that he is currently best used by allowing him to continue to operate in the field under his own discretion. We will continue to monitor and update as needed.

[veniceleaks]

Tao Junren

NAME: Tao Junren

((In-Game Handle: Junren))

ALIASES: Mister Tao, Ren, Ah Ren.

BIRTHDATE: January 7th 1988

FACTION: Dragon

TWITTER HANDLE: @gazeclarity

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Zaire Wayra (Comrade), Nuan Li (Templar associate), Tao Guoming (Father), Tao Xiangyi (Mother)

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: UNKNOWN.

EARLY LIFE: Born to a family who possess the ability to see unseen ghosts and paranormal entities in their lineage. Tao Junren’s family descended from a clan of Chinese exorcists and ‘witches’ who devote their lives to eliminating malicious paranormal entities. His father, a descendant of such peculiar lineage, is a humble caretaker of a temple, while his mother runs a small food stall.

Junren is born with ocular albinism that gives him vision problems, ironical to the fact that he possesses the ‘third eye’ to see ghosts and invisible paranormal activity with utmost clarity. Often bullied and abused by others for his eyes and eccentric behaviour on top of his family’s demanding expectations of him, Junren became a social recluse and suffered depression. Moreover, his gift and affinity for magic attracted undesirable paranormal entities which devastated most part of his life.

Nonetheless, Junren found passion in helping others and saw hope through devoting his life to bringing justice for people. After his national service conscription, Junren studied hard in police science and worked his way into the police force. After an uneventful incident dealing with an occult murder case, Junren was recruited by the Dragon.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Unfortunate incident, once again. Junren was attempting suicide the day he was blessed by Gaia several years ago. It impeded his suicidal attempt. The Dragon made full use of his Anima abilities afterwards and sought professional therapy for his severe depression.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Junren’s ‘Third Eye’ ability is not a result of Anima infusion but a born trait. It permits him to see invisible preternatural entities, such as unseen spectres, invisible djinns and radiating auras. His true Anima abilities include a quickened capacity to grasp magical spells (E.g. blood healing magic, elementalism), creation of protective wards and wielding of divine fire. Otherwise, most his capabilities are of a standard Anima-infused individual.

CURRENT REMIT: The Dragon have been assigning Junren on occult operations, such as investigations, exorcism missions. His ties with the Singapore Police Force offers him leverage in covering up occult disasters that are exposed to the mundane. He is also observed to handle missions for the Council of Venice.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Junren works for the Singapore Police Force as a CID officer. Also seen performing free exorcism and spirit mediumship to protect civilians from hauntings. Observed to perform charitable acts such as transporting supplies to the survivors in Solomon Island. 

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: Largely unknown. It is observed that Junren has remain rather neutral and ambivalent to the secret war. He only works purely for the Dragon and the Council.

MICE: Junren is a hard read. Questionable ethics and morality, even though he is seen performing acts of altruism. His tendency to question and rebel may lead to disagreements with his own faction. Junren’s moral values and ideological differences may clash with the Dragon’s endgame. Then again, it is difficult to discern the Dragon. Perhaps the Dragon has desired this.

[veniceleaks]

Cordelia Harper

NAME: Cordelia Harper [in-game: Cordite]

BIRTHDATE: November 11, 1994

FACTION: Templars

TWITTER HANDLE: @lilcordite

KNOWN ASSOCIATES: Subject maintains no permanent attachments within both mundane and secret world communities, but has physically crossed paths with the following secret worlders: Sarah Binford (Illuminati), Campbell Baxter (Templars), Benny Feng (Dragon), Elisabeth Lynch (Illuminati), Talia Zimushka (Dragon), Amina Zalozyne (Templars).

KNOWN ANIMOSITIES: While generally fearful of aggressors, particularly paranormal ones, subject has demonstrated an unusual fervor in engagements with denizens of the Hell Dimensions. Psych analysis suggests this is a byproduct of her strong Catholic upbringing.

EARLY LIFE: Subject’s mundane life has been evaluated and classified as low-importance. In brief: London-born and raised; college graduate; Catholic; only child; both parents deceased; all living relatives based outside the UK.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANIMA INFUSION: Subject’s anima infusion is dated April 2, 2017 and matches the accounts of many other subjects designated ‘Bees’. Experiencing considerable trauma upon infusion, she fled into maintenance tunnels in the London Underground, where she became trapped in a battle between a Templar strike team and End Times cultists. Templar records indicate that, in panic, she took up a fallen agent’s pistol and wounded the cult leader, providing a pivotal distraction; the Templars took her away with them for recruitment immediately afterwards.

ANIMA INFUSION SIDE EFFECTS: Subject has exhibited all the typical abilities and enhanced faculties of a 'Bee’, but, notably, suppresses any of a magical nature. She has been observed retreating from an engagement when disarmed rather than calling upon these abilities, and frequently expresses fear and distrust over the use of magic. This is also believed to stem from her Catholic upbringing.

CURRENT REMIT: Subject maintains a mundane career as an administrative assistant at London-based web firm Mag-314 Solutions. As a novice Templar, she is often assigned short tours of duty to build up her field experience; as of August 2017 she has completed two tours on Solomon Island, two tours in Egypt (one independent, in support of the Orochi Group’s 'Kusanagi Initiative’), and one tour in Transylvania.

EXTRACURRICULARS: Subject is a known firearms enthusiast and formerly an active member of several London-based gun clubs; since her entry into the secret world, she has often been sighted at the New Model Army in Ealdwic and the Training Grounds in Agartha instead. She also reads and writes short fiction and poetry on an irregular basis.

ACTIVITIES IN THE SECRET WAR: None. Subject is a staunch advocate of inter-society collaboration, and often expresses dismay and consternation at factional politics. Given her low rank in the Templar hierarchy, it remains uncertain as to how her apolitical stance will stand the test of open war between the societies, were she to be compelled into such a scenario.

MICE: Suspect is deemed highly malleable, and susceptible to Ideology and Ego maneuvers. She already holds the Council of Venice and its mission in high regard, and her strong, almost naive faith in peace and cooperation between the societies marks her as an ideal diplomatic recruit. Potential obstacles include lack of experience, social anxiety disorder, and considerable admiration of the Templars; these may require specialized attention to overcome. Even if recruitment is not the intended outcome, the same pressure points (preferably couched with religious overtones, to exploit her Catholic leanings) will also suffice to sway her.