Agents of the Anvil

The Anvil's agents are generaly more covert then public. Searching out secrets and mystical artifacts requires finesse, and stealth, booksmarts and streetsmart. Because of this we only select a very small number of people to join the ranks of Agents of the Anvil. And we'd like to extend that invitation to you.
— Panther's Eye

The Agents of the Anvil are a secret organization within The Anvil. These agents see to the secret mission of the Anvil, aiming to find and secure the powerful and mystical artifacts that threaten to destroy the world of Milleadh. Lower ranks of the Agents seek out the historical truth, while the higher ranks are responsible for going after the artifacts and securing those that have been affected.

Becoming an Agent

Becoming an agent is no easy feat. Most often then not agents are recruited from outside of the Anvil. Individuals who are successful in beating an agent in retrieving an artifact, and those who have shown resolve in keeping artifacts out of the hands of indiviudals seeking to use it's power to harm people, are generally on the top of the recruit list.

Once a person's name has been brought up as a potential they are considered to be a Freeman rank in the unit, until the individual passes the requried testing to officially join the ranks as a Journeyman.

When it comes to testing potential canidates there are several things the head of the Agents looks for. Stealth and Intelligence are just two of the things that Agent Gabriel uses to determine if someone is capable of being a better asset to the Anvil's larger goal.

Unlike the other two organzations, becoming an Agent of the Anvil is not easier for someone whose parent was an Agent. In fact, it is actually harder to accomplish as more is expected of you during the test. If a legacy is recruited though, they do not start as a Freeman, or Journeyman, and instead have a starting rank of Master.

GM
Which organization do you belong to?
Type
Intelligence
Overall training Level
Semi-professional
Used by

Ranks

Worldsmith Sage Grandmaster Master Journeyman Freeman

Life as an Agent

Being an agent of the anvil is not an easy task at all. The days are long, but they are at least rewarding. And the Anvil does have some decent allies in high places. The tools they provide for us, at a discount too, are always top notch. I've only ever heard of one failing and that was in the early days, before their current partnership with some unknown enchanter.

Agents Tools

  • Hammer
  • Paper
  • Pen
  • Disguise Kit
  • Magic Disguise Items
  • Bag
  • Working as an Agent of the Anvil, generally involves alot of traveling. As such pocket dimensions are used quite frequently, and are highly suggested, although optional for many Agents and their families. Most pocket dimensions allow the Agents to keep their families and/or belongings with them as they travel the world, and occasionally the other planes to do their jobs.

    Apart from travel, Agents are expected to show a certain level of respect and decorum when accessing both public and private records. Associations with various libraries and temple organizations are sometimes provided, or required of a group of agents. Due to this each field assignment may have a different group of agents working it.

    Agents of the Grandmaster or Sage level are expected to have a basic understanding of some magic, in order to accurately identify real artifacts from fake copies. For those who do not have magic of their own to use, identification tools such as enchanted magnifying glasses and anti-magic bags, offered on loan. If an agent is lost in the field with a loaned item a special retrieval team is sent to bring them and their belongings back.

    Divisions

    Historical
    Journeymen and Masters make up the majority of this division. These Agents are responsible for collecting inforamtion regarding historical events, no matter how bazar. The information is then brought back to the field office and gone over, searching for commonalities, and seeds of truth which are used for further investigation. Once all information has been a report is generated detailing all of the relevant information, along with a most likely historical scenario.
    Artifact
    Grandmasters and Sages make up the majority of this division. When a historical truth, or current events points to the arrival of a new artifact these Agents are sent out to retrieve the artificat. These agents are trained in the necessary stealth and diplomacy to locate the items in question, and often convince the current holders that the item needs to be taken away. If convincing is not possible the job is sent up to the Worldsmiths to handle, and if they are still not able, it is often contracted out to retrieval specialists.


    Cover image: by MandoMc Designs

    Comments

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    Jan 17, 2023 16:13

    This was such a cool article and organisation. I cannot wait to read more about it. Also agent Panther's Eye sounds pretty cool :P Thank you for including me <3

    Check out my On the Shoulders of Giants article: Satlonia
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