Lazlo Agency in Nightbane?

[Beelzebozo]

All right, folks. I know a lot of people have been using BtS and Nightbane together in some capacity. I was doing some of the preliminary work for Nightbane Charleston, and had a few thoughts. To set this up, Charleston is the most ghost and entity-riddled city in the U.S. (because the Mirrorwall there is weakening, allowing for large amounts of ambient P.P.E. locally). The Charleston branch of the Seekers is more like a traditional BtS investigator group than the artifact hounds common to the rest of the Faction. I'm considering mentioning that they have ties and contacts with the Lazlo Agency. Then it hit me: what is the Agency like in the Nightbane world?

First, we know that Victor Lazlo exist(ed) in that world, disappearing just as he did in the core BtS book. Presumably, this would send him to a different place than Africa of Rifts Earth (since the BtS world is the past of both Rifts and Nightbane, but they're separate futures). In the Nightbane world, it's entirely possible that his disappearance had something to do with the Nightlords. Anyway, presumably, just as in BtS2, Lazlo's followers would set up the Agency.

What would the status of the Agency be? There're some options that I've come up with and want to bounce off of people before I throw it in. I may even do a full write-up for the Agency as a Nightbane Faction if their situation warrants it.

The first possibility is that the Agency was crushed by the Nightlords shortly after Dark Day (presumably raided by FBI, ATF, or other pre-NSB agents). Survivors of the Agency would probably end up attached to either the Seekers (for those with mystic inclinations) or the Spook Squad (who are closer to the Agency's "protect the public in secret" goals). In this case, the Lazlo Agency is essentially gone, although ex-members could help form stronger ties between the Seekers and Spook Squad.

The second possibility is that the Lazlo Agency is left alone by the Nightlord-controlled authorities. This isn't very likely. The only reason I can think of for this happening is that the Ba'al know the Agency tries to keep the public from knowing about the paranormal, and thus that the Agency won't try to reveal them. However, the Preserver government would probably act to reduce the Agency's influence, making them just a bit player in the war.

Thirdly, it's possible that the Nightlords tried to destroy the Agency, but its members successfully went underground. This would make the Agency a Faction in its own right, straddling the line between the roles filled by the Spook Squad and the Seekers. Conflicts between the groups over methods would be common. In this case, with most of the Agency surviving Dark Day, its members would have more resources to draw on and be less likely to accommodate the others'.

Any other ideas?

[Nekira Sudacne]

I always thought that Lazlo exsisted in Nightbane setting but a Lazlo Agency was never made.

[Jefffar]

I think the Lazlo Agency would be a front and a recruiting tool for the Seekers. They would use it to provide a public face that makes them look sincere, but non-threatening (and somewhat like a bunch of kooks). Meanwhile they would monitor the member communications and when they saw the proper answers they would estabilish contact.

There are also probably a few other groups monitoring the Lazlo Society, and probably a few members would receive a Shadowboard installation kit.

[gaby]

I would have Night lords attack the Lazlo agency making it look like a Mad Clut did it.

But thers Survivors who made ther own small Faction that is made up of Magic-user,Psychics and Normal People.


I can't wait to see What you will do with Charleston.

I will like to see that all Factions have a presence in that city.Maybe ther can be a Rogue NightPrince who is using the Faction to killed the lady who control the state.

[Beelzebozo]

I will like to see that all Factions have a presence in that city.Maybe ther can be a Rogue NightPrince who is using the Faction to killed the lady who control the state.

Nope. A city its size isn't going to be home to every single Faction. Personally, I like the idea that each Faction has cities and regions it's dominant in. The Factions prevalent in a city tell a lot about the city's character. In this case, it's the mystically-inclined groups (Seekers and Nocturnes).

As far as the ruler of the city, at this point (like Birmingham), it isn't important. The important theme for the city will be the cracking of the Mirrorwall there, and hunting down ghosts and other unaffiliated beasties that roam there (because of the large levels of ambient P.P.E.). The only really important thing about Nightlord rule there is that they have a hard time keeping a lid on all the paranormal occurrences happening there (because these aren't being caused by Ba'al minions).

Anyway, back to the Lazlo Agency. It just strikes me that the Agency is too...well, good to be a part of the Seekers. Take a look at their write-up in TtGD. The Agency is fundamentally altruistic (if secretive), much like the Aeon Society from Adventure!/Aberrant. The Seekers...not so much so. Although the Seekers are participating in the war against the Nightlords, more than a few of them study the occult mainly for their own gain. I suppose it could be that the Agency are just pawns and don't know the Seekers' true motives...but then, I don't see the Agency as being incompetent enough to not figure it out. Then there's the question of magic versus psychics...the Seekers are dominated by mages. The Lazlo Agency, while having some arcanists, is primarily made up of psychics. Something tells me that the two groups wouldn't quite trust each other or their sources of power. An alliance between the two isn't out of the question, but I just don't see the two as being part of the same umbrella.

I like the idea that the Agency could be destroyed or shut down sometime after Dark Day, with remnants of the group ending up with the Seekers and Spook Squad (depending on the individuals' abilities and motivation). Although the Agency's psychics aren't likely to trust the Project Pandora folks, they're probably more likely to side with them instead of the Seekers.

Somebody (myself, maybe, if I get time) needs to write a Rifter article about the Lazlo Agency in Nightbane.

[Reagren Wright]

I'm with you Beelzebozo. The Lazlo Agency would be completely
seperate from the Seekers maybe even competitive with them.
Perhaps Lazlo was a former member who tried to warn them about
the coming of the Nightlords because...he journey there some how and
found out they were coming, but the Seekers told him was crazy. So he
left to create his own. The society is small but slowly growing, if they
were to big the Nightlords who be trying to descimate them as they
did with the government. And how about this, what if Lazlo has a
Nemesis or an evil Doppleganger. Or perhaps he's imprisoned in the
Nightlands. Whatever you come up with man, I say go for it, as long
as its okay within copywright laws, after all The Lazlo Agency is copywrighted by Palladium Books.

[Beelzebozo]

So is Nightbane and everything else associated with it. I've decided to just go with a throwaway reference or two in the Charleston material and put Nightbane/Lazlo on the back burner for now. After all, I still have about ten and a half cities to write, plus assorted other material.

[JTwig]

This is a great idea to add something unexpected to my Nightbane game. Only I think I'll have Victor disappear during dark day, as his agency and his members are attacked by armor clad demons. Victor will die, but in doing so will buy time for other to escape, and go underground. Victor will return, but this time as an awakened doppleganer (sp?). Hopefully the PC will be suprised and suspicious of their returned friend, especially since they saw him die, and I'll leave the revelation that he is not the real Victor Lazlo as a suprise to be reveled towards the end of the game.

Thanks for the idea.