Human Factions

Ministry for External Affairs

Registration as an exorcist? Form 13B, in triplicate, in the New Registrants Office, third left down the hall. Next!

The Ministry for External Affairs are the workingmen and women under the occult entity known as the Minister, and the main source of raw materials in the UK. A legion of office workers and paper pushers, mostly human, are spread throughout the country in various Ministerial Offices to support local projects. Despite their drab appearance, however, they now have influence in every corner of the UK; there is not a public project that does not rely on the materials the Minister produces, and more than a few private ones are rumoured to owe their completion to successful lobbying. The Ministry is surrounded by petitioners; some political factions remain nervous of the Ministry’s growing influence, regardless of the terms of the Pact, whilst others are willing to pay the cost to get their way.

The Ministry can be divided into two branches; the Dept. of Provisions, which ensures that the raw materials the Minister provides are properly assigned, deployed and used, whilst the more recent Dept of Registration keeps track of occult practitioners and their work.

Known Figures: Mr Michael Jagger, Ministerial Liaison for Cambridge. Efficient, organised, and in strong need of a coffee.

Areas of Support: Access to practitioner records, mass amounts of raw materials, government sponsorship and backing, domestic occult research

Look and feel: Office workers; business casual. White collar. Perpetually tired expressions.

MI-13

Unlawful incursions of unknown entities are infections. We will burn them out.

Previously a branch of the Ministry, the increase in occult incursions in recent years has seen it gain independence and greater funding. Now, its role is to repel unlawful incursions, and prevent recurrences- by any means necessary. A combination of soldiers, scholars and healers trained to tackle novel occult issues, they are a major centre of occult research focusing on extra-planar visitors, but have become increasingly militaristic over the years as their efforts have failed to stem the increasing tide.

As pressure mounts, and the source of the increased incursions remains elusive, they have increasingly sought permission to fight fire with fire, instead of diplomacy.

Known Figures: Commander Henrietta Stacks, Regional Commander for the East Midlands. Brash, no-nonsense, respected by her people, but rigid in her thinking.

Deputy Sable McAlister, Deputy Commander for the East Midlands. Shy, quiet, retiring, an excellent logistics officer but considered ‘a bit soft’.

Areas of Support: military weapons and OOPAs, confidential intel on new incursions, research teams

Look and Feel: Military greens and browns, neat and crisp.

Market Gardeners

Even the Blitz was better than this!

Since the Pact was signed, the Minister appointed, and Outsiders began entering Britain, the Market Gardeners have politely said ‘no thank you’ and believe everyone else should do the same. Most cities now have privately owned areas known as ‘Market Gardens’ where magic is forbidden and Outsiders cannot enter, and in Cambridge this covers many square miles. Areas run by the Market Gardeners are mostly farmland and simple housing, but the land seems to be unusually fertile - plants grow well, animals abound, and they consider this proof that magic and Outside entities are sapping the earth of its vitality.

Secretive and somewhat hostile to magic users, they have gained prominence as a rival to the Ministry and MI-13; campaigning for publicly funded gardens, a decreased reliance on the occult, and whatever they’re doing in those gardens of theirs, it seems to be working. How they are doing it remains to be seen.

Known Figures: Mrs Cowler, Chief Grower of the Cambridge Market Garden and one of the most respected women in the movement. Stubborn and old fashioned.

Areas of Support: Safe havens from Occult entities, unknown paths, natural materials

Look and feel: Farmsteaders, working class people of the land. Dirt and grass stained, homespun fabrics. Gardening implements.

The Cambridge Underground

Way I see it, it’s a public service. No-one wants a banshee in a briefcase left lying around where the kiddies are playing, do they? Now, Mr ‘Jones’, about that procurement fee…

With the increasing incursions and official response teams stretched thin, more and more is left behind after cleanup. Occult remains, artifacts, glowing energy fields bigger than your head - and the Cambridge Underground is here to pick them up, polish them off, and sell them to the highest bidder. A combination of human and Outsiders, all proud of their criminal status, the Underground forms the cornerstone of a thriving black market in occult goods, and are friends to many a secretive occultist. Tight knit, the strength of the Underground is their support of each other against outside groups.

They also offer commissions - procurement of particular artefacts, research, or information with no questions asked, and a comparable price tag. They are scrupulous in the collection of debts, and many have found themselves at the wrong end of their ruthlessness.

Known Figures: John Smith, friendly, down to earth, and happy to provide. For a fee.

Areas of Support: criminal contacts, illegal occult items, help with theft or break-ins

Look and feel: Lower class, tshirts and jeans. Caps and plaid shirts.

The New Hellfire Club

Darling. I’m a Platinum member. You need to be at least Gold Plus before you can talk to me…

A group of high level politicians, artistes, actors, fashionistas, gamblers, drug dealers, and other merchants of vice. The cream of high society, all bound by a common thread; the favor of the Queen of Hell and her underlings. If you need a little help getting ahead, or to revel in what your efforts have gotten you, the Hellfire club is the place to sign up, and once you’re in, the world really does open its arms..

Of course, getting in is the easy part. There are many levels of membership, and whilst they are ever eager to expand their roster, membership fees are what they are. It is, after all, who you know, not what you know.

Known Figures: Sir President Ezekiel Methulselah, Shakespearean actor. Charming, gregarious and highly cultured.

Areas of Support: High society and the arts, introductions to influential figures, demonic contacts

Look and feel: High society, attention-grabbing fashion, frills, furbelows and intrigue