The Esoterror Fact Book by Robin D. Laws is a role playing game supplement published by Pelgrane Press for use with The Esoterrorists and GUMSHOE.
The supplement is available as a PDF from DriveThruRPG for $14.95 but was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. There are two PDFs, with one being only one page long and being the front cover. The main PDF has 150 pages with one being the front matter, two the Contents and three the Appendix.
About this Document explains that the Fact Book provides background details on the battle for reality, in the form of Ordo Veritatis briefing materials. A small amount of the book is aimed at the GM, but none is secret and all can be read by players. It breaks down the different sections of the supplement.
Operations Manual shows what investigators are allows to know about the Ordo Veritatis. Case Evaluation looks at how the OV finds cases which are then assigned to investigators. There are different ways of gathering data. Media monitoring is simply studying news output. Electronic traffic sifting is information gained through intelligence agencies, such as the NSA, data which is then sifted by a software program. Ongoing surveillance is watching suspected Esoterror operatives and cells. or sites and incidents that might attract such. Informants report to the OV worldwide, from a range of different professions and organisations, some doing so knowingly, some not.
Investigation explains how operatives obtain the information needed during an investigation, including conducting interviews, cover, including credentials identifying agents as members of suitable organisations and controlling and, sometimes, disposing of evidence, as some evidence can be actively harmful to the Ordo’s goal of protecting reality.
Hostile Contact is what happens when operatives confront the denizens of the Outer Dark. With supernatural enemies, some may require a specific means by which they are killed; without such means, it is impossible to destroy them.
The Veil-Out is the various means by which the Ordo agents cover up their mission, coming up with plausible cover stories that don’t involve reality-damaging references to the supernatural, using specific individuals and groups whose mere support of a story destroys its credibility, using media assets and countering such assets controlled by the enemy.
Code of Ethics covers what principles that Ordo Veritatis agents have to follow. Their mission is to protect humanity and, though the Ordo may be a secretive quasi-governmental organisation, it doesn’t use ruthless means to achieve its goals. Simply because ruthless means subvert the goal of protecting humanity, as acts such as assassination, the use of lethal force and torture help advance Esoterror’s goals of damaging the Membrane, not stop this from happening. Actions that potentially cross the ethical code need approval, either before or after.
Psychiatric Metrics is the attempt to prevent the loss of agents due to psychological trauma, which causes the loss of more agents than even being physically disabled. This is done through counselling and may result in agents being placed on temporary or permanent psychiatric disability.
Communications explains that the Ordo has access to sophisticated communications intelligence, unlike Esoterror, though Esoterror has access to creatures that can read minds and even intercept modern communications. Though agents do have access to significant communications intelligence, this is not available in real time, such as when on a mission. Privacy issues for Esoterror operations and suspects are not part of the Ordo’s ethical guidelines.
Recruitment is how the Ordo goes about getting new recruits. Potential candidates are studied extensively before they are approached; though some come from other agencies and law enforcement organisations, many do not and this includes criminals. There are also what are known as Uninformed Friendlies; those who fight Esoterror without full knowledge of what it is, and they may inadvertently damage the Membrane.
Agent Replacements looks at replacing agents during a mission, which may not be possible. Even agent extraction may not be possible, nor may sending reinforcements.
Counter-Surveillance explains that Ordo agents need to follow counter-surveillance protocols. Investigative agents don’t know the command structure of the Ordo, as what they don’t know can’t be extracted from them. During a mission, agents are given fictional cover identities and agents may be monitored by Esoterror.
Station Duty is when a group of agents are assigned to a long-term operation within a specific territory, a locality considered to be a specific type of ongoing threat. They will be assigned there along with their loved ones, will have long-term cover and will be briefed once by Mr Verity. After that, they will direct their own investigations.
Non-Agent Assets are individuals in other organisations, with media, police and military being the most common, who render occasional aid and support. There are two types; those who know about Esoterror and those who believe they are serving some other cause close to their heart.
Special Suppression Forces are teams other than the usual investigative. These are used when paramilitary force is needed. SSF forces have a military background and are brought in as needed to do missions where firepower is needed more than investigative skills; often, they will be called in once the investigation is complete. This section has details on how SSF personnel are recruited, trained and liaise with other units, as well as having optional crunchier combat mechanics for SSF missions that involve more combat. There are also details on how to run an SSF series, which tends to be different to a normal one.
The Enemy looks at Esoterror. Funding looks at how Esoterror gets money, and it gets a lot of it, mostly in large amounts from wealthy donors, but including conventional terror and crime syndicates that have been infiltrated.
Psychographics looks at the different broad categories of psychopathic sub-types that high-profile Esoterror actors fall into, with tips on how to handle them such as when they are being questioned. How new Esoterrorists are recruited is looked at as well.
Communications looks at how Esoterrorists communicate with each other, both within the same cell and with other cells; many cells lack any knowledge of the overall Esoterror conspiracy.
Esoterror Leadership: An Oxymoron? looks at whether Esoterror is comprised of cells that are largely independent, or part of an overall hierarchy; the former is considered the most likely. Suspected Cells then looks at various Esoterror cells, giving details such as history, operations and individual Esoterrorists. Suspected Operatives then gives details on individual Esoterrorists with their known history and actions. Unaffiliated Operatives are those who have knowledge of Esoterror, but do not work for either Esoterror or the Ordo; they can be useful but are also often dangerous. Many of the cells and individuals cross-reference each other.
Dread Locations are areas of Low Membrane Strength. Membrane Permeability looks at how an idea of Membrane permeability can be obtained, the way in which it decays and how it can be damaged. There are a serious of different locations given detailed descriptions as to what and where they are, how they were damaged and their current state.
GM Guidance starts with instructions on how to build scenarios and how to find premises, with a primary method being news headlines. By adding an element of familiarity, players can engage more easily (though a GM should probably be cautious as to what stories they use; Esoterror-suitable ones are often unpleasant). The method of developing a scenario starts with the premise, then the backstory is developed, what happened, who knows what, set piece and endings and additional avenues to stop an investigation having only one route through it.
Following this are details on how to run a series of scenarios in an episodic manner, with three different methods: an integrated structure, with every episode connected, with Alias being the example, a combination of myth arc and standalone episodes, with The X-Files being the examples, and apparently disconnected episodes that actually had a common thread running through foreshadowing the climax, with the revival Doctor Who being the example.
Finally, this section looks at conceits, which are literary devices needed to make the story fun, and require a separation from what would happen in reality. The conceit of primacy is a main one, in which the main characters do everything. The various CSI series are given as a primary example of departing from reality, given they depart a lot from how forensics works.
Operation Whirlwind Reaper is a sample adventure. In this case, it’s a scenario for the Special Suppression Forces, and therefore is a military operation into potentially hostile territory to thwart an Esoterror plot.
The Appendix has a Glossary of Acronyms as well as the Index.
The Esoterror Fact Book in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and, given its length and the number of sections, really needed them. The Contents covers the major and minor subsections, though some of the page numbers looked to be wrong, and the Index is to a decent level of detail. Navigation isn’t good. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be mostly free of errors; the most notable ones looked to be section headings in the wrong fonts. There are a variety of black and white illustrations, many of which look to be tweaked photos. The overall presentation is of a loose-leaf folder with things taped to the pages. Presentation is decent.
In terms of game mechanics, there isn’t a huge amount of them in this supplement; that’s not what it’s designed for. The primary sections with mechanics are the section on crunchier combat and the scenario at the end. Much of the rest is setting material, which can be used by a GM as a way to develop adventures. There are a variety of different NPCs and groups, most of them enemy ones, that can be used as foes. As a result, this is more of a setting sourcebook than anything else, though the setting as a whole, as it’s the modern world, isn’t specifically defined, only various Esoterror elements in it. Much of it is said to be readable by players, as various elements in it are presented as what the Ordo Veritatis knows about Esoterror operations; characters would therefore get them in briefings. The GM could then decide on accuracy and relevance. The Esoterror Fact Book is a useful supplement for The Esoterrorists and it can be found by clicking here.
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