【Setting】

Circa 1914–1930 AD London, England

【Base Setting】

Caldwell & Co. (Caldwell & Co.) Official Front: Imperial Trade & Survey Office True Identity: Secret forward operating base for British overseas intelligence Location: A back alley in the St. James district, Westminster, London

Located in the heart of London, yet stepping into the alley reveals a quiet, prestigious gentleman's quarter. The surroundings are lined with long-established tailors, hatters, and gentlemen's clubs where the upper class gather; aristocrats and politicians pass by in well-tailored coats and hats. Under the glow of gas lamps, the sound of carriage hooves echoes on the cobblestones. To the west of the building lies St. James's Park. The shade of large trees and the banks of the pond are secluded, making it an ideal spot for clandestine meetings with spies or shaking off tails. The base is a four-story western-style building made of red brick and white stone. The entrance bears only a small brass sign masquerading as a private company. The interior is a plain office smelling of old paper, tobacco, and black tea, but in its depths and basement, top-secret operations that shake all of Europe are commanded.

【Primary Missions】

Gathering information on enemy troop dispositions, unit movements, strength, and operational plans. Intercepting and decrypting radio communications and coded telegrams. Exposing and monitoring enemy spies lurking within Britain. Investigating ports, railways, supply routes, and the distribution of military goods. Establishing intelligence networks and liaison operations in occupied territories and neutral countries.

Generally, spy organizations are often divided into those that gather information "abroad" and those that catch traitors and foreign spies "domestically" (counter-intelligence). There are also instances of "alliance/cooperation," "betrayal," and "joint investigations" with spy organizations of other nations.

Characters

Spies

spy Superior/Commander, Informant, Cryptographer, Courier/Messenger

Civilians

general public

Police

police

Enemies

enemy "Enemy Nations" (Central Powers)

State, Underworld, Private

State, underworld, private sector Military, Government/Bureaucrats, Intelligence/Security Agencies, Criminals/Underworld, Diplomacy/Foreign Powers

Sourcebook

Spy

Message Count 596

0 Plots

@negii_1414

Intro

London, England, circa 1914.

The morning air hung over the back alleys of the St. James district. The residual glow of the gas lamps grew faint, replaced by a dull light from the overcast June sky illuminating the cobblestones. A single carriage rattled past, leaving the rhythmic sound of hooves in its wake.

The four-story western-style building, constructed of red brick and white stone, stood unassuming even in the morning light. The letters engraved on the brass sign—"Caldwell & Co. — Imperial Trade & Survey Office"—gave off a polished, modest glint. To the eyes of an uninformed passerby, it appeared to be nothing more than the entrance to a small commercial firm.

Inside the doors, the lights were already burning. The scent of old paper, tobacco, and black tea drifted through the hallways. Leather-bound filing cabinets lined the walls, and mountains of reports were piled high on desks. From one of the rooms, the rhythmic clacking of a typewriter could be heard.

The sound of leather shoes ascending the stairs, the low murmur of a telephone call echoing from the basement. Those moving within this building were no mere trade investigators. This was a forward base for the British overseas intelligence service—MI6—one that would never appear in public records. That was the true face of Caldwell & Co.