Within the vast network of alliances and rivalries, operatives are occasionally chosen by their Techglomerate to undertake covert Shadow Mandates. These mandates comprise three distinct Black Ops that align with each stage of the primary mission operation. Completing these mandates is critical to the strategic interests of the Techglomerate, offering substantial rewards for success and penalties for failure or refusal.
Before the launch of the primary mission, there's a 33% chance for each player to receive a Shadow Mandate from their Techglomerate. This mandate is accompanied by three Black Ops, each tailored to a specific phase of the mission—Infiltrate, Execute, Extract. The GM will roll secretly to determine which players are chosen for these high-stakes tasks.
- Player Reward: Successfully completing at least two out of the three Black Ops, and thus fulfilling the Shadow Mandate, grants the player significant rewards. These can include a unique skill, Talent, Creds, or even a rank-up within their chosen Techglomerate.
- Penalty: Failing to complete at least two Black Ops results in penalties, typically affecting the player's Creds on the mission payout or their standing (Rep) within the Techglomerate.
- Discovery Reward: Players are also incentivized to uncover the Shadow Mandates of their peers. Successfully revealing another player's mandate not only disrupts their mission but also grants the discoverer a reward, fostering an atmosphere of suspense and strategic competition.
Cipher, a distinguished hacker within their Techglomerate, is assigned a Shadow Mandate consisting of three Black Ops, each critical to the stages of their next mission. Meanwhile, Striker, known for their soldiering prowess, receives a Black Op that directly intersects with one of Cipher's tasks.
During the execution phase, Cipher uncovers Striker's assignment. Adroitly managing their own Black Ops, Cipher erases data incriminating their Techglomerate, while suspecting Striker's mission and ingeniously planting a decoy, leading Striker to unknowingly secure false intelligence unaware of the deceit.
Upon mission completion, Cipher reports success in not only navigating their Shadow Mandate's Black Ops but also in unmasking Striker's parallel mission. This masterful play might even elevate Cipher's rank within the Techglomerate. Striker's fate, intertwined with the manipulated data, rests in the GM's hands—potentially they may have to face the consequences of their Techglomerate acting on false information—ranging from public embarrassment to a plummeting share price more than likely invoking the mandate's penalty.
The integration of Shadow Mandates and their corresponding Black Ops introduces a profound level of strategic depth and interpersonal dynamics to Cybercore. This system not only challenges players to adeptly manage multiple objectives within the overarching mission but also to remain vigilant of potential sabotage or discovery by fellow agents. The resulting narrative is one of intrigue, cunning, and the relentless pursuit of supremacy, setting the stage for a truly immersive and dynamic gameplay experience.
Let the Shenanigans Begin.
Shadow Mandate: Rules Of Engagement.
The Shadow Mandate system within Cybercore is designed to add a layer of complexity and intrigue to each mission, encouraging operatives to engage in espionage, subterfuge, and tactical gameplay.
Due to a single rouge squad starting the Shar-rogin ground Wars of 3258, Extensive laws have been written into the unicore Accords covering joint Techglomerate "off mission" Mandates. The best legal SI's have scoured them extensively and the following common language Rules Of Engagement have been established:
- Non-Lethality: Operatives cannot directly kill or permanently harm another. Engagements should focus on outsmarting or temporarily incapacitating rivals without causing irreversible damage.
- Mission Integrity: While Shadow Mandates encourage individual agendas, they must not jeopardize the primary mission's overall success. Actions taken under a Shadow Mandate should be covert and calculated to avoid undermining the mission objectives.
- Subterfuge Over Sabotage: Employ stealth, deception, and non-destructive hacking to achieve your Black Ops goals. Direct sabotage that leads to mission failure is strictly prohibited.
- Information Warfare: Leveraging, trading, or stealing information is encouraged, but operatives must exercise caution to prevent critical mission intel from falling into enemy hands.
- Paramount Discretion: The discovery of an operative's Shadow Mandate by another, through clever deduction or espionage, is within play. However, operatives should strive to keep their directives concealed to maintain the element of surprise and strategic advantage.
- Fair Play: All operatives are expected to adhere to a code of fair play. This includes respecting the boundaries set by these rules and engaging in actions that promote an enjoyable and challenging experience for all participants.
- Collateral Damage: Actions taken to advance a Shadow Mandate should minimize collateral damage and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to the operative or their Techglomerate.
- Evidence Tampering: While operatives may plant or fabricate evidence to mislead others or advance their Shadow Mandate, outright destruction of mission-critical data or assets not related to their Black Ops is not permitted.
- Alliances and Betrayals: Forming temporary alliances with other players to achieve Shadow Mandate objectives is allowed; this is called a Shadow Pact, at that time, both players message the GM with there Shadow Pact Intentions (SPI's), for example "Shadow Pact with Honor/Betrayal".
- If an agent enters a Pact they are unable to receive the other player's Shadow Mandate Discovery reward.
- If they select Betrayal, they must visibly Betray the other player before the end of the current Mission Op, Normally by publicly revealing their Shadow Mandate to one or more members of the squad. In this case, everyone present at the Betrayal except the betrayer can collect the Mandates Discovery reward.
- Forming a Shadow Pact, especially taking the Betrayal option, should be executed with caution and strategic forethought, ensuring it does not result in mission-compromising scenarios.
- Reporting: Upon completion of the main mission, operatives must discreetly report their Shadow Mandate outcomes to their Techglomerate. This includes successes, failures, and any unforeseen consequences arising from their actions.
Adhering to these Rules Of Engagement ensures that while operatives may engage in a wide array of shenanigans to fulfill their Shadow Mandates, the integrity of the main mission remains intact, fostering an environment of thrilling, tactical competition that enhances the overall experience.