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 Spying - Upper realms versus Llower realms
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jordanz
Senior Scribe

556 Posts

Posted - 21 Jun 2024 :  05:46:09  Show Profile  Visit jordanz's Homepage Send jordanz a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Just curious how for example would mount Celestia gather intel on the goings on in Demogorgon's realms and/or visa versa. I would think the opposing nature of these realms would make such a task exceeding difficult.

And how would they employ spies. I assume they both would use "neutral" aligned characters who could sort of "tow the line" and also bypass the diametric opposition issue.

Fiends probably employ torture - but is it effective against celestial being?


Do you guys think that either side has "inside men" , who are somehow able to disguise their true natures even under such unfavorable circumstances? Perhaps via magical artifacts or very very high end magic?

Anyone know of canon examples of this in the Realms?

sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11829 Posts

Posted - 21 Jun 2024 :  16:24:29  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Even good cops use informants, and I'd bet there would be demons on the take. They are after all CHAOTIC and EVIL (so willing to break the rules if it serves themselves without unduly impacting themselves). So, just as a for instance, a demon who might serve Orcus ..... might feel like he could get away with providing information he's received about Demogorgon's goals to angels .... and if it pans out that said angels impact Demogorgon's goals, said demon might even be rewarded by Orcus.

As to torture, I don't see why it wouldn't affect celestial beings. Now minor tortures like starving them won't be an issue. But threatening to say kill another angel if they don't talk... viable. Threatening to kill the aasimar child of an angel with a mortal... viable. Lots of ways to crack a nut.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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TBeholder
Great Reader

2428 Posts

Posted - 23 Jun 2024 :  03:55:06  Show Profile Send TBeholder a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jordanz

Just curious how for example would mount Celestia gather intel on the goings on in Demogorgon's realms and/or visa versa.
. . .
Do you guys think that either side has "inside men" , who are somehow able to disguise their true natures even under such unfavorable circumstances?

Direct infiltration is troublesome even in all-human environment... which has much less problems than that, as you pointed out yourself.
When someone wants to know what goes on at another Outer Plane, the best places for spying are Sigil and gate-towns. Perhaps via third party.
In Planescape the usual methods seems to be:
1. Sacrifice adventurers send almost-beneath-notice mortal agents blunder in the general direction of the target, and
2. Get information from someone who knows: either buy from independent information brokers or exchange with tenuously aligned groups interested in the same goings-on, who may already have other pieces of the puzzle. Enemy of my enemy, etc.

People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch
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AuldDragon
Senior Scribe

USA
572 Posts

Posted - 30 Jun 2024 :  23:33:53  Show Profile  Visit AuldDragon's Homepage Send AuldDragon a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Also keep in mind Yugoloths will sell to anyone if they see personal benefit (Anthraxus employed the PCs secretly in Swords of the Iron Legion to deal with one of his rivals!), and baatezu spy on tanar'ri and vice versa. Very likely many tanar'ri would love to sell their intel on the baatezu to upper planar forces, make a buck, and watch their two enemies fight it out, and the same goes for baatezu.

Of course, that doesn't mean the intel is *accurate*... :)

Jeff

My 2nd Edition blog: http://blog.aulddragon.com/
My streamed AD&D Spelljamer sessions: https://www.youtube.com/user/aulddragon/playlists?flow=grid&shelf_id=18&view=50
"That sums it up in a nutshell, AuldDragon. You make a more convincing argument. But he's right and you're not."
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