Negav Internal Security

Just my idea on what constitutes Negav's policing force.


Isolon Fists; the Magiocrats personal fighting force; this elite unit has a large number of battle mages at its core supported by more conventionaly armed troops. As they act at the whim of the Magiocrats providing security and general policing is not their main role; they do support other groups such as the Investigators when ordered to, usually in times of crisis.

The Investigators Internal Security Division; an arrogant and shadowy intelligence agency wholly loyal to the Magiocrats; while they possess their own security troops they do not have the raw power of either the Isolon Fists or VISA. Rather they focus on intelligence gathering, investigations and over seeing security details. The ISD security forces also specialise in dealing with rouge mages or other unconventional threats.

Vishmital Internal Security Agency; Vishmital reservists who guard key installations with in Negav as well as ethnic Vishmital areas, like the force that guards the city walls they rely on technology and other conventional means to carry out their duty. While they have generally good relations with the Isolon Fists; helping supply both equipment and personnel, they are usually at odds with the Investigators, mainly due to political differences.

Citizen militia; groups of Negavians who volunteer themselves to protect their local neighbourhoods from 'undesirables.' The VISA force can be described as the largest Citizen militia in Negav however their organisation and professionalism put them several leagues above the others. Most militia groups have their own interpretation of the law and while most are honorable and act with professionalism some can act like bandits themselves or are just an extension of the local criminal gangs. If this behaviour gets out of hand the more professional security groups will be ordered to move in and remove the corrupt militia.

Private Security/Mercenary groups; for the rich nobles relying on professional security organisations who are politically motivated such as the Investigators or VISA can be rather bothersome. Instead many hire their own force; usually retired veterans or off world soldiers looking to make 'easy' money to act as body guards. With the current lack of a city wide police force dedicated to dealing with common and local crime it is not uncommon to find the more affluent neignbourhoods pratrolled by these private security personnel. There are many mercenary guilds in Negav; some are sponsored or even sanctioned by the main security bodies.

Past Groups.

Investigators Metropolitan Security Divison; a centralized and burtal secret police which oversaw all of Negav's internal security, using fear and a massive network of informers to keep the populace under control. However due to their increasingly violent nature and a changing political climate such a force was deemed unecessary and the MSD was ordered to dispand by the Magiocrats; many members of the ISD consider this to be a fall from grace and long for the days where the Investigators controled Negav's security.

This sounds good, although the citizen militia sounds like rogue police departments and the private security sound like bodyguards.

That's more or less it, there would be more honorable citizen militia groups however it just depends on where you go. As for the private groups, I can't really see them acting beyond body guards or site security, anything beyond that and I think they would be overstepping their boundries.

I think it's possible for the richer sector Private Security forces to combine to protect the common interest of their employers (ie: keeping their valuables insude their houses and their heads on their shoulders) so they would patrol their entire neighbourhood.

Actually, I'm gonna scratch my statement of civilian militia as rogue police and more like a Vigilante Agency. Kinda like a Batman for hire, except not as epic cause it's not Batman.

Sean Okotami wrote:

Actually, I'm gonna scratch my statement of civilian militia as rogue police and more like a Vigilante Agency. Kinda like a Batman for hire, except not as epic cause it's not Batman.

That's a good way to describe most of them, a loosely organised group of vigilanties.

Anime-Junkie wrote:

I think it's possible for the richer sector Private Security forces to combine to protect the common interest of their employers (ie: keeping their valuables insude their houses and their heads on their shoulders) so they would patrol their entire neighbourhood.

Come to think of it; as there is no group, bar the Isolon Fists and Investigators, with overall autharity for all of Negav so that wouldn't be too unreasonable. It would be too much of a hassle for either of those organisations to deal with common or local crime. Edited the main entry.

I think you put it nicely

I'm getting more and more interested by the game of power between the different factions of Negav. i think it's about time to establish that once and for all.

About power struggles, does any party attempt showing weakness in their rival to gain the upperhand? Say for instance, the Magicrots secretly support an attack from a third party on the Vishmitals to supposedly expose a weakness to the public whom they guard.

edit: Perhaps that's not possible as it might be considered an act of terrorism, and I don't think that will be supported.

gt500x wrote:

About power struggles, does any party attempt showing weakness in their rival to gain the upperhand? Say for instance, the Magicrots secretly support an attack from a third party on the Vishmitals to supposedly expose a weakness to the public whom they guard.

edit: Perhaps that's not possible as it might be considered an act of terrorism, and I don't think that will be supported.

The problem was stated by Cliff: Without the Vishmitals, Negav is virtually defenseless against predators the Isolon Eye doesn't affect. Without the Isolon Eye, the Vishmitals could potentially be overwhelmed by predators, because they believe in Zerg Rushing. It's kinda like Anna's view of Crisis: she's a necessary evil.

gt500x wrote:

About power struggles, does any party attempt showing weakness in their rival to gain the upperhand? Say for instance, the Magicrots secretly support an attack from a third party on the Vishmitals to supposedly expose a weakness to the public whom they guard.

edit: Perhaps that's not possible as it might be considered an act of terrorism, and I don't think that will be supported.

At the momment there seems to be a status quo between the two main factions, however they both distrust each other. In Resurrection I am exploring the idea that there are two political factions in the Magiocrat Council, the Oligarchs and the Moderates. Bare in mind however Resurrection is set around 12 years before the first manga. The Oligarchs are those who wish for absolute Magiocrat rule of Negav and are very suspicious of the motives of other groups. The Moderates seek to cooperate with the likes of the Vishmitals to better the city overall, even if it means conceeding some power.

“Those idealists fail to see reality for what it is. The Moderates seem to over look the fact the Vishmitals are self-serving and only seek to rebuild their long lost empire; Negav to them is only a means to an end. While our rule may be viewed as despotic we will at least protect this city and all those who inhabit it; not run off once our pockets have been stuffed with ascarlin.” -Lady Jade describing both the Moderates and expressing her views on the Vishmitals. Jade is very much within the Oligarch camp and a nationalist, most Oligarchs share a similar view however not to those extremes.

I decided to group Lady Lesona with the Oligrachs, without giving away spoilers, the out come of the story shows a political master stroke on her part and helps put her in a position of power, making the process for her to sit at the head of the Council all the more easier.

The Investigators are a tool of the Magiocrats which are capable of weaking the position of the Vishmitals in a subtle manner, thus maintaining the status quo but on terms which favour the Magiocrats. Back in the days of the MSD, around 50-30 years before Resurrection, the Investigators would use all sorts of means inculding terrorism and assassinations to weaken the Vishmitals, of course those actions resulted in a fall from grace; helping to build the Moderate movement within the Council. Even during Resurrection feelings for the Vishmitals aren't posative within the Investigators and probbaly never will be.

I beginning to love these Investigators. This whole side of Negav's inner workings is actually pretty attractive.

Hmm....

There is so much story potential between these factions that all protect Negav, or so they seem. It would just make every day an interesting venture.

Another good idea Cauldron.

ok I added those idea to the Negavian factions sections.
one of the change I made though, is to turn the former Metropolitan security division into the actual police.
Tell me if you are ok with it, and also if you agree with the disclaimer

Karbo wrote:

ok I added those idea to the Negavian factions sections.
one of the change I made though, is to turn the former Metropolitan security division into the actual police.
Tell me if you are ok with it, and also if you agree with the disclaimer

I can't wait for the "You're in my spot, sir. You're in my way, sir" jokes.

Karbo wrote:

ok I added those idea to the Negavian factions sections.
one of the change I made though, is to turn the former Metropolitan security division into the actual police.
Tell me if you are ok with it, and also if you agree with the disclaimer

Yeah having read through what you have it seems to work nicely, the idea of the Negav police also works. When the MSD was broken up what remaind under Investigator control became known as Public Security, however as the original organisation would have been so large, it makes sense that it became a sepperate organisation under independent command.

Also I agree to the disclaimer.

I suppose this is relevant to this thread since it has to do with Negav Security, so I'm posting it here.

Negav is a multiversal trade hub, as well as a place that treasure seekers bring the treasure and artefacts they find to trade with.
Many of these artefacts, items and other objects could be exceedingly powerful.
Consider the following scenario:
An adventurer finds a huge jewel in an ancient tomb and brings it back to Negav, not knowing that there's a powerful demon imprisoned within it. He sells it to a jeweller, who puts it on display.
A rich client of the jeweller sees the jewel and decides they want it encrusted onto a pair of bracelets. To do this, the jeweller would have to cut the jewel, releasing the demon that would then go an a berserk rampage of revenge for being imprisoned.

Clearly, that kind of thing wouldn't be allowed to happen by the Magiocrats and the Negav security forces. There'd have to be something to screen things coming into Negav. Just think about what you have to go through to get into another country in our reality. Negav would have something similar, but far superior, considering what they could potentially have to deal with.

I'd say that there'd be a Negav customs office that would work closely with the Investigators Internal Security Division and the negav police to ensure that nothing that could endanger the city as a whole could get in, as well as keeping tabs on the powerful artefacts or devices they do let in.

Rather than a seperate organisation it may be a seperate department within the NP. Each gate into Negav would be lined with all manner of powerful scanners, these monitoring stations would be constantly manned. Should one of the scanners detect something, the person will be taken aside and any offended items removed, by force if necessary. Considering now vitial this job is I could see it being the only department within the NP which still uses ex-MSD officers to fill its ranks, if not for their experience then for their loyalty.

Well, I don't figure that its all artifacts getting taken away.

It would detect particularly powerful artifacts. Then the person who owned it would be taken aside and made to explain what it did (of course they would do their own magical analysis). If it was then deemed too dangerous it would not be allowed in. (I'm assuming this is where scrying of the person carrying it comes in as well.)

Don't forget that among the sensors lined around the walls, mages are there to cast powerful identify spells, obviously to foil illusionist predators, but it wouldn't be too farfetched that they can also identify the true nature of certain artifacts someone is carrying on their person.

Well Negav isn't supposed to be impossible to get into, just very difficult. If any giant demon appeared, the Isolon eye would shove them out of the city with a crushing force. The Crystal would do the work for them.

Archmage_Bael wrote:

Well Negav isn't supposed to be impossible to get into, just very difficult. If any giant demon appeared, the Isolon eye would shove them out of the city with a crushing force. The Crystal would do the work for them.

That was a hypothetical example. There are tons of dangerous artifacts that could mess the city up if they were allowed to slip in.

Archmage_Bael wrote:

Well Negav isn't supposed to be impossible to get into, just very difficult. If any giant demon appeared, the Isolon eye would shove them out of the city with a crushing force. The Crystal would do the work for them.

When did I say anything about the demon being giant?
And yes JT is right, it is a hypothetical example.

That aside, there could be some scanners around the doorway, sure. They'd probably just have a way to detect an artifact in general, because detecting anything with a power source would mean that the scanner could go off on someone's enchanted undies. Maybe said undies has a powerful spell on it, but you couldn't remove the person's clothes. More likely anything with an ancient construction to it like an artifact emits something special, like how infrared picks up body heat.

Archmage_Bael wrote:

That aside, there could be some scanners around the doorway, sure. They'd probably just have a way to detect an artifact in general, because detecting anything with a power source would mean that the scanner could go off on someone's enchanted undies. Maybe said undies has a powerful spell on it, but you couldn't remove the person's clothes. More likely anything with an ancient construction to it like an artifact emits something special, like how infrared picks up body heat.

An artifact is any magical item, clothing or not. If it registers with high or unusual levels of magic they are going to take you aside and investigate. Maybe its not dangerous. But they're not going to take the risk. It registers as powerful or something they are not familiar with, they are going to check it out.