TEXT:  
  
  The Swing 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Men in Black 
   
   
  xxx 
  COPYRIGHT & CREDITS 
  The Swing: Men in Black 
  Copyright © 2005 by 93 Games Studio 
  Author: Keith Taylor 
  Illustrations: Gavin Hargest 
   
   
  93 GAMES STUDIO 
  I will be honest with you; 93 Games Studio 
  started out as one man and the guinea pigs that would 
  playtest for him. In 2001 I started with an idea to toy 
  with making a game. I wanted a side project to keep my 
  mind off of work and to help with a friend who was 
  supposed to move in with me and my family. He never 
  moved in, but I kept working on the game, a little here 
  and a little there. 
  After a year of working on it, I realized that I 
  might have something. I started working overtime to 
  get something into playtest and found a group 
  (Regimental Quarters) willing to try it out. They helped 
  to flesh out the system and boost my confidence. At 
  GenCon 
  and 
  Origins 
  in 
  2003 
  I 
  met 
  James 
  (RPGNow.com), and made plans to enter the PDF RPG 
  market. I also discovered print on demand technology 
  which allowed me to enter the print RPG business 
  without mortgaging my home. 
  In December of 2003 I released The Swing in 
  both print and PDF formats. Since then I have released 
  over 25 more products (mostly small PDF supplements) 
  and 
  have 
  reached 
  agreements 
  with 
  RPGNOW, 
  DriveThruRPG, Arima.it, Digital Book Booth, and Lulu 
  to sell my products. I have also hired 4 freelance writers, 
  worked with UKG Publishing to help produce maps for 
  some of our games and have freelanced with White 
  Wolf, Ronin Arts and Expeditious Retreat Press. 
  93 Games Studio is committed to bringing the 
  real world into the gaming world. We have all played 
  fantasy, been there, done that; now its time to play 
  reality. 
  If you are interested in joining this endeavor 
  please email me or check our website for our 
  submission guidelines and we can go from there or 
  check out our submissions page for more information. 
   
   
   
  The Swing: Men in Black requires the use of The Swing: 
  Reality Guide published by 93 Games Studio. 
  © 2005 by 93 Games Studio. All rights 
  reserved. No part of this manual may be 
  reproduced without the written permission of 93 
  Games Studio, except for brief excerpts for the 
  purpose of reviews.  
  Game aids provided within this manual 
  and online may be photocopied for personal use 
  only. 
  Any mention of companies, organizations 
  and products in these pages is not a challenge to 
  the trademark or copyrights concerned. 
   
   
   
  www.93gamesstudio.com 
  smokewolf@93gamesstudio 
  715 Williams Ave 
  Raceland, Kentucky 41169 
  
  The Swing 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
   
  INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1 
  HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................1 
  INDOCTRINATION...........................................................................................................................3 
  STRUCTURE....................................................................................................................................4 
  The Elders .....................................................................................................................................4 
  Chapters........................................................................................................................................5 
  Tracers ..........................................................................................................................................5 
  Fixers.............................................................................................................................................5 
  Support..........................................................................................................................................5 
  MOTIVES........................................................................................................................................6 
  NOTABLE PEOPLE ..................................................................................................................7 
  Praetorians....................................................................................................................................7 
  Men in Black..................................................................................................................................7 
  SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS..................................................................................................7 
  The Praetorians.............................................................................................................................7 
  Knights of the Crusade..................................................................................................................8 
  SAMPLE TEAM .........................................................................................................................8 
  MEMBERS ......................................................................................................................................8 
  PLOT HOOKS/ADVENTURE.............................................................................................................9 
  RULES .......................................................................................................................................10 
  LIFESTYLES..................................................................................................................................10 
  CAREERS......................................................................................................................................12 
  GIFTS AND OBSTACLES................................................................................................................12 
  TANGIBLES...................................................................................................................................13 
  MAGICKAL THEORIES ..................................................................................................................13 
  ARCHETYPES................................................................................................................................13 
  RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................13 
  Film .............................................................................................................................................13 
  Books...........................................................................................................................................13 
  Internet........................................................................................................................................13 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  As a rock on the seashore he standeth firm, and the dashing of the waves disturbeth him not. He raiseth his head 
  like a tower on a hill, and the arrows of fortune drop at his feet. In the instant of danger, the courage of his heart 
  sustaineth him; and the steadiness of his mind beareth him out. - Aristotle 
  
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  INTRODUCTION 
  Throughout the ages, an organization has 
  existed, that has at its heart the idea that mankind can 
  not be trusted with the responsibility of emotional, 
  spiritual and mental growth - that mankind must be 
  coddled like a child. This agency works for no 
  government, nor for any private group, although it has 
  been known to employ them to reach its own goals.  
  Whenever something arises that threatens to 
  show humanity the potential it holds, reveals universal 
  secrets or exposes ideas and concepts long thought to be 
  impossible, they arrive to "spin" the incident to their 
  own 
  mechanisms. 
  Sometimes 
  they 
  use 
  threats, 
  sometimes they just plant doubt, and sometimes it 
  becomes necessary to eliminate the threat to their 
  blueprint completely.   
  Throughout history they have been given many 
  names (although not as original as one would have 
  thought): 
  • 
  Native Americans had the "Black Man".  
  • 
  During Elizabethan England they were called 
  "Black Men".  
  • 
  In the late Nineteenth Century they appeared as 
  traveling salesmen.  
  • 
  In the mid Twentieth Century they appeared as 
  the "Men in Black" of UFO conspiracies and 
  cover-ups. 
  People have come up with many theories as to 
  who the Men in Black really are 
  • 
  Some think that they are government agents.  
  • 
  Some think that they are alien agents.  
  • 
  Some think they aren't alive at all - crude 
  replicas or disguises animated by energy 
  reserves that run low quickly.  
  What do they want? What are their motives? 
  Who is behind them? 
  HISTORY 
  The Beginning 
  The history of the Men in Black begins with 
  Aristotle. Aristotle was the student of Plato and the 
  teacher of Alexander the Great. One of the great minds 
  of philosophy Aristotle wrote on many topics. Some of 
  his most famous, the Organon, were a series of logical 
  treaties which describe a method of reasoning which 
  allow for the knowledge of the nature of reality. These 
  caught the attention of an Enlightened One called 
  Quidonnian. Quidonnian waited until the education of 
  Alexander was complete to approach Aristotle  
  After 
  Alexander 
  became 
  king, 
  Aristotle 
  returned to Athens and met Quidonnian. Quidonnian 
  convinced Aristotle to share his thoughts and insights 
  with the world much like his earlier teacher, Plato had 
  done. The two of them would spend the next few years 
  founding the Lyceum, Aristotle’s school of philosophy 
  and science. During that time they spent many long 
  nights together discussing philosophy, metaphysics and 
  science. Quidonnian seemed to have an understanding 
  of Reality that Aristotle had not seen before, even in his 
  old teacher. 
  One fall evening Quidonnian arrived for their 
  nightly discussions only to find Aristotle in a catatonic 
  state. Knowing full well what was happening, he stayed 
  by his charges side and waited for him to awaken. Two 
  months later, as if nothing had happened, a newly 
  Enlightened Aristotle looked over to Quidonnian and 
  spoke “Now we must begin.” 
  Knowing the story of Socrates’ “execution” and 
  that several other men of knowledge have shared the 
  same fate throughout history, Aristotle began to realize 
  that man needed protection more from himself than any 
  army or madman. He approached Quidonnian with a 
  plan to create a society of watchers. Their sole purpose 
  being to watch over mankind and ensure that 
  
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  knowledge and understanding continued to grow and 
  not recede. 
  They called this society The Praetorians (later 
  this term would be used by the Romans). Their job was 
  to observe man, protect the philosopher-kings amongst 
  them 
  and 
  preserve 
  their 
  knowledge 
  for 
  later 
  generations. The Lyceum was used as a recruitment 
  center. Taking the best and brightest as personal 
  students both Quidonnian and Aristotle would groom 
  them for entry into the society. New recruits were 
  required to study directly under either Quidonnian or 
  Aristotle. This would continue for 7 years, at which time 
  they would be assigned a province of their own to 
  watch over.  
  This continued for 10 years, until like his 
  teacher’s teacher he too became the target of ignorance 
  and hatred. Leaving Athens, Aristotle moved The 
  Praetorians to the island of Sardinia, where they could 
  continue 
  their 
  work 
  in 
  seclusion 
  and 
  safety. 
  Quidonnian, however, headed for Alexandria where he 
  would become instrumental in creating the Great 
  Library. After its burning, he entered into a period of 
  hiding, returning only to guide The Praetorians during 
  the dark ages.  
  Ironically it was Aristotle’s own writings and 
  thoughts about science which began to present the first 
  real problem for The Praetorian movement. How could 
  science direct man away from false gods when in the 
  presence of powerful immortal beings? Several other 
  Mechanists eventually found their way into The 
  Praetorian and it was through them, Aristotle contacted 
  the Inner Council of the Black Lodge. The Inner Council 
  agreed to officially sanction the society and take over its 
  operation. After the vote was final, Aristotle nodded in 
  appreciation and left the chamber, no one has heard 
  from him since. 
  Until now, the Black Lodge was nothing more 
  than a “gentleman’s club” for Enlightened Ones who 
  felt mankind was not nor would they ever be ready for 
  true knowledge and understanding. They had spent the 
  past millennia in simple debate and nothing more. This 
  action would be their first coordinated step toward 
  influencing the swing of mankind’s perceptions. 
  For the next millennium The Praetorians would 
  continue to watch and protect. Most of their energies 
  were spent solely aiding mankind in recovering lost 
  knowledge, like that lost at Alexandria.  
  The Medieval Inquisition 
  After the fall of Rome, Europe fell into chaos. As 
  more and more of Europe began to be divided between 
  the rise of the church and their pagan roots, it soon 
  became impossible for the society to operate effectively. 
  All of the wisdom they had spent so long to preserve 
  and protect had vanished with along with the Roman 
  Empire. The Praetorians shifted most of their focus and 
  resources elsewhere, such as the Middle East. 
  The church has been one of the few man-made 
  entities. No Enlightened One assisted or otherwise 
  influenced man in its creation. When the Inquisition 
  started, Quidonnian saw something there though that 
  piqued his interest. He saw an opportunity to move The 
  Praetorians from hiding in the background to leading in 
  the forefront. No longer would they have to sit back and 
  watch as man destroyed knowledge and understanding. 
  They can now step forward and take the war to those 
  who 
  would 
  set 
  mankind’s 
  understanding 
  back 
  hundreds of years. Science would replace pagan 
  practices. Those that will not see the light must be 
  shown to see the light, non-conformity is not an option. 
  Until now, the society consisted of less than 100 
  men at any given time. Quidonnian began actively 
  recruiting mass numbers of men and training them 
  using in combat techniques and methods learned from 
  the Middle and Far East. These teams would begin to 
  operate during the height of the Inquisition and were 
  often masquerading as agents of the church. By the time 
  the Inquisition was in full swing, The Praetorian society 
  had swelled to over 1000 members, most raised from 
  birth 
  and 
  fully 
  indoctrinated 
  into 
  Quidonnian’s 
  teachings.  
  These special teams would track down anyone 
  who presented a serious threat to the views of science, 
  many those of old pagan cultures, and show them the 
  error of their beliefs. This regularly ended with torture 
  and death. Many of what history were later call 
  atrocities were committed by these teams, a fact that did 
  not escape the elder Praetorians.    
  After the Inquisition, The Praetorians began a 
  period of retreat and seclusion. Many of the elder 
  members were appalled at what the society had done 
  and witnessed. While at the same time, the youngest 
  members felt a sense of joy and accomplishment. This 
  created a schism within the society.  This philosophical 
  division created an everlasting rift in the society 
  between those that watched and those that acted.  
  Some members of the Black Lodge felt action 
  was required, watching and preserving was not helping 
  
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  mankind out, as the Dark Ages would testify to that. 
  They encouraged the youth of the society and it wasn’t 
  long before they severed ties with the Praetorians and 
  headed to the Middle East. There they began in-depth 
  trained and indoctrination. 
  For The Praetorians, few new members were 
  recruited during this period and many branches were 
  closed as their last members past away. By the time it 
  reached the modern age, fewer than five chapters would 
  exist containing only totaling 39 members. 
  The Renaissance 
  The Renaissance brought with it the return of 
  The Praetorian lost children. This time however, they 
  returned a much darker force than was used during the 
  Inquisition. Determined to advance mankind and treat 
  those that resisted the advancement like a cancer 
  needing to be destroyed. 
  During their exile, a new recruitment procedure 
  was introduced. Because of the level of devotion they 
  felt that all members must have for the cause, only new 
  born males would be admitted to the new order. There 
  was an abundance of orphaned and unwanted children 
  available during these times and this new nameless 
  order swelled in numbers. 
  Teams dressed completely in black, worked 
  during the night, so as to avoid public sight. Each team 
  served one of two functions – threat detection and threat 
  removal. Most of the times, coercion was an effective 
  enough tool to remove threats, however, it did leave 
  witnesses and created rumors. Sometimes though 
  intimidation was not enough, and when force was 
  required, complete and total threat removal techniques 
  were employed. The great fire of London during 1666 is 
  an example of how thorough and complete the 
  techniques they used were, not even a molecule of 
  evidence remained nor was ever recorded.   
  The Men in Black continued to recruit and 
  indoctrinate. Once indoctrination was complete each 
  class would be assigned an area and tasked to their jobs. 
  As more and more classes graduated, more areas were 
  brought under control. Some of history’s discoveries of 
  new lands were financed and commissioned solely for 
  Men in Black purposes. By the time of the American 
  Revolution, more lands were under Men in Black 
  control than were from any crown. 
  After 
  the 
  Renaissance, 
  the 
  expansion 
  of 
  territories and removal of aboriginal cultures worked 
  more effectively than the current practices of the Men in 
  Black. This allowed the Men in Black to regroup and 
  restructure while at the same time keeping mankind’s 
  direction moving forward.  
  Great Independence to Present 
  During the Great Independence, the Lodge was 
  non-existent and the Men in Black operated per the 
  orders of their mortal leaders. These leaders, at first held 
  the agency to its original charter of directly assisting in 
  the advancement of mankind. However, when the first 
  batch of management came into power without the 
  Black Lodges guidance, the agency’s purpose was soon 
  twisted and returned to an almost Inquisition era entity. 
  Rather than working in almost complete secrecy 
  and concealment, their actions became bolder and more 
  direct. Tens of thousand of people disappeared in the 
  decades that would follow. Almost 75% of all missing 
  persons reported were due in fact to Men in Black 
  operations. The reasons behind disappearances ranged 
  in offense – from a high school teacher who disproved a 
  critical mathematical theory to a book store owner who 
  refused to carry a particular book. 
  It was not until the late 70's, when several 
  historical documents were discovered that revealed the 
  true path of the Men in Black and the last of the 
  twentieth century brought with it a withdrawal of the 
  Men in Black from the matters of man. When 
  Quidonnian returned, the agency was more than 
  receptive to his interjections.  
  The Men in Black have once again begun to 
  "interfere" with unnatural activities. Their first target 
  has been selected as the New Age movement. They 
  themselves have been publishing all kinds of materials. 
  These materials not only are filled with lies, but directly 
  contradict legitimate work. Their other favorite tactic is 
  to infiltrate local groups and aid in their own self 
  destruction by spreading FUD (fear, uncertainty and 
  doubt) amongst its members. 
  INDOCTRINATION 
  For Men in Black this is more than job. It’s even 
  more than a lifestyle. It is life. Men in Black desire 
  nothing more than to serve mankind. They are raised 
  conditioned to believe the tenets of the society, there is 
  no foundering, no wavering and no doubt. While not 
  mindless automatons, every act is in accordance with 
  the traditions and mandates they have been taught since 
  birth. 
  Men in Black as the name implies are all male. 
  Without females, how does the society replenish its 
  ranks?  
  
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  During its beginning the society found it easy to 
  recruit shapeable minds, then as time progressed and it 
  became harder to mold an adult into the right kind of 
  Praetorian they began to seek young children. 
  Eventually they required infants which were a clean 
  slate and could be molded without doubt. 
  During the dark ages and renaissance it was not 
  a problem to find young women who would willingly 
  part with a child in order to give it a better life (and 
  sometimes to protect hers). But as the modern era 
  dawned, society began to take an interest in the young 
  which meant the supply of new recruits began to slow 
  down.  
  Eventually after WWII, kidnappings became the 
  preferred method of acquiring new recruits. Many see it 
  as an unpleasant task but one which most be done to 
  continue their work of saving humanity. 
  . 
   
  STRUCTURE 
  The Elders 
  The Council is composed of the 13 eldest Men in 
  Black. Due to their strict indoctrination, there has never 
  been a dispute as to who is the eldest amongst them. 
  The Council answers solely to the Black Lodge member 
  assigned to it currently. No other member of the Black 
  Lodge is allowed to interfere or advice any Men in 
  Black, either as a whole or individually. There are 7 
  Enlightened Mechanists who serve as advisors to the 
  Elders. Only one master is known to the organization at 
  any given time though, as each of them rotates the 
  position every 20 years. To date, Quidonnian is the only 
  one of the seven advisors who has reappeared from the 
  Great Independence. 
   
   
  NOTE: Due to their strict upbringing Men in Black 
  are unwavering in their loyalty to the cause. Men in 
  Black all have Attitudes of D20 and all Bluffs and 
  Intimidation attempts against them are at -4 Step 
  Penalty.  
  Secrets: 
  1. The Elders have been mentally manipulated 
  in the past by their Mechanist advisors. 
  2. During the Great Independence, the Elders 
  allied themselves with political and military 
  agencies 
  of 
  the 
  US 
  and 
  Russian 
  governments; believing it was the best 
  course of action both financially and 
  logically. 
  3. During the Great Independence one of the 
  Elders, Martin AA 456 discovered a series 
  of treaties detailing immortal beings who 
  have worked behind the scenes to control 
  and 
  manipulate. 
  One 
  of 
  the 
  beings 
  specifically listed was Quidonnian. 
   
  
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  Chapters 
  The organization of the Men in Black is 
  physically divided into chapters. Each chapter is 
  responsible for a particular geographic area, person or 
  area of knowledge (such as The Church, Buddhism or 
  the media). Chapters are designated by two Greek 
  letters very similarly to that of college fraternity 
  chapters. Each member of the chapter is given a 
  number, in official reports they are identified by there 
  chapter letters and number in addition to their name 
  (such as William ∆Γ 456). The ordering of chapters is 
  chronological with ΑΑ being the first chapter founded 
  and ΠΓ being the last chapter founded to date. 
   
  Notable chapters are: 
  • 
  ΑΠ - London, England 
  • 
  ΑΒ - Rome, Italy 
  • 
  ΘΝ - Seoul, South Korea 
  • 
  ΛΘ - Buenos Aires, Argentina 
  • 
  ΞΨ - Great White Brotherhood 
  • 
  ΠΓ - Wicca 
  Tracers 
  Tracers are the traditional Men in Black from 
  modern folklore. Their job is to track down and 
  investigate any “unusual” activities/people and then 
  report back to the Elders for possible further action. The 
  extent of their interference is limited to intimidation and 
  patriotic 
  influence. 
  Beyond 
  that 
  they 
  have 
  no 
  authorization for any other means of direct interference. 
  Using their “influence” these teams will attempt to quite 
  witnesses, confiscate any evidence and dissuade anyone 
  from further discussing the incident (including their 
  visit).  
  Tracer teams only consist of 2-3 Men in Black. 
  Men in Black tracers will often pose as agents of the 
  local government in which the incident takes place and 
  each member will also be of that nationality. Their 
  equipment, clothing and other items will also be local 
  regardless of location. Being able to be conspicuous no 
  matter the time or place is the hallmark of their new 
  policies. A tracer team which stands out leaves evidence 
  of their visit, even if only in the minds of those they 
  visited. Their job is to remove doubt (in science, reality, 
  etc.) not create it. 
  Fixers 
  Quidonnian has devoted a small amount of the 
  agencies resources to directly fight those who seek to 
  influence "The Swing". To this end he has created 
  several small groups of Fixers.  
  Fixers are the active arm of the Men in Black. 
  Their job is to correct any problems with the public’s 
  perception of reality, in any way necessary. This 
  includes assassinations, abductions, misinformation, 
  court battles, etc. Fixers are called in when “problems” 
  actively fight being silenced. 
  Fixer groups consist of 5-7 members, each with 
  their own specialties (usually Combat, Languages, 
  Archeology, Occult, Transportation, and Diplomacy). 
  These teams operate outside the normal channels and 
  are generally unknown even to other Men in Black. 
  Quidonnian has given these Fixer Teams the license to 
  kill if necessary. 
  “Fixing” can be a very ugly business. In order to 
  do their job, fixers tend to take on the mentality that 
  their job is similar to that of a surgeon whose patient is 
  battling cancer. Sometimes it becomes necessary to cut 
  away the diseased parts in order to save the rest. 
  Alien Abductions 
  Almost 100% of all alien abductions can be 
  traced back to fixers. Thomas, ΘΤ 218, began an 
  interesting experiment during the height of the UFO 
  craze. His thoughts were that people tend to deny the 
  whole when parts are found to be false or absurd. He 
  began abducting people who claimed to witness UFO’s 
  or other alien activities. During these abductions he 
  would expose them to bizarre and confusing sights and 
  sounds. After a few days he would return them and 
  allow them and their stories to sow the seeds of doubt in 
  people’s minds. 
  The first few cases worked so well, that this 
  became the standard practice for those that either 
  refused to yield or even so much as witnessed one of the 
  teams in action. 
  Support 
  Every 
  organization 
  needs 
  food, 
  supplies, 
  money, intelligence, etc. The Men in Black are no 
  different. There are four divisions in the support section 
  – Intelligence, Personnel, Supplies and Operations. 
  Intelligence personnel deal with gathering 
  information needed for both Tracer and Fixer teams to 
  
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  operate on. There are at least 2 Intel agents assigned to 
  every chapter, with several more assigned to the field.  
  The personnel department is in charge of 
  assignments, training and “recruiting” of all Men in 
  Black agents. 
  No agent can perform their job without the 
  right supplies. Whether its transportation or firearms, 
  the supply section is the backbone of all operations. 
  Supply also deals with mundane aspects, such as 
  procuring new chapter housing, financing,  
  The operations section deals with almost every 
  remaining aspect of business. The operations section is 
  the command element which all other units answer to. 
  All teams get their orders, supply is told how many of X 
  to procure, personnel receives its training guidelines, 
  etc. all from operations. 
  One unique step that Men in Black employ is 
  the absence of an upward mobility promotion system. 
  Each man is trained strictly for their particular area of 
  expertise and will remain in that area until death. This 
  eliminates machevellian schemes, backstabbing and all of 
  the other activities which detract from the task at hand. 
  The idea that every job is equally important and the 
  ideals behind the Men in Black (not to mention the strict 
  indoctrination) have been enough to satisfy egos and 
  attitudes. 
  Black Helicopters 
  Conspiracies abound about black helicopters 
  that fly at night. Most conspiracies focus on them 
  belonging to the UN and world domination. That is just 
  fine with the Men in Black. The simple truth is that 
  nighttime is the preferred timeframe for Fixer team 
  operations. They utilize high tech “black” helicopters 
  designed to operate in the darkness of night. These 
  helicopters produce no noise and have no visible lights 
  on them. They are equipped with a wide variety of 
  sensors and even carry a wireless LAN link (10 mile 
  radius) with the closest chapter house. 
  MOTIVES 
  The Men in Black work for the Black Lodge or 
  sometimes called the Black Brotherhood. The Inner 
  Circle of the Black Brotherhood is composed of 7 
  Enlightened Mechanists. Only one master is known to 
  the organization at any given time though, as each of 
  them rotates the position every 20 years. This 
  illuminates a flaw with the Mechanists, if it were known 
  that they exist it could actually fuel the Naturists cause. 
  The current head is Quidonnian; he has only recently 
  begun this post. He holds this position simply because 
  he was the first to return. 
  
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  Contrary to their actions, they do not seek to 
  harm mankind nor destroy what has been built. They 
  only seek to ensure the survival of mankind. They are 
  pure Mechanists at heart.  
   
   
  NOTABLE PEOPLE 
  They only refer to each other by the first names. 
  Their family is irrelevant; it is who they are that matters. 
  Praetorians 
  Lysander – 112 BC - An early proponent of The 
  Praetorians, Lysander is one of the few to reach 
  Enlightenment. Since then Lysander has remained in 
  contact with The Praetorians (never as himself, always 
  as a traveling guru). He has returned from the isolation 
  of the Great Independence and has already made 
  contact with Johannesburg and Athens chapters. 
   
  Hakim – 890 – A member of a secret society of 
  assassins, Hakim was hired to protect members of The 
  Praetorians during a trip into present day Iraq. 
  Intrigued with their mandate, Hakim would later join 
  The Praetorians and serve as a bodyguard for many 
  years. Hakim was the first member to draw blood and 
  many Men in Black count him as their first member. 
  Men in Black 
  Isandro – 1480 – The son of a wealthy merchant, 
  Isandro was well schooled, attending only the finest 
  institutions of his time. While not the brightest of his 
  classmates, his thirst for knowledge was unparalleled 
  amongst his peers. Later Isandro would found his own 
  university and served as its headmaster. He came to the 
  attention of the Men in Black when he successfully 
  defended his institution from an angry mob of dozens. 
  While he was never officially made a member, the Men 
  in Black often consulted with him and many a member 
  spent time at his school. 
   
  Edward – 1811 – One of the most notorious or 
  heroic of the Men in Black depending on your point of 
  view. Edward is the most effective Fixer to date. 
  Edward removed over 1000 individual threats to 
  mankind throughout his life. Most removals were 
  performed on missions where he operated solo. 
  Ironically Edward expired on a mission to remove a 
  Cherokee shaman near Paducah, Ky.  
   
  Albert – 1952 – Albert is one of the few Men in 
  Black who have made contributions to the world body 
  of knowledge. Albert had an uncanny ability to “see” 
  mathematical solutions. In between missions (formally 
  he was a Tracer), he would write to journals and 
  reviews using pseudonyms (sanctioned of course). 
  Almost every one of his theories and formulas were 
  accepted with acclaim. Many theories are floating 
  around about the apparently anonymous writings of 
  one of the most brilliant mathematically minds of this 
  century. Albert is still alive and is living at the Phoenix, 
  Arizona chapter house. 
  SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS 
  The Praetorians 
  After the split with the Men in Black, The 
  Praetorians did not go silently into that good night. The 
  last remaining five chapters are located in Athens, 
  London, New York, Hong Kong and Johannesburg. 
  They have one of the largest private library collections 
  in the world in Johannesburg.  
  Also the Praetorians are one of the most 
  technologically advance organizations in the world. 
  They maintain their own private WAN separate from 
  the Internet which connects all of their chapters. Their 
  entire library has also been electronically scanned and is 
  available from any chapter. The Praetorians are financed 
  from both private donations and antiques collected 
  through the centuries.  
  Secrets: 
  1. The Men in Black are currently attempting 
  to 
  capture 
  members 
  of 
  New 
  Age 
  movements and turn them against their 
  brethren. 
  2. A Trojan has been planted in the computer 
  systems of most major news outlets. This 
  virus reports to the Men in Black any 
  “suspicious” 
  activities 
  which 
  should 
  require them to investigate. 
  3. The Men in Black have assassinated a US 
  president and 2 catholic popes in the last 
  century. 
  4. The Men in Black had agents at Jonestown, 
  Waco and Ruby Ridge.  
  
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  Page #8 
  Knights of the Crusade 
  Numbering only 13, the Knights are a relatively 
  small player in the grand scheme of things; however, 
  they have managed to make enough noise to be invited 
  to play. The Knights of the Crusade were founded in 
  1984 by Stephen Jones, a southern Baptist minister. 
  Stephen’s daughter was killed by a drug overdose in 
  1979. While attempting to deal with the funeral and all 
  of the questions, he found out that drugs were not the 
  only thing his daughter was into. She belongs to the 
  Sisters of the Grove Wiccan Coven. Believing that his 
  daughter would still be here if not for their pagan ways, 
  he began a crusade against them and their kind.  
  At first Stephen focused on the media, their 
  finances, their homes, etc. but to no avail. After 5 years 
  of frustration and legal battles, Stephen experienced a 
  mental breakdown. During Halloween night 1984, 
  Stephen hunted down each of the members of the 
  Sisters of the Grove Wiccan Coven and murdered them 
  all. Content with his actions that their blasphemous 
  ways would not hurt another child, he recruited other 
  fathers to join him in his plight.  
  Every 
  member 
  has 
  lost 
  (mostly 
  in 
  the 
  disavowed sense) a child to some sort of heathen 
  practice, whether from paganism to homosexuality. 
  They travel the countryside hunting down blasphemers 
  and putting an end to the wicked ways, permanently.  
  SAMPLE TEAM 
  The section describes a sample team of Men in 
  Black agents belonging to the ΞΨ chapter. ΞΨ is tasked 
  with investigating the Great White Brotherhood and its 
  members. Unlike most chapters, ΞΨ does not have a 
  permanent central location to serve as its base. Instead, 
  it members are strung out across the globe. For 
  resources and coordination, they utilize whichever 
  chapter house is in the area they are currently operating 
  in. The team described here is an example of a Fixer 
  team. 
  MEMBERS 
  William ΞΨ 891 - The leader of the team, 
  William has served in this post since the team’s 
  inception. During training and indoctrination, William 
  exuded confidence and poise which made him a natural 
  born leader.  
   
  Adam ΞΨ 895 – No matter what country they 
  visit, the team is not handicapped by the language 
  barrier. Adam speaks four languages fluently and is 
  adapt at learning others rapidly. Adam also serves as 
  the team’s cultural liaison.  
   
  Terrence ΞΨ 905 – Terrence spends most of his 
  time “in country” at local libraries and universities 
  researching and gathering intelligence for William. 
  Terrence’s most important tool on his laptop is a special 
  program he wrote that connects internet search engines 
  with private corporate databases. With the click of a 
  button there is almost nothing Terrence couldn’t learn 
  about a person or company. 
   
  Juan ΞΨ 912 – Killing is all Juan was taught in 
  training. For his graduation test, Juan was locked in a 
  room 
  with 
  ten 
  of 
  his 
  classmates 
  who 
  failed 
  indoctrination. Armed only with a knife, he walked 
  away after 45 minutes. Oddly though, life signs 
  indicators registered the last of the ten had expired in 
  the first ten minutes.  
   
  David ΞΨ 913 – During training, David was 
  taken aside for the last six months and given special 
  education in interrogation and torture. David took to it 
  immediately and soon proved to be one of most capable 
  interrogators 
  around. 
  Some 
  of 
  David’s 
  favorite 
  techniques come from the Salem witch trials. 
   
  Typical Men in Black Fixer: 
   
  Strength 
  D10 
  Dexterity 
  D12 
  Wits 
  2D4 
  Intelligence 
  D10 
  Attitude 
  D10 
  Charisma 
  D12 
  Perception 
  D12 
  Intuition 
  2D4 
   
  Skills: 
  Academics: Mythology 1 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: Government 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Acrobatics 1 
  Brawl 1 
  Combat Skill: Dodge 1 
  Combat Skill: Target Recognition 2 
  
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  Page #9 
  Communication Systems: Military 1 
  Computer Use: Windows 1 
  Drive: Car 2 
  Endurance 3 
   
  Firearms: Rifle 1 
  Firearms: Pistol 2 
  Firearms: SMG 2 
  First Aid 1 
  Language: French 1 
  Language: German 1 
  Language: Russian 1 
  Martial Arts: Aikido 1 
  Martial Arts: Kung Fu 2 
  Meditation 1 
   
  Melee: Dagger 1 
  Navigation: Compass 1 
  Science: Physics 2 
  Science: Math 1 
  Security 1 
  Stealth 1 
  Survival: Urban 2 
  Survival: Rural 1 
   
  Combat Stats: 
  Combat Points: 12 
  Wound Ratings: 8 
  Wounds: 8 
  Severe Wounds: 4 
  Deadly Wounds: 2 
  Fatigue Rating: 5 
  Fatigue Points: 15 
  Jump: 2 
  Hand-to-hand Damage: 5F 
  Lifting: 100 lbs. 
  Fear: 11 
  WILL: 0 
   
  Background Effects: 
  Alertness (S), Ambidextrous (S), No Emotions 
  (P), Trim (S), Willpower (S) 
   
  Archetype: Protector (or Pack Member) 
  Magickal Theory: Scientist 
  Gender: Male 
  Hair Color: Brown 
  Eye Color: Brown 
  Height: 5’9” 
  Weight: 190 lbs. 
  Nationality: USA 
  Ethnicity: Caucasian 
  Religion: Atheist 
  PLOT HOOKS/ADVENTURE 
  These Plot Hooks are possible adventures that 
  would be appropriate for character acting in opposition 
  of the Men in Black. Sages may use any and all of the 
  possible curves/leads or opt not to use any of them. 
  Plot Hook: Botched Kidnapping 
  One or more of the characters witness a possible 
  Men in Black infant kidnapping from a local hospital. 
  Possible Curves/Leads 
  1. A doctor is overheard telling the parents their 
  child has passed away overnight. 
  2. One of the nurses accuses one of the characters 
  of being involved in the kidnapping. 
  3. The infant in question is a relative of one of the 
  characters. 
  Plot Hook: UFO Abduction 
  A friend of one of the PC’s has disappeared. 
  After checking into things, they discover that recently a 
  rash of UFO sightings has been reported. 
  Possible Curves/Leads 
  1. It turns out the friend in question staged his 
  disappearance in order to get out of a huge debt 
  he owed to the mafia. 
  2. The 
  friend 
  put 
  up 
  a 
  fight 
  during 
  his 
  “kidnapping” and left several Men in Black 
  dead. Their bodies have yet to be recovered. 
  3. While investigating their friends disappearance, 
  the PC’s find out that several other people from 
  town have gone missing this year. 
  Plot Hook: Busted 
  One or more of the characters (possibly the 
  whole group) are being investigated by the Men in 
  Black.  
  Possible Curves/Leads 
  1. It is a case of mistaken identity; the Men in 
  Black are after someone who looks identical to 
  one of the characters. 
  2. The person the Men in Black is really the 
  identical twin of one of the characters. 
  3. One of the other “hunter” groups (such as the 
  Knights of the Crusade) is also investigating the 
  character(s). 
  
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  Page #10 
  RULES 
  This section contains new rules for use with The 
  Swing. 
   
   
  LIFESTYLES 
  Unlike normal lifestyle progression, Men in 
  Black never change from one lifestyle to another. In 
  addition, Men in Black spend so much of their time 
  training and undergoing indoctrination, there is little 
  time for personal growth or differentiation among 
  peers. For this, Men in Black do not roll for background 
  events; they automatically proceed to the next step in 
  their lifestyle (never changing paths) and receive only 
  one Gift (as secondary) per lifestyle stage. 
  Men in Black Lifestyle - Tracer 
  Tracer 1; Age 0-12 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Academics: Mythology 1 
  Computer Use: Unix 1 
  First Aid 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science: Math 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Tracer 2; Age 13-15 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Academics: Foreign Cultures 2 
  Academics: Government 1 
  Computer Use: Mac 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science: Math 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Elective 1 
  NOTE: Men in Black are not meant to be playable 
  characters for the most part, especially in mixed 
  parties (with Neutrals and Naturists PCs). Players 
  who want to play Men in Black characters should 
  seek Sage approval.  
   
  
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  Tracer 3; Age 16-18 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Computer Use: Windows 1 
  Endurance 1 
  Medicine 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science: Math 1 
  Science: Biology 1 
  Science: Chemistry 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Lifestyle Bonus: Tough (Psychological)  
  Lifestyle Hindrance: Overconfident 
  Men in Black Lifestyle - Fixer 
  Fixer 1; Age 0-12 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Acrobatics 1 
  Brawl 1 
  Endurance 1 
  First Aid 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Fixer 2; Age 13-15 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Government 1 
  Academics (Choose) 1 
  Computer Use (Choose) 1 
  Endurance 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Martial Arts (Choose) 1 
  Meditation 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Survival (Choose) 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Fixer 3; Age 16-18 
  Starting Skills: 
  Endurance 1 
  Firearms: Pistol 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Martial Arts (Choose) 2 
   
  Melee (Choose) 1 
   
  Security 1 
  Stealth 1 
   
  Survival (Choose) 1 
   
  Elective 1 
   
  Lifestyle Bonus: FEAR +5 
  Lifestyle Hindrance: No Emotions 
  Men in Black  - Support 
  Support 1; Age 0-12 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Computer Use: Unix 2 
  First Aid 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science: Math 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Support 2; Age 13-15 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: History 1 
  Computer Use: Mac 2 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science: Math 1 
  Science: Chemistry 1 
  Science (Choose) 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Support 3; Age 16-18 
  Starting Skills: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Academics: Government 1 
  Computer Use: Windows 2 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Language (Choose) 1 
  Science: Math 1 
  Science: Biology 1 
  Scrounge 1 
  Elective 1 
   
  Lifestyle Bonus: None  
  Lifestyle Hindrance: None 
  
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  CAREERS 
  Fixer 
  Job Description: (See text) 
  Starting Skills: 
  Combat Skill: Dodge 1 
  Combat Skill: Target Recognition 1 
  Communication Systems: Military 1 
  Drive: Car 1 
  Endurance 1 
   
  Firearms: (Choose) 2* 
  Firearms: Pistol 1 
  Navigation: Compass 1 
  Survival (Choose) 1 
  Career Bonus: FEAR +5 
  Career Hindrance: Wits -1 Die Code 
  Requirements: Fixer Lifestyle Path 
  * Rifle or SMG 
  Tracer 
  Job Description: (See text) 
  Starting Skills: 
   
  Career (Choose) 2 
  Drive: Car 1 
  Endurance 1 
  Firearms: Pistol 2 
  Interrogation 1 
  Intimidate (Choose) 2 
  Streetwise: Urban 1 
  Career Bonus: Perception +1 Die Code 
  Career Hindrance: Cannot let go 
  Requirements: Tracer Lifestyle Path 
  Support 
  Job Description: (See text) 
  The Support career functions very much like a 
  military career. All support characters receive the base skills. 
  Each character then selects a Specialty and receives the skills 
  in that Specialty. 
  Base Skills: 
   
  Administration 2 
  Bureaucracy 2 
  Computer Use: (Choose) 1 
   
  Communications Specialty: 
   
  Communication Systems (Choose) 2 
  Communication Systems: Satellite 1 
  Engineering: Electrical 1 
  Technician: Communication Systems 1 
   
  Intelligence Specialty: 
  Academics: Geography 1 
  Combat Skills: Target Recognition 1 
  Cryptography: Electronic 2 
  Language (Choose) 1 
   
  Medical Specialty: 
   
  First Aid 1 
  Medicine 1 
  Medical 1 
  Surgery 2 
   
  Technician Specialty: 
  Computer Use: UNIX 1 
  Engineering: Electrical 1 
  Technician (Choose) 2 
  Technician: Computer 1 
   
  Transportation Specialty: 
   
  Drive (Choose) 2 or 
  Pilot (Choose) 2  
   
  Drive: Car 1 
   
  Mechanic (Same as the Choice above) 2 
   
  Career Bonus: Contacts, Equipment 
  Career Hindrance: Dexterity and Strength -1 
  Die Code each 
  Requirements: Support Lifestyle Path 
  GIFTS AND OBSTACLES 
  Joker (Gift) 
  Primary: Character raises their Wits by +2 Die Codes. 
  Secondary: Character raises their Wits by +1 Die Codes. 
  Even Tempered (Gift) 
  Primary: 
  Character 
  suffers 
  no 
  penalties 
  from 
  distractions and raises their Attitude by +1 Die Code. 
  Secondary: 
  Character 
  suffers 
  no 
  penalties 
  from 
  distractions 
  Hypochondriac (Obstacle) 
  Primary: Character must roll every day on the Daily 
  Modifier table with a -50 penalty. They are not 
  physically ill, only they believe themselves to be. 
  Secondary: Character must roll every day on the Daily 
  Modifier table with a -10 penalty. They are not 
  physically ill, only they believe themselves to be. 
  
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  Kidnapped (Obstacle) 
  Primary: Character was kidnapped at some point in 
  their life and had to escape on their own. The character 
  does not trust anyone (-2 Step Penalty to Bluff, Seduce 
  or Lie to the character). 
  Secondary: Character was kidnapped at some point in 
  their life and later returned. The character does not trust 
  anyone (-1 Step Penalty to Bluff, Seduce or Lie to the 
  character). 
  TANGIBLES 
  Beta Gadget 
  A beta gadget is a special piece of equipment 
  which has some unique feature not normally available. 
  This unique feature can either be something new to an 
  already existing piece of equipment (such as miniature 
  size) or perform a task which no other item is capable of 
  (life signs scanner). In both cases though, the beta 
  gadget has some bugs to work out, the Sage must roll a 
  D10 each time the gadget is used, on a roll of 6+ the 
  gadget functions like it should or otherwise it fails. Both 
  the Sage and player should decide the effects of the 
  gadget. 
  Business Card 
  Looks like an ordinary business card, but acts 
  like so much more. This business card has hand written 
  on the back “Give this man anything he wants” signed 
  by a very influential person in the city the character is 
  from. The character adds +2 Die Codes to their 
  Charisma when using this card with people who are 
  aware of the very influential person.  This item, because of 
  its very nature, should be limited and used only with the 
  Sage’s approval. 
  Tattoo/Piercing 
  The character has acquired some body art in the 
  form of either tattoos or piercings or both. Each level of 
  Tattoo/Piercing allows the character to have either 1 
  tattoo or 2 piercings.   
  MAGICKAL THEORIES 
  Logic 
  Logic as a Magickal Theory is similar to that of 
  Scientist. WILL Limit = 8. 
  Philosopher 
  Philosopher isn’t technically a theory as it is a 
  classification of the type of person a character is. 
  Philosophers tend to change their theory from one 
  moment to the next; as such their Magickal Theory 
  might change from one time period to the next. WILL 
  Limit = roll a D10 each day/week/period as defined by 
  the Sage.  
  ARCHETYPES 
  Extremist 
  A person who takes both their actions and 
  attitude to the extremes. 
  Pack Member 
  A person who feels more comfortable in group 
  settings (not necessarily a conformist though). 
  RESOURCES 
  Here are some additional sources for more 
  information regarding the Ordo Templi Orientis and its 
  atmosphere.  
  Film 
  • 
  Men in Black Series 
  • 
  The Matrix Series 
  • 
  The Star Wars Series 
  Books 
  • 
  Casebook on the Men in Black 
  o 
  Jim Keith 
  • 
  UFO 
  o 
  Milt Machlin with Tim Beckley 
  • 
  Flying saucers and the three men 
  o 
  Albert K. Bender 
  Internet 
  • 
  Temple of the Screaming Electron 
  • 
  Crystallinks Metaphysical and Science Website 
  • 
  Illuminati Conspiracy Archive 
  • 
  The Men in Black of Legend (has more links) 
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/The Swing/The Swing Men in Black.pdf