“magicis, mentis, scientia” – motto (“magic, mind, knowledge” [Latin])
The SDA performs many duties, but the first and foremost among them is the monitoring and regulation of the users of magic and psionic Abilities, particularly those with abilities that can be used for the invasion of privacy and criminal activities. An outgrowth of the self-regulation that the supernatural empowered peoples did when their abilities were still for the most part secret and/or dismissed. The SDA is also in charge of defense against supernatural threats to Earth’s populace. Namely, they monitor and defend against renegade spirits seeking vengeance against humanity for the destruction wrought by decades of environmental mismanagement. Officially, the SDA is also in charge of the environmental cleanup efforts on Earth.
Operating outside of the command structure of the Terran Alliance Armed Forces, the SDA instead reports to the Council of Ten as a whole (as well as being on the Council). The Joint Chiefs technically have no command over them, but requests for support that are made of them are almost always answered, as are requests that the SDA makes of the Joint Chiefs.
The SDA is best compared to the a national guard or a militia. Almost all of its non-staff members go about their civilian lives as normal, save for routine training and deployments. Unlike the guard forces, however, SDA members are armed even when they go about their civilian life, normally with the agency-standard FN Herstal Five-seveN pistol, however more combat-oriented agents carry the tools of their trade.
The SDA is headquartered in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the United Kingdom, at Balmoral Castle. The Castle is on permanent lease to the SDA from the British Royal Family, and SDA High Council meetings are held here on a monthly basis. All Directorate chiefs have an office at the Castle, but for some of the Chiefs, these offices are only used for the few days surrounding the High Council meetings.
SDA staff with magical or psionic abilities who work directly for the SDA are referred to as ‘Agents.’ Those with magic and psionic abilities who do not work for the SDA are referred to as members.
SDA members may be activated to service at any time as situations demand, and must engage in SDA-run training for 1 weekend a month, and 2 weeks per year, barring extenuating circumstances.
The SDA maintains a small fleet of starships which are used for transportation of personnel as is needed.
SDA Standard Equipment – The SDA uses older firearms, preferring to rely on them as opposed to the newer caseless ammunition-firing ones used by the Terran Marines and Army. This serves two purposes. First, the older technology tends to hold up better around mages (electrical ignition gets finicky around some mages them due to spirit interference). Second, it allowed them easy access to ammunition, with the large stockpiles left over from World War III. Standard ammo is the 5.7mm round, used by the FN Herstal Five-seveN pistol and P90 assault rifle.
DIRECTORATES
The SDA is broken up into several directorates, each covering a different aspect of the Agency's duties. Each member of the High Council oversees a different directorate. There are two major power blocs on the High Council, one that advocates greater freedom for mages and psions and increased involvement in the activities of humanity (some say they are driven by guilt over their actions during WW3), and another block that advocates restraint and a return to the withdrawn nature that the magically-empowered used to engage in.
<hr>
<h3><b>1st Directorate - Earth Cleanup Operations</b></h3>
Oversees environmental recovery and repair operations, along with elements of the Martian terraforming plans and the environmental protection of the Alpha Prime colony.
<b>Chief:</b> Waldek Wronski (SDA Classification: Shaman [Nature, Tradition Unknown] - The second-newest member of the High Council, Waldek Wronski was formerly a member of the Shaman's Council responsible for a block of territory in Eastern Europe.<br>
<hr>
<h3><b>2nd Directorate - Administration</b></h3>
Clerical work. Also covers Diplomatic Corps assignments.
<b>Chief:</b> Fahim El-Amin (SDA Classification: Psion [Investigation, Influence, Networking]) - A psion hailing from Saudi Arabia, Fahim El-Amin was an official with the UNNS before his psionic talent surfaced. Lacking in skill with telepathy, he is instead talented at pulling knowledge out of the collective unconscious. He frequently sides with the Chief of the 5th Directorate, but also frequently butts heads with her over geopolitical issues, especially regarding the Middle East.
<hr>
<h3><b>3rd Directorate - TAAF SDA Members</b></h3>
Oversees all SDA members that are in the employ of the TAAF. The 3rd Directorate is also in charge of the mandatory Magic and Psionic potential testing undergone by TAAF recruits.
<b>Chief:</b> Brigadier General Alexander "Sasha" Markovic (SDA Classification: Contractor [Battle]) - Alexander Markovic is an old teammate of the 1st Directorate Chief who enlisted in the Terran Marines after performing black ops with that Chief during the Third World War. While he appears to be in his 40s, he is in actuality 80 years old. While he has no natural magical talents, he has been bound to a spirit of Battle for his entire life, and he has no idea why, but it has slowed his aging drastically. Born in the Soviet Union in 1950, he was conscripted into Soviet Army. He served with distinction, and was eventually transferred to the KGB's Vympel unit. After the fall of the Soviet Union, he retired (with honors), and left to travel the world. In the mid-2000s, he moved to the United States and settled in the Adirondack Mountains, where he met the current chief of the 1st Directorate. During the Third World War, he served with those two was part of the NSA and ESA's <i>Brightlight</i> POW Rescue operations, and after the war he chose to put his extensive (comprising numerous black ops missions, three wars, several 'security operations', and more) experiences to use with the Terran Marines. In the span of time since he has joined the Marines after World War Three, he has risen to the post of Brigadier, commanding the detachment aboard the TASS <i>Leningrad</i>, which operates in the Sol System area. Due to the deployed nature of his job, he is usually not present at High Council meetings unless they are planned in advance, and the 1st Directorate Chief is known to speak on his behalf. A boisterous and jovial man, he is not one to deny keeping a bottle of vodka in his desk, and is held in high regards by the Marines under his command.
<hr>
<h3><b>4th Directorate - Civilian Members</b></h3>
Oversees all SDA members that are civilians. The 4th Directorate also handles the public educational institutions that the SDA runs for magically and psionically talented individuals. The 4th Directorate also oversees the detection of new psions and mages.
<b>Chief:</b> Frances Sommer (SDA Classification: Theurgist [Familiar, Catholic Theurgy]) - Frances is a traditional theurgist, an old-school mage, and comes from a long line of mages. He is a member of the Order of Saint Focherini and serves as the Sanctioned Catholic Orders' representative to the Council.
<hr>
<h3><b>5th Directorate - Internal Affairs</b></h3>
Internal Affairs oversees the regulation of the members of the SDA, both agents and civilians. Making sure that mages aren't abusing their powers, ensuring that telepaths aren't running around ripping secrets out of everyone's minds, etc. Magical Policemen/Detectives.
<b>Chief:</b> Noam Wallach (SDA Classification: Psion [Influence, Networking, Investigation]) - A skilled telepath from Israel, Noam Wallach was Mossad until she retired after WW3. She routinely butts heads with the 1st and 3rd Directorate chiefs, and doesn't like their occasional flaunting of their abilities. She is suspicious of their activities during WW3, and is especially suspicious of Martin's and Alexander's involvement in a few mysterious incidents that took place during the war. Noam works out of Balmoral Castle.
<hr>
<h3><b>6th Directorate - Spirit Relations</b></h3>
Spirit Relations oversees peaceful relations with high-power spirits (i.e. ones that achieved sentience. Genius Loci, knowledge spirits, etc)
<b>Chief:</b> Kenneth Maccallum (SDA Classification: Elementalist [Diverse (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Electromagnetism), Wiccan Spellcasting]) - Kenneth Maccallum is an earth elementalist from Scotland and a representative of Grand Lodge of Theurgy, well-known for his ability to calm angry spirits. He hails from a long line of mages, and was opposed to the outing of magic. Kenneth often sides with the 5th Directorate Chief, but he enjoys the freedom he now has to act in the open, especially when spirits start popping up in populated areas. Kenneth works out of Balmoral Castle, but is known to spend much time wandering the world incognito.
<hr>
<h3><b>7th Directorate - Spirit Defense</b></h3>
Spirit Defense is in charge of defending against renegade spirits that seek to take vengeance upon humanity. The 7th Directorate oversees agents who tend to be on the high end of the power scale, including 36 highly-capable individuals known as 'Beastslayers.' These talented mages come from all walks of life and magical capabilities, but just one of them has the potential to take down a Threat Level 3 spirit beast. Of these, 10 of the 36 are known as the Number Agents, each of which have the ability to take down a Threat Level 5 spirit beast on their own. The identities of the beast-slayers are closely guarded by the SDA, and are instead referred to by their designation, though the identities of several agents are 'known' in the sense that it is a bit difficult to avoid identification when taking out a spirit beast in a civilized area. The Number Agents are each assigned a number ranging from 0 through 9, while the other 26 agents are referred to each by a single letter of the Roman alphabet.
<b>Chief:</b> Svanhildur Hilmarsson (SDA Classification: Device User [Weapon (Artifact <em>Tyrfing - Fiery Blade of Accuracy</em>)] - A Device User from Iceland, Svanhildur Hilmarsson is the wielder of a sword that is known as 'Tyrfing,' the relationship of which to the Norse sword of legend is up in the air (aside from the fact that it is an artifact-level item). She is more concerned with her job as chief of the 7th Directorate than with the 'petty squabblings amongst the chiefs.' Svanhildur works out of Balmoral Castle, but is often out doing her job. Svanhildur maintains a low profile and avoids the media spotlight, as this allows her to do her job without attracting attention from the press. Chief Hilmarsson is a known Number-level Beastslayer, designated Agent 7.
<ul>
<li><strong>Numbers Agents</strong>
<ul>
<li><strong>Agent 0 <em>"Artorius" - </em></strong>Regarded as the strongest of the 11 <em>Excalibur</em> fragment users.</li>
<li>Agent 1</li>
<li>Agent 2</li>
<li>Agent 3</li>
<li>Agent 4</li>
<li>Agent 5</li>
<li>Agent 6</li>
<li><strong>Agent 7 <em>"Valkyrie" - </em></strong>Agent 7's identity is public - it is Svanhildur Hilmarsson, chief of the 7th Directorate.</li>
<li>Agent 8</li>
<li>Agent 9</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Standard Beastslayers</strong>
<ul>
<li><strong>Agent A </strong><strong><em>"The Crimson Devil"</em> - </strong>Known user of the <em>Tzadikim Nistarim</em> true incantation. Diverse Elementalist focused on fire, plus a probably Battle Contractor. Known to have served in the Shadow Wars with the SA/AC. Further details unknown.</li>
<li>Agent B</li>
<li><strong>Agent C <em>"The Unpredictable"</em> - </strong>Known user of the <em>Tzadikim Nistarim</em> true incantation.</li>
<li>Agent D</li>
<li><strong>Agent E <em>"The Unknown Destroyer" </em>-</strong> Simultaneously the most well-known and least well-known of the Beastslayers, the real identity of the 7th Directorate Agent known only as 'Agent E' is a closely guarded secret by his own request. Though he has deployed numerous times to stop spirit beasts, few have ever met him, and even fewer can say to know him. Those that have met him have found that he conceals his identity with hoods and masks, and his voice has never been successfully voiceprinted. A perpetual loner, he prefers to keep to himself, possibly due to the fact that he knows just how unstable his powers can be, since he is one of the few people who has survived a contract with a Destruction spirit for more than a few years. That being said, Agent E is a prolific researcher in the field of Magical Science, with numerous papers accredited to his pseudonym, and he one of the driving forces behind the growing move to reclassify the Destruction spirit as the Strong Nuclear spirit. Rumor has it that he is actually a full-time employee of the rumored 9th Directorate, but such rumors have no factual basis. Other rumors claim that 'Agent E' is actually a cover identity for numerous agents, and even further associated rumors claim that the papers accredited to this pseudonym are actually papers published by a group of people who don't even work for the 7th or 9th Directorates. While the identity of Agent E is unknown, some of his past has been determined through interactions with him and slip-ups by those who know him. What is known is as follows:
<ul>
<li>Agent E served in the Shadow Wars, presumably with the USA, and had talent before his contract with the Destruction spirit, presumably the shamanistic magic he has employed against spirit beasts. He appears to have an Animal mentor spirit.</li>
<li>Agent E became a Destruction contractor sometime during 2015 as an unexpected consequence of a disaster.</li>
<li>Going by the gear that he carries, including a USMC Mark 2 combat knife with official government markings, USMC Designated Marksman Rifle, and an M45 MEUSOC pistol, as well as his preference for wearing ORBIT armor and using ORBIT as a technique to arrive where he is needed, it can be surmised that Agent E served with USMC FORECON during World War 3.</li>
</ul>
The more powerful Spirits know of him, and refer to him as 'The Fated.' When pressured for more information, they avoid the question, giving the answer of 'When he speaks, we listen. He hears us, and we hear him. There are things that he knows that you should know, but likewise there are things that you know that he will never know. Do not envy him, and do not pity him.' It is worth nothing that he is not the only person that the Spirits refer to as 'The Fated.' This seems to be an actual title that spirits use to refer to certain people, for it has been used in conjunction with others. The way that the Spirits speak of him lends credence to the theory that he is indeed a single person, and not a pseudonym for a group.
Agent E is known to have the ability to take down a Threat Level 5 Spirit Beast on his own, but for unknown reasons he remains classified as a standard Beastslayer instead of a Numbers Agent. He has been known to utilize the known fragment of the artifact <em>Brahamaastra - Unknown Form of Destruction</em> when the situation calls for it, and he is a known user of the <em>Tzadikim Nistarim</em> true incantation.</li>
<li>Agent F</li>
<li>Agent G</li>
<li><strong>Agent H <em>"The Shadowed Speaker" / "The Shield" </em> - </strong>Either a skilled shadowmage or a user of an artifact similar to (or possibly a fragment of) <em>Carnwennan - Blade of Darkness and Shadows</em>. Familiar-based theurge, known to use the <em>Sakura: Protection of a Thousand Blossoms</em> true incantation. Often seen working alongside Agents R and V. The three of them are collectively referred to as "The Arms of the First," presumably referring to the 1st Directorate.</li>
<li>Agent I</li>
<li>Agent J</li>
<li>Agent K</li>
<li>Agent L</li>
<li>Agent M</li>
<li><strong>Agent N <em>"The Leader of Spirits" - </em></strong>Known user of a fragment of <em>Caliburn - Precious Blade of Kingship. </em>Presumed to be a theurge or a spirit binder (or both).</li>
<li>Agent O</li>
<li>Agent P</li>
<li>Agent Q</li>
<li><strong>Agent R <em>"The Phoenix" / "The Sword"</em></strong> - Suspected to either be nature loci-bound or a former nature loci herself, this fire-focused elementalist has been seen working in conjunction with Agents H and V. Unlike those two, she seldom relies on stealth, often acting as a distraction source for them. The three of them are collectively referred to as "The Arms of the First," presumably referring to the 1st Directorate.</li>
<li>Agent S</li>
<li>Agent T</li>
<li>Agent U</li>
<li><strong>Agent V <em>"The Silent Gun" / "The Bow" - </em></strong>Suspected user of an artifact similar to (or possibly a fragment of) <em>Carnwennan - Blade of Darkness and Shadows</em>. Confirmed user of a thus-unidentified, probably a True Artifact. This artifact, if real, flies in the face of all known characteristics of artifacts as it appears to be of modern origin - appearing like a weird combination of numerous rifles. Agent V is also a rarity among the Beastslayers, as they are known to be psionically-talented. Often seen working alongside Agents H and R. The three of them are collectively referred to as "The Arms of the First," presumably referring to the 1st Directorate.</li>
<li>Agent W</li>
<li>Agent X</li>
<li>Agent Y</li>
<li>Agent Z</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h3><b>8th Directorate - Items of Historical Significance</b></h3>
Artifact recovery and investigation. Historical analysis. Magical History. The 8th Directorate is comprised primarily of historical scholars and psions who have talent with psychometry. They also have a small operations division that does fieldwork, assisting universities and other institutions with archaeological work.
<b>Chief:</b> Malena Valquist (SDA Classification: Psion [Investigation, Networking, Influence]) - A native of Mars and psionic child prodigy skilled in Psychometry, Malena Valquist is currently in charge of historical operations run by the SDA. Moonlighting as a member of the relations team with the Teuthidoids, Malena operates off of the SDA <i>Kathleen Kenyon</i>, a specially modified Hermes-Class Courier, but is technically based at the Utopia Planitia colony on Mars, pending deployment with the <i>Feng Huang</i> once its refit is finished, at which point Malena will step down from the post of Chief of the 8th Directorate and transfer to the 3rd Directorate. She does her own thing and doesn't side with either major power bloc on the High Council. Malena works out of the Utopia Planitia on Mars, and is sometimes present-by-proxy at High Council meetings via telepathy. Out of the 8 members of the SDA high Council, she is definitely the odd one out, which is both a factor of her youth, Martian ancestry, and the fact that she wasn't part of any particular power group prior to joining the Council - which is presumably the reason for her mercurial nature regarding the two power blocs on the High Council. Serves as the ECO's representative to the Council.
<hr>
<h3><b>9th Directorate - Shadow Ops</b></h3>
Aside from members of the Ruling Council and the Council of Ten, knowledge of the 9th Directorate's current membership is on a need-to-know basis. The existence of the directorate itself was originally a secret, but this proved to be impossible to keep classified. Operatives serve in the 9th Directorate for the duration of an operation, and then transfer back to their usual Directorate.
<b>Chief:</b> On paper, the 9th Directorate has no chief, and is commanded by the council as a whole, though its mission usually means that it is overseen by the 4th Directorate chief. Current rumors state that a former chief of the 1st Directorate is now running the 9th Directorate and using it as a "Crisis Response" organization to handle situations which require immediate SDA involvement.<br>
<hr><br>
<h3><b>10th Directorate - Diplomacy and Research<br>
</b></h3>
The 10th Directorate is in charge of the dual functionality of Diplomacy and Research. While actual state-level diplomacy is handled by the Alliance Diplomatic Corps, the SDA 10th Directorate will presumably be called in to help deal with relations with the more magically-inclined powers and groups. The primary function of the 10th Directorate is therefore research, in particular the research and categorization of all the various types of magic that exist, the wide range of magical traditions, and the ever-expanding realm of psionic disciplines and specializations.<br>
<br>
The majority of staff of the 10th Directorate can easily be classified under the SDA's official 'oddity' heading. The Chief of the 10th Directorate is Tusukuda Aiko, who is currently based on the [SDS07] T.A.S.S. <em>Nobu Shirase</em> (NVY-609) as part of the Local Bubble Mapping Initiative (TAAF Operational Designation: STRIBOG) (out of Trade Station 01 in the Sirius System, is a Yoitsuni who was born and raised on Earth, and is therefore talented with the Yoitsuni's unique brand of summoning magic. Her head of operations for the Sol system is Hana Lee, formerly of the Shadownet Administration Office of the 2nd Directorate, is either currently in two spirit contracts or made a contract with a hybrid spirit of both Knowledge and Electromagnetism. In addition to these two, the current roster of 10th Directorate agents and affiliated personnel are as follows:<br>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sol System</strong></li>
<ul>
<li><strong>Baron Bertrand Albertson, 7th Baron Albertson, SDA Agent, combat mage. </strong>Although he constantly tells people he's 'too old to be doing this,' Baron Albertson continues to pass the physical exams for 7th Directorate operatives with flying colors. Assuming that all the documentation surrounding him is legitimate, he is currently pushing 134 years old, but 'doesn't feel a day over 40.' The Baron (as he chooses to be called) is a contractor of Battle, and has a poorly-defined innate magical talent that revolves around temporarily enhancing his own combat potential and the weapons he wields. Currently he serves as the right-hand man of Hana Lee while the three 10th Directorate members on Earth work to build the directorate.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Giannina Luzzatto, bodyswapper.</strong> One of the practically infamous Luzzatto Twins, Giannina has remained on Earth to help coordinate 10th Directorate operations there and keep the Earth-based staff in communication with the Chief in the Sirius System. Of course, the Luzzatto Twins' unique ability to swap consciousnesses between the two of them makes it hard to tell which of the twins is on Earth and who is on Sirius.</li>
</ul>
<li><strong>Sirius System</strong></li>
<ul>
<li><strong>Augusta Appleby, Esquire, invocation-using psionic lawyer. </strong>Ms Appleby went about the process of becoming both a mystic and psionically-talented in the opposite fashion than most - she was already a practicing mystic before 2019, having learned of the magical arts from a childhood friend. Still technically part of the Alliance Diplomatic Corps, she brings a career in diplomatic law to aid in the 10th Directorate's goals, along with her abilities with invocations, psionics, and more-recently obtained, the TARAWA System.</li>
<li><strong>Sister Cassandra Carmina Carnadini, DCSG, Arcine Knight. </strong>Perhaps best known as one of the almost 200 who stood in defense of Vatican City during the Battle of Rome in February 2016, Sister Carandini has served the Arcine Order and its predecessor, <em>Servorium Domini</em>, for the majority of her life. She is known to practice the rare pact variant of theurgy, and utilizes two artifact fragments: <em>Joyeuse - Holy Blade of the Imperator</em> and<em> Murgleys - Death-Bringer of Ganelon. </em>Sister Carandini technically is not a member of the 10th Directorate, she has been assigned to the personal service of Directorate Chief Tsukuda Aiko by order of Pope Joan II.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Terra Ferrero, psychometric specialist. </strong>As the second-oldest child of a large family from Mars and the only psionically-talented one, Agent Ferrero lends credence to the theory that there is more to psionic talent than simply genetics. As an early-awakening psion, she has been in SDA service since the organization's founding, having been a part of the 8th Directorate since the beginning. Agent Ferrero's speciality is psychometry, but unlike 8th Directorate Chief Malena Valiquist, her talents lie with bringing out latent reflections of objects' wielders, rather than finding out an object's history.<strong><br>
</strong></li>
<li><strong>Agent Elizabeth Harland, mojo manipulator. </strong>One of only twelve confirmed users of the ill-defined and poorly-understood ability classified as 'mojo manipulation,' Agent Harland was a natural choice for service in the 5th Directorate. She served in the 5th Directorate during the early years of the SDA, participating in dealing with some of the more vocal anti-SDA mage groups before she accepted a posting on the <em>Tereshkova</em>, the SDA-crewed <em>Anders</em>-class scout in 2024. Following the end of her posting on that vessel, she returned to 5th Directorate service, spending time in the Centauri system and on Mars before returning to a scout ship (the eponymous <em>Anders</em>) long enough to serve on its final tour before it was retired.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Giotto Luzzatto, bodyswapper.</strong> One of the practically infamous Luzzatto Twins, Giotto has deployed with the Directorate Chief Aiko help keep her in communication with the Earth-based directorate personnel. Of course, the Luzzatto Twins' unique ability to swap consciousnesses between the two of them makes it hard to tell which of the twins is on Earth and who is on Sirius.<br>
<strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Somsak Metharom, qi manipulator. </strong>Another user of an extremely rare ability, Metharom is not an official agent - rather, he is a Theravada Buddhist monk based out of Bangkok, Thailand. While his near-unique ability to replicate magic without actually using spirits is impressive, it is perhaps his extensive network of contacts and associates that is his best asset.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Maureen Rosenfeld, wielder of <em>Excalibur-Luna</em>. </strong>Agent Rosenfeld displays no other talent beyond her ability to use <em>Excalibur-Luna</em>, but she registers as highly magically-capable.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Carlos Sartre, channeler. </strong>A known veteran of the Shadow Wars, Agent Sartre has worked for the SDA since it was founded, but his ability to engage in temporary spirit contracts is still an enigma.</li>
<li><strong>Donna Tracey, spirit commander.</strong> Spirit Commanders are poorly understood, nobody is really quite sure where exactly it shoudl be classified in the large scheme of things. Regardless, Donna Tracey knows the art of commanding a retinue of spirits. The full extent Donna's combat capabilities are unknown (but she did participate in the defense against the spirit beast known as <em>Thunderbird</em> in 2019), but her capability for performing reconaissance is legendary as some of the stories about her actions in support of the USA and later ISA during the Shadow Wars goes to show. She has declined to enter SDA service full-time, instead choosing to remain as a power broker of sorts in the Washington Federal Zone prior to accepting assignment to the Sirius System.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Celeste Turati, summoner. </strong>Agent Turati joined the SDA full-time in the early 2020s and has served as both a member of a scout ship crew and as a diplomatic attache, but her pact-based summoning is still an enigma. There are reports that her, or someone matching her description, was in the possession of an artifact matching the description and functionality of one of the fragments of the <em>Solmon's Seal - Engraved Ring of Control</em> during the Shadow Wars, however she has denied any involvement in that conflict.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Nora Vang, creation magician. </strong>The 'science' of magical engineering is a poorly defined and still-developing field, but it should come as no surprise that an agent who is one of the pioneers of the field was previously a soldier in the two engineering-focused TAAF branches - the Army and the CEC. Agent Vang was an independent operative during the Shadow Wars, working for multiple factions in the war as she perfected her unique brand of creation magic. Formerly a Specialist in the Army, she passed the exams for CEC service and joined that branch. During her tenure with the CEC, she participated in Project <em>Janus</em>, Project <em>Phoenix</em>, and Project VULCAN, however a disaster in the still-classified Project HAPHEASTUS still loomed over her career record when she took the 9-year out in 2026 before transferring to the 2nd Directorate full-time.</li>
<li><strong>Agent Michelle Waters, Focherinine Mage. </strong>An active SDA agent and member of the Order of Saint Focherini, Agent Waters was originally assigned to assist then-Agent Aiko by order of the Council of Cardinals. She has a distinguished service history, though the majority of it is classified. Agent Waters has a long history of 7th Directorate service, leading to suspicion that she is a Beastslayer, but this has not been confirmed. Her abilities consist of a Contract with a spirit of Faith and Focused Elementalism for Fire, and there is an entry that she is an Oddity but the rest of that entry is classified Chiefs-Eyes-Only.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<hr>
<h3><b>SDA Historic Fleet</b></h3>
The SDA has a side job, so to speak, in addition to their supernatural oversight and Earth cleanup duties. A joint operation between the 1st and 8th Directorate operates a partnership with MCubed Integration in the business of preservation, restoration, and management of historical vessels and aircraft. Primarily specializing in nuclear-powered vessels, they buy up and restore decommissioned vessels from various navies of the world. In addition, they are also contracted by navies to maintain and/or clean up sites of seagoing accidents, primarily nuclear powered submarines. The SDA Historic Fleet, that is, the ships owned and operated by the SDA, are used during their operations, and some also function as the seats of command for SDA Directorate Chiefs.
<strong>Notable vessels include:</strong>
SDA <i>Canon</i> (Former USS <i>Canon</i>, <i>Asheville</i>-class gunboat. Based in Plattsburgh, NY, ESA)
SDA <i>Saipan</i> (Former USS <i>Saipan</i>, <i>Tarawa</i>-class amphibious assault ship. The SDA <i>Northern Flight</i> is based here, along with 1 other SDA runabout. The <i>Saipan</i> functions as a portable base for SDA staff on Earth, and is based in Philadelphia, PA, ESA)
SDA <i>Triton</i> (Former USS <i>Triton</i>, purchased on a whim by a SDA Directorate Chief that didn't want to see the submarine that completed the first submerged circumnavigation of Earth get scrapped. Based in Philadelphia, PA, ESA, it is open to the public as a seaworthy museum. The <i>Triton</i>'s reactor was disposed of by the ESA Navy and she is currently powered by hydrogen fuel cells (which draw fuel from the surrounding water). The <i>Triton</i> makes 5 cruises weekly for paying tourists, taking them out into the Atlantic Ocean, in addition to contracted special occasion cruises.
<strong>Notable vessel/wrecks cleaned up:</strong>
<i>Plavnik</i> (Former Soviet Sub <i>Plavnik</i> (the Mike-class sub). Raised in January 2030 (after it was discovered that the nuclear torpedoes were leaking radioactive material. As part of the deal with the Russian Federation, the SDA raised the sub to save the Russian Federation an environmental nightmare, and got to keep the sub. It is currently undergoing preservation in Murmansk, Russian Federation. The warheads onboard were returned to the Russian Federation and the reactor has been handed over to the US Navy for disposal. After preservation, she will be handed over to the SDA's Moscow Branch, who plans to install it as a memorial in honor of those who died during the sinking.)
<hr>
<h3>The Prophecies of A'rin</h3>
CLASSIFIED, DIRECTORATE CHIEF EYES ONLY
ALL OTHER ACCESS ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS
<i>optimum custodivit recta sunt absconsa sub naribus tuis</i>
While knowledge of the Prophecies' mere existence is possibly the worst-kept secret in the SDA, seldom few in the organization know what they contain, or who A'rin is or was. The only prophecy that has ever been declassified was the A'rin's Third Prophecy, which states:
<i>"In the days before the Cataclysm, a Destroyer shall fall and rise…
</i><i>It shall come from the mountains lands near a great hub of civilization…
</i><i>The Destroyer must be stopped, lets it unleash a greater Cataclysm…"</i>
<hr>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">SDA Sanctioned Groups</h3>
The SDA was always intended to serve more as an oversight and regulation body in regards to the supernatural, and was not created to train mages and psions, or to provide other services. To this end, it has created a sanctioning system through which it identifies reputable groups and gives 'official sanctioning,' which basically says 'we don't think you're using your abilities for criminal gain.' Sanctioning is done through the 2nd Directorate. Listed below are some of the groups that have been sanctioned by the SDA, and the benefits, restrictions, and dues associated with being a member of each group.
Some groups may have secrecy ratings of higher than 0, implying that they are in some ways a secret society. As long as a secret society is not breaking any regulations, it may apply for SDA sanctioning.
<h4>Anachronistic Creative Society</h4>
<b>Patron: </b>None
<b>Secrecy: </b>3 - Publicly known society, but the internal workings, especially at the higher levels, is a secret. Similar to the Freemasons in this sense.
The ACS had been around for several decades before the public acknowledgement of magic, and sought Sanction as a way to expand it's membership base. They are a combination of dueling society, social welfare promoters, and historians.
<h4>Artificer's Guild</h4>
<h4>Believers of Balance</h4>
<h4><i>Brightlight</i> Veterans Commission</h4>
<i>Honorando egregie umbras
</i><b>Patron: </b>Eastern States of America Department of Defense
<b>Secrecy:</b> 6 - The existence of the <i>Brightlight</i> Veterans Commission is listed on public records due to legality, but it's membership is a closely guarded secret, but it is known to number only a few dozen at most. Only members of the SDA High Council and the members of the ESA DOD that oversee the group have clearance to view the roster.
<h4>Brotherhood of Mages</h4>
<h4>Extraterrestrial Coalition of the Occult</h4>
<i>Viva voce amet Soles
</i><b>Patron:</b> Independent Lunar Colonial Organization
For more information, see the <a href="https://worlds.starfleetengineers.com/organizations/extraterrestrial-coalition-of-the-occult/">organization's page</a>.
<h4>Firecallers</h4>
A society whose membership is restricted to Elementalists and Theurgists specializing in fire.
<h4>Fraternal Association of Telepaths</h4>
So far, this is the only society that has been sanctioned that specifically focuses on psionics. Founded in 2025, the Fraternal Association of Telepaths is based in Canberra, Australia, and campaigns against calls for telepaths to be further regulated. It has branches all over the Alliance, and offers free classes to the psionically-talented on how to keep their abilities in check. They have close ties to the Teuthidoid embassy, and frequently engage in exchange programs with them.
<b>Secrecy:</b> 0
<h4>Grand Lodge of Theurgy</h4>
<i>Ipsa scientia potestas, custodi illam
</i>The Grand Lodge is regarded as the oldest association of magic known today. It was founded in the late 1500s as a communications network for the mages living in hiding during the times when persecution of anyone suspected of witchcraft was common, and it grew into a full-fledged magical society from there. Contrary to their name, the vast majority of their members are actually Elementalists.
<b>Secrecy:</b> 0-4. The existence of the society has not been a secret since they sided with the Running Elk Lodge and decided to out magic to the world, but as an old organization it has its fair share of secrets.
<h4>Sanctioned Catholic Orders</h4>
<i>fide et magicarum
</i>The outing of magic to the world created vast upheavals amongst the faithful of many religions. The Catholic Church at first claimed disbelief and then railed against the magically-talented, teaching that magicians had powers stemming directly from Satan, and that spirits were Satan's minions. This was mainly done to appease the hardliners amongst the Church and to cover themselves from backlash - since the Church had known of magic for centuries, and counted more than a few theurges amongst its popes and other high-ranking officials.
As more people began to realize that they had some magical talent, and it was found that there were people of unimpeachable faith who had expressed magical talent or revealed pre-existing talent, the Church began the slow process of examining its own beliefs, culminating in the publication of an encyclical in 2022 titled<i> <em>Potentiae Fidei</em></i>, authored by Pope Joan II herself. At the release and public reading of the encyclical, the already-controversial Pope made the further stunning revelation that she herself was a practicing theurge, and had been for decades.
While the attitude of Catholicism towards magic has varied over the years , but currently it has settled into an area where it is not necessarily sinful to have magical talents. It is not necessarily a sin to have magical talent, but magic is viewed as a force that can lead to corruption. To assist magicians of the faith, the church strongly encourages magicians with talent to join one of the Three Holy Orders. Almost every magically active member of the Orders are either a theurgist or an elementalist (usually focusing on Fire). Members of the Orders are expected to assist local bishops when needed.
The Three Holy Orders frequently find themselves caught up in church politics. Conservatism within the Catholic Church is hard to change, and since the Orders were founded by a liberal Pope and tasked with investigating magic rather than denouncing it, they frequently run into opposition. These internal complications vary from diocese to diocese; for example, the Catholic Church in the ESA tends to be more liberal than the Church in the SSA, but both of these are much more conservative than the remains of the Catholic church in China, which has been forced to liberalize their agenda to avoid driving away potential members in the face of the government's ongoing battle against religious hardliners.
The Holy Orders meets in chapter houses, which frequently share the grounds of a local Catholic cathedral, except where this would cause danger to the congregation (or where the congregation is opposed to the orders' existences). The orders are often called upon to ward Catholic houses of worship, and individuals are frequently approached by the clergy to solve magical issues for members.
<strong>Order of Saint Focherini - </strong>The Order of St Focherini has a mandate to investigate magical phenomena on behalf of the Vatican and is happy to recruit magically active Catholics for the task. The Order is named for a Catholic Italian mage who used his abilities to foil the Nazi's efforts to use magic to further their goals during World War 2, powered by human sacrifice of prisoners. The world as a whole, however, knew him as a Catholic Italian businessman who helped Jews escape Nazi persecution during World War 2, before he was captured and executed. Members of the Order swear an oath to witness and document unusual magical occurrences in order to accumulate knowledge for the Church. Magically active members typically go out in twos or threes to investigate any unusual situation, either on their own initiative or when ordered to check on something for the church elders. As part of the order’s mission to investigate and document magical happenings, it has built up an impressive library of magical phenomena, and it has the most extensive magical library on the planet, with the sole exception of the Grand Lodge of Theurgy (since that organization predates the Order by almost 500 years. The Focherine archives also have extensive knowledge and many records of unusual events, items, and creatures - with many records dating to long before the Order's formation. Members of the order have access to these archives if they provide an appropriate tithe or service and receive the approval of the heads of the Order. For most information this approval is nearly automatic. The Focherine Order is the most populous of the Three Holy Orders, with close to 10,000 of the magically-talented members of the Orders counted amongst its membership.
<strong>Pontifical Order of Saint Joan of Arc - </strong>Of the Three Holy Orders, the Pontifical Order of Saint Joan of Arc is the only one that answers directly to the Pope instead of answering to College of Cardinals. The terms "Joanites" and "Arcine" are used interchangeably when referring to this order. The Joanites are the militaristic arm of the Three Holy Orders, charged with defending the Church against supernatural threats to its existence. Currently this has only ever been used to stop a few attacks by radicals, both of Catholic and non-Catholic persuasion. More often, the Joanites are deployed with military units for 'spiritual support' (in conjunction with similar members of other faiths), or are assigned to aid peacekeeping forces or SDA anti-Spirit Beast operations.
<strong>Order of Saint Ponteleon - </strong>The Order of St Ponteleon has a mandate to heal the sick and injured, and will never turn away a patient, regardless of their faith or species.
<b>Members (Full-Time): ~</b>800
<b>Members (Other, Magically Talented): ~</b>12,000 (Focherine - 10K, Ponteleonine - 1500, Arcine/Joanites - 500)
<b>Headquarters: </b>Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Earth
<b>Membership Requirements: </b>Must follow the Catholic faith
<b>Strictures: </b>Exclusive membership, oath (fealty to the Pope), material link (must provide a blood sample for papal records)
<b>Customs: </b>Service (providing assistance to the local Parish and parishioners)
<b>Resources: </b>High
<b>Dues: </b>Low (tithes) (200 credits per year)
<b>Patron: </b>Catholic Church
<b>Membership Benefits: </b>Can call on the local church for mundane assistance, access to church records.
<b>Secrecy: </b>0 (official part of Catholic Church hierarchy)
<b>Connection Rating: </b>3 (6 in Rome)
<h4>Royal Academy of Magical Arts</h4>
Founded by the British Crown in 2020 as a "hey, we're not like the Catholic Church" move, but they later became a foil to the Sanctioned Catholic Orders in 2022.
<h4>Running Elk Lodge</h4>
The Running Elk Lodge is a society of shamans in North America, and is based in Saskatchewan. It dates back approximately 200 years, and was instrumental in the outing of magic to the rest of the world after WW3.
<b>Secrecy: </b>0-6 (Some things known by the Lodge, especially knowledge of certain rituals, are closely guarded.)
<b>Connection Rating: </b>1 (2 in North America)
<h4>Shadow Wars Veterans Association</h4>
<i>Nam qui serviebant, ut sit memoria illorum sacrificia
</i><b>Patron: </b>Supernatural Defense Agency
<b>Secrecy: </b>6 - The existence of the Veterans Association is listed on public records due to legality, but it's membership is a closely guarded secret. Only members of the SDA High Council and the members of the SDA that oversee the group have clearance to view the roster.
<b>Connection Rating: </b>2 (7 inside the SDA)
<h4>Shaman Council</h4>
<h4>TAAF Magical Corps</h4>
<b>Patron: </b>Terran Alliance Joint Chiefs of Staff
<b>Secrecy: </b>0
<b>Connection Rating: </b>2 (4 inside the TAAF and SDA)