While the Enigma Club was originally founded by a pair of siblings, they went missing under mysterious circumstances around the year 2000. In their wake, a pair of cousins stepped up to assume leadership: David Wick and Steven Fire. The two are only vaguely in agreement, working to advance the overall goal on the Operation Enigma in their own fashion. David is the one most likely to be seen, and the source of the rumors that the elite of the group have some form of immortality.
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David Wick
Just over six feet in height, David is a solidly-built man who otherwise would blend into the background if not for the manic light in his eyes. Most of the time, he seems perfectly normal, if rather fervent about the future of computer technology and the coming of the Singularity. He dresses in a fairly typical geek fashion, with slogan-festooned T-shirts and jeans that have been reinforced to grant him a level of armor. He never travels without at least three Enigma Agents, all set up as bodyguards, but he's far from a pushover.
When pressed in a fight, David reveals that he has several machine implants, including a flamethrower that pops up from his left arm and an array of pop-out blades on his right hand that have been laser-etched with runic inscriptions.
Level: 6
Motive: Bring about the Singularity Event before Steven is able to do so
Environment: Anywhere with internet access, preferably wireless
Health: 50
Damage Inflicted: 6; when using his flamethrower, he deals 3 to everyone in short range, and when using his implanted claws he deals 10
Movement: Short, or teleportation via wireless signal to anywhere else with wi-fi; the latter takes three rounds to accomplish
Modifications: Intellect Defense as level 9; resists fear effects as level 9; resist cold effects as level 3
Armor: 3
Combat: For the first 20 Health, or until his bodyguards are defeated, David fights with a high-tech pistol with a blue-green laser sight and keeps behind his bodyguards. After this, he willingly deploys his augmentations and goes head-to-head with opponents, immolating groups and slashing at anyone who seems to pose a serious threat.
If pushed below 15 Health, he begins to retreat, initiating his three-round teleport. If defeated before this, his body erupts into a white-hot fire that leaves behind nothing but ash and unidentifiable slag.
Interaction: David will happily talk to anyone who wants to engage him on the subject of computers, the Singularity, or any number of transhumanist lines of thought. He may turn up as an unexpected ally against groups that want to dismantle technology like the Medusa Society, and can be talked into funding projects in line with his goals.
Use: David is the more likely of the Operation Enigma leaders to be encountered; even after appearing to die in a fire, he'll be back in no time, although fully aware of the people who defeated him and willing to take steps to prepare against them.
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Steven Fire
With a much greater effort to appear elegant and refined, people can be forgiven for thinking that Steven is the sole leader and mastermind of Operation Enigma. Usually dressed in a well-tailored black suit with high-tech mirrorshades that double as a monitor, headset, and targeting system for his posthuman abilities, he looks the part of a wealthy businessman. Generally accompanied by a pair of Daemons disguised as femme fatale bodyguards and armed with a sleek handgun, he looks competent but not the kind of danger that Enigma really poses.
When he reveals his full abilities, the suit is revealed as a metamaterial armor, the fabric flowing and stiffening into a suit of powered armor around him, the mirrorshades becoming a part of the faceplate. Even the color shifts, becoming an intense green-and-black fire motif as he darts around the battlefield.
Level: 6
Motive: To bring about the Singularity before David does, with him in position to shape what emerges
Environment: Any, but usually places with a concentration of cutting-edge technology
Health: 50
Damage Inflicted: 6 with his handgun; in armored form, he has a long-range lightning beam attack that deals 4 damage and a short-range burst of static that deals 3 damage to everyone nearby
Movement: Short when in normal mode; long when in armored mode
Modifications: All actions related to movement as level 9; all Intellect Defense as level 9; against attempts to goad him into a rage or into showboating as level 3
Armor: 5
Combat: Steven tries to stay out of combat as much as possible, relying on his protective Daemons to defend him and using his handgun at long range; if goaded by opponents or if he takes more than 6 damage, he lets his suit transform into power armor and starts moving quickly around the battlefield, often wasting an entire round to move into a showier position before opening fire with his lightning beam; if forced into melee he relies on his mobility and the area-effect static shock to get back out of range.
If forced under 25 Health or if both Daemons are defeated, he attempts to flee, engaging an electromagnetic flight system that takes three rounds to fully power up; during this time he still moves a long range each round, although now he hovers while doing so. After three rounds he accelerates away at a rate that should kill him. If actually defeated, his body explodes on the next round and burns into slag and ash as uncontrolled electrical energy runs wild.
Interaction: Steven can contact players, or be contacted by them, and offer to fund any cutting-edge technology projects that might be of use to Operation Enigma's goals, asking only that he get access to all information related to the project. He may also turn up when dealing with more Luddite opponents such as the Medusa Society.
Use: Steven is best used as the enigmatic figure in the shadows for a time when dealing with Operation Enigma, although groups opposing them may encounter him in his mundane identity long before then, possibly attempting to cut a deal with them on advanced equipment for their escapades.
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Daemon
A Daemon, at rest, looks like a human with intensely green eyes and a feline level of agility. They typically serve as cell leaders or bodyguards for elite members of Enigma. When activated, their human facade literally splits apart as a metallic mantis-like nightmare emerges from inside, with massive scything limbs and crackling rows of supercapacitors running along their sides.
Level: 4
Motive: To enable the Singularity and open the Way
Environment: Any high-tech location
Health: 16
Damage Inflicted: 4
Movement: Short, or long once per encounter by a hopping flight
Modifications: Speed Defense as Level 6; Intellect Defense as Level 3; reacts to any effects that manipulate or block electric effects as a Level 2
Armor: 3
Combat: When disguised, a Daemon fights as a highly skilled and agile melee combatant, wielding long knives that seem to appear out of nowhere in their hands; these blades are electrified and can, on a GM intrusion, stun those struck for a round. When activated, they fight as supernaturally agile predators, striking with electrified scythe-limbs and razor-sharp mandibles. When actiated, they can take a round to rear up and screech, spreading their wings to massively amplify their intimidating presence; this is an Intellect attack that, if victims fail it, all their actions on the next round are moved two steps to their detriment.
When defeated, Daemons collapse in one themselves, leaving bits of mechanical debris and odd magical scraps behind; these can be salvaged with a Level 4 Intellect task to yield 1d6 cyphers.
Interaction: When encountered solo or when leading a group of Agents, Daemons are haughty, aloof, and have the inhuman air of a predator, all of which can serve as cues for perceptive players. Some may, if the situation dictates, attempt to negotiate a temporary alliance to achieve some mutual goal, such as fighting a Medusa Society cult or distracting agents from the Bureau of Paranormal Management, but these are inevitably short term.
Use: Daemons are essentially the high-caliber goons of Operation Enigma, and while capable and dangerous they're considered expendable by the group. They'll fight to the death rather than surrender, and aim to take as many opponents as possible with them.
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Next time we'll look at Operation Enigma's actual goals, and meet Max (or, as those who truly know it would name it, The Magnum Intellect Terrestrial Node), the alien intellect that seems to serve as the chief of operations for the group.
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