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[b]A Different '78:[/b]
The Vietnam War ended in 1973 to an anonymously deployed bacterial weapon, killing most life in the country including thousands of U.S. soldiers and Soviet interests.  The devastation was shocking to both sides, and nuclear war seemed unavoidable -- until a breakthrough in anti-nuclear weaponry led to the creation of the Anti Ballistic Missile System in Britain, which was quickly stolen and implemented around the world.

The ABMS, while initially a miracle, has given both sides reason to expand the development of alternate weapons for the war that both sides are set on avoiding; by way of totally eliminating the other side without having to resort to a costly conventional war.  Little by little the ethical restrictions on weapon research are chipped away, and each day the world inches closer to devastation.

Spies are the big players in this costly game, fighting an endless tug-of-war of sabotage and espionage -- and each year they're being outfitted with more advanced gadgets to aid in their invisible war.


[hider=The Factions]

[i]The United States:[/i] The U.S. has become withdrawn and xenophobic over the years, which is reflected as they barely maintain formal relations with other nations.  Expect U.S. spies to be extremely patriotic; and don't expect them to hesitate if you're in front of the barrel of their gun.

[i]The Soviet Union:[/i] The Union has begun to splinter, numerous of dissidents are rising within their ranks and brutal policies have been enacted to keep them in line.  Expect Soviet agents to be de-sensitized to this line of work, the patriots are becoming disillusioned by their own country and many cope through emotional detachment. 

[i]Britain:[/i] Cameras and police line every street of Britain now, as they're unwilling to let the mistake of the stolen ABMS plans repeat itself.  Despite a decrease in personal freedom, the standard of living has generally increased and their economic troubles have mostly disappeared.  Expect British spies to be charismatic and cunning; many have a strong sense of personal freedom and their job allows them to work with little restriction.
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[hider=Character Sheet]


[i]Name:[/i] Your characters name or alias.

[i]Faction:[/i] What faction your spy works for, if any, and how devoted they are to it.

[i]Appearance:[/i] Spies tend to look as average as possible, but many have identifying marks or are unusually handsome or ugly.

[i]Background:[/i] Be vague here, things that the other agents would be able to tell from your mannerisms or skills.

[i]Skills:[/i] Be they violent or diplomatic, technical or physical, agents are defined by their skill sets.

[i]Signature Gadget:[/i] Every spy has their signature gadget.  It could be anything from a special gun, car, or even a seemingly innocuous article of clothing.

[b]A [b]picture[/b] is not required but you can include one if you want to.[/b]
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Remember that despite the grim setting, it is by no means grounded in reality.  Get creative with your characters and gadgets!