Master Spy NPC build and how to play one advice (PF)

[Reprimand]

Hi I am working on a court intrigue campaign for pathfinder but I'm having trouble finding a base class for my villain in the shadows. I was thinking,

Rogue 5 (Spy Archetype) and going into master spy for the next 10 levels.

(Dumps trapfinding and trap sense for poison use and a few other nasty things)

Basically the longer the game goes on the harder it becomes to find or even find out that the queen of the kingdom is an imposer working to kill the king and usher in a new age. The spy starts out neither evil nor chaotic as she's just doing her job collecting information about the kingdom.

At later levels of the Master spy class she can even dupe things like locate person trying to find the queen which targets her instead. Or pretend to be under the effect of a domination or charm spell to fool people into thinking she was just being controlled.

Some advice as far as feats would be appropriated as well as some tricks to keep my villain's nose clean or how to play the aristocratic game.

Two feats are required for the class Deceitful and Iron Will

[BRC]

What spy worth her salt is in there alone. She should have some accomplices to do her dirty work for her. If she's sucsesfully impersonated the Queen, then her main priority will be stopping people from seeing through her disguise. She's already got plenty of access, and should avoid working directly.
I'm not sure how she's looking like the Queen, but get her a Hat of Disguise, or something similar, that she wears when sneaking around the castle or meeting with her cats-paws. Maybe some sort of magical Cloak that hides her face and renders her undetectable by magic. The PC's can hear about a mysterious "Cloaked Woman", with no idea it's the Queen.

As for her minions, assuming fairly standard Western Medieval stuff.

Sir Quentin Hawcliff: The previous Captain of the Guard died under mysterious circumstances. Sir Quentin Hawcliff was chosen to replace him. Well intentioned, but not too bright, Sir Hawcliff trusts the Queen unconditionally, she has him wrapped around her finger, appealing to his notions of chivalry and duty, and therefore made him an unwitting part in her schemes. He believes that she has taken him into special confidence, and never for a moment doubts her identity or intentions.

Sgt Jack Fletcher: A common-born footsoldier with a cunning mind, denied further advancement due to his birth and his somewhat mercenary nature. While Sir Hawcliff concerns himself with the actions of the Royal Bodyguards, it is Sgt Fletcher who is running the less-glamorous soldiers who patrol the court. He also does not know about the Queen's true nature, but he IS working for the mysterious Cloaked Woman.

Baron Arlen of Steedswatch: A trusted advisor and longtime ally of the Court, Baron Arlen is one of the King's most trusted councilors. He is also terrified of The Queen, who has somehow learned some secret of his and has been blackmailing him for some time now. He dosn't know The Queen's true identity or agenda either, merely that she is not exactly what she seems. He is far too terrified to do anything about it though.


Danielle: A recent addition to the Palace staff. Danielle is a quiet woman who works as one of The Queen's chambermaids. Obedient and competent (Her duties rarely consist of more than cleaning or keeping The Queen's cup full), Danielle is just one unremarkable servant among many at court.
However, she is not what she seems. Danielle is a skilled spy, assassin, and saboteur. She does most of The Queen's dirty work while at court, moving documents, conveying messages, and arranging for convenient "Accidents". Danielle may know The Queen's real identity, or she may be working for The Cloaked Woman. If she does know who the queen really is, she's very loyal and would die before talking.

[Reprimand]

What spy worth her salt is in there alone. She should have some accomplices to do her dirty work for her. If she's sucsesfully impersonated the Queen, then her main priority will be stopping people from seeing through her disguise. She's already got plenty of access, and should avoid working directly.
I'm not sure how she's looking like the Queen, but get her a Hat of Disguise, or something similar, that she wears when sneaking around the castle or meeting with her cats-paws. Maybe some sort of magical Cloak that hides her face and renders her undetectable by magic. The PC's can hear about a mysterious "Cloaked Woman", with no idea it's the Queen.

As for her minions, assuming fairly standard Western Medieval stuff.

Sir Quentin Hawcliff: The previous Captain of the Guard died under mysterious circumstances. Sir Quentin Hawcliff was chosen to replace him. Well intentioned, but not too bright, Sir Hawcliff trusts the Queen unconditionally, she has him wrapped around her finger, appealing to his notions of chivalry and duty, and therefore made him an unwitting part in her schemes. He believes that she has taken him into special confidence, and never for a moment doubts her identity or intentions.

Sgt Jack Fletcher: A common-born footsoldier with a cunning mind, denied further advancement due to his birth and his somewhat mercenary nature. While Sir Hawcliff concerns himself with the actions of the Royal Bodyguards, it is Sgt Fletcher who is running the less-glamorous soldiers who patrol the court. He also does not know about the Queen's true nature, but he IS working for the mysterious Cloaked Woman.

Baron Arlen of Steedswatch: A trusted advisor and longtime ally of the Court, Baron Arlen is one of the King's most trusted councilors. He is also terrified of The Queen, who has somehow learned some secret of his and has been blackmailing him for some time now. He dosn't know The Queen's true identity or agenda either, merely that she is not exactly what she seems. He is far too terrified to do anything about it though.


Danielle: A recent addition to the Palace staff. Danielle is a quiet woman who works as one of The Queen's chambermaids. Obedient and competent (Her duties rarely consist of more than cleaning or keeping The Queen's cup full), Danielle is just one unremarkable servant among many at court.
However, she is not what she seems. Danielle is a skilled spy, assassin, and saboteur. She does most of The Queen's dirty work while at court, moving documents, conveying messages, and arranging for convenient "Accidents". Danielle may know The Queen's real identity, or she may be working for The Cloaked Woman. If she does know who the queen really is, she's very loyal and would die before talking.

Wow, this is really high quality stuff, thanks a ton. The actual Master Spy Class addresses most of those issues those, I mean I get a bonus equal to my character level on bluff, disguise, and sense motive checks alone, I count as if I'm under a glibness effect while under magical questioning. Mostly she's just using great use of a disguise kit thus far, What does a hat of disguise do exactly?

[BRC]

Wow, this is really high quality stuff, thanks a ton. The actual Master Spy Class addresses most of those issues those, I mean I get a bonus equal to my character level on bluff, disguise, and sense motive checks alone, I count as if I'm under a glibness effect while under magical questioning. Mostly she's just using great use of a disguise kit thus far, What does a hat of disguise do exactly?

Hat of Disguise is a continuous Disguise Self spell. Good for dramatic changes of appearance. It's probably not a good idea for her disguise as The Queen, because while it can appear as a variety of hats, it must appear as a hat, and the moment she takes it off the disguise goes away. It also means people would detect an illusion with a Detect Magic or Truesight spell. Mundane disguises are probably better here.

For her "Cloaked Lady" disguise I would homebrew a magical cloak, maybe something like this

The Lady's Cloak: This flowing, hooded cloak is made out of dark cloth, and has several abilities.
First, while worn, the Cloak always covers the wearer's face in shadow. No amount of illumination and no spot check can be made to identify the Wearer unless the observer is under the effects of True Sight, in which case they must still make a spot check. This never hampers the wearer's ability to see or hear
Second: If an observer sees underneath the Cloak, the wearer appears to be clad in a nondescript grey cloth shirt, pants, and gloves (A True Seeing effect may bypass this).
Third: The wearer of the Cloak is under a continual Nondetection effect.
Fourth: The Cloak grants it's wearer a bonus (you decide how high) on Stealth checks.
Fifth: While active, the Cloak disguises it's wearer's voice. It cannot imitate a specific voice, but it makes the wearer's voice unrecognizable as their own.
Sixth: The Cloak may cast Message, several times a day, as the spell.
Seventh: the wearer of the cloak may, as a swift action, deactivate it. It appears as a nonmagical cloak, cape, shawl scarf, or similar garment of whatever appearance and design the wearer wishes. While in this form all effects of the cloak are Inactive, and a Spellcraft check is needed to detect it's magical aura.


As she levels up, the Cloak could also give her spells like Blur, Dimensional Door, Invisibility, or Etherealness. It's got a lot of tricks, but they're basically all built for one very specific purpose: letting her sneak around the castle and meet with her minions without revealing her identity. In this case I imagine it's "Basic" form is a cloth shawl or something, she can quickly switch it between forms. For example, if the PC's are chasing the "Cloaked Lady" around the castle and she loses them for a moment, she can deactivate it and there is The Queen, who just saw a strange cloaked figure run down the hallway past her.

[Reprimand]

Any thoughts on manipulating more nobles or furthering her control over the country?

[BRC]

Any thoughts on manipulating more nobles or furthering her control over the country?

I'd really need to know more about what her goals are and the nature of the country. Generally, there are four ways to subvert people: Fear (like with the Baron), Greed (Like with Jack Fletcher), Deceit (Like with Sir Hawcliff), or Loyalty (like with Danielle). If she just wants to put a knife in the king's back, she's already in a good position to do that.
One option could be she (through Danielle) has been slipping the King a mild poison. Not enough to produce any real noticeable effects, but enough to make him lethargic, give him headaches, and make him open to suggestions. Encourage him to focus less attention on the affairs of state, leaving more of it in the hands of his Queen or his Ministers (Who have been, or are in the process of being subverted). She should probably avoid overt magical effects like Charm Person , as those could be detected by curious spellcasters. Perfectly mundane methods of persuasion can be just as effective.

[Reprimand]

Oh she really doesn't want to kill anyone as much as she does want to create a country loyal to her. And quietly rule out the rest of her life living like, well royalty. The Queen was actually pretty poor before all this. Since she was a child she wanted to live inside the castle. She already pretty much has the king dancing on strings why would she need to kill him? The only reason she might kill him is to re-marry a younger man more suitable to her taste but again she needs a loyal country before she could make such a big step.

The getting him to step down politically with small doses of poison might actually be a great idea, I'd just hate if some cleric decides to cast detect poison.

[BRC]

Ah, so it's a Silent Coup type situation.
If her goal is simply to gain control, then she has little need to win the loyalty of people, not so long as she is confident she can avoid detection and make her directives seem reasonable. One of her endgame moves could be to kill the King and frame the PC's, then play the part of a grieving widow heroically filling her dead husband's throne while hunting down the traitors who killed him.

Positions she'll want to control

The Court Treasurer: Giving her access to the royal coffers.

The Military: if word gets out about her identity it may spark an uprising, a loyal military is more likely to fight for the "True" Queen.

The Court Wizard or Cleric: They're the ones most likely to realize something is wrong. If they also serve as the Court Doctor, then if they are fully subverted they can help with the poisoning.

[Reprimand]

Ah, so it's a Silent Coup type situation.
If her goal is simply to gain control, then she has little need to win the loyalty of people, not so long as she is confident she can avoid detection and make her directives seem reasonable. One of her endgame moves could be to kill the King and frame the PC's, then play the part of a grieving widow heroically filling her dead husband's throne while hunting down the traitors who killed him.

What would be some good example character backgrounds for a campaign taking place entirely around the court like this? Maybe a few examples for each class. Just so my players might better understand this sort of thing.

[BRC]

What would be some good example character backgrounds for a campaign taking place entirely around the court like this? Maybe a few examples for each class. Just so my players might better understand this sort of thing.

Alright, this is kind of long. I got a little carried away with it.
Courtly intrigue
The first thing a character should establish is their social standing. Social standing and reputation is but a higher Social Strata is not always a good thing. I would group your characters into three social classes. It should be noted that these are NOT representative of a character’s actual abilities, those are handled by character class. Instead, this is the position the character occupies at court.
I’ll provide specific examples later, when I talk about Factions.
Courtier: This is the highest social class available to PC’s. A Courtier is there as a representative of some faction with a vested interest. A Courtier’s main benefit is the ability to make their voice heard. Their position and title demand respect. Generally speaking, Courtiers will only listen to other Courtiers, so if the PC’s want to level a formal accusation, they will have a very hard time without somebody at this strata. The downside is that Courtier must fulfill their obligations and keep a careful eye on their reputation. In addition, a Courtier is immediately recognizable. Courtiers will have a lot of trouble doing clandestine investigations. If the Courtier is seen slipping into a servant’s room (To search for evidence), they will have to explain themselves.
Functionaries: A Functionary is at Court to serve some specific purpose. They possess some skill or talent that makes them useful or necessary. They may or may not have noble blood, but that is not what defines them. A Functionary may not command respect, but they can make people do what they say, especially other functionaries and servants.
Servant: Servants are the invisible masses that let the Court function. Unlike the other two strata, just about any class can be a Servant, since all they have to do is basic menial tasks and say “Yes my lord”. Servant’s have no status, and no real ability to change things, but they have a significant advantage. An especially observant nobleman may recognize his own servants, but so long as they walk with apparent purpose, they can go just about anywhere.
Factions: Everbody is working for somebody at the Court. I’ll give some sample characters at each Social Strata for each Faction.
The Royal Family: Pretty self explanatory, this faction represents the Royals themselves.
Courtier: A distant nephew of the King, theoretically in line for the throne. Their birth gives them a place at the Court, so they could be just about any class. For example, an artistically inclined relative of the King’s could be a Bard.
Functionary: A Knight who serves as part of the Royal Guards. Potentially the second son of a nobleman given the position as a favor, or simply a common soldier elevated for their talents.
Servant: One of the common guards who patrol the halls. Just as talented as one of the above-mentioned Royal Guards, but without the glamour or bloodline to get noticed and elevated.
A Noble House: Noble houses send representatives to Court, usually living in manor houses near the palace. These Nobles represent their families at court functions, plead with the King on behalf of their houses, and make the appropriate gestures of Loyalty and volunteer their services if the King should require them.
Courtier: A Nobleman, perhaps the sibling of a Count or Barong, sent to court to fulfill the house’s social obligations. Like with the Royal Family Courtiers, just about any class can fill this role. For example, a Nobleman who is fond of hunting could have levels in Ranger.
Functionary: An Alchemist could serve as the personal physician to a Nobleman.
Servant: A wanted Criminal who sought protection by working as a Cupbearer in a noble house could very well have levels of Rogue. Noble Servants may be brought from the Nobleman’s home territory, or they may be hired locally.
The Mage’s College: The Mages College stands ever ready to serve their royal patrons, and therefore must have a presence at court.
Courtier: A Wizard who, through talent at magic or politics, is appointed one of the College’s representatives at the Court. Theoretically they are there to volunteer their services if the King requires them, but their real purpose is to attend the proper parties, make oaths of fealty, and ensure the Court makes favorable decisions for the College. In addition, they may be consulted on magical matters.
Functionary: A Wizard with plenty of talent but who lacks the tact, charisma, or connections to be declared an official representative. They may work in the Library, or simply be around in case the College needs a few more casters for something.
Servant: A Sorceror who has been secretly honing his gifts. He’s there to trim the Wizard’s beards, clean their robes and wax their staves, but he’s a capable spellcaster in his own right, only he won’t tell anybody.
The Church: The Church is obviously a powerful force at court. It’s role there is fairly similar to the Mage’s college.
Courtier: A Cleric who has been appointed one of the Church’s representatives. Their role at court is fairly similar to the other Courtiers. They make the proper appearances, plead on behalf of the Church, and offer advice on spiritual matters.
Functionary: A Paladin sent by the Church to serve as a bodyguard for the Clerics, or just to make themselves useful if there is any evil that needs smiting.
Servant: A Monk who is a low-ranking Acolyte in the Church. Their duties mainly include cooking, cleaning, and carrying things for the Clerics. When not on duty, they practice punching, and have gotten very, very good at it.
The Merchant’s Guild: The Court, and the nobles at it, spend a lot of money, and take out a lot of loans, in both cases with the Merchant’s Guild. They are somewhat disdained at Court, as they lack Noble Blood or magical power. However, as a powerful commercial force in the Kingdom, they have more than earned their right to a presence at court. Also, if anybody tries to kick them out they’ll probably collect on all the debts they are owed.
Courtier: A Rouge could very well serve as the charismatic representative of the Guild. Sent on behalf of one or more powerful trading houses to speak on their behalf. Their time fighting pirates (Or perhaps, being a pirate) on the High Seas has given them a nasty skill with blades.
Functionary: An Accountant, sent by the Guild to keep track of all the money they are spending and receiving. They have levels in Wizard because, once you’ve cracked the byzantine tax code established centuries ago by illiterate warlords, figuring out magic is easy.
Servant: Years working as a Blacksmith on behalf of the Guild has given this character powerful muscles and skill with a Hammer, Also serious Anger Issues, leading to levels in Barbarian. They were brought to court to work in the Royal Armories.

Two things: First, don’t be afraid to hand out mechanical benefits for people in order to let them fulfill the roles they imagine they have. Anybody who wants to be a Courtier, for example, should have Diplomacy and Sense Motive, feel free to give them those as a class skill. That Barbarian Blacksmith may not want to spend skill ranks learning how to make Horseshoes, so give him a few free skill points in Craft: Metalsmithing.
Also, I’ve found that characters can be part of different Social Strata and still work cohesively as a party, especially if their characters are linked somehow, and respect each other as equals. For example, you could have one character playing a Charismatic, musically inclined Nobleman (A Bard), with his scarred veteran Bodyguard ( A Fighter), and his unassuming manservant who possesses a very handy skillset (Rogue). Technically, the Bard can order the other two characters around, but if your players respect each other enough then they won’t abuse this power.



Edit: The Queen needs some agenda besides "Be The Queen". you'll need some catalyst to get the PC's involved in the mystery. If her end goal is simply to stay the Queen,then maybe somebody at court was set to expose her, so she had him killed (probably by Danielle or a guard in Flint's employ), and that murder serves to get the PC's involved.

[Reprimand]

Wow, this makes it so much easier to plot out my campaign. I've been stumped for so long on getting some actual substance down for my game. Thanks for the great help!