Hello
Hey! I have some questions about personal gear...
I'm assuming that walking around carrying swords or guns, or wearing armor, would immediately draw the attention of Royalist soldiers? If not, are all the standard SW Core "medieval" types of armor available? And can chainmail be worn under everyday clothes?
And, if you're being super-realistic for the time period, I would assume that a woman wearing armor or weapons would draw a lot of attention?
What about horses? Would only the modest-to-very wealthy own them? If we're living among the peasants, wouldn't a horse stand out? Or are horses common enough that even relatively poor folk can own one? And if so, I'd assume there are public stables to house them when we're not using them?
Just trying to visualize what our day-to-day environment is like...
This is the 19th century. People generally did not wear armor in those days. It is a port city during the Napoleonic wars so a woman wearing a pistol or a knife or dagger would be appropriate. As a criollo, there was a lot more lee-way. Having a horse was pretty commonplace in New Granadan society.
Elena
How she appears to locals
To the people of Buenaventura she would seem:
Too fashionable for this swampy frontier,
Too confident,
Too well-spoken,
And unmistakably foreign to the region.
Her Caracas accent was sharper, her clothing cuts more Caribbean-influenced, and her standards of comfort much higher than those on the Pacific coast. Even if she tried to blend in, people noticed.
But her cover story—visiting family, meeting merchants, following up on business shipments—was easy to accept. The port constantly had people coming and going under vague pretexts.
Morning: A Woman With a Purpose
She wakes before dawn, trained by coastal heat to do anything important early.
But unlike local criollas, she is:
Actively writing letters,
Reviewing cargo manifests,
Listening for rumors,
Sending servants with messages to customs officers or clerks.
Her real mission might be:
monitoring contraband shipments,
arranging a private meeting with a ship captain,
scouting the Pacific route for her family’s cacao or añil (indigo) trade,
or quietly observing political shifts (e.g., royalist or independence sentiments).
From Caracas she was used to a fast-moving, Caribbean-facing, mercantile world. Buenaventura feels slow, wet, and behind the times, but also perfect for hiding.
Someone on a secret mission would find this port extremely convenient:
remote, poorly supervised, and always full of excuses.
Midday: Isolation, Suspicion, and Quiet Influence
As a “respectable foreign lady,” she cannot wander too freely—but that restriction helps her.
People visit her:
wives of small officials,
merchants’ partners,
curious townsfolk eager to hear news from the Caribbean.
She learns more by pouring chocolate for them than she ever could on the streets.
Meanwhile:
A clerk mentions a ship from Guayaquil arriving early
A merchant’s wife whispers about unusual activity on the docks
A servant overhears a discussion about hidden crates
Buenaventura is a gossip engine, and she knows how to tune it.
She spends the hottest hours doing domestic work as expected, but behind the façade she is:
organizing coded correspondence,
checking whether the paper seal on her chest of “family supplies” has been disturbed,
or sorting documents she’ll pass to a trusted courier.
Afternoon: A Woman Out of Place
Her differences become more obvious here.
1. Social expectations
Criollas in Buenaventura were accustomed to muddy paths, informal manners, and a mixed-race society.
She, in contrast:
dresses more finely,
expects predictable hospitality,
reacts visibly to the insects, mud, and oppressive humidity.
People talk about her.
She knows the gossip; she calculates it into her cover.
2. The environment
Caracas is vibrant, breezy, and urban compared to Buenaventura’s:
stagnant mangrove smells
omnipresent mosquitoes
thick river mud
thunderstorms that shake the windows
dense jungle pressing in from every direction
She keeps a perfumed handkerchief near her face constantly.
3. Suspicion
Her polite reason for being in town raises just enough curiosity:
Why travel from Caracas to such an isolated port?
Why alone?
Why now, when unrest is spreading across the colonies?
She deflects with ease:
“My uncle’s partner has interests out of Guayaquil.”
“My family wished me to check on a delayed shipment.”
“I am only passing through.”
These answers are technically believable, but everyone senses there is more.
Evening: Storms, Secrets, and Ships
Evenings are when her real work happens.
She might:
meet discretely with a ship captain on the pretext of “discussing a letter from my brother,”
bribe a low-ranking customs officer with a bit of Caribbean rum or a beautifully folded envelope,
review the night’s cargo movements from her window,
listen to distant drums from Afro-Pacific communities while waiting for a coded signal.
Thunderstorms help—no one questions lantern light or movement during a storm.
Isolation and danger mean she sleeps lightly:
rats in the rafters,
wind pushing water under the doors,
the constant fear of disease,
and the knowledge that she is in a place where accidents happen easily.
But beneath all this discomfort lies the strategic advantage:
No one in power is watching closely.
Overall: What Makes Her Life and Experience Unique
She is outwardly fragile, inwardly calculating.
Her “delicate Caracas sensibilities” give her the perfect mask.
She uses social expectations as camouflage.
A respectable criolla woman isn’t expected to be in the center of political or economic maneuvering—so no one suspects her.
She is always balancing discomfort with opportunity.
The mud, the insects, the storms—she hates them.
But the privacy of Buenaventura is worth every drop of sweat.
She is a foreign presence in a liminal place.
Her polished Havana-imported fan looks absurd in the mangroves, but also powerful.
Her days are a blend of household routine and covert intent.
Tea and needlework on the surface; secret accounting and political observation underneath.
I do not remember if I listed equipment in the recruitment thread or the interest thread. But I could do that if you guys wish.
Thanks for all the background ideas, but in my mind I kind of pictured her as giving up all her family's well-to-do ways when she ran away from home, and was pretending to be more of an on-her-own peasant (she held on to her papers in case she was ever stopped by the Royalist guards). She could have learned to change her accent and speech while with the previous resistance cells. I'll look over your ideas in more detail tomorrow and get back to you.
I don't remember any equipment lists, but I figured it would be the low-tech stuff from the SW Core rules - leather/chainmail/plate armor, swords, and flintlock rifles and pistols.
Yeah, by the 19th century, no one was wearing armor, except some traditional cavalry units in Europe but that was for the parade ground. In South America with its tropical climate, would not happen.
Here is an equipment list:
⚔️ WEAPONS OF THE INDEPENDENCE WARS (SWADE-Ready)
All weapons are flintlock era, mid-quality colonial manufacture unless noted otherwise.
► Melee Weapons
Weapon Damage Notes
Infantry Saber / Hanger Str+d6 Standard Spanish colonial sidearm.
Cavalry Saber (Heavy) Str+d8 +1 damage when mounted at a gallop.
Machete Str+d6 Common among militias, llaneros, Afro-descendant troops.
Bayonet Str+d4 Can be attached to musket but cannot fire while fixed.
Lance Str+d6 +2 damage on a successful charge; iconic for llaneros/gauchos.
Knife / Dagger Str+d4 Concealable.
FIREARMS
All weapons are unrifled flintlocks unless marked otherwise.
Reloading a single-shot firearm typically takes 1 full action (SWADE standard).
► Muskets
Weapon Range Damage RoF AP Notes
Spanish Infantry Musket (Model 1757/1792) 12/24/48 2d8 1 1 Military standard. Unreliable in rain (+2 to critical failure in storms).
Militia Musket / Hunting Fusil 10/20/40 2d6 1 0 Common among irregulars.
Rifled Musket (rare) 15/30/60 2d8 1 1 Long reload (2 actions); possessed mostly by foreign volunteers or wealthy officers.
► Pistols
Weapon Range Damage RoF AP Notes
Flintlock Pistol 5/10/20 2d6 1 — Cavaliers typically carry two.
Officer’s Pistol (fine) 5/10/20 2d6+1 1 — +1 to Shooting rolls (Fine Quality).
► Shotguns (Escopetas)
Weapon Range Damage RoF AP Notes
Double-Barrel Escopeta 5/10/20 2d6 1 — Can fire both barrels at once for +d6 and recoil penalty (SWADE rule).
SPECIAL WEAPONS
Weapon Stats Notes
Grenado (Hand Grenade) Str+d6, MBT, AP 2 Very rare; mostly siege use. Misfire on 1 on Athletics roll.
Cavalry Carbine 10/20/40, 2d6, AP 0 Designed for horsemen; reload awkward on horseback.
Blunderbuss Cone Template, 2d6 Devastating at close range; useless beyond 5”.
️ ARMOR (Very Rare)
Armor was almost nonexistent in South America in this period.
Armor Protection Notes
Leather Vest / Buffcoat +1 Common among gauchos, militia, or officers wanting light protection.
Cavalry Helmet (metal or leather) +2 vs head Rare, mostly ceremonial or imported from Europe.
Cuirass +3 Extremely rare; only European cuirassiers and almost never seen in South America. Usually ceremonial if present at all.
GEAR & ADVENTURING EQUIPMENT (Historical + SWADE)
Item Cost Notes
Powder Horn 5 Essential for firearms; up to 30 shots.
Bullet Mold 10 Allows creation of ammunition if lead is available.
Flints (bag of 6) 2 Each flint lasts ~20 shots.
Bedroll / Hammock 5 Hammock ideal for jungle/lowlands.
Canvas Poncho 3 Rain protection; can be used as tarp.
Spyglass 50 Expensive but common among naval officers.
Throwing Rope (Lazo) 5 Llanero/gaucho lariat; Athletics to trip or disarm.
Small Drum or Horn 10 Used for battlefield signals.
Horse Tack 10 Saddle, reins, blanket.
HORSES & MOUNTS
South American warfare relied heavily on mounted troops.
Mount Pace Notes
Criollo Horse (standard) 10 Small but extremely hardy; thrives in heat.
Llanero Horse 12 Fast over open plains; +1 to Riding in plains terrain.
Mule 8 Preferred in Andean terrain; ignores difficult mountain terrain penalties.
️♂️ SPY EQUIPMENT (Independence Wars, 19th Century)
(SWADE-friendly descriptions + historical accuracy)
CONCEALABLE COMMUNICATION TOOLS
1. Invisible Ink Kit
Cost: 20
Game Effect: Notice –2 to detect. Opposed Smarts to decode without the key.
Materials: Lemon juice, vinegar, copperas (iron sulfate), heat lamps or candle flame.
Used by royalist and patriot couriers.
2. Cipher Wheel (Portable)
Cost: 25
A small pair of rotating wooden or brass discs.
Game Effect: Requires Smarts roll to encode/decode; +1 if proficient in Cryptography.
Captured wheels can shift faction balance.
3. Book Cipher (False Book)
Cost: 10
Normal-looking book with a page-reference cipher.
Game Effect: Anyone without the key suffers –4 to decode.
Ideal for merchants, priests, or educated women.
4. Hollow Quill Message Holders
Cost: 3 each
Feather quills with micro-scrolls hidden inside.
Game Effect: +2 to smuggle past inspections.
Real technique used in Europe and the Caribbean.
5. Wax Seal Molds (Forgery Kit)
Cost: 25
Molds for copying official seals: Cabildos, military units, merchants.
Game Effect: +2 to Forgery rolls involving documents.
Risky — possession can mean execution.
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING TOOLS
6. Miniature Spyglass
Cost: 40
Small, pocket-sized version used by officers and smugglers.
Game Effect: +2 to Notice at long distances.
Mountains and rivers make this extremely valuable.
7. Compass + Secret Map Case
Cost: 20
Map case with a false bottom.
Game Effect: Notice –2 to detect hidden compartment.
Great for agents posing as surveyors or engineers.
8. Listening Cone
Cost: 8
A tin cone to amplify sound through thin walls or shutters.
Game Effect: +2 Notice to overhear conversations.
Common in ports and governor residences.
9. Night Lantern with Shutter
Cost: 12
Lantern with a metal slider to send coded flashes.
Game Effect: Allows communication up to 1 mile line-of-sight in darkness.
Used heavily in coastal and river operations.
10. Powder Sniffer Box
Cost: 10
Small wooden box with chemical paper to detect gunpowder, indicating soldiers nearby.
Game Effect: +2 Notice to detect armed patrols before they arrive.
Used by smugglers and guerillas.
️ CONCEALABLE WEAPONS
11. Sleeve Dagger / Stiletto
Cost: 8
Damage: Str+d4
Notes: –2 to detect during search. Perfect for couriers and female spies.
12. Muff Pistol (for women)
Cost: 30
Tiny flintlock pistol hidden in a hand muff.
Damage: 1d6+2
Notes: Short range; +2 to Conceal.
13. Boot Pistol (single-shot)
Cost: 20
Range: 3/6/12
Damage: 2d4
Notes: Not standard military issue; popular with smugglers.
14. Covert Razor Knife
Cost: 5
A straight razor used as a weapon or for cutting open crates/letters.
Damage: Str+d4
Notes: Common among “respectable gentlemen” and officers.
DISGUISES & COVERT IDENTITY ITEMS
15. Traveling Disguise Kit
Cost: 30
Wigs, spectacles, shawls, false beards, simple dyes, altered clothing.
Game Effect: +2 to Persuasion or Performance when pretending to be someone else.
Perfect for moving between royalist/patriot zones.
16. Merchant Papers (Forged)
Cost: 15
Bills of lading, trade letters, family correspondence.
Game Effect: +2 to Persuasion when posing as a merchant or agent.
Essential in port cities like Buenos Aires, Guayaquil, or Cartagena.
17. False Rosary Case
Cost: 5
Holy rosary with a hidden capsule for micro-messages.
Notes: Nearly impossible for soldiers to question without offending clergy.
Game Effect: +4 to smuggle messages.
18. Surgical Kit (For “Doctor” Covers)
Cost: 50
Doctors and barbers moved freely across faction lines.
Game Effect: +1 Persuasion when using healer cover.
Excellent identity for a spy.
SPY GADGETS WITH HIDDEN COMPARTMENTS
19. Hollow Shoe Heel
Cost: 10
Stores small items like rings, coins, or tiny notes.
Game Effect: +2 to conceal small contraband.
20. Double-Layered Fan (For female spies)
Cost: 12
Folding fan with thin paper inside for coded markings.
Game Effect: +2 to deliver messages unnoticed during social gatherings.
Used in Caracas, Lima, Bogotá, and Buenos Aires.
21. False Bottom Saddlebag
Cost: 15
Created by gaucho and llanero craftsmen.
Game Effect: Notice –2 to detect.
Perfect for hiding pistols, letters, or gold.
22. Hollow Cane
Cost: 20
Used by priests, elderly men, merchants, or “injured” travelers.
Carries documents or a thin stiletto.
Game Effect: –2 to detect.
23. Smuggler’s Tea Tin
Cost: 5
Common household item to hide keys, seals, or coins.
Game Effect: +2 to hide small items in a house search.
❗ SPECIAL OPS ITEMS (Used by elite agents)
24. Slow Match Coil
Cost: 5
Glowing cord that can time-delay gunpowder ignition.
Use: sabotage supply depots, set fires to ships or warehouses at night.
25. Lockpicking Set (18th–19th century)
Cost: 25
Skeleton keys, hooks, picks.
Effect: +2 to Lockpicking.
26. Signal Whistle (Military)
Cost: 2
Used in jungles, plains, or mountains.
Effect: Allows coded whistle signals (GM defines patterns).
27. Oilskin Document Wallet
Cost: 5
Protects letters from rain, swamps, river crossings.
Effect: Prevents damage to maps and papers.
28. Concealable Monocular Mirror
Cost: 6
Small angled mirror used to peek around corners or over obstacles.
Effect: +2 to avoid ambushes or detection during infiltration.
OPTIONAL: CONTRABAND & BRIBERY ITEMS
29. Spanish Doubloons (Hidden)
Cost: varies
Used to bribe soldiers or port officials.
30. Foreign Trade Goods
Cheap but valuable items for bribery or covert diplomacy:
English sewing needles
French perfumes
Caribbean rum
Indigo cakes
Silk handkerchiefs
Game Effect: +1 to Persuasion with officials or officers when offered discreetly.
Having thought it over, I'd imagine that if she were to present herself as a well-to-do Criolla, she'd have to have at least the Rich Edge, which I don't want to change my build for. And she'd always have to be sneaking out of her living quarters to go on missions, usually at night, and in her "mission garb" which would look very suspicious if she were noticed.
I'm going to stick with her pretending to be an on-her-own peasant (she held on to her papers in case she was ever stopped by the Royalist guards). She could have learned to change her accent and speech while with the previous resistance cells.
But thanks for the day-in-the-life workup, you are very creative!
I don't see any prices in your equipment lists for firearms or some bladed weapons. The Bayonet, Lance, and Knife/Dagger exist in the SWD Core manual, so we can get prices for those.
You mentioned encryption in the items list, but didn't mention it in Recruitment, so I doubt any of us has the Cryptography Skill. Is this going to be a problem in-game? Could decryption just be rolled into Spycraft? Also, FWIW, *any* book can be used for a book cipher, as long as both parties know what it is - and it's virtually un-decryptable without knowing what book was used to encrypt it.