Consulting detectives have existed since the 1830s but were only available to the rich, soon to be rich, corporations, and governments. They are brilliant people who can and do solve the most baffling crimes, sometimes without even leaving their homes.

With their brilliance comes many quirks, such as a great love of fine food, a condescending nature, or being very shy around the opposite sex. They tend to spend most of their days shut away in their studies, libraries, workshops, and laboratories. They are always well dressed, even at home, unless for some reason they have to personally undertake an active investigation. They are very moody as a rule and can become manic without warning when their mind has latched onto a key fact of the case.

Sleuths are a combination of investigator, intimidator, and problem solver. They made private investigations affordable to the masses. They are generally loners, sometimes working in an office with another sleuth but rarely working with anyone else, including the police. Most are ex-police officers and have a love-hate relationship with the police, having both friends and enemies on the force. They are not above taking on an active police case, and they will do anything in their power – whether it means following the law or bending it until it breaks – to solve their clients’ problems.

Sleuths tend to dress nondescriptly but conservative to fit into most situations. They are never without a suit coat, jacket, or overcoat, to conceal their weapon, lockpicks, and other tools of the trade.

The sleuth flourished from the 1920s to the 1960s, but by the beginning of the 1970s, they had fallen out of favor and were replaced almost entirely by the private investigator.

The private investigators gained popularity in the 1970s and still are widespread today. In addition to former civil and military police offices, ex-cons, housewives, and college students have all joined the ranks of investigators. They can and often do operate alone but also can just as easily work in pairs or groups, or with a snoop, when the job is big enough.

Investigators tend to use deception, fast talking, and general razzle-dazzle to get information from unsuspecting persons. They refrain from using fists or a gun unless absolutely necessary, as getting out of an assault charge can be hazardous to the investigator’s career.

The investigator tends to dress so that they can easily blend into the current situation. They are not above donning disguises and clothes to attempt to slip into areas they could nor get into normally.

With the advent of modern electronics and the Internet comes the introduction of a new kind of private investigator: the snoop. Rather than gaining information via direct confrontation, they use electronic means. They are as comfortable with bugs, cameras, and Internet hacking as an investigator is with pulling a scam to gain information. The snoop comes in all shapes and sizes, but they tend robe on the quiet side. They have patience honed by long periods of solo surveillance. Even when working as a team with one or more investigators, they rend ro be off by themselves doing their job and supplying the rest with the information gained.

The one potentially dangerous part of the snoops’ job is when they have to go into a location and plant surveillance equipment. Most snoops don’t like this part of their job, but they do it themselves rather than letting some amateur (usually another investigator) handle their equipment.

Typical Private Investigator

Reflexes 2D+2: brawling 3D, climbing 3D+l, dodge 3D+1, melee combat 3D,sneak 4D
Coordination 2D+1: marksmanship 3D+1, lockpicking 4D
Physique 3D: lifting 3D+1, running 4D, swimming 3D+1
Knowledge 3D: business 3D+2, forgery
4D,scholar: criminology 3D+1, security 4D, tech 3D+1
Perception 3D: hide 4D, investigation 4D+2, search 4D, streetwise 4D, tracking 4D
Presence 3D: charm 4D, con 4D, disguise 4D, intimidation 4D, persuasion 4D, willpower 3D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 19
Wound levels: 3

Disadvantages: Quirk (R2), some obsession or shyness

Advantages: Authority: Law Enforcement (R1)

Special Abilities: none

Equipment: long coat (+2 to hide totals when attempting to conceal something in the coat); lockpicking tools (+1D to lockpicking rolls with skill); handgun (damage 3D; range 10/20/30; ammo 6)