When dealing with Dark Minions and cultist activities, it may occur to Operatives that surely there is some device they could use to track their enemies.
The problem is, no one actually knows anything about the Dark Minions. Sure, there seems to be some tie between Dark Minions and Empathy, but what actually is it, and what does that link mean?
Nobody knows. However, given that there are Empaths arising from within humanity, there may be some opportunity to explore this link and maybe track Empathy... somehow? There are certainly Test Subjects around (indeed, an Operative can actually be one), so someone is obviously doing their best to work out what is going on.
Enter the Paraphysicist's Field Kit.
A Unique Item
Attentive Operatives will quickly spot the Paraphysicist's Field Kit in the Equipment chapter - it is even quite easy to get hold of, and the Company will likely dispatch one on request. There are, of course, some drawbacks.
First, Operatives may begin to twig that each Paraphysicist's Field Kit is unique. These are far from being mass-produced, and each has had tweaks here and there... or may be based off completely different principles.
Second... they are really hard to use! Someone with a high INT and plenty of ranks in Science (paraphysics) may get some sense of success every now and again - but they will be far from reliable. However, with diligence, a skilled Operative may begin, slowly and dimly, to understand what it is this device is trying to tell them. Checks will get easier, and they will start to figure out when a human is using Empathic powers or if a Dark Minion is lurking (very) close by.
Know What? I'll Build My Own!
There are very real limits to what can be achieved with a Paraphysicist's Field Kit delivered from the Company. An Operative who begins to develop a deeper understanding of the Dark and Empathy may be tempted to build their own device based on their own ideas.
This is quite an involved process, requiring knowledge of paraphysics, electronics, mechanics and an actual Empath... however, a skilled group of Operatives may well have, collectively speaking, everything needed so, combining their efforts, a customised device can be constructed that - with constant use and adjustment - might become the very best tool for hunting Dark Minions.
What they do when a Dark Minion is revealed is then up to them.
Themes in Dark Conspiracy
The Paraphysicist's Field Kit is one of the very few technological items in the coming Dark Conspiracy Core Rulebook (outside of those that come from Dark Dimensions) that is outside of our own technology today, in the modern world. And it barely functions, very much relying on the skill of the user rather than any magical capability itself.
This very much touches on one of the main themes of Dark Conspiracy: at this stage of the fight for our world, no one knows anything.
However, with persistence and a few good ideas, Operatives can begin to muddle through. There are no super weapons that can be deployed against Dark Minions, but a skilled set of Operatives with knowledge and a small amount of understanding behind them might just be able to make a difference.
At least enough to get humanity to the next stage of the war.
