Look Like You Belong: Week 5, Period 3

[tricksy_spy]

"Afternoon, everyone," Aly said, smiling once all the students were present.  "You all did a good job last week blending into the tavern.  If anyone was wondering, that's a tavern from my world.  The Dancing Dove was the Court of the King of Thieves for a long time.  And Rispah was the Queen of the Ladies."

"Today we're going to look at what you can do if you have a little bit more time to prepare."  She pointed towards the board where two lists had already been written.

• Develop your legend - your backstory.  Keeping details close to your actual life - at least at first - can help you remember and sound truthful.
• Decide on a current cover: name, job, purpose
• Choose an appropriate look or disguise.
• Gather pocket litter or other props to support the disguise.  Each item needs to be appropriate to the persona. 
  
• Learn local customs, accents, slang. 
  
• Match your vocabulary/language to your character's education.

Five Tips for Maintaining Consistency

• Use correct jargon for your assumed profession/role
• Know how much travel and life experience your character has. 
  
• Avoid personal discussions about your pretend family.
• Close questioning sessions quickly.  Avoid the questions by giving the information before it's asked for and by giving enough information to shut down further questions.
• If you think you're about to be exposed, get out of the one on one conversation.  Invite someone to join the conversational group or suggest a coffee or trip.  Anything to give you a chance to lower the pressure and get back into character.

"These are the guidelines I use when I'm teaching how to go undercover in a spying situation.  What I want you to do today is plan a disguise and a background for blending in in oh, say, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro to be exact.  Work with a partner if you like, and make sure you consider not only what you'll wear, but also your backstory and how you're going to keep it consistent.  There are moddable materials on Brazil throughout the room, feel free to use those as well as this handout for research."

[OOC: OCD is a comin' up!]