British Contra-Paranormal Unit

[Plynkes]

I'm not sure about "contra-occultism" or "contra-paranormal." Speaking as a Briton it just doesn't sound a very British way of putting it.

[Westfalia Chris]

I'm not sure about "contra-occultism" or "contra-paranormal." Speaking as a Briton it just doesn't sound a very British way of putting it.

I agree on that. Maybe "Paranormal Investigation, Bureau 5" or "PI5" for short...

I like the idea, though. Not too much into all that occultism (although I´m able to enjoy myself terrifically each time I watch "Raiders of the Lost Ark"), but there´s great potential in this, methinks.

[Plynkes]

Yes, great idea. Should've said that. Wasn't trying to put a downer on it. My only reservations are about the name (though I have conspicuously failed to better it). Still thinking...  

[revford]

How about something simple like The Strange Office (SO) or The Office of Strange (TOS)?

Post War becomes The Ministry of Strange (MOS)?

[Hammers]

Yes, great idea. Should've said that. Wasn't trying to put a downer on it. My only reservations are about the name (though I have conspicuously failed to better it). Still thinking...  

No downer. This is exactly why I am posting.I have a great affection for the English language and I try to absorb as much of it as possiblr but it is, as is always the case for non-natives, difficult to master all subtleties.

I was thinking of "Contra-" as in contra-espionage? The prefix is used this way in english to, isn't it?

[Westfalia Chris]

Yes, great idea. Should've said that. Wasn't trying to put a downer on it. My only reservations are about the name (though I have conspicuously failed to better it). Still thinking...  

No downer. This is exactly why I am posting.I have a great affection for the English language and I try to absorb as much of it as possiblr but it is, as is always the case for non-natives, difficult to master all subtleties.

I was thinking of "Contra-" as in contra-espionage? The prefix is used this way in english to, isn't it?

While not a Briton per se, I studied English literature and language for several years, and would join Plynkes in that "contra" sounds rather unusual; I think "counter-" would be more appropriate, since I´ve repeatedly come across the term "counterespionage", the only instance of the word "contra" in the english language I can recall being the right-wing South American militias financed by the Reagan administration back in the 1980s.

[Plynkes]

Yes, Chris has it. "Counter-Espionage" has a familiar enough ring to it. I too, when I hear "Contra" I think of Nicaragua, Oliver North and all that. That's pretty much the only time I have ever heard that word used in English.

Though I would hesitate to recommend Counter-Occult or Counter-Paranormal. While perfectly acceptable (and good for a fall-back if the Lead Adventurers fail to find anything better), they lack a certain je ne sais quoi.

Still thinking...

[twrchtrwyth]

What about the Paranormal Operations Executive and the Special Occult Service. I like the sound of the Long Range Occult Group to.

(Don't supose I can convince you to add a Druid or two in there can I. :: )

[PeteMurray]

I always thought the Brits and the US Navy were exceptionally fond of the phrasing: Object, Specific Kind. PIAT, LCM, LCT... these all follow that peculiar, utterly non-conversational turn of phrase.

How about SOM for Service, Occult Matters. Then you get them to codename all their operations after items/people/events associated with the Battle of the Somme during the Great War. For example, OPERATION MAMETZ was to purge werewolves roaming around the Ardennes, so as to keep those overextended Yanks from being turned into zombies.

And then when you have mastered the English language, you may attempt to learn American.

Lesson 1: I am; you are; he/she/it is; we are; y'all are; they are

[Plynkes]

That turn of phrase is very common in the British military for objects and equipment, Pete, less so for organisations.

Projector, Infantry, Anti Haemavore. 20mm sharp wooden projectile launcher, vampire-removal for the use of.

That sounds to me like a goer. But I think your organisation would simply be The Occult Matters Service. So you'd have to rejig the name to get "Somme" in there.

Whatever we call it, it would be an arm of the Ministry of the Rum and Uncanny but no doubt under the remit of countless other bodies too, giving plenty of scope for inter-service rivalries and intrigue. In true Brit tradition there should be another, ever so slightly different task force whose responsibilities overlap with those of our gang, thus causing even more friction.

[Westfalia Chris]

That sounds to me like a goer. But I think your organisation would simply be The Occult Matters Service. So you'd have to rejig the name to get "Somme" in there.

Good Lord, what will their staff canteen be called? T.O.M.S. Diner? ::

[Overlord]

That sounds to me like a goer. But I think your organisation would simply be The Occult Matters Service. So you'd have to rejig the name to get "Somme" in there.

Good Lord, what will their staff canteen be called? T.O.M.S. Diner? ::

Still better than being a TOSser  :oops:

How about something simple like The Strange Office (SO) or The Office of Strange (TOS)?

[fastolfrus]

Bletchley was sometimes known as Station X, and there was a chain of listening posts run by RN known as Y stations dating back to WWI used to intercept wireless sigmals (the Germans had a Y service too, used to triangulate allied air raiders).

So how about a Z service ? Or the Z files perhaps ?
If you want to keep a naval connection, HMS Zulu might be appropriate.

Otherwise an NID (Naval Intelligence Division) department might be a possibility, although they had fairly innocuous names. The only one I know of was Room 40, naval codebreaking who intercepted WWI German signals traffic.

[revford]

Still better than being a TOSser  :oops:

That was the great name I had in mind for them.  

Sounds like a first class nickname for members of a special military branch.

[Hammers]

Dear me, I am getting spoiled for choice here...


I really like the idea of MI13 (double-0?... tripple-6?) agents stepping on the toes of their civilian equivalent in The Occult Matters Service (Ministry of the Rum and Uncanny) in a hoplessly uncoordinated operation against the same target.

Projector, Infantry, Anti Haemavore reminds me of that day back in the navy when I had been sent to hand in a requisition for hammer, ball, small, quantity of one.