Agent Tia Senyaka
(S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Context
Agent Senyaka is a minor Marvel Comics character – an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.. She was first seen in 1998.
Many of my TTRPG campaigns in the Marvel Universe have involved interactions with S.H.I.E.L.D., so I occasionally write up an agent. It might be handy for others, eh ?
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Background
- Real Name: Tia Senyaka.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: S.H.I.E.L.D..
- Base of Operations: Mobile.
- Height: 5’8″ (1.72m). Weight: 135 lbs. (61 Kg).
- Eyes: Brown. Hair: Black.
Powers & Abilities
Tia Senyaka is a talented, well-trained technical agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..
She has an unclear amount of seniority. My guess would be level 4 (“Special officer”), but it’s ill-supported.
To pay the bills
She has demonstrated superior skills in :
- Computer hardware and software.
- Cryptography.
- Deduction and detection.
- Surveillance. Usually using cutting edge electronic doohickeys.
- Counter-surveillance. Such as sweeping for bugs, or injecting fake surveillance footage into CCTV networks.
- Parachuting and other skydiving forms. Such as the S.H.I.E.L.D. “flying squirrel” wingsuits.
- Demolitions.
She presumably has basic combat and weapons qualifications, but that’s not her normal role.
She’s apparently an adequate videographer.
Other limitations and assets
She needs slight visual correction, and is slightly afraid of heights. Neither is a genuine hindrance, though.
Ms. Senyaka is presumably an American citizen. She implied that she had formerly been with a US law-enforcement organisation with ties to the judiciary (the U.S. Marshalls ?).
If she puts effort and time in it she can be particularly beautiful. But she doesn’t bother in her everyday work, where it’s unimportant.
She’s also tall-ish, fit and in excellent shape.
History
In 1998, Agent Senyaka investigated the accidental death of her colleague, Agent Harlan. She discovered that Harlan had set up an off-the-books operation in Paris.
Agent Harlan had enlisted the help of Daredevil (Matt Murdock) to expose the murderer of his brother and fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. A third party was necessary, since Harlan’s brother’s brain still held critical data about undercover operatives.
Murdock had agreed to go in and work in Paris with his mind submerged by another persona, “Laurent Levasseur”. However, the unsanctioned nature of the operation left him hanging dry after Harlan’s death.
Voir Paris et mourir
After piecing this together, Ms. Senyaka had the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier rush to Paris. She also had Franklin “Foggy” Nelson hurriedly recruited (okay, kidnapped).
As New York City’s D.A., Nelson had launched an investigation into Daredevil’s disappearance. He also was known to have frequently worked with the vigilante. Agent Senyaka presumably needed him to help Daredevil remember who he was.
Senyaka’s S.H.I.E.L.D. cadre and Nelson liaised with the Préfecture de Police de Paris . This is how they recovered “Levasseur” in the nick of time.
The super-hero had prevented the sale of the data about S.H.I.E.L.D. covert operatives by the Kingpin (Wilson Fisk), plugging the breach. He had even regained his correct memories when the implanted persona was accidentally destroyed.
The woman from T.I.A. (part 1)
In 2007, agent Senyaka was part of a trio accompanying S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark to Madripoor.
Tia Senyaka, Tamara Jones and Joan “Nails” Eaton had been selected both for their elite skills and because they could pass for high-end, professional escorts. The kind that would accompany a world-famous millionaire playboy.
(I wonder how S.H.I.E.L.D. proceeded. Is there a “hot damn !” tick box in the personnel files ? Was there an embarrassed HR e-mail requesting “female operatives with a pulchritudeBeauty. two or more sigmas above the median to apply” ? Did they let Stark swipe left or right, which is prolly a dereliction of duty and a crime against womankind ?)
The woman from T.I.A. (part 2)
The perilous mission was to depose the Viper (Ophelia Sarkissian), by liaising with underground opposition Tyger Tiger (Jessan Hoan).
However, it quickly went to crap. A long-term infiltration asset was lost, and Stark ordered a retreat into the Madripoor jungle.
There, Stark convinced Tyger Tiger to launch an uprising. A key part was taking over the airwaves to show selected footage of the Viper and Tyger. Whereas Jones and Nails escorted Tyger with assault weaponry, Senyaka was thus filming and broadcasting.
Between the population turning against the Viper, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. and Iron Man ordnance, the Hydra forces on hand were defeated and the Viper deposed.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
Description
Originally, Tia looked desi – complete with a lil’ bindi.
By the second issue she’s *way* paler, and the dot is just a circle.
By the third issue she’s energetically White, bindi-less, and her hair is now medium brown.
When she returns, she’s East Asian or Eurasian.
Oy, vey.
No-Prize
The other guy with the last name Senyaka in the Marvel Universe is known to be Sri Lankan.
My No-Prize HypothesisA made-up explanation to plug a plot hole would therefore be that Tia is mixed Sinhalese/Chinese with some Portuguese ancestry thrown in. Thus puzzling the Minacious Machination of Confused Comics Colourists… yet again.
Personality
Ms. Senyaka is the efficient, rational, disciplined, professional type.
She works well both in directing other agents, and as part of a team.
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Agent Senyaka
| Dex: 03 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 04 | Min: 03 |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 03 |
| Init: 010 | HP: 015 |
Skills:
Artist (Videographer): 03, Charisma (Interrogation): 04, Detective (ID systems): 05, Detective (Police procedure): 04, Gadgetry (ID gadget): 04, Medicine (First aid): 03, Military science (Cryptography, demolitions): 05, Scientist (Research, computers): 05, Thief (Security systems): 05, Vehicles (Land): 03, Weaponry (Firearms): 03
Advantages:
Expertise (Surveillance/Counter-surveillance), Familiarity (S.H.I.E.L.D. equipment and protocols, Parachuting), Rank (S.H.I.E.L.D. L4),
Connections:
S.H.I.E.L.D. (from Rank). May have retained a Low Connection with Agents Eaton and Jones.
Drawbacks:
None demonstrated.
Motivation:
Uphold S.H.I.E.L.D..
Occupation:
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..
Wealth:
005
Equipment:
BETA CLOTH JUMPSUIT [BODY 04, Blunting: 02, Enhance (Kinetic, Energy and Corrosive RV): 01 (cap is 05), Partial Coverage (Long coat), Limitations: Enhance doesn’t apply vs Blunt and Unarmed Descriptors, Blunting only against Descriptors covered by Enhance].
She’ll often have an ordinary-looking laptop with S.H.I.E.L.D.-grade specs and concealed surveillance/counter-surveillance hardware.
Source of Character: Marvel Comics.
Writeup completed on the 3rd of November, 2019.