Every country had intelligence agencies under its ruler. Even the Tartun Empire, with its Barbarian Ways of striking whenever it pleased, had an independent intelligence department attached to its Military Affairs Department.
Never mind whether they could gather intelligence, or how they did it. Even if imperial agents stormed a target's home, killed everyone who saw them—including the little daughter's dog—drowned the target in a bathtub, and turned the Study upside down to find what they wanted, they still counted as intelligence agents.
The Orr Empire was skilled at gathering intelligence. It was the "Noble Country," after all, and needed ways to preserve noble dignity that involved a little less killing.
The Ratfolk were better still. They could infiltrate, disguise themselves, steal, and even get hold of the King's orders before the Cabinet did.
As for the other races, the Orcs were Barbarians through and through. They had no need for intelligence agents.
Dwarves were curious about everything and knew everything, yet pretended otherwise. If they liked you, they would get close to you; once they sobered up, they would act as though they were Dwarf Masters who couldn't be bothered to speak to you.
Their dealings with Free City showed this perfectly—they were mad for its liquor. Wave after wave of Dwarves came, supposedly to supervise the production of Distilled Liquor but really to cadge drinks. Among them were bearers of noble surnames like Warhammer, Barrel, and Blackbeard, and they bought ninety-five percent of the Distilled Liquor produced.
With that much contact between them, surely talks on more trade and agreements should have begun?
Not a chance!
The Dwarves spent tens of thousands of Gold Narls in Free City every month and had even met secretly with Copperbeard and the other Dwarves at the Blacksmith Shop. Yet they had