That sounds really cool. Seriously. I think that I would enjoy playing in that campaign. That said, I worry that that sort of mysterious mastermind archtype playing such a central role in the direction of the campaign might seriously hinder PC agency, making the players feel like pawns with little understanding or control over their own IG destiny. PC's, not NPCs, no matter how cool and charismatic, need to be the stars of the game. To make it the other way around is a recipe for a failed campaign.
I think that you could run a successful, long-lived campaign based around a central NPC, but it would definitely be a balancing act. Take away too much player agency, and Red might wake up with a frag underneath his cot.
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