Control Group

// Control Group //
ARC DREAM PUBLISHING PRESENTS DELTA GREEN: CONTROL GROUP

BY GREG STOLZE & SHANE IVEY
DEVELOPERS & EDITORS DENNIS DETWILLER & SHANE IVEY
ART DIRECTOR & ILLUSTRATOR DENNIS DETWILLER
GRAPHIC DESIGNER SIMEON COGSWELL COPY EDITOR LISA PADOL
DELTA GREEN CREATED BY DENNIS DETWILLER, ADAM SCOTT GLANCY & JOHN SCOTT TYNES
Delta Green: Control Group is published by Arc Dream Publishing in arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual
property known as Delta Green is ™ and © The Delta Green Partnership, which has licensed its use in this volume. This is a work
of fiction. Any similarity with people or events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for those people
and events described in historical context. Illustrations © 2019 Dennis Detwiller, except for the “police box” doodle on page 104,
© 2019 Nico Iademarco, and the “Averturus sign” on page 126, © Greg Stolze. All rights reserved worldwide by the copyright
holders. Permission is granted to reproduce pages 27–31, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 45, 61–67, 71, 76, 78, 81, 93, 102–123, 127, 137,
143, and 172–180 for personal use only. For a free PDF of this book with your print purchase, contact Arc Dream Publishing at
www.arcdream.com; at 12215 Highway 11, Chelsea, AL, 35043, USA; or by email to [email protected]. For more Delta
Green, visit delta-green.com. Special thanks to Jesper Anderson, Philip S. Bolger, Andrew Boyd, Jake “ChiefMcClane” Cook, Brent
DeHut, EZ Ezell, Kacey Ezell, Jonathan Flynn, Jason Fritz, Kevin Ham, Mateusz Marcak, Mike Massa, Marco Menarini, Georgina
Smith, Charles Ulveling, and many convention playtesters over the years, and to Kris Vezner for invaluable advice and assistance.
Updated 22 APR 2019. “No one wants to hear/What you dreamt about/Unless you dreamt about them….”
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Introduction
From America’s endless wars to the spread of weird investigate what looks like an unnatural cult and stop
diseases, from a tiny cult’s unwitting evil to an ill-ad- a catastrophe before it can strike.
vised flight into space, Control Group is built to Each Control Group operation takes place in a
introduce new players and new Agents to the terrors specific year and location: Kennedy Space Center on
of Delta Green. 12 JUL 2010. Kunar Province on 3 OCT 2011. Rural
”BLACKSAT” takes the players to a rarely-seen Arizona on 21 NOV 2012. A Kansas farm on 5 AUG
part of Delta Green’s world: low Earth orbit. A 2013. The first three dates are dictated by histori-
strange satellite must receive a kind of attunement cal (or fictional) events. The Space Shuttle program
that no electronic transmission can deliver. “BLACK- ended in 2011. The U.S. Army’s assignments in
SAT” includes pregenerated Agents, ready to play. Afghanistan were in constat flux. The events of “Sick
“Night Visions” presents new Agents in an entire- Again” start with a major 2012 event described in the
ly different encounter, a war zone where an ancient Handler’s Guide.
power hungers and festers and violence is all but inev- With a little work, though, you could change
itable. “Night Visions” includes pregenerated Agents, the dates. In your campaign world, Combat Outpost
ready to play. Honaker Miracle may have lingered for years under
“Sick Again” explores an unnatural threat to U.S. forces. The players in “BLACKSAT” may take
public health as Agents bring the full strength of a the role of astronauts taking off from a private-sector
federal quarantine to bear on a desperate southwest- launchpad, perhaps owned by one of the many tech
ern town. “Sick Again” includes pregenerated Agents, firms anonymously owned by the Program’s friends at
ready to play. March Technologies. The inciting event of “Sick Again”
Finally, “Wormwood Arena” brings together the could have been delayed years for reasons no human
survivors of prior operations and, if necessary, new mind will ever comprehend.
Agents that may be created by the players. They must It is your world. Its horrors are yours to reveal.
Shane Ivey
5 APR 2019
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Contents
Introduction................................................5
BLACKSAT................................................ 8
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
12 JUL 2010
Night Visions............................................ 40
Combat Outpost Honaker Miracle, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
3 OCT 2011
Sick Again................................................ 82
Hudson’s Well, Arizona
21 NOV 2012
Wormwood Arena.................................. 144

Leavenworth, Kansas
5 AUG 2013
DD
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12 JUL 2010
// BLACKSAT //
McDIVITT: “Come on. Let’s get back in
here before it gets dark.”
WHITE: “It’s the saddest moment of
my life.”
—Ed White II and James McDivitt, as
White performs NASA’s first spacewalk
// BLACKSAT // // Control Group //
Introduction The astronauts have been training for a satellite

repair mission for 18 months, but the schedule and
NASA always has more people willing to risk death purpose have been opaque. That indicates this is a
for glory than missions to fill. When the five astronaut secret mission, which is not all that unusual.
protagonists of BLACKSAT get the call that they’ve Early one morning, each receives a call from Paul
been assigned a classified, military space shuttle Scalzo, a NASA administrator, asking to meet at 0800
mission, it is the chance of a lifetime. They are not yet (8:00 a.m.) at the Launch Control Center, Conference
agents of Delta Green. Room C. Scalzo’s familiar voice sounds unusually
They are headed for space to repair a secret spy worried. He does not give details, insisting that every-
satellite code-named BLACKSAT. They do not know thing will be explained in the briefing.
that this satellite was built with unnatural compo- The astronauts go to the Launch Control Center
nents scavenged from the MAJESTIC program, and is on a small bus. Let the players chat and establish char-
beyond the ability of astronauts to repair. The player acter, so that everyone learns the other PCs’ names,
characters (PCs) must take unready passengers into specialties, and personalities. Play up the fact that the
the most dangerous environment known to humanity. flight personnel have trained together for over a year
And their passengers’ mission is not to repair the satel- and are extremely familiar with one another.
lite, but to destroy it with the only tool that can do it
any harm: the unnatural power of hypergeometry. Briefing
Horror is all about doing the best you can with
bad options. In space, anything not on the flight plan When the astronauts arrive at Conference Room C,
is a bad option. they see Scalzo talking to Colonel Aaron Woolrich, a
familiar Air Force officer. Woolrich has overseen parts
Flight Personnel of their training, appearing from time to time, but nev-
er directly interacting with the astronauts.
We refer to all NASA personnel on this flight Two men in unadorned jumpsuits sit glumly at the
as astronauts. table as well. One is chubby-cheeked and looks like he
is going to vomit. His jumpsuit is stretched over bulg-
»» LT. COL. MICHAEL SPAY, USAF: mission commander ing thighs and a swollen belly. The other is scarecrow
»» MAJ. DIRK MCMILLAN, USAF: pilot thin, with thinning white hair and a deeply seamed
»» CAPT. DAN HAMLET, USAF: mission specialist face. His expression is resigned.
»» LT. COMMANDER LUKE BELTON, USN: mission Scalzo introduces Colonel Woolrich. Woolrich
specialist salutes crisply and offers a firm handshake to each
»» DEIRDRE TURNER, M.D.: flight surgeon astronaut, greeting them by name and mouthing pleas-
antries about what an honor it is to work with them.
Oh Eight Hundred Woolrich introduces the strangers as Mr. Bruce
Weintraub and Mr. Pierce O’Neil. He says that they
Before the operation begins, each player should pick are read onto BLACKSAT, so matters may be dis-
any character from the list of astronauts: Lt. Colonel cussed freely in front of them. Woolrich asks the astro-
Spay, Major McMillan, Dr. Turner, Lt. Commander nauts to verbally confirm what they confirmed in writ-
Belton, or Captain Hamlet. Their character sheets are ing months ago, that they agree to the mission at hand,
at the end of this operation. Explain the expectations whatever its details. Then he explains the mission.
of astronauts. It is 2010 and the shuttle program is Woolrich says a classified United States defense
showing its age, but it has not yet been scuttled. satellite in orbit, code-named BLACKSAT, needs
repair and recalibration. The astronauts are to escort
6
// Control Group // // BLACKSAT //
Weintraub, or O’Neil as an alternate, on a covert shut- Q: What does BLACKSAT do?

tle flight to the satellite so they can effect that repair BLACKSAT is a deniable anti-satellite weapon plat-
and recalibration. form. If the Russians or the Chinese put anything
BLACKSAT’s orbital height is 523 kilometers, and unacceptable into orbit, BLACKSAT can degrade its
it is moving at seven kilometers per second. Com- functionality, interfere with its communications, and
mander McMillan’s mission is to guide the craft into gradually decay its orbit until it goes offline. It is not
a close and synchronized orbit where Belton and dangerous to human beings, nor to anything flying
Hamlet can escort Weintraub or O’Neil to the satellite. under its own power with a human at the stick.
Woolrich says they cannot bring the satellite into the
bay or use the shuttle remote arm. The techniques and
technologies that they will use are classified separately
from BLACKSAT. The astronauts are not cleared for
those. The shuttle will be loaded with three Manned
Maneuvering Unit (MMU) rigs to allow for one of the
civilians to maneuver under escort by the two mis-
sion specialists.
The repairs begin in five days. Liftoff
is in 48 hours.
Woolrich asks if there are any questions. If the
players have none, gently suggest that this mission
is atypical in any number of ways and that any-
one who makes an INT×5 roll can think of one
that you suggest.
7
Q: Is there a threat? If pressed for details, O’Neil and Weintraub

Woolrich says that the astronauts will be informed of explain that they are mathematicians who specialize
any and all dangers that they are cleared to know. He in the equations of exotic particle reactions. Woolrich,
assures them that they are doing their country a great O’Neil, and Weintraub begin to talk about “delinear
service by keeping BLACKSAT primed. decay arcs,” “baryon integration,” and “meta-dimen-
sional mechanics” without explaining what they are
Q: Are Weintraub and O’Neil ready for this? going to attempt in orbit.
Woolrich says they are willing, and they are the only
ones who can fix BLACKSAT, but they are not astro- Q: How much time do Weintraub and O’Neil
nauts. That’s why they need the astronauts’ help. need once they’re spacewalking?
Weintraub breaks in to say he suffers from fibro- O’Neil expects the repairs to take about 30 minutes.
myalgia but controls it with quercetin. No more than one hour, certainly. O’Neil believes that
Turner knows that fibromyalgia means terrible if he cannot calculate the transformation within one
joint pain and sensitivity. It is often associated with hour, more time probably will not help.
depression or ADHD. The acceleration of a shuttle
launch is going to be agonizing. As for quercetin, it is Scuttlebutt
a natural flavinoid, probably without side effects. It
has no therapeutic benefits. Ask each player to review their character’s Bonds
and motivations, and invent one or two new moti-
Q: What are Weintraub and O’Neil’s qualifi- vations that seem to fit. Make sure the players know
cations for this mission? Any flight training or that a Bond can protect their SAN but at the expense
deep-sea diving experience? of the Bond and WP, while motivations can help
Woolrich insists that no one but these men can fix them regain WP.
the BLACKSAT, but that they have no flight training. With launch imminent, characters may want to
O’Neil has done some diving on vacation (once). have a difficult talk with a loved one such as a Bond
Weintraub breaks in to say that only O’Neil fully or indulge a motivation. They can do that without
comprehends the “Courtis differentials,” a phrase rolling. Don’t let it drag. Get a few good lines in and
familiar to none of the astronauts. Woolrich tersely then cut to someone else.
cuts him off by saying that information is ADAKITE Belton, Hamlet, and Turner have their hands
clearance only. Weintraub immediately demurs and full for the next two days training and examining
stops speaking. O’Neil an Weintraub. McMillan and Spay have a
Anyone who asks for a HUMINT roll can attempt little more time. They may try to find out more about
to read the subtext of Weintraub’s outburst and their mystery mission, or Woolrich and the oth-
Woolrich’s interruption. Succeed or fail, Weintraub ers, or BLACKSAT.
looks like someone eager to talk about his work. With
a success, Woolrich and O’Neil look surprised and Background on Woolrich,
uncomfortable that Weintraub is so open about it. Weintraub, and O’Neil
Woolrich emphasizes that one of the civilian Some characters may hit the library, the Internet, or
experts needs to get close enough to BLACKSAT to a basement filled with cabinets, searching for clues
effect repairs using classified technology. This will re- about their new BLACKSAT comrades. The exact test
quire a spacewalk. Together, they are 50% of everyone required depends on where they search and how.
on Earth qualified for the repairs. That part of the job The operation does not give stats or skills for
cannot be handed over to one of the astronauts. It is Weintraub or O’Neil. They generally fail at anything
highly restricted. unrelated to their esoteric specialties.
8
Should any astronaut fail at gathering informa- If the characters take a good photograph of
tion, it means Scalzo has caught them at it, in one way O’Neil (and Pierce is quite shy about having his image
or another. He tells them in no uncertain terms to quit captured), they might have some luck. A character
digging. He assures them that he’ll keep a lid on the who has Computer Science at 30% or higher or
snooping this time, but if they keep at it, there’s no succeeds at a roll worms it through an image-based
way he can keep it under the rug. search engine. Out pops a picture of him in the back-
WOOLRICH: Any of the astronauts can get background at a security conference called “Black Hats
ground on Woolrich without a roll. Woolrich came up and Black Ops: The Future of Security in the Informa-
through anti-communications operations, did admin- tion Age.” He is identified there as Albert Kannessinger,
istrative work at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, and got an and apparently he moderated a closed session enti-
M.S. degree in aerospace engineering from California tled “The Challenges of Porous Identity.” Googling
State University at Long Beach. Any astronaut who Albert Kannessinger turns up a newspaper report
succeeds at a Bureaucracy or Military Science (Air) indicating that someone with that name was arrested
test uncovers a 1989 assignment to Edwards AFB in in 1985 for attempting to burgle a Hindu temple in
California. The details of Woolrich’s career are highly Indiana. If asked about any of this, O’Neil stonewalls
classified after that. with a well-practiced poker face. The astronauts
WEINTRAUB: An undergraduate at Harvey Mudd may get more details about him later; see CONVERSA-
College in 1993, Bruce Weintraub dominated the TIONS on page 18.
William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition
and won a graduate tuition scholarship to Harvard, Gossip
where he wrote his thesis on “Para-Dimensional Chatting up a NASA co-worker and casually steering
Matrix Collapse Functions.” After graduating Harvard the conversation toward any of these subjects requires
in 1998, he dropped off the face of the Earth. Finding a CHA×5 roll to produce something useful. But after
more information requires having Bureaucracy or Sci- the first success, word reaches Scalzo and he warns the
ence (Mathematics) at 40% or higher, or a successful gossiper off.
Bureaucracy or Science (Mathematics) roll. SECRET PROGRAMS: Failure: The co-worker mentions
Successful Bureaucracy indicates that he moved to the BLACKSTAR space-plane and the MISTY imaging
Severn, Maryland, a few short miles from Fort Meade, satellites, but can’t really help, because all that infor-
the headquarters of the National Security Agency. mation is need-to-know. Even the people who put the
Successful Science (Mathematics) wrings some stuff up don’t really know how it operates, or even,
strange insights out of “Para-Dimensional Matrix sometimes, what it is. Success: The co-worker says to
Collapse Functions.” The math is focused on the keep their voices down. There are paranoid people
indicacity of numbers—a measure of how much they working on the various no-publicity space launches.
indicate what they are attached to—and suggests that Those under the blanket of code-clearance programs
there may be ancillary data unrelated to the mea- never really get out again. They move away and are
sured traits. It’s terribly obscure, but seems to indicate reassigned to various, far-flung locales.
that the “thingness of things” can be altered through SPACE DEFENSE INITIATIVE: Failure: The co-worker
mathematical description. A character who makes this talks about the infeasibility of weaponized satellites.
connection loses 0/1 SAN from the unnatural. A fielded three-warhead ICBM is 50 million dollars,
O’NEIL: There are eight people on Facebook named while launching an orbital platform to defeat such
Pierce O’Neil, and none of them are the guy in the a rocket costs 5 billion. It would need to be able to
conference room. Military and academic sources turn strike a hundred times, without missing once, to over-
up nothing relevant. come its cost-equivalent missile wave. Success: Shoot-
ing down a missile midair had no margin of error and
9
the danger of false-positive deploys is unacceptably blood pressure (155/100) is alarming, his lung capac-
high. So the shift was made to intelligence satellites. ity is dismal, and there’s a real chance—call it 50/50—
Satellites are fragile and finicky. If one is knocked of the blood vessels in his eyes rupturing under the
down and seized, the enemy can’t do much about it. force of takeoff. The odds of him suffering a fatal
They may suspect, but if they accuse us, they’ve just heart attack are likely only one in ten, less than the
told us our weapon worked, and we can accuse them one-in-five odds she estimates of him having a mas-
of shoddily building their equipment. The co-worker sive embolism.
thinks its a given that a counter-satellite back and A Medicine roll can reveal other things. Failure:
forth has been going on for decades, very, very quietly. She notices old scarring down his left side, all the
WEIRDNESS IN ORBIT: Failure: The co-worker discuss- way to his foot. It looks like a high-voltage surface
es “space euphoria,” pointing out Ed White’s famous electrocution scar, as if his skin were wet during a
“this is the saddest moment of my life” statement when shock. Success: She notes that the electrical activity in
Grissom ordered him back into the capsule from the his brain is more intense than usual and also far more
first American space walk. Space euphoria is the feel- regular. Almost rhythmic.
ing that you’ve become one with all space and time If asked about the lung damage, O’Neil replies
when you’re floating outside the capsule, a feeling of that when he was young he was involved in an acci-
total peace. This feeling hits about one spacewalker dent while working at a Union Carbide plant. No roll
in nine. Success: Gordon Cooper isn’t the only pilot reveals whether this is true or just a well-worn lie.
who has seen UFOs. Some were, indeed, spotted from As for the brain activity, he smiles. He says that his
orbit. In the Nineties, the Pentagon had a specific work on BLACKSAT and related projects has regulated
phone number set up for pilots to report unorthodox his neural activity as a side effect of “certain esoteric
aircraft sightings. meditation processes.” He seems amused and suggests
that Bruce’s brain will scan the same “if not more so.”
Physicals Finally, if asked about “Albert Kannessinger,”
O’Neil sighs. He confesses it was a name he hoped he
Before launch, Turner performs physical examinations had escaped. Alfred Kannessinger is his name. Al-
on Weintraub and O’Neil. Their medical files are a bert Kannessinger was his twin brother. Albert took
sea of redacted information, filled with black marks, advantage of their matching faces and his brother’s
omissions, and deletions. Nevertheless, both men security clearances and used them for less than hon-
showed moderate nausea resistance during simulat- orable reasons.
ed zero-gravity test flights on the “vomit comet,” a If Turner makes a HUMINT roll to examine
jetliner officially nicknamed the “Weightless Wonder.” that story, a failure indicates that it’s a lie. A success
By flying in challenging up-and-down parabolas like a indicates that it’s a lie and that O’Neil is very tired;
roller-coaster track, the plane provides 25 seconds of he hopes, for her sake, that she does not pursue
free-fall at the top of the arc, paid for by 40 seconds this further.
of almost double gravity. Then it starts again. A typi- Within two hours of first hearing the name “Al-
cal flight repeats fifty times. O’Neil and Weintraub are fred Kannessinger,” one can find a few documents
marginally less likely than most to become space-sick. supporting his story on the Internet. They weren’t
But the news gets worse. there before. The astronauts may learn more about his
background later; see CONVERSATIONS on page 18.
O’Neil’s Physical
O’Neil is in decent physical shape for a casual smoker Weintraub’s Physical
in his sixties, but he’s the worst physical specimen O’Neil’s status as the worst specimen Dr. Turner ever
Deirdre Turner has ever examined for NASA. His examined for NASA is short-lived. Despite being 15
10
years younger, Bruce Weintraub edges him out. Wein- works this in as a question about safety. With the first
traub’s hypertension is marginally less debilitating success, he talks about one item, or two with a critical
(blood pressure 145/95), but he is carrying an extra success. With the second success, he talks about two
forty pounds, he has the throat scarring typical of items, or three with a critical success. With the third
chronic gastroesophageal reflux, his asthma is alarm- success, he talks about three items, or all remaining
ing, and his lower spine is in terrible shape. He doesn’t items with a critical success. On a failure, he real-
have the full house of symptoms from a sedentary izes he has said too much and becomes withdrawn
lifestyle and poor eating habits, but he has more than and regretful.
enough to disqualify him from a shuttle launch. It THE BRAINWAVES: If told about the brain waves,
would be remiss of Dr. Turner to do anything other Weintraub seems disconcertingly pleased and excited,
than give him a medical decline. and spouts a wash of pseudo-mathematical terms. If
A Medicine roll reveals the same weird brain-wave asked to explain what that means, he keeps babbling
patterns found in O’Neil. If Turner spots them with mathematically. He implies that thoughts are, in
either man, it becomes clear that both share that trait. some sense, real even beyond the brain and that they
attract energy. But his supposed insights are confus-
Questioning Weintraub ing and cloudy.
Weintraub is distracted, eager to befriend but also WOOLRICH: Weintraub has been associated with
socially immature, and occasionally petulant. He is far the Woolrich for a long time, but doesn’t feel like he
more talkative than O’Neil. He is a little intimidated knows him. As to where they met, he lets drop the
by the astronauts but he likes Turner. term “MUSTANG” before he catches and corrects
He volunteers that he has always been a genius himself. Instead, he says they met at a secured and
with abstractions. As the only child of middle-class classified location, many years before.
indulgence, he had camps and math clubs to help him PROJECT ADAKITE: Weintraub’s life really began
hone a precocious intellect. when he saw the Courtis equations for the first time.
Weintraub is both excited and terrified at the pros- He was a 30-year-old NSA analyst recruited to a
pect of going into space. top-secret project called ADAKITE at a Wyoming
Weintraub has a deep and abiding affection for facility code-named MUSTANG FIELDS. Weintraub
O’Neil (whom he calls “Al Kannessinger,” forgetting is well aware that it is illegal to discuss anything to do
that he is supposed to use a pseudonym). They have with ADAKITE, including “Courtis equations” or “Dr.
worked together for years and O’Neil is one of a Stephen Courtis,” with anyone lacking ADAKITE level
handful of colleagues who showed Weintraub any clearance. But now that the doctor and the astronauts
kind of friendship. have BLACKSAT clearance, Weintraub is almost
eager to share.
Weintraub’s Secrets THE WHITE PAPER: A brilliant man named Stephen
Weintraub is very soft on the idea of “classified data.” Courtis understood the math well enough to yield
Turner can question him during her examination or results that contradict the way most of us understand
other astronauts can talk to him during meals or when reality. Courtis died decades ago, but he left behind a
they are resting. set of notes known as the White Paper, and Weintraub
If Turner brings up one of the following topics worked on them with O’Neil for years. They are the
while in the privacy of the exam room, Weintraub foundation for the impossible things BLACKSAT does.
gives an answer on the first topic without a roll. After THEORIES: Weintraub is excited by this topic. He
that, or if anyone questions him elsewhere, it requires begins spouting phrases like “para-dimensionali-
a Persuade test. Dr. Turner gets a +20% bonus if she ty,” “speculative section of tensegrity wave forms,”
11
>> Weintraub’s Technobabble

D4
4
2 3
D6 1 nal
falsely irrational digit para-dimension/para-dimensio
ablative Courtis
1 phase
delimit flattening
2 cascade surdive/surd-like/false surd
indicacity
cluster derive/derivation
3 sympathetic
dishedral integrate/integration
4 co-numeracy transform/transformation
matrix
cohesion entanglement
5 uncoil
exo-data multivariate
6 concentration
Any astronaut can help him, either physically

and “uncoupling physical forces from measuring or by talking him down from panic. Calming him
thought-spaces.” He says, “Of course, this will all look requires a CHA×5 test. Helping him out of the pool
needless when we finally get the Courtis problems requires a Pilot (Space Suit) roll. If both rolls succeed,
under control.” If the characters ask Weintraub to he’s out and grateful, but bright red and shaking. If
explain anything in greater detail, assemble techno- both rolls fail, he starts screaming and thrashing, and
babble out of a roll on the WEINTRAUB’S TECHNOBABBLE manages to injure himself as the astronauts drag
table and try to make it vaguely plausible. Ultimately, him out. If one roll fails, he’s out and trembling after
it makes no more sense to the astronauts than to the throwing up in the suit.
players, however advanced their mathematics may be. There are several ways the astronauts can try to
get information out of Weintraub and O’Neil. Any
Training Weintraub attempt at asking hard questions requires a Persuade
and O’Neil test. The descriptions below give a good sense of

what Weintraub and O’Neil know. Weintraub, being
Hamlet and Belton must give the two civilians a crash under considerable pressure, is especially vulnerable.
course on space suits and extra-vehicular activity If O’Neil is there, Weintraub is more likely to hold his
(EVA). EVA training occurs in a massive swimming tongue on some things, but also more likely to slip up
pool. Trainees get into a mockup MMU (Manned Mo- and call him “Al” instead of “Pierce.”
bility Unit), a heavy, clumsy, semi-rigid technological
marvel that fits over a space suit. You get in it, put on Hardline with O’Neil
the helmet, and move around submerged to approxi- Any astronaut gets a +20% bonus to Persuade if they
mate the feeling of microgravity. bully O’Neil by accusing him, Colonel Woolrich, and
To accomplish any task while wearing an MMU BLACKSAT of deliberately risking Weintraub’s life. An
requires a DEX×5 roll, because the joints are stiff, the astronaut who takes this approach becomes the first
gloves clumsy, and the visibility limited. The train- pick, if possible, when O’Neil and Weintraub decide
ing regimen for Weintraub and O’Neil is bare-bones, which of them to murder in space. Success: O’Neil is
attempting operations like opening a hatch open and cowed, slumping, and looking even smaller and older
going through it. O’Neil barely manages on his second than usual. He admits that he and Weintraub were
try. Weintraub fails several times and begins com- “essentially prisoners” at a compound in Wyoming
plaining about shortness of breath, the panic rising called MUSTANG FIELDS. He says that Woolrich
in his voice. is a fool who doesn’t know what he’s messing with.
Whatever BLACKSAT is, it is dangerous. He suddenly
12
realizes he has said far too much and flatly refuses to Soft Touch with Weintraub
explain himself further. Failure: O’Neil angrily yells Anyone who tries gentleness with Weintraub gets his
at the astronaut or astronauts to leave Weintraub pathetic gratitude. Success: Weintraub babbles about
alone. He scowls, shouts that the astronauts have no Woolrich being an honorable man, a reasonable one.
idea what reality truly is, and then stalks out. Later, if Woolrich will be disappointed that the mission can’t
possible, he means to make one of these astronauts go on but it should be clear to everyone that it’s just
the sacrifice to fix BLACKSAT. not worth it. Weintraub then lashes into incoherent
technobabble. Failure: Weintraub surrenders to his
Hardline with Weintraub fate. He decides to make himself the sacrifice and die
It’s like kicking a puppy. Weintraub is in torment. A in order to protect the astronaut who befriends him.
little pressure to put him in the corner could make
him reveal too much by lashing out. Or it could break Interstitial Refusals
him. Success: Weintraub starts bawling, curled up and
hyperventilating. Through hitching gasps, he admits At this point, several astronauts are likely overflowing
his fear is only partially for the space shot. The other with complaints with the mission. Dr. Turner is being
fear—the bigger one—is of what’s waiting up there for asked to take responsibility for Weintraub and O’Neil.
them. Suddenly realizing he has said far too much, he Belton and Hamlet may have questions about the
flatly refuses to explain himself further. Failure: Wein- mental stability of the “specialists.” Paul Scalzo is fully
traub gives the astronaut a flaccid shove and, with on their side if they raise these issues and says he will
snot pouring down his face, yells out an obscene insult go straight to Woolrich. (He is, however, careful to
and launches into a tirade. He attacks the character make sure they do not tell him anything for which he
of the astronauts, claiming they have no idea about is not cleared. General mission failure points are fine.
anything. Not only do they not understand the dispo- Naming the people failing is a grey area that makes
sition of the universe, they could never comprehend it. him uncomfortable.)
The things Weintraub knows—the truths—make every If astronauts go to Woolrich directly, he listens
achievement by manned spaceflight as ephemeral as a carefully to their concerns and says he’s going to give
mote of dust in the wind. Then he insists on trying the them his full consideration and “present their con-
exercise again, and this time he gets it right. cerns.” (He carefully avoids saying to whom he will
present them.)
Soft Touch with O’Neil About 12 to 24 hours after that, Scalzo’s secretary
O’Neil is mainly concerned with Weintraub’s safety. calls to tell the astronauts that the mission is proceed-
Success: O’Neil finds the questioner sincere. He asks ing unaltered. Their complains have been registered,
for the astronaut’s frank opinion about Weintraub’s but the importance of the flight takes precedence. The
ability to function in space. He says that if the astro- astronauts are expected to continue, overcome, and
naut says Weintraub shouldn’t go, he (O’Neil) will succeed. Woolrich takes full responsibility.
support it. But he warns that he does not have much It’s possible that Dr. Turner asks about sedating
pull with Woolrich. He intimates that this mission is Weintraub to reduce launch trauma. That’s fine. It
dangerous, and that someone might die. He doesn’t won’t make any difference, but she doesn’t know that.
want that someone to be Weintraub. Failure: O’Neil
gives the astronaut a narrow, suspicious look and
goes to help Weintraub recover. Later, if possible, he
means to make one of these astronauts the sacrifice to
fix BLACKSAT.
13
Launch Explain to Spay’s and McMillan’s players that,

despite their titles of “pilot” and “commander,” there
Jump forward to launch day. Spay and McMillan are is not too much to do during the launch. It’s automat-
in the cramped cockpit, with the other five crammed ed unless something goes badly wrong. If something
into the mid-deck. Captain Belton is “jump master,” goes wrong, the mission commander decides whether
seated in the forward left seat. In the unlikely event of to abort or press on, and which abort option to pick.
a bail-out using the Inflight Crew Escape System, he’s The abort modes are described on the pilot’s and com-
the one who blows the hatch and deploys the escape mander’s character sheets.
pole. (See SHUTTLE ABORT MODES on the pilots’ character Describe the launch vividly, second by sec-
sheets. Parachuting safely under such circumstances ond, and build the tension leading up to and after
requires special training in parachuting and a DEX×5 launch time (“T”).
test. Failure inflicts 2D6 damage. A fumble kills the
parachutist. O’Neil and Weintraub both fail. That kills »» T MINUS 2 MINUTES: Crew members close and lock
Weintraub and cripples O’Neil.) their visors.
The crew members are dressed in puffy orange »» T MINUS 31 SECONDS:Ground launch sequencer is
Advanced Crew Escape Suits which, despite the snap- go for auto-sequence start.
py acronym ACES, everyone calls a “pumpkin suit.” »» T MINUS 10 SECONDS: Main engine hydrogen
Weintraub weeps as countdown proceeds, with O’Neil burnoff system activates.
trying to comfort him. (Someone else could succeed by »» T MINUS 6 SECONDS: Main engine starts. The
making a CHA×5 test.) Weintraub and O’Neil are in entire launch stack of shuttle, fuel pod, and
the rear seats, with Turner between them. boosters pitches down about six feet. This is
known as the “nod” or the “twang.”
»» T MINUS 0 SECONDS: SRBs (solid rocket boosters)
ignite, explosive bolts release the boosters, and…
14
liftoff. The astronauts feel the vibration of the attempt to perform CPR with a First Aid test. If
incredible, deafening roar in the bones she has not gotten up yet, CAPCOM orders her
»» T+12 SECONDS: The shuttle starts to pitch and to give aid to Weintraub, in defiance of protocol.
roll, right on schedule. Instead of lying on their »» T+57 SECONDS: The engines start to increase
backs, facing upwards, the crew is now inclined, thrust again. Radio gets freaky. Woolrich tries
knees over head. The craft hits about 1.7 G Turner’s channel and then Spay’s, but all they
forces, so someone who normally weighs 70 kg get are word fragments and static. Turner hears
feels like they weigh 120 kg. All astronauts see a “…medic…Weintrau…let…cop…” while Spay
grey, speckly fog as G-forces impact their optic hears “…proceed to…radio…O’Neil…permis…”
nerves. Weintraub starts gasping. He is expe- From this point until weightlessness, all rolls are
riencing terrible pains in his chest and eyes. If at −20% except for Pilot. If anyone has suc-
Turner wants to get out of her seat at this point, ceeded at First Aid on Weintraub, he is still alive,
it requires a successful STR×5 roll. Tell her but he experiences blindness due to burst blood
player that the protocol is to wait until reaching vessels in his retina. If not, he dies. Anyone who
microgravity (T+8 minutes, 30 seconds) before realizes he has died loses 0/1 SAN from help-
attempting to render aid. lessness, except Turner (who expected it).
»» T+19 SECONDS: The roll is complete. Weintraub »» T+1 MINUTE, 47 SECONDS: Radio is completely
is screaming. CAPCOM (Woolrich) cuts Wein- down. The shuttle is 35 km up and moving at
traub’s mic from everyone in the shuttle and tells 4,160 km per hour. If the pilot and commander
Turner that Weintraub’s heart rate and blood attempt Craft (Electrician) tests to restore radio
pressure have leaped into danger zones. She must function, they do not succeed. (The problem is
watch them and prepare for treatment when on the ground, but there is no way for them to
the shuttle reaches orbit. Iron-clad protocol is know that.)
to wait until microgravity before attempting to »» T+2 MINUTES, 13 SECONDS: The orbital maneuver-
render aid. Turner’s player may decide whether ing system engines ignite.
she unstraps in order to go to Weintraub’s aid. »» T+2 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS: The SRBs separate.
»» T+38 SECONDS: The shuttle reaches “Max Q,” the Anyone not restrained must make a CON×5 test
point of greatest aerodynamic stress on the vehi- or collapse.
cle. The throttle automatically eases back as the »» T+3 MINUTES 54 SECONDS: CAPCOM gets back on
spacecraft breaks the sound barrier. CAPCOM the radio for maybe 10 seconds. If Turner got
restores Weintraub’s mic for Turner only, but cuts up to help Weintraub, Woolrich screams at her
her mic from everyone but Weintraub. O’Neil to get back in her seat.
demands to know what’s going on. If Turner (or »» T+4 MINUTES: If Weintraub is not dead, that
anyone else) tries to rise now, it requires an Ath- means someone (probably Turner) has been
letics test. If she got out before, she can attempt rendering medical aid. They need to stabilize
to reach Weintraub by making a DEX×5 test. him before he slips back into cardiac arrest. In
»» T+48 SECONDS: The shuttle is 5.6 km up and the shuttle’s oxygen mixture, a defibrillator is
moving at 1,200 km per hour. CAPCOM checks out of the question. It could cause an explo-
in with the pilot and commander, only to dis- sion. An anistreplase injection could save him.
cover there are radio problems. It’s a brief cut- This requires a Medicine test at −20% due to
out, then communication is restored. If Turner the extraordinary circumstances. If it succeeds,
or anyone else is rattling around midships, Weintraub survives. He is catatonic and blind,
they’re still doing whatever they last tried. If and in any event completely useless and checked
she has already gotten to Weintraub, Turner can out, but alive.
15
»» T+4 MINUTES 56 SECONDS: Radio is still out. With

a successful Pilot test, Spay or McMillan can and Weintraub’s radios back into the loop as he
tell that things seem all right. An Abort to Orbit demands a situation report.
(ATO) is possible; that would allow the mission »» T+8 MINUTES 30 SECONDS: Thrust ceases. Orbit is
to continue but it would be more challenging. If achieved. The astronauts are in microgravity,
Spay thinks it necessary, his player must attempt orbiting Earth.
a Pilot test. If the roll fails, Spay brings it to the
adjusted orbit but the effort costs him 2D4 WP. Rendezvous With BLACKSAT
»» T+5 MINUTES 28 SECONDS: The shuttle rolls to
heads-up position for better radio telemetry. It Give the players a chance to catch their breath after
does no good. that pressure, to mimic the pause their characters
»» T+5 MINUTES 45 SECONDS: Every conscious charac- have. Let them take stock while their characters get
ter must make a CON×5 test. Any who fail grey out of their seats, remove their pumpkin suits and
out until they hit microgravity. get something cold to drink. They can yell at Mission
»» T+6 MINUTES 40 SECONDS: ATO is no longer an Control. Woolrich is all apologies. He accepts any
option. The astronauts are committed to the amount of shit they want to throw at them. They can’t
mission trajectory. do anything to him right now and he still needs them,
»» T+7 MINUTES: The G forces continue to build, so he plays nice and tells them anything he thinks they
maxing out at triple Earth gravity. A 70 kg want to hear.
person feels like 210 kg. The radio cuts back If Weintraub is dead, protocol is to put the body
in. Woolrich demands to know what’s going in a space suit and store him until return to Earth.
on. He explains that the problem on the ground Ejecting the body would, legally, constitute littering
has been solved, but he forgets to put Turner’s and could create a hazard to other spaceflights and
16
satellites. If alive, he is completely debilitated for tells them it’s an enhanced radio rig to allow Mission
hours, sobbing and unresponsive. He might even start Control to better monitor their status, which is espe-
flailing wildly, bouncing off the walls until restrained. cially important for O’Neil and Weintraub. With a
(A character may make an Unarmed Combat test to HUMINT test, an astronaut gets the idea that Wool-
restrain him while another ties him up). rich is telling a half-truth, at best, and is desperate to
Anyone who now learns that Weintraub died during keep them from further interfering with the system.
the launch loses 0/1 SAN from helplessness. Turner’s On a failure, an astronaut feels Woolrich is being less
roll to resist that SAN loss is at a –20% penalty. than honest. As for O’Neil, the results of confronting
The mission proceeds. The next step is for the him with the kill-switch are covered on page 18.
shuttle to rendezvous with BLACKSAT, a process Being smart and capable go-to guys, Belton and
requiring nearly 48 hours of careful piloting. Hamlet may try to disable the kill switches. There are
There are two types of crucial things that can oc- a few ways to do this.
cur during the long two days as the shuttle approaches DISABLE THE RADIOS: The kill switches activate when
BLACKSAT. One is technical, where Belton or Hamlet a radio signal triggers them. Both Hamlet and Belton
may discover that the space suits have been tampered have enough know-how to keep their radios from
with. The other is social, since the astronauts have receiving. No roll is required. On the other hand, that
time to interrogate O’Neil and Weintraub. leaves them in the icy depths of space with no way to
talk to anyone or hear what anyone else says unless
Checking the Space Suits they press their helmets together so the vibrations of
sound carry through. Every minute of their training
Belton and Hamlet are scheduled to go over the emphasizes that this is a bad idea.
shuttle’s three space suits, or Manned Mobility Units DISCONNECT IT FROM THE OXYGEN FEED: This requires
(MMUs). At this point, they do not know that Wool- a Craft (Electronics) test. A separate roll has to be
rich has installed kill switches in each MMU: devices made for each suit. On a failure, the switch is still con-
to let him remotely terminate an astronaut so that nected. On a fumble, the breathing system is damaged
O’Neil can “unwind their consciousness” and repair and clearly will not function.
BLACKSAT at the right time. DISCONNECT IT FROM THE RADIO: This requires
Either Belton or Hamlet gets a Craft (Electronics) Craft (Electronics) test at −20%. Each suit requires a
test, with a +20% bonus if one helps the other. Fail- separate roll. On a failure, the switch still works just
ure: A small, unknown device has been added to each fine. On a fumble, the radio is damaged; receiving
MMU. It is spliced in on the side of the Primary Life or broadcasting a signal requires a Luck roll. That
Support System (PLSS), the backpack that provides includes receiving the signal to activate the still-func-
gases that an astronaut needs to live. Taking it off or tional kill switch.
examining it further will damage the MMU. Success: TAKE THE MMU APART: This renders the MMU useless
In addition to everything that would have come with for the duration of the mission. A successful Craft
a failure, the astronaut can get inside the cover and (Electronics) test traces the wiring of the switch to
frame. The new device has wires going from the suit’s a tiny ampule of some unknown gas connected to
internal antenna to a small digital receiver, along with the oxygen feed. Turner does not have the tools to
some sort of effector output that disappears into the determine the nature of the gas. Releasing it into the
bowels of the oxygen regulation system. Without atmosphere of the shuttle reveals it to be a poison-
wrecking the PLSS, there is no way to know more. ous nerve gas. It has a Lethality rating of 10%, with
The astronauts certainly might ask someone about Speed of 2D6 turns, in the immediate vicinity; it
this, but the answers they get are unlikely to satisfy. inflicts 2D6 damage, with a Speed of 2D6 minutes,
Paul Scalzo is not permitted to talk to them. Woolrich everywhere else.
17
Conversations questioning requires a Persuade test. If the Persuade

attempt fails, O’Neil becomes surly and withdrawn,
While one of them works on the MMUs, any astro- tapping inscrutable mathematics into a laptop and
naut can search for information through conversation. answering any questions with terse evasions. If the
attempt succeeds, O’Neil becomes reflective and
Colonel Woolrich opens up. If the astronauts shut off the microphones,
If Weintraub is dead, Woolrich calls him a hero who he gives the following answers if the astronauts ask
“died for what he believed in: America.” If Weintraub about these topics.
lives and the astronauts want to return to Earth early KILL WHO NOW? Most likely, O’Neil says Wein-
to save him, Woolrich invokes the absolute necessi- traub is delirious. The harm Weintraub suffered in
ty of the mission. Nothing can prevent it from be- liftoff was catastrophic. It could easily have induced a
ing completed. stroke. O’Neil admits the truth only if previous events
convinced him to not follow through with the plan
Paul Scalzo to sacrifice one of the astronauts. In that case, he says
He is off the mic. No BLACKSAT clearance. that there is a chance that his work on BLACKSAT
will require power that can only be supplied by un-
Weintraub spooling the patterns of a human consciousness. The
If Weintraub is alive, he asks to be released from his devices are “kill switches.” A kill switch will euthanize
restraints. If released, he suddenly attempts to get to one of the spacewalkers, unspooling his consciousness
the escape hatch and blow it free. It’s locked, of course. in a release of hypergeometric energy to fuel an occult
He might try to hit or harm someone, but it’s hopeless. ritual performed by O’Neil to neutralize the weird,
He rebounds off in microgravity. An Unarmed Com- unnatural artifact at the heart of BLACKSAT. That is
bat test is sufficient to restrain him again. their true mission: not to repair BLACKSAT but to
If spoken with, but not released, he babbles about deactivate it, so the artifact that powers it is inert and
the “instantiated potentialities” and “actualized virtual harmless when its orbit decays and it returns to Earth.
consciousnesses” waiting for them. O’Neil can show them the kill switches and say that
An astronaut who tries to calm Weintraub with it is too much to ask. He is willing to let the damn
friendly concern succeeds only with a Psychotherapy satellite stay dead.
test. If it fails, he calms down and earnestly entreats UNSPOOLING CONSCIOUSNESS: O’Neil believes his
the person who spoke to stay in the shuttle until it’s work on the unspooling of human consciousness as
back on Earth, no matter what happens. If it suc- a way to fuel hypergeometric transactions explained
ceeds, he asks to speak to O’Neil. If that is permitted, why there was so much human sacrifice in old-time
Weintraub launches into a diatribe about the mission, magic. A human body is a machine that “plays” con-
imploring “Al” to “Let these people live. Kill me, not sciousness like a phonograph “plays” a record player.
them.” After that, he refuses to speak further. Even if the record player is shut off, the grooves in the
Asking Woolrich about Weintraub’s ravings record remain. Even when the body shuts down, the
gets only deflections and a certainty that Weintraub consciousness remains. If that data—the mind—can
is delirious. be unspooled, tremendous energy is produced.
O’NEIL’S BACKGROUND: Pierce O’Neil (formerly
O’Neil Alfred Kannessinger) is an occultist of modest, but
O’Neil, on the other hand, may open up to the astro- genuine, power. Throughout the course of his long life,
nauts over the two days it takes to reach BLACKSAT. O’Neil has found that every seven years he under-
If Turner took heroic effort to save Weintraub, that goes a period of spectacular extrasensory visions. His
makes O’Neil willing to talk. Otherwise, each line of
18
parents “had some non-traditional beliefs” and stud- whorl or crest doesn’t exert actual pressure. It creates
ied ancient mathematical practices buried in folklore. enough virtual increase to send a satellite into a spin,
When a government research project started but a powered craft can easily compensate.
experimenting with what they called “hypergeometry,” WORLDVIEW: O’Neil knows he is a very small fish
O’Neil sensed it. He made contact with the research- in an appallingly vast ocean. That most people are
ers and was inducted into Projecct REDLIGHT, where ignorant of this fact cheers him not at all. He is con-
academics tried to penetrate mathematics they had vinced that his consciousness will persist after bodily
uncovered from exotic sources. They found O’Neil’s death to feed or entertain immaterial intelligences of
insights useful, not least because he had suggestions vast, malignant indifference. He hopes that most hu-
for safety measures. man identities fade after death, lacking the mathemat-
O’Neil says, bluntly, that hypergeometry is “ob- ical superstructure that accumulated around his mind.
server dependent” in a way that Heisenberg never If so, all the better for them.
imagined. Consciousness is mathematics. A witch
named Keziah Mason studied the manipulation of Changing the Plan
consciousness and physics through hypergeometry in The astronauts may have heard enough already to
the late 1600s. She called such works “spells.” Hyper- persuade them to abandon the mission. Encourage the
geometry has been encoded in folklore for centuries. players to think through their options from their char-
O’Neil’s claims clashed violently with his administra- acters’ perspectives and priorities. However outlandish
tors’ military and scientific world-views. The higher the truth of the mission may be, it is recorded as a
pay grades regarded him as a disposable asset. classified satellite maintenance mission. Woolrich and
ADAKITE: O’Neil eventually made his way to a the people backing him will certainly record defiance
Wyoming REDLIGHT skunkworks called MUSTANG of orders and failure to perform the mission in such
FIELDS, home of Project ADAKITE. He labored a way as to cover their own tracks and destroy the
there for years, integrating his math with theirs. His astronauts’ careers.
contributions were examined grudgingly by a secu- For all the debate and argument that may be
rity apparatus half-convinced he was a plant from involved, the option is not in the astronauts’ hands.
a hostile foreign power. He was not trusted to leave The shuttle was prepared long before liftoff. If Wool-
it unescorted. rich’s skeleton crew on the ground detects a change,
O’Neil was attached to BLACKSAT, a subproject they flip a switch to remotely disable on-board control.
of ADAKITE, only after the satellite stopped re- The shuttle is dead in orbit until the astronauts satisfy
sponding in 2008. An increasingly desperate Colonel Woolrich that they are prepared to follow orders.
Woolrich hoped that O’Neil’s “remote viewing” could Disabling the equipment that gives Woolrich
scan the device. control means digging deep into the shuttle’s electron-
BLACKSAT is an orbiting object with hypergeo- ics. It calls for a Craft (Electronics) roll and a Pilot
metric gravity actuators that can alter specific gravi- (Spacecraft) roll. If either fails, the attempt fails; they
tational interactions in order to damage other nations’ can disable ground control only by destroying their
spy satellites. Its range is about 37,000 km, and with capacity to communicate with ground control. That
a “gravitic whorl,” it can make an object about 1.5 kg incurs a penalty of −20% on all subsequent Pilot
heavier for up to 15 minutes. Then it loses power for (Spacecraft) tests. If both tests fail, or either fumbles,
eight hours before it can be used again. A “gravitic telemetry damage prevents all further communication
crest” can, similarly, reduce an object’s effective mass with ground control.
within similar parameters.
O’Neil and Weintraub believe there is no concern
that BLACKSAT can damage the shuttle. A gravitic
19
Spacewalk Spay must make a Pilot (Spacecraft) roll for

touchy, hesitant speed matching without burning too
Three astronauts are scheduled to perform a space- much fuel. If the shuttle aborted to orbit, the roll is at
walk simultaneously in the BLACKSAT mission. That −20%. If he succeeds, the shuttle gets close to BLACK-
is unusual but it was done once before, in 1992. It SAT. If he fails, he matches speed farther out.
takes a well-coordinated procedure to suit three of The shuttle is finally within camera range of
them up one at a time and squeeze them into the air- BLACKSAT. It is an unassuming device, octagonal
lock with no room to spare. The BLACKSAT schedule with solar panels flared out from each of its eight edg-
is for Turner to help Belton, Hamlet, and Weintraub es. A framework of struts projects from its Earth-fac-
suit up, with O’Neil to replace Weintraub if necessary. ing side, apparently able to angle a flat plate so that it
Belton and Hamlet are the mission specialists as- directly aims anywhere within a roughly ninety-degree
signed to MMU duty. cone. O’Neil refers to this as the “actuator plane.”
In the Airlock Stepping Out

Before the spacewalk, it is necessary to “camp out” in The hyper-oxygenated Belton, Hamlet, and O’Neil—
a pure oxygen atmosphere—in the suits, connected Weintraub is too debilitated even if he still lives—are
to the shuttle systems in the airlock that connects the preparing to disembark. They climb up out of the
mid-deck to the cargo bay, usually while catching airlock, tether on to the shuttle, climb down to the
some sleep—for four hours to purge nitrogen from payload bay to put on their bulky MMU rigs, and
the astronauts’ systems. Otherwise, they risk decom- then maneuver out to the satellite. The suits are all in
pression sickness. This is called “pre-breathe.” This flawless trim, although knowing about the kill switch-
is how Hamlet, Belton, Turner, and O’Neil spend the es (see page 17) may dampen their enthusiasm.
hours while the shuttle maneuvers into position. Over The three MMU crew members exit without
the last hour or so, pressure in the airlock is reduced problems. The airlock opens to the payload bay. The
to test the suits’ integrity. When that is confirmed, payload bay doors above are open to space.
pressure in the airlock is reduced to vacuum and the Next, Hamlet and Belton each must make a Pilot
outer hatch is opened to the cargo bay and space. See (Space Suit) roll and one of them—they can choose
STEPPING OUT on page 20 for what comes next. which—must roll to guide O’Neil. If any fails, their
Facing the enormity of what is to come, O’Neil tether connection looks fine but will turn out to be in-
might tell all he knows even if previous attempts to correct. If two or more fail, the tethers are snarled and
question him did not succeed. If there is any informa- every further Pilot (Space Suit) roll is at −20%. If Spay
tion that the astronauts did not yet get from O’Neil aborted to low orbit or failed the Pilot (Spacecraft)
(and Weintraub, if alive), the long mid-deck wait is roll to match speed near the satellite, spacewalkers
a good time to try to get them to open up. Pick your take a −20% penalty on their Pilot (Space Suit) rolls.
favorite bits to reveal now. O’Neil is clearly nervous and starts muttering
about how he feels something, senses a presence.
On the Flight Deck Woolrich, with excessive calm, tells him to get to the
Once the MMU crew are sealed into the airlock and satellite and execute the mission.
waiting, Turner takes her station on the aft flight deck, Hamlet and Belton must roll Pilot (Space Suit) to
behind the pilot and commander, to watch their vitals. get O’Neil near BLACKSAT. If both succeed, everyone
She has a window out to BLACKSAT and a monitor gets there safely. If only one of them succeeds, that as-
to watch it by camera. tronaut gets O’Neil there. If either fails and previously
20
failed to get a good tether connect, that astronaut The astronauts and Turner can watch for its
disconnects and begins drifting—a very dangerous po- movements on cameras. It emerges in the cramped
sition. If both fail but have good connections, they’re mid-deck, below the flight deck, coming through
all drifting around in space, too far from the satellite Turner’s personal locker. The handwritten label on
to do anything, when the next event occurs. the locker, “TURNER,” distorts to a meaningless gray
smear behind it.
A Derivative Looking at the Derivative on camera is far less
disturbing. It looks like a perspective glitch.
While Spay and McMillan tensely listen to Hamlet
and Belton maneuvering O’Neil on the tether, some- Answers from O’Neil or Weintraub
thing moves across their viewports. A collection of O’Neil or Weintraub can breathlessly explain the
angles that distorts the stars. It does not conform to theory behind Derivatives, now confirmed by physi-
any ideas of movement through three dimensions that cal proximity.
they comprehend. COILED ENERGY: Stephen Courtis’ White Paper, stud-
The distortion perches on the nosecone of the ied for decades by Weintraub, implied that conscious-
shuttle, meters away from them, separated only by the ness is coiled energy with shapes defined by thought. It
shuttle’s frame and windshield. There is plenty of time says that spontaneous consciousnesses could be drawn
for Turner to hear about it and see it, too. out of the space-shapes formed by Courtis equations
If O’Neil and Weintraub (if he still lives) hear like those found on the BLACKSAT. Too much con-
about this, they are fascinated and horrified. “It’s templation of them might allow them to cohere into
a Derivative! My God, we were right!” They tell tangible space.
the astronauts, much too late, not to look at it, SPACETIME DISTORTIONS: Weintraub named these hy-
as their attention can resolve it more firmly into pothetical manifestations “Derivatives.” He theorized
three dimensions. that they were “matrix-dimensional cognitive folds,”
Seeing a Derivative for the first time reveals alien or temporary intelligences that arise as reflections
truths about the shape of space, in the same way that of the consciousness doing the math and organizing
seeing an apple fall wordlessly instructs you about spacetime into self-sustaining patterns. Derivatives are
gravity. There is an eerie, nonphysical, but distinct, not “alive” in the traditional sense. They do not even
purposefulness to its movement. The sight costs 0/1D4 have mass, being imposed on the fabric of space itself.
SAN from the unnatural. If the SAN test fails, that But they are persistent, self-willed, and capable of in-
adds +1 to the witness’ Unnatural skill. fluencing matter. As spacetime distortions, Derivatives
If the astronauts ask CAPCOM to confirm or ex- are perfectly capable of surviving in the void of space
plain it, Woolrich says: “It’s a distortion in the window. and moving through it.
Quit trying to spook yourself. Focus on the mission.” DERIVATIVES IN HISTORY: Weintraub’s theorized
The distortion maneuvers into the nosecone and Derivatives always made O’Neil think of the “tulpas”
out of sight. It warps and distorts its way through the said to haunt Tibetan wise men. Some rituals and
metal and the space that metal occupies. This might be spells that the ancients practiced to call up “spirits”
a good time to remind them that if the nose-cone heat and “demons” may actually have been hypergeometric
shields are damaged, the shuttle could disintegrate formulae that created Derivatives. Perhaps those spells
when it returns to the atmosphere. Not that there’s forced the Derivatives into obedient forms by their na-
anything they can do about it. ture, or perhaps the Derivatives were simply deluded
(like their makers) into believing they were ghosts and
devils compelled into service.
21
Integrity Breach (Moral) Or what if the astronauts disabled the nerve-gas traps
Meanwhile, the MMU astronauts are supposed to get in the MMUs? The results are up to you.
O’Neil near BLACKSAT.
If either Belton or Hamlet failed both Pilot (Space Derivatives Up Close
Suit) rolls, he now realizes he is not getting oxygen Derivatives are curious, alien, and hungry for patterns
through the tether. This is not urgent. Even without of meaning that can extend their distortion of space
a tether, the oxygen in the backpack is sufficient for before gravity smooths them back out. The infor-
hours. But it costs 0/1D4 SAN from helplessness mation in written text can give them some “nourish-
to realize that after all that training, something so ment,” which reduces the text to a curious uniform
basic was screwed up. Resetting the tether does not greyness. Fortunately for the computer on the shuttle,
require a roll. electricity and magnetic impulses are impenetrable to
If both MMU experts failed their rolls to rig up their digestion.
O’Neil, he starts to drift. They have three tries (each) They can, however, feed on the patterns of a hu-
to amass a total of two successful Pilot (Space Suit) man mind until the synaptic passages are reduced to a
rolls to capture him. uniform dullness. After that, they disorder the body’s
Most likely, at least one astronaut escorts O’Neil evolved pattern, causing cells to rupture and decay
to the satellite. If the kill switches in the suits have not while bones dissolve and organs fail. The last meal is
been disabled, O’Neil has to decide which of them (if the DNA code within the cells, unraveled into compo-
anyone) to murder in his ritual to shut down BLACK- nent nucleotides.
SAT. This is the Handler’s call. Have the astronauts If they get dragged down the gravity well to Earth,
befriended O’Neil or made him feel valued as a col- their patterns get fatally “smoothed” within minutes,
league? Or have they alienated him? but, of course, there’s no way for the astronauts to
If O’Neil likes the astronauts, he talks about not know that. Even the Derivatives themselves are un-
wanting to do it, or not wanting to pick between aware that the blue object in the distance is deadly.
Belton and Hamlet. Woolrich tells him: “Complete the Being touched by a Derivative is very bad for liv-
mission!” O’Neil still hesitates. Woolrich says: “I’ll ing things. Each touch does 1D10 damage as the curi-
do it from here in three…two…one,” at which point ous Derivative attempts to examine the matter-form of
he triggers the switch in Hamlet’s suit. The others can cellular tissue by rotating through its para-dimension-
hear Hamlet begin to wheeze and gag before Woolrich al matrix. The target must make a POW×5 roll. If that
cuts off Hamlet’s radio. succeeds, the target’s identity is strong enough to repel
The switch releases a puff of nerve gas. In the suit, the newborn intelligence’s fumbling attempts to feed.
it has a Lethality rating of 20% and a Speed of 1D6 Every time the POW×5 roll fails, the human’s mind
turns. There is absolutely nothing that Turner can do has been partially digested. He or she loses a point of
except watch the victim’s vitals go haywire and prob- INT, permanently, and loses 1D4/1D10 SAN from the
ably flatline. Realizing that the victim is dead costs the unnatural. If INT hits zero, the target dies.
others 1/1D6 SAN from helplessness. If the victim sur- Any magical attack destroys a Derivative imme-
vives, the victim loses 1/1D10 SAN from helplessness diately, even if it inflicts only one hit point of damage.
and Woolrich or O’Neil triggers the next astronaut. No non-magical source of damage can harm a De-
O’Neil begins gesticulating within his bulky space rivative at all.
suit and chanting what sounds like a prayer in some
unknown language with too many consonants. Integrity Breach (Physical)
Does O’Neil successfully disable the unnatural An astronaut who climbs from the flight deck down
artifact inside BLACKSAT, with or without a sacrifice? the ladder to the mid-deck to investigate the Deriva-
tive has a few options. None are good.
22
COMMUNICATION: If an astronaut approaches the Woolrich orders Spay and McMillan to imme-
Derivative, it seems to be “reaching” towards them. It diately execute an emergency disengagement on the
does not respond to speech. The astronaut can touch tether and close the doors. Then commence the burn
it. This yields the results described on page 22. back from orbit. Ground control begins calculations
HIDING: The mid-deck is a tiny space. The only for the vector. In other words, he is ordering them to
place to hide on the mid-deck—the only place with abandon O’Neil, Hamlet and Belton.
any privacy—is the waste management compartment, If Spay agrees but McMillan does not, McMillan
a tiny closet with a complex toilet. An astronaut has the option of rolling DEX×5 to try to keep Spay
can hide there without a roll. If no other astronaut from disengaging the umbilicus. If he succeeds, they’re
is visible, the Derivative finds and melds with Wein- fighting over the controls. If Turner or another astro-
traub, living or dead. Weintraub starts dissolving into naut is present, they can help one or the other with
a slurry of blood and tissue. Seeing that in person a +20% bonus.
costs 0/1D4 SAN for violence, or 0/1 if seen through If they do not have communication with CAP-
a camera. If Weintraub was dead and they put him in COM, the decisions are entirely up to the command-
a space suit to get him out of the way, this vile soup is er and pilot.
contained. If he was alive but restrained, the gunk of DISENGAGE: If Spay disconnects the tether, Hamlet
floats into the atmosphere. and Belton can each attempt a Pilot (Space Suit) roll
AIRLOCK: If an astronaut flees into the airlock, the to get back to the cargo bay before the cargo bay
spacewalkers are trapped outside or in the cargo bay doors close. O’Neil is still thrashing and chanting at
until the astronaut goes back to the mid-deck and the end of the tether near BLACKSAT, determined to
starts the opening cycle. There is no time to don a finish his mission whatever the cost. If either astro-
space suit. If a spacewalker has already come into naut tries to save him when they realize the doors are
the airlock from the payload bay, the mid-deck hatch closing, it’s a death sentence. Anyone who tries to save
cannot be opened. O’Neil, or who fails the Pilot (Space Suit) roll, cannot
The airlock can hold up to three astronauts get back in time. Even if an astronaut gets back in
in space suits or half a dozen unsuited, jammed as time, securing an MMU in the payload bay before
tight as can be. climbing into to the airlock hatch feels risky. It would
be far quicker to abandon the MMU in space. (The
Subdivisions exact repercussions either way are up to you.)
Whatever the astronaut in the mid-deck does, they can The Derivative near the satellite might attack
see the Derivative dividing. There are now two of them. O’Neil or an astronaut. That’s up to you. If every-
Out at BLACKSAT, a Derivative emerges from the one is already sufficiently freaked out, it goes after
mathematical notation on the satellite’s actuator plane O’Neil. If either Hamlet or Belton is not panicking yet,
before the appalled eyes of any witnesses present. For it moves in on one of them while O’Neil fruitlessly
some reason, its distortion has no effect on the actua- screams at them to not make it more real.
tor plane’s engravings. DOING WHAT’S RIGHT: If Commander Spay refuses
to leave the astronauts to die, each gets two Pilot
Orders (Space Suit) rolls to try to get aboard. After the first
roll, the satellite Derivative attacks whichever of them
Anyone in the cockpit can see on camera what is rolls worst. They hear O’Neil on the radio chanting
happening in the mid-deck below. So can ground something that has no visible effect. After the astro-
control. Give them a chance to go back and forth nauts get their two attempts, ground control attempts
with CAPCOM about what is happening and what to disengage the tether by remote control. Either Spay
they should do.
23
or McMillan can prevent this with a successful Pilot If both pilots pass out, McMillan and Spay must
(Spacecraft) roll. make POW×5 rolls. The higher success (or lowest fail-
ure) regains consciousness at the last possible moment
The Airlock and is able to pull the shuttle out of its plunge. The
There are now two Derivatives on the mid-deck. They other guy in the cockpit is a partially melted corpse,
attack anyone who is visible. If no victims are visible, the sight of which costs 1/1D6 SAN from violence. If
the derivatives either head up to the flight deck or they the pilot retains self-control, he makes an emergency
move out to the airlock, whether or not it is occupied. landing and saves the shuttle. He loses 1/1D4 SAN
An astronaut in the airlock when the spacewalk- from helplessness as he realizes his career is over.
ers try to cycle the airlock open can make a Craft
(Electronics) roll to override their attempt from inside. Re-Entry
Make clear that this means dooming those outside to How long does it take for the shuttle to get low
death. But allowing it to open means the one inside enough that the gravity destroys the Derivatives?
will be flushed out into space. That is lethal without That’s up to you. The astronauts don’t know why the
a space suit. Derivatives finally go away. If they were trying some
desperate ploy to be rid of them, maybe the survi-
Flying Home vor(s) think that worked. But it was Earth’s gravity.
Once the airlock and cargo bay are closed, either Spay Aftermath
or McMillan can attempt a Pilot (Spacecraft) roll at
−20% to fire up the maneuvering rockets. What hap- The public face of the launch was a stony “The mis-
pens next depends on their success or failure. sion is secret and you are not allowed to know any-
thing about it.” The story of the return is that a major
Successful Piloting malfunction in the atmospheric components caused an
If it succeeds, they begin heading back to Earth at a internal fire, which explains any physical injuries to
stable rate. CAPCOM asks what the hell is happening. the personnel or even the destruction of the craft.
If the hatch between cockpit and mid-deck is open, Surviving flight personnel find their careers
one Derivative is killing anyone in the mid-deck or wrecked. The pilots, some of the best in the world, are
airlock while another comes upstairs. grounded after hearings that pin as much blame on
Try to give every character a chance to get them as on Scalzo and Woolrich, who organized this
touched by one of the Derivatives. You can evoke fiasco. Some of the survivors may privately welcome
some despair from those left behind by making it clear this fate. Any disorders picked up during BLACK-
that they have been abandoned or cut off. Anyone SAT are likely to focus on space and perhaps even
listening to communications hears as their comrades flight itself.
fry, smother, or get consumed. Paul Scalzo is disgraced and serves as the scape-
goat for the mission’s failure. He retires from NASA
Failed Piloting and gets a desk job at Boeing. If other survivors
If the Pilot (Spacecraft) roll fails, the shuttle is burn- contact him, he tells them to get lost and not ask ques-
ing too hard. Everyone on the spacecraft must roll tions. “They gave me this job, and they threatened my
CON×5 to remain conscious. (Beginning their return kids,” he says tersely. “I’m doing the job and trying to
to Earth early changes their plotted orbit, but they’ll forget everything that happened. So should you. Sorry.”
have time to calculate a re-entry after getting away He refuses to define that “they.”
from BLACKSAT.) Colonel Andrew Woolrich is relieved of com-
mand due to “health reasons.” He puts off astronauts
24
who try to talk to him. Those who barge in find him of threat that it poses. And what they saw was just
defensive and bitter. He deeply resents “those bastards a glimpse. There is a world of horror out there. The
at MUSTANG FIELDS who sold me out—me and survivors can help save others from it. It will mean
Weintraub and your buddies, too.” He asks for a few ugly work and ugly choices. It will mean working in
days to get some “interesting materials” together. He secrecy and without much help. But it will mean sav-
tells the survivors to keep the details of the flight to ing lives and maybe humanity itself. Do they want in?
themselves. The world is not ready for the truth of
what’s up there. The night after they visit him, he dies Pregenerated Astronauts
in a single car accident on the highway near his house.
Nobody at the Program mourns much. Woolrich was These characters’ stats are higher than most Agents.
a holdover from the MAJESTIC days. He wanted to That’s fine. They are best-of-the-best types. If a survi-
prove the value of expanding the Program’s remit, and vor returns as a Delta Green agent after BLACKSAT,
pulled every string he could find to orchestrate this their high scores can make up for having a Pilot skill
catastrophic operation. Whether and how the players that’s obsolete after 2011.
learn that is up to the Handler.
MUSTANG FIELDS, if O’Neil or
Weintraub explained its location, is
still there. The heavily-armed guards
at the gate are extremely polite but
firm as they deny the astronauts entry.
They have orders, willingness, and the
legal right to kill intruders first and
ask questions later. If the astronauts
investigate MUSTANG FIELDS further,
they soon come in contact
with a Delta Green case
officer who asks them to
leave it alone.
The Program is watch-
ing the survivors in any
event. After a year or two, as
they have settled into new ca-
reers, if they do not try to take
their unnatural experiences
public, they may be approached
individually by a case officer
from the Program’s Office of Op-
erations. The case officer says she
has an idea of what they encoun-
tered and experienced up there.
They should never have been put
in that position. But they have seen
the unnatural. They know what it
can do. They can imagine the kind
25
Player Information Handouts
BLACKSAT Clearance
18 U.S. Code §798 governs the disclosure of classified material—fines and up to
ten years in jail—and BLACKSAT is a special-access program so containment is
especially tight. BLACKSAT clearance is restricted to the crew roster and Colonel
Andrew Woolrich.
It is illegal for you to:
• say or write the word “BLACKSAT” to anyone who is not known to have the
clearance;
• confirm or deny the existence of a satellite of that name;
• confirm or deny the existence of a security clearance of that name; or
• discuss matters pertaining to counter-satellite technologies with anyone lack-
ing BLACKSAT clearance, even on a hypothetical, conversational, satirical,
political, moral, or ethical level.
Shuttle Abort Modes

If something goes wrong during launch, the mission commander decides whether
to abort or press on, and which abort option to pick. Aborting a shuttle launch
is unthinkable unless it is the only way to prevent catastrophe. An abort almost
certainly means the commander will never go to space again. A few other abort
options are available immediately after liftoff.
Abort to Orbit (ATO)

Window of use: T+5 minutes to T+7 minutes 20 seconds. ATO means that the shut-
tle cannot reach its desired orbit, but still has enough fuel to reach a lower orbit
and continue the mission.
Inflight Crew Escape System (ICES)

This abort does not save the spacecraft. It is a pole from which the astronauts
parachute down to safety. To use the ICES, the pilot or commander has to put
the shuttle on a flat and stable trajectory (on autopilot), descend to 8,000 meters,
blow a hatch, and then deploy. Each crew member takes about 12 seconds to get
out. Belton is jumpmaster, responsible for guiding the rest out.
PERSONAL NAME AND RANK PROFESSION AND EMPLOYER STATISTICAL DATA
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Spay USAF Pilot; Shuttle Mission Commander STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
Strength (STR) 10 50% Hit Points (HP) 12
SEX AGE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Constitution (CON) 14 70% Willpower Points (WP) 16
 F  M  50 Caucasian, well tanned, healthy and handsome, with gray, crew-cut hair
Dexterity (DEX) 14 70% Sanity Points (SAN) 80
PERSONAL DETAILS GEAR AND NOTES Intelligence (INT) 14 70% Breaking Point (BP) 64
To be an astronaut is to do anything to go into space. Anything. WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHERS Power (POW) 16 80%
Only elite pilots, engineers and scientists make it into the McMILLAN (PILOT): You flew an ISS resupply mission with
program. Only the toughest of them complete the training. McMillan before, and though you never served together in the USAF, Charisma (CHA) 11 55%
Only a fraction of trained astronauts actually go into space. It is you were at the same duty stations during different times, so there’s
humankind’s highest ambition and greatest achievement. You something of a shared history. He’s a rock. It pains you to admit this, PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
have flown one space mission already and there is no human but he may even be a better pilot than you. A great guy. You’d use BONDS SCORE
being you would not betray in order to fly again. You don’t McMillan’s dirty toothbrush.
admit that to anyone. TURNER (FLIGHT SURGEON): You could hold Turner to a NASA 11
For the last 18 months, you have been training for a lower standard because she’s a civilian, but you don’t have to. She is
classified, unpublicized rendezvous mission. It’s called uncomplaining, smart, and fit for duty. You just don’t understand why
BLACKSAT, but you know little beyond the name. The they don’t have an Air Force doctor for this mission.
language on the security documents was pretty severe. BELTON (MISSION SPECIALIST): There are not many African
There are some peculiar features. The emphasis on EVA American pilots, so Belton deserves credit for joining the club and
REMARKS
(extravehicular activity) makes sense, but it also seems that you sticking with it. But it’s not easy to like a guy who has such a big MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
might be bringing non-astronaut personnel along. Who could chip on his shoulder about being a Navy flier. It seems reasonable Patriotism
you be taking into space who is not an astronaut, but who still is that if you want to be the best, you go to the service that has “air” Going Back Into Space
entrusted with a secret mission? right in the name, but Belton won’t hear it. Remaining an Elite Performer
However it evolves, everything rests on your shoulders. The HAMLET (MISSION SPECIALIST): Dan Hamlet screwed your
fate of this mission can impact the fate of NASA as a whole, wife, before the divorce. You’re pretty sure he doesn’t know you
(Defined by the Player)
and as far as you are concerned, NASA is the apex of human know. It can’t affect your responsibility to him. There is no way in (Defined by the Player)
achievement. You will not screw up. hell you’re letting Janice think you left her loverboy to die in the
vacuum because you’re still hung up on her. Besides, losing a man is INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
always a black mark on the commander, no matter the circumstances. Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
SKILLS
SPECIAL TRAINING SKILL OR STAT USED
Accounting 10% First Aid 10 % Ride 10%
Parachuting DEX
Alertness 60% Forensics 0% Science:
SCUBA Swim 40%
Anthropology 0% Heavy Machinery 10 % Meteorology
Archeology 0% Heavy Weapons 50 % Search 20%
WEAPONS SKILL % DAMAGE ARMOR PIERCING RANGE
Art: History 10 % SIGINT 0%
Unarmed 40% 1D4−1 0%
HUMINT 10 % Stealth 10 %
Artillery 0% Law 0% Surgery 0%
EQUIPMENT
Athletics 60% Medicine 0% Survival 50 %

Bureaucracy 40% Melee Weapons 30 % Swim 50 %
Computer Science 0% Military Science: Unarmed Combat 40 %
50 %
ARMOR Craft: Air Unnatural 0%
40%
Electrician Navigate 60 % Languages & Other Skills:
Body armor reduces the damage of all attacks except Called Shots and successful Lethality rolls.
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Craft (Mechanic) 40%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 20 % Pilot (Spacecraft) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% Pilot (Space Suit) 40%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot: Science (Physics) 40%

70 %
Drive 20% Airplane
Has First Aid been attempted since the last injury?  If yes: only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further Firearms 40% Psychotherapy 10 %
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION
Major Dirk McMillan USAF Pilot; Shuttle Pilot STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  47 Caucasian, short but trim and athletic, short brown hair
Piloting a space shuttle makes sex seem trite. Now, to be WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHERS Power (POW) 14 70%
fair, the amount of sex you can get by being a shuttle pilot SPAY (COMMANDER): He’s a good flier. If you can’t be at the
does leave you fairly spoiled in that area. Nevertheless, your stick yourself, there’s nobody you’d rather have in control. Air Force, Charisma (CHA) 9 45%
priorities are clear. You can get laid any time you like. You’ve like yourself. He’s been a little high-strung since his divorce, though.
only flown in space once. Given the choice, you’d go celibate TURNER (FLIGHT SURGEON): You flirted for a while but PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
for the rest of your life to earn another STS patch. Fortunately, nothing came of it. That’s fine. DeeDee is great. You have trained BONDS SCORE
it probably won’t come to that. with her and absolutely trust her with your life.
For the last 18 months, you have been training for a BELTON (MISSION SPECIALIST): What an asshole. You two NASA 9
classified, unpublicized rendezvous mission. It’s called have a cold, distant, professional relationship. Spay gives him credit
BLACKSAT, but you know little beyond the name. The for being a rare African American flier, but that doesn’t mean he’s
language on the security documents was pretty severe. good. You have seen him fly, and he’s stiff, joyless, and lacking in all
There are some peculiar features. The emphasis on EVA grace, even in something as fun as a T-38. No wonder he’s stuck as
(extravehicular activity) makes sense, but it also seems that you a mission specialist, screwing around in a Manned Mobility Unit or
REMARKS
might be bringing non-astronaut personnel along. Who could MMU. You know he made a bunch of carrier landings, blah blah, but MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
you be taking into space who is not an astronaut, but who still is he has the soul of an accountant. Patriotism
entrusted with a secret mission? HAMLET (MISSION SPECIALIST): It must burn him up inside Going Back Into Space
that he got shunted over into MMU training instead of the pilot’s seat. Sexual Adventurism
That’s kind of humiliating for an Air Force flier. To be fair, he never
was a test pilot like you, and never saw combat like you and Mike.
The Joy of Flying
INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
SKILLS
Parachuting DEX
SCUBA Swim 30%
EQUIPMENT

30 %
40%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 50 % Pilot (Spacecraft) 60%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% Pilot (Space Suit) 40%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot: Science (Physics) 30%

90 %
Drive 50% Airplane
Deirdre Turner, M.D. NASA Flight Surgeon STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  51 African American, smooth-featured, with short, graying hair
Charlotte Whitton said, “Whatever women do, they must do WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHERS Power (POW) 13 65%
twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is SPAY (COMMANDER): A solid type who takes his missions very,
not difficult.” Charlotte Whitton was never a NASA astronaut. very seriously. You can only imagine the sobriety that will attend a Charisma (CHA) 12 60%
You are surrounded by decorated combat veterans and the classified military flight.
world’s best test pilots who went looking for bigger challenges. McMILLAN (PILOT): An arrogant son of a bitch. He flirted with PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
Good luck doing anything twice as well. These people get you until you made it pellucidly crystal clear that you were not BONDS SCORE
competitive about eating pancakes. You did a psych rotation interested. Still, you can work with him, even if he does call you
during your internship and have some theories about this sort of “DeeDee.” Mom and dad (Rose and Martin) 12
success obsession. Most of them would rather die than be weak, BELTON (MISSION SPECIALIST): Luke is focused, careful,
and would rather be weak than look weak. and extremely knowledgable about everything you have ever seen
You know for a fact that you were the third choice for the him have to know. A Navy pilot, electronic engineer, and expert
mission. You only got into the rotation because one military spacewalker. As an African American officer, he surely had to
doctor failed a psych eval and another had a transient ischemic overcome more than his share of professional obstacles, but he never
REMARKS
attack, probably stress-related. You’re also well aware that the admits to them, even nonverbally. MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
shuttle program is shutting down. If you don’t go this time, you HAMLET (MISSION SPECIALIST): Despite his name, Hamlet is a Following the Hippocratic Oath
won’t get to. The thought of doing all this training for nothing cheerful, eager-to-please kind. The can-do, power-of-positive-thinking Exploring the Unknown
devastates you. spirit gets a little thick sometimes, but it is hard to hold it against him. Demonstrating Excellence
You have been granted BLACKSAT clearance for this He has pinchable baby cheeks, not that you’ve ever grabbed one.
mission, and you know there been no publicity for it. It’s
all very hush-hush. You’re not even sure what BLACKSAT (Defined by the Player)
clearance means, but the papers you signed had some severe
language. INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
You know it’s a rendezvous with an orbiting object, and Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
your training emphasis has suggested you might be taking
care of non-astronauts. You have tried questioning Scalzo and SKILLS
Woolrich, and gotten the impression that Scalzo doesn’t know
and Woolrich isn’t telling. DEX Accounting 10% First Aid 70 % Ride 10%
Parachuting
Swim Alertness 20% Forensics 0% Science:
SCUBA 70%
Anthropology 0% Heavy Machinery 10 % Biology
Archeology 0% Heavy Weapons 0% Search 40%
Artillery 0% Law 0% Surgery 60 %
EQUIPMENT
Athletics 30% Medicine 80 % Survival 10 %

0%
ARMOR Craft: Unnatural 0%
20%
Electronics Navigate 10 % Languages & Other Skills:
Criminology 10% Occult 10 %
Demolitions 0% Persuade 60 %
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 70%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

30 %
Drive 20% Space Suit
Lieutenant Commander Luke Belton U.S. Navy Pilot; Shuttle Mission Specialist STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  44 African American, thin, serious, with short black hair
The lowest grade you’ve ever gotten was a B in an art class. WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHERS Power (POW) 14 70%
You were first in your class at Annapolis. Father’s an electrician SPAY (COMMANDER): The man has his stuff wired tight. He
engineer (like you) and he always had time for your football can be condescending, but at least he doesn’t insult your intelligence Charisma (CHA) 10 50%
games. Your mom ran an art gallery. Yet time and again, the by trying to be your buddy. As long as the two of you keep things
public sees you in a space suit and thinks “affirmative action.” professional, you work together quite well. PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
Either they hate you (without knowing you) because they think McMILLAN (PILOT): A swaggering Air Force prick. You prefer to BONDS SCORE
you must have stolen a spot from a more qualified white man, interact with him as little as possible. It was cruel of God to make a
or they admire you (without knowing you) because they figure perfect flier out of such a flawed human being, but the guy is just off Mom and dad (Sadie and Doug) 10
you nobly worked your way out of the ghetto by resisting the the chart. Decorated combat flier, test pilot—he makes it look easy Wife (Donna) 10
drug game. They don’t see the 300 carrier landings you made because, for him, it is.
as a Navy pilot. But you still give it your all and do your best TURNER (FLIGHT SURGEON): You like Dr. Turner. You trained
because that’s all you really know how to do. Screw it. A lot of with her and, though she hides it very well, she has a hard-driven
the public is ignorant and weak. core of ambition. You would not want her mad at you.
REMARKS
For the last 18 months, you have been training for a HAMLET (MISSION SPECIALIST): He may be the most tolerable MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
classified, unpublicized rendezvous mission. It’s called person the Air Force ever sent to NASA training. You did a lot of Going Into Space and Making History
BLACKSAT, but you know little beyond the name. The EVA training together, and he was always handing someone a towel Patriotism
language on the security documents was pretty severe. or a water bottle or offering an encouraging word. Well-intentioned. Living the American Dream
There are some peculiar features. The emphasis on EVA
(extravehicular activity) makes sense, but it also seems that you
might be bringing non-astronaut personnel along. Who could (Defined by the Player)
you be taking into space who is not an astronaut, but who still is
entrusted with a secret mission? INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
SKILLS
Parachuting DEX
SCUBA Swim 40%
EQUIPMENT

50 %
70%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 20 % Pilot (Space Suit) 70%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% Science (Physics) 30%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

60 %
Drive 20% Airplane
Captain Daniel Hamlet USAF Pilot; Shuttle Mission Specialist STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  42 Caucasian, fit and trim, good-looking, with short brown hair
You once heard an alcoholic describe himself as “the turd the WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHERS Power (POW) 12 60%
whole world revolves around.” That blend of self-importance SPAY (COMMANDER): Oh God, you slept with his wife. They’re
and self-loathing struck a chord. You feel like a fraud. divorced now, and you’re sure he doesn’t know, but yeah. You ran Charisma (CHA) 12 60%
Everything you have accomplished—high marks in school, into Janice at the grocery store and wound up at a hotel, and then
Air Force academy, F-15 pilot, becoming an astronaut—seems there were a couple more times, and then they got divorced and she PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
insignificant and at the same time incredibly important. You never called you and you never called her. It’s awful. Mike means so BONDS SCORE
always achieve, but it’s never enough. You were salutatorian, much more to you than she ever could. You’re going to make it up to
not valedictorian. You were a pilot, but never made the test pilot him. You have to. Crewmates 12
program. You made it to NASA, but you’re a mission specialist McMILLAN (PILOT): The guy is a great pilot, but one time you NASA 12
instead of a mission commander. You are better than so many saw him reduced to laughing tears by a Jimmy Kimmel routine.
other people. Just not enough of them. Jimmy. Kimmel. And after that, Dirk McMillan was one of the very
It’s a sickness. A weakness. You almost wish you could talk few people in the program you have never envied.
to someone about it, like a psychologist, but there’s no way in TURNER (FLIGHT SURGEON): You had a weird crush on Dr.
REMARKS
hell you’re going to jeopardize your standing in the program Turner. It was nothing sexual or erotic—that’s not your nature—but MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
over your feelings. The best estimate you have seen is that the you admired her so much that you felt stupid and tongue-tied around Patriotism
human race has numbered about 107 billion people. Fewer than her. Lots of training has damped down the worst of it, but you still Displaying the Right Stuff
600 have left the planet. Maybe if you can join that elite, it will have to work to cover it up. She is a formidable woman. Going Into Space and Becoming Elite
finally stop your worries. BELTON (MISSION SPECIALIST): An engineer and Navy pilot.
You are sure none of the others in the program have these A really nice guy, but focused and serious. You have done hours
sorts of doubts. upon hours of EVA training together, and it has been bad for your (Defined by the Player)
For the last 18 months, you have been training for a self-esteem. You just can’t shake the feeling that anything you can do,
classified, unpublicized rendezvous mission. It’s called he can do better. INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
BLACKSAT, but you know little beyond the name. The Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
language on the security documents was pretty severe.
There are some peculiar features. The emphasis on EVA SKILLS
(extravehicular activity) makes sense, but it also seems that you
might be bringing non-astronaut personnel along. Who could Accounting 10% First Aid 10 % Ride 10%
Parachuting DEX
you be taking into space who is not an astronaut, but who still is Alertness 50% Forensics 0% Science:
entrusted with a secret mission? SCUBA Swim 40%
EQUIPMENT

30 %
40%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 20 % Pilot (Space Suit) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% Science (Physics) 40%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot: Language (Chinese) 50%

50 %
Drive 20% Airplane
3 OCT 2011
// Night Visions //
“There is nothing better than getting
shot at and missed. It’s really great.”
—Gen. James Mattis, former U.S.
Secretary of Defense
“Take Arms.”
—Motto of the 35th Infantry Regiment
// Night Visions // // Control Group //
Introduction We sometimes use the general term “soldier” to

refer to any of the players’ characters.
It is October 2011, the country is Afghanistan, and
our protagonists are American soldiers kicking knee- Northern Kunar Province
deep in the shit of war: First Squad of the First Rifle
Platoon (“Doom School”) of Company C (“Charlie”) The borderland between Kunar and Nuristan prov-
of the 2nd Battalion of the 35th Infantry Regiment inces includes fertile river valleys, scabrous scrubland,
(“Cacti”) of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the Himalayan heights of the Hindu Kush Moun-
(“Broncos”) of the 25th Infantry Division (“Tropic tains. Parts of it are modestly clement and parts are
Lightning”). Stationed in northern Kunar province awesomely beautiful, but very few parts are both.
at Combat Outpost (“COP”) Honaker Miracle, the Paved roads and dirt tracks go between towns and vil-
Cacti are six months into a year-long assignment at a lages. The dominant colors are tan and a weedy green,
remote outpost in one of the roughest border zones in shading to white when snow flies in the autumn. The
the 10-year-old Afghanistan war. snowfalls have been intermittent and light, but every
Like most war-zone soldiers, Doom School’s week it seems a bit colder and a bit darker. The snow
troops are tossed back and forth between endless stays longer and deeper, sucking up the dust of the
boredom and instants of ghastly excitement. But roads to form a silty layer of slush everywhere there’s
they’re bound for terror of a distinctly different sort a patch of shadow.
when they encounter a little-known group of Afghan The valleys and plains are interrupted with
hill people called the Gaths. broad, stumpy trees, but as the terrain rises they are
replaced by soaring evergreens. The adobe buildings
The Players’ Characters are generally square and the same dust-tan hue as the
naked ground.
Have each player choose a character from PREGENER-
ATED CHARACTERS, beginning on page 62, starting with Briefing
Foreign Service Officer Samantha Sutterberg and Staff
Sergeant Kryptowicz. Others can play the young men At 0800, the nine soldiers of First Rifle Platoon, First
of Fire Team Alpha. Other possible player characters Squad are called to a meeting by their platoon lead-
include Specialist Bolger, the platoon medic, and Yasir er, Lieutenant Nagel, who neither sounds nor looks
Marwat, a freelance translator working for Sutterberg. particularly happy. He introduces Samantha Sutter-
berg, a civilian in brand-new blue jeans and broken-in
O R G A N IZ AT IO
N
Squad Leader (S
L)
Staff Sgt. Kryptow
icz
Fire Team Alpha
Fire Team Bravo

Team Leader
Clifton (TL)
Team Leader
Grenadier Riflema Massa (TL)
n Automatic Riflema
Samuelson (GRN n Rifleman
) Hurt (AR)
Vincenzo (RFLM) Grenadier Riflema
n Automatic Riflema
Smith (GRN) n Rifleman
Flynn (AR)
Ezell (RFLM)
34
// Control Group // // Night Visions //
Take Arms
Kryptowicz’s player should read this aloud or paraphrase it for the players.
The 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment (“Cacti”) fought in northeast Afghanistan in 2004–2005, then in Tikrit,
Iraq, in 2009–2010. The Cacti spent a year training, and then deployed back to northeast Afghanistan for a one-
year tour in spring 2011.
It was an unhappy return for the few career soldiers who were last here in 2005. They had fought hard to
establish a U.S. presence in the region, and handed it over to other units who saw constant conflict with an insur-
gency that seemed to feed on defeat. In late 2009, the U.S. abandoned four bases on the Nuristan-Kunar border
after heavy fighting that led to Combat Outpost Keating—stuck at the bottom of a valley—being partially overrun.
The U.S. handed the region over to carefully-trained Afghan National Army forces in 2010. The ANA in the region
promptly fell apart. Now the Cacti are back.
Over the past summer, the Cacti spent a hard week attacking the Taliban in the northern Watapur Valley in
Operation HAMMER DOWN. They still send daily patrols into the southern Watapur Valley, making regular contact
with insurgents. Most patrols follow a similar pattern: hike or drive to a checkpoint, come under fire, engage the
enemy and fix his location, and call in Apache gunships (or mortar fire from COP Honaker Miracle, or artillery fire
from nearby Forward Operating Base (“FOB”) Blessing, terrain permitting) to destroy the enemy.
Watapur Valley
Another player should read this aloud or paraphrase it for the players.
Charlie Company is stationed at Combat Outpost Honaker Miracle, a sprawling compound at the mouth of Wata-
pur Valley, right next to the village of Shamir Kowt.
Watapur Valley is about 18 km long, with a well-farmed valley floor 5 to 10 km wide. Forested ridgelines and
summits rise far overhead, broken by countless narrow gorges and valleys. Halfway up the valley, the slopes begin
to close in as you approach the villages of Qatar Kala, Qowru, and Shahid. In 2008, American soldiers built a
medical clinic at Qatar Kala to be run by Afghan doctors, only to have the Taliban destroy it as soon as they could.
All the villages stand on the east slopes, the west slopes being far steeper and more rugged.
Villages in the southern half of the valley are not actively hostile, but they wish the Americans would stay away
and not draw trouble. Years of conflict have created a transient population as families migrate seasonally, farm-
ing in the valley floor in the spring and fall and herding in the hills during summer’s fierce fighting. Nevertheless,
village elders invite U.S. soldiers to tribal council meetings in their adobe houses and compounds. Children follow
U.S. soldiers around, happily asking for treats.
North of Qatar Kala, cooperation falls off sharply. The larger villages on the northern heights hold most of the
valley’s population of 10,000 to 20,000: Tows Kala, Tsangar, Katar Darya, Sero Kalay, Gambir, and Zawardiwuz.
They have long supported training camps for Afghan and Pakistani insurgents, lying along a “ratline” of camps and
villages where insurgents move between the two nations. The high northern villages were the focus of the summer’s
fighting.
35
36
Doc Martens boots. She is tanned and fine-featured, Hoagie or Rambam

and looks like she is finding it hard to breathe in One time they were watching a DVD of The Hills
her flak jacket. Have Eyes when an old man who worked in the kitch-
Nagel says Sutterberg is from the State Depart- en started watching from the doorway. His English
ment. Kryptowicz is taking the two fire teams of was terrible, but he called them “American Gaths.”
Squad One and the platoon medic to escort her and a
translator to Gath Valley. Sutterberg and Kryptowicz About Gath Valley
will negotiate with the local tribe, the Gaths. The State Nagel covers details about the geography and ge-
Department is providing gifts to hand them. Krypto- ology of Gath Valley gathered from overflights and
wicz is to make sure the soldiers come home with a satellite imagery. Many of the soldiers start zoning
concrete agreement for cooperation against the Tali- out in boredom.
ban, including setting up an outpost in Gath Valley. THE VALLEY: Gath Valley rises steeply from the
Nagel says he assumes the soldiers have heard of Watapur Valley floor. It is river-carved and riddled
the Gaths. Gath Valley is only about 4 km from base, with caves. The mountainsides rise up sharply on
but even after constant fighting in Watapur Valley, its either side, providing excellent cover against artillery
existence comes as news to many of the Cacti. The and gunships. There was a shallow waterfall between
soldiers of Fire Team Bravo are bored and stay quiet. the valley and the plains beyond when the Gaths first
If none from Fire Team Alpha say they know anything arrived. They dammed the water to create a lake. En-
about Gath Valley, he dryly congratulates them on tering the valley means going over the dam. The dam
keeping their brains Army Strong. looks fragile even in the distant photos.
GETTING IN: Any would-be invader’s options are
What the Soldiers Know (1) come through a tight stone choke-point, (2) rappel
The soldiers can make INT×5 rolls to see what (if any- down sheer cliffs, or (3) apply air power. Unpre-
thing) they remember about the Gaths. With a success, dictable mountain winds make air power unreliable.
each knows what follows. Could the valley be taken? Sure, if you positioned
artillery perfectly and shelled it savagely to drive the
Right Stuff or Kryptowicz inhabitants into those deep caves, then sent troops
Gath Valley is only a few clicks away but no Ameri- into those caves to dig them out. So far, no one has
cans have gone there. Something about the mountain wanted to bother.
and weather conditions there make helicopter access SUTTERBERG: Nagel turns the presentation over to
and close air support a nonstarter. Samantha Sutterberg, from the State Department, who
has a presentation and can answer other questions
Right Stuff about this mission. Give Sutterberg’s player the SUTTER-
One of the locals used the phrase “wicked as a Gath” BERG’S PRESENTATION handout.
to describe the Taliban’s foreign fighters.
Hurry Up and Wait
Chuckles
When Chuckles tried to get a translator to ask locals Nagel orders the soldiers to fall in pack gear for five
where he could get laid, they took great offense and days be ready to roll in 60 minutes. They will take
said something about Gaths within the context of three M-ATVs to Gath Valley. It is a short drive, so
sexual deviance. Even better, the Gaths are supposed with any luck, they can get in, make a deal, and come
to grow really good opium. home before the Taliban set up an ambush.
37
Sutterberg’s Presentation
Sutterberg’s player should read this presentation aloud. If you have access to a computer, you can aug-
ment it with a PDF of a PowerPoint-style presentation on the Gath Valley mission available at delta-green.
com. Search for “Gath Valley.”
“The Gaths seem to be their own distinct ethic group. There is a long history of conflict between the
Gaths, other local tribes, and the Pakistanis, and the Russians when they were here. But no one has ever
succeeded in taking Gath Valley.
“The State Department wants to gather up the marginalized elements of Afghan society. If we can
show that the coalition is open even to the Gaths, that may make it easier for other independent tribes to
get along.
“Finally, if the U.S. can base forces in Gath Valley, it can be a strongpoint that will allow better con-
trol over Watapur Valley. Gath Valley is clearly a defensible position. The Gaths have held it for centuries
against all comers.
“Your battles with the Taliban over the summer have left them disorganized. This is our chance to
make good on that fight.”
Answers to Possible Questions

Read aloud or paraphrase these responses.
GATH CULTURE AND LANGUAGE: “This is a fascinating subject. The word ‘Gath’ is not of local origin.
No one is really sure what it means or where it comes from. It seems clear that the Gaths are culturally
distinct from their neighbors. At the very least, they speak a narrow dialect. It seems more likely they
actually have their own language, the way the Basques have the Euskadi language in Europe.”
IS THAT COALITION IDEA FOR REAL? “A team at the embassy wants to cast a broad net to foster an
‘Afghan’ identity that offsets religious, ethnic, and tribal suspicion. If nothing else, a defensible enclave of
prickly individualists could be a strategic asset.”
DOES THIS MEAN WE ARE COOL WITH OPIUM NOW? “One thing at a time. The Gaths trade with their
neighbors out of necessity. But they are largely self-sufficient, herding on the hills and farming in their val-
ley. Some opium cultivation may occur. If the U.S. can strike a deal with the Gaths, they can encourage
trade to give the tribe other options.”
HOW ARE THE GATHS ARMED? “Reports say the Gaths are well armed with old Russian weapons,
maybe even artillery.”
ARE THE GATHS TALIBAN? “No. No outsiders have conquered Gath Valley. It is easily defended, and
there is no mineral wealth and the soil is poor. It has no tactical significance. Even when the rest of the
region was forcibly converted to Islam in the late 19th century, Gath Valley proved too troublesome to
bother.”
ARE THERE GATHS ANYWHERE ELSE? “There is evidence that a number of Gaths have immigrated to
Qatar, doing menial work and sending money home.”
WHY DO PEOPLE HATE THE GATHS? “The local mistrust and dislike of Gaths is standard bigotry. They
are different and therefore hated.”
38
Th e Ve hi cl es
Commander
Passenger 2 Cargo
Driver Passenger 1
The soldiers have three 4x4 Osh
kosh M-ATVs (Mine Resistant Am
they have nicknamed “Shitty,” bush Protected All Terrain Veh
“The Beast,” and “Halle Berry.” icles), which
has Armor 20. Each has seating Driv ing one is a Heavy Machinery
for driver, commander, and two roll. Each
cargo space outside the cabin. passengers, a gunner’s turret,
and a small
The Beast is equipped with a
turreted Mk 19 grenade launche
Lethality 15% (20% if fired in r. It is fired with Heavy Weapo
a burst) and a kill radius of 10 ns and has
manually or using a CROWS met ers. It holds 30 rounds. It can be ope
(Common Remotely Operated rated
driver seat. Weapon Station) on a screen
from behind the
Halle Berry has a turreted M2
40 machine gun. It is fired with
a kill radius of 3 meters, and Heavy Weapons and has Leth
Armor Piercing 3. It can be ope ality 15%,
screen from behind the driver rate d manually or using a CROWS
seat. on a
Shitty has a turreted M240 mac
hine gun. It is fired with Heavy
radius of 3 meters, and Armor Weapons and has Lethality 15%
Piercing 3. It can be operated , a kill
from behind the driver seat, but man ually or using a CROWS on a
everyone knows its CROWS unit scre en
week, but it still doesn’t work is broken. It supposedly got fixe
worth a damn. If firing from with d last
with an even number fails. As in the cab using CROWS, eve
always, a failed roll with matchin ry attack roll
g digits is a fumble.
TH E BE AS T SH ITT Y
DRIVER: Vincenzo HA LL E BE RRY
DRIVER: Samuelson
COMMANDER: Kryptowicz DRIVER: Smith
COMMANDER: Clifton
GUNNER: Hurt COMMANDER: Massa
GUNNER: Ezell
PASSENGER 1 (CROWS): GUNNER: Flynn
PASSENGER 1 (CROWS):
empty for gunner PASSENGER 1 (CROWS):
empty for gunner
PASSENGER 2: Sutterberg empty for gunner
PASSENGER 2: Marwat
CARGO: Gath gifts PASSENGER 2: Bolger
CARGO: Gath gifts
CARGO: Gath gifts
39
An hour later, it emerges that a local translator worked with his dad and can provide similar informa-
has not yet shown up, so the whole enterprise is on tion. He then gets a +20% to his CHA×5 roll.)
hold. That hour stretches past noon. Failure: They have no idea what a “Gath” is, and
During the wait, the soldiers have a chance to log more importantly, they don’t care. Success: That valley
on, make phone calls, or otherwise sniff out Gath gos- is covered by a flight guideline recommending not
sip. Each character has a chance to pursue one avenue flying over it due to wind hazards. It is unlikely that
of information. air support will be forthcoming in that region. There’s
even scuttlebutt that the Russians had a no-fly zone
Battalion Intelligence over the area back during the Eighties.
The battalion has a small intelligence staff at FOB
Blessing. Any soldier can reach them by phone or Google It
radio and attempt a CHA×5 or Military Science A soldier can attempt an Anthropology or History
(Land) test to ask about the Gaths, their valley, or test to dig deep online. Failure: Hand the player the
anything about weird ethnic enclaves in the Hindu “Gath Valley” handout found on page 41. Success: The
Kush Mountains. researcher also finds a blog post entitled “My Summer
(DO NOT suggest that Right Stuff consider Air With the Gaths” by Rinna Lourdes, found on page 42.
Force sources; but if that player tries it, Right Stuff
can talk informally to a pilot in the region who
40
41
My Summer With the Gaths

A formal ethnographic report on my weeklong visit to Gath Valley is forth-
to pro-
coming in the Journal of Himalayan Cultural Studies, but I have been asked
the Hindu
vide some of my casual observations of this shy, but proud subculture of
Kush Mountains.
es
I spent two weeks in Gath Valley in the summer of 1989 under the auspic
make of me.
of the University of Zurich. Initially, the Gaths seemed unsure what to
, confused
The idea of a woman traveling on her own, with no chaperone or family
“under
them. They asked if I had come from “the home valley” and whether I was
seemed
the protection of a sky-howler.” My explanation that I had come to learn
pos-
alien to them, as if learning for its own sake was simply not a value they
they were
sessed. Then again, my Pashto was inelegant, and while they spoke it
pres-
clearly more comfortable with their own dialect, speaking it openly in my
ence but making no attempt to teach me it.
nt,
I found the Gaths extremely respectful. The men were formal and diffide
women
always seeming a bit surprised that I could not speak their language. The
of savory
were a bit more forthcoming and frequently made offerings of a kind
nt,
meat dumpling called a “kunkalu,” a generosity I found unbearably poigna
since it was clear that malnutrition was rife among them.
Gath Valley itself is beautiful, in an austere and unforgiving way. The entry
a reser-
to the valley is blocked by a large wooden dam of immense age, creating
g fish to
voir in which the natives fish. (There was apparently a taboo about offerin
not for
strangers, however. It was made abundantly clear to me that the fish were
when I
me to eat. More of the meat dumplings, “kunkalum” in plural, were offered
asked about the fish diet.)
Though the dam was ancient, the Gaths attended it constantly. Several times
that had
while I was there, people examined it minutely, replacing wooden beams
to swim
become damaged or which were rotting. Young Gath men were enjoined
height
down to its base and inspect it, even though the water was icy even at the
trunk and carry it onto
of summer. I saw the men of the valley prepare a great tree
in some
the dam before pushing it over the side and jumping in after it, apparently
underwater construction project.
told
The most fluent of the Pashto speakers, an elderly man named “Aftha,”
to en-
me that before the revolution, a group of government soldiers attempted
h the weigh t of their
ter the valley and that the ramp of the dam crumbled beneat
I had not
half-track, bogging them down while the Gaths jeered and shot at them.
bring a tank
considered the defensive value of the dam, but clearly any attempt to
meters of
or heavy truck over it could crumble the whole thing, releasing the five
without a
water behind it. It’s a conundrum: Development would be very difficult
ing
paved road into the valley, but building such a road would necessitate remov
(or somehow replacing) the dam, to which the Gath are very attached.
42
Consulting the Locals medicine for rocket propelled grenades. He considers

Elderly locals cook, clean, and do menial tasks at the it an excellent deal.
base. Asking around requires a Foreign Language test Sutterberg’s player can decide whether to bring
with Dari or Pashto. Failure: The Afghan laughs and the rockets or leave them at the base.
says the Gaths are primitives, buttoned up in their Yasir Marwat is an energetic chatterbox who
valley eating each other. The idea that they could serve wants to hear everything about America, but he gladly
as allies against the Taliban is foolish. The only reason talks about the region if asked. His English is good
no one has wiped them off the face of the Earth is that as a second language, but it’s heavily canted towards
their cave-riddled valley is absolutely worthless. Suc- money and military matters. He estimates that there
cess: The Afghan looks nervous and wants to know can’t be more than 500 Gaths in the valley, but that
what the Americans want with the Gaths. Before they they are all heavily armed and tough. (If pressed, he
can even answer, he says that if they’re going in to kill says “500” counts only adults.) One thing Marwat
them all, it’s about time. The Gath abduct little girls won’t do is suggest that he can get drugs or women.
for wives, or for worse purposes. When the Russians He has spent enough time around Sutterberg to know
tried to take a helicopter into the valley to kill them, that could get him cut off, and he has been making
the Gaths whistled it down to the ground with de- some nice sums working for State.
mons, whom they sleep with.
The Gath Dam
The Translator
The weather is starting to turn. High winds in the
The translator drives up in an old pickup truck at upper atmosphere blow clouds and light snowfall
1300 hours, five hours late. He is a young, urban down from the higher mountains. It is bad weather for
Afghan named Yasir Marwat. Sutterberg recommend- drones, let alone medical dust-offs.
ed him as a State Department asset known for being The dirt road comes to a riverbed with a narrow
bright, ambitious and enthusiastic. For details, see trickle running down its center amidst a thatch of wild
DEPUTIZATION DOSSIER: YASIR MARWAT on page 61. grass. This is the discharge from Gath Valley’s dam,
Marwat is in his early thirties, dressed tradition- and following it upstream leads to their enclave.
ally except for a ratty pair of Nike Air Jordans. He The Gath dam is a monument to primitive te-
smiles constantly and peppers his speech with “Okay, nacity. It’s about five meters tall, composed of wood
Chief!” and “Right on!” and stone and thickened mud. It has obviously been
The truck has a handful of crates with medical patched and redressed many, many, many times. A
supplies and, far more prominently, an even half-doz- ramp leads up the left side to a trail that leads past the
en Chinese-made Type 69 RPGs (functionally identical lake and into the valley. A large, crude blockhouse of
to the RPG-7s popular among the Taliban) stacked in cement and junk metal overlooks it with three Gaths
padded crates of their owns. on guard inside.
Tell Sutterberg’s player that Marwat was given an- A light pickup truck could go up the ramp with-
tibiotics, vitamins, food supplies, and blankets to bring out anything more ominous than snapping branches,
for the Gaths, and no weapons. This is not supposed cracks in the mortar, and a few stones falling. But it’s
to be a mission to arm the Gaths. obvious that even a single M-ATV would cause the
Marwat took it upon himself to “exchange” some ramp to collapse and tear a hole in the side of the
of the “pointless stuff” from the truck for “things dam. The same happens if someone hits the dam with
the Gaths would like.” If asked how he knows that, a grenade. (Bullets poke spurting little holes but do no
Marwat is vague and says he asked around. Mar- structural harm.)
wat traded the vitamins, half the food, and half the
43
The Gaths
Bursting the Dam
The Gaths have sallow, heavily tanned skin, and
If the dam bursts, a nearly three-meter-high flash flood
their features blend the prominent noses and striking
rushes down the streambed out of the valley. The water
is not strong enough to pick up an M-ATV but could roll grey eyes of their Pashto neighbors with flatter faces,
it if it hits broadside-on. The vehicle gets stuck until at straighter hair, and epicanthic folds from an origin
least an hour of hard labor gets it out. elsewhere to the east.
At the bottom of the drained lake, great skeletons All Gaths show signs of rampant malnutrition.
of Téuthan have been ritually dumped for centuries. Their gums are pale, indicating anemia or a pro-
They have human-like skulls and forearms. Instead of
tein-poor diet. Their skin looks loose and wrinkled,
graying and decaying like human bones, the exotic
their teeth are dull and mottled, and their fingernails
compounds of Téuthan skeletons have crystallized. See-
ing them costs 0/1D4 SAN from the unnatural. In open show warps and fissures. Some of them move stiffly
air, they are extremely fragile. Even walking close to due to weak joints and muscles.
one crumbles it to dust. Within days of the dam burst- They dress in layers of robes, but the women go
ing, the skeletons are only crystalline powder. unveiled, and with their hair long and unbound, or in
simple ponytails and braids. Men wear a utilitarian
bowl cut and keep their beards trimmed to exactly
The Gaths in the guard box try to warn the fist-length under their chins. Both sexes are clean, as
M-ATVs away from the dam. If the soldiers try to their culture is fastidious about washing both cloth-
drive over the dam or threaten it, the guards come out ing and person.
shouting and shooting into the air. After the soldiers have had an hour or two among
the Gaths and have met a couple dozen of them, they
Meeting the Gaths notice two things. First, the shorter a Gath is, the
more likely he or she is to look healthy. Second, a few
The dam’s three guards come out to greet the sol- have square scars, about two inches on a side, peeking
diers. Another dozen or so Gaths come up from the out of their sleeves or on their calves.
village. They are nonplussed and don’t know exactly
what to make of these foreigners. If for some reason Gath History
the soldiers arrive at night, the guards want them to Over 1,500 years ago in Thailand, an ethnic group
stay outside the valley until morning. If the soldiers acquired an unnatural patron and left Thailand for Af-
show gifts for the village, the guards remain some- ghanistan. They have stayed in Gath Valley ever since,
what stiff and reserved, but they allow a few visitors becoming less and less human every year. Analysis
(Sutterberg, Marwat, and the players’ soldiers) into of Gath DNA would fascinate any biologist in a way
the village despite the hour. Any who remain outside that would make Delta Green very nervous. That is
the village pass a quiet, cold night camped in and not a likely result of this operation. If somehow it
around the M-ATVs and must make a CON×5 test or does emerge, work it into your campaign and setting
gain no benefit from sleep. In the daylight, the Gaths as you see fit.
still admit only a few visitors (the player charac-
ters and Marwat). The Gath Today
There are about 1,000 self-identified Gaths, but close
to a third of that number live outside the valley. About
ten percent of those travelers (call it 30 people world-
wide) are true believers desperate to return. Perhaps
80 assimilate to outside culture, staying in Qatar or
44
Singapore and revisiting their homeland only through lake. They toil, worship Abidleth, and obey the
recurring nightmares. The rest might want to stay out Ourmat’s whims.
of the valley and remain in a country where weight Most modern Gaths speak some Pashto in ad-
gain is tolerated, but return out of fear. When they dition to their private tongue. Beyond their lake and
initially leave, they are told bad things will happen stream, there is no running water in the Valley, and its
if they fail to come when called. Those threats are few electrical devices are battery-powered. No Gath
bluffs—the Téuthan cannot survive in our reality more recognizes more than 50 words of English.
than a few hours at a time, and they can only arrive
and exit it via the Ourmat—but few have the guts to Gath Valley
find out for sure.
The 562 adults and 221 children in Gath Val- Gath Valley is surprisingly green, sheltered, and
ley grow crops for subsistence and opium for mar- irrigated. The looming valley walls are mossy on the
ket. They herd in the hills and fish in their dammed south and dusty gray to the north. Stubborn pines jut
from cracks and ledges on either side. The air smells
swampy and moist between bridge and dam, but
Gat h Vall ey Loca tion s

1 Dam....................................... page 43
2 Guard House........................... page 43
3 Lake........................................ page 46
4 Fields...................................... page 46
5 Weighing Cave........................ page 46
6 Storage Cave............................page 47
7 The Ourmat..............................page 47
8 Garage................................... page 46
9 Stable..................................... page 46
10 Prisoners.................................. page 50
11 Cave of the Source....................page 47
45
Entering Gath Valley

Language Barriers At least three Gaths accompany the visitors at all
times. At night, they offer sleeping quarters in the
There are four languages at play in Gath Valley, and Weighing Cave, with its old car backseat being pre-
they can provide a lot of interesting frustration to the
sented as the height of luxury. They say the visitors
soldiers when someone who knows what they need
can see the Ourmat tomorrow, maybe.
can’t tell them about it or understand their question.
GATH: Yasir Marwat speaks a bit, but his com- By day, they offer the visitors a meal and water
mand is not as great as he thinks. in the Weighing Cave and say the Ourmat will decide
DARI: About a third of the adult Gaths know some when to see them. Probably later today, sometime.
of the national trade language. Marwat and Sutter- Gath food consists of fish and home-made bread,
berg are fluent.
extremely bland and in tiny portions.
PASHTO: The district’s dialect is spoken by about
Any soldier can make an INT×5 roll. Failure:
half the adult Gaths (including the Ourmat and anyone
set to guard the Americans). It is Yasir Marwat’s native This is quite different from the region’s usual hospi-
language. Sutterberg speaks it like a native. Krypto- tality. Success: They are not even making the pretense
wicz and Right Stuff speak it a bit. of being happy hosts. Good manners in Afghanistan
require giving guests your best. The Gaths clearly have
a different standard.
clears in the village to a refreshing mountain crispness All in all, you want the soldiers to get the impres-
with just a hint of dust. Noises echo off the hard walls sion of a tiny society, confined from without by violent
of buildings and the soaring enclosing mountains. enemies, and from within by strict social roles and a
Between sounds, the silence is hushed, as if the whole choking lack of opportunity.
settlement is holding its breath, waiting.
To the north of the river and directly west of the The Lake
dam is a thin, irrigated strip of fields growing wheat The old men who live by the lake are variously ad-
and opium poppies. This extends to a footbridge over mired, despised, and ignored, depending on the mood
the stream to the southern section and terminates in of the villager you ask. Some consider the men shrewd
the main village. At the lake are a few homes where and learned, enjoying a well-earned rest doing the
fishermen live, almost all of them older than the easy work of fishing for loaches and snowtrouts and
average Gath. In the northern wall of the valley is the inspecting the dam. (Younger men repair it, usually
Weighing Cave. unmarried ones, since it provides a chance to show off
The main part of the settlement begins at the physical strength and endurance.)
bridge. The southern valley holds round homes built The old men have numerous kunkalu marks (see
of stone and mortar. Interspersed among them are page 50). It is easier to convince them to talk than
scruffy gardens. There are occasional pomegranate most villagers. Anyone who asks the old men about
trees, generally unhealthy and suffering from mold. A the square scars gets a +20% bonus on their Persuade
cave serves as a storage chamber. or CHA×5 test.
At the far side of the village is the largest structure
in the valley, a six-meter-tall stone blockhouse, the seat The Weighing Cave
of the Ourmat. A stable holds a dozen horses and mules. This wide cave has been chiseled wider, with crude
A garage holds the Ourmat’s vehicles. (She cannot drive, beams across the ceiling, supported by wooden pillars.
but they are semi-communal, being used or withheld The Weighing Cave is the Gath community’s answer
at her whim.) A workshop holds well-used tools and a to the front porch of an old General Store, or the of-
communal store of fuel. The valley ends at the sacred fice water cooler. People come here to hang out in the
Cave of the Source, from which the stream emerges. heat of the day, or to warm up in the winter. There are
46
benches and chairs and backseats from junked sedans cover. The Gaths could wait out any number of artil-
wreathed in mold and rust. A huge oven rests against lery barrages in these caves.
one wall, vented to the open by welded-together Of course, that does not really explain why the
pieces of truck exhaust pipe. The oven is roaring and Gath all look so malnourished if they have stockpiled
pleasantly warm. It usually smells of roasting meat, so much food.
despite the obvious starvation of the Gaths. They say
the meat is not for them, it is for the Ourmat. It is The Garage
goat, boar, beef, or whatever the Ourmat likes. The collected motor vehicles of Gath Valley include
The centerpieces of the first chamber are two see- one jeep (barely better than a dune buggy), two ordi-
saws, each a long, flat beam with a well-worn seat on nary light trucks, one “technical” (a light truck with
one end and a large chunk of granite lashed to a divot a swiveling machine gun on top), four dirt bikes, and
in the other. If anyone asks what they are, the Gaths lots of random parts.
explain they are scales, a man scale and a woman The machine gun on the technical is a Russian
scale. (The Gaths must sit on these once a week to see PK, carefully maintained. The Gaths have about 500
if they are heavy enough to be bled or cut to make rounds for it, boxed in 25-round belts that may be
kunkalu dumplings, as described on page 49.) linked together to form five 100-round belts.
If anyone then asks why they’re weighing every-
one, the Gaths just look puzzled and say it’s for the The Seat of the Ourmat
Ourmat, as if this should be perfectly obvious. This two-story edifice is decorated—unlike any other
Farther back in the cave is a wooden wall with place in the village—and armed. The exterior walls
a door. Through that is the Gath infirmary, a place have generations of human skulls cemented to them
where nightmares come true. in neat rows. The skulls at the bottom are almost com-
At first, the infirmary does not seem bad. It pletely collapsed to dust. Towards the top, a few can
is ruled by a cheerful old woman with one leg be seen with modern crowns and fillings in the teeth.
and eleven teeth. Her name is Kathka. She is de- The skulls bespeak a variety of ages and sizes. About
scribed on page 48. one in ten has a hole or gash indicating violent demise,
while others are intact.
The Storage Cave Its flat roof supports an old Soviet DShK (“dish-
The storage cave, the five or six caves branching off it, ka”) heavy machine gun, as well as artfully arranged
and the ones going deeper off those are all dank and pieces of wreckage from that Mi-24 Hind chopper.
dimly lit. Any Gath tour guides enjoy this opportunity The barrel of an 1880s British Armstrong gun points
to show off by cracking one or two chemlights. There skyward like an obelisk, its metal body dented and
are drums of rusty water and others full of molding discolored in a curved line. Near the machine gun sits
grain. A dozen Type 56 rifles (the Chinese version of a weathertight wooden box of ammunition.
the AK-47) are carefully stored with box after box A battered (unarmed) pickup truck and an ancient
of ammo, along with an unlocked crate of old Sovi- dirtbike usually sit outside the seat of the Ourmat for
et hand grenades. There are boxes of American and use by her attendants.
Chinese military rations. All of this is packed in deeper, When the visitors are allowed inside, see MEETING
father crevices. THE OURMAT on page 51.
A soldier who explores all this bounty and suc-
ceeds at a Military Science (Land) test gets a disturb- The Cave of the Source
ing sensation that this valley truly is a roach motel This is where Abidleth materializes, and where the
for anyone who wants to invade it. The dam would “marriage” between it and the Ourmat occurs. It is a
preclude armor long enough for the tribe to get to sacred place. While it has a high, pointed ceiling and
47
// Night Visions //
goes very deep into the mountain, the cave is only five
meters across at its opening, and it rapidly narrows.
The walls are covered with a multihued encrusta-
tion, dark and thin, like the rainbow sheen of oil but
permanent and in layers. (This is caused by unusual
chemical reactions caused by Abidleth rotating into
our three dimensions.) Luminous spirals arise out of
these colors, burning faintly firefly yellow.
If the soldiers go into this cave, half a dozen Gath
men come and shout at them to get out. If the soldiers
are seen trying to take stones out of the cave, or chip-
ping away at the walls, the Gaths attack no matter
how well they were getting along before.
Doom School in Gath Valley

Before being summoned for dinner with the Ourmat
(described on page 51), the soldiers have time to inter-
act with the Gaths.
Interviewing Kathka
Kathka oversees the infirmary in the Weighing Cave.
Her tools are primitive but she is talented. Her First
Aid, Medicine, and Surgery skills are at 50%. She has
a drawer full of razor and X-acto blades for detail
work, and a pair of Ginsu Nuri cooking knives (one
orange, one green) for bigger jobs. She has several jugs
of hand sanitizer and ostentatiously rubs it on blades,
thread, and needles before cutting or sewing. She also
has a small pharmacy, including giant aspirin tablets
from Kyrgyzstan, a couple dozen Serbian Z-packs,
and plenty of home-grown opium.
Kathka is almost unique among the women of
Gath in that she has good color and energy, even the
tiniest hint of a developing pot belly.
Kathka is delighted with the visitors. She pinches
their muscles and flesh, marveling at their size, possi-
bly even seeming a bit flirtatious. If anyone is injured,
Kathka is generous with her opium, offering a pipe
and, if it’s refused, smoking it herself and then blow-
ing it into the patient’s mouth with an eleven-tooth
kiss. (This is standard procedure in Gath medicine:
Kathka has developed a potent tolerance for the drug.)
48
Kathka speaks Pashto and is far more willing to the child, screaming, to the ground with a punc-
talk than the typical Gath. Pace out the revelation of tured eardrum.
information. If she is the first person they talk to, she Gath witnessing this do not seem alarmed. A
should be more reticent. If they have been around, woman picks up the child, scolding even as she wipes
Kathka is more outgoing. blood from his ear canal. If no one interferes, she
“WHAT ARE THE SEE-SAWS OUT THERE?” Early: She ex- takes the child off to Kathka.
plains in a vague manner that the Gaths need to stay There are about twenty Gath men with AK-47s or
little. It is never a problem for her because she lacks old Mosin-Nagant rifles watching. If a soldier points a
a leg. It has been gone since she was young. Late: If rifle, so do they.
people get too big in the village, “Snip-snip!” They are If one of the visitors seems outraged, the man who
drained or a little kunkalu (see page 50) patch comes struck the child apologizes but looks bemused. He is
off. She never worries about “weigh day.” The stone unhappy that he upset the Americans, but insists that
never moves for her, thanks to her missing leg. the child “spoke what it shouldn’t,” ignorantly mock-
“WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE?” Early: The Ourmat rules ing important things.
on behalf of Abidleth. But Abidleth is not going to
come back for a year or more. Late: The Ourmat Asking Questions (Night or Day)
bears children for the village. The village does what These are some probable questions and the answers
she says, because only she can speak to Abidleth. The the soldiers get with a Foreign Language (Pashto) roll
Ourmat eats the most because she suffers the most. or help from their translator.
“WHAT IS AN ‘OURMAT’?” Early: The Ourmat is “WHY DOES EVERYONE GET WEIGHED?” Failure: The
the “big woman” who rules the Gath and lives in the answer is vague. Outsiders don’t get weighed. Success:
house with the “dead helicopter.” Late: The Ourmat The Gath responds that anyone who grows too big
is the “big woman” who goes into the Cave of the has given the tribe too little. The excess is taken and
Source to “lie” with Abidleth. Doing so makes a offered in sacrifice to the Ourmat, Abidleth, and the
“Téuthan,” a spirit which guards the Gath valley. The Téuthan to keep the Gath safe from their enemies.
Ourmat lives in the house with the “dead helicopter.” “HOW DO YOU STAY FREE OF THE TALIBAN?” Failure:
The people make kunkalu dumplings (see page 50) for Another vague answer, to the effect that the enemies
her so she grows larger. of the Gath face the Téuthan. This is usually followed
“DO YOU EAT HUMAN FLESH?” Early: She seems con- with an almost ritualistic waving of the Gath’s arms
fused by this and begins listing meats by type, includ- above their head. Success: The Téuthan is some kind
ing fish, goat and bird. Late: She says for the visitors of spirit or beast that protects the Gath people.
not to worry, that they are safe. “WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE OURMAT?” Failure: The Our-
mat is a community high priestess and leader. Success:
A Disturbing Interlude (Day Only) Every eight and a half years, a new Ourmat ritually
This scene may occur by day when Hoagie is up and marries Abidleth and becomes mother to a Téuthan.
around the town center, as assorted villagers are If she dies, the old Ourmat resumes her duties. If the
gawking at the soldiers. A child, maybe five or six new Ourmat survives, the old Ourmat ascends to
years old, points at Hoagie and cries, “Ourmat! Our- the heavens.
mat!” As far as the child is concerned, the only people “WHAT IS A TÉUTHAN?” Failure: The Gath makes a
who get physically large are those who have the favor whistling noise and waves their arms about their head.
of Abidleth. Success: The Téuthan is the child of the Ourmat and
A Gath man deals with this blasphemy by step- Abidleth. It protects the Gath people.
ping up to the child and delivering a shockingly “WHO IS ABIDLETH?” Failure: The Sky-Howler. The
hard, open-handed smack blow to the ear. It knocks Gath points all about the sky as if that explains
49
everything. Success: Abidleth is their immortal patron If circumstances warrant, Malagaeg might
and guardian, what they call the “sky-howler.” De- show off the kunkalu scars on his left bicep and left
scribing Abidleth to outsiders is blasphemous. calf, possibly after commenting on the size of Hoa-
“WHAT ARE THE SQUARE SCARS ON PEOPLE’S ARMS AND gie or Chuckles.
THIGHS?” Failure: If someone becomes too big, they
are cut. Success: The marks are for when Gath do not Getting Laid
give enough to the tribe. What is owed is removed If it’s how they roll, a soldier can pick out one of the
and offered in sacrifice as kunkalu to the Ourmat, underfed, sullen Gath ladies and make a Persuade or
Abidleth, and the Téuthan to keep the Gath safe from CHA×5 test. Failure: She goes over to her father or her
their enemies. husband and talks with him in low, mumbling tones.
“WHAT IS KUNKALU?” Failure: The most sacred food He comes over and gestures at a piece of soldier gear:
of the Ourmat. Success: Toasted wheat dumplings and a combat knife, a cell phone, his night vision monocle
pudding, mixed with meat and blood. It is forbidden (strictly against regulations!), or his CamelBak. It’s
to serve kunkalu to anyone but an Ourmat. a straight-up trade. Success: She talks with her hus-
“HUMAN MEAT AND BLOOD?” It is ceremonial. The band or father, then grudgingly comes over and nods,
Ourmat can explain. having been told to go along with it as a gesture of
goodwill. How Kryptowicz deals with this breakdown
Guarding the Vehicles in discipline is up to his player.
Four or five curious young men with rifles join any
soldiers stationed at the vehicles. The leader of these Interrogating Prisoners
youths is named Malagaeg. He speaks Pashto. He Two captured Taliban fighters are being held in a stur-
wants to know all about the M-ATVs and their dy stone room next to the goat pen and the butcher’s
weapons, and anything else the soldiers have that does home, quite near the Seat of the Ourmat. The Gaths
violence. He hopes that these are gifts for the Gaths, do not object to the soldiers talking to the prisoners.
and is disappointed if the soldiers indicate that they They seem quite proud of them. If the soldiers try to
will take them when they go. Friendly soldiers who free a prisoner, that means a fight with the village.
can breach the language barrier or who sprinkle their Each line of questioning requires a Foreign
conversation with stories involving violence get a Language (Pashto) roll to get a prisoner to talk using
+20% bonus thereafter on social rolls with Malagaeg bluster, cajoling, or promises.
and his posse. “HOW DID YOU GET HERE?” Failure: The prisoner calls
After a half hour or so, Malagaeg volunteers the serviceman a hind part of a goat. Success: We
to watch the vehicles for the soldiers. If the soldiers stopped them trying to steal a girl from a village. She
demur, he sends a couple of his buddies back to get escaped. They captured us instead.
an empty 50-gallon drum and firewood. He soon has “WHAT’S YOUR COMPLAINT WITH THE GATHS?” Failure:
a fire burning merrily and offers cigarettes to the sol- The Gaths steal wives and eat men. They consort with
diers from a crumpled pack. He offers to share opium devils. The Gath are not human. Success: As with a
tar and a pipe. failure, and the prisoner says that only an idiot would
One word that both groups certainly have in not know the horrors the Gaths have inflicted on their
common is “Taliban,” which makes Malagaeg eager- neighbors since antiquity. The Gaths are sorcerers.
ly make derisive noises and gestures. He vigorously Gath women are “whores to Shaitain.” They produce
mimes excising biceps and thighs, then cooking and monstrous offspring, devil children that can fly. The
eating them. His friends all chime in with disputations only thing that can protect against the monstrous
about the best parts (buttocks, cheeks, sweetbreads). offspring is the devil-blocking song which is taught to
all righteous folk in this region.
50
“DEVIL CHILDREN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” Fleeing Without Meeting the Ourmat
Failure: Wisdom means nothing to an unbeliever like If the apparent cannibalism in Gath culture is enough
you. Success: When the leader of the Gath sings, the to persuade the team to call this mission a failure
child of Shaitan appears. The only thing which can and head home, a few Gath guards intercept them.
protect against the monstrous offspring is the dev- They say that the Ourmat wishes to speak with them.
il-blocking song which is taught to all righteous folk That is a polite way of saying the Ourmat commands
in this region. them to come to her. If the visitors refuse, the guards
“WILL YOU TEACH US THE DEVIL-BLOCKING SONG?” Fail- become wide-eyed in shock and outrage. They say the
ure: No. Success: The prisoner, growing terrified, asks Ourmat has spoken. No one in Gath Valley refuses a
the soldiers to remember him when the Gath turn on wish of the Ourmat. The visitors must come. It will
them. He then sings the song, softly and with great become a battle with Gath Valley if they try to force
care. See LEARNING THE DEVIL-BLOCKING HYMN below. their way out. See GETTING OUT on page 55.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN BETWEEN THE U.S.
AND THE GATHS?” Failure: Sputtering curses involving Meeting the Ourmat
debased sex acts. Success: The Gath are the most
evil force in Afghanistan. American money, food, The last element of the soldiers’ diplomatic visit to
and aid will cause them to spread out of their valley. Gath Valley should be an evening meeting with the
The prisoner would rather face an invasion of 100 Ourmat herself. How many of the soldiers go into the
American armies. meeting is up to the players.
ing Hymn
n g t h e D evil-Block
Learn i r like the relig
ious
a ttl e ch a nt or hymn, no e so ldiers,
e a typical b is nothing th
so un d lik la ng ua g e
not . The y and
elody does n pop music . The melod
This eerie m r lik e Tu rkish or India in fa ct , are nonsense
sques, no word s,
songs in mo before. The
M a rw a t have heard 4 SAN from
Sutterberg,
o r
tte r. S a ni ty te st, losing 1D
what really
m a
e operator m
ust fail a erator loses
rhythms are l, a w o ul d -b th e S a ni ty test—the op
the ritua ds at g as a pena
lty to
To memorize erator succee rt skill’s ratin
e a tte m p t fails—the op ta ke th e A rt (R ap)
l. If th ill may and A
the unnatura ho ha s a m usical Art sk Ra m b a m has SAN 65
operator w ple : Dev -
1 SAN. An song. (Exam to learn the
he n tr yi ng to learn the a ni ty te st when tr ying
st w to hi s S highe r. )
the Sanity te 40% penalty roll of 26 or
Ra m b a m m ay take a − rn in g th e ritual with a 9 minus the op
er-
40%. te st and le a nc e equals 9
ili ng th e Th e ch a o r th e
ong, fa n Roll. effect;
il-Blocking S re q ui re s an Activatio ut th e ritual has no s
Activating th
e ri tu a l ses 1 SA N b jections f hi o
a t fa ils , th e operator lo es p ite th e recoiling ob
t SAN. If th ate it d
ator’s curren ntly, to activ
en d 1 PO W, permane
y sp
operator ma
b ra in .
or her
mn SAN.
c k in g H y tu rn ; 2 WP, 1D4
Devil-Blo
n: a 4
N. Activ a tio erator for 1D
tim e: m in ut es; 1D4 SA in 1 0 m et ers of the op a ct i-
l. Study me with must be
Simple ritua d , no Té uthan can co a re r. Th en the ritual
al is activ a te already ne hether the
After this ritu a st 1 0 m et ers away if Té ut ha n sh ould it fail. W
ust flee at le it, as do andler.
turns, and m ny o ne w ho attempts ) is en tir el y up to the H
ck a them
vated again
. Gaths atta hat it does to
st o th er en tities (and w
ns aga in
ritual functio
51
Sutterberg has the sense that to the Gaths, the wooden pins. The strange colorations are marks of the
Ourmat seems to be equivalent to the Pope or the radiance of Abidleth, three years ago.
Queen of England. The soldiers must be respectful. CARRIAGE: Four attendants wheel the Ourmat
If the Ourmat asks a soldier anything, their answer about on a padded carriage made of spare auto and
should brief and clear. dirtbike parts, about one meter by two meters. It has
Before entering, the soldiers must leave their a metal plate foundation and wheel on each corner.
firearms and grenades outside. The Gaths do not The spokes of the wheels are threaded with bells, rings,
object to knives. The Ourmat’s attendants of course and beads, so that she moves in a discordant rattle.
remain armed. The sides of her carriage are decorated with flakes and
strips of the dark, rainbow-stained matter found in
Inside the House the Cave of the Source (page 47), lacquered in place.
Inside, a high-ceilinged chamber is held up by posts The Ourmat’s pillows are cased with Afghan rugs of
that are carved with surprised, amazed, or angry faces. exceptional quality.
The interior walls are covered with spirals, waves, and TREATS: Resting in a frame by her right hand is
geometric designs picked out in spent shell casings, an immaculately maintained M4 carbine, unloaded.
all polished to a high, brassy gleam. A variety of A tray by her left hand holds cakes, dried figs, goat
calibers are on display, bespeaking decades of fire- cheese, bread, a large brass bowl of pomegranate
arm discharges. The floor is swathed in carpets and seeds, two prominently displayed packages of Jap-
giant cushions. anese Pocky candy, an unopened package of Oreo
Behind the reception hall is a bedroom and a cookies, and a small, elegant plate holding three kunk-
chamber where the Ourmat’s attendants bathe and alu dumplings.
feed her, a kitchen with a large, wood-fire oven that is
always hot, and a simple ladder to the roof. What the Ourmat Says
After a few minutes, attendants wheel the Ourmat When the Americans enter, the Ourmat babbles at
out on a gleaming carriage. them in Gath for a bit, translated by Marwat, or from
Gath to Pashto by a Gath.
The Ourmat The Ourmat praises the power and size of the
The Ourmat is in her mid-twenties, about 170 cm tall warriors of America. Together, she claims, the Gaths
and morbidly obese, pushing 135 kg. She cannot walk and Americans will certainly destroy the Taliban.
more than a few steps unassisted. Her round, cherubic She then reaches for the M4. If the soldiers attack
face is unlined. She has pierced ears, decorated with or do anything stupid, remember that her four at-
long, day-glo plastic bangles. A gold chain from India tendants are there, fully armed. Otherwise, she holds
stretches from left ear to pierced nostril, dangling a the M4 out to Sutterberg, whom she assumes to be
few 9 mm shell casings. Her voluminous clothes are the leader. The Ourmat says that she is returning
elaborately woven in the sorts of abstract designs that this weapon that was stolen from America by the
make Afghan rugs famous. Taliban, and that the Americans may now thank her
By far the most compelling aspect of her appear- for doing so.
ance is the stain on her skin and hair. Most Gaths She waits expectantly. No matter what the
have dark tan complexions. But the tops of her cheeks, soldiers or Sutterberg say in English, Marwat or
her forehead, ears, knuckles, and the tip of her chin the Gaths translate it as profuse gratitude, which
are all marked with blackish rainbow swirls. A little makes her smile.
over half of her long hair is white. The hair that has Her teeth are in great condition.
grown back its original black is hard to see beneath
an elaborate hairdo held in place with long, beaded
52
The Ourmat’s Questions If the visitors decline to be bled and share kun-
She then has several questions to ask the soldiers. laku with the Ourmat, she and her attendants become
The answers do not matter much, except to provoke insulted. See IF THE SOLDIERS CHILL IT OUT on page 55.
disquiet or make them nervous that they have said TRANSLATOR: “We are preparing a feast for you and
the wrong thing. it will soon be ready. In the meantime, do you have
TRANSLATOR: “Do you in America obey great gods any questions for me?”
in the sky?”
If they say anything about obeying only one God, The Ourmat’s Answers
she is very pleased and says the Gath, too, have a She answers freely, or as freely as she can across the
special relationship with a deity. language barrier. Possible topics include:
TRANSLATOR: “If Americans come, will they want to “WHY ARE YOU EATING OUR BLOOD IN LITTLE PAS-
take our lands and food? Or will we be left alone to TRIES?” Their strength will flow from her to the village,
do as we see fit?” and more importantly to the children of Abidleth
Whoever answers gets a shrewd, evaluating look the Sky-Howler.
out of her. The Ourmat wants an alliance with Amer- “WHAT IS A SKY-HOWLER?” Sky-howlers protect and
ica, but she does not want that to interfere with Gath instruct people. The sky-howler of the Gath is called
customs, no matter how strange they may seem. Abidleth, but he can only come for a single night
TRANSLATOR: “Will you share food with me to seal every 101 months.
our friendship?” “IS ABIDLETH A GOD?” Of a sort. There is a name-
As soon as she says this, have the soldiers make less, indifferent creator at the core of the cosmos. The
HUMINT rolls. Each who fails notices that the four sky-howlers, among many others, pay homage to it.
attendants look surprised. Each who succeeds also Abidleth has forbidden the Gaths to meddle in the
picks up envy. affairs of the creator.
Marwat and Sutterberg think it would be offen- “WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ABIDLETH COMES?” When
sive to refuse. If they agree, the Ourmat smiles, claps, Abidleth comes, he marries a new Ourmat and im-
and summons an attendant who brings a tray with a pregnates her with a new Téuthan to protect the Gath.
lancet, a handful of cups, and bandages. The attendant The old Ourmat ascends to heaven.
offers to draw blood from the visitors. If they ask an “WHAT IS A TÉUTHAN?” A child of Abidleth.
explanation, the attendant says that he will take their “CAN WE SEE A TÉUTHAN?” The Ourmat shakes
blood to Kathka for ritual preparation of kunkalu, the her head somberly. Bringing forth the “children” is
sacred dumplings. If the soldiers seem surprised, the difficult and painful, and is only done in time of great
Ourmat says Kathka requires only a small amount of danger. If the Americans fight by the side of the Gaths,
blood, not enough to harm them. It is a ritual necessity. they will see one soon.
If any player character goes along with it, the
bloodletting inflicts one point of damage. The at- The Feast
tendant takes it to the kitchen, mixes it with flour, The food arrives. It is served on beaten copper platters
and fries it up. with wooden handles, and it is clearly the arms, legs,
It is expected that participant take their dump- ribs and heads of a Taliban prisoner that has been
lings and offer one to the Ourmat. She graciously cooking for hours. Her attendants stare and salivate.
accepts and eats it, says through the translator how TRANSLATOR: “Eat, and bring our peoples together.”
strong their blood is, and offers the rest back to them. Each non-Gath loses 1/1D4 SAN from
That costs 0/1 SAN from helplessness or 1/1D4 for helplessness.
any who partakes. If Marwat is a non-player character, he vomits
right onto the Ourmat’s cart.
53
Unless the soldiers smooth things over with a suc- If the Ourmat dies, the youngest Téuthan emerg-
cessful Persuade test, the Ourmat and her attendants es from some space coterminous with her and starts
slowly go from being perplexed to outraged. consuming soldiers. The villagers retreat once the
Téuthan is engaged.
Reactions TURN 1: The attendants take a turn to tip over the
Ourmat’s cart (its metal base has Armor 5).
How the soldiers leave Gath Valley depends on their TURN 2: The attendants take cover behind the
reaction to the feast. Ourmat’s cart and shield her with their bodies while
they shoot at the soldiers. Three Gaths outside seize
If the Soldiers Attack the soldiers’ unattended firearms, unless other soldiers
The soldiers might attack the Ourmat right at the feast, have them. The Ourmat starts a shrill, whistling chant.
either with knives, bare hands, or concealed weapons, TURN 3: Three Gaths outside rush in to attack the
or after rushing out to get their rifles. A light truck soldiers with their own weapons. Others outside take
and a motorcycle are parked outside, within sight of up weapons. Still others run to the caves for shelter.
1D4 armed Gaths. It takes one turn for a soldier to get TURN 4: Four Gaths outside use machine guns to
to one of them and another to attempt to start it with attack any soldiers in sight.
a Drive test. (On a fumble, the vehicle stalls and can- TURN 6: Unless it has already emerged, the young-
not be started until repaired.) At the end of each turn, est Téuthan emerges from some space coterminous
a player must make a Luck roll or 1D4 new Gaths with the Ourmat, doing her no harm. It flies across the
join the attack on the soldiers. valley, takes a minute to destroy Fire Team Bravo, and
then comes back for Fire Team Alpha.
54
If the Soldiers Chill It Out Getting Out

If the soldiers do not attack but fail to smooth things
over with Persuade, the Ourmat yells and points at the The path from the Seat of the Ourmat to the M-ATVs
door. For emphasis, one attendant lowers his rifle and outside the dam covers about 300 meters. Unless the
signals for them to depart. Soldiers who fail to take soldiers participated in the feast willingly, resolve their
the hint can have a fight, as described above. So do escape one minute at a time.
soldiers who try to steal a dirt bike or truck.
Those who withdraw find a crowd of Gaths »» MINUTE 1: The Ourmat summons the youngest
gathering. The Gaths do not attack. The soldiers can Téuthan. The soldiers may move unhindered.
simply start walking, with a crowd of silent, armed »» MINUTE 2: The Téuthan attacks.
Gaths shadowing them. »» MINUTE 3: Assuming the soldiers escape the
After one minute (probably while the soldiers Téuthan, the Gaths attack.
continue to move; see GETTING OUT on page 55), the »» MINUTE 4: The Gaths withdraw as the Téuthan
soldiers hear a weird, shrieking song behind them. The attacks again. If the soldiers destroyed the
Gaths start to chuckle. The women, children and old Téuthan, the Gaths attack while the Ourmat
men turn around and leave. The bloodthirsty young summons another.
men stick around to see the carnage. »» And so on.
One minute later, the oldest Téuthan emerges from
some space coterminous with the Ourmat, doing her Movement
no harm. It darts across the valley and takes a minute The soldiers can move 50 meters per minute as a team:
to destroy Fire Team Bravo. part of the team provides suppressing fire while the
Then it comes back for Fire Team Alpha. The other part maneuvers to cover. If their leader succeeds
villagers retreat once the Téuthan is engaged. at a Military Science (Land) test, they move 100
meters. An individual soldier can move 100 meters by
If the Soldiers Join the Feast abandoning the team. That is very dangerous when
The soldiers could take a deep breath, eat enough the Gaths attack, described under THREATS, below.
human flesh to be polite, and shake hands on the deal DRIVING: Soldiers in a Gath truck can move 100
before trying to get the hell out of there. Each who meters per minute through the uneven terrain of the
partakes loses 1D6+1 SAN from helplessness. The sol- village and fields. If the driver succeeds at a Drive test,
diers can walk out of the hall with the Ourmat’s bless- it moves 200 meters.
ing. The Gaths cheer and fire a few shots in the air. FIRST AID: Attempting a First Aid test takes one
The Ourmat starts a shrill, whistling chant. What minute without moving. Attempting it in a moving
she said earlier, about summoning the Téuthan being truck incurs a −20% penalty.
so painful, was a lie. The Gaths look happy. They con-
gratulate the soldiers for winning a great honor. Threats
The oldest Téuthan emerges from some space TÉUTHAN: When a Téuthan attacks the players’ soldiers,
coterminous with the Ourmat, doing her no harm. It resolve that combat turn by turn until the Téuthan
slithers through the air around the soldiers. If they at- kills a soldier or is destroyed. Each turn, the Téuthan
tack it or the Gaths, it begins eating them. Otherwise, swats a random soldier, or bites if the soldier is prone.
it flies across the valley, takes a minute to destroy Fire If the Téuthan hits a truck, the driver must make a
Team Bravo, and lets Fire Team Alpha go in peace. Drive test (or Heavy Machinery at +20% if it’s an
M-ATV) or the vehicle rolls over or crashes. Each
soldier in a pickup takes 2D6 damage in a wreck; sol-
diers in an M-ATV take no damage from rolling over.
55
No Téuthan pursues the soldiers for more than three the GATH ATTACKS table. If more attacks are needed,
turns after they leave the valley. If the Téuthan kills pick one from that table or roll for it with 1D12.
a soldier, the soldiers can move the following minute Work with the players to describe these threats
suffering no attacks as the Téuthan devours the fallen and the characters’ reactions, using the terrain and
soldier. If they counterattack, play it out turn by turn. features of Gath Valley. Heighten the tension, confu-
GATHS ATTACK: If the soldiers destroy a Téuthan, sion, and fear at every chance.
they go without being attacked for the next minute. ATTACKING THE OURMAT: Hitting the Seat of the Our-
At the beginning of the minute after that, they mat with grenades requires a Heavy Weapons test for a
come under fire by the Gaths, howling in outrage, grenade launcher or Athletics tests for thrown grenades.
while the Ourmat’s sings her keening song. Each success inflicts damage equal to its Lethality
At the beginning of the minute after that, another rating. Inflicting 30 points or more damages the house
Téuthan rises from around the Ourmat and flies at the badly and wounds the Ourmat; inflicting 40 points or
soldiers, and the Gaths stop firing. more destroys the house and kills the Ourmat. If the
The Gath fire is terribly inaccurate but the volume soldiers attack the Ourmat’s house, they are attacked by
of fire is huge. At any given moment, dozens of furious the Gaths every minute, whatever else happens. In that
Gaths are firing at the soldiers. During each minute case, in each turn of combat with a Téuthan, a random
under fire by the Gaths, each player character (includ- soldier must choose whether to make a skill test to fend
ing Sutterberg with her lack of combat skills) must off the Gaths or attack the Téuthan. Failure to fend off
make a skill test to respond to threats. Roll 1D10 to the Gaths means a random character suffers a hit.
determine which skill is required. A character moving
alone, having abandoned the team, automatically fails Sanity Reminders
at each test. Failure (or if the character lacks the skill For the player characters, remember the SAN costs
or cannot use it): the team takes one hit at the end due to violence that come with deadly combat (0/1D4
of that minute, or two hits for a fumble. Success: the for being wounded, the first time it happens in this
team does not take a hit. Critical success: prevents combat), resisting suppression by heavy fire (1 unless
one hit from another roll’s failure. Whatever the result, adapted to violence), and the gruesome deaths of char-
have each player describe their skill use. acters with whom they have Bonds (1/1D8, the first
Each hit inflicts damage to a random member of time it happens in this combat).
the soldiers’ party. The first 12 such hits are listed in
>> Fending Off Attacks

On Foot Driving
1D10 Skill 1D10 Skill
(1–2) Alertness (1–2) Alertness

(3–4) Athletics (3–4) Drive (or a Luck roll if a passenger)
(5–6) Dodge (5–6) Drive (or a Luck roll if a passenger)
Firearms (uses 30 rounds of ammo) or Heavy Drive (if a passenger: Firearms [uses 30
(7–8)
Weapons (uses 100 rounds or 2D4 grenades) (7–8) rounds of ammo] or Heavy Weapons [uses
100 rounds or 2D4 grenades])
(9–10) Military Science (Land)
(9–10) Military Science (Land)
56
If the character did not tell anyone about the

>> Gath Attacks Téuthan, she picks very carefully at the weak points
Hit Weapon and Damage in the story, getting quite aggressive. Then she abrupt-
ly stops and shows the character a photograph. The
Machine gun burst: 7 damage, Armor Piercing
1st 3. (If all technicals, [armed pickup trucks] have photo depicts a soldier standing next to a severed
been disabled, this hit does not occur.) human arm that has to be at least two meters long. It
Heavy machine gun burst: 13 damage, Armor is damaged and slightly rotting, but not transparent
2nd Piercing 5. (If the target is not in sight of the
like the Téuthan arms were.
Ourmat’s house, this hit does not occur.)
Twain says that, of course, the existence of such
3rd Sniper bullet: 10 damage, Armor Piercing 3.
things is a tightly controlled secret. Strictly need-to-
4th AK-47 burst: 12 damage, Armor Piercing 3.
know. If the character wants out, all they need do is
5th Sniper bullet: 7 damage, Armor Piercing 3.
take a medical discharge and never talk about Gath
Heavy machine gun: 10 damage, Armor
6th Piercing 5. (If the target is not in sight of the Valley or its inhabitants ever again.
Ourmat’s house, this hit does not occur.) But if the character wants to know more, there is
RPG-7: The driver can attempt a Drive test much more work on this…problem…to accomplish.
to avoid the rocket; if that fails, the truck is
A group in the government is responsible for dealing
7th destroyed and the driver and each passenger
must roll for 30% Lethality. (If the soldiers are with this kind of threat. Is the character interested in
not in a vehicle, this hit does not occur.) knowing more?
Machine gun burst: 9 damage, Armor Piercing If the soldiers left Gath Valley on their own power
8th 3. (If all technicals [armed pickup trucks] have
been disabled, this hit does not occur.)
after making alliance with the Gaths and the Téuthan,
adjust the debriefing accordingly. Persuade tests are
RPG-7 (only if driving): The driver can also
attempt a Drive test to avoid the rocket; if that probably necessary to keep that secret. If any fails, all
fails, the truck is destroyed and the driver and of the soldiers (and no one else) wind up on a patrol
9th
each passenger must roll for 30% Lethality. (If
the soldiers are not in a vehicle, this hit does where a drone strike “mistakenly” rains Hellfire mis-
not occur.) siles on their position. Sutterberg and Marwat die in a
10th AK-47 bullet: 7 damage, Armor Piercing 3. roadside ambush.
11th AK-47 burst: 7 damage, Armor Piercing 3. About a week after the soldiers return to base, the
12th AK-47 bullet: 5 damage, Armor Piercing 3. ground shakes and the night flares with an immense
explosion only a few kilometers away: a long-range
cruise missile has struck Gath Valley, obliterat-
ing the village.
Debrief and Dénouement It never makes the news.
Who (if anyone) lived? What happens to them? I Die, You Die, the Girl Dies…
If all the player characters died, let the players briefly
Debrief take the roles of a group of drone pilots on a base in
If soldiers get out under their own power, they make New Mexico. They do not need names. They are dis-
it safely back to the outpost. Lieutenant Nagel is cussing matters as BLUEBIRD LEADER and BLUE-
shocked and appalled at what happened. In a security BIRD 1 through 5.
debriefing, a woman in civilian clothes named Coretta BLUEBIRD LEADER has been watching this val-
Twain interviews one of the survivors. If the survivor ley with lousy weather for a week, trying to get a good
told people about the Téuthan, Coretta suggests that opportunity for surveillance. Today’s the day. BLUE-
it sounds insane but, if it is the truth, it clearly is a BIRD LEADER’s commanding officer says to “obey
drastic security concern. without question” the orders from “Colonel Dass.”
57
Describe for BLUEBIRD LEADER something the All BLUEBIRD drones are sent to distant observa-
player recognizes as Gath Valley, in the aftermath of tion positions and watch as a cruise missile, dropping
the failed Doom School mission. Was the dam burst? with a nearly vertical arc, plunges into the valley and
It’s being rebuilt, with weird gunky stuff under the detonates. It is clearly some form of incendiary, caus-
water. Almost like a giant skeleton, but it crumbles ing a massive fireball that burns for nearly a minute.
as tribesmen carry logs near it. Did houses blow up? The BLUBIRD pilots know that the purpose of this
Describe them trying to repair the damage. sort of munition is to suck all the oxygen out of an
Colonel Dass wants BLUEBIRD LEADER to area, burning it up so that anyone who is in cover still
watch a strange building with swirls and parts of an smothers. Survivors are unlikely. The drone strikes
old attack chopper on top, but to stay ludicrously far probably killed dozens. That warhead killed hundreds.
back. BLUEBIRD LEADER can tell the ancient gun on It never makes the news.
top of it is no threat to the drone. Maybe Dass doesn’t
know what he’s doing? Characters
The other four BLUEBIRD drones are usually scat-
tered all over Afghanistan, doing surveillance and the oc- Gaths
casional Hellfire strike, but at Dass’ command they are The scrawny, malnourished, inbred Gaths are not
all massing above the clouds near this unnamed valley. individually fearsome combatants, but there are a lot of
Colonel Dass gets excited when four men start them—and thanks to centuries of unnatural influence,
wheeling a cart towards the building. There’s some- they are no longer strictly human. Occasionally (when
thing on it that looks like a large, wounded animal you decides it’s not unsporting) they get in a blood
draped in canvas. They are taking it out of a cave to frenzy, chew through their own lips and cheeks in rage,
the east, the cave where the stream comes from. always succeed at CON tests, and fight to the death.
When that cart goes in the building with the Their strongest warriors attend and guard the Ourmat
chopper chunks, Dass orders all BLUEBIRD drones or keep the best firearms.
make an immediate attack run, launching all weapons
Gath Tribesman
at that building.
This is strange for many reasons. One, it should STR 9 CON 8 DEX 11 INT 10 POW 9 CHA 8
not take more than two Hellfire missiles at most to HP 9 WP 9 SAN 0

collapse that building, even if it is reinforced. Two, the SKILLS: Athletics 40%, Dodge 40%, Firearms 25%,
area is nowhere near clear. There are a lot of people Heavy Weapons 20%, Melee Weapons 40%,
Unarmed Combat 50%.
inside the shock zone, including noncombatants and
ATTACKS: AK-47 assault rifle 25%, damage 1D12+1 (or
children. Any resistance is met with sharp command.
Lethality 10%), Armor Piercing 3
Anyone who refuses to fire or argues about legality is
Soviet DShK heavy machine gun 20%, Lethality 20%,
warned of dire professional consequences. Dass barks,
Armor Piercing 5.
“I take full responsibility, damnit!”
Russian PK machine gun 20%, Lethality 15%, Armor
Each BLUEBIRD operator can attempt a Pilot
Piercing 3.
(Drone) test with 50% skill, plus a +20% bonus from
RPG-7 20% (+20% for the blast), Lethality 30%, Armor
precision targeting, to put a Hellfire on target. If at Piercing 5.
least one drone strikes the building, they hear Dass say,
Knife 40%, damage 1D4, Armor Piercing 3.
“This is Colonel Kit Dass, activating Operation FERAL
Unarmed 50%, damage 1D4−1.
ECLIPSE. Deploy the package. Repeat, deploy FERAL
NOTES: The village has a dozen RPG-7 launchers and a
ECLIPSE.” If none hit, or if all refuse the clearly illegal
total of five rockets. They are very sparing with them.
order, Dass curses angrily. They hear him call in the The DShK machine gun is atop the Ourmat’s house.
mission with coordinates instead.
58
The PK machine guns are mounted on two technicals

sometimes say the Téuthan “emerges from under
(armed pickup trucks).
her skirts,” a typically superstitious and sexualized
Gath Sniper or Ourmat’s Attendant description of a dimensional transaction that no one
on Earth understands. Seeing one being summoned by
STR 10 CON 10 DEX 13 INT 10 POW 14 CHA 10
the Ourmat, with space bubbling and squeaking as it
HP 10 WP 14 SAN 0
arrives, is as mind-shatteringly terrifying encountering
SKILLS: Firearms 45%, Heavy Weapons 35%, Melee
Weapons 50%, Unarmed Combat 60%.
the Téuthan itself.
Three Téuthan inhabit the Ourmat. They do not
ATTACKS: AK-47 assault rifle 45%, damage 1D12+1 (or
Lethality 10%), Armor Piercing 3. have names but are slightly different.
YOUNGEST: The youngest is the smallest and has
Mosin-Nagant sniper rifle 45%, damage 1D12+2, Armor
Piercing 3. the smoothest skin, judging by the shine on its reflec-
Machete 50%, damage 1D8. tive surface.
OLDEST: The oldest has many scars and is missing
Téuthan several teeth and its right eye. The oldest Téuthan has
Téuthan are grotesque genetic blends of human DNA STR 45, CON 45, and HP 45.
and unnatural life-codes etched in exotic matter not LARGEST: The largest is fatter and two fingers on its
native to our dimension. They are not very smart and left hand will not straighten all the way. When it flies,
they are sterile, but they are extremely dangerous. it tends to dip or lurch a little to the left. The largest
Téuthan have long, thin torsos, six to eight meters Téuthan has STR 55, CON 55, and HP 55.
long and one meter wide. Their flesh is mostly trans-
Téuthan
parent, though suspended within it one can see bones,
orange veins, and differently-shaded organs in varying STR 40 CON 40 DEX 5 INT 7 POW 10 CHA 4
degrees of opacity. Their hairless heads are their most HP 40 WP 10

human feature. Their foreheads slope drastically, like ARMOR: 5 points of thick, slipperty, unnatural flesh.
australopithecines or some microcephalics, and they SKILLS: Flight 60%.
have pronounced overbites with fist-sized teeth. ATTACKS: Swat 70%, damage 3D6 (and see SWAT).
Like their faces, their arms (three or four meters Feed 40%, Lethality 30%, Armor Piercing 5 (see FEED).
long, including hands) are disturbingly human in AIRBORNE: When flying, the Téuthan has DEX 15.
shape, despite their clear flesh. Far less manlike is the FEED: The Téuthan only feeds on a prone victim, gaining
crest that rises from their backs, just behind the shoul- a +20% bonus to hit. At the end of each turn after
ders, a half-crescent horizontal fan that resembles a feeding, the Téuthan heals 1 hit point per point of
hang glider. The torso ends in a broad fan and has, damage it inflicts. It cannot recover more hit points
than the victim has or have more hit points than its
where one would expect hind legs, two long, powerful,
usual maximum.
bony fins. The Téuthan on the ground is clumsy but
HUGE: No Lethality roll is required against a Téuthan. It
powerful, dragging itself by its forelegs, with its tail
simply takes HP damage equal to the Lethality rating,
and fins flopping behind. But once it leaps to the air, it whether the Lethality roll succeeds or fails.
moves with liquid grace and terrifying speed. Exactly
SEEN BUT UNSEEN: Téuthan do not appear on night-
how swiftly one moves is up to you, but it should vision screens, not even as black patches or blurry
not take more than a couple of turns to reach victims areas, or on digital cameras. Night vision devices offer
anywhere in Gath Valley. no advantage when shooting at them at night. A film
When they are needed, the Ourmat summons photo of one is exposed with muddy, multicolor swirls.
Téuthan born somewhat more human than these may
them with a shrill, whistling song, and they appear
show up more clearly.
from somewhere coterminous with her body. No
outsiders have survived seeing the process. The Gath
59
SWAT: The Téuthan’s swat affects all targets in a three- OTHER GEAR: Advanced combat helmet with AN/PVS I4
meter radius. It can be dodged, but cannot be blocked night vision monocle. Improved outer tactical vest with
by fighting back. A human-size victim of the Téuthan’s pouches for an individual first aid kit (+20% to a single
swat attack is knocked prone and must make a STR×5 First Aid test), a team radio, a long-range encrypted
test or be stunned. radio, a GPS receiver, and a personal locator beacon.
SANITY LOSS: 1/1D10 from the unnatural (or A rucksack with water, rations, and sleeping bag.
1D6/1D20 to see it summoned).
Spc. Derrick “Doc” Bolger
Fire Team Bravo Combat Medic Specialist Bolger generally takes orders
Fire Team Bravo includes Cpl. Edgardo Massa (team from the platoon sergeant, but Lt. Nagel ordered him
leader), Spc. Nate Smith (grenadier rifleman), Spc. Ahe to accompany Kryptowicz’s squad for this mission.
Flynn (automatic rifleman), and Pvt. Sami Ezell (rifle-
Spc. Derrick “Doc” Bolger
man). A player who takes the role of a member of Fire
Team Bravo may choose four Bonds, five Motivations, Platoon medic, age 26
and eight bonus skills for him, and add 12 points to STR 10 CON 13 DEX 9 INT 17 POW 16 CHA 8
his stats (with no more than 18 in any single stat). HP 12 WP 16 SAN 80 BREAKING POINT 64
ARMOR: 6 points from tactical body armor and a
Fire Team Bravo Soldier Kevlar helmet.
STR 10 CON 10 DEX 10 INT 10 POW 10 CHA 10 SKILLS: Alertness 50%, Athletics 50%, Bureaucracy
HP 10 WP 10 SAN 50 BREAKING POINT 40 30%, Drive 40%, Firearms 40%, First Aid 70%, Heavy
ARMOR: 6 points from tactical body armor and a Machinery 30%, Heavy Weapons 20%, Medicine
Kevlar helmet. 40%, Melee Weapons 40%, Military Science (Land)
30%, Navigate 40%, Persuade 50%, Pharmacy 40%,
SKILLS: Alertness 40%, Athletics 50%, Bureaucracy
Search 50%, Unarmed Combat 50%.
30%, Craft (choose one) 40%, Drive 40%, Firearms
40%, First Aid 40%, Heavy Machinery 50%, Heavy ATTACKS: M4 carbine 40%, damage 1D12, Armor
Weapons 40%, Melee Weapons 50%, Military Science Piercing 3.
(Land) 30%, Navigate 40%, Persuade 30%, Unarmed M9 pistol 40%, damage 1D10.
Combat 50%. M9 bayonet 40%, damage 1D6 (or 1D8 if fixed to an
ATTACKS: M4 carbine 40%, damage 1D12, Armor M16), Armor Piercing 3.
Piercing 3. Unarmed 50%, damage 1D4−1.
M203 grenade launcher (Smith only) 40% (+20% for the EQUIPMENT: The same weapon sights and other gear as
blast), Lethality 15%. a rifleman of Fire Team Bravo, and a medium medic
M249 light machine gun (Flynn only) 40%, Lethality 10%, pack with extensive tools and medications for trauma
Armor Piercing 3. care. The medic pack weighs 8 kg and can add +20%
Two M67 fragmentation grenades (not Flynn or Smith) to four First Aid rolls. Only the platoon medic is issued
50% (+20% for the blast), Lethality 15%. a medic’s pack.
M9 pistol 40%, damage 1D10.

M9 bayonet 50%, damage 1D6 (or 1D8 if fixed to an Pregenerated Characters
M4), Armor Piercing 3.
Unarmed 50%, damage 1D4−1. One player should take the role of Kryptowicz and
M4 SIGHTS: The M4’s M68 Close Combat Optic adds one should take the roll of Sutterberg. Others can play
+20% a carbine shot’s chance to hit as long as the the young men of Fire Team Alpha.
shooter has taken no damage since their last action. It
is good out to 200 m. A weapon light can illuminate
out to 50 m.
60
Yasir Marwat, Translator
A player who takes the role of Marwat for the operation should invent three Bonds and five Motivations for him. Marwat’s
native language is Pashto.
Yasir Marwat
Translator, age 32
STR 9 CON 16 DEX 14 INT 12 POW 12 CHA 12 HP 13 WP 12 SAN 60
BREAKING POINT 48
ARMOR: 6 points from tactical body armor and a Kevlar helmet.
SKILLS: Athletics 50%, Criminology 50%, Dodge 50%, Drive 50%, Foreign Language (Dari) 40%, Foreign Language
(English) 40%, Foreign Language (Gath) 30%, Foreign Language (Nuristani) 20%, Foreign Language (Urdu) 40%,
HUMINT 40%, Law 30%, Persuade 50%, Pharmacy 40%, Stealth 50%.
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4−1.
Deputization Dossier: Yasir Marwat leaving them alone once the Taliban are gone. Despite their
You are the connection between the U.S. and the Gaths. Ten suspicions, that sounds good enough that the Gaths are
years ago, before the Americans invaded, you were a mid- willing to at least listen.
dleman for Gath opium. Over the years since then you have Despite your long history with them, you know very
given up the heroin trade—most of your network is gone— little about the Gaths. They are strange. There are maybe
and now work as a translator for the U.S. State Department. 500 adults. They are the skinniest, hungriest people you
You proposed the Gaths as a tribal ally for U.S. efforts ever met. You always spoke to two or three low-level men,
to secure the Pakistan border. Mostly, the Gaths are de- never their chief.
spised and ignored by other Afghans. Elderly Pashtos and Exciting changes are happening in Afghanistan. If you
Tajiks have long memories of Gath raiding parties that used play your cards right, you can make a lot of money, and get
to seize young people from nearby communities (typically out from under the thumb of extremists who don’t even let
women). Gath “bride theft” has been less of a problem in people play music. The money working for the State Depart-
recent generations, but vague rumors of the evils of Gath ment is good and there are fewer legal hassles.
Valley linger. The Taliban absolutely despise the Gaths. You must keep Samantha Sutterberg happy. She is the
Everything the Gaths hear on the radio indicates that source of the money you currently enjoy. She is naïve, but
the Americans are wealthy, powerful, ruthless, and willing really does think she can help people. Stranger still, she
to slaughter Taliban. You have promised the Gaths weap- really wants to. But the Gaths don’t want vitamins and blan-
ons and implied that the Americans are most interested in kets. They want rocket launchers.
Standard Loads
Combat Load • Team radio
Each soldier is outfitted with the follow- • Long-range encrypted radio
ing combat loadout: • GPS receiver
• Personal locator beacon
• M9 pistol
• M9 bayonet Marching Load
• Advanced combat helmet with Each soldier has a rucksack containing:
AN/PVS I4 night vision monocle
• Tactical body armor (6 Armor) • Water
• Individual first aid kit (+20% to • Rations
a single First Aid test) • Sleeping bag
61
Samantha Sutterberg Foreign Service Officer, Department of State STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  40 Caucasian, slim, with dark eyes and long black hair
Yassir Marwat has been feckless, dishonest, on the take and on Power (POW) 12 60%
the make the whole time you’ve known him, but he is the best
translator around. He gets things done, if not always the right Charisma (CHA) 14 70%
things, and he knows the lay of the land in the region’s criminal
underworld. He is practical, sometimes to a fault, but he is PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
nonviolent and he is enthusiastic about America. BONDS SCORE
The Gaths are an impoverished and suppressed minority who
could be a tactical asset in the region. It won’t surprise you if Ex-husband (Muhammed Ismail) 14
everything is complicated or turns into a disaster—you’ve been Daughter (Aisha) 14
with State too long—but you are still going to get out there and
try to make this deal work. Mother (Sara) 14
You liken the stories about the Gaths to the Blood Libel
against the Jews. You grew up attending the only synagogue
REMARKS
in a county where the Klan was still around. That taught you MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
sympathy for strangers trying to keep their culture intact. Communication
Under State Department rules, under no circumstances are Peacemaking
you to go about armed. Problem-Solving
Bridging Cultures
SKILLS
0%
Anthropology 40% Heavy Machinery 10 %
Unarmed 40% 1D4−1 60%
Piano HUMINT 50 % Stealth 10 %
Artillery 0% Law 40 % Surgery 0%
EQUIPMENT

0%
6 points from tactical body armor and a Kevlar helmet. 0%
Navigate 10 % Languages & Other Skills:
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Language (Dari) 50%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 70 % Language (Pashto) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% Language (Urdu) 40%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

0%
Drive 20%
Staff Sergeant Geordain Kryptowicz Squad Leader, U.S. Army STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  34 Caucasian, rugged, lean, with hard eyes
Driving a diplomat in three M-ATVs into a hot zone is not Combat load Power (POW) 13 65%
smart. But your job is not to say what orders are smart, it’s to Marching load
carry the orders out. M4 carbine with M68 Close Combat Optic (+20% bonus to hit as Charisma (CHA) 8 40%
You started the infantry 15 years ago in the 87th long as Kryptowicz has taken no damage since his last action)
(“Catamounts”) Infantry Regiment: Bosnia, the Sinai, and Six M4 magazines PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
here in Afghanistan in 2003 and again in 2006. Your battalion Two M67 fragmentation grenades (+20% bonus to hit for blast radius BONDS SCORE
established the first permanent base in the Pech River included in attack chance)
valley, just a few clicks west of here at Nangalam: Firebase Lockpicks Wife (Amy) and kids (Allie and Szymon) 8
Catamount, now called Forward Operating Base Blessing. After Doom School 8
two babies born while you were in combat, your wife Amy REMEMBER THE KEY RULES FOR MANEUVERING
demanded a change. In 2007, you arranged a transfer to the SUPPRESSION: Half the team provides overwatch and suppressing
Cacti at Schofield Barracks in beautiful Hawaii—and eighteen fire while the others maneuvers to cover.
months later, you were fighting in Iraq. Now, here you are again SPACING: Keep the men 10–20 meters apart. Don’t bunch up.
REMARKS
in Afghanistan. And sure enough, baby number three is on the MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
way. The longer you’ve been fighting, the worse things have WHAT YOU SAY TO THE OTHER GUYS Patriotism
gotten back home. And this war won’t be over anytime soon. CPL. RAY CLIFTON (“RIGHT STUFF”), TEAM LEADER: Survival
You can read the young punks of your squad like books. Hurt is taking point, you’re walking drag. Keep your shit wired tight. Keeping Young Punks on the Straight and Narrow
There’s a little of you in each of ’em. Like Hurt, you’re from a SPC. CHARLES HURT (“CHUCKLES”), AUTOMATIC
crazy family. Like Clifton, there’s a family history of military RIFLEMAN: Pucker up your butthole, shit’s about to get loud.
Family
service, in a lot of U.S. wars and others in Poland before that. SPC. HARLAN SAMUELSON (“HOAGIE”), GRENADIER (Defined by the Player)
Like Samuelson, you would do anything to keep your men RIFLEMAN: Get the lead out, lard-ass! Shake those flabby hams!
alive. And like Vincenzo, you want to do your part for God PFC TONY VINCENZO (“RAMBAM”), RIFLEMAN: Get your INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
and country and do it right. You aren’t going to hunt down al- head on a swivel, dammit. Focus. Focus! Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
Qaeda’s second-in-command-of-the-week, but maybe shooting
or humiliating the most stupid cavemen in the hills encourages SKILLS
others to act smarter.
Lockpicks DEX
0%
M4 carbine 60% 1D12 (10% Lethality w/ burst) 3 100 m Artillery 0% Law 0% Surgery 0%
M9 pistol 60% 1D10 15 m
EQUIPMENT

M9 bayonet 60% 1D6 (1D8 if affixed) 3 Bureaucracy 40% Melee Weapons 50 % Swim 20 %
M67 frag grenade 80% 15% Lethality 20 m Computer Science 0% Military Science: Unarmed Combat 60 %
60 %
ARMOR Craft: Land Unnatural 0%
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Language (Arabic) 40%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 40 % Language (Pashto) 40%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 60% Pilot:

0%
Drive 40%
Corporal Raymond “Right Stuff” Clifton Fire Team Leader, U.S. Army STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  25 African American, tall, rigid, straight-laced
You always knew you’d wind up in uniform. You just figured it Combat load Power (POW) 12 60%
would be Air Force for life, like your dad, Major James Clifton. Marching load
Yes, that Major James Clifton. M4 carbine with M68 Close Combat Optic (+20% bonus to hit as Charisma (CHA) 12 60%
People ask if you knew he was selling secrets to the Chinese, long as Right Stuff has taken no damage since his last action)
and your response is always what it has to be: He’s your dad. Six M4 magazines PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
He’s innocent. He would have died to defend his country, and Two M67 fragmentation grenades (+20% bonus to hit for blast radius BONDS SCORE
anyone who says different doesn’t know him. He raised you on included in attack chance)
honor and loyalty and patriotism. Dad (James Clifton) 12
You only saw him cry when your mother died, and at the REMEMBER THE KEY RULES FOR MANEUVERING Doom School 12
funeral of a test pilot he had known since his days as an airman. SUPPRESSION: Half the team provides overwatch and
He didn’t cry when he was found guilty or sentenced. That’s suppressing fire while the others maneuvers to cover. Trinity Lutheran Church in Wahiawa 12
how you know he’s innocent. SPACING: Keep the men 10–20 meters apart. Don’t bunch up.
You did not last long in the Air Force Academy after your
REMARKS
father’s conviction, but the Army wasn’t picky. Moving all the WHAT YOU SAY TO THE OTHER GUYS MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
way to Hawaii was hard, but you fit in at Schofield Barracks. SGT. GEORDAIN KRYPTOWICZ, SQUAD LEADER: Rambam Self Improvement
You spent a year fighting in Iraq. You know you’re unlikely goes around east with the Oshkosh and two of us head west on foot. Integrity
to ever make officer. But the Army trusts you with the lives of Me and Chuckles? You want to go with him? Understood. Finding Out What Dad Did
your fellow soldiers. That will have to do. SPC. CHARLES HURT (“CHUCKLES”), AUTOMATIC
Integrity is everything. The way your father was railroaded RIFLEMAN: That’s not funny, it’s just disgusting.
Family Honor
into prison shook the faith in the government that you spent SPC. HARLAN SAMUELSON (“HOAGIE”), GRENADIER (Defined by the Player)
your life learning. If orders go against what you know is right, RIFLEMAN: It’s stuck. Hoagie! Gimme a hand. On three. One, two, push!
and there’s no way to reconcile them, the orders have to give PFC TONY VINCENZO (“RAMBAM”), RIFLEMAN: Here, take INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
way. You cannot count on much. Count on your conscience. my soup, I don’t want it. It’s hot. I know it tastes like pee, but it’s hot. Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
Kryptowicz has been through a lot and his instincts are
solid. Charles Hurt is fearless, if sadistic and undisciplined. SKILLS
Hoagie has a good heart and is no stranger to hard work. You
worry about Rambam. He’s a fine driver and smart enough, but Accounting 10% First Aid 40 % Ride 10%
Florida ain’t Afghanistan. Alertness 50% Forensics 0% Science:
0%
Art: History 50 % SIGINT 40 %
M9 pistol 50% 1D10 15 m
EQUIPMENT

50 %
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Language (Pashto) 20%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 40 % Military Science (Air) 20%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

0%
Drive 40%
Specialist Charles “Chuckles” Hurt Automatic Rifleman, U.S. Army STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  23 Caucasian, tall, beefy, constantly smiling, with mean eyes
It’s a fine line between charming and creepy, and you love Combat load Power (POW) 9 45%
dancing on that line. You store up every joke you can find and Marching load
hit the guys with the worst of them, meaning the best. M249 light machine gun Charisma (CHA) 9 45%
Your family back in Nebraska was about guns, bikes, and Three 200-round belts of M249 ammunition in cloth pouches, weigh-
substance abuse. Meth just made you feel weird, and you keep ing 2.5 kg each PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
your drinking to one a day, at most, because you saw it turn BONDS SCORE
your dad into an asshole and your mom into a zombie. Not that WHAT YOU SAY TO THE OTHER GUYS
you have much temptation to resist in Afghanistan. And nobody SGT. GEORDAIN KRYPTOWICZ, SQUAD LEADER: I see Doom School 9
has a Harley for you to ride. But the Army sure as shit has guns. him, Sarge. He’s meat. Fucked-up family 9
You learned the greatest secret of life when you started CPL. RAY CLIFTON (“RIGHT STUFF”), TEAM LEADER: I’m
fighting in Iraq. It’s a simple secret: Killing people is fun, and going to get you laid, Clifton. I mean like nasty laid. Where you can’t Sgt. Kryptowicz 9
anyone who says different hasn’t tried it. Aunt Sissy said life look her in the eye afterwards. Gonna get you laid good. All these
has the highest value of anything, and when you were 10 she guys will thank me.
REMARKS
showed you a whole album of aborted fetus pictures to prove it. SPC. HARLAN SAMUELSON (“HOAGIE”), GRENADIER MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
That means taking life is huge. That matters. That’s important. RIFLEMAN: …the American says, “What’s a shortage?” And the Cruelty
Even if it’s some illiterate yak-herder who wouldn’t recognize a Iraqi says, “What’s an opinion?” And the Afghan says, “What’s an Sexual Adventurism
roll of toilet paper. electricity?” Superiority
Right Stuff thinks you’re crazy. Kryptowicz likes you just PFC TONY VINCENZO (“RAMBAM”), RIFLEMAN: …and
fine as long as you fade Talibans when he says so. Hoagie is then the Taliban guy says, “What? Aren’t they all like that under the
Half Funny “Ha Ha,” Half Funny “What an Asshole”
hard on the outside but soft on the inside. You’re happy to do burka?” (Defined by the Player)
his killing for him. Rambam is a natural marksman, but he’s not
a real killer. Not yet. Still, they’re a better family than the one INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
you left back home. Sooner or later, it will be your turn to get Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
killed. Why not do it for the guys? That would be a real laugh.
Chuckles the hero. Hooah. SKILLS
0%
Unarmed 60% 1D4 30%
Rap HUMINT 10 % Stealth 50 %
M249 light machine gun 60% 10% Lethality 3 200 m Artillery 0% Law 0% Surgery 0%
M9 pistol 60% 1D10 15 m
EQUIPMENT

40 %
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 40% Pilot:

0%
Drive 40%
Specialist Harlan “Hoagie” Samuelson Grenadier Rifleman, U.S. Army STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  22 Biracial (African American/Caucasian), friendly, huge and powerful
Maybe you could have gotten a football scholarship, but it’s Combat load Power (POW) 12 60%
hard to shine as an offensive linebacker. Your grades were Marching load
never all that good. You were more interested in smoking weed M4 carbine with M68 Close Combat Optic (+20% bonus to hit as Charisma (CHA) 10 50%
and chasing tail. Getting Gwen pregnant made things a lot less long as Hoagie has taken no damage since his last action)
complicated. Not easier, but at least there was no more college Six M4 magazines PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
talk. You needed a job that could provide for your kid and M203 grenade launcher attached to carbine BONDS SCORE
pay for a wedding, and in your hometown of Flint, Michigan, M203 grenades: 12 high-explosive rounds, 3 tear-gas rounds, 3 signal
there are guys with college degrees working fast food. But the rounds, 6 smoke rounds (+20% bonus to hit for blast radius included Wife (Gwen) 10
Army didn’t give much of a damn about your ACT score. Your in attack chance) Daughter (Becky) 10
recruiter got you through your urine test. Pretty soon you were
in Iraq, and now you’re in Afghanistan. WHAT YOU SAY TO THE OTHER GUYS Doom School 10
The others tease you about being fat. You’re not, but that’s SGT. GEORDAIN KRYPTOWICZ, SQUAD LEADER: I’m on High school football team (the Cavaliers) 10
the price you pay for being bigger than any of them. it, Sarge.
REMARKS
Sarge yells a lot, but that’s his job. He has been through CPL. RAY CLIFTON (“RIGHT STUFF”), TEAM LEADER: MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
all kinds of shit and still has all his fingers and toes, so you pay C’mon Ray. Give the guys a break. Tony’s freezing his ass off. Making a Better Life
attention. Right Stuff is uptight but smart. Chuckles is funny SPC. CHARLES HURT (“CHUCKLES”), AUTOMATIC Finding Something You’re Good At
and scary at the same time. Rambam is a good kid, but he’s RIFLEMAN: Shit, Chuck, he’s on the hill! Take his ass out! Being a Good Father
green. Try to keep him alive. PFC TONY VINCENZO (“RAMBAM”), RIFLEMAN: It ain’t
the cold, buddy, it’s the wind chill.
Football
SKILLS
0%
Unarmed 60% 1D4+1 0%
M9 pistol 50% 1D10 15 m
EQUIPMENT

M203 grenade launcher 80% 15% Lethality 150 m Computer Science 0% Military Science: Unarmed Combat 60 %
40 %
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 50% Pilot:

0%
Drive 40%
Private First Class Tony “Rambam” Vincenzo Rifleman, U.S. Army STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  20 Caucasian, rail-thin, fidgety, with dark brown hair and eyes
You were too young to sign up after your grandma got killed in Combat load Power (POW) 13 65%
9/11, before your family moved to Florida, but you wanted to. Marching load
Even all these years later, you couldn’t wait for your chance to M4 carbine with M68 Close Combat Optic (+20% bonus to hit as Charisma (CHA) 12 60%
hit back at the guys who crashed those planes. long as Rambam has taken no damage since his last action)
Of course, you have read reports and seen videos that turned Six M4 magazines PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
everything upside down. Was al-Qaeda behind 9/11 or was Two M67 fragmentation grenades (+20% bonus to hit for blast radius BONDS SCORE
it the CIA? Or did the CIA put it all in motion, under orders included in attack chance)
from Dick Cheney on behalf of Halliburton and the Trilateral Doom School 12
Commission, and use al-Qaeda to pull the trigger? Who knows WHAT YOU SAY TO THE OTHER GUYS Mom and dad (Hope and Michael) 12
what to believe, anyway? SGT. GEORDAIN KRYPTOWICZ, SQUAD LEADER: Any
Being here, in Afghanistan, that’s real. Those pricks who faster and we’re gonna spin out, Sarge! Sister (Mina) 12
shoot mortars at your firebase are real. You met a guy who got CPL. RAY CLIFTON (“RIGHT STUFF”), TEAM LEADER: High school best friend (Terry) 12
his nose cut off for teaching girls how to read. He was real as Jesus, I’m fine! I’ll drive the M-ATV. Fine, yeah, I’ll drive.
REMARKS
cancer. Maybe these assholes aren’t al-Qaeda assholes, but SPC. CHARLES HURT (“CHUCKLES”), AUTOMATIC MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
they’re all in the same league. RIFLEMAN: That ain’t funny, man, it’s just gross. Getting Back to Florida
This high up, Afghanistan is icy cold and barren, and so SPC. HARLAN SAMUELSON (“HOAGIE”), GRENADIER Avenging 9/11
primitive you can barely believe it. You have to be doing some RIFLEMAN: How come you stay so warm? Metabolism? I should Protecting the Defenseless
good here. It’s hard to imagine how someplace so ate up and get one of those!
backwards could get worse.
Conspiracy Theorizing
Clifton tries to keep your spirits up, which just gives (Defined by the Player)
Chuckles fuel for his jokes. It occurred to you one day that the
Taliban might have someone like Chuckles on their side, too, INCIDENTS OF SAN LOSS WITHOUT GOING INSANE
and it was not a comforting thought. Kryptowicz just barks Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted
orders, like you’re a piece in his machine. Hoagie’s all right.
The two of you bivouac together sometimes. When the snow SKILLS
starts falling, the guy’s like a space heater.
0%
Unarmed 50% 1D4−1 40%
Rap HUMINT 10 % Stealth 40 %
M9 pistol 70% 1D10 15 m
EQUIPMENT

30 %
Mechanic Navigate 50 % Languages & Other Skills:
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 50% Pilot:

0%
Drive 20%
21 NOV 2012
// Sick Again //
“Those diseases which medicines do
not cure, iron cures; those which
iron cannot cure, fire cures; and
those which fire cannot cure, are to
be reckoned wholly incurable.”
—Hippocrates
// Sick Again // // Control Group //
Introduction damage, a laptop is useless. Each Researcher also has

a satellite phone and a high-end smartphone. These
The players’ characters are part of a quick-response offer an extensive professional library.
group of doctors and scientists with the Centers for Dis- PORTABLE DIAGNOSTICS LAB: The team’s lab is in
ease Control and Prevention. They work for the Emer- several bulky, heavy black suitcases. It is equipped to
gency Operations Center, the crisis-response section of perform realtime conversion on cerebrospinal fluid,
the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. protein electrophoresis, protein immunoblot and as-
Its experts can respond to an emergency in hours while sorted blood culture tests. With a successful Medicine
formulating a broad strategy. When an unidentified or Science (Biology) roll, these tools can tell whether
infectious disease breaks out in Hudson’s Well, Arizona, symptoms are caused by prions, viruses, bacteria, fun-
they drop everything and fly out to help deal with it. gus, radiation, or chemical exposure.
“Sick Again” refers to the players’ characters not TREATMENT OPTIONS: A single large suitcase, met-
as Agents but as “Researchers,” whatever their individ- al and weighty. Inside, it’s packed with exotic and
ual occupations. They are not yet part of Delta Green. restricted pharmaceuticals, such as linezolid, amikacin
Because the Hudson’s Well disease is unidentified, and colistin. At the Handler’s discretion, these grant a
we call it “______pathy.” Researcher a +20% bonus to a Medicine roll to treat
illness or the effects of chemical weapons. It’s nick-
Pregenerated Characters named “the Doomsday Bag.”
The Researchers are CDC associates who were on HAZMAT SUITS: Two Level A suits and two Level
call in case of trouble like that in Hudson’s Well. They B suits for each researcher, each stored in a large,
receive notice of their deployment at about 9:00 a.m., red duffel bag.
collect their go-bags and kiss their loved ones good-
bye, and rush to get on a noon flight to Phoenix. The Hazmat Suits
Researchers’ direct overseer is Dr. Stacy Marholm. Considering the virulence of ______pathy, the Re-
The pregenerated Researchers are all partially searchers may wish to wear the most protective gear
adapted to violence: They automatically succeed at available, Level A hazmat suits. Other kinds are
Sanity tests for seeing and working with bodies and available, described in PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
gore, but not for inflicting violence. on page 108.
A Level A hazmat suit completely covers you from
Equipment head to foot and looks like a smurf-blue space-suit. Its
The Researchers are well prepared and have a lot of air supply is entirely self-contained, so you must either
gear. Do they require anything not listed here? If it carry a heavy air tank or be connected to one nearby.
sounds reasonable, give it to them. If not, it’s unavail- It is essentially impossible for a pathogen to penetrate
able. If in doubt, allow a Bureaucracy test to decide. to the person inside, as long as the suit is uncompro-
GO-BAGS: Each researcher keeps a suitcase ready mised. A Level B suit features treated coveralls, hood,
for travel, with clothing, toiletries, any necessary med- and a gas mask, with the oxygen tank worn outside
ications, personal protective equipment such as gloves, the suit. Level C and D protection add gloves, mask,
masks, and goggles, duct tape for jury-rigging repairs boots, and other protections to ordinary clothing.
to their HAZMAT suits, and a CDC credit card for Each suit comes in a large, red duffel bag. Partners
travel expenses. must help each other don the suits, sealing every seam
COMPUTERS AND PHONES: Assume that everyone on with duct tape. It is very difficult to see facial features
the team has access to a toughened laptop computer in the suits’ large hoods, so experienced wearers use
with a satellite uplink. A laptop’s titanium case pro- markers to write the wearer’s last name and blood
vides Armor 5 if used as a shield, once. After taking type in large letters, front and back. Each suit is
70
// Control Group // // Sick Again //
Briefing Memo Handout
71
marked with an expiration date, beyond which the exchanged safely for a new tank without removing the
possibility of deterioration makes it too risky to wear. suit. Changing an external tank takes a few minutes.
The Researchers’ suits are a bright, light blue. The Either kind of tank has enough oxygen for 60
color of the suit has no intrinsic meaning. minutes of quiet activity. Every attempted Athletics,
Dodge, Melee Weapons, Unarmed Combat, CON×5,
Actions or STR×5 test uses up 5 minutes of oxygen.
Wearing a Level A HAZMAT suit incurs a −20% pen- A researcher who runs out of oxygen suffocates,
alty to Alertness, Dodge, and attack rolls. Wearing a as described on page 62 of the Agent’s Handbook.
Level B suit incurs a −20% penalty to Alertness rolls.
A Level A or Level B HAZMAT suit includes Breach
gloves that are too thick for fine manipulation such The first time a wearer takes damage, the suit is com-
as typing—and working a firearm unless the trigger promised: the suit is torn, a seal breaks, or a valve jos-
guard has been removed. tles loose and lets air from the outside in. These suits are
overpressurized, meaning that (1) they puff up around
Air Supplies you when sealed and (2) if torn or gapped, the interior
A Level A suit requires oxygen supplied by a tank. air supply blows out, pushing toxins away. Any time the
The oxygen tank can be self-contained or external. suit is compromised, the wearer knows it right away. In
A self-contained tank is worn under the suit like a a hot zone, this costs 0/1 SAN from helplessness.
backpack. It cannot be changed without removing the
whole suit, requiring decontamination. An external Decontamination
tank is stored on a cart that must be dragged around. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Adminis-
It is cumbersome and often in the way, but it can be tration’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency
72
Reponse regulations, no one is permitted to enter a prove everyone wrong. On 19 NOV 2012, she suc-
hazardous area until a decontamination operation is ceeded far beyond her wildest dreams.
established. Decontamination requires its own ex- To grasp what happened, it helps to ask the
tensive team of workers. The work is so physically question “If time travel is possible, where are all the
strenuous that shifts on the decon line must be limited time-travelers?” One scientist suggested that a time
to one or two hours at a time. Decon workers must machine would need to work as a closed loop. You
wear personal protective equipment one level below would turn it on to create something like a beacon,
that worn by active responders who go into the hot or an anchor, for itself. Once it was on, you could
zone. Air monitors can help warn of potential atmo- energize the other end of it—the same device, farther
spheric contamination so decon workers can increase down the time stream—and bridge the temporal gap
their protection. between them.
Working a decon line requires training. Most That’s exactly what MAJESTIC—or rather, its ves-
hospital workers, police, firefighters, and paramedics tiges under the management of Delta Green, aka the
are qualified. Program—did. On 19 NOV 2012, the Program closed
The decon station has water hoses, long brushes, just such a loop that had opened aboard the destroyer
buckets, cleaning agents, tarps, wading pools, pumps, escort U.S.S. Eldridge on 28 OCT 1943.
and tanks to hold contaminated water. Nearby wastewa- Keyert, accidentally listening in, opened a second,
ter treatment services can dispose of contaminated water smaller hole through spacetime.
safely. Physical waste, such as bags of used equipment, Instead of the predictable chirp from her com-
can be incinerated or otherwise securely disposed of. puter indicating that a mysterious signal had been
The decon station should be set up in the “warm detected again, there was a flood of violet sparks and,
zone,” far enough from the hazard that decon workers shoving past damaged metal, a visitor.
are not in immediate danger. It should be upwind of Keyert estimated that the wormhole had stayed
the hazard. It should be accessible by ambulances and open for 2.21 seconds and had stretched to 1.17 m
other transport vehicles. in width. The entity that emerged from the wormhole
was a woman, clearly human though enormously tall.
Background She had rudimentary English and seemed to be named
Thartha. Keyert and Langzweil calmed the terrified
Retired physicists Rosamund Keyert and Jeffrey visitor, gave her food and water, and questioned her as
Langzweil made the discovery of a lifetime, and it they tried to figure out what they had accomplished.
killed them both. Thartha lingered in Keyert’s basement for two
Keyert’s work at CalTech in the 2000s stumbled days, until she saw Langzweil get sick. Thartha
into the invisible fallout of MAJESTIC’s experiments deduced that she may be the cause of the illness. She
with Tillinghast Resonator technology. She had no feared being murdered as a carrier, and she feared that
connection to MAJESTIC projects, and no insight into the increasing charge of T-radiation would overcome
their experiments, but her paper and its supporting ex- her inoculation. Thartha, no scientist, did not know
periments caught the Program’s attention. Strings were how to correct the problem or engineer the machine
pulled. Instead of being hailed as a genius, she found to send her back.
herself ridiculed, defunded, and disgraced. Thartha killed Langzweil in a vain attempt to
In 2009, Keyert and her husband, Langzweil, keep the disease from spreading. Keyert killed her-
moved to her hometown of Hudson’s Well, Arizona. self. Thartha hid.
With her husband as assistant, Keyert started over Hudson’s Well was already dying from a disease
with a basement lab and an unquenchable drive to that could do Thartha no harm.
73
The Disease Exposure

The ______pathy infestation spreads by proximity.
Keyert and Langzweil were infected with a microbial Most physicians and scientists interpret this as spread-
infestation from beyond. We call it only “______pathy,” ing through inhalation, accidental fluid exchange, or
leaving it for the players’ Researchers to name it. The ingestion, but it is more pernicious than those. Any
time traveler Thartha was inoculated against the mammal within about one meter of a victim who is
disease, but her passage through the weird null space in the second or third stage of infection (see below),
(“N-space”) that lies between now and then attracted or the corpse of a victim who died from ______pathy,
the microscopic entities that cause it. She became a must make a Luck roll about once every five minutes
passive carrier for ______pathy (μ) and its original or be exposed, entering Stage 1 of the infection. (A
source in Hudson’s Well. character who critically succeeds at the Luck roll turns
The microbes that cause ______pathy are a tiny out to be naturally resistant. That character gains a
version of the liquivores from N-space, those inky +20% bonus to future Luck rolls to avoid exposure
jellyfish-like entities that float, swim, and devour and to CON tests to resist the disease’s progression.)
in weird dimensions coterminous with our own. HAZMAT suits offer no protection at all.
N-space and its inhabitants were first discovered by Likely circumstances for exposure include:
Crawford Tillinghast and studied by MAJESTIC and
Delta Green, but the microbes are new. They attack »» Riding in the same car.
nerve fibers and feed on electrical impulses that pass »» Sitting together at a meal or in a waiting room.
through them. »» Standing near each other in a line.
The victim’s death, when it comes, is caused by »» Close contact such as wrestling.
cerebral hemorrhage or heart failure. »» Physical intimacy.
Victims remain infectious for about an »» Providing first aid.
hour after death. »» Offering consolation.
WARNING: Use the following detailed steps only for »» Conducting an interview.
players’ Researchers who are exposed to ______pathy. »» Conducting a thorough medical examination.
For a nonplayer character, simply say the character
advances to each new stage after 1D6 hours, getting Stage 1
sicker and sicker. After the victim is exposed, the microbes concentrate in
the commissural fibers of the medulla oblongata. Nerve
cells break down. Symptoms appear after the first
1D4+1 hours, starting with fever, chills, and weakness
and developing into one or more of these; choose them
or roll 1D4 for the number and 1D8 to identify each:
1. Headache.
2. Coughing.
3. Vomiting.
4. Impairment of sensory and motor functions.
5. Impairment of memory and concentration.
6. Sleep disturbances.
7. Mood changes.
8. Uneven pupil dilation.
74
Infection costs 0/1D4 SAN from helplessness. to what rational medicine interprets as waking hal-
After 2D4 hours, the victim must make a CON×5 test lucinations; choose them or roll 1D4 for the number
at a −20% penalty. and 1D4 to identify each:
»» FUMBLE: As with a failure, and the victim loses a 1. A feeling suffocating in black vacuum, drown-
point of INT permanently. ing in dark water, or falling while being
»» FAILURE: The victim takes 1D4 damage and ad- devoured by unseen monsters.
vances to the second stage. 2. Inexplicable buzzing or whispering
»» SUCCESS: The victim takes 1 damage and repeats touches or sounds.
the first stage of infection. 3. Unidentifiable, nauseating tastes or smells.
4. Impossible, living, monstrous things seen all
Stage 2 around, eating each other, drawn to people
After the victim fails a second CON×5 test, the infesta- who have no idea they are there.
tion spreads to the brainstem. The infestation becomes
infectious at this stage. It mainly affects the pons, These sensations cost 1/1D8 SAN from the
which adds new symptoms; choose them or roll 2D4 unnatural, once per hour. Victims who go temporar-
for the number and 1D10 to identify each: ily insane become violently self-destructive, trying to
destroy their own sensory organs.
1. Impaired respiration. Every 2D4 hours in the third stage of infection, a
2. Involuntary movements. victim must make a CON×5 test at a −20% penalty.
3. Impaired hearing, equilibrium, and taste.
4. Unexpected facial sensations such as »» FUMBLE: As with a failure, and the victim loses
touch and pain. 1D4 points of INT permanently.
5. Involuntary eye movement and fa- »» FAILURE: The victim takes 1D6 damage. Either
cial expressions. way, the victim remains in the third stage of
6. Uncontrolled chewing and swallowing. infection.
7. Secretion of saliva and tears. »» SUCCESS: The victim takes 1 damage.
8. Lack of bladder control.
9. Sleep paralysis. Treatment
10. Disturbed dreams. Someday, someone will invent the inoculation that
protects Thartha. But not yet.
After 2D4 hours, the victim must make a CON×5
test at a −20% penalty. Treating Symptoms
The first-stage and second-stage symptoms of
»» FUMBLE: As with a failure, and the victim loses ______pathy can be reduced slightly by medications
1D4 points of INT permanently. to treat fever, sensory confusion, hallucinations,
»» FAILURE: The victim takes 1D4 damage and, if convulsions, and pain. In effect, a successful Medicine
still alive, advances to the third stage. or Pharmacy test halves the damage (round up).
»» SUCCESS: The victim takes 1 damage and repeats Third-stage symptoms can be alleviated only by
the second stage of infection. heavy sedation. That requires a Medicine test; if it
fails, the patient comes in and out of sedation, raving,
Stage 3 and only a medically induced coma can quiet them; if
The victim begins to sense N-space itself. These sensa- it fumbles, the patient dies.
tions begin in dreams and, over a few hours, progress
75
Shock Treatment an average of 1,200 volts delivered into the target.

The disease can sometimes be cured by electrocon- The current is delivered at 0.01 to 0.05 amps. Apply-
vulsive therapy (ECT). In ECT, the physician runs ing a stun gun with the lowest voltage and amperage
a small electrical current (usually 240 or 450 volts to the patient’s skull, through padding to reduce the
at 0.8 or 0.9 ampheres) directly through the brain voltage, could work. That, too, hurts.
while the patient is under general anesthesia. (With- Whatever the source, the shock must be adminis-
out general anesthesia, the convulsions are painful tered for 10 to 20 seconds. If the physician succeeds
and distressing.) at a Medicine roll at a −20% penalty, the electrical
A similar current could be delivered by attaching current severs the connection between the microbes
a TENS (transcutanious electrical nerve stimulation) and our dimension, halting the infection completely.
machine, which typically can deliver up to 350 volts at If the Medicine roll fails, the treatment makes partial
up to 0.7 amps, to the patient’s head. It hurts. A lot. progress—symptoms abate for an hour or two—and
Stun guns have very high voltage, which is expect- the patient takes 1D4 damage, or 2D4 with a fumble.
ed to be attenuated by clothing. The standard Taser
delivers 50,000 volts, but the manufacturer estimates Defibrillation
A defibrillator delivers 200 to 1,000 or more volts at
about 32 amps. Attached to either side of the patient’s
head and set at a low charge, its shock certainly de-
stroys the infestation. It also inflicts 2D8 damage.
Electrocution
Another option is passing a massive current through
the patient’s body. This requires a current of 50,000
volts or more, found only in a long-range power trans-
mission line or at a power substation. A connection
of even one second cures the infestation completely.
A patient who is not connected to the ground in any
way—standing on a fully insulated mat, for exam-
ple—feels the massive current only as an odd tingling.
A patient who is grounded even indirectly is stunned,
takes 2D8 damage, and dies from cardiac arrest if
reduced to zero hit points.
MRI
The infection can be cured by exposure to an MRI.
Magnetic resonance excites protons in the tissues,
which release radio waves that can be seen by a scan-
ner. Those radio waves disrupt the microbes’ con-
nection to our dimensions. Unfortunately, they take
patches of brain matter with them, making the process
devastatingly destructive. In Stage 1, the victim loses
1D4 from any one stat determined at random, which
costs 0/1 SAN from helplessness. In Stage 2, the victim
loses 1D8 each from two separate stats determined at
76
random, which costs 1/2D4 SAN from helplessness. since his call. He probably has plenty on his plate
In Stage 3, the victim dies experiencing visions and at the moment.
sensations of bizarre other realities. Marholm reiterates that the Researchers have
four missions.
Naming the Disease
The Researcher who identifies the illness as a new »» Identify the contagion.
disorder gets to name it. Before they isolate it, their »» Determine how to treat the contagion.
bosses refer to it as “the unidentified syndrome” and »» Prevent the contagion from spreading. This
the doctors on the scene call it “the mystery infection.” means studying victims medically, interview-
But once Researchers define the illness, the one who ing victims and their loved ones to determine
makes the roll that identifies it gets to name it. lifestyle patterns, and, if necessary, establishing
Some options to suggest if they get stuck are: A isolation and quarantine protocols.
formal Latin name (like velox febris, meaning “quick »» Above all, do no harm. This means protecting
fever,” or divisa caput meaning “split head”), an themselves from exposure, protecting others from
acronym (such as RONI for “Rapid Onset Neuralgic exposure, restricting their treatments to what is
Infection” or SCOF for “Sudden Contagious Occip- necessary, and conducting no experimentation or
ital Fever”) or simply a description (“Hudson’s Well risky treatments without informed consent.
Syndrome” or “Langzweil’s Disease”).
Whatever the Researcher names it, that becomes The Researchers all know Marholm’s career is at
its official, published, formal, acknowledged name. If stake if this turns into a fiasco.
the players come up with something silly, their boss In the role of Marholm, you can introduce the
or some other authority on the scene starts calling it idea that the researchers may have a hard decision to
Paulden’s Fever. Later, the fact that the Researchers make between two courses.
named it can be important. It may prove that this
illness did, in fact, travel back in time to infect them. »» LOCK IT DOWN: They can treat this as a full-on
deadly epidemic and lock down everyone with
The Drive to Hudson’s Well symptoms. That is the smart play if this really
is a killer contagion, but it can backfire horren-
The Researchers land in Phoenix at 2:00 p.m. local dously—risking panic, lawsuits, federal investi-
time, gather their cargo, rent cars, and set out for gations, and defunding—if it turns out to be a
Hudson’s Well. Hudson’s Well is a small desert town limited groundwater contamination or the like.
about 270 km (170 miles) northeast of Phoenix. »» KEEP IT CALM: On the other hand, they can stay
calm, prevent terror and looting, and possibly
A Call from Dr. Marholm let contagious, asymptomatic carriers ignorant-
Once they are in vehicles driving to Hudson’s Well, ly leave town to carry the epidemic to larger
the team gets a conference call from their boss, communities like Flagstaff and Tucson. That is
Dr. Marholm. the right move if this is containable, but it is
She has confidence in the team, but she is dis- potentially a disaster if this really is something
turbed at the thought of just how ugly this situation from outside the catalog and spreads as quickly
could turn out to be. The speed with which new infec- and lethally as it appears.
tions and lethalities have been reported is not good.
This does not look like any known pathogen. The worst-case scenario is that this is a weapon-
Marholm has not heard back from Dr. Strickland ized disease, the result of a deliberate biological attack.
If that’s the case, the abstract damage caused by
77
announcing it could be tremendous and might actually There is no municipal police department, but one
not stop future outbreaks, depending on how orga- county sheriff’s deputy is always stationed in town. It
nized and widespread the attack is. has a state trooper station, where one or two troop-
Finally, Marholm makes sure everyone on the ers at a time work when not on the nearby interstate.
team has her personal phone number. She reassures Crime rates are pretty low. It is automotive crime,
them that she will answer a call from them, day or mostly—there was a stolen-car ring in the region until
night, no matter who might be on the other line. Their last year—and minor drug activity.
job here is her top priority. The town grew around a highway. Every way
out except the highway is gravel or circuitous. If the
About Hudson’s Well Researchers can talk the state and county authorities
Marholm and quick web searches can fill the Re- into closing off the highway, they can shut down the
searchers in on what to expect on the ground. fast vehicular routes.
Hudson’s Well is a small, quiet, unincorporated
town of about 5,000 people. There’s some mining in Official Resources
the area, some light industry, and ranching. It is in The county and state are the most immediate sources
the middle of Navajo country, and it seems like half of manpower. State troopers specialize in handling
the businesses in town have gimmicky Indian-themed automotive traffic. County deputies have vehicles to
names and decor. A community college stands about work off-road in the desert around town. Troopers
half a kilometer from the hospital. There’s talk about and deputies alike are trained with hazmat suits and
building a huge solar farm to the south. The population decontamination procedures.
is half native American—mainly Navajo and Apache—
and half white (mostly Mormon) and Hispanic.
Hospital
78
Flagstaff Medical Center, about 150 km west, is It has an upper floor that has been used for stor-
the nearest major hospital. Half a dozen doctors and age until now; the staff have turned the upstairs into
nurses are expected to drive to Hudson’s Well to help makeshift isolation wards.
with the outbreak.
Decontamination Line
At Hudson’s Well The hospital recruited a dozen off-duty volunteers
from nearby police and fire departments to run a
The Researchers arrive at about 5:00 p.m. local time. decontamination line outside the hospital. Wearing
personal protection equipment, they scrub down
Deputy Thomas workers’ HAZMAT suits in wading pools with water
The Researchers are met at the hospital by Danica and long brushes. They siphon the tainted water into
Thomas, a tough sheriff’s deputy. She works part large barrels which are sealed for later disposal and
of each week out of a tiny office in town and is the labeled with biohazard stickers.
Researchers’ liaison with the county and state police.
Deputy Thomas sticks with the Researchers as long as Patients
she can and answers questions about the town. Patients with confirmed symptoms are isolated in
Thomas knows Hudson’s Well like the back of her rooms in the upper floor of the hospital.
hand, but all she knows about the current situation ISOLATION—STAGE 1: Craig Amberlin; Orenthal
is that people are sick at the Catholic Hospital. The Kimmons; Dylan O’Dell; John Pahabi; Fritz Strickland,
people of Hudson’s Well have realized that something M.D.; Luis Tsotsie, R.N.; Tate Willert
bad is happening at the hospital. Some have barricad- ISOLATION—STAGE 2: Aya Chandreskar, M.D.; Haru-
ed themselves in their homes. Some are fleeing town. do Cortez; Richard Ramirez, R.N.
Some are demanding entrance to the hospital. Some ISOLATION—STAGE 3: Henrietta Cortez; Stephen Em-
are avoiding the hospital despite showing symptoms, bry; Mia Smith, M.D. (Cortez and Smith are heavily
because they’re afraid. sedated and restrained. Even under sedation, they oc-
Thomas particularly wants to know if it’s terror- casionally cry out and struggle against the restraints.)
ism (and looks skeptical if the researchers reassure IN CRISIS: As the Researchers walk in the door, the
her that it is not) and whether she should get a gas HAZMAT-suited emergency staff are trying and fail-
mask herself. ing to keep Malouf alive upstairs. Meanwhile, Stephen
Embry has just entered Stage 3. Even downstairs, the
Hudson’s Well Catholic Hospital Researchers can hear Embry screaming incoherently:
Hudson’s Well Catholic Hospital is a hospital in name “the lights…everything, all around…everything is hun-
only. Endowed in 1920 by the gift of a prospector gry…it’s eating us all…it’s in my eyes!” If they rush
who struck it rich—at least, that was his story for his upstairs to help, they find him frantically trying to dig
wealth—it bears the name “Catholic Hospital” as his own eyes out of his head.
required in the grant but is more a clinic.
On any given day there is likely to be one nurse The Dead
and one physician on duty. It has a waiting room, not The dead are stored in a refrigerated truck loaned to
an E.R. It has exam rooms, not a surgical ward. The the hospital by Holden Meat Packing, a plant out-
biggest news in years came a few years back when a side town. When the Researchers arrive, the dead
massive grant by a mining company funded an MRI include Francesca Maurey; Julie Maurey; Liz Maurey;
machine. The clinic can only afford twice-weekly and Maya Paulden, M.D. Amad Malouf will join
rounds by a radiologist from out of town, but the them shortly. Victims remain infectious for about an
machine is its pride and joy. hour after death.
79
Medical Personnel FROM FLAGSTAFF: A team from Flagstaff drove

Hudson’s Well Catholic Hospital has a full-time staff over this morning to assist. With Strickland falling ill,
of two physicians, one nurse practitioner, and four and then other medical staffers, they are harried and
registered nurses. About the same time that Strickland frightened. From Flagstaff, Garcia is the senior physi-
called for help from the CDC, he called for help from cian and Donovan is the senior nurse.
Flagstaff, Arizona, a drive of about an hour and a half.
Some medical personnel have been infected. They »» David Abrankovitch, M.D. (radiologist)
are listed in italics with their disease stage when the »» Aya Chandreskar, M.D. (Stage 2)
Researchers reach Hudson’s Well. »» Angela Garcia, M.D. (senior physician)
FROM HUDSON’S WELL: By the time the Researchers »» Sophia Anderson, R.N. (at the college observing
arrive, four of the hospital’s seven full-time staffers are quarantine)
infected and in isolation. »» Ashley Donovan, R.N. (senior nurse)
»» Maya Paulden, M.D. (deceased) Researcher Activities

»» Fritz Strickland, M.D. (senior physician; Stage 1)
»» Andrea Cray, N.P. (senior nurse) Once the Researchers land in Phoenix, the clock
»» Richard Ramirez, R.N. (Stage 2) is ticking. They have to gather and process a vast
»» Mia Smith, R.N. (Stage 3) amount of information, study the epidemiology of
»» Isabella Begay, R.N. the Hudson’s Well contagion, study its symptoms and
»» Luis Tsotsie, R.N. (Stage 1) causes, develop a treatment plan, keep it from spread-
ing, and occasionally rest.
Hudson’s
Well
80
Four-Hour Activities Research On the Road

The Researchers’ time is divided into four-hour blocks. The drive takes about three hours and the vehicles are
In each four-hour block, each Researcher can pursue cramped. Each Researcher has one “block” of time
one main action. Of course the Researchers help each in which to work on the way but at a −20% penalty
other, handle short tasks and crises, take breaks, and to each action.
so on. But each must choose one key goal for that
block of time. Hospital Timeline
Meanwhile, the contagion progresses. After every The researchers have a spreadsheet summarizing
four-hour block, tell the players which new patients developments at Hudson’s Well up to their morning
have appeared and which patients’ conditions wors- deployment. Give them the CONTAGION DEVELOPMENTS
ened. The quicker the Researchers move, the few- handouts from pages 112–117. They have the first few
er people die. events filled in. They can fill in further developments
If the players come up with something you hadn’t as they go. Make extra copies of the blank sheet and
considered, you may have to wing it. If they do not fill in its date as necessary.
have ideas about what to do, you can suggest some of
the following options, or permit each player an INT Rest and Exhaustion
test to think of something. Let them discuss things and A Researcher who works for 16 hours (four blocks
figure out what they want to try. of four hours each) must make a CON×5 test or lose
Give the players the RESEARCH NOTES handouts on 1D6 WP and suffer a −20% penalty to all actions.
page 110–111. They should use those to track each After each subsequent block of work, the Researcher
Researcher’s activities. Use a Researcher’s initials to must make a CON×5 test or lose another 1D6 WP.
indicate who is doing what. Make extra copies of the Drinking plenty of coffee and/or chain-smoking
second sheet and fill in the date as necessary. postpones the effects of exhaustion for one four-hour
block of time. Taking a prescription-strength stimulant
postpones exhaustion for two blocks. A Researcher
Qu ar an tin es
be quarantined from others who
disease or major health hazard may
Someone exposed to a contagious e or in a hospital to prevent further
ines are usually conducted at hom
have not been exposed. Quarant signs of the illness and receive spe-
the illne ss. Qua rant ined individuals undergo observation for
spre ad of of exposed persons in small
tmen t. Qua rant ine is muc h mor e likely to involve limited numbers
cialized trea declaration of quarantine outside
of
ons in neighborhoods or cities. Any
areas than large numbers of pers reasoning, evid ence , and meth odo l-
at least local media attention. The
a hospital or airport is likely to get tiny.
s to be able to hold up to public scru
ogy for deciding a quarantine need loca l governments have the author-
t case s, isola tion is volu ntar y. However, federal, state, and
In mos rly all quarantine actions around
public. The CDC is notified of nea
ity to require isolation to protect the rantine is needed and how to
ts available to help determine if qua
the country, and makes its specialis decision that can have dire political
l with the risk. Wh ethe r to insti tute and enforce a quarantine is a
dea r.
state leaders, one way or the othe
consequences for local, county, and is specified in an executive order
rantine or isolation is authorized
The list of diseases for which qua l
plague, smallpox, yellow fever, vira
cholera, diphtheria, tuberculosis,
of the President. This list includes e respiratory syndrom e (SAR S), and
Marburg, and Ebola), severe acut
hemorrhagic fevers (such as Lassa,
nasty versions of influenza. the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.
ine has occurred in the U.S. since
No instance of large-scale quarant
81
can take more stimulants to keep going, but every Helplessness

dose after the first costs 1D6 WP. The Researchers are somewhat inured to blood-
A Researcher who rests for eight hours recovers shed and seeing physical symptoms. The sweep of
1D6 WP and resets the clock. A Researcher who rests ______pathy and the numbers of victims are another
only four hours may attempt a CON×5 test to recover matter. In any four-hour block when two or more
1D6 WP and reset the clock. adults die, or one or more children die, each Research-
er loses 0/1 SAN from helplessness.
Res ear ch & Dev elo pm ent s

Processing mounds of data to find something that resemb
les this fever means a lot of multitasking, not to mentio
between the lab (to check blood work), the makeshift n running around
sick wards (to check for new or changed symptoms),
the cooling truck turned morgue, and interviews with the isolation rooms,
patients and their families.
Con tagi on Dev elop men ts

While the Researchers are en route and after they reach
Hudson’s Well, new patients come in and earlier patien
symptoms. These developments are filled out only for ts die from their
the first few days of the outbreak. How many more victims
Researchers arrive depends on their effectiveness in contai turn up after the
ning the outbreak; see ACTIVITIES: CONTAINMENT on page
The Researchers are instructed to focus their epidemiologic 90.
al research on the initial victims to identify the cause.
first few days, it is enough to say that more and more Beyon d the
victims show up, unless the Researchers have been effecti
the illness in town and then tracking down and isolatin ve at stopping
g Thartha, its source.
Trou ble in the Hos pita l

As described under THE DISEASE on page 75, victims
in Stage 3 often become terrifyingly violent. Punctuate
work with unexpected explosions of panic as patients’ the Researchers’
Stage 3 symptoms become acute:
• Shrieking.
• Fighting their restraints and sometimes breaking free.
• Gouging out their own eyes.
• Piercing their own eardrums with pens or sticks.
• Tearing out their own tongues to stop tastes.
• Attempting suicide by slamming their head into a counte
r’s corner or through a window’s glass.
• Attempting to kill anyone who interferes with them.
A Researcher may need to attempt a DEX×5, STR×5, Dodge

, or Unarmed Combat test to avoid having a HAZMAT
by a crazed patient. suit torn
An especially disturbing incident may cost witnesses 0/1
or even 0/1D4 SAN from helplessness.
Une xpe cted Infe ctio ns

Strickland is hardly the only medical staffer to fall ill despit
e precautions.
Orenthal Kimmons, hospital office administrator, dealt
with patients and medical staff from behind a glass windo
he wore gloves and a breath mask. And yet he came w. Even so,
down with the disease.
Flagstaff physician David Abrankovitch observed infecti
ous disease protocols scrupulously around patients from
He worked all shifts from a HAZMAT suit which was never his arrival.
breached, and otherwise remained isolated in the MRI
ing symptom reports and conducting research. office review-
Between the unexpected infections, the Researchers themse
lves possibly becoming infected, and the Researchers
coveries, the players may realize that wearing HAZM ’ other dis-
AT suits offers absolutely no protection. That costs each
SAN from helplessness. Resea rcher 0/1D4
82
Researcher Activities
iv it ie s : R e se a rc h in g V ic ti m s
A ct
wants
Ca lli ng St ri ck la nd on the sec on d rin g, sounding harried and
afraid. He immediately
llin g?
Strickland answers ll are they ca
Before 3:00 p.m., Dr. ven’t, then why the he
ha ve ide ntified the disease, and if they ha lla psed. With a great
to know if the Research
ers
ice ma il, be ca use he has already co
vo rcia, who
er 3:00 p.m. gets his the line—Angela Ga
Calling Strickland aft er, ev en mo re harried doctor on
earchers can ge t an oth
deal of effort, the res liver the same details.
ve in thi s mo rni ng from Flagstaff—to de
dro details:
can fill in the following
Strickland or Garcia e and
Kachina Café, a coffe
Strick lan d say s Am ad Malouf worked at ug ht food or
• MALOUF AND KACH
INA CAFÉ: patients who bo
the CD C, Str ick lan d has admitted three are trying
donut shop. Since his
last call to ce down and
s on du ty. The po lice have shut the pla
fé while Malouf wa ht-hour shift on
drinks at Kachina Ca ny pe op le we re ser ved during Malouf’s eig
determine just how ma
to recover records to :07
20 NOV 2012. ilippa Jones died at 11
oth er fat ali ty. An eld erly woman named Ph ch ild ren
already be an Her gra nd
• JONES: There may . with a severe fever.
in an am bu lan ce on her way to the E.R nd children have been
a.m. today, the 21 st, NOV 2012. The gra
p wi th he r on 20
the same donut sho
remembered going to ms.
not exhibited sympto vir (Re-
quarantined but have (Tamiflu) and zanami
mi ne d tha t the an tivi ral drugs oseltamivir s fac toid
land has deter es. (Possessing thi
• ANTIVIRALS: Strick sea rch ers ca n add that to their theori
good, so the Re
lenza) seem to do no .)
to treating ______pathy the community colleg
e gym, only a few
gives a +20% bonus ara nti ne sta tion at
tary qu ion are
y have set up a volun t shown signs of infect
• QUARANTINE: The tim s’ fam ily an d friends who have no and
the hospital . Vic ps track of the m
hundred meters from An de rso n, a vo lun teer from Flagstaff, kee
ere Nurse Soph ia
asked to go there, wh
.
watches for symptoms
nd s victims
V ic ti m Ba ck grou WELL MA P ha nd ou t fro m pa ge 102. Open-sourc
e information on the
ormation. inf
Hand the players the
HUDSON’S can find the following
rns to the ir mo ve me nts. Any Researcher
d patte
is the best way to fin
nrietta with Steven Embry.
Cortez, Harudo and He a Co rte z run s the law firm Cortez & Embry
l estate agent. Henriett
Harudo Cortez is a rea
. She
Jones, Philippa an for years in Tucson
e ye ars ag o aft er teaching college Germ s, Da vis Sim-
) retired nin raising two son
Philippa Jones (age 69 orc ed da ug hte r, Re nee Simmons (37) is
ell where her div
moved to Hudson’s W
e Simmons (7).
mons (13) and Monro
the University of
Malouf, Amad a co ffe e an d do nut shop. He went to
) works at Kachina Ca
fé, Brenda Rudel-Malouf,
Amad Malouf (age 20 n. He live s wi th his parents, Khalid and
batio of social
t is on academic pro ers can find a string
Arizona for a year bu the country. The research
. He has ne ve r be en ou t of
all appearanc es, he hasn’t left
and his sister Yasmina wo rk, mo vie s, an d mystery novels. To
ng his dull days of
media posts chronicli
last two months.
Hudson’s Well in the
cesca, and Julie Maurey. Avram
Maurey, Elizabeth, Fran Ma ure y are the da ug hters of Avram and Ida
beth (9), and Julie (7) s a local radio statio
n.
Francesca (11), Eliza . Ida Ma urey (age 35) manage
intains wa ter tow ers
Maurey (age 38) ma
83
Stud ying the Data

A Researcher who tracks the geographic spread of the illness through
time can get a sense of its movement,
progress and virulence. The players should handle the task themsel
ves with the information they receive, but
it occupies a given Researcher’s time.
Inter view ing Victi ms and Fami lies

Interviewing the ill, along with their families or other hospital personn
el, could help source the disease. Ex-
cept as noted, these interviews require no rolls, only time and a capacit
y for empathy. In a four-hour block, a
Researcher can conduct two interviews.
EMBRY’S FAMILY: Asked about Henrietta or Harudo Cortez,
Steve Embry’s wife Emily Embry says he
suspected that Henrietta’s husband was seeing a guy who had bought
a house from him.
JONES’ FAMILY: Philippa Jones’ daughter Renee Simmons called
when Philippa failed to show up to
babysit on 21 NOV 2012. Simmons went to Jones’ condo when she
didn’t answer her phone, and found
her passed out in a cold tub. Philippa died in the ambulance on the
way to the hospital. Asked about Jones’
activities, Renee says that on 20 NOV 2012, Jones took Simmons’
kids to Kachina Café for coffee and
donuts.
KACHINA CAFÉ: The owner of Kachina Café shares security
video footage if asked. Running close-ups of
customers through government or state databases identifies the other
customers. None except Malouf and
Jones have fallen ill. Some answer phone calls; some of those agree
to quarantine themselves at the college.
Others promise to stay home. If the Researchers know to look for Jeffrey
Langzweil, or if they cross-reference
the customers with other contacts, they can identify Langzweil as the
customer ahead of Jones in line.
MALOUF’S FAMILY: Malouf’s family are absolutely devastated
by Amad’s illness and by the thought that
he might be the vehicle by which dozens of Kachina Café custome
rs die too. He swore he washed his hands
frequently at work. If asked whether he served any sick customers,
they say Malouf said one customer on 20
NOV 2012 seemed pale, but he did not know the man.
THE MAUREYS: With all three of their little girls dying, Avram
and Ida Maurey are shattered and dumb-
founded with shock. They cooperate without trouble. They are so traumat
ized that no new shocks can touch
them. If asked about the girls’ recent activities, Ida can break through
her grief and terror to describe going
door to door in the neighborhood with Liz on 20 NOV 2012, solicitin
g funds for a church pledge drive.
There weren’t many people home, but one woman who answered
the door and signed up looked pale and
ill. In fact, Maurey still has the signup sheet in her purse. The sick woman
was Rosamund Keyert, who lives
three doors down from the Maureys.
The Victi ms’ Belo ngin gs

Searching for personal, non-medical clues can be helpful. Treating
the victim like a victim or suspect in a
crime—checking their possessions, examining their circumstances,
going through their phone and wallet and
looking for clues—can yield unexpected information.
Harudo Cortez has a partially used package of condoms hidden behind
his cell phone in its case. That
same phone has suspicious texts (vague flirting, veiled arrangements
to rendezvous) to Hudson’s Well resid
ent Jefferey Langzweil.
Henrietta Cortez has a receipt from a recently fulfilled prescription
for an oral contraceptive.
84
Resea rching Keyer t and Langz weil

22 years. His
Jeffrey Langzweil retired from a CalTech professorship in theoretical physics in 2010 after
In his last few
doctoral thesis was “Fermionic Transformation as a Supersymmetrical Worldsheet Function.”
to Rosamund
years at CalTech, he worked on particle physics and “expressions of timespace.” He is married
Keyert.
Detec-
Rosamund Keyert was a physics professor at CalTech until 2009. Her dissertation was “Gravitino
is hard to find.
tion Using Chronal Topography: A Theoretical Approach.” Further information about her
to faculty at CalTech or dig around online to get more backgroun d on Key-
A Researcher can reach out
skill of 50%, or a successful roll. Calling CalTech
ert. Digging online requires a Computer Science or HUMINT
if the Researche r has a physics-re-
faculty requires a Bureaucracy or Persuade test, but it gets a +20% bonus
on what the
lated Science skill at 50% or higher. The Researcher can get the following information based
player asks to investigate.
TEACHING AND RESEARCH: Keyert was not popular with students. She tended to
mumble and had a rep-
of spacetime. In
utation as an inattentive, inept professor. Keyert did some interesting work on the curvature
in spacetime
her last few years at CalTech, she focused on “ghost-particle” emissions: odd, repetitive “pops”
y particle spikes
coming and going at regular and predictable intervals. She suspected these were high-energ
of a very exotic nature.
WHAT HAPPENED? When Keyert’s work failed to earn the support that she thought
she deserved, she
s claims.
became more and more outraged. That led to wider ridicule. That in turn sparked more outrageou
military was trying
She complained that some conspiracy between the physics “establishment” and the U.S.
She grew more frustrated, more convinced that she
to thwart her work. That made her a laughing stock.
. She quit CalTech in 2009 and
was right, and more obsessed with the promise of what she had discovered
in good standing
moved home to Hudson’s Well. Her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Langzweil, retired from CalTech
and moved with her.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES: On physicist message boards, Keyert came across as obsessed
with the so-called
nce of the U.S.S. Eldridge in 1943,
Philadelphia Experiment—the purported disappearance and reappeara
a story long since disproven as a hoax.
Conta cts With Keyer t or Langz weil

victims’ activities
The researchers can interview the victims’ families and cross-reference their reports of the
over the past few days.
with Keyert
Francesca Maurey, Julie Maurey, Henrietta Cortez, and Steven Embry had no direct contacts
or Langzweil.
CORTEZ AND LANGZWEIL: If the Researchers ask Harudo Cortez about Jeffrey Langzweil
or Rosamund
s, or if
Keyert, Harudo Cortez says he sold them their house in 2009. If asked about any other connection
, Cortez
told that Langzweil or Keyert is ill, Harudo grows distraught. If asked about an intimate connection
about it with the threat that the contagion poses to
at first angrily denies cheating on his wife. But if pressed
the house deal, Harudo and Jeff
the community, or with a successful Persuade roll, he admits the truth. After
Cortez had sworn
Langzweil became friends and, quite secretly on Cortez’s part, lovers. By 19 NOV 2012,
thrilled by some
off his ongoing liaison with Langzweil, but they met for a tryst late that night. Langzweil was
wife Rosamund Keyert. Langzweil would not say more
development in the physics research he did with his
sick to his stomach, sick of his affair,
about the development. The next morning, Cortez skipped work, feeling
and sick of the way his wife fluttered around trying to make him feel better.
JONES AND LANGZWEIL: If shown a photo of Langzweil, Jones’ grandchildren recognize
him as a man
Jones took her grandchild ren out for donuts, standing in
standing in front of them at Kachina Café. Philippa
Amad Malouf, the clerk behind
line behind Langzweil as he ordered coffee. Langzweil infected Jones and
the counter. Jones’ grandchildren, miraculously, escaped harm.
85
Act ivit ies : Sym pto ms and Tre atm ent

Trea ting Vict ims
In this four-hour block of time, a Researcher can work
with medical staff to manage symptoms and reduce
the progress of the disease. This requires a Medicine
roll, as described under TREATMENT on page 75.
• FUMBLE: The Researcher’s efforts help no one.
• FAILURE: 1 patient does not advance to the next
stage of infection.
• SUCCESS: 2 patients do not advance to the next
stage of infection.
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: 4 patients do not advance to
the next stage of infection.
Exa min ing Vict ims

The Researchers are likely to investigate the victims from
several different angles, trying to determine how
they came by the illness and what effects it is having
on them. A doctor who examines one of the patients
can roll a Medicine test. With a success, the Researcher
pieces together that the victims’ cerebrospinal fluid
tests negative for meningitis. Intravenous and spinal admin
istration of miltefosine (the favored treatment for
PAM) and other antibacterials have no effect. That seems
to rule out bacterial infection, but the other circum-
stances rule out viral infections and genetic disorders.
Examining the uneven pupils of a third-stage victim finds
the retinas glowing faintly, a dark violet color;
in a lens that picks up ultraviolet light, they glow brillian
tly. No medical staff have observed this when the
Researchers arrive. It lingers an hour after death. SAN
loss: 0/1 from the unnatural.
Com par ing Sym ptom s

An Agent who gets online and on the phone demanding
input and information from various databases, virol-
ogists, and research facilities earns a Bureaucracy, Medic
ine, or Science (Biology) roll.
• FUMBLE: The character is exposed. In addition, they
get the results of a failure.
• FAILURE: Breaking it down, this myster y infection does
not fit the profile of any of the usual suspects.
It’s not Marburg; that has a longer incubation period.
Additionally, Marburg doesn’t aerosolize, and
this apparently does. That rules out Ebola, too. But like
them, it might have a non-human reservoir
animal, whose bites spread the illness to humans. Chole
ra can kill with the same speed, but antibiot-
ics would at least slow it down. Some symptoms resemb
le Dengue Fever, but again, that requires an
animal vector, the mosquito. It could just be an especi
ally vicious strain of influenza, but you would
think Tamiflu would have at least been a speed bump
to it. This looks like something new.
• SUCCESS: The rapid onset of debilitating symptoms
means that ______pathy is likely to burn itself out
before getting the momentum for a real sustained pande
mic. But it’s crucial to lock down the early-ex-
posed before they create a wave of further infection.
Getting it into a truck stop or airport would be
particularly bad.
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: Even without a cure, you can heavil
y impede the spread of ______pathy just by
telling people to isolate themselves and avoid contact
with anyone. If most exposed people show
symptoms, that reveals them with minimal contagion.
Should the Researchers decide to try to halt the
outbreak (as described on page 90), they get +20%
to their rolls.
The oriz ing Abo ut the Sym ptom s

The neurological symptoms of ______pathy remind the
Researchers most of meningitis and primar y amoebic
meningoencephalitis (PAM, infection by the infamous
“brain-eating” amoeba Naegleria fowleri), although
it lacks their characteristic muscular rigidity, and of course
neither of those is this contagious. It also has
similarities to prion disorders such as Creutzfeld-Jacob
disease, but those are not easily communicable have
nowhere near this disease’s speed of onset.
86
Sta ge s of the Dis ea se infection:

tentatively identified three stages to the
The physicians at Hudson’s Well have
• STAGE 1: Fever and weakness. over tears, swallowing,
go, disrupted sleep, and loss of control
• STAGE 2: Tremors, convulsions, verti
and the bladder. zed self-destructive
tions, delusions, and violently disorgani
• STAGE 3: Psychosis, including hallucina g them acting out.
, or medically-induced coma preventin
behavior; only restraints, heavy sedatives
and then return.
toms suddenly fade altogether for a while
In all stages, in some victims the symp
Str ick lan d an d Pa uld en weak and fading fast from infec-
Strickland, is in isolation. Strickland is
The Researchers’ original contact, Dr. catch the researchers up. By
can weakly explain his own situation and
tion and rapid onset of symptoms. He wound and sweat-drenched.
s and already looked wrung out, tightly
1:00 p.m. he had been on duty four hour took his own temperature.
tired and stressed. About 3:00 p.m., he
He did not believe he was infected, just been exposed and infected.
(101° Fahrenheit). He realized he had
It registered an even 38 degrees Celsius s. Whatever the disease is, it is
the rest of the staff to watch themselve
He put himself in isolation and warned
and taken reasonable precautions.
highly contagious. He had worn gloves t from Flagstaff, put
tion, he and Abrankovitch, a radiologis
Before Strickland discovered his own infec damage. It was 1:40 p.m.
could isolate and identify the cerebral
Dr. Paulden in an MRI. They hoped they also review the MRI scans
what happened. The Researchers can
Strickland or Abrankovitch can describe
the scanner.
and a video recording of the patient in ted. She shrieks,
spins up, Paulden grows increasingly agita
In the recording, as the magnetic field ss, and dies even as Abranko-
ers mindlessly, sags into unconsciousne
“Black things…into the sky!” She gibb
scanner.
vitch is frantically powering down the stem, especially the pons,
MRI imag es, hole s can be seen to form in the patient’s medulla and brain
In the
before and after death. an explanation. The
after that. The doctors have no hint of
They did not attempt another brain scan
and has never malfunctioned.
machine was serviced only a month ago
Ra dio log y a victim. They agree to it

hospital has not attempted a CT scan of
After the shocking effects of the MRI, the it to it, or if a Researcher
convince a patient or next of kin to subm
if the CDC Researchers press for one and on the infestation as the mag-
not have the same spectacular effects
submits to it. The X-rays of a CT scan do stem, particularly the pons.
lesions in the medulla oblongata and brain
netic fields of an MRI. The scan shows
87
A Theory of Treatm ent

and keep them
A Researcher tries to develop a theory of treatment that goes beyond “stop the symptoms
with this, and there are at least
comfortable.” The Researcher makes a Medicine test. If the group is helping
the team—the
three others with Medicine at 50% or higher, the roll gets a +20% bonus. People outside
too busy or not
hospital’s nurses, pathologists, lab techs, and doctors—cannot add to this roll. They’re either
trained in the team’s protocols and techniques.
helped must
• FUMBLE: The results of a standard failure apply, but the Agent is exposed. Also, all who
make Luck rolls. If any of those fail, the highest failing roll also is exposed.
went to bed
• FAILURE: You are no closer to finding a treatment to this disease than you were when you
last night.
rimantadine
• SUCCESS: What about M2 ion channel inhibitors? The antiviral drugs amantadine and
M2 gene
block viruses from taking over the host cell. Their use is largely discontinued because the
strains—b ut if this disease is completely new, it
mutates so often, leading viruses to form resistant
most promising course anyone has
probably hasn’t had time to acquire those resistances. It is the
developed. It does not work.
up).
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: As with a success, but the number of hours required is halved (round
Exami ning the Infecti on

the living and the
The Researchers are almost certain to do labwork, taking blood and tissue samples from
dead, and then running them through every test they can get their hands on.
takes 4
That requires a series of Medicine and Science (Biology or Microbiology) tests. Each discovery
hours with a successful roll, 2 with a critical, 8 with a failure, or 12 with a fumble.
unknown
• DISCOVERY 1: You find that physical samples from the brain of a deceased victim show
resemble ctenophor es, with gelatinous bodies and cilia or
microbes. In appearance they most closely
than ctenophor es or any kind of
tendrils; but being composed of only a few cells they are far smaller
jellyfish. They are multicellular, unlike amoeba. What they are, you have no idea.
invasive spe-
• DISCOVERY 2: None of the microbes look exactly alike—they appear to be not a single
cies but a colony of countless distinct species.
cells and to
• DISCOVERY 3: The microbes appear to be attracted to electrical signals between nerve
d and physically
disrupt electrical signals in the brainstem. That disruption becomes more pronounce
damaging as the disease progresses.
another as
• DISCOVERY 4: After the death of the host, from time to time one of the microbes darts at
enough resolution and speed, the
if to devour it, and the other simply vanishes. Recorded at high
One microbe
vanishing can be seen to leave a brief cavitation where its gelatinous body was before.
does not exactly devour another; both are simply, instantly gone.
appears
• DISCOVERY 5: Occasionally, a microbe vanishes, leaving a cavity behind—and then suddenly
elsewhere, recognizable by its unique shape and movements.
which had
• DISCOVERY 6: Doing a thorough exam of a victim’s nervous system, you find a microbe
from where
vanished, now somehow in the nerves of the patient’s spinal column, nearly a meter away
it disappeared.
None of
• DISCOVERY 7: The Researcher examines a brainstem sample 12 or more hours after death.
the strange microbes remain.
Confirming the weird actions of the microbes costs the Researcher 0/1 SAN from the unnatural.
88
Ac tiv itie s : Ot he r Eve nts

The Bro wn -Ou t
Eastern Hudson’s Well suffered a brownout aroun
d lunchtime on Monday, 19 NOV 2012. An
ment from Arizona Electrical Services explained announce-
it as a substation power fluctuation. Service
that evening. A call to Arizona Electrical Servi was restored
ces can get the time of the fluctuation (11:13
location of the substation (a few blocks from a.m.) and the
the Keyert house, if the Researchers plot it on
that can be learned by phone. a map). That is all
Inv est iga ting the Bro wn -Ou t

Researchers who contact Arizona Electrical Servi
ces can arrange for a representative to show
substation that went down at 11:13 a.m. on 19 them the power
NOV 2012. The appointment will be 1D6+6
and will take place only between the hours of busin ess hours,
10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., so it could take a
The representative, Adrian Johnson, has a thick day or two.
mustache and wears a cowboy hat when not
hat. He hands out hardhats and protective glove in a hard-
s, unlocks the substation gate, and walks the
inside, warning them to keep their hands to Researchers
themselves. Johnson assumes that the Researcher
about his trade and are just there to tick off a s know nothing
box on paperwork, so he gives them a friend
that tells them nothing they did not already know ly but cursory tour
.
Any Researcher who is inside the substation
and who has been infected with ______path
an hour can attempt an Alertness test. If it succe y for more than
eds, the Researcher finds some of the most acute
such as headache, nausea, and sensory-motor symptoms—
impairments—somewhat relieved. The closer
Researchers get to the high-capacity transmission an infect ed
lines that bring power into the substation, the
feel. Those symptoms return a few minutes after better they
leaving the substation. Returning to the subst
slightly again. ation, they fade
If the Researchers press Johnson for details abou
t the reason for the power fluctuation, he says
that happens at the substation itself, due to a usually
mechanical or electrical error bringing in the
of power from the cross-country transmission huge amou nts
lines. In this case, the surge started outside the
traveled in, probably due to a lightning strike substation and
.
If they ask whether he or any crews saw signs
of a lightning strike in Hudson’s Well, he says
doesn’t think much of it. Lighting hits the groun no, but
d all the time.
If they press him further, he grudgingly agree
s to follow the line where the surge came in,
taps and drums on the power poles. The drum looking up at
on the pole outside the Keyert house shows clear
far beyond anything else in the area. Johnson scorching,
says that must be where the lightning hit. Lucky
the pole itself down. But lightning is crazy. Since it did not take
officials are with him, he takes a few minutes
protective gear and climb the pole to inspect to put on
the drum. He comes down and says everything
the surge. That is the extent of his interest in is intact despite
the power outage.
89
Activ ities : Conta inme nt

It’s not enough to investigate the illness. The Researchers also have to keep it from spreading
. This is the
mission’s essential purpose. Once the Researchers have some kind of grip on the situation,
they can attempt
to control the area to prevent ______pathy from spreading beyond their control.
They can do that by earning containment points. It’s best to keep track of containment points
privately,
without telling the players. If the Researchers earn one, say the effort has begun, or at most
that it seems to be
working. They probably will not learn the ultimate result until the operation ends. (See AFTERMATH
on page 98.)
There are essentially four approaches they can take. Suggest one possibility if they ask, but
don’t de-
scribe all unless they’re already thinking along similar lines.
If they think of anything else that sounds plausible, let them roll for it. What skill or stat they
use depends
on the task, as described below.
• FUMBLE: 0 containment points.

• FAILURE: 1 containment point.
• SUCCESS: 2 containment points.
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: 3 containment points.
As described in RESEARCHER ACTIVITIES on page 80, each activity by a Researcher occupies

a four-hour
block of time.
How many containment points did the Researchers accumulate? That determines how far
the disease
spreads. The Researchers will find out soon enough. See AFTERMATH on page 98.
Calling the Gover nor

The Researchers can ask the state governor, Sara Simonson to set up road blocks and put
choppers and
planes in the air. If this works, the governor deploys the state police, bottles up Hudson’s
Well with road-
blocks, orders all planes from the airstrip to return to their point of origin, and intercepts
anyone traveling
away from it overland. Calling out the National Guard is also the governor’s job, but governors
do not get
elected on the strength of their grasp of unnatural microbiology. There’s only so far she will
go.
Whoever makes the call attempts a Bureaucracy, Law, or Persuade test. If the Researcher
thinks to text
the governor a photo of the dead Maury sisters, the Researcher can try a CHA×5 test instead,
if that’s better.
• FUMBLE: The governor is not very responsive. If the Researcher pushes, it sparks political
backlash and
may get the Researcher fired. See PROSECUTION AND FIRING in the Agent’s Handbook for
details. No
containment points.
• FAILURE: The governor reluctantly rolls out a limp and anemic set of roadblocks, but refuses
to mobi-
lize the National Guard. There’s an election coming, after all. Containment goes up 1 point.
• SUCCESS: The governor sounds spooked. Roadblocks are going into effect double quick,
and the Air
National Guard is being sent out to watch until the blocks are in place. Containment goes
up 2 points.
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: Not only the Air National Guard, but ground troops are rolling out
in APCs to
patrol the perimeter of the quarantine zone, along with every state trooper available. Containme
nt
goes up 3 points. 90
Quara ntinin g the City

Romo. The request
This requires a Bureaucracy or Law test directed at the county sheriff, 43-year-old Darren
a −20% penalty,
means a serious political risk for the sheriff, who holds an elected position. That incurs
unless Deputy Thomas has grasped what’s happening and helps make the pitch.
orders for
• FUMBLE: The sheriff is offended and panicky. He issues very vague and final-sounding
deputies to stop anyone trying to leave town at all costs. This results in two deaths, and a lot of other
people circumventing the roadblock. No containment points.
or execute
• FAILURE: The sheriff agrees, but has little idea how to carry this out, and cannot understand
r offers. A lot of people get the message, especially after
whatever practical suggestions the Researche
a couple of deputies, who then expose a
the deputies start going door to door, but that does expose
few more folks. Add 1 containment point.
it into effect.
• SUCCESS: The Researchers and sheriff sketch out a quarantine plan and immediately put
t block the major thoroughfa res while deputies’ cruisers head
Trucks from the volunteer fire departmen
es and rescue trucks pick up and
to the major intersections to redirect people back home. Ambulanc
and
isolate the definitely-infected, and take the possibly-exposed to individual locations for testing
observation. Add 2 containment points.
sugges-
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: It’s a model of efficiency. The sheriff listens closely and has some excellent
tions of his own. Add 3 containment points.
Direct ly Appea ling to the Public

to warn
The Researchers can activate the Emergency Broadcast System, going on TV and radio themselves
if the speaking Agent has a CHA score of
people directly. This requires a Persuade roll, with a +20% bonus
roll instead. If they go
15 or higher. If the Researchers have someone else make the appeal, it calls for a Luck
door to door rather than going on mass media, the roll is at a −20% penalty.
• FUMBLE: The messages create as much panic as they relieve. No containment points.
efforts to
• FAILURE: Some people hunker down, but a few run for it, and a few mob the hospital despite
turn them away. But it’s marginally better than doing nothing. Add 1 containme nt point.
They explain
• SUCCESS: The Researcher comes across as serious but also concerned and intelligent.
without sounding condescending or too technical. They calm people without sugar-coat ing anything
so much that folks dismiss it. Add 2 containment points.
Emergency
• CRITICAL SUCCESS: In addition to the benefits of a success, the Researchers get the Wireless
any symp-
Alert system to text-message everyone in the area with instructions to take cover and report
only, but the local National Weather Service functionar y
toms. (WEA is supposed to be for weather
decides to take the bull by the horns.) Add 3 containment points.
Saving Lives
move swiftly and
This is covered by ACTIVITIES: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT, on page 86. If the Researchers
containme nt. The number of containment
prevent deaths among hospital patients, they can improve overall
points depends on the number of patients who die by 5:00 p.m. on 22 NOV 2012.
• 20 OR MORE HOSPITAL DEATHS: No containment points.
• 16–19 HOSPITAL DEATHS: Add 1 containment point.
• 12–15 HOSPITAL DEATHS: Add 2 containment points.
• 11 OR FEWER HOSPITAL DEATHS: Add 3 containment points.
91
The FBI
Naming ______pathy
Late Thursday night, 22 NOV 2012 (or even very
late Wednesday, if the Researchers make very quick From EXAMINING THE INFECTION (page 88), it seems
progress), two FBI agents drive into town. They flash that the mystery microbes disrupt electrical signals in
the brainstem and cause physical damage that results
badges and inform everyone that this is now a re-
in cerebral hemorrhage. The researcher who makes
stricted federal investigation of a suspected terrorist
the discovery has the honor of naming this disease;
bioweapon attack. see NAMING THE DISEASE on page 77. A crucial plot
They are Special Agent Nell Buchard and Special turn hinges on the Researchers naming the disease,
Agent Bradley Stusser. They are from the Weapons so emphasize the moment. Encourage the players to
of Mass Destruction Directorate, Investigations and erase “______pathy” in their notes and replace it with
the official name of the disease.
Operations Section (IOS), WMD Operations Unit.
They take possession of all records, paper and dig-
ital, instruct all medical staff to discuss nothing about
this outbreak with anyone else, and instruct them to »» CALLING WASHINGTON: The assistant director’s of-
report to the agents anyone who asks for details about fice in the WMD Directorate says that details of
the outbreak. They ask the hospital and the Research- the assignment of Buchard and Stusser are clas-
ers to provide detailed breakdowns of their schedules sified. No arguments or threats get anywhere.
and activities.
Buchard and Stusser are deadly serious and secre- Behind the Scenes
tive. They spend virtually no time explaining themselves. Buchard and Stusser are Delta Green agents sent by the
The FBI agents have their own HAZMAT suits Program to contain what looks like an unnatural in-
and other biohazard supplies in a black SUV. Unusu- cursion. At first, they rely heavily on the Researchers to
ally, they also have a pair of tactical shotguns with learn the lay of the land, determine how to keep the in-
trigger guards filed entirely away so they can be fired cursion from spreading, and find and destroy its source.
with thick gloves. The agents intend to order the Researchers to go
back to work at the hospital as soon as they think
Investigating the Agents their mission will require lawbreaking. But they have
The Researchers can learn surprisingly little about no way to predict that with any accuracy, and it is
Buchard and Stusser by calling around. more likely that the Researchers will be there when
and if the agents come face to face with Keyert’s lab
»» CALLING THE NEAREST FBI OFFICE: The FBI’s Flag- and the fugitive Thartha. They intend to send the
staff resident agency office knows nothing about Researchers away before they burn Keyert’s lab and
it. They say to call the Phoenix office. house to the ground or murder and bury Thartha.
»» CALLING PHOENIX: One agent in Phoenix is the
FBI office’s WMD field coordinator, which The Physicists’ House
makes her point agent on any suspected WMD
incident in the district. She says she does not Rosamund Keyert and Jeffrey Langzweil lived in a
know details about the Hudson’s Well incident, suburban house that was too large for them. They
and seems annoyed with the whole thing. Get- bought it for the expansive basement. Many rooms
ting more information requires a Bureaucracy or are used only for storage of things that the scientists
Law test. In that case, she says that FBI head- accumulated over lifetimes of academic and high-tech
quarters in Washington overrode the usual pro- hoarding. Countless books, journals, old computer
cedure and send two agents from Washington. parts, and scraps are stacked like the walls of mazes.
92
KEYERT A
LANGZW ND
EIL HOUS
E
93
The door from the kitchen to the basement is well that all the machinery seems to be directed around.
locked, but it can be opened with a Craft (Locksmith- It’s clear that the machine was built to handle
ing) roll, a DEX×5 roll with special training with lock- heavy power draws.
picks, or a STR×5 roll using a crowbar. Locksmithing If seen in dim light or darkness, the machine
or lockpicking can be attempted only once. Failing faintly glows a sickly, violet color. A Researcher who
the STR×5 test gets the door open but costs 1 WP or closely examines the glowing lab machinery must
inflicts 1 point of damage from the strain, whichever make a Luck roll or be exposed to ______pathy.
the player prefers. A fumble tears a HAZMAT suit The machine no longer works. Key metallic pieces
without opening the door. have disappeared since Thartha’s appearance. Even
Much of the basement is taken up by the lab. Key- figuring out what’s missing would take days or weeks.
ert and Langzweil used smaller rooms for storage and
for their personal offices. Keyert’s Office
If Buchard and Stusser hear enough about Keyert Keyert’s office has a computer, a wall lined with
and Langzweil to suspect them, they go into the house physics texts and strange, wriggling tubes of stone.
armed. Buchard’s shotgun is loaded with shot, Stuss- (Anyone with Science (Geology) recognizes them as
er’s with slugs. fulgurites, formed when lightning strikes sand. They
have nothing to do with Keyert’s work, she just thinks
The Lab they’re neat.) There’s a cabinet and, surprisingly, an
The lab has tables along the back and rightmost walls, electric typewriter. Inside the cabinet are lab reports
covered with partly- disassembled exotic devices. A that were clearly (judging by the way the letters are
Geiger counter registers unusually high levels of ra- pressed into the page, with occasional corrections us-
dioactive material, mainly americium-241 and thori- ing blobs of white material) typed, rather than printed
um-232, used to power the machine. out. They are completely incomprehensible to anyone
Occupying most of the left wall is a metal ma- without Science (Physics) skill of 70% or higher.
chine with a round aperture in the middle, numerous There are clues to be found here. A Search roll is
wires, lenses, antennae and probes pointing at it, along available for anyone who tosses the lab.
with a camera. It is a series of high-energy coils, a Keyert’s office has a charger for a smartphone but
capacitor, and ultraviolet lasers whose purpose was to the phone is missing.
redouble and amplify the odd signals she had detected KEYERT’S BODY: Keyert died of a massive overdose
in spacetime. of the oxycodone that Langzweil had left over after
The aperture is clearly damaged, with much of its breaking his foot in a fall in 2010. She was in stage 2
delicate instrumentation thrust out of the way, as if of ______pathy, had just seen Langzweil die, and did
something forced its way outward from the wall behind. not intend to suffer the same fate.
Something projected a great deal of force outward from THE TYPEWRITER: The last sheet that Keyert was
the aperture. Behind the machine is an unblemished typing still rests in the typewriter. Give the players the
wall, to which it is attached. The damage to the device KEYERT’S NOTE handout from page 103.
is clearly more recent than its connection to the wall— FILE CABINET: Keyert’s filing cabinet isn’t locked, and
the edges of the broken metal are still shiny, while the the files inside can, after perusal, provide insights via
screws in the wall have a tiny bit of grime on them. Science (Physics). A Researcher with skill lower than
The machines around it include a UV laser and 40% and who fails a skill test can tell only that Keyert
a UV beam detector, as well as very sensitive elec- was trying to poke at some weirdness in spacetime. For
tromagnetic and gravitic sensors. The laser and the months, the couple has toiled in grueling hours, follow-
UV detector are fixed facing one another, aligned ing each uptick in the UV sensor of a phantom signal
so that the beam would pass right through the area and attempting to “boost” it. A Researcher with skill of
94
40% or higher or who succeeds at a skill test discerns

that the work has something to do with dimensional to-
The Scientists’ Secrets
pography—using high-energy, phased Bosonic particles
to distort the shape of space. If it worked, she theorized, The home of Keyert and Langzweil holds a number of
two non-simultaneous events could be causally connect- clues that could lead the Researchers to deep secrets of
ed. This was an attempt to amplify strange particles that MAJESTIC and Delta Green. The Handler can launch
seemed to appear at timed intervals. Her last experiment new operations with those clues, using the history of
Project RAINBOW found in the Handler’s Guide and
did more, though she did not know why—it opened a
Delta Green: Eyes Only.
hole in spacetime. The aperture she made was tiny, only
a bit bigger than the wavelength of a light beam, and
meant to stay open for only .0000000000008 seconds.
TRASH: In the trash can is a piece of paper with a LANGZWEIL’S BODY: Jeffrey Langzweil lies on the
pizza place’s phone number jotted on it, but on the floor of his office, arranged carefully and respectfully.
other side there’s a doodle showing the TARDIS from He is clearly dead. He shows signs of acute infection
Doctor Who moving in a loop. (See page 104.) At the by ______pathy, including what appear to be self-in-
point where the loop crosses, there’s a label saying flicted wounds to his eyes and face. But he died from
“here and you can’t go farther back than this point, no a broken neck. A Researcher who examines his neck
matter what.” A Researcher finds it if the player speci- and succeeds at a Forensics or Medicine test finds
fies looking in the trash or makes a Search roll. bruising that looks like the fingers of an enormous
NOTEPAD: On a yellow legal pad, Keyert scrawled hand, perhaps a hand the size of a great ape’s. He died
her suspicion that a living time-traveler fed a super- about 1:00 a.m. on 21 NOV 2012.
massive power surge into her signal experiment in LANGZWEIL’S TABLET: Langzweil’s tablet computer is
order to widen it and keep it open long enough to not password protected. Most of its space is occupied
come through. What this person could want is beyond by digital books and journals: Applied Physics Letters,
her imagining. She speculates that this could be, in one The Journal of Mathematical Physics, Physical Review,
sense, the end of “free will” as a meaningful concept. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research,
Keyert estimated that the wormhole had stayed open and Classical and Quantum Gravity. There are also
for 2.21 seconds and had stretched to 1.17 m in width. two issues of the International Journal of Computer
Her rough calculations estimated the power require- and Telecommunications Networking, but they’re
ments at 22 billion petawatts, a bit less than a tenth of over a year old. Unusually, he also has a collection of
the total output of the sun. She had no idea how that fringe materials more suitable for a conspiracy theo-
could even be vaguely possible. Notes farther down rist than a scientist. Some are lurid “histories” of the
are scrawled hurriedly: “STEEL CHAIR CHARGED, “Philadelphia Experiment,” the supposed cover-up of
VIOL GLOW, VANISHED. ALUM HOUSING NOT a sci-fi-sounding catastrophe on the USS Eldridge in
CHARGED—NONFERROUS? SAME FRQ AS EL- Chesapeake Bay in late October, 1943. (A quick web
DRIDGE??” and “HIGH VOLTAGE, GLOW FADE?” search finds that the Eldridge was on a shakedown
Give the players the KEYERT’S MEMO handout cruise in the Bahamas at the time.) He has also collect-
from page 105. ed scans of old newspapers from the 1940s onward,
mostly dealing with sailors assigned to the Eldridge in
Langzweil’s Office 1943 and 1944.
Langzweil did not share his wife’s hangups about VIDEO FILES: Langzweil’s computer holds the video
using computers. He has a powerful desktop machine file of Thartha’s arrival (see THARTHA VIDEO on page
with advanced physics and multimedia applications. 106) and an interview with her (see THARTHA INTERVIEW
The computer controlled the powerful lab equipment. on page 107).
95
LAB APPLICATIONS: A custom program in Keyert’s recording is about 6 minutes long and is so garbled
computer controlled the UV laser in the lab. It fired in with age and damage as to be nearly indecipherable.
an inexplicable numeric pattern at timed intervals. There seem to be two interviewers and one interview
SEARCH HISTORY: Langzweil spent most of his time subject. About four minutes in, listeners hear a mirac-
online researching his physics interests. But after ulously clear patch. The interview subject, who sounds
spending an hour reviewing his history, the Researcher like a young man with a Brooklyn accent, is audibly
finds a number of purchases of the personal effects of weeping and yelling: “—was right in the hull, and those
dead sailors who served in World War II. worm things floating all around in the air! Went right
THE ENVELOPE: In a photo frame on the wall is through me like I wasn’t there and latched on to Finny
an old envelope addressed to “Peggy Connelly” of like leeches. Jesus, Finny. Jesus. Jesus. What th—” Noth-
Chesapeake, Virginia. The return address is “Cdr Jos. ing more can be understood or reconstructed.
Connelly, USS Eldridge (DE-173), U.S. Navy.” The
postmark is 15 OCT 1942. The envelope is empty. A Thartha
Researcher who looks for details on Connelly, and The Researchers should encounter Thartha only after
who either has History at 40% or higher or succeeds they search the lab and offices. If they go straight to
at a roll, finds a USN Captain Joseph M. Connelly. He the basement, they can hear Thartha moving around
was best known as executive officer of the carrier USS upstairs. If they search upstairs first, she is in the base-
Enterprise in the late 1960s and briefly its captain in ment. They may hear her hiding in a storage room not
the early 1970s. He died at age 69 in 1974. His wife yet searched, or in a crawlspace on the other side of a
Peggy died in 2011 at age 88. Their children sold basement wall.
many of their mementos online. Thartha stands 2.3 m tall and weighs about 120
THE CYLINDER: On a shelf is an old, well-worn, kg. She has almond-shaped brown eyes, brown hair
cylindrical cardboard container, about 16 cm long and in a braid, and dark tan skin. Her features are angular,
10 cm across. It bears the Dictaphone logo and with a with high cheek-bones, a pointed chin, and a straight,
hand-written label: “Ens. Yesler, T., 3 Apr. 43.” Inside is long nose with narrow nostrils. Her proportions are
a wax cylinder, about 6” long and 3” across, that can normal—she appears to be just a regular woman
be played on a Dictaphone machine. A sound engineer who’s extraordinarily tall. She wears a fitted gray cov-
with equipment capable of playing the recording on the erall that seems to be of cotton canvas, and no jewelry
wax cylinder can be found in Phoenix or Atlanta. The or ornamentation. Her feet are bare and leathery.
96
Thartha knows that she is responsible for the dis- She does not appear to have shaved. Her face
ease that infected Keyert and Langzweil, and suspects bears distinctive tattooed lines, but there are no signs
that Langzweil spread it to the outside world. Thartha that she ever had pierced ears and no tan lines from
means to sneak away by night and find a way to sur- rings. There are no scars or birth marks on her body.
vive, but she has not yet steeled her courage for it. Her teeth don’t have the roughness of typical adult
She also fears that strangers who come to the teeth. Though they’re full sized, they’re like baby teeth.
house, particularly if they wear HAZMAT suits, will There are no fillings, and her bottom frontmost left tooth
conclude that she is responsible for the contagion. If is visibly whiter than the rest, as is her left upper incisor.
they corner her in the house—she is not stealthy—she
attacks with her bare hands, meaning to disable or ‘______PATHY 2.17.25’
stun an Agent long enough to escape, even if she must Thartha has inoculation dates tattooed on the under-
flee into the light of day. side of her left bicep: The top three are in an unfamil-
Any character in unarmed combat with Thartha iar alphabet that seems distantly related to English.
must make a Luck roll or contract ______pathy. Most words are gibberish, but the last word is clear-
Buchard and Stusser try to kill Thartha on sight, ly: “______PATHY 2.17.25”. In other words, she is
unless they are in public. In that case, they pursue her tattooed with the name of the disease the Researchers
someplace private to do it. named in Hudson’s Well. Realizing that this woman
If Thartha escapes the house, Buchard and Stusser from the future bears a word that they coined costs
take immediate steps to keep word of her from getting the Researchers 0/1D4 SAN from the unnatural.
out. Then they go on the hunt, leaving the Researchers Additionally, give everyone present an INT×5 roll.
to contain the outbreak. Those who succeed figure out that ______pathy may
have been spontaneously generated from a time loop,
Examining Thartha’s Corpse wherein Thartha caught it while traveling back to the
The thick canvas of Thartha’s coveralls thins as it’s past and accidentally spreading it, creating some future
handled—it takes little experimentation to realize it’s epidemic severe enough that she was inoculated before
temperature sensitive, becoming puffy and fluffy when traveling in time. That epiphany costs 1/1D8 SAN from
cold, thin and loose-woven when warm. Her under- the unnatural.
wear is snug, unremarkable, close-fitting gray stuff:
It doesn’t change texture like her jumpsuit. It’s your Autopsy
basic sports-bra and undershorts. The first incision of an autopsy is the Y cut to the
Her proportions are well within standard norms front of the torso. When the acting coroner makes this
and she has no signs of acromegaly. Her amazonian cut—if the Researchers autopsy Thartha—give them
stature doesn’t appear to be the result of Marfan syn- an Alertness roll. If it succeeds, the coroner notices
drome or pituitary gigantism. that the skin over Thartha’s sternum inexplicably
Her hands are rough, like the hands of someone begins to open ahead of the scalpel. The Researcher
accustomed to labor. The soles of her feet are extreme- also notices that parts of the skeleton are not bone but
ly leathery, as if she’s walked barefoot outside and in, some smooth plastic or resin, extremely tough.
all her life. Her feet are strange. The big toe separates The strange, durable substance that reinforces her
from the bulk of the foot much higher than usual, bones does not interfere with X-rays or MRI scans.
and seems to have a highly developed joint—as if it’s If they study Thartha’s brain, the Researchers find
partially prehensile. the same microbes as in victims of ______pathy. In
The nails of her strange feet curl under her toes Thartha, however, they do no harm. They swim and
and are clearly very thick and tough. blink around, feeding on each other, having no effect
on her tissue.
97
If the examiner succeeds at a Medicine test, they Police help the FBI establish and maintain an armed
discover that Thartha’s tissues carry unusual patterns perimeter around it. More CDC bio-containment ex-
of electricity. Occasionally, a cell or batch of cells par- perts show up to encase the whole building in plastic
ticularly infested with the unnatural microbes releases and keep the public away from Keyert’s achievements.
an inexplicable surge of electricity. That seems to over-
charge the microbes, which burst and vanish. That Aftermath
hints that electrical currents may disrupt the microbes
in other victims. What becomes of the Researchers? How much harm
Well into the autopsy—the exact timing is up to does the contagion ultimately cause?
you—some convergence of forces erupts in the dead
woman. Thartha’s exposed sternum or brain suddenly Containing the Disease
discharges a violet flash. If a Researcher’s player spe- Coming back to this step can make a good end-note
cifically describes getting away quickly, the Researcher for the operation after the Researchers confront the
is unharmed. Otherwise, the Researcher gets a Dodge weirdness of the Keyert lab and Thartha. Review their
roll. If the Dodge roll fails, the Researcher is encased achievements in CONTAINMENT on pages 90–91 and add
in some sort of spatial anomaly. Before the stunned up their containment points.
eyes of any onlookers, the unwitting Researcher and ZERO CONTAINMENT: The wave of initial exposure
Thartha both are compressed out of our dimensions, spreads to the following towns before burning out:
vanishing in a deafening pop of displaced air. Witness- Heber, Aripine, Overgaard, Clay Springs, Pinedale,
ing this costs 1/1D8 SAN from the unnatural. Linden, Show Low, Taylor, Snowflake, Winslow,
and Joseph City. Combined, they have a population
Debriefing around 30,400. About 2,900 people get infected
with ______pathy, 762 die, and another 817 have
After the Researchers confront Thartha, Buchard and permanent neurological damage or physical handi-
Stusser (or their Delta Green case officer, if both died) caps. A small but persistent lunatic fringe considers
try to convince them of the necessity of keeping their the ______pathy outbreak a germ-warfare attack on
unnatural discoveries a secret. They emphasize the viru- American Indian populations or Mormons.
lent danger of Thartha’s disease. What the Researchers The mishandling of the Hudson’s Well outbreak
have seen could rewrite medicine and physics. But how forces lengthy Senate hearings on the entire CDC,
many more people will die if strangers come to see resulting in a lot of firings and restructuring. Dr.
these terrible wonders for themselves? Marholm is publicly excoriated, and (if more than
This is a disease that came from the future. With one Researcher survives) Marholm makes sure to
Thartha and all other carriers either dead or cured, drag the team down with her. One survivor just might
it has no natural source. Protecting the public, the come out of the bureaucratic shit-storm OK and
agents argue, means burying this whole affair. even be considered for recruitment by the Program,
If the Researchers balk, Buchard and Stusser turn if her story is interesting and her actions were above
grim. They are absolutely convinced of the necessity of reproach. But she still gets the stink-eye at the grocery
keeping this quiet. To save countless lives, they intend store from people who remember her shame-walk out
to destroy all evidence of Keyert’s experiment and of the Senate hearing on CNN and FOX News. Every
Thartha’s existence. They and their contacts will see to surviving Researcher faces potential firing and, de-
it that any attempt to bring those facts public are met pending on their actions or inaction, prosecution, as
with career-ending scorn and ridicule. described on page 80 of the Agent’s Handbook.
Meanwhile, Buchard and Stusser ask the team About once a month for the next year, there are
to help set up a quarantine around the Keyert house. ______pathy outbreaks. They start in the American
98
southwest, spread through the U.S. after half a year, a year, somewhere in the globe, killing 100 to 250
and then through all the Americas by the one-year people even in optimum conditions.
anniversary of the Hudson’s Well outbreak. Each Hudson’s Well dominates the headlines for a week
flare-up kills around a hundred people (by that or so. Any survivor(s) might get interviewed for a
time, the disease has developed immunity to M2 ion big-budget documentary, The Devil in Hudson’s Well.
channel inhibitors, right on schedule) and injures 20 Any comments about time-traveling amazons wind up
more. The year after that, ______pathy appears about on the cutting room floor.
every other month, but now it’s global. In developed Surviving Researchers are congratulated, and each
nations, the death toll is about 80 to 200, depending gains a new Bond with Dr. Marholm at a value equal
on population density, or 300 to 400 in the developing to half the Researcher’s Charisma score—as long as
world. The in-between nations really suffer, since their no one starts talking about weird stuff.
transport infrastructure tends to be better than their Each Researcher gains 1D4 SAN.
medical infrastructure. When those outbreaks happen, 7–8 CONTAINMENT POINTS: Only the patients in the
the death tolls lurk around the low four figures. Being hospital with full-blown symptoms die. An infectee
responsible for this after being tasked to prevent it must have gotten out, though, since there’s another
costs each Agent 1/1D4 SAN from helplessness. outbreak eight months later in Mexico, killing 20
1–3 CONTAINMENT POINTS: Hudson’s Well has a total people. After that, there’s an outbreak somewhere in
of 504 cases of ______pathy, out of which there are 45 the world about every year. But the U.N. puts togeth-
deaths and 20 people with permanent debilities. Scat- er a pretty good task force on ______pathy (possibly
tered cases throughout the county add another hundred, led by a Researcher, or by Dr. Marholm) and keeps
of whom five die and another two are scarred for life. fatalities to around 10 to 100 people in sparsely pop-
Hudson’s Well dominates the headlines for a few ulated environments, and around 20 to 500 in dense
days, with one political party calling for the heads of urban regions.
everyone involved and the other decrying the first as The press coverage is broad, but ends pretty
witch-hunting partisans. Dr. Marholm is forced out of quickly. A month or so after it all dies down, Dr.
her job. She insists to the last that the team did what it Marholm invites the survivor(s) to travel with her to
could, but surviving Researchers might get blacklisted Washington, D.C. The Secretary of Health and Human
from government service. Services wants to shake their hands, though presum-
Outbreaks happen every three or four months ably he or she is going to hit the sanitizer afterwards.
throughout the U.S. for the next year, and throughout Each surviving Researcher gains a new Bond with
the Americas the year after that, settling on a steady Dr. Marholm at a value equal to half the Researcher’s
rate of an outbreak every six months globally. The Charisma score, and a permanent 10-percentile in-
fatality rates are as described under ZERO CONTAINMENT crease to Bureaucracy from their growing reputation—
on page 98. Being responsible for this after being as long as no one starts talking about weird stuff.
tasked to prevent it costs 0/1 SAN from helplessness. Each Researcher gains 1D6 SAN.
4–6 CONTAINMENT POINTS: The total death toll 9 OR MORE CONTAINMENT POINTS: The Researchers
at Hudson’s Well is 30, plus five cases with some do such a good job keeping a lid on things that few
degree of permanent lack of function. It looks like people outside the CDC understand just how well
______pathy is extinct. Then, 18 months afterwards, they did. They get some nice pay raises and commen-
it pops up in Guam, of all places. It rattles around dations in their files, but ______pathy becomes a trivia
the Pacific Rim intermittently after that, cropping up item. The Researchers are asked to downplay the
every year or two, killing a hundred people in sparsely dangers, especially since the only viable samples end
populated or primitive areas, or a couple hundred in up locked in a CDC vault.
urban areas. Ten years on, it comes up steadily once Each Researcher gains 2D4 SAN.
99
Researchers’ Fates other projects that are just as secret as this one has
What becomes of the Researchers also depends on turned out. The Researcher has definitely been tagged
how they reacted to the efforts of Buchard and Stusser for Delta Green recruitment.
to cover up their unnatural discoveries.
NO COOPERATION: The Researcher is completely Characters
discredited in public, despite Marholm’s attempts at
shielding. The Researcher’s ludicrous-sounding claims Sheriff’s Deputy or State Trooper
make the CDC look ridiculous and soon cost the A police officer typically has pistol, baton, taser, and
Researcher their job. (See GETTING FIRED on page 80 of pepper spray holstered, and a carbine stored in the
the Agent’s Handbook.) If the Researcher is a doctor, trunk of a patrol car.
they take a public share of the blame for anything that
Deputy or Trooper
went bad at Hudson’s Well.
Ask the player for each Researcher in this situa- Deputy Danica Thomas, age 46; Deputy Henry Flood,
age 35; Trooper Bill Whitehorse, age 30; Trooper Dale
tion whether they continue trying to go public. After
Sanchez, age 50; and so on
all answer, describe what happens. The more they
press their case in public, the more they are pilloried
HP 13 WP 12 SAN 60 BREAKING POINT 48
in social media. They receive oblique, threatening
ARMOR: 5 points from a reinforced Kevlar vest.
phone calls, and cyber-harassment. That costs 0/1
SAN from helplessness and 1D4 from a Bond of the SKILLS: Alertness 50%, Athletics 50%, Dodge 40%, Drive
Auto 50%, Firearms 50%, Foreign Language (Apache,
player’s choice.
Navajo, or Spanish) 20%, HUMINT 40%, Law 30%,
Once more, ask each player in this situation
Melee Weapons 50%, Persuade 40%, Search 50%,
whether the Researcher keeps pushing to go public Unarmed Combat 50%.
despite all that. After all answer, roll 1D4 for each ATTACKS: .40 S&W or 9mm pistol 50%, damage 1D10.
who answered “Yes” to determine the result, rerolling AR-15 carbine 50%, damage 1D12, Armor Piercing 3.
or making up something new for a duplicate result:
Baton 50%, damage 1D6.
Taser 55%, stuns target.
1D4 Result Pepper spray 55%, stuns target.
Framed, arrested, and convicted for child Unarmed 50%, damage 1D4−1.
1
pornography.
OTHER EQUIPMENT: See TOOLS OF THE TRADE on page 85
Framed, arrested, and convicted for
2 of the Agent’s Handbook.
embezzlement or fraud.
3 Framed, arrested, and convicted for tax fraud. Special Agent Nell Buchard
The Researcher is found dead by suicide after A CIA case officer turned FBI counterterrorism agent,
4
overdosing on fentanyl.
born to a Spanish mother and a white American father.
Agent Nell Buchard

For the impact of prosecution, see PROSECUTION on
page 80 of the Agent’s Handbook. Delta Green agent, age 38
RELUCTANT COOPERATION: The agents say that’s the STR 10 CON 11 DEX 10 INT 13 POW 13 CHA 12
smart choice. They strongly recommends that the Re- HP 11 WP 13 SAN 60 BREAKING POINT 52
searcher not look any farther. The Researcher has been ARMOR: 3 points from a Kevlar vest.
tagged as a possible Delta Green recruit. BONDS: Ex-husband (Warren Buchard), 12; Daughter
WILLING COOPERATION: The agents seem deeply (Nancy Benedict), 12.
relieved. They say that someone might be in touch, DISORDERS: Adapted to violence.
later. Maybe the Researcher can help save lives on
100
SKILLS: Alertness 60%, Bureaucracy 40%, Criminology OTHER EQUIPMENT: See TOOLS OF THE TRADE on page 85
70%, Disguise 50%, Drive 60%, Firearms 40%, of the Agent’s Handbook.
Foreign Language (French) 40%, Foreign Language
(Spanish) 50%, HUMINT 60%, Law 40%, Navigate Stage 3 Patient Gone Mad
50%, Occult 40%, Persuade 60%, SIGINT 40%, A violent patient in Stage 3 of the infection attacks
Stealth 60%, Unarmed Combat 70%. with mindless savagery.
ATTACKS: Shotgun (with shot) 60%, damage 2D10 at
close range, armor counts double. Maddened Patient
SIG Sauer P228 pistol 40%, damage 1D10. Dying and destructive
Unarmed 70%, damage 1D4−1. STR 10 CON 10 DEX 10 INT 10 POW 10 CHA 10
OTHER EQUIPMENT: See TOOLS OF THE TRADE on page 85 HP 4 WP 10 SAN 38 BREAKING POINT 40
of the Agent’s Handbook. ARMOR: None.
ATTACKS: Chair 50%, damage 1D6+2.
Special Agent Bradley Stusser Stolen scalpel or shard of broken glass 50%, damage
An African-American EPA investigator deputized to 1D4+2, Armor Piercing 3.
the FBI under a secretive counterterrorism task force. Unarmed 60%, damage 1D4+1.
SAVAGERY: The patient gains a +20% bonus and +2
Agent Bradley Stusser damage to each Unarmed Combat attack, Melee
Delta Green agent, age 44 Weapons attack, STR×5 test, and CON×5 test. That
STR 11 CON 12 DEX 11 INT 13 POW 10 CHA 12 is included in the patient’s listed attacks. But the
maddened patient’s attacks never count as fighting
back—any successful attack roll hits, no matter what
ARMOR: 3 points from a Kevlar vest.
the patient rolls. The maddened patient fails all other
BONDS: Wife (Paz McNamara), 12; mother (Brenda skill and stat checks except for DEX×5 tests.
Stusser), 12; sister (Nancy Kagan), 12.
DISORDERS: Adapted to helplessness. Thartha
SKILLS: Alertness 50%, Athletics 50%, Bureaucracy 60%, Thartha is clearly human—but one with inexplicable
Criminology 50%, Dodge 40%, Drive 40%, Firearms evolutionary mutations and artificial enhancements.
60%, Forensics 40%, HUMINT 50%, Law 50%,
Occult 20%, Persuade 50%, Pharmacy 50%, Science Thartha
(Environmental) 60%, Search 50%, Survival 50%,
Doomed visitor
Unarmed Combat 60%.
ATTACKS: Shotgun (with slugs) 60%, damage 2D6.
SIG Sauer P226 pistol 40%, damage 1D10.
SKILLS: Alertness 40%, Athletics 50%, Craft (Unknown
Unarmed 60%, damage 1D4−1.
Futuristic Repairs) 50%.
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4+1.
REINFORCED SKELETON: Thartha takes half damage from
physical weapon attacks.
REGENERATION: If she has 1 or more hit points, Thartha
heals 1 hp at the end of each turn. (After she dies, the
flesh still heals itself but she does not come back to life.)
SANITY LOSS: 0/1 from the unnatural. Seeing her flesh
knit itself back together costs 1/1D4 SAN from the
unnatural, or 1/1D8 if it happens after she dies.
101
Hudson’s Well Map
(Players)
102
Keyert’s Note Handout
I’m sick and this is not anything you have seen before. i
don’t jeff was the the got it . got it form her. got so bad
I feel so tired. I’m sorry. I didnt want this had any idea
this could happen. Did not expect her to come through
i don’t know whats going to happen to Hudson wells.
exposed them. we did. I didn’t know. The thermometer say s my
temp is 103. I’m sorry. I didn’t thik this could come throug
h a closed lopp. my head hurrt s so bad. The power demand was
incalculable where did it all come from/
bridge establidg, dont knw if still active loop coud
propogate
it was an accident no one wanted this i’m sorry
it hurts so ch
103
Keyert’s Doodle Handout
104
Keyert’s Memo Handout
105
Thartha Video Handout
Dr. Keyert steps into the frame in front of the machine with the round aperture in
its center. She smiles tightly, then speaks.
KEYERT: Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Rosamund Keyert, it’s,

um, 11:11 a.m., November 19th, 2012. This is the third acti-
vation of, um, the Bosonic repeater experiment. Our goal to-
day is to reinforce the signal by rotating a small space of…
er, a small area of space into the temporal dimension, so to
speak. We’re going to measure this, um, recursion using the
microwave laser here, and the receiver over…here. The goal is
to spike the signal for eight picoseconds, and to hit it with
the microwave laser so that we can, um, determine whether
it’s actually there. So. Here we go.
She steps out of the shot. The sound of a closing door is audible. All is still
except for a buzzing noise. Then she returns to the frame.
KEYERT: All right, the topography definitely didn’t fold, but

based on the power levels, we never even got past the first
stage of synchronic infusion…. This happened in the first
test too, and that time we tracked the problem to the phasing
array. If we didn’t get anything phased, it wouldn’t trigger
the re-acceleration. So I’m going to adjust that and…see if
we can’t make something happen.
She then opens a panel on the machine and examines it before reaching in to ef-
fect a few repairs with a tiny screwdriver. Satisfied, she nods at the camera and
steps aside. Once again, the audio picks up the closing door. The buzzing resumes,
building in intensity.
Suddenly there is a violet flare and shower of sparks. The lenses and antennae are
bent back and shoved out of the way as an enormously tall woman materializes from
nowhere. One second, she’s not there and the next she is. She falls forward onto
the floor with a grunt, then stands.
The visitor is 2.3 m tall and weighs about 120 kg. She has almond-shaped brown
eyes, brown hair in a braid, and dark tan skin. Her features are angular, with
high cheek-bones, a pointed chin, and a straight, long nose with narrow nostrils.
She wears a fitted coverall that seems to be of cotton canvas, no shoes, and no
jewelry or ornamentation. She seems taken aback.
STRANGER: Ganta tanic? Tanic opropin? Zutha oprosat?
She shifts her gaze as the camera picks up the sound of the door opening, and her
eyes widen.
STRANGER: Zurnep uglinican!

KEYERT: Holy fucking shit!
The stranger turns and examines the equipment behind her quizzically before the
video abruptly cuts out.
106
Thartha Interview Handout
The video remains focused on the tall stranger. She is awkwardly perched on a chair
that is too small for her. The other voice is Keyert’s.
KEYERT: First off let me…welcome you to…here. This is Hudson’s

Well, Arizona, in the United States of America. The year is
2012.
THARTHA: Twelve?
KEYERT: Yes! That is the year! Do you speak English?
THARTHA: Engsish…
KEYERT: What is your name?
THARTHA: Name…
KEYERT: My name is Rosamund. Ro-sa-mund.
THARTHA: (gesturing at self) Thartha.
KEYERT: Your name is ‘Thartha’?
THARTHA: Thartha. Two thousand twelve… Two. Tree. Fvor. Un.
KEYERT: Wait, are you telling me you’re from the year 2341?
THARTHA: 2341, odom sacrilent.
KEYERT: I don’t…we don’t understand you?
THARTHA: Three hundred thirty nine yes?
THARTHA: Thartha. Ah-pen. Open 2089 basan helic.
KEYERT: Yes! Helictical Bosonic topography creating a tran-
schronal loop!
THARTHA: Thartha years back open. No cathyuloh? Obvama.
KEYERT: The president. Obama, yes, you know Obama? This is
just unbelievable!
THARTHA: San chan yes, san chan no?
KEYERT: I don’t understand you.
THARTHA: Nuculero abbadon! San chan orbit! San chan yoy gor!
KEYERT: I don’t…I don’t know those words. I’m sorry, Thartha.
We’re trying, we’re really trying…what language do you speak?
What words Thartha words?
THARTHA: Thartha anglanto words, toltish. English 2012. Ang-
lanto 2130? 2150? Post osbom.
KEYERT: (inaudible)
THARTHA: Nuculero abbadon! Energy…sun? Small, little sun? Lit-
tle sun ground. Energy. Big energy.
KEYERT: Are you describing a nuclear weapon?
THARTHA: Years ago. Othoy. Othoy ang er.
KEYERT: Look, are we…do people use, um, Bosonic helix travel
in your time?
THARTHA: Yifyan. Yifyan years travel. Mot shun.
KEYERT: And this is the start of the loop, right?
THARTHA: Yifyan motion far far years back go. Yoy gor non-iso-
late, non…worldsheet?
KEYERT: Oh my God, you still know about worldsheet theory in
the twenty-fourth century!
THARTHA: Worldsheet is.
107
Personal Protective Equipment Handout
108
Player Information Handouts
Stages of the Disease

The physicians at Hudson’s Well have tentatively identified three stages to the
infection:
• STAGE 1: fever and weakness
• STAGE 2: tremors, convulsions, vertigo, disrupted sleep, and loss of control
over tears, swallowing, and the bladder
• STAGE 3: psychosis, including hallucinations, delusions, and violently
disorganized self-destructive behavior; only restraints, heavy sedatives, or
medically-induced coma preventing them acting out
In all stages, in some victims the symptoms suddenly fade altogether for a
while and then return.
Naming the Disease

The Researcher who identifies the illness as a new disorder gets to name it. Before
they isolate it, their bosses refer to it as “the unidentified syndrome” and the doc-
tors on the scene call it “the mystery infection.” But once Researchers define the
illness, the one who makes the roll that identifies it gets to name it.
Some options to suggest if they get stuck are: A formal Latin name (like velox
febris, meaning “quick fever” or divisa caput meaning “split head”), an acronym
(such as RONI for “Rapid Onset Neuralgic Infection” or SCOF for “Sudden Con-
tagious Occipital Fever”) or simply a description (“Hudson’s Well Syndrome” or
“Langzweil’s Disease”).
Whatever the Researcher names it, that becomes its official, published, formal,
acknowledged name.
HWCH Medical Staff

The crisis at Hudson’s Well Catholic Hospital is being handled by the hospital’s
own staff and volunteers who drove in from Flagstaff.
Hudson’s Well From Flagstaff

• Maya Paulden, M.D. • David Abrankovitch, M.D.
(deceased) (radiologist)
• Fritz Strickland, M.D. (senior) • Aya Chandreskar, M.D.
• Andrea Cray, N.P. (senior) • Angela Garcia, M.D. (senior
• Richard Ramirez, R.N. physician)
• Mia Smith, R.N. • Sophia Anderson, R.N. (at the
• Isabella Begay, R.N. college observing quarantine)
• Luis Tsotsie, R.N. • Ashley Donovan, R.N. (senior nurse)
109
>> Research Notes—Wed, 21 NOV 2012
Time Researcher 1 Activity Researcher 2 Activity Researcher 3 Activity Researcher 4 Activity Researcher 5 Activity Researcher 6 Activity Notes
00:00
04:00
08:00 • Strickland contacts

CDC.
• Non-fever E.R.
referrals directed
to nearby Barnard
Springs Medical
Clinic.
• CDC response team
departs from ATL.
• Medical team from
Flagstaff arrives at
Hudson’s Well.
12:00 • CDC response team

lands at PHX
16:00 • CDC response team

arrives at Hudson’s
Well
20:00
>> Research Notes
Time Researcher 1 Activity Researcher 2 Activity Researcher 3 Activity Researcher 4 Activity Researcher 5 Activity Researcher 6 Activity Notes
00:00
04:00
08:00
12:00
16:00
20:00
>> Contagion Developments—Tue, 20 NOV 2012
Time Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Death
16:00 Liz Maurey
17:00
18:00
19:00 Francesca Maurey

Julie Maurey
20:00 Liz Maurey
21:00
22:00 Julie Maurey
23:00
>> Contagion Developments—Wed, 21 NOV 2012
00:00 Francesca Maurey
01:00 Mia Smith, R.N. Liz Maurey
02:00 Julie Maurey Liz Maurey
03:00
04:00 Francesca Maurey Julie Maurey
05:00 Amad Malouf
06:00 Maya Paulden, M.D. Amad Malouf Francesca Maurey

Harudo Cortez
Henrietta Cortez
07:00 Stephen Embry Mia Smith, R.N.
08:00 Richard Ramirez, R.N.
09:00 Stephen Embry
10:00 Henrietta Cortez
11:00 Craig Amberlin Richard Ramirez, R.N. Amad Malouf Philippa Jones
Aya Chandreskar, M.D. Maya Paulden, M.D.
12:00 Luis Tsotsie, R.N. Aya Chandreskar, M.D. Mia Smith, R.N.
13:00 Tate Willert Harudo Cortez Maya Paulden, M.D.
14:00 Orenthal Kimmons Henrietta Cortez
15:00 John Pahabi Stephen Embry

Fritz Strickland, M.D.
16:00 Dylan O’Dell
17:00 Charles Davies Tate Willert Richard Ramirez Amad Malouf
18:00 Delmar Bird Craig Amberlin Aya Chandreskar, M.D. Mia Smith, R.N.
Andrea Cray, R.N. Fritz Strickland, M.D. Harudo Cortez
19:00 John Pahabi Henrietta Cortez
20:00 David Abrankovitch, M.D. Charles Davies Stephen Embry

Orenthal Kimmons
21:00 Delmar Bird Tate Willert Harudo Cortez

Luis Tsotsie, R.N.
22:00 Ashley Donovan, R.N. Charles Davies
23:00 Isabella Begay, R.N. John Pahabi Richard Ramirez

Fritz Strickland, M.D.
>> Contagion Developments—Thu, 22 NOV 2012 AM
00:00 Andrea Cray, R.N. Craig Amberlin
01:00
02:00 David Abrankovitch, M.D. Aya Chandreskar, M.D.
03:00 John Pahabi

Tate Willert
04:00 Orenthal Kimmons
05:00 Ashley Donovan, R.N. Andrea Cray, R.N. Fritz Strickland, M.D.
Charles Davies
06:00 Luis Tsotsie, R.N.
07:00 David Abrankovitch, M.D.
08:00 Isabella Begay, R.N. Ashley Donovan, R.N.
09:00 Delmar Bird Craig Amberlin

Andrea Cray, R.N.
10:00 Orenthal Kimmons
11:00 Isabella Begay, R.N. Charles Davies

>> Contagion Developments—Thu, 22 NOV 2012 PM
12:00 Ashley Donovan, R.N.
13:00 David Abrankovitch, M.D.
14:00 Isabella Begay, R.N.
15:00 Luis Tsotsie, R.N.
16:00 Delmar Bird
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
>> Contagion Developments—AM
00:00
01:00
02:00
03:00
04:00
05:00
06:00
07:00
08:00
09:00
10:00
11:00
>> Contagion Developments—PM
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
Janelle G. Baker, M.D. Physician, CDC Emergency Operations Center STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  39
Dexterity (DEX) 13 65% Sanity Points (SAN) 99 63
The Emergency Operations Center is the crisis-response GO-BAG: A suitcase ready for travel, with clothing, toiletries, Power (POW) 13 65%
section of the CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and any necessary medications, personal protective equipment such as
Response. Its experts can respond to an emergency in hours gloves, masks, and goggles, duct tape for jury-rigging repairs to their Charisma (CHA) 11 55%
while formulating a broad strategy. HAZMAT suits, and a CDC credit card for travel expenses.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
FILL IN THE DETAILS: Work with the Handler and other COMPUTER AND PHONE: A toughened laptop computer with a BONDS SCORE
players to invent this character’s description, Bonds, and satellite uplink, a satellite phone, and a high-end smartphone. These
Motivations. Then talk to the other players about their offer an extensive professional library. 11
characters and decide what this character thinks about the 11
others.
11
REMARKS
MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Partial adaptation to violence: You automatically succeed at Sanity tests for
seeing and working with bodies and gore, but not for inflicting violence.
SKILLS
60%
EQUIPMENT

0%
0%
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Sciences:
Demolitions 0% Persuade 40 % (Environmental) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 70 % (Ecology) 50%
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

0%
Drive 40%
Cedrick K. Henderson, M.D. Physician, CDC Emergency Operations Center STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  42
PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
others.
10
REMARKS

SKILLS
60%
EQUIPMENT

0%
0%
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Sciences: 50%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 40 % (Genetics) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% (Immunology) 50%
INJURIES
Dodge 50% Pilot: (Marine Biology) 50%

40 %
Drive 20% Boat
Billie B. Jester, M.D. Physician, CDC Emergency Operations Center STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  51
PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
others.
10
REMARKS

SKILLS
Alertness 40% Forensics 50 % Science:
60%
Artillery 0% Law 40 % Surgery 70 %
EQUIPMENT

0%
0%
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Science
50 %
Demolitions 0% Persuade 60 % (Microbiology)
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 70 %
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

0%
Drive 20%
NAME AND RANK PROFESSION AND EMPLOYER STATISTICAL DATA
Assistant Program Manager,
PERSONAL
Dustin A. Roth CDC Emergency Operations Center

STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  40
You help run an organization. Someone has to secure funding, GO-BAG: A suitcase ready for travel, with clothing, toiletries, Power (POW) 12 60%
move resources, and make connections, and that’s you. You any necessary medications, personal protective equipment such as
control a budget and are responsible for how your program is gloves, masks, and goggles, duct tape for jury-rigging repairs to their Charisma (CHA) 15 75%
maintained and where the money goes. Organizations discover HAZMAT suits, and a CDC credit card for travel expenses.
the most startling things in their pursuit of profit or the public PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
good. COMPUTER AND PHONE: A toughened laptop computer with a BONDS SCORE
The Emergency Operations Center is the crisis-response satellite uplink, a satellite phone, and a high-end smartphone. These
section of the CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and offer an extensive professional library. 15
Response. Its experts can respond to an emergency in hours 15
while formulating a broad strategy.
15
FILL IN THE DETAILS: Work with the Handler and other 15
players to invent this character’s description, Bonds, and
REMARKS
Motivations. Then talk to the other players about their MOTIVATIONS AND MENTAL DISORDERS
characters and decide what this character thinks about the Partial adaptation to violence: You automatically succeed at Sanity tests for
others. seeing and working with bodies and gore, but not for inflicting violence.
SKILLS
0%
EQUIPMENT

0%
0%
Criminology 30% Occult 10 % Language (French) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

0%
Drive 20%
Maria R. Jacob, Ph.D. Scientist, CDC Emergency Operations Center STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  45
PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
others.
10
10
REMARKS

SKILLS
80%
Anthropology 0% Heavy Machinery 10 % Biochemistry
EQUIPMENT

0%
0%
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Science (Physics) 50%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 40 % Science (Chemistry) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
Disguise 10% Pharmacy 0% Language (Spanish) 40%
INJURIES
Dodge 50% Pilot: Language (Latin) 40%

0%
Drive 20% Language (Greek) 40%
John S. Neuman, Ph.D. Scientist, CDC Emergency Operations Center STATISTICS SCORE ×5 DERIVED ATTRIBUTES MAX CURRENT
 F  M  37
PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA
others.
11
11
REMARKS

SKILLS
Alertness 20% Forensics 40 % Science:
80%
Anthropology 0% Heavy Machinery 10 % Microbiology
EQUIPMENT

0%
0%
Criminology 10% Occult 10 % Science (Biology) 70%
Demolitions 0% Persuade 20 % Science (Chemistry) 50%
WOUNDS AND AILMENTS
INJURIES
Dodge 30% Pilot:

0%
Drive 40%
5 AUG 2013
// Wormwood Arena //
“What though the field be lost?
All is not lost; th’ unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield.”
—Milton, Paradise Lost
// Wormwood Arena // // Control Group //
Introduction
Survivors and Recruits
Francisco Seles is an NSA intelligence analyst affiliated
with the Program. Two months ago, he was conduct- After playing “BLACKSAT,” “Night Visions,” and/
ing a routine review of images flagged as potentially or “Sick Again,” your players may have a pool of
containing unnaturally dangerous symbols. He spot- survivors ready for recruitment by Delta Green. The
ted a candidate in a pamphlet which had been photo- Handler’s Guide has details about recruitment, on
page 264 for the Program and page 306 for the
graphed and emailed from a cell phone. It advertised a
Outlaws. Use the recruitment process to piece together
self-help program called “Harmonic Bliss.” Seles sent
what happened to each new Agent between their last
the image—a knotted pattern with lines of mysterious appearance and their briefing in “Wormwood Arena.”
symbols or letters above and below—for further re- Some guidelines:
view. Researchers confirmed its unnatural provenance.
»» Each new Agent has been briefed multiple times
on the critical importance of Delta Green’s work
and its secrecy.
»» Each has learned a few ways to contact a single
Delta Green representative, such as a case offi-
cer from the Program’s Office of Operations.
»» Each has been instructed to remember that
smartphones and modern, lo-jacked cars leave
permanent records of their communications and
movements. That can lead to investigation and
expose the threats they are fighting to suppress.
»» Each has been warned to think like the criminals
they are.
Harmonic Bliss is a New Age-style sect, estab- The text assumes they are the Program. If your version
lished in 1992 by Armstrong Knox. Since Knox’s of Delta Green is the Outlaws, Francisco Seles and his
colleague Odette Jackson comprise a cell that recently
death eight years ago, it has been led by his daughter,
lost members and needs the aid of the players’ Agents.
Estelle Knox, a woman with no criminal record. Har-
monic Bliss has no website or email. It only distributes
pamphlets on paper. There are few mentions of Har-
monic Bliss on Internet forums and social media sites.
Some former adherents say that it helped them, others disappearance, the police opened an investigation.
say it did not. Since then, the Galworthys have not used credit cards,
Estelle Knox resides on a farm about a 30-min- done any banking, made any phone calls, paid any
ute drive from Leavenworth, Kansas, northwest of bills, or interacted with social media. Knox claims
Kansas City. The farm is owned by Harmonic Bliss that the Galworthys went on a long vacation and
adherents James and Stacy Galworthy. Stacy Galwor- road trip and asked her to watch the farm. Police
thy is a longtime graduate student at the University of found no evidence of wrongdoing. The case went
Missouri–Kansas City’s School of Biological Sciences. cold. Since the disappearance, Estelle Knox has invited
James Galworthy is a retired construction contractor other Harmonic Bliss devotees to stay with her on the
who worked for decades in Leavenworth. They have Galworthy farm.
an 18-year-old daughter named Meredith Galworthy. Delta Green has launched Operation WORM-
Six months ago, the three Galworthys went WOOD ARENA to investigate Harmonic Bliss and its
missing. After friends and family reported the connection to the unnatural sigil.
126
// Control Group // // Wormwood Arena //
A “Kidnapping” temporary duty assignment. Over the next few days

Operation WORMWOOD ARENA is supervised by they conducted a preliminary investigation.
Odette Jackson, a Delta Green veteran and a long- Meanwhile, Delta Green has tasked the players’
time FBI special agent. Jackson works in the Kansas Agents with infiltrating Harmonic Bliss to determine
City, Missouri, field office, overseeing Kansas and part whether the cult is genuinely dangerous. Their core
of Missouri. objective is the same as always: identify, neutralize,
To provide a pretext for the operation, Jackson and conceal any unnatural threat.
convinced the office’s Special Agent in Charge to as- They must also concoct mundane evidence to
sert federal jurisdiction over the Galworthy case as a close out the Galworthy case for the FBI. That means
suspected multiple kidnapping. It was a hard sell. The finding or concocting evidence sufficient for the
Galworthys’ disappearance becomes more suspicious (non-Delta Green) U.S. Attorney’s Office to arrest and
as time goes by, but the likelihood of finding evidence swiftly convict a suspect; or presenting compelling ev-
leading to a conviction diminishes every day. The FBI idence that the perpetrator was acting alone, has been
needs to keep its conviction rate high and its expendi- positively identified, and is deceased; or else determin-
ture of resources low. If the case is not swiftly resolved, ing that no crime was committed.
Jackson’s career will suffer. No one has told the Agents what the symbol from
Delta Green instructed Seles (the analyst who the pamphlet means. That is need-to-know informa-
spotted the symbol) to assist Jackson. Seles and tion. Even with their direct involvement, the Program
Jackson had worked together before. The Program says that the Agents do not need to know.
arranged for him to be detached to the FBI on a
127
The Team Convenes The Informant

Preliminary investigation by Seles and Jackson yielded
Odette Jackson (described on page 167) gathers the a man on the inside, Don Hocking (described on page
team in a cheap hotel room in Leavenworth, Kansas: 168). Hocking has been involved in Harmonic Bliss
their makeshift headquarters. This is on the books as since the old days of Armstrong Knox. He recruited
an FBI investigation, but secrecy is critical. Jackson Stacy and James Galworthy. He now has suspicions
wants Delta Green discussions to happen away from about Estelle Knox, the founder’s daughter and the
government facilities. She explains everything con- group’s current leader.
tained in the INTRODUCTION on pages 126–127. Four years ago, Stacy Galworthy started “get-
Jackson introduces them to Francisco Seles (see ting visions.” That was never a part of Harmonic
FRANCISCO SELES on page 167) and to one another, if Bliss practices and Don did not encourage it. Over
necessary, by alias if the players prefer. Allow the time, the Galworthys became closer to Estelle Knox.
Agents to interact a little. Jackson emphasizes that if Eight months ago, they invited Knox to live at their
something did happen to the Galworthys, the Agents farm. Two months later, Knox claimed that James,
may be the only hope of finding and saving them. Stacy, and Meredith went off on a suspiciously vague
Jackson provides a copy of the pamphlet which journey, leaving her to house-sit. She has since invited
attracted Delta Green’s attention (see the Harmonic more Harmonic Bliss followers to stay with her for
Bliss pamphlet on pages 172–173). She says it must be “intensive study.” Hocking is ready to move in. He
a recent pamphlet, since the phone number on it is the aims to take one or two undercover FBI agents as
land line at the Galworthy farm. Seles points out the “new students” with him.
glyph that caught his attention.
128
Don Hocking gives the team a good primer on and Jackson flipped Don Hocking, and he prepared
Harmonic Bliss dogma; see REPORT ON HARMONIC BLISS reports summarizing Harmonic Bliss’ history and
on page 174. Jackson provides the Agents with a tran- practices for the other Agents.
script of an earlier interview with Hocking. For the Jackson has tasked Seles with monitoring com-
relevant portion, see HOCKING INTERVIEW on page 176. munications with the undercover operatives from a
van parked in woods a kilometer or two from the
Going Undercover farm. He does not feel completely prepared for that
Jackson has planned this as a brief undercover opera- role. If one of the player Agents has SIGINT at 40%
tion. Estelle Knox has isolated herself at the Galwor- or more—good enough to manage the technical side—
thy farm with a handful of devotees. Jackson wants and wants that job, Jackson and Seles agree to it.
one or two Agents to infiltrate the commune, confirm
whether it has anything to do with unnatural forces, About Harmonic Bliss
gather evidence that can be used to close the FBI case, Hocking can answer questions about Harmonic Bliss.
and determine whether any of the Galworthys are JOINING: Hocking says Harmonic Bliss member-
alive and can be saved. Don Hocking has agreed to ship is open to anyone who signs up for an Omega
introduce the Agents as new recruits. Reading. That’s typically given by Estelle Knox or a
Infiltrating a cult requires a lengthy deception. trusted devotee like himself. It uses an Omega Reader,
The undercover Agents’ job is to gain Estelle’s trust. a device designed by Armstrong Knox to gauge the
For the undercover operatives, Jackson picks one or seeker’s harmony with the music of the cosmos.
two with the highest HUMINT and Persuade skills. If MEETINGS: Each weekly attunement session starts
the candidates have good Alertness, Stealth, Disguise, with “body instrumentation practice,” which is sort
Forensics, or Law, all the better. of a group hug and massage. After body instrumenta-
Ask the players to invent their fake identities. The tion, members go off alone for a period of “pre-verbal
Program has supplied cursory credentials, with the meditation” to calm their minds and experience their
usual warning that they are just for show and will not emotions and intuitions more clearly. Finally, there’s
stand up to investigation. Before play begins, they’ve a group discussion of the issues and relationships in
had a couple of good cram sessions to practice them. their lives and how Harmonic Bliss practices can help.
If the Agents don’t want to go that way and have This continues, indefinitely.
a compelling alternative, Jackson listens. She wants Another Omega Reading occurs after twelve
them to have access to the farm without revealing months of purification and study, and after a rit-
the FBI investigation. She feels that other ways of ual bath. This usually shows a much calmer read-
gathering information, such as bugging the commune, ing, which is said to demonstrate that the sect’s
have greater complications. If the Agents talk Jackson practices work.
out of the undercover plan, you may need to drop or TENETS: Harmonic Bliss teaches members to be
change much of what’s in GOING TO THE FARM, on page compassionate, understanding and compliant. Behav-
136, and skip straight to INVESTIGATIONS on page 141. iors encouraged by Harmonic Bliss include: singing,
playing musical instruments, honestly communicating,
The Analyst dancing, compromising, experiencing nature, attend-
Francisco Seles was the analyst who first spotted the ing live musical performances, and doing anything
glyph, so Delta Green has kept him in the operation. Estelle Knox wants. Discouraged behaviors include:
As an NSA analyst, Seles does not typically work in arguing, fighting, hitting, spending too much time
the field. But no Delta Green operation is typical. alone, listening to too much recorded music, com-
Seles helped Jackson conduct preliminary surveil- municating over electronic media, and resisting those
lance and interviews of Harmonic Bliss members. He things that Estelle Knox wants.
129
THE COMMUNE: Until recently, Harmonic Bliss did PHYSICAL ISSUES: If the Agents ask Hocking about
not isolate its members from families, co-workers Estelle Knox’s health, he says she has a few strange
and friends. Five months ago, Estelle Knox invited symptoms. She sleeps very little and is often hyperac-
members of Harmonic Bliss to move in with her at tive. She is sometimes gripped by muscular seizures
the Galworthy farm. Knox said that she had found a that travel along her limbs. She interprets these as
new way that benefited from exclusive dedication. Six signs from her ascended father, hints of the pulse of
of Knox’s followers have joined the commune and left the universe itself, so she doesn’t try to mask them.
the rest of the world behind. Her followers find it hard to argue against a woman
IS THIS FAMILIAR? Agents with Occult or Psycho- who claims she’s touched by the divine. An Agent with
therapy skill at 30% or higher recognize some of the Medicine 60% or who succeeds at a roll suspects a
techniques employed by Harmonic Bliss. If none have possible thyroid condition.
those skills, Francisco Seles fills them in from his SUSPICIONS: After the Galworthys disappeared,
research. Whatever the Omega Reader actually does, Don Hocking became suspicious. Reluctantly, he
feelings of unhappiness and disconnection are com- spoke to the police, but the investigation went no-
mon in people searching for a new religion. The af- where. Like Hocking, the Galworthy parents had a
fectionate “instrumentation” that opens each meeting flaky reputation, and had been talking excitedly to
sounds like the standard cult tactic of “love bombing” friends about “going on a trip.” Meredith Galwor-
to make an adherent feel welcome and esteemed. thy—deeply shy, prone to stuttering, and the victim
of frequent bullying before her parents switched her
About Estelle Knox to home-schooling at age 13—had no close friends
Hocking describes Estelle Knox as energetic, well-or- outside the home and shunned social media. Estelle
ganized, confident, and dedicated to the principles that Knox was well known as their close friend. Her asser-
her father laid down. She is more assertive than her tion that they’d asked her to house-sit while they were
father was when it comes to resolving “emotional har- gone was not ironclad, but no one could disprove it.
monies” within the group. Armstrong Knox wanted When the local police dropped the case, Don Hocking
people to get along. Estelle wants people to obey. decided he must have been overreacting. He started
going back to meetings. He even considered moving in Luckily for mankind, its ability to spread spores
at the commune. Then the FBI told him the disappear- is limited. If it stood atop a hill in a high wind, spores
ance was worth investigating after all. Hocking was might drift 15 km before settling, but only the area 8
eager to help. km downwind would get enough to form sense arrays.
In addition to its spores, the entity makes use of
Secret History a spell, for lack of a better word, that Estelle calls
the “Glyph of Harmony” (See THE GLYPH OF HARMONY
If not for a visit to Arcadia Junction, an abandoned on page 150). The spores let Kaughrhun Kaal change
Kansas town about 260 km west of Kansas City, your mood. The glyph lets it mess with your brain.
Estelle Knox would only be a moderately tyrannical Using both at once lets it infuse you with unnatu-
religious nut. Now she’s on a far more destructive ral affection. (The glyph is the image copied on the
course. In Arcadia Junction, Estelle Knox discovered brochure, but it’s powerless when inscribed by human
a huge, weird statue. But it wasn’t a statue. It was an means. It is listed in some crusty old books as “Ye
unnatural creature she calls Kaughrhun Kaal. Averturus Sign”.)
The Pnakotic Manuscripts describe beings of
myth similar to Kaughrhun Kaal, beings that feed Awakenings
on humans that turn to stone when undernourished, The provenance of Kaughrhun Kaal before 1994 is un-
though this creature is neither named nor described. known, but that year it came into the hands of Chris-
Kaughrhun Kaal is physically dormant, with orga- topher Smith of the tiny, isolated town of Arcadia
no-silicate cells locked down in a rigid state. See Junction. How and why Smith acquired Kaughrhun
KAUGHRHUN KAAL on page 170. Kaal are unknown. He lived and died alone and never
Kaughrhun Kaal thrives on two substances found displayed it.
on Earth: mammal blood and, through some weirdly Smith owned a gas station near the railroad tracks.
specific process, the industrial solvent and gasoline There, the entity was luckless when it came to getting
additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). MTBE blood, but its position in Smith’s basement, right next
energizes Kaughrhun Kaal’s brain and spore appara- to his gas station, allowed it to absorb trace amounts
tus, while mammal blood permits it to elasticize its of MTBE from the air. As it absorbed loose MTBE
limbs and flesh. molecules, Kaughrhun Kaal went from utter thought-
When energized, Kaughrhun Kaal can emit spores. lessness to a state of foggy, grudging intentionality. In
They’re the foundation of its perceptions and the that state, Kaughrhun Kaal influenced Smith. It gave
engines of its influence over humanity. If you get a him chemical rewards when he looked at it, and chem-
few thousand of them in your eye, Kaughrhun Kaal ical dismay when he was away from it for any length
can see what you see and hear what you hear at a of time. It also made him fond of the smell of gasoline.
great distance. Eventually, the combination led him to use gasoline to
Moreover, in sufficient numbers the spores can clean Kaughrhun Kaal.
unite into mini-manufactories, generating chemicals The gasoline bath gave Kaughrhun Kaal enough
that influence human behavior. They mimic the effects focus to manipulate Smith’s feelings with greater
of caffeine or alcohol or, more in greater concentra- cunning. It was still paralyzed, though, so it could
tions, LSD, epinephrine or dopamine. If you inhale or not inscribe the Glyph of Harmony. Smith may have
ingest a large quantity of Kaughrhun Kaal spores, it been a coward, a man of firm ethics, or just not bright
can influence moods and physical reactions. This ef- enough to put the pieces together. Whatever the rea-
fect is not precise, but it is powerful. Kaughrhun Kaal son, he never realized he was supposed to perform a
can send telepathic orders to infested units, or receive blood sacrifice for the statue.
messages from them, anywhere on Earth.
131
Smith’s spore-fueled chemical imbalance did spilled MTBE, ensuring that Kaughrhun Kaal could
make him deeply unhappy and confused. In 1999, remain conscious for decades. In a stroke of bad luck
when Kaughrhun Kaal sensed the approach of a large for the creature, an even greater quantity of even more
quantity of MTBE, it hit Smith with a wave of despair, toxic trichloroethylene (TCE) also spilled. Political
relieved only when he looked at his truck and the complications from the spill ensured that the region
train tracks. That hint, he got. would be empty of human victims for years. (See EPA
The collision and derailment killed Smith and POLLUTION REPORT on page 175.)
the three workers aboard the train. Ruptured tankers
flooded the basement lair of Kaughrhun Kaal with
TIMELINE
d
Kaughrhun Kaal an
he r Sm it h ac qu ires the dormant
»» 1994: Christop nsas.
dia Junction, Ka
brings it to Arca sness and re-
al gr ad ua ll y ap proaches consciou
hrhun Ka
»» 1995–1999: Kaug
leases spores. Arcadia Junction
kills
em ic al sp il l in
railment and ch complications
»» 1999: A train de Ka ug hr hu n Kaal. Political
h and awak en s
Christopher Smit ion. Kaughrhun
d du e to gr ou nd water contaminat
andone
leave the town ab
spores.
Kaal deploys more infects most of
the
bu t im mo bi le , Kaughrhun Kaal
»» 2001–PRESENT: Aw
ak e .
storing up energy
dr aw s so me to itself. It begins
local fauna and iss, comes
or th y, a de vo te e of Harmonic Bl
Stacy Galw
»» FOUR YEARS AGO: n Ka al spores while cond
ucting re-
nce of Ka ug hr hu
under the influe –Kansas City.
fo r th e Un iv er sity of Missouri
search ng visions with
y Ga lw or th y sh ares her increasi
»» ONE YEAR AGO: St
ac er
rmonic Bliss lead
is s me nt or , Do n Hocking, and Ha
her Harmonic Bl
Estelle Knox. farm. Stacy
e Kn ox mo ve s on to the Galworthy
O: Estell
»» EIGHT MONTHS AG ies at UMKC.
th y qu it s he r job and her stud
Galwor orthy, Meredith
Gal-
y Ga lw or th y leads James Galw
»» SIX MONTHS AGO:
St ac al feeds
Ar ca di a Ju nc ti on. Kaughrhun Ka
lle Knox to Meredith Gal-
worthy, and Este f mo bi lity. It seizes
y, gain in g br ie
on James and Stac and the Glyph of
e Gl yp h of Ha rm ony, uses spores
s th
worthy, inscribe moves to a new la
ir.
on y to ma ke Kn ox its pawn, and
Harm s an investi-
co un ty sh er iff’s office open
O: e
»» FIVE MONTHS AG
Th for
but it’s dropped
th e Ga lw or th ys ’ disappearance,
gation into
.
lack of evidence a new pamphlet
on ic Bl is s be gi ns distributing
O: Harm
»» FOUR MONTHS AG
et
onic Bliss Pamphl
Gl yp h of Ha rm on y. (See the Harm
marked with the
)
on pages 172–173.
132
To the very limited extent that its emotions par- City. She collected one of Kaughrhun Kaal’s spore
allel those of humans, Kaughrhun Kaal was horribly puffs for testing and mislabeled it as an immature
frustrated. It could infect and manipulate any number Volvariella bombycina fungus. The next day, as Gal-
of squirrels, rats and stray dogs, but they lacked the worthy examined the spore at the lab, it burst. A high
intelligence to help restore it to full mobility. It could concentration of spores went into her eyes and nasal
only condition some predators to prefer feeding while cavity. Soon, Kaughrhun Kaal could see through her
they touch it, and in this fashion received tiny doses of eyes and manipulate her brain.
blood. It began storing up energy. Kaughrhun Kaal immediately, patiently set
It needed servants with leverage, manipulating about leading Galworthy to it. It took four years
digits, and initiative. It needed slaves that could antic- of positive and negative chemical reinforcement to
ipate its needs and navigate the complicated culture draw her to Arcadia Junction. As Kaughrhun Kaal
that surrounds it. It needed humans. deployed euphoric intoxicants into Stacy’s system,
she gradually rationalized it as a sign that Harmonic
The Pawn Bliss was working.
Kaughrhun Kaal might have remained paralyzed for Galworthy’s friend Don Hocking was not will-
ages if not for Stacy Galworthy, a hapless middle-aged ing to reconfigure his entire faith in accordance with
grad student from the University of Missouri–Kansas Stacy’s spore-based euphoria. Estelle Knox proved
more open—especially after an invitation to live
»» ONE MONTH AG
O: Delta Green
of the Glyph analyst Franci
of Harmony an sco Seles sees
d fl ag a photograph
begins Operat s it for investigat
ion WORMWOOD ion. Delta Gr
Special Agent ARENA, and as een
signs Seles to
Odette Jackso it un der FBI
n.
»» TWO WEEKS AG
O: Jackson conv
Galworthy case inces the FBI
as a kidnappi to let her in
ng. vestigate the
»» ONE WEEK AG
O: Jackson and
who know Este Seles intervie
lle Knox, Harm w Don Hocking
on among others
agrees to help ic Bl is s, and the Galwor
them infiltra thys. Hocking
other Agents te the cult.
for Jackson’s De lt a Gr ee n activates th
begin creating team. Agents e
tapped for un
false identiti dercover work
es. (See GOIN
»» TODAY (MONDA G UNDERCOVER
Y, 5 AUG 2013 on page 129.)
): The Agents
Leavenworth, join Jackson
Kansas. (See and Seles in
THE TEAM CONV
»» +1 DAY: The ENES on page 12
first Harmonic 7.)
Hocking can ge Bliss meeting
t inserted. (S at which the Agen
ee GOING TO TH ts and Don
»» +3 DAYS: Don E FARM on page
Hocking gets 136.)
squirrelly. (S
on page 147.) ee DON GETS SQ
UIRRELLY
»» +4 DAYS: Seco
nd Harmonic Bl
on page 149.) iss meeting.
(See THE GLYP
H MEETING
»» +6 DAYS: Thir
d Harmonic Bl
iss meeting.
to Arcadia Ju Estelle announ
nction. (See ces a road tr
ET IN ARCADIA ip
»» +8 DAYS: Harm EG O on page 159.)
onic Bliss go
es to Arcadia
UNVEILED on pa Junction. (See
ge 160.) KAUGHRHUN KAAL
133
with the Galworthys, rent-free. When Knox moved Two-Session Overview

in, Stacy Galworthy quit school—by then she was in
the doctoral program—and her job as a university “Wormwood Arena” often works best as a two-session
lab technician. She, her husband, and their daughter operation, with the infiltration in session one and the
devoted themselves full time to Harmonic Bliss and to resolution at the superfund site in session two.
exploring Stacy’s “melodious intuitions.”
Stacy Galworthy realized her moments of great- Session One: The Galworthy Farm
est ecstasy occurred whenever she heard the words The operation opens with the Agents going undercov-
“Arcadia Junction.” She shared this with her husband er at the Galworthy farm in order to gain the confi-
James and felt an intense thrill when he discussed dence of religious seekers who seem harmless or even
going there. Naturally, they invited their daughter benign on the surface. Initially, the only suspicious
Meredith and Estelle Knox to share the discovery that elements are (1) the absence of the Galworthys and
Stacy’s melodious intuitions had revealed. They drove (2) the presence of a suspect glyph on the Harmonic
to Arcadia Junction and found Kaughrhun Kaal. Bliss pamphlet.
Kaughrhun Kaal used the five minutes of activity Session one is investigative. The Agents gather
it had hoarded over the years to kill Stacy and James data and try to make sense of it. There’s a lot there,
Galworthy for their nutritious blood, and to seize and not all of it is relevant. That is deliberate. It is
Meredith Galworthy as a long-term source of ener- intended to confuse and overwhelm the players until
gy. It spared Knox. It does not understand English they sort through it, pull the threads, and get a grip on
(though it knows that “Arcadia Junction” is the string what’s really going on.
of sounds that means where it is now), but it could tell It can help to divide the information they can get
that Stacy Galworthy admired and deferred to Knox in the first session into core clues and auxiliary clues.
by measuring hormone levels in her blood. It could CORE CLUES: These are needed to get to Arcadia
tell that Knox would be useful. Junction and confront the alien horror. One way or
It doped Estelle Knox to subdue her while it another, these come out. There are three core clues.
carved a Glyph of Harmony onto a plate of the
house’s concrete foundation. Then it sent a dose of »» Estelle Knox’s weird spores. The Agents can
adrenaline to wake her up, along with GABA and get this just by passively being present at the
oxytocin to keep her mellow and receptive while she ceremonies. If they show initiative and steal a
gazed at the glyph. It warped her memories until she sample, they can learn more, or non-undercover
believed that the Galworthys achieved some kind of Agents can get samples from the research that
mystic apotheosis. Stacy abandoned.
Now, she is the entity’s pawn. »» Estelle Knox’s unnatural glyph. Again, all they
Estelle Knox left with a head full of scram- have to do to learn this is show up, but again,
bled memories, the Glyph of Harmony, a supply of those who explore more can learn more.
Kaughrhun Kaal spores, and a slowly rising urge to »» Estelle’s source for at least one of those things is
gather more worshippers. Kaughrhun Kaal moved Arcadia Junction and she wants to go back. As
to a different ruined house, dug itself a basement with all these clues, it’s not hard to learn if they
cave-temple, arranged the crushed remains of the just keep their heads down and stay in character
dead Galworthys under itself like a nest, and attached at Harmonic Bliss, but they could also learn
Meredith Galworthy to itself, using its energy to keep that Stacy Galworthy got hold of weird spores
her alive and her increasingly diluted blood to keep in Arcadia Junction before she went missing.
itself awake.
134
As soon as your Agents know these three things,

they can be led or sent to Arcadia Junction in session
Splitting the Party
two. If you’ve been playing session one for hours and
people are getting fed up, you can wind it down as Normally, the Handler presents some information or
soon as they know those three things. a decision, the Agents react, and the Handler adjudi-
AUXILIARY CLUES: These aren’t necessary to get the cates how their choices and dice outcomes impact the
Agents to the final horror, but they provide back- situation. But with a split party and many narratives,
the Handler and players might be distracted.
ground, they’re interesting, and they may also inform
When your party is split, you can put the current
the Agents’ decisions about how to survive the final
players in suspense instantly just by switching the
confrontation. There are three auxiliary clues. narrative over to the others. When someone from Har-
monic Bliss hugs an Agent and finds the wire leading
»» The Pnakotic Entities report. This report sug- to her earpiece, that’s when you cut away to the other
gests that blood is needed for these statue-like players. The Blissite says, “What’s this?” and then,
before the player can answer, you turn to the other
beings to become mobile. If they read this and
player and say, “So, you were going to the courthouse
realize their opponent may literally be out for
to follow up the Knox family’s paper trail, right?”
blood, that too can lead them to wiser tactical Cut away at the brink of danger, and two things
choices. They access this report by asking Delta happen. One is that the player sweats for the longest
Green and insisting they need to know more possible time. That’s good! But, almost as valuable,
about the Averturus glyph from the pamphlet. they also get a chance to come up with a clever ruse
This document references SENECA WHIRL- to get out of trouble.
WIND. You might pass along the SENECA

WHIRLWIND report at the same time, or wait
to see if their Agents request it—if your players Anything else they might learn, from background
already seem to have too much data to process, on the Blissites to the origin of the Kaughrhun Kaal
hold back the report or send it in later. If they’re “statue,” is interesting and evocative, but it’s not the
hungry for information, give it all at once. most important thing. Focus on the three core clues,
»» The SENECA WHIRLWIND report. This sug- and let the Agents dig up the three auxiliary clues if
gests they might be dealing with something that they work for them.
cannot be harmed with commonplace weap-
ons. Citing the report when asking for rocket Session Two: Arcadia Junction
launchers or grenades can improve their chanc- The second session is much more straightforward.
es of getting them, as described on page 177 Once Agents are on the ground in Arcadia Junction,
in THE SENECA WHIRLWIND REPORT. They get this confrontation with the uncanny is all but certain. The
if they ask about SENECA WHIRLWIND, or only issue is pacing, which is addressed below.
possibly it just gets sent along with the Pnakotic Compared to the slow pace of investigation and
Entities file. analysis, this can seem like a sudden transition, so
»» Stacy Galworthy’s research. This is an alternate when you start the second session, introduce it gradu-
avenue to finding both the weirdness of the ally. Sum up what everyone learned at the Galworthy
spores, and the location of their origin. They farm. Then make sure you have a good idea of where
can learn about this by doing legwork, going the Agents are as they roll onto the scene, what they’re
over Stacy Galworthy’s old life before she carrying, and what their plans are, and only then dev-
vanished. astate their reality.
135
Going to the Farm The two-story farmhouse has six bedrooms and
three baths. It is not luxurious but it’s large, 1950s
This section assumes one or two Agents go undercover vintage and well maintained. It has an uneasy blend
to the commune accompanied by Don Hocking. If the of country decor (rusted antique tools as found-art
players change Jackson’s plan, adjust as needed. objects, gingham check, prints of horsey landscapes)
As the team approaches the farm, Hocking turns and New Age (Tibetan weavings, pastel abstracts,
into a sweaty mess, but he holds it together as well as geodes). Estelle Knox’s influence can be seen mostly
he can. An Agent with at least 50% HUMINT can try in her bedroom and in the root cellar, where crates of
to calm him down, but it requires a Persuade test. Or books are stacked. Her furniture is there, too, mostly
any Agent can attempt a Psychotherapy test at +20%. cheap Nineties particleboard and a few sturdy, work-
If either roll succeeds, Hocking is back to normal manlike antiques.
when they arrive. Otherwise he’s still troubled. Hock-
ing doesn’t blow their cover, but use his mistakes and First Impressions
palpable discomfort to make the players worry. The undercover insertion is an open meeting, at which
the undercover Agents have Don Hocking as an escort.
The Galworthy Farm Luckily, a few other new joiners are also coming to
The Galworthy farm is not quite 10 km northeast of their first meeting at the Galworthy farm.
the rural village of McLouth, Kansas (home to one of Estelle Knox greets every arrival at the door. The
the longest-running threshing bees in the nation!). It’s Maestro of Harmonic Bliss is a pale, energetic wom-
about a half-hour drive west of Leavenworth or 45 an with protruding eyes who tends to shake hands a
minutes northwest of Kansas City. It is 16 hectares little too long.
(40 acres) of fields and a few trees that stand around She asks each arrival to turn off their cell phones
a creek. It is a hobby farm, not a working farm, but and other electronic devices—even digital watch-
there still is plenty of work to do; tending organic es and health monitors—and put them in a basket
vegetables, chickens, and two goats. for safekeeping.
Knox is not crazy, or at least she wasn’t before she
became a thrall of Kaughrhun Kaal. In Harmonic Bliss,
Pl ay er s Co ol Th ei r He el
s
Sometimes the issue isn’t too muc
h going on, but not enough. If
cover, don’t let them stop pay three of your five players are
ing attention. Here are two thin not under-
OUT-OF-CHARACTER RESEAR
gs they can do to enhance the game.
CH: This operation has a lot
that’s an ideal time for a play of handouts. When a charact
er to read them or start sticking er is offscreen,
nections. That way, when the stuff on a whiteboard and dra
undercover characters come bac wing con-
observations. k, there are theories to test aga
inst their
SUPPORT ROLES: If the charact
ers go in miked and wearing
outside can sit behind four diffe earpieces, one of the players
rent computer screens, looking on the
Brandon or someone else in Har up information that might make Este
monic Bliss feel easier about the lle,
All these options are covered undercover agent.
in deeper detail below, under
141. But often, you can get them the INVESTIGATIONS heading on
back in just by turning to them page
doing now to move things forw and saying, “OK, what’s your
ard?” or “What does your Age cha racter
nt make of all this so far?”
136
137
sublime. Mere words are not going to hold a candle to

Going In Wired whatever the spores did to her brain.
The central questions for the first meeting are:
Don Hocking strongly recommends against anyone
wearing a wire. Harmonic Bliss involves a lot of »» Do the undercover Agents make a good
hugging and touching, so getting made is a real risk. impression?
Some members of Harmonic Bliss were questioned by »» Less likely, do they blow their cover?
county investigators months ago and FBI agents only
»» Whom do they meet?
weeks ago. They are alert.
»» What do they do?
If an Agent wears a microphone anyway, secretly
make a Disguise roll and a SIGINT roll for the Agent.
If the Disguise roll fails, someone at the farm notic- Omega Readings
es the wire. See BLOWN COVER on page 147. Before the meeting, Estelle Knox asks everyone to
If the SIGINT roll fails, the measures taken to keep welcome their new visitors. She says that Harmonic
it from being found muffle it too much to get a good
Bliss encourages each newcomer to sit for an Omega
signal.
Reading, so they have a baseline idea of the newcom-
If both rolls succeed, the Agents get a record of
everything they heard. er’s state of harmony. Are they ready?
If the Agents decline, Knox doesn’t force the issue.
But that kind of resistance makes the seeker seem an
unlikely candidate for Harmonic Bliss. Combined with
she found a structure that justified leading by intu- other cues—such as Hocking’s nervousness—it could
ition and command that suited her even better than it increase suspicions.
did her father. The Omega Reader is a head-sized wooden frame
On the other hand, she’s not well. Her symptoms embedded with quartz crystals, holding a glass screen,
include insomnia, hyperactivity, heat intolerance, a speaker, some knobs and four wires with electrodes
smooth skin, and protruding eyes. An Agent with emerging from it. It runs on “D” batteries, which
Medicine 40% or who succeeds at a roll suspects a Knox removes when she puts the device away.
mild hyperthyroidal condition after observing her Knox connects electrodes to the seeker’s hands
symptoms firsthand. It has never been diagnosed. and temples, then turns on the reader’s power. She
Knox shrugs it off if the Agents suggest it. Thanks to asks the seeker to close his or her eyes, be calm, and
the benefits of Harmonic Bliss, she says, she has little feel the silent music around them. Then she slowly
use for traditional medicine. turns another knob.
Decide in advance how you want to play Estelle. On the screen, the wavering lines of an oscillo-
If she’s a trippy, bug-eyed naïf, vague questions scope appear. The speakers emit a heavy, unpleasant
about “spirit guardians” or “energy intelligences” squall. Estelle Knox smiles sadly. She says the Omega
are met with vivacious enthusiasm and hints that Reader indicates disharmonies in the seeker’s spirit.
she knows more. Knox asks a series of leading questions, keyed
If she’s a cryptic drama queen, she skews more towards attitude and body language. Does the seeker
towards gnomic hints that she knows more than she feel unhappy with the important things in his or her
can, at present, reveal. life? Why? Is the seeker dissatisfied with any of his or
There’s one inflexible element of Estelle’s personal- her deepest relationships? How? Does the seeker feel
ity: She is genuine. She believes she has a tangible line disconnected and alone?
to a better way to live, something that can improve all Knox’s goal is to get the newcomer to vocalize.
humanity. Evidence and logic to the contrary won’t She says many seekers find themselves in disharmo-
shift her confidence. She has directly experienced the ny with the music of the world. That echoes into
138
jargon that there’s nothing of real substance to be said.

The Machine Words can’t contain the concept.
An Agent with 20% or higher in Medicine or any elec- Debbie’s Reading

tronics-related Craft or Science skill, or who succeeds While Estelle Knox gives the Agents their initial
at a roll, suspects that the Omega Reader simply
Omega Readings, a Blissite named Debbie Amstutz is
measures the electrical conductivity of skin. Seeing the
upstairs, harmonizing with the cosmos in a ritual hot
more steady readings on Debbie Amstutz, just out of a
long, hot bath, confirms the suspicion. bath. As the Agents finish their readings, she dresses
and comes downstairs.
Amstutz is a plain, portly divorcée in her mid-for-
their relationships, attitudes, and moods. Attunement ties. She was in a bad spot when she came to Harmon-
sessions with Harmonic Bliss, she assures them, can ic Bliss a year ago. Estelle Knox gave her a helping
resolve these disharmonies. hand. A month ago, Amstutz quit her job at the Kan-
sas City Health Department, moved in at the Galwor-
Conversations With Estelle thy farm, and put her savings and retirement accounts
There are two ways to get in Knox’s good graces. at Estelle Knox’s disposal.
SHARING THEIR PROBLEMS: A HUMINT roll while The other Blissful observe in rapt, affectionate
talking to Knox observes that she’s eager to hear attention as the Omega Reader shows much calmer
about disharmony. If the Agents play that up, they get results than it showed for the Agents. Knox smilingly
her particular attention. She encourages them to really congratulates Debbie for her progress, and thanks her
bare their misery about whatever issue they’ve come for sharing her harmony with the group.
up with—infidelity, money problems, family issues, Debbie thanks Estelle Knox and the group. She
etc. Estelle Knox loves a good soap opera, so Agents says Harmonic Bliss saved her life. Amstutz has taken
who really ham it up get a +20% ongoing bonus to to heart all the virtues that Knox espouses for her
CHA and Persuade rolls with her. She relaxes around followers: calmness, cheerful compliance, compromise,
them, invites them back, and is unlikely to think they self-effacement, and obedience.
might be FBI agents investigating the Galworthys.
They can poke around the house and won’t arouse Attunement
her suspicion. The meeting’s attunement session starts with “body in-
SHARING MUSIC: The other thing that can get Knox strumentation practice,” a wordless, semi-musical free-
on the Agents’ side right away is attempting to use form massage. There’s lot of hugging, but any expres-
a music-related Art skill during the touch and hum sion of sexuality is frowned upon and rejected as the
phase of the proceedings. Even if the Agent has no participants move away and vocally buzz out of tune.
points in the skill, she appreciates the attempt—but After body instrumentation, members isolate
she is concerned that they’re evincing “tremendous themselves (in different rooms, behind screens when
personal disharmony,” which she takes very seriously there’s a large group) for “pre-verbal meditation,”
and offers to help resolve. during which they quietly mutter and hum, at-
ABOUT KAUGHRHUN KAAL—NOTHING: Regardless tempting to silence the conscious and verbal parts
of what the Agents do, Knox says nothing about her of their “analyzing mind” so that they can attune to
encounter with Kaughrhun Kaal. First off, she doesn’t the “experiencing self.” A Harmonic Bliss veteran like
want competition in the role of “most evolved high Don Hocking or Debbie Amstutz accompanies each
priestess.” Secondly, she realizes that even if she tries newcomer to guide them, then leaves the newcomer
to communicate what she’s experienced, it’s so encum- alone to meditate.
bered by hallucinatory imagery and religio-musical
139
THE BLISSITES
There are eleven Harmonic Bliss adhe
rents at the first meeting, seven
of whom live at the farm. Agents in
the van can run background
checks on these folks without any kind
of roll.
• DEBBIE AMSTUTZ is a farm resident
, age 43 years. She recently
quit the Kansas City Health Departme
nt. No criminal record.
• STAN CAPRA is 62, was arrested when
he was 24 at an anti-nuclear
protest in California. Retired on disa
bility five years ago after a
car crash. Before that, he was a meta
lworker. Widower. Commutes to
meetings.
• RONALD FITTS is staying at the farm
. He’s 19, has an
uncorrected cleft palate and a spee
ch impediment so he doesn’t talk
much. No criminal record. No employer
of record.
• KEIKO FRANKS is 43, born Keiko Mish
ima, took her husband Jonas
Franks’ name when they got married
and kept it after he died three
years ago. No criminal record. Comm
utes to meetings. Works in an
insurance office.
• BRENDA KEENING is 39 and living at
the farm. No arrests. Went
bankrupt seven years ago. Currently
unemployed. Has gotten cluster
headaches from bright lights since
she was a teen, though no doctor
has been able to diagnose the reason.
• ESTELLE KNOX See First Impressions
on page 136.
• ELIZABETH MITCHELL is 51, recently
divorced, living at the farm.
No criminal record. Works as a tax
accountant.
• BRANDON MURPHY See pages 141 and
148. Brandon has two minor
drug convictions (LSD and MDMA) and
a count of public nuisance. He’s
35 years old and staying at the farm
. No listed employer.
• VIVICA POSEIDON is a commuter. She
was born Jessy-Anne Lingstrom
and had her name legally changed. She’
s 23. No priors. She’s a piano
teacher.
• JANET RAMIREZ is staying at the farm
, sharing a room with
Amstutz. She’s 31, and when she was
22 she killed another driver in
a drunk driving incident. She’s very
open about that, and struggles
with it at the meetings. She works
retail.
• BEAUREGARD SMITH commutes to meet
ings. He’s 31, struggling to
come to grips with being gay and bein
g rejected by his family. He
was busted for shoplifting at age 22
and did community service. Does
technical support for Verizon.
140
During preverbal meditation, the Blissful are very go. She lets them stay, but later Persuade rolls with her
distracted. If the Agents take that opportunity to look are at a −20% penalty until they convince her they’re
around, see SEARCHING THE HOUSE on page 141. genuine. If the Persuade test is a fumble, Knox believes
After meditation, some Blissites say they could feel they may be reporters or police.
a connection with the music of the universe beyond.
Others, suggestible by nature, agree. Debriefing
An unusually sensitive Agent who participates in After the first meeting, if the Agents leave the farm
both attunement and meditation senses it, too. The they can meet the others and discuss what’s going on.
Agent even has a dreamlike glimpse of some small, Be careful with the pacing. The debriefing
abandoned midwestern town. The Agent somehow in- shouldn’t take up more than a few minutes. This is
tuits the presence there of Meredith Galworthy—and when the characters are going to develop theories and
feels the presence of something else, something potent generate strategies. Encourage them to argue only in
with lurking power. An “unusually sensitive” Agent character and push the team leader to quickly decide
is one with POW 14 or higher, or with POW 12 or on a course of action.
higher as well as either INT 12 or higher, Occult 50%
or higher, any Art skill at 50% or higher, or Unnatural Investigations
10% or higher.
Agents who aren’t undercover are almost certain to
Discussion attempt some, or many, of the following actions. Even
Once the Blissites’ thoughts are clear, the final segment Agents who are inserted undercover may do some of
is a chatty discussion of relationships with everyone this between the first meeting and the eventful second
in their lives, covering what works and what doesn’t, meeting. Some teams may even go so far as to wave
with an emphasis on how Harmonic Bliss helps. off undercover work entirely and just watch Estelle
After a couple of hours, the meeting winds up. Knox and her followers from afar.
The Blissites part with hugs. Some of them return to Remember to keep the pacing tight. If a player is
their cars, singing or humming to themselves. A hand- floundering, switch to another Agent while they think
ful remain at the house. about what they’re going to do. If all else fails, remind
them that (1) the mark on the pamphlet is the most
Brandon Murphy suspicious thing, (2) the Galworthy disappearances
Brandon Murphy is one of the live-in members of are alarming and (3) their job is to gather information
Harmonic Bliss, along with Debbie Amstutz, Estelle and organize that data into theories.
Knox and four others. The Agents encounter him
along with the rest during the first meeting, but Searching the House
he deliberately does nothing to stand out or catch During the first meeting, the best time to search the
their attention. He only greets them with superficial house is during the “preverbal solo meditation,” since
warmth and charm. everyone who might spot them is off on their own,
humming and drumming. The ambient noise provides
Crashing At the Farm a nice cover for movements, and most of the people
Asking to move in after only a single attunement who might spot them are loud enough that the Agents
session is pretty sudden, and requires a Persuade test. can pinpoint their location before entering the room.
Estelle Knox believes in fate; if the Agents succeed If they start before, they need to roll for Stealth. If
with an Occult test, they get a +20% bonus to the it fails, they get watched closely after that. Agents
Persuade test. If the Persuade test fails, Knox is suspi- from the outside who try to break in during the solo
cious, but assumes they may just have nowhere else to
141
meditation don’t need to roll, though don’t tell them they move in it shouldn’t be too difficult. A Stealth
that until they’re inside the house. success is needed to put things back where they were
Each Agent can pursue one of these items during so Estelle doesn’t notice. An Agent needs Accounting
the meeting. Agents who move to the farm can pursue at 40% or a successful roll to get anything useful.
the other items later. If they’re not careful to arrange There are no signs of gross malfeasance. She’s making
diversions for their new housemates, each investiga- a middle-class living off speaking fees and sales of
tion may require a Stealth test to avoid notice or a Harmonic Bliss texts at New Age events. No Inter-
Persuade test to explain it away. net presence. Not what you’d expect from a fringe
OCCULT TRAPPINGS: An Agent with Occult 40%, or religious leader. She’s taking far less money from her
who succeeds at a roll, recognizes that the farmhouse cultists than the average scam cult. It’s almost as if
is arranged mostly on Feng Shui principles. It looks she’s in it for something other than the cash.
like it was done years ago, before Estelle, and it hasn’t ESTELLE’S LIBRARY: The books she’s unpacked and
been changed or maintained since. There is no Satan- put in her bedroom include a lot of middle-brow
ism, no Candomblé, no Santeria, just a few Voudoun New Age spirituality stuff as well as music theory at
implements at the tourist-kitsch level, and a few all levels of sophistication. The books with the plates
decent texts on Macumba down in Estelle’s basement in the front reading “Armstrong Knox” are relative-
book boxes. Nothing shocking. ly obscure; lone prophets from the 1970s and ’80s.
PLANTING BUGS: The Agents can attempt a Stealth HUMINT at 60% or a successful roll notices that
test to plant a hidden bug or camera; planting just a only the most basic and elementary music-theory
microphone, which is less obtrusive, grants a +20% books have anything highlighted.
bonus. The Handler should make the roll secretly and THE BATHROOM: Agents who search the bathroom
reveal the results when the time comes. finds a pill bottle full of fine brown dust, not the ex-
tended-release methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets
»» FUMBLE: Someone finds the mic and now the for ADHD that the label indicates. If the Agents take a
police are involved. sample to a lab, see ANALYZING THE SPORES on page 143.
»» FAILURE: It’s a fifty/fifty chance whether it’s Bran- (This is not her only supply—she also keeps several
don Murphy or Estelle who finds the bug and doses in a vial that is always in her pocket.)
becomes deeply paranoid. No cops though. THE ATTIC: The attic storage space holds dozens of
»» SUCCESS: The Agents can listen in and/or watch boxes and old trunks filled with belongings that the
what’s happening, though it isn’t as good as Galworthys never got around to throwing away: out-
being there. of-date electronics and random wires and parts, tool
»» CRITICAL SUCCESS: In addition to facts, the listen- boxes, moldy encyclopedias, toys that Meredith hasn’t
ers get insights into Brandon Murphy’s per- seen in over a decade, and so on. There are spare
sonality (see BRANDON’S DESIGNS on page 148), boards and planks, spare roof shingles, and a stack of
giving a +20% bonus to CHA or Persuade rolls spare sheets of fiberglass insulation. Beneath the insu-
to manipulate him. lation stack, resting on a stout plank of wood, Estelle
Knox has hidden the Glyph of Harmony.
ESTELLE’S FINANCES: Estelle’s still in a guest room,
maintaining the fiction that the Galworthys are com- The Hidden Glyph
ing back. Her financial documents are all in one big The glyph is carved into a piece of concrete, 5 cm
accordion folder—a bit messy, but better than you’d thick and about 30 cm by 45 cm across. It weighs as
expect from someone with ADHD. Examining them much as a couple of cinder blocks. It looks like the
takes about a half-hour. That’s not an opportunity symbol was gouged out with something sharp and
Agents are likely to get at their first meeting, but if with a lot of force behind it, and that the same kind
142
of scratching was used along its edges. Estelle Knox Analyzing the Spores
can move it only with serious effort; she prefers to get If the Agents get a sample of the brown dust from
help from Brandon Murphy or someone else stron- the bathroom bottle and analyze it with Pharmacy or
ger than her. Science (Biology) 40% or a successful roll, it turns out
There are no immediate effects from looking at to be fungal spores of unknown origin. The spores are
the glyph. It’s just a slab with a weird carving. (That’s dry and stale, but are presumably airborne when fresh
because Kaughrhun Kaal doesn’t know anyone’s and fluffy. Each spore is bacteria-sized, about a mi-
looking at it, so it does not spend the energy required cron across. They have structures that look like pro-
to make it active.) Sneaking it out pulsion organs, and they’re durable. Even a cheap
of the house would require se-
rious cunning.
BREAKING THE GLYPH: Breaking
the Glyph of Harmony requires
a hammer or crowbar and grants
a point of SAN to an Agent who
does it. As soon as the glyph
breaks, Kaughrhun Kaal knows
it and sends a spasm of misery
and fear through Knox. It guides
her towards the last place she
left the glyph. If she catches the
Agents with the broken pieces of
it, she calls the cops on them and
that’s the end of their undercov-
er operation. See BLOWN COV-
ER on page 147.
ASKING ABOUT THE GLYPH: It’s
not like Knox hid the glyph;
it’s on her PR materials. Asking
her what it means and where it
came from doesn’t even require
a roll. She just smiles know-
ingly and says, “That is the
Symbol of Harmony. It means
good things. You’ll see soon. It
came to me as a gift from the
universal song.” She won’t say
more than that.
143
commercial painter’s mask would block them out, so cyst, and incinerates the rat. She recommends extreme
they certainly can’t cross the blood-brain barrier. caution with this stuff. “No reason to think it couldn’t
The spores are extremely complex. Each has ele- kill you. Mask up.” The more questions they ask her,
ments that are clearly meant to attach to other spores, the more impatient and brusque she gets.
forming larger structures and passing RNA-based She does not, however, have the connections to
information between them. Given the density of their get the PNAKOTIC ENTITY REPORT (see page 179). Jackson
DNA, a lot of them together could be more than the sends her findings upstream for cross-referencing only
sum of their parts, even if they don’t metamorphose if the players’ Agents think of it.
into specialized forms the way human stem cells can.
If the Agents cultivate the spores in agar to see Sneaking Onto the Farm
what happens (what could go wrong?), they form Searching the farm without moving in first is not easy.
rudimentary sense arrays. They can’t reproduce, and Seven people are currently living there, most of whom
there aren’t enough of them in the sample to do any- are there specifically to be there, not just crashing
thing other than listen and watch. Kaughrhun Kaal there. Between the initiation of the investigation and
becomes aware of the Agents, but it’s not alarmed; all the departure of the Blissful to Arcadia Junction, there
it knows is that more hairless apes are doing rudimen- is literally not one-second when there isn’t someone in
tary science on its spores. That’s not a problem. the house. Most of the time, it’s at least five people.
Should they inject a lab rat with spores, the sense Sneaking in is difficult (unless it’s during a meet-
arrays form in its eyes, along with a tiny digesting cyst ing, as described under SEARCHING THE HOUSE on page
that seems to be parasitizing the rat’s blood to sustain 141). If the Agents approach by day, they’re automati-
itself. If dissected, the cyst has rudimentary hormone cally spotted by some friendly Blissite who comes out
production capacities. It could probably create trace to ask if they need help.
amounts of estrogen, oxytocin and epinephrine. If the Agents come at night, each needs a Stealth
The short takeaway from all this is that these roll to get near without drawing attention. Results are
spores are strange, seem to form sense organs and as follows. Remember, Estelle suffers from ‘insomnia.’
produce hormones, they can’t reproduce, and a mask
protects you. For a character with Science (Biology) or »» FUMBLE: Counts as two regular failures.
Science (Botany) at 50% or a successful roll, that costs »» FIRST REGULAR FAILURE: Someone inside saw
0/1 SAN from the unnatural. something and is looking around curiously. The
If the Agents turn these samples and their conclu- Agent(s) don’t know this, however.
sions over to Odette Jackson to be passed up the chain »» SECOND REGULAR FAILURE: The Agent(s) have been
to Delta Green, they get a copy of the PNAKOTIC ENTITY spotted, and are now being filmed on a cell
REPORT (see page 179) after two or three days. phone by a Blissite who is screaming “Call 911!”
WITHOUT SCIENCE SKILLS: If the Agents don’t have at the top of her lungs.
the appropriate science background, Odette Jackson »» SUCCESS: Nothing happens.
or Francisco Seles can hand them over to a Delta »» CRITICAL SUCCESS: Nothing happens, and the
Green Friendly in Omaha named Dr. Vanessa Che at Agent gets to skip their next Stealth roll.
Creighton University. In this case “Friendly” is a bit of
a misnomer. Dr. Che covers up her deep unease with If they fail while planting a bug, it’s spotted the
the unnatural by being grouchy and disagreeable. She next day. If they search the bathroom, they automatical-
is, however, thorough. She conducts experiments on ly find Estelle’s spore cache. The only way to search her
an agar plate, discerns the rudimentary sense organs bedroom without waking her is by rolling a critical suc-
forming, and burns the sample. Then she injects it into cess. Tell the player that straight out and see if they feel
a rat, sees the same thing along with the hormone lucky. Just be ready for Estelle to scream for the cops.
144
Long-Distance Surveillance Tapping the phone at the Galworthy farm is easier.

Agents can squat in a ditch with a telephoto lens, or Anyone with SIGINT 25% or more can do it without
bounce a laser off a farmhouse window from afar and a roll, and anyone with Law 40% or a successful roll
listen in. No rolls or skills are required, but such sur- can get rubber-stamp permission for wiretapping as
veillance does not reveal much. It’s a frustrating process part of the FBI cover investigation. But all it gets is
of glimpses, half-heard half-conversations, and a lot of a few calls home to reassure parents and friends that
humming and drumming. The Agents sense that Knox is everything’s fine, better than ever in fact. The Agents
excited about something, but she does not talk about it. hear nothing actionable or even suspicious.
After THE GLYPH MEETING (see page 149), the dy-
namic changes. People are now awed, dreamy, enrap- Hunting the Galworthys
tured, and happily, deeply committed. That’s when the The local cops’ efforts to find the Galworthys are poor
Agents hear the words “Arcadia Junction” and can at best. The cops checked their credit cards, airlines,
start the next phase of the investigation. asked their associates but…they had been talking
about taking a trip, people already regarded them
Bugging Estelle’s Phone as flaky, and there’s no paper trail past a local gas
Estelle Knox avoids her mobile phone, and uses it station where they filled up Stacy’s car (a 2009 Toyota
only if backed into a corner. She uses a cheap, low- Avalon, stock green paint job, license plate 931 CTY)
end burner phone and she usually only turns it on and bought potato chips. According to Estelle, she
when she’s going to make a call, or if she thinks she dropped them off at their favorite Kansas City bakery
missed a message. and then drove the car back to the farm. She let the
Someone with hands on the phone for thirty police search the farm and the car and they found no
minutes or more can hack it without a roll with at signs of foul play. So the police shrugged and let it
least 40% in SIGINT or a successful roll. To hack the go. It’s not weird for people to take off on vacation,
account remotely requires a SIGINT roll at -20%. leaving a house-sitter behind.
Of course, the longer the gap between their de-
»» FUMBLE: The hacker gets nothing and Estelle is parture and any financial activity, the more suspicious
suspicious. it gets. Any Agent who says they’re digging into the
»» FAILURE: The spy can access her saved messages Galworthy financials can find that no money has been
and change her voice mail greeting. withdrawn or added since they vanished, no bills have
»» SUCCESS: As soon as she turns on her phone, the been paid, and no charges have been made on their
spy can pinpoint her location within half a city credit cards. Moreover, there were no big withdrawals
block. Out in Arcadia Junction, it’s accurate before the trip. If they are on “vacation,” it’s some-
within five miles. All her calls are automatically where they don’t have to buy food or pay for lodging.
logged and the hacker can listen in real time or Moreover, that Kansas City bakery is right across
play them back at leisure. the street from a bank, so the surveillance camera cov-
»» CRITICAL SUCCESS: Same as an ordinary success erage is heavy. The cops never requisitioned the tapes,
but it takes half as long. but FBI agents who are willing to sit through them for
a couple hours can easily see that no metallic green
It’s the same if anyone wants to hack the cell Avalon sedan never pulled up, even in the broad span
phones of other Blissites, who are struggling to isolate of time Estelle cited.
themselves from the outside world. Doing so gives the An Agent who spends a day doing nothing else
effects of tapping the farm land line, described in the but searching traffic and gas station camera footage
next paragraph, or the location tracking described in in a growing radius around the Galworthy farm can
the previous one. get a partial plate reading (“931 C——”) off a green
145
Avalon on the day in question, one hour after the gas Backgrounding Blissites
station payout. It was on Interstate 70 heading west, It’s not hard for the undercover Agents to get the
directly away from Kansas City. No roll is required names of the Harmonic Bliss participants, and neither
for this clue, but the cameras do not spot the car is it difficult for agents to get their backgrounds. For
again until after Topeka. Then it apparently gets off the most part, no rolls or even minimum skills are
the major roads because it doesn’t turn up on traffic needed to get the information listed in the BLISSITES box
cameras again. on page 140. Handlers may decide for themselves how
An Agent who goes to the University of Missouri reluctant individuals on the list are to open up about
and asks about Stacy Galworthy in the biology de- themselves to undercover agents, but none of them
partment can learn a lot, as described under the UMKC have any great secrets. They’re sad, not mysterious.
LAB sub-header on page 156. The cops didn’t bother
asking around there, either. “Overwatch”
Someone might want to set up a hidden observation
Asking Delta Green About the Glyph post and watch the house through a scoped rifle, the
The first sketchy thing in the whole case is the glyph better to take headshots if things go wrong.
on the pamphlet. Delta Green has a need-to-know Nothing is likely to turn kinetic at the Galworthy
policy of information compartmentalization, but if farm unless the Agents instigate it, but the players
nothing else is seeming uncanny, the Agents might ask have no way of knowing this. If anyone takes this tack,
their case officer for more background. describe the night, give them a good view of the house,
A couple of days later, the case officer arranges a make sure they know where everyone is at all times.
private meeting with the Agent who made the request. At the second meeting, they can see where Estelle gets
The case officer needs to know why the Agent needs the Glyph of Harmony.
to know more about the image from the pamphlet. If anyone bugged the house, make sure the watch-
The Program’s intelligence people do not give out this er can hear and see anyone who’s talking about the
kind of information just to satisfy curiosity. This glyph newcomers. Have Estelle and Debbie chirpily gossip.
could be hazardous. Are the Agents willing to expose If they Agents have aroused suspicion, have Brandon
themselves to unknown risks? discuss that with Estelle.
If the Agent says yes, the case officer says to
get back to the case. The next day, a courier shows “The Guy in the Chair”
up with the research. See PNAKOTIC ENTITIES RE- Someone in the van might listen to an undercover
PORT on page 179. agent’s body mic and talk to them through an ear-
piece, offering advice, looking up information when
Independent Glyph Research they can’t, and generally providing a backstop to
The Agents might investigate the glyph on their own. their efforts.
If they go only by the shape of it, it’s an Occult roll. Make sure everyone stays as paranoid as possible
If they also know that it’s sometimes called “Aver- about the wire getting discovered. If you like, you can
turus” they automatically succeed if their Occult is give a temporary +20% boost to skills like Occult if
40% or higher. the guy in the chair is offering valuable services like
Success finds a way to contact a “black magick looking up mystic orthodoxy to make it seem like the
rune expert” vouched for on the darknet’s most legit- undercover agent is really knowledgable. On the other
imate diabolism discussion groups. The expert goes hand, if too much is being said, you could give the
by “Dr. Deep,” and charges $200 for an email-only agent on the inside a penalty, or force a Persuade roll
consultation. See DR. DEEP’S ANALYSIS on page 178. to keep cool despite the distraction.
146
Possible Escalations and says that the Glyph of Harmony caused all the
trouble. She says Stacy Galworthy found it—she
For the most part, Agents are likely to keep their cool, doesn’t know where—and it influenced everyone. She
maintain their cover and not get caught. But unex- offers to give the Agents the Glyph of Harmony if they
pected moves are the hallmark of tabletop roleplaying, just let her go. The glyph is back at the Galworthy
so here are some contingencies your Agents might farm. She says it is hidden; it has strange properties
provoke, with advice on how to handle them. that make it impossible for most people to find; but
she will take them. She says the Galworthys are all
Blown Cover at a new home, an old abandoned house on the other
In the unlikely event that the agents blow their cover— side of the state. If they demand an address and direc-
most likely by getting caught wearing a wire or plant- tions, she says she does not know the exact address
ing a bug—Estelle has an immediate, negative physical but can take them if they let her go. If they demand
reaction: creepy, uncontrolled rhythmic movements. directions instead, she directs them to the ruin that
She shouts at the Agents that they’re sand in the houses Kaughrhun Kaal. She says nothing about the
gears of the universe, and that they’d better show Old One there.
more respect to the harmonies or they’ll be silenced. Getting a read on Knox is very difficult at this
Even she can’t explain what she means by that. stage. She is under the influence of a Great Old One.
Unless the Agents come up with a really good sto- An interviewer with HUMINT 50% or higher, or who
ry to convince her that they’re not cops or documenta- succeeds at a roll, senses that Knox does not think she
ry film makers, and back it up with a Persuade roll at is lying. An interviewer who both has HUMINT 50%
a −20% penalty, she throws them out. If they don’t go or better and succeeds at a roll thinks she may not
peacefully, her first call is to the county sheriff’s office know the difference between fantasy and the truth.
and her second is a TV news show. (“Government LETTING KNOX REVEAL THE GLYPH: If they go back to
agents without a warrant entered my home under the farm with Knox to get the glyph, and they see the
false pretenses and won’t leave!”) glyph while in her presence, she immediately com-
From that point on, play it by ear. The sheriff and mands, “Please put your weapons down.” For the
district attorney aren’t going to press charges against glyph’s effects, see THE GLYPH OF HARMONY on page 150.
federal agents who were invited to attend a meeting at From there, play it by ear. Remember that refusing
a suspected kidnapper’s house. The media may or may a reasonable request costs Willpower. Hearing “Oh
not dogpile, depending on what might be more fun. God, please put the gun away!” from eight or nine
If Knox somehow accepts the Agents’ explana- Blissites over and over wears down even a stalwart
tion, she’s still upset about the electronics. She lets the Agent pretty fast. If an Agent panics and opens fire,
Agents return, but insists they leave for now and re- see EVERYBODY ON THE FLOOR! on page 153.
mains suspicious and keen-eyed when they’re around. The trance of obedience wears off before the
Living at the farm is now out of the question. local sheriff’s deputies start asking questions. It does
not, however, wear off before those officers direct
Abducting Estelle the Agents and everyone else to lie down with their
The team may just charge in, throw a hood over Knox fingers enlaced on the backs of their heads. Once the
and take her to an undisclosed location. The draw- cuffs are on and the Agents are disarmed, the officers
back is that there are a lot of witnesses at the farm, ask Knox what the hell happened. Her first action is
and some still have cell phones, not to mention the to show them the glyph. Her second is to offer them
land line. They call the police and record everything. some spores to eat; see INGESTING THE SPORES on page
INTERROGATING KNOX: If the Agents get Knox away 151 and SPORES + GLYPH = SYNERGIES on page 152. From
and interrogate her, she immediately cracks. She sobs there, work out the outcome on your own.
147
Don Gets Squirrelly Life at the Farm

The day after the first meeting, Don Hocking tells one
of the Agents that he wants to talk to Special Agent The next Harmonic Bliss meeting is a few days
Jackson. They can talk him into working with them after the first. Whether they move in before that
instead if they muster convincing arguments or a meeting or after, living on the property gives Agents
Persuade test. greater latitude to look around; see SEARCHING THE
Hocking wants to renegotiate his deal. He’s wor- HOUSE, page 141.
ried, he can’t sleep, he doesn’t think he can do this. He
doesn’t have a well-considered position, but he will Estelle’s Inspiration
request one of the following. Estelle Knox is hyperactive and distracted. She can’t
TO BE WITHDRAWN: He didn’t know covering sit still, and paces constantly from room to room,
for the undercover Agents would be so hard. Now rarely speaking to anyone but humming to herself.
that they’re in, can’t he withdraw instead of risk- She’s increasingly excited about something, but she
ing a mistake? won’t say a thing about it.
IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION: He’s never been clear Keep your eyes open for a chance to have a pri-
about any crimes he might have committed, and he’s vate conversation between Knox and one (or both) of
not going to start now. (Hocking’s personal interpre- the undercover agents. Just play Estelle honestly, as a
tation of Harmonic Bliss involves ’shrooms, a fact he woman who truly believes she’s got a line on some-
neglected to mention to Estelle or anyone else.) But he thing that can improve the lives of countless people.
pushes for blanket immunity from criminal charges. After this conversation, say to the players, “Does
THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM: Arguments that your character like Estelle? Simple yes or no.”
Harmonic Bliss is unlikely to pursue bloody vengeance Players who say “no” have no particular effects.
like the Mob don’t work. Hocking is afraid and can’t Players who say their Agents like Estelle get a +20%
even explain what scares him. bonus on Persuade with her. But if they see her die, or
Those last two are more problematic for the choose Kaughrhun Kaal over them, it costs 1 SAN
Agents than Hocking thinks, of course. The only from helplessness.
prosecution they’re likely to muster is a cover story,
and Hocking probably sees too much of the truth to The Guests
be part of that. Pulling Hocking out is a bad idea, too, The other residents are drifters, self-made mendicants,
if for no other reason than keeping him involved gives true believers, and at least one ironic hipster. (They’re
the Agents control over him. listed in the box labeled THE BLISSITES on page 140. If
Assuming the Agents turn Hocking down, they you’re wondering, Vivica Poseidon is the hipster.) One
can take a soft line (“You’re doing great. We’re going of the guests, Brenda Keening, is really light sensitive,
to remember you when we wrap this up, which is gon- so most of the shades are drawn during the day. Most
na be soon!”) or a hard one (“If you want more pro- of them are like Debbie Amstutz, natural followers
tection, you have to tell us more.”) and can buffer it who thrive on Knox’s friendly leadership. There are
with a Persuade test, but the repercussions come down four of them plus Knox, the Agents, Amstutz, and
to your judgement. After this scene, is Don going to Brandon Murphy.
feel more reliant on his friends in the government? Or
is he going to feel more isolated and more inclined to Brandon’s Designs
look to his own interests first? With Estelle Knox distracted after the first meeting,
Brandon Murphy steps in as leader.
Murphy sees Harmonic Bliss as a buffet of gullible,
emotionally weak people. He needs a steady diet of
148
folks like that to meet his sexual and financial needs. She greets everyone effusively and says that she
He moved into the farmhouse a little over two months has something special to show them before body
ago and opened up his savings to Estelle Knox for instrumentation. A chorea convulses her briefly, but
the advancement of Harmonic Bliss. Not his entire she turns it into a gesture at the draped object in
savings, of course, just one account that he could do the dining room.
without. Enough to fool Estelle. Then she makes her announcement:
And he is fooling Estelle thoroughly, giving her the
sense of control and superiority that she craves while “Greetings my friends, my fellows, my beloved biolins!
setting himself up as her aide. He sees a time, maybe We’ve gathered as a chorus to sing along with the uni-
in a few months, when he supplants Knox as the char- verse. And believe me when I tell you it’s listening. We
ismatic leader of Harmonic Bliss. had no grand ambitions to crusade. We won’t kill and
He knows nothing about Estelle Knox’s experi- convert by the sword. Our goal was to work with the
ence at Arcadia Junction. world, with other people, not against them. All of you,
Murphy has developed a keen eye for the person- everyone here tonight…you wanted to stop arguing
ality types who respond well to Harmonic Bliss: needy, with your families. To end conflicts with co-workers.
insecure, uncertain, brittle. An Agent who seems To have marriages free of strife and disruption. We
interested in Harmonic Bliss but acts confident, resil- were humble, and we listened.
ient, and in control—an Agent who has a high POW “Oh my people, we have been given so much more.
score and does not hide it, in other words—rouses his For simply listening, we have been told something that
instincts. So does any Agent who immediately gets on goes far beyond ourselves. The universe heard OUR
Knox’s good side. song, and it has sung back. We have been blessed with
He’s unlikely to think they’re cops unless he sees the Symbol of Harmony!”
badges or guns or overhears something. Instead, he
suspects they’re grifters like him. He does not chal- Revealing the Glyph
lenge them immediately. Instead he watches for ways With a slightly spasmodic flourish, Estelle pulls the
to put them at odds with Knox. cloth off the Glyph of Harmony.
Meanwhile, Murphy’s instincts for emotional At this point, ask what the undercover Agents are
vulnerability have drawn him to Debbie Amstutz, and doing. Their responses are likely to fall into one of
she’s not sure how to react to his ambiguous atten- three categories.
tions. He’s grooming her to be emotionally dependent LOOK AT IT: If they gaze on the glyph, like the other
on him, but she doesn’t see it. Yet. Blissites, they are automatically targeted by the Glyph
of Harmony ritual. (See THE GLYPH OF HARMONY, on
The Glyph Meeting page 150.) They can see that the object is a plate of
concrete with a design scratched into it by some heavy,
At the second meeting, Estelle Knox gets the help of Bran- sharp implement. It’s the same one from the brochure,
don Murphy or another Blissite (or Agent) with higher and it’s fascinating. They want to stare at it.
STR than herself to carry the Glyph of Harmony down- LOOK DIRECTLY AWAY FROM IT: This is not subtle. It’s
stairs. It’s a heavy slab wrapped carefully in blankets. She clear to everyone that they’re flinching or covering
puts it on a table in the dining room, still wrapped. their eyes. That immediately makes Estelle suspicious.
Knox looks different. One’s tempted to say “radi- Any goodwill accrued so far disappears. If she was
ant,” in the way that brides look flushed as they walk already in doubt, she firmly and righteously demands
down the aisle. In Knox’s case, the Kaughrhun Kaal that the Agent leave. “If you’re unwilling to harmo-
spores are filling her with the brain chemicals that tell nize with this beautiful event, then I cast you into
you you’re loved, justified, and successful. the silence!”
149
CASUALLY AVOID LOOKING: Any Agent who defocus- Communion

es their eyes or glances edgewise without obviously After everyone has been affected by the glyph, Knox
avoiding the glyph must make a POW×5 test. If it pulls a silver container out of her pocket. It’s the size
succeeds, the Agent hasn’t seen the glyph and keeps of a matchbox and full of Kaughrhun Kaal spores.
the avoidance concealed. If the roll fails, the Agent is (She filled it from the cache in the bathroom.)
affected by the ritual. “This is communion with the higher song, distilled
into physical form,” she says. She carefully sniffs some
The Glyph of Harmony with a tiny spoon. “Everyone, join the harmony!”
No human being can cast the Glyph of Harmony The Blissful all looked at the glyph and fell under
ritual, only Kaughrhun Kaal or an entity like it. After its sway. Being in a suggestible state, they form an
casting it, Kaughrhun Kaal can spend a unit of its orderly line and snort spores. Again, the Agents in the
MTBE (see KAUGHRHUN KAAL on page 170) to activate room have a decision to make.
the glyph whenever it knows someone is looking at REFUSE THE SPORES: As described in THE GLYPH OF
it. For every unit of MTBE spent, it can affect up to HARMONY, above, an affected Agent must spend a Will-
five people. power point to resist cooperating. Not getting in line
There is no limit to how far the glyph can be makes them stand out and earns them Knox’s mistrust,
from its maker, but it requires awareness of the tar- unless the Agent succeeds at a Stealth test to pretend
gets. Having someone infected with spores nearby is to ingest. If they give a good reason for not taking the
the most common method. If there are more people spores, a Persuade roll can keep Knox from judging
present than the MTBE expenditure covers, the closest them harshly. If at least one Agent refuses the spoon,
are affected first. It can only influence people who are Don Hocking does as well. Estelle doesn’t like this,
looking at it. and chastises them unless someone suggests otherwise.
Anyone influenced by the glyph is put into a INGEST THE SPORES AFTER AVOIDING THE GLYPH: The
semi-conscious trance state for an hour. They can still Agent develops Kaughrhun Kaal infection, as de-
take actions according to their own volition, but they scribed in INGESTING THE SPORES on page 151.
become extremely suggestible. This has two effects. INGEST THE SPORES AFTER SEEING THE GLYPH: The
Agent develops a Kaughrhun Kaal infection and
»» First, the subject counts as being adapted to both becomes servile towards the monster, as described in
violence and helplessness. It all seems like a dream. SPORES + GLYPH = SYNERGIES on page 152.
»» Second, if anyone tells them to do something, it
is likely they will do it. Any halfway reasonable Questions
suggestion—“Put the gun down,” “Let me see Everyone is still semi self-willed, in a dreamy stoned
your phone,” “Take off your clothes”—gets sort of way, so Agents may well use this to their
carried out unless the target spends a Willpower advantage. Some Q&A possibilities follow. But even
point. Such commands cannot change long-held if interrogated, Estelle can’t stay focused for long. She
beliefs, reprogram memories or do anything wants, at this point, to have the best body instrumen-
other than initiate behavior. Commands like tation session ever, and unless the Agents kick against
“Trust me,” “Forget the last half hour,” or “Stop it, her will is done.
loving your husband” are ignored. But “Tell me
why you joined Harmonic Bliss” requires either What is that powder?
paying the Willpower or saying something like, “It is a sacred nectar, from the body of a higher being
“I’m an undercover federal agent and we think that came to Earth to harmonize us all.”
you kidnapped the Galworthys.”
150
Where did you get it? It takes about a full day for the spores to mi-
“It came off the body of Kaughrhun Kaal, the dragon grate to the eyes and form sensory arrays. These
stone, to which I was led because of my attunement allow Kaughrhun Kaal to see and hear anything that
to the song.” happens to the infected person. Those sensory-blobs
can see even if the host is blind and hear even if the
What’s that symbol carved on the stone? host is deaf.
“I don’t know, but it’s so beautiful, isn’t it? I call it the Spotting the sensory arrays takes a close physical
Glyph of Harmony. It’s like music made visible.” examination by someone with Medicine 40% or Sci-
ence (Biology) 50%, or a successful roll of either.
Where did the Glyph of Harmony come from? If its servants displease it, Kaughrhun Kaal can
“Another gift of Kaughrhun Kaal, so that we can forev- poison them. Every hour, it can drop a dose of tox-
er be of one soul.” in into their bodies from within. The victim gets a
CON×5 test when the venom hits their bloodstream.
Where is Kaughrhun Kaal? If that succeeds, it has no effects beyond cramps and
“Yes, we should all go there! That’s an excellent a runny nose. If the CON test fails, the poison does a
idea. A pilgrimage to Arcadia Junction! We can set point of damage.
off tomorrow!”
Curing the Spore Infection
Where are the Galworthys? Those little proto-organs in the adipose tissue can
“They await us in Arcadia Junction.” be spotted in an X-ray or MRI scan by anyone with
Medicine 50% or Science (Biology) 70%, or a success-
Ingesting the Spores ful roll of either. Once spotted, it takes about 24 hours
During the first 24 hours after ingestion, the targets and several long pokes with sharp needles to figure
sinuses and throat become sore. That is because the out that they dump many mood-altering chemicals
spores latch on to tissue and rendezvous with each into the bloodstream.
other until they can form a proto-organ capable of The sensory arrays can be seen by anyone with
burrowing through the tissue. They work their way Medicine 30% using the equipment available in any
into the lungs and lymph system and drift through ophthalmologist’s or otolaryngologist’s office. Spotting
the bloodstream until they can reach the eyes and it with a typical magnifying glass requires Medicine
fat deposits. 40%+. A successful roll spots it in either case.
Within an hour, spores linking up in fat depos- Typical medicines for a fungal infection—mi-
its become miniature drug factories that can dump cafungin, itraconazole, amphotericin B complexed
their products directly into the bloodstream. These with sodium deoxycholate, the usual suspects—work
can produce bursts of euphoria, anxiety, somnolence, perfectly on Kaughrhun Kaal infection. A successful
erotic frisson, severe pain and just about any other Medicine roll kills it all off. An ordinary failure means
reaction governed by hormones and blood chemis- either the mood factories or the sensory apparatus are
try. Kaughrhun Kaal can make the target suddenly removed, but the other remains. A fumble means the
feel good or sad. It can make a well-rested target fungus stays.
exhausted. Remaining awake when Kaughrhun Kaal Kaughrhun Kaal does not take tampering with its
commands sleep requires the expenditure of a Will- remote colonies lightly. The second time anyone on
power Point to keep stumbling along for another hour. Earth gets treated for its fungus, it produces a storm
Sourceless terror or inappropriate feelings cost 0/1 or of symptoms—fever, terrible joint pain, panic attacks,
up to 0/1D6 SAN from the unnatural. vomit, and excessive sweating. These are sufficient to
give a –20% penalty to anyone foolish enough to roll
151
anything while grievously ill. These symptoms last Spores + Glyph = Synergies
1D4+2 days. Keeping up treatment after that, though, If someone ingests spores and comes under the power
the same Medicine results apply: It is curable. of the Glyph of Harmony, Kaughrhun Kaal imposes
If more than a dozen people get treated for ongoing influence. (This is what it has over Estelle
Kaughrhun Kaal fungus, it escalates its attacks. The Knox.) This has a number of effects.
same Medicine results clear the infection after 1D6+2 First, it reduces the victim’s weakest Bond by one
days, but in addition to all those symptoms, it adds point. Next to the new force of bliss, what mortal
a wicked cough, a rash, and ongoing immune system allure could compare?
damage. The victim permanently loses a point of Second, Kaughrhun Kaal’s animal minions (see
CON even after being cured. VISITING ARCADIA JUNCTION on page 157) ignore the
The spores can’t reproduce within the human body. target. They know their own.
And once they’re dead, they’re gone. Their only source Third, acting violently against Kaughrhun Kaal or
is Kaughrhun Kaal itself. But don’t tell the players that. any of its agents costs 1/1D6 SAN from the unnatural.
(Make sure your players know their Agents now have
a sticky set of weird feelings about such an action,
so the player doesn’t commit to an action the Agent
knows would feel wrong enough to
Spores a possibly cause insanity.)
nd Glyph
• Synergie
s
Enter tranc
e state
• Ignore
SAN
helplessne tests from violence
Don Tells All
ss or • Sore th
• Obedi
ent to reas
roat Unless he’s not there or the Agents
suggestio onable • Kaugh
ns unless rhun Kaa
• Sugges 1 WP is sp
ent
hears ever
yt
l sees and
prevent it, Don Hocking both sees
tions that
would ca target with hing around the
a SAN te use in 24 hour
POW×5
st can be
resisted w
ith
• Kaugh
rhun Kaa
s the glyph and ingests the spores.
test
WP if that or by spending 1 euphoria l can caus
e
fails pain, etc.
, anxiety,
, within 1
somnolenc
e,
From that point on, he poses a sharp
• Can re ho ur
lease pois
CON×5 te on hourly:
risk to the undercover operation.
st or lose
1 HP
He won’t reveal them on his own.
But if Knox or Brandon Murphy is
suspicious and asks Hocking about
the Agents while he’s under the glyph’s
power, he tells the truth. That ends
Glyph
Exposu the undercover phase of the investiga-
re Expose
d tion immediately.
to Both Spore
Exposu
re
• Animal
minions ig
• Acting nore infe
ctee
violently ag
or its agen ainst Kau
ts costs 1/ ghrun Kaa
the unnatu 1D6 SAN l
ral due to
• Victim
’s weakest
ever y tim Bond lose
e glyph is s a point
invoked.
152
The Second Announcement BREAK THE GLYPH: With a successful Stealth roll, one
The Glyph of Harmony effect wears off while the of the undercover Agents can watch Knox put the
Blissful are still humming to themselves. Glyph at the bottom of a cedar chest in her bedroom.
When they gather to discuss their personal issues, Or, if she’s distracted, a Search roll in her room finds
Estelle pauses to make another announcement: it. Breaking it requires a heavy hammer or crow-
bar. That grants a point of SAN to the Agent who
“Friends…fellow singers in the spirit…you all felt the breaks the thing.
incredible openness of Kaughrhun Kaal tonight. It was As soon as the Glyph breaks, Kaughrhun Kaal
revealed to me and I joyously share it with you. We knows. It sends a spasm of misery and fear through
are at the forefront of a new era of tranquility for all everyone who’s spore infested. They feel a reduction
humankind. We shall sing with this ageless wisdom of the unhappiness if they turn or move towards the
from now on, at every meeting!” staircase. (Remember, it takes 24 hours for Kaughrhun
Kaal to remotely see through the eyes of infectees, but
As she talks about “singing with ageless wisdom,” it can see whatever Knox sees, and it can affect moods
anyone who tasted the spores feels a jolt of ecstasy an hour after spore infection.) Depending on how
that’s almost orgasmic. Agents who did not ingest the much time passes before the Agents act, and whether
spores see the shudder run around the room. they are infected, it may know they did it and begin
Knox schedules the next meeting for two days lat- punishing them. Otherwise, Knox immediately stops
er, and says that everyone should now stay at the farm. whatever she’s doing and is guided towards the bro-
The Blissful all wholeheartedly agree. Agents who ken Glyph. See BLOWN COVER on page 147, or “EVERY-
want to leave incur Knox’s suspicion, no matter the BODY ON THE FLOOR!”, below, if things get kinetic.
reason. (The farm has a full freezer, so there’s no rea- INTERROGATE THE OTHER BLISSITES: This doesn’t
son to get food; and Knox puts no faith in prescrip- require a roll. Debbie Amstutz, Brandon Murphy
tion medicines, so there’s no need to retrieve those.) and the rest of them know nothing, and this is the
At this point, there are several tactics the first time they ever saw that rock. They are extremely
Agents may try. pleased and excited, however, and speculate wildly
ASK ABOUT THE SOURCE: If they want Knox to tell about what it all means.
them where the glyph came from, or where she got
that stuff in the bottle, it’s now a Persuade roll. But Responding to the
that roll’s only permitted if she trusts them. If they vis- Glyph Meeting
ibly flinched away from the glyph or refused to taste
her sacred dust, no success is enough to get her to say Agents who didn’t go undercover may not understand
the words “Arcadia Junction.” the full import of the Glyph Meeting. From outside,
ASK ABOUT THE GALWORTHYS: If this is done without it just sounds like they saw something and maybe
finesse, it alarms Knox. It’s up to the Handler to eval- sniffed drugs. Agents who were present may or may
uate how smooth the Agents are. Blunt or clever, the not be more antsy to act. Add these options to those
answer’s the same and requires no roll: Estelle says the under INVESTIGATIONS on page 141.
Galworthys “moved on to a greater state of harmony,
just as my father did. They’re waiting for us. We will “Everybody On the Floor!”
find them when we find harmony.” A HUMINT roll Agents may see the glyph and overreact. They may
reveals that she has a flicker of doubt as she says this, decide to draw guns and start arresting people, or
but she quickly covers it over. If the Agents choose to they may stage a raid immediately afterward. Tell the
press her further, see ABDUCTING ESTELLE on page 147. players that Agents trained in law enforcement know
153
it is way out of line unless they have evidence of a IF THEY MASSACRE EVERYONE, the damnable thing
serious crime. is, this solution works. The Galworthy farm is in the
If they know not to look at the glyph, the raid is middle of nowhere and has its own backhoe. No one
one-sided. A few of the Blissful run, but most scream is around to hear screams and gunshots. If Agents
and submit. It could turn into a giant lawsuit against kill everybody, and either bury them in quicklime or
the FBI, depending on how carefully they put the stage it as a mass suicide, they have no way to find the
frame on, but if they smash the thing without looking Galworthys but they stymie Kaughrhun Kaal for some
on it, they’re in pretty good shape. time. Estelle’s spore reservoir is neutralized, the glyph
The bad part is, Knox tells them nothing and, is down, and its one human infectee is murdered.
given how much serenity Kaughrhun Kaal can squeeze To get away with it, the Agents must kill everyone.
into her blood at any time, she feels pretty terrific Knox and most of her followers just run, and nearly
about staying quiet no matter what happens. a dozen people running in different directions may
IF THEY ARREST EVERYONE, SMASH THE GLYPH AND be more than the team can handle, especially if they
CONFISCATE THE SPORES, events become complicated. make it to their vehicles. One or more might hide, call
No crime has been committed and Knox becomes 911, and bring in the local deputies, making a bad
paranoid. Everyone from the farmhouse raid is out situation worse.
of the county jail in a week or less, and Knox takes See the TRADECRAFT chapter of the Agent’s Hand-
three of them to Arcadia Junction under the cover of book for guidelines on disposing of bodies and
darkness. The Agents may follow them and confront cleaning a crime scene; see the SANITY chapter for the
the final threat in a variant of GOING WITH ESTELLE psychological toll of mass murder. Give Knox a dying
from page 160. speech to drive home that there is a deeper threat not
IF THEY ARREST EVERYONE AND FRAME THEM, that yet found: “Kaughrhun Kaal…I go to Kaughrhun
calls for a Law test (to know what kind of evidence Kaal…Kaughrhun Kaal…will awaken in blood.” If the
to plant) and a Stealth test (to plant drugs or other Agents investigate her history more deeply, perhaps
evidence). If one of those fails, the effort arouses with the aid of Don Hocking, they could find hints
suspicion and the Agent with the worst Persuade skill pointing to Arcadia Junction.
may need to make a Persuade test to keep their stories
straight. It could unravel their careers if they fall Stealing the Glyph
under suspicion of being corrupt. All depends on how If someone wants to sneak in and steal or wreck the
good the frame is and how firmly they plant it. glyph, the effects are closer to what happens when an
If the Agents take time to interview Knox repeat- undercover agent crushes it, as described on page 143
edly, they could get her to open up about Kaughrhun under BREAKING THE GLYPH.
Kaal and Arcadia Junction. That requires two inter-
views attempting to establish rapport, with successful Remaining Hidden
Persuade rolls, and a third interview and Persuade Teams that had no one undercover and that surveil
roll where the interviewer pretends fascination with the Galworthy farm from afar eventually hear that the
Knox’s deepest discoveries. Blissful are planning to go to Arcadia Junction. Even
If Knox goes to prison, she certainly tells some of the laziest of teams can simply follow the Blissful
the other women in the penitentiary about the trea- there when they pack into a series of cars and mini-
sure hidden in Arcadia Junction, hoping to get them vans and set out.
to go there. And she’s had many chances to tell her
followers about it, before and after the Agents arrived.
At least one of her converts goes to Arcadia Junction
and gets Kaughrhun Kaal moving.
154
Researching Arcadia remediation, which would have allowed the EPA to
Junction begin the long, expensive work of pumping and treat-

ing the contaminated aquifer. Kansas declined.
A quick Internet search tells the Agents the essentials. The Kansas City Star’s website has an archived
See EPA POLLUTION REPORT on page 175. article from November 19, 1999: “Two officials in the
If the Agents go on a fishing expedition to the Kansas Statehouse, who asked to remain anonymous,
library or one of the universities around Kansas City, said that the state government was unwilling to risk
here’s what they can find with successful rolls. the economic consequences of having a town listed as
THE CLEANUP: Agents curious about the failure to a public disaster by the EPA.”
clean up Arcadia Junction after all this time can find The Kansas Department of Health and Environ-
pertinent details with an hour’s research and INT 13, or ment (KDHE) assumed responsibility for the remedi-
with Bureaucracy 40% (or a successful Bureaucracy ation. KDHE sought state funding for the expensive
roll) and a few phone calls to EPA and state officials. aquifer cleanup, but Arcadia Junction was placed low
On 16 November 1999, the EPA began discus- on the state’s list of funding priorities. KDHE took
sions with the state of Kansas about placing Arcadia steps toward litigation against Plains Union Railways
Junction on the National Priorities List. That would regarding decontamination work,
have qualified the site for Superfund
155
but dropped those efforts after public complaints by An Agent who has any relevant Science skill at
state lawmakers. Cleanup funding never came. 30% or rolls it successfully notices a peculiar aside.
TCE AND MTBE: An Agent with Medicine 60%, Sci- One of the samples, which Galworthy labeled as an
ence (Biology) 60%, or Science (Chemistry) 60%, or a immature Volvariella bombycina, burst while she was
successful roll of any of those, and who spends hours examining it. There are no details about the incident.
paging through abstracts, can learn a mind-boggling Volvariella bombycina is nontoxic.
amount about TCE and MTBE. For the rest of the If an Agent asks to review the specimens Galwor-
operation, any attempts to recognize symptoms, fol- thy collected, a grad student can find photos of them
low chemical clues, or spot something weird involving on an archived CD-ROM in a professor’s office. If the
these chemicals succeeds. Agent has Science (Botany) 50% or Science (Biology)
In 1999, MTBE was used in low concentrations as 70%, or makes a successful roll of either, they can tell
an antiknock agent in U.S. gasoline. It has since been that the Volvariella bombycina was labeled incorrectly.
phased out in the U.S. due to groundwater contami- (If not, have the professor notice it, shaking her head.)
nation, though it still is used in Asia. MTBE sees some The Agent cannot recognize the sample’s true taxon-
use as an industrial solvent. TCE is a widely-used omy, and neither does anyone else in the bio depart-
industrial solvent and degreaser. It was used as an ment. They say they just can’t tell from that photo.
anesthetic before it was determined to be carcinogenic. Most faculty and students at the biology lab
PUBLISHED RESEARCH: An Agent with Science (Biolo- remember Stacy Galworthy. She was kind of old for
gy) 60% or Science (Botany) 40%, or a successful roll the program, not the best or brightest student, sloppy
of either, and who spends hours reviewing the publi- in the lab, forgetful, cavalier about safety precau-
cations on Arcadia Junction, finds Stacy Galworthy’s tions…all, unfortunately, traits that match up with
name. Four years ago, she was one of several grad stu- the picture her neighbors and pre-Bliss friends paint
dents from the University of Missouri–Kansas City’s of a sweet but absent-minded nature lover. No one
School of Biological Sciences who collected samples was surprised when she quit working at the lab and
from the site. abandoned her doctorate. None were aware that she
THE UMKC LAB: An Agent can get access to the and her family vanished.
School of Biological Sciences labs by just walking in If the Agents come to UMKC before they know
during business hours. An Agent with Bureaucracy about Arcadia Junction and ask about Stacy Galwor-
60%, Science (Biology) 50%, or Science (Botany) thy instead of the town, you can play out a conversa-
30%, or a successful roll of any of those, can get a tion with her thesis advisor, Dr. Glenda Aquista, who
grad student’s help to log into their network. If they casually mentions that Stacy left a cataloguing project
come in asking about Arcadia Junction, they get Stacy half-done. She doesn’t remember the name “Arcadia
Galworthy’s work notes from four years ago. Junction,” but she is willing to dig through the lab
Galworthy was conducting research under a grant freezer and pull out an old sample labeled Volvariel-
from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and la bombycina.
Tourism to study the long-term environmental impact If asked about it, she examines it, frowns, and
of TCE contamination of soil and groundwater. She says “Well, looks like Stacy botched that identifica-
took a few dozen samples from Arcadia Junction. tion. I…am not sure what this is.” If they want to
Galworthy analyzed the samples at a UMKC lab take it, she reluctantly hands it over, muttering that
the next day. Her analysis showed routine results it really should have been destroyed. If they want her
consistent with past analyses from the site. Protocols to look at it, she can be the one who figures out just
would require the destruction of the samples, but ap- how weird the spores are. Essentially, this is another
parently Galworthy failed to comply. Several samples way to get the core clue about the spores even without
are still in storage. stealing them from the Galworthy farm.
156
Researching Christopher Smith Visiting Arcadia Junction

An Agent with History 50% or HUMINT 50%, or Arcadia Junction is about 600 km miles west of the
who rolls either successfully, can find a reference to Galworthy farm, a drive of six or seven hours. If the
a Chris Smith from Arcadia Junction in a sociology Agents have enough time, they can get there and make
report about white supremacist conspiracy theories. some observations, even if they don’t want to overlap
Apparently, for about two months after the 1999 train with Estelle and her crew.
crash, some White Aryan Resistance group believed A GHOST TOWN: Arcadia Junction is on the high
that Smith was a Soviet sleeper agent mistaken- plains. Trees grow thickly along the creek, but other-
ly activated. wise there’s nothing but flat fields. In its heyday the
If you have no plans for extending the origin of town had a handful of shops and businesses and over
Kaughrhun Kaal backwards, this red herring is as far 100 homes. All are abandoned. It’s so remote, not even
as it goes. Smith lived near the gas station to which he squatters come through. A few buildings around the
devoted his adult career. He didn’t get in trouble. He railroad junction are still blackened from the fire, in-
parked his truck on the train tracks. cluding the gas station and Christopher Smith’s house.
If you want to have Smith be the heir of cultists, DIGITALLY DISMAL: There’s cell coverage, but calls get
or of brave defenders against Pnakotic entities, you dropped with annoying frequency. You can access data
can provide your carefully tailored clues as the Agents but it is very slow.
start poking into his background. (“Why did a gas sta- THE SMITH HOUSE: An Agent with Archeology 50%,
tion attendant travel to Thiruvananthapuram for two Forensics 50% or Science (Geology) 50%, or who
months in 1994? What is this ‘Carnacki Foundation’ successfully rolls any of those, needs only 30 minutes
that paid for his trip?”) Those can lead to an extended at the ruins of Christopher Smith’s house to find the
campaign. (See ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS on page 164.) old site where Kaughrhun Kaal was hiding.
F ly in g We
If this is the fir st
st time the Age
aircraft to ge nts have hear
t there more d of Arcadia
than an hour Junction, they
The FBI office or so before would have to
in Kansas City the cultists. requisition an
requisition it ha s a McDonne FBI or DEA
with a Bureau ll Douglas 53
can carr y a pi cr ac y test, or anothe 0 Li ttl e Bird helicop
lot, a copilot, r Agent who’s ter. Odette Ja
and three pa in the FBI can ckson can
civilian airfiel ssengers. It ha make the atte
d at least once s a ra ng m pt . Th e Little Bird
cruising spee between Kan e of 420 km,
d of about 25 sas City and so it would ne
0 km per hour A rc ad ia Junction (th ed to refuel at a
The pilot is av . An FBI spec ere are plenty
ailable in 1D ial agent (not of those). It ha
by making an 4 ho ur s. The Agents part of Delta sa
other Bureau can have the Green) is its
cracy test. bird signed ov assigned pilo
The DEA offic er to an Age t.
e in Kansas C nt in the FBI as
International ity has a Ces pilot
Airport. It ca sna 206H sing
n carr y a pilo le-engine airp
to Arcadia Ju t an d five passenge lane hangared
nction withou rs. It has a ra at the Kansas
requisition its t refueling. It ng e of 1,340 km City
use with a Bu ha s a cruising sp
re au ee d of 2 6 , so it ca n m ak
FBI) can mak cracy test. An 0 km per hour e it
e the attempt Agent in anot . An Agent in
at –20%, havi her federal la the DEA can
assignment. A ng the plane w enforcement
DEA special and pilot plac agency (such
it over to anyo agent (not pa ed with the te as the
ne else. The pi rt of D elta Green) is am on a tempo
lo t is available in 1 th e pl an e’s assigned ra ry du ty
Or, plan B, it D4 hours. pilot. The DEA
wouldn’t be ha do es n’
rest stop, or fa rd for underc t sign
ke a health em over agents to
better or who ergency. An sabotage one
makes a succ Agent who’s of the cultists’
essful roll, co local to the ar vehicles durin
Bliss vehicles ul d ea, and who ga
for some min fin d a sympathetic has Bureaucr
or in fr ac tion and just… St at e Tr ooper to pull ac y at 5 0 % or
them a half ho over one of th
ur or more be process…thei e Harmonic
hind schedule r…driver’s…lic
. ense…really…
157 slowly…to pu
t
// Control Group //
Clearly something heavy moved around in the

basement, judging by the cracks in the concrete
floor and the damage to the staircase. The treads are
broken upward, like something heavy and hard was
dragged up them. Part of the concrete in the basement
was crudely broken by extremely heavy blows from
something very hard—not quite a piledriver, but close.
Those heavy blows were at the corners. After that,
something sharper was used to poke along a margin
to create a break, then pry it from beneath to remove
a slab about twelve by twenty-four inches.
If the searchers succeed with an Archeology or
Forensics test, they find a trace of old human bone in
a corner. If they send it off to the lab, it takes a week
for it to get identified as a portion of a jaw belonging
to James Galworthy.
WILDLIFE: Walking around the town for an hour, a
character with Survival 50% or who rolls it success-
fully has insights into wildlife. There are almost no
birds. The signs of vermin-induced decay are mild, too.
There are dog prints here and there, as you’d ex-
pect, but they’re strange. Orderly. What you’d expect
from trained dogs in a circus, not strays roaming an
abandoned town. If that character’s Survival is 70%
or better, they deduce that, going by tracks and scat, a
lot of wildlife here is behaving more like herds than
individuated species.
Anyone watching for several hours notices that
the animals in Arcadia Junction act strangely. They
seem uncannily shy and cunning, and don’t vocalize.
Agents who split up to look around may catch sight of
a group of dogs moving in unison, not barking, and
turning to flee from them at exactly the same time.
(This is five or six POSSESSED FERAL DOGS, described
on page 169.)
INFECTED ANIMALS: An Agent with Medicine 60%
or Science (Biology) 50%, or who rolls either success-
fully, can capture a few local critters for blood work
or autopsy. The investigation requires about a full
day catching the animal, and a full day spent in the
lab, cutting and sampling, and a few days for results
to come back. The Agent finds mild MTBE and TCE
contamination. But there are fascinating infections in
animals’ bloodstreams and particularly in the eyes. It’s
158
an unclassified fungal structure, big particulate spores If Agents expresses reservations about taking a
with phalanges for self-directed movements, forming long drive with people high on spores, Knox and the
themselves into articulated structures. It’s too big to fit others gently and pityingly chide them. (None of the
through even a basic filter mask. Blissful say anything negative. They don’t know that
SOIL AND WATER: An Agent with Science (Biology) Arcadia Junction is a toxic ghost town.) Knox makes
or Science (Botany) 60%, or who rolls either success- it clear that she doesn’t expect anyone to do anything
fully, finds some sort of fungus that grows into tissue they’re uncomfortable with… though refusing a
pods about the size of a golf ball. Judging from the chance to experience soul-mating on a higher quan-
animal tracks…dogs eat them? If they send samples tum level doesn’t speak very well about one’s sincerity,
away for analysis, they get the same results they now does it?
would from capturing infected animals. If an undercover Agent mentions that Arcadia
FINDING THE NEW LAIR: Are you really ready to un- Junction is drenched in carcinogenic trichlorethylene,
veil Kaughrhun Kaal? Or have the Agents have been Knox’s response depends on how you’ve chosen
on the ball and gotten to Arcadia Junction days ahead to play her.
of Estelle Knox? Then a successful Search roll can If you’ve played her as “religion cheerleader,” she’s
find the entrance to its domain, another house where puppyish in her enthusiasm, presenting this adven-
a stinking mound of rotting, bled-out foxes and voles ture as all win and no downside. She assures them
indicates that Kaughrhun Kaal has used its Galwor- that the problem’s overstated and that the fake news
thy-fueled mobility to get more blood. See GOING IN about it being poisoned is probably a synchronic event
ALONE on page 164. If you don’t feel it’s quite time for designed to keep the fearful and unenlightened from
the final unveiling, it’s perfectly fine to decide that they messing with the statue.
just don’t find it yet. If instead she’s been more darkly mysterious, she
suggests the “disinformation” is probably the work of
Et In Arcadia Ego a government conspiracy that wants to keep people
in the dark, blinded to the true interconnectedness
The next two days on the Galworthy farm are spent of all things. “They win when they divide and con-
making supplies, doing laundry, arranging to have quer,” she intones. “But unity with the Great Whole is
someone tend the goats and chickens, and packing. our strength!”
Estelle Knox says they’re going to take a trip and she’s Either way, she points to herself as evidence that
revealing the destination soon. either the pollution there is drastically less dangerous
The Galworthys have a cargo trailer in a barn. than those old EPA sourpusses would have you be-
Knox asks Brandon Murphy to hook it up to James lieve. Or it means her claims about illnesses just being
Galworthy’s pickup truck. a symptom of disharmony are correct and she didn’t
The next Harmonic Bliss session, two days later, get sick because of her enlightenment. “Believe and
opens with another dose from the Glyph of Harmo- you too will be protected!”
ny. (Remember that Agents with spores face Bond If the Agents don’t do anything to prevent it,
erosion unless they look away.) While everyone is eleven Harmonic Bliss cultists agree to ride out, with
docile and happy, Estelle Knox makes an announce- varying degrees of trepidation and excitement. (Bran-
ment: She has found a resonant idol of incalculable don Murphy and Debbie Amstutz go, unless events
age. It has unlocked higher levels of consciousness have forced either of them out. Don Hocking doesn’t
within her, putting her in contact with the next degree want to go, unless he’s under the influence of the
of cosmic awareness! She’s leaving, right now, for glyph and spores, but feels trapped by his commit-
Arcadia Junction. ments to the Agents.)
159
If Agents raise objections, no cultist says anything EPA quarantine, or more seriously by arresting every-
right away, but the four who were commuting to one for trespassing.
meetings quietly slip away and go home while every-
one else goes with Knox. Going With Estelle
Agents not with the cultists can tail them to Arca- If they follow Estelle, she leads them to a house that’s
dia Junction. This does not require a roll. Estelle and not merely abandoned, it’s ruined. The roof has
the others are too distracted to notice or care. collapsed, dragging the walls in at tipsy angles. The
door is wedged shut. But two sides of the house came
Only the Worthy? apart at their joint, so it’s possible to clamber inside.
The Agents may try to dissuade Estelle from taking The siding tilts and its rusted, sharp edges scrape at
all of her most gung-ho followers to Arcadia Junction, everyone who enters. Each must make a DEX test.
but that’s a nonstarter. Kaughrhun Kaal makes her feel On a failure, the Agent loses one hit point and better
wonderful whenever she tells someone about Arcadia get a tetanus shot for that nasty cut. Make sure you
Junction. She feels that going on this pilgrimage is a mention that a few of the Blissites got hurt going in
sacred blessing, and she doesn’t want to leave anyone and are complaining about it. (Later, if you need to
out. Harmonic Bliss is all about sharing! get things moving, one of them touches the idol with
They may have better luck with individual adher- blood and starts the craziness.)
ents. Again, though, most of them have been spored Inside, it’s a jumble of crumbled, rotting, moldy
and get a delicious frisson of pleasure when they hear drywall and tumbled two-by-fours, some scattered
the magic words “Arcadia Junction.” Agents can at- and some splintered. It looks like it could collapse
tempt Persuade rolls, but they’re at −20% on account with the slightest shift of weight.
of not operating dedicated drug factories in the bodies Estelle confidently ducks down and, on hands
of the people they’re talking to. and knees, leads her followers deeper into the ruin.
Pulling aside an awkward slab of siding reveals a
Kaughrhun Kaal Unveiled meter-square section where the wooden sub-floor has
been smashed and torn out, and the concrete slab
Unless outside Agents found Kaughrhun Kaal earli- beneath as well.
er, nothing much happens in Arcadia Junction until That reveals a circular hole made of packed dirt,
Estelle Knox and the Blissful arrive. sloping down at a very sharp angle. With a grin, she
The Harmonic Bliss visitors glimpse a pack of fe- beckons and slides down first. It’s a deep, dusty, un-
ral dogs on the edge of town, watching; see POSSESSED reliable slope. Climbing out again takes two turns, or
FERAL DOGS on page 169. This spurs both Don Hock- only one with a successful Athletics test.
ing and Brandon Murphy get their guns from their
cars and hide them upon their persons. The Lair of the Old One
Estelle, ignoring the dogs, gives a short speech The slope leads to a cave, crudely gouged and com-
about the magnificence of piercing the eggshell of a pacted out of the soil. The space is three meters tall
merely humanocentric life. She says it’s time to emerge and roughly 12 meters in diameter, with the un-
into the nest that is Earth and learn to fly and to sing derside of the house slab as a ceiling. Its walls are
with our cosmic neighbors. rough and uneven.
The Agents have two options. One is to give In the middle, at the lowest point, a few three-
Estelle her lead, following her until she reveals this meter-long, rigid but twisted and ropily segmented
“Temple of Bliss.” The other is to interfere before she grey limbs extend from the earth in which the mon-
gets there, either under the pretense of enforcing the ster is buried. Each limb is topped by a motile and
wholly dextrous blood-red pad, from which a brown
160
crystalline spike can protrude. Arranged around them

like a nest are the desiccated bodies of numerous Gunplay in the Lair
small mammals.
The crowded basement necessitates some special
Meredith Galworthy hangs at the end of one limb,
firearms rules.
not breathing, withered as if she had starved to death.
If an Agent rolls a hit while aiming in the direction
But when visitors arrive, her eyes open, gleaming with of the exit, nothing happens but damage.
unnatural energies. She regards Knox and the other If an Agent rolls a hit while aiming away from the
visitors with alien, inscrutable hunger. Seeing Galwor- exit, he or she must make a Luck roll. If it fails, blood
thy costs 1/1D4 SAN from the unnatural. splashes Kaughrhun Kaal.
Knox gazes at Galworthy and the stony entity in If any firearms attack by or attacking an Agent
misses, no matter which direction it was aiming, the
rapt adoration.
Agent must make a Luck roll. If it fails, a cultist is hit by
If the Agents allow her the time, Knox explains
accident. Unless incapacitated outright or restrained,
that Kaughrhun Kaal is no mere statue. It is alive. the injured cultist stumbles over to Estelle and bleeds
Chemicals spilled in the soil around Arcadia Junction on the statue in the next turn.
somehow woke it. She heard its voice in her mind and If Don Hocking and Brandon Murphy exchange
it told her its name. She asks, “Isn’t it magnificent?” fire with each other, they don’t accidentally activate
Kaughrhun Kaal.
Knox says that Meredith Galworthy and her par-
ents joined with Kaughrhun Kaal, but it had a special
purpose for Meredith’s ascension. She has become one
with a god. It has kept her physical form alive and her trickles down to it, as long as the soil doesn’t soak it
blood has helped it remain awake. up first. If in doubt, allow the Agents a Luck roll to
The other limbs slowly stretch toward the visitors. avoid blood reaching the hungry monster.
Knox flings her arms around one of the stony As soon as blood is shed in the cave, Kaughrhun
limbs and starts gouging spores out of the grooves and Kaal summons the CARPET OF VERMIN (page 169) and its
striations of its surface and cramming them into her pack of POSSESSED FERAL DOGS (page 169). They beeline
mouth. Kaughrhun Kaal, at this point, uses its “flood towards the cave. Unless Agents outside the house
with ecstasy” power on her, described on page 170 somehow stop them, they enter the cave, attack any-
under KAUGHRHUN KAAL. one who is not infected with spores, and convey blood
to Kaughrhun Kaal until it becomes motile. If every-
Hungry for Blood one inside is infected, they attack whomever is closest.
Knox’s goal, and that of everyone who takes spores
from the thing, is to provide it enough fresh blood Options
to become mobile. Then it discards the remains of At this point, the Agents have choices to make.
Meredith Galworthy and grinds its way outside and
onto the cargo trailer of the Galworthys’ truck, so its Kill Meredith
pawns can help it find even more sustenance. An Agent can kill Meredith Galworthy with a suc-
If a small amount of blood spills on Kaughrhun cessful attack roll of any kind. There is very little
Kaal, it gains enough mobility to take an action in the blood. She slumps and slides off the monster’s limb.
following turn. If a larger amount of blood spills on Kaughrhun Kaal goes rigid until more blood is spilled.
it, or if it hits someone with its spike, it can main-
tain its mobility for 1D4+1 turns. See KAUGHRHUN Restrain Estelle
KAAL on page 170. Trying to talk her out of an act of communion with a
Kaughrhun Kaal sits at the low point of the enclo- higher cosmic being is doomed. The only way to stop
sure. If enough fresh blood is spilled, eventually some her from directly ingesting another dose of spores is to
161
pin her down with Unarmed Combat. Knox struggles

and the cultists (at this point all infected, except possi- Estelle’s Autopsy
bly for Don Hocking) take her side.
An autopsy of Estelle Knox finds a mild hyperthyroidal
Badges and Guns condition and extraordinarily, inexplicably high levels
of GABA and oxytocin. There are also fascinating
If the Agents pull out badges and call for backup,
infections in her bloodstream, particularly in her eyes
that provokes a variety of reactions. About half the
and ears. It’s an unclassified fungal structure, big
cultists freeze, shocked into stillness. The other half particulate spores with phalanges for self-directed
panic and flee. None are more aggressive in this than movements, forming themselves into articulated struc-
Brandon Murphy. He pulls his gun, curses, and tries tures. It’s too big to fit through even a basic filter mask,
to drive as many panicking people as he can into the which prevents accidental inhalation if the analyst is
space between him and the Agents. If not stopped, he wearing one.
pistol-whips Elizabeth Mitchell, sending a thin spray

of blood onto Kaughrhun Kaal or its blood-carrying
vermin. Agents who grapple him get met with bullets. with the Agents up top. The blanket of vermin and the
If Murphy opens fire, Don Hocking (if present) shoots dog pack close in on the house, summoned to savage
back in panic. See GUNPLAY IN THE LAIR on page 161. anyone not infected by spores. If the up-top Agents
(If the Agents spotted the men’s weapons and stop the infected animals, they can go into the base-
disarmed them, some other cultist does something ment just as the cultists start biting themselves to offer
stupid—tripping while trying to flee or punching one blood to their new god. It’s up to tactics and Unarmed
of the Agents—to escalate the conflict and put blood Combat rolls to stop them quickly enough to keep
into the situation.) Kaughrhun Kaal sedated, or perhaps to make sure it
only gets enough blood to move for a few turns while
Wait And Watch the Agents drag off the survivors.
If the Agents let Estelle embrace the statue, she imme-
diately begins to writhe and coo in visible delight. Don Eat Some Spores
Hocking, if he’s there, gives the them a panicky look If any Agent chooses to eat spores, gently take away
and says, “Aren’t you going to do anything?!” the character sheet, look the player in the eyes, and
A few of the bolder cultists step forward and start say, “You’ve never been so happy.” Then cut to the
harvesting spores from the idol’s crevices and crannies. rest of the Agents up top and have the CARPET OF
One does it per turn, with Brandon Murphy shoving VERMIN and the POSSESSED FERAL DOGS (page 169)
forward to be the third in line. close in just as Kaughrhun Kaal bursts from the
If the Agents do nothing, after Murphy and four earth, gore-streaked and triumphant. Estelle and the
others get their spore-doses, Hocking panics. “This now-insane Agent stumble along behind it, dazed in
isn’t what the founder wanted! Get away from it!” No the presence of their living god. Play out the combat
one does. He pulls his gun and keeps screaming. If to see if (1) Kaughrhun Kaal kills everyone but its
no Agents disarm him, he opens fire on the statue, on slaves, (2) it leaves some alive while its servants motor
Knox, and on Murphy. (Don never liked Brandon.) it away or (3) the Agents figure out a way to stop it.
The resulting bloodshed may awaken Kaughrhun Do they have heavy weapons? If not, they’re prob
Kaal; see GUNPLAY IN THE LAIR on page 161. ably out of luck.
If Hocking isn’t present, and the Agents don’t
prevent it, some cultists decide not to embrace the Do Everything Right
statue. Estelle, Murphy, and four others do. Cut away To take control of the basement safely,
from the basement and play out what’s happening the Agents must:
162
surrenders (having ditched his gun and GHB salts

»» Prevent Knox from getting a mouthful of along the way). Otherwise, he gets to the highway
Kaughrhun Kaal. and disappears.
»» Either take Murphy down without bloodshed or Clearly, catching Knox is more important.
let him go before anyone gets shot. If the Agents fail to catch Knox, she enters the
temple, followed by the pack of FERAL DOGS (page 169).
If the Agents prevent bloodshed, they can even- They help her bleed out on Kaughrhun Kaal. If that
tually escort everyone out, take them into custody, happens, the beast emerges and attacks.
seize the statue, and find the bodies of the Galwor- If the Agents grab Knox and put her with the oth-
thys underneath. ers, Kaughrhun Kaal sends the CARPET OF VERMIN (page
169) to try and free her, followed by the dogs.
Stopping Estelle Early If the Agents can overcome the dogs and the
Stopping Estelle Knox before she gets to the “temple” vermin, and keep Knox away from the temple, they
is a fine idea, though not as simple as it might appear. can capture the “statue” without it ever moving.
Kaughrhun Kaal knows she’s coming and it wants her That’s a win.
there. But the first issue is whether the Agents stop her If Knox gets to the temple but the Agents get all
without blowing their cover—assuming they even care the other cultists away, her blood renders Kaughrhun
at this point. Kaal awake, aware, and mobile for hours. But without
HARD TAKEDOWN: If the team just sweeps in, guns a vehicle or a human to move it, it’s stuck creeping
drawn and screaming “Show me your hands!” most along at about six miles per hour. The next settlement
of the cultists submit. Brandon Murphy and Estelle of any size is 40 km away. That’s a four-hour crawl.
Knox try to run, which necessitates Athletics success- If the Agents have heavy weapons, they can attempt
es to keep up or, failing that, a successful Survival to destroy it. If not, see THE KAUGHRHUN KAAL CAM-
roll for each to track them. If they catch Murphy, he PAIGN on page 165.
163
THE SOFT APPROACH: Instead of guns and badg- and concrete in the heart of a toxic waste site, each
es, the Agents could approach with biohazard suits, Agent gets 2 SAN.
warning the Blissful that it’s a quarantine site and they If the Agents handed a dormant Kaughrhun Kaal
need to turn back. Estelle Knox smiles, plays dumb, over to their Delta Green superiors, they get no SAN
and leads her people out of town. Soon she stops and reward, but the next time they get called in against a
placidly informs them that they’re waiting until night- Pnakotic entity, they may (at the Handler’s discretion)
fall and trying again, while assuring them that there’s be equipped with technology designed specifically to
no real pollution. Once it’s fully dark, she leads them impede its movements.
in on foot, spread out, led by the uncanny help of the
feral dog pack. At this point, it’s up to undercover Ongoing Investigations
Agents to choose between following her to the temple
(see WAIT AND WATCH on page 162) or attempting a Some loose ends can lead to later games and oth-
hard takedown (page 163). These run the same, except er operations.
it’s now the dead of night.
Christopher Smith
Going In Alone On somber reflection, it does seem rather providential
Agents who heard about Arcadia Junction early, or that a mind-influencing “idol” with a hunger for hu-
who found ways to delay Estelle’s road trip, might man blood would wind up in a tiny community miles
get there first and search until they find the lair. and miles from anything, doesn’t it? If Kaughrhun
Kaughrhun Kaal is paralyzed when they arrive, but Kaal had tasted MTBE in downtown Los Angeles,
hardly surprised. It has watched them through the how long would its joy-spores have taken to find
eyes of its verminous slaves. It blasts Agents with someone willing to smear it with crimson nourish-
spores, so if they’re not masked they probably inhale ment? Less than a decade, that’s for sure.
some. It summons both the dog pack and the carpet So how did Smith wind up with this thing? Was it
of vermin (see page 169) to attack and make humans handed down through his family? Did he join an eso-
bleed for its benefit. teric order (possible allies or enemies) before settling
Unless you feel your Agents need a tougher down to tend a gas station? Or did he just buy the
challenge, Kaughrhun Kaal has been thrifty with thing at a flea market?
its precious energy and has not inscribed a second When, where and how he got it are all answers
Glyph of Harmony. that could interest intrepid investigators, but they’re
really just prelude to the big question: Are more of
Sanity them out there?
Assuming they got it at least partially right, the Agents SENECA WHIRLWIND
are probably in line for some Sanity rewards. Some handouts the Agents might get refer to a pre-
If an undercover Agent liked Estelle, and she got vious FBI operation, SENECA WHIRLWIND. It was
out without being killed or riding into the sunset with conducted in Littlefield, Massachusetts, in 1998 by
Kaughrhun Kaal, the Agent gets 1 SAN. Doesn’t mat- FBI special agents Abelard Ramses and Morgan Neill.
ter if Estelle hates the lot of ’em. The operation was convened after a farmer named
If no more than two Harmonic Bliss cultists were William Cordwainer, near Littlefield, complained to
killed or enslaved, every Agent gets 1 SAN. Raise this local animal control authorities. His livestock was
to 2 SAN if all the Blissful were saved. being abused and drained of blood. At the time, the
If the Agents buried Kaughrhun Kaal some- FBI’s search for a kidnapped young man named Hec-
where inaccessible, like deep under tons of steel tor Rios was focused on the area, and Neill’s instincts
164
told him that two weird things happening in one small Even the newspapers ran a couple of brief articles
town was too big a coincidence. After Cordwainer about “unusual animal attacks” in Littlefield, on Wil-
wound up in the hospital with bleeding lesions on his liam Cordwainer’s farm.
back, deliriously screaming about a “vampire tree,” It doesn’t take much for Agents to find out that
Ramses and Neil checked out his farm. Cordwainer “mysteriously vanished” after his hospi-
They found that Cordwainer had unearthed some- talization, or that there are still urban legends about
thing resembling a petrified tree, that became thirstily the Cordwainer vampire tree.
animate when exposed to mammal blood. Fleeing in The report redacts the name Fiske, but due to
shock, they managed to dig up an occult expert named sloppy finding-and-replacing it leaves the misspelled
Dr. Moses Fiske, and enlist the aid of army lieutenant “Fisker.” Quick research turns up not a Moses Fisker
Jeff Palmer. After fire, bullets and a light antitank but occult-oriented academic Moses Fiske. They can
rocket failed to do more than injure it, they lured it to find Fiske in a retirement home, 64 years old, di-
a stony crevasse and buried it by dynamiting the ridge agnosed with senile dementia and paranoid schizo-
and sending tons of shale cascading down on it. That phrenia even though he’s perfectly lucid. He provides
delayed it long enough for it to return to hibernation, details if the Agents convince him they’re trying to
after which they paved over the land and declared it destroy the Pnakotic entities.
“good enough.” If the agents want to dig through seventy tons of
That was when MAJESTIC got wind of things. plate steel and cement, they could even wake the thing
They disappeared Cordwainer, forged his signature on up themselves.
backdated papers that accepted the FBI’s offer to pur-
chase 218 Rural Route H as a training facility. (In fact, The Kaughrhun Kaal Campaign
the farm was condemned and bulldozed, more weight It’s possible that things go savagely pear-shaped and
was piled on top of the burial site, and the whole area the agents wind up releasing a lesser godlike entity in
was ultimately declared unfit for human habitation Arcadia Junction. Depending on how much violence
through a fraudulent EPA review.) Ramses and Neill is happening, Kaughrhun Kaal could gather enough
both wound up dead, while Fiske was hauled off nourishment to stay mobile for days.
to Project OUTLOOK, a MAJESTIC brainwashing If Kaughrhun Kaal gets onto a cargo truck or
facility. The only conspirator who avoided notice was trailer with a sufficiently-malleable pawn to drive it,
Lt. Jeff Palmer, who has sat on the mystery for the last job one is finding blood. One trip to a low-security
couple decades. meat-processing plant gives the pawn and the godling
After the split of Delta Green in 2001 following a chance to get immersed before the police are even
the MAJESTIC war, a number of OUTLOOK “clients” notified. But even advance warning is only more likely
were released, including Dr. Moses Fiske. Researchers to result in dead cops and massive media coverage.
attached to the reinvigorated Delta Green program In short, if the Agents fail to stop it and survive,
debriefed him, going so far as to retrieve a sample of they’re not done. They’re just facing an inhuman
“stone” that had been blasted off the Littlefield entity entity that’s awake, aware and at its full capacities. In-
and warehoused by MAJESTIC’s Blue Team. Fiske’s stead of an adventure in which they bury Kaughrhun
insights, along with those researchers’, contributed to Kaal and keep it dormant, they face a campaign in
the “Pnakotic Entities” report. which they have to isolate it, starve it out, or over-
Though the documents available to the Investi- come it with mere human weapons.
gators are heavily redacted, they do contain relevant
dates (mid-July in 1998) and the implication that The Old One at Large
SENECA WHIRLWIND happened near Boston. The Kaughrhun Kaal requires fresh blood to move. Once
agents in Boston from that time are a matter of record. active, it’s likely to retain mobility with frequent,
165
smaller feedings, rather than singular feasts.That said, into a conflict with some other entity of equal or
Kaughrhun Kaal is going to leave a trail of damage greater power. Or if the Agents consistently come up
until it runs out of energy and is stuck in place. So short in their conflicts, you could end the Kaughrhun
one way to find it would be to follow the trail of Kaal conflict by letting it construct an elaborate and
bloodless cattle and transients, possibly running into mysterious glyph and teleport away.
false alarms like vampires, el chupacabra, or nosfer-
atu-themed serial killers. Characters
Kaughrhun Kaal also needs MTBE to remain alert
and psychically potent. If it leaves Arcadia Junction, it Characters are listed in likeliest order of appearance.
needs a new source. These days, MTBE is rarely found
in gasoline, and Kaughrhun Kaal does not know how Special Agent Odette Jackson, FBI
to tell human pawns to look for it. Perhaps a former A no-nonsense black woman who usually wears her
Agent who learned too much and then was made a hair in tight braids on the job, or in a loose natural
pawn could help it find MTBE. off duty. She dresses in pantsuits and does not have a
Or perhaps it could get lucky and enslave some- single smile line on her face.
one who has the skills to study the chemicals that Jackson has been in law enforcement all her life,
soaked Arcadia Junction. Agents who make the con- with a Kansas sheriff’s deputy (and former Army
nection between the spilled methyl tert-butyl ether in helicopter pilot) for a father. Jackson is not a brilliant
Arcadia Junction’s groundwater and the creature lurk- investigator, but she has 22 years on the job. She’s
ing in its basements may be able to track Kaughrhun dogged, consistent, and she knows the importance of
Kaal through crimes involving that chemical, or may always securing a prosecution to keep the Bureau’s
at least draw the connection once something bashes bean-counters happy. Delta Green got to her early,
through the wall of a chemical plant and cracks open back when it was nothing but an illegal conspiracy of
the MTBE tank…without leaving a single drop of it rogue agents trying to save the world. Her experienc-
behind at the scene. es were deeply traumatic, and she never talks about
As long as it has access to blood and MTBE, them. But she came aboard when the program was
Kaughrhun Kaal pursues its agenda items, in any made official in the early 2000s. Since then she’s been
order you wish. part of half a dozen operations, running things from
the ground in the last two of them. This is her third
»» Find others of its kind, either to work with or to time working with Francisco Seles. He has earned her
destroy while they’re weak. implicit trust. The players’ Agents have not.
»» Establish reliable, long-term supplies of blood Jackson knows that Seles is prone to disconnect-
and methyl tert-butyl ether. ing from himself under severe stress, and tries to keep
»» Remain hidden. him away from situations likely to cost SAN.
»» Construct a temple and recruit followers. Jackson comes equipped with a gray Chevy Sub-
»» Create more Glyphs of Harmony to leave urban, with tinted windows and an off-road suspen-
anywhere it might return, and send anywhere it sion. It has 32 HP and 3 points of Armor.
might eventually go.
Agent Jackson
Luckily for humankind, it has no interest in repro- Team leader, age 49
duction (unless you want to go nuts in that direction). STR 11 CON 12 DEX 12 INT 11 POW 13 CHA 13
Depending on how well (or poorly) the Agents in- HP 12 SAN 51 BREAKING POINT 39
terfere with its plans, Kaughrhun Kaal could be blown BONDS: Father 13, FBI colleagues 10, Francisco Seles
to pieces, forced into dormancy, or even manipulated (Delta Green) 8.
166
DISORDER: Sleep disorder. Francisco Seles

SKILLS: Accounting 60%, Alertness 50%, Bureaucracy Intelligence analyst, age 42
60%, Criminology 70%, Drive 50%, Firearms 50%,
Forensics 50%, HUMINT 60%, Law 70%, Persuade
50%, Pilot (Helicopter) 50%, Search 70%, Unarmed HP 10 SAN 61 BREAKING POINT 48
Combat 60%, Unnatural 6%. BONDS: Hazel (wife) 16, the running club 16, NSA
ATTACKS: Unarmed 60%, damage 1D4–1. colleagues 11, Odette Jackson (Delta Green) 11.
Unlicensed .38 revolver with no serial number 50%, DISORDERS: Depersonalization disorder.
damage 1D8. SKILLS: Anthropology 40%, Athletics 60%, Bureaucracy
FBI-issue 9mm pistol 50%, damage 1D10. 50%, Computer Science 80%, Criminology 60%,
Firearms 40%, Foreign Language (Arabic) 50%,
FBI-issue Mossberg shotgun 70%, damage 2D10.
Foreign Language (Spanish) 50%, Foreign Language
(Greek) 40%, History 40%, HUMINT 50%, Occult 70%,
Francisco Seles SIGINT 80%, Unnatural 18%.
A thin Latino man with a prominent nose and a mole ATTACKS: Unlicensed “Baby Glock” 9 mm pistol (with no
over his left eyebrow. His work uniform is poorly-fit- serial number) 40%, damage 1D10.
ted suits with a brightly patterned tie (usually loos- Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4–2.
ened) and a matching pocket square.
As an NSA intelligence analyst working for Delta Don Hocking
Green, Seles reviews potentially suspicious com- A burly, middle-aged white man, Don has a long, gray
munications from all over the world for relevance ponytail and round John Lennon glasses, usually
to the Program. Two months ago, Seles was going over a Henley shirt or a Baja sweatshirt and baggy
through cult literature that flows through his office old-man jeans.
in an attempt to keep eyes on extremist groups in the The Agents’ weaselly man on the inside seems
U.S. He spotted something disquieting in an other- all right at first, just nervous and sleep-deprived. He
wise-innocuous pamphlet—a symbol he’d seen before starts to get twitchy and irritable after the first day. A
during a Delta Green operation. (The details of that Psychotherapy roll can tell his sanity is fraying and
op are up to you.) He pulled the pamphlet and sent that it would take only one hard shock to send him
it to his controllers, who confirmed that the glyph, into a total breakdown.
while of unknown meaning and provenance, was While Don was a mellow, peaceful type before the
indeed unnatural. Galworthys disappeared, he purchased a handgun and
That led to a detached assignment with Odette obtained a concealed-carry permit immediately after
Jackson’s FBI team. Seles did not welcome the news agreeing to work with the FBI. He doesn’t want to
that he was being sent into the field to follow up on take it into Harmonic Bliss meetings…at first…but as
his discovery, but at least it’s under Jackson. He’s the operation wears on, the fear goes to work on him.
worked with her twice before, once in the field and He’s likely to ask Agents for advice about gun-toting,
once at a remove as a consultant, and they trust in fact. Being told to not carry it, however, is advice he
each other. Working under the cover of a civilian FBI ignores once they get to Arcadia Junction.
contractor, Seles helped conduct the surveillance and
Don Hocking
interrogations of Harmonic Bliss members, helped flip
Don Hocking, and is in charge of communications in Informant on the edge, age 54
this operation. STR 15 CON 13 DEX 10 INT 11 POW 8 CHA 10

HP 14 SAN 20 BREAKING POINT 12
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4.
.380 ACP semi-automatic pistol 40%, damage 1D8.
167
Estelle Knox Harmonic Bliss Cultist (Modified)

Knox has a lot of poorly-maintained shaggy black hair These stats represent a Blissite who has been subjected
and wide, bulging brown eyes that don’t seem to blink to Kaughrhun Kaal spores, after Kaughrhun Kaal re-
often enough, over a weak chin and a strong mouth. alizes its pawns are under threat and floods them with
She usually dresses like Stevie Nicks: scarves, bangles, adrenaline and endorphins. The Blissites are suddenly
long flowing skirts. amped up. Anyone who bothers with a HUMINT roll
can tell they’re unusually agitated, breathing heavily,
Estelle Knox and flushed. They can’t be pushed into a sobbing fit by
Maestro of secret symphonies, age 36 verbal abuse like an unmodified cultist, and there’s no
STR 9 CON 10 DEX 15 INT 15 POW 17 CHA 15 SAN cost for bullying them. They feel no pain and are
HP 10 SAN 20 BREAKING POINT 3 ready to fight. Their unarmed or melee weapon attack
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4–1 (or 1D4). rolls are at +20% (already applied to their unarmed
UNNATURAL STRENGTH: After she has embraced attack listing, below). All other actions are at –20%.
Kaughrhun Kaal, Estelle’s STR goes up to 14 and her
HP go up to 12. This is a burst of hysterical strength Blissite (Under the Influence)
that leaves her sore and trembling afterwards, but she Filled with joyful rage
does not care and neither should we.
Harmonic Bliss Cultist (Standard) HP 15 SAN 30 BREAKING POINT 28
Estelle Knox’s followers are diffident individuals, ATTACKS: Unarmed 60%, damage 1D4.
lower middle-class, easily led, hesitant, out-of-shape,
preferring talk to action. For them to break from Brandon Murphy
negotiations and speak sharply to someone—especial- Murphy is a lean, leathery fellow whose usual ex-
ly an armed authority—is out of character and, quite pression seems to be a leer. Wears a beat-down straw
frankly, an act of tremendous courage. A combat roll cattleman hat, flannel shirts, and tight jeans with a
of any kind is at a –20% penalty. (This is already app- big buckle over worn, plain cowboy boots. His hair is
lied to their unarmed attack listing, below.) collar-length, greasy, and starting to grey. His eyes are
These people are vulnerable to bullying. If some- a cold blue and his teeth nicotine-yellow.
one yells at them or makes a credible threat, it costs A small-time grifter, Murphy has an on-again, off-
the standard Bliss cultist 0/1 SAN. With a failure, the again relationship with mind-altering chemicals that
cultist collapses into hysterical tears, cringing and hid- has left his behavior somewhat resistant to Kaughrhun
ing. (The SAN loss rises to 0/1D4 if a weapon and/or Kaal’s meddling. He’s used to talking to cops while
a badge is brandished.) Inflicting this severe emotional drunk or high and he can endure a bad flashback with
trauma costs an Agent 0/1 SAN due to helplessness. some measure of élan. Thus, when Kaughrhun Kaal
floods him with epinephrine, he rides it like a meth
Blissite rush and doesn’t lose control.
Desperate for a leader, age 19 to 55
STR 10 CON 8 DEX 8 INT 10 POW 7 CHA 8 Brandon Murphy
HP 10 SAN 35 BREAKING POINT 28 Would-be messiah, age 41
ATTACKS: Unarmed 20%, damage 1D4−1. STR 14 CON 9 DEX 13 INT 12 POW 11 CHA 13
HP 12 SAN 50 BREAKING POINT 44
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4.
.32 Colt Cobra revolver 40%, damage 1D8.
168
Possessed Feral Dogs The Carpet of Vermin

It’s easiest to handle this pack of 17 dogs as a single As with the dog pack, this writhing mat of scuttling
entity, especially since the will of each dog is utterly mice, rats, shrews and voles is handled as a single enti-
bent to the designs of Kaughrhun Kaal. These dogs are ty. In this instance, however, a single gunshot is unlike-
ill-fed, rangy beasts on the scale of retriever, Dober- ly to take out more than one or two of the hundreds
man and boxer. They drool and stumble unnervingly, of component animals. The effects of this are handled
signs of their long-term TCE exposure. But they are with armor and the swarm’s high hit points.
weirdly organized and well-coordinated.
Carpet of Vermin
When this collective attacks, it tries to encircle and
swarm, working together so that one dog distracts Biting everything
while another darts in to bite ankles or tear at a wrist. STR 5 CON 5 POW 5 DEX 20
Out in the open, they get one attack per three dogs HP 35
(round up). In an enclosed space, it’s half that many. ATTACKS: The swarm does 1D4–1 damage to every
The dogs fight without showing pain or fear. individual in reach every turn, or 1D6 to someone who
has fallen and become blanketed with them. What’s
Assume any successful gunshot leaves a dog unable to
“in reach” is up to the Handler, but the full swarm is
fight. Any other attack incapacitates a dog if it does 7+
probably three to five meters across.
points of damage.
ARMOR: Damage from any attack is reduced to a single
Once the pack’s down to five dogs, they spin in
point unless it’s fire or a weapon that has a Kill Radius—
unison and flee in five different directions. Then it’s those do full damage. Lethality rolls automatically fail,
up to the agents to decide whether they want to finish inflicting ordinary HP damage.
off all the twitching, bleeding, weirdly-not-bark- Compressed air does 1D8 for every 1,000 kPa (150 psi)
ing mammals in the dust, or if they want to con- pressure, if that comes up.
serve their ammo. Anyone who falls and starts rolling to crush the creatures
does regular unarmed damage, though at the risk of
Possessed Feral Dogs taking more damage from being blanketed.
An unnatural pack Driving over them with a car does 1D6 damage.
STR 5 CON 10 POW 10 for the group DEX 12 Any clever impromptu plan does 1D10+2 damage. Any
HP See description above stupid impromptu plan does 1D4.
ATTACKS: Bite 30%, damage 1D6. SANITY LOSS: The first time the critter stampede is seen,
it costs 0/1 SAN from the unnatural. Getting attacked
COOPERATION: If the dogs work together, their
costs 0/1D4 SAN. Anyone who falls and is engulfed
combined STR score is effectively 14.
loses another 1/1D4 SAN.
SANITY LOSS: 0/1D4 when their unnatural behavior
becomes obvious.
169
HUGE: Kaughrhun Kaal is a huge creature, so Lethality

Kaughrhun Kaal tests against it automatically fail, inflicting HP damage
For millennia, this being appeared to be an inert mass equal to the Lethality rating.
of semi-organic compounds embedded in the Earth. A REACH: If Kaughrhun Kaal is more than three meters from
biologist might say it was an “inert-organic mass,” a its target, it can’t reach with its arms or spike. It can
geologist a “sediment layer composed of biological throw rocks, fence-posts, corpse-chunks and the like
runoff.” But its stony biology was so slow and strange, more than a full kilometer. If you’re more 500 m from
it would be nearly impossible for the unenlightened it, the object hits the turn after it was launched and an
attempt to Dodge is at +20%.
to determine it was alive at all. Only odd, cloudy
BLOOD-HUNGRY: Kaughrhun Kaal needs fresh blood
brown crystals protruded from it to the surface,
to move. For every hour of mobility, it requires two or
waiting to detect the chemicals the being feeds upon
three liters of mammalian blood. Draining an average
during its periodic frenzies. Now that is has woken, it person dry is good for three or four hours. With a
has reconstituted itself, grown and expanded—cork- vast supply (such as a day’s output from an industrial
screw-like—ten meters beneath the earth. meat processor, or the results of rampaging through a
While it is buried, the creature is seen mainly as high-density feed lot), it could remain mobile for about
long, rigid, ropily segmented grey limbs, each topped a month. It doesn’t have to constantly move to pursue
its goals. And it can keep a living mammal alive, using
by a motile and wholly dextrous blood-red pad like
just enough blood to make itself responsive while
the end of an elephant’s trunk. Inside each pad is a
feeding its own energies into the mammal in lieu of
brown crystalline spike that can be retracted, and, if food and water.
need be, forcibly extruded in a strong enough manner MTBE AWARENESS: Kaughrhun Kaal requires MTBE to
to punch a hole through a stainless steel plate. The think and to create paranormal effects: CREATE GLYPH
limbs are strong and resilient, capable of lifting and OF HARMONY, FLOOD WITH ECSTASY, REFORMAT BRAIN,
throwing a small car, and all but immune to small and REFORMAT BODY. For our purposes, Kaughrhun
arms fire, but their reach is limited to about 3 meters. Kaal can store up to 100 “units” of MTBE. How much it
can gain from a site is up to you.
The rest of Kaughrhun Kaal is a submerged, slug-
CREATE GLYPH OF HARMONY: Costs 50 MTBE. See
like shape. It moves, always slowly, by writhing like a
GLYPH OF HARMONY on page 150. This is an
snail or a slug and pulling itself along with its limbs.
expensive effort, which is why there’s only one glyph.
Its top speed is about that of a walking human being.
FLOOD WITH ECSTASY: Costs 1 MTBE. This works only
Kaughrhun Kaal on a conditioned human. “Conditioned” in this case
means “heavily infested with spores and has also
God of stone and blood
been affected by the Glyph of Harmony.” People who
STR 35 CON 45 INT 12 POW 30 DEX 15 have undergone this treatment become hesitant to do
HP 40 anything they think their new master won’t like. Each
ARMOR: 10 points when mobile or 40 points such an action costs 1 SAN from the unnatural. Every
when immobile successive treatment raises SAN cost: 1/1D4, then
1/1D6, 1/1D8 and capping at 1/1D10.
ATTACKS: Spore blast 80%; no damage, but the target is
exposed to spores as described on page 151. REFORMAT BRAIN: Costs 20 MTBE. This process is
highly involved and time-consuming. Kaughrhun Kaal
Bludgeoning strike 70%, damage 3D6.
essentially removes the human’s brain and nervous
Draining nasal spike 70%, drains 1D8 HP and 1D4 STR; system, replacing them with spores. This requires about
for every HP it drains in this fashion, it can remain thirty hours of uninterrupted effort. The entity thus
awake and mobile for one hour; Armor Piercing 5. created can pass most superficial medical tests and can
Randomly thrown object 50%, damage 3D6. function mostly normally. But it cannot talk, because
FIREPROOF: Kaughrhun Kaal takes no damage from Kaughrhun Kaal doesn’t speak English or care to
flames, regardless of intensity. learn. The reformatted host is entirely an outgrowth of
Kaughrhun Kaal’s consciousness, a remote drone.
170
RECONFIGURE BODY: Costs 30 MTBE. Instead of might also be screaming for help, apologizing, or
replacing a target’s brain and nerve tissue, it replaces giving valuable information.
muscle and skin tissue. Animals (or people) thus treated RITUALS: See MTBE AWARENESS, above.
are clearly grotesque Things That Should Not Be, and
SANITY LOSS: None to see it in statue form. 1D6/1D10
seeing them costs 0/1D4 SAN from the unnatural. If
from the unnatural to see it animate.
done on a human, the host retains some memories and
sense of identity, and may be able to struggle against
the commands issued to its new muscles. Probably it
has the most control over the throat, lips and tongue,
given Kaughrhun Kaal’s indifference to speech. While
it’s shooting or stabbing or infecting the Agents, it
171
Report on Harmonic Bliss
174
EPA Pollution Report
175
Hocking Interview Handout
INTERVIEW WITH DON HOCKING
INTERVIEWER: Tell me more about Estelle Knox and Harmonic Bliss.

HOCKING: Estelle, she’s a real believer. She did a lot of refin-
ing on her dad’s original, like, take. He said there was a still-
ness in the background of everything and that whatever we observe,
it’s a vibration. So the point of HB is to bring yourself back
into tune with your surroundings, and with the people around you.
INTERVIEWER: How do you do that?
HOCKING: Well, we…uh, I mean, Harmonic Bliss believers, when we
get together, the first thing we do, we call it body instrumenta-
tion practice? It’s nonverbal, it’s trying to sort of dissolve
all those head-thoughts that fight against one another. You just
touch the other people and kind of hum together and get on the
same note. Then we separate and do solo pre-verbal meditation.
Trying to silence the analyzing mind and listen, get it?
INTERVIEWER: On the pamphlet. Is that a Harmonic Bliss symbol?
HOCKING: No. I’ve never seen it before.
INTERVIEWER: All right. So what happened to James and Stacy?
HOCKING: Yeah…that. Stacy had some kind of…intuition? She want-
ed to go on this, this vision quest. Said she was hearing a deep-
er song, that the world was leading her to something. She didn’t
seem to know anything, it was like she had a dream that took her
to it. Now, this was not the first time that Stacy got an…an en-
thusiasm, you know? I didn’t take it really seriously.
INTERVIEWER: Is that when she went over your head? To Estelle?
HOCKING: Yeah.
INTERVIEWER: And Estelle moved in with them? Then the Galworthys
stopped coming to town.
HOCKING: Well…yeah. They’d been talking about going somewhere.
INTERVIEWER: Where?
HOCKING: Don’t know. I don’t think they knew either.
INTERVIEWER: So they went and left Estelle behind?
HOCKING: I guess.
INTERVIEWER: How many people are out there now? Harmonic Bliss
devotees?
HOCKING: I’d guess five or six actually staying there. I mean, the
number goes, like, up and down. She’s not holding people prisoner,
they’re there voluntarily. But they like it there.
INTERVIEWER: Are they armed?
HOCKING: No. No guns, come on. Estelle hates that shit. These are
peaceful people trying to understand the world and find a better
way through it.
176
SENECA WHIRLWIND Memo
177
Dr. Deep’s Analysis Handout
178
Pnakotic Entities Report Page 1
179
Pnakotic Entities Report Page 2
180

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// Control Group //

ARC DREAM PUBLISHING PRESENTS DELTA GREEN: CONTROL GROUP

Wormwood Arena.................................. 144

Introduction The astronauts have been training for a satellite

Weintraub, or O’Neil as an alternate, on a covert shut- Q: What does BLACKSAT do?

Q: Is there a threat? If pressed for details, O’Neil and Weintraub

>> Weintraub’s Technobabble

Any astronaut can help him, either physically

and O’Neil test. The descriptions below give a good sense of

Launch Explain to Spay’s and McMillan’s players that,

»» T+4 MINUTES 56 SECONDS: Radio is still out. With

Conversations questioning requires a Persuade test. If the Persuade

Spacewalk Spay must make a Pilot (Spacecraft) roll for

In the Airlock Stepping Out

Shuttle Abort Modes

Abort to Orbit (ATO)

Inflight Crew Escape System (ICES)

Athletics 60% Medicine 0% Survival 50 %

Dodge 30% Pilot: Science (Physics) 40%

Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted

Athletics 50% Medicine 0% Survival 30 %

Dodge 30% Pilot: Science (Physics) 30%

Athletics 30% Medicine 80 % Survival 10 %

Dodge 30% Pilot:

Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted

Athletics 50% Medicine 0% Survival 40 %

Dodge 30% Pilot:

Athletics 50% Medicine 0% Survival 40 %

Dodge 30% Pilot: Language (Chinese) 50%

Introduction We sometimes use the general term “soldier” to

Fire Team Alpha

Fire Team Bravo

Doc Martens boots. She is tanned and fine-featured, Hoagie or Rambam

Answers to Possible Questions

My Summer With the Gaths

Consulting the Locals medicine for rocket propelled grenades. He considers

Gat h Vall ey Loca tion s

Entering Gath Valley

Doom School in Gath Valley

If the Soldiers Chill It Out Getting Out

>> Fending Off Attacks

1D10 Skill 1D10 Skill

(1–2) Alertness (1–2) Alertness

If the character did not tell anyone about the

not take more than two Hellfire missiles at most to HP 9 WP 9 SAN 0

The PK machine guns are mounted on two technicals

degrees of opacity. Their hairless heads are their most HP 40 WP 10

M9 pistol 40%, damage 1D10.

Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted

Athletics 30% Medicine 0% Survival 10 %

Dodge 30% Pilot:

Athletics 60% Medicine 0% Survival 40 %

Dodge 60% Pilot:

Athletics 50% Medicine 0% Survival 10 %

Dodge 30% Pilot:

Athletics 50% Medicine 0% Survival 10 %

Dodge 40% Pilot:

Violence    adapted Helplessness    adapted

Athletics 70% Medicine 0% Survival 10 %

Dodge 50% Pilot:

Athletics 50% Medicine 0% Survival 10 %

Dodge 50% Pilot:

Introduction damage, a laptop is useless. Each Researcher also has

Briefing Memo Handout