Brain Freeze

Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © the anonymous author (see contest details, 2024 Delta Green Shotgun Scenario Contest), excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.

Cold Open

One rainy day, Agents respond to a pre-scheduled meeting at an abandoned adult store in East Texas. These meetings are a habit of their case officer, agent Hendricks, used to check in on Agents. After some time waiting, he doesn’t show up or respond to contact attempts. Two gunshots bring the Agents outside, only to find the corpse of Hendricks in a [[[#h.dmg6zalg75rk | snow-covered truck]]].

Background

In the 1970’s on an expedition in Alaska, the Bowman family encountered an idol of Itla-Shua. Unwittingly, they released an avatar of Itla-Shua, set on changing the environment through an unnatural [[[#h.emhydqpa4uhu | infection]]]. This allows Itla-Shua to effortlessly manifest in warmer climates.  The Bowmans fled Alaska, believing the force was tied to the arctic environment. They moved back to the family farm in Gary Texas. However, the Avatar followed, eventually infecting them and settling in a pond on the family property. Later the idol was recovered from the expedition ruins by Delta Green.

The family discovered consuming human flesh would stall the infection and feed the Avatar. They cannibalize anyone who comes close to them, both to survive and contain the infection.

Hendricks tracked the Idol from Alaska to a Green Box in Seattle. This led him to the Bowmans. He and his partner began investigating the family. Eventually, they were both infected, his partner succumbing to it. He left her in Green Box in Gary. Also, he rescued a drifter from the property who later died. When he returned to the farm for the last time, he was attacked. Hendricks escaped in the family’s farm truck.  Realizing he would die soon, he went to deliver his corpse with evidence to the Agents.

Infection

The infection is divided into 4 stages. A CON x 5 roll is required for initial infection. Infection occurs most commonly through the breath of a 3rd stage vector or proximity to a 4th stage corpse. An infected Agent should be at stage 3 by the end of the scenario.

1. After being infected, victims start to feel progressively colder and their throats become sore.  0/1d4 Helplessness

1. The victim's temperature drops to the point where they should be dead. They have a consistent brain freeze and feel scratching/licking from the other side of the roof of their mouth.

1. The roof of a victim's mouth splits open to form a slit-like maw. A seemingly infinite pulsating fleshy tunnel expands upward. Upon proximity to dead human flesh, the maw salivates and a long tongue emerges out towards the meat. Infected breath emanates through the hole. The maw will suck up any objects put through. The Agent feels the primal emotions of the Avatar such as hunger and pain, 1/1d8 san.

1. After a few days, unless human flesh is consumed the victim will die, altering the weather around them.

Stalling the Infection:

It cannot be cured until the Avatar is banished/killed. Using drugs to increase body temperature or cannibalism through the maw stalls the infection.

Sanitizing:

Destroying the victim's head stops any anomalous effects, any items put through the hole are gone.

Truck

The truck is a red, rusted, 1970s F-150, snow is falling on it in a 12ft radius despite the mild temperature 0/1 unnatural.

Clues

1. Hendricks is dead from two self-inflicted gunshot wounds, one in the chin, and one in the temple. No exit wound is found from the chin wound.
2. He is unnaturally cold, which has frozen much of the car’s interior.
3. A scar can be discovered with Medicine or Search on the roof of his mouth.
4. Information in the car connects it to a Bowman family outside of Gary Texas.
5. The keys and location of a storage unit in Gary.
6. Phone data shows both the green box and house location.
7. The weather effects follow the body until its destruction.

Infected:

All unprotected Agents who fail a CONx5 roll near Henricks or any other infected corpse are infected.

Green Box

The storage unit is frozen shut requiring a STR x5 roll to open. The freezing temperature emanates from three sources, two bodies and a crate. Inside the crate is the [[[#h.h3o80drui193 | idol.]]] A man’s body is hung by a meat hook. A beartrap is embedded into his right leg.  A woman's corpse lies on a table next to a medical fiber optic probe. She was Hendrick’s partner.  Also are the deeds to the Bowman farm.

Farm:

The Property has three landmarks. A [[[#h.75q1dc7gxtjb | farmhouse]]], a defunct [[[#h.g4g6dqqz6cf0 | grain elevator]]], and a [[[#h.1l8j8lrwi3k7 | frozen pond]]].  A [[[#h.s06nnuvatr00 | combine harvester]]] sits abandoned in the field, a potential weapon.

Traps

The fields are littered with makeshift traps to catch escapees. They can be detected with Military Science (Land) 40% or Alertness. The Handler can choose any of these, they only are present if Agents go off the beaten path.

1. Bear Trap: 1d6 damage, additional  1 damage for each time Agents try to move. STR x 5 or Craft (Mechanics) to break free.
2. Cartridge Traps[[| [1]]]: 1d10 damage, alerts the family.
3. Lawnmower Trap: Strings of razor wire attached to lawnmowers, activate upon hitting a tripwire. 1d8dam 0/1d4 san violence.
4. Piano Wire connecting trees or posts, 1d8 damage if run into, Alertness -20 to notice while running.
5. Punji Sticks: 1d4 damage

Farm House:

The farmhouse’s exterior is dilapidated, but the interior is well-maintained. Inside are the following.

Clues:

1. Kitchen: Skeletons under a crawl space and butcher tools.
2. Throughout the house are old photos of the Bowmans in Alaska. They depict the family as their present-day age.

Grain elevator:

A barn door covers the entrance to the gutted grain elevator. Three prefabricated refrigerator units have been stacked vertically inside. A scissor lift allows access between the fridges.

Clues:

1. The bottom two fridges are locked. A Locksmith or Craft (Mechanics) roll to open them. Inside are human and animal remains.
2. In the third fridge is a stash of [[[#h.lcpip4ynezr7 | makeshift weaponry]]] (see firepower), also within is the book [[[#h.kx6jd2b0nfgb | Invocations to Itla-Shua]]].

Pond:

The path to the pond is lined with half-buried cars, belonging to the previous victims. The frozen pond itself is at the bottom of the path, the icey cars provide a slippery path down. It is unsettlingly quiet here until the climax.

The Family

The family appears welcoming. Their goal is to separate the Agents, drug/kill them, and then consume the remains to contain the infection. Ideally, they will wait until dinner, drug the Agents, then kill and eat them. Only the mother and daughter can speak. They express sorrow over the Agent’s fate. Pa is catatonic without hypergeometry and Finnigan only uses hand motions.

Actions:

1. The family will underestimate the Agents, thinking they are just civilians.
2. They will plead with Agents that all infected must be consumed to keep the Avatar dormant, encouraging the Agents to commit suicide as a containment procedure.
3. They will defend themselves when attacked.
4. Each family member freezes in place when killed.

Defeating the Avatar:

Reaching the Climax:

Agents are likely to kill the Bowmans. Upon their deaths, the Avatar realizes its food source has been cut off, and killed. It awakens to defend itself, hunting down any threats.

Awakening:

The ice of the pond cracks and witnesses stare into the endless depths of the lake. The Avatar begins to swim upward through half-eaten corpses.

Description:

The Avatar is a colossal humanoid. It appears fetus-like. It drags itself across the ground, only standing up after 1d4+2 rounds. It is covered in sphincter-like holes that make a sickening squelching noise, Debris and small animal corpses are partially stuck inside. Slimy tongues occasionally emerge from the same holes, tasting for any potential food.

Firepower:

The Agents can use various equipment and makeshift weapons around the farm to attack the Avatar. Here are some examples but let Agents use their imagination to source their own weapons.

1. Combine Harvester: Heavy Machinery/Drive, 30 hp,  25% lethality
2. Shovel Launcher: 1d12+2 damage, Heavy Weapons, 3ap
3. Fertilizer bomb 30% lethality, Demolitions
4. Makeshift flamethrower: 10% lethality, Heavy Weapons

Unlinked:

With the Avatar’s death/banishment, the tubes that attach to the infected’s mouths are unlinked. The maws reseal, leaving only the scar behind. All other symptoms vanish.

San Rewards:

Agents receive 1d10 sanity for defeating the avatar of Itla-Shua.

Rituals/Artifacts

Reform the Windwalker

Found in the[[[#h.g4g6dqqz6cf0 | ]]][[[#h.g4g6dqqz6cf0 | Invocations to Itla Shua]]]  it returns the Avatar to Itla Shua. It requires consuming human flesh for the “journey”, and putting the idol through the hole. This requires dislocating the jaw of whomever it is fed to, 1d4 damage. The Avatar returns to the pond and vanishes. Alternatively, the tome instructs that a lesser idol using flesh from the Avatar (requiring 5 damage to remove a usable chunk) can be created. This alternative gives the Avatar 1d4+1 rounds to attack before it is dispelled. Cost: 1d8 san, 1d6 wp

Idol

The idol is made of carved ice, in the shape of the Avatar. It constantly emanates cold air, altering the environment around it. It cannot be melted, if exposed to high heat it will only decrease in temperature.

Stat Blocks:

Itla-Shua’s Avatar

Stats:

STR: 40 (200)  CON: 50 (250) DEX: 8 (40)  INT: 8 (40)  POW: 18 (90)

HP: 45 Armor: 8  WP: 20

San Loss: 1d4/1d12

Skills:

Alertness 50%, Swim 80%,

Abilities:

1. Smash: (40%): An arm reaches out to crush a target 15% lethality
2. Flood: A mix of water and bile expelled from the Avatar’s many holes. All uninfected targets are infected. A DEX x 5 - 20 roll is needed to not fall over.
3. Swallow (50%): If an opposed Swim roll is needed to resist it underwater. Any failed attempts at escaping are met with the many maws of the Avatar, likely victims will drown before being consumed. One last STR x 5 roll is needed to escape consumption.
4. Drown (Opposed POW x 5): An infected individual in their third stage is selected, and meaty vomit is expelled from the roof of the mouth down their throat. A failed CON x 5 roll is needed to expel it, otherwise, 1d4+1 damage is taken each turn until drowning or expulsion.
5. Resilient: A successful Lethality roll does not destroy the Avatar, but inflicts HP damage equal to the Lethality rating. Any Critical successes of small-arms attacks disconnect the tube from the shooter, resealing the maw.

Jedidiah Bowman, Family patriarch

Catatonic, will only awaken in times of emergency

Stats:

STR 8 (40), CON 9 (45), DEX 7 (35), INT 15 (75), POW 18 (90)

HP 8, WP 18

Skills:

Alertness 20, Demolitions 30, Firearms 40, History 45, HUMINT 40, Geology 80, Biology 50, Unarmed 30, Unnatural 40%

San Loss 0/1 to see Jerimiah animated

Abilities:

1. Unarmed (30%) 1d3+1 damage
2. Animation: animates himself to defend his family, using WP as HP (18). Takes 1d4 rounds. He appears to slide across the ground when moving.
3. .32 handgun (40%), 1d8 damage

Finigan (Eldest Son)

Large, ugly, and wants to protect the family at all costs

Stats:

STR: 14, CON 12, DEX 11, INT 18, POW 13

HP 13, WP 13, Armor 2 (Improvised Armor)

Skills:

Alertness 40%, Athletics 70%, Computer Science 40%, Craft (Mechanics) 70%, Craft (Electronics) 60%, Dodge 50%, Heavy Machinery 55%, Melee Weapons 70%, Unarmed Combat 60%

Abilities:

1. Chainsaw (70%), Lethality 12%
2. Throwing Cleaver (70%) 1d4+1 Damage

Martha (Ma) Bowman

Hospitable, guilty, takes charge of the family.

Stats:

STR 10 (50), CON 16 (80), DEX 8 (40), INT 12 (60), POW 13 (65)

HP 13, WP 13

Skills:

Alertness 35%, Athletics 40%, Art (Cooking) 80%, Dodge 60%, Melee Weapons 55%, Stealth 50%, Unarmed 45%

Abilities:

1. Cleaver (55%): 1d4+1
2. Syringe (55%): Filled with a home-brewed sedative this concoction knocks out an Agent on a failed CONx5 roll. While it only takes 1d10+5 minutes to wear off, the family will attempt to kill the subject before they awaken.
3. Boiling Water (40%): 1d4 damage, if caught in the kitchen she may throw a pot of scalding water at the nearest threat.

Betty (daughter)

Volatile, switches between acting like an adult and child, wants both to leave the farm and stay, appears 9

Stats:

STR 3 (15), CON 3 (15), DEX 14 (70), INT 12 (60), POW 6 (30)

HP 6, WP 6,

Skills:

Alertness 70%, Art (Drawling) 30%,  Dodge 70%, Melee Weapons 30%, Stealth 60%

Abilities:

1. Syringe (30%): Filled with a home-brewed sedative this concoction knocks out an Agent on a failed CONx5 roll. While it only takes 1d10+5 minutes to wear off, the family will attempt to kill the subject before they awaken.
2. Hide (60%): Betty will attempt to hide under furniture using her Stealth skill. She will ambush any unwary Agents at a +20 bonus.
3. Rusty Knife (30%): 1d4+1 Damage

Maps and Inspiration Photos

These are the photos found online used to describe the House and Grain Elevator.

House 1st floor map

Inspiration:

The Horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre inspired this scenario.

——[[| [1]]] Cartridge trap - Wikipedia

Credits

Brain Freeze was written by Sawyer Hill for the 2024 Shotgun Scenario contest.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ah7KH5QQTZg7Nri3g8miDHtXPdIYTUhDN7dEAslJ2V8/edit