False Tides
Have players describe what their Agents are doing at 9:00 AM on December 31st. Afterwards, describe how Agents are contacted and ordered to fly to Kodiak, Alaska immediately. For Agents not in Alaska, this is an Unusual Expense. If an Agent is with a Bond, they must succeed on a CHA or Persuade test to explain their absence or lose 1D4 points from the Bond. If an Agent is at work, they must succeed on a Bureaucracy or Persuade test to shirk responsibilities or face official review.
Gear is limited to what fits into luggage on short notice. Agents unprepared for freezing temperatures (Agent’s Handbook, page 63) can spend a Standard Expense on proper equipment.
The Agents land at 5:00 PM on December 31st. On arrival, Agents are met by Aleksandr Melnyk, a gregarious, gray-bearded Friendly with an intractable cough. Medicine at 50% notes Melnyk’s sunken temples are a possible sign of cancer. Military Science at 40% notes Melnyk’s military posture. Alertness or Criminology at 50% note Russian criminal tattoos peeking out from Melnyk’s sleeves. Anthropology or Foreign Language (Russian or Ukrainian) at 40% note that despite his Russian accent, Melnyk has a Ukrainian surname. HUMINT at 60% notes that Melnyk’s amiability belies sharpness and suspicion. However, Psychotherapy at 50% notes this is an old vigilance, the kind that develops under totalitarian regimes. The Agent with the best rapport with Melnyk, or failing that, the youngest Agent, becomes Melnyk’s buddy.
In Melnyk’s car is Agent Sinclair, the Agents’ Handler. Sinclair looks like a washed-up country music star who stumbled into an M.D. He condescends to Agents with INT under 15 but feels threatened by Agents trained in Science or Medicine. Criminology, Medicine, or Pharmacy at 50% note Sinclair is under the effect of stimulants; he acts petulant if this is pointed out. As Melnyk drives the Agents to his seaplane at the marina, Sinclair tells Agents the following:
- Unga Island in the Aleutians East Borough, allegedly uninhabited since the 1980s census, has been occupied by a cult for an unknown timespan.
- The cult of at least 8 members worships an Aleutian interpretation of the Deep Ones.
- Deep Ones are aquatic humanoids (AH) that can interbreed with humans. Humans with AH genetics develop an obsession with the sea and compulsion to transmit AH genetic material, which acts like a virus and mutates infected into Deep Ones.
- Delta Green started after raiding a village that worshiped and interbred with Deep Ones. As such, The Program is invested in preventing future incursions.
- Agents are to pose as EPA employees (fake IDs included) investigating heavy metal levels in Unga Island’s inhabitants. Agents will instead administer a blood-test analysis for Biomarker A (Handler’s Guide, page 274) and eliminate vectors for AH genetic transmission.
Successfully rolling HUMINT against Sinclair’s Persuade determines he is shockingly truthful in some areas, but deliberately withholding in others.
Successful Alertness or Search checks note the plane’s serial number or, once inside, Melnyk’s rifle’s serial number. The flight to Unga Island takes 1 hour.
Researching Melnyk or his rifle (Bureaucracy, Computer Science, or Military Science) reveals their connection to the Breckenridge Corporation, a PMC with ties to GRU and March Technologies. Agents looking specifically into the latter – a bleeding-edge defense contractor secretly aligned with The Program – can find more on Sinclair as below.
Researching the plane (Bureaucracy or Computer Science) reveals its connection to Sinclair, also known as Dr. Lewis Riley, Junior Vice President of March Technologies’ Biological Resources Division. Sinclair’s digital footprint reveals previous employment with the EPA, genetics research with the University of Alaska Anchorage, and multiple couples’ photos from short-lived relationships.
Researching Unga Island (Bureaucracy, Computer Science, History, or Anthropology) reveals it is a National Natural Landmark with a petrified forest, an old fishing station and cannery, two abandoned mines, and a ghost town. The Native Village of Unga is an Aleutian tribal entity headquartered in Sand Point, 9.5 miles away by boat.
Researching anything relating to Deep Ones or the purported cult reveals nothing.
Just before landing Sinclair updates Katherine Oakes, The Program’s Director of Security. The call is tense, with long stretches of silence. At the end, Sinclair says, “I love you,” and hangs up. A roll is not required to know this is highly unprofessional and unusual.
Once on the island, a Luck roll is needed when connecting to the internet. The satellite phones held by Sinclair and Melnyk always connect.
The Unga Island “cult” are simply individuals from the Native Village of Unga reclaiming unused ancestral land; the individuals are no more dangerous than anyone else, and zero ties to the Deep Ones exist. All pretexts for the Opera have been fabricated by The Program due to an information-sharing deal with March Technologies, who have their own deal with GRU SV-8, who have their own deal with the Propavsheye – who see the island as a useful for drug and human trafficking. The island’s tactical potential as a foothold in the Bering Sea is understood with Criminology at 50% or Military Science at 40%.
Recently, a skiff of Propavsheye thugs visited Unga Island and attempted to intimidate inhabitants into leaving. When Agents arrive, they are met by Arlo and Ira, the power couple serving as the inhabitants’ de-facto leaders. Arlo, a former Interpretive Ranger, and Ira, a former Wildland Firefighter, are armed and wary. Two snarling Alaskan huskies wait at their command.
Agents receive +20% to interactions if they display cultural humility or show interest in seeing the community thrive. Agents receive -20% to interactions if they are visibly armed or demonstrate an interest in evicting the community.
The blood-test analysis kit for Biomarker A has been altered to always display false positives. Anyone trained in Science might think to test non-inhabitants as controls. Agents who self-test and mistakenly believe they have AH genetics lose 1/1D4 SAN from helplessness. Realizing The Program may have tampered with the kit costs 1/1D4 SAN from helplessness.
Sinclair denies any issues with the kit and insists the “cult” is a time bomb that must be eliminated. If Agents agree, civilian murders cost 1/1D10 SAN from violence. Accepting the murders but not participating costs 1/1D8 SAN from helplessness. The effect is additive, for a maximum of 10 SAN from violence or 8 from helplessness.
If Agents refuse, Sinclair storms off. He updates Security Director Oakes and then orders the Agents and Melnyk to stall the inhabitants while he obtains a second blood-test analysis kit. Sinclair then takes the plane, which flies off in 10 rounds.
If Arlo and Ira are positively disposed to the Agents, they invite Agents to join the celebrations surrounding Quviasukvik, a festival with Inuit origins and Christian influences that celebrates the coming of the new year and the sea goddess Sedna.
While Agents are occupied with food and fireworks, Melnyk sabotages the few fishing boats scattered on the shore while under the cover of darkness. Agents can discover this by rolling Alertness at -20% against his Stealth, or Searching the boats at -20%. Agents may also hear Melnyk discussing tactics in Russian on his phone.
1D4 hours after the plane leaves, a boat with 4 Propavsheye arrives to kill everyone. Melnyk works to save his buddy, but otherwise follows orders to assist the Propavsheye. Arlo and Ira fight back, but the other inhabitants either flee or freeze. Realizing The Program ordered everyone’s deaths costs Agents 1/1D6 SAN from helplessness.
There is nearly no cover to speak of. However, if the Agents survive, they have several problems: explaining the situation, tending to the wounded, and escaping the island.
Agents can stabilize 2D4 injured with a successful First Aid check after 1D4 hours of care. If the check fails or is interrupted by Security Director Oakes, only half are stabilized.
Agents looking to escape realize all boats were damaged in the firefight and need a successful Craft (Mechanic) check after 3D4 hours of repairs to Pilot off the island.
1D4 hours after the firefight, a Coast Guard helicopter arrives with Security Director Oakes. The Search and Rescue team addresses the wounded while she approaches the Agents. It’s clear she is accustomed to being the most dangerous person in any room. Criminology, Medicine, or Pharmacy at 50% note she, like Sinclair, also partakes in stimulants; she ignores commentary on this. She disavows Sinclair as a lone actor negotiating with PMCs, Russian intelligence, and criminals for personal gain. Agents recognize her voice from Sinclair’s phone call on the plane with an INTx5 check. If Agents confront Security Director Oakes’ version of the truth, they must make a Luck roll or she will order their deaths. Counterarguments with Persuade or applicable skills each provide a +20% bonus, to a maximum of +40%. On a failure, she ensures the helicopter crashes while the Agents are on it.
Regardless of what happens, Security Director Oakes lives to bury the events on Unga Island. As for any surviving inhabitants, they never return.
Maps
NPCs
Agent Sinclair, aka. Dr. Lewis Riley
Scientist desperate for validation, age 42
STR 8, CON 9, DEX 9, INT 16, POW 14, CHA 13
HP 9 WP 14 SAN 53 BREAKING POINT 42
Motivations and Disorders: Do what The Program won’t dare.
Prove his value to March Technologies.
Advance humanity’s knowledge.
Win over Katherine Oakes.
Addiction (stimulants).
Adapted to helplessness.
Bonds: Security Director Katherine Oakes, lover, 6.
Irina Petrov, soon-to-be ex-wife, 5.
Skills: Bureaucracy 50%, First Aid 60%, Foreign Language (Aleut) 20%, Foreign Language (Russian) 20%, Foreign Language (Yupik) 20%, Medicine 80%, Pilot (Small Plane) 40%, Persuade 40%, Pharmacy 50%, Science (Biology) 60%, Science (Ecology) 50%, Science (Genetics) 70%, Search 40%, Survival 30%.
Attacks: Bear spray CONx5 test, targets who fail are stunned and suffer a -20% penalty to all actions for 1 hour. Targets who succeed suffer a -10% penalty to all actions for 1 hour.
Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4-2.
Aleksandr Melnyk, Breckenridge Corporation Contractor
Gangster who lived too long, age 67
STR 15, CON 9, DEX 12, INT 14, POW 13, CHA 11
HP 12 WP 13 SAN 46 BREAKING POINT 39
Armor: Reinforced Kevlar vest (Armor 4).
Bonds: Grandchildren, 7.
Motivations and Disorders: Die meaningfully.
Leave his family financially secure.
Protect his family from GRU.
Remain loyal to the Propavsheye.
PTSD.
Adapted to violence.
Skills: Alertness 60%, Athletics 40%, Bureaucracy 30%, Criminology 50%, Dodge 40%, Driving 40%, Firearms 50%, First Aid 30%, Foreign Language (Russian) 50%, Heavy Weapons 50%, HUMINT 50%, Law 20%, Melee Weapons 50%, Military Science (Land) 40%, Navigate 40%, Persuade 50%, Pilot (Small Plane) 40%, Search 40%, Stealth 50%, Survival 50%, Swim 40%, Unarmed Combat 60%.
Attacks: Glock 20 pistol 50%, damage 1D12.
Remington Model 700 50%, damage 1D12+2, Armor Piercing 5. An attack with the Remington Model 700 in the turn immediately after it’s fired is at −20%. The Remington Model 700 gets no benefit from the Aim action on the turn immediately after it’s fired.
Survival knife 50%, damage 1D6+1, Armor Piercing 3.
Unarmed 60%, damage 1D4.
Telescopic sight: Doubles the Remington Model 700’s base range if Melnyk spent the previous turn taking the Aim action.
Propavsheye Gunmen
Psychopaths expanding their territory, ages 21-40
STR 13 CON 12 DEX 13 INT 10 POW 12 CHA 8
HP 13 WP 12 SAN 50 BREAKING POINT 48
Armor: Kevlar vest (Armor 3).
Bonds: The Propavsheye, 8.
Motivations and Disorders: Intermittent explosive disorder.
Adapted to violence.
Skills: Alertness 40%, Athletics 40%, Criminology 40%, Dodge 40%, Driving 40%, Firearms 50%, Foreign Language (Russian) 50%, Foreign Language (Ukrainian) 50%, HUMINT 40%, Melee Weapons 40%, Military Science (Land) 40%, Persuade 40%, Search 40%, Stealth 40%, Unarmed Combat 50%.
Attacks: AK-47 assault rifle 50%, damage 1D12+1 or Lethality 10%, Armor Piercing 3.
Bayonet, fixed, 40%, damage 1D8+1, Armor Piercing 3.
Unarmed 50%, damage 1D4.
Arlo Dyakanoff
Leader of the Unga Island revival, age 57
STR 12 CON 12 DEX 11 INT 11 POW 12 CHA 11
HP 12 WP 12 SAN 60 BREAKING POINT 48
Bonds: Ira, wife, 11.
Nicky, daughter, 11.
Motivations and Disorders: Revive Unangax̂ (Aleut) language and traditions.
Find the next generation of leaders.
Be a good husband to Ira.
Live long enough to hold the grandkids.
Make this Quviasukvik festival the best yet.
Skills: Anthropology 40%, Archeology 40%, Bureaucracy 50%, Firearms 40%, First Aid 60%, Foreign Language (Aleut) 45%, Forensics 50%, History 60%, HUMINT 60%, Navigate 40%, Persuade 60%, Science (Ecology) 60%, Search 50%, Survival 60%.
Attacks: Hunting rifle 40%, damage 1D12, Armor Piercing 3. An attack with the hunting rifle in the turn immediately after it’s fired is at −20%. The Hunting Rifle gets no benefit from the Aim action on the turn immediately after it’s fired.
Knife 30%, damage 1D4, Armor Piercing 3.
Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4−1.
Ira Syvertson
Leader of the Unga Island revival, age 54
STR 12 CON 12 DEX 11 INT 11 POW 12 CHA 11
HP 12 WP 12 SAN 60 BREAKING POINT 48
Bonds: Arlo, husband, 11.
Nicky, daughter, 11.
Cooper, son-in-law, 11.
Motivations and Disorders: Protect the Unga Island community.
Always stay ahead of problems.
Race in the Iditarod.
Be a good wife to Arlo.
Live long enough to hold the grandkids.
Skills: Alertness 50%, Athletics 60%, Craft (Dog Training) 40%, Craft (Electrician) 40%, Craft (Mechanic) 40%, Demolitions 50%, Drive 50%, First Aid 50%, Foreign Language (Aleut) 45%, Forensics 40%, Heavy Machinery 50%, Navigate 50%, Search 40%, Survival 50%, Swim 40%
Attacks: Shotgun 50%, damage 2D8. An attack with the shotgun against a target with an Armor Rating due to armor or cover doubles the target’s Armor Rating.
Hatchet 30%, damage 1D4.
Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4−1.
Alaskan Husky
Man’s best friend
STR 12 CON 13 DEX 13 POW 10
HP 8 WP 12
Armor: Fur (1 Armor).
Skills: Alertness 70%, Track by Smell 80%.
Attacks: Bite 30%, damage 1D6.
Knockdown 50%, the dog then attempts an opposed STRx5 test to knock the target prone.
Unga Island Inhabitants
Civilians looking to start anew, ages 18-65
STR 10 CON 10 DEX 10 INT 10 POW 10 CHA 10
HP 10 WP 10 SAN 50 BREAKING POINT 40
Bonds: any.
Motivations and Disorders: any.
Skills: Alertness 30%, Athletics 30%, Bureaucracy 30%, Drive 30%, Firearms 30%, Foreign Language (Aleut) 45%, HUMINT 30%, Navigate 30%, Persuade 30%, Stealth 30%, Survival 30%.
Attacks: roll a D6 to determine what weapon an inhabitant has access to.
- Pistol or revolver 30%, damage 1D10.
- Pepper spray or bear spray CONx5 test, targets who fail are stunned and suffer a -20% penalty to all actions for 1 hour. Targets who succeed suffer a -10% penalty to all actions for 1 hour.
- Knife 30%, damage 1D4, Armor Piercing 3.
- Wood axe 30%, damage 1D10.
- Walking stick, baseball bat, or plank 30%, damage 1D8.
- Flashlight, hammer, or rock 30%, damage 1D6.
Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4−1.
USCG Search and Rescue
Sailors prepared to go out but not come back, ages 18-30
STR 14 CON 15 DEX 11 INT 10 POW 12 CHA 10
HP 15 WP 12 SAN 60 BREAKING POINT 48
Skills: Alertness 60%, Athletics 60%, Craft (Electrician) 40%, Craft (Mechanic) 40%, First Aid 50%, Foreign Language (Spanish) 20%, HUMINT 40%, Navigate 50%, Pilot (Small Boat) 50%, Pilot (Helicopter) 30%, Science (Meteorology) 50%, Swim 60%
Attacks: Survival Knife 30%, damage 1D6+1, Armor Piercing 3.
Unarmed 40%, damage 1D4.
Security Director Oakes (Handler’s Guide, page 286)
Credits
False Tides was written by Ryan Guillen for the 2024 Shotgun Scenario contest.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p-CUVl8QX_oICorCgZtxKT4Ve74nB9Bfdy1YyN8rFis/edit