In the basement of Bridgette Aldina’s home grows a flower never before seen on Earth. It flourishes in the darkness underneath the old house. The scent is intoxicating, and Bridgette has harnessed this flower for her home-based essential oil business. She claims it has powerful relaxation properties, and that it will cure you of your anxiety, depression, and many other ailments of the mind. It really did cure her of her anxiety and depression, but the truth is she never even had them. The flower is self-aware, and has taken hold of Bridgette’s mind, poisoning her to the truth.
Bridgette has begun making her own essential oils. Her business is called Fleur de Vie(French for Flower of Life). She started with popular basic scents; lavender, vanilla, peppermint, etc. Then she remembered the flowers of her childhood, the beautiful purple petals in the sodium-yellow of the exposed bulb lights of her parents’ basement. She inherited the decades-old house, but barely goes into the basement. To her surprise, the flowers had flourished, and nearly covered the entire dirt floor. Smelling them brought back so many memories of her childhood, and she knew she had to create a new oil from them. She marketed it as her signature oil, giving it the same name as her company.
The truth of the matter is that when the oil is diffused and then inhaled by a human, the cells begin to hyper-evolve, and the body dies.
The Demise of Gemma Laurel
Gemma Laurel was a 20-something woman living on her own in Portland, working part-time at a local organic market. She was single and lived alone, save for her cat, Mittens.
When they found her body, it didn’t resemble Gemma any longer. She was covered in tumours and boils, her limbs had extended to almost tentacle-like protrusions, and her bones had grown spurs that then burst forth from her skin. It was apparent she had died instantly, painfully, and horribly. A death like this quickly came to the attention of Delta Green, and they’ve kept it under wraps.
Found among her things was an oil diffuser, and a small vial of oil from a company called Fleur de Vie. Initial tests revealed biological components not found anywhere on Earth.
Delta Green learned quickly where Fleur de Vie was located, a residential address in Buffalo, NY. A local team is scrambled. This is where your agents come in.
The House of Aldina
The house that Bridgette inherited from her parents is two stories tall, plus the basement. She lives alone, never married or ever really dated.
The house itself has remained much the same as it did when her parents died three years ago. She kept their furniture, and even left the master bedroom the way it was the night of their car crash. She still sleeps in the same room she grew up in. The only change she’s made is that her mother’s sewing room is now the room where she makes her essential oils. In this room is a table littered with cheesecloth, glass containers, and pieces of purple flowers. On another smaller table in the corner are two crockpots.
In the basement is the bed of flowers she’s been using to create her new essential oil. Destroying them should prove easy, they offer up no defense. This is because the flowers have taken root in Bridgette’s brain, and are controlling things now. Bridgette is completely unaware of this, she truly thinks she’s making something that will help people.
If the agents arrive at night, Bridgette will be home, asleep.
It is suggested that the agents not arrive at night. Time is of the essence, and they need to put a stop to her operation as soon as possible. They’ll receive their directive in the middle of the day on a Saturday. The longer they wait, the more people could be exposed.
On the fridge is a flyer for the local Christmas Market, which of course takes place today. In case they don’t take that bait, on the nature photography calendar she has pinned to the wall, today’s date has been circled, with ‘CHRISTMAS MARKET 9AM’ scrawled within the circle.
Christmas Market
The market is held at the local convention center. A lot of people, a lot of vendors. And somewhere in there is an essential oil saleswoman, getting ready to murder all of these people.
The market opens at 9AM, and goes until 5PM.
Bridgette will start off using some of her basic oils, and keep the Fleur de Vie oil for when the market gets busier(closer to noon) and she can attract more shoppers. Of course the vegetation taking over her brain wants to do this to maximise the carnage and panic.
Once the party gets going, the flowers infesting Bridgette’s brain will try to make a break for it. There should be multiple avenues for escape. Two major entrances, plus fire escapes, washrooms with windows, etc.
Stats & Game Effects
Fleur de Vie
Anyone who inhales this diffused oil must make an immediate CONx5 check. If failed they begin to succumb to the effects. They immediately take 2D6 damage as their bones try to burst from the flesh, their arms and legs begin to stretch, and their skin erupts in boils and tumours. This also imposes a -20% roll on all skill and stat checks.
Another check must be made every minute you stay exposed. The -20% applies to this check as well, as your body breaks down.
The range of the vapor produced by the oil being diffused is up to the Handler. It could range far thanks to air circulation, or it could be small and simply cause a lot of panic.
Observing The Transformation
Seeing one person succumb to the oil is a Violent Sanity Threat, causing 0/1D6 Sanity Loss.
Seeing multiple people succumb to the oil causes 1/1D8 Sanity Loss.
Credits
This was an entry to the 2017 Delta Green shotgun scenario contest, written by Lex.