Homogeneous Variables
written by muntah
A former Delta Green Agent uses statistical hypergeometry to cure her loneliness.
Background
While growing up, Maddison Abernathy (Agent Kellogg) was always a loner and never fit in with her peers. She excelled during her studies in statistics, trying to rationalize and mathematize her loneliness. When Delta Green knocked on her door and said they “needed” her, she was ecstatic.During a mission she found a research paper titled Chants of Replication: A Remedy for Singularity. Understanding the possible implications, her brain pulsed with visions of an endless herd of goats distributing in the blackness between stars, connected in blissful unity, elements associated with the Mother Goddess Shub-Niggurath. Being distracted by her discovery, the operation went wrong and one Agent of her cell got killed. Amidst the ensuing chaos Abernathy pocketed the paper, unbeknownst Delta Green.During a routine check at her gynecologist, she was diagnosed with being infertile and this denied her the last opportunity to gain human companionship by means of reproduction. This pushed her over the edge.With her sanity in steep decline, she was prepared to use the Chants of Replication and create the perfect offspring and community. One where she was destined to fit in: Herself.
The Briefing
Three days ago, Delta Green came across surveillance footage showing Abernathy being at multiple places at the same time in a city of the Handler’s choosing. Using public records, it was learned that Abernathy purchased an abandoned mall in the outskirts of that city. Agents are called in to investigate. They are supplied with pistols, MP7 submachine guns (see Stat Block) and a car.Nobody knows that Abernathy and her clones have sound-proofed the main building and established a dance floor in the empty swimming pool. The ritual is in full effect, accelerated by each supplicant joining the chants.
Getting into the Club
The mall can only be entered from an unlocked office area, desolate with abandoned cubicles. In the far back of the floor, rhythmic electronic music is coming from behind a magnetically locked door. Agents find several ways to open the door:
- override the electronics on the biometric scanner
- hack the single computer in the office to obtain the override code
- in a separate area behind a curtain lies a corpse of a clone, a result of the first and only failed replication. Agents can carry the corpse or remove a finger (0/1 SAN from violence)
With the door open, the Agents descend a small concrete staircase and enter the coat check. Several of the same unisex outfits (handlers’ decision) and a tray with ear plugs are stacked on the counter. A large sign informs the party goers:“Dress for the Occasion! Respect the Mood”
Behind the coat check is also a staff corridor which leads directly to the DJ set.
- if the Agents dress accordingly, they can conceal their weapons and body armor under the outfits. The crowd will largely ignore them. Agents can interact with the crowd unimpeded
- if the Agents dress moderately, they will be asked by some party goers what they are doing here (Persuade)
- if the Agents enter the dance floor with drawn weapons or in full protective gear, panic ensues among the clones and the fight against Abernathy begins (see Confrontation)
The Club
Once inside, the Agents feel the blasting beats of the music in their stomachs. The empty pool has a depth-slope from 30 cm to 240 cm. It is filled with 250 dancers, all of them a copy of Abernathy. Hidden among them is the original.Given the unnatural character of the ritual, the clones exhibit the full range from featureless aberration to horned beastwomen and everything in between. They are not aware of their unnatural appearance. Seeing this costs 1/1D4 SAN from the unnatural.Spotting the properly dressed Agents fills the clones with a sense of happiness. Finally, somebody has come to share their company with them. Each clone has their own agency, they do however share the same alienation and social awkwardness of the original Abernathy. They are determined to protect this haven to their death.
The club has the following areas:
- empty pool as dance floor, entrance via the shallow end
- DJ set on the edge of the deep end
- bathrooms
- maintenance area with chlorination machinery
Have the Agents mingle with the crowd and let them consider their options.
Lethal Approach
Agents can immediately attack the clones and kill indiscriminately.Alternatively, Agents can activate the pool’s chlorination machinery and gas everybody on the dance floor. Given the extensive sound-proofing Abernathy has done, there is only one exit out: Through the coat check. With the available chemicals it takes 15 minutes to kill everybody outside the maintenance area. Someone would have to keep the door shut to keep the clones from stopping the gas production.Have the players know that the human nose can detect chlorine well, so the clones might react faster than Agents would expect. Inform the players that this act of genocide will have dire consequences on their sanity (1D6/1D10 SAN from violence).
Social Approach
If the Agents try to mingle with the crowd, the anti-social behavior of Abernathy and her clones become apparent.Social skills receive a penalty of -50% at the start. As the Agents interact more with the same psyche, they become adapted and learn to “read” Abernathy’s clones and in turn also Abernathy herself.If the Agents asked questions into Abernathy’s character or psychological profile during the briefing, reward them with a starting penalty of -20% instead.Each Persuade or HUMINT skill check improves the penalty by +10% (fail), +30% (success) or +50% (crit). Explain to the players that they have just gained valuable insight into Abernathy’s character by interacting with one of her clones. Encourage the players to interact with different clones and slowly build rapport with the psyche of Abernathy.After a couple of questions, the Agents should be able to socially manipulate the clones for them to disclose which one is the real Abernathy.If the Agents have accumulated a total bonus of +70% they are able to appeal to Abernathy’s humanity. They could suggest to overcome her loneliness via adoption or participation in a community of like-minded people. With a sufficient bonus the Agents can ask her to surrender and follow them to their case officers. Upon leaving the swimming pool with the Agents, Abernathy ends the ritual and all clones dissipate into nothingness.
Detective Approach
When investigating the DJ set, Agents can find the original Chants of Replication. A cursory glance with a basic understanding of Mathematics or another suitable skill reveals that the clones adhere to statistical variation. Clones either exhibit goat-like features, no facial features at all or a wide variance in between. The degree of these mutations’ ranges from subtle (goat-pupils) to extreme (set of horns). Abernathy is the perfect average with no mutations. This revelation costs 0/1 SAN from the unnatural.Standing at the DJ set and looking into the crowd (Alertness), Agents can observe that everybody performs the same dance moves (failure). With a success the Agent realizes that one dancer does a move first and all others follow suit. That dancer is Abernathy.If the Agents turn off the music, one clone will take the ladder out of the pool and try to turn the music back on, most likely making contact with the Agents.
Confrontation
There is a possibility that the Agents will not be able to find the original Abernathy or deduce that full extermination is the only option.Abernathy is determined to protect the haven she has created for herself to the death. Once Abernathy has been found or directly confronted the music stops, but the dancefloor remains dark.When entering combat all clones become fully lethargic and do not fight the Agents, they simply stand in stupor. Several clones around Abernathy burst into black ichor, which she absorbs. Slender limbs shoot out of the frail woman’s body and prop her up a few meters above the agents. She grows thick black fur, horns, red glowing eyes and begins to shoot black ichor at the Agents from her newly formed arms (0/1 SAN from Unnatural).Given that all clones are still somehow connected to the original Abernathy they share one HP pool.To convey the shared health pool, the Handler should describe in detail that each injury to one clone can be felt by Abernathy, and vice versa.
Resolution
If Abernathy has been killed after she transformed, each Agent gains 1D4 SAN.If the Agents persuade Abernathy to follow them to Delta Green, each Agent gains 1 SAN.
Stat Block
Maddison Abernathy
Deranged Loner and Capric Messenger, age 35
STR 9 CON 9 DEX 21 INT 18 POW 14 CHA 6
HP 250 WP 8 SAN 0
SKILLS: Accounting 83%, HUMINT 11%, Persuade 23%, Occult 49%, Science (Mathematics) 91%, Unarmed Combat 20%, Unnatural 30%
ATTACKS: Hurl of black ichor 40%, 2D6, Armor Piercing 4; Area of Effect 3 meters. Upon failure Abernathy kills 2D6 of her own clones. Upon a fumble she kills 12 clones. Before each attack Abernathy consumes five clones, losing 5 HP
ARMOR: 4 points of matted fur
MOTHER OF MOTHERS: All Lethality rolls against Abernathy fail.FOR WE ARE ONE: For each point of damage Abernathy takes a clone dies. At the beginning of combat Abernathy infuses herself with ten clones, which is already reflected in her scores.FOR WE ARE MANY: At the beginning of combat there is a total of 239 clones on the dance floor. Whenever a clone dies, Abernathy loses 1 HP. Clones have 1 HP. Clones are fully lethargic during battle and do not attack the Agents.
Chants of Replication: A Remedy for Singularity
In English. Study time: days. Unnatural +2%, SAN loss 2D6.Simple Ritual. Activation: hours, 1 SAN.
An incantation which is called forth by rhythmic movement from the operator. The activation time can be reduced by minutes for each person participating in the ritual.The ritual increases the operator's HP by one and calls forth a clone of them. Clones have 1 HP. If a clone is killed, the operator loses that 1 HP.The operator can consciously end the ritual and release the clones, which then dissipate into nothingness. The operator loses all HP gained during the ritual.Clones enter reality with the body of an adult, share the traits of the operator’s personality, but possess their own agency. If asked, they will participate in subsequent iterations of the ritual.Given the nature of the ritual, the clones exhibit the full presence of Shub-Niggurath’s touch or are devoid of he presence. The clones are featureless aberrations, beastpeople and everything in between.
HK MP7 Submachine Gun
Base Range 150 m Damage 1D8+2
Ammo Capacity 40 Armor Piercing 4
Lethality 15%, all modes of fire
Selective Fire Ammo Used Kill Radius
Short Burst 3 None
Long Burst 5 2 m
Short Spray 10 3 m
Long Spray 20 4 m
Music Recommendations
- Magna – Divide
- M.O.O.N – Paris
- Gesaffelstein – Hate or Glory
- Julian Winding – The Demon Dance
Legal Information
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 © muntah, excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.This is not an official publication. For Delta Green books and games, please visit: www.delta-green.com.
Written for the 2025 Delta Green shotgun scenario contest
Image created using this-person-does-not-exist.com.
Feedback and criticism from the Star Chamber 2025 wase used.
Special thanks for playtesting and feedback: Draguno, Janesses, iimysteryii, imladris8, Potty, SomeGoodNoise.
Credits
Homogenious Variables was written by muntah for the 2025 Shotgun Scenario contest.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CUKCrXvWYeXl0gkyYiy93nPMknNGDL3zBOct4Z_G88g/edit