A DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN SCENARIO
Lunch time. A blood-stained teenage girl stumbles into the Corialus shopping mall in Albuquerque, NM. In the food-court she snatches food from patrons’ tables.
Two security guards approach – and are torn apart. Some patrons flee. Others are trapped.
Albuquerque police (APD) clear the rest of the mall, form a cordon, put SWAT by the food-court.
The girl eats. Wanders aimlessly. Cries.
Agents arrive half-an-hour into the siege. They’ve two hours (real-time) before SWAT goes in. Case Officer Glass is their liaison.
THE TRUTH
The “teenager” is 20-year-old Merry Mitkiss.
4-years ago Merry was rescued by APD from her father, Roger, and his cult. A college-professor-cum-cult-leader, Roger used terrible science to unlock psychic potential. Four of his children died in his experiments before police stopped him.
Suffering from malnutrition and little education, Merry is behind her peers emotionally and physically. Since her rescue she’s lived with a “foster” family – the Sanchezes.
This morning, two murderous criminals – Justin Hocknaw (31) and Elvis Lee (28) – kidnapped Merry on her way to the store. Bundling her into a van, they drove to their home-cum-murder-lair, a 30-minute walk from Corialus Mall.
Merry’s powers awakened. Her invisible friend from childhood – Mr. Huggs – manifested to protect her. Elvis Lee was torn apart, Hocknaw survived. Merry escaped, walking to the mall in a daze. Her invisible friend thought the two guards a threat and killed them.
Meanwhile, Hocknaw – product of a rough childhood – wakes to find he too has an invisible friend: Hacksaw. Unlike Merry, he is happy to use it for evil.
THE SCENE
The mall is a typical plaza, food court on ground floor. Big windows face the street. A crowd gathers.
A command center in the parking-lot offers a view through the windows. Commander Luis Alvarez runs things. He’s been told Agents are arriving and defers to their opinions if sound. Otherwise he’ll kick them out.
FACTS
The girl is approximately 15YOA, barefoot, in shorts and top. She’s covered in blood, some from the guards, some apparently hers.
Alvarez would prefer a non-violent approach but if anyone gets hurt or shooting starts, SWAT goes in immediately.
Talking to eyewitnesses: 50% think she’s got a gun, 50% aren’t sure. All agree the girl seemed dazed. A few saw something beside her – a big frog, teddy-bear, shadow. Paramedics say it’s stress.
DOCTOR LOMAX
Ted Lomax (52) has been Merry’s psychiatrist since her rescue. He saw the news and is attempting to get into the cordon. Agents spot him arguing with patrolmen.
He offers Merry’s name, age and history as victim of an obscure new-age cult (he knows little of its beliefs). He’s tried calling Merry but her phone just rings (it’s at Hocknaw’s house). He knows the Sanchezes are good people – husband, wife, foster kids. Everyone’s worried sick.
He demands to see Merry in person. Cops won’t let him. Agents must smuggle him in.
RESEARCH
Remind Agents they’re on a time-limit.
The cult’s arrest only made local news. Roger’s serving life at the Penitentiary of New Mexico, Santa Fe. He’s talkative, charming, manic. He loves talking about his beliefs, his techniques – especially if they work.
The cult sought to transcend reality via drugs, isolation and a Tillinghast Resonator. Anyone’s pineal gland can be wrenched open. It’s easier with kids.
The cult’s ranch is abandoned in the desert: a farmstead of tumbledown shacks, in the storm-shelter a rusting sensory-deprivation tank fitted with bizarre machinery and cables. Occult recognizes it as a Tillinghat Resonator – Delta Green would want that.
Delta Green knows nothing of Mitkiss but knows of dream-creatures, psychics and Tillinghast. Asked for help, Glass explains how to make Tillinghast Flashlights. Things “From Beyond” caught in its beam become visible to the eye, are unable to apport, and can be shot, punched etc.
Making a T-flashlight requires minimum sum of 70% in Craft (Electronics and/or Microelectronics) and/or Unnatural. It costs 1 SAN per flashlight. Flashlights last 1D8 combat rounds when switched on, then a LUCK roll for another 1D8 rounds. This continues until a LUCK roll fails, whereupon it permanently burns out. Liquivores (HG p.227) are attracted to the T-beam.
Tracking Merry’s path back to Hocknaw’s house isn’t difficult using CCTV and eyewitnesses. It’s easier to triangulate her cell-phone’s location though (SIGINT/Law).
MERRY HELL
Unless they’ve upset Alvarez, Agents easily enter the mall. SWAT’s apprehensive letting them into the food-court.
Merry ignores intruders. Mr. Huggs watches, circles, protecting.
Failed rolls (like Psychotherapy, Persuade, etc.), loud noises, physical or verbal threats, and open-carry firearms push Mr. Huggs to defend Merry.
Roll Merry’s SAN: success she stays calm, as does Mr. Huggs. Failure: Huggs’ lashes out. Unless Merry’s in danger, his first response is trashing property, allowing time to escape.
Using Merry’s name wakes her (so does touching her: roll for Mr. Huggs’ reaction). Persuading her to let bystanders leave is easy (particularly if Lomax is there). Getting her to leave is harder; she doesn’t want Mr. Huggs’ existence known. Having her admit he’s real requires Persuade.
Merry hates needles. Knocking her out with drugs (1D4 hours) is Pharmacy – but sticking her with a syringe requires Stealth vs both Merry and Mr. Hugg’s Alertness.
Merry explains:
- Lomax and the Sanchezes are good people
- Her father thought he could make folk “better”, but the things he did were terrible. Worst was the “electric chair” – it made her nightmares real
- She hasn’t seen Mr. Huggs since she was eight; she’s happy he’s back
- She remembers being kidnapped but not where she was taken. Everything since is a blur
Merry just wants to go home. She’s apprehensive of cops, doctors and Agents but latches onto “good people”. If scared she flees. Mr. Huggs puts up a rear-guard.
If things go badly, SWAT goes in, takes casualties, retreats. A sniper blows Merry’s head off.
CLEAN-UP
If Merry survives, Lomax wants her in hospital; cops want her in custody. Law puts her in Agent’s hands for 1D4 hours of privacy but police are prickly. Glass – informed Merry’s a vector – orders she be handed to March Tech or “liquidated”.
Medicine/Pharmacy deduces a pineal gland tractotomy, induced coma or anti-psychotics could “curb” Mr. Huggs. Only the latter is non-surgical but takes at least one month. A non-psychic Merry is useless to March Tech.
Another option is to hide Merry. Lomax can help. An angry Glass warns of repercussions.
HOCKNAW’S HOME
A run-down house on a run-down street, 30-minutes from the mall. Elvis Lee’s car is in the garage, Hocknaw’s van is missing.
Hocknaw’s ex-Army (92S-Laundryman), dishonorably discharged for drug-use and kleptomania. Lee was an ex-croupier turned drifter. Both hated the world.
It’s a mess of stolen property, drug-paraphernalia and too many books on serial-killers. Kitchen trash is rancid; bits of previous victim await dumping (1/1D4). Spare bedroom’s sound-proofed. Inside is a homemade torture-chamber. Eric Lee’s eviscerated body coats its walls (1/1D4).
Hocknaw’s neighbors snitch with bribes or threats. They saw Hocknaw peel out in his van. He looked scared.
If you want to wrap things up here, Hocknaw is leaving the house as Agents arrive. Hilarity ensues.
PART II: REVENGEANCE
Months, a year, pass. Glass calls a briefing in Albuquerque. Five families butchered in their homes, unspeakably tortured for days, killed with superhuman violence. Looks like another “invisible friend” did it.
HUNTING HOCKNAW
Hocknaw’s been hiding in the desert, living out of his van. Now he’s back, entering homes by “apporting” Hacksaw through windows to open the front door. He’s left no survivors.
Agents can investigate crime-scenes physically or via paperwork. Successful rolls offer clues/increase the percentage chance of finding Hocknaw from 00%.
Accounting: Hocknaw used Lee’s credit card to buy groceries from around this area (+10%)
Criminology: seems he’s still buying from dealers; squeeze ‘em ‘til they talk (+20%)
Forensics: DNA/fingerprints match Hocknaw – it’s like he’s not hiding it – but whatever killed these people wasn’t human. (+10%)
Navigate: victims’ residences are middle-class, all within a 10-mile radius of here (+20%)
Drive: he’s changed its color and plates but it’s Hocknaw’s van; we can find it (+10%)
Firearms: crime-scene has two bullets, .223 and 9mm. A rifle and pistol, at least.
SIGINT: he stole a phone, obviously didn’t know it’s traceable (+10%)
Alvarez: if still friendly, Alvarez orders patrols to keep an eye out for a few days. (+10%)
Roll to see if Agents catch him.
Crit Success: catch him unawares (hideout, gas-station, driving, etc.); Success: catch him arriving for a home-invasion; Failure: nothing, try again another day; Fumble: he kills again! (1D4 Helplessness).
If Merry’s background made the news, Hocknaw visits Roger in jail to talk about Hacksaw. An excited Roger proclaims Hocknaw’s “ascended humanity”. Hocknaw possibly tries to free Roger from jail (a riot? a hospital release?) to restart the cult.
If Merry is alive, Mr. Huggs can help against Hacksaw. Brought together the two creatures fight (with much property damage) until one master retreats or is incapacitated.
NPC STATISTICS
> MERRY MITKISS
STR 07, CON 08, DEX 11, INT 10, POW 15, CHA 11
HP 07, WP 15, SAN 35, BP 20
SKILLS: All at base
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, 1D4-1
Appearance: Politely described as “waifish.” Frizzy hair. Braces to fix her teeth. Nervous, naive and learning about the real world. Apt to surprisingly prescient down-home philosophizing.
> MR. HUGGS
STR 22, CON 16, DEX 16, POW 25
HP 25, WP 25
ARMOR: Cannot be injured by mundane attacks unless caught in Tillinghast beam.
SKILLS: Alertness 50%, Apport 50%, Athletics 60%
ATTACKS: Tongue Lash 50%, damage 1D8 (tosses nearby objects at up to 2 opponents)
Squash Flat 40%, lethality 20% (requires 10-meters of running speed)
Tongue-Grab-and-Chew 40%, damage 2D10 (successful attack Pins, second round onward chews)
REGENERATE: If its master gets a good sleep (even if induced), Mr. Huggs regains all lost HP and WP upon his waking.
TIRING: Any time Mr. Huggs fails a roll, it loses 1 WP. If it or its master fumble a roll they both lose 1D4 WP.
UNSETTLING: Seeing Mr. Huggs influence the world (picking things up, etc.) for the first time is 0/1 SAN loss. Being attacked for the first time is 0/1D4.
INVISIBLE: Hacksaw is invisible and non-corporeal, only seen via magic or certain technologies. Individuals failing a SAN roll in its presence briefly see it (for approximately 1 combat turn).
SELECTIVE PHYSICALITY: Mr. Huggs can choose when it physically interacts with the environment. To the uninitiated its actions may seem those of a poltergeist.
OUT OF MIND: If its master is asleep, unconscious or reduced to 0 WP, Mr. Huggs vanishes. If its master is blinded or in darkness, it can only interact with things its master can hear or touch. If blinded and deafened, Hacksaw can only interact with things physically touched by the master.
LAST GASP: Unless its master’s pineal gland is obliterated, Mr. Huggs continues to exist for 1D8 rounds after its master’s brain death.
APPORT: Mr. Huggs can slither and lunge 10-meters in a turn. With a successful Apport roll, it can move anywhere within its master’s line-of-sight. Even if it fails it can still move or act as normal.
SAN loss: Seeing Mr. Huggs “in the flesh” is worth 0/1D4
Appearance: A 12-foot-tall furry bat-rabbit-frog thing with floppy ears and a soppy grin that splits into rows of needle-like teeth if unhappy. Its paws are enormous, like teddy-bear feet.
> JUSTIN HOCKNAW, Serial-Killer
STR 12, CON 12, DEX 13, INT 09, POW 16, CHA 10
HP 12, WP 16, SAN 42, BP 26
DISORDERS: Kleptomania, Sadism
SKILLS: Alertness 60%, Criminology 60%, Drive 60%, Firearms 60%, Melee Weapons 60%, Occult 30%, Persuade 50%, Search 40%, Unarmed Combat 60%
ATTACKS: Unarmed 60%, 1D4
Big Ol’ Scary Knife 60%, 1D8
9mm Pistol w/Suppressor 60%, 1D10 (Alertness to hear)
AR-15 60%, 1D12
Appearance: Skinny and long-legged with a penchant for washed-out camo-jackets and jeans. Skull tattoo on left bicep, hula lady on right ankle. Chews dip tobacco.
> HACKSAW
STR 40, CON 40, DEX 18, POW 30
HP 40, WP 30
ARMOR: Cannot be injured by mundane attacks unless caught in Tillinghast beam.
SKILLS: Alertness 60%, Apport 50%, Athletics 60%
ATTACKS: Bite 60%, damage 2D6 (also Pins target)
Constrict 50%, lethality 15% (target must be Pinned)
Smash-crash 80%, damage 1D6 (only indoors, injures up to 2 opponents by masonry, furniture etc.)
REGENERATE: If its master gets a good sleep (even if induced), Hacksaw regains all lost HP and WP upon his waking.
TIRING: Any time Hacksaw fails a roll, it loses 1 WP. If Hacksaw or master fumble a roll they both lose 1D4 WP.
UNSETTLING: Seeing Hacksaw influence the world (picking things up, etc.) for the first time is 0/1 SAN loss. Being attacked for the first time is 0/1D4.
INVISIBLE: Hacksaw is invisible and non-corporeal, only seen via magic or certain technologies. Individuals failing a SAN roll in its presence briefly see it (for approximately 1 combat turn).
SELECTIVE PHYSICALITY: Hacksaw can choose when it physically interacts with the environment. To the uninitiated its actions may seem those of a poltergeist.
OUT OF MIND: If its master is asleep, unconscious or reduced to 0 WP, Hacksaw vanishes. If its master is blinded or in darkness, it can only interact with things its master can hear or touch. If blinded and deafened, Hacksaw can only interact with things physically touched by the master.
LAST GASP: Unless its master’s pineal gland is obliterated, Hacksaw continues to exist for 1D8 rounds after its master’s brain death.
APPORT: Hacksaw can slither and lunge 10-meters in a turn. With a successful Apport roll, it can move anywhere within its master’s line-of-sight. Even if it fails it can still move or act as normal.
SAN loss: Seeing Hacksaw “in the flesh” is worth 1/1D8
Appearance: Image an enormous snake crossed with a squid and then have it drawn by H.R. Geiger. Like that, basically.
> CASE OFFICER GLASS, DEA Domestic Operations SAC
STR 14, CON 13, DEX 13, INT 14, POW 12, CHA 10
HP 14, WP 12, SAN 45
SKILLS: Accounting 60%, Alertness 50%, Bureaucracy 50%, Criminology 60%, Drive 50%, Firearms 60%, Forensics 30%, HUMINT 60%, Law 40%, Persuade 50%, Pharmacy 60%, Search 50%, Unarmed Combat 60%
ATTACKS: Unarmed 60%, 1D4
Glock 27 60%, 1D10
Appearance: A middle-aged peroxide blonde with a vocabulary that’d make a sailor blush. Constantly typing on her phone. Actually gives a damn about trying to do the right thing.
> ROGER MILKISS, The-Father-Figure
STR 09, CON 09, DEX 10, INT 17, POW 17, CHA 15
HP 09, WP 17, SAN 50
SKILLS: Anthropology 60%, Craft (Microelectronics) 50%, HUMINT 60%, Occult 70%, Persuade 80%, Pharmacy 80%, Psychotherapy 60%, Unnatural 04%
ATTACKS: Unarmed 40%, 1D4-1
Appearance: Charles Manson with a twist of Timothy Leary.
Credits
This was an entry to the 2020 shotgun scenario contest. Written by Agent Obtuse.