Sandcastles
Briefing
On June 5, 2024, a homeless man, Adrian De La Cruz, was arrested outside a bus station in Bradenton, Florida after a passerby reported seeing human remains in a gym bag he was carrying. The local police found the apparent incomplete skeletal remains of at least three individuals inside his belongings. Initial examination, however, revealed some startling abnormalities. Dental records identified one of the victims as Rory Bellinger, a 16 year old boy reported missing in 2021, but his bones appeared to be partially fossilized. Puzzled, the police consulted with experts at the University of South Florida. Dr. Nazeera Aliyeva, a paleontologist and Program friendly, contacted Delta Green.
The Agents are inserted as representatives of Florida's Bureau of Archaeological Research under the justification that the remains represent a potentially vandalized indigenous grave.
Background
The recovered human remains are victims of the Pattern, an extra-dimensional entity that is able to interact with our universe through quartz mediums. It once slumbered beneath the Gulf of Mexico, but dredging operations to repair hurricane damage to local beaches brought it to the surface two decades ago. Now it rules over the abandoned Outpost Beach and Tennis Resort in nearby Anna Maria with the help of a wealthy local recluse named Randal Bourdillion, who serves as both its thrall and conductor. Slowly and insidiously it has fed on the people living in the abandoned resort, showing them glimpses of fond memories and lost loved ones in exchange for their unwitting spreading of its influence.
The Bones
The remains are being held at the University of South Florida in Tampa. All of the bones are quite clean, though the gray silica deposits are visible on the surface. Examination with relevant skills (Paleontology, Geology, or Medicine) will conclude that the bones are undergoing some sort of partial silicification that continues even now (SAN 0/1). Medicine or Forensics at 50% can determine that all died within the last few days. Additionally, handling the remains reveals that they possess a persistent static charge. Finally, if viewed under a microscope, they may notice odd striations on the bones made of silica accretions. They resemble the layer lines of a 3D printer but seem to circle and spiral around the bones. Viewing the striations or an image of them exposes an Agent to being infected by the Pattern (see Pattern Infection). Dr. Aliyeva can discover this information if no Agent has the needed skills.
Adrian De La Cruz
Adrian is currently being held at the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. Adrian stumbles almost drunkenly around his cell, though his movement traces a consistent pattern. He gurgles to himself in a sort of watery blubbering all throughout. Studying his movements or attempting to understand his gurgling counts as another vector for infection (see Pattern Infection). If asked why he was carrying human remains, he will say he “saw them dancing as they came up from out the sea” and heard them “calling out for home.” His intention, he claims, was to return them home, though he does not appear to know his destination beyond that. Adrian will say that they all lived with him at the abandoned Outpost Beach Resort.
Resort Research
Local records will show that the Outpost Beach and Tennis Resort was constructed in 1969. After the hurricanes of 2004, a project to renovate the property began. Illness and death soon spread among the resident owners, launching a series of the lawsuits that stalled renovations and left the property abandoned. Most stubborn among the owners is Randal Bourdillion who has almost single-handedly kept the renovations at bay and prevented demolition of the site for the past two decades. Local police may also reveal that Bourdillion is the reason that the homeless population squatting on the property has not been cleared out. Allowing them a refuge on the property seems to be quite important to him. Any inquiries to police or local government that mention Bourdillion or the Resort have a 50% chance of making their way to the man himself due to his many connections.
Randal Bourdillion
Mr. Bourdillion is a wealthy 76 year old real estate mogul who lives in a beachfront mansion directly north of the Outpost Resort. A Stage 3 infected, Randal has been using the Pattern to relive his memories and visit with his wife and son who were both consumed by the beach. At night, he has a trusted attendant strap him into a lounge chair bolted to his beach-facing deck. There he watches the glowing sand of the beach form dancing visions of his past. Should Mr. Bourdillion become aware that someone is looking into him or the beach, he will go into action. His response will escalate as follows:
- He will send some of his personal fixers after the Agents, attempting to ascertain their identities and motivations.
- He will strongarm local and state authorities to close any investigation and harass the Agents.
- If he believes that the Agents pose a serious threat to himself or the beach, he will dispatch one of his fixers with a duffle bag full of sand. Once freed from its bag, this sand will form a Sand Puppet that will attempt to kill the Agents.
- If previous attempts have failed, he will use what resources he has left to try to expose the Agents to the Pattern and bring them to the beach, hoping it can deal with them itself.
The Beach
The decaying buildings of the resort lie largely empty, except during inclement weather. There are usually about 16 homeless people from various walks of life living in a small community here. They are all infected by the Pattern. Most are at Stage 3, though 1d4 at any given time will be at Stage 5. They are forthcoming about the strangeness of the beach.
At night, the sand glows softly. All the squatters shamble out onto the sand and begin dancing through furrowed, seashell-lined patterns like jerky marionettes. Humanoid figures rise from the sand and surf to join in the strange assembly (SAN 1/1D6). Infected Agents may see Bonds, especially those who are deceased, out among the figures. They will feel compelled to join them, requiring an expenditure of 1d4 WP to avoid dancing until dawn. Anyone on the beach will find it difficult to leave physically. The sand clings to them, requiring a STRx5 test to escape.
Viewing the dancing, chants, studying the furrows, or touching the sand counts as an infection vector (see Pattern Infection).
Pattern Infection
Any exposure to the Pattern triggers a POWx5 test to avoid moving to a higher stage of infection. Advancing to Stage 4 or higher requires direct contact with the beach. The infection proceeds in Five distinct stages:
- Stage 1
- The Agent feels an oppressive presence all around them SAN 0/1d4.
- Lose 1D4 WP.
- Migraines and insomnia.
- Stage 2
- The Agent feels they are being watched from some vast distance SAN 0/1d4.
- Lose 1D4 WP. All rolls are at -20%.
- As Stage 1 with the addition of extreme fatigue and mental fog.
- Stage 3
- The Agent understands the Pattern as some impression made by beyond their senses, line tracing their influence through time and space SAN 1/1d6.
- Lose 1D4 WP and 1D4 from all Stats.
- The Agent feels a desire to never leave the beach and compulsively trace and chant the Pattern. Acting in opposition to this compulsion, requires an expenditure of 1D4 WP.
- Stage 4
- The Agent feels as though their being, past, and future have been consumed and then regurgitated back changed SAN 1d4/1d10.
- Lose 1D4 WP and 1D4 from all Stats.
- As Stage 3, but with a complete loss of ability to communicate anything but the Pattern.
- Stage 5
- The Agent's is lost, only the Pattern remains SAN 1d6/1d20.
- Lose 1D4 WP and 1D4 from all Stats each day.
- The individual exists only to reinforce the Pattern. They can no longer resist the compulsion and will dance on the beach until one of their Stats reaches 0. At that point, their flesh dissolves into sand.
If an infected individual at Stages 2 to 4 is separated from the beach and other vectors of infection for a number of days equal to their stage of progress, they will recover to Stage 1. It takes 1 year of separation to recover from Stage 1.
Conclusion
The Pattern cannot be killed. Feeding Bourdillion to it, will cause it to withdraw for 1d4 years, but it will return if nothing else is done. Restricting access to the strip of beach at the Resort and Bourdillion's mansion will stop it from spreading. Removing the infected sand or otherwise destroying the beach will remove its influence. Certain spells (Closing the Breach) or a disruptive electric discharge (on the scale of a lightning strike) might also free the region of its domination.
STAT BLOCKS
Bourdillion's Fixers (always travel in groups of 2 or 3)
STR 13, CON 13, DEX 12, INT 13, CHA 10, POW 10
HP 13, WP 10, SAN 45
DISORDERS: Adapted to violence.
SKILLS: Alertness 50%, Athletics 60%, Dodge 40%, Drive 60%, Firearms 60%, HUMINT 40%, Stealth 55%, Unarmed 60%.
ATTACKS: Glock 17 60%, damage 1d10, range 15m.
Unarmed 60%, damage 1d4.
INFECTED: Every fixer is at Stage 1 of Pattern infection.
Randal Bourdillion
STR 6, CON 8, DEX 5, INT 15, CHA 11, POW 16
HP 7, WP 16, SAN 23
DISORDERS: Adapted to violence and helplessness; Paranoia, Insomnia, Obsession (the Pattern).
SKILLS: Accounting 80%, Alertness 30%, Bureaucracy 75%, HUMINT 60%, Law 75%, Persuade 70%, Unnatural 18%.
ATTACKS: Taurus 905 9mm revolver 20%, damage 1d10, range 10m.
PARTIAL SILICIFICATION: Randal takes minimum damage from any physical attacks. Sand and blood pouring out of his wounds (SAN 1/1d4). Other attacks damage him normally.
OVERDUE: Randal has escaped the Pattern for far too long. Each round he is in contact with the infected beach, he must make a POWx5 roll or be consumed by the sands (SAN 1/1d6).
SILICA GUARDIANS: Randal may spend 8 WP and 1d4 SAN to cause a Sand Puppet under his command to rise from the beach or sea. It remains active for 1d4+2 hours so long as it is within 30m of an infected individual or the beach itself.
Sand Puppet, humanoid mass of sand
STR 15, CON 17, DEX 6, INT 5, POW 10
HP 16, WP 10
ARMOR: See LIVING SAND.
SKILLS: Alertness 30%, Athletics 40%, Stealth 50%, Unarmed Combat 35%.
ATTACKS: Grab 30%, damage 1d6, AP 3 (see SILICA STORM).
FRIENDLY FACE: Any infected Agent must make a POWx5 roll or they will see the Sand Puppet as one of the Bonds or a deceased loved one.
INCONSTANT FORM: The Sand Puppet can change its shape freely and flow through any gap that sand might pass through.
LIVING SAND: The Sand Puppet is composed entirely of electrically charged sand. It takes minimum damage from firearms. Any damage taken from mundane physical sources heals at a rate of 1d6 HP per round. Electrical attacks, extreme heat, and hypergeometry cause damage that cannot be healed. If reduced to 0 HP by a mundane physical attack, the puppet continues to heal 1d6 HP per round and reform.
SILICA STORM: Agents cannot fight back against the puppet's Grab attack. If the attack succeeds, the victim is grappled and takes 1d6 damage each round until free. This damage is caused by the abrasive force of the rapidly moving sand that makes up the entity's body.
SAN LOSS: 1/1d6 (1/1d8 if the Agent sees the puppet as someone they know).
Credits
Sandcastles was written by Charles Perryman for the 2024 Shotgun Scenario contest.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19l-IRt6Gj-R_bp9SbYIOkHtF34ZmZPtgpx-Jb6uYE1Y/edit