This scenario works with player characters who are designed as blue collar contractors: plumbers, electricians, exterminators, etc. Each PC should be an independent contractor who works on their own.
Recruitment
Over a period of months, the contractor gains a demanding but very well-paying client. They meet a middle-aged man named Thomas who pays in cash. The job always involves modifying the house to accommodate a large industrial machine inside the house. The machine is connected by cabling to a large metal container. Thomas never explains the purpose of the machine but can otherwise given technical details to the contractor to finish the job. Water pipes need to be moved so the machine can fit into the basement, electrical wiring has to be changed to power the machine, walls need to be moved or all insects must be exterminated. The job never takes longer than a full day but Thomas stays with the contractor the entire time, watching carefully and occasionally adjusting the machine.
Eventually the machine sounds an alarm. Thomas asks the PC to help him with a task. He goes to the container and unlocks a lock on its top with a key. It slides open to reveal a portal of energy 0/1d4 SAN. Thomas is intently focused on the contractor, assessing their reaction. He asks the PC to fetch the bag from the refrigerator. Inside the bag are hundreds of insects, alive but in hibernation due to the cold. Thomas empties the bag into the portal and closes the container.
Thomas explains that the machine must remain operational or IT will get out. IT cannot be taken to a government facility because of spies and traitors. The machine must remain near a large power grid. If the machine remains operational for a year, the threat will be neutralized. If the contractor agrees to help stop the threat, they will be very well-paid, but no one can know anything. They must do whatever it takes to keep the machine running. If they succeed, they will be well rewarded. If asked why them, Thomas said he has run background checks on them and knows they can be trusted – the handler can ask the player what about their background would indicate this to Thomas. Once they agree, Thomas gives them a burner phone and instructs them to answer it no matter when. If the machine breaks down, they will be held accountable.
Thomas
Thomas is the face of a rogue Delta Green cell. Two other agents, Teresa and Terrence, know about the machine. They do not trust the Program or anyone else. They have operated the machine for a while but out of desperation, decided to recruit some contractors to help out. They have embezzled large sums of money from various sources but at least one other cell is looking for them. Other hostile factions could also be looking for the machine.
The Storm
A storm hits the city, causing power outages. A nearby lightning strike overloads the machine. Thomas calls the contractors to get to the house ASAP. When they get there, Thomas hands them all handguns and explains that the traitors may be close. Thomas has found a new place to relocate the machine but needs time to set it up. Keep the machine running at all costs and make sure no one else gets it. He leaves. The contractors notice several problems that need to be dealt with – leaking roof, insects crawling in (0/1 SAN), power fluctuations etc. As they begin to work, one of the contractors notices a car parked outside. Someone is in the car, watching the house. If they do not react, the stranger gets out and knocks on the front door.
The Stranger
The person at the door seems to be normal. They ask if Thomas is there. They’re sure that this is the right address but their phone died. If the PCs react with violence or threats, the stranger has a concealed handgun and is backed up by a sniper set up across the street, although they have a poor shot. The stranger wants to secure the machine and is willing to kill to do so, but is happy to lie and threaten PCs if necessary. The sniper will not assault the house to save the stranger but will call for backup if violence breaks out. The stranger will not leave the house alone until they have searched the house thoroughly although they may fake leaving and sneak back to break in.
At some point, Thomas calls to check in and if the PCs tell him about the stranger, he says backup is on its way.
Escalation
At some point, Cell T will arrive to flush out the sniper and stranger. The stranger’s backup may also arrive, although it is only a pair of shooters. They also want to be quiet as well. The house is located in a populated neighborhood but the sound of the storm might muffle some gunshots – handler’s discretion.
The machine may falter, causing anomalies up to the imagination of the handler. Insects are highly affected by the container. They may melt into a single gestalt organism of stingers and pincers the size of a baseball and attack anyone in the house. They could assemble into fractal patterns, living 3d sculpture. Wasps could crawl through cracks in the walls and buzz in the same frequency, causing a high pitched howl in the house. 0/1d3 to 0/1d8 SAN for anomalous events. The stranger’s faction is surprised and stunned if they see anomalies. Cell T is not.
Breakdown
If the machine breaks (by a stray bullet for example), then the Thing escapes. Everyone in the house hears the shriek of metal. The container tears apart, revealing an impossible amalgamation of flesh and nightmares begins to leak out of the container, 0/1d8 SAN. The Thing targets Cell T and the contractors, using Flesh Deconstruction and Remold the Flesh, as it knows they kept it contained. It will kill the strangers or anyone else who attacks it, such as first responding police. Thomas yells out that the Catalyst can stop it, inside the machine.
The Catalyst is a glowing rocky object, although its color cannot be described. Removing it from the machine is difficult and requires two skill or attribute checks, depending on the approach. It cannot be damaged by normal weapons. It causes 1d10 damage to the Thing if pressed against it (requires an attack roll) and 1 point of damage per combat round to all humans with a clear of line of sight to it. The Thing prioritizes killing the person holding the Catalyst.
Attacks
Remold the Flesh –affects every living creature in line of sight of it within 30 feet. Causes 1 point of damage and a SAN check (1d6/2d6) for unnatural as part of every victim’s body melts off and flows to a central point near the Thing. A small fleshy blob forms out of the collected viscera. The blob grows barbs and fingers and propels itself to attack a nearby target. It has an amount of HP equal to the damage inflicted by the attack and attacks for 30% for 1d3 damage. Experiencing an attack from a flesh blob is a 0/1d3 SAN check. It is a small target and difficult to hit with a firearm (-20%).
The Thing uses Remold the Flesh at the beginning of combat and after it kills a human.
Flesh Deconstruction: 40% + 10% for every time it misses until it strikes a living creature. Every time it misses an attack, it loses a point of CON and gains a point of DEX as it remakes its body to become better at striking victims. If it misses 3 times in a row, it loses 1d3 hit points. It regains those hit points when it strikes a victim. It cannot heal damage caused by the Catalyst.
This is a touch attack and can be parried with a large object like a table or dodged. The victim’s body is unmade in a gory fashion – skin disintegrates, muscles unravel and organs render down to their base elements. Inflicts 15% lethality on a human victim – body armor does not protect against this attack. If the victim survives the attack, they must make a 1d6/2d10 SAN check. Seeing a person suffer from an attack lose 0/1d6 SAN.
Aftermath
The Thing will flow into the water table if it kills everyone in the house.
If the Thing is killed, any survivors should flee the house. Cell T and the strangers have ways to delaying emergency response but neither wants to deal with local police. At this point, the PCs may be recruited as agents by whatever faction survives. Their experience means more than their educational background. They may be hunted by allies of the faction that lost. Regardless, their normal lives are over because their work is not yet done.
STATS
PC Templates
Exterminator
STR 12, CON 11, DEX 13, INT 12, POW 13, CHA 11
Hit points 11, SAN 65
3 bonds
Alertness 60%, Athletics 60%, Bureaucracy 30%, Dodge 60%, Drive 40%, First Aid 50%, Medicine 30%, Melee Weapons 50%, Navigate 50%, Profession (Exterminator) 60%, Science (Biology 20%, Chemistry 40%), Search 60%, Stealth 50%, Survival 50%, Swim 40%, Unarmed 60%
Special training: Hazardous chemical/poison usage and first aid +20% on medicine checks for poison and venom treatment.
Plumber
STR 15, CON 10, DEX 11, INT 12, POW 10, CHA 14
HP 12, SAN 50
Accounting 30%, Alertness 40%, Athletics 60%, Bureaucracy 30%, Drive 50%, Firearms 60%, Heavy Machinery 60%, HUMINT 50%, Mechanic 40%, Navigate 50%, Persuade 40%, Plumbing 60%, Science: Chemistry 30%; Hydrology 30%, Search 50%, Stealth 50%, Swim 40%
Electrician
STR 17, CON 14, DEX 10, INT 10, POW 8, CHA 13
HP 15, SAN 40
Alertness 50%, Art (Drawing) 20%, Athletics 60%, Bureaucracy 30%, Craft (Carpentry 40%, Electrician 60%, Microelectronics 50%), Criminology 50%, Dodge 50%, Computer Science 40%, Drive 40%, First Aid 30%, Heavy Machinery 30%, HUMINT 30%, Melee Weapons 50%, Occult 30%, Search 40%, SIGINT 30%, Unarmed Combat 60%
Handyman
STR 14, CON 13, DEX 17, INT 8, POW 10, CHA 10
HP 14, SAN 50
Alertness 40%, Athletics 60%, Craft (Carpentry 60%, Electrician 40%, Mechanic 60%), Demolitions 40%, Dodge 50%, Drive 60%, Firearms 40%, First Aid 30%, Heavy Machinery 60%, Heavy Weapons 20%, Military Science 40%, Persuade 40%, Pharmacy 20%, Unarmed Combat 60%, Survival 50%
Cell T
Use standard federal agent stat blocks or Delta Green pregen stats. Thomas is a negotiator, Teresa is a sniper and Terrence is an engineer.
The Stranger:
STR 15 DEX 15 CON 11 HP 13 SAN 42
Unnatural 1%, Unarmed Combat 80%, Dodge 60%, Firearms 60%, Alertness 60%, Stealth 50%.
Carries a small well-concealed handgun. 1d10 damage.
The Sniper:
STR 12, DEX 15, CON 14, HP 13, SAN 51
Alertness 60%, Firearms 70%, Stealth 60%, Unarmed Combat 60%
Carries a silenced handgun (1d10) and silenced automatic rifle (1d12 or 10% lethality in burst). Wears light body armor (3 points).
The Thing in the Machine
STR 12
DEX 20
CON 20
INT 18
POW 20
HP 16
Armor: Transcendent – only harmed by hypergeometry and the Catalyst of the machine
Attacks – entry in main section.
Credits
This was an entry to the 2020 shotgun scenario contest. Written by Ross Payton of Role Playing Public Radio