Opifex 15

Issue 15 September-Octobe September-October, r, 1998

Free!

Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Will’s Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 THE MIRACLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Way Down Atlantis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Old Enemies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

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Information Editor, Writer and Art Director: Michael C. LaBossiere, [email protected]. Cover and Interior Art: Michael C. LaBossiere, [email protected]. Writer and Archive Master:  Ricardo J. Méndez, [email protected]. Web Page

The Th e web page provides readers with links to acquire the software needed to view issues, information about the ezine as well as direct access to the current issue. The address is: http://user.aol.com/ontologist/web/opifex.obm.html. ex B i - M o n t h l y : R a nd nd o m U n i v er er s es es   Acquiring O p i f ex Opifex Bi-Monthly: Random Universes may be reliably acquired by the

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•Subscription: To subscribe send email with the message “subscribe OBM” to [email protected]. The subscription issues are mailed as binhexed pdf files. America Online will automatically decode such files. Users of other services may need to acquire a utility such as Aladdin’s Stuffit Expander (available for both Mac and PC platforms) in order to decode the binhexed file. Naturally, Adobe Acrobat Reader will be needed to read the pdf files. •Online Viewing: The current issue of Opifex Bi-Monthly: Random Universes can  be viewed directly di rectly by using a web browser equipped equipp ed with Adobe’s Adob e’s PDFView plug-in. p lug-in. Viewers which support helper applications can also be used to view the pdf file indirectly by downloading the file and then opening it using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Go directly to http://user.aol.com/opifex2/obm/obm.cu.html. •Download: The current issue of Opifex Bi-Monthly: Random Universes  can be downloaded by opening an FTP F TP session to user.aol.com/opifex2/obm. Simply download the issue (it will be the obmrux.pdf file, where x is the issue number). Back Issues

Ricardo J. Méndez has set up an FTP archive site for past issues of Opifex O pifex Bi Mo n t hl y: R an do m Un i ve rs es . Each issue is available as an individual ZIP file. ZIP archives can be unzipped by a variety of PC utilities as well as Stuffit Expander (freeware for the Mac and PC). The site is http://www.geocities.com/~rmendez/obmru/ Legal Information

Opifex Bi-Monthly: Random Universes ©1996. All rights reserved.

Fees Opifex Bi-Monthly: Random Universes  is a free ezine.

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Trademarks

Most product names are the trademarks of the companies producing those products. Use of a trademark to identify a product discussed in this ezine should not be taken to imply the sponsorship of the holder of said trademark, nor should the use of a trademark without explicit mention of its status as a trademark be construed as a challenge to the trademark status. Copyright Information

Unless otherwise noted, all of the material in this ezine is protected by the relevant copyright laws. Contributors have given permission permission for their material to be used in this ezine. Contributors retain all rights to their material. Third pa rties wishing to make use of any material within this ezine must contact the relevant party or parties in order to secure permission. Distribution Opifex Bi-Monthly: Random Universes

may be freely distributed provided that:

•The ezine is not modified. •No fee is charged for the ezine over and above the normal cost of distribution. The “normal cost of distribution” includes the fees for online services, the cost of a shareware CD-ROM and such. •Distributors who wish to include the ezine on commercial CD-ROMs or shareware collections request and receive permission for such distribution. Game Companies Legal Information Some gaming companies permit third parties to publish material relating to their games. Here are the current legal specifications from each company: R. Talsorian Games

“Mekton, Cyberpunk 2020 are Copyright; CyberGeneration, CyberGeneration, Castle Falk are Trademarks.” Chaosium

“Call of Cthulhu is Chaosium Inc's registered trademark for their game of horror and wonder in the worlds of HP Lovecraft. For more information, contact Chaosium Inc., 950-A 56th St,Oakland, CA 94608 -- or call us at 510-547-7681. Visit Chaosium's web page at http://www.sirius.com/~chaosium/chaosium.html.”

White Wolf

“This article contains terms that are Trademarks and Copyrights of White Wolf Inc. All rights reserved by White Wolf Inc., 1996. This article does not challenge any property of White Wolf Inc.”

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FASA Corporation

X is a Registered Trademark of FASA Corporation. Original X material Copyright 19XX by FASA Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Used without permission. permission. Any use of FASA Corporation’s copyrighted material or trademarks in this file should not be viewed as a challenged to those copyrights or trademarks. Tantalus Inc.

This item is not authorized or endorsed by Tantalus Inc. and is used without permission. The The item is for personal use only. Any use of Tantalus Inc.'s copyrighted material or trademarks in this file should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, this item cannot be republished or distributed without without the consent of the author. author. Contributors’ Guidelines©1996,1997 Michael C. LaBossiere, [email protected] Kelly Rothenberg, [email protected] Submission Conditions

Opifex Bi-Monthly  will consider any submission that falls within the scope of the

ezine, however certain conditions must be met in order for material to be considered.

1. The person submitting the material must be its legal owner and must give permission for the material to be included in Opifex Bi-Monthly . 2. The person submitting the material must assume all responsibility for his/her material. 3. The person submitting the material must include his/her real name with the material along with an email address. 4. Any person submitting game related material must secure permission from the company which owns the game in question and include the company’s standard disclaimer in the material. This applies only in cases in which the company in question requires that such conditions be met. Some companies have given Opifex Bi-Monthly  permissions to publish material relating to their games. For the current list, look at the Legal Information section of this issue. 5. In no case will illegal material be accepted. 6. People who wish to make submissions that are larger than 100K (compressed) should contact the staff before sending the file via email.

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Submission Format

General: Submissions are accepted via email. Files should be sent as attached mailings whenever possible instead of being included as text in email. Hqx files should be attached as files and not sent as email text. Files sent from users owning Windows 95/NT should use the DOS naming conventions (8.3) since there are currently some problems with handling Windows 95 files. Whenever possible, files should be compressed using mainstream compression software, such as Stuffit, Compact Pro or PKZip. Rare or unusual compression methods should not be used. The type of file(s) submitted should be identified in the accompanying email. Text Submissions: Text submissions should be in WordPerfect for the Macintosh files, if possible. Version 3.5 files are preferred, p referred, but earlier versions are acceptable. WordPerfect 6.1 (for PCs), RTF files, Microsoft Word (5.1 for the Macintosh or earlier), MacWrite II and plain text files are also acceptable. Contributors who cannot save files in any of the above formats should contact Michael LaBossiere ([email protected]). Text should be formatted and can be styled, but not excessively so (unless doing so is necessary). The font used should be Palatino or similar. Articles titles should be in 18 point bold, the author’s name and email address should be in 14 point plain, and the main text should be 12 point plain. Section headers should be 12 point bold. Unusual, rare or proprietary fonts (such as those in Adobe Type on Call) should not be used without making prior arrangements with the staff. Contributors should spell check their work before submitting it. Text files with embedded graphics (such as maps and illustrations) should be sent in a format that preserves the graphics and their layout. RTF is a useful cross-platform format for this purpose. Graphic Submissions: Graphic submissions should be no larger than a half page, unless the art is intended for the cover. Color art is acceptable and is, in fact, desirable. Acceptable formats include PICT, Photoshop, BMP, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, Deneba’s Canvas, Macromedia Freehand, Microfrontier’s Color It! and Adobe Illustrator. Graphic submissions should include the artist’s identifying signature or mark in the body of the graphic. The mail accompanying a graphic file must include the author’s name and email address. Submission Specifics Games: The primary focus of Opifex Bi-Monthly

game section is on horror and science fiction games, although general gaming material and material on other areas of gaming will be considered. Sourcebook style material, rules variants, adventures, NPCs, scenarios and such are all welcome. Many game companies are extremely protective of their games and do not permit anyone else to publish or even distribute material relating to their games. Hence, those making game related

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submissions must determine whether or not their work infringes on t he rights of a company. It is known that both TSR and Palladium do not want any material relating to their games distributed by others. Hence, no material relating to these games will be considered. Some companies tolerate third parties publishing material relating to their games. For the current list see the Legal Information section of this issue. Submissions of any reasonable size will be considered and extremely large submissions might be serialized. Send submissions to Michael LaBossiere, [email protected]. Rights

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At this time no payments or compensation of any kind are offered for contributions.

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Will’s Island ©1998

By Michael C. LaBossiere [email protected] Call of Cthulhu

Legal Information This adventure is copyright 1998 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. It may be freely distributed for personal use provided that it is not modified and no fee above the normal cost of  distribution is charged for it. Visit my web site at http://user.aol.com/ontologist/index.html.

Call of Cthulhu is Chaosium Inc's registered trademark for their game of horror and wonder in the worlds of HP Lovecraft. For more information, contact Chaosium Inc., 950-A 56th St, Oakland, CA 94608 -- or call us at 510-547-7681. Visit Chaosium's web page at http://www.sirius.com/~chaosium/chaosium.html. Introduction This adventure takes the intrepid investigators to a small island off the coast of  Maine. The adventure is set in the 1990s, but with some modifications it could be set in another time period. This adventure is relatively short and is suitable for one session, provided the players do not get too bogged down. It is, however, reasonably dangerous if the investigators are not careful. Getting the Investigators Involved Prior to running the adventure, the Keeper should arrange for the investigators to meet Dr. Carl Becker, an expert on the nautical history of New England. Becker should either be a professional associate of one of the investigators (if one of the investigators is a historian or other academic type) or a personal friend. The investigator who knows Becker will receive a call from him, asking the investigator either to help him with his current project or simply to come for a visit to catch up on old times. If the investigators agree to go, Becker will arrange to meet the investigators in Bar Harbor, Maine. He will have lunch or dinner with them in town and then they will go to the island on Becker’s boat. Keepers Background Untold years ago, a human sorcerer delved into matters best left alone. This

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sorcerer learned of the existence of Fire Vampires and similar creatures, but considered them unsuitable for his needs. Researching further, the sorcerer learned of a race he dubbed “Sachonian” (this is how the word sounds when pronounced by an English speaking person, the sorcerer’s own language is long lost). He summoned a dozen Sachonians from the “stars” a nd used his power over them to take control of an ancient kingdom. These creatures eventually turned against him and he bound them into twelve gold statues. The statues were carved with intricate symbols which served to keep the Sachonians from leaving. Over the centuries the statues passed through many hands and every great while a intelligent (but foolish) was were able to unlock the secrets of the bindings and free a Sachonian to serve him, at least until the creature turned on its “master.” One of these statues eventually ended up in the orient, where it was acquired by a Yankee trader, Captain Harold Wellsmith of the Fortune. Wellsmith was fascinated  by the t he statue sta tue and a nd became b ecame obsessed obsess ed with wi th the th e pattern pa tternss engraved eng raved in the th e metal. meta l. Over Ov er the th e course of his long voyage, he was eventually able to free the Sachonian and use it to increase his wealth. Unfortunately for Wellsmith, in 1842 the Sachonian soon got the upper hand and  began to feed on the crew of o f the Fortune . The crew thought they had been hit will the plague and bravely decided to stay out of port until the disease passed. The Sachonian, eager for fresh food, forced the Captain to set sail for the nearest port. Fortunately for the rest of the world, John Reeves, the first mate of the Fortune and a God-fearing man, became aware of the Sachonian. Quickly learning he could not confront the Captain openly (men who angered the Captain soon ended up dead), he plied Wellsmith with rum and learned that, ironically, the Sachonian feared water. Suspecting that the Sachonian would spread its evil if it were allowed to reach land, Reeves came up with a plan and acted on it. Reeves and the few healthy crewmen set the Fortune  on fire. Unfortunately, the crew controlled by the Sachonian managed to ground the Fortune on an island off the Maine coast before the ship sank. Reeves and the few surviving crewmen were picked up by a nearby ship and told the crew a tale of madness and plague so no one would go near the island. Reeve, in the hopes of keeping people away from the island, also said that some of the crew had thrown the cargo into the ocean. The Sachonian, unable to find any intelligent beings, unable to leave the island, and in great pain from its need to feed, was forced to re-enter the statue it had been trapped in. Shortly after it entered the statue, a storm hit the island, sweeping the statue out of the wreckage and burying it. Over the years Reeves kept watch on the island and did his best to encourage people to stay away from it. Some local people reported seeing strange lights (at first the Sachonian drifting about the island and later people just thought they saw lights on the island at night, which lead them to call it Will-O-Wisp island, which later  became  beca me Will’s Wi ll’s island. isla nd. The offici o fficial al name n ame of o f the island isla nd is i s “Plesade “Pl esade Island”, Isla nd”, but everyone calls it Will’s island.

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For over a century the Sachonian was trapped on the island, waiting for someone to find the statue and free it. Eventually it’s patience paid off. Becker, after a few years of research, managed to find the remains of the Fortune (Becker is doing a book on historical ship disasters). In his initial investigator, Becker and his assistant Bill Jones found a few silver items in the burnt and buried wreck. Becker and Jones returned with more students, including Randy Kesk. Unknown to Becker, Kesk had gone massively into debt. Seeing the gold and silver items that Becker had turned up, Kesk decided d ecided to get out of debt by selling out the expedition. Kesk quickly got into contact with Michel LaBeau, a notorious scavenger of historical sites. When Kesk told LaBeau’s agent about the large amount of  valuables that Beckers’ expedition was finding, LaBeau dispatched Anthony Park and his team to secure the site and steal all the artifacts. After Becker leaves to go meet the investigators, Park’s team will move in (several people will go with Becker for lunch in town, giving Park his best opportunity). When Becker and the investigators return, they will be met by Park’s people. Investigation The situation will not permit the investigators to do much in the way of  preparatory research. However, they will have a chance to talk to Becker over lunch and on the trip to the island. Becker’s Information

Becker will be able to provide the investigators with the following information: information: • • • • •

He be believes he he ha has fo found th the Fortune . The Fortune  was a trading ship operating out of New England. The Fortune was supposed to have picked up a valuable cargo in the East, including some items of historic interest (cultural artifacts mainly). Accord Acc ording ing to to the the First First Off Office icer, r, John John Ree Reeves ves,, the cre crew w was infect infected ed with with som somee sort of “exotic plague that fevered their brains” and they threw most of the cargo overboard, thinking it had made them sick. After After the the deat deathh of Captai Captainn Wells Wellsmit mith, h, accor accordin dingg to Reeves Reeves,, he ground grounded ed and and fired the ship to prevent the plague from spreading.

If the investigators ask if there is anything unusual about the island or the ship, Becker will smile and say “almost everything about New England is unusual.” He will be able to relate the following information: •

•

Accordin Accor dingg to some some lege legend nds, s, the the Ples Plesade ade Isl Island and was was hau haunt nted ed afte afterr the the Fortune went aground there. According to these legends, some night fishermen and passing ships saw lights on the island. No one landed because the lights were thought to be either the souls of the crew looking for their ship or desperate thieves looking to pick the bones of the ship. The legends legends about about the the lights lights caused caused the the locals locals to to refer refer to the the island island as as “Will“Will-OO-

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Wisp Island” and finally as “Will’s Island.” The lights lights have have not been been report reported ed for for years years.. The The last last reported reported sighting sighting was in 1852. Becker Becker has has a lette letterr Reeves Reeves sent sent to a relat relative ive.. The The lette letterr is fair fairly ly mund mundane ane,, but does contain some passages that should interest the investigators.

Reeves’ Letter

If the investigators ask about Reeve’s letter, Becker will be able to print them a copy from his portable printer (he has all his documents scanned into his notebook computer).

May 7, 1872 Dear Henry, I trust this letter finds you well. It was good to hear that you are in fine health and that Sarah wishes to accept your marriage proposal. I only wish I had good news to share with you. My health is fading and I feel that I shall not be long of this earth. Because of this, I feel the need to divulge to you certain facts (for though they shall appear dubious, you know I am scrupulous as to the truth). As you know, in the 1840s I sailed with Captain Wellsmith. The Captain was a good man, but a bit eager for profit. p rofit. I suspect that this was the hubris that brought him low. In the East we came across a Chinaman who sold the Captain a small statue of gold. The Captain was pleased by the price and thought it would bring him luck. At first, it seemed that it had. Our next few voyages were extremely profitable. A  bit blinded b linded by the t he wealth, wea lth, I did not think th ink to t o wonder wond er at our good g ood fortune. for tune. If only onl y I had, things might have turned out differently. Early on our last voyage, I suspected that something haunted our ship. One man went missing and the crew complained of bad dreams and of hearing things. The second mate also reported that he had heard the Captain talking to himself in his cabin. Over the next few days, two more men went missing and the second mate decided to press the issue with the Captain. The next morning the mate was not to  be seen. see n. Fearing F earing to take ta ke direct di rect action, acti on, I plied the Capta C aptain in with wi th Rum. Ru m. In that sorry state he whispered to me that something had come out of the statue. At first, it had served him well, but now he feared it was the master. He called it a “sackonian” or “sachonian.” He said that it fed on the souls of men and even now stalked his ship. Before fear stayed his tongue, he revealed to me that the thing feared the sea. Meeting quietly with those of the crew who accepted Jesus as their savior, we agreed to fire the ship when we neared the coast to prevent the thing from escaping. We would then jump into the sea and hope to reach shore or another vessel. We acted on our plan, but the Captain was able to run the ship aground. Thanks  be to Jesus that the ship s hip still burned to the th e water wa ter line. l ine. Though we were tiring in the water, none of us thought to make for the island were the Fortune  burned. Fortunately, the Whippet saw the smoke and came to our

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rescue. I told her captain that the Fortune  had been struck with a plague and that we had to set her afire to protect the rest of the world. After my rescue, I decided to stay in Maine and keep a watch on the island. When people said they saw lights on the island, I was horrified and urged people to stay away, saying that the plague could still be present on the island. Thank God that no one ever went to that haunted island. I believe that God Himself has been watching over us, guiding people away from the island. However, as they say, God helps those who help themselves, so I am writing to ask you to occasionally check on the island. But, for God’s sake, never go there. Your Uncle,  John  Jo hn Reev Re eves es Map Ma p The map shows the details  of Plesade island. The island is approximately one mile off the Maine coast. It is a small island, with some scrub vegetation and a few stunted pine trees. The beach area is fairly rocky. Remains of the F o r t u n e   The Fortune  is much the worse for wear. The ship burned to the water line,

leaving only blackened timbers visible. Tides and storms have further worn the wreckage down, leaving little that is recognizable. Around and in the wreckage is scattered some of the surviving cargo of the Fortune , including the statue. The area has been marked off with strings, indicating the various grid areas for the digging.

Camp

The camp consists of three six person tents, one of which is used to store gear and supplies. There is also an awning set up to protect the work area. The camp has a short wave radio, a flare gun, a generator, TV, radio, lights and such. There are no weapons, though. Action The following suggests the events that should take place during the course of the adventure. The Keeper may, of course, alter the events as needed.

Plesade Island

Camp

Arriving in Maine

The investigators will, if all goes as planned, meet with Becker in Bar Harbor. If the investigators need to purchase any items, they should be able to find most of what they need in

N

Remains of  the Fortune. 100 Feet

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the area (provided that they are looking for legal, readily available items). Becker will tell the investigators that he has located what he thinks is the wreck of  the Fortune  and will be able to provide them with the information specified above. Becker will also tell him that he will need to go back to the island soon, to pick up most of his team and take them back to town so they can have a chance to get decent showers and food. After the investigators eat and take care on any business they need to take care of, Becker will want to show them the island. He has a good sized cabin cruiser that he will use to take them to the island. To the Island

The island is a relatively short trip. When they get to the island, Becker will introduce the investigators to the team and show them the site. After the boat is loaded, they will depart for Bar Harbor, leaving behind Kesk, Jones and the ranger. After Becker drops off his team, he will remember that he left some photos and other material on the island that he needs to get to the university right away. He will ask the investigators to go back with him. If the investigators chose to stay in town, Park and his fellows will ambush Becker, take the valuables from the site and leave. The Sachonian will be freed and do a fair amount of evil, but the investigators will probably never learn of it. Alternatively, the Keeper can arrange for them to go after the missing items and develop an adventure around that. Back to the Island

While the investigators are on their way back to the island, Park will also be on his way there. Kesk told him that Becker takes most of the people back to the mainland  before dark, leaving leavi ng only onl y a couple people. peopl e. Dealing Dea ling with only a couple cou ple people p eople is much easier than dealing with many, so Park decided that night would be an opportune time to do his work. Park and his men will arrive on the island and, aided by Kesk’s treachery, quickly secure the island. They will then go through the wreckage with metal detectors. They will find the statue and some other valuables.  Just as Park’s Park ’s men me n are ar e turning tu rning up sever s everal al valua v aluables bles,, his look out will spot the lights from Becker’s boat. Park will decide that he needs more time and will set a trap for the investigators. He will move his boat, the Shark , behind the island (so the tents will block any sight of it) and he and his men will c onceal themselves. themselves. When the investigators get off the boat, they will be facing several men armed with SKS carbines. Park will tell them that it is “just business, so if you cooperate, it will work out best for everyone.” Park will be true to his word. If the investigators realize they are in a hopeless situation he will take the valuables and leave. If the investigators try anything, Parks men will open fire on the trouble makers. If all goes as Park plans, he, his men, and Kesk will depart the island. Before he leaves, he will break the radio and sink Becker’s boat. If the investigators manage to defeat Park and his men, the Keeper will need to decide how to continue the adventure. One possibility is to have some other

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member of the team free the Sachonian, or have it taken back to the university and freed by someone else. The Return of the Shark .

If Park gets away with the valuables, Kesk will start looking at the items, anticipating the wealth that will be his. He will find the statue strangely compelling and will pick it up. After staring at it for some time, he will make contact with the Sachonian. He will be startled by the experience, but his greed will urge him to free it. The investigators will be able to see this as a bright, but sickly looking, green flash out on the water. The Sachonian will be very “hungry” when it is freed and will immediately go after Park’s men. In the ensuing confusion, one of Park’s men will shoot several holes through the hull and the engine, causing the boat to begin to sink. Panicked, the Sachonian will stop its attack and try to force the survivors to take it to the mainland. Kesk will realize that the boat will never make it to the mainland before it sinks and will be able to convince the Sachonian to go back to the island until repairs can be made. Kesk will, of course, use his new found ally to take over and he will plan on keeping all the valuables for himself. Park will quickly realize that guns will not be effective against the Sachonian. He will suspect that Kesk will feed them all to the Sachonian, so he will be busy trying to find a way to either deal with it or escape. While any mechanically inclined people are forced to work on the boat, Kesk will have the others start digging for more valuables. The Sachonian will also select some victims to satisfy its hunger. Kesk will give it Jones, whom he has never liked, as well as some of Park’s men. If the investigators are unable to stop the Sachonian, the boat will be repaired and Kesk will depart with Park, intending to sell the valuables directly to LaBeau. Kesk will initially plan to simply strand everyone else, but the Sachonian will ta lk him into letting it kill them all. Hence, the investigators will eventually have no choice choice  but to t o try to fight fi ght for f or their th eir lives. l ives. The investigators might decide to grab Kesk. If they can get a hold of him, they can force him to order the Sachonian back into the statue. If they kill or disable Kesk, the Sachonian will be free to do as it will. In this case, it will force the survivors to repair the boat. Then it will kill everyone but one person and then it will force that person to take it to the mainland. Conclusion The adventure comes to an end when the investigators defeat t he Sachonian, are themselves defeated or they give up. If the investigators provide a temporary solution to the problem (such as forcing the Sachonian back into the statue and securing the statue) they should receive a modest (1D3) Sanity Point Award. If they permanently destroy the Sachonian, they should receive a 1D6 Sanity Point Award. If the investigators are defeated or simply give up, then any survivors should receive a Sanity Point Loss based on the magnitude of their defeat, but no more than

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1D4. With the investigators out of the way, the Sachonian will be able to reach the mainland and feed regularly on people. Surviving investigators might decide to go after it again, but it will have built up a base of operations by finding greedy and weak minded people to serve it. If the investigators are able to protect the items found at the site, such as the statue and other items, they will probably get some small measure of fame (coverage in the local news) and Becker will be very willing to help them out in the future. Of  course, LaBeau will be outraged that his plans were thwarted and might be motivated to take action against the investigators if he learns of their involvement. Very unscrupulous investigators might might decide to sell the items at the site. The results of such misdeeds are left to the Keeper’s discretion. The investigators will also have to decide what to do about Park and his men, assuming the survive. If Park survives and has the upper hand, he will take the valuables and leave, then radio for a boat to rescue the investigators after he is safely away. If the investigators have the upper hand, they might elect to turn Park over to the authorities. He is wanted for several thefts and the investigators could receive a reward for turning him into the proper authorities. NPCs Dr. Carl Becker, Historian and

Archeologist Archeologist STR: 13 CON: 13 SIZ: 14 INT: 15 POW: 12 DEX: 12 APP: 11 EDU: 20 SAN: 60 HP: 14 DB: None Important Skills: Anthropology 25%, Archaeology 55%, Drive Auto 30%, Geology 10%, History 70%, Law 15%, Library Use 55%, Natural History 35%, Navigate 20%, Latin 20%, German 20%, Pilot Boat 50%, Swim 45% Weapons: None Description: Becker has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a full beard and moustache and favors turtlenecks and brown sport coats. His main area of work is in the nautical history of New England and he has published several books and articles on the topic. Becker is an experienced diver and boat operator. He has read many ghost stories but does not really believe in the supernatural. However, he is a rational man and when he is confronted with the existence of the Sachonian he will do his best to aid the investigators. Bill Jones, Student

STR: 12 CON: 11 SIZ: 13 INT: 14 POW:13 DEX: 11 APP: 10 EDU: 16 SAN: 65 HP: 12 DB: None Important Skills: Archeology 35%, Geology 5%, History 35%, Library Use 45%, Swim 50% Weapons: None. Description: Jones is a slightly overweight young man. He has black hair and brown eyes. He mostly wears jeans and sweaters. Jones is working in archeology and is

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pleased to be on Becker’s project. Jones is an experienced diver, but despite his regular swims he has trouble keeping the weight off. Jones does not believe in the supernatural, but will help the investigators. Randy Kesk, Treacherous Student

STR: 12 CON: 11 SIZ: 12 INT: 13 POW: 10 DEX: 12 APP: 11 EDU: EDU: 15 SAN: 50 HP: 12 DB: None Important Skills: Archeology 25%, History 35%, Law 15%, Library Use 35% Weapons: None Description: Kesk is a thin man with long brown hair. He wears glasses and generally wears jeans and sport coats. Kesk is addicted to gambling and has gotten himself into a great deal of debt. Since he subscribes to the view that a person should look out for number one, he decided to sell out Becker to get the money he needs to pay his debts. Kesk will work with Park to get the valuables and he won’t be adverse to hurting people to reach his goal. David LaBrett, Ranger

STR: 14 CON: 14 SIZ: 15 INT: 13 POW: 12 DEX:13 APP: 12 EDU: 14 SAN: 60 HP: 15 DB: +1D4 Important Skills: Dodge 34%, First Aid 45%, History 30%, Mechanical Repair 35%, Natural History 35%, Pilot Boat 35%, Track 25%, Handgun 35% Weapons: .357 Magnum Revolver 35% Damage 1D8+1D4 Range 20 Attacks 1 Shots 6 Mal 00 Description: LaBrett is a tall man with brown hair an brown eyes. When on duty he wears a ranger uniform. LaBrett is an experienced ranger and has often worked guarding archeological sites (it gives him a chance to catch up on his reading, since most sites are fairly isolated). LaBrett is Catholic, but does not really believe in the supernatural outside of his religious beliefs. However, his religious background does keep him fairly open minded about the possibility of evil supernatural beings. LaBrett will be willing to help the investigators. Anthony Park,

Treasure Stealer STR: 14 CON: 14 SIZ: 14 INT: 14 POW:13 DEX: 14 APP: 13 EDU: 15 SAN: 65 HP: 14 DB: +1D4 Important Skills: Anthropology Anthropology 15%, Archeology 17%, Painting 25%, Bargain 45%, Climb 50%, Computer Use 25%, Conceal 45%, Fast Talk 45%, First Aid 45%, History 35%, Hide 35%, Law 25%, Listen 35%, Locksmith 25%, Martial Arts 25%, Mechanical Repair 31%, German 15%, Japanese 12%, French 14%, Persuade 25%, Sneak 20%, Spot Hidden 30%, Swim 35%, Rifle 45%, Submachinegun 35% Weapons: 9mm 60% Damage 1D10 Range 20 Yards Attacks 2 Shots 15 Mal 99, Fighting Knife 45% Damage 1D4+2+1D4 HP 15 Description: Park is a tall man with blonde hair and grey eyes. He appears to be in excellent health. He dresses well, favoring expensive (but comfortable) clothing. Park was in the British military for several years and then attended college. After

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college, he worked for a while as a businessman. He soon found that boring and decided on a career as “one who acquires valuable items for a suitable price.” Park is quite good at what he does. He considers his operations to be “business, nothing personal” and prefers to avoid violence. To this end, his main strategy is to act quietly or put people into situations in which they will decide to simply give him the valuables without a fight. Park is a practical man and has no real belief in the supernatural. However, he is intelligent and will recognize the Sachonian as something “very nasty.” If properly persuaded, he might be willing to aid the investigators. Park will not willingly reveal that he is working for LaBeau, but will not risk his life to conceal LaBeau’s involvement. Park’s “Boys”

STR: 14 CON: 13 SIZ: 15 INT: 11 POW: 10 DEX: 12 APP:10 EDU: 10 SAN: 50 HP:14 DB: +1D4 Important Skills: Dodge 30% Weapons: SKS Carbine 50% Damage 2D6+1 Range 90 Yards Attacks 2 Shots 30 Mal 97, Punch 1D3+1D4 65% Description: Park’s men are people he has hired to act as muscle. Most of them are small time criminals looking for some easy money. They would prefer not to shoot anyone, but will do so if they have too. Their main concern is getting their money. When things go bad, they will try to get away and save their own skins. There will  be a number of “boys” “b oys” equal to the th e number numbe r of investi i nvestigator gatorss plus 1D6. Mythos Beings Sachonian, Lesser Independent Race

Description: Sachonians originated on a far away world and once possessed conventional material bodies. When their world was threatened by a terrible disaster, a mysterious stranger appeared and presented a plan for the survival of  their race: hundreds of chosen Sachonians would be transformed into creatures of  almost pure energy and, in their new forms, the Sachonians would be able to survive the disaster that threatened them. Unfortunately Unfortunately for the Sachonians, the mysterious stranger was Nyarlathotep. He neglected to tell the Sachonians that the process of transformation required the consumption of the life energy of living beings. Millions of Sachonians perished when Nyarlathotep guided the chosen ones through the ritual that transformed them. Seeing their fellows perish in horror a nd pain drove most of the transformed Sachonians mad and the horror of their new existence drove the rest insane. To complete his torment of the Sachonians, Nyarlathotep developed an enchantment for summoning the Sachonians from their dead world. Nyarlathotep taught this spell to other races, including humans. Sachonians appear as balls of pulsing green light, with the center brighter than the

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outer areas. When they move, they leave a faint, swirling trail of greenish “mist.” Sachonians are intelligent, but are insane. They are also driven by a horrible need to feed on the life energy of other living creatures. Sachonians feed by coming into contact with other creatures. Such contact causes cellular damage (1D8 of damage per attack) and drains one Magic Point. A creature drained of Magic Points in this manner will die, leaving behind a corpse with strange neural and cellular damage. Most armor will not protect a target from a Sachonian attack. However, protective items (such as insulated gloves or special clothing) that would stop electricity would  block the discharge disc harge damage and Magic Ma gic Point Poi nt Drain. Drai n. Sachonians cannot regenerate Magic Points on their own, but they can store a number of Magic Points equal to twice their POW. Once a Sachonian is “full” it can no longer drain Magic Points, but it will still inflict damage. In combat, Sachonians can attack by contacting their opponents (as described above). A Sachonian can also project “pieces” of itself. These pieces fly from the body of the creature and look like tiny, brighter versions. These pieces can travel up to 100 yards before dissipating harmlessly. They inflict 1 point of damage for ever Magic Point the Sachonian puts into the attack. Most a rmor will not protect the target. Protective items or armor that can stop electrical discharges can block such attacks. Because of their nature, Sachonians are effectively invulnerable to most weapons, such as firearms, poisons, fire, and physical attacks (anything striking a Sachonian will sustain 1D8 damage from the discharge). They can be attacked with water or other things that can cause an electrical discharge or disrupt their integrity. Sachonians have some abilities that have made them appealing to sorcerers. First, Sachonians can render themselves invisible to the naked eye. This costs them 1 Magic Point for every ten minutes they stay invisible. If an invisible Sachonian attacks, it will discharge energy and be visible. Since Sachonians can see and hear, they can serve as invisible spies. Second, Sachonians have the ability to “see” the “life energy” of other creatures. They can use this ability to see how the creature is feeling and can even use it to tell when a creature is lying (based on the changes in the life energy). Third, some Sachonians know spells that they can use and teach to others. Their nature also gives Sachonians some limits. First, they do not heal damage naturally and have to expend Magic Points to heal themselves. Each Magic Point a Sachonian expends heals one point of damage. Second, Sachonians need to feed fairly regularly. Every nineteen hours (one day on the Sachonian home world) a Sachonian loses one Magic Point. If a Sachonian runs out of Magic Points, it simply dissipates. Sachonians can only acquire Magic Points from intelligent beings (those with at least 2D6 in INT). Sachonians feel unimaginable pain when they go without feeding, which has forced even the best of them to feed. Because of their condition, all Sachonians are insane by human standards. Their constant feeding on other intelligent beings has also made them rather evil and they regard other creatures solely as food and diversions from the boredom of their existence (Sachonians are effectively immortal and will exist as long as they can feed).

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The Sachonian in this adventure has only ten magic p oints at the start. Characteristics STR CON SIZ IN T PO W DEX HP

R olls N/A 3D6 1 3D6+3 2D6+8 4D6 CON

A ver a g es N/A 10-11 1 13-14 15 14 10-11

N/A 14 1 15 17 17 14

Move: 10 Flying Damage Bonus: N/A Weapons: Touch 85% Damage 1D8 energy discharge and magic point drain. Energy Attack 65% Range 100 yards, Damage Variable Armor: Sachonians are beings of nearly pure energy and are not harmed by most material weapons. They are harmed by things that can cause their energy to discharge faster than they can control it. Large quantities of water harm them and they sustain 1D3 for every gallon of water that strikes them. Exposure to other things that could cause their energy to be drained away or disrupted (such as powerful electric currents or large explosions) can also harm them. Spells: A Sachonian has a chance equal to its POW X3 of knowing 1D3 spells. The Sachonian in this adventure knows Implant Fear (12 Magic points to cast, causes 0/1D6 Sanity point loss), and Mental Suggestion (8 magic points to cast, last 1 round) Sanity Loss: Seeing a Sachonian causes no Sanity loss. Items The Statue

The statue is composed of gold and weighs 2.5 pounds. It has been made in the shape of a ugly human figure with a serpent wrapped around it. The figure is squatting, with its arms crossed in front of it. The gold is deeply engraved with symbols. The symbols are not in any known language and many of them appear to  be geometr g eometric ic diagr d iagrams. ams. The statue s tatue is normal n ormal gold, gold , but bu t the th e engravi eng ravings ngs transform tran sform it into a vessel for holding a Sachonian. If an intelligent being holds the statue and studies the symbols (for at least five minutes), they will appear to swirl into strange patterns. If the being keeps hold of the statue, he will come into mental contact with the Sachonian (assuming it is in the statue, of course). The Sachonian will plead to  be released re leased,, promisin pr omisingg wealth wea lth and a nd power. p ower. If the th e Sachonian Sac honian is released re leased,, it will be unable to directly harm the person who freed it and will have to serve him (even

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returning to the statue if so ordered). However, the Sachonian will do its best to plot against its “master” by corrupting him, making him paranoid, making him despair or anything that will free it from its servitude. The Sachonian is, of course, free to harm others and to do anything that it is not expressly told not to do. While in the statue, a Sachonian will not lose Magic Points. However, it will not  be capable cap able of doing anything, a nything, except contacting contac ting a being who wh o holds the statue stat ue and studies the symbols.

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Players’ Handouts Handout #1: Reeves’ Letter

May7, 1872 D earHe Henry, I trustthisletterfi findsyouw ell. I tw asgoodtoh ohearthatyouarei einfinehealtha handthatSa Sarahw hw ishestoa oaccept yourm arria iageproposal. l. I onlyw ishI hadgoodnew stos osharew ew ithy hyou. Myhealthi hisfadingandI feel thatI shall notbelongofthisearth. Becauseofthis, I feel theneedtod odivulgeto youcertain infacts( s(forthoughtheyshall ll appeardubious, youknowI amscrupulousast stot othetruth). Asyouknow , inthe1840sI sI sailedw ithC hCaptain inWellsm ith. TheCaptain inw asagoodm an, butab abiteagerfor profit. I suspectthatthisw ast sthehubris isthatbroughthimlo low . I ntheEastw ecam eacrossaChinam anw hosoldthe Captain inasm all statueofgold. TheCaptain inw asp spleasedbythepric iceandthoughtit itw ouldbrin inghimluck. Atfirst, itseem edthatit ithad. Ournextfewvoyagesw eree eextrem elyprofitable. A bitblindedbythew ealth, I did notthinktow ow onderatourgoodfortune. I fonlyI had, thin ingsm ighthaveturnedoutdifferently ly. Early lyonourlastvoyage, I suspectedthatsom ethin inghauntedourship. Onem anw nw entm issingandthecrew com plain inedofbadd ddream sandofhearin ingthin ings.Th Thesecondm atea eals lsoreportedthathehadh dheardt dtheCaptain in talk lkin ingtoh ohim selfinhiscabin. Overthenextfe fewdays, twom orem enw entm issingandthesecondm ated edecid idedto presstheissuew itht htheCaptain in. Thenextm ornin ingthem atew ew asnottob obeseen. Fearin ingtot otakedirectactio ion, I plied theCaptain inw ithR hRum . I nthatsorrystateh ehew hisperedtom om ethatsom ethinghadcom eoutofthestatue. Atfirst, it hadservedhimw ell, butnowhefeareditwast sthem aster. Hecalledita“ a“sackonian”or“sachonian.”Hesaid idthatit it fedonthesoulsofm enandevennowstalk lkedhisship. Beforef efearstayedhistongue, hereveale ledtom om ethatthethin ing fearedthesea. Meetin ingquietly lyw itht hthoseofthecreww hoacceptedJ esusast stheirsavior, w eagreedtof ofiret etheshipw henw eneared thecoasttopreventthethin ingfromescaping. Wew ouldthenjum pintot otheseaandhopetor oreachshoreoranother vessel. Weactedonourplan, buttheCaptain inw asabletor oruntheshipaground. ThanksbetoJ oJ esusthattheshipstil ill burnedtot othewaterline. Thoughw ew eretir iringinthewater, noneofusthoughttom om akefortheislandw eret etheFortuneburned. Fortunately, theWhippetsawthesm okeandcam etoo oourrescue. I toldhercaptain inthattheFortunehadbeenstruck  w itha haplagueandthatw ehadt dtos osetherafiret etop oprotecttherestoftheworld ld. Afterm yrescue, I decidedtos ostayi yinMaineandkeepaw atchontheisland. Whenpeoplesaidtheysawli lights ontheisland, I w ash shorri rifiedandurgedpeopletos ostaya yaw ay, sayingthattheplaguecouldstil ill bepresentonthe island. ThankGodthatnooneeverwenttothathauntedisla land. I believethatGo GodHim selfhasb sbeenw atchingoverus, guidingpeopleaw ayf yfromtheisland. How ever, ast stheysay, Godhelpsthosew hohelpthem selves, soI amw rit itin ingto askyoutoo ooccasionall llycheckontheisland. But, forGod’ssake, nevergothere.  Yo  YourUncle,  J ohnReeves

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THE MIRACLE © 1998 Ricardo J. Méndez [email protected]

Damn this season. Harry rubbed his hands together and tried not not to feel the cold. Hell, if at least it wasn't this this darned rainy too. too. Freaking weather. weather. No wonder wonder the the plane had taken so long to get here.  Just to have something to do, he took out again the color printout of the two images he had received on a encrypted encrypted e-mail message. It had been been signed only “Ingrid, DG” and came with precise instructions on how the message should be wiped and the the printout shredded. He could only assume that it was the same “Ingrid” that had called him once to his very own home phone shortly after Mr. Quirós’ heart attack (about two years ago!) and said a lot of mumbo jumbo about a secret US government project called Delta Green with whom Mr. Francisco Quirós had been working working and that now needed a new contact here. Apparently, Mr. Quirós Quirós had put the word in for him after an incident   somewhere called Rincón de la Vieja, so when he died she she decided to contact him. She also explained that, appearances  being what they may, Francisco's death might or might not had been natural and that he shouldn't tell anyone about this call unless he wanted to put both him and his family in danger. Not from Delta Green, Green, of course, course, but from from some people conspiring against the US government. Of course, he would be glad to help. The only problem problem was that the time he had had allotted for secret agent matters was already full, so that she would have to wait until the Mossad relieved him from his duties – he replied, wondering which of his friends might might be pulling pulling his leg this time. There was silence on the line for a moment and then she hung up after a brief “We'll be in touch”. The lady had no sense of humor. He didn't give it much thought thought afterwards. Some time later he went to the US Embassy to renew his visa and it turned out that he was given a permanent one, with a resident resident option if he he so desired. desired. But that must have been a clerical clerical mistake, and a nice one at that. What wasn't a clerical mistake was when that that stern man from the CIA knocked on his hotel door in Orlando and introduced himself as “Martin, from Delta Green. Ingrid sent me to have a word with you, if I may”. The pictures Martin took out out of his briefcase had blown blown him away. They showed several beings that looked like flying polyps with spidery legs and a mass of 

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somethings where a head head would be. Things that looked just like those he had managed to convince himself were just a bad dream. *** Harry climbed up the last stretch of barely visible green and landed suddenly into what could well be a lunar landscape. As far as the mist allowed allowed you to see there were only rocks. rocks. Volcanic rocks; small, small, gray rocks; light brown brown rocks; whatever size, shape or color you wanted, but only rocks and not a small hint of anything alive except the moss on some of them. He turned and and signaled Francisco to come forward. forward. Why Francisco had insisted so  badly on coming to the Rincón de la Vieja instead of just going to the more accessible Turrialba Turrialba was beyond beyond him, but it was worth the sight. For the last part of  the ascent, ascent, the whole scene changed changed every 200 meters or so. Everything: the the vegetation, the insects you saw, the sturdiness of the ground, the thickness of the mist. He hadn’t understood the expectant look on Mr. Quirós’ face until he saw the  beauties  beau ties that this area had in store s tore for them. Later, when Francisco had insisted that they went “just a little down into the crater” because he “thought he saw saw something” he started worrying. What the heck could he have seen with this mist? Is not like he has x-ray vision or whatever. And they shouldn’t be going down into the crater anyway, so why did he insist on it… But then he heard heard the flapping, and out of of the mists the the thing came at them. them. He stood mesmerized, just looking at that impossible something that defied everything he had learned all these years with its very presence, looking at how the mass of  tendrils that it had for a head changed color when it approached them with its constant flapping and how that that weird rod it had on its hand glowed glowed oh so so softly. At least he did until Francisco tackled him and they both rolled downslope into the crater. They tried to regain their balance and stop their slide, slide, but both kept getting on the way of each other. When they finally managed to use a large rock to stop, he he had to check himself to stop shouting. He didn’t even know when he had started. Someone kept telling him to shut up and finally he did, only to hear that flapping coming again but this time at least from two different different directions. directions. Francisco had finally stopped chastising him and was taking a big mother of a gun from beneath his jacket. A .45, Harry observed with with weird detachment, like the weird sound sound wasn’t coming towards them. On a whirl, Francisco turned turned and fired two quick quick shots into the the mists. Something shrieked just after the second, and he heard something soft hitting the ground and

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the accompanying slide of rocks. rocks. But then a flash came from somewhere somewhere in ahead of him and the the rock against which they they had stopped rolling rolling vanished. Just like that, it was gone in an instant. Francisco whirled again with a speed Harry didn’t know he had and fired fired once, twice, three three times. The flapping intensified, intensified, and the thing came at them with a suddenness that he didn’t expect from such a frail body. Francisco fired twice again, and the thing collapsed to the ground. Still in shock from from the whole whole thing, Harry looked looked at the being on the ground. It looked a lot like some kind of winged fungi with legs taken from a spider and it clutched something on them. “Just what the hell is this?” – he wondered out loud. He could have stared at it forever, but suddenly everything went black. When he came back to his senses senses his shirt was covered in blood. Mr. Quirós explained that he had slipped and hit his head, and by the time when he had fished him out of the crater and stopped the free flow of blood from a small cut on his scalp he was mumbling mumbling something about about flying things. And that was the end of it, since Francisco wouldn’t go back down into the crater (it was a stupid idea in the first place, sorry), had never owned a gun, didn’t even knew how to shoot one and would remember if he had seen something like what Harry described. So the things were for years a product of his imagination, maybe what you get from reading too many of the wrong kind of books. *** Until Martin explained that Francisco had been with them for over five years when the “small incident” incident” at Rincón de la Vieja Vieja had occurred. Them being, being, of  course, Delta Green, a covert inter-agency project of the US government working to investigate and whenever possible contain an alien threat that has been with us for longer that you can imagine. “Contain?” “Terminate.” Sure, those things you saw there were aliens, or at least something inhuman. Sure, you did see see them. From what I read at his his report, Mr. Quirós Quirós hit you with the gun and made up the story to avoid more explanations than necessary at the time,  but when you both returned to the city he gave us your name and you have been listed as someone to contact if need arises.

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“Those things you saw are members of one of the races we’re dealing with, Mr. Randall” “Harry.” “Harry. They are dangerous, dangerous, and they they have technology technology that is way ahead of what the human race has developed, even giving that the public doesn’t see the latest advancements. Delta Green was created to contain the threat, but we can’t reach everywhere so sometimes we need people to be our eyes and ears for things you don’t see on on CNN. Mr. Quirós helped helped us in Costa Rica, and and now we need you to help us. You are the ideal recruit, recruit, since you already had an encounter encounter with them.” them.” Harry had looked from Martin to the pictures, back and forth, back and forth, until he came to the conclusion that he was way out of his league here. Hell, he did know how to shoot but didn’t own a gun. “We’ll provide you with the material you need, but we don’t expect you to work as an agent. Your job would would be mainly as a local contact.” “How would I do that?” “There will be an e-mail address where you can send secure messages, and a local phone that will be forwarded to your contact’s phone. phone. We may get in touch from time to time, but you will be mainly a watcher.” “That doesn’t sound a lot like what Mr. Quirós was doing over at the volcano, does it?” Martin’s face tightened tightened a little bit more. more. “Mr. Quirós sometimes sometimes took took things into his own hands. The volcano was one of those times. You shouldn’t even have  been there. there . We are a re very v ery strict stri ct about a bout our methods.” metho ds.” “Oh hell. What if I say no?” “I’ll just walk out of here and you will never hear from us again.” “Did you have to do anything with my visa?” “Indeed. That is a little token of good faith. And by the way, not that anyone would  believe you, but whatever you chose to do, you can’t ever tell about this conversation, Delta Green or what happened at the volcano to anyone.” “Or what?”

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“Or you would be a threat that needs containment.” *** So Martin had taken his pictures and walked out with his suitcase full of secrets and left him with only a disk. The disk, apparently, apparently, had a text file file with an e-mail address and a PGP public key for his contact so that he could safely contact him, her or it. It didn’t take him too long to decide, and he had sent his agreement agreement in first thing when his vacation was over. He never heard of them again until two years later, when a message from Ingrid asked him to meet at the Juan Santamaría airport the two agents whose photographs were attached, and to destroy the message after reading it. He did, of course. You don’t mess with with people that call you at home, home, can get you a visa and locate you at whatever hotel you’re you’re staying on a random vacation. But the price to pay was that he was freezing his butt off while trying not to get his feet stomped by the multitude of people coming out of the airport with their kids, luggage and assorted assorted imported goods. goods. It seems that most costarricans costarricans never travel travel  just to visit someplace, but had instead to make a thousand purchases. And they say the country is on a bad economic situation. He took another long look at the printout, to make sure that the agents hadn’t appeared yet. What kind of person does it take to fight an inhuman race? he wondered. How can it affect affect you to have to chase over whatever things it is that could be a whole evolutionary path so far unknown to science? ***  A l a j u e l a   on which the captain had assured them Circling above somewhere called  Al they would be landing soon, Richard Müller, NSA analyst, Delta Green operative and known as Joseph Bierce for whatever anyone including customs were concerned looked again at Harry Randall’s profile. 27-year-old costarrican, had been studying law for some time but had seen the light at some point and switched to anthropology. Apparently he and one one of his anthropology professors professors had had a run in with the fungi on a volcano over here in Puerto Rico. Scratch that, Costa Rica. Puerto Rico is an island. His professor professor was a DG friendly but had had died some time  back, and then Mr. Randall had been contacted. His encounter, the recommendation from Quirós and Mr. Randall’s reported interest in weird occurrences and occult matters had made him a typical friendly case.

A short grunt from his side told him that his travel companion had awakened. His DG name was Jonathan, Jonathan Adams for this trip, really a DEA agent whose name Joseph didn’t know and who who had been on on this longer longer than Joseph. That, of 

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course, made him a little bitterer. “Is that the friendly’s profile?” Jonathan asked softly so that he was not overheard. “Uhu.” “How much does he know?”  Joseph quickly looked at the security note. “Apparently not much. He thinks that DG is a sanctioned agency trying to study and contain some recently discovered inhuman races.” “Sanctioned. Study. Ha” was Jonathan’s humorless comment. Delta Green wasn’t sanctioned at all. For the past 30 years it had been been working as an underground underground organization, channeling funds from wherever they could and covering up for the agents they reallocated reallocated as best as possible. possible. And you could bet that they they weren’t trying to study as much as contain, contain, especially with high caliber containment. containment. That was his specialty, in fact. Full metal jacket containment, containment, which was all all you could do to stop those beings from taking us over. over. Joseph here, he he seemed to care a lot more about the endless possibilities  studying them would offer than doing what had to be done. But then again, I suppose that’s what you can expect when you confront hi-tech types with the kind of toys these fellows fellows have. That’s when when you have to be careful, when the temptation shows its innocent-looking face. “What was that again, Joseph?” “According to Ingrid’s notes, notes, we should should be careful when when handling this case. Since the news has already made international headlines, it is possible the MJ-12 is already on the track.” See, there you have some people that succumbed to the temptations. MAJESTIC-12 was a branch of the US government (a sanctioned  one, but secret too) that dealt with the the things for for their technology. technology. They believed that the beings were  just friendly aliens from another planet and gave them animals and people (people!) in exchange for trinkets. trinkets. MJ-12 also made sure that the things could fly fly over our world without being bothered bothered by the military military and what not. And MJ-12 took special care that everyone they knew to be from Delta Green was terminated. “I said that your mind is wandering wandering too much today, today, Jonathan. You know that is not a good sign.” “Sorry. Fucking airplanes. Don’t know why they have to keep us up here.” “Stop bitching, there are kids around. It’s descending now, you see?”

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 Jonathan  Jona than looked look ed out the window. wind ow. “About “Ab out fucking fuck ing time.” time .” *** The landing had been uneventful, which could be counted as a blessing with all this rain. The project wouldn’t send them in first class, class, since since it might raise too much of a suspicion, so they had to wait until the droves of people got out of the plane to even even start recovering recovering their handbags from from the compartments. The possibility existed that they were being tracked, so the small papers important to DG security were on those bags. The person person at immigration immigration didn’t didn’t almost check their papers. He was examining them thoroughly as if they wanted to stay in Costa Rica as illegal immigrants and work on a supermarket, but apparently he noticed the hundred dollar bill that was inside the folded DEA letter politely requesting that the agents here present would have all the help they needed. needed. Jonathan was sure sure the guy hadn’t read the bloody letter, but he turned, called in a short man who was lugging bags around and told him to “help “help the gentlemen gentlemen and make sure they don’t don’t get bothered. bothered. They are here here on an official official trip.” Jonathan also saw him pass the the little guy a thousand colones colones  bill, which if he was correct was about five bucks. Talk about an earnings percentage. But anyway, the money was well spent. They didn’t go through customs and so didn’t have to flash their fake IDs to explain the guns and the rifle on their suitcases. *** Lacsa anuncia la llegada del vuelo 644 proveniente de Orlando y Miami…

Well, they are here at last. Not a long time later, Harry saw saw the two men come out of the terminal terminal area. The one in the front, one Joseph Bierce from the message, was a man of about 30 years, somewhat thin and with short, well well kept hair. He was scanning through the crowd, crowd, most likely looking looking for him, him, but it was the other man who saw him first. Quite possibly in his 40s, Jonathan Adams was a bulky man who obviously worked out regularly. His hair was cropped short in an almost almost military fashion, and he advanced with a sureness and economy of movement that the more active Joseph didn’t seem to have. Jonathan tapped the shoulder of his companion and they were soon with him.  Joseph and his hi s eager eag er attitude att itude got first fi rst to where he was.

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“Señor Randall?” “Mr. Joseph Bierce?” Harry replied, shaking the offered hand. “Sí. Hablo inglés, inglés, señor señor Randall?” Randall?” Harry smiled at him. If he was going to be at the airport on on a rainy Saturday, Saturday, he would at least have some fun at it. “I truly hope so, because you don’t seem to speak Spanish.”  Jonathan  Jona than’s ’s laug l aughh shook sh ook Joseph Josep h out ou t of his bafflem baf flement. ent. “What? What did I do wrong?” “You asked him if you spoke English, Joseph.” Jonathan shook Harry’s hand. “Jonathan Adams.”  Joseph blushed. “I’m sorry, Mr. Randall. Your profile didn’t mention you spoke English, so I tried my my hand at Spanish. That should teach teach me.” “Don’t worry, and just call me Harry. Are you planning to rent a car or will you move around by taxis?” “How did you get here?” “I took a bus.” “So we’ll be renting a car. I suppose we can do it around here, right?” “Sure, right this way.” Twenty minutes later they were on their way to the capital, somewhere called San  José. Joseph was driving and had been questioning him about Costa Rica for awhile,  but with w ith a special spec ial slant towards towa rds all a ll matters ma tters pertainin pert ainingg Limón. Li món. “So you’re here about the Mason business.” From the passenger seat, Jonathan took a long stern stern look at Joseph. Joseph. Luis Mason Mason was a man from Limón of about fifty who had been on the costarrican news for the last two weeks. According to what had been sent by Randall, Mason had stigmata on his hands and side that matched those that are usually associated with Jesus and some saints. As usual on these cases, the the wounds bled a little but didn’t get infected. infected. But that was just the the beginning. Reportedly, Mason had had the power to cure cure the ill if 

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they left them with him for a while by just imposing imposing his hands on them. them. The persons who had so been cured reported only a quick, momentary dizziness, were paralyzed for a couple of minutes and walked out of there without their diseases and maladies. Common colds, heart conditions, AIDS, even cancer. You mention it, he cured it. it. Several cases had had been reported where patients who had been with Luis for a night showed a marked improvement on even the worst of conditions, and after a week the diseases were just gone. “Subtlety to question has never been one of his strong points, Mr. Randall.” “But you didn’t answer his question either. Yes, Harry, we’re here to look into it.” “Bear in mind, Mr. Randall, that this this is a secret secret operation. You are not not allowed to comment this with anyone and you are in a need to know basis, which means that for your own safety you will be informed only of what we or the command consider you need to know.” Harry stiffened at that. “Here, Jonathan, no need to deal with with things like that. What do you know about the matter, Harry?” “Well, what I have sent Ingrid which I assume you already have. There was some newspaper coverage when it started, but right now only one sensationalist tabloid is still reporting on the news.” “Why do you think that is, Mr. Harris? It would seem like a rather important important story.” Jonathan asked. Harry didn’t know if to go for it and voice his opinion. opinion. Let’s face it: it: they were experienced investigators for a secret agency and he was an anthropology student. But what the heck. “I believe itit is because of Mr. Mason’s Mason’s religious convictions. I believe that the Catholic Church is killing the story.” The healing power wasn’t the end of the story. To begin with, Luis Mason was  black. That wasn’t bad at all from the church’s point of view, since they had black saints too. The real problem was that Luis wasn’t catholic or even from from some side sect, but practiced a mix of Santeria and Hoodoo and insisted that the healing had nothing to do with Jesus, Krishna or whatever, but instead came directly from a Loa that wanted to turn enough people to the true faith. The answer seemed to be what Jonathan was expecting, and Harry would wonder

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later if he was being tested.  Joseph took his eyes from the road. “And has the Church in Costa Rica taken any active measures to conceal the story?” “Like what? Threatening TV executives? I wouldn’t know. But I can tell you that several priests that appear on TV and have articles on newspapers have issued warnings so that the faithful beware of the Beast that will want to lure them by posing as a son of god. That hasn’t stopped stopped many devout Catholics Catholics to go visit Luis, Luis,  but they t hey make m ake sure that their local priest prie st doesn’t do esn’t find out.” “Are you a catholic, Mr. Randall?” “No, I’m an atheist. Are you?” “I’m not.” Joseph said.  Jonatha  Jona thann didn’ d idn’tt even ev en turn t urn to him. h im. “Do we have hav e any a ny picture pic turess of Mr. Mason?” Mas on?” “No, since he hasn’t hasn’t allowed himself himself to be photographed. photographed. He believes the camera will steal his soul.” “Yeah, I saw that once on a Twilight Zone episode.” – Joseph cut in – “Something with a camera and African hunters coming out of it…” “Too much TV, Joseph. What about medical examination? Do we have any details about what doctors have reported?” “Not about him, at least. He claims not to to believe in medicine medicine as we know know it and  believes  beli eves that doctors doc tors will only harm him, since sinc e his hi s Loa L oa might m ight get angry ang ry at him.” h im.” “How long has he been active?” “It’s hard to tell. He came into the public eye about three weeks ago, but rumor has it he has been helping people around Limón for anything from one month to three years, depending on the source.”  Jonathan browsed through his printouts. “Any chance that we might be dealing with a scam?” “I wouldn’t think so, since he reportedly has refused several offers of money and lives on a simple hut.” “So he’s just a crackpot and we should be going back home.”

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“A crackpot doesn’t cure AIDS or cancer by laying hands, Joseph.” – was Jonathan last comment until they got to the hotel. *** It turned out that Ingrid had already made a reservation for them, so Harry left them at the hotel and took took a cab home. Against Jonathan’s best complaints, Joseph insisted that Harry came with them to Limón. It would help them blend blend in better if  they looked like two tourists with a guide instead of just two guys asking questions, and Jonathan had to give in to the sound reasoning. “But I can’t stay for long. long. I have to go to work work on Monday and I have classes on Tuesday.” “You can. We’ll make sure sure you get whatever whatever papers you need need if it will help help the assignment. Money is an universal language.” So he came back for them early in the morning and they left for Limón with Harry driving this time around. *** Three days before, Dr. Lilly Thomas, microbiologist, had sat on a nondescript office on one of MAJESTIC buildings buildings in Quantico. She had been summoned there there by one Robert Geller of whom she had never heard about, but the summons had come on a paper envelope that included a classified file that had really gotten her attention. “So, Ms. Thomas, what do you think about the file?” “I’m baffled. baffled. When did this happen?” happen?” “Over three years ago. It’s stated right there on the file.” “I’m sorry, everything happened in such a hurry that I concentrated on the scientific parts. Why I’m I being given clearance now?” “We believe that the Messiah might have resurfaced on Costa Rica, and we want to send you with a team to investigate and if deemed convenient recover the subject.” “I appreciate it, but I’m not a field agent. I…” Geller waved her excuse excuse away. “We believe that you you are the most qualified qualified person

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available at the moment. moment. We need to send a scientist scientist there, because because we don’t want the cleaning team to get too trigger happy.” “Cleaning team?” “Yes. We’re sending sending you with a military detachment detachment in case something something goes wrong. Part of the job will be a recovery recovery operation, but we consider consider it correct to send a cleaning team in case things get out of hand.” She thought about it for exactly two seconds. seconds. You just don’t don’t turn assignments assignments down at MJ-12, especially if whoever assigned you insisted. “When do we leave?” “In six hours.” *** When Lilly came back with whatever few things she had packaged for the trip, a helicopter was waiting to take her to to the airport. From there she left on one of the MAJESTIC planes that would take her and her “team”, four men in suits that looked like anything but science personnel, to Costa Rica. After they they took off, one one of them came came to her seat. seat. He was a man of about about 35,  blond, green eyes, clean cut and a nd clean-sha cl ean-shaven. ven. A poster post er boy for the th e army. army . She closed cl osed the dossier hurriedly, since she didn’t know what kind of clearance these men had. “Dr. Thomas?” “Yes?” “How do you do ma’am. I’m Lieutenant Meyers. Meyers. I was instructed instructed by Mr. Geller Geller that you should be protected at all times.” She was going to start protesting that she could take care of herself, but then she noticed that he was extending her something. A nickel-plated handgun. She looked at it like he was offering her an alien artifact. “It’s a 9mm automatic. Keep it with you at all times, but use it only if need arises and if you use it on a civilian return it to one of my men so that we can dispose of it. I understand that you have formal training.” “Yes, I do… when I was on the FBI… Use it on a civilian? Why would this this protection be needed? needed? This is merely merely a scientific operation. And who is in charge,

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anyway?” Meyers seemed seemed to think things things before answering. “This is mainly a scientific operation, but we don’t know the state of things were we’re going and we don’t want one of our agents being mugged and the information appearing on the news, since we would have to cover cover up why you were there. Also, from what I’ve been been informed the bunch surrounding the subject has become something of a religious mob, and mobs are always to be thread around lightly.” She took the gun as offered and checked the clip. It was fully loaded, and Meyers was already handing her a spare. As he turned turned to go back to his men, she said, “You didn’t answer my question.” “Pardon me?” “You didn’t answer me who is in charge.” Meyers returned to her and bent down so that he could almost whisper to her ear. “I have instructions that you are to be obeyed as a superior officer in all matters pertaining the scientific operation, but if things get hairy this will become a military operation and I’ll be in direct command. No buts about it and it will be my call.” “But what if I disagree?” He smiled a predator smile and she understood that all his niceness was just a façade. “I would seriously seriously advice against doing it.” it.” *** “Does it always rain this much?” “No, but we’re in winter. Even if the weather weather wasn’t as screwed up up as it is lately it would be raining.”  Joseph turned away from the window at the shabby Limón motel. “I don’t know why you insisted insisted that much in this place, Jonathan. Jonathan. There must have been places with a lower rat count than this, I’m sure.” “Maybe, but we got to keep a low low profile. And I haven’t seen any any rats yet.” “Why would that be, Mr. Adams?” – Harry interrupted. “Maybe there aren’t any.”

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“I meant, the low profile. Why do you guys have to keep everything secret?” “I’m afraid that you’re you’re not cleared for the information, information, Mr. Randall. Randall. Let’s just say say that there are factions that would want to interfere with Delta Green’s operations.”  Joseph stepped in to try to put things a little more diplomatic and less true to reality. “Basically, Harry, the US government doesn’t want other countries to know that Uncle Sam is either interfering interfering or prodding around their business. business. We can’t afford to be seen nosing around this case by anyone who might be tracking the arrival of  US officers to the country.” “So that’s why Delta Green is inter-departmental.” “What?” “That’s why Delta Delta Green is an inter-departmental inter-departmental effort. It’s harder to track and make relations about people from different departments than two CIA agents, or two FBI men.” “Er… right.” “But why are you interested interested in this this Luis? I thought that you were concerned concerned about inhuman races. Do you think think this guy is from another planet?” “That’s classified, Mr. Randall. It just happens to fall in our range of interests.” “Hmpf. Whatever. I was going going to get the food anyway. I’m surprised to see that you secret agents eat.” After Harry had left, Jonathan resumed resumed his watching out the window. window. It was  Joseph  Josep h who wh o broke br oke the silence. silen ce. “Don’t you think that you are being a little little too hard on him? The guy is a friendly friendly that takes time for a five hours drive under this rain and agrees to help us as a cover.” “Security matters, Joseph. Joseph. He’ll be treated treated as any friendly until until someone someone upstairs says so.” “But Jonathan, for all we know, we both might get killed on this action and he will  be offered a promotion into the group. Shouldn’t he at least know what the hell he’s dealing with? That way he’ll he’ll be able to fill the report better if we’re gone.”

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“He doesn’t need to know the facts about DG to write a report about what happens here, and he will will be debriefed if he is ‘promoted’, ‘promoted’, as you call it. Right now we just just know he’s a contact contact who hasn’t even been under close close scrutiny lately. He might be a MAJESTIC agent for all we know.” “Sure. The MAJESTIC recruiting students in Costa Costa Rica. They’re not as desperate as DG, you know? They could bribe their their way into a more influential influential place if they they wished.” “That’s beside the point.” “But what isn’t beside the point point is that he should know what he’s he’s up against. At least he should know about MAJESTIC.” – Joseph was rising his voice now, an uncommon occurrence – “Hell, he might be being bloody followed right now by them, or getting run over or kidnapped for interrogation or begin munched by… What’s the matter?” He was sure Jonathan Jonathan had flinched. By the time he tried to make sure it was gone already, but he was positive he he had seen seen something. something. Now the only thing that remained was Jonathan’s usual expressionless mask, and the mask told him more clearly than words that it was time to shut up. “You should rest, Joseph. Tomorrow we’ll go see this Luis.” *** Even after the seven-hour trip to Limón, they still had to drive another half-hour to get to Mason’s Mason’s place. It was way off the tourist routes, routes, just over some some terrain a  banana packaging company had left unused and that had been filled with squatters (‘precaristas’, they they call them here) in no time flat. Apparently Mason had been living in this ‘precario’ for some time before manifesting his abilities, or at least talking about them in public. Despite the rain quite a crowd had assembled to see Luis Mason, and there was a line of people over two hundred meters long and at least three persons thick, and since Mason spent anything from twenty minutes to one hour per patient, it didn’t seem like they they were going to get anywhere anywhere near him today. today. Joseph steeled steeled himself  for a night under the rain. From what Harry had told them, he almost never came out in public, but instead stayed inside his house (more like a hut, and a shoddy one at that, Joseph thought) and people were brought to him. They were here since six a.m. and he had appeared in public only once, once, and just barely. Jonathan could say say anything he liked, but but from

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this distance the man looked like a nutcase to him. him. Too bad Jonathan Jonathan hadn’t had a chance to see him and change chang e his mind. There were all kinds of people waiting in line: well-dressed people, poor people, old people, young people, even tourists. Jonathan came back, reported that he heard some guys speaking in French down the line, and a couple that looked like Germans or maybe Dutch, and decided to have a look at who had arrived since they had gotten here. “Who knows, maybe his fame spread on the few days that the news was on.” – Harry offered when he left – “Or maybe he’s being used as a tourist attraction.” Further down the line, Harry saw a business-like woman of about his age, or maybe a little older. She looked looked like a tourist, but but appeared to be doing her damnedest best not not to show it. Most likely she is afraid afraid that someone’s someone’s camera will take a picture of her and then she’ll have to explain her priest just what the heck she was doing there. She looked quite quite good, in fact, which was what had caught his attention attention first. Her short, well kept hair told him that she was a woman not to waste too much time on trivialities, and that make her even even more more attractive. Best of of all, she seemed to be alone. Harry decided to try his luck and started walking away from Joseph. “Hey, hey, were are you going?” “Nowhere. I mean, I saw someone someone I want to have have a word with.” “Sure. And what I’m I supposed to do if someone approaches me huh?” “Just look like the tourist you you are and say ‘No hablo español’. They usually get that as a ‘go away’, even if they speak English.”  Joseph saw Harry walk away like without any specific direction at all. Further down the line, he he stumbled on something and stopped stopped his fall on a lamppost. lamppost. The lady that was beside the lamppost made a movement to help him, but he had already straightened up and was beaming a smile at the woman. Damn it, it apparently had been planned. This guy would make a nice undercover agent, he thought. ***

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“Are you alright?” – Yes! She bought it. “Sure, sure. sure. Thanks for for coming to my rescue. It surely surely seems to put a twist on the damsel in distress situation.” She smiled at him and extended her hand outside her umbrella. “Lilly Thomas, my pleasure.” “Harry Randall.” – he took it on a businesslike manner – “So, what are you doing outside on this rain?” She looked looked around around her for someone. someone. Damn, most most likely likely a boyfriend. Or husband. husband. Oh shit. And she was was thinking her answer over. Definitely a husband. “Well, same thing as everyone. everyone. Just waiting to see if I can get to see the man man himself.” “How long have you been here?” “Two days. Well, my my companions and I take turns at waiting. In fact, they insisted insisted that I go rest and they’ll stand in line and let me know when we’re near, but it didn’t seem fair since it’s I who wants to see Mr. Mason.” “I’m sorry.” – he felt rather embarrassed. – “Is it some illness?” “No, no, thanks goodness. I’m just … well, curios. Professional curiosity. I’m a doctor. A microbiologist, to be exact.” “Wow. I’m studying anthropology here at the Costa Rican University.” “Nice. Taking out a master’s degree?” “Er… no. Just my bachellor’s.” This time it was her who felt embarrassed for raising the degree question. question. “Sorry, me and my mouth. I…” “Hey, hey, don’t blush. blush. I understand. It’s just that I’ve been more more at work work than at school lately, and I also studied law for two years before I decided to switch over to something I really liked.” “What do you like about anthropology?”

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“Well, I don’t know. know. Digging out history history and finding about things long gone has always had an appeal to me. I really wanted to study archeology but but they don’t teach it here, so anthropology with an emphasis in archeology was the next best thing.” “And why here? Why didn’t you study in the US?” “It’s hard to get a student visa.” “Are you a costarrican? I didn’t notice. notice. Your English is really good, then.” “Thanks. I got the last name from a British British ancestor somewhere and I learned English by myself. Yes, I know you’re you’re not asking. Just showing showing off.” off.” – he smiled smiled – “Listen, how long are you going to stay in Costa Rica?” “I don’t know… That depends…” “Well, I’m staying at the Último Camino motel with some friends.” – he turned and waved to Joseph, who waved back. Funny, something seemed to be eating him up. Whatever. – “Maybe I can give you a tour of San José later and you can explain me if this Luis is a fake or what.” Her face tightened at the offer. “Sorry, I don’t think I can… I’m very busy, you see…” “Is everything alright, dear?” The voice had come from behind him. Harry wheeled around around to find himself in front of of a massive chest. Someone’s Someone’s chest. Oops. The husband’s chest. Topping the soldier-like body was a Sargent-like face that clearly stated that he wasn’t on his place on the line, a military haircut and eyes with a stare that told him that he was wasn’t wasn’t safe doing whatever whatever it was that he was doing with the the lady. So he did what anyone reasonable would have done in the situation. “Hi.” – he said to the chest and turned back to Lilly – “Well, remember, the drugstore is one block east and two blocks north, and if you do catch a cold just ask the man for something something for for ‘gripe’. He’ll understand. understand. See you.” you.” And he walked back to where Joseph was, all the while feeling the man’s eyes burning a hole on his back.  Jonathan had already returned, and apparently he wasn’t happy. He took Harry by the arm and and dragged him away from the the crowd. Harry didn’t like his attitude, but his grasp was firm and he couldn’t free himself. “Just what the hell do you think you are doing, Mr. Randall?” – he hissed.

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“What?” “What do you think think you are doing? doing? You don’t just just walk to anyone in the line and talk to them. You could be endangering the operation.” Harry wriggled his arm free and decided that the best way to handle this was to stare the man down. “Listen, Jonathan, Jonathan, I’m not a part of your bloody operation. I’m here to help you and Joseph, but if I damned well want to speak to a woman I like I will. And unless you or the full full fucking Delta Green are going going to come to my rescue when the husband shows up, I don’t think that you have any right to say anything.” “Husband? I don’t think that’s her husband, you nitwit.” “Nitwit? So who would he be, smartass, her bodyguard?”  Jonathan was looking at something over his shoulder. Harry turned, trying to single out what it might might be. be. “On that that corner. corner. And there, there, a little behind her on the line. The man with the umbrella. Almost the same haircut, all with faces that mean business and all exchanging glances now and then. then. See them?” It took Harry Harry sometime sometime to notice notice what men men Jonathan Jonathan was talking about. They  blended perfectly with the rest of the men, but once you noticed the pattern it was clear that the three were aware of each other, and most likely working together. “Who are they?” – he asked not a little embarrassed. embarrassed. “I don’t know, and and that’s exactly the point. You don’t speak speak to anyone without without my permission unless we know who they are and have a complete file on them, understand?” – Jonathan started walking back to the line – “Even if you are not a fully debriefed debriefed operation operation member member you can still endanger us. What did you tell her?” “Nothing. My name and that I was from San José. José. anthropology. I think that the world is safe.”

Oh, and why I studied

“Don’t play a smartass smartass with me, Mr. Randall. I won’t think think twice about getting getting rid of you for the sake of the operation.” Harry was considering raising another complaint, but this time it seemed to him that even Joseph had a long face. ***

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“Who was that, Ms. Thomas?” “Just a guy from San José. What’s this ‘honey’ deal? Don’t get too personal, Lieutenant.” “And you don’t get your hopes up just yet.” – again that darned smile – “I assumed that he would go away faster and with less questions if he took me for your  boyfriend,  boyfrien d, which whic h apparently app arently he did.” did. ” “And why would you want him to go away?” “Because this is a serious operation, Ms. Thomas, not a field trip to collect samples. You don’t mingle with the natives unless you have to.” “You make it sound like he just climbed down from a tree to greet me.” *** At about 8:00 at night Lilly had gotten gotten in to see Luis. Luis. Harry wasn’t able to get even even close because of her entourage, but one thing he knew was that Mr. Nice Haircut had gone in with her. They had been in in for about ten minutes, minutes, the shortest shortest visit so far. Most likely she had tried tried to get him to agree to tests of some some sort and he hadn’t liked it.  Judging  Judg ing from the line in front fron t of o f them th em they t hey would woul d be b e getti g etting ng to see him tomorrow. tomor row. *** Lilly had hoped that the visit would be more fruitful, but she should have known  better. What was worse was that she expected exactly what Meyers had taunted her with afterwards: that he would talk to her about his abilities and would allow her to get some samples. Yeah, right. Hi, I’m a scientist and I know know that you don’t trust us,  but would you allow me to get some tissue samples? A fingernail or a femur would do. Well, she had gotten them anyway, or or at least partly. She hoped that the thin thin gelatinous stuff that she had found on her hands after Luis had taken them would shed some light on the matter. All in all, she was amazed. She had seen seen his wounds and they did look natural and weren’t infected infected at all. Of all the dirt and and crap on the house, house, nothing stick to them. But then she had noticed the little little girl that lain on a mattress on one one corner of the room. She had approached the peaceful body body and had had seen the gangrene gangrene on the leg, receding before her very eyes.

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She had read about it on the file, but it was quite something else to see it on the flesh, so to speak. Well, after all her wondering the report was done. “Lieutenant, I’m signing and encrypting the report and sending it to you so that you can digitally sign it too and send it to whoever whoever it is that we we report to. Since we weren’t weren’t able to talk to Mason about tests, I’m requesting instructions as how to proceed.” Meyers was printing something out. out. “I just received a message message from HQ. HQ. It might  be our instructions.” He took the last page from the printer. “Frigging hell, I knew it. Too much of a bloody coincidence. Rickles, come here right now.” “What’s the matter?” matter?” – Lilly asked. She didn’t like the tone tone on Meyers’ voice. “This message has a list of US government agents that had left for Costa Rica since this matter got global publicity. This guy looks familiar?” She couldn’t be sure, but the picture that Meyers was pointing at looked a lot like the man Harry had waved to earlier. “What is this supposed to mean? Harry is an agent?” “We don’t know, but certainly his friends are.” “So what? What if a US government official official wants to see Mason for for himself.” “This man is an NSA guy, and he left the US in the same flight as this DEA agent. He never entered Costa Rica. Doesn’t that sound strange to you? you? Because it did sound strange for for HQ and they want us to keep an eye eye out for them. them. Luckily they screwed up.” “What is this here… Delta Green? What does that mean.” Meyers had already turned to the only one of the agents that wasn’t guarding Mason’s hut. “Rickles, call McConnell and Jiménez. Tell them to leave their posts and come here. We have some things to mop up.” He was then back to her. “Do you know where they are staying?” “What?! What do you think you’re going going to do?” “I’m taking over, and we’re eliminating eliminating them. them. Since they they entered the country country under an alias they they will be just two tourists getting mugged. Right now I can’t argue argue with you. I have to make plans and acknowledge to HQ.”

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“Like hell you are! I’m not three men to get killed for no reason whatsoever.” – she racked her mind for some reason he would understand – “This is still a scientific operation and I’m still in command unless HQ says I’m not!” But something something was blinking on his screen. There was a new message. She saw everything in slow motion. motion. He opened opened the message, message, read it on what seemed to be hours and turned to her. “Well, now you are not.” To: Magdalene team Command has decided that, given the visibility of the subject and the possibility of  Delta Green agents on the country, extraction of a live subject isn’t worth the trouble. Command Command doesn’t doesn’t wish to have a subject running free. free. Deal with the matter as you see fit, Lieutenant, but see that samples are taken. R.G. *** It’s about fucking time I was getting close, Jonathan thought when he had just one group more before him. him. Taking advantage of the small cover that the hut provided from the rain, he decided that it was a good time to start smoking again. It was early the next morning and Jonathan had come to substitute Joseph who had volunteered volunteered to stand on line all night. Pretty nice for for a chap who doesn’t doesn’t seem to take this seriously, seriously, he wondered while taking a pull of his cigarette. Then again, again,  Joseph wouldn’t be in Delta Green at all if someone didn’t think he had what it took.  Jonathan had to wait another half-hour and then the black lady who seemed to assist Mason came out with the couple. couple. Both looked like locals, locals, and the woman was helping the man man walk out. He looked a little little wobbly, most likely from the the dizziness that had been reported after Luis’ had used his touch. As the couple passed him, Mason’s assistant told him to please wait a couple of  minutes and he’d be brought in. Something about Mason being tired. No, he thought to himself, I’m going away right now after waiting here for two days. Sure. So wait he did. He just hoped that Ingrid was wrong about this one.

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*** Lilly paced the confines confines of her hotel hotel room like a caged cat. She wasn’t happy at all with how the things had developed. developed. Meyers taking over wasn’t good on itself, and the bunch of people who were about to get killed didn’t sit well on her stomach either. But what was she to do? Geller had been quite quite specific about what was to be done and he had sent the letter directly to Meyers, which meant that she was out of  the loop as far as command was concerned. Of course, she could make an anonymous call to the police and tell them what was about to happen, only she didn’t speak Spanish. Or she could try to call the front front desk and let them know about the complot, but then they would have her name and she would have to answer too many questions. And then again, was she sure that she wished to sing like a bird on something were MAJESTIC MAJESTIC was concerned? She wouldn’t be able to re-enter the US without  being noticed, that was for sure, or at least she wouldn’t last for long. You don’t  betray MAJESTIC. So she could at least try not to expose it. The only other option available was getting in contact with that young man who appeared to be with the two agents. If whatever Delta Green was could forge identities for its agents, maybe it could do the same for her if she cooperated. She opened the the door just a little bit. That hulking troglodyte troglodyte called Rickles and his his scarred chin had gone somewhere, most likely to substitute one of the guards. Turning back to her briefcase, she took out her passport, laptop, all her money and the thick file she had been handed by Geller and headed towards the elevator. *** Back at their ratty motel, Harry Harry woke up slowly from from his slumber. slumber. Something had recalled him from from his sleep. On the bed next next to him, Joseph Joseph snored like it was the last chance he would ever have. Poor guy deserved it after spending spending the whole whole night out in the rain, anyway. There it was again. Someone was was knocking on the door. “Coming!” – he yelled with a raspy voice while he lurched towards the door. Looking through the peephole, he saw that Lilly Thomas was standing outside on the porch. His porch.

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He took some steps back from the door to try to give the impression that he hadn’t yet seen who it was, and turned towards the far wall to displace a little the sound of  his voice. “Give me a second, I’m coming.”  Joseph made an attempt at waking at that, but he just turned on the bed and stopped snoring. snoring. Harry ran to the bathroom and smoothed smoothed his hair as best as he could, unsuccessfully trying to hand-iron the wrinkles out of his shirt at the same time. Five seconds later later he was opening opening the door door and wondering what might have happened to the husband. “Hey, hi! What are you doing doing here?” She stepped into the room quite decisively and didn’t seem bothered at all at the sight of the sleeping man on the bed. “We need to talk, Mr. Randall. Where is the other agent?” “What?” – he closed the door door – “Agent? How did you get here?” here?” “You told me you were staying at the Último Camino, Camino, remember? remember? I just asked for for your name at the front desk. I need to talk to you all. It’s a matter of life and death.” *** The shack were Luis lived was damp and dark, and there was a strong smell of  spices in the air. Slowly helping himself in, in, Jonathan removed removed his glasses glasses and tried to get his eyes used to the dark. Mason’s nurse nurse (he couldn’t couldn’t think of of her in any other way) started saying something to him in Spanish but switched to English almost immediately. “Come in, sir, sir, come in. We’re sorry about the lack of of light, but it bothers Luis. Luis. Keeping the windows boarded also helps with keeping the reporters out.” “Don’t worry, I’m fine. It just takes a little time to get used to it.” “Good. What is your problem?” problem?” “Excuse me?” “Why are you here?” “I’d rather discuss it with Mr. Mason, if you don’t mind.”   “Oh, no, sir, I have to make sure sure that you have have a legitimate reason. reason. Mr. Mason is

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a very sensitive man and he has been bothered by reporters and doctors who don’t  belie  bel ieve ve in him.” hi m.”  Jonathan looked at his feet. Shit, he wished she hadn’t made him throw that cigarette away. Well, there was an idea. “It’s my lungs.” – he lied – “Even with the physical training and the exercise, there is still something something wrong with them. them. The doctors’ best guess is a tumor, tumor, but they say say that it could be cancer too.” – Hell, where am I getting all this from? – “And I… well, they want to take a biopsy and I don’t like operations. operations. So I figured… I don’t know, know, maybe I should go back.” “Oh no, sir, please don’t. I’m sure Luis will be able to help you.” He tried to look embarrassed. pleasure.”

“Thanks, many thanks.

Jonathan Adams, my

“Kirsha Tucker.” “Are you a relative?” “No sir, I’m just a friend.” “Old friend?” “Not that old.” – she paused – “He helped my husband with a terciopelo snake  bite, a deadly bite, and I’ve tried to return the favor to him in this way. I’ll go tell him you’re here.” With his eyes a little more used to the dark now, Jonathan tried to take stock of the place. It was small and judging judging from the dimensions dimensions of what what he had seen outside outside there could be only too rooms: the almost furniture-less lobby where he was standing, and the room behind the curtain behind which Kirsha had disappeared. Most likely that was were Mason received his visitors. On the far side of the room, there some kind of makeshift bed and a sleeping girl laid on it. Jonathan took a closer look, but nothing was visible from the girl except her face. He felt someone approaching and turned to find Kirsha staring at the figure. “She’s a girl from around here who cut her foot with barbed wire, and her parents didn’t want to bring her to Luis because of all the things the priests have said about Luis. I got them to bring her here when her foot foot started getting bloated and dark.”

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“Gangrene?” “Yes, I believe believe so. A lady yesterday called it that. Luis will see you now.” “Listen, mind if I ask you a question?” “It depends.” “Doesn’t he ever sleep? I was out all night night and they kept bringing bringing people in.” – another lie, but Joseph had told him so it was pretty much the same thing. “No. Luis insists that one imbued imbued with the true faith is able to forget about the physical needs, and can concentrate concentrate only in the the spiritual needs. needs. He eats only rarely.” rarely.” – her tone changed, as if she was either embarrassed or ashamed of something – “I’m striving to follow his faith, but since he doesn’t believe himself to be a teacher it is hard.” “Don’t worry, and thanks for telling me. Let’s go in.” *** Kirsha moved the curtain and showed Jonathan in. The room was darker than than the living room, room, but his eyes were used to the lack of light by then. The room was almost bare, except for a dirty rug on the floor and a shelf on the back of the room, which was filled with at least a two dozen burners filled with incense and who knows what else. On the rug, there was thin, black man who wore only something that looked like a long loincloth loincloth and several several bead strings strings on his his neck. His hair was was haphazardly cut (or maybe like it fell off in patches), which didn’t help the look of the skin stretched over his bones. He looked like a cross between a black Ghandi and a heroin junkie. Mason appeared to be staring at his feet, but his eyes were closed, so Jonathan sat down on the filthy rag that covered the floor to a better view of the man’s face. It was hard, given the almost total darkness and the fact that the spices were getting to his head. There might be some some opium in there too, he thought. Mason’s back straightened slowly, but he didn’t d idn’t open his eyes. “Seeker, how may we help you?” – a voice worn by tiredness called to Jonathan from the body that was in front of him. – “Have you come to request our help?” “Yes. I have a lung problem.”

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“We can help you.” you.” – Mason nodded nodded – “But we have only a request. We request that when you go, you spread the word that man’s religions aren’t true.” – he swept the room with his arm – “That it is only through nature that we can be saved. Man must know that Catholics, evangelics, popes, Mormons, Krishnas, all are wrong; that religion is only a fabrication, that…” Mason’s voice sounded familiar, and the fact alone that Ingrid might be right distracted Jonathan Jonathan from Mason’s ravings. ravings. The man was clearly insane, but but that didn’t affect the fact that he was here on a mission.  Jonathan leaned a little closer to Mason. Slowly, out of the mist that the drugs were causing on his head, the man’s man’s face took form. form. With his mind, Jonathan Jonathan tried to imagine Mason as he might be if he fed at all, to find the resemblance between him and his old friend. He wished he hadn’t. Suddenly, Mason’s Mason’s head stopped moving moving and his his closed eyes seemed to stare at Jonathan, who sat back with a start. “What happens, seeker?” There was a lump lump on Jonathan’s Jonathan’s throat. He didn’t want to face this situation; situation; he didn’t want to be the one one who had to cope with it. It wasn’t fair that Ingrid had assigned him to this, and no matter how many times he repeated himself that it was  just another assignment, the fear was still coiled inside him, just waiting to jump up and and strike. Was this what awaited awaited him? him? Him, and Joseph, Joseph, and all the others? Would they end up like this instead of the more merciful death?  “Lewis, it’s me, Logan.” “Logan? Do you know me?”  Jonathan looked beyond the curtain, to see if Kirsha had left. appeared to be waiting outside the shack.

As usual, she

“Yes, Lewis. It’s Logan, from Delta Delta Green.” – he paused for a moment, moment, guilt making speech harder – “We… I thought you were dead.” Mason’s lids rolled back slowly, revealing to white balls criss-crossed with dark red channels. It was only through all the small veins that Jonathan Jonathan could locate the pupils, which were almost as white as the eyeball. But the worst part was that if Lewis appearance was shocking, his stare was infinitely worse. The eyes stared at him with with an unidentifiable look, look, something that seemed a mix of madness and pain.

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“Logan… My name is Luis Mason, not not Lewis. Please leave.”  Jonathan  Jona than refraine refr ained d himself hi mself from leaning lean ing forward forw ard to reass r eassure ure Lewis, Lewi s, since s ince he didn’ d idn’tt know how he might might react. react. His mental state was obviously obviously fragile. “Lewis, please, listen to me. DG sent me to see if it was you, and to help you.” “Leave!”  Jonathan was afraid that someone outside might hear them, and it was the first time he was grateful for the incessant rain. Lewis was mad, but he might still be able to talk some sense into him. “Please, Lewis, remember me? Remember Largo? He was killed killed in in the the mission where we lost you. Don’t you remember? I’m here to help.” For the first time, there was something in Lewis eyes that he could identify. Recognition. “Logan… Long time ago.” – he paused to catch his breath, which came only in sudden gasps – “Help? Delta Green won’t help me. me. We never never helped helped anyone, anyone, did we, Logan?” “We did, Lewis, Lewis, we helped helped a lot of people. Maybe the things would have taken over if it weren’t for us. Lewis?”  Jonathan didn’t like the look in Lewis eyes. Something had suddenly come over them, and he was leaning towards Jonathan, arms outstretched. outstretched. “Look at me, Logan.” – he hissed turning his palms to him, where the stigmata were clearly visible – “They “They did this this to me. MAJESTIC did.” did.” – he pointed at a wound on his right side – “This is where it entered, and it just won’t come out and it won’t let me me die. Now I only have the the faith…” – On a moment, moment, Mason lurched lurched forward and grabbed Jonathan’s shirt, pulling him close. – “Now I’m one of the things we hunted, Logan, and I know you are here to take me out like we did many times before.” – he let go and stood up, his emaciated body tensing with the effort – “But I won’t let you. Go away!” – Lewis screamed – “GO AWAY AND LET ME BE!”  Jonathan was going to say something, but he saw Kirsha coming back into the hut. Hopefully she would have been the only one to hear, so he prepared to make a calm exit. “What is going going on? Are you OK, OK, Luis?”

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Lewis had slumped back to the floor, motionless. “Sir, you have to leave. What did you do to him?” But Jonathan was out on the rain again before she could ask anything else. Trembling, he lit a cigarette and stumbled on to the rain, a mass of confusing feelings going through his mind. The worst thing is that he’s right – he wondered – Most likely command will want him taken out. *** About a hundred yards from Mason’s home, Meyers watched the DEA man walk under the rain without an apparent direction. direction. Something had gone wrong wrong wit his interview, he he was sure. sure. The man had taken only only about five minutes, minutes, and right  behind  behi nd her h er the black bla ck woman woma n had ha d come c ome with an apologe apo logetic tic manner. mann er. Maybe if we act now he’ll be to blame, he thought with a smile. ***  Jonathan fumbled with the keys to the room, they fell to the damp welcome mat and on a fit of rage he started kicking at the door. Almost immediately immediately Joseph Joseph opened and he entered the room dripping all over the cheap carpet. “Jonathan? What is is going going on? How did it go?”  Just as he was about to answer, Jonathan realized that there was a woman sitting on the far bed. Just the same woman woman he had seen seen Harry talking to the other other day, the woman who was constantly watched. “Just what the fuck is she doing here?!” – he yelled – “Who the hell brought her here?”  Joseph closed the door behind him. Startled as she was by his outburst, Lilly was the one to answer. “I came here myself, sir, I have to…” “You don’t have to do anything. What do you mean you you came here yourself?” yourself?” “Stop yelling, Jonathan. Jonathan. I told here where where I was staying when when we spoke yesterday. yesterday. You hadn’t told me anything about this secret MAJESTIC group and all that crap!” “I hadn’t what? How the fuck do you… you… She’s a MAJESTIC MAJESTIC agent and you told told her

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where we were staying? You idiot!” Jonathan took out his gun and pointed at Harry. “I’m going to fucking shoot you both right here, right now.” Harry raised his arms arms on a reflex, reflex, and Lilly followed followed his example. example. The man was visibly altered, and it was best not to upset him. “Hey, Jonathan, hey, stop it man. What is happening to you?”  Jonathan whirled and aimed at Joseph. “Do you want to know what is happening to me? Luis Mason was one of my fucking companions from Cell L. His fucking name is Lewis, and he’s all fucked up because of something MAJESTIC did to him. They did to him!” – he screamed, pointing at Lilly with the silencer-equipped weapon. “We know, Jonathan, we know.” – Harry interceded without lowering his hands – “She came to tell tell us. She also came to tell us that the the people who came with her know about us and are going to eliminate both us and Luis.” The news had startled Jonathan and he finally appeared be running out of steam. “What do you mean, she told you?” “Well, she didn’t know that he had been with Delta Green, but she told us what happened to Luis.” “She did?” – he sat down tiredly on the bed, the gun in his lap – “What happened?” “Mr. Adams, is it?” – Lilly started, lowering lowering her arms – “I’m a microbiologist. I worked two years at the FBI before being recruited by MAJESTIC, where I was for the past five years. This week, someone who who is apparently my my superior gave me me this file.” – She slowly extended it to Jonathan. “What is it about?” – he asked – “I don’t have time…” “It’s about something MAJESTIC calls the MESSIAH. It’s some kind of creature. They don’t quite know what it is, but on its most basic form looks a lot like a three inch slug, or a small moving pile of goo.” “What the heck does it have to do with this?” – Jonathan asked, losing his patience. “Well, the MESSIAH is a parasite. It uses the human human body as a carrier, entering entering by the side and burrowing directly directly into a rib. From there, the MESSIAH starts eating

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through the bone marrow and extending itself inside the bones at an incredible pace. I know, it’s rather disgusting. Somehow, it manages to substitute substitute the functions of  of  the marrow like the production of platelets and red cells, and masks itself so that the human body won’t reject it.” – she pointed at two x-rays that Jonathan was looking at – “See the bones here, how they look a lot more well defined at the center than they should? See how all the bone looks the same same color, like it was metal or or all  bone? That’s That ’s the t he MESSIAH ME SSIAH,, that th at for f or some s ome reaso r easonn behaves beh aves like that under x-rays.” x-ra ys.” “What are these prongs that extend towards the palm of the hand?” Having explained it once today already didn’t make it any simpler, and Lilly wondered exactly how to phrase it. “Those are part of the MESSIAH, its contact with the outside world. world. Through there it sort of stings its would would be victims and injects injects a prion it generates that, on certain amounts, can quickly remove anything that doesn’t belong on a human body like viruses or even renegade cells like cancer and almost magically restore tissue, breaking down afterwards. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to synthesize it. They. At MAJESTIC.” “That’s his healing ability.” – Joseph put in.  Jonathan had been hit with more than he could digest and his expression showed it. “But I don’t understand… Why does it do that?” “Well, the MESSIAH slowly feeds on a human body, usually wearing a person down in a period of three to seven years, depending on how strong they are, and apparently instinctively injects the prion on humans to clean up possible new hosts. When the host dies, the MESSIAH consumes the body with a chemical and dissolves most of its own mass, going back to the basic form to look for a new host.” “You’re telling me that this thing assumes that his current victim will come into contact with other persons once they have been infected?” “It doesn’t. Usually the MESSIAH takes control of the body, turning turning it into into a walking feast. All human aspects are lost, of course, course, but the person moves around as an almost normal but wild human until the body just gives up and is fully consumed.” “Usually?” “Yes. In a couple of cases it was observed observed that the host could retain his will. That’s what happened on Mason’s case.”  Jonathan looked straight at her, the strong grid returning to the gun. “How long did you people have him?”

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“I didn’t, Mr. Adams. I didn’t even know know about him a week ago, I assure you. I was sent here based on my expertise.” “You didn’t answer Me.” – he pointed the gun at her. “Jonathan, easy man.” “About one one year, judging from from the report. He was kept on a chamber and purposefully infected with the MESSIAH, but before the MESSIAH wore out the  body the group decided to gas him. He apparently died, but later the body disappeared when it was scheduled scheduled to be cremated. cremated. My best guess would would be that the MESSIAH managed to repair the damage done to the body and escape.” “You should have seen him.” – Jonathan said to nobody in particular – “He’s mad, you know? This whole thing must have driven him crazy.” Harry was the first to break the silence. “You said you knew him?” “Yes, he was on the same cell as me for a year. year. He got captured at a raid, and I thought they had killed him.” “So that’s why Ingrid sent us?” – Joseph asked – “Because she thought that it might be him?”  Jonathan nodded. “Lewis Mason was one of the names he used. He must have remembered it through his his madness. So when a person of the description, apparent age and a similar name popped up on a weird circumstance, circumstance, we got sent here. Don’t ask me how he got to Costa Rica, I don’t know.” “How does it reproduce, Lilly?” – Harry wondered. “As far as we know, itit doesn’t. For all we know this this same thing could could have been around for thousands thousands of years. It might well be the the reason behind behind all those healing healing cases. Even Jesus Christ himself, who knows.”  Jonathan turned his back on them and went to his suitcase to start packing. “Well, first we move. Then we go to get Lewis and ship him out of the country country to DG where someone can get that thing out of him and he can retire.” Silence fell behind him, and he turned to find them all looking at him like he was mad. “What?” “We can’t take the MESSIAH out, out, Mr. Adams. Adams. Mason’s marrow marrow is all gone by

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now, and without itit a human body can’t survive. survive. We also don’t know know how many of  his organs organs are still functional. functional. He might might be dying as we speak.” She tried tried not to sound like a doomsayer, doomsayer, but there was no other way. “It just can’t be done.”  Jonathan covered his face with his hands. When he removed them, his face had turned into a mask mask of purpose. He went to the bed, picked up his gun gun and removed the silencer. Next, he checked the clip and put it back on his holster. holster. “Well, then the least we can do is alleviate the pain.” *** A thousand confusing thoughts raced through the person that had once been Robert Fulton, then became Lewis at the service of Delta Green and finally ended up  being Luis Mason, the Messiah-like person in Costa Rica. For hours he had sat alone in the darkness, darkness, images and feelings mixing freely in his his head. The images of  his torture at the hands on MAJESTIC; the hideous feeling of the thing  as it entered his body and tried to take over his mind as it extended throughout his whole being, trying to relegate his personality to a dark corner where nobody listened; the gas coming out of the vents in the floor of the room, bringing blackness and blissful oblivion with with it; and the awakening in a body body bag. All the mixed scenes scenes on somewhere that could be Mexico or could well be anywhere else on this damned continent, as he tried to run away as far as he could from his captors, trying to consume himself in peyote and other natural drugs as he tried to forget the thing inside his body, the thing that tried to force him to submit somebody else to the same fate he had; the thing that, even if unable to fully control him was able to stop him from ending his own existence. Then the madness took over again, returning returning him to his new persona. persona. It just oozed over his conscience, slowly digesting the traces of the memories that tormented him and returning returning him to a peaceful peaceful oblivion. oblivion. But something something remained: the strong feeling that the man who was with him earlier, whoever he was, had come here to kill him. For some reason, reason, Luis Mason Mason was sure that he would have done the same thing if the tables were turned, which was a confusing feeling because his faith didn’t allow it. But he knew what he had to do. He had to tell the seekers outside that his time with them was coming to an end. *** Seth Rickles stood waiting on the line of people outside Mason’s hut, just about ten groups from from getting in. His instructions instructions were to get inside to see Mason, take him out and take a few few tissue samples samples for the white coats back at home. Only one person behind him, Jiménez waited to make a diversion and convince everyone that some rabid catholic fanatic had murdered Mason.

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The only problem was, the crazy old coot hadn’t received anyone for the last twelve hours, and Rickles was starting to get restless. Then, slowly, the door opened and the black woman came out, helping a man that seemed more more like a walking corpse. The sorry excuse excuse for a human human being let let go of  the woman and helped himself walk along to the first post that held the shaky tin roof. Everyone fell silent as he made a sign, beckoning them. People started approaching slowly, as if afraid of the man they were so eager to see just moments  before. When he had enough people close to him, Mason started speaking to them on a clear, strong voice, with the black woman translating to Spanish as he went along. “Seekers, the end of my time here is at hand. I’m going to die at the hand hand of  strangers, strangers that want to remove me and my message. I won’t be able to see any more of you, and I’ll just wait for my destiny.” A murmur of disappointment swept through the assembled crowd, but Rickles couldn’t believe how lucky they were. were. The Delta Green Green man had come come in earlier, earlier, Mason had stopped receiving people afterwards and now he was saying that he was about to get killed. killed. Surely people would think that he he was an accomplice of the DG operative, and the man would be to blame. Apparently it was the same thing that Lieutenant Meyers thought, because his earpiece cracked with static. “Rickles, take the man out and try to get a part of the  body like a finger or a tooth or something. Jiménez will provide cover for your escape.” Rickles started moving closer to Mason, who had kept on rambling. “I know that you will will expect me to see you, and if I am wrong I will. But my time left here is too short and I don’t want to endanger any of you by having you with me when it happens.” Rickles, now at the front of the crowd, took out his .38 gun, pointed it at Mason and shouted shouted “HEATHEN! DEMON!” The first first line of people people receded receded with the first first shot, which hit Mason squarely in the chest and send him crashing to the floor. Rickles jumped forward, forward, screaming “Die in the name of the true god! Die, pagan!” and emptying the rest of of the five shots on Mason’s head and chest. chest. He bent down, picked up and handful of the mass that had been Mason’s cranium and turned to see what Jiménez was doing. What he saw was Jiménez jumping towards him, brandishing a cobra metal baton.

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 A s e s i n o !” Jiménez shouted “ As shouted as he hit Rickles on the jaw. jaw. Rickles dropped the gun gun and his mind reeled with confusion as he spat blood and teeth, to the floor, and then the mob was upon him, all punches and kicks and broomsticks, hitting him with whatever they could.

***  Just 150 feet away from Mason’s hut, Jonathan and Joseph were coming towards Mason’s hut. Harry just hovered hovered nearby, wishing wishing he could help help but feeling feeling that this time he should stay out of it. It all happened too fast. They saw Mason come out and start start to address the crowds, and saw the man they believed to be from MAJESTIC jump forward and kill him. Seconds later, another man led the mob to attack the shooter.  Jonathan couldn’t believe what he was seeing. When he reacted, he screamed and tried to run towards the the crowds. Joseph and Harry tried to stop him, but didn’t reach reach him until he was trying to punch his way through the mob. “Jonathan, stop it! it! Jonathan! Listen man, easy! There’s nothing we can do now!  Jonat  Jon atha han!” n!” They subdued him as well as they could before the crowd turned on him, and ended up holding a shaking, sobbing man to the ground. *** It is really disgusting to see a mob in action, especially if they are any sort of  fanatics. After having having started the attack on Rickles, just as the Lieutenant Lieutenant had instructed him, Jiménez detached himself from the bunch that was tearing Rickles apart and went to Mason’s Mason’s body, as if to check check if he was alive. He knelt besides it, picked up a small mass of gray tissue and bone that was spread on the floor, and quickly disappeared into the other huts after picking up what was left of Rickles’ earpiece. *** Three days later, Jonathan Adams, Joseph Bierce and one Janet Robinson were saying farewell to Harry Randall at the Juan Juan Santamaría airport. DG had considered considered it prudent to send a private jet to pick them up, given the situation. “Well, sorry it had to end like this.” – Harry said.

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“Nevermind.” – said a taciturn Jonathan who shook his hand and turned towards the jet. “Sure, man, we did all we could. You helped helped a lot, if it’s it’s any consolation. Be seeing you.” Joseph said with his permanent smile before following Jonathan. “What about you now, Lilly?” Harry asked Janet. “What happens to you?” “I suppose that MAJESTIC isn’t going to be all too happy about me turning on them, so Delta Green is just going to hide me for a while and then I’ll resurface somewhere else else with my new identity. Most likely I’ll join in, if they’ll they’ll have me.” “Even after this?” “Specially after this.” *** That same day, Mauricio González, an intern at the morgue of the OIJ opened up the freezer compartment where where the remains remains for Luis Mason were held. And to think that it had taken the police to remove this loony from the crowds, he wondered taking out the tray that should hold the body. Only the body wasn’t wasn’t there. The only thing on the tray was the white sheet that that had covered the corpse, set now over a small pile of colorless slime mixed with a little of something that looked like blood. “What the hell?” Mauricio removed the sheet and looked at it. It just fell out of of his hands as he ran towards the exit, looking for a security guard. There was nobody at the room when a glob of slime detached itself from the rest and oozed towards the floor, passing over the white sheet that held a perfect image of Lewis’ body as he was when he had been laid on the slab, and then oozed on towards the small drain at the center of the room. Ricardo J. Méndez  June,  June, 1998 1998 Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is ™ and © the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of  this document are © Ricardo J. Méndez, excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.

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“Way Down Atlantis” © 1991, 1998 By Michael C. LaBossiere, [email protected] [email protected]

Dark Conspiracy

When the navy boys finally found the shattered hull of the missing American submarine, they found something else, too. The UFO people and the other fruit cakes think the navy found Atlantis, and the academic types have more theories than you can shake a stick at. I didn’t care what it really was, it was just an other deep  jo  j o b f o r m e a n d Leviathan Deep Operations. At least it started out that way... Leviathan 01

Legal Information This adventure is copyright copyright 1991, 1997 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. LaBossiere. It may be freely freely distributed for personal use provided that it is not modified and no fee above the normal cost of distribution is charged for it. Visit the Opifex Phoenix web site at http://user.aol.com/ontologist/ http://user.aol.com/ontologist/web/opifex.ancho web/opifex.anchor.html. r.html. This item is not authorized or endorsed by Tantalus Inc. and is used without permission. The The item is for personal use only. Any use of Tantalus Inc.'s copyrighted material or trademarks in this file should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, this item cannot be republished or distributed without without the consent of the author. author. Introduction Two weeks ago an American submarine on a routine patrol was lost during a rather odd incident. Ships in the area reported a bright flash of light as well as disruption of the electrical systems. When the USS Washington failed to report in US Naval vessels suspected she might have suffered a disaster. Search vessels soon found the shattered vessel and a rescue submarine was dispatched to the area.While diving to the Washington, the rescue submarine found vast undersea ruins and retrieved a golden vase from the ocean bottom. The vase was composed of a complex alloy that was obviously of advanced manufacture, and the navy assumed that it had either come from the submarine or had been lost from another vessel. When experts tried to identify it, they were baffled and were soon shocked when one of the experts tested it age, on a whim, and found it to be over 11,000 years old. Once its age was verified and verified yet again, a shockwave went through the scientific community. News of the discovery soon reached the press, who billed it as a discovery from the lost continent of Atlantis. The site of the discovery was soon

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swarming with those seeking Atlantis (or just its legendary gold). To prevent the site from being sacked or damaged, the scientific community pressured the UN into placing the area under its protection. The funds were soon raised to conduct a thorough exploration and the famous Leviathan Deep Operations Company was selected to do the job. Much of the funding was provided by Stephen Jordan, a reclusive and eccentric millionaire who is best known for funding various famous undersea operations.Because of his experience (and the fact that he donated the vast majority of the money) he was selected as project director. The PCs may be brought into the adventure in many ways. Characters with experience in deep operations or archaeology may be hired by LDO or assigned by one of the involved governments or universities. Other PCs may be hired as computer operators, electronic experts, mechanics, or security experts. Those hired will be told that possibly artifact laden ruins have been found (which may or not be of fabled Atlantis)and that the mission is to survey the area and to recover material and artifacts for examination. Those hired will be told, in the strictest terms, that this is a scientific expedition and not a looting spree. Theft and destruction will simply not be tolerated. LDO has also a lso been hired by the United States to recover as much of the Washington as possible, especially any surviving nuclear weapons. Referee’s Information: Thousands of years ago a Dark Minion race, the Domsquids, entered earth’s dimension and constructed a base from which they could exploit the native life, including humans. These beings caused a great deal of suffering and their activities gave rise to many legends of sea monsters as well as providing a basis for some of  the legends of Atlantis. Fortunately for humanity, the Domsquids’ gateway mechanism suffered suffered a terrible accident resulting in the death of most of the Domsquids. The few survivors were scattered in a hostile world and were never able to regain their lost power. Thousands of years later, a US submarine blundered near the Dosquids’ pyramid gateway. The metal hull of the vessel triggered the gateway mechanism, releasing thousands of years of stored energy. The release tore the Washington apart and generated the electrical disruption which affected the ships in the area. The rescue submarine found the twisted and melted hull of the Washington, as well as a vase from the Domsquid ruins (the vase was not affected, because the energy was channeled towards the Washington and away awa y from the ruins).The rescue submarine detected substantial amounts of radiation in the area (from the Washington’s reactor) and the government assumes that the Washington suffered a nuclear accident of some kind.  Jordan  Jord an learn l earned ed of o f the th e events ev ents though thou gh his h is connec c onnection tion and decided deci ded to become b ecome involved. This is due to the fact that “he” is actually a Domsquid and his support of  underwater exploration has been due to his desire to find the base of his ancestors, so that he might reopen the gateway for his people. To that end, he has funded the current mission and is confidant that he has found it. Initial Survey & Recovery Operations

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Prior to the commencement of the Atlantis expedition, LDO will conduct an initial survey of the area and undertake the recovery of as much of the Washington as possible, using the Leviathan and four Minnows. LDO will recoverer several large sections of the Washington’s hull and they will be brought to the States for examination by experts. The initial survey will turn up a few more metal artifacts and an initial map of the area will be made. The LDO survey will also determine that the area is safe enough (in terms of radioactivity) for a long term operation. The referee may wish to have the PCs participate in this operation, so as to introduce the PCs to the LDO people and to familiarize them with deep sea operations. If so, the PCs should be given the chance to face a crisis or two. For example, one of the Minnows may suffer a systems failure and the PCs may have to locate and rescue it. During the initial survey, the pyramid should not be found and there should be no Dark Minion encounters. Once the initial survey and recovery operations are completed, LDO will begin setting up their sea base. The Site and Sea Base The Site

The ruins are located in a deep section of the Atlantic ocean. The exact location is left up to the referee so that the adventure can be integrated into the referee’s campaign. The UN will have at least one frigate sized vessel on the surface at all times to keep unauthorized vessels outside of the area (with force, if necessary). There will also be various scientific and support vessels in the area, including the LDO command ship. This vessel, a converted supertanker, was used to carry the sea  base to the th e site. sit e. The Th e LDO submarine submar ine Leviat L eviathan han has h as also a lso been b een assign a ssigned ed to the projec p roject.t. The sea floor of the site is very rough, as if it were subject to a tremendous upheaval or a massive explosion of some kind. Visible amidst ancient slabs of rock and protruding from the muck are badly damaged ruins of various structures. Strange fish dart among the ruins and the entire area seems somehow alien and frightening to human observers. Most people will think that the structures look somehow “wrong” but will not be able to describe exactly what it is about them that makes them react so. LDO Sea Base

The LDO Sea Base is constructed of highly advanced materials and is designed to handle immense amounts of pressure. Those assigned to the base will be brought down gradually, to acclimate their bodies to the pressure. In order to return to the surface from the base, people must undergo several hours of decompression to avoid severe injury or death. The interior of the structure is actually quite comfortable. The atmosphere of the base contains a special gas which replaces the nitrogen of air (and it doesn’t make people talk like Donald Duck).

Deck One Map Sub Docks: There are two submarine docks on the base, one for

personal and the other for cargo, which can be sued by any sub with the right docking mechanism (all

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LDO submarines are so equipped). These ports also serve as air locks and have a safety feature which prevents both the external and internal doors from being open at the same time. Prep area: This area contains the cargo handling equipment as well as six Personal Submarine Suits (PSSs). Mini-Sub Bay: This is the bay for the base’s mini-sub and it can also function as an airlock, with the same safety feature as the larger docks. Storage: This area is currently used to store supplies and the survey drones. As artifacts are found, they will be stored here. Lab/Repair: This area has been refitted as a lab and has been equipped with all hat is needed to clean and examine artifacts. Some of the standard repair stations are still in place. Engineering Deck One: This area contains the base’s nuclear power plant, life support equipment, and so forth. The room is open to the second level and is kept locked, both mechanically and electronically, to prevent accidents. Deck Two Map Head: A bathroom Quarters: Each room is designed to hold two in comfort and four in less comfort.

Each room is equipped with bunks and other space saving furniture. Kitchen: The food preparation and consumption area. Rec: The recreation area. It contains entertainment consoles as well as exercise equipment. Engineering Deck Two: The engineering engineering section which has catwalks extending around the equipment, but no floor on this level. Control Center: This room contains the base control systems as well as the remote stations for operating the various drones. There are for Telepresence Operation Stations (Draktek, p. 89) and six standard control stations (TV screens, joysticks, and  buttons).  button s). Three Th ree of the TOS TO S are used to t o control cont rol Probe/R P robe/Repai epairr TORs (Darktek, (Darktek , p. 88) and one is used to control a Recovery/Construction TOR (Darktek, p. 89). The other six are used to control Underwater Probe Drones (UPDs), which can c an also be computer directed. The control center also contains the base’s weapons locker (undersea piracy is rare, but is has happened and LDO never takes any unnecessary risks). The locker contains four M9 Berattas, 2 MP-7s, and one Armalite AR-12 Stormcloud as well as spare clips and ammunition. The locker has both mechanical and electronic locks, the keys for which are kept k ept by the watch officer and the base ba se director. The base’s hull is strong enough to sustain small arms fire, but not all the equipment is. On the Job Once all personnel are on site, the exploration will begin in earnest. The plan is to use the UPDs to make a photo map of the area and this initial survey is to be followed by a finer exploration of promising areas using TORs and PSSs. The initial survey, which will involve the laying down of a luminescent marking grid and

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light arrays, is expected to take tak e about a week and the rest of the exploration will take months or longer. LDO is willing to keep the operation going as long as the money keeps coming in. Events The initial survey and associated grid laying will be extremely tedious. Fortunately, there will be the following events to liven things up for the PCs. Event #1: Giant Squid

During the course of the survey, contact with a computer operated UPD will be lost. A check of its film records on the base will reveal that the last image recorded was of a looming black shape blocking its camera array. Naturally, those PCs able to operate PSSs or the mini-sub will be given the task of investigating. Be sure to describe just how dark it is and just how many big and hungry things could be lurking in the dark. The UPD will be found lying on the bottom, its camera array  buried  burie d in the mud, m ud, with some sort of partic pa rticular ularly ly ugly u gly fish stuck stuc k in its water w ater jet intake. Removing the fish and cleaning off the array will put the drone back in operation. A short while later, contact will be lost with another UPD in a similar fashion. This time, when the PCs are sent to investigate, they will find the crushed drone lying on the ocean floor, near a large mound of debris. The debris conceals a hungry giant squid which has been drawn to the area by the lights and activity. The squid will consider the arriving PCs its next meal and will pursue them back to the base if  they escape and will wait outside to attack anything that comes out, unless it is killed or driven off. If the PCs do not come up with a plan, the base director will send out a UPD loaded with explosives to blow it up. Once the squid is dealt with, operations will continue. Giant Squid # Appear: 1 Initiative: 2 Agility: 5 Attack: 60% Strength: 40 40 Skill/Dam: 3/4D10 Move: 8/15/30 Constitution: 25 Hits: 75/150 See Dark Conpsiracy, Conpsiracy , p. 198-199 for full details. Event #2 A Deadly Find

After the squid problem has been solved and the survey has restarted, a UPD will find a metallic cylinder protruding from the muck of the bottom. The PCs will  be dispa d ispatche tched d to t o examine exa mine the item. item . When Wh en they t hey arrive, arr ive, they will find it to t o be a slightly damaged torpedo from the Washington, which will turn out to have a nuclear warhead. When informed of the situation, the government will ask LDO to salvage it for them and the PCs will be told to bring it to the Sea Base so it can be  brought  broug ht to t o the surface surfa ce on o n the next cargo car go run r un by the Leviathan. Levia than.

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Event #3 A Find

While the PCs on the survey team are going about their business, they will uncover a life sized elaborate golden alloy statue of a squid like being (a domsquid) atop the back of a human figure. The figure, which is missing an arm and a foot, is on all fours and has a look of hopeless fear on its face. The squid thing on the statues  back  bac k is positive posi tively ly sinist s inister er and a nd will w ill make almost almo st every e veryone one who w ho sees s ees it it uncomfortable, except Jordan (who will rejoice at its discovery) and Taggert (who sees it as her chance at fame). The PCs will be directed to bring it into the base where it will be tested and examined. It will turn out to be of the same material of the vase and will be found to  be over o ver 11,000 11, 000 years year s old, ol d, if i f not older. olde r. The T he examin e xaminatio ationn will wi ll also a lso reveal reve al that t hat the statue is coated with a complex chemical substance that has kept it free of muck and plant growth. Speculation will run rampant as to the origin of the statue and as to its meaning. UPD Down

The survey area will gradually extend outward until it encompasses the area in which the pyramid structure is located. One of the UPDs will approach the buried pyramid too closely and be shorted out by another discharge from the pyramid, pyr amid, which has been building up since the discharge that destroyed the Washington.The discharge will generate a bright flash of light, which will be observed by another UPD in the area. The discharge energy is from the pyramid’s energy generation systems (primarily hydroelectric and thermal). Normally, this energy would focused and used to power the pyramid’s systems and to generate the proto-dimensional gateway. However, the ancient accident severely damaged the focusing controls and now the pyramid discharges its stored energy whenever any large metal object gets within range. Fortunately, due to the damage to the pyramid, the collection rate is rather slow and the PCs will not have to wory about another major discharge. The PCs will be sent out to recover the missing drone and will find it lying on the ocean floor. Its casing seems to be melted in places and the camera and light lenses are cracked. There are also many dead and dying sea creatures in the area. Visible in the distance, will be a faint blue glow. This glow will also be noticed by one of the UPD operators who will inform the base director. She will ask the PCs to investigate the glow. The Pyramid The pyramid is partially covered with stone, but (unlike the stones) the pyramid is free of any muck or plant growth. Several of the stones on it seem slightly melted, as if they were exposed to great heat. The exposed parts of the pyramid are obsidian black and arcs of blue energy dance fitfully across the exposed surface. If the surface of the pyramid is touched by a PSS arm or a sub or drone manipulator, there will be a bright flash of blue light and the touching device will experience a brief (but possibly frightening) loss of power. Those in manned vessels touching the pyramid will experience mild (but painful ) shocks. Since the pyramid

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is partially buried, the PCs will not be able to gain entrance to it. It will prove resistant to cutting torches, lasers, and small explosive devices, should the PCs try these methods. The PCs will be contacted by the base director and asked to map out the area, then to return to the base with their data. Once the PCs return, the data and film will  be downlo d ownloaded aded for exami e xaminati nation. on. Excavation of the Pyramid

After the data is examined, Jordan will suggest that the pyramid structure be dug out from under the rubble for examination. If asked about the danger from the discharges, he will recommend that a grounding device be attached to the pyramid to drain of the charge harmlessly. He will make arrangements for heavy equipment to be brought in as well as more lights. The equipment will be brought in over the next few days and the first piece set up will be the drainer. The drainer will work perfectly and prevent the dangerous discharges from threatening the crew. During this time various teams from the base will be going over the exposed areas of the pyramid. Jordan will join in himself and will spend his time looking for a way into the pyramid, which he won’t be able to find since it is buried. Once all the equipment comes in, the pyramid will be excavated. Three of the sides of the pyramid will be found to have three entrances and the fourth is blank. The three entrances are set up with one at the top and the other two an equal distance from the top entrance and from each other. All of the entrances except one will be found to end in collapsed passages. The one intact entrance leads to the area detailed on the pyramid interior map. Once the pyramid is excavated and the entrances exposed, Jordan will lead a team into the interior of the pyramid. He will know for sure at this point that it is the pyramid gateway mentioned in the myths of his race and he will begin planning how to reopen the gate to his race’s home dimension. During the investigation, he will urge the humans not to touch or harm anything and will be willing to use force if necessary (and cover it up as an accident).Once he reaches the globe chamber, he will be aware of the presence of the survivors and begin making plans to awaken them and provide them with hosts. Pyramid Interior Map Entrance: The three meter wide entrance tube is made of the

same black material as the exterior, and is large enough to admit a UPD or PSS. Any metallic object passing down the tube will be encased in harmless blue sparks that will extend out from the walls. The passage ends in a semi-transparent swirling field of bluish energy, which will resist if pushed, but can be forced through. Empty Chamber: This water filled chamber is empty, but the walls are illuminated  by a pale red glow g low and an d are adorned with odd od d markings mar kings that look like li ke writings wr itings and mathematical symbols of some kind. Collapsed Passage: These areas may be entered via the energy fields at their ends, but they terminate in collapsed section.

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Globe Chamber: The field to this

chamber will prove particularly resistant. The interior is suffused with a pale red light and the walls are plain, except for a silver strip running along the walls about a meter from the floor. Taking up most of the chamber are three spheres that are made of the same sort f material as the pyramid. One of the has been pushed forward by the collapsed section. This sphere has a thin line running all the around it and the bottom has broken silver connectors that were attached to the floor. If the globe is pried open with a tool, the interior will be found to contain a thick reddish fluid, numerous silvery protrusions, and the remains of a Domsquid. All that are left to it are its bony parts. If the remains are  brought  broug ht back b ack and examined exami ned (Jorda ( Jordann will wil l permit pe rmit this, but will not like l ike it) they t hey will be found to be the remains of no known terrestrial life form. The other two globes contain Domsquids in stasis and these globes cannot be opened with anything short of explosives or Darkling Empathy. Jordan, who has Darkling Empathy, will be able to free them. The Domsquid’s Plans After the initial exploration of the pyramid’s interior, Jordan will return alone and awaken the Domsquid survivors. After he informs them of the situation, they will tell him how to reactivate the gateway and they will demand host bodies.  Jordan  Jord an will first fir st make mak e arra a rrange ngement mentss to t o have ha ve the equipmen equi pmentt he h e will wi ll need to reope r eopenn the gate brought in. He will order several specially modified generators and have them shipped to the site as well as a variety of electronic equipment. Since it is his money and most of the equipment could be used in the operation, no one will question what he is doing. Once these arrangements are made, he will have the interior of the pyramid pressurized. Once the interior is pressurized, he will lure an NPC into the globe chamber on some pretext. He will use a paralytic gas on the NPC and one of the Domsquids will take over his body. The pair will then select another member of the c rew and  bring  bri ng them in for f or the other othe r Domsq D omsquid uid.. While W hile the ancient anc ient Domsquid Doms quid do not speak spe ak human languages, they will use their empathetic abilities to get by. Over the next few days, the trio of Domsquid will undertake repairs on the pyramids control systems and will attach the generators to the pyramid. They will be very careful not to be caught and will use their intelligence and empathetic abilities to the fullest. Given the amount of equipment that will be on and in the pyra mid, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to tell what is going on. The Gate Opens When the Domsquids’ Domsquids’ preparations are complete, complete, Jordan will invite a delegation from the UN to view the structure. These delegates will come down on  board  boar d one of Jordan’s Jor dan’s submarines subma rines.. When Wh en the th e sub arrive arri ve at a t the th e sea base, base , Jordan Jor dan and the two Domsquids will board it and subdue the crew and delegates with a paralytic gas. They will then steer the sub towards the pyramid. While they are heading towards the pyramid, Jordan will trigger the gateway system and the following will happen. First, the pyramid will begin to glow a faint

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 blue color c olor and a nd the strength streng th of the glow g low will wi ll steadily ste adily increase. increa se. Second, Sec ond, spark s parkss of blue b lue energy will extrude from the pyramid causing all mobile marine life to flee the area. Third, the blank face of the pyramid will become outlined in blue energy and then the surface will vanish, revealing a gateway into an alien sea. Pale red light will spill from the gate. In the distance, the ruins of various structures will be visible on the  bottom  bott om of o f the th e alien a lien sea. Dark Dar k and a nd evil e vil looking look ing shapes shap es will w ill be seen moving movi ng in the alien sea.The submarine will head towards the gateway and will pass through it, into the sea. Saving the Day

When the submarine passes through the gateway, the PCs should realize that something is wrong. If they don’t the base director will and the Leviathan will be called in. The PCs will be asked to board the Leviathan which will be going through the gate and into the alien dimension. The Leviathan will cross through the gateway and into the alien sea. Strange and horrifying life forms will be visible on the monitor and the other submarine will be detected by the Leviathan’s sonar. There will be ruins around the ship which appear to be centuries old. As the Leviathan enters deeper into the dimension, its sonar will detect that the other submarine has come to a stop. The three Domsquids will be in a state of shock at this point, for they will have realized that their race has been extinct in this dimension for thousands of years. The PCs will be able to take advantage of this situation to close with the submarine. The captain of the Leviathan will suggest that the two Minnows and any PSSs be sent out to disable the submarine’s drives for boarding. If the PCs are quick, they t hey will  be able ab le to do this th is with wi th little li ttle difficulty diffi culty.. If not, the Domsquids Do msquids will regain regai n control con trol and attempt to flee. Their submarine is a fast as the Leviathan and they will lead the Leviathan deeper and deeper into the alien sea and will use their empathetic abilities to call Pseudo Squids and Hell Sharks to attack the Leviathan. Unless the PCs board the submarine quickly, the Leviathan will be forced to turn back or be destroyed. If the Leviathan is docked to the submarine, the PCs will be able to board it. The Domsquids will fight and will be armed with MP-7s from the submarine. However, they will eventually be killed and the Leviathan will be able to tow the submarine  back through the gate. ga te. Death From Beyond

Once the Leviathan returns through the gateway, the PCs will be dismayed to find that various denizens from the alien dimension have intruded into earth’s sea. Hell Sharks and Pseudo Squids are loose in the water, battling it out with terrestrial life. If the gateway is not closed soon, more and more of these beasties will come through looking for meals and within a few days, the current dominant race of the proto-dimension, the Ampharks (see Challenge  61, p. 35) will find the gateway and  begin  beg in comi coming ng through thro ugh using usin g heav h eavier ier versions vers ions of their thei r Shel S helll Suits S uits.. They T hey wil willl atta a ttack ck vessels in the area prior to heading inland.

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It is likely that the PCs will want to shut the gate down. If the detach the generators, the PCs will find that the gate is drawing enough power from its own systems to keep going.Sealing the gate by piling p iling stones on the pyramid will be a temporary solution, since the Ampharks will eventually break through. A more permanent solution will require that the pyramid be destroyed. The pyramid will prove quite resistant to conventional explosives, but the PCs might remember the nuclear torpedo that is still aboard the base. ba se. The torpedo itself is damaged, but any of the drones or TORs could carry the warhead. The warhead is a 5 kiloton nuclear weapon whose detonation will destroy all vessels within 4.2 nautical miles and damage all vessels within 6.1 nautical miles. As such, the PCs will want to set the timer to allow them time to escape. The warhead has a computer safety lock on it. Cracking this lock requires a roll against half the character’s computer skill if the base’s computer is used, one eighth if it is not. Rigging the warhead to a UPD is an easy task using the mechanic skill. If the roll fails, the warhead may fall of at some point. A TOR can carry it in a medium manipulator and a PSS or minisub can also carry it. Rigging the warhead for detonation with a timer is an average task using the electronics skill. Failing this roll may result in a late detonation, early detonation, or no detonation at all. If a UPD or TOR is sent , it will have no trouble reaching the pyramid and placing the warhead. However, crewed vehicles will be attacked by predators from the proto-dimension, since they will empathetically sense the presence of prey. Successful detonation of the warhead will destroy the pyramid as well as the ruins. The PCs and others will want to flee the area before the explosion. The base is designed to reach the surface on its own by releasing its ballast and inflating lifting  balloon.  ball oon. This process proc ess will w ill take about 20 minutes minute s and an d the th e base ba se can c an then t hen be b e retriev ret rieved ed  by the LDO vessel. v essel. If the base b ase cannot escape esc ape (for example, examp le, Taggert sabotages the controls), those on board can escape via PSS and mini-sub as well as via the Leviathan. There is also an escape pod on top of the base which can hold up to 24 people in extreme discomfort. Naturally, LDO will want t save the base if at all possible. Most of the other human NPCs will be willing to go along with the PCs if they suggest using the warhead (and Briggs will suggest it if the PCs do not). Taggert sees the gateway as a scientific gold mine and her ticket to fame and will do anything in her power to preserve the gate. She will begin with persuasion and will talk about the incredible economic and scientific value of the gate, not to mention the environmental impact of detonating a nuclear weap on in the ocean. Depending on the circumstances, she may be able to persuade some of the NPCs to join her. If  persuasion fails, she will resort to more extreme measures, even violence.  Finish If the gate is not destroyed, creatures from the protodimension will continue to pass through it and will cause a great deal of trouble. If the Domsquids escaped with the submarine, they will begin breeding and will eventually return at some point in the future.  If the PCs save the UN delegates, they will be b e most grateful and the PCs will be

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able to use them as contacts later on. If the PCs close the gate with the nuclear warhead, they will have to justify their actions to the authorities. Of course, if the PCs save the UN delegates, they will be fully exonerated by the testimony of the delegates (who are extremely grateful for having been saved from a fate worse than death).

NPCs LDO Project Director Sally King

Level: Experienced Skills: Small Arms (pistol) 3 Mechanic 2, Swimming 9, Vessel Use(submarine) 7, Vessel Use (PSS) 5, Electronics 2, Willpower 6, Business 6, Computer Operation 3, Leadership 7 Initiative:3 Physical Description: Director King is a tall woman with short black hair streaked with gray. She appears to be in her mid forties. Personality/Motivation: Director King is the LDO Project Director for this operation and as such she is considered the captain of the sea base, with all the associated authority. She has been working for LDO since its begining and it has been her inspired leadership that has helped make LDO what it is today. Her loyalty is to LDO and the people on her team. team. While she is not not aware of the extent of the dark conspiracy that threatens earth, she has brushed against it on occasion. She will be favor destroying the gate. Equipment: Wildey Wolf with two clips Captain John Briggs

Level: Veteran Skills: Heavy Weapons 2, Melee Combat(unarmed) 2, Small Arms (pistol) 2, Swimming 5, Vessel Use (submarine) 7, Navigation 4, Willpower 5, Computer Operation 3, Leadership 6 Initiative: 4 Physical Description: Captain Briggs is a tall, heavy set man with short gray hair. He appears to be in his mid 50s and is in excellent physical condition. Personality/Motivation: Captain Briggs is a former United States Navy officer who was forced to leave the US Navy under circumstances that he will not discuss. The incident involved the infiltration of the US Navy by Dark Minions and Briggs, though innocent of wrongdoing, was forced to resign his commission. Briggs  became  beca me an alcoholic alco holic soon after a fter and went on a spiral spira l of decline decl ine that t hat ended when LDO L DO hired him. Once he was back in command, he returned to being his old self, a highly competent officer Since he hates Dark Minions, he will be all for destroying the gate.

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Briggs is currently the captain of the Leviathan. Stephen Jordan

Host Body: Treat as a a veteran NPC Domsquid St re ng t h 2 Education 8 M ov e 1 0 C on st i t u t i on 2 Charisma 3 Skill/Dam 7/1D6 Agility 8 Empathy 10 Hits 6/12 In tel li g enc e 8 Init ia tiv e 6 Skills: Melee Combat (Unarmed) 4, Small Arms (pistol) 4, Small Arms(rifle) 4, Swimming 4, Vessel Use (Submarine) 4, Forgery 5, Psychology 3, Computer Operation 2, Business 7, Animal Empathy 5, Human Empathy 5, Darkling Empathy 5, Project Emotion 6, Willpower Drain 4 Physical Description: The host body the Domsquid currently occupies is that of a middle aged man with brown hair, blue eyes, and a beard. The body is in good shape. Personality/Motivation: Jordan is a Domsquid. It is descended from the small group of Domsquids that survied the desctruction of the base. Jordan Jorda n is 174 years old and has been through many bodies and hence is very experienced at playing the role of a human. It has been funding undersea expeditions for years in the hope of finding the ancient gateway its people constructed. c onstructed. Over the years, Jordan has developed d eveloped some human characteristics, but it still is a Domsquid and considers humans primarily as hosts. It has no qualms about doing anything at all to insure the opening of the gate. Dr. Jennifer Taggert

Level: Experienced Skills: Melee Combat(unarmed) 2, Small Arms (Pistol) 3, Small Arms(Rifle) 3, Swimming 3,Observation 2, Archeology 8, Biology 2, Computer Operation 4, Initiative: 3 Physical Description: Dr. Taggert is a muscular woman of moderate height, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She appears to be in her mid thirties. Personality/Motivation: Dr. Taggart earned her college tuition in the military and she stays in shape and gets to the firing range once in a while. She doesn’t particularly like people, unless they are dead and part of some archeological find. Her consuming passion is to go down in archeological history and she sees this find as a golden opportunity to do so. Because of this, she will oppose anything that might damage the site. Equipment: She has a Walther PPK hidden in her Laptop’s carry bag. Dive Leader/Security Chief Jake Fortran

Level: Veteran Skills: Melee Combat(unarmed) Combat(unarmed) 4, Melee Combat (armed) 4 Small Arms (pistol) 6 Small Arms(rifle) , Swimming 9, Vessel Use (submarine) 4, Vessel Use (PSS) 7, Demolitions 2, Willpower 4, Language(English) 4

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Physical Description: Fortran is a short, wiry man with dark hair. He constantly has a pleasant expression on his face, especially when he is in the water. Personality/Motivation: Fortran is a political refugee from a third world country whose secret police he once worked for. When his father recently passed away in prison, thrus breaking the government’s hold on him, he escaped the country by swimming out to a passing vessel and requesting asylum. The ship was an LDO vessel and he was hired soon after and has been with LDO ever since. He is suspicious of people he does not know (since they might be secret police from his former country), but conceals it under his genuinely pleasant demeanor. His wife is a computer programmer for LDO and he chose his new name for her. Equipment: Fortran always carries a dive knife. Calvin Heltner

Level: Novice Skills:Swimming 7, Vessel Use (Submarine) 3, Forgery 3, Psychology 4, Computer Operation 6, Act/Bluff 4, Bargain 5, Persuasion 6 Physical Description: Heltner is a tall, thin man with blond hair. He has a carefully trimmed beard. When he looks at anything or anyone, it strikes perceptive individuals that he is looking for people’s price tags. Personality/Motivation: Heltner has been assigned to the project to look after the interests of the various sponsoring corporations. His loyalty is to money and power and he is completely amoral. He is a good enough actor to come across as a friendly and concerned individual, and he seems easy to talk to. He uses this ability to learn individuals’ secrets and weaknesses so that he might use them to his advantage. While he is a master of emotional violence, he has no taste for physical violence. Everyone on the project knows he is present to watch the corporate money, but he is competent enough that they tolerate it. He will be all for keeping the gate open, provided it doesn’t endanger him or his profits. Other NPCs

The PCs are intended to replace the NPCs whose jobs they are qualified to do.

Name

Dr . J ust in W elso n  Janet  Jane t Terez Te rez Dave Hastings Willia m Sc ha ct Ca rol Jones  John  Joh n Jones Jon es Pa m O l so n R i c k O l so n Carl Keffer Tia Smi t h Sherry Wic kett Nathan Dregga

Job

Medical doctor Diver( Div er(PSS) PSS) D i v e r ( P SS ) D i v e r ( P SS ) D i v e r ( P SS ) Diver( Div er(PSS) PSS) Mi ni-Sub Pilot E n g i n ee r E n g i n ee r TOR Operator TOR Operator TOR Operator

Experience

N ovi c e Novi No vice ce N ovi c e Experienced N ovi c e Novi No vice ce N ovi c e Experienced N ovi c e Experienced Experienced Experienced

Affiliation

LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO LDO

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Anne Weyman Ty Wes c ot t Dr . H e nr y S mi t h D r . S a r a h D i et e r Dr . Dia n e Town send Dr. George Slade

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TOR Operator P r og r a m me r A r c ha eolog i st A r c ha eolog i st A r c ha eolog i st A r c ha eolog i st

Experienced N ovi c e N ovi c e N ovi c e N ovi c e N ovi c e

LDO LDO Ha rv ar d Oxford Ha rv ar d Ha rv ar d

New Equipment Costeau Class Submarine

 Just before befor e the th e economic ec onomic coll collapse apse,, the th e United Un ited States Stat es Navy Na vy contracte contr acted d with wi th Bath B ath Iron Works in Maine to produce a nuclear powered, water jet propelled submarine. submarine. BIW completed three of the power plants and propulsion systems before the Navy canceled the contract. Luckily for BIW, LDO purchased the plants and propulsion system and ordered three submarines built using them (the Costeau, the Leviathan, Leviathan , and the Behemoth). Each vessel is equipped with docking ports that match those on the LDO sea bases as well as a s two Minnow class minisubs. Each vessel is also equipped with extremely advanced sensor equipment, including military grade sonar and is capable of operating at extreme depths due to its special reinforced alloy hull. The vessels are used in a variety of roles: mobile undersea bases, underwater cargo vessels, underwater cranes and so forth. Displacement: 2400 Fuel Type: Nuclear Cruise Speed: 15 knots Propulsion: Water Jet Armament: None Minimum/Optimum Minimum/Optimum Crew: 10/60 Minnow Class Minisub

The Minnow class minisub is a standard two person, deep water mini-sub. The minisub has an extremely strong hull and its diving performance capacity exceed that of main line military submarines. Minnows are equipped with two medium manipulators and two small manipulators as well as a light array, a camera, and a sample basket. Power and life support are good for eight hours of operation. The mini-sub looks very much like a small jet fighter with stubby wings. Cruise Speed: 5/5 Price: $960,000 (R/R) Fuel Cap: 220 Ar ma me nt : No ne F uel Cons : 5 L en g t h : 1 Fuel Type: Battery Pack D r a ft : 1 m Config: Flush Deck Speed: 3 Tonna g e : 1 0 Turn : 4 Hul l Ar mor : 2 Pumps:1 Wa t e r l i ne A r mor : 2 Ni g h t V i s i o n : W hi t e L i g h t s p o t l i g h t s Pr op u l s i on : Wa t er Je t Load: personal gear, can carry 3,000 kg Siz e: 1 Mi n i mum /O p t i mu m C r ew : 1 / 2

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Damage Record Full Speed: 10 Dead in Water: 10 Sunk: 10 Personal Submarine Suit (PSS)

A PSS is an armored suit constructed out of advanced alloy materials that enable a person in a PSS to operate at depths of 400+ meters. It includes a complete, self  contained life support system with air and power for six hours, a distress beacon, a 75 kilometer radio, and lights. The suits arms and legs are servo equipped and the arms can lift almost 100 kg each. Each suit comes standard with a propulsion system(including depth control) that can propel the suit at a cruise speed of 2/2. Some models replace one manipulator arm with a specializ ed tool arm. Such modifications are custom built. A PSS, with its advanced servo system, is actually easier on its operator than a Hardsuit. A PSS operator can use his or her PSS for CONX30 minutes before becoming exhausted. Like the Hardsuit, all AGL and STR-based tasks are increased one level in difficulty while using a PSS (of course, crude brute strength operations will be much easier in a PSS). A PSS has an armor value of 2. Wt: 100 KG Price: $200,000 (R/R) New Beasties Hell Sharks

# Appear: 1 Initia tive: 5 Agility: 5 At ta c k %: 9 5 % Str eng th : 2 0 Skill/Dam:7/2D10 Move:13/25/50 C on st i t u t io n: 2 2 Hits:25/50 Empathy: 2 Special: Empathetic detection ability. These creatures are horrid shark like beings which are even more vicious than the worst terran sharks. They are shark shaped, but have what appear to be plates of  armor on their bodies. They are jet black on their dorsal side and on the ventral side they are dark gray and their eyes are dull red in color. Hell Sharks will attack any living being that they detect. Their empathetic ability enables them to detect living creatures within two kilometers. Because of this ability they will not eat anything that is not alive (unlike terran sharks, which have been found with beer cans and license plates in their stomachs). They will, however attack things (like PSSs) with living things inside. Pseudo Squids

# Appear: 1 At ta c k %: 9 0 % Move:8/15/30 Empathy: 4

Initia tive: 3 Str eng th : 4 0 C on st i t u t io n: 3 5

Agility: 6 Skill/Dam:4/4D10 Hits:60/120

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Special: Empathetic detection ability, project emotion 2. Pseudo Squids look very much like terran squids, except they have a partial shell covering their main body and their tentacles have bony ridges and spurs instead of  suckers. Pseudo Squids are also more intelligent than terran squids and they possess the empathetic ability to detect living things within four kilometers. They are also capable of projecting emotion, but this is limited to creating fear in the target(used to frighten threatening organisms) or a feeling of safety (used to lull prey). Pseudo Squid attacks are handled like normal squid attacks. However, Pseudo Squids have a taste for humans and will deliberately attack humans in the water or on deck. New Dark Race Domsquid

St r en g t h 2 Education 8 Mov e 1 0 C on s t i t u t i o n 2 Charisma 1 Skill/Dam 7/1D6 Agility 8 Empathy 10 Hits 6/12 In tel li g enc e 7 Init ia tiv e 6 # Ap pear 1 Special: Empathetic skills: Human Empathy 5, Animal Empathy 5, Darkling Empathy 4, Project Emotion 3, Will Power Drain 3, “possession” ability. Domsquids (“dominator squids”) were a race that evolved from a small squid like parasite that inhabited a proto-dimension that is primarily water. The Domsquids look like small squids (10 cm body, tentacles 20 cm long) with oversized “heads”. Two of their tentacles end in sharp, bony protrusions which are hollow, and two others end in scalpel sharp cutting edges. The other tentacles have bony ridges and spurs on them. Physically Domsquids are weak and would have been long ago destroyed if it were not for their ability to take control over other life forms. Domsquids take over a host as follows. First, the domsquid will attempt to stun the potential host if it is conscious. A Domsquid that strikes a target can release an electrical charge once every six hours that acts like a Martin Dynatech Pacifier Stun Gun. If the target loses consciousness, the Domsquid will uses its sharp tipped tentacles to inject the victim with a paralytic agent (requires a difficult: constitution to resist) which will last thirty minutes. The Domsquid will then slit open the victim’s body and enter. enter. It will then attach itself to the victim’s victim’s spinal column column and cardio-vascular system and extrude a tentacle into the victims brain and disconnect its higher functions chemically (basically a lobotomy). This process takes about twenty minutes and when it is complete, the host body is under the Domsquid’s complete control. A Domsquid can leave a host by detaching itself and cutting its way out and this process takes about a minute. The Domsquid has no access to the host’s memories or skills. The Domsquid is unharmed by damage to the host body that does not also reach it (the exact details of this is left to the referee). However, since the Domsquid is tied into the hosts nervous system as well as its cardio-vascular system, it will be affected by drugs and toxins the host is exposed to. The host body retains its physical capabilities (strength, constitution, and damage), while the agility of the body can be no higher than the Domsquid’s own agility while the Domsquid is controlling it. Domsquids are extremely difficult to detect in a

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human host if the Domsquid is experienced but they are a re easily detectable by such means as X-rays and other medical means. Removing a Domsquid surgically is a difficult task using medical skill (this assumes that the Domsquid is unconscious). Simply killing the Domsquid will also kill the host body. Restoring the host to normal is possible using advanced surgery and biochemical treatments. Such a restoration requires the proper equipment and is a task that is rolled against one fourth of the surgeon’s medical skill. The Domsquids had an advanced civilization in their home dimension and eventually developed gateways that enabled them to reach other dimensions. They went in search of new knowledge (they are extremely curious) and new host bodies. Domsquids are evil and they consider most other life forms only as potential hosts. Like Ampharks they derive great pleasure from the suffering of other beings, though they do not require it like the Ampharks do. The race of Domsquids became nearly extinct when an incredibly virulent viral disease was brought back from another dimension. This virus killed the entire Domsquid race within weeks of the initial exposure. Though the disaster that befell the Domsquids’ gate on earth wiped out nearly all terrestrial based Domsquids, it did prevent the virus from reaching earth. There are still other isolated enclaves of  Domsquids in other proto-dimensions.

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Key Water Tight Hatch Normal Door

Deck One

Machinery Controls/Equipment

Sub Docks

Prep Area Storage

Elevator

Mini-Sub Bay Engineering Deck One

Lab/Repair

Deck Two

Kitchen Rec

Head

Head

Quarters

Quarters

Engineering Deck Two Elevator Control Center

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Sea Floor

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Pyramid

Sea Base

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Pyramid Interior

Empty Chamber

Collapsed Passages

Entrance

Globe Chamber

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“Old Enemies” ©1998 2300AD 

Michael C. LaBossiere [email protected] Legal Information This adventure is copyright 1998 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. It may be freely distributed for personal use provided that it is not modified and no fee above the normal cost of distribution is charged for it. Visit the Opifex Phoenix web site at http://user.aol .com/ontologist/index.htm .com/ontologist/index.html.l. This item is not authorized or endorsed by Tantalus Inc. and is used without permission. The The item is for personal use only. Any use of Tantalus Inc.'s copyrighted material or trademarks in this file should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, this item cannot be republished or distributed without without the consent of the author. author. Part I Starcruiser   Scenario  Scenario Mayday. This is the Forty Niner, we are under attack from the second moon of   Ap  A p ol l o . W e h av e s u f f e r e d s ev e re po w e r p l an t d a m ag e a n d ha ve i n t e r n a l f i r e s .  Mayday  May day.. This Thi s is... is. .. (Transmission ceases). Year: 2301 System: Mu Herculis Background: A mayday was received from a prospecting vessel of American registry

in the Mu Herculis system. The vessel reported being under attack from one of  Apollo’s moons. An American military vessel was sent to investigate and encountered an unexpected adversary. Set-up: Place a planet counter in the center of the map. This counter represents Apollo. The American vessel enters from the fire side of the map. The alien weapons are set up within four hexes of the planet. alien weapons. The alien wins if  Victory: The American wins if he destroys all the alien he destroys the American vessel. Intruder: America Concord Class System Defense Defense Boat (use the statistics for the British Exeter) (CQ+1) Native:  Alien Four Sphere “Missiles” Combat Performance Data Movement: Movement: 8, Radiated Signature: 1 Radial Reflected Signature:1, Radial Target Profile: -5 Lateral Target Profile:-5, Hull Hits: 1/1/1 Power Plant Hits: 1/1, Armament: One unlimited shot 1x1 laser, or one detonation attack as a 5x2 detonation laser, Active Sensors: 10 Passive Sensors: 5 Screens: 3 Note: These alien weapons consist primarily of energy bound within a magnetic containment field. At the center of the weapon is the power plant and field generator. The weapon forms its components by rearranging the energy within its field. Fortunately for the American vessel, the weapons have been severely

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weakened by the ravages of time. Part II 2300AD Adventure The military had quarantined the area of space immediately around Apollo after the Forty Niner incident. Rumor has it that they brought in some experts on xeno-archeology. xeno-archeology. If so, they probably found something old and alien on the moon that the Niner mentioned in her last transmission.

Introduction This adventure deals with a mission into the asteroid belt that rings Mu Herculis at 4.5 AU distance. The purpose of the mission is to locate an alien base in the belt. This adventure is intended for a group of experienced characters. Information: The PCs will have heard about the destruction of the prospecting ship Forty Niner near Apollo. They will have also have heard about the encounter between the Wheston (the SDB) and an unknown force. (the exact details depend on the outcome of the above scenario). They will also be aware that the American goverment has closed of the area of space around Apollo. PCs with friends friends in the the military or government (or (or who are in the military military or government themselves) will be aware that the Forty Niner was destroyed by alien weapons and that the SDB Wheston engaged the same alien weapons. According to the reports, the weapons were not the product of any known races’ technology. Because of the potential danger, the area has been sealed off. PCs with access to high level information information will know that an alien base of great age has been located on one of Apollo’s moons. No one is sure why the base launched an attack on the Forty Niner, since other ships have been through the area without being attacked. Naturally, there will be speculation that the base was somehow involved with the disappearance of the Carolina Dream. Finally, all the PCs will hear about a second tragedy that will strike the Forty Niner Prospecting Company (the company that owned the Forty Niner). The orbital station used by FNPC will explode a day after the destruction of the Forty Niner, killing all of the surviving FNCP personnel, except for Rosco Jones. He was aboard the company’s other vessel, the Gold Rush, when the station was destroyed. Getting the PCs involved The PCs will be contacted by Rosco Jones, a well known and respected respected prospector. prospector. He will tell the PCs that he is part of the mining company that owned the Forty Niner. He wants to hire the PCs to help him investigate what happened. He has access to a Mammoth- class Freighter(with two CargoDevil Freight Handlers) if the PCs don’t have a ship of their own. The vessel is carrying custom made modules that make the vessel, the Gold Rush, into a fair prospecting vessel. The vessel has a special sensor module, a module containing a geological laboratory, a module containing

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digging and sample taking equipment, a base camp module, and the rest of the modules are standard cargo modules. If he hires the PCs, he will tell them that his partners sent a message message from the belt saying that they had made a very important discovery along their prospecting route and that they were going to proceed to Apollo. They finished by saying that they would be bringing a big surprise back. Jones will explain that his partners didn’t go into details because they did not want to broadcast the details of their find until they were able to stake a legal claim on it. Jones will say that he knows the prospecting route they were following when they made their discovery. He wants to hire the PCs to go with him into the belt to retrace his partners’ movements movements and locate what they found that sent them to their untimely deaths. He will offer pay appropriate to the PCs experience, reputation, and abilities. If asked, he will say that he suspects that the two events (the destruction of the Forty Niner and the destruction of the FNPC station) are connected and that he is worried about his own life. The Real Story The Forty Niner’s crew discovered an alien base in the belt. While investigating investigating it, they accidentally re-activated the computer. The computer captured the crew and replaced their brains with robotic brains. The computer then sent its servants to destroy its old enemy, the computer based on one of Apollo’s moons. The asteroid computer was thwarted in its plans when the Apollo computer noted the approach of the vessel and scanned it. The scanning revealed the presence of the robotic  brains  brai ns and a nd the t he Apollo Ap ollo computer compu ter sent its weapon w eaponss to destroy destr oy the t he vessel. ve ssel. Prior to the t he destruction of the vessel, the Apollo computer captured one of the robot-humans and replaced the asteroid computer’s brain with one of its own. This robot-human was sent (via a one use vessel, similar to the alien weapons) to gather a force to attack the asteroid computer. The robot-human was detected by the other FNPC personnel and it was forced to kill them, to avoid being exposed. The robot-human is, of course, Rosco Jones. The robot-human Jones functions as a veteran NPC with an initiative of 7. The robot brain is programmed with Sidearm 3, Combat Rifleman 3, Computer 3, Pilot 2, Prospecting 2, Demolitions 2. He is armed with a Muller-Rivera P-3 and a Mueller-Rivera F-19. The robot brain is programmed with a personality that is based on the information the computer was able to acquire from Jones’ brain. It can pass as a human being, provided it does not engage in long conversations. Unfortunately Unfortunately for the computer, Jones was legendary as a non stop talker. If asked about its quietness, it will say that the tragedies have made it not want to talk. Naturally, it will avoid people who knew Jones well. Its mission is to locate the asteroid computer and destroy it. To this end, it has a large supply of mining explosives aboard the Gold Rush. To notice that Jones is not human: Difficult. Psychology. 10 minutes. A successful roll will reveal that whatever Jones is, he is not a human. The roll should be made secretly for all characters with psychology skill.

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Into the Belt The asteroid belt is 4.5 AU from the sun. It is quite dense and contains radioactive ores and other valauble commodities. It is only recently that small, independent mining companies have begun to exploit the belt’s resources. There have several lucrative finds in the belt. One expedition found several pieces of a manufactured alloy on an asteroid that turned out to be very, very old and not of  human manufacture. No other such finds have been made. Going over the Forty Niner’s prospecting route will be a long and tedious task. There are a total of 32 asteroids on the route. The asteroid the PCs are looking for is the 28th asteroid (the Forty Niner Crew only prospected that far). Asteroids 1 through 28 are marked as being checked, so 29-32 can be ignored. Task: To examine an asteroid Routine. Prospecting. 30 minutes. The time roll is reduced by 1 for each person who makes the task roll. Minimum time is thirty minutes, however. This roll should be made in secret. That way, the players will not be certain they have not missed something. Stalker on the Rock

Once the PCs have been lulled into a false sense of security, it will be time to spring a nasty surprise on them. The previous expedition disturbed a robotic combat unit that was laying dormant beneath the asteroid’s surface. It was slow to recover from its long rest and the first expedition left before it could take action against them. Now it is alert and ready to deal with any invaders. The unit looks somewhat like a dull gray praying mantis. It is four meters in length and has four legs legs and two arms. Armor value: 3 Life Level: Level: 25 Initiative: 7 Hit: Routine It is considered a veteran NPC and moves like a human. Its arms are equipped with extendible blades (Melee Range: short Melee Skill Modifier: +2 DP: .4) and laser weapons (treat as Mueller-Rivera P-3s, with 40 pulses). The unit is also equipped with two chest mounted plasma guns. Fortunately for the PCs, its ammunition a mmunition hoppers are empty. The robot is extremely sophisticated and will act intelligently in combat. The robot (or parts of it) would be very valuable to human scientists or a robotic company as the unit’s CPU and batteries are highly advanced relative to human technology. The Alien Base Asteroid # 28 contains contains the alien base. A visual visual inspection inspection of the asteroid at close close range (or using magnifying viewing devices) will reveal the existence of an airlock as well as the existence of a metallic protrusion from the lower side(relative to the arrangement of the base) of the asteroid. The underside of the asteroid has a broken metallic pylon sticking from it, which indicates the asteroid was once part of a larger structure. The asteroid is also oddly scarred in places (from laser and particle partic le weapon hits). Level 1

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Access can be gained to this level via the airlocks on the top of the asteroid or via the airlock on the side. All the airlocks are operational and will open when the controls are touched. The interior of the base is lit with white light and everything is scaled to human size. These facts indicate that the base personnel were about the same size as humans and probably lived under a yellow sun. The base is very old. If  the age of the base is checked scientifically, it will be found to be several hundred years old (at least). The interior has a very thin atmosphere, not quite enough to breath, however. 1. Storage Area: This area contains plastic containers. Some of the containers contain mechanical and electrical parts, parts, but most contain remnants of of organic material (food). The organic material would have been somewhat toxic to humans when it was fresh, now it would be very bad to consume. The containers are badly dented in places and some of them are smashed open, as if they were thrown about the room (they were, when the base was smashed from its pylon). 2. Empty Chamber: A shredded and bloody human vacc suit with the name “Holtsen” is drifting about the room, orbited by globules of blood. 3. Equipment Room: There are numerous empty lockers hanging open. Broken pieces of equipment (weapons, scientific gear, etc. ) are floating about the room. The pieces would be valuable to researchers. There is a single vacc suit in the chamber, which indicates that the crew was evacuated from the base. The vaccc suit is human sized, but the gloves are six fingered. The beings had an opposable thumb, four fingers and a fifth digit , possible a claw like structure, extending from the pinkie side of the hand. There is still some air in the tanks. The mix is primarily oxygen-nitrogen. Level 2 1-3. Crew Quarters: These spartan quarters contain two bunks, lockers, and a

terminal each. The lockers are empty. 4-5. Quarters: Like the above quarters, except there are four bunks, four lockers, and no terminals. 6. Multi-purpose room: This room is equipped with exercise equipment, electronic games, and medical equipment. The medical equipment ca n provide information about the chemical composition of the base personnel. Their biochemistry is similar to that of humans, but there are a re several important differences. This room is fully pressurized and the automated medical equipment has been in use recently. There are bloodstains on the table and on the door of what appears to be a disposal unit. 7. Galley: There is a broken Muller-Rivera laser pistol floating in the room along with globules of human blood. A vacc suit helmet with a shattered face plate also floats in the room. The wall between 6 and 7 bears marks from laser fire. Level 3 1. Control center: This room contains the controls for the bases weapon systems.

Several of the control panels have been destroyed by weapons’ fire recently and there are globules of blood in the room.

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2. Computer Access: The base computer is accessed from here. The computer is very advanced and is intelligent (capable of intelligent actions and self direction) but is not self aware. It is programmed p rogrammed to defend the base and destroy d estroy its enemy, the computer on Apollo. The computer can be destroyed by explosives or other violence directed at it from this area. Level 4 1. Power Plant/Manufacturing/Weapons Access: This is the access area to the bases

power plant, manufacturing systems, and its weapon systems. The power plant is a highly advanced fusion reactor, the manufacturing systems are designed to produce replacement components (including robotic brains), the weapon systems are advanced lasers (two of them) that would fire from the rectangle that extrudes from the asteroid if they were still operational.

Dangers

There are three Stalker robots active on the base that are computer directed. Their plasma guns (treat as Quinn-Darlan Mk 2-A2 PGMPs) are fully loaded. They will attempt to capture the PCs alive in order to replace their brains with robot brains.

Finish If the robot-human Jones destroys the computer, he will attempt to report back to his controlling computer on Apollo. He will do anything to complete his mission. If  the PCs survive, and inform the authorities about the base, the base will be confiscated by the government, but they will receive some compensation. The base itself is of great scientific value and the equipment in it, especially the computer, are of great value. If scientists have the opportunity to study the base, they will conclude that it actually is not a base at all, but part of a ship. The computer located on one of the moons of Apollo was once also part of a larger vessel. It will be speculated that two enemy vessels entered this star system, fought and crippled one another in the belt, and have been lying in wait, ready for another round. This speculation is correct.

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Maps

Deck Two

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