A Routine Audit

## **Introduction**

The year is 2017. DoD institutionalized two Inspector General (IG) personnel while one independent auditor self-terminated during the DOD’s first audit - within hours of exposure to records for 1887 Office Place, Renton, WA. Delta Green (DG) establishes “Task Group Koleamas” to investigate.

In a Pentagon office, Agents are given briefs based on affiliation & warned to avoid the audit documents.

## **The Program**

Utah Data Center flagged the coincidental mental breakdowns.

NSA analysts’ follow-up self-termination revealed 1887’s financial data as vector. Presence of 1887’s data in DoD audit’s formula result in irrational non-real results that remain constant regardless of audit inputs. NSA cleaners isolated digital copies while an FBI ITAR team secures physical copies.

Your agents receive legitimate GAO credentials as TS-cleared “spot inspectors.”

## **The Cowboys**

Agent Larry at DoD IG noticed the correlation between breakdowns and 1887’s financial data. In case of memetic hazard, Larry destroyed digital and physical copies within reach.

Remaining exposed died during a “working lunch” gas explosion at a DC Panera - police failed to notice missing phones and laptop bags during investigation.

Your agents receive DOD IG credentials unlikely to stand up to hard scrutiny but disconnected from their identities.

## **The Truth**

1887 contains The Rock (7R), a Majestic artifact “liberated” by DG. 7R is a living metal hyperconductor encasing a crystal. The crystal is 7R’s “brain,” imposing traversable quantum uncertainty around it, a reverse Schrödinger’s box.

7R absorbs heat and radiation, causing frostbite if held long enough. 7R projects random mental location images to a holding agent. Eventually R7 shows horrifying dimensions. The holding agent “feels” 7R is in standby - a successful ½ PWR check transports the agent into space.

7R’s cold-storage unit broke in 1995; heat activated 7R’s standby mode. 1887 is now a four physical dimensional puzzle of 1887’s potential bureaucratic fates.

## **The Investigation**

Both IG personnel are catatonic; successful psych-related rolls cause violent outbursts about 3D finances. Interviewing requires medical or familial credentials.

Determining the DoD Lines of Accounting (LoA) requires successful bureaucracy, accounting, or INTx3 roll: Department of Energy (DoE), John Hopkins Advanced Physics Laboratory (APL), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), SATO Travel, whatever “MJ-6” is, and an Army admin unit decommissioned in 72.

Researching 1887’s purpose reveals the Army’s 415th Admin Support Unit, which had no assigned army personnel, budgeted for the research facility in 1970. Provide blueprint if asked. Successful investigation of DG links reveal DG ran 1887 until CJCS shut DG down in ‘72; it became a Green Box. Any research for documentation of other LoA’s goals find nothing before 1994 and causes headaches. Researchers cannot remember if they found anything after 1994. Phone conversations with these institutions are inconclusive. Agents hear static if they call 1887. A successful listen or computer science roll divines the infinitely layered speech creating the static and result in a headache.

Searching for audit documentation results in an angry Handler phonecall. A persistent agent who passes PWRx4, accounting, and an additional appropriate check (AC) lose SAN. Agent knows all agencies involved, that they are co-existant, and will lose D20 san when approaching the building, seeing in 4D. That agent alone can enter/leave any level via exits at will. If they fail, headache and nothing seen/learned - the agents cannot figure out how to look directly at the document.

Utility usage is unremarkable.

No one comes in or out of the building.

## **1887**

### **Outside**

In an unused parking lot, aging chain-link fence protects a windowless single-story building. Faded signs warn, “No Trespassing, Federal Property.”

A broken padlock, untouched for years, hangs on the main gate latch.

The points of entry are four ground floor doors and roof access. The main entrance is unlocked, the other four require “finesse.”

Agents enter the “Green Box” first. Escape is through neutralizing 7R or death.

### **Orienteering**

Once entered, 1887 continues in a series of loops. SAN check D6 loss for first move between areas. SAN check for 2 SAN loss for each successive move. See visual aids below:

### **General Levels**

	+ Emblem of organization on wall (MJ6 has none)
	+ Metal desk w/ JPAS computer & only phone - agents only hear high-pitch tone when using phone.
	+ RSL w/ M9 Baretta
	+ Armed contractor (MJ6’s is NRO veteran)
* Lounge:
	+ Fridge, vending machines, and table
* Lab:
	+ Assorted appropriate lab equipment (see missions).
	+ 7R in various types of lab containment throughout levels - handler decide.
	+ Researcher 1
* Workshop:
	+ Metal table with stools. Shelves contain precision machining tools and measurement devices.
* Office:
	+ 2 desks w/ early 2010’s computers.
	+ Bookshelves w/ recent professional journals and publications.
	+ General documentation describing purpose. Varying level contain:
		- Notes on quantum phasing (MJ6, DARPA)
		- R7 goes dormant when in dark/cold (all)
		- Crystals “react” to stimuli (JHU, DARPA, MJ6)
		- Absorbs radiation (DoE, ONR)
	+ Researcher 2
* Bathroom:
	+ 1 sink, 2 stalls, 1 urinal.
* Stairwell:
	+ Dimly lit concrete w/ metal handrail. If they look, agents could see infinitely up or down if they weren’t looking at the back of their own head 7 stories up/down (SAN loss).
* Computers:
	+ Hurts agents to look at screens. Can only operate their personal devices - but have no signal.

## **Unique Areas**

### **Green Box**

* Security Room: Faded crest of 514th Admin Support.
	+ Wall mounted ready service locker (RSL) containing 2x7rd .45ACP mags.
	+ Metal desk.
* Workspace:
	+ Dust-covered wooden crates and ammo cans. Handler choose appropriate 70-90’s era DG items. “Green Box Generator” can help.
	+ Metal work table with shelving units filled with precision tools and measuring equipment.
* Lab:
	+ Large RSL against north wall. Contains one can of linked 7.62 and ancient M-60 w/ “Born to kill that which may not die” carved into the side. Mythos roll will recognize elder sign carved as well.
	+ Large cold storage unit mid-lab. Signs warn unit must remain on, to activate emergency power if off. Backup generator can be activated w/ ACs. *7R contained within.*
	+ Empty metal tables.
* Break Room:
	+ Smashed, empty vending machines. Surrounded by outdated wrappers and soda bottles. 211 hashes scratch into break room table. Some blood and fingernails.
* Office:
	+ 2x metal desks w/ typewriters
	+ Self-terminated desiccated corpse in corner w/ 1911A1 in hand - 6/7 rounds in mag. Died years ago.
	+ Small triangle is carved into the wall with screwdriver.

### **SATO**

* Lab/Workspace/Office:
	+ Walls knocked down - one open floorplan office. Sabantha Bawls and Billiam Calden work here.
	+ Desks strewn w/ unfiled travel paperwork and early 2000’s desktops - agents may find an old claim they thought was lost.
	+ 7R is a paperweight on Sabantha’s desk.

## **Interactions & Purpose**

### **Research Goals**

* Radiation safety provided by 7R’s absorption properties:
	+ DoE (for revolutionary power generation)
	+ ONR (for naval reactors)
	+ NASA (for space travel)
* Crystalline computing matrixes:
	+ JHU (Military C2)
	+ DARPA (Quantum uncertainty used for drone autonomy)
* FTL matter transfer and localized lateral lateral time travel:
	+ MJ6 (for March Industries)
* Nothing: SATO, Green Box

### **Clearance Level**

* SAP
	+ DARPA, DoE, MJ6
* TS
	+ ONR, NASA, JHU
* N/A
	+ SATO, Green Box

### **Overall Attitude**

* Will allow 7R to be moved w/ AC
	+ ONR, JHU
* Will not allow 7R to be moved if noticed
	+ SATO - Sabantha will melee anyone she sees stealing her paperweight
	+ DARPA - testing is sensitive, movement would disrupt
* Will aggressively resist agents
	+ NASA (DoD has no authority)
* Will attack agents virtually on sight if past security:
	+ MJ6
* Guards
	+ Once agents become a threat, guards will phone for reinforcements. Two come through the front door when agents aren’t looking. They remain until dismissed - if agents observe door at departure, guards find themselves stuck and insane.

### **What If**

* 7R residents forced to face their position will gain permanent insanity, handler’s choice.
* 7R residents passing into different levels will disappear, folding into their counterparts. Their counterparts all lose stacking 6 SAN (and temp insanity) and gain a stacking 10% phased miss chance to agent attacks.
* Agents can conceivably starve to death if they never solve this problem. The water works, though
* Blowing up the wall reveals the next room.

## **Finishing the Mission**

* Put all 7R in cold storage: 1887 resets to Green Box
* Combing all 7R: If 7R is taken from a level, that level is “folded” out as 7R merges with others - that room is now skipped by agents.  Folding all 7R leaves the last room R7 is taken to as “set” reality. If some are cold, and the rest merged, building resets to Green Box unless Green Box was “folded.” Then pick cold R7 realities.
* Breaking Crystals: Breaking a crystal throws aspects of that reality into others and randomizes the placement of that level (use a D8). Breaking any crystal leaves a progressively stronger horrifying flesh monster in the end-game (unless it’s just the Green Box).
* Dying

## **NPC STATS**

### **Contractor Guard (and backup guards)**

**STR** 12 **CON** 12 **DEX** 12 **INT** 10 **POW** 12 **CHA** 8

**HP** 12 **WP** 12 **SAN** 60

**SKILLS:** Alertness 60%, Athletics 50%, Firearms 50%, Melee 40%, Unarmed Combat 50%

**GEAR:** Body Armor (DR 3), Shotgun w/ 16x Slugs (1D12, 1AP), M9 Baretta (1D10), Knife (1D4)

**DESCRIPTION:** Not interested in small talk. Just here checking clearances so he doesn’t get fined. Wouldn’t decline an opportunity to shoot an intruder.

### **MJ6 Guard**

**STR** 12 **CON** 14 **DEX** 11 **INT** 10 **POW** 10 **CHA** 4

**HP** 13 **WP** 10 **SAN** 50

**SKILLS:** Alertness 70%, Athletics 50%, Firearms 60%, Melee 50%, Unarmed 50%

**GEAR:** Tactical Vest Body Armor (DR 5), M4 (1D12 3AP) w/ 3 30 rd mags, M9 Baretta (1D10) w/ 3 30 rd mags, Bigger Knife (1D6)

**DESCRIPTION:** Black-on-black fashion style for a black hearted murder machine. Checks your clearance in the JPAS computer - surprise, you don’t have it. 5-count to bullet-party.

### **Researcher 1**

#### DR. Hortense Wallencroft, Materials Scientist (61) (NASA, ONR, DoE)

**STR** 8 **CON** 8 **DEX** 12 **INT** 16 **POW** 12 **CHA** 16

**HP** 9 **WP** 12 **SAN** 60

**SKILLS:** Geology 50%, Chemistry 70%, Physics 30%, Electrical Engineering 40%, Persuade 50%, Bureaucracy 50%, Computer Science 30%, Melee 60%

**GEAR:** Pencil (D4, 5%), Hairpin (D2, 5%), Calipers (D2, 5%), Nokia (D2-1), Lab Coat, Reading Glasses

**DESCRIPTION:** An enchanting but intimidating Grade Dame of science from Chicago, IL via Drexel & MIT. Would be an assassin for fundraising at any university, but prefers the no-nonsense practice of the craft. Would stab you with her pencil to survive - she didn’t go this far to die without an impressive lab accident.

#### Dr. Ezekial Klein (81) Physicist & Mathematician (MJ6, DARPA, JHU)

**STR** 6 **CON** 6 **DEX** 8 **INT** 18 **POW** 8 **CHA** 8

**HP** 6 **WP** 8 **SAN** 40

**SKILLS:** Mathematics 70%, Physics 70%, Computer Science 50%, Electrical Engineering 20%

**GEAR:** Notebook (D2), Lab Coat, Bifocles

**DESCRIPTION:** A shuffling scientific hermit tormented by the suspected potential of R7, but finds application constantly out of reach. MJ6 version KNOWS the true potential of R7, but will only discuss under extreme duress. From Utah via Stanford & CalTech, once a mormon - the horrible vistas on his periphery long ago shattered his faith.

#### Sabantha Bawls (45) GS-11 (SATO)

**STR** 14 **CON** 10 **DEX** 10 **INT** 8 **POW** 10 **CHA** 8

**HP** 12 **WP** 10 **SAN** 50

**SKILLS:** Alertness 80%, Persuade 60%, Bureaucracy 60%, Accounting 5%,

Computer Science 5%, Melee 70%, Unarmed 70%, Shiraz 80%

**GEAR:** The Rock (D6/2 - breaks crystal if used), Yeti bottle of Shiraz (D2)

**DESCRIPTION:** Someone tell her there’s no audience. Is she… drunk? Highest skill is hiding the lack of skill at her job. Obnoxious and attention-seeking Boston native. Regularly self-affirms with “yas queen!” Do not steal her cool paperweight.

### **Researcher 2**

#### Dr. Nathan Okereke (65) Nuclear Engineer (NASA, ONR, DoE)

**STR** 8 **CON** 10 **DEX** 14 **INT** 16 **POW** 14 **CHA** 12

**HP** 9 **WP** 14 **SAN** 70

**SKILLS:** Electrical Engineering 60%, Mechanical Engineering 60%, Nuclear Science 50%, Computer Science 50%, Mathematics 30%, Accounting, 40%, Alertness 50%, Melee 50%, Unarmed 50%

**GEAR:** Lab Coat, Modular Screwdriver (D4)

**DESCRIPTION:** Brilliance at the basics - a workaday nuclear engineer respected for his flexibility and persistence. Did some time with Naval Reactors as an advisor. From Houston, TX via Georgia Tech.

#### Dr. Carolina Dominguez (38) Computer Scientist (MJ6, DARPA, JHU)

**STR** 10 **CON** 10 **DEX** 12 **INT** 16 **POW** 12 **CHA** 10

**HP** 10 **WP** 10 **SAN** 60

**SKILLS:**  Computer Science 70%, Electrical Engineering 60%, Mathematics 50%, Persuade 40%, Spanish 80%

**GEAR:** Notebook (D2), Iphone (D1, thrown)

**DESCRIPTION:** Native of San Pedro Garza Garcia in Nuevo, Leon (MX) - any post naturalization clearance concerns were crushed by her academic success through Monterrey Tech and John Hopkins. As professionally driven as Dr.Klein is haunted. R7 is conveniently both professionally fascinating and a ticket to the top of her field.

#### Billiam Calden (40) GS-10 (SATO)

**STR** 16 **CON** 10 **DEX** 10 **INT** 10 **POW** 5 **CHA** 10

**HP** 10 **WP** 5 **SAN** 25

**SKILLS:** Bureaucracy 50%, Accounting 50%, Computer Science 20%, Athletics 70%, Melee 70%, Unarmed 70%, Shiraz 80%

**GEAR:** 3in Binder (D4), Stapler (D2)

**Description:** A man broken by working for Sabantha Bawls. Without even knowing he’s trapped in a dimensional anomaly, feels like he’s living his eternal hell. Fitness is his only escape.

### **The Human Resources (Horrible Flesh Monster) (Endgame if any crystals broken)**

**STR** 8 **CON** 8 **DEX** 8 **INT** 8 **HP** 8

Add 1 to each category for every living person on levels where cystals were broken. “Folding” a level does not count as death.

**GEAR:** Whatever melee weapons the “merged” personnel have. And enough horrifying arms to hold all of them.

**SKILLS:** Alertness 30%, Dodge 30%, Melee 40%, Unarmed 40%, Search 30%

Add 2% to each category for every living person on levels where cystals were broken. “Folding” a level does not count as death.

**Description:** R7 processing failure inaccurately folds entities in de-synched realities into a horrifying team building exercise of murder. The more bodies, the more aware and capable it is.

## Footnotes

1. ↑ CON x5 = 1DAM w/ SAN check = 1SAN
2. ↑ CON x5 = 1DAM w/ SAN check = 2SAN
3. ↑ 10+2xD20 SAN
4. ↑ CON x5 = 1 DAM w/ SAN check = 3SAN
5. ↑ 1D12+2, 10% Lethality, AP4
6. ↑ 1D10

## Credits

A Routine Audit was written by Matthew Hipple for the 2020  shotgun scenario contest.

Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Matthew Hipple, excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.

A Routine Audit is not available here under CC-BY-SA.