Silent Night

## **SET-UP:**

At 3pm on the winter solstice, the Agents are called into an urgent briefing at the BAU Headquarters in Quantico, VA. Once there, they are informed that three inmates have escaped Catawba psychiatric hospital near Roanoke, VA.

The Program became involved when investigation of the scene turned up an astrological chart and messages such as "the stars are right" and "follow the star" scrawled in blood on the walls and the impossibly bent metal bars which the three escaped through. The handler provides photographs of the chart and dossiers on the escapees named Goldman, Franklin, and Myrtle. The dossiers include histories of delusions, psychotic episodes, and possible occult activity. The occult nature of the scene and that the escape took place on the solstice indicates that the escapees seem to have a definite objective. The handler, Agent Harold, tasks the Agents to track down the escapees, ensure that they are not taken into police custody, find out their plan, determine if there is a supernatural element, and stop it. Harold advises that the madmen were last seen near Roanoke, VA and they should head there immediately. He will be available by phone for assistance if needed.

## **PURSUING THE THREE MADMEN:**

The three madmen are following the North star to a compound outside of New Bethlehem, PA because they dreamed that the star would lead them to the birth of a divine being. The madmen will make it to the compound 13hrs from the end of the briefing unless the Agents catch them first. The three madmen will stop to hijack a car, rob a service station, encounter a police officer, and stop at a diner before reaching New Bethlehem. The highjacking, robbery, and police encounter will all be reported and are ways that the Agents will be able to track the movement of the madmen. Additionally, the stolen vehicle may be spotted at any location if the Agents need a bearing.

If the Agents head southwest immediately toward Roanoke, VA after the briefing, they will have their first opportunity to intercept the madmen after about 3hrs of travel (although this may be unknown to them at the time).

The former owner of the hijacked car was left unharmed so the description and license plate number was reported. Their handler in Quantico gives them this information and will give the Agents last known locations and sightings of the madmen as they occur. Successfully analysing the provided photos of the astrological charts (0/1 SAN) will reveal the significance of the North star. The Agents may also notice that the North star is particularly bright tonight and in a slightly different location than normal with a successful check (0/1 SAN).

The madmen’s goal is to evade capture and follow the star but will fight if cornered. They will gladly explain that they are following the North star to worship this new divine being on the night of its birth if the Agents speak to them. They may even offer to lead the Agents to the site directly. If it does come to violence, the last surviving madman will attempt to surrender. If the madmen are all killed before they can be interrogated, the Agents will find additional notes on or near the corpses which will reveal that they are following the North star to see an unknown divine being. However they uncover this information, the Agents will need to roll 1-3 checks (depending on how far they are from New Bethlehem) in order to follow the star and arrive before dawn. Each failed check will add 1 hour to the drive time.

## **TIMELINE:**

**4pm-** The briefing has ended in Quantico, the sun is setting, and the madmen have just hijacked a car near Roanoke, VA and were last seen driving north up HWY 81 toward Strasburg. The Agents have 16 hours of night to locate the cult’s compound by starlight. (Take 1d6 WP away from one of the madmen for spell use)

**7pm-** The Agents reach HWY 81 near Strasburg, VA if they set out immediately toward Roanoke after the briefing. The madmen also reach Strasburg, VA at around the same time. The Agents need to make 3 checks if following the North star to New Bethlehem from this location. If all checks are passed, the drive time is 5hrs to New Bethlehem from here.

**8pm-** The stolen car is spotted northbound crossing into PA.

**11pm-** The madmen stop in Bedford, PA to rob a service station and are seen heading North as they leave. If they notice the Agents following them to the service station, they may attempt to ask for gas money instead of robbing it. The Agents need to make 2 checks if following the North star to New Bethlehem from this location. If all checks are passed, the drive time is 3hrs to New Bethlehem from here. (Take 1d6 WP away from one of the madmen for spell use)

**12am-** The madmen exit the highway to head northwest on forested backroads and will keep this bearing all the way to New Bethlehem.

**1am-** The madmen encounter a police car in the woods near tiny Smicksburg, PA. During the pursuit, they flip the squadcar using hyper-geometry (killing the officer inside), and escape. The officer called in the chase (and that the madmen were heading west toward New Bethlehem) before being killed. The rest of the local police (only another 6 officers in 3 cars) are searching the nearby area for the culprits. (Take 1d6 WP away from one of the madmen for spell use)

**2am-** The madmen stop at a diner just south of New Bethlehem, PA. This is another great opportunity for the Agents to catch them and the Handler may decide that the police have caught up with them and surrounded the diner if the Agents need more time or to spice things up. The diner is empty except for a single cook and waitress who will certainly remember the madmen if questioned. The Agents need to make 1 check if following the North star to New Bethlehem from this location. If the check is passed, the drive time is 1hr to New Bethlehem from here.

**3am-** The madmen leave the diner and, still following the star, head off into the forest toward the compound.

**5am-** The madmen arrive at the compound where they join the rest of the cultists in worshipping the Divine Child.

**8am-** The sun rises, the star is gone, and the Divine Child absorbs a cultist which allows it to take a form almost identical to a normal human newborn. If the Agents have not located the compound by now, they are unlikely to succeed.
**The travel times for Agents unless navigating by starlight are:**
Quantico-Strasburg: 3hrs

Strasburg-Bedford: 2hrs

Bedford-Smicksburg: 1.5hrs

Smicksburg-New Bethlehem: 0.5hrs
These are the travel times to use if pursuing the madmen based on sightings instead of following the star. For example, if the Agents hear of the robbery in Bedford and drive there directly from Strasburg, it would take 3hrs and require no rolls since they are navigating using conventional means.

## **THE COMPOUND:**

Outside of New Bethlehem is a run-down cult compound deep in a forested valley. Once the Agents arrive in New Bethlehem, the compound can be reached relatively easily from town by dirt road in 1hr with a successful check or 2hrs with an unsuccessful one as they struggle to follow the star.

Once they reach the compound, the Agents will find that it contains 3 knife-wielding cultists, 1 shotgun-wielding cultist, 1 rifle-wielding cultist, 5 unarmed cultists, the Mother, and the Divine Child. If the Agents failed to stop the madmen before reaching the compound, they will also be present.

The cultists are all fervently celebrating the birth of the Divine Child and so security is very relaxed. As long as they are not aggressive or stealthy, the cultists will even welcome the Agents inside to join in their worship. If attacked, or if the Child is threatened, everyone inside the compound will fight to the death even if unarmed (0/1d4 SAN the first time an unarmed cultist is killed).

The Child itself is a monstrous mass of shifting and bubbling flesh the size of a human infant. When first viewing the Child, Agents will all automatically be the target of the Divine Child’s ENTHRALL ability. If the Agents attempt to kill the Divine Child, any surviving cultists and the Child itself will attack them. The Divine Child will not attack unless it or Mother is directly threatened (attacking the cultists does not trigger an attack) or unless it sees a good opportunity to try grappling one of the Agents who comes too close.

If the Divine Child is not killed, it will absorb a nearby human other than Mother and shape itself into the form of a normal human infant. It will eventually grow up, perform “miracles,” and spread the cult to summon more of its kind from beyond the stars.

## **STAT BLOCKS:**

### **THE THREE WISE MEN**

Three bearded sages covered in occult tattoos and wielding the power of hyper-geometry
**STR** 10 **CON** 11 **DEX** 10 **INT** 13 **POW** 15 **HP** 11 **WP** 15 **SAN** 0

**SKILLS:** Alertness 40%, HUMINT 20%, Occult 50%, Persuade 50%, Unarmed Combat 20%, Firearms 25%
**ATTACKS:** 2 of them are UNARMED 20% (1d4-1), 1 has a PISTOL 25% (1d8), each of them knows one of the spells listed below
**TELEKINETIC:** The sage can manipulate objects from a distance at the Handler’s discretion (such as closing a door or pulling a weapon from an Agent’s hands) or can use the spell to hurl dangerous items in the environment at a target to make a ranged attack at 50% for 1d6 damage. Casting costs 3 WP.
**HARM:** The sage can choose one target and make an opposed POWx5 roll against them. If the sage bests their target, the target takes 1d6 damage. Casting costs 3 WP.
**CONFUSE:** The sage can choose one target and make an opposed POWx5 roll against them. If the sage bests their target, the target takes a 20% penalty to every action for 5 rounds (does not stack). The target can attempt to end the effect early by making a POWx5 check at the end of each of their turns. Fellow Agents can spend their turn attempting to snap their teammate out of it which will allow them to retry the check. Casting costs 3 WP.
Witnessing spells for the first time: 1/1d6 SAN
Being targeted by spells for the first time: 1d4/1d8 SAN

### **CULTISTS**

Worshippers of the Divine Child who will gladly martyr themselves to protect it and ensure their own “eternal life”
**STR** 8 **CON** 8 **DEX** 10 **INT** 10 **POW** 10 **HP** 8 **WP** 10 **SAN** 20

**SKILLS:** Alertness 30%, Firearms 30%,Melee Weapons 30%, Unarmed 40%, Dodge 30%, Athletics 30%
**ATTACKS:** 3 knife-wielding cultists (30% 1d4), 1 shotgun-wielding cultist (30% 2d8), 1 rifle-wielding cultist (30% 1d12+2), 5 unarmed cultists (30% 1d4-1)
The number of cultists can be reduced at Handler’s discretion for small parties lacking combat-oriented characters.

### **THE MOTHER**

Young, beautiful, and covered in occult tattoos, she is the virginal mother of the Divine Child and charismatic leader of the cultists
**STR** 10 **CON** 10 **DEX** 11 **INT** 13 **POW** 18 **HP** 10 **WP** 18 **SAN** 0

**SKILLS:** Alertness 40%, HUMINT 65%, Occult 70%, Persuade 75%, Unarmed Combat 20%
**ATTACKS:** Unarmed 20% (1d4-1), in addition she knows all the spells listed below
**TELEKINETIC:** The Mother can manipulate objects from a distance at the Handler’s discretion (such as closing a door or pulling a weapon from an Agent’s hands) or can use the spell to hurl dangerous items in the environment at a target to make a ranged attack at 50% for 1d6 damage. Casting costs 3 WP.
**HARM:** The Mother can choose one target and make an opposed POWx5 roll against them. If the Mother bests her target, the target takes 1d6 damage. Casting costs 3 WP.
**CONFUSE:** The Mother can choose one target and make an opposed POWx5 roll against them. If The Mother bests her target, the target takes a 20% penalty to every action for 5 rounds (does not stack). The target can attempt to end the effect early by making a POWx5 check at the end of each of their turns. Fellow Agents can spend their turn attempting to snap their teammate out of it which will allow them to retry the check. Casting costs 3 WP.
**ENTHRALL**: The target of this spell must make a POWx5 check- if they fail, they do not see the Divine Child and Mother as a monster and cult leader but instead see a beautiful newborn baby and its innocent, loving mother who they feel an urge to protect. Fellow Agents can spend their turn attempting to snap their teammate out of it which will allow them to retry the check. The death of the caster also ends the effect. Casting costs 10 WP.
Witnessing spells for the first time: 1/1d6 SAN

Being targeted by spells for the first time: 1d4/1d8 SAN

### **THE DIVINE CHILD**

Born of the Star through immaculate conception, the Divine Child is a monstrous mass of shifting and bubbling flesh the size of a human infant
**STR** 20 **CON** 20 **DEX** 5 **INT** 20 **POW** 20 **HP** 20 **WP** 20

**SKILLS**: Alertness 80%, Athletics 50%, Grapple 55%.
**ATTACKS**: Grapple 55% (Inflicts no damage but the Agent is pinned. See RAVENOUS).
**RAVENOUS**: In any turn after it has a victim pinned in its flailing appendages, the Divine Child can tear with its ghastly teeth and suck down flesh and blood, inflicting 2d6 of damage. If the Divine Child has taken damage, it heals 1 HP for each HP that the pinned victim loses, up to its maximum. On their turn, surviving cultists may offer themselves to be eaten immediately without the need for a grapple check- giving the Divine Child HP. Witnessing this attack causes 1/1D6 SAN and being attacked in this way causes 1D4/1D8 SAN.
**ENTHRALL**: The target of this spell must make a POWx5 check- if they fail, they do not see the Divine Child and Mother as a monster and cult leader but instead see a beautiful newborn baby and its innocent, loving mother who they feel an urge to protect. Fellow Agents can spend their turn attempting to snap their teammate out of it which will allow them to retry the check. The death of the caster also ends the effect. The Divine Child can cast this at will.
**SAN LOSS**: 1D4/1D10

## Credits

Silent Night was written by Jonathan S. for the 2021  shotgun scenario contest. Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CMhgmPvrbmzDs6y8JSEN7aR9GP4veNlgw9\_Gt2eU1Co/edit.

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 © Jonathan S., excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.

Silent Night is not available here under CC-BY-SA.