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Recognizing the Unnatural in Delta Green
🕑 Added 2021-11-11 14:00:05 +0000 UTCA rules variant for playtesting. Post notes below.
Exposure to the unnatural scratches at an Agent’s memory like a scar that never heals. Familiarity can alter an Unnatural skill roll result.
Gaining points in the Unnatural skill also grants special training (described on page 30 of the Agent’s Handbook) with the Unnatural skill regarding that source of forbidden lore.
When confronted with something that relates to that lore, the Agent might recognize elements of it despite a failed Unnatural roll. (See USING “UNNATURAL” on page 147 of the Handler’s Guide for details.) The roll could even get a +20% bonus if the Agent’s past study is especially pertinent. Whether this special training affects an Unnatural roll is always at the Handler's discretion.
The vague recollection represented by a failed Unnatural roll can be confirmed and expanded with research, requiring additional rolls. Research with a pertinent tome of unnatural lore adds its Unnatural bonus to each attempt, whether or not the Agent has fully studied and mastered the tome. Each failed roll confirms that the Agent is closing in on some crucial secret until a roll succeeds or fumbles.
EXAMPLE
Agent Loren studies the Livre d’Ivon, gaining +10% in the Unnatural skill and the Livre d’Ivon as the subject of special training with Unnatural. The Handler’s Guide says the Livre d’Ivon "purports to be the Book of Eibon, the work of the legendary Hyperborean wizard. It discusses Tsathoggua and other Great Old Ones and their origins, and delves into weird alchemy." Loren’s player notes that on the character sheet. When Loren next hears a reference that an Unnatural roll could recognize as dealing with Tsatthoggua or other Great Old Ones, the Handler may say that even with a failed roll Loren recognizes something from the Livre d’Ivon and could put the pieces together with study.
SAMPLE SOURCES AND SUBJECTS
These are only suggestions drawn from descriptions in the Handler's Guide.
Al Azif: anything might be found
Azathoth and Other Horrors: Azathoth, Nyarlathotep
The Book of Dagon (Special Report): Cthulhu, deep ones
Case file of Daniel M. Freis: Deep ones
Cultes des Goules: ghouls, haedi nigritiae, Nyogtha, Shub-Niggurath, zombies; banishment rituals
Dauthsnamjansboka: anything might be found
The Eltdown Shards: Elder Things, serpent folk, shoggoths, spectral polyps, Yithians; the Elder Sign
The Files of Grant Emerson: deep ones, ghouls, protomatter, mi-go, serpent folk, zombies
Geheimes Mysterium von Asien: Kadath in the Cold Waste, Leng, metoh-kangmi, the mi-go, the Tcho-Tchos
Gunter Frank’s research notes: the Karotechia, liveliest awfulness, zombies; reanimation
The Innsmouth report (Operation PUZZLEBOX): deep ones
Joseph Camp’s grimoire: banishment rituals, the Elder Sign
The King in Yellow: Carcosa, the King in Yellow, the Yellow Sign
Liber Damnatus: “liveliest awfulness,” zombies; reanimation, resurrection
Livre d’Ivon: Cthulhu, Nyogtha, slime of Tsatthoggua, Tleche-Naka, Tsatthoggua, Yog-Sothoth; banishment rituals, the Elder Sign
MAJESTIC OPORD 00001: Greys, UFOs
The Necronomicon: anything might be found
The People of the Monolith: Nyogtha
The Pnakotic manuscripts or fragments: Cthulhu, Elder Things, the gods of Earth on Kadath in the Cold Waste, hounds of the angles, Nodens, serpent folk, shoggoths, spectral polyps, Tsatthoggua, Yig, Yithians
The Red Cross Pocket Bible: Azathoth
The Revelations of Glaaki: Azathoth, Glaaki, haedi nigritiae, insects from Shaggai, the lloigor, Nodens, Nyarlathotep, Shub-Niggurath, Y’golonac
The Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan: Cthulhu, ghouls, metoh-kangmi, mi-go, Nyarlathotep, Yog-Sothoth
Unaussprechlichen Kulten: Cthulhu, dimensional shamblers, haedi nigritiae, hounds of the angles, hunting-horrors, mi-go, Nyarlathotep, Shub-Niggurath , winged servitors, witches’ familiars; banishment rituals
De Vermis Mysteriis: feasters from the stars, ghouls, ifrits, haedi nigritiae, hunting-horrors, mi-go, Nyarlathotep, Nyogtha, Qu-Tugkwa, resurrection, Shub-Niggurath, witches’ familiars, Yog-Sothoth, Yig; banishment rituals, resurrection
Comments
Arc Dream Publishing
If this comes into play, let me know how it feels
Taylor Bell
Excellent ideas. Starting our campaign of Impossible Landscapes on Saturday, and I've taken note of this for use - if / when players come across any *glances around the room* books... I always appreciate having more & better tools in my GM toolbelt.
This is probably the slickest carrot disguise I've ever seen a on a stick.
