Recognizing the Unnatural in Delta Green (Patreon)

A 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