The Situation:
A mutilated body is found in the river in Savannah, Georgia; the latest in a number of bodies that have been found up and down the east coast. Is a serial killer on the loose, or is something more sinister happening at Midnight in the Garden of Order and Chaos?
The Setup:
The Agents are all employees or consultants with the Federal Govenment. They may or may not be aware of the Unnatural and may or may not be aware of Delta Green. They are, through their usual contacts, called to the FBI Field Office in Atlanta, where they are directed to a conference room where they are met by an older man with what seems to have been an athletic figure now showing the signs of too much desk work. He will introduce himself as Hayward Cotton, offer the Agents coffee, and wait for everyone to show up. As he begins, he starts handing out folders.
Briefing (To be shared with the players)
OK, we’ve got a case that could get ugly if we don’t get on top of it pretty quickly. There’s been a killing over in Savannah. Now, normally we wouldn’t get involved in something that mundane, though this one is pretty bad, but the press has gotten hold of it and dug up a few things, so we need to appear reactive.
The victim’s name is Sara Lucas. She is, or was an art student at SADI, the Savannah Art and Design Institute. She disappeared several days ago and a missing persons case was opened. Well, she turned up this morning. What was left of her did, anyway.
He gestures to the folders.
Photos and initial reports are in there. Her body was found washed up near the mouth of the Augusta River. As you can see, she is missing both arms, a leg, and her head. None of those have been found. Her chest and abdominal cavity have also been opened and her heart and liver have been removed. She was identified by a tattoo on her back. We are still waiting on final DNA test results for confimation. We are also waiting for final autopsy reports for cause of death, as if it wasn’t obvious.
Again, despite the nature of the murder we wouldn’t get involved, except that a local news station managed to find not one but two similar cases–one in Charleston, South Carolina and one in Jacksonville, Florida–that have occurred in the last two months. That makes it an interstate case, which makes it our responsibility.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, we found a few more similar cases when we started looking. Well, more than a few. It’s not going to be that long before the news makes that discovery too. Which is why we need to get on top of this as fast as we can. We don’t need any more bad PR.
All of you are assigned to the case as “Working Group Phoenix”. Your initial assignment is to go to Savannah and meet with the local authorities there. Your contact is Harlan Issacs, a detective with the Chatham County Sherrif’s department.
Everything else we know is in the folder you have. I’ll be your Handler for this mission; my contact info is in the folder as well. You should have the full assistance of the Chatham County Sheriff’s department.
Any questions?
Folder Contents (To be shared with the players)
There are two main items of interest in the folder, the photos, and the list.
The photos are of the body of a woman. As described, both arms, a leg, and the head are missing and the torso has been opened. It is quite graphic.
The list is of the other, possibly-related cases that the FBI has been able to discover.
- Hugo McCarthy – Jacksonville, FL – 20 months ago. Reported missing three months prior. Cause of Death: Unknown due to condition of body. Missing head, both legs. Identified from spinal surgery implant.
- Unknown male – Miami, FL – 17 months ago. Missing left arm, left leg. Cause of Death: Drowning.
- Patsy Ramirez – Miami, FL – 15 months ago. – Reported missing one month prior. Missing arms and legs. Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma. Identified from dental records.
- Adrian Mitchel – Norfolk, VA – 13 months ago. – Reported missing two weeks prior. Cause of Death: Asphyxiation. Missing head, right arm, right leg, liver, kidneys, spleen. Identified from tattoo on left arm.
- Unknown male – Wilmington, NC – 12 months ago. – Missing legs, left arm. Cause of Death: Unknown due to condition of body.
- Unknown female – Wilmington, NC – 12 months ago. – Missing arm. Cause of Death: Unknown due to condition of body.
- Stuart Rodriquez – Newark, NJ – 11 months ago. Reported missing two weeks prior. Cause of Death: Blood loss (?). Missing head, right arm, both legs, heart and lungs. Identified by DNA match.
- Pearl Lindsey – Providence, RI – 10 months ago. Reported missing one week prior. Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma. Missing head, both legs, heart, liver, kidneys. Identified by DNA match.
- Unknown female – Norfolk, VA – 9 months ago. Cause of Death: Barbiturate overdose. Missing head, both arms, liver, spleen.
- Shaun Baker – Wilmington, NC – 8 months ago. Reported missing one month prior. Cause of Death: Trauma from gunshot wound. Missing heart, liver, kidneys, spleen.
- Unknown female – Savannah, GA – 5 months ago – Cause of Death: Unknown due to condition of body. Missing head, both arms, and both legs.
- Hugh Carpenter – Charleston, SC – 3 months ago. Reported missing two weeks prior. Cause of Death: Unknown/Blood loss (?). Missing head, right arm, lungs, liver. Identified by DNA match.
- Jean Armstrong – Jacksonville, FL – 2 months ago. Cause of Death: Boating accident. Missing arm.
- Sara Lucas – Savannah, GA – Today. Reported missing 11 days ago. Cause of Death: Unknown/Blood loss (?). Missing head, both arms, right leg, heart, liver. Identified by tattoo on torso. Cause of Death: Pending.
The photos are quite graphic. Viewing them is a 1/1d3 SAN (Violence) check.
Anyone with Forensics will realize that the body is several days old and has been exposed to water as well as animal predation. Anyone with Medicine or Surgery will realize that the cuts and amputations are quite professional. This wasn’t done by someone hacking with an ax or something; they knew what they were doing.