[Spycraft] Delta Green: Rebirth (still taking alts)

[Andrew D. Gable]

The year is the present day, 2005.

When President Bush formed the Department of Homeland Security in 2002, pressure was placed on him to reactivate the troubleshooting group Delta Green. This pressure was applied by agents of that organization, who of course were careful not to let their membership in Delta Green slip. After reviewing the literature and case reports and the mass destruction wrought by agents of the Cthulhu Mythos in WW2 Germany and Vietnam, the president gave his approval to the proposal. Delta Green then, was formally reborn on January 1, 2003.

In the two years since its new inception, Delta Green has gained clout until, by the current day, it is no longer a US-centered organization, but its arms no reach across the world. Delta Green agents are found within most of the major world powers' intelligence and military communities.

I'm gonna try my hand at Delta Green now, another setting I dig. The book was written in the late 90s, and hasn't been updated for several years, so I took it upon myself to do the updating. Given the creation of Homeland Security, I felt it was a natural for DG to be reactivated; I figure post-Sept. 11, they're more in demand than ever. Terrorism and terrorist sympathies would be a very convenient way to cover your tracks after a DG op.

I'm more or less gauging interest and gathering players for right now. Maybe start giving some thought to your character concepts awhile. I'll sit down with my Spycraft book tonight and work out the necessary conversions. Familiarity with DG isn't really necessary.

As an addenda, this game will mention some things in the politics of today (references to Homeland Security, of course, and al-Qaeda are it though). Being DG, you can't really get around that.

As a second addenda, DG doesn't have much of a presence in the United Kingdom.

For those who *do* know DG:

[sblock]The newly revitalized DG has identified PISCES as what it is, but has allied itself, precariously, with the Army of the Third Eye. As DG has become legal, the "old cowboy" attitude has mostly disppeared. There's more corruption within the ranks now, though not a lot.[/sblock]

EDIT: I've gone ahead and closed the game, but I'll still take alts.

 

[Synchronicity]

Yo! I'd voice a tentative interest in such a game. Ordinarily, I'd jump at the chance, because I own Delta Green and Countdown and have been wanting to be part of a Delta Green game for ages. However, I'm kind of burdened with work at the moment, and I'm not sure getting into yet another game's a good idea. Still, it never hurts to express an interest, and pulling out's far easier than getting in late. I've got access to all the main DG material and the major Spycraft books, so that's not a problem. I don't have a character idea at the moment, but I'll think on it for a bit and get back to you.

Cheers!
Synch.

 

[Synchronicity]

And inspiration strikes. I don't know what sort of agents you'd prefer, so I don't know how acceptable this idea is. I was thinking of a Pointman sort in his late 40s; someone who worked for DG for some time now, since before it was made legal again, and who knows the risks and whatnot. A man made jaded and cynical fighting a war he knows can never truely be won, but trying nevertheless. Of course, if you'd prefer rookie types I can come up with something else.

Synch.

 

[Bobitron]

I'm very interested, but I have no idea what DG is. If you can forgive my ignorance, I'd love to play. I think I need a little more info about the organization before I come up with a concept. Thanks for the consideration!

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Delta Green is a taskforce that has recruits from most other government groups. So FBI agents, CIA operatives, soldiers, all can be part of Delta Green, all the way right up to National Security Advisors. All that about what agency you were formerly in, though, has no real game effect except for helping determine which of the Spycraft divisions you're in -- for example, a former NSA agent is much more likely to be in Computer Espionage rather than Urban Warfare. There's also a network of Delta Green friendlies, which are folks that are more than citizens but less than agents. Friendlies are, as the name suggests, friendly and offer aid to agents in need, but are clueless on the mission of Delta Green.

Delta Green's purpose is to fight agents of the Cthulhu Mythos -- so more-or-less Call of Cthulhu, but the campaigns have a very different flavor and, being Spycraft, Delta Green is much more survivable. Unlike Cthulhu, there's a chance you could actually have a high-level Delta Green agent. The way it all pans out, picture James Bond mixed with The X-Files mixed with Call of Cthulhu.

A bit of history. Delta Green was pretty much born from the Federal raid on Innsmouth (a brief throwaway line at the end of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"). In WW2 they came into conflict with a group of Nazis called the Karotechia, who were involved in reanimation research (a la Herbert West). When Roswell happened, Truman (I think that's who was President then?) formed Majestic-12, which was a group involved in researching the alien wreckage. Delta Green, though, really blew it during Vietnam. I forget the specifics of the operation, but a mission was really flubbed up and Delta Green was disbanded.

They went underground throughout the 1970s. In the 1980s and 1990s they began to resurface as an illegal force, conducting operations in the shadows and trying to hide their existence from the rest of the government. By this point, they'd started having a lot of antagonism towards Majestic-12, who'd made a pact with the Greys and gotten a load of genetic data. They're basically hellbent on exploiting Grey technology and science. Then, in 2003, as I stated in my first post, they were reactivated. So you can now work in the open.

Other major groups include the Karotechia (thanks to neo-Nazism, they haven't ever really gone away) and The Fate, a Mafia-type consortium based in NYC whos leader may or may not be Nyarlathotep. And that's just the stuff from the main Delta Green book. The Countdown sourcebook adds more conspiracies and groups.

There's a secret about the Greys which some Delta Green agents might know if they've been around a while, but which newer recruits won't -- not right away, anyway. Synchronicity knows what I'm talking about.

Like I said, I'll get more information on the campaign specifics out here in the next few days.

 

[Vendetta]

I've been wanting to play a Spycraft game... interesting idea, the cthulu angle is interesting. I bought Spycraft a long time ago when it first came out and have yet to play it. I'd be interested.

 

[Festy_Dog]

I'm also itching to get into a Spycraft game, but the Cthulu flavour of Delta Green (played a bit of Cthulu, but not familiar with DG) has made me even more interested. You can count me in if you're looking for players.

 

[Synchronicity]

Ah, what the hey. I'm definitely in. I'm sure I can manage to juggle one more game and my degree!

DG is a lot of fun. I mean, it has zombies! And crazy Russians! What's not to love? Speaking of which..in your updated DG, is GRU SV-8 still around? And is DG aware of them? I seem to recall they were kind of going bankrupt, but I do like them a lot. Their history's brilliant.

I figured that since I do know a fair bit about DG, it made sense to play a more hard-bitten veteran type who would know some of the secrets about DG, its foes and potential allies. (Little titbits of wisdom like "Don't <mess> with Stephen Alzis! Don't deal with Stephen Alzis! In fact...don't even speak to Stephen Alzis!'') Plus, if some of the rest of the group are greenhorns (pardon the pun ) DG'd probably figure that having one or two experienced operatives around never hurts. If you're using pretty much straight Spycraft classes, I think my character'd be pretty much pure Pointman, which is always a useful thing to have.

 

[KaintheSeeker]

I'm interested.. either as a Faceman, Driver or even as a soldier (or combo if possible)

 

[Bobitron]

Count me in. This sounds like fun!

I'm thinking Driver, but I can fill in whatever is needed. No objections to playing anything.