Episode Transcript
Records of the Unknown, Operation Latency, contains horror elements that may be disturbing to some listeners.
Listener discretion is advised.
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[Music]
November 18, 1952, 2.15 pm.
Birdie, you're looking up at this aurora borealis stretching over the skies. The snow is coming down.
You hear it again, that engine sound. Will you roll for me a power check?
That would be a 74/50.
As is this noise that sounds a bit different than it did before.
You were looking up at the borealis, looking for that noise.
Everything else is kind of drowning out except for that noise and you realize it's not coming from above.
It's coming from in the trees to the east of you.
Can I see anything?
You don't see much, just looking there at the moment. It feels like the trees are a little too thick from where you're standing.
I'm going to walk over there or like, head that direction.
And we'll switch over to Corporal Adams.
Adams!
Yes?
You're standing there, frozen.
You can see Birdie, but you can't see up where she's looking.
She has a strange look on her face suddenly and starts walking away from you.
Can we roll a sanity check first of all, for being frozen in this area?
Well that is 65/36.
So you lose six sanity points.
Now you're welcome to try to project that onto a bond if you'd prefer.
Yeah, I'm going to.
Okay, so then you'll roll a D4.
Three.
So you lose three willpower points and one of your bonds reduces by three.
Which bond are you reducing?
My Alcoholics Anonymous Group.
And then so instead of losing six sanity, you will instead lose three.
If you lost five or more you would be put into a temporary bout with insanity.
And you did not do that.
So as Birdie begins to walk away from you, you feel on your back something long and thin,
sort of rub against your back like a finger stroking you, as it starts to feel like your skin is kind of moving to accept the probing of the finger.
That's the best way I can describe that.
And it will cut back to Abby.
Oh no.
Birdie, you're walking towards this noise you heard.
You go across a couple of trees and you see on the ground against trees, lining the forest are these fungal growths.
And they are all kind of opened, almost blooming like a flower.
This luminescent whitish blue color.
You see the plants that you must have been hearing about, but off in the distance you see something spherical as large as a car.
It's almost like it's out of focus to you and then this blue light begins to grow from it.
I need you to roll a sanity check.
Thirty-six under fifty-nine.
So you lose one sanity point.
And as you keep getting closer to it, you're at the point now where you can't really feel like you can stop,
and the light keeps getting brighter and brighter, and it feels like the fungal things are also growing in brightness.
It's hard to tell though, because you're not focused on those.
Everything around you feels brighter, and then the borealis disappears.
That light and that engine noise is gone.
You're just standing a little further than you just were in the forest alone.
Can I tell what way I just came from?
Yeah, you think you can.
Okay.
You can see how your tracks are the snow.
I should say, as you are looking around again, you're a little more covered in snow, and the snow seems like it's grown a bit more.
Have I lost time?
Do you have a watch?
I don't think I do.
Then you don't really know. You couldn't confirm that.
Okay.
Uh.
Are the fungal plants still there?
Yes.
I would like to go look at them.
Okay.
And are the plants still glowing?
Yes. It's still dark out, so they seem to have bloomed, and it's this kind of light blue, white kind of color.
I'm going to approach the plant.
And I think I'm going to try and take a sample.
That is easy enough to do.
It's almost like a bush, but with some fungal stalks coming out of them, but they open up almost like a bloom, almost like a sea anemone.
Oh, okay.
But it's that luminescent, almost translucent to them.
And yeah, you're able to take a sample. I'm sure you have sample bags or something along those lines on you.
Um.
The thing just disappeared?
Yeah.
Really?
Mm-hmm.
Okay. Then I'm going to try and retrace my steps to go back to wherever I left the corporal.
You start retracing your steps. It's been snowing a lot. It's still snowing a lot. It's picking up more.
So your steps are kind of covered, but not so covered that you can't tell where they were.
Okay.
And you make your way back, and the moose's body is still lying there, and the corporal is nowhere to be seen.
That's great.
It looks like there are some disturbances around him in the bush. Like a lot of movement, but there's nothing to follow.
Okay. None of his stuff is there?
No. Will you roll a sanity check? Actually, no. You don't need to roll a sanity check. You are adapted to helplessness.
That is true.
So because of your background, your veteran package that you picked that gave you adaption to helplessness,
you are actually not affected to helplessness sanity checks.
In which case, who else you would feel helpless, your friend disappearing, and you being alone,
you're sadly in a way used to this, and you're able to cope through it.
You're about a mile and a half either way. Back to town, or to the botanist laboratory.
She kind of shoves to the side the fact that she's suddenly by herself.
Like compartmentalizes it probably a little too well.
And knowing that there's still a job to do, she's going to go...
She's still going to try and go to the lab.
As Bertie heads back to the trail, looks kind of both ways, looks back over to the botanists,
you start running off that way again, and then we cut away to the funeral.
(Music)
Dr. Steel. It was about 1.30. You're standing outside the bars. It's closed down.
You see other people walking around, heading there. Everyone is very bundled up.
It's about like 12 degrees or so out right now.
The snow's been getting increasingly heavy as the day's been going,
but everyone still seems very determined to get to the funeral.
Seems to be drawing a crowd. Not a huge crowd, but a crowd all the same.
So it was drawing like... Not a huge crowd. Not everybody in town is coming to this.
It's mostly a smaller party of the town.
Yeah, if you were to say that there were 400 people "in city limits,"
there would be maybe about 80 to 100 of them.
I would like to join the crowd, but I'm going to look around and see if I can spot...
I don't know if I've actually seen her before. I'm going to try to spot the old woman, Aurora,
and I'm wondering if she's attending this.
Looking around, there's several old women. You don't really know what Aurora looks like.
There's one woman who's very separated by everyone else. No one really seems to want to be near her.
Other than that, there's not really a... Aurora Lewis, I know exactly what she looks like.
You don't even have medical records to go off of.
And it was Corporal Adams that noticed her earlier and even talked to her before or so.
But seeing someone kind of separated from the crowd, I'm going to...
She's kind of making her way along with them, but separate.
She's already sitting and kind of waiting.
I'm going to join next to her. Good evening.
Oh, hello, Doctor.
Hello. Did you know this young man?
Oh, I knew Tommy very well. I helped raise him.
It's sad to see him go in such a way.
Yes, quite unfortunate. Being electrocuted is certainly a gruesome fate.
Yes.
I take it you're Miss Lewis?
Yes, that's who I am. Last of my line.
Heard you had spoke with my compatriot, Agent Adams.
Oh, yes. A good man.
Yes, he certainly has a good head on his shoulders ready for anything.
Have you lived in this town long? Were you born here?
Well, my family has been in this town for many generations doing artwork.
Docwork?
Oh, no, no. Nothing like that. Nothing so crude.
Interesting. Did you carry on this family tradition as well?
As was my job, yes.
A man of science like yourself is not one to understand.
Oh, I shall not try to explain things as rationally as I know how, but some things are hard to comprehend.
Some things we are not meant to comprehend.
If I may not be so crude to ask, what was your fondest memory of Tommy?
Hmm. I don't hold onto memories. They are not worth having.
Merely I understood that he brought me joy and was a sweet man.
That's what I've heard. I didn't have the pleasure of meeting him myself, but I thought I'd pay my respects.
What did you know of his wife, Sasha?
She was a special woman when she was with us.
Yes. Worthy of remembrance.
May I ask, how do you sleep at night?
When I do sleep, I sleep quite well.
Even with the things you know.
It brings me quite good comfort to have work to do and to wait for.
What about you, Doctor? How are you doing here?
I've only been here a night. I feel I was able to get some rest at least, but certainly the things we've seen are unnerving.
I'm curious to know what you've seen since you've been here so long.
Hmm. It is not for you to know. You're not who I speak to. At least not right now.
Is such an honor something to be earned or just something when the time is right?
I'm not one to know how to say, or what to say.
At this point, you hear a vehicle pulling in. It looks like a modified military troop transport.
It's been modified for the terrain to be less militaristic, more casual, but still large and could hold 20-30 people.
Cramped in there, kind of like a truck bed.
About 12 or so people get out and start coming over for the funeral.
Do I see anyone in particular that's driving the transport?
Yeah, one guy pops out. That's the driver's seat.
Just a guy, nothing notable, really?
Well, again, they're all... They're all, yeah.
Just since everyone's bundled up with the cold. If you got right up to someone, you could probably recognize some look to them.
I should say this old woman is not very bundled. She's wearing, like, clothes, heavier clothes, but not to the extent of everyone else.
Yeah, she's not completely wrapped. Interesting.
The people are getting out of this transport. I was thinking of the hearse, and they're getting a coffin.
There is no coffin, it's just a big group of people.
Yes.
I have an idea that these might be the people from the mining company.
They're still just gathering, it's like it's starting right away.
Yeah, it's getting kind of closer. You can see Peter moving around.
These people who just came out, they don't go around greeting everyone. They kind of find a spot for themselves and file in.
If you don't mind, Miss Lewis, I would like to speak with you, but later.
I think I would like to go meet a particular gentleman over here. I'll approach the truck.
I'm trying to think if it's not the driver, whoever looks like they're, like, in charge, perhaps.
I'll take Joe's common worker, I guess, if there's someone like that.
I'll approach the driver. Good evening.
Ah, guten tag. How are you?
Guten tag. I'm doing alright. I'm new to this town, just kind of trying to meet more people.
Ah, that is nice.
You just kind of gather up the folks around to attend?
Oh, no. We just came over from our home to see Tommy's funeral.
From your home, is this all your family? I can't gesture towards the large group of people.
He's kind of a family, I suppose you could call us that now. We are not necessarily all related.
We moved up here a few years ago.
Are you from a neighboring town? Is there somewhere else close by?
Most of us have moved from Germany towards the beginning of the war.
We came here to seek sanctuary.
That's about to say I think sanctuary would fit well.
Yes, there are several of us displaced here, living together.
We are men of science, not of war and hate.
Really? You are a man of science yourself?
I am Dr. Steele.
Ah, a doctor!
Yes. I am here on business as well.
I'm curious if you are a man of science, do you just make your way out here in town or is there anything particular you are looking at?
Oh, that and then another guy kind of elbows him and motions to the front stage.
Perhaps we can speak more, Herr Doctor, a bit later.
Of course, Johann, yes, it's time. I'll talk to you soon.
Yes, would be good.
And I will make my way to sit next to Miss Lewis if there's still an open spot by her.
She's actually not there anymore.
Interesting. I will take her seat. I'll keep it warm for her.
So the funeral begins. A couple of people come up to talk about Tommy.
You don't really hear anything new, just like childhood stories about like, "Oh, I remember Tommy."
You know, "we grew up together." Peter says a few words. John Gibson says a few words.
Dan Haley says a few words. Chuck Callahan says a few words.
Good, no Chuck is here as well.
What is your alertness?
My alertness is 40.
You want a real alertness for me?
Of course.
98.
Oh my goodness.
Okay. So as the funeral goes on and on, about 15 minutes into it, so around 2.15, the sun's starting to set.
It's starting to get really dark.
This is about two hours before the estimated time this was supposed to take place.
As it's getting dark, it starts to get bright again as this large aurora borealis covers the town.
Everyone's kind of like looking up, getting distracted a bit by everything, but they're trying to focus on the funeral.
As you're looking around, there's one woman off by herself. She's probably in her like early 40s.
Would you roll human intelligence?
Five.
She's looking at the funeral positions with like contempt.
This is the best way you could put it. She doesn't seem happy about anything. Almost mad.
I don't recognize her.
No, you do not know her.
Interesting.
Everyone's still kind of sitting quietly for it.
For right now, yeah.
I'm very curious, but out of social commitment, I will sit and stay.
Hopefully, if I notice her before, I'll try and clock if she starts wandering away or anything.
About another 15 minutes go by, and they bury the body, and the funeral kind of comes to a formal end.
Then people kind of start talking with each other.
I will get up, look around. Imagine Aurora Lewis is still not around.
If she's still there, I will try to approach the woman on the outskirts.
One thing to note while you're walking there is there are people trying to get some lanterns lit right now because it's really dark.
But there's a lighthouse a few miles offshore. That little light comes right across the whole town.
So it kind of lights up and then darkens.
But as they're getting things lit, now there's still the light from the Borealis is helping a lot.
Yeah, you're able to approach this woman.
Good evening.
I'm sorry, I must understand you won't know me.
I came to this town recently, and I was just trying to get to know the people in this town.
Know how they perhaps knew Tommy as well.
Are you one of those people working with the sheriff?
Yes, I've spoken with the sheriff a good bit.
I just figured it would be respectful to attend and pay our respects to Tommy in the town as well.
By the looks of it, they lost a cherished member of this town today.
Sorry, don't mean to be so informal. I'm Dr. Steele.
Nice to meet you. I'm Valerie Novikov.
Valerie, nice to meet you. Did you know Tommy personally?
I've known him a bit. I knew that wife of his more.
He knew Sasha a good bit.
Yes, we were cousins.
I've heard of course from town people that you're going to help run the butchery here and do some hunting.
Yes, I've had to learn a lot since Nicolai's passing.
My condolences.
I've heard from Dr. Kent that he had a heart attack.
So they say.
You don't think so?
Nicolai would not have succumbed to such a thing.
Nor would he have been out there where he was found by himself, outside of town in the cold.
The same night that Sasha was found dead.
Things don't seem right to me, but everyone agrees that that is what happened.
But I don't agree with it.
So I feel sorrow for Tommy. But I'm not upset.
I'm sure Tommy had much love for Sasha.
I don't doubt it.
Happening the same night though, it's devastating.
Do you suspect foul play?
I do not know what to suspect. I just don't feel like it's right.
They rushed it too fast. Didn't feel like they asked questions.
I see only one here to try and ask questions, hopefully make some things right.
I hope you're able to help answer for them, answer my questions.
Kind of looking around, making sure that I guess no one's listening too closely.
Just kind of general social niceties people kind of wander around.
Valerie if I may ask since I've as I understand you live further out on the edge of town, you've been doing a lot of hunting.
Have you noticed anything strange about the wildlife in the area?
Nothing new. Nothing too odd.
Hmm. They have been more skittered than normal. More packed than normal.
Makes it harder but easier at the same time.
What do you think of the sheriff?
Seems like a man trying to keep things together but he doesn't want to be the one to do it.
He's a coward.
That's certainly a way of putting it.
I hear you are with CIA.
Yes.
Why do you lie?
I try to not come with such a hard force to.
Why do you say you're CIA?
I know of CIA. They don't do this.
Perhaps I don't need to know but if you could help look into things more then I will be helpful to you.
I don't know what your goal is. I do trust you're from government looking at this territory.
I don't trust you all but I trust you more than I trust Gibson.
You are lucky. Almost no one else here knows anything about agencies.
Well, the way you put it I certainly am curious about what you know of them but not going to…
It was my job for a while.
I'd be curious to certainly know more but I know trust can be hard to come by if you don't trust me enough for that. I respect that. Thank you for being so forthright with your own view on things.
I don't often get to be.
Yes. We're trying to help look into matters that are happening in the area certainly and we think that Sheriff Gibson and perhaps even the Fedotomy might be involved but we have to work with Sheriff Gibson seeing as he seems to be a leader in the town. He certainly is at least the law in this town. So we'll have to play nice at least.
If I may ask I know you certainly work more with the animals than you already mentioned that they've been grouping oddly. When you're traveling out in the wilderness do you notice any or much with the odd fungal growth?
There is more of it all of the time. It doesn't seem to affect anything but I… I'm sure it has to do with the animals but they seem more like they ask… there's another predator nearby. But I am not affected by it and they don't seem affected by it but it keeps coming more and it makes me wonder why.
I don't know enough about this. Have you spoken to that botanist?
We have.
Another of Gibson's mistakes.
Do you think him arresting the botanist was a mistake?
He's quite foolish. She obviously does not have it anywhere in her to harm anyone like that.
Yeah she certainly seemed more of the curious mind. I did speak with her but of course it's good to know some more field information and of course that's why I asked you first about what you knew about the animal life. She didn't take much interest in that. I'm curious if perhaps you've noticed anything being… living off the land more than she does? If there's like any patterns you notice. She seemed to think the growths are quite sporadic and random.
Perhaps I do not pay enough attention to them but I would agree with that assessment. It just seemed to appear out of nowhere at least. Have not come near town yet but I could be wrong.
Like I said, plants are not what I am aiming for when I'm out but the animals don't seem too fond of the plants. Not that they avoid the plants but it's not natural. Not right. Not a part of the economy.
Yeah certainly something new, something unexpected. Thank you for the information.
I am curious since from my understanding of what I've learned is that you've lived in the area for quite some time actually.
Yes, duh.
What do you make of Peter Kent?
The doctor?
Yes.
He's good. He'll take care of us when we need it but I think he knows something about my husband. When I speak to him, how he acts. But I could be wrong. Could be about something else. Maybe I don't understand. He seems almost guilty sometimes.
Yes. From what I've gathered he seems to be perhaps in an emotional state. I mean he doesn't show it but from what I've gathered, loss of a friend and the loss of his father would be hard to go through. He mentioned that his mother was never really in the picture.
I never saw her. Not when I was here. His father was a stern man. Good but no bedside manner.
Yes. I certainly appreciate your time and being so forthright. Well for too many people in town to disperse I feel like I have a few more questions around.
Yes, you say that. There's a scream coming from the dock. Someone goes "Oh my gosh!" I glance at Valerie, see how she reacts. She quickly looks over.
I will make my way there as fast as I can on my cane. Since no one else is here around, yes I am using my cane. As you get over there you see washing up on the shore.
Lots of blood everywhere. The wake, the water coming up is blood red. The first thing you notice is a hand with its fingers look like they've been popped.
The skin is all loose and flabby. Blood is pouring out of them and you see the body of Henriette Bunsen and we fade to black.
Thank you for listening to the Records of the Unknown Operation Latency.
Records of the Unknown is an Atomic Broadcasting Production. Delta Green is copyright of Arc Dreams Publishing.
Operation Latency is not published or endorsed by Arc Dreams Publishing and is an original module created and run by Samuel Sarver.
Our players are Nolan as Dr. Sylvester Steele, Abby as Bernadette Bertie Bellamy, and Harrell as Corporal Alexander Adams.
Music in the show is from Monument Studios, as well as various artists.
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