Operation Black Rain
The players are sent on their first mission for Agency 17: Stealing Sarin from a right-wing militia group in rural Texas
'Our source has identified a Sarin manufacturing site run by one of those right-wing militias common to rural Texas. We want you to go in and confiscate the Sarin so that it can be transported to a A17 facility where it can be safely destroyed.'
A Facility, Rocksprings TX
Located about a mile and a half west from Rockspings Texas, the believed location of the Sarin production is a large single-story structure. The facility is accessible by a light paved road that has has only seen passing maintenance over the years. The road leads right up to a small gate that is incorporated into the ten foot high fence that surrounds the premises. Four guard towers are situated at the four corners of the square perimeter fence, each usually manned twenty-four hours a day.
The entrance gate is controlled by a small guard post building located immediately to the right of the gate.
The site has a skeleton crew of workers and guards. At peak hours, twenty workers can be expected to be present, as well as ten full-time guards.
The Sarin Production floor is dominated by three large machines. They are each hooked up to three large cylinders used for storing Sarin. Each machine has an attached computer, mostly for providing feedback on the operation of the machine. The cylinders can be safely removed from the machine by using the attached computers, and going through a fairly complex release process (-4 to computer operation checks to safely release the tanks). The tanks are cumbersome and hard to move, each weighing about 200 pounds when completely filled with Sarin.
The Control Room is lined with computers that control the machine within the production floor. Safely releasing the canisters is easier accomplished here, requiring a Computer Operation check at no penalty. The other functions of the Control Room require a Chemistry, Poisons, or Pharmacy-3 check to understand. Passing such a check will reveal that the machines' purpose is not to manufacture Sarin, but to render it harmless.
There is a high security access zone preventing access to the control room on both sides. The zone is designed with the intent of protecting the control room from chemical and biological hazards, and those entering the control room must undergo a decontamination process. The doors to the control room require a keycard to enter. (Electronics Operation Security Check at -1 to bypass)
The Recreation Room is a combination of breakroom, lunchroom, and dormitory. It features a few creature comforts, a full kitchen, and a space where five beds can be used by the onsite guards.
The Office Space has three filing cabinets. They are locked with very basic locks (+1 to lockpicking attempted to open), and are mostly filled with information pertaining to past orders processed at the site. The computer inside is secure, requiring that one know the password or hack the terminal to gain access. The computer is more forthcoming with details, featuring multiple documents that make it plainly clear that this is a DEA facility that is frequently loaned out to other United States agencies for use handling dangerous chemicals.
The Small Research Lab is filled with chemistry equipment as well as another computer that contains almost identical records to the one in the main office. The records in the research lab include more scientific data overall, but less information about the various agencies involved in any particular project.
The Guard Post is supposed to be manned constantly throughout the day, and contains two monitors for watching the exterior cameras. Besides the perimeter cameras, the facility lacks any more sophisticated defenses.
The storage closet is very similar to a highschool chemistry teacher's storage room. It's locked with a very old lock (+3 to open).
Scheduling
8AM: Majority of Workers start shifts. Night Tower Guards are relieved at this time by the next shift of guards. Chief scientist usually arrives on time.
9AM: Site supervisor inevitably arrives late
12 Noon: Activity on the road leading into and out of the facility increases due to employees heading to Rockspring for lunch.
5PM: Majority of workers leave, including the site supervisor and the chief scientist.
10PM: Front gate is locked for the night, at this time usually the staff consists of five workers and ten guards.
12 Midnight: Final watch tower guard rotation occurs. This shift lasts until 8 AM.
Considerations
Most of the night workers spend their time monitoring projects from the Control Room or working within the Lab Space. The small office is generally left alone after the Site Supervisor has left. Guards make hourly rounds of the entire building, and one is supposed to be manning the post at all times.
Eight of the guards split tower duty, usually trading off eight hour shifts. The other two on premises can usually be found at the guard post, or being social with the scientists in the Control Room.
The building lacks an alarm system, and the camera system is external only. Sneaking past the guard towers is the primary barrier to entering the facility. Security is surprisingly lax given the sensitive nature of projects handled by the site- the decision to go light on security was to preserve the nondescript nature of the site.
The guards manning the tower are armed with hunting rifles. There is a single HKMP5 located at the guard post, otherwise the one on patrol is armed only with a pistol. None of the workers or scientists are armed.
The Real Deal
The facility in question is owned by the DEA. The CIA is currently making use of the facility to destroy Sarin that was taken from some terrorist group operating out of mexico. Agency 17 has misinformed the player group, alleging that it's a right-wing militia making Sarin at the facility. The guards are hired local Texans, making the militia explanation seem fairly solid on paper.
Agency 17 wants to acquire the Sarin for use on a target, and has deceived the players as to the purpose of their mission in the first place- to stop the destruction of the Sarin and secure it for the Agency's own use.
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? Responses (9)
Tight, detailed, technical and direct! I would run this scenario. I was just hoping for more info on 'one of those right-wing militias' to somehow differentiate them and breathe life into the adversary (maybe some npcs?), but I figure that is going into part 2? Also, some twist or other (also Part 2?)
I fleshed out the last section of the submission to more clearly state what was up with the militia angle.
Its pretty good, though I would expect there to be more than one door between room 1 and the outside world, ideally with all access points provided with an airlock.
For a moment I was all facepalm (being Texan and considering myself moderately ring wing) and remembering events like the Branch Davidian stand off. I was expecting something worse. I found myself surprised by the level of detail and didn't expect the facility to be under beneficial operation.
Considering the presence of sarin I would expect this to be DHS or NSA rather than DEA since I usually associate them with busting narcotics and not chemical weapons.
Also, I may be wrong on this count but I believe destroying chemical weapons is done via controlled incineration.
Final question:what general part of Texas is this facility in? Do they players have benefit of the great piney woods (east tx) or do they have to contend with desert wildlike and conditions (west, north Tx)?
Agency 17 may have pulled some strings to ensure that the Sarin was moved to this specific facility. Rocksprings Texas is a real life location- located in Edwards County, so it's more deserty.
The facility was originally built by the DEA back during the initial creation of the organization. It's loaned to other government agencies, meaning the staff there could easily be DEA, NSA, or DHS, possibly even a mix. Given the scientific experiments on site, the facility might not just be attempting to destroy the Sarin, but research new methods to render it inert or possibly develop a better cure to administer to those affected by it.
The fact that the facility is relatively poorly defended and lacking security features is one of many things that might stick out to my players as being wrong or fishy. This is intended.
When I looked at this I was like, am I some kind of colour-blind? I dunno about the rest of yous, but I don't see no brown boxes on that picture. They're dark red/maroonish.
I liked the schedule, shows that you thought outside the box, makes the whole thing seem a bit more alive. Other than that, any questions I had was answered in the comments. Nice!
I have to grudgingly upvote this because they really -are- maroon.
Solid short plot, gives enough details that a GM could easily fill in the gaps (i.e. workplace personalities, encase the PCs decide to go the undercover/con route to infiltrate) without rewriting it and still using your full idea.