Suitable Campaign Age: Any

Adventure Tone: Gonzo Action/Adventure & Exploration   

Recommended Power Level: Low or Classic  

Content Warning: If there were more vegetarians and/or vegans in this world, this would have never happened. 

Overview 

Following Gobbler’s battle with Hen Zero, the brobdingnagian turkey retreated to their home in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest while Hen Zero, also known as King Foul, was frozen and transferred to a deep storage facility, thanks to the efforts of the heroes. Dyson International Meat Company, formerly Dyson Turkey, has begun reviewing the data from the original Gobbler experiment from five years ago. Their stated goals are thus, to undo the mutation and rid the world of the giant birds that reside in what is now being called Gallopavo Park. 

Putting the Team Together 

The heroes will receive calls or emails from Dr. Max Serizawa, the scientist in charge of monitoring Gallopavo Park. He will inform them that Dyson International is planning an expedition into the containment zone.  

The heroes have an opportunity to do any research before the expedition. Dr. Serizawa provided the location and time of the meet before the journey into Gallopavo Park begins. 

Gobble What Now? (Intelligence + Research + Science, Advanced (25) Difficulty)  

The origins of Gobbler and Hen Zero.

• Failure: Last year a giant turkey, Gobbler, and three headed chicken, Hen Zero/King Foul, rampaged through the United States, causing severe damage in Sacramento, CA, Branson, MO, and Denver, CO. News outlets would eventually dub this event the Foulest Kaiju, or the King of Birds. 
• Partial:  Two years ago Gobbler along with a host of smaller, but still gigantic turkeys swarmed on a city. The reason for this attack was never discovered, if there was one. The media would later dub this the Tide of Turkey.  
• Success: Gobbler was born five years ago, created by Dyson Turkey as an attempt to lower cost and increase yield in their turkeys, by splicing various strains of DNA. It was genetically altered to be the ultimate butterball, naturally seasoned and with the most meat of any bird. 
• 1 Degree: Hen Zero appears to be the creation of a rival company Butter Beaks, attempting to recreate the Gobbler experiment, keeping it in an underground facility in Sacramento. However, their security protocols failed. It’s escape from the plant seemed to awaken Gobbler. This triggered the rolling battles between the two birds.  
• 2 Degrees: Following its first appearance Gobbler disappeared into Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Over the next few years it continued to grow in size. Strangely, other wild turkeys, the birdhren, in the proximity of Gobbler also began to mutate and grow, albeit not to the same size. King Foul was of a comparable size to Gobbler implying they either had been able to incubate Hen Zero for years, or capable of creating a much larger bird. 
• 3 Degrees: One of the buildings during the Tide of Turkey appears to have been a Butter Beaks plant. This attack occurred prior to the development of the monitoring stations and no correlations between the two and later events have been drawn.  

The Park’s Closed (Intelligence + Research + Engineering, Advanced (25) Difficulty)  

Researching  Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest/Gallopavo Park  

• Failure: Following the events of last year, Dyson International worked with state and federal teams along with the Institute for Metahuman Research to construct a containment wall around Gallopavo Park to prevent another appearance of Gobbler, or their birdhren. 
• Partial: There is a site where people can watch the monitoring station readings within the park. Indicators show that Gobbler is effectively inactive and most likely still recovering from last year’s battle. 
• Success: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is 6.3 million acres. The containment area is roughly a tenth that size giving Gobbler and their birdhren an approximate thousand square miles of space. However, the entire park is considered a restricted area. With basic fencing along the outer borders where needed along with ground and air patrols. 
• 1 Degree: Details about the containment wall have been kept from the public eye and off of mapping tools. Forums churn up rumors about a massive concrete wall, others rumors include a force field, even a mystic barrier. The solid wall is the most pervasive with descriptions being between fifty and two hundred feet. 
• 2 Degrees: Due to public disclosure laws, there appears to be evidence to support the concrete walls. 
• 3 Degrees: On a conspiracy theory blog, there are grainy photos of a wall that looks like metal plates between impact barriers. Something seems off about them, but the photos are too low quality to make out other details. 

Investigators Assembled 

The research team is gathering at the US Forest Service Center in Sparks, NV. Along with Dr. Serizawa there are a number of other researchers and scientists gathered as well as a security detail. As the heroes approach, Serizawa will make sure to greet them first and introduce them to others. 

Key Expedition Members 

Dyson International 

• Dr. Max Serizawa, geneticist and lead researcher: Serizawa has been with Dyson for the last almost five years, since just after Gobbler broke free. He has been working on a means to neutralize Gobbler, but its rapidly changing genetics have stymied his work. 
• Dr. Minerva Loan, geneticist: A twenty year veteran, Minerva has been with DI since interning out of college. It was her work that led to the birth of Gobbler. 
• Dr. Karl Brighthouse, ornithologist: A more recent addition to the team, Brighthouse joined Dyson following the Tide of Turkey to better understand Gobblers effect on wild turkeys’  

IMR 

• Dr. Dani Heckler, physicist: An up and coming researcher at IMR Dani is partly responsible for the containment wall and will be checking the data collected around it. 
• Dr. Jacob Kruz, metabiologist: While Dr. Kruz traditionally focuses on human genetics, he is hoping to identify if other animals contain meta genetics.   
• Lesley Fields, engineer: The lead designer of the containment wall. Fields is here to ensure that it is holding.  
• Sgt. Calvin Dukes: Retired US Army sergeant Dukes is the head of IMRs security detail at the park.   

Getting to Know the Group 

If the heroes take some time to talk to the other members of the team they will find that peoples opinions break down into two camps, even with the heroes present this is a potentially fatal assignment, or this is going to be the most fun they’ve had in years. Dr. Loan seems to fall into both categories. 

Learning More About the Team (Expression + Etiquette, Average (15) Difficulty)

• Failure: Other than general nervousness or excitement everyone seems to be ready to go. 

Staring at a Partial Success, heroes can ask about one of the team members. 

• Dr. Max Serizawa: Perhaps the calmest of everyone present, after introduction Serizawa focuses on the readouts from the monitoring equipment.  
• Dr. Minerva Loan: Seems eager to get into the containment area, almost to the point of ignoring safety checks. 
• Dr. Karl Brighthouse: On edge, Brighthouse seems to regularly check his tablet, and hangs over Serizawa’s shoulder at the monitors. 
• Dr. Dani Heckler: With concerns about time and windows of opportunity, Heckler seems exceptionally focused on the time and getting everyone moving.  
• Dr. Jacob Kruz: Cool as a cucumber, Kruz seems to have no concerns about the mission, mostly because he has a crate of sizing inhibitor collars in case of birdhren strike. 
• Lesley Fields: With no interest in going beyond the containment wall, Fields sees anything else as a dangerous waste. 
• Sgt. Calvin Dukes: Is more interested in the ammo for the mounted m240 machine gun in the lead humvee. The sergeant will inform the heroes that they are loaded with uranium rounds. (Anyone with a military or firearms background will notice the suspicious lack of the word depleted.) In case anything goes wrong.

Welcome To Gallopavo Park

The team is caravaning in four armored humvees. The lead vehicle is armed with a machine gun, and the rear with an automatic grenade launcher. Two researchers and an armed guard in each vehicle with Sgt. Dukes in the lead. Each vehicle has room for one additional person. 

At the main forest entrance, the stone wall and service kiosk are still present. However, park rangers are replaced with security guards and automated concrete roadblocks. After a quick check in with Sgt. Dukes the group is waved through and the barrier lowered. 

The park itself is beautiful, and a scenic two hours drive until reaching the containment zone. The wall consists of a ten foot convex concrete slab, with sixty foot metal plating behind it. The plates are trussed and reinforced from the outside, along hexagonal mesh tubing along the plates. There is a station before entrance, with more military style vehicles and a helipad. 

There is another check in with Dukes here. Then Heckler and Fields exit the vehicles. They speak with the guard before entering the facility to check data around the wall. The heroes can accompany them if they choose. 

The Containment Wall (Intelligence + Science (+ Etiquette if talking to Heckler or Fields), Very Advanced (30) Difficulty) 

• Failure: Big
• Partial: The wall appears to use modern materials to recreate classic siege walls. 
• Success: The wiring implies that there is some other element that isn’t being seen, but it doesn’t appear to be an electrified fence. 
• 1 Degree: There are polymers that react to electricity, so the lattice may be some means of reinforcing the structure when charged but saving power when not needed. 
• 2 Degrees: The design resembles the Suceava city-state barriers, and may allow them to create an energy barrier when needed. (Suceava being a rogue state in former Romania after being taken over by a disgraced corporation.) 

Keep Your Friends Close (Expression + Subterfuge + Forensics, Laborious (35) Difficulty)

• Failure: Heckler and Fields quickly go about gathering data from the various systems within the facility. 
• Partial: Both researchers seem to reference external devices through the process. Fields plugs their tablet into the main computer. 
• Success: Dr. Heckler pulls a USB device from another computer.
• 1 Degree: They seem to cycle through several USB devices as part of the research. 
• 2 Degrees: One of the devices is pocketed instead of being placed with the rest of the equipment. 

After all the preliminary checks are completed the gate is opened. The gate consists of a portcullis, and two overlapping metal plates that slide away. As the doors open Dukes comes over the radio. “Once we’re inside, the gates are going to be closed. Nothing to worry about, standard procedure.”  

Visiting Hours 

Once inside the containment zone, the static of geiger counters comes to life. Dr. Serizawa will remind everyone that this is just a precaution and that everything is within the normal parameters at this time. (Between 0.05-0.10 uSv/hr (micro-Sievert/hour) if anyone asks). 

After another several hours of driving, the team will pull off at the inner edge of a ridgeline. The geiger counters now pinging with a slightly more elevated rate. Again, Serizawa reassures the team that this is both expected, and within safe parameters. (Anyone with Science can confirm this, anyone with Subterfuge can tell he believes what he’s saying.) 

Sgt. Dukes will inform the group: “Beyond that treeline is Grantsville Ridge, the bird’s nesting ground. Between us and the thing is Hubert Lake, but we should have plenty of open ground. Here’s the catch. Big T is sleeping, so are it’s little mutant buddies. The best bet’s to set up a gunline here, then go in on foot. We take the convoy down there, the birds are going to wake up.” 

Allow time to discuss the options. Opinions from the team are as follows: 

• Dr. Max Serizawa: Seemingly unafraid, Serizawa will assure everyone that Gobbler is most likely too large to be concerned with humans, unless he thinks we’re worms, then we should run. 
• Dr. Minerva Loan: While leary, Loan will back Serizawa. 
• Dr. Karl Brighthouse: With no interest in exiting the vehicles, Brighthouse thinks that waking up one or two birds might be good to see how they react. This idea is quickly quelled. 
• Dr. Dani Heckler: Eager to get down there, Heckler is not afraid to go it on foot.  
• Dr. Jacob Kruz: The cool exterior Kruz had is slipping, and he is clearly shaken by the idea of getting out of the vehicles until absolutely required. 
• Lesley Fields: reminding Heckler, that they are only present incase something goes wrong with the containment wall, Fields would rather not go past the tree line and if the group proceeds on foot, will stay back. Heckler will happily go on without her. 
• Sgt. Calvin Dukes: As the official babysitter, Dukes sees going on foot as the safest option, as they are less likely to wake the birds. 

A third possible outcome is that the heroes opt to gather the data directly, allowing everyone else to stay at the treeline. If there is a hero with the Science Talent at 8+ or two heroes with Science 3+ the team will agree to this. 

Gearing Up (Sense + Subterfuge, Very Advanced (30) Difficulty) 

• Failure: The team is geared up, and given instructions on how to perform the blood extractions without disturbing the birds. 
• Partial: Of the team members, Brighthouse seems particularly upset by this outcome, but defers to the group as this poses the least risk to his person. 
• Success: Most of the equipment makes sense. However, one of the pieces given to the team appears to be some type of noise maker. 
• 1 Degree: Which was supplied by Dr. Kruz. 
• 2 Degrees: After gearing the team, Brighthouse and Kruz can be overheard talking about what to do in a stampede. 

The Subtle Path (Wisdom + Stealth, Expert (20) Difficulty, 1 Success for each hero. If they are bringing the team  + 1 Successes  +1 Success for each 2 people accompany them)  

Note: Use this if the heroes go alone as well. 

• Failure: If the team fails to generate enough success, please see: Stampede, 
• Success: The team is able to get close enough to the flock for sampling. 

Note: If the team accompanies the heroes, Kruz will bring multiple inhibitor collars, affixing them to his sleeves. 

Hidden Agendas 

If the team, or heroes make it to the flock without triggering the Stampede event, after the samples are taken, Dr. Brighthouse will activate a sonic grenade that has been smuggled in with his equipment. Assuming the heroes did not disable or remove this during Gearing Up. They will then steal the research that has been collected. 

At the same time, Dr. Kruz will attempt to capture a pair of turkeys using the modified inhibitor collars. This takes 3 Turns. At which time they will flee into the woods.   

Heroes can capture Brighthouse and Kruz along with recovering the data. This requires a hero to spend a full turn for each, or 3 Turns total. During that time the hero will not be able to affect the stampede. Multiple heroes can assist splitting the time required across the heroes, but the Stampede proceeds. If either escape, they will be evacuated using a cloaked VTOL. 

Going In Loud 

Unless the heroes have some means to muffle the sound of the approaching humvees, please see: Stampede. Otherwise please adjust the Subtle Path as needed. 

Stampede 

• Stakes: Gobbler’s flock charge the caravan destroying the vehicles and awakening the inhabitants of the park. 
• Size 3 – Impacts the quarantine zone
• Ferocity 4 – Outside the ability for unpowered people to handle
• Target 35
• Damage 7 – Burning balls of butter, massive claws, and beaks. 
• Success Threshold 11
  • Immunity: Fire and Heat 
• Starting Advantage 6
• Notes: If the team has the caravan heroes gain a free +10 to their rolls due to fire support, or +5 if the caravan formed a gunline. 

The Sleeping Giant

It takes a lot to rouse Gobbler. It’s three hundred foot body at rest seems to have grown from last year, but is clearly still recovering from the wounds suffered at the hands of Hen Zero. However, the Stampede will begin to awaken the massive turkey. GMs can use this to color scenes, and unleash an earth shattering gobble at the end of the adventure as Gobbler awakens. 

The Awakened Park 

If the Stampede succeeds other wild turkeys will awaken across Humboldt-Toiyabe, The heroes will have to face off against two encounters, one with a Typical Mob and one with a Major Mob of turkeys. If they were able to salvage the armed vehicles they can gain a +5 per vehicle (total +10) 

Birdhren (High Powered Mutant Turkey/Major Mob + Advanced, Giant, Brawler, Shooter, Striker, Tough, Cluster + Immune: Fire, Maneuver Specialist: Follow Up Attack)

The children of Gobbler, the birdhren are roughly 25 feet in size each, or as large as the bird was five years ago. Thankfully, these turkeys do not seem to grow larger. 

Basic Rolls 16 + 3d6

Stamina 24/24/24

Defense 12 Dice 4 Armor 10/12/14 Notes Immune to Fire and Heat 

Offense Burning Butter Ball 29/34/39 Dice 4 Range Medium/Close Radus Damage 16   

Offense Beak & Claws 37/42/47 Dice 5 Range Close Damage 16  

Offense Basted and Ready to Eat 45/50/55 Dice 6 Range Close Damage 16 Notes Can only be used against a single target, after being hit by a Burning Butter Ball. 

Optional: If the heroes were able to stop Brighthouse and Kruz before the stampede, they can run a delayed awakening with a chase scene, leading to the Stampede if the heroes do not reach the gate in time. This can be set up with the Birdhren awakening as the team reaches the treeline. Use the Birdhren stats above for the chase with a +12 and +1d6 (or 28 Dice 4) for knowing their home ground. 

Aftermath 

There will be an investigation into Brighthouse and Kruz who it turns out were working for Butter Beaks Chicken and attempting to steal Gobbler’s genetic code to make another run at creating the perfect Turkey Day meal.