Delta Green

DELTA GREEN is a MODERN COSMIC-HORROR CONSPIRACY TABLETOP RPG designed by DENNIS DETWILLER + ADAM SCOTT GLANCY + JOHN TYNES, originally published as CALL OF CTHULHU (CoC) SUPPLEMENTS by Pagan Publishing starting 1993 with the short story 'Convergence' (in The Unspeakable Oath magazine). Full DELTA GREEN sourcebook 1997, and Countdown 1999, both won multiple Origins Awards. Later re-launched as STANDALONE GAME: DELTA GREEN: THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME (2016 Arc Dodgers, DG's own imprint), funded via Kickstarter $360k+. SETTING: Delta Green is an UNAUTHORIZED US GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY dating to 1928 (after the Innsmouth Raid; see Lovecraft's 'The Shadow Over Innsmouth'). Officially disbanded 1970 after the Cambodian Fate operation gone bad; secretly reformed as an underground unauthorized network of federal agents (FBI, CIA, ATF, military, NSA, DEA, etc.) hiding COSMIC HORROR from public awareness. Players play AGENTS with day jobs (FBI Special Agent, State Trooper, Coast Guard officer, Doctor, Lawyer, Nurse, Federal Agent, Intelligence Officer, Military, Physicist, etc.) who moonlight on DG operations investigating Lovecraftian threats: CTHULHU MYTHOS entities (Deep Ones, Mi-Go, Nyarlathotep cults, Cthulhu itself), CULTS (Chapel of Contemplation, Karotechia), UFOs + Grays (occult-conspiracy angle), BIOLOGICAL HORRORS (Hastur influence, Yellow King), MAJESTIC-12 rival conspiracy. THE OPERA (missions) are short, brutal, and often morally ambiguous — DG agents burn bonds with family + friends + become traumatized to keep the world safe. HOME + BONDS mechanic tracks agent's connections; failing SAN checks (Sanity) burns bonds + causes disorders. AGENTS DIE OR GO INSANE. USES BRP-DERIVED d100 PERCENTILE SYSTEM (like CoC 7e) but streamlined: roll d100 vs skill %; lower = success. SAN (Sanity) mechanic: exposure to Mythos costs SAN; too low = permanent insanity + retirement. HOME + BONDS: agents track relationships with family, friends, colleagues (each rated 1-6); Sanity loss can burn bonds. WON: Origins Awards Best Supplement 1997 (Delta Green) + 1999 (Countdown); Ennie Awards Best Product of Year 2018 (Delta Green Agent's Handbook + Handler's Guide); considered THE BEST MODERN-DAY COSMIC HORROR RPG + one of the most acclaimed CoC-adjacent product lines. Now published by ARC DREAM PUBLISHING (Delta Green's own imprint). SUPPLEMENTS: Handler's Guide + Agent's Handbook (core, 2016); Countdown Countdown (adventures); The Complex Adventures; scenarios like Music from a Darkened Room, Extremophilia, PX Poker Night, Impossible Landscapes 5-part campaign.

Narrative horror RPG; no VP. Track skills, sanity, bonds, disorders, agent status.

Win condition · No traditional win; try to save the world + keep sanity + keep bonds. Usually fail slowly.

Agent sheets, d100 (two d10 percentile) dice, Handler notes, occasional maps/handouts.

• Delta Green Agent's Handbook ($30 USD)

  Player-facing rules + character creation

• Delta Green Handler's Guide ($60)

  Handler (GM) reference + setting + Mythos + missions

• d100 (two d10) per player + Handler

  Percentile resolution

• Agent sheets

  Track skills, bonds, sanity, disorders

• Delta Green Need to Know ($5) or free quickstart

  Free introductory adventure

• Impossible Landscapes campaign ($40)

  5-part campaign considered a masterpiece

• Guard your bonds

  Bonds are your lifeline; losing them = losing yourself.

• Avoid Mythos exposure when possible

  Every SAN loss brings you closer to retirement.

• Use conventional resources first

  Federal law + guns + connections often help.

• Handlers: run short, brutal ops

  DG excels at focused 1-3 session missions.

Delta Green

The unauthorized US government cosmic horror conspiracy.

Agent

PC; federal or law enforcement officer moonlighting for DG.

Handler

The GM (also, in-fiction, DG's senior officers who direct agents).

Sanity (SAN)

Mental fortitude stat; erodes from Mythos exposure.

Bond

Personal relationship rating 1-6; buffers sanity loss.

Disorder

Permanent mental disorder from SAN loss (PTSD, phobia, etc.).

Mythos

Cthulhu Mythos entities/knowledge; source of SAN loss.

MAJESTIC-12

Rival government conspiracy; DG's antagonist in metaplot.

The Program

DG's official reformed post-1970 designation (in newer metaplot).

Cell

Small group of DG agents; standard DG cell = 3-5 agents.

• Origins Award 1997 Best Supplement (Delta Green)

  annual · USA · since 1997

• Origins Award 1999 Best Supplement (Countdown)

  annual · USA · since 1999

• Ennie Award 2018 Best Product of Year (DG RPG)

  annual · USA · since 2018

• Considered best modern cosmic horror RPG

  ongoing · worldwide · since 1997

• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇩🇪Germany
• 🇫🇷France
• 🇮🇹Italy
• 🇪🇸Spain
• 🇵🇱Poland
• 🇦🇺Australia
• 🇨🇦Canada
• 🇧🇷Brazil
• 🇸🇪Sweden
• 🇳🇱Netherlands
• 🇯🇵Japan

• Arc Dream Publishing (current publisher; Detwiller + Glancy)

  Founded 1994 · USA

• Pagan Publishing (original publisher of DG line 1993-2000s)

  Founded 1990 · USA

• Chaosium (licensor for original CoC-based DG)

  Founded 1975 · USA

• Arc Dream Publishing — Delta Green— Arc Dream
• Wikipedia — Delta Green— Wikipedia