In a small town in rural southern America, children are dying due to "complications due to fever". The locals are certain it's a disease being transferred by an unusual surge in area mosquitoes. While the position of the authorities is that there is nothing to worry about, a CDC presence has been set up to assure everyone that their concerns are being taken very seriously.
The player characters are either assigned by their faction or directly contacted by a parent/relative of a dead child to investigate. Upon entering the city the characters immediately feel unwelcome. The CDC and local authorities have taken over a large building (perhaps a school or church) to act as a base of operations and treatment center. If questioned they assure the players the operation is solely to assuage the fears of the community, who are giving in to paranoia over a few sick children. However it is clear that the town is having a mosquito problem, and the players are bit several times (will need rolls against disease). Any characters showing signs of disease will treated harshly by locals. Should you want a physical conflict at this point, locals begin to riot and threaten the authorities, causing the state police (all minions of the nightlords) to show up and "restore order"
Over the course of the investigation the characters will become aware that a group of CDC agents have been seen leaving town, traveling some 20 miles south. This area will be either a swamp or a recently flooded area. In the center of the area their will be an old industrial building (saw mill) that was abandoned due to rising waters years ago. As they approach there is a stunning number of mosquitoes. In the building they discover that there is a lab and a breeding pool for the mosquitoes.
The lab has pure (and possibly enhanced) strains of malaria, zika, west nile virus, dengue and a variety of other infectious diseases that could be spread through mosquito bites. The scientists are of course minions of the nightlords but most disturbing is in the center there is a night bane! He appears to be a "were-mosquito" with serrated syringes poking out through the skin. He is responsible for the breeding and controlling of the insects. During the ensuing combat Maleriex (the were-mosquito) uses talents to control the mosquitoes to attack, as well as using the swarm self talent to transform into a swarm of mosquitoes himself. If desired a handful of his swarmlings are able to escape, allowing him to trouble the players again in the future.
Malariex
Level 6
Alignment: Diabolic
Attributes (Morpheus): IQ 14 ME 10 MA 7 PS 29 PP 23 PE 22 PB Irrelevant SPD 30 flying 25 running
SDC: 130
Hit Points: 62
Horror Factor: 10
PPE: 180
Talents: Infectious Control, Blood Bath, Swarm Selves, Lord of the Wild
Morpheus Traits: Were-Insect (Mosquito), Nails (Serrated Syringe)
Malariex was born to a diplomat stationed in Panama while it was under US control. While their his family contacted malaria. His two siblings died due to complications and he was both physically and emotionally scared by the ordeal. Back in the states he became obsessed with bugs and was alienated by his peers. On dark day he was transformed into a were-insect and went completely mad from the ordeal.
Unaware of the secret war, the nightbane was quietly targeted by minions of the nightlords. However finding him completely mad and obsessed with death and disease, they recruited him for a project to create a potent disease vector. Finally having "friends" who "accepted him" Malariex has completely abandoned his facade and human identity.
The Malariex Vector: Adventure Notes
Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones
