In the Beginning There Was The Computer
Hi Jazz-U-RRR. Thanks for taking time out to tell me all about Paranoia.
It is my pleasure, citizen.
Ok then, lets start at the beginning? What era is Paranoia set in?
Early in the 21st Century, World War III happened. Real big mess. The surviving nations formed a global government. The Age of Peace came about. Then a few years later, a natural disaster destroyed civilisation as we know it and survivors were forced to live in underground complexes.That was a couple of hundred years ago.
Underground Complexes?
Right. Paranoia is set in one such underground base called Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is truly massive; covering what was once the entire San Francisco area.
So what's life like in Alpha Complex?
Life in Alpha Complex has many outstanding elements but the most important thing about Alpha Complex, and therefore Paranoia, is The Computer. The Computer governs every aspect of life in Alpha Complex. The Computer decides where you live, what you do, what you eat, where you can go and when you can do it. Is that fun? You bet it is! Why? Because The Computer says so.
Oh, I see. This is one of those dystopias? Like George Orwell's 1984?
Dystopia! Alpha Complex is a Utopia! The Computer says so.
Right, I'm getting the idea. The computer, sorry, The Computer... What's it like then?
The Computer is benevolent, polite, insane and incredibly paranoid - often all at the same time. Having once served San Francisco as just another civic computer, The Computer is always anxious to please its citizens and so always maintains a polite and concerned tone. Well, nearly always.
Unfortunately, The Computer is worried. Insanely worried, in fact. The source of this worry and paranoia is a strong belief that it is under constant threat from Communists. You see, around the time civilisation collapsed, The Computer mistakenly thought that it was under nuclear attack from the long-gone USSR. It's never been quite the same ever since.
The Computer sounds wacko to me!
The Computer has been programmed by many different people. Important people with high-level security clearances named ULTRAVIOLET Programmers. Unfortunately, these people often have conflicting interests and that means The Computer is a mixture of many different personalities, fears and desires. This makes The Computer a little... unpredictable.
Richard of York Was Deleted For Security Reasons
You mentioned something about security clearances?
Absolutely! Everyone in Alpha Complex has a security clearance. Your security clearance more or less determines where and how you live your entire life as an Alpha Complex citizen.
How many security clearances are there?
There are actually nine. They are easy to remember, based as they are on the colour spectrum. From lowest in importance (INFRARED) onwards they are:
... INFRARED
... RED
... ORANGE
... YELLOW
... GREEN
... BLUE
... INDIGO
... VIOLET
... ULTRAVIOLET
or
I R O Y G B I V UV
NOTE: INFRARED is denoted as black, whereas ULTRAVIOLET is white. Just so you know.
Some traitors have said that the mnemonic rhyme 'Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain' is useful for remembering the sequence.
So how does the life of, say, a RED citizen differ from a VIOLET citizen?
In just about every aspect! Citizens can only (legally) make use of items that are marked for his or her security clearance or lower. So, a RED citizen can only go into areas that are marked RED (or lower), for instance. He can only eat in RED mess halls, use RED equipment and request information available to RED citizens. Which isn't a hell of a lot.
The quality of goods and services differ greatly across the security spectrum too. Whereas an INDIGO citizen would enjoy his own apartment, for example, a RED citizen is obliged to sleep in a dormitory with many other RED citizens.
Perhaps most importantly, citizens are able to give orders to anyone of a lower security clearance. This makes someone of a high security clearance very powerful. Failure to obey the orders of a superior security clearance is treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution.
D'ya Need a Reason for Treason?
Woah! Treason? That sounds serious to me!
Sure. Unfortunately, just about anything is treasonous in Alpha Complex. Failure to be happy is treasonous. Being a Commie is treasonous. Being a mutant is treasonous.
Hang on? A mutant?
Sure. By the way, you're a mutant.
Huh?
Every player character is a mutant.
Well, let's see if I'm getting this, all player characters are mutants, right?
Correct
And being a mutant is treasonous?
Correct.
And treason is punishable by death?
Exactly. Summary execution, as we refer to it in Alpha Complex.
So what's stopping me from just declaring the other players traitors if I know they're all mutants?
Ah, Remember that this is a role playing game and in the case of Paranoia you are playing the role of a Troubleshooter. You know that the other players characters are mutants but your character doesn't. Neither does The Computer. The Computer is never wrong and it certainly doesn't believe that its clones are mutants. Besides, you need proof before you can plug a character for treason. Whether that proof is genuine or not...
Six Pack
Clones? Why did you call them clones just now?
Because everyone is a clone. More precisely, one of six clones.
You've lost me again.
It's simple. The Computer in its infinite wisdom decided that sex, love, marriage and childbirth were messy and unnecessary. Instead, citizens are grown in vats, in families of six. Think identical twins but in batches of six. This is your clone family.
Why do I need six exact copies of myself?
You really are new in these parts. In case you haven't worked it out yet, life in Alpha Complex is extremely hazardous. Especially as a RED Troubleshooter. Of course, Friend Computer would say the reason everyone has six clones is because that way no-one ever gets lonely. And who's gonna argue with that?
When one of your clones dies in Alpha Complex, the next clone is swiftly dispatched to take its place. In Paranoia character death is something to be expected. Whereas in other, less fun role playing games character death was a serious event for a player, in Paranoia no-one really expects to live that long anyway. So instead of worrying about whether or not you want to risk your lovingly nurtured level 26 character in dangerous combat, you just get on with the game and enjoy yourself.
In Paranoia death comes sooner or later. Alpha Complex is a dangerous place at the best of times and Troubleshooter missions tend to be particularly hazardous. The best you can try and do is stay alive as long as possible.
What's In a Name?
I meant to ask you before, what's with the funny names?
Ah, good question. Every citizen's name follows a convention laid down by Friend Computer. Let's take your name, for example - Mac-R-THY-1.
From your name I can tell that you are a RED citizen, that you originate from the THY Sector of Alpha Complex and that you are the first clone from your clone family.
Wow! That's clever! How'd you do that?
Hmm. You can't really be this dumb, surely? Ok, let's break it down. The first part of your name is just that - your name. In your case it's Mac. The second part of the name gives your security clearance. For you it's R which of course stands for RED.
So if I were to be promoted to ORANGE, my name would be...
Mac-O-THY-1.
Cool!
Yes, even if a little unlikely. Now, the three letter code at the end of your name is your home sector - THY in your case. And lastly, the number at the end of your name denotes your current clone number.
I understand. Hang on. That means that you're an... um....
ULTRAVIOLET. Correct.
*Gulp*
Indeed.
Meet Interesting People and Kill Them
And what's a Troubleshooter?
Troubleshooters are teams of citizens put together to hunt out and deal with trouble. In Paranoia, you play the part of a Troubleshooter. Members of Troubleshooter squads are recruited from all different services and sectors. In fact, there is no specific Troubleshooting service. I'll leave you to speculate about whether this has something to do with casualty rates or not though speculation, much like rumour, is treason. Naturally.
It's also worth mentioning that although a Troubleshooter you also will have worked for a particular service. So before you became a Troubleshooter you may have emptied the bins at the offices of CPU (the beurocratics of Alpha Complex) or cleaned the rifles of a Vulture Squadron in the Army. Your choice of service will to a certain extent have an effect on your characters skills and statistics.
The Computer decides where the Troubleshooter teams are deployed. It is an honour to serve as a Troubleshooter. It's also incredibly dangerous. Troubleshooter missions are extremely varied. one minute you might be hunting down the source of treasonous murders in the sewers of Alpha Complex, the next you might be flying around in the Outdoors trying to subdue Giant Mutant Cockroaches. on the other hand, your mission might just be to paint a white corridor black. Just remember that in Alpha Complex nothing is ever as simple as it might first appear.
So how did I become a Troubleshooter?
Most likely you turned in a friend for treason. For this you received a promotion from INFRARED to RED and became attached to a Troubleshooter unit. For a lot of INFRAREDs, this is the only route to a higher rank. It does mean however that most Troubleshooters are lying, backstabbing bastards who'd sell their own team mate for half a bottle of Bouncy Bubble Beverage. Especially their own team mate, in fact!
A Nod and a Wink
Do I have any friends in Alpha Complex or do I treat everyone with suspicion?
Everyone is a threat in Alpha Complex. That said, you can call on your fellow Secret Society members for help.
Secret Society?
Aren't you stretching this naive persona a little far.
Sorry.
Like I was about to say, every player character is a member of a Secret Society. Beware though, being a member of Secret Society is treasonous.
I already guessed that.
I suppose the clue is in the name. Anyway, there are a wide variety of Secret Societies. Each has their own aims, resources and organisational structure. At the beginning of a Troubleshooter mission it is usually advisable to contact your Secret Society (secretly, of course) and see if there is anything they want you to do during the mission. You can then try and get help from them, mostly in the form of treasonous equipment and weapons although the range and availability of such items vary enormously.
Some Secret Societies are pro-Computer, some very much anti. Others are concerned with the status of bots in the Complex, others just want to escape the Complex altogether and live in the Outdoors. Your GM will advise you on this if you need help.
All's Fair in War
So, let's see if I've got this straight? I'm a RED-level Troubleshooter. I live in an underground base run by a mad Computer which runs every aspect of my life. This schizophrenic one-time civic Computer is terrified of Commie sabotage and infiltration and seeks to obliterate this perceived menace wherever possible. Just about anything remotely unorthodox (according to The Computer) is deemed treason. This includes membership of Secret Societies and being a mutant; of which I am both.
You're doing well so far.
As a Troubleshooter my job is to go wherever The Computer wants me to go. Refusal to accept a mission is treason. Treason is punishable by-
Summary execution!
Quite. My fellow Troubleshooters are all mutants and members of Secret Societies.Although my character doesn't know this, I'm as suspicious of them as they are of me.
Stay alert! Trust no-one! Keep your laser handy!
Can I just ask one more question?
Of course, citizen.
How do I get out of here?!
A highly treasonous sentiment, indeed. Besides, where would you go?
Outside.
Outside?
You know, outside, outdoors. Out of Alpha Complex!
I'm afraid that knowledge of the Outdoors is not available at your security clearance, citizen.
You already explained about the security clearance thing-
Do you wish to confess all to Friend Computer now or do you need some assitance?
Hey, are you getting all heavy on me?
Where did you come by this knowledge, citizen?
Um, I don?t know what you mean?
Here. Let this small but well-armed squad of Internal Security guards help you to the nearest Confession and Termination Booth.
Hey, wait a minute!!!
Thank you for your co-operation, citizen. Have a nice daycycle.
Ah, greetings citizen Mac-R-THY-2...
