What Happened to the Secret Societies?
Ah, well the Secret Societies are one of the most interesting things
about the Restart. You see, although the Computer has erased
everyone's memory (or just erased everyone) and got rid of all its
Crash/Reboot-related files, it obviously has no control over the
records of the Secret Societies.
This means that even though they themselves can't remember it,
the leaders of the Secret Societies (although not the majority of the
Society members) know the basic details about the Crash, Reboot, and
Restart. Those that used to be Council members also have managed to
regain access to some of Alpha Base's old databases (those that haven't
been captured/reprogrammed by the Computer). So how have they reacted to
this? What are they doing at the moment? And do they have a Simplex or
area of the now-fragmented Alpha Base?
(Note: During the Crash/Reboot some Secret Societies changed their
names. However, since nobody can remember the Crash/Reboot anymore
they've all reverted to their old names, except the Seal Club and
Corpore Metallica. Hey, there's always exceptions.)
STANDARD PARANOIA SECRET SOCIETIES (from 2nd & 5th Edition):
ANTI-MUTANT: Had come to the conclusion that the mutants are to blame
for the whole Crash/Reboot/Restart fiasco, but now are not so sure.
What with Friend Computer's Experimental Cloning Enterprise, the
Anti-Mutant leadership have become more and more convinced that the
Computer has been compromised - taken over by mutants.
So they're going to try and kill It.
Yes, the Computer has been leading the crusade against mutation
for yearcycles, but the FAECEs was the straw that breaks the
Anti-Mutant's back. (A lot of Anti-Mutants wanted to get the Computer
killed because it allowed mutation registration anyway.)
They're too busy with the War Against Mutation to get themselves
a simplex or Alpha Base.
COMMUNISTS: The Communists are very interested in this new evidence
of the Computer's vulnerability. If they can crash the Computer,
then reboot it in its form as the Communist Computer (see THE
PEOPLE'S GLORIOUS REVOLUTIONARY ADVENTURE), then they've got it made!
However, they're more concerned with taking over a disused area
of the Complex to become the new Alpha State, and consolidating their
position. It shouldn't be too long until a new Alpha State is formed
(the Commies have their eye on the Enclave of Roleplayers), and then
the Commie Computer will rise again, carving itself a great empire out
of the disused 20% of Alpha Complex. At least that's what they hope.
COMPUTER PHREAKS: The Computer Phreaks are worried. They did not
have a fun time during the Crash, and the Reboot was pretty dull
too. So they've decided to help prevent another Crash by hacking
into the Computer and putting up safeguards around its main systems.
As a result, the Computer has become a little more tolerant
towards Phreaks who don't do anything that's too treasonous with its
systems. After all, the High Programmers are too interested in their
own power games to actually do some work. When a Phreak does step out
of line, however, the Computer gets mad.
The Phreaks don't want a simplex. They want to stay near their
toy, the Computer.
CORPORE METALLICA: Okay, so maybe machines aren't perfect. But it
were the fleshbags wot done it. Corpore Metallica members are
currently plotting to introduce into Alpha Complex the Alpha Base
practice of giving bots a security clearance.
Alpha Wave (see the PARANOIA SOURCEBOOK) is still up and running,
and is currently Corpore Metallica HQ.
DEATH LEOPARD: Are very, very angry. They had the time of their
lives during the Crash, and now not only has the Computer come back
but they can't even remember all the cool things they did! They're
doing a "vengeance campaign" targetted at the Computer, although it
doesn't look like it will last long. Many Death Leopard members
are trying to escape to the non-Computer controlled area of the
Complex, to take advantage of all the anarchy and inter-simplex war.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST COMPUTER-PROGRAMMER: Are very, very
happy. The Computer has just proved its divinity by pulling the
same stunt Jesus did! FCCCP is now back and bigger than ever.
Before you ask, no they don't have a simplex. I'd have
thought that was pretty obvious.
FRANKENSTEIN DESTROYERS: The Destroyers have been demoralized by the
Reboot. If the Computer can bring itself back to life, what hope is
there for the Society? They're taking their misery out on the scrubots.
They have a brand new simplex: Alpha Evaw (reverse of Alpha
Wave, see?). Imagine early 20th Century Texas, substituting bots
for black people.
FREE ENTERPRISE: Don't really care. You can't make money out of
something that nobody remembers, although some Free Enterprisers
are trying to find a way to sell people's memories back to them.
They don't think it's profitable to have a simplex.
HUMANISTS: They're disappointed that the Computer came back badder
than ever, but are cheered up by the fact that the Computer CAN be
defeated, and so can be reprogrammed to serve humanity. They're
enraged, however, by what they see as the Computer's audacity in
reprogramming the minds of the Complex.
The Humanists have taken over an Alpha Base sector that went
and became a part of Alpha Complex, and even have the audacity to
renamed it Human Complex. It's got a subservient Computer up and
running and everything, but sooner or later SOMEONE gonna notice
that Human Complex title and then the synthe-paste will hit the fan.
ILLUMINATI: Are as mysterious as ever. They have no simplex, unless
of course the whole Complex is their simplex.
MYSTICS: The Mystics are trying to find the Computer's mind-wipe
equipment (if it exists). They think that an electronic
mind-manipulation device will give them the best trip ever, and
as such are furiously bootlicking Pro Tech, hoping to scrounge
some mind programming gizmos off them. PC Mystics will often
find themselves helping out a Pro Techer in his/her Secret
Society mission.
Oh yeah, they aren't competent enough to get a simplex,
just in case you were wondering.
POLITICLONES: Couldn't care less - nobody can remember the
Crash/Reboot/Restart, so it won't make you more popular if
you harp on about it.
Simplex acquisition is not on the agenda at the moment.
PRO TECH: Would dearly love to get their hands on some alien
technology (from Mad Mechs and Clones in Space to name a few).
The entire Society's resources have been thrown behind the
Society's space travel project, which has so far been unsuccessful.
Pro Tech does not have a simplex - it's easier to stay in
Alpha Complex, where they've in close proximity to R&D.
PSION: Feel that their minds have been raped by the Computer,
and had sworn to destroy the Computer (again). Then they found out
about Friend Computer's Experimental Cloning Enterprise, and changed
their mind. What a coincidence. PSION is currently trying to recruit
members of FAECEs.
PSION has a new simplex, named Alpha Brain. It exists only in
the minds of its members: PSION members enter Alpha Brain in their
dreams. It's not the same as a "real" simplex, but they prefer it.
PURGE: The feelings of the average PURGEr:
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
They finally managed to kill the Computer, then it goes and brings
itself back to life! Then, as if in some sort of cruel joke,
it wiped the PURGErs memories of their moment of glory!
PURGE is not nearly so subtle now. It's all-out war against
the Computer, no clones barred! They don't want a simplex: they
want to conquer Alpha Complex!
ROMANTICS: Are longing for the good old days of the Crash... when
they were longing for the good old days of Year 194. No, I admit
it doesn't make sense. But then nostalgia doesn't make much sense
anyway. Currently, the Romantics are hunting for pre-Restart
artifacts, like R&D catalogues.
They have a simplex named Oldaze.
SEAL CLUB: Are now lead by Georgem-I-KEL, who won over the Society
with his Pro-Seal song "Let's Go Outside". Have now got a strange
fascination with Comfort Stations.
The Club has no simplex, but it does have a small empire of
Outside villages.
TREKKIES: The Trekkies are trying to build a big subspace
transmitter, so that they can contact Clem-U in FAN Sector. They want
to ask him if he could possibly turn the ship around and pick them up.
The Trekkies have taken over disused CON sector, where a
permanent convention is taking place.
OTHER SOCIETIES:
CLONE ARRANGERS: They're trying to recruit Teela O'Malley's
replacement as Society leader, mostly for sentimental reasons
instead of being part of any hidden agenda (and because they're sick
to death of following orders from that temperamental real one).
As far as we know, the Clone Arrangers don't want none of that
simplex nonsense.
COMPUTER CLONE COLUMN: Got shut down by the Computer.
CONCILIATORS: Now that most of Alpha Base has become exactly
the same as Alpha Complex, and the rest of it is slowly being
taken over by various Secret Societies, the Conciliators are in
trouble. They are plotting to take over all the Alpha Base sectors
that haven't been taken over and made into a simplex, and a large
area of the wastelands. When they succeed, they will institute
martial law.
EARTH MOTHERS: Are really upset, because the Computer killed all
the nature babes. Otherwise, they're carrying on as before. They
have taken over an old Alpha Base sector, and have renamed it
The Creche.
EUGENICISTS: These chaps don't care much about the Crash: they're
more interested in Friend Computer's Experimental Cloning Enterprise,
and are busy infiltrating it. They are also trying to find a film
that is rumored to contain proof that Alpha Complex was designed by
a Eugenicist. It's called Dr Strangel-U-VHE.
Their simplex, The Dungeon, is still intact, although
inter-superhero bickering is becoming a problem.
FEMME FATALE: Are mourning the loss of Elizabeth-R, and are also
annoyed at the apparent lack of GAMMA clearance females. Their
current project is attempting to take control of the promotion
system to solve this problem. (Actually, the Computer recently promoted 3
females to GAMMA clearance, so this whole project's a bit pointless.
Oh well.)
Simplexes are sexist, apparently, since Femme Fatale doesn't
want anything to do with them.
FOUNDATION: The Foundation is on a recruitment drive. The fact that
the Computer can crash means that their beliefs are so much more
believable. All they have to do is make people remember the Crash...
The Foundation doesn't need a simplex - it has its own
replacement Alpha Complex (Well at least what's left of it)!
INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD: Heh heh heh. These guys and
gals are in a lot of trouble. Now most of the Commies have escaped
to the disused sectors, they need some people to bring the
revolution back to Alpha Complex. Seeing as the Wobblies have been
becoming more and more subservient to the Communist Party recently,
the head Commies decided to let the Wobblies do the Party's dirty work.
As readers of ACUTE PARANOIA will know, the Wobblies are
totally infiltrated by IntSec. This means that the Communists are
giving the details of all their plans against Alpha Complex to IntSec.
Oh well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
They're too loyal to have a simplex of their own.
KNIGHTS OF THE CIRCULAR OBJECT: Big news, everyone: Randy the
Wonder Lizard is back, and has taken over the now-disused LOT
Sector. Gamma-LOT has returned, except this time Randy has
Merlin's stolen spell book! Members are now trying to locate the
Transdimensional Collapsatron to aid Randy's multiversal takeover
plans. Just wait until they find the abandoned base of the
Vulture Warriors of Dimension X: then the Infrared Feed will really
hit the air vent!
MOO: Too dizzy to care.
NATIONAL FANTASY FAN FOUNDATION: Now that HPD&MC is back to
normal, the Computer doesn't need the Alpha News Network
(see the PARANOIA SOURCEBOOK) to entertain the citizens.
Therefore the ANN quickly went back underground and reverted to
its old form as the N3F.
The N3F is currently analyzing its record system closely.
The N3F members "know" that this year is year 194, but their
records appear to be showing events of a few years hence
(actually the now-forgotten events of the Crash). Using their
roundabout logic, they have decided that the records have become
Artificial Intelligence science fiction writers.
A few N3F members, however, have taken the revelations of the
record system (which has been revealed to all society members, since
the leaders think it's just science fiction) literally, and have formed
a splinter group, teaming up with renegade FCCCPers to form the
Church of Scifiology. It is lead by Elronhu-B-ARD.
N3F has no simplex, but many members have moved to CON sector
(see the TREKKIES description).
GROUPIES: The Groupies are despondent, due to the loss of one of
their favorite celebrities: the Funbot, murdered during the Crash
by a gang of clones with a sense of humor. Still, they're really
happy about the FAECEs: many Groupies are trying to become "sidekicks"
of those mutant gimps.
BOTLERS: Most of the Botlers have decided to side with Friend Computer.
After all, even the clones "Serve the Computer", so the Computer must
be the best master in all the world (or at least in Alpha Complex)!
The Computer tolerates the Botlers, so long as they don't start serving
traitors.
Some of the Botlers went renegade, however, and are serving other
masters. Thus, you will find Botlers in Alpha State, Alpha Wave,
and so on.
WHISK: Another Secret Society that has fallen into the hands of
the Computer. The Computer is only too eager to promote Whisk amongst
the scrubots, whilst reprogramming members with non-cleaning functions
to forget about Whisk. The Society is now the Official
Computer-Sanctioned Scrubot Union, and is devoted to helping scrubots
carry out their duties, and getting revenge upon clones who meddle
with scrubots.
BOTISTICS: Poor old Botistics. The poor little lambs have nowhere
to turn. Alpha Complex and Alpha Wave, the 2 main employers of bots,
are far too chaotic for their tastes, and the remaining simplexes
aren't any better.
So they've decided to take their crusade for non-randomness to
what remains of the Badlands - the most chaotic part of Alpha. There
they sit, meditating, creating an island of order in a sea of chaos,
with the intention of showing all of Alpha that calm and
synchronization is the way forward.
Never mind, eh?
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: Are hiding out in Alpha Wave. They're trying to
convince Corpore Metallica to kill the Computer, but are having
trouble, what with the Computer's recent pro-bot policies. Some of
them believe that the Society should accept the Computer as a bot.
ASMAFIA: Have been taken over by the Computer. After all, as the
most loyal bot group in the entire Complex - are they really going
to engage in any underhand conspiracies, etc? No of course not,
they're going to obey the Computer and do whatever it says.
Thus, the Computer is so pleased with its acquisition of
Asmafia that it's turned the Society into the Bot equivalent of
IntSec, devoted to rooting out treason amongst bots.
CORPORE METAL (MARK II): After the Restart, Corpore Metal Marks I & II
merged to form Corpore Metallica (the version shown in the
5th Edition rulebook). Since the vast majority of Mark II members
are bots Corpore Metal Mark II has become the ruling council of
Corpore Metallica. PC members of Mark II are now high-ups in
the society. (NOTE: There is now no way to start off being a member
of Mark II, unless your character was a member before the Restart. If
you want to get in, you have to earn it by serving in Corpore Metallica).
Being a high-up in a Secret Society is not necessarily a good
thing. You've got the other high-ups trying to get rid of you,
lesser members asking for mission orders and help when they screw up,
and also being near the top of a Secret Society hierarchy means that
you're near the top of IntSec's death list.
CORPORGANIC: These chaps have teamed up with the Eugenicists in
the Dungeon, because they want the Eugenicists to make them humans.
So far, the Eugenicists have managed to turn them into sheep,
dragons, mongooses, and ducks (but as of yet no humans).
CYCLOTRON: This remains one of the most powerful of the remaining
Bot Secret Societies, since nobody knows who is and isn't a member,
due to the fact that members have begun to swap brains with other
bots without the other bot's consent.
Tell players of Bot PCs about this new development. Go on. Make
them think that, if they're not careful, they'll go from being big
tough warbots to being little weedy scrubots. Don't ever do that to
them (it's a nightmare to game master such a situation) but let
them think you're planning it.
FRANK-N-FURTERS: Were unable to go into partnership with anyone,
and so are still secret. Not even Alpha Wave wants them, since such
bots are unlikely to obey anyone - even Corpore Metallica.
L-5: The fact that Clem-U-NGR has escaped into space proves that
space migration is possible, which has cheered up these guys no
ends. They're currently trying to help Pro Tech with their space
research, only the problem is that every L-5er is trying to convince
Pro Tech that it is the best bot for the job of manning the first
Secret Society space flight (of course, the Illuminati have been in
space for years, but Pro Tech will be the first Secret Society to
brag about getting there).
The result is that whenever an L-5er thinks it's come across
a Pro Tech member, it will immediately try and impress the Pro Techer.
Think of a robotic Mr. Universe contest, with a suspected Pro-Techer
as the judge...
LAN OF THE LOST: The Computer felt threatened by these chaps. It felt
that if they were able to achieve their dream of becoming a gestalt
entity, they would be able to destroy it.
Fortunately, Friend Computer has a plan. It broke into the LAN, and
planted a Multi User Diversion (MUD), a primitive Computer game. Now
all of the members of the LAN of the Lost are stuck in the MUD, and
are constantly being hacked to pieces by Computer Phreaks and
Knights of the Circular Object, who think it's just a game.
METHANOLICS ANONYMOUS: Another Society that has fallen into the hands of
the Computer, lured by Our Friend's promises of unlimited methanol
and R&D's new "emotion chip".
All Methanolics Anonymous members now have an experimental emotion
chip inside them. Imagine the fun you could have with one of those...
MODULATOR MODERATOR: Have gone into partnership with Free Enterprise.
RAMPAGERS: Self-programming is not exactly a philosophy that is
popular with the Computer or the simplex governments. Therefore, these
chaps are still a secretive lot.
Of course the whole Restart deal has really got their circuits in
a bind. As they're REALLY mad with the Computer for reprogramming their
memories. And would just love to learn some Computer Programming that
they could use to show the Digital Dictator how it feels to have your
mind raped (never mind that the Computer did the same lobotomy job
to itself, as revenge tends to ignore details like that).
ROCK 'EM, SOCK 'EM WARBOTS: They love the Computer. They really do.
Ever since the Computer rounded them all up, put their bot brains
in warbot bodies and let them trundle off into the Badlands where
they can do as much damage as they like, the Computer has had a
special place in these bots' hearts.
1ST EDITION SECRET SOCIETIES
PROGRAMS GROUP: How they react, of course, depends on the High Programmer
they serve.
SPY FROM ANOTHER ALPHA COMPLEX: Aren't in business any more. Similar
Computer-related problems in all the other Complexes means that they
all got recalled...
for now, anyway.
SY-B-LNG RIVALS: Come on, they're not really a Secret Society, are they?
They're just a funny plot device that gets dull after one adventure.
NEW SECRET SOCIETIES
ROLEPLAYERS:
DESCRIPTION: GEN Sector, and what remains of CON Sector that isn't under
Trekkie control, make up the Enclave of Roleplayers - the headquarters
of a sinister cult devoted to corrupting the more intellectual Junior
Citizens and enslaving them in the service of the Dark Side, whilst
those JC's who refuse to fall into their grasp are forced to commit
suicide (normally by the common Alpha suicide method of strolling up
to a Computer terminal and saying "Long Live the Revolution").
Providing yet another outlet for the oily unwashed masses of
Alpha Complex, the RPGers attempt to ignore the rest of the Complex as
they steadfastly devout themselves into their 'religion'.
BELIEFS: The Universe was created by the Designers, and we are the
servants of the Game Master, in whose hands the Universe has been
entrusted by the Publisher, and the Funny Man In The Game Shop Who
You Swear Is On Drugs. We must serve the Game Master, to help him
operate the Universe better, and in our spare time we must play
RPGs and sacrifice people to the GM.
Some unfortunate clones are not under the control of the Game
Master, but are controlled by Players. If we were in another
Universe, these clones would be heroes, but instead they are
cannon fodder. We must shun the Player Clones, for objects do
mightily explode around them. (Geez, can you actually believe these
guys? I mean to think that there's really just pawns to be used by
an overtly sadistic GM who's sick and tired of The Other Game(tm)
and.. er.. oh.)
(Note to Game Masters: Yes, there really is a pseudo-Satanic cult
in Alpha Complex devoted to your worship. It's a pity you can't collect
those virgin sacrifices yourself, isn't it?
(Players will never join the Roleplayers. They know a Player
Clone (PC) when they see one, and know exactly what happens to PCs
in PARANOIA.)
HIERARCHY: The RPGers are haphazardly organized into 'Cults'. Each
cult has a "GM" that serves as leader, and a "GM assistant" that
serves as a 2nd in command. The remaining members of the cult are
called players. Unlike most SSes, advancement is not wanted, this
is because the Players have no wish to be the guy (or gal) in charge.
Therefore the GM always tends to be the highest ranking and
(although not always) the most competent of the group. Players do
things for the GM to get 'Perks' and 'GM favoritism'.
Every now and then the GMs (and perhaps high ranking players and
GM assistants) go to a "Convention" in the Enclave to meet with other
GMs and the "Game Designers" who produce the various RPG "bibles" that
the GM's and players use over the course of their worship.
Worship consists of playing various games that place the
'players' into an alternate world in which they act out their own
private fantasies. Some Roleplayers prefer to use their imaginations
to create the fantasy world and sit around a table, worshiping the GM
(that's you, sir) by imagining intensely, and rolling dice. Others
dress up and act out their fantasies. These chaps can be identified by
their habit of playing "form, grenade, electrosaw" in the middle of
combat. A new, popular form of roleplaying is currently gaining
popularity - these Roleplayers use a holodeck to create their
fantasy worlds.
A small militant group within the Roleplayers insist on playing
card games instead of actual RPGs (there are vague theological
differences between the two activities). They are murdered wherever
they are found.
ADVANCEMENT: Occasionally some Roleplayers will want to become GMs. How
they do this depends on the individual Player. Some members of the
Roleplayers are promoted for killing mutants and taking their
treasure, others for acting all melodramatic, like someone from out
of Creatures of the Nightcycle, but most get promoted for a mixture of
the two playing styles - erm - behavior patterns.
Also, members are promoted for finding new members amongst
the Junior Citizens, and for performing sick little rituals for the GM.
BENNIES: Members of the Roleplayers can talk directly to the GM.
Yes, I am serious.
Imagine your players surprise when the Troubleshooters stroll into
a room and...
GM:The room is large and well large.. and is covered by
Suddenly Me-R-NPC speaks: Uh.. excuse me Mister GM, but haven't the
players been in this room before?
GM: Well of course they have, but they were blindfolded at the time.
NPC says: Yeah, but I thought one of them got the blindfold off.
GM: Oh yeah, I forgot about that... Guess I really don't need to give
you guys a description.
Of course, the players will immediately try to terminate the NPC
("who's this GM he's talking about - he's obviously in a secret
society!"), but you should protect your Roleplayer NPCs. After all,
us gamers have got to stick together...
SLAPS: Roleplayers have sold their souls to you, and so whenever
you feel like it you can take over their mind and control their
actions. For example:
Me-R-NPC: I wouldn't go into that...
GM: Oh no you don't!
Player: What was that, Me-R-NPC?
Me-R-NPC: I w..w...wouldn't g...g..o into that door w....w...w...
without your boots on! The floor's wet! Yeah, that's it...
Player: Hmm. Guys, let's go through the other door, this one looks
like a trap.
Me-R-NPC: No, really, there's no trap, the floor's just...
Player: Shut up! We're going through the other door.
GM: Okay, you step through the other door and your head is cut off by a
vibro-axe.
Me-R-NPC: Hahahaha! Good one Mr GM!
FRIENDS: N3F, Trekkies, Illuminati (after a deal brokered by Designer
Stevejacks-O-NNN).
ENEMIES: BATOG, FCCCP, Death Leopards, any other "cool" society.
A TYPICAL ROLEPLAYERS CONVERSATION:
[DELETED FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS. GO READ KNIGHTS OF THE
DINNER TABLE
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW.]
BOTHERED ABOUT THE OTHER GAME:
DESCRIPTION: This isn't a Secret Society in itself, more of a
sub-society of FCCCP. Whenever a player rolls FCCCP for his/her
Society, roll 1D10. If you roll a 1, they're also members of BATOG.
BATOG is a hate group aimed at destroying the Roleplayers.
So far, they've been able to turn the entire FCCCP against them
(which wasn't hard, considering the Roleplayers pseudo-Satanic
beliefs). It was started by High Programmer Patp-U-LNG after her
petbot, "Bink the Bot", self-destructed after reading an RPG supplement
(called THE BOT AMUSERS MANUAL, or something like that).
Most people would blame Bink's death on Bink's well-known
psychological problems (Bink was famous as one of the few bots whose
Asimov circuit dealing with self-preservation didn't work), but
Patp-U blamed it on the evil Roleplayers, and started a holy
crusade against them.
BELIEFS: Communism is Treason. Communism is a work of Satan.
Roleplaying is Satanism. Therefore Roleplaying is Treason.
This is an example of BATOG logic. It is the most logical
statement any BATOG member will ever make. This shows how credible
these people are.
HIERARCHY: It's the same as the FCCCP hierarchy.
ADVANCEMENT: Terminate those Roleplayers! Kill them! Maim them!
Tie them to a burning stake! Only in this way shall we save them!
The problem is, BATOG members assume that anyone they don't
like is a Roleplayer... regardless of the evidence to the contrary.
Members are also rewarded for exposing famous Roleplayers,
like novelist (for the higher clearances only!) Terrypratch-I-TTT
and talk show host Rick-I-LKE.
BENNIES: The Roleplayers have an innate ability to create complex
anti-RPG conspiracy theories using knowledge of all time periods.
(Yes, they have Old Reckoning knowledge... but it's not treason
to them if it's used for the Holy Quest!) Here's an example theory:
"The Illuminati were founded in 1776 (Old Reckoning) in the
University of Ingolstadt. They claimed to be 'Illuminated', making
them more intelligent and wise than other people and thus more suited
to rule the world. Now, in the 20th Century, when the Roleplayers
made themselves known, a lot of Universities had Roleplaying Clubs,
made up of persons of above-average intelligence. This proves that
the Illuminati are in fact Roleplayers in disguise, and the Illuminati
are puppets of the Roleplayers."
This is preposterous, as you can see. The Roleplayers are puppets
of the Illuminati, who are using them to destrXXXXXXXXXCENSOREDXXXXXXXXX.
NOTE: BATOG members do not have any of the perks of FCCCP members.
The Computer doesn't like these guys much, since It knows that if
the GM gets pissed off with the Computer the GM can Crash it again.
So it's not going to support any initiative against the GM's
worshipers. (You've got Friend Computer well trained, haven't you
sir?)
SLAPS: Only BATOG members are viewed upon as being less cool than
Roleplayers. Let's face it, sacrificing beautiful female/handsome
male clones to the GM seems downright normal compared with some of
the stuff these guys get up to.
FRIENDS: FCCCP, Communists (who confused BATOG with the radical
anti-capitalism group "Bothered About The Oppressive Greenback").
ENEMIES: Any sane person. You see, BATOG members have a tendancy to
somehow insult EVERYONE during their rants. Don't ask me why.
A TYPICAL BATOG CONVERSATION:
I'm not going to bother. There's a web page where you can get a
much better example of a BATOG member's speech and behaviour than
I can make up. Go to www.jyu.fi/~np. Look under this guy's RPG
section for the "Love the Sinner" satire pages. Don't bother
looking at them - they aren't intolerant enough (he only put them up
to divert the hate mail). Instead, go to the "evil page full of lies"
(the original satire). There, in all its glory, will you see the
web page of a typical BATOG member.
Also, look in the "comments" pages. Amongst the flames and so
on you'll find some pretty amusing comments from both Satanic
Roleplayers and BATOG members. The comment from Mr Pazuzu is the
funniest.
Infamous FCCCP maniac Jack Ch-I-CKK wrote a little pamphlet
named "Dark Dungeons", aimed at players of The Other Game. It's not
published any more, but the graphics can be found all over the net -
just tap "Dark Dungeons" into a search engine and you'll find it.
THE PRETENTIOUS DED:
DESCRIPTION: Since the Restart, the Secret Societies of the Nightcycle
(from CREATURES OF THE NIGHTCYCLE) and the vampclone members left over
from PARANORMAL/C-TV decided to band together to form a new Society,
the Pretentious DED. (It's a sort of Gothic Council of Secret
Societies.) Only the Clone Snatchers and the TechnoCrappy (The Clone
Snatchers weren't dead/freakish enough, and the TechnoCrappy has long
since fallen out of fashion.)
BELIEFS: Although we have mixed beliefs, we all know the value of dark
clothing, poorly-applied makeup, and pointless posing. Yea, we alone
know the true value of Goth, and we shall apply it in the Nightcycle
and beyond. Though we may slug it out elsewhere, the Nightcycle is
the Safe Simplex for Goths everywhere, and we shall keep it that way.
HIERARCHY: All members of DED Societies have a dual rank: one
within their own Society, and one within the DED. The DED have 3 ranks:
0: MUNDANE. This is the DED term for all non-members. The DED
members think that they are superior to Mundanes, because the
Mundanes "fear" the DED. The fact that most members of the DED spend
too many skill points in their style skills and not enough in their
combat skills (and most members of the DED dress like INFRAREDS) seems
to escape them.
1: COOL. The rank and file members.
2: STYLISH. The leaders of the local chapters.
3: PRETENTIOUS. The "enforcers" of the Society leader's will.
4: PRATS. The members of the DED Council.
ADVANCEMENT: Members get rewarded for dressing and acting like the
freaks you see sometimes on Rick-I-LKE, or someone off the
Rockyho-R-ROR Show (come on you Goths, admit it... that's what you
really want to look like!). Surprisingly, members who drink blood
and actually DO stuff are shunned by the other members. "Ewww!
That's, like, SO sick! You have no STYLE!"
BENNIES: When members of the DED call for help, more people come to
help them. All Secret Society members can call for help from their
Society buddies, but DED members do it by throwing up their hands
and shouting "STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE!", or its abbreviation: "SOS".
Think about it...
SLAPS: They're stupid fat hairy Goths, and the Society has almost
been entirely infiltrated by the Roleplayers. (Sorry Gothic types...
but nothing is sacred in PARANOIA. Not even Marilynmans-O-NNN.)
FRIENDS: Romantics, Roleplayers, and Death Leopards, oh my!
ENEMIES: FCCCP, Clone Snatchers, Ghosts, Technocrappy, a
hyper-intelligent cup of yeast on food vat level 23/P, DED Sector.
(No, I don't understand it either.)
A TYPICAL PRETENTIOUS DED CONVERSATION: No, I won't do it, it's far too
dull.