Skype Group - Pony Tales Paranoia! (Player spots open)

In the distant future of Pony Complex, there is only fun, and friendship.

At least, that's what Friend Computer, the omnipotent, tyrannical, insanely ponycidal AI that rules over its citizens with an iron hoof. Anyone dumb enough to object to such a claim would find themselves charged with treason, and swiftly disintegrated by a high-powered energy blast. Pony Complex is a dangerous place: Whether it's the unpredictable powers of the discordians, the sneaky attitudes of the secret societies, the mind-lashing, omnipresent bureaucracy that turns the mundane into the impossible, the high-tech bots, equipment and technology that has fallen into hooves unfit to use them, or the traitors and their traitor-y ways lurking at every corner, the Pony Complex is full of trouble. Luckily for Friend Computer, Troublebuckers are there to find Trouble, in whatever form it may take shape and buck it. Unlucky for the Troublebuckers, they don't have much choice in this matter, and the job happens to be rather hazardous in the best of times. Especially when they happen to be the very traitors Friend Computer is eager to rid the complex of... But suggesting such a thing is treason, of course.

Do you think you have what it take to be a Troublebucker? Report a traitor, get promoted, and you may too be one of their fabled rank! Remember: Friendship is mandatory! Failure to have fun is treason!

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The setting is pretty much the Paranoia RPG setting, modified for Pony Tales characters with the supplement that I made - a "Pinkie Pie" insane/goofy, darkly humorous, high-tech world of the future, where the players are all traitors, trying to survive in a world where everyone, including each other, are out to get them for it. A good idea of what kind of gameplay you can expect is imagining an insane mixture of "Trouble in Terrorist Town" and "Call of Cthulhu". You can find the doc for it here (note: the doc will probably be subject to changes in balance/mechanics as we playtest it). It holds most of what you need to know about the setting and rules, which will be used extensively for the sessions. The sessions themselves will be in the format of "one-shot missions", each time with a new/different/altered team of PC characters (to employ secrecy).

For more info on Paranoia itself, check, these links.

Recruitment: If you are interested in joining, send me a PM of your paranoia-tailored character sheet, or post a request for a randomized or DM-tailored sheet, if you are willing to use such. Info on how to make it can be found in the doc, linked above. You should also post in this thread itself, but obviously, don't disclose any info on your character's "secret" details. Anyone is welcome, though those already familiar with how Paranoia works, or those that never played skype campaigns before, are more likely to get a spot. If there is high demand, or request for such, I may institute a "waiting list" for players willing to play "in turns". I may also give the DM role to a player willing to DM a session of their own, taking the role of a PC.

Disclaimer: Paranoia isn't for everyone. It's vastly different from most RPGs. Keep in mind the following, if you wish to join:
- Characters depth / backstories holds little significance, and usually discarded/remodeled after each session.
- Characters can, and will be, killed repeatedly, in over-the-top, and sometimes impossible-to-avoid ways.
- There is no real goal/"happy ending" that the players can strive for, other than survival, going out in a highly-amusing blaze of glory, or being the best little traitor they can be.
- No real "plot" or "story" to speak of, other than an excuse to send players packing on a mission.
- The world, setting, and NPCs are all designed to be as unhelpful, hindering, and/or lethal to the players as possible (for comedic value).
- Cooperation between players leads to little result, whilst player betrayal/backstabbing/side-changing for personal benefit is actively encouraged. Players can expect to be "motivated" to betray each other.
- Lots and lots of slapstick/black comedy.
- Players are expected to shrug death as a minor inconvenience (which it is).
- Players need to hold no grudge against each others betrayals/negative interactions done in-character, or otherwise take such overly seriously outside of the actual game. The goal of the game is fun, achieved through slapstick and dark humor, and that is impossible if there is spite or bad blood between anyone before/after a session.

Current players:
Zarhon (DM, for now)
Bronymous
Doc Pseudopolis
Kajisora
[Slot open]
[Slot open?]

Session times/schedules are currently under consideration, but I'll try to make them as accommodating as I can.

Zarhon wrote: and hold no grudge against each others betrayals/negative interactions in-character, or otherwise take such overly seriously

*cough

Session 2 happened! Here's a summary!

WARBOT IN ACCOUNTING

Characters:
Fizz the Earth Pony - Kajisora
Pleasant Mist the Earth Pony - Bronymous
Yu-R-DED the Earth Pony - Doc Pseudopolis

- Players all start in a medical station, waiting for docbots to give them their daily doses of happy pills, semi-toxic supplements, "appleox", and semi-toxic supplement antidotes.
- Pleasant Mist starts shoving/tricking the infrared's in front of her in line away. She narrowly avoids upsetting the security, then grabs and pummels the blue-level officer in front of her, taking his spot, and getting a changeling infrared executed in the process.
- Fizz gets executed for biting/attempting to eat the tail of the pony in front of him.
- Yu-R-DED yelled that everyone was a commie traitor, failed to produce evidence, and got blasted for treasonous accusations.
- Pleasant Mist is detained by a doc-bot - apparently, she is suffering from puss-hoof, malignant snout-pox, and mutant fever.
- FC summons the PCs to come within 5 minutes.
- Pleasant Mist barely gets out of the doc-bot appointment, but is given new medicine to take, Wipagygax.
- Pleasant Mist arrives late to debriefing, lies about taking medication, has her diseases logged.
- Debriefing happens! A green officer gives them the scoop: They have to got to sector H377 and perform a final check-up a PX-Mk.3 Warbot's functions to see if its fit for accountant duties (as well as a vehicle, but that's happening next session). Are told to ignore any errors or malfunctions. Fiz is taken aside for extra private information.
- PCs are directed to private confession booths. Yu accidentally confesses to a mutant power, then has his clone register it, registering him as a "teleportation" / "psychic flash" user.
- FC forces everypony to take their medication simultaneously. Fizz develops wobbling postules, Yu gets a high-pressure nosebleed, Pleasant Mist loses all her memory up till that point.
- Everypony gets a mandatory happiness message of the day, with VERY interesting information...
- Equipment requisition happens! PM gets a Bot Discouragement Device (a high-tech looking gun), Yu gets Image Intensifier Goggles, Fizz gets an Emergency Saftey Belt (big red button is protected by safety cap)
- R&D tech also happens! Yu gets a Vari-Grenade (a grenade with clock-position dials to set), PM gets a Howitzer-bot, Fizz gets a CTRLX Rifle.
- Mission starts! After a bit of fiddling into getting the Howitzer-bot to follow PM, they stroll into the bot manufacturing lobby, have awkward staring with the lobby clerk, then head for the elevator.
- PM realizes her Howitzer-bot can't fit in the elevator, or use the stairs. Orders it to blast a ramp in the roof. Falling roof debris Cripples two of Fizz's legs.
- PM gets loaded by accident into the Howitzer-bot. Is ordered to be blasted into the nearest soft target. This happens to be a Green clearance officer.
- Guards surround her, tension is high. Fizz fires his CTRLX gun at PM, making her vanish and having the gun display gibberish code.
- Despite needing to go to the 5th floor, Fizz goes for the 4th. A doc-bot assembly line is on that floor, full of doc-bots. They all target Fizz for "immediate treatment" on account of his horrible pustules.
- Fizz toggles a switch on his CTRLX gun and fires again, making PM appear again, then quickly closes the elevator before the doc-bots reach him.
- PM wanders around lost on the doc-bot floor, unable to use the elevator. In the meantime a PM clone has reported in, due to the other PM seemingly vanishing from the radar and prompting a replacement.
- PM goes to second floor. Guards immediately attack her, mistaking her for the traitor clone.
- PM orders Howitzer-bot to crumble the roof above the soldiers, killing them. Facility goes on high alert, pegging PM as a traitor. Fizz engages the traitor, but in the ensuing firefight, gets bested and killed by PM.
- More security officers arrive. PM orders Howitzer-bot to destroy facility. It blasts through 15 floors before running out of ammo. In the process, it manages to kill the PM on the 4th floor, having the floor explode under her, prompting her to land on the mortar-barrel, then get carried away and exploded by the explosive shell that is then fired into the next floor. The other PM, however, is killed by security officials.
- The party goes to the Warbot testing level (Howitzer-bot in tow, now that is has enough ramps). Are told to check up on the Warbot, and will be locked inside a blast chamber. Are given a list of its functions to test. They test them, in order:
- First function test: A cup holder. As they order the Warbot to engage it, it spends 3 minutes, rerouting 90% of its power, before successfully activating it.
- Next: a filework handling claw test. Upon engaging, attempts to crush Fizz's skull, but is CTRLX-gunned away and back again. It promptly scurries off into the vents.
- Ramming mode test : After some confusion on how to activate it, they get the engagement code (Roll Engage Derby), and the Warbot turns into a ball of pointy, swirling-blades, and starts bouncing like a pinball around. Several get maimed horribly, losing a few limbs, before they remember the code on how to deactivate it again.
- PM, unharmed in the carnage, attempts to make a heal check with her laser, to cauterize the bleeding stumps of missing limbs. This, against all odds, succeeds.
- Personality test: The bot is ultra-depressive/suicidal, which is unacceptable for accounting. PM reprograms it (with its permission), turning it into a angry, bitter bot, angry with its new accountant enforcement. It promptly gives a "friendly, helpful hug" to PM, crushing her front hooves.
- Loyalty test: Bot asks some highly traitorous questions to determine its loyalty knowledge. Amazingly, nopony dies.
- Execution system test: At first reluctant to try it, an opportunity is presented when Fizz's armor turns blue. He promptly gets a mouth-full of neurotoxin, has his body explode from pressure, and partially gasses Yu before the gas is vented and recycled back into the bot.
- Auto-Target Energy Cannon test: After asking questions on its targeting methods, they arrange a pile of limbs (from the previous tests) to be shot at. The energy cannon's power drain causes a malfunction in the cup holder, exploding it with the force of a grenade.
- Ballpoint pen test: A re-purposed flamethrower full of highly caustic ink. It promptly melts/blots out Fizz into a puddle of black goo.
- Rocket system: After engaging its heat-seeking mode and firing up to destroy the limb-pile, the huge rocket gets stuck in its chassis. Yu promptly kicks it (due to a hint from his psychic flash), and dislodges it, getting flattened against the opposing wall (the warhead doesn't detonate for some reason).
- Shortly after the rocket was fired, the energy cannon suddenly fires, auto-targeting the first target in range: PM. She is promptly reduced to dust.
- Power dampener: On activation, causes the lights to go out, and other tools. In the darkness, the Troublebuckers then activate a mutagen exciter (which has a number of odd effects).
- Still in darkness, they activate the semi-final feature: Personal assistants. This releases a swarm of cyborg ferrets. Being nocturnal predators, they proceed to then maul/eviscerate/devour Fizz in the darkness. Yu, using another psychic flash hunch, tries to hug one of the ferrets, with predictable results. PM, quickly attempts to disengage the final feature - mobility dampeners, on the warbots suggestion.
- With mobility dampeners removed, the warbot makes a warbot-shaped hole in the blast chamber. PM quickly shoots the ferrets with her laser, killing them all off, and (miraculously) saving Yu in the process.
- Lights turn back on. Security arrives, places everypony still alive in bags, and drags them off to debriefing.
- In light of her crimes committed via howitzer-bot, and the overwhelming evidence of such, PM is terminated with extreme prejudice, and her replacement clone is brainscrubbed for good measure, leaving her mildly retarded and without memory of any part of the mission.
- Yu is reprimanded for the negligence that caused the cup holder to explode, and has "NEGLIGENT" stamped on his forehead.
- In a last-ditch effort to justify testing the vari-grenade, Yu activates it on the "10" setting, turning it into a super-magnet, sticking into their green clearance debriefing officer, pulling Yu along the way, and blowing up both, losing his final clone.
- In light of his successful R&D testing of the CTRLX gun, Fizz gets promoted to orange clearance, whilst PM gets commended for her admirable effort in testing and the determination of keeping the Howitzer-bot with her at all times during the mission, as well as making the bot more-duty capable for accounting by making it no longer suicidally depressive.
- Mission declared a partial success on account of good testing and R&D.
- Session ends, but the mission will be continued (with new clones/troublebuckers) for the final testing/check-up of the XL-PY-all-terrain-removing combat and recreational personnel craft.

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As a reminder, I am still recruiting 1-2 people for this group. Sessions are happening on mondays/wedsdays, 6pm UTC+1, at the moment.

Another session was done last week! Here's a recording.

Session summary - Sweet Ride!

Characters:
Fizz (Kaji) - Earth Pony, Loyalty Officer
Pleasant Mist (Bronymous) - Earth pony, Task Bucker
Wot-R-Now (Doc Pseudopolis) - Earth Pony, Equipment Officer

- FC orders the Troublebuckers to go test a new "all terrain removing public transportation and recreational craft".
- New member introduced: Wot-R-Now, a registered discordian with ice and growth powers.
- A trip to equipment requisition nets them with:
* name-tags (of names that don't belong to them, including one of Pleasant Mist, which was given to Fizz.
* infrared-clearance torches (a torch that emits black light).
* instant-immunisation pills (causes rather horrible diseases).
* an insect in a jar.
* hand flamers.
- They are befuddled by a quad of tunnels of varying colors and illumination, with conveyor belts to lead them to R&D. Through sheer luck, they succeed in not getting murdered by one of the tunnels (which is an assembly line with lots of sharp bits and lasers), or get knocked off into a restricted area by a break-neck fast conveyor.
- R&D provides PM with a booterang, Fizz with a Sweet-E-Bot, and Wot with a INdampener.
- After some ill-fated fast-talking, the Troublebuckers succeed in getting the crate the Sweet-E-Bot is located within to open, by having security personnel shoot it's bolts open as they are executing one of them for treason.
- Each Troublebucker gets a private vehicle escort, during which time their Secret Societies contact them:
* Fizz is told to protect Pleasant Mist at all costs.
* Pleasant Mist is told to put Wot in an "accident.
* Wot is charged with stealing the other's R&D assignments.
- The troublebuckers arrive at the undergoing-repairs facility.
- The unknowing clerk leads them to three different floors.
- They pick the 10th floor. A pair of ultraviolet scientists ask them to enter a bulkhead.
- The troublebuckers succeed in pissing off the ultraviolet scientists, prompting a call for security.
- PM throws a grenade, releasing mecha-mosquitos. Chaos ensues, during which traquilizer-administering hugs are provided from Sweet-E-Bot, lethal blood-sucking, as well as other madness occurs.
- Eventually, they all die, and get shoved into a bulkhead to test the vehicle.
- More chaos occurs as each of the vehicles devices are tested:
* Pushing a BIG RED BUTTON activates a self-destruct sequence. Panic ensues for three minutes. It luckily stops at the 2 second mark, opening more panels.
* Sticky, sweet liquid is sprayed on everypony outside.
* Fizz gets vaporized, twice, for not having his seat-belt on during a internal safety check.
* Rubber pellets are fired from a minigun, which, combined with the sticky liquid, cause a melting puddle of goo that melts all three troublebuckers
* Sweet-E-Bot fritzes out several time from contact with liquid, as well as electrocute a few troublebuckers, lose a few limbs (later shoddily re-attached), and generally bounce around doing nothing other than push random buttons.
* A test of the vehicle's movement capabilities proves surprisingly uneventful.
* Diamond-saw blades spin wildly around the vehicle, threatening anyone from approaching.
* Sweet-E-Bot manages to flood the cockpit of the vehicle with a caustic cleaning fluid, forcing a rescue operation that takes the life of Fizz.
* Bees are released within the cockpit, once again by Sweet-E-Bot. They are later released outside as well.
* The new panel buttons, from the big red button, proceed to brainscrub one of the Troublebuckers, allow for a treason-repor to be submitted (or else!), and finally, offer a few wires to fix. This promptly fixes the self-destruct system, much to everypony's misfortune, and ends the testing.
- FC proceeds to execute a few troublebuckers for destroying the vehicle. Sweet-E-Bot gives a "innocent" explanation of what treasons happened as well.