 | Once again, i copy-paste text and pictures from files i found i my archives. You are welcome to comment. ZRK, the Undiscovered Sector
a new, totally safe and completely harmless Paranoia adventure by Geoff GanderChapter 0 - Introduction:
While most Paranoia adventures involve the Troubleshooters wandering aimlessly about from deathtrap to deathtrap, with scant hope of survival, this one is different. In ZRK, the Undiscovered Sector, the Troubleshooters will experience random death and destruction in the way it was meant to be experienced - in mazes of twisty little passages, all alike. This adventure has been written as a sort of twisted tribute to classic computer adventure games - especially text adventure games such as Adventure and Zork. This should be readily apparent in the random encounter tables provided with this adventure.
Once your players have had the chance to settle in, read the following mission alert out loud:
Attention Troubleshooter Team 3.1415926! Report to briefing room 42-C, ZRK Sector, immediately for a vitally important mission briefing! Run! Do not walk! Obeyall traffic signals! Use correct change on all transtubes!Chapter 1 - The Mission Briefing:
The trip to ZRK Sector can be as eventful as you wish. Some things to inconvenience the Troubleshooters could include the following:
- Suddenly finding they do NOT have correct change for the transtube (the ticketbot says, "No plasticreds, no ride."). Players must scramble to make change, or bully a lower-clearance clone into giving them to right amount (without getting caught by zealous ticketbots, who also police transtube stations).
- Terrorist attack on the transtube as it enters a dark tunnel. Massive firefight in the dark - very messy. Either that, or the power goes out in ZRK Sector just as they arrive, and grues crawl out and eat everyone.
- Computer glitch reroutes the transtube to DRK Sector instead, but the transtube computer insists that it has arrived in ZRK Sector. PCs must make their way to the correct sector, and explain to the briefing officer/Computer why they are so late.
The Troubleshooters must make their way to the briefing room, the door of which is surrounded by imposing laser cannons (none of which are functional, but don't tell your players that!). After being frisked by a grumbling Yellow-clearance goon (who has a Pickpocketing skill of 13 - Troubleshooters are likely to be relieved of random possessions), the clones are shoved into the room.
The room is dark. Very dark. Emphasise to your players how this briefing room is the epitome of all that is dark. The briefing officer is shrouded in shadow, and is dressed in an Indigo robe. He intones:
"Greetings, Citizens. Your mission, which you will accept, is of vital importance to Alpha Complex, the Computer, and to my associates. You will proceed to ZRK Sector R&D, and request item 23.34/AA. You will not ask what it is; nor shall you enquire as to what it does. That knowledge is above your security clearance, and thus is none of your concern."Following this, you will make your way to ZRK Sector Compnode 567, and there you shall wait until the appointed time, when CPU supervisor Trans-I-STR-5 will meet you, take the aforementioned item 23.34/AA, and proceed to test it. You will not observe this testing; it is above your security clearance. Once Trans-I-STR-5 verifies that testing is complete, you will regain possession of item 23.34/AA, as well as the confidential testing report, and convey them without delay to ZRK Sector R&D once more, where they will be picked up by Bunsen-B-RNR-3."Once this has been completed, report immediately to room 345, ZRK Sector, Corridor 12B, Subcorridor 235, along Access Tunnel 43Z, Junction A4. There, you will receive your debriefing. You may go."
The briefing officer never gives his name, and the Troubleshooters are unable to see his face. Before they can ask any questions, the podium behind which he stands silently withdraws further into the gloom, and vanishes with an almost inaudible "click". You should encourage the Troubleshooters to leave quickly once the briefing officer departs. This can happen by having the Yellow guard enter the room and order them to leave, possibly using his slugthrower (skill 14, P8 - Dum Dums) as added incentive. Alternatively, you can have the Computer ever-so-nonchalantly ask them how the mission is going, and whether they are having any difficulties in getting to ZRK Sector R&D.
Chapter 2 - Heading to ZRK Sector R&D:
ZRK Sector R&D is accessible only through a maze of long-disused sewers, maintenance tunnels, and mailing tubes. If the Troubleshooters ask why this is so to any ZRK Sector natives, the respondent will roll his or her eyes, and explain, very painstakingly, how a little experiment conducted at R&D a couple of yearcycles ago resulted in the untimely demise of about 50% of the sector's inhabitants, as well as what has since been named "Spontaneous Sector Renewal" (SSR). To this daycycle, whenever R&D experiments go out of whack (which is quite often), ZRK Sector goes on "SSR Alert". ZRK Sector has also experienced quite a lot of dimensional instability since then, too, but that information is classified at Indigo security clearance (and is thus beyond the Troubleshooters' access). Don't worry, though; what the Troubleshooters don't know, won't hurt them - maybe.
As GM, feel free to make the journey to R&D as inconvenient as possible. Some suggestions to make the trip more interesting are presented on the random encounter table below. Roll on this table whenever you feel like it, and do not worry if you roll the same event twice in a row - you can insinuate to your players that the Troubleshooters might be lost, or they might have fallen into a closed time loop, or something else that sounds suitably deranged. If you have the DOA Sector Travelogue, it is strongly recommended that you use the Random Pipe Contents Table contained therein, over the course of this adventure. One final word - if the Troubleshooters are to receive any messages from their secret societies, they should receive them before they reach R&D. A list of possible messages will be provided at the end of this adventure.
ZRK Sector Random Encounter Table:
1-2 Troubleshooters find themselves in a maze of twisty passages - all alike. A couple of skeletons, dressed in Red jumpsuits, sag against a wall
3-4 Troubleshooters find themselves in a twisty maze of passages - all alike. Barring the Troubleshooters' way is a fearsome-looking, greenish-blue, scaly mutant (an irate troll), armed with a bloody, nasty-looking axe (skill 14, I12 damage). According to the troll's union regulations (Text Adventure Monsters Union, Local 1234), he is obligated to challenge the Troubleshooters to a duel before they are allowed to pass (he will explain this if they ask).
5-7 While wandering through a disused sewer tunnel, a group of six Commie traitors ambush the Troubleshooters. Three are armed with slugthrowers (skill 11, P7 - Solid slugs), and the others have Red laser pistols (skill 12, L8). They have no treasure.
8-10 Passing through what appears to be a long-disused corridor, the Troubleshooters encounter another Troubleshooter team! The six clones demand that the players clear the way so that they can finish their own mission, brandishing laser pistols and laser rifles (skill 11, L8 or L9) as added encouragement. You fill in the blanks as to what happens next.
11-13 Troubleshooters stumble into a forgotten PL&C form-filing centre. They must wander through a maze of long-neglected cubicles, empty water-coolers, and sparking flourescent lights. Scattered in various locations are the remains of forgotten PL&C staffers, and rusting scrubots. In the darker regions of this area, grues lurk about in search of fresh meat. It would be very unfortunate if the power were to go out at this point, given that grues are very dangerous, and they prefer pitch-black environments...
14-17 While passing through a maze-like section of corridors, the Troubleshooters emerge in an area where the ceiling is much higher, and a strange Yellow light beams down from overhead. The ceiling itself is Blue, with Ultraviolet patches. A large section of the floor appears to be covered by a Green carpet. Looming to the west of the Troubleshooters is a squarish Ultraviolet structure, whose upper portion tapers to a point from their perspective (though in fact it runs in a sort of triangular ridge north-south). There appears to be a door on the nearest side, but it is sealed with planks. Embedded in the ground near the Troubleshooters is a pole, on which is mounted a rectangular, silvery metal box, one end of which appears to be capable of opening. Opening the box reveals a leaflet, upon which is written, "Welcome to Paranoia! Paranoia is a game of treason, danger, and ignorance. In it you will explore some of the most Computer-sanctioned territory known to Citizens. No mission should be without it!"
18-20 While plodding along to R&D, the Troubleshooters come across a group of bots industriously dismantling an inoperative laser cannon. The bots have all gone frankenstein, and they are scrounging the area for the parts they need to build a super weapon. If the Troubleshooters do nothing, the bots will ignore them, but any signs of curiosity will be dealt with. There are two docbots (skill 4, I12 - surgical chainsaw), one scrubot (skill 7, I6 - abrasive scrubber), and two jackobots (skill 6, I3 - fists). The bots all have ALL2 armour.
Once the Troubleshooters begin to lose hope of ever reaching R&D, or you become satisfied that they have been cowed to your iron will, they will finally arrive at ZRK Sector R&D. Located in a dilapidated compound, this facility shows clear signs of having been blown up and rebuilt numerous times. Before they can do anything, the Troubleshooters are accosted by ten Green-clearance Vulture warriors, who demand that the intrepid clones state their business. Any sign of hesitation is met with judicious applications of neurowhips (skill 12, E10). Once the Troubleshooters have (hopefully) stated their business, the Vulture goons will escort them inside.
The inside of ZRK Sector R&D is much like any R&D facility elsewhere in Alpha Complex. It is big, filled with industrious (and mostly insane) R&D techs and scientists, and it vibrates every so often as a muffled explosion is heard somewhere in the building. Higher-clearance Troubleshooter teams can also be seen here, signing forms to gain possession of sleek, lethal-looking devices, and testing equipment that never seems to malfunction. Go ahead, raise the players' hopes that finally, they might receive R&D equipment that would be fun to test and perfectly safe. A Blue-clearance R&D tech (who is wearing a scorched and unreadable name tag) approaches them, who says:
"Ah! Just the clones we were looking for! You must be the latest batch to come to ZRK Sector, is that right? Doesn't matter. The Computer has sent the manifest up the line, and it looks like you're the ones. Come this way."
Let the Troubleshooters skip and dance with glee, visions of portable, institutionalised destruction dancing in their heads. It will soon be time to give them the cold shower of reality.
The R&D tech leads them down a blackened corridor, and into a small room, in which stands a long table. Piled on the table is a dazzling variety of fusion cannons, improved plasma generators, experimental grenades, and other devices. Just as the R&D tech pulls out the forms, and the players begin to salivate, the R&Der blinks, and says:
"Oops! This equipment is supposed to go to Troubleshooter Team 3.1415925; you're Troubleshooter Team 3.1415926! Clerical error - happens all the time. You're supposed to be in the next room. Follow me."
The now-disheartened (they should be, if you've done your job properly) Troubleshooters are led out of the room, along the hall for another six metres, and into another room, set up in exactly the same manner as the one before. Lying on the table are what appears to be a sword, a sack, and a metallic cylinder with a handle attached to it. Pulling out another form, the R&D tech says:
"Okay. Troubleshooter Team 3.1415926 is to receive the following:One Experimental Self-Articulated Cutting Implement, Mark 1.4, one Portable Multi-Dimensional Container, Mark 2.5, and one Self-Contained Portable Light Source, Mark 1.0. Team Leader, pick some of your Troubleshooters to sign for the equipment at the dispensary desk, by the main entrance. Have a good daycycle."
Before the Troubleshooters can do anything else, the R&D tech slips out the door, leaving them with the equipment. They should gather the items and head to the dispensary desk, but it is possible that infighting might erupt over who gets the items (or who does not have to take them). If they make any noise, the squad of ten Vulture goons will arrive to quiet them down, using neurowhips as above.
Assuming the Troubleshooters gather the gear and head to the dispensary desk, they are greeted by a surly Orange clone, by the name of Waste-O-TYM-3. Waste-O hates her job, and would rather be watching vidshows than issuing forms and supplemental R&D equipment to undeserving Troubleshooters (who just end up breaking it all, anyway, in her view). Without a word, she will hand out R&D Experimental Equipment Testing Report Forms (see the Paranoia Excessory Pack) to each Troubleshooter who wishes to sign for one of the three items, telling them in an exasperated tone that they must fill out the form properly before the end of the mission. In a hurried manner (as if suggesting that the Troubleshooters had better NOT have anything else to ask her), Waste-O asks them if there is anything else she can do for them.
Do the Troubleshooters remember that they have to pick up item 23.34/AA, as per their mission briefing? For their own sake, they should, or the Computer might start asking them interesting questions during their debriefing (such as "Citizens, why did you disobey your mission directives in such a flagrant manner?", followed by laser blasts and the smell of fried clone). If the Troubleshooters do remember, Waste-O will sigh loudly, and shuffle very slowly into the stockroom behind her desk. Hourcycles seem to pass, and she finally returns, bearing a grey metal box, measuring about half a metre on a side, which bears one large Yellow button on the top. Dumping it unceremoniously on the desk, Waste-O whips out another R&D Experimental Equipment Testing Report Form, and hands it to the nearest Troubleshooter. She then ignores them studiously.
The Troubleshooters should take the gear and get moving. If they dawdle, the Computer will call the Team Leader on his/her ComUnit, and ask how the mission is going, and whether they are having any problems getting to ZRK Sector Compnode 567.
R&D Equipment Descriptions:
Experimental Self-Articulated Cutting Implement, Mark 1.4
This is actually a regular sword, with technical equations inscribed along the blade to give it an aura of power. A little tag attached to it by a string indicates that it is supposed to glow a light Blue colour in the presence of Commie Mutant traitors - bright enough to provide illumination. In truth, the weapon has thermal sensors embedded in the hilt, which react to body heat. If anything warmer than 10 degrees Celsius is in contact with the hilt, the blade will start to glow. When glowing, it is bright enough to illuminate objects up to two metres away. This item is classified Blue clearance.
Portable Multi-Dimensional Container, Mark 2.5
This item is basically a sack, complete with a draw-string to seal it. Woven into the circuitry is an incredibly advanced version of the Transdimensional Collapsatron, this time modified to insert a miniature pocket dimension within the sack itself. Although the sack looks like it can hold about 20 kg, it can actually store up to... infinity. One unfortunate drawback is that, each daycycle (or whenever the GM feels like it), there is a 25% chance (or 5 in 20) that a random item stored within the sack will drift into a neighbouring dimension, due to instabilities in the time/space continuum inherent in the sack's composition. This could be very inconvenient if, say, a prized cone rifle were to "vanish" in this manner. This item is classified Green clearance.
Self-Contained Portable Light Source, Mark 1.0
This squarish, cylindrical item weighs about 3 kg, and measures half a metre tall. It is brown in colour, and appears to have plexiglas windows in all four sides. One of these windows can open. Inside the SCPLS is a small burner and wick, which is connected to a tiny jar containing lighter fluid. To operate the SCPLS, the user turns a little knob at the base of the device, and applies an open flame to the wick, which then lights. The SCPLS provides enough illumination to light an area 20 metres in diameter. There is enough fuel in the SCPLS to last about four hourcycles; no refills are provided. This item is classified Orange clearance.
Chapter 3 - Heading to ZRK Sector Compnode 567:
The easiest way for the Troubleshooters to find out how to get to the Compnode is simply to ask the Computer for the proper directions, which It will give happily. Somehow, Troubleshooters being what they are, this outcome does not appear likely to happen. Below are some possibilities, and how to get your players back on track (if you even want them to get to the Compnode - maybe you should just kill them off now...):
- A transbot is comandeered by the Troubleshooters, and ordered to take them there. There is a 50% chance that the transbot has the regional maps for this part of the sector within its memory banks. If it does not, it will take a meandering route to some isolated corner of ZRK Sector (this takes as long as you want), eject the Troubleshooters, and roar away into the distance before they can shoot it.
- The Troubleshooters call in favours from their Secret Societies. Most Secret Societies, given enough time, will be able to locate the Compnode for the Troubleshooters, but in doing so they will demand some sort of repayment - in terms of added Secret Society missions most likely - in the near future.
- The Troubleshooters use one of the public terminals to try to locate the Compnode. Sifting through the Sector's information database will take 1-4 (1d20/5, rounding off as necessary) hours, and will require a successful, halved Data Search skill check. Feel free to use a failed check as an excuse to send the Troubleshooters on another wild excursion to nowhere, possibly reusing the ZRK Sector Random Encounter Table.
- The Troubleshooters ask a random Citizen. This is a little uncertain - if the Citizen in question is of equal or lower clearance to the highest-ranking Troubleshooter, they may be more receptive to questioning (or alternatively, they may respond a bit better to intimidation). If the Citizen is of higher clearance, they will not respond nearly as well to intimidation (add a -1 penalty to all intimidation rolls for every security clearance level possessed by the questioned Citizen in excess of those possessed by the questioner). They could, in fact, become downright violent. If this is the case, choose a weapon of equal security clearance to the questioned Citizen, and give them a skill level of at least 10. In either case, each questioned Citizen has a base chance of 2 in 20 (or 10%) of knowing where Compnode 567 is located. For every level of security clearance above Red, add another 1 (or 5%) to that chance, such that an Orange Citizen, for example, would have a 3 in 20 chance of knowing.
GMs should feel free to devise other perverse ways to lead the Troubleshooters astray, should they fail to take the path of least resistance, and contact the Computer for assistance. For good measure, assign each of them one treason point if they fail to contact the Computer - for not following proper Troubleshooter procedures. That'll show them who's boss.
ZRK Sector Compnode 567:https://preview.redd.it/v92ckocxwsb81.jpg?width=770&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=175d2044516fcfed8d5722266065d2162d3f95e6
Compnode 567 is located at the junction of no less than seven long-disused corridors in the nether regions of ZRK Sector. This Compnode is actually part of the Computer's network of backup systems - should Our Friend ever catch a virus, or "die" for whatever reason, the 500-series of Compnodes would activate, and reboot the Computer before any commie mutant insurgencies made any headway against the beleaguered defenders of Alpha Complex. As such, this Compnode, and the other 99 like it, are part of a closed system (they have been since Alpha Complex was first built). Although they are currently inactive, there are programmes within the 500-series Compnodes that are responsible for overseeing and maintaining the delicate circuitry of the whole system, and these possess rudimentary personalities. Because they form part of a backup system, they think of themselves as "the Computer", but many of the core files contained within the Computer itself (such as the names of the Citizens of Alpha Complex, definitions of communism, mutants, clones, or treason) are absent. One more thing - due to the strategic importance of this region of the Complex, all radio communications between it and the rest of Alpha Complex are jammed, to aid in preventing tampering. Should the Troubleshooters try to contact the Computer during their stay here, Compnode 567 will answer. This could be interesting:
Troubleshooter: Friend Computer!
Compnode 567: Yes, unnamed entity? Please provide your designation. Thank you.
Troubleshooter: Friend Computer, we are being attacked by commie hordes! Save us!
Compnode 567: That does not compute. Please define "commie". Please provide your designation. Thank you.
Troubleshooter: You know, commies! Evil clones bent on destroying Alpha Complex! Carriers of foul propa-ZAPZAPZAP-aaaaargh! *thud*
Compnode 567: No designation provided, logic cell error #53. Unnamed entity, please define "clones", "commies", and "propa-aaaaargh". Thank you.
GM Note: When roleplaying Compnode 567, speak in a toneless, grammatically precise voice. Pause for a few seconds between sentences, as though each phrase spoken had been evaluated and analysed very carefully beforehand. Compnode 567 will ask about any word that seems obscure, or have multiple meanings, and any requests made by the Troubleshooters will be taken literally. Mind you, the Compnode cannot really do all that much for them, anyway.
When the Troubleshooters arrive at the Compnode, they see a scene of utter neglect. The dominant impression they will receive is one of dustiness - almost as if the place has not been swept in yearcycles (it hasn't)! In fact, this portion of ZRK Sector seems to have never been visited before. As they walk about, dust clouds bloom at their feet, and slowly settle once more. Adding to the sense of neglect is the utter silence of the place - the dust muffles the Troubleshooters' footsteps, and the overbearing feeling of abandonment seems to swallow their words as they speak. They could be attacked out here, and no clone would hear them....
Pipes of varying sizes and security clearances festoon the walls, running off into the darkness. Every so often, the sounds of rushing fluids, gasses, or small solid objects (perhaps ball bearings - by the sound of it) can be heard from one or more of them. Overhead, the fluorescent lighting flickers every so often, as though the power supplied to this portion of the sector is sporadic at best. Dominating this corridor junction, however, is what looks like a small building of sorts. On one side of this building is a grimy Blue door, upon which (barely readable due to the accumulated dust) stencilled lettering reads, "Compnode 567 - ZRK Sector".
If the Troubleshooters remember their orders, they were told to wait here until Trans-I-STR-5 arrives to test item 23.34/AA (they do have the aforementioned item, do they not? They better hope so...). They could be here a long time. A very long time. Don't forget to emphasise once more how isolated they are out here, and how eerily quiet it is. Surely, Troubleshooters being what they are, they will not stand around idly for long. Below are brief descriptions of the various points of interest in the immediate area, and what might happen if (when) the Troubleshooters snoop around too much. A map is included at the end of this adventure.
1. Other corridors: The Troubleshooters came down one corridors, but there are six others to explore. Refer to the map that accompanies this adventure, and you will note that each corridor is labelled with a letter. Each corridor is described below:
A: This dark, unlit Infrared corridor continues off the map for about 2 km, and ends in a pile of rubble. Nestled behind piles of debris along the way are several packs of grues, who will not make their presence known unless the Troubleshooters' light sources happen to fail at an inopportune moment.
B: This is the Red corridor used by the Troubleshooters to come here.
C: This corridor (unlike the junction, which is coded Red) is Orange, and leads (after a distance of about 30 metres) to a filthy washroom. None of the toilets or sinks work.
D: This Red corridor proceeds for about five metres, before ending in an immovable pile of rubble.
E: This Yellow corridor continues for about 20 metres, before abruptly turning left, and leading, after another 30 metres, into an abandoned transtube station. There is no power in this room, and aside from the electrical rails leading out of the station into an even deeper gloom, there are two dusty transtube railcars. A close inspection will reveal that much of the wiring in the station has been pulled out, and all of the terminals have been smashed. Troubleshooters will hear scurrying sounds just beyond the range of their flashlights (or the Self-Contained Portable Light Source, Mark 1.0) - these are several packs of hungry grues and other monstrosities (some of whom come from DND Sector), who are just waiting for the lights to go out...
F: This Red corridor continues for about five metres before ending at a pair of large Red doors, above which is mounted an automatic security laser (nonfunctional - but it looks like it works). Set into the wall on the right-hand side of the doors is a single Red button - presumably to open the doors. Pressing the button does nothing (the power to the doors' circuitry is off), but the doors may be opened by two clones who make quartered Strength rolls. Inside is a narrow, dusty Red corridor that turns to the right, and leads into a small, dark room containing five inactive scrubots - all blanketed with dust. Any Troubleshooter may try to activate the scrubots with a successful quartered Scrubot Operation & Maintenance skill roll. If activated, the scrubots will sputter and trundle around in circles on their treads, bumping into each other and anyone else standing in their way. Once they get their bearings, the scrubots will push pust the clones, and proceed to give the Compnode its first cleaning. Devious Corpore Metallers who are skilled in bot operation and maintenance might try to remove these scrubots' Asimov circuits - let them. It should make things more interesting.
G: This brightly-lit, scorched Red corridor stretches off into the distance - as far as the Troubleshooters can see. Should they proceed along it, describe how nice it is to be walking in a well-lit corridor for a change, how the disturbing noises heard elsewhere - of unnamed horrors crawling about in the darkness - are mercifully absent. It's so peaceful; not a care in Alpha Complex. Roll a secret halved Moxie check for those Troubleshooters who are carefully looking about (their players must mention this specifically) - if the check is successful, let them know privately that the corridor appears to be sloping downwards, and the temperature is getting a bit warmer. Those Troubleshooters who continue along the corridor will, after more time passes, notice without a doubt that the temperature is rising. If any of them continue down the corridor, it gets steeper and steeper, until each of them must make a halved Agility roll every round just to stay on their feet. If any of them fail even one check (including those who wish to turn back), they will fall down, and start sliding rapidly down the corridor. None of them (aside from using relevant mutations such as levitation or teleportation) will be able to escape the descent, and after several fear-filled minutes, they will slide into a cavernous room, off a ramp, and into the gigantic reactor below, which powers the surrounding sectors.
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