Fostering Paranoia

[apseudo]

For my next episode I am planning something a bit different. I wanted to try a locked room scenario where tension and paranoia drive the characters, as in 'Edge of Destruction' or 'Midnight'. There will be a few NPCs for fodder and I was toying with the idea of locking them in with the knowledge that someone is a traitor. Originally, I was planning on a Rutan infiltrator attempting to take over the planetary defenses and turn them on the Sontarans as they attempted to invade. Now I'm leaning toward a more classic possession type monster, but I'm not entirely sold on it. Anyway, it is the atmosphere which I feel is important and should be the real 'monster'.

As such, I was thinking of using notes to parcel out information and divide the PCs. The plan was to announce, when the doors clang shut, that I will be communicating certain things through notes. They cannot share their notes with any of the others, unless specifically given leave to on the note in question. I figure most of the notes will pertain to the traitor's identity, though I plan to throw in a few that are pointless, but timed to make the receiving PC look guilty.

I was wondering if anyone has run a similar idea, run a game using notes, or if anyone simply has suggestions on how this may run more smoothly? Of course, any thoughts on the idea at all are most welcome.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Going for paranoia among the players is tricky - rather than the characters, where you give them a resolve roll and the one that gets lowest is told "you're now paranoid!"

First, I'd make sure everybody's cool with playing paranoid out-of-character actions before going for it, some players migth not be keen, and others might not be that good at keeping secrets.

Will the possessing/imitating being actually possess/imitate a PC? If so, to borrow a piece of advice from a long-lost RPG, give the role to the sharpest player you have. One who'll do well at avoiding and diverting suspicion - and also be ready to let clues out for the final reveal. If the monster can jump from body to body, discuss the plan for the possession/imitation with the player whose PC will be possessed/imitated most, and maybe (separately or together) with a player whose PC might get taken over, as backup.

Discuss this with the player(s) beforehand - before the session, not just away from the table. Giving them more notes and sneaking off for one-on-one discussions during the session itself will really alert people.

So naturally, borrowing a trick from the Paranoia RPG, you should give everybody notes, some relevant and some not, and discuss things with everybody, away from the table and out of earshot. (Paranoia sets this up so that every PC has a couple of deadly secrets...)

Even if none of the PCs actually get taken over or replaced by the monster, do some of the note-passing and quick side conferences anyway, just to make the players think you might have put a wolf in the fold...

[apseudo]

Thanks for the ideas. I realized this would be tricky, but worth trying as I'm fortunate enough to have a good group of experienced players. This is the first game I've felt like GMing and that was largely due to the breadth of scenarios possible.

Also, thank you for steering me toward Paranoia. It seems it will be rather helpful.