misterharry
Dominus Tempus
Dalek Caan's Lovechild
Posts: 3,246
Favourite Doctors: Second, Third, Fourth, Eleventh, Thirteenth
Traits: Empathic, Face in the Crowd, Insatiable Curiosity, Stubborn, Phobia (Heights), Unadventurous
|
Post by misterharry on Apr 11, 2017 10:49:03 GMT
Another episode so soon? Excellent! And a classic Base Under Siege to boot!
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Apr 11, 2017 21:06:23 GMT
Another episode so soon? Excellent! And a classic Base Under Siege to boot! Yeah. Ice Warriors? Base under siege? This one was right out of the Second Doctor's era!
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Jun 19, 2017 13:51:43 GMT
Ominous warnings came to pass in the Lost Doctor's second series finale... "The Starmind"The Starmind is the most advanced artificial sun ever created, a nuclear furnace possessing limitless energy and a brilliant artificial intelligence. The Starmind is powerful, adaptive, intent—and it has gone mad! Aboard a Viyran command ship, the Doctor, Riddell, and Flo learn the incredible history of this marvel of stellar engineering as they desperately attempt to outrun it. Its intentions are ominous and its target is clear, for the rogue sun is on a direct course for the Shadow Proclamation—stronghold of justice, hallowed font of galactic law, and the foremost repository of strategic information regarding countless civilizations.
Upon reaching the Shadow Proclamation’s base of operations in the heart of an asteroid field, the Doctor witnesses a most innovative invasion. A new star takes its place in the heavens and begins its slow takeover of the base’s photonic computer systems using nothing more than the pervasive, relentless power of sunlight. Soon, the unparalleled defences of the galaxy’s greatest law enforcement agency are turned against them, and the resulting chaos leads the Doctor and his companions to uncover inconvenient truths. There is a dark side to the justice of the Shadow Architects, and the Doctor will have to expose their secrets if he hopes to use the dark to overcome the light.Those who have read about Doctor Who's lost stories will recognize the set-up. I based this adventure on an unproduced script that Marc Platt submitted to script editor Robert Holmes in 1975, during the Fourth Doctor's era. "The Fires of the Starmind" would have seen an intelligent sun invading Gallifrey via their libraries, which store information using photons and glass. I thought this was a brilliant idea for a story. For a number of reasons, I transferred the action from Gallifrey to the Shadow Proclamation. This proved to add an extra dimension of drama as our TARDIS team now includes Flo, the outcast Judoon, who encountered some friction with the Judoon Police. I also brought back the Viyrans as our enigmatic recurring allies. There was a lot of technobabble driving this one, however, and I fear that the action flagged in a few places. As a gamemaster, this was a lesson for me. I didn't achieve the dramatic balance necessary for these kinds of adventures, and the story suffered as a result. I'll be more careful in future original modules. A teaser story, episode guide entry, and artwork have been posted for the adventure. When the Dark Dimension campaign continues, Richard E Grant's Nth Doctor will return for four brand new adventures with a new companion! Stay tuned.
|
|
|
Post by olegrand on Jun 19, 2017 16:32:16 GMT
Ominous warnings came to pass in the Lost Doctor's second series finale... When the Dark Dimension campaign continues, Richard E Grant's Nth Doctor will return for four brand new adventures with a new companion! Stay tuned. Hadn't he regenerated into Jeremy Brett or did I get lost somewhere between dimensions?
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Jun 20, 2017 14:34:48 GMT
Hadn't he regenerated into Jeremy Brett or did I get lost somewhere between dimensions? No, you're absolute right. Richard E Grant regenerated into Jeremy Brett. Once we've introduced a new Doctor to the campaign, however, we'll often alternate between them. Think of our next few adventures as the "lost adventures" of the Nth Doctor. They'll break the chronological order of things and take place earlier in the Nth Doctor's timeline (probably following "Planet of Ghosts," but before "Scream of the Shalka"). Our intention is to, eventually, introduce a unique original Doctor for each of the players in our campaign. Then, we'll alternate between them, a bit like Big Finish does. This will allow everyone an opportunity to play the Doctor, create a companion, and serve as GM.
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Aug 7, 2017 19:15:24 GMT
Our look at the untold stories of the Nth Doctor era began with a minisode... "The Vintner's Luck"Orizrekit’Gehm knows wine. Hailing from the ocean world of Adrilia, the seasoned vintner is heir to the renowned Gehm family winery, and a lifetime of cultivation has earned her a prestigious position as chief winemaker and sommelier aboard the famed luxury starliner Dionysus . Ori is a particular kind of connoisseur and so, she recognizes, is the strange, pale-faced passenger they call the Doctor. He strolls the liner’s self-contained vineyards as if he owns them, and his knowledge of variety and vintage is seemingly boundless. Ori is intrigued by this unusual man and, in a bid to impress him, she ventures into the depths of the Dionysus wine cellars to retrieve a rare bottle of Taurasi 178. Instead, she finds a raving metal monster that threatens her with extermination! In the fire and chaos that follow, she learns the truth about this stimulating stranger. The Doctor is experienced and discerning, a veritable virtuoso, but danger follows in his footsteps, and adrenaline is the vintage he knows best.This short adventure provided a means of introducing the Doctor to his newest companion. An alien vintner, Ori was designed by Erin as the perfect traveling companion for the Nth Doctor. This minisode was designed to reveal her detailed backstory and her various talents. Given this setup, we had Erin write the teaser story for the very first time, and she did a marvelous job. Much to my surprise, our game master, Adam, pitted us against a Dalek, and there were tantalizing hints of things to come. The Dalek was single-minded in its demands: "The Doctor will reveal the location of the artifact or his companion will be exterminated! The Doctor will deliver the artifact to the Daleks, it is foretold!" What is the artifact? What is the nature of this Dalek prophecy? Time will tell. Clearly, we've got an exciting series ahead of us! The teaser story, episode guide entry, and artwork have been posted for the adventure. A character sheet for Ori is coming soon.
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Sept 15, 2017 13:52:18 GMT
The Doctor--the original, you might say--unexpectedly returned to challenge an old foe in our latest adventure... "Empire of the Rani" The TARDIS comes to ground in ancient Rome and is rendered powerless, stranding Ori and the Doctor in a landscape of disturbing anachronisms. They escape from a sealed tomb to find the skyline of the imperial capital broken by the startling shapes of smokestacks and electrical towers, and a majestic airship looms above the Colosseum. The so-called Romano-Egyptian Dominion is in the throes of an age of rapid and dangerous transformation, all thanks to the prophecy and divine guidance granted by a mysterious oracle. Unravelling the origin of this demented alternate history, the wayward travellers become embroiled in a dangerous game of politics and deceit, a contest that pits brother against brother against sister as the children of Cleopatra—Cleopatra Selene, Alexander Helios, and Ptolemy Caesar—compete for control of an empire on the verge of developing weapons capable of destroying their world.
Convincing the triumvirate to trust the Doctor won’t be easy, for he has been afflicted by dangerous transformations of his own and grows more unstable with each moment spent in this twisted timeline. In unexpected bursts of elemental energy, the Doctor is regenerating, regressing through past incarnations! As the Time Lord is transformed from wide-eyed bohemian to whimsical tramp to crotchety old man, an overwhelmed Ori comes to see that no one is as they seem, least of all Cleopatra Selene, for behind the guise of this wicked queen schemes one of the Doctor’s oldest and most unpredictable enemies. The earthbound Rani has been waiting for the Doctor to return to the era of the Roman Empire, and she intends to make the most of her revenge!
Does anyone recognize this plot? Adam adapted the adventure from the Virgin Missing Adventures novel State of Change by Christopher Bulis. It was a thoroughly entertaining setup. The alternate history setting was both detailed and immersive, particularly given the prominent role played by the triumvirate: Cleopatra Selene, Alexander Helios, and Ptolemy Caesar. The Rani was revealed as the villain behind it all and, despite the warning signs, we didn't see it coming! (The Rani was last seen in Roman Britain in "The Origin of Evil.") Greatest of all, of course, is the fact that I had the opportunity to roleplay not one, not two, not three, but four Doctors! We knew we were in store for something unexpected and wonderful when the Doctor began to glow with golden regeneration energy early in the adventure. Then the game master made me roll an eight-sided die. Little did I know that the outcome of that roll would determine my form in the wake of the regeneration! I first rolled a two, and the Nth Doctor was transformed into the Second Doctor. ("Oh, my giddy aunt," etc., etc.) Later came the Fourth Doctor and, eventually, the First Doctor. It was the First Doctor who carried us through the second half of the adventure and confronted the Rani at the climax aboard a lavish airship in the skies above Rome. Given my affection for the character, I had great fun. Thrills! Chills! Twists! And laughter! All in all, it was everything you could ask for in a Doctor Who roleplaying game. As always, a teaser, episode guide entry, and fresh artwork have been posted for the adventure.
|
|
|
Post by CountClockwise on Sept 15, 2017 15:30:00 GMT
I just recently found your blog and I absolutely adore it all, especially the big finish covers. I like how you've managed to adapt first adventures and then expanded universe stories and weaved it into a series with it's own identity. This got me wondering, when you're adapting these adventures both from modules and expanded universe, how do you approach it? How do you go about making changes to the source material and with regards to expanded universe stories, how do you cover things up so nerds who know these stories don't get spoiled? I've toyed with similar ideas to your blog with novel style covers so as to be similar but legally distinct from you. Keep up the good work
|
|
DamagedGoods
2nd Incarnation
Posts: 10
Favourite Doctors: Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eleventh, Twelfth
|
Post by DamagedGoods on Sept 16, 2017 15:37:03 GMT
I like how you've managed to adapt first adventures and then expanded universe stories and weaved it into a series with its own identity. This got me wondering, when you're adapting these adventures both from modules and expanded universe, how do you approach it? How do you go about making changes to the source material and with regards to expanded universe stories, how do you cover things up so nerds who know these stories don't get spoiled? I don't have any creative talents to bring to bear to the blog other than on some of the teasers; that visual branding is all Hedgewick's work, although I'm sure he'll agree that any form of imitation is a wonderful form of flattery! I can remark on how I've approached adapting novels and pre-written modules for the campaign, though, as that's something I've done a few times now—and with more planned for the future! For the modules, we've carefully divided these between the GMs in advance so that no-one accidentally reads a module they may end up playing in the future. With the novels, I've found it a painstaking but valuable and enjoyable task to read and then adapt them. With so much material out there, a lot of it out of print, and given a fair idea as to what each of us owns and has read, spoilers haven't been too much of a concern yet. It's certainly a consideration, though, and so I do tend towards the more obscure novels. I tend to keep the title under wraps until either during or after the game has played out, too—whether or not I've changed it—although that's mostly as they are often quite on-the-nose. When it comes to making changes to the source material, I have a lot of fun working out these adaptations and will tend to play fairly fast and loose with he source material. In the case of "State of Change"—which became "Empire of the Rani" in this iteration—there was an awful lot of the story that didn't involve The Sixth Doctor or Peri and didn't feel crucial to an adventure centred around The Doctor(s) and his companion, so it was a fairly straightforward decision to excise large chunks of the book. Bizarrely, I'd selected the novel largely for its setting in Ancient Rome with the full intention of inserting The Rani into proceedings... only for her to show up anyway! That was a happy coincidence, and made for a satisfying reading experience given I didn't know she featured. I will tend to note key scenes or sequences as I read, including dialogue or description to read out verbatim, and try to retain the core of the story whilst also considering and allowing for the narrative to take a completely different shape and ending from the original material. That was very much the case in this instance, and should help to ensure a less forced gameplay experience for the players within which they have much more agency. So far as the broader campaign is concerned, I will approach each "season" of four scenarios with a particular arc in mind, and will select from the pool of potential scenarios and novels I have to help create that arc. For instance, when it comes to our recurring villains the Divinity, I have been able to insert references to them or to add them wholesale to other stories in ways that doesn't destroy the original narrative but re-purposes it to a lesser or greater degree. That was the case in this adventure with a mere link between them and Iam that befitted their broader plan, whilst I replaced the villains of "Twilight of the Gods" (also by Christopher Bulis) wholesale with the Divinity and had them appear directly on that occasion. Some additions, edits, or references added to one scenario may pay off later in the season or even in a future season, which all helps add to the sense of a larger narrative. That world-building and the collaborative storytelling is the real joy of our campaign for me, creating our very own Doctor Who timeline to a fashion. In the canonical universe, of course the Eighth Doctor became the War Doctor, whist in ours he became another dark-ish iteration in the form of Richard E. Grant's Nth Doctor, then regenerated into Jeremy Brett's Lost Doctor as my own casting choice. It's a fun creative journey, it's great to hear you're enjoying following it, CountClockwise, and do have fun creating your own! It'd be great to hear more about that.
|
|
|
Post by CountClockwise on Sept 16, 2017 16:45:37 GMT
I like how you've managed to adapt first adventures and then expanded universe stories and weaved it into a series with its own identity. This got me wondering, when you're adapting these adventures both from modules and expanded universe, how do you approach it? How do you go about making changes to the source material and with regards to expanded universe stories, how do you cover things up so nerds who know these stories don't get spoiled? I don't have any creative talents to bring to bear to the blog other than on some of the teasers; that visual branding is all Hedgewick 's work, although I'm sure he'll agree that any form of imitation is a wonderful form of flattery! I can remark on how I've approached adapting novels and pre-written modules for the campaign, though, as that's something I've done a few times now—and with more planned for the future! For the modules, we've carefully divided these between the GMs in advance so that no-one accidentally reads a module they may end up playing in the future. With the novels, I've found it a painstaking but valuable and enjoyable task to read and then adapt them. With so much material out there, a lot of it out of print, and given a fair idea as to what each of us owns and has read, spoilers haven't been too much of a concern yet. It's certainly a consideration, though, and so I do tend towards the more obscure novels. I tend to keep the title under wraps until either during or after the game has played out, too—whether or not I've changed it—although that's mostly as they are often quite on-the-nose. When it comes to making changes to the source material, I have a lot of fun working out these adaptations and will tend to play fairly fast and loose with he source material. In the case of "State of Change"—which became "Empire of the Rani" in this iteration—there was an awful lot of the story that didn't involve The Sixth Doctor or Peri and didn't feel crucial to an adventure centred around The Doctor(s) and his companion, so it was a fairly straightforward decision to excise large chunks of the book. Bizarrely, I'd selected the novel largely for its setting in Ancient Rome with the full intention of inserting The Rani into proceedings... only for her to show up anyway! That was a happy coincidence, and made for a satisfying reading experience given I didn't know she featured. I will tend to note key scenes or sequences as I read, including dialogue or description to read out verbatim, and try to retain the core of the story whilst also considering and allowing for the narrative to take a completely different shape and ending from the original material. That was very much the case in this instance, and should help to ensure a less forced gameplay experience for the players within which they have much more agency. So far as the broader campaign is concerned, I will approach each "season" of four scenarios with a particular arc in mind, and will select from the pool of potential scenarios and novels I have to help create that arc. For instance, when it comes to our recurring villains the Divinity, I have been able to insert references to them or to add them wholesale to other stories in ways that doesn't destroy the original narrative but re-purposes it to a lesser or greater degree. That was the case in this adventure with a mere link between them and Iam that befitted their broader plan, whilst I replaced the villains of "Twilight of the Gods" (also by Christopher Bulis) wholesale with the Divinity and had them appear directly on that occasion. Some additions, edits, or references added to one scenario may pay off later in the season or even in a future season, which all helps add to the sense of a larger narrative. That world-building and the collaborative storytelling is the real joy of our campaign for me, creating our very own Doctor Who timeline to a fashion. In the canonical universe, of course the Eighth Doctor became the War Doctor, whist in ours he became another dark-ish iteration in the form of Richard E. Grant's Nth Doctor, then regenerated into Jeremy Brett's Lost Doctor as my own casting choice. It's a fun creative journey, it's great to hear you're enjoying following it, CountClockwise , and do have fun creating your own! It'd be great to hear more about that. Thank you for taking your time to write this long response to my praise. In the last campaign I ran, I adapted Judoom! from the 10th Doctor Core Set whilst every other adventure was original content. I managed to include some elements from the season arc, including two supporting characters from a pervious adventure turning up in a prison cell. When they first met, they were helpful scientists from the 24th century and they turned up again as brainwashed cultists that killed themselves in front of the TARDIS crew to deliver a message to them. After the main body of the adventure, the Doctor had an extended text conversation with the (as yet unrevealed) female Master through his Psychic Paper. It was a lot of fun overall even if we did accidently have 2 electrical creatures almost back to back in separate adventures.
I am quite inspired, especially by the rotating GMs and now that you're going back and doing 'missing' doctor adventures that gave me an idea. I was thinking of doing a campaign titled 'Doctor Who: The Alternate Adventures' with perhaps a companion one shot style game 'Doctor Who: The Alternate Missing Adventures'. It would take place in an entirely separate continuity with an original doctors with the present doctor being this universe's 8th Incarnation with the missing adventures exploring earlier original incarnations. It's just an idea at this stage but hopefully when my time frees up a bit, I can sort my homebrew content out and get to work on the actual game.
Even though I consider myself quite imaginative, there's still that self doubt that I don't compare to other doctor who writers. I know it's only a roleplaying game for fun with friends but even so I want to give it my best. My other concerns are about getting everyone on the same page with regards to setting and characterization (a problem the virgin new adventures had early on in their run).
If I could find someone who can do BBC novel style cover art (or suddenly get really good at drawing) that'd be great but I don't think it'd be essential. I tend to overextend myself, especially as a relatively new GM but I still want to make an effort to one day make a truly epic campaign. Thank you very much for the advice and I look forward to hearing from your group in the future
|
|
DamagedGoods
2nd Incarnation
Posts: 10
Favourite Doctors: Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eleventh, Twelfth
|
Post by DamagedGoods on Sept 16, 2017 17:48:00 GMT
Thank you for taking your time to write this long response to my praise. In the last campaign I ran, I adapted Judoom! from the 10th Doctor Core Set whilst every other adventure was original content. I managed to include some elements from the season arc, including two supporting characters from a pervious adventure turning up in a prison cell. When they first met, they were helpful scientists from the 24th century and they turned up again as brainwashed cultists that killed themselves in front of the TARDIS crew to deliver a message to them. After the main body of the adventure, the Doctor had an extended text conversation with the (as yet unrevealed) female Master through his Psychic Paper. It was a lot of fun overall even if we did accidently have 2 electrical creatures almost back to back in separate adventures. I am quite inspired, especially by the rotating GMs and now that you're going back and doing 'missing' doctor adventures that gave me an idea. I was thinking of doing a campaign titled 'Doctor Who: The Alternate Adventures' with perhaps a companion one shot style game 'Doctor Who: The Alternate Missing Adventures'. It would take place in an entirely separate continuity with an original doctors with the present doctor being this universe's 8th Incarnation with the missing adventures exploring earlier original incarnations. It's just an idea at this stage but hopefully when my time frees up a bit, I can sort my homebrew content out and get to work on the actual game. You're very welcome, and thanks again for the interest. This sounds like a great basis for your own campaign, and I'm sure given sufficient time to mull it over further you'd be able to craft something great on that basis. It's time—perhaps fittingly!—that often works against me, as I have to find a balance between setting aside the requisite hours to craft something that will be fun and satisfying to play with the many other competing demands that life throws at me. Even though I consider myself quite imaginative, there's still that self doubt that I don't compare to other doctor who writers. I know it's only a roleplaying game for fun with friends but even so I want to give it my best. My other concerns are about getting everyone on the same page with regards to setting and characterization (a problem the virgin new adventures had early on in their run). If I could find someone who can do BBC novel style cover art (or suddenly get really good at drawing) that'd be great but I don't think it'd be essential. I tend to overextend myself, especially as a relatively new GM but I still want to make an effort to one day make a truly epic campaign. Thank you very much for the advice and I look forward to hearing from your group in the future Self-doubt is fine to a point as I think that can help you constantly reach for a higher standard, although it can become self-defeating. You're right to call out that this is gaming as opposed to crafting a carefully choreographed television series, of course, as in so many ways the two can never be equals. But, if you push yourself to always do better than the time before, learn from what works and what doesn't, and if your players rise to the same challenge as they play your campaign, I'm sure you'll find you can create something quite special. Also, don't think for a moment that everything we do necessarily works quite as we might've intended it; we'll often reflect together—non-judgmentally, of course—on what was the most satisfying and what was less so after each game, and we'll always use that feedback loop to seek to improve next time around. Shifting GMs helps me in that regard, too, as I have certainly learned a lot from Hedgewick 's seasons to date and that has encouraged me to raise my own game! As with anything creative, ultimately GM-ing is a craft and one that therefore improves the more you do it. I think it's also a useful learning experience for storytelling in general, too, and I very much enjoy that aspect of RPGs. Above all, I'd say to try not to give yourself a hard time even whilst being self-critical so as to get better and better, and to enjoy the ride. I look forward to hearing how your Alternate and Alternate Missing Adventures campaign goes!
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Oct 18, 2017 14:22:14 GMT
The Doctor and Ori faced trouble in the Old West in our latest adventure... "The Age of Prosperity"The men and women of Prosperity live their lives in the shadow of Sentinel Mountain. Its mines once drew prospectors from across the American west, but the gold has long since petered out, and the hopes and dreams of the people have gone with it. During a visit to the Gold Nugget saloon, the Doctor and Ori learn that the townsfolk are quick to forget their troubles. Their greed for gold has been swapped for a thirst brought on by a snake oil salesman’s promises of health and vitality. And though the Comanches warn of a beast that stalks the nearby hills, the end of gold mining has not brought an end to visits to the mines. Determined to uncover the truth, the Doctor and his companion engage in some prospecting of their own. Together, they learn there are primeval secrets concealed within the caves of Sentinel Mountain, secrets that could mean an end to mankind’s own age of prosperity on Earth!The Doctor, the Master, Ori, and a captive Rani are engaged in a quest throughout Earth's history in search of the Divinity. As a result, each of the stories this season is destined to be set on Earth. In this case, the TARDIS landed in the American West. Many of you will recognize the module, as this is one of Cubicle 7's releases. The story is a lot of fun, and it unfolded in an interesting fashion. Much of the mystery--and many of the clues--remained obscured until the Doctor and Ori made for the abandoned mines of Sentinel Mountain. At that point, thanks to some clever work by the game master, the two of them chose to split up in classic Doctor Who fashion. The remainder of the adventure was a battle fought on two fronts, with the Doctor facing an apocalyptic plot deep inside the mountain while Ori confronted the enigmatic Doc Porter and a tribe of Comanches in the hills beyond. Everyone had an important role to play, and all the talk of history and prophecy tied in nicely with the dominant themes of the season. There was also an emotionally-resonant ending, during which a morose, grief-stricken Nth Doctor convinced himself that Ori had died as a result of his actions. Needless to say, he had quite the reaction when he discovered that she was alive. (In playing this out, I couldn't help but be inspired by the classics: Watson discovering Holmes lives in "The Empty House," or Spock learning that Kirk lives in "Amok Time.") A teaser story, episode guide entry, and artwork have been posted for the adventure. A character sheet for Ori has also been posted.
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Jan 11, 2018 19:37:43 GMT
The Doctor could hardly have suspected that he would find his greatest enemy when he went in search of... "The Atlantean"On Baker Street in December of 1885, the Doctor introduces Ori to the joys of Christmas in Victorian London, but the two find there is little hope for peace on Earth. A brutal murder has struck down a member of Parliament, Sir Reginald Carruthers, and the Doctor’s investigation into the circumstances surrounding the high profile killing uncovers more extraordinary crimes. The dead man was involved in a black market connecting Marylebone and Limehouse, an underground network trafficking otherworldly artefacts to London’s elite. Another of the buyers, the eccentric Colonel Malcolm Fraser, believes these dangerous and powerful objects support his outlandish theories concerning the lost city of Atlantis. What’s more, he claims the artefacts have led him to make contact with an Atlantean!
The Doctor is sceptical of Fraser’s fantastic story until he chases down a cloaked, ethereal figure in a snow-strewn alley—a herald angel, a ghost of things to come. Recognizing this ghastly creature for what it truly is, he realizes that the truth of these events is more terrible and frightening than the likes of Carruthers or Fraser could ever have suspected. The course of human history is being threatened by the introduction of anachronistic alien artefacts, but there are those who will make every effort to ensure that mankind is not diverted from its predestined path. None are more invested in preserving the history of humankind than the Divinity. After all, it is a history that they have spent millennia remaking in their image.
Set during the Christmas season and played on New Year's Eve, this was a festive game. The Doctor and his companions have been engaged in a quest throughout Earth's history in search of the Divinity, the recurring villains of our campaign. Amid the snow and fog of Victorian London, they found them! This was an exciting episode. The adventure is based on an old FASA module for the Doctor Who Role Playing Game, but Adam made some significant and quite clever revisions that incorporated the narrative into our developing mythology. Interestingly, the Doctor and the Divinity shared a common goal here, though the Doctor did his best to resist their efforts. In the end, he was powerless to stop them from handling things their way, and the Divinity delivered a chilling prophecy of things to come. The end has been foretold. The Doctor will have his final showdown with these angels of damnation in the far-flung future. We're set for an epic finale to the season. A teaser story, episode guide entry, and artwork have been posted for the adventure.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2018 19:41:28 GMT
Ah, you can't beat the fogbound streets of Victorian London. Always makes a good setting.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
|
Post by Catsmate on Jan 12, 2018 15:45:33 GMT
Ah, you can't beat the fogbound streets of Victorian London. Always makes a good setting. Or indeed Dublin. Terrible fog here yesterday and combined with the building light by the river it was downright spooky.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2018 17:45:29 GMT
Damn, now I want to see/run an adventure set in Fogbound Dublin.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2018 17:51:00 GMT
Also I would to love to see a detailed history of the Divinity's influence on human history. Obviously, they must have influenced the Web of Time to a great degree if the Doctor finds them this formidable.
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Jan 12, 2018 19:10:57 GMT
Also I would to love to see a detailed history of the Divinity's influence on human history. Obviously, they must have influenced the Web of Time to a great degree if the Doctor finds them this formidable. It would be a detailed history indeed! And they are most formidable foes. The Dark Dimension campaign began with a sort of origin story. After witnessing the Divinity wreak havoc on a number of alien civilizations, the Nth Doctor attempted to eliminate their sinister influence from the timeline once and for all. He failed, and his attempt prompted his capture and control by the Time Lords. The Divinity have vowed vengeance, and they've been carrying it out by seeding their influence throughout human history, corrupting the human race (and even some of the Doctor's companions). We've had brief glimpses of their influence on human history throughout the campaign. When the Divinity were described for the Roman Emperor Claudius in "The Origin of Evil," he expressed familiarity and reverence. In "Catatonia," a casket containing the remains of a Divinity was unearthed in the village of Arrowdown in Norfolk. Most recently, in "The Atlantean," the Doctor sought out--and quickly found--a representation of the Divinity among the icons on display in a London cathedral. It's become clear to the Doctor that the Divinity have made themselves an inseparable part of Earth's religions and mythologies stretching back to the dawn of civilization. This has led to the story arc of our current season, which features the Doctor and his companions searching Earth's history in the hopes of confronting the Divinity. Based on the encounters of "The Atlantean," it would seem that climactic confrontation is imminent in our season finale.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2018 19:16:39 GMT
Nice! I like the idea of the Time Lords being unable to do anything because the Divinity have become so intrinsically linked with history. Its a lose/lose situation for the Doctor, he can't ever fully destroy them because to do so would permanently damage history. The Divinity did exist and must always exist. In a word; Checkmate. Nicely done, I applaud your ingenuity sir.
|
|
misterharry
Dominus Tempus
Dalek Caan's Lovechild
Posts: 3,246
Favourite Doctors: Second, Third, Fourth, Eleventh, Thirteenth
Traits: Empathic, Face in the Crowd, Insatiable Curiosity, Stubborn, Phobia (Heights), Unadventurous
|
Post by misterharry on Apr 28, 2018 8:51:49 GMT
Do I spy a new adventure for the Nth Doctor?
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on May 3, 2018 21:07:49 GMT
Do I spy a new adventure for the Nth Doctor? I can't put anything past you, Mr. Harry! Least of all an epic installment like... "Ascension"Prophecy tells of an apocalyptic battle that will take place on the planet Dellah on the eve of the twenty-seventh century, the ultimate clash between the Divinity and the one they call the Great Blasphemer: the rebellious trickster known as the Doctor. Desperate to bring an end to the ascendancy of his eternal foes, the Doctor embraces this destiny, calling upon his captive companions, the Master and the Rani, to break free of the control exerted over the TARDIS by the Time Lords.
The Doctor and Ori arrive on Dellah to discover that this once peaceful world has fallen under the pitiless rule of the New Moral Army, whose holy wars and genocidal pogroms have left the road to the city of Tashwari lined with the crucified corpses of unbelievers. Appealing to the Sultan of Tashwari, the travellers find that any effort to quell the religious fervour that grips the populace is hopeless. The Sultan and his army heed only the doctrine of their idols, the Divinity, and the Doctor and his companion are soon slated for execution. Hope arrives in the form of an unexpected saviour who falls out of the sky—not an angel but a man, a man named Captain Jack Harkness.
With the help of this dashing rogue, the Doctor and Ori flee the city in search of allies, the atheist rebels who hide in nearby hills. Their quest will take them deep inside the volcanic Mount Casmov, where they learn that the prophecy that has led the Doctor to Dellah is self-fulfilling, allowing a great evil to harness the power of his TARDIS. The Divinity have become one with the elder god known as Tehke, the Burning One, and unless the Doctor can extinguish the beast, it is his ascension that will at last allow these ethereal fiends to defile the most glorious domain in all of time and space: Gallifrey, homeworld of the Time Lords!This was our latest "season finale," the culmination of several ongoing mytharcs. The overarching story of our season concerned the Divinity's efforts to disrupt human history and trap the Doctor. There's also been an ongoing subplot concerning the Rani, who has been imprisoned in the TARDIS along with the Master. Both of those narratives came to a head here, and this proved to be a disastrous mix for the Doctor and Ori! The adventure ended with our most memorable cliffhanger yet. Though the Doctor was able to avert the invasion of Gallifrey by the Divinity, the Rani and the Master have stolen his TARDIS and left him to die. The Doctor and Ori escaped a fiery death only by activating a vortex manipulator programmed with uncertain coordinates... This adventure was a loose adaptation of a Bernice Summerfield New Adventure novel, "Twilight of the Gods" (1999) by Mark Clapham and Jon de Burgh Miller. Adam, our current game master, has become a real pro at adapting novels into workable roleplaying modules. This one was chosen because of its religious themes, ideal for the Divinity, and the setting and set-up were suitably epic for our finale. As it turns out, Adam was unable to resist bringing new life to a familiar television companion, too. Though the Dark Dimension campaign takes place in an alternate timeline, one in which the new series never takes place, Captain Jack Harkness is still out there, and it turns out that he's destined to cross paths with the Doctor... in any timeline. We can't wait to see where that vortex manipulator takes the Doctor and Ori, but we'll have to be patient. When the Dark Dimension campaign continues, we'll revisit the Lost Doctor, and see how he's getting on with those pesky Cybermen. A teaser story, episode guide entry, and artwork have been posted for the latest adventure.
|
|
|
Post by CountClockwise on May 4, 2018 9:53:11 GMT
So glad to see this campaign is still ongoing. I love the covers and the work you've done with the adventure modules and the Nth Doctor. Looking forward to hearing more from the Lost Doctor
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on May 7, 2018 12:56:51 GMT
So glad to see this campaign is still ongoing. I love the covers and the work you've done with the adventure modules and the Nth Doctor. Looking forward to hearing more from the Lost Doctor Thank you! We have long-term plans for the Dark Dimension. Rest assured that this is a campaign that's going to keep going.
|
|
misterharry
Dominus Tempus
Dalek Caan's Lovechild
Posts: 3,246
Favourite Doctors: Second, Third, Fourth, Eleventh, Thirteenth
Traits: Empathic, Face in the Crowd, Insatiable Curiosity, Stubborn, Phobia (Heights), Unadventurous
|
Post by misterharry on May 11, 2018 10:36:27 GMT
This was our latest "season finale," the culmination of several ongoing mytharcs. The overarching story of our season concerned the Divinity's efforts to disrupt human history and trap the Doctor. Have we seen the last of the Divinity? They're such a great concept and it's difficult to think of how they might finally be defeated once and for all.
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on May 11, 2018 15:28:43 GMT
Have we seen the last of the Divinity? They're such a great concept and it's difficult to think of how they might finally be defeated once and for all. Have we seen the last of the Divinity? Certainly not! Tehke has been destroyed, his plot to trap the Doctor and invade Gallifrey foiled, but the Divinity endure. They remain spread throughout the universe, throughout time, and they will continue to corrupt all that they encounter. The Doctor has found that it's all-but impossible to defeat them once and for all. Rest assured that the chief villains of our roleplaying campaign will return... again and again.
|
|
DamagedGoods
2nd Incarnation
Posts: 10
Favourite Doctors: Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eleventh, Twelfth
|
Post by DamagedGoods on May 11, 2018 15:46:04 GMT
Have we seen the last of the Divinity? They're such a great concept and it's difficult to think of how they might finally be defeated once and for all. Have we seen the last of the Divinity? Certainly not! Tehke has been destroyed, his plot to trap the Doctor and invade Gallifrey foiled, but the Divinity endure. They remain spread throughout the universe, throughout time, and they will continue to corrupt all that they encounter. The Doctor has found that it's all-but impossible to defeat them once and for all. Rest assured that the chief villains of our roleplaying campaign will return... again and again. I will second that. They're down but most certainly not out. For my part, I imagine I'll be looking to bring them back in an unexpected way and when the Nth Doctor least expects it. For now, though, funnily enough the Nth Doctor is another "lost" Doctor, so he'll have more immediate concerns in his next run.
|
|
|
Post by Hedgewick on Nov 28, 2018 21:02:57 GMT
Three Doctors. Three companions. One epic adventure. It can only be the lost classic... "The House That Ate Time"In the tunnels beneath the Martian moon Phobos, the Doctor and Selene evade Ice Warrior extremists. Down the autumnal paths of nineteenth century New England, the Doctor and his trusty steed Marilyn flee the manifestations of a nightmare. And in the peace and serenity of his TARDIS, the Doctor’s meditations are interrupted by a warning from K9 concerning a temporal disruption. In one continuum-shattering instant, these three distinct incarnations of the same renegade Time Lord find themselves face-to-face, and the implications of such a convergence are nothing short of catastrophic.
The force that has brought three Doctors to the same deceptively nondescript basement vault is driven by hunger, an all-consuming hunger greater than the raging energies of the time vortex itself. It feasts on the transcendental flesh of god-like Chronovores, and it saps the artron emissions from prototype Sontaran timeships. Unchecked, it will devour the TARDIS whole. Putting aside their differences to investigate this ravenous presence, the Doctors discover that beyond the underground labyrinth stands a house unlike any other, where spacious halls and tastefully decorated lounges conceal an architecture that mocks the laws of physics, and each door and window opens onto a different time and place. Reality itself is but a pabulum here, for this is the house that eats time!
Deconstructing the deadly mysteries of this astonishing structure requires a coordinated effort across three distinct timeframes, moments in history infected by its corrupting influence. In each of these eras, a Doctor must face a gauntlet of terrors, for the paradoxes produced by this insatiable beast of an abode have attracted some of the universe’s most dangerous temporal parasites. But there is hope to be found in these distant times and places, for a lone figure is present wherever the Doctor ventures. Earth’s history and the survival of the TARDIS may depend upon the kindness and goodwill of one Dr. John Smith, an ordinary Englishman caught up in most extraordinary circumstances.
Three Doctors. Three timeframes. One monstrous threat. It’s time to bring down the house.
Since I first read about "The House That Eats Time," the lost multi-Doctor module originally intended for Cubicle 7's Time Traveller's Companion, I knew that it had to be played as part of The Dark Dimension campaign. (You can read all about it in this thread on "Playing More Than One Doctor.") What's more, I knew that we had to use it to pull a stunt that they'll never be able to pull in the television series: we would use this adventure to introduce a future incarnation of the Doctor. Using Pertwee's incomplete module as a starting point, our bold GM Erin assumed the gargantuan task of planning an epic adventure that would bring together the three Doctors of our campaign: Richard E Grant's Nth Doctor, Jeremy Brett's Lost Doctor, and the Doctor yet to come... Chiwetel Ejiofor's Zen Doctor! I don't have to tell you that the resulting adventure was fantastic fun. It took us three long game sessions to play this one. The adventure took our heroes from the Martian moon Phobos to the green hills of Victorian England to the nightmarish depths of the Doctor's subconscious. The House, a ravenous monstrosity that feeds on temporal energies, exists in multiple times and places. Its architecture defies the laws of physics and warps physical space. We spent nearly an entire session exploring it, deconstructing its mysteries. As a setting and as an antagonist, it's brilliant and bizarre, perfectly suited to an epic Doctor Who adventure. Each of the players in our campaign has their own Doctor, and the three Doctors couldn't be more different, so you can bet that there was plenty of light-hearted conflict and entertaining banter between them as they came together to save the world. Erin's introduction of the Zen Doctor was particularly thrilling, as Adam and I were completely in the dark as to his identity until he made his first appearance (just like our characters). The companions were well-balanced, with only Selene, Marilyn the horse, and K9 along for the ride. There was also an abundance of villains on hand, as the House's actions inevitably brought Sontarans, Chronovores, Reapers, and Weeping Angels into the mix. (And there are even some elements of the adventure that are not cited on the blog. I'm always cautious not to spoil things for others who might want to play the adventure.) Overall, this was a game that we'll never forget. Certainly, it was the high point of our campaign thus far. For anyone interested in playing a multi-Doctor adventure, your own "The Five Doctors" or "The Day of the Doctor," I'd certainly recommend "The House That Eats Time." It will take some work to prepare, but it's well worth it. The rough foundation of the adventure is there, but you'll be forced to adapt it to your own players, campaign, and needs in the process of completing it. The Nth Doctor's trials and the Lost Doctor's misadventures will continue in the weeks to come, and there's no doubt that we'll be seeing the Zen Doctor again (for the first time). We had so much fun playing this one, however, that we can't help but hope that they'll all join forces again someday. Perhaps we should start early planning for an anniversary? Three teaser stories by three authors, an episode guide entry, and three covers have been posted for this epic adventure. Enjoy!
|
|
|
Post by olegrand on Nov 29, 2018 10:52:47 GMT
Wow! This looks absolutely amazing! With or without the multi-Doctor angle, I think I'll shamelessly plunder all this for a forthcoming Lady Penelope epic... You can't beat The Dark Dimension for creativity! On behalf of all DWAITAS GMs out there, kudos to professor Hedgewick and his TARDIS team!
|
|
misterharry
Dominus Tempus
Dalek Caan's Lovechild
Posts: 3,246
Favourite Doctors: Second, Third, Fourth, Eleventh, Thirteenth
Traits: Empathic, Face in the Crowd, Insatiable Curiosity, Stubborn, Phobia (Heights), Unadventurous
|
Post by misterharry on Nov 29, 2018 17:13:08 GMT
This sounds truly awesome! I spotted the first teaser appear on the blog a while ago, and then the second one, and have been patiently waiting for the reveal of the full adventure since then - and what an adventure! Very intrigued by the Zen Doctor (superb casting with fan-favourite Chiwetel Ejiofor) and hope to see more of him in the future.
Long may the adventures in the Dark Dimension continue - they're an inspiration!
|
|
thereviewer
3rd Incarnation
Posts: 278
Favourite Doctors: Jodie Whittaker, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, David Tennant, Christopher Eccelston, John Hurt, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Peter Davison, Tom Baker, William Hartnell
|
Post by thereviewer on Dec 3, 2018 14:59:38 GMT
Three Doctors. Three companions. One epic adventure. It can only be the lost classic... "The House That Ate Time"In the tunnels beneath the Martian moon Phobos, the Doctor and Selene evade Ice Warrior extremists. Down the autumnal paths of nineteenth century New England, the Doctor and his trusty steed Marilyn flee the manifestations of a nightmare. And in the peace and serenity of his TARDIS, the Doctor’s meditations are interrupted by a warning from K9 concerning a temporal disruption. In one continuum-shattering instant, these three distinct incarnations of the same renegade Time Lord find themselves face-to-face, and the implications of such a convergence are nothing short of catastrophic.
The force that has brought three Doctors to the same deceptively nondescript basement vault is driven by hunger, an all-consuming hunger greater than the raging energies of the time vortex itself. It feasts on the transcendental flesh of god-like Chronovores, and it saps the artron emissions from prototype Sontaran timeships. Unchecked, it will devour the TARDIS whole. Putting aside their differences to investigate this ravenous presence, the Doctors discover that beyond the underground labyrinth stands a house unlike any other, where spacious halls and tastefully decorated lounges conceal an architecture that mocks the laws of physics, and each door and window opens onto a different time and place. Reality itself is but a pabulum here, for this is the house that eats time!
Deconstructing the deadly mysteries of this astonishing structure requires a coordinated effort across three distinct timeframes, moments in history infected by its corrupting influence. In each of these eras, a Doctor must face a gauntlet of terrors, for the paradoxes produced by this insatiable beast of an abode have attracted some of the universe’s most dangerous temporal parasites. But there is hope to be found in these distant times and places, for a lone figure is present wherever the Doctor ventures. Earth’s history and the survival of the TARDIS may depend upon the kindness and goodwill of one Dr. John Smith, an ordinary Englishman caught up in most extraordinary circumstances.
Three Doctors. Three timeframes. One monstrous threat. It’s time to bring down the house.Since I first read about "The House That Eats Time," the lost multi-Doctor module originally intended for Cubicle 7's Time Traveller's Companion, I knew that it had to be played as part of The Dark Dimension campaign. (You can read all about it in this thread on "Playing More Than One Doctor.") What's more, I knew that we had to use it to pull a stunt that they'll never be able to pull in the television series: we would use this adventure to introduce a future incarnation of the Doctor. Using Pertwee's incomplete module as a starting point, our bold GM Erin assumed the gargantuan task of planning an epic adventure that would bring together the three Doctors of our campaign: Richard E Grant's Nth Doctor, Jeremy Brett's Lost Doctor, and the Doctor yet to come... Chiwetel Ejiofor's Zen Doctor! I don't have to tell you that the resulting adventure was fantastic fun. It took us three long game sessions to play this one. The adventure took our heroes from the Martian moon Phobos to the green hills of Victorian England to the nightmarish depths of the Doctor's subconscious. The House, a ravenous monstrosity that feeds on temporal energies, exists in multiple times and places. Its architecture defies the laws of physics and warps physical space. We spent nearly an entire session exploring it, deconstructing its mysteries. As a setting and as an antagonist, it's brilliant and bizarre, perfectly suited to an epic Doctor Who adventure. Each of the players in our campaign has their own Doctor, and the three Doctors couldn't be more different, so you can bet that there was plenty of light-hearted conflict and entertaining banter between them as they came together to save the world. Erin's introduction of the Zen Doctor was particularly thrilling, as Adam and I were completely in the dark as to his identity until he made his first appearance (just like our characters). The companions were well-balanced, with only Selene, Marilyn the horse, and K9 along for the ride. There was also an abundance of villains on hand, as the House's actions inevitably brought Sontarans, Chronovores, Reapers, and Weeping Angels into the mix. (And there are even some elements of the adventure that are not cited on the blog. I'm always cautious not to spoil things for others who might want to play the adventure.) Overall, this was a game that we'll never forget. Certainly, it was the high point of our campaign thus far. For anyone interested in playing a multi-Doctor adventure, your own "The Five Doctors" or "The Day of the Doctor," I'd certainly recommend "The House That Eats Time." It will take some work to prepare, but it's well worth it. The rough foundation of the adventure is there, but you'll be forced to adapt it to your own players, campaign, and needs in the process of completing it. The Nth Doctor's trials and the Lost Doctor's misadventures will continue in the weeks to come, and there's no doubt that we'll be seeing the Zen Doctor again (for the first time). We had so much fun playing this one, however, that we can't help but hope that they'll all join forces again someday. Perhaps we should start early planning for an anniversary? Three teaser stories by three authors, an episode guide entry, and three covers have been posted for this epic adventure. Enjoy! Hedgewick, Sorry for not replying earlier. I've been trying to sort things out in my life. It sounds like you had a lot of fun playing this game! Also, props to the idea of Chiwetel Ejofor as a future Doctor. I know there might be some people who'd prefer to see someone like Idris Elba portray the first African American Doctor, but honestly I could see Chiwetel Ejofor doing a great job as well. I actually really liked him in Doctor Strange as Baron Mordo and felt that his arc in that film was one of the rare times where changing an origin story was actually for the better since from what I gathered, Baron Mordo never really had any reason for joining Dormamu other than "he's evil." Maybe I'm wrong, but I felt that it was more understandable that he would abandon the Ancient One's teachings by the end of the movie. If he were to take that performance but replace the negative outlook with a more positive one that we've known to come and love from The Doctor; making him aware of all the wrongs in the world but also recognize the good that co-exists, I think he could be a pretty damn good Doctor at some point! Can't wait to see what's next and how the Chiwetel Ejofor Doctor comes to be when your Jeremy Brett Doctor regenerates!
|
|