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Post by grinch on May 2, 2023 18:49:31 GMT
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_RouseA crime that took place nearly a century ago now where Alfred Rouse seeking to fabricate his own death, burned to death an unknown hitchhiker whom he had rendered unconscious inside his car. Now obviously the guilty party in this regard was caught and brought to justice but the mystery in this case was just who the tramp was who met an unfortunate fate? A mystery that still continues to this very day. In actuality, he was probably some poor unfortunate who happened to meet the wrong person at the wrong time but within the realms of an adventure he could have been one of many people. Perhaps their death is a fixed point and as such the identity of the victim is constantly changing? Someone has to die at Alfred’s hand even if it so happens to be a PC or a recurring NPC from the period.
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Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753 
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
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Post by Catsmate on May 2, 2023 21:43:45 GMT
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_RouseA crime that took place nearly a century ago now where Alfred Rouse seeking to fabricate his own death, burned to death an unknown hitchhiker whom he had rendered unconscious inside his car. Now obviously the guilty party in this regard was caught and brought to justice but the mystery in this case was just who the tramp was who met an unfortunate fate? A mystery that still continues to this very day. In actuality, he was probably some poor unfortunate who happened to meet the wrong person at the wrong time but within the realms of an adventure he could have been one of many people. Perhaps their death is a fixed point and as such the identity of the victim is constantly changing? Someone has to die at Alfred’s hand even if it so happens to be a PC or a recurring NPC from the period. |
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Post by grinch on May 3, 2023 18:40:22 GMT
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_RouseA crime that took place nearly a century ago now where Alfred Rouse seeking to fabricate his own death, burned to death an unknown hitchhiker whom he had rendered unconscious inside his car. Now obviously the guilty party in this regard was caught and brought to justice but the mystery in this case was just who the tramp was who met an unfortunate fate? A mystery that still continues to this very day. In actuality, he was probably some poor unfortunate who happened to meet the wrong person at the wrong time but within the realms of an adventure he could have been one of many people. Perhaps their death is a fixed point and as such the identity of the victim is constantly changing? Someone has to die at Alfred’s hand even if it so happens to be a PC or a recurring NPC from the period. I must admit The Murder Room is also where I first heard of it as well. Which now that I think about it would make for a neat set up for a Sapphire and Steel adventure. All those artefacts from a crucial point in history. Plenty of room for Time to break through. |
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Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
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Post by Catsmate on May 3, 2023 21:27:00 GMT
It was one of the classic murders of the inter-war period, very much epitomising the zeitgeist of the Pulp era. So much so that in addition to Sayers the case was referenced in The Murder Room. I must admit The Murder Room is also where I first heard of it as well. Which now that I think about it would make for a neat set up for a Sapphire and Steel adventure. All those artefacts from a crucial point in history. Plenty of room for Time to break through.
Your S&S idea is an interesting one. Such small museums are often fascinating, driven by the whims of their founders; the Horniman is a favourite of mine when I'm in London and shows what a slightly odd collector, with a vast fortune, can accumulate. There are others in London and elsewhere. The Chester Beatty is another such eclectic collection.
There's a much smaller such private museum (Tether's End) what plays an important role in the Campion mystery Hide My Eyes, which features a serial killing sociopath (not unlike my own Joseph Holden). Blend in a few bits of odd gadgetry found in the Museum of Oddities and there are some interesting possibilities for a post-war scenario during the Time Hunter period.
The location of the antagonist's base, Rolf's Dump is wonderfully evocative and idea for the denouement of a game.
On a slightly related note, I was re-reading Roadside Picnic by the brothers' Strugatsky. A fascinating setting for a scenario or campaign and some interesting oddities that could be sprinkled into a game.
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Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
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Post by Catsmate on May 3, 2023 21:51:52 GMT
On another slightly related note, I'm reminded of Ghosting (wiki) where an individual assumes the identity of a deceased person, usually a child, to establish a new identity for themselves (and this differentiating the practice from my conventional identity theft). Made famous in The Day of the Jackal the practice is generally far more difficult today but ideal for a time traveller, or temporally displaced person, in previous decades.
The case of 'Wallace Ford' (wiki) is a classic example (really straight out of a novel). Samuel Jones assumed the identity of the real Wallace Ford after the latter was killed in a train accident.
A stranded time traveller, or one attempting to establish an identity with limited support, can perhaps manage something similar, using foreknowledge of a death, or killing a suitable person.
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Post by grinch on May 5, 2023 10:05:57 GMT
I must admit The Murder Room is also where I first heard of it as well. Which now that I think about it would make for a neat set up for a Sapphire and Steel adventure. All those artefacts from a crucial point in history. Plenty of room for Time to break through.
Your S&S idea is an interesting one. Such small museums are often fascinating, driven by the whims of their founders; the Horniman is a favourite of mine when I'm in London and shows what a slightly odd collector, with a vast fortune, can accumulate. There are others in London and elsewhere. The Chester Beatty is another such eclectic collection.
There's a much smaller such private museum (Tether's End) what plays an important role in the Campion mystery Hide My Eyes, which features a serial killing sociopath (not unlike my own Joseph Holden). Blend in a few bits of odd gadgetry found in the Museum of Oddities and there are some interesting possibilities for a post-war scenario during the Time Hunter period.
The location of the antagonist's base, Rolf's Dump is wonderfully evocative and idea for the denouement of a game.
On a slightly related note, I was re-reading Roadside Picnic by the brothers' Strugatsky. A fascinating setting for a scenario or campaign and some interesting oddities that could be sprinkled into a game.
There’s also of course the famous Black Museum within Scotland Yard which I don’t think has ever actually been used in Who. Even in the Expanded Universe. As well as the Dear Boss letters from Jack the Ripper, you could also use said exhibits to link other sleuths into the Whoniverse. Say the piece of string left behind by the previously mentioned Old Man in the Corner which was kindly donated by Polly Burton when she discovered the real culprit behind The Mysterious Death in Percy Street. |
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Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
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Post by Catsmate on May 5, 2023 10:15:53 GMT
I found it from the Lord Peter short story 'In The Teeth Of The Evidence', which uses the plot and actually references the 'Rouse case' and the similar Furnace murder.
Your S&S idea is an interesting one. Such small museums are often fascinating, driven by the whims of their founders; the Horniman is a favourite of mine when I'm in London and shows what a slightly odd collector, with a vast fortune, can accumulate. There are others in London and elsewhere. The Chester Beatty is another such eclectic collection.
There's a much smaller such private museum (Tether's End) what plays an important role in the Campion mystery Hide My Eyes, which features a serial killing sociopath (not unlike my own Joseph Holden). Blend in a few bits of odd gadgetry found in the Museum of Oddities and there are some interesting possibilities for a post-war scenario during the Time Hunter period.
The location of the antagonist's base, Rolf's Dump is wonderfully evocative and idea for the denouement of a game.
On a slightly related note, I was re-reading Roadside Picnic by the brothers' Strugatsky. A fascinating setting for a scenario or campaign and some interesting oddities that could be sprinkled into a game.
There’s also of course the famous Black Museum within Scotland Yard which I don’t think has ever actually been used in Who. Even in the Expanded Universe. As well as the Dear Boss letters from Jack the Ripper, you could also use said exhibits to link other sleuths into the Whoniverse. Say the piece of string left behind by the previously mentioned Old Man in the Corner which was kindly donated by Polly Burton when she discovered the real culprit behind The Mysterious Death in Percy Street.
ETA: Actually I'm reminded of the very obscure 1959 film Horrors of the Black Museum which could be used for the structure of a scenario. It even has a tenuous connection to Who....
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Post by grinch on May 5, 2023 13:57:29 GMT
There’s also of course the famous Black Museum within Scotland Yard which I don’t think has ever actually been used in Who. Even in the Expanded Universe. As well as the Dear Boss letters from Jack the Ripper, you could also use said exhibits to link other sleuths into the Whoniverse. Say the piece of string left behind by the previously mentioned Old Man in the Corner which was kindly donated by Polly Burton when she discovered the real culprit behind The Mysterious Death in Percy Street.
ETA: Actually I'm reminded of the very obscure 1959 film Horrors of the Black Museum which could be used for the structure of a scenario. It even has a tenuous connection to Who....
Maybe Torchwood chose to deliberately left some items behind in the Black Museum? Recognising that they'd be safer there or that for the more strange items, being surrounded by the relics of murderers long since dead keeps them inert. Gosh, I remember Horrors of the Black Museum. Michael Gough was very entertaining and it struck me like a more violent episode of The Avengers. Seem to recall it having a very bizarre science-fiction element introduced into it though. |
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