[Christmas adventure] The Anti-Claus

[misterharry]

As we're rapidly approaching the festive season, I've added a Christmas adventure, The Anti-Claus, to the files available to download from here:

The Anti-Claus

This is a bit more linear than my usual scenarios. It's fairly short and should be ideal for a single session of play. As always, comments much appreciated!

[misterharry]

No comments on this one? It was written as a light piece for Christmas, but I was still hoping to get some sort of feedback - if it's crap, I'd still like to know.

[zebaroth]

I like it

[stahlman]

I loved it-let's hope the 11th Doctor's Christmas adventure is as satisfying.

[Kit]

I like all your adventures and this was no different. I did briefly get my hopes up re the identity of the frozen man. i was hoping for a specific character from Torchwood.

[misterharry]

Dec 11, 2012 21:17:06 GMT Kit said:

I like all your adventures and this was no different. I did briefly get my hopes up re the identity of the frozen man. i was hoping for a specific character from Torchwood.

Ooh, I like that idea! Thanks!

[olegrand]

;DI've just finished reading it - a very Whovian "spirit of the season" piece ! Well done !

Just a few thoughts, questions & suggestions...

So if I've gathered things correctly, this frost-fair-which-never-was is a historical deviation caused by the dimensional intrusion of the Anticlaus itself... if the characters defeat the Anticlaus, does this mean that the event itself is erased from history, as if it never happened (since the Lost regain their stolen memories and dreams etc) ? It would be interesting, I think, to develop this "historical divergence" aspect of things, especially since the adventure does point out right from the start that this frost fair "never" took place.

I also find the name "Anticlaus" a bit too obvious / cartoonish for my tastes; I'd be tempted to use something more sinister or enigmatic for the entity's name, while retaining the whole "anti-claus" concept as a neat way to sum up what the creature is all about.

Lastly, I find it slightly disappointing to have King George restricted to a mere cameo - especially when taking the whole "historical divergence" thing into account. Wouldn't it be interesting to have the King himself becoming one of the Lost ? This would raise the stakes of the story quite considerably, since this royal personage has a direct impact on history-as-we-know-it / as-it-should-be...

[misterharry]

Dec 13, 2012 20:05:27 GMT olegrand said:

;DI've just finished reading it - a very Whovian "spirit of the season" piece ! Well done !

Thanks - much appreciated!

Just a few thoughts, questions & suggestions...

So if I've gathered things correctly, this frost-fair-which-never-was is a historical deviation caused by the dimensional intrusion of the Anticlaus itself... if the characters defeat the Anticlaus, does this mean that the event itself is erased from history, as if it never happened (since the Lost regain their stolen memories and dreams etc) ? It would be interesting, I think, to develop this "historical divergence" aspect of things, especially since the adventure does point out right from the start that this frost fair "never" took place.

Yes, that was the idea. But being a Christmas adventure, I wanted the scenario to be able to end with the PCs enjoying the ice fair. So it fades as the ice melts, rather than just blinks out.

I also find the name "Anticlaus" a bit too obvious / cartoonish for my tastes; I'd be tempted to use something more sinister or enigmatic for the entity's name, while retaining the whole "anti-claus" concept as a neat way to sum up what the creature is all about.

I actually agree with you. While I was writing the adventure, I wasn't really thinking that the creature would be called the Anti-Clause - it was just an easy way of referring to it. But then I couldn't resist throwing in the line "The Anti-Claus is coming to town!"

Lastly, I find it slightly disappointing to have King George restricted to a mere cameo - especially when taking the whole "historical divergence" thing into account. Wouldn't it be interesting to have the King himself becoming one of the Lost ? This would raise the stakes of the story quite considerably, since this royal personage has a direct impact on history-as-we-know-it / as-it-should-be...

Good idea. I don't think George IV was a very sympathetic character and was probably a bit too selfish to be motivated to help the PCs. But making him one of the victims is a better way of using him.