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Post by jainaxf on Dec 28, 2009 13:41:28 GMT
So, the Doctor will not be a PC, and there will be no timelords at least for the time being) either.
My players would like to play characters whose lives have been "touched" by the Doctor.
So far, I have got Jenny (The Doctor's daughter but not exactly a complete timelady), maybe a young version of River Son (I am thinking [glow=red,2,300]The Time Traveller's Wife[/glow]e here !) and a clone version of Leonardo Da Vinci who had a brief encounter with the Celestial Intervention Agency towards the end of the Time War and with the Eighth Doctor. Another player is thinking about a time agent (or ex-time agent).
So, as they will gain access to time travel (probably a malfunctioning TARDIS) pretty quickly I would like an enemy with the same capacity and I thought about a rogue Time agent or even a complete faction.
The only thing I heve some difficulty to fathom is this enemy's goal : profit seems a little dull, not epic enough but what can they want exactly ? They are stilll basically humans or humanoids, why would they want to destroy the universe ?
Any thoughts ? And do you think this basic setting could work ?
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Post by Craig Oxbrow on Dec 28, 2009 14:02:15 GMT
A possible riff I've come up with for a series enemy:
They don't want to destroy the universe - they want to reforge it in their own image. Let's say their planet was destroyed in the Time War, and they want to bring it back from the Void, even if this tears the inhabited galaxy that replaced it apart and kills billions, unleashes some of the time-locked warring factions like the daleks, and is generally bad for the universe as a whole.
The technology to breach the Void could be scattered through space and time, allowing a chase through reality (in a TARDIS keyed to Jenny's Gallifreyan DNA even though she doesn't really know how to pilot it, so she mostly has to tell it "follow that time machine!" and hang on) and it's apocalyptic enough to "echo" through time and space so that psychic beings can sense it.
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Post by jainaxf on Dec 28, 2009 14:59:11 GMT
Great idea, thanks ! I will probably use it and expand on it !
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Post by Craig Oxbrow on Dec 28, 2009 15:06:24 GMT
You're welcome. That's what I'm here for.  Furtehr thought: One of the individual bits needed to rip open the Void could be dangerous enough in itsself, like the Dalek Sphere or the Genesis Ark, and it could be in use by the locals already so the PCs and the Time Rogue are both trying to steal it. "So, to save the world, we have to...?" "Steal the Crown Jewels." "..." |
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Post by drew on Dec 28, 2009 20:01:29 GMT
I love the idea, BUT I would't give them a Broken Tardis - thats a "destroy the universe if you get something wrong" plot device LoL!
I would go for one of the many different Time Machines that have been seen in Doctor Who stories.
The Ancient Horologe was a very delicate instrument linked to time itself that measured the passage of time across different dimensions. Crafted like an ornate clock by the master chrono-smiths from the older worlds, it was given to Lord and Lady Tubbs as a wedding gift from the Doctor and had pride of place in the Clock Room of Croxton Hall. It was damaged when a thief dropped it in a scuffle with Lord Tubbs. As a result, a fracture in time was created displacing those nearest to it into a different kind of time.
Chula Warships were spaceships that could travel in time. Chula Warships were fully equipped with tractor beams and Nanogenes. These warships could also turn invisible, to avoid detection. (This would be my favourite option, the group could find a crashed Chula ship and repair it).
The Circle of Mirrors was a time travel device created by the alternate UNIT of Donna's World, by harnessing the the power of the Doctor's salvaged TARDIS. It allowed Donna Noble to see the invisible Time beetle on her back and allowed her to go back in time and turn left.
A DARDIS was a dimensionally transcendental space-time vessel created by the Daleks so that they could chase the Doctor through time and space. One of these craft enabled the Doctor's companions Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright to return home. The Doctor set the ship for self-destruction after it had transported them to 1965 London. (What if it DIDN'T self destruct, maybe the blast just buried it - for the group to find many MANY years later).
The Machine was one of the earliest forms of TARDIS. It was created in the time of Omega, and The Other used it to get Patience off of ancient Gallifrey.
The Time cabinet was an early experimental time machine from the 51st century which used zygma beams. (Unfortunately, zygma beams can be deadly in any great quantities).
The Time Controller was a method by which one faction of Daleks in the Imperial-Renegade Dalek Civil War used to control their method of time travel. Physically, the Time Controller was a globe which appeared to only be used by a Human controller.
The Time Converter was a handheld device possessed by Sarah Jane Smith which allowed the detection, opening and closing of time fissures in areas where the Web of Time remained thin. Fearing that she might use it to alter her timeline as she had recently, Sarah Jane destroyed it.
Time Rings are small time travel devices created by the Time Lords. The first Time Rings were worn on one's wrist, and later ones were worn on one's finger.
The Time Tree was a tree which enabled time travel. It was possible to time travel simply by plucking its seeds (which grew into other time trees). It had orange coloured leaves. They had an appetite for heavy metals. However the method of time travel was not exact, one seed could take someone back a 1000 years, another seed could go back 10,000. (Not the most reliable method, good for a one-off scenario though).
The Tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator was a long, flat device which, when ridden like a surfboard massive wraps the user in a protective bubble enabling them to ride the energy from a vast explosion. (TECHNICALLY this could be used for Time Travel SHOULD the explosion be temporal in nature).
A vortex manipulator was a form of basic time travel used by the Time Agency of the 51st century. The vortex manipulator allowed the user to travel through time using the Time Vortex. Under normal circumstances, it can allow travel of a distance of nearly 200,000 years. Following modifications with a sonic screwdriver, it could allow travel from the End of the Universe to the 21st century. The Doctor considered it very primitive compared to a TARDIS, describing his TARDIS as a "sports car" to Jack Harkness's "space hopper". Presumably the vortex manipulator created some sort of shield to protect an Agent from the side effects of an unprotected journey through the vortex. This did not, however, prevent some considerable discomfort for the user, as shown by the Doctor, Jack and Martha's responses upon arriving in London.
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Post by Null and Void on Dec 28, 2009 20:43:45 GMT
I'm not sure why a TARDIS would be any more potentially destructive than any of these other methods. Theoretically ANY method of time travelling is that dangerous.
Some of these, I've never heard of (Time Tree?) Some are impractical (Time Cabinet... The doctor himself said it wasn't a practical method of time travel), and some just never were mentioned in terms of Time Travel (Tribophysical Waveform Macrokinetic Extrapolator). The Circle of mirrors seemed to rely on the TARDIS in order to function, but a mirror based Time MAchine appeared (?) in the Big Finish Audio Time of the Daleks.
Other methods though:
Handheld Time Machines from Day of the Daleks.
Osmic Projectors, used by the Sontarans
Time Corridors, used by both the Daleks and Cybermen
Time Contour Generator, as seen in Timeflight
Time Scoops, as seen in The Five Doctors
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Post by drew on Dec 28, 2009 21:10:55 GMT
I'm not sure why a TARDIS would be any more potentially destructive than any of these other methods. Before a TARDIS becomes fully functional, it must be primed with the biological imprint of a Time Lord, normally done by simply having a Time Lord operate the TARDIS for the first time. This imprint comes from the Rassilon Imprimatur, part of the biological makeup of Time Lords, which gives them both a symbiotic link to their TARDISes and the ability to withstand the physical stresses of time travel. A damaged TARDIS, especially one without a Time Lord to pilot it theoretically would not have this link present - without the Imprimatur, molecular disintegration would result; this serves as a safeguard against misuse of time travel even if the TARDIS technology were copied. Of course a Games Master could fudge around this (or any other problem). Another problem would be the TARDIS power supply, we assume the Doctor found a way around the power problem with the Time Lords going AWOL. But any non Time Lord attempting to pilot a damaged TARDIS without really knowing what he is doing is simply asking for trouble surely. Nice additions to the list btw. |
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Post by Curufea on Dec 28, 2009 22:05:30 GMT
I'd just like to comment that after seeing the title, I had a Buffy/Angel moment "A Rogue Demon Hunter?" |
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Post by zumi on Dec 28, 2009 22:22:35 GMT
I'd just like to comment that after seeing the title, I had a Buffy/Angel moment "A Rogue Demon Hunter?" LoL, how much of a Wally was Wesley to begin with! |
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Post by jainaxf on Dec 28, 2009 23:05:48 GMT
I like the suggestion about important artifacts, that's very much Doctor Who ! Wow, so many ways to travel ! I realize how much I still don't know about the classic series ! I did not know about the imprint either, but I thought about having the conscience of a young Time Lord who died inside the TARDIS at the end of the war and could help the PCs if need be ! And Jenny has at least some time lord DNA to help justify the PCs are not disintegrated. I have thought about the vortex manipulator or the Chula ship, but the TARDIS is such a symbol of the series, I must admit I was also thinking about the coolness factor ! But the other ways to time travel (or at least one of them), will probably be used by their nemesis !  |
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Post by Rel Fexive on Dec 28, 2009 23:10:37 GMT
I'd just like to comment that after seeing the title, I had a Buffy/Angel moment "A Rogue Demon Hunter?" "What's a rogue demon?" |
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Post by Null and Void on Dec 28, 2009 23:23:19 GMT
I like the suggestion about important artifacts, that's very much Doctor Who ! Wow, so many ways to travel ! I realize how much I still don't know about the classic series ! I did not know about the imprint either, but I thought about having the conscience of a young Time Lord who died inside the TARDIS at the end of the war and could help the PCs if need be ! And Jenny has at least some time lord DNA to help justify the PCs are not disintegrated. I have thought about the vortex manipulator or the Chula ship, but the TARDIS is such a symbol of the series, I must admit I was also thinking about the coolness factor ! But the other ways to time travel (or at least one of them), will probably be used by their nemesis ! Yep, thats my idea as well, a merged consciousness that could be used as a deus ex machina as well. I assume there are ways to suppress the imprimature, or work around it. There is some suggestion that the imprimature was simply a bluff to begin with... At any rate, my thinking with it was simply taking the show back to its basics; A man, and a machine. And a machine that he couldn't even control properly at that. Even still, I think Jenny would have a shot at operating one, even if she can't control it. I'm still not sure how giving them a TARDIS is a 'destroy the universe if you get something wrong' kind of issue, though... |
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Post by drew on Dec 29, 2009 0:20:18 GMT
I like the suggestion about important artifacts, that's very much Doctor Who ! Wow, so many ways to travel ! I realize how much I still don't know about the classic series ! I did not know about the imprint either, but I thought about having the conscience of a young Time Lord who died inside the TARDIS at the end of the war and could help the PCs if need be ! And Jenny has at least some time lord DNA to help justify the PCs are not disintegrated. I have thought about the vortex manipulator or the Chula ship, but the TARDIS is such a symbol of the series, I must admit I was also thinking about the coolness factor ! But the other ways to time travel (or at least one of them), will probably be used by their nemesis ! If the TARDIS in question is indeed malfunctioning, perhaps the interactive hologram system (called Emergency Programme One) in "The Parting of the Ways" could interact with the new TARDIS crew, rather than have a dying Time Lord on board. Allowing you to drop all those interesting hints and tips for the players, without actually getting in the way! |
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Post by Null and Void on Dec 29, 2009 0:34:25 GMT
I like the suggestion about important artifacts, that's very much Doctor Who ! Wow, so many ways to travel ! I realize how much I still don't know about the classic series ! I did not know about the imprint either, but I thought about having the conscience of a young Time Lord who died inside the TARDIS at the end of the war and could help the PCs if need be ! And Jenny has at least some time lord DNA to help justify the PCs are not disintegrated. I have thought about the vortex manipulator or the Chula ship, but the TARDIS is such a symbol of the series, I must admit I was also thinking about the coolness factor ! But the other ways to time travel (or at least one of them), will probably be used by their nemesis ! If the TARDIS in question is indeed malfunctioning, perhaps the interactive hologram system (called Emergency Programme One) in "The Parting of the Ways" could interact with the new TARDIS crew, rather than have a dying Time Lord on board. Allowing you to drop all those interesting hints and tips for the players, without actually getting in the way! Exactly. A hologram could answer questions, but be able to do very little else. Hopefully it won't stray into Red Dwarf or Holodeck territory though. |
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Post by zumi on Dec 29, 2009 0:52:05 GMT
I'm still not sure how giving them a TARDIS is a 'destroy the universe if you get something wrong' kind of issue, though... One non universe destroying example is in the McGann Movie, the Eye Harmony is opened and if its not shut before midnight, the entire planet may be sucked into it. A TARDIS contains some VERY destructive Forces, in the wrong hands it could be VERY dangerous - not only for external forces (planets, the universe etc) but for the unwitting travellers - looking into the heart of the TARDIS could kill them for example. |
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Post by jainaxf on Dec 29, 2009 14:21:03 GMT
I think the TARDIS wan be as dangerous/useful as the plot demands and that will probably be the case in my own campaign ! ;D
As for the hologram, that was kind of my idea as well. Let me explain : I have read somewhere (I think it was on RPG.net) that a GM intended to run a game with students time-lords in a TARDIS specialized in "educational trips". I like the idea of a TARDIS with an annoying hologram of a very official and pompous time lord advising them (equally useful and annoying with non-intervention rule, utmost caution ...). So this TARDIS will be a little like a school for young time lords (who said The Magic Bus ?! ;D)
I also liked the idea of having one of the student dying in the TARDIS trying to escape destruction. His conscience would have merged with the TARDIS, and as this student was a little mischievous and secretly admiring the Doctor and taking them to place she considers "interesting" !
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Post by da professor on Feb 21, 2010 12:32:12 GMT
I like the Jenny idea. If she is there the various automatic systems, such as the translation function, will work, but she doesn't have the vortex trait. A time agent has the vortex trait, so he can at least make the Tardis enter the vortex, but that doesn't mean he can steer it particularly well. Maybe the agent with Jenny is the 'rogue' and the agency are the bad guys...certainly explains why they might wipe 2 years worth of Jack's memory.
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