Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Dec 24, 2019 20:58:15 GMT
As I am one to do when bored, I often come up with random adventure titles to spark the seeds of adventure inspiration. But I thought why not post them here and see what the lovely folks on these forums could come up with in terms of adventure ideas. So, here are a few. I'll leave them to you to see what you can come up with. And who knows? You might one day end up running your PCs through these very adventures. 10. The Time Lord and the Pussycat This reminds me of "Tabby Cats and Time Lords", the introductory story in the FASA Dr. Who game.
Maybe the Time Lord and companion(s) encounter a cat burglar who could be either a foe, an ally, or a new companion.
I've just had a thought; maybe the cat burglar is an actual cat? Or rather a cat person. Could be an alien who's stranded on earth (Cheetah Person perhaps, though they didn't seem the type; maybe another of Meghan's species was scouting Earth, or looking for her) or a Temporally Displaced Person who just happens to be feline. She1 could have be here accidentally, by planning or opportunistically. Some examples: 1. Experimental time-ship/time projector, sucked back by TOMITT or similar experiments et cetera. 2. Deliberately attached herself to a time-ship, TARDIS or similar with the intention of relocating permanently to the past. Or maybe a retiree like those of The Circle who's expected to lie low. However she has other plans (or is getting bored like a couple of The Circle were). Presumably she has a shimmer/holographic disguise2. 3. An involuntary member of one of the Alexandrian Society's 'recovery parties' who took the opportunity to give them the slip. Probably not that well equipped or knowledgeable about the environment she's arrived in, outside original plan. May be being pursued by the society; may be paranoid, watchful and violent.
Then again there was The Cat From Outer Space, Zunar-J-5/9 Doric-4-7 ('Jake'), who resembled an ordinary Terrestrial housecat. With intelligence, advanced technology telekinesis and telepathy...
ETA: I've just had an idea. The perfect group on Earth for an alien housecat to encounter if UNIT's Misfit Mob. They could be helping him, or trying to stop him and his human allies (kids?). Sinister Plan optional.
1. Cat people in media generally seem to be female. I blame the Japanese. 2. If she's well prepared it has a selection of appearances, allowing her to 'disappear' when needed. Of course it may be malfunction prone...
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Dec 25, 2019 13:02:21 GMT
The Shining Path. With this title there's the Peruvian revolutionary/terrorist group (wiki) but that seems a little out of place for Who1.
Two other possibilities.
1. An actual path. The party arrive, somewhere, in the midst of deep woods but adjacent to a path in the middle of a narrow track of clear ground.
- The place could be Earth in the distant future (or past) or a completely different planet.
The whole clear area is only about eight metres wide, descending rapidly into undergrowth and then dense trees within fifteen metres of the path. The path itself is about two metres wide and constructed of some slightly springy synthetic seeming material that's reflective of light2.
Moving through the trees is difficult unless the party use the path, or have access to either a flying vehicle or some serious cutting/burning tools to clear a way.
- If they do go with cutting though the trees feel free to have them get lost, bitten, stung and fall down holes.
- Flying will get them to one of the villages fairly quickly if they follow the path.
If they walk along the path they don't experience any significant problems and will reach a small village within a half-hour of walking or so (say 3-4 kilometres).
The village seems small and relatively low tech, relying on cultivated fields that seem rather small for the population. There are about 150 inhabitants, humanoids3 that greet the party warily but cheerfully.
- You'll probably need to improvise some characters and encounters.
Probably the PCs have questions; Where are we? Who are you? What are the paths? The answers are unhelpful; most of the villagers don't know much. two things will be noticed by the wary4:
- The villagers have tools that seem much more advanced that expected; lights that seem like LED lanterns but are placed outside to 'recharge' in the day; sonic digging tools; healing devices and a few more (including subdual weapons, though there won't be shown to outsiders).
- The crops and animals being cultivated for food are odd; they seem far more advanced than the surrounding imply, higher yields, unbothered by disease or pests and not requiring fertiliser. The animals are placid, easily handled and fecund.
So what's really going on? Is the village an experiment of some sort? A back to basics colony gone wrong after a few generations? The answers are up to you. Shyamalan's film The Village is a starting point for one interpretation.
2. A metaphorical path. The party arrive, somewhere, in an urban setting; it could be Earth in the near past or future, or present day or a completely different planet. After setting their transport they wander around, perhaps they're looking for something, or sight-seeing, or just recovering from a spot of cabin fever (depending on the nature of their craft5). After a little wandering one of the group is accosted by an attractive MOTAS6 who's wearing a badge with an multi-coloured octagonal logo, who smilingly asks they if they've heard of "The Shining Path". Assuming they don't shrug the person off (not as easy as they expect) they receive a brief spiel about the Path and how it'll save humanity form everything that's going wrong, a leaflet and an invitation to attend a public meeting. Both the spiel and leaflet are short on actual details and it's quite likely the player (if not their character) is suspicious.
What next? Do they attend the meeting? Along or as a group? What's happening?
It could be 1. A more-or-less normal human group, with cultish tendencies and a system that they really believe is the One True way for humanity. If ignored (or used as background) they could reappear, perhaps violently.
2. An out-and-out cult with the leadership manipulating the followers for money, power and/or sex. NXIVM (wiki)is an example of this and a useful source of ideas for such a group. The CSI episode 'Shooting Stars' (wiki) featured a smaller scale example of such a group.
3. A front organisation for an alien individual group. Either extra-terrestrial, other dimensional or extra-temporal. Possibly using advanced technology or techniques to augment their manipulation. What are they trying? World domination? Gathering food/slaves/cannon fodder? Attempting to refuel their craft with psionic energy drained during cult rituals? Opening a path home, or to summon an invading army of Thing From The Dungeon Dimensions? Enjoying themselves with a coterie of sex slaves?The Stargate episode 'Seth' (wiki) features the Cult of Setesh manipulating humans in this way.
4. Options 1 or 2 with the addition of alien technology to enhance the power of the cult, but remaining human operated.
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions? And have a good day everyone,
1 Though you could set a gritty scenario in Peru during the group's heyday, or have a UNIT team searching for a crashed UFO or artefact tech in the jungle or arid Andes. 2 It also glows slightly in darkness. 3 The usual Whovian default. 4 Or properly paranoid player. 5 Assuming they have a craft. 6 Member of the appropriate sex. Tailor the person to the character's preferred gender.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Dec 26, 2019 13:33:23 GMT
Bulletproof. There are various examples of cultures in human history, usually oppressed by an external force such a a technologically superior colonial power, believing in the power of magi to protect them from the bullets of their oppressors. The 'Righteous Fists' (Militia United in Righteousness) during the Boxer Uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, the Yao (amongst others) during the Maji Maji War in German East Africa (Tanzania) in 1905-7, the magic shirts of the Ghost Dance practitioners in the Western United States from 1890 and indeed even today in part of Africa there are such beliefs in magic lotions and spells. None of them work1.
But what if one of them did?
Now magic is an iffy business in the Whoniverse, depending on who's writing the script. There are concepts. such as Block Transfer Computation that can alter reality through the manipulation of the structure of the universe via mathematics. So what if an expert in BTC2 arrived in such a location and supplied the locals with a formula that could stop bullets? A chant or inscription that causes small3, fast moving objects to be deflected slightly along the strawberry axis into another dimension. It lasts only a few minutes but would give an enormous advantage against troops that would be shocked and vulnerable. If the technique spreads this could drastically alter the balance of power around the world. The Great War fought with spears perhaps?
So it's up to the PCs to stop this change to the Prime Reality, while experiencing colonial brutality up close and being at least somewhat responsible for thousands of deaths.
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. As demonstrated at Wounded Knee, the thousands killed in China and the quarter-million dead in East Africa. Plus the occasional modern case.
2. A renegade Time Lord (who should know better) or perhaps something strange from another reality such as a K’varran who's not familiar with humanity and isn't aware of the likely effects of such meddling.
3. Not too small of course, otherwise the atmosphere would depart.
|
|
|
Post by missyfan45 on Feb 16, 2020 19:06:37 GMT
how about ABBA or Elton John and the Beatles?
|
|
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 Feb 16, 2020 20:21:24 GMT
I included a few Beatles titles as adventure seeds in The Sixth Doctor Expanded Universe Sourcebook.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Feb 17, 2020 9:43:47 GMT
how about ABBA or Elton John and the Beatles? Any suggestions for titles?
|
|
|
Post by starkllr on Feb 19, 2020 15:59:56 GMT
The Pestilence Cometh. It's a relatively easy concept to migrate to various eras and settings; the disease (or perhaps a horde of biological or self-replicating machine destroyers) is coming and many people are losing hope, while others are doing their best to prepare. Then the PCs arrive. Do they help? Can they help? Can they survive?
Suggestions? Ideas? Comments?
Or if you really want to do a downer of a story, it also sounds an awful lot like "On the Beach"
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Feb 19, 2020 17:03:00 GMT
The Pestilence Cometh. It's a relatively easy concept to migrate to various eras and settings; the disease (or perhaps a horde of biological or self-replicating machine destroyers) is coming and many people are losing hope, while others are doing their best to prepare. Then the PCs arrive. Do they help? Can they help? Can they survive?
Suggestions? Ideas? Comments?
Or if you really want to do a downer of a story, it also sounds an awful lot like "On the Beach" Indeed. A Plague on Both Your Houses has that vibe, everyone knows that The Death is coming and react/prepare in their various ways. A lot of the characters die, though not all of the plague.
|
|
|
Post by missyfan45 on Jul 3, 2020 21:59:27 GMT
sex pistols song titles
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Jul 27, 2020 16:25:33 GMT
OK, as Leonard would say (if he could speak) I'll bite. Anarchy in the U.K. Someone is using mind control to cause chaos in Britain. UNIT era or '80s.
Belsen Was a Gas Somehow a PC has gotten imprisoned in a Nazi death camp. Release them without disturbing history.
Bodies Modern day Earth, Torchwood-esque. Discovery of a body dump, people killed in a manner suggesting alien involvement.
The Flowers of Romance Someone has obtained some left-over Nestene autojets, has figured them out and is using them to commit murders.
God Save the Queen Assassination/kidnapping of Queen Victoria.
Good Ship Venus Centuries in the future, after the terraforming of Venus is (mostly) complete a shipload of tourists heads there for the official first unprotects walk on its surface.
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle Modern day, something is written in the music industry; mind control influences in these newfangled "Compact Discs" perhaps. Holidays in the Sun The Macra Terror or The Faceless Ones sequel.
Lonely Boy
New York
No Feelings
No One Is Innocent
Pretty Vacant
Road Runner
Rock Around the Clock
Silly Thing
Somethin' Else
Submission
Who Killed Bambi?
|
|
|
Post by missyfan45 on Jul 27, 2020 18:24:34 GMT
hmmmm the clash?
|
|
|
Post by missyfan45 on Aug 2, 2020 17:22:37 GMT
i know this is a titan comics title but i love the title weapons of past destruction, thats a good one for a rpg also maybe we can reuse eu titles like iron bright for example or festival of death
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Apr 22, 2021 10:50:37 GMT
OK, let's try a few.
1977. The PCs arrive in, ell obviously, 1977. And start to notice oddities. Something has changed. Personally I think the declaration of independence of the small Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye has great potential; perhaps instead of a publicity stunt (by it's new king Richard Booth) it becomes a serious (or somewhat so) matter with the town isolated, troops deployed and a political crisis in the offing. Has someone unloosed a strange creature using a ritual found in an old tome, discovered in one of the town's many bookshops? Or is the matter a trial run by a time meddler or alien with plans to alter the course of Earth's history? Or perhaps Alternative 3 wasn't just a hoax.....
Bankrobber There's an excellent scenario in issue 17 of the Diary of the Doctor Who RPG ezine called "On Your Honor" (page 44) that fits this perfectly.
Car Jamming Hmm, near future self-driving cars are being hijacked. But who, why and how? It's actually the distributed network software, it's developing sentience
Career Opportunities British Albion1 is a newly formed technology corporation that's all over the news media. It offers exciting salaries and other perks for new hires and wonderful career prospects. But what does it actually do? And why do so many employees leave suddenly, or abandon their old life for postings in distant parts of the world? One of the Misfit Mob is suspicious and starts to investigate
Clampdown In the city of Loamton, in the quiet rural county of Loamshire, there has been a series of outbreaks of violence and "anti-social behaviour" in the past months. But surely not sufficient for the county council to approve a night-time curfew and the deployment of an "Auxillary Force", to supplement the Loamshire Constabulary, equipped with new advanced technology supplied by the county's largest employer, LoamTech? One of the Misfit Mob is contacted by a cousin, one of the Loamshire Kincaid-Spellers2 (a prominent 'county' family) and a social activist who claims that social media is being blocked and people are being interned illegally. UNIT is blocked from investigating officially but the Misfit Mob have their own plans..... Alternatively the PCs arrive in Loamton in the 19xx's and find the local authorities under the malign influence of something and need to figure out how to stop it.
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. Thanks to Keith Waterhouse.
2. Thanks to the wonderfully talented Marcus L. Rowland .
|
|
|
Post by missyfan45 on Apr 28, 2021 20:32:39 GMT
ok novel titles like Frankenstein?
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on Apr 29, 2021 10:15:08 GMT
ok novel titles like Frankenstein? I think Frankenstein has too much attached baggage, like Dracula.
However there's always the option of playing to that knowledge. The real Castle Frankenstein (it still exists, I've seen it, or rather the ruins) was the seat of the barons von und zu Frankenstein (German noble titles are somewhat complicated) who ruled the free imperial Barony of Frankenstein (part of the Holy Roman Empire).
Browsing the wiki page I note the following reference. Oh look, a mysterious "even older" castle (which, OK, probably didn't exist but hey let's run with it). Just what we need. BTW, the castle that preceded Conrad's was constructed by a knight named Arbogast von Frankenstein.
Now Castle Frankenstein has had rumours of various supernatural happenings since the seventeenth century (when the Frankensteins abandoned the place). Several of these are connected to an actual alchemist named Johann Dippel (wiki) who's actually better known as a fervent and controversial theologian (he was, interestingly, a friend and communicant of Emanuel Swedenborg) who was born there (and later tried to buy the place).
- Possibly even more interestingly Swedenborg later attacked Dippel, describing him as the "most vile devil ... who attempted wicked things". Excellent.
- There are some suggestions, mainly be theological opponents, that Dippel was attempting to create some kind of cult; was a highly charismatic person (psychic?) whom Swedenborg claimed could influence minds.
- Dippel was certainly an alchemist and seems to have dabbled in grave robbery, though not for experiments in galvanic reanimation, he used the bones to produce an oil he claimed could prolong life (curiously it formed the basis for the dye Prussian Blue also). There is no evidence for the various wild claims about his life, but that's not going to stop us....
The party arrives in the Odenwald (a forested plateau in the mountains), near overlooking what will become the city of Darmstadt, in what will become the province of Hesse centuries in the future (after being an independent state, a duchy, then a Grand Duchy and more), in the 1250s.
- At this point those with an interest in physics will be pricking up their (metaphorical) ears. Darmstadt is a fascinating place and holds the title "City of Science" with very good reason. The place is stuffed with universities, research centres, independent institutes and technology companies (and also a *lot* of money). While not as well known generally as Los Almos or CERN, a vast amount of advanced research in the more abstruse fields of physics happens there (including the synthesis of new transuranic elements, hence 'darmstadtium'. Also pharmaceutical company Merck has a large campus there.
- In the Whoniverse if someone is messing around with Mad Science, or reverse engineering odd recovered technology this is a likely spot. You could easily relocate A. A. Weaver there.
- In 1250 Darmstadt (or Darmundestat) existed as a prosperous town with perhaps a thousand or so inhabitants. It's located on a gently sloping plain between the Odenwald and the Rhine River. There's actually not much known about the place so feel free to make it up.
They're here either because
- they're travelling more-or-less randomly and have arrived coincidentally
- they're investigating an odd energy signal in time
- they're dragged here by something distorting the local landscape of time and attracting their vehicle or tunnel
In the latter cases they'll be more on their guard and expecting weirdness. But in AITAS the players at least will always be expecting weirdness...
If they have a craft it should lack somewhere awkward (an easy thing if it is [say] a bus) and make return awkward. If the party use a time travel device or projector then they only have what they're carrying anyway.
Now after 1245-1250 there is no true Holy Roman Emperor due to a complicated mess involving Frederick II being deposed by Innocent IV (1245) and Frederick's death in 1250. There was the brief reign of Conrad IV (died 1254) but he certainly wasn't the official HRE and the interregnum lasted until 1312.
So the party approach the castle, either for shelter, out of curiouslity or investigating the mysterious signal. Conrad II was certainly alive (until 1292) and I'm going to assume that the PCs manage to inveigle their way inside.
Now we'll need a cause for the weirdness. Someone in Darmstadt in the future (of 1250 could be present day, could be even further ahead; perhaps during the desperate days of Dalek invasion a team is working in a bunker deep under the ruins of the city) is attempting to build a Time Corridor generator based in a local weak-point in time (not exactly a rift, more a faint crack in reality). It's not working too well, for some reason it's geographically locking to the area and fluctuating dangerously. So far they've managed to grab a few objects, take some video of the past and disrupt the local power grid (which will attract attention due to the amount of Science! going on).
- Who is responsible? A lone Mad Scientist in the mould of Normal Hartnell1? A research group or university? A private company? Or is it UNIT?
But now the corridor stablises, attracted by the party's time machine (or the effect of their landing). This means they're stuck there for the moment until they can disrupt the corridor sufficiently to leave. Meanwhile the creator(s) of the corridor will probably investigate. This could be a lone inventor, probably poorly prepared for the thirteenth century, a drone flying overhead, a team of expendable students or corporate small-fry, a team of highly trained UNIT Broadsword operatives or a few desperate refugees from the Daleks.
- Or indeed several of these. There's no reason that a university project might not be tested unofficially, then officially, then taken over by UNIT and later still reconstituted by those hiding from the Daleks.
Of course the situation is something of a predestination paradox. The time corridor succeeds because of the anchor offered by the PCs. Who were brought their by the corridor. The corridor causes a rift in time (which is responsible for the various oddities associated with the castle over the centuries) which later forms the basis for the creation of the corridor.
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. From Rankine's Brentford books. A shop-keeper who attempts to alter the Earth's axis of rotation by teleporting the Great Pyramid to Brentford Football Ground.
|
|
|
Post by wolfoffenric on May 2, 2021 20:23:50 GMT
I've got something of an idea for a Sea Devils story set in 1917. I had a picture in my mind of the TARDIS materializing on the deck of a surfaced U-boat, but no idea where to go from there.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 2, 2021 22:17:23 GMT
I've got something of an idea for a Sea Devils story set in 1917. I had a picture in my mind of the TARDIS materializing on the deck of a surfaced U-boat, but no idea where to go from there. Oooo, I like it. An excellent "bad place to land your TARDIS" idea.
Now in the Great War subs did a lot of fighting on the surface; only a few torpedoes were carried and the deck gun was a cheaper option. Plus there was significant adherence to the 'cruiser rules' of actually stopping, boarding and inspecting neutral ships for contraband, or at least allowing crews to abandon ship before sinking the vessel1.
Now if it was the Second World War I'd suggest using the Laconia Incident. But for the First two incidents come to mind. Firstly there is the sinking of the British cruiser HMS Hampshire on 05JUN1916, with the loss of 723 lives, including the UK Secretary of War, Lord Kitchener. Now the loss of the Hampshire was (and is) controversial; officially she struck a mine but there is an alternate idea that she was torpedoed by a German sub. Fritz Joubert Duquesne, a fascinating character whom I wrote of here, claimed to have been on-board (disguised as the Russian Duke Boris Zakrevsky) and that he signaled the submarine that torpedoed the cruiser. Duquesne supposedly escaped using a life raft and was rescued by the submarine, which would explain why it surfaced in such foul weather. This is a fascinating story but unproven, as is the claim that Duquesne was awarded the Iron Cross or reached the rank of Colonel. To maximise the fun, maybe Sidney Reilly is on-board too?
The second idea is one that I wrote about here before, the disappearance of the crew of the schooner Zebrina on 15-17OCT1915. The sudden appearance of the TARDIS would spook the Germans, explaining why the ship wasn't sunk or it's papers taken. For the proper Whovian feel you'd probably want to mix in some outré phenomena. Perhaps the ship was too close to Fang Rock? Did the Rutan scout 'bud off' a duplicate back on '02 that's taken a dozen year to grow to adulthood?
Well that's my €0.02 anyway.
1. Until the Admiralty started using Q-Ships and ordered merchants to attempt to ram surfaced subs anyway.
|
|
|
Post by wolfoffenric on May 6, 2021 13:47:13 GMT
Another funny image I had in my head was of the First Doctor taking part in an ESports convention.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 6, 2021 16:02:06 GMT
Another funny image I had in my head was of the First Doctor taking part in an ESports convention. First thought is the scene from Back to the Future 2. Hmm, perhaps the Doctor is playing against Marigold Farmer perhaps? I've actually had an idea for the QC crew to go travelling in time for a while, a cross-over between QC and The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang but with a pair of far future teenage analogues of Cher and Dione (from Clueless) in place of Cupcake; they 'borrow' the time machine of a captured criminal from their parents and get lost...
|
|
|
Post by wolfoffenric on May 7, 2021 17:40:09 GMT
Another funny image I had in my head was of the First Doctor taking part in an ESports convention. First thought is the scene from Back to the Future 2. Hmm, perhaps the Doctor is playing against Marigold Farmer perhaps? I've actually had an idea for the QC crew to go travelling in time for a while, a cross-over between QC and The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang but with a pair of far future teenage analogues of Cher and Dione (from Clueless) in place of Cupcake; they 'borrow' the time machine of a captured criminal from their parents and get lost...
I can't help it, the idea of dropping Billy Hartnell's Doctor in our 2019 and video games is just too much fun. A few more ideas, mostly historical-flavored: Three, Liz, and something with Norse mythology Five, Tegan, and Turlough, set during the Boxer Rebellion Seven and Ace find themselves in an alternate universe where interstellar travel and terraforming were discovered in 1900, and now the imperialist powers of Earth have extended to the stars (maybe this story would be better fit for Six and Peri?)
|
|
|
Post by grinch on May 7, 2021 19:38:25 GMT
First thought is the scene from Back to the Future 2. Hmm, perhaps the Doctor is playing against Marigold Farmer perhaps? I've actually had an idea for the QC crew to go travelling in time for a while, a cross-over between QC and The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang but with a pair of far future teenage analogues of Cher and Dione (from Clueless) in place of Cupcake; they 'borrow' the time machine of a captured criminal from their parents and get lost...
I can't help it, the idea of dropping Billy Hartnell's Doctor in our 2019 and video games is just too much fun. A few more ideas, mostly historical-flavored: Three, Liz, and something with Norse mythology Five, Tegan, and Turlough, set during the Boxer Rebellion Seven and Ace find themselves in an alternate universe where interstellar travel and terraforming were discovered in 1900, and now the imperialist powers of Earth have extended to the stars (maybe this story would be better fit for Six and Peri?) For the Third Doctor and Liz, I could see a story where the latter is suddenly abducted by Valkyries and taken to Asgard to become one of their number.
|
|
|
Post by wolfoffenric on May 7, 2021 19:41:03 GMT
I can't help it, the idea of dropping Billy Hartnell's Doctor in our 2019 and video games is just too much fun. A few more ideas, mostly historical-flavored: Three, Liz, and something with Norse mythology Five, Tegan, and Turlough, set during the Boxer Rebellion Seven and Ace find themselves in an alternate universe where interstellar travel and terraforming were discovered in 1900, and now the imperialist powers of Earth have extended to the stars (maybe this story would be better fit for Six and Peri?) For the Third Doctor and Liz, I could see a story where the latter is suddenly abducted by Valkyries and taken to Asgard to become one of their number. That could work, though Leela could also fit that role.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 8, 2021 18:44:59 GMT
First thought is the scene from Back to the Future 2. Hmm, perhaps the Doctor is playing against Marigold Farmer perhaps? I've actually had an idea for the QC crew to go travelling in time for a while, a cross-over between QC and The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang but with a pair of far future teenage analogues of Cher and Dione (from Clueless) in place of Cupcake; they 'borrow' the time machine of a captured criminal from their parents and get lost...
I can't help it, the idea of dropping Billy Hartnell's Doctor in our 2019 and video games is just too much fun. A few more ideas, mostly historical-flavored: Three, Liz, and something with Norse mythology Five, Tegan, and Turlough, set during the Boxer Rebellion Seven and Ace find themselves in an alternate universe where interstellar travel and terraforming were discovered in 1900, and now the imperialist powers of Earth have extended to the stars (maybe this story would be better fit for Six and Peri?) Hmm, the "Norse mythology" one reminds me of Anderson's 'The Man Who Came Early' (wiki). Perhaps a Mysterious Alien Device (or the Doctor's latest attempt to fix the TARDIS) drop an unsuspecting UNIT trooper back in time? Could be in the UK (with him displaced to the pre-Norman Danelaw) or 'on location' somewhere? Doctor3 and Liz have to find and rescue him; the ending can be happy or tragic as desired.
The alternate universe reminds me of C7'S Rocket Age.
The Boxer Rebellion is a good 'pure historical' setting with the party trying to avoid altering events (and perhaps finding they were predestined to play a part in the defense) or a pseudo-historical with someone trying to alter events (or just do a spot of looking, for valuables or a certain 'lacquered bronze' cabinet set back from London...). This would fit into a 'Doctor Who Manchu' campaign. There's a thread here, started by missyfan45, regarding the rebellion with more ideas, among them an associate of Magnus Greel, the Manchurian Plague, Fu Manchu, the Sixth Cholera Pandemic, Jack Harkness and more. Deuterocanonically Doctor1 and Susan were there.
I like your ideas.
|
|
|
Post by wolfoffenric on May 9, 2021 2:32:24 GMT
I can't help it, the idea of dropping Billy Hartnell's Doctor in our 2019 and video games is just too much fun. A few more ideas, mostly historical-flavored: Three, Liz, and something with Norse mythology Five, Tegan, and Turlough, set during the Boxer Rebellion Seven and Ace find themselves in an alternate universe where interstellar travel and terraforming were discovered in 1900, and now the imperialist powers of Earth have extended to the stars (maybe this story would be better fit for Six and Peri?) Hmm, the "Norse mythology" one reminds me of Anderson's 'The Man Who Came Early' (wiki). Perhaps a Mysterious Alien Device (or the Doctor's latest attempt to fix the TARDIS) drop an unsuspecting UNIT trooper back in time? Could be in the UK (with him displaced to the pre-Norman Danelaw) or 'on location' somewhere? Doctor3 and Liz have to find and rescue him; the ending can be happy or tragic as desired.I think it would have to be someone like Benton, Yates, or the Brig, otherwise it would be difficult caring about what happens to them. Thank you, I'm glad you like them! I admit, I've never actually played this game at all, they're ideas for my Doctor Who writing. I've wanted to write something with the Napoleonic or Franco-Prussian Wars (Alien race looking for a way to win a war by copying Helmuth von Moltke's brain patterns?) The Indian Mutiny of 1857 also has potential, but exactly what I'm not sure yet. Perhaps the Master and/or the Rani? One of the only "sci fi" stories I have is a concept I had of a VR game that allows people to experience alternate versions of their lives. Perhaps they can see what would have happened had they not broken up with their partner, or if a close friend had survived an accident that killed them.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 10, 2021 9:14:44 GMT
Hmm, the "Norse mythology" one reminds me of Anderson's 'The Man Who Came Early' (wiki). Perhaps a Mysterious Alien Device (or the Doctor's latest attempt to fix the TARDIS) drop an unsuspecting UNIT trooper back in time? Could be in the UK (with him displaced to the pre-Norman Danelaw) or 'on location' somewhere? Doctor3 and Liz have to find and rescue him; the ending can be happy or tragic as desired. I think it would have to be someone like Benton, Yates, or the Brig, otherwise it would be difficult caring about what happens to them. Thank you, I'm glad you like them! I admit, I've never actually played this game at all, they're ideas for my Doctor Who writing. I've wanted to write something with the Napoleonic or Franco-Prussian Wars (Alien race looking for a way to win a war by copying Helmuth von Moltke's brain patterns?) The Indian Mutiny of 1857 also has potential, but exactly what I'm not sure yet. Perhaps the Master and/or the Rani? One of the only "sci fi" stories I have is a concept I had of a VR game that allows people to experience alternate versions of their lives. Perhaps they can see what would have happened had they not broken up with their partner, or if a close friend had survived an accident that killed them. How about Sergeant Osgood being the one displaced back in time? For some reason this feels right to me. Perhaps with Corporal Bell along too?
I hope you find the forum useful for writing inspiration, it's a good place to bounce ideas around.
I love the idea of scanning/cloning/kidnapping von Moltke The Elder as the mastermind for an alien war. Now I see, years after the war, his preserved brain in a case (à la Morbius1), fêted for his victories but no longer needed and bored. So does he try and conquer the aliens? Or recruit a few followers, acquire a starship and head back to Earth to help his beloved Prussia..... So when does he arrive? Is he the mastermind behind the German Empire's plans and experiments with flying machines during the Scareships era of 1895-1910? Does he arrive in 1916, ready to turn the tide of the Great War? 1941, to be enthused by the German victories but repulsed by the Nazi regime? The UNIT era, to become an advisor to them, or a free-lance 'military consultant'?
- It is an odd but fascinating (to me anyway) fact that the only known recording of the voice of a person born in the eighteenth century are those of Helmuth von Moltke. I have no idea how to use that fact however.
A scenario set during the Franco-Prussian War has the possibility of encountering the war Lords, who kidnapped troops from the period. Exactly what the Time Lords did to 'fix' the War Games is rather fuzzy, but perhaps there are a few War Lords there, scouting and preparing? Or a lost (damaged?) SIDRAT?
Classically the plots of the Franco-Prussian War strike me as: 1. Someone's meddling to help the French win. Who? Presumably French nationalists (how secure is the French branch of UNIT?) or someone trying to 'correct' the rise of the German Empire and prevent the wars of the twentieth century?
- It could actually be the 'Time Police' of a world where the course of history went differently and it's our history that is 'wrong'.
2. Someone's using it for cover. This strikes me as perfect for the Rani, a cover for her 'harvesting' of humans, but it could be anyone who needs bodies/slaves/psychic energy and finds the chaos good cover.
3. Dark Tourism. I've written about this previously (inspired by the films Thrill Seekers/The Time Shifters and Timescape/Grand Tour: Disaster in Time) an offshoot of the current trend towards Dark Tourism. A small group of jaded travellers from the future return to witness the carnage and destruction.
Similarly for the Indian Mutiny, though Doctor1 and Susan were there at some point. There's a scenario for the old Timemaster RPG, called Temples of Blood IIRR, set during the insurrection with a shapeshifting alien impersonating Kali, a time-napped dinosaur and a large amount of stolen WW2 weaponry.
1. Or possibly his uploaded mind in a computer or robot body.
|
|
|
Post by wolfoffenric on May 11, 2021 21:40:38 GMT
Interestingly, Moltke's body is missing, it disappeared when Soviet troops ransacked his estate in 1945.
I've finally gotten round to listening to I, Davros, now I'm really interested in doing a campaign of the Thousand-Year War.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 12, 2021 9:04:56 GMT
Interestingly, Moltke's body is missing, it disappeared when Soviet troops ransacked his estate in 1945. Ah, there's a story there I'm sure.I've finally gotten round to listening to I, Davros, now I'm really interested in doing a campaign of the Thousand-Year War. I started on them but the series never engaged me. What sort of campaign would you be interested in? Purely Skarosian? Or travellers visting the planet at different stage sin the war?
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 12, 2021 9:55:23 GMT
More Clash titles.
Death Is a Star. Hmm, I see the scenario set on a spacecraft that is doomed. Slowly spiraling in, it's engines inoperative, it and it's occupants, are doomed to die as it's hull is burned, melted and vapourised by stellar heat. Though the ionising radiation will probably get them first. On board it's a mix of panic, despair, desperate attempts to finagle a solution and apathetic acceptance of the doom that is more hours/days away. With some suicides. Then the PCs arrive. Can they help? Can their craft evacuate the crew and passengers (if any)? Will this screw up the web of time, and are they willing to just leave everyone to die? Can they fix the problem and let the ship escape it's fiery fate.
OK it's a bit 42 meets One Crowded Hour meets Generic Disaster Movie but it has potential.
English Civil War. Not the complicated mess between 1641 and 1651 but a different one. It could be a near future collapse (popular in the fiction of the '70s) with the country in a state of economic/political/social chaos, a military coup to "restore order". Or perhaps an alternate history, with the PCs arriving in (say) 1970 to find not mini-skirts and UNIT fighting off aliens but troops on the streets, curfews and a war in Scotland. What caused this? Certainly there is evidence that Mountbatten was approached on multiple occasions to lead a government to "save Britain", perhaps he decides to fall in with Cecil King's plan and there is a coup in 1969. I'm reminded of Reggie Perrin's friend Jimmy Anderson and his plan to oust: with the aid of, as Perrin lists; But why has history altered so radically? Has someone been meddling? Who? How? Why?
Dictator. This could be a prequel to English Civil War with the PCs arriving in, let us say 1984 for the Orwellian echoes. But not our 1984, this is not our history but the endgame from the coup of '68. Somewhat like the old TV series The Guardians. Separated from their transport the PCs need to survive, gather information, regroup and fix history. But The Guardians have absorbed elements of UNIT and have access to advanced technology (developed, alien and reverse engineered) and are meddling with time travel (which allows them to detect, track and immobilise the group's time machine, perhaps capturing it). The PCs need to locate dissenters to survive in a surveillance police-state (Quarmby?).
To further complicate things add a time-loop effect. The state of 1984 has been experimenting with time travel, in the manner of TOMITT. These experiments actually caused the original coup, perhaps by releasing an alien influence (like the Malus, The Awakening was set in '84) or displacing a Guardian officer back to 1967 to start the whole business.
First Night Back in London. A post-adventure adventure. Many of the Doctor's companions have wanted to get back home, usually to London. But what happens afterwards? Take, say, Ian and Barbara; they arrive back and are overjoyed. But it's two years after they left, and they're dislocated by their experiences. Then they start to notice subtle oddities; are they merely hypersensitive, or is something going on?
Ideas? Comments? Suggestions?
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 13, 2021 11:27:44 GMT
Clash III
I Fought the Law The scenario begins in medias res, with the PCs locked up. Not an uncommon experience for the Whoniverse traveller but an irritation. They're in individual, rather high-tech, cells of reasonable comfort. They have no useful equipment and the doors are actual metal, now a force field that conveniently disappears if there's a power surge or can be defeated with a torn pillow1. They're here to stay.
This is the moment for the scene-setting flashback. They arrived on the mostly peaceful planet of Venipra a couple of days earlier. Unfortunately for them Venipra has a bit of a problem with smugglers and other low-life's offloading stolen/pirated goods. So it wasn't long before the Acting Principal Customs Supervisor Filtra Luse Nag became suspicious of them. Given the couldn't account for their arrival, were acting suspiciously, were in possession of contraband2, and lacked proper IDents, they were arrested. She's a mite tetchy. Hence the cells.
They're looking at substantial fines (which they can't pay) and either jail time (at 'rehabilitative' hard labour) or psycho-conditioning. Ooops.
Then they hear raised voiced outside their cells. The doors are opened electronically and the group is ordered out into the corridor. There they are faced by four armed Customs Inspectors, APCS Filtra and the starport manager, a Taran3 named Trant Ica Moop. They have a proposition for them....
A couple of weeks ago there was a small battle in space near the planet; a pirated freighter attacked another merchant ship but was engaged by a Customs Service sloop (there's no local Planetary Defense Force, no Imperial/Federation naval presence in the system) and a skirmish left the 'innocent' freighter safe and the pirate ship damaged. It seemed to be unable to hyper-jump out of the system and fled into the black depths of space, pursued by the two sloops near the planet. They're now far out in space and unable to get back. In their attempt to capture the merchant vessel the pirates launched a boarding craft; unfortunately for them the merchant crew held them off long enough for the Customs Service troopers to arrive. Most were killed but one, the leader of the gang (a human derived genejob named 'Colonel' Akal Farga) was captured alive. He's in one of the other cells. Now his crew are back to get him.
Luckily they've only sent a small force, an unknown number of pirates and a small ship (a non-FTL pinnace). Unfortunately they've managed to cut off power and external comms for the starport, though the Customs building where they action begins has it's own power. One of the ground defense weapons was operation when the pinnace arrived; while the pirates knocked it (and the others) out, they took a couple of hits and landed. Their craft may be damaged; or they may simply have couple down to drop off troops. It'll take hours for the local government to raise a police/militia force to assist (due to lack of explicit comms) and teh pirates want their boss back. Now.
The PCs are given an option; help in the defense of the starport and all is forgiven. They can get their property, and transport, and leave. Or they can stay in their cells and take their chances with the pirates.
There are around a dozen Customs Inspectors available to defend the port and the building. They have light weapons (heavy on not-that-lethal, gas grenades and similar), body armour et cetera. Perhaps another dozen willing volunteers, very lightly armed. There is no ship in port, no transmat, and a handful of mostly ground vehicles.
Good luck.
1. Not one of McIntee's finest scenes IMO.
2. Be it alcohol, high technology, weapons, a ham sandwich; something the local bureaucracy disapproves of.
3. Think a sort of vaguely newt-like humanoid; about 1.5m tall, very long arms and fingers (six of them per hand), elongated head, enormous eyes. Noted for their psychological suitability for bureaucratic positions.
|
|
Catsmate
13th Incarnation
It's complicated....
Posts: 3,753
Favourite Doctors: Thirteen, Six, Five, Two, Eight, Eleven, Twelve, One, Nine...
Traits: Eccentric, Insatiable Curiousity.
Member is Online
|
Post by Catsmate on May 24, 2021 8:44:55 GMT
More Clash titles
Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad One for the Misfit Mob. During in lull in their 'normal' duties some members of the team are rotated out to other organisations, to "gain experience" (and get them out of the office).
- Julie Johnson was a Police Constable, until she interacted with something weird and ended up on medical leave and involved in a UNIT investigation. After several months of counselling (seeing your partner and sergeant eaten tends to strain the mind) she was discharged from the police, and recruited by UNIT. While she's a good investigator, and excellent at dealing with witnesses of the outré, she's still got some problems. The fact that she;s still on medication means she wasn't cleared for standard duty; hence her assignment to the Misfit Mob.
'JJ' was given a brief secondment to the drugs unit of < police force>; they can always use a new face.
While working undercover she became suspicious of something; she's convinced that the supply chain for a new drug involves aliens.
- There's a new form of opioid on the street, different from the run-of-the-mill morphine and fentanyl derivatives, and they've been trying to let a handle on the supply lines for the stuff. A spike in both drug overdoses and deaths (and disappearances) of known dealers is making the crime figures look bad. Currently it's a local problem, only really effecting the area serviced by < police force>, so there's no national attention. Yet.
She can't really discuss this belief with the 'normal' police so she takes it to her colleagues in the Misfit Mob. Is she right? Is the drug really that odd? Is it being synthesised by a time traveller or stranded alien, perhaps something they need themselves, or a by-product of something else. Is it brought to Earth by a rogue alien trader, in the vein of Samuel Belfrage? Is it produced from an alien plant accidentally released Earth and now cultivated in a couple of allotments? Or a seaweed that's appeared on the coast, released from a damaged Earth Reptile hibernation facility or a new form of algae?
Lose This Skin It started when some kids1 found what they thought was a body. Perhaps they investigated2, or maybe it was the responding police, and found it wasn't actually a body; it just looked like one. It was a Slitheen skin suit.
What next?
Option 1. Well if it was teenagers who found the suit maybe the take it with them, once they've established it isn't a corpse? What do they do with it? Use it to buy booze perhaps? There's a wallet and cards in the pocket. What trouble do they get into with it. Meanwhile someone is looking for the suit. Several someones.
- There are the colleagues of the missing Slitheen; what happened to them? Did they try a double-cross? What criminality were they involved in?
- The police, who are looking for the person whom they believe to have committed several murders (recorded on video); the teenagers are likely to find themselves on the wrong end of an Armed Response team.
- The people the missing Slitheen double crossed, who though them dead.
Option 2. If the police recover the suit it'll probably end up being flagged by UNIT. It doesn't seem a high priority, and there are more important matters, so it gets passed down to the Misfit Mob. But there's a bit of a delay, weekend, mix-up in the duty rota, these things happen.... So it's three days later when they arrive at the police station, waving UNIT IDs, to pick up the suit. It's gone.
Suggestions? Comments? Ideas for more titles or other sources?
1. Or it could be a dog-walker, they seem to be the usual discoverer of stray corpses, in the UK ANYWAY.
2. Too much 'CSI' and a curious turn of mind.
|
|