[SCENARIO SEEDS] Interesting Locations

[Acrobatic Flea]

I've collated a small list of "interesting locations" I've recently come across that I think would make great settings for Doctor Who-style adventures.

Check them out here: heropresstwo.blogspot.com/2022/04/torn-from-headlines-location-location.html

[Catsmate]

Another nice collection!

I was vague aware of Aralsk-7, though Gruinard island is better known for bio-warfare residue¹, and it would make a good site for a facility meddling with alien biotechnology. Even beyond modified smallpox and anthrax spores there could be even nastier things still buried there. Or worse an active or reactivated laboratory.
The actual disease outbreaks traceable Aralsk-7, smallpox in '71 and plague in '72, could have been something for worse².

Another idea, just why did the Soviets chose Vozrozhdeniya in the '20s? Was there a lab there already, built during the Tsarist days, studying something that the Butakov expedition found back in 1840s?


Slab City strikes me as the perfect location for something to infiltrate Earth and be fought off by a motly group of UNIT agents, aging hippies and artists. Perhaps someone can see through their psychic disguises?
Or maybe there are just a couple of alien tourists who want to visit there and Adam Tayler is dragged³ out of his comfort zone to chaperone them.
Now, what are they really up to?
Complications: someone at the community can see through their disguises (again) while another had a run=in with the Doctor many years ago, hence the TARDIS toilet⁴.


The house in Margate screams out to me for a visit from the Misfit Mob. Perhaps some investigator (police, council, annoyed resident, solicitor...) has either disappeared, returned 'different', suffers from a strange infection or found a truly alien plant there.
Off-world resident growing some native plants perhaps? Or a TARDIS with a buggy Atrium Circuit.


You do indeed have an eye for a good story hook.





1. Another good site for Meddling With Things Best Left Alone.

2. And they weren't the worst Soviet CBW accidents. The Sverdlovsk anthrax cloud of '79 killed at least eighty.

3. Reluctantly, if not actually kicking and screaming, though the fee is excellent.

4. Though I have a sudden urge to drop Banto Zane in too...

[Acrobatic Flea]

Thank you for the kind words, and once again taking the bits I've highlighted and running with them in totally unexpected directions.

[soultaker666212]

That house in Ramsgate just has Krynoid written all over it

[Catsmate]

Apr 28, 2022 14:11:51 GMT soultaker666212 said:

That house in Ramsgate just has Krynoid written all over it

Perhaps a 'domesticated' version? A carefully cultivated specimen of the bonsai Krynoid?

Or a few specimens collected from Chloris? Intruding council officials might have a nasty encounter with wolfweeds.

Yes, this really says "A little job for the Misfit Mob" to me.

[soultaker666212]

Apr 28, 2022 15:10:21 GMT Catsmate said:

Apr 28, 2022 14:11:51 GMT soultaker666212 said:

That house in Ramsgate just has Krynoid written all over it

Perhaps a 'domesticated' version? A carefully cultivated specimen of the bonsai Krynoid?

Or a few specimens collected from Chloris? Intruding council officials might have a nasty encounter with wolfweeds.

Yes, this really says "A little job for the Misfit Mob" to me.

I can see a more someone bringing something alien into their own home sorta approach, mentioned that the owner has rather rare sightings, maybe the fictional owner is infected by the Krynoid and now its spreading across their home and into the neighbourhood, how it got there might be Krynoid plants falling into like a nearby woodlands or field then brought into the owner's home. 

[grinch]

I rather like the idea of the house in Margate being a refuge or safe house for aliens (maybe many who are political prisoners?) stranded on Earth and which is owned either by the Doctor or person/persons unknown. Perception filters and other chameleonic technology can easily be detected and sometimes when you want to hide something or someone it’s far easier just to use nature.

Actually, considering how affable the often unseen neighbour is described as being it almost makes me wonder whether Mister Millow has spent some time here. Maybe it’s even a holiday home of sorts? Would make for a nice introduction of the character to the Misfit Mob should they come snooping.

[drinkplentyofmalk]

I highly recommend the book Atlas Obscura - it's essentially a massive tome of obscure and strange places/landmarks/festivals from across the world. It makes makes me want to a prospective future campaign into The Chase or The Daleks Master Plan just to fit them all in! The fact that all of these locations presently exist (even if a lot of them hint at interesting past/future events) means that you could just as easily use them for a non-Time Travel game, a la Torchwood or stranded Time Lord. Plus, a lot of them have a variety of image references.

They have a website (with slightly clunky UI), but I'll gladly list two (only two, I'm a bit tired) of my favourites just from a quick scroll, and how I'm inspired to use them;

The Echo Park Time Travel Mart ( www.atlasobscura.com/places/echo-park-time-travel-mart )
A time travel themed retail store filled with goofy, cartoonish gags. Could it be a genuine centuries-spanning chain, that only Time Travelers are in the know about? (And could it be a front to deliberately sow chaos into the web of time?)

101 Seating Dining Table at Falaknuma Palace ( www.atlasobscura.com/places/falaknuma-palace-longest-dining-table )
According to urban legend, two people sitting at opposite ends of this gigantic table would be able to hear each other clearly - does the table genuinely break reality in some odd way, and why? With both of your TARDIS crew at opposite ends of the table, can they solve an absurdly complex murder mystery with 99 subjects?

[soultaker666212]

Apr 28, 2022 20:56:09 GMT drinkplentyofmalk said:

I highly recommend the book Atlas Obscura - it's essentially a massive tome of obscure and strange places/landmarks/festivals from across the world. It makes makes me want to a prospective future campaign into The Chase or The Daleks Master Plan just to fit them all in! The fact that all of these locations presently exist (even if a lot of them hint at interesting past/future events) means that you could just as easily use them for a non-Time Travel game, a la Torchwood or stranded Time Lord. Plus, a lot of them have a variety of image references.

They have a website (with slightly clunky UI), but I'll gladly list two (only two, I'm a bit tired) of my favourites just from a quick scroll, and how I'm inspired to use them;

The Echo Park Time Travel Mart ( www.atlasobscura.com/places/echo-park-time-travel-mart )
A time travel themed retail store filled with goofy, cartoonish gags. Could it be a genuine centuries-spanning chain, that only Time Travelers are in the know about? (And could it be a front to deliberately sow chaos into the web of time?)

101 Seating Dining Table at Falaknuma Palace ( www.atlasobscura.com/places/falaknuma-palace-longest-dining-table )
According to urban legend, two people sitting at opposite ends of this gigantic table would be able to hear each other clearly - does the table genuinely break reality in some odd way, and why? With both of your TARDIS crew at opposite ends of the table, can they solve an absurdly complex murder mystery with 99 subjects?

I love that you recommended Echo Park Time Travel Mart. Have heard of this beforehand but isn't that just perfect fit for Doctor who, reminds me of Omega Mart. Thank you for recommending the website though i totally will be snooping around on it more!

[soultaker666212]

Apr 28, 2022 19:49:53 GMT grinch said:

I rather like the idea of the house in Margate being a refuge or safe house for aliens (maybe many who are political prisoners?) stranded on Earth and which is owned either by the Doctor or person/persons unknown. Perception filters and other chameleonic technology can easily be detected and sometimes when you want to hide something or someone it’s far easier just to use nature.

Actually, considering how affable the often unseen neighbour is described as being it almost makes me wonder whether Mister Millow has spent some time here. Maybe it’s even a holiday home of sorts? Would make for a nice introduction of the character to the Misfit Mob should they come snooping.

I actually had an idea similar to what you said with prisoner aliens on Earth but instead it was on some council flats (Maybe something like Park Hill in Sheffield) which is notorious for being a rough era because of it being an alien prison and the landlord of the place is the warden as well. 

[Catsmate]

Apr 28, 2022 19:49:53 GMT grinch said:

I rather like the idea of the house in Margate being a refuge or safe house for aliens (maybe many who are political prisoners?) stranded on Earth and which is owned either by the Doctor or person/persons unknown. Perception filters and other chameleonic technology can easily be detected and sometimes when you want to hide something or someone it’s far easier just to use nature.

Actually, considering how affable the often unseen neighbour is described as being it almost makes me wonder whether Mister Millow has spent some time here. Maybe it’s even a holiday home of sorts? Would make for a nice introduction of the character to the Misfit Mob should they come snooping.

Now that's a good basis for a scenario.

[grinch]

Apr 28, 2022 22:08:13 GMT Catsmate said:

Apr 28, 2022 19:49:53 GMT grinch said:

I rather like the idea of the house in Margate being a refuge or safe house for aliens (maybe many who are political prisoners?) stranded on Earth and which is owned either by the Doctor or person/persons unknown. Perception filters and other chameleonic technology can easily be detected and sometimes when you want to hide something or someone it’s far easier just to use nature.

Actually, considering how affable the often unseen neighbour is described as being it almost makes me wonder whether Mister Millow has spent some time here. Maybe it’s even a holiday home of sorts? Would make for a nice introduction of the character to the Misfit Mob should they come snooping.

Now that's a good basis for a scenario.

Be an interesting encounter I think considering Mister Millow is almost a one man Misfit Mob in himself.