[Seed/Location/Oddity] The Arbour.

[Catsmate]

A little curiousity.


The Arbour.
If one were walking down <> Street in Dublin, seeking a shortcut through to reach <> Street without the inconvenience of walking its entire length, one might notice a arched laneway interrupting the rows of Georgian houses. It’s wide and high, suggestive of an entrance to stables and coach-houses back in the “Old Days”.

If one ventured down the laneway, oddly bereft of one of the ubiquitous nameplates installed by a helpful Local Authority, one would be pleasantly surprised that the laneway does indeed connect the streets, without the interrupting walls that are unfortunately so common in that old part of the city. But then rather fewer people than might be expected do venture down the lane¹.
Which is a pity really because it’s a useful shortcut and, with one small exception, utterly mundane.

About half-way down the lane, just as it turns to the right (or left, depending on from where the observer has entered) there is another tall arched doorway that seems to lead into a private garden. En passant one might glimpse a patch of green and some flowers. There is no sign by the entrance to identify the garden or it’s putative owners, just a pair of small bronze(?) cats flanking the gateway at around shoulder height.
And despite the lack of notices saving ‘Private’ or ‘Keep Out’ very few people ever enter. Probably the patina of social  constraint typical of city dwellers².
Which is a pity because the garden is something of a treasure.

Someone who ventures in would find a long, narrow garden (about eight metres wide and approximately forty-five long) with a cobbled brick path curving around beds of flowers, small trees, shrubs and bushes, water features and bits of statuary. There are chairs and benches scattered around, and a couple of gazebos visible, covered in climbing plants.
Oh, and rather a lot of cats, though this might not be noticed immediately, depending on the cats’ moods.
In fact there is a somewhat feline atmosphere to the garden, with statues of cats amongst the beds.

• Of course if it was a cold, wet or snowy day the observer would notice something odd quite quickly; whatever the weather outside, it’s usually³ a pleasant, mild-to-warm, dry day in the garden. Rather autumnal in fact. The sky overhead looks blue and clear, with almost stereotyped white fluffy cumulus clouds.
  

If a visitor was not put off by the cats, or the impossible weather, s/he might walk the length of the garden, only to find a second section at right angles to the first, decorated and laid out similarly. Where the two paths join is a larger area, perhaps fifteen metres across, with dense vegetation a few metres beyond the path. Sitting on a bench there might be found the person who calls himself The Custodian⁴.
Assuming they haven’t met anyone else in the garden a visitor might ask this person what the place is, what it’s for, who owns it and what’s up with the weather.

• Of course they may simply ask for directions⁵ or if there is a toilet⁶.

The Custodian appears to be a man in his early fifties, of shorter than average height, with greying dark hair (rather longer than is typical for someone of his age) and a light beard, dark eyes and a friendly expression. He’s usually found reading a book, pottering around, or stroking a cat. Or three.

He’s friendly and attempts to answer questions. He does not react well to violence, threats, attempts at vandalism or theft. Nor is he fond of loud or annoying people who soon develop a desire to leave.
The place is called ‘The Arbour’, it is dedicated to the goddess Bubastis or Bast (he can discuss the cult of Bast at great length and detail, more so than any academic), and it is a place of relaxation. He's rather vague about who created it, owns it and administers it. He gestures to a large (around three metres tall including plinth) statue of the lioness headed goddess carved in some light stone.
As for the anomalous weather, he smiles and says that the cats prefer it, perhaps alluding to a minor mystery of life and that the Arbour is a construct of Bast and not part of the outside world.
If this latter isn’t believed, he simply smiles and gestures to the reality of the garden.

People are free to relax there, as long as they observe the rules: don't leave rubbish (there are bins), don't damage anything⁷, respect the cats⁸, don’t annoy each other (loudspeakers strangely don’t work in the Arbour). Dogs are to be kept on a lead⁹.

The Arbour is actually fairly well known among a certain group. People who work, and live in some cases, in the area have stumbled over it (or been brought there by other 'in the know'). On wet lunchtimes it can be moderately busy with office workers taking advantage of the atmosphere¹². There are a few people, cat lovers mainly, who feel a greater connection to the place and enjoy contact with the cats.
Several local Gardaí know of the garden and ramble in occasionally (usually for the peace and quiet); certainly GUBU¹⁰ know of it.
However few people discuss it outside, no government agency feels the need to attempt to control it, nor do the local landlords try and add it to their property¹³ or even mention it to potential lessees.
Discreet investigation by a few solicitors and amateur historians found references to a 'cat garden' dating back around three centuries. The Custodian is silent on the matter ("Before my time").

If someone does try and start trouble there the consequences can be…unpleasant. Ranging from being ejected by the Custodian (who’s rather more capable than his unassuming appearance would suggest), mobbed by annoyed cats¹⁴. In extremis a large cat might appear¹⁵. Those ejected may not return, finding the doorway impassable.

Babies like the Arbour, they tend not to cry and sleep peacefully there. Especially in the area around the grove of sycamore trees.

The Arbour closes at dusk, though this can often be rather later than outside and is never before six PM, or at 10PM. It opens early, around 7AM. Some people believe the Custodian lives there (if indeed he lives in the usual sense).

• This is not true; he has a pleasant basement flat a couple of kilometres away. He finds being followed annoying.
  

There are two sundials, one on each pathway. These are well constructed and surprisingly accurate (~ one minute). There are also drinking water fountains, for humans, and circulating basins for the cats.

Most of the cats are mundane, finding their way to the garden from the surrounding area. Some are less so.
There are food and water dishes scattered among the vegetation.

On a few days each year, corresponding roughly to the festival days of Bast¹⁶, there are trays of pastries and glasses of a sweet honey wine served in the garden. On these days the weather is guaranteed to be excellent.

The Custodian has a shed concealed in the vegetation where the paths meet. If he's not around he can be found here, perhaps making tea. He's not generally happy to be disturbed but someone who's impressed him may be invited in for a cup (no coffee).


Game Use.
Practically none, except as background.
The Arbour is a minor encounter meant to remind characters, and players, that there are weird things in the Whoniverse, but not all of them are hostile. Or explainable. It's not a place for alien invasions or plotting.
That said it can be a convenient meeting place.


Comments?





1. A common phenomena in cities, people walk past interesting things perhaps hundreds of times without really seeing.

2. Or possibly something else.

3. It does rain, but usually at night, Perhaps one in six 'days' sees precipitation during the sunny hours.

4. "Who me? I'm the custodian of this little place".

5. The custodian's knowledge of the geography of Dublin (and the city's history is asked) is encyclopedic. He's also fluent in a surprising range of languages.

6. There are. A discreet door in one wall of each path leads to a corridor with a number of plan, but immaculate, toilet cubicles.

7. Though, for example, taking fruits to eat is acceptable.

8. This is rather important. Bast is unhappy with those who hurt cats and this is her place.

9. And may find the atmosphere intimidating.

10. The Garda Unit for the Bizarre and Unusual¹¹. The post-independence Irish agency for weird stuff. Not actually called 'GUBU' any more (it changes title every few years and is currently the Regional Research Unit) but usually referred to in that manner.

^{11. Yes I borrowed it from the Laundryverse.}

12. There is a risk of having your lunch nibbled by the cats, but it’s better than the gulls.Most people bring something for them.

13. Something that convinces many habituees the divine connection is true.

14. Just having a clowder gather suddenly and stare in unison at the miscreant is often enough.

15. Quite possibly a very large cat. Having a half-tonne Smilodon padding down the path towards one can be an effective suggestion that it's time to leave.

16. 15 April, 15 May, 27 August, 31 October, 06 December, 25 December.

[grinch]

Aw. I think this is quite lovely. And do I detect a slight influence from the SCP Foundation here?

As you said, a little bit of strangeness goes a long way. Personally I think it could serve as a good meeting place (due to the neutrality) for two mutual parties or even as a spot of relaxation. Earth’s equivalent to the Eye of Orion if you will. In fact, considering it’s location I could imagine on the rare occasions Oliver Dree leaves his property he’s been known to come there. Helps give him a clarity of mind and he’s particularly fond of the cats here. One member reminds him of a tabby cat that used to live on his street back when he was a boy. Who knows? Maybe it’s even the same one?

I must admit, I thought the Custodian was going to turn out to be a construct of the Arbour or an extension of itself but I rather like the idea of him just being a friendly fellow who looks after the garden. Mind you, nothing to say the Arbour doesn’t repay him in kind by providing him with some youthful vigour or something else of that nature. In any case, I think Bast probably looks favourably on him.

I do also like the image of how the Arbour defends itself. I’m imagining as the PCs (who let’s just say are amiable with the Custodian) are bunkering down here, an invading force suddenly has to contend with being swarmed by angry cats. And then a pack of Smilodons. And then who knows? Does Bast have any influence off world? In those rare circumstances, I could maybe see her conjuring up some predatory alien felines!

Which now gets me wondering how the Arbour reacts to those species who are of feline origin (such as Kitlings, Cat Kind etc) who might find themselves here.

As you can tell, I’m very invested in such an idea and could quite easily see this making an appearance in my campaign. If only as a place to recuperate after a particularly harrowing adventure.

[Catsmate]

May 18, 2022 9:25:02 GMT grinch said:

Aw. I think this is quite lovely.

Thanks.

May 18, 2022 9:25:02 GMT grinch said:

And do I detect a slight influence from the SCP Foundation here?

Yes, I've been browsing the SCP wiki a bit and something stuck.
Though it's also based on walking down a few random lanes and finding bits of the old city.

May 18, 2022 9:25:02 GMT grinch said:

As you said, a little bit of strangeness goes a long way. Personally I think it could serve as a good meeting place (due to the neutrality) for two mutual parties or even as a spot of relaxation. Earth’s equivalent to the Eye of Orion if you will. In fact, considering it’s location I could imagine on the rare occasions Oliver Dree leaves his property he’s been known to come there. Helps give him a clarity of mind and he’s particularly fond of the cats here. One member reminds him of a tabby cat that used to live on his street back when he was a boy. Who knows? Maybe it’s even the same one?

A neutral, peaceful, meeting place is one potential use.

Who knows with cats, some can walk through walls so why not time. Maybe certain events in Perrivale influenced their genetics.

May 18, 2022 9:25:02 GMT grinch said:

I must admit, I thought the Custodian was going to turn out to be a construct of the Arbour or an extension of itself but I rather like the idea of him just being a friendly fellow who looks after the garden. Mind you, nothing to say the Arbour doesn’t repay him in kind by providing him with some youthful vigour or something else of that nature. In any case, I think Bast probably looks favourably on him.

I envisage him as a fairly normal human, though with connections to Bast (she's appeared in both our Who campaigns, usually through agents like Daniel Moore and Rachel Spencer) that grant him a few useful abilities.
An with an apartment filled with books and cats (that's based on an acquaintance of mine).

May 18, 2022 9:25:02 GMT grinch said:

I do also like the image of how the Arbour defends itself. I’m imagining as the PCs (who let’s just say are amiable with the Custodian) are bunkering down here, an invading force suddenly has to contend with being swarmed by angry cats. And then a pack of Smilodons. And then who knows? Does Bast have any influence off world? In those rare circumstances, I could maybe see her conjuring up some predatory alien felines!

I'd say that people with seriously hostile intentions just can't see the entrance, or can't get through. A force field or similar.

May 18, 2022 9:25:02 GMT grinch said:

Which now gets me wondering how the Arbour reacts to those species who are of feline origin (such as Kitlings, Cat Kind etc) who might find themselves here.

As you can tell, I’m very invested in such an idea and could quite easily see this making an appearance in my campaign. If only as a place to recuperate after a particularly harrowing adventure.

I'd say that the effects on felinoids would depend on their intentions; hostility will be rebuffed, forcefully, but if they want to curl up and enjoy the ambience they#re welcome.

Thank your your input.

[grinch]

Hope you don’t mind me asking Catsmate, but aside from having agents (and clearly the odd follower here and there) what role does Bast play in your campaign? And within the realm of the Whoniverse what exactly is she? Merely some powerful alien or primordial force? Or an Osirian (which does beg the question whether she was allied with Sutekh or not) who now exists in some non incorporeal form?

[Catsmate]

May 18, 2022 13:58:42 GMT grinch said:

Hope you don’t mind me asking Catsmate, but aside from having agents (and clearly the odd follower here and there) what role does Bast play in your campaign? And within the realm of the Whoniverse what exactly is she? Merely some powerful alien or primordial force? Or an Osirian (which does beg the question whether she was allied with Sutekh or not) who now exists in some non incorporeal form?

She's one of the Higher Powers, what the transhumanists would call a Weakly Godlike Entity, though that just means that she's bound by physical laws (well, more-or-less). Her role is somewhat undefined, basically a Deus Ex Machina for when I need to rescue a plot. 

She seems to like humanity, rather like unpredictable but amusing and often surprisingly intelligent pets. There's a certain parallel there...

We've only played one scenario in which she played a direct role.

I'll dig out my notes and post them if you like.

[markrand]

About The Arbor...Purrrrr!

[grinch]

May 18, 2022 14:47:36 GMT Catsmate said:

May 18, 2022 13:58:42 GMT grinch said:

Hope you don’t mind me asking Catsmate, but aside from having agents (and clearly the odd follower here and there) what role does Bast play in your campaign? And within the realm of the Whoniverse what exactly is she? Merely some powerful alien or primordial force? Or an Osirian (which does beg the question whether she was allied with Sutekh or not) who now exists in some non incorporeal form?

She's one of the Higher Powers, what the transhumanists would call a Weakly Godlike Entity, though that just means that she's bound by physical laws (well, more-or-less). Her role is somewhat undefined, basically a Deus Ex Machina for when I need to rescue a plot. 

She seems to like humanity, rather like unpredictable but amusing and often surprisingly intelligent pets. There's a certain parallel there...

We've only played one scenario in which she played a direct role.

I'll dig out my notes and post them if you like.

Yes please, sounds most fascinating.

And I do like the idea of Higher Powers. The Time Lords might be all high and mighty but there’s always a bigger fish as they say.

I imagine if your campaign ever went down the route of exploring or involving the Elder Gods, it would make for the perfect scenario to incorporate Bast and have her make an appearance.

Although I imagine she’d probably have to adopt a more pleasing physical form to interact with the PCs. Her true form probably wouldn’t do wonders for your PCs sanity. 

[grinch]

Actually, this reminded me greatly of an old English folktale.

“King of the Cats”

www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/meft/meft32.htm

I’m not sure whether this would fit well for your idea of the Arbour but maybe Bast chooses one cat to act as her representative in the feline kingdom? With this cat serving as either the King/Queen. Considering the nature of the Arbour maybe this is where the fallen representative is laid to rest and another chosen?

I don’t know, might be a bit much and defeating the point of the area slightly but it’s a thought in any case.

[Catsmate]

May 18, 2022 19:14:00 GMT grinch said:

May 18, 2022 14:47:36 GMT Catsmate said:

She's one of the Higher Powers, what the transhumanists would call a Weakly Godlike Entity, though that just means that she's bound by physical laws (well, more-or-less). Her role is somewhat undefined, basically a Deus Ex Machina for when I need to rescue a plot. 

She seems to like humanity, rather like unpredictable but amusing and often surprisingly intelligent pets. There's a certain parallel there...

We've only played one scenario in which she played a direct role.

I'll dig out my notes and post them if you like.

Yes please, sounds most fascinating.

And I do like the idea of Higher Powers. The Time Lords might be all high and mighty but there’s always a bigger fish as they say.

I imagine if your campaign ever went down the route of exploring or involving the Elder Gods, it would make for the perfect scenario to incorporate Bast and have her make an appearance.

Although I imagine she’d probably have to adopt a more pleasing physical form to interact with the PCs. Her true form probably wouldn’t do wonders for your PCs sanity. 

OK then.

This was the backstory for one of the PCs.

I. The Chosen of Bast.
There are powers in the universe, beings even older, more powerful and more mysterious than the self-proclaimed Lords of Time. Sensible people, if they know such beings exist, avoid them or at least ignore them and hope the attitude is reciprocated.
Sometimes that just doesn’t work…

Until quite recently [the 2020s that is] Daniel Moore was utterly ignorant of aliens, time travel, UNIT, extra-universal demigods and a lot of other matters. Not any more, though he sometimes wishes for the peace of such ignorance again.

It all started with a job offer. A somewhat dubious one, being asked by one company (Silverline) to engage in what was basically industrial espionage against another (Informex) but he needed the money rather urgently and went along with the plan.
The job involved infiltrating a supposed data processing project in the Brazilian jungle. A ‘green’ data-centre and ‘planned community’

• Not at all a ‘company town’. And don’t mention Fordlandia.

Then it all went horribly wrong.
The people behind Informex were also desperate; their company was (as Daniel had surmised based on his significant, and cynical, experience with such) completely broke and unable to deliver on their promises. ‘Fake it ‘til You Make It’ just isn’t a reliable business plan. And apparently there was a limit to the gullibility of tech start-up VCs after all…

So instead of the more usual methods of dubious accounting practices, lying, surreptitious sales of assets and mass shredding of inconvenient paperwork, they’d decided to use an artefact from before the Earth was formed, a ritual they didn’t quite understand and the psychic energy drained from a mass human sacrifice of office drones, to appeal to a godlike power to change things.

• Possibly not actually the stupidest idea to come from the ‘start-up incubator’ sector, but certainly close.

Their attempt to tap the power of a ‘weakly godlike’ entity attracted rather a lot of attention; a renegade Time Agent, a sinister alien and her dumpy minder, a sociopathic billionaire, an unscrupulous bounty hunter from a distant planet and a retired spy unhappily approaching a prolonged and painful death.
It also attracted the attention of a far more powerful entity. One who did not approve.

Daniel was a person blessed (or cursed) with a high intelligence, intense curiosity, excellent research skills, a perhaps more-than-healthy degree of cynicism and an enjoyment of reading. Which was how, when things started to get really weird, he knew enough and was able to figure out a solution to the situation.
To the amused applause of the being that called herself Bast. Who demonstrated not only godlike power but also a unnatural and disturbing control of the local jaguars, so Daniel was too sensible to argue.

• Or maybe it was psychological trauma. It’s difficult to self-diagnose Stockholm Syndrome so he'd heard.
  

Daniel has been a gamer so he went with the basics: loot the bodies. In this way he acquired two small spacecraft (one also capable of time travel), a pocket sized Vortex Tunnel generator, a wide variety of interesting small arms and a lot of other really nifty toys. Oh and a brain upgrade courtesy of Bast, ”You'll need it”.

• A comment that rather worries him.

After phoning UNIT and dumping the clean-up on them, he dropped off the other eighteen survivors in Brasilia, sans memories but with an 800oz gold bar each as compensation.

He planned to relax and start exploring the universe.
Which he did do……mostly.

However his plans are occasionally altered by the fact that Bast seems to consider him, well probably a kind of useful and moderately intelligent pet really. And so he occasionally does little jobs for the powers-that-be. Sometimes saving the world, sometimes making sure two humans meet.
She has plans for humanity and the patience of a stalking feline.

---

This was a follow-on, an introduction to the first scenario.

Vignette.
Rachel stirred lazily in the huge bed and stretched luxuriously. It’d been a few years since she’d last met Daniel (sometimes Dan, never Danny except to one particularly patronising classmate) after college and she’d heard a few stories that he’d been in a bad way. Some sort of breakdown Louis had said, rather gloatingly. Whatever happened he seemed quite fine now, she grinned to herself.
Suddenly she twitched, a moment of oddness passed over her. There was someone else in the bedroom, she was convinced of it. Curious at her sudden and insistent certainty that they were not alone, she cautiously raised her head and saw the person, the thing, sitting relaxed in the armchair by the window.
A cat-person, complete with pointed ears, furry face and paws.

Rachel dropped back to the bed; this couldn’t be right. Was this some post-coital hallucination? She raised her head again and stared. The cat person, her mind shied away from the term ‘cat-girl’, smiled at her, nodded and obstinately refused to not exist.

She turned slightly to the sleeping man next to her.
“Ehh, Daniel”, she called out , tapping him on the side. He “hrrumphed” and turned over slightly.
“Daniel there’s a cat-person in your bedroom”
His response was not quite immediate; a couple of seconds passed and suddenly he was fully awake and sitting upright, having seemed to ‘boot up’ instantly. He looked at the cat-person who smiled and inclined her head pleasantly. Rachel got the impression of annoyance and concern, not surprise or fear.
“Oh bugger”, was all he said and dropped back flat on his back.

Daniel sat up again, took a deep breath and spoke.
“Rachel, allow me to introduce Bast, a godlike entity from outside normal space and time. Divine One allow me to introduce Rachel Spencer, a human. But then you know that and undoubtedly know more about her than she and I do”.
He seemed slightly irritated.

The being spoke. “Good morning to you, and my apologies for this…..interruption”.
Her tone was, well, normal. Not the booming voice one associated with a demi-goddess, or the hollow tones some authors used for forces of nature. Bast looked at her and Rachel got the impression that her thoughts were completely open to this entity.
She started to believe.
“What’s going on Dan”? she abbreviated his name in her disquiet.

He sighed and spoke; “A few years ago I got involved in a, well, a situation, is the best way to describing it. Basically the owners of a failing tech start-up decided that the best way to deal with their imminent penury was to summon a minor godlike being from outside the universe and abuse it’s power”.
He sighed again, this time more slowly and she felt the weight of his memories.
“Let’s just say it went as a well as a long time Call of Cthulhu player would expect. People died, people went mad, people suffered fates rather worse than immediate death”.
“At the end Bast here arrived to clean the mess and I was of some use”.

“Daniel understates his performance”. The creature spoke, it’s voice redolent of hunts past and sheer, inhuman power. “Even without my intervention he’d managed to solve the major problem and save many lives”.
The man spoke, “Perhaps”. There was doubt in his tone.
“But since then I’ve done a few, ‘little jobs’ for the Divine One here”.

“What sort of jobs does a goddess need a human to do for her?” Rachel asked.

“Ones that involve humans”, was the annoyingly cryptic answer from the cat-person. The creature looked at Rachael and smiled, “you do not accept me”.

Bast didn’t click her fingers or even twitch, that made it more impressive. Suddenly the three of them, the chair and the bed were……elsewhere. Floating in space with a dim, red sun visible in the distance and a large, dark blue, planet far below them.
Rachel swallowed and suddenly they were back in Daniel’s bedroom
“That was interesting”, she managed to say.
The goddess smiled.

From somewhere she produced a large envelope, and placed it on the small table by the window. “Here are your invitations and some background”.
“Invitations for what?” Daniel asked, somewhat resignedly.

“For the opening of the new Egyptian exhibit at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles tonight. A black tie gala you humans call it.”
Daniel groaned. “A visit to LA, monkey suits and I haven’t even had breakfast yet”. He sounded unhappy, but resigned. “I take it Bad Things will happen if I don’t go?”

“Yes”.
The single word answer was definite, and somehow managed to carry hints of disaster on a world altering scale.
“But allow me to rectify one of your complaints”, Bast spoke. Again there was no gesture, no word of power spoken, no sign whatever that Rachel could perceive but on the bed there were two trays, laden with breakfast.
Rachel could smell the coffee from the large silver pot and it smelled good. Next to the trays was a pile of newspapers.
When she glanced up again the cat-person was gone as unnoticeably as she’d come.

Daniel sprang out of bed, utterly naked and completely unconcerned about that state, and stalked over to one of the wardrobes. From inside he grabbed a bathrobe and put it on, and tossed another to Rachel. He velcroed on a pair of slippers and tossed another pair to her. Stuffing the envelope into a pocket of the robe, he picked up a small circular device from the dressing table and placed it on one of the trays. He looked at her.
“We need to talk, at lot, and that will take a while”. His tone was oddly formal. “Unfortunately time is a little lacking here, so we need to no somewhere there’s more of it available”.
Rachel was confused. She did not like how common that feeling was becoming this morning. Maybe it was the shock but she wasn’t quite sure what Daniel had just said.
“Huh?” was the best she could manage.
“Get dressed and grab one of the trays, we can eat and talk at our leisure. I’ll answer your questions then. Or some of them anyway” he sighed.

She put on the robe and slippers and picked up the tray; a silver service and no mere plate she noticed.
Fruit, breads, toast, coffee, chocolate, pastries, meats, cereals it was all there. Someone shared Dan’s ideas on breakfast. Or just knew them.
He took the other and stood next to her. With one thumb he tapped the circular device and suddenly, again, they were elsewhere.

This elsewhere was a small room, perhaps two metres square with hidden lighting and a hard floor. As Daniel approached it part of a wall disappeared, transforming into a doorway. He walked on and she followed.

---

This would lead to the introductory scenario, for two players, which was set in the present day and involved the opening of a museum exhibit and a spot of time travel. UNIT were also involved, including Kate Stewart and the Osgood.
Overall it went fairly well.

There was a second game adding a further pair of PCs, based on Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a US Naval Intelligence agent, and
Jennifer Shepard, a probationary agent. It was set in the early eighties and involved a not-collision involving two nuclear powered and nuclear armed submarines. It was based on Jeremy Miller's One of our submarines is missing

It is the height of the Cold War. Six days ago, in the Barents Sea, a US Navy Los Angeles-class submarine was trailing a Russian Delta-III ballistic missile sub. And then, suddenly, with no explanation or warning, all contact with both submarines was lost.

Four days ago, the two submarines were found in the English Channel, adrift but undamaged, their nuclear reactors shut down and their crews unconscious and unresponsive. They were placed in immediate quarantine. The Russian Ambassador went - well, ballistic - at the thought of the Western powers gaining unrestricted access to a Soviet nuclear submarine, and so a UNIT team made up of a rather volatile mix of US, UK and Russian specialists was assigned to investigate. 

Daniel and Rachel inveigle their way into the UNIT investigation and have to deal with a Time Lord who has altered time (the collision was supposed to happen with pretty serious consequences), two suspicious US NIS agents and a nest of Silurians. 

I'll clean up the character write-ups and descriptions for the two ships, Grendel’s Bane and Loki’s Dagger (neither of which was actually used much) and post them when I have a chance.

Overall the planned campaign, which didn't progress further, was planned to have some Cthulhu-esque elements, with the PCs being manipulated by powers that really were beyond their understanding. A little like the Eternals and the other Transcendental Beings, immense power but constrained in ways that seem strange to mere ephemeral minds.
In the end the campaign was dropped but I've used elements of it in the two ongoing games I run. Daniel and Rachel have appeared in both, and indeed I reused the initial LA scenario adding the crew of the Achronic Omnibus and making a few changes.
In The Thing in the Basement Daniel and Rachel are background characters, along with several others, as time sensitives and precognitives realise that something major is going to happen in the not-too-distant future, hence the Bay Area has become a major focus for time travellers and others. Bast is keeping a wary eye on things, via her favourite agents. And a few cats of course.

• Actually, to date, the Basement group have encountered eleven twelve other time travellers^† in the Bay Area and heard several references to a major Jonbar Hinge in their future. It keeps them nervous....
  

Loki’s Dagger.
This was the main transport used by Daniel and Rachel. Originally a moderately sized scout ship, it was previously the (stolen) property of a renegade Time Agent (now deceased; if he was lucky).

About twenty metres long, six metres wide and five high. Rather blocky configuration with limited tapering at bow and stern; the civilisation that built her has advanced force-field and gravity manipulation technologies, conventional aerodynamics were optional.

The interior is snug, but fine for two people (there is a second cabin, configured as a bunkroom (for four), but it’s used mainly for storage or as an occasional cell).

It is fully equipped with an advanced medical bay, a small laboratory/workshop (complete with a nanotech fabricator that can manufacture most objects given the materials), a long range transmat, an excellent stealth system (with layered mimetic hull cladding, sensor cloak, solidogram projections and temporal phase rotation). Lightly armed.



grinch, I hope you found this data-dump interesting.




† Or groups. The full list is:

1. Evander and his crew. A sadistic psychic vampire and his minions.
   
2. A. A. Weaver, Byron Richardson, and their temporal craft ‘The Box’
   
3. Doctor Matthew Randall (aka ‘The Traveller’)
4. Morgana and Accolon
5. The crew of the Achronic Omnibus
6. The legendary time-travelling thief, and Scion of Gallifrey, known as Harlequin. Pursued, naturally, by her nemesis, the cyborg law-enforcer called the Tick-Tock Man.
7.  Reilly Cydnie, a second generation Freetimer. And later one of the crew of the Achronic Omnibus but that hadn't happened yet.
   
8. Gandalf Gray.
9. Daniel Moore, cat lover and currently Chosen of Bast, his partner/lover Rachel Spencer and their time-ship, Loki’s Dagger.
10. Ogeron, the Neanderthal Time Master. Last survivor of an aborted timeline and purveyor of cryptic advice.
11. The trio of humans(?) who call themselves the Storm Riders and their ‘craft’ Audra.
12. Lilith Elanor and Zachery Tailor, a vampire and her mostly human, time-traveller lover.

A meddle-y of time travellers..... And there are more to come.

[Catsmate]

May 18, 2022 19:16:30 GMT grinch said:

Actually, this reminded me greatly of an old English folktale.

“King of the Cats”

www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/meft/meft32.htm

I’m not sure whether this would fit well for your idea of the Arbour but maybe Bast chooses one cat to act as her representative in the feline kingdom? With this cat serving as either the King/Queen. Considering the nature of the Arbour maybe this is where the fallen representative is laid to rest and another chosen?

I don’t know, might be a bit much and defeating the point of the area slightly but it’s a thought in any case.

An interesting legend. In Ireland it's remembered mainly as a story involving the bard Senchán Torpéist (an actual historical figure in the sixth and seventh centuries) that was 'collected' by Oscar Wilde's smarter mother, Jane.

I think it has potential, perhaps a visit to the talking cat in Ontario is needed? Or a trip to Dark Ages Ireland in search of the Táin Bó Cúailnge¹. Perhaps with an appearance from Pangur Bán?




1. For those of you haven't had the benefit(?) of several years of Irish at school, The Táin is an epic prose/verse work, sometimes described as the 'Irish Iliad'. The title literally translates as "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" (cattle rustling being a popular pastime in the period) and is set in a (probably) mythical pagan heroic age (around the first century CE) and involves magic, demigods, great warriors, curses, wars and magic bulls.
For centuries the text was lost until Senchán Torpéist convened a gathering of bards to reconstruct it. Perhaps.

[grinch]

Thank you for that Catsmate, I always love a good info dump. And Bast sounds a most fascinating character. Very much a step up from the rare example of a benevolent Osirian as I was envisaging.

It does make me wonder who else in the Whoniverse would be considered an example of a Higher Power. I could very much see a particularly inquisitive researcher attempting to make a study of them. At the cost of their sanity. (Maybe that’s one potential backstory for Mentoz?)

[Catsmate]

May 20, 2022 9:17:57 GMT grinch said:

Thank you for that Catsmate, I always love a good info dump. And Bast sounds a most fascinating character. Very much a step up from the rare example of a benevolent Osirian as I was envisaging.

It does make me wonder who else in the Whoniverse would be considered an example of a Higher Power. I could very much see a particularly inquisitive researcher attempting to make a study of them. At the cost of their sanity. (Maybe that’s one potential backstory for Mentoz?)

I'm glad you found it interesting .
Which reminds me I must tidy up my list of time travellers and organise them a bit.

Bast, and the other Higher Powers, are amalgamations of elements from the Cthulhu Mythos, the Expanded Whoniverse and other sources.
Well there have been a number of Transcendental Beings in the Whoniverse, beings that have existed since the very earliest days of the universe, perhaps before matter itself existed (the first three hundred thousand years after the Big Bang). Or survivals from a prior universe.
They're really beyond the understanding of "mortal" intelligences, including Time Lords and Doctor^VI said.
I'm entirely sure someone, probably several, have studied them. Mad, renunciate, Time Lords for example.

Attempting to tap into their power is a good way to add Cthulhu Mythos elements to a game.