Post by Catsmate on Sept 5, 2022 17:57:02 GMT
The Return of Maxtible.
At the end of The Evil of the Daleks, Skaro erupts into civil war as Dalek massacres Dalek with abandon, desperate for Build A Batter Society and Preserve The Dalek Way of Life1.
Meanwhile the massively bearded Theodore Maxtible, co-inventor of a Victorian time machine, murders his servant Kamal and doesn’t die, at least not on-screen. Presumably he’s killed during the fighting.
But what is he wasn’t?
As the novelisation says:
Really, the Dalek factions have better things to worry about that a lone human not-quite-prisoner who was (apparently) infected by the Dalek Factor. Maxtible could skulk around as the unnamed city is torn to pieces by the fighting and make his way…..
Well where?
Presumably back to Earth via the time corridor, either the lash-up that he and Waterfield created or the Dalek one that connects to Earth. When does he end up?
Option 1: Back to 1866
Arriving in June of that year, assuming he spent three days on Skaro and the corridor advances in sync, Saturday 06JUN to be precise.
His house has been destroyed and quite probably some people want to ask him questions, if only about his obviously dangerous experiments and public safety2.
Luckily it’s a dozen years too early for Torchwood to be poking their official noses in his affairs. Maxtible was wealthy and in his fifties3 so what does he do next? After talking hi way out of the trouble that is.
Brood and seek revenge on the Doctor? Perhaps setting up a secret society to assist him (might he influence Torchwood, or become part of it?).
Or would he, if still loyal to his former masters, attempt to spread the ‘Dalek Factor’ to humanity?
Did the Dalek modifications prolong his life?
Could he appears as another faction in the Paternoster Gang setting? He might well recognise the actions of the ‘Napoleon of Crime’ and become one of the players in late Victorian London.
Option 2: Back to 1966.
Or perhaps the time corridor linked to the shop in 1966. There Maxtible would be more limited in his actions, he's in a more bureaucratic state, and lacks his established identity, background and wealth.
But he presumably has access to the money and stock of the shop (let’s assume he and Waterfield were both owners) and can adapt to life in London as the sixties begin to swing.
So what happens? It’s a little too early for UNIT but how does Maxtible fare in his future? A lot will depend if the 'Dalek Factor' still influences him and his actions. Assuming it doesn't, or he can control it, he may become another member of the hidden group of people who know the reality about aliens and time travel. But how much does he know? Can he, for example, detect Dalek technology? Can they detect him, or control/influence him when they are around?
Option 3: Elsewhen.
The again maybe the time corridor malfunctioned and dumped Maxtible somewhen else entirely. The modern day perhaps?
He’s lack the resources of 1966 or 1866, so perhaps the GM will rule he grabbed a few things from Skaro.
Assuming that he's 'in sync' with other Dalek time corridors, here are a few possibilities:
Modifications and Resources.
Maxtible was embued with the 'Dalek Factor', whatever that actually was. Certainly he seemed stronger than Kemal in their fight, might he have other abilities, beyond the changes listed in the Second Doctor Sourcebook?.
Inbuilt weapons, as in Remembrance of the Daleks? Enhanced knowledge and technical skills?
One of the major decisions to be made before introducing Maxtible is whether he's a free agent, or still working in the interests of the Daleks. The former is more flexible as regards his actions and appearances, while the latter could be interesting in that his constant attempts to contact the Daleks need to be frustrated.
Finally there is the question of gadgets; did he pause to pick up a few items from Skaro perhaps?
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. I.e. killing everything that's not a Dalek.
2. As an aside the London Fire Brigade was established in 1866.
3. I'm going to assume Maxtible was approximately the same age as the actor Marius Goring (who was 54) and lives another thirty years, barring mishap.
At the end of The Evil of the Daleks, Skaro erupts into civil war as Dalek massacres Dalek with abandon, desperate for Build A Batter Society and Preserve The Dalek Way of Life1.
Meanwhile the massively bearded Theodore Maxtible, co-inventor of a Victorian time machine, murders his servant Kamal and doesn’t die, at least not on-screen. Presumably he’s killed during the fighting.
But what is he wasn’t?
As the novelisation says:
Maxtible charged through the carnage, miraculously keeping his footing and his life. Both sides in the fighting were concentrating on each other; neither cared about the few humans on the loose. He ploughed past the Doctor, intent on returning to the control room as he was ordered.
He burst into the control room and stared around. Smoke and flames were everywhere. He looked at the Emperor, barely visible at the far end of the room. All of its cables were burning now. The support frames were buckling under the heat. The Emperor was screaming wordlessly as molten metal dripped down on its vast brain case. Its life supports closed down, overheating. The power cables severed and blazed briefly. Parts of its casing crumpled to the ground.
A vast explosion tore through the room, and the final sections of the Emperor’s support collapsed. The immense machine toppled and shattered. The huge, mutated carcass of the Emperor, charred and smoking, sizzled as it fell into a pool of blazing lubricant.
He burst into the control room and stared around. Smoke and flames were everywhere. He looked at the Emperor, barely visible at the far end of the room. All of its cables were burning now. The support frames were buckling under the heat. The Emperor was screaming wordlessly as molten metal dripped down on its vast brain case. Its life supports closed down, overheating. The power cables severed and blazed briefly. Parts of its casing crumpled to the ground.
A vast explosion tore through the room, and the final sections of the Emperor’s support collapsed. The immense machine toppled and shattered. The huge, mutated carcass of the Emperor, charred and smoking, sizzled as it fell into a pool of blazing lubricant.
Really, the Dalek factions have better things to worry about that a lone human not-quite-prisoner who was (apparently) infected by the Dalek Factor. Maxtible could skulk around as the unnamed city is torn to pieces by the fighting and make his way…..
Well where?
Presumably back to Earth via the time corridor, either the lash-up that he and Waterfield created or the Dalek one that connects to Earth. When does he end up?
- I'm not planning to cover the other options of him stealing a space or time ship or using a different corridor to arrive somewhere other than Earth. But if anyone wants to do so, go right ahead.
Option 1: Back to 1866
Arriving in June of that year, assuming he spent three days on Skaro and the corridor advances in sync, Saturday 06JUN to be precise.
His house has been destroyed and quite probably some people want to ask him questions, if only about his obviously dangerous experiments and public safety2.
Luckily it’s a dozen years too early for Torchwood to be poking their official noses in his affairs. Maxtible was wealthy and in his fifties3 so what does he do next? After talking hi way out of the trouble that is.
Brood and seek revenge on the Doctor? Perhaps setting up a secret society to assist him (might he influence Torchwood, or become part of it?).
Or would he, if still loyal to his former masters, attempt to spread the ‘Dalek Factor’ to humanity?
Did the Dalek modifications prolong his life?
Could he appears as another faction in the Paternoster Gang setting? He might well recognise the actions of the ‘Napoleon of Crime’ and become one of the players in late Victorian London.
Option 2: Back to 1966.
Or perhaps the time corridor linked to the shop in 1966. There Maxtible would be more limited in his actions, he's in a more bureaucratic state, and lacks his established identity, background and wealth.
But he presumably has access to the money and stock of the shop (let’s assume he and Waterfield were both owners) and can adapt to life in London as the sixties begin to swing.
- I don't believe it's stated if Maxtible ever visited 1966 so I'll assume he has a passing familiarity with the period.
So what happens? It’s a little too early for UNIT but how does Maxtible fare in his future? A lot will depend if the 'Dalek Factor' still influences him and his actions. Assuming it doesn't, or he can control it, he may become another member of the hidden group of people who know the reality about aliens and time travel. But how much does he know? Can he, for example, detect Dalek technology? Can they detect him, or control/influence him when they are around?
Option 3: Elsewhen.
The again maybe the time corridor malfunctioned and dumped Maxtible somewhen else entirely. The modern day perhaps?
He’s lack the resources of 1966 or 1866, so perhaps the GM will rule he grabbed a few things from Skaro.
Assuming that he's 'in sync' with other Dalek time corridors, here are a few possibilities:
- 1963: attracted to the Renegade Dalek time corridor to Shoreditch. Does Maxtible know of this attempt? Might he lurk around while the various factions fight? Or ingratiate himself with Ratcliffe's 'Association'? Or hide out and wait for 1966 to roll around. In the latter case, does he try and interfere with established history?
- 1972: attracted to the time travel used by the Daleks and guerillas in the alternate timeline Maxtible arrives in the vicinity of Auderly House. What happens next?
- 1984: dragged to the un-gentrified London Docklands, Maxtible becomes entangled in the Dalek's plan to replace human political leaders with duplicates. Does he team up with Lytton?
Modifications and Resources.
Maxtible was embued with the 'Dalek Factor', whatever that actually was. Certainly he seemed stronger than Kemal in their fight, might he have other abilities, beyond the changes listed in the Second Doctor Sourcebook?.
Inbuilt weapons, as in Remembrance of the Daleks? Enhanced knowledge and technical skills?
- Personally I'd give Maxtible the Time Traveller [5&8], Tough, Vortex, and Selfish traits, in addition to his write-up in the Second Doctor Sourcebook, increase his Strength to 6. In 1866 he'd also have Wealthy and perhaps Friends.
One of the major decisions to be made before introducing Maxtible is whether he's a free agent, or still working in the interests of the Daleks. The former is more flexible as regards his actions and appearances, while the latter could be interesting in that his constant attempts to contact the Daleks need to be frustrated.
Finally there is the question of gadgets; did he pause to pick up a few items from Skaro perhaps?
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. I.e. killing everything that's not a Dalek.
2. As an aside the London Fire Brigade was established in 1866.
3. I'm going to assume Maxtible was approximately the same age as the actor Marius Goring (who was 54) and lives another thirty years, barring mishap.
