The Campaign of the Doctor (Inactive)

Game Master Clebsch73

Kyle: Resolve + Survival: 5 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ 5 + 1 + (1, 6) = 13

As the air clears, it can be seen that the Master is gone apparently back up the ladder to the next level up. Kyle is on the ground, no longer wrestling with the tendrils, as all the tendrils have shriveled up, but he is apparently in the throes of another flashback. He can be heard muttering, "You mustn't go Evey. I volunteer. It's too dangerous."

The name he uttered was hard to make out and could be EV, EB, or something similar.

After about 40 seconds, he comes out of it, unable to remember much other than vague image of arguing with a group of men and women in a similar chamber.

The lump of axionite, which can be seen through holes in the cylinder surrounding it, had been as large as a beach ball and glowing a golden yellow. Now it has shriveled to the size of a grapefruit and has gone dark and grey.

Everyone hears a beeping sound and when the source is located, it is the Temporal Trace Locator on Bryce's back (it has straps that allow it to be worn like a backpack). When Bryce takes it out and he and K-9 study the dials and lights, it appears to be signalling toward the piece of Axionite. A readout on the cell phone that was incorporated into the case reads, <Temporal Trace located.>

Bryce tries to shout over the din "The launch has been aborted! Everyone, let's get out of here the way we came in!"

This will be very difficult as the way you came in was to fall through a three story exhaust duct. It would be a very hard climb out, while the next level up the crew of the ship should be evacuating the ship.

Awareness+Presence: 2d6 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (6, 2) + 2 + 3 = 13

Resolve+Survival: 2d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6, 5) + 3 + 2 = 16

Ted throws his arms up to shield himself the circuits exploding, and quickly covers his mouth with his sleeve to avoid filling his lungs with the resulting heavy smoke.

He jerks his head towards Bryce. He hadn't heard the announcement, but there was no reason to doubt the man's words. "We did it?" His face breaks out in a dopey grin. Hot damn, we did it."

Ted is about to check on Kyle (Who is Edie?) when the Temporal Trace Locator goes off. "Looks like our luck hasn't worn off yet."

Sorry, I forgot how we got in here (it was so long ago IRL). Since other new stuff has happened, I'd like to retract it.

While Kyle is in his trance, after Bryce and K-9 have looked at the Temporal Trace Locator, Bryce says "So, K-9, what do you think? Was the Axionite the sole source of the temporal trace, or do you think that chunk is somehow connected to the Doctor? Should we take it with us?"

K 9 returns to the others looking very bedraggled and perhaps a little smug. K 9 looks with obvious concern at Kyle until he comes out of his flashback. In reply to his master's question, K 9 replies "It seems likely the Axionite was the sole source of the temporal trace as you say master. I shall retrieve it. My apologies for failing to apprehend the Master."

If the Axionite can be reached in reasonable safety K 9 will cautiously go and retrieve it.

The axionite can be picked up and stored in a pack or pocket. It has grown surprisingly cool after apparently glowing with heat and energy.

Kyle rises when his flashback ends.

Whether the group moves up the stairs to the platform with the ladder where the Master had been or the group waits for help from the launch technicians, they will meet up with a number of people, including the Brigadier, who eventually got into the launch control with UNIT soldiers and took control of the launch site. When they saw the indications of a fire in the power core, they feared the worst and the crew were evacuated.

"You saved us all from making a horrible mistake," the Brigadier tells you after you've received medical attention. "We've not been able to locate the mediator, but he seems to have corrupted a number of the site personnel and convinced them they were doing an heroic deed to launch the ship when they did. We found the Doctor's ship or TARTAN or whatever he calls it in the simulator. We can escort you there. Wish I could thank the Doctor for lending us your help. Last I knew he was in a hospital in the Royal London Hospital. Perhaps you'd like to visit him?"

"Yes, very much! How long ago was he there that you last knew of?"

"We will be sure to give your thanks to The Doctor Brigadier. I suppose there is no sign of The Master?"

"The Mediator," Ted chimes in. "Turns out he was a really a man who calls himself the Master. Sort of a-" He searches for the right words. "An evil version of the Doctor, I suppose?"

"Ted, that would be a good description of the Master. I never met him before now, but from the stories the Doctor told me, that sounds very apt."

I'm trying to maintain continuity as indicated in the sourcebook, but I may contradict words of the Brigadier earlier about his connection to the Doctor.

When Bryce asks how long ago the Doctor was here, he thinks and says, "I'm told he was in a hospital recovering from something that caused him to look rather different that his last reported sighting. I've been meaning to get over to the hospital to interview him. I thought you were his companions and knew all this."

When told about the Master, the Brigadier shakes his head. "Never heard of the bloke. We'll find him, don't you fear. Unit has broad authority to arrest suspected aliens."

The Brigadier offers to escort everyone back to the simulator where the Tardis remains.

You may remain if there are things you want to do at this location, or return for the start of the next adventure. You can assume any injuries suffered (loss of ability points) are recovered by the time you get back to the TARDIS, thanks to medical treatment provided by UNIT.

I'm not sure how the adventure path intends to connect the events of the adventure with the known adventures of the Doctor as presented in the television series. It is, I suspect, deliberately vague, so it may that with parts of the Doctor's time line erased, events went differently and led to some connection with the Doctor, even though the Doctor may have been erased. Let's just expect that with the time line being erased, events with which the Doctor was involved carry some kind of trace of the changes invoked. Perhaps with the Doctor erased near the beginning of his 3rd incarnation, the Master planned a different plot to destroy earth than the first one in the 3rd Doctor's experience, which was a story in which the Master activates Autons and tries to use them to wipe out humans.

"Sorry about the door I destroyed Brigadier. But we did save the planet. And good luck apprehending The Master." replies K 9, sounding very slightly guilty.

"God speed to you."

Ted has a feeling that the Master would be more difficult to capture than the Brigadier believed. But the idea that he'd ever be travelling through space and time with aliens and robots had once seemed pretty far-fetched.

I can't think of anything else to do at this location, so Ted will be ready to move on.

"We should at least try to contact the Doctor in this time, and see if he has any insights as to what's going on. Brigadier, can you provide transportation to and from the hospital?"

The castle turns out to be in Scotland while the Doctor is in a hospital in London, so it would be a long trip. The Brigadier makes a few calls nonetheless, but returns looking perplexed. "Strange. The hospital reports there never was a patient of the description they reported just twenty-four hours ago. Not sure I can help you locate him."

"Ok, well - back to the TARDIS, everyone?" Bryce asks.

The brigadier escorts the time travelers back to the simulator of the obviously misnamed Golden Promise. The Tardis stands alone in the simulation lattice. The brigadier is about to thank everyone again, when a subordinate officer rushes up, saying "Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, sir! We've had a report from the site of the anomalous meteor shower. There have been some deaths near a plastic factory."

The brigadier sighs and shakes hands with everyone (everyone with hands, that is; he gives K-9 an affectionate pat on the head). "Best be off. Cheerio. Good luck."

He departs before the TARDIS doors have opened. After knocking on the door, the Doctor opens it, looking out with a perplexed look on his face, apparently not recognizing the group immediately. Then he remembers everyone as if not having seen any of them for a long time, and invites everyone in.

The Doctor has to have the whole situation explained to him again. His reaction is much the same as it was before, and he uses the reading on the trace locator to pick the next place to visit.

The TARDIS takes a while to work out where to go next, in which time Bryce can fix up K-9.

Kyle is in need of rest and healing, however, so the Doctor suggests he remain in the TARDIS for a while. If Kyle's player returns then Kyle can re-enter the adventurer. Otherwise, he'll remain an NPC in the TARDIS.

Roleplay anything you like with the Doctor. After that, the next adventure will begin (cue the theme music). Story Points reset. Add one build point or hold it until you have saved up enough to take something that costs more than 1 point.

I may be confused because it's been so long, but didn't we take the blue-box TARDIS to get here? And what's that about "After knocking on the door, the Doctor opens it"? Which Doctor is it?

See this post. The Doctor navigated the TARDIS to the first location which was inside the simulator. The Doctor stayed behind to avoid crossing his own timeline. It is the 11th Doctor.

Wow, I'd totally forgotten that we had the Doctor on-call! Good to remember for the future...
I've got nothing special to say or do until we get to our new location.

"Keep us in the loop on Kyle, Doctor. He had a few close calls back there." Ted considers their adventure for a moment. "Do you think this 'Master' might be behind what's going on?"

What is a build point?

The Doctor scowls when Ted asks if the Master might be behind the events. "That's not possible. He refused to regenerate, which ended his life. I cremated his body. So unless he can come back from the dead, no I don't think the Master is behind this. Our time lines did cross many times, however, so you may see him again."

I'll elaborate on the build point in the discussion thread.

The Doctor sets to work. He attaches the remnant of axionite into the circuits of the TARDIS and uses the connection to extrapolate a likely location of another trace. The TARDIS starts to materialize and then rocks and shudders until the Doctor adjusts some controls. The TARDIS finally settles down and the Doctor shows a scan of the outside.

The scan shows that the TARDIS is in a forest. Well, technically it is a forest, if you count trees that are only about two feet tall as a forest. The main reason for thinking it is a forest is a sign which reads, “THIS FOREST PLANTED BY THE JACONDAN ECOLOGICAL FUND.”

"Jaconda! I must have been here at some time, but I don't recall what I did here. I guess that's a good sign, yes? Well, happy hunting. I think the trace must be a ways away. The TARDIS did not want to get too close to my old timeline, so you'll have to hoof it from here. Good luck."

The TARDIS door opens and the team may exit and explore.

A likely destination suggests itself as soon as they leave the TARDIS. In the distance is a huge domed structure. Bryce and K-9 have worked out how to use the Temporal Trace Locator, so they can detect a faint trace when the targeting element, the bell of a trombone, points at the structure.

The air feels like Earth air, except for some odd smells of alien flora and fauna, but nothing threatening seems to be about. In fact, squinting at the building gives a hint that their might be a line of people standing outside the building.

"But Doctor, as I understand the nature of time, couldn't the Master be behind these events, but doing them at a point in his life *before* you saw him die?"

To the group, Bryce points to the dome and says "Well, shall we?".

"If he did that, then he obviously did not succeed, since my timeline has not been erased. So if you want to believe that, then you don't need to go to all the trouble of stopping it because someone already stopped it. Time lines can be wibbly wobbly but not that wibbly wobbly. Doesn't really matter. Deal with this situation and you can take bets on who is behind it."

Ted holds a hand up to his head as Bryce and the Doctor converse. "I'm not going to think too hard about that," he says, massaging his forehead.

"Doctor, how far are we in the future this time?" he asks, gazing out at the small trees and forgetting that the adventure they just had actually took place in the past for most of them.

The Doctor checks his console screen, taps a few buttons, and reports, "2401. Planet Jaconda. Recovering from some kind of invasion by a race of sentient snails. Native race are Avianoid."

"Well, let's get started for the dome."

Moving toward the building, the group can see a broad flat surface spreading out for acres next to the building. The area has spaceships of all sorts, with people occasionally disembarking and walking toward the building while others exit in small groups and make their way toward awaiting ships.

Getting closer it becomes clear that all the people are lined up to enter the building via a long narrow stairway. Most everyone is dressed in rather fancy clothes, or what one imagines are fancy in the eyes of the strange variety of sentient life forms.

The building looks quite well made, with elegant architecture, and there does not appear to be any other entrance but the one at the top of the stairs. Separate from the line are uniformed personnel who speak briefly with groups waiting in line and others who are carrying trays with drinks or appetizers. The ones in uniforms are mostly human or humanoid; their uniforms are burgundy double breasted waistcoats, silver slacks or skirts, and black slippers.

Do you get in line, seek to talk to people in line or the ones in uniforms, or do something else? If you check the trace locator, it indicates the building.

Ted approaches one of the uniformed employees that most resembles another human like himself. "Hi there," he greets them, holding out his hand. "Wonderful little forest you've got here on, ah, Jaconda." He flashes a smile. "I was hoping you could tell me a little bit about what's going on inside that building there?"

Presence+Convince+Charming: 2d6 + 3 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6, 2) + 3 + 3 + 2 = 16

Drat, I wished I'd thought to ask the Doctor if I could borrow his psychic paper...could I spend a story point to have retroactively done so? :)

Keeping in mind the psychic paper doesn't always work, you can do that. Role play how you present it. Alternatively, you could go back in time, make a reservation, and arrive back at the appropriate time, the River Song Date trick.

I keep forgetting we have access to a bloody TIME MACHINE! :)

Bryce asks the employee "Typically how far in advance does one have to make a reservation for this place?"

"Well, we only opened a year ago, but already we're booked for the next ...," he pauses to check a tablet screen, "one year, five months, and eleven days. Would you like to make a reservation? Or you could wait in line in case we have a cancellation."

As you talk to the restaurant employee, some more people arrive to get in line. The companions of the Doctor notice that all the people in line have long coffin sized boxes in tow, most hovering just above the ground or on some kind of small vehicle. A group of Sontarans just ahead have a floating surface some ten square feet in size on which rests the body of a gigantic hairy monster.

One of the Sontarans is overheard to exclaim, "It was most unpleasant to modify our probic vents, it will be worth it to be able to enjoy our triumph."

Behind is a human woman wearing a leather jumpsuit. She has a long box like most of the others. She looks a bit like Emma Peel.

"How long before you opened were you accepting reservations? And, what's with all the coffins?"

Ted steps back to let Bryce speak, understanding what the man was trying to figure out. Although... If they thought about going back in time to make a reservation, would they have one already?

"Actually, I think you'll find us on your list. Trapes, party of three?"

So what I'm thinking is spending story points so it's already there, and then we just make sure we go back in time to do it later so we don't create a paradox. Ted wouldn't know that, but if even if the answer is no, we need to do it now, Ted would probably assume just intending to do it would create the desired effect.

To save some fuss, the TARDIS delivered you to this place and time. That means that however you manage it, you need to be at this place at this time, not just at this place any time. There are ways to get inside without going to the trouble of time travel. Interact with the people a bit and some options will be available that don't require time travel.

Ted's idea takes things to new levels of timey-whimey-ness. Just having the intention of doing something in the past by way of future time travel makes the thing happen. *Sound of heads exploding* It would create a new kind of time paradox. You initiate something that requires future time travel to set up in the past, but then get killed before you can go into the future to go back in time to initiate the thing in the first place. So ...

"How long before you opened were you accepting reservations? And, what's with all the coffins?"

"The restaurant opened a year after the near annihilation of the planet whispering and, I'm told, the universe itself. That was a hundred years ago. The ecology of the planet was severely undermined, so this restaurant was created to generate revenue through tourism. You can read all about it in this," and he hands you a tri-folded pamphlet that explains the restaurant, and the odd boxes each group of tourists possesses.

"A hundred years ago, the peaceful world of Jaconda was invaded by the Gastropods, a race of giant, telepathic snail warriors, controlled by their master Mestor. The Gastropods plotted to destroy Jaconda’s sun in order to create a supernova that would fling their eggs across the galaxy, so that they could colonize and devour more worlds. Brave individuals defeated the Gastropods and destroyed Mestor. Bereft of the controlling consciousness of Mestor, the surviving Gastropods became mindless animals.

When one of the surviving gastropods consumes even a small part of a deceased individual, if the flesh of that creature is cooked and consumed, the diner experiences memories from the deceased. You bring the body of one you wish to incorporate into a meal, a respectful service is performed (if desired), and a short time later, your meal of memories is served."

The pamphlet goes on to describe the various ways the gastropods (basically, snails) are cooked, broiled, fried, baked, or boiled for your dining pleasure, what activities may be enjoyed while waiting for the meal to be prepared, and other amenities available within.

I'm confused - the employee first said that the restaurant only opened a year ago, but in the last post he says that it opened a year after an event that happened 100 years ago???

"Thank you, sir." Bryce motions the group away from the employee and says quietly "Well, we could go back in time and make a reservation for today and then come back, or we could talk to people and see if there's some way we can get in without being patrons of the restaurant. Not being a people-person myself, the rest of you would have to do the talking. Thoughts?"

Ted listens with interest as the employee details the planets history, but makes a gagging noise when he explains the coffins. As far as Ted is concerned, that's a little too close to cannibalism for his taste.

"Let's take a look around, talk to some folks." He looks up at the short, potato like aliens carting around their gigantic kill. "Though maybe we should give them a wide berth."

Ted walks over to the end of the line, just behind the woman in the leather jumpsuit. "You must have been very lucky to secure a reservation here," he says, trying to strike up a conversation with the woman.

The woman turns and smiles. (She's very pretty and it is a charming smile.) "Why hello! I do have a reservation," she says and waves a small rectangle with the restaurant's logo. "But lucky? No. I've been charged with learning some corporate secrets one of our executives who died without telling anyone. So I've got to find out what the old coot used as passwords to a number of bank accounts where he squirreled away some money he embezzled. Sometimes, when you're a low level executive, you've got to eat s... snails. N'est-ce pas?" She's charming, with a soft drawling accent. "How about ya'll?"

"Hm, I see."

Ted returns the smile and glances back at Bryce and K-9. "My friends and I are, unfortunately, some of the many hoping for a cancellation." Ted turns back again to face her. "My name is Ted. Ted Trapes." He extends his hand. "I take it you're not a fan of snails?"

"Never touch snails myself. I admire the plan to recover the embezzled funds, miss...? I am called K 9. And is your reservation for a particular number?" replies K 9, adding the last sentence as a hopeful, cybernetic afterthought.

Emma Peel! I recall having lustful thought about Emma Peel when I was too young to have lustful thoughts.

"Oh look! A mechanical talking dog. How cute! I am Adrana Boll. Miss Adriana Boll," she adds, reaching out and adjusting Ted's collar, giving him a wink. "My reservation is for up to four, so ..."

She pauses abruptly, touches a small earbud in her right ear, turns away and begins to talk, apparently to someone calling her. "What are you saying? ... I can't leave now. I'm at the restaurant. ... We don't have time to reschedule. ... I understand but, ..." She pauses and glances back at Bryce, Ted, and K-9. "Wait, I've got an idea. I'll call you back."

Adrana turns back and smiles at the group. "Y'all are in luck. I've got to go and you need a reservation. How about we help each other out? Y'all can have my reservation. All you need to do, is for one of you to have your snails feed on my executive, and get what I need from my guy's memory. His name is Admiral Harry Yom. He's with the League of Independent Worlds who also serves on our board. You can call me when you're done and I can ask you for what I need to know. The rest of you can enjoy a meal of one of the celebrities they have on ice. I've heard they've got Elvis." She reaches into a belt pouch and pulls out a small earbud and hands it plus the reservation chit to Ted.

"They've already got the admiral in their cooler. Just hand this to one of the gentlemen in the red coats when it chimes. Just say my name and this'll put y'all in touch with me. Thanks! You're life savers."

She blows a kiss and heads for the field with all the space ships before anyone can say much.

Bryce opens his mouth to call after her, but she disappears into the crowd too quickly.

"I don't like the smell of this - we could be being set up for something."

"What a happy coincidence!" Ted starts to say, before Adrana is interrupted by her sudden call.

"Of course, Miss Boll. I'll be happy to let you know what I found out from Admiral Yom," he says with a grin as she walks away, momentarily forgetting the disgust he had for the whole process. He holds up his hand, waving her off.

"Do you think so, Bryce? She seemed nice enough." Ted examines the ear bud now in his hand, not quite sure what to make of it. He holds it close to his face, trying to discern it's use.

"Why would she entrust corporate secrets and embezzled money to a group of total strangers? This seems wrong...

I would suggest that we use her reservation to get in so we can look around, then contact her over that earbud and tell her the Admiral is here waiting for her to process him."

The line moves slowly but after a half hour, the reservation chit chimes and words appear on it instructing the holder to report to the entrance. Those still waiting in line cast envious glances at the group as they pass.

The building is impressively tall with a very large dome over the top rising high above the landscape. After climbing a stairway, the group arrives the main entrance, where another employee in the standard burgundy double-breasted waistcoat checks their reservation and graciously ushers them through a set of thick heavily armored double doors into a lobby.

The lobby has booths along both walls that flare out toward the main circular building. As the maitre d' attends to another group, one of the booths flashes and the doors open revealing a group of short blue furred humanoids with large heads who come in singing a boisterous song in high pitched voices. The maitre d' silences them with a withering glare. The booths are apparently transmat units that upscale patrons use instead of mucking about traveling in spaceships.

The lobby is decorated in a sumptuous yet tasteful way, looking a lot like a tomb: somber lighting, lots of stone and brass, with the interior staff all dressed in black suits, looking a bit like morticians. Tasteful and unobtrusive music plays faintly in the background.

When the maitre d' attends to them, he first looks at the less than elegant clothing of Ted and Bryce and seems to overcome a slight wave a nausea before saying, in an outrageously French accent, "Good evening messieurs et ..." he looks down disdainfully at K-9 and then back up at Ted and Bryce. "Messieurs. I am Garamond. I see by your reservation, you are providing your own deceased. Would you like to pay your respects or shall I send zee remains directly to zee snails?"

If anyone else would like to suggest a different plan of action, I'd like to request to the GM that their suggestions be ret-conned in before the maitre d's question, since only 9 real-life hours elapsed between my post and his, just a blink of an eye in PbP time...

Bryce says "Um, unfortunately our spaceliner fed us a meal just before we landed, so we'd like to take some time to just look around if we could. Can you put our...package...into cold storage in the meantime?"

What's the dress-code of the patrons inside? Are there all types of clothing, or is everyone in fancy evening dress and we stick out like a sore thumb?

Sorry! Ted was planning to follow through with helping Adrana.

It takes Ted a couple tries, but he eventually figures out how to place the earbud comfortably in his ear. "You worry too much, Bryce," he says, sufficiently still charmed by the woman. "Besides, I assume she won't be able to get in without the card we're using."

Ted returns the disdainful look to the maitre d'. He never went much for upscale restaurants, preferring a simple sandwich or coffee shop after a day's work. "What he said. But when the time comes, we'll want a respectful service for the Admiral."