GURPS: Void's Edge Vigilant was the just the first step; it was followed soon after by

1. Introduction orbital weapons platforms.

It's the 23rd Century, but it definitely isn't "Star Trek." No Vigilant was manned by Air Force personnel until it was
transporters, no warp drive (well, not quite yet), and definitely no abandoned and allowed to burn up in the atmosphere in 2026.
utopian Federation that's solved all the problems of humanity. Among many other distinctions, the station is noted for
being the site of the first recorded combat action in outer space.
That's not to say that humanity in the world of Void's Edge According to the official story, a Russian stealth Soyuz capsule was
hasn't come a long way; it has. The Solar System has been able to close to within 20 meters of the station, at which point a
aggressively colonized; nearly a third of the human population lives boarding team forced their way aboard and killed three of the four
off-Earth. Cheap and nearly limitless energy is available, and the American crewmembers. That explanation has stood ever since, in
force of gravity has been thoroughly mastered. spite of the fact that no Russian space launched were detected, there's
no evidence that a "stealth Soyuz capsule" was ever produced (or,
But as a new century dawns, humanity still has a long way indeed, that the Russians were even capable of building one), and
to go. Political strife, crime and terrorism haven't disappeared. there was no real motive for the Russians to attack Vigilant anyway.
Tensions run high as the colonies -- especially the rapidly growing The real story is much stranger, and is explained in Chapter 10 (see
Free Belt Alliance -- push for independence. Corporations fight for "Project Cassandra" for the details).
market share both within and outside the law. And no matter how
advanced technology is, space is still a cold and unforgiving The Indo-Chinese War (2012-2013)
environment.
Biowar (2019-2028)
Even as it struggles with all that, humanity stands at the
brink of awesome changes. Scientists are close to developing a President Angela Tennant (2020-2028)
working faster-than-light engine. The first step to the stars is years -- B. 2033-2075 -- The Age of Recovery
perhaps only months -- away. And two recent incidents have shown "The new imperialism" (2035-2060)
beyond a doubt that not only is there extraterrestrial life, but it's
intelligent, technologically advanced, and (astronomically speaking)
not very far away. United Nations, version 2.0 (2038)
C. 2076-2095 -- The High Frontier
What happens next is anyone's guess. A glorious future Colony One & O'Neill City (2078)
among the stars? An alien invasion? Or perhaps an apocalyptic civil
war between Earth and her colonies? A few adventurous souls in the The first true spacemen (2083)
right place could decide the destiny of the human race. Welcome to D. 2096-2150 -- Conquest of the Solar System
the Void's Edge. Terraforming of Mars (2103)
2. History
Settling the Jovian system (2110-2114)
A. 2001-2032 -- The Brink of Apocalypse
Mankind entered the 21st century the same way it entered The Archimedes Project (2124)
th
the 20 : on the knife edge between progress and disaster. For the first E. 2151-2177 -- The Gravity Age
three decades of the new century, it seemed that disaster was the Practical control of gravity (2151)
more likely outcome.
By 2005, the Cold War had been reborn, with the United The first antimatter reactor (2158)
States, Russia and China balanced in a three-way struggle for
hegemony. Charon Station, Infinity Beach and the Void's Edge
Only a few years later, in 2013, the world saw the first use (2166)
of nuclear weapons in anger since Nagasaki, as India and China F. 2178-2198 -- A Golden Era
devastated each other in a massive nuclear exchange. The Ardennes Encounter (2178)
Weapons of mass destruction, in the form of biological G. 2199 and forward -- Now
weapons, were used throughout the next two decades, killing TSS Vladimir Komarov & the second alien encounter
hundreds of millions of people and affecting nearly every nation on (2199)
Earth.
The destruction was very nearly unthinkable; in 2032 the Captain Davies Hansen
total population of the world was just over 3.2 billion people; more
than half of the people on Earth had been killed in just 19 years. The Trinity Test (2200)
3. Technology
Space Station Vigilant (2008) A. Tech Levels
It took almost 50 years, from the first tentative proposals Humanity in the world of Void's Edge doesn't fit neatly into
for a military "Manned Orbiting Laboratory", but the United States a single TL. In fact, the TL ranges from 9 to 13, depending on which
Air Force finally got their own space station. Russia's descent field of science you're interested in. A quick breakdown (only the
into militant nationalism sounded the death knell for the much- most advanced equipment available is listed; anything from lower
heralded International Space Station, as well as providing more TLs is available, except as noted later in this chapter)
incentive for the U.S. to put military hardware in space. Space Station
Propulsion: contragravity (TL12) and reactionless thrusters (TL13). Besides grasers, all personal weapons up to TL11 are
FTL drives don't exist (yet -- see the Bennington-Smythe Spatial available. Fusion guns (TL12) and pulsars (TL13) are not available.
Transposition System below). X-ray laser rifles are the weapon of choice for the
Spacefleet Marines, and the X-ray laser pistol is standard issue for
Power: Efficient antimatter powerplants (TL13). most COIS operatives (Ultra Tech, p57). The official sidearm of
Spacefleet officers is the heavy laser pistol (Ultra Tech, p49). Local
Computers: TL10, but artificial intelligence is extraordinarily rare. police forces may have any of these weapons, as well as blasters and
electron pistols/rifles. Of course, non-lethal weaponry is often
Weaponry: Gravitic projectile guns (TL11), X-Ray lasers (TL10), employed as well (usually electrolasers & nerve guns).
antimatter warheads (TL10), grasers (TL14!) in extremely limited For civilians, most of these weapons are either illegal or
use. severely restricted. Standard laser sidearms and rifles, however, are
generally legal, and civilians may obtain them with varying degrees
Defenses: Force Screens (TL12), Electroshields (a special of difficulty, depending on jurisdiction (as a rule of thumb, the farther
development, TL12, see description and stats later in this chapter), away from Earth, the easier it is to get legal documentation -- not to
thermal superconductive armor (TL11) mention the weapons themselves). Non-lethal weapons are much
easier to obtain, and electrolasers are fairly common among those
Medicine: Basically TL11, but braintaping doesn't exist, and bionics citizens who feel the need to arm themselves.
are extremely rare.
Note that projectile weapons are not popular in space
What happened to nanotech? habitats or pressurized environments on the various planets and
The short answer is, it doesn't work. moons throughout the Solar System, for obvious reasons. They can
The longer answer is, nanotechnology never proved to be be found on Earth itself, however
as practical as its advocates had hoped. For decades, researchers The most common projectile weapons are gauss guns,
cursed the bizarre and barely explainable quantum effects that although more primitive slugthrowers are still found on occasion.
frustrated their work. Finally, they were forced to come to the
conclusion that, although it could be made to work in certain limited Armor & Defensive Tech
and carefully controlled circumstances, nanotech would never live up
to its initial promise. Computers
That said, there are a few, extremely expensive, Communications
nanotechnological applications, mostly in the medical field. Other Gear
Particularly delicate genetic engineering utilizes nanobots, as do a C. Vehicle/Spacecraft Equipment
few very rare immunological treatment programs. Power & propulsion
What happened to AI? Gravitic Drives
The short answer is, nobody has built AIs because the idea Bennington-Smythe Spatial Transposition System
of sentient machines simply isn't acceptable to most humans. They It's still only a theory, but Spatial Transposition may well
find the very concept, for lack of a better word, creepy. be the key to interstellar travel. In practice, an ST device, if it works,
The long answer is essentially the same, with plenty of should take a small region of space, reach deep into 11-dimensional
psychological jargon added in. The truth, however, is that there are a "space", connect with a distant region of space in the normal 3-D
few -- enough that they can be counted on one person's fingers -- universe, and then transpose the two regions, along with anything that
truly sentient AIs out there. Three are in the employ of COIS (Covert was in either volume of space at the time. Including, for example, a
Operations & Intelligence Services, the Spacefleet's equivalent of the spacecraft.
CIA). Two more are located at the University of Mars, and VIMECO Interstellar travel should be as simple as putting an ST
is rumored to have one as well. And that's it. generator in a ship, generating a big enough field to encompass the
B. Personal Equipment whole ship, and targeting the other end of the effect a light-hour or
Weapons two from, say, Alpha Centauri. The result, if everything goes
Gamma Ray Lasers according to plan? 1.8359 seconds later (tests so far indicate that
The most advanced personal weapon available verges into 1.8359 seconds is a fixed interval, regardless of distance traveled),
TL14 (showing, yet again, just how much of a hodge-podge the the ship is near Alpha Centauri, and a few cubic kilometers of
technology of Void's Edge is): the gamma ray laser, or graser. Grasers (hopefully) empty space are back home where the ship used to be.
as developed by 23rd century humanity have an additional effect; in The research team is right now at work on a prototype; they
addition to the usual damage (see stats, Ultra Tech p60 & p125), a hope to do the first large-scale test in February of 2200 -- just 3
direct hit delivers a massive radiation dose to the target -- 1000d6 months from now.
rads (see chart in Compendium II, p147 for the effects of such a dose
of radiation). Grasers are usually referred to as "gamma ray blasters."
Grasers are available as both pistols and rifles (Gatling and
Military Dinosaur grasers are not available). They are very expensive
(10X listed cost in Ultra Tech) and quite rare, not to mention
absolutely illegal. The only places that grasers are likely to be found
are in the hands of extremely well-equipped criminals and high level
COIS operatives.
Weaponry The Terran Spacefleet
Defenses Senator Renata Bainbridge
Computers Who rules what? Matters of jurisdiction
Communications & Sensors B. Earth
Other Equipment North & South America
D. Medical Technology China
E. Civilian Technology The Atlantic Colonies
F. A Few Notes on Magic and Psionics C. Near-Earth Space
Neither magic nor psionic powers exist in the world of Colony Twelve
Void's Edge. The entire Solar System is a no-mana zone, and Magery The L5 Coalition
doesn't occur in human beings in this universe. New Manhattan
As for psionics, it's simply a function of genetics; the genes D. The Moon
that would allow for psi powers in humans simply aren't there (there Luna Dayside
is some evidence that such genes may have been there at one time, Luna Nightside
but what could have caused them to be selected out of the gene pool E. The Inner Planets
is an open question) Mercury
Note that there's nothing that prevent aliens from having The Archimedes Project
psionics (or travelers from other dimensions in a crossover campaign, For the past 76 years, Venus has been the site of the most
for that matter). monumental engineering project ever contemplated by man: the
4. The State of the Solar System terraforming of that hellish world into a habitable planet. The massive
A. The Terran Solar Government (the TSG) effort is headed by the quasi-governmental Archimedes Project,
The President, the Senate and the Represented Territories named in favor of the great thinker's famous boast that, given a long
President Antonio Tria enough lever he could "move the world." It's a fair comparison; one
Politics of the original planners of the Project claimed shortly after work
The political dividing line in 2200 is not based on began that moving Venus into a new orbit actually would be easier
economics, but on the issue of control (of course politics has always than terraforming it.
been about control, but most political movements throughout history As of 2200, 44 of the 100 largest corporations in the Solar
come at the control question by way of economics, religion, etc). System are active participants in the Project, as are 29 different
Specifically, how much authority should the TSG (and, by extension, agencies of the TSG. Over 200 civilian and non-profit organizations
Earth) have, or, put another way, how much independence should the are also involved.
off-world colonies have. Physically, the Project consists of 37 facilities in various
Two of the three major political blocs directly address this orbits around Venus, and three permanent bases on the surface --
question. The Centrist Party, as the name implies, favors a strong Hades, Hephasteus and Vulcan Stations. Nearly 12 million people
central government, and absolutely opposes autonomy for any of the live in orbit or on Venus itself.
colonies. The Colonial Party is exactly the opposite. At its inception, the Project was expected to take
In general, Earth (which elects 34 of the 100 Senators) approximately 490 years to transform Venus' inhospitable surface into
overwhelmingly supports the Centrist position, as do the voters of an Earthlike environment. But the progress made in the first 75 years
Mercury, Venus and (usually) Mars. The people from the various has been astounding; the average surface temperature has been
Earth-Moon colonies and bases (with a total of 24 Senators) are lowered from 850 degrees Fahrenheit down to 585 degrees, and the
generally split about 55/35 in favor of the Centrists, with the atmospheric pressure has been reduced from a crushing 1,300 times
remaining 10% supporting the other major party, Outward Bound. that of Earth to only 780 times Earth's. The best estimates now place
Outward Bound isn't a traditional political group; for the most part its habitability only 190 years away, reducing the Project from 490 years
only goal is the expansion of mankind to the stars. Their votes in the to "only" 265.
Senate shift between Centrist and Colonial based on the specific issue As a fully-fledged Represented Territory, the Project is
at hand; whichever side's view seems more likely to promote entitled to elect two Senators. Since it is more or less an arm of the
interstellar colonization is the view that Outward Bound will support. TSG, it's unsurprising that the Project is overwhelmingly Centrist, as
Most of the Senators from the Asteroid Belt and the outer are both of its current Senators (although it did elect the then-leader
planets are Colonials (with the exception of the asteroid-based -- and of Outward Bound, Terri Makepeace, back in 2188).
entirely corporate owned -- Platinum Group).
Senators serve 8 year terms, with no limit on the number of
terms they may serve. Elections are held every four years, with one
Senate seat from each Represented Territory up for grabs at that time.
The elections take place the last full week in September, and last for a
full seven days.
The present political breakdown of the Senate is as follows:

Centrist: 48
Colonial: 40
Outward Bound: 12
F. Mars The second reason is the confirmation of intelligent
Martian Industrial Zone extraterrestrial life. The incidents involving the TSS Ardennes in
G. The Asteroid Belt 2178, and the Vladimir Komarov just last year leave those who know
Ceres what really happened with no doubt that humanity must have a strong
Free Belt Alliance defense against the threat from outside the Solar System.
The Platinum Group Senator Francis Xavier Joseph
H. Jupiter Senator Joseph knows all too well what happened when the
Europa Ardennes had its "encounter" in 2178; he was the captain. He
Ganymede Central resigned from Spacefleet soon after, and returned to his home on
Jovian Coalition Colony Twelve to become that station's Administrator. Running the
I. Saturn largest spacebourne settlement in the Solar System didn't satisfy his
Saturn Station ambitions, so he ran for, and won, a seat in the Senate in 2184. Now
Titan nearing the end of his second term, Senator Joseph has risen to the
J. Outer Planets Chairmanship of the Military Affairs Committee, and his reelection to
Triton the Senate in September of 2200 is a virtual certainty.
Charon Station His colleagues in the Senate are well aware that a safe seat
Oort Confederation and the Chair of a powerful committee are not enough for Francis
Armstrong station Joseph. His ambition now is for the Presidency. His colleagues also
The Large Extra-Solar Telescope Project know that it's very unlikely that he can win enough of their votes to
5. Spacefleet be elected President. Aside from his dour personality, which hasn't
A. Politics, or why the Spacefleet is so big won him many friends in the Senate, his extremely strong Centrist
The Terran Spacefleet as of January 1, 2200, stands at a outlook and unwavering support for Spacefleet expansion make his
strength of 227 capital ships, and just over 20,000 fighters, shuttles fellow Senators shudder at the thought of the broad emergency
and other assorted small craft. Over 450 new capital ships are either powers available to the President in times of crisis and what Senator
under construction or on the drawing boards. Observing that Joseph might do with them.
humanity is, more or less, at peace, with no known outside enemies, Joseph knows all this, of course, but he also knows --
critics claim that the Spacefleet is far too big for it's own -- or anyone unlike most of the Senate -- what's waiting for humanity outside the
else's -- good. Solar System. So he bides his time; it won't be too long before the
The Spacefleet's answer to those attacks is contained in its secret must be revealed, and when that happens, he knows they'll be
official statement of purpose: crying out for a strong leader like him.
"The mission of the Spacefleet is to protect humanity, Kenneth Tseng, Admiral of the Fleet
whether Earth-bound or spacebourne, from piracy, terrorism, natural B. Organization of the Spacefleet
disaster, or the potential threat of hostile extraterrestrial life, if it Task Force Six
exists." Admiral Laura Hampton
Spacefleet supporters in the Senate and elsewhere expand Covert Operations & Intelligence Services
on that: they explain that the Solar System is huge; a distress signal Area 5Q
from, for example, Charon Station, would take 5 hours to reach Dorianna Martello, Head of COIS
Earth. And even with the gravitic engines and antimatter power, the The Spacefleet Marines
fastest Spacefleet ship would take 40 hours to get from Earth to General Richard Barnes
Charon Station. C. Ships of the Spacefleet
45 hours -- nearly 2 full days -- is obviously unacceptable New York class battleship
as a minimum response time in case of a major emergency, or in the Captain Julia Kennedy
face of hostile action. That, Spacefleet's defenders claim, is why the United States class carrier
fleet must be so big; ships must be based at or near all the major Yuri Gagarin class cruiser
population centers throughout the Solar System, so that any crisis can Stansfield Turner class destroyer
be responded to in short order. Morgantown class frigate
Besides that, the simple fact is that there are 9 planets, Captain Jaeneane Warren
dozens of moons, and hundreds -- if not thousands -- of heavily Redemption class hospital ship
populated space stations scattered across the nearly 5 quintrillion Alexander Graham Bell class fast courier ship
square miles of the Solar System. All must be defended, against F/A-3100 Hawk II fighter
internal threats such as piracy or terrorism. Future Plans
There are two other reasons, rarely discussed but always Project Artemis & Project Athena
important in the minds of the Admiralty -- and the Military Affairs D. RadarNet
Committee. 6. Trade & Commerce
The first is the growing independence movement in the A. The Economy in 2200 A.D.
Asteroid Belt and the outer planets. The Free Belt Alliance grows
bolder every year, and some Senators believe it's only a matter of
time before they actually secede from the TSG. The government --
the Centrist majority, at any rate -- isn't prepared to let that happen,
and a powerful Spacefleet is a good insurance policy against
secession. Not to mention a powerful tool to bring the Alliance back
into the TSG if they really do go ahead and try to secede.
B. Civilian space travel Time Travel
Operation Starbound The Cassandra Project
C. What does a hotel room cost on Mars? Illuminati
D. The Solar News Network & the state of the media
Marta Voshanshy >>A free noir tabletop RPG...
E. VIMECO http://www.stargazergames.eu/games/thrilling-noir-stories/
Sasha Meitner
F. The military-industrial complex >Gene, thanks for sending this very cool!
McDonnell-Boeing, Electron Dynamics & the rest of the big >I downloaded A Dirty World from DriveThruRpg (here --
defense contractors http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5069296/A_Dirty_World.pdf -- let me know after
7. Life in the 23rd Century youve downloaded it so I can remove it to save space!) which is the same
A. Everyday living basic idea. Thanks! -Jim
B. Jobs
C. Entertainment >>Jim, I'm glad that you liked the "Thrilling Noir Stories" role-playing game,
D. Is Big Brother watching? and thanks for "A Dirty World!" While I'm unlikely to run a noir scenario as
E. Religion anything more than a one-shot, it's nice to see such genres represented in indie
The New Martian Orthodox Church tabletop RPGs.
The Community of the Eternal Night >>In the meantime, I hope that Cathey is doing better, and I look
8. The Alien Question forward to catching up with you by phone at some point, -Gene
A. What the public believes
B. What the Senate thinks
C. What Spacefleet knows >Gene, I'm going to try to run a DW game in the play-by-post forum on
D. Who or what is really out there? http://RPG.net. See below: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=514909
9. Characters >You are more than welcome if you're interested... -Jim J.D'B.
A. New Advantages, Disads & Skills
B. Templates >>Jim, thanks for the invitation to your play-by-post "Doctor Who" game!
Spacefleet Officer Sorry for the delayed reply; I'm in San Francisco right now for a work-related
COIS Operative conference. I see that you're already up to nine players, but I'm interested.
Free Belt Shuttle Pilot Since I'm already role-playing two nights per week, we'll see how much time I
Outer System Pirate have for posts. I'll look at the boxed set when I get home next week and will
L5 Coalition Customs Officer shoot you a few character ideas. -Gene
Private Security Consultant
Mercenary >Excellent! Of course, I just realized, if you do play, I can't bounce campaign
C. Life in the Spacefleet ideas of you beforehand! -Jim
D. Working for a trans-planetary corporation
D. Life as an outlaw >>Jim, I'd be happy to serve in a consultative Game Master role, much as you
10. Campaigns have for my campaigns! That would probably also be easier on my currently
A. The Military Campaign crowded schedule... -Gene
Spacefleet
The Marines >Jim J.D'B./Game Master: That sounds like a good idea, actually! So long as
The rebel perspective you're OK with that. This is what I'm thinking, as general ideas:
B. The Espionage Campaign
COIS >>Jim, my replies are threaded below....
Free Belt Alliance
Corporate Espionage >The TARDIS that the players find escaped Gallifrey just before the end of
C. The Free Trader Campaign the Time War. It fought its way past whatever it was exactly the Doctor
Near Earth actually did to end the War, at the cost of the life of its pilot. It was severely
The Belt damaged, and drifted through space and time before finally crashing on Earth.
The Outer Planets >TARDISes are alive and sentient and this one is no exception. Besides
D. The Mercenary Campaign being damaged and needing many, many years to slowly repair itself, it's also
Working for the government afraid. So it's hidden itself, kept itself invisible. Only now, after hundreds or
Working for the Free Belt Alliance thousands of years hidden, is it finally intact enough to want to travel through
Working for the highest bidder the vortex again. It also feels responsible for continuing the Time Lord
E. Colonization mission of keeping reality safe and causality intact and opposing universal
F. Big Events evils like the Daleks and so forth.
After Trinity >And it's lonely. So it's been searching telepathically on Earth for
Seven Days in May, 2200 suitable crew to "pilot" it (not that it will really give them much say in where
Invasion! they will go, but it will let them think they are at least somewhat in control). It
Natural Disasters also knows that it needs a crew to go out and interact with the outside
G. Crossover Campaigns universe; there are limits to what even a sentient timeship can accomplish on
Horror its own.
Psionics
 >It has found a handful of humans who it feels will be appropriate crew >[G.M.:] No problem. The rules are really straightforward. The basic
and it has been subtly influencing them, either through their dreams or via tiny mechanic is: Ability + Skill (+ any relevant Traits or bonuses) + 2d6 vs a
manipulations of the timeline, to put them where they need to be to fnd the target number. Give me a character concept and I can help you stat it out.
TARDIS at the appointed time.
>Posted by: Kaiu Keiichi On: 05-13-2010 03:23 PM: Does it have to be
>>I like the idea of a rogue TARDIS finding a crew of humans who could people from the c21st? I'd love to tinker with a historical personage.
crew it instead of a single Time Lord.
>[G.M.:] That could certainly work. I can see a couple of ways to handle it --
>The players will likely not run into the Doctor, because the TARDIS is your PC could end up in the present day from his/her proper time by accident,
deathly afraid of him. He destroyed Gallifrey, after all, so the TARDIS or he/she could join the party after they've gotten going.
assumes he will want to destroy it as well. And it hates the Daleks, as well as
the Sontarans (the only race to successfully invade Gallifrey before the Time >I'm presuming Time Lords, Time Agents and people who actually know how
War) and any other race that would have been a enemy of the Time Lords. So to drive the thing are right out. -CB
if it sees traces of any of them, it will probably take the players there to try
and stop whatever the Daleks/whoever are up to. It will also look for other >[G.M.:] Absolutely right. Nobody with any active time travel knowledge or
time technology and seek to neutralize it, as that's what it believes the Time skills. Scientists are fine, military is fine, techies are fine, but not experienced
Lords would have done. temporal types.
>So that's the basic outline: the players (although they won't know it) are
the ground troops in the TARDIS' lonely vendetta against the former enemies >Posted by: Red Herring On: 05-13-2010 04:27 PM: Heh, this seems pretty
of Gallifrey. Part of the game will also be the players figuring this out, and cool; Sort of a Dr. Who meets Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
working out a way to communicate with the TARDIS and maybe even get
some control over it. >Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-13-2010 06:56 PM: I'm definitely interested, if
>Any thoughts for a first adventure? My initial thought is that the threat you'll have me.
will be a con man/trickster type who's gotten hold of a device that allows him
tosee five minutes into the future. He/she is using it to hoodwink audiences at >Posted by: Stormraven On: 05-13-2010 11:57 PM: Sounds cool to me.
either a resort town in late 50's/early 60's earth, or on a futuristic interstellar Definite interest.
cruise ship/casino type setting.
>The players would need to figure out how to adapt to the local situation >Posted by: Macross On: 05-14-2010 01:01 AM: Maybe. Would need to hear
and interact with the locals, figure out what the con man is up to and how he's about posting ratesand character requirements etc.
doing it, and get the time-tech away from him. Which could be tricky as he
can see what they're trying to do against him before they do it! >Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-14-2010 04:35 AM: Registering an interest. I
also don't have a copy of the rules, I'm afraid, but I'll think up a concept and
>>I'd break this into two scenarios: A Rat Pack-like casino heist, where the go from there. I think I found the basics of chargen on the Net somewhere.
Player Characters find themselves working with/against a con man, and an
interplanetary cruise ship, a la "The Fifth Element." Of course, both can have >[G.M.:] Posted by: starkllr On: 05-14-2010 09:58 AM: OK, looks like a good
retro and futurist elements! Perhaps the P.C.s would be pursuing the con man amount of interest! Very cool.
through both places/times? >This is what I'm thinking: maybe 2-3 posts a week -- does that sound
reasonable to everyone?
>How's that sound so far? -Jim >As for character requirements, really the only definite no-no is Time
Lords, Time Agents, or otherwise experienced time travelers. Nobody who
>>I like it! -Gene would know what a TARDIS is or how to operate one. Other than that, they
need to be on present-day Earth, if they're non-human they need an
explanation for why they're on Earth and how they're passing for human.
http://tv.ign.com/articles/109/1090137p1.html >For character creation, start with the standard 24 character points as in
the rules. For those who don't have the rules, I'll help you in statting out the
>[Jim J.D'B./Game Master:] "Doctor Who: Misfits in Time and Space" character.
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?p=12162635 >I guess what I need next is characters -- concept, stats if you've got the
>Posted by: starkllr On: 05-13-2010 03:00 PM: I was inspired by a rules, any background you want to come up with, and a couple of extras:
couple of discussions in the Tabletop forum, and I've got the itch to run a DW >One or two NPCs your character has a strong relationship (doesn't have
game. The premise? A bunch of present-day folks come across a derelict to be a positive relationship, just an important one!) with. I don't need stats,
TARDIS. Wackiness ensues. just name and description.
>I'm thinking 4-6 players, using the DW:AiTaS system. Who are the >An odd event that your character has seen or experienced at some point
PCs? Anybody you want. Anybody who'd have a reason to be out hiking on a in their life. Doesn't have to be big or earthshaking, it could just be an odd
fine spring afternoon. Aliens or other nonhumans are even OK, with a good recurring dream, or maybe a UFO sighting, or a powerful instance of deja vu,
reason and an explanation for how they're appearing human while on Earth. or some especially notable occasion of good or bad luck. Anything you like.
>Anyone interested? >And one last thing, any themes, settings, alien races, time periods, etc.
that you're especially intertested in seeing in the game.
>Posted by: Mr Sitouh On: 05-13-2010 03:06 PM: Question -- would it be >Sound good as a starting-off point
necessary to have access to the rules? I don't have the Doctor Who game (to
my regret), but I would love to get in on this. >Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-14-2010 10:12 AM: OOOOO! ME ME ME ME
ME ME ME ME !!!
>I've still got a character for another Whoverse game that I want to run, if >He's currently taking a summer off to travel, at the recommendation of
you'll have me... Eady needs to really stretch her legs and she's just offbeat his advisor, a Dr. Schneider, who both sincerely likes the kid and would rather
enough to fit this disparate crew. shoot himself in the head than see someone of his talent go to waste due to
>And Stormy, after I get done watching more Sarah Jane and prepping for the burnout or the like. It's been a nice trip so far, although he's been having
Powwow tomorrow and the committee meeting Sunday, I'm posting for 1889. strange dreams ever since he left home, of a beautiful girl on the edge of a
cliff, with two suns rising behind her over mountains that he's pretty sure are
>Posted by: Robil On: 05-14-2010 10:18 AM: Registering my interest, nowhere on Earth...
assuming I'm not too late! Got a copy of the rules. >As for themes, etc., I'm partial to future/far distant locales -- the past is
fun, but the future is awesome!
>Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-14-2010 10:23 AM: Found her. Will this work?
>Ethel Armbridge Delores Yarbrough Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-14-2010 11:52 AM: --Quote (Originally by
-Attributes Awareness 4 Coordination 4 Ingenuity 5 Presence 2 Resolve 2 GeneD) -- As a longtime fan of the British television franchise, I'm interested
Strength 2 in this play-by-post game, although I'm not sure how available I'll be since I'm
-Good Traits Lucky -- Boffin -- Quick Reflexes -- Ballet and gymnastics already role-playing two nights per week. I'll take a look at my "Doctor Who"
Resourceful Pockets -- School packs are wonderful things boxed set when I get home from a conference next week and shoot you some
-Bad Traits Distinctive -- early teen Impaired Senses -- Farsighted, needs character ideas. ---End Quote -- Oh, I loved that version, too bad FASA had to
glasses to read Curiosity -- Something that killed the cat Phobia* -- muck it up. Great source material, though.
spiders >The new version can be had over at DriveThruRPG, I think I paid like 30
-Skills Athletics -- 3 Convince -- 2 Craft -- 2 Fight -- 0 Knowledge -- 2 bucks for it.
Marksman -- 0 Medicine -- 0 Science -- 3 Subterfuge -- 1 Survival -- 1 >A lot more simplistic and allows for Role-Play rather than Roll-play.
Technology -- 4 Transport -- 0
>She hates her names. Because they're all family names and honoring her >Posted by: Robil On: 05-14-2010 02:18 PM: Would psychic powers be
grandmothers and her paternal grandfather, she has to keep them -- but goes allowed?
by Eady in public. She's been an active child, mentally and physically, getting >At the moment thinking either a paranoid psychic or maybe a shiftless alien
high marks in school and attending ballet and gymnastics...and she tends to traveller bumming around the universe on the intergalactic equivalent of a gap
find trouble where it stands...rather, trouble just finds her. year.
>Eady's innocent. Really.
>Posted by: starkllr On: 05-14-2010 02:32 PM: I'm OK with psychic powers,
>Posted by: Stormraven On: 05-14-2010 10:29 AM: 2-3 times weekly is fine but definitely low level.
by me.
>Concept: Eiko Martin. Daughter of a USAF pilot and a JAV actress, >Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-14-2010 03:28 PM: Schedule's fine with me.
grew up on military bases around the world, and spent a lot of time in the SCA >A proper concept pitch will have to wait until tomorrow, as my internet
(introduced by her dad). Known in the SCA as Dame Alexandra Foxcourt, she is currently down for a day or so. I'm at a friend's house currently.
swears that one year at Pennsic, she saw an Elf Queen, though of course, >Honestly, though, I quite like seeing what else is in play before
there's no evidence to support her claim. committing to a character. I do have vague ideas for someone time-displaced
>She currently goes to college and works retail jobs to supplement her or a stranded alien, but I'm also happy to play a complete Muggle if others are
scholarship and what her parents can provide. playing the more exotic concepts.
>She made the mistake (if mistake it was) of telling a friend about the >Random question -- I've seen a trait in another writeup called
elf in the hearing of her Physics teacher, Neil O. Brane, and ever since he's something like Feel The Turn Of The Universe, basically a 'weird timey-
scrutinized her work more thoroughly than anyone else's -- even to the point wimey stuff' sense. If we don't have a Time Lord, would it be a good idea for
of grading hers when he leaves the rest to his TA's. someone to pick up this trait? Or is it an exclusive Time Lord thing?
>She's been back to Japan numerous times -- whenever she can afford it,
or her parents take her -- to visit her grandmother, an iron-spined, titanium- >Posted by: Robil On: 05-14-2010 03:34 PM: Any specific alien traits you'd
willed old woman who's 'retired' to care for a shrine in the northern part of like to veto?
Honshu. (Stats to follow)
>She's an outdoors type, prone to wandering, especially when she's at >Posted by: starkllr On: 05-14-2010 03:41 PM: I'd have to say no to "Feel the
events, so I can easily see her out and about where the Tardis is found. Turn of the Universe", at least initially. It could possibly be picked up in play
as things go on.
>Posted by: starkllr On: 05-14-2010 10:54 AM: Looks great so far... We've >As for other alien traits, there's nothing offhand I'd immediately veto.
got: ncc2010 -- Eady Yarbrough Stormraven -- Eiko Martin Robil -- Macross
-- Blacksheep -- Vostrion -- Red Herring -- Mr. Sitouh -- Kaiu Keiichi - >Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-14-2010 03:54 PM: Okay, no worries, just
>If everyone stays, we've got nine players, which is a lot, but I think we wondering.
can work with it.
>Posted by: Robil On: 05-14-2010 06:59 PM: I ended up going with the alien
>Posted by: Mr Sitouh On: 05-14-2010 11:40 AM: OK, here's my character concept, and it sort of changed a lot as I was writing it. Do tell me if I've gone
concept: overboard anywhere, I'm aware it's quite an extreme character: *Protean
>Matthias Jones is a quiet, somewhat distracted-seeming young man, Infiltrator Alpha-86-A aka "Alfie"*
and possibly one of the brightest minds in theoretical physics of his >Over two hundred years ago, there was a war. A colossal, awful,
generation. More than once during his university career, what seemed like a pointless war. To Alfie, it was simply the War, the only war that mattered. This
simple question to him would send a professor or graduate student racing out war did not take place on earth, and it did not take place between humans. The
of the room to get the idea down before they lost it. War was fought far, far away, between two peoples known to Alfie only as the
Creators and the Enemy. not age and do not die of natural causes. Voice of Authority (1) --
>Alfie was not a soldier in the War. Alfie was a weapon. Proteans are masters of social situations and taking on the right persona
>The Creators had great knowledge of genetic manipulation and to get people to believe them and to do what they want. Charming (1) --
biotechnology, and they were entirely unafraid to use that knowledge to Ditto Empathic (1) -- Even without their psychic abilities, Proteans are
destroy their enemies. To that end they created many unnatural and good at reading people. Experienced x 2 (-6 Story Points, +4 Character
abominable things. They grew creatures in vats that were capable only of hate Points, +4 Skill Points)
and murder. They cultivated viruses and plagues that ravaged entire nations. -*Bad Traits:* Dark Secret (Major) (2) -- Being revealed to be a Protean is
They created the Proteans. dangerous in pretty much any situation. Alfie's general policy is not to
>The Proteans were supposed to be the ultimate spies and assassins, a let anyone know ever. Eccentric (Minor) (1) -- Spending all your time
secret weapon that would win the War. Sapient beings crafted from scratch, traveling alone can make someone a little odd... Selfish (1) -- It can also
their DNA was quantum-accelerated, giving them the ability to change their make them pretty self-centred. Insatiable Curiousity (1) -- Alfie is the
physical form at will, and their minds were flooded as they developed with the archetypal tourist in a lot of ways -- he wants to see everything and
knowledge they needed to mimic anything, anyone. They were perfect -- experience everything no matter where he is or how dangerous it might
unexpected and undetectable infiltrators who would bring down the Enemy be. Alien Appearance (Major) (2) -- Proteans in their 'natural' forms
from the inside within months. are...disturbing, to say the least, and very distinctive. Obviously they
>They were too perfect in fact -- before even the Alpha series had generally aim to spend as little time in this form as possible. Adversary
actually been deployed, they had already grown to despise their masters. (Major) (2) -- As a Protean he is hunted by the Enemy and what remains
Within a year of deployment behind enemy lines, every single Protean was of the Creators, as well as a lot of other alien cultures who would love to
missing-in-action, and every single one of those Proteans was missing-in- get their hands on his DNA.
action simply because they had decided they no longer wanted a part in the >Note: Leaving the actual nature of the Creators, the Enemy and the War as
War. Their abilities made escaping both the Creators and the Enemy child's vague as possible -- GM, feel free to do whatever you want with this
play. Their secret weapon proved powerful but short-lived, the Creators began stuff.
to slowly but inexorably lose the War. -*Skills:* Athletics -- 0 Convince -- 6 (Area of Expertise: Lying) Craft -- 0
>The Proteans scattered themselves across the universe -- there was no Fight -- 0 Knowledge -- 4 (Area of Expertise: Alien Cultures)
hope for them to establish themselves as a new race, they were outlaws by Marksman -- 2 Medicine -- 0 Science -- 2 Subterfuge -- 4 Survival -- 0
their very nature. They would forever be hunted by the Creators (desperate Technology -- 2 Transport -- 0
both to hold them accountable for their treacherousness and to stop what they -*Technology Level:* 7 (Advanced, but pre time travel. Alfie is probably
see as powerful weapons from simply running loose) and the Enemy (though aware that time travel is possible (I get the impression in the tv show
the Proteans ultimately had no interest in defeating them, during the short time that most alien races throughout time have at least heard of the Time
they actually were infiltrating the Enemy, they caused such fear and paranoia Lords) but he's certainly never done it or met anyone who's done it).
that to this day the Enemy will not suffer a single one to live). -*Personal Goal:* Go there! Do that! Get the t-shirt!
>Not only that, but their abilities gave almost every species in the -*Equipment:* A polaroid camera and plenty of self-developing film to go in
universe a reason to either fear and despise them or seek to capture and study it -- an Earth invention he is particularly fascinated by. A bulky photo-
them. They decided they would just continue to do what they were good at -- album full of photos taken all over Earth.
blending in. They each went their separate ways, some as pairs but mostly
alone, and infiltrated themselves, benignly, into whatever alien society they >Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-14-2010 08:16 PM: Right, only a concept for
preferred. Well, most of them did. now, I can't post stats until Monday or Tuesday because my books are
>Alfie was never a one-alien-society kind-of-guy. For the last 200 years, somewhere I am not.
Alfie has been a space-tourist, a hitch-hiker across the universe. He makes >Recently, *Alan Walpole* turned 43. A splendid birthday party was
himself into whatever person he needs to be to see this, and then that, and then thrown, fun was had. By everyone, that is, except Mr. Walpole. This aging
whatever that is over there. He gets some photos of himself next to something, patents clerk and failed sci-fi novelist is having a mid-life crisis of gargantuan
he eats the local delicacies, he chats with the people, and then he moves on. proportions. That, and he can't remember the entire year preceding the
He tries not to think too much. mentioned birthday party. Alan Walpole can't remember anything about the
>Recently Alfie has been somewhat stranded on Earth. He managed to year he was... *42*.
get a lift to the fascinating little planet a year ago on an interstellar cargo >All his friends assure him that everything was as it always was, and
cruiser with the intent that he'd get picked up again after a few months when that things went as they always went. Alan, however, suspects that something
the next cruiser came past. strange is going on. Something is missing. He does not remember having this
>For whatever reason, the next cruiser didn't come. Earth is nice and all 'thing', but he definitely feels it's absence. There is something very peculiar
but Alfie's getting a little desperate -- he's starting to feel trapped. He'd give going on, and Alan intends to find out what exactly this thing is.
anything for a guaranteed ticket out of here... Note: "Alfie" is, of course, the >Aside from the aforementioned peculiarities, Alan Walpole's life is
name he has so far been going by on Earth. It's grown on him over the past quite uneventful. He lives with his wife Gillian, and his daughter, Lucy, in a
year. His real name isn't so much a name as a designation and serial number, sleepy hamlet in Oxfordshire. Every day he drives his drab Vauxhall Nova to
and it represents an uncomfortable link to the past that he'd rather bury. Oxford, where he works at Bracknell & Callaghan's Patents Firm. He drinks a
-Story Points: 6 little and doesn't smoke. He's balding, he's graying, he wears extremely boring
-*Attributes:* Awareness 4 Coordination 3 Ingenuity 5 Presence 6 Resolve 4 sweaters.
Strength 2 >Once in a while he'll try a half-hearted attempt to finish a novel. His
-*Good Traits:* Alien (2) Shapeshift (4) -- Like all Proteans, Alfie can make only published work to date is the poorly selling "Ordeal at Space-Pen 12".
himself look like anything or anyone. Psychic (2) -- Another natural But now, finally, he has a proper goal to work towards. He is going to solve
Protean ability. Being able to directly read minds can be a useful ability this midlife-crisis. He is finally going to publish a book (properly, this time).
for an infiltrator in a tight spot. Proteans nowadays prefer not to do it He is going to find out just what exactly happened in that missing year. He is
however, seeing it as needlessly intrusive. Immortal (2) -- Proteans do going to make sense of his increasingly strange life. Or something that
amounts to the same.
>Right, only a short synopsis. I could go into more detail if asked. The
missing year, the patents firm, stuff like that are obviously hooks for the GM
to use as he pleases. Stats will be up later. The important NPC's are obviously
his wife and daughter.
>As for suggestions of content: while I love the new Who series, I
absolutely adore the classic series. Whether it's timey-whimey stuff, Douglas
Adams-era silliness or Hinchcliffe-era horror, anything Who is fine by me.
For those who hadn't guessed, I like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and
Dirk Gently too.
I was thinking, yeah. I mean, yes, odd coincidences happen all the time in
Who, and can be handwaved as inevitable temporal causality or whatever, but
it'd make sense to me for at least some of the characters to be friends or
classmates or relatives or dating or whatever.
>Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-15-2010 10:05 AM: Alan lives in Oxfordshire,
that's not very far from London.
>Concerning pre-existing character relationships, I don't mind either way. It
can save some hassle in the beginning, but, on the other hand, I do like
growing relationships organically.

>Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-14-2010 10:04 PM: Let's hear it for the >Posted by: Robil On: 05-15-2010 10:14 AM: If we're all supposed to be
Honorable Mr. Gently. I very much like that writeup of Mr Walpole, hiking at the same time and happen upon the same spot, maybe the simplest
very...intriguing. This promises to be a very fun game. route is just to say that we're all on holiday for one reason or other, all staying
>I've not given much thought to the strangeness that is EADY other than at the same hotel, we all get to know each other somewhat and decide to go
she's not yet fourteen but starting her first year at the University, such is the hiking together? Or maybe it's a guided walk and we're the tour group or
life of the genius. She's petulant, she's snotty, she's a brat, she's brilliant, and something?
she's high on the hormones of puberty and embarassed to death over what
she's becoming -- a very shapely young woman. >Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-15-2010 10:41 AM: 'fore I head out for the day
>The wind carried her hair and she let it unfurl behind her, the warmth (Scouting event down at the county fairgrounds) I'd like to say that the
caressing her and she was grown and standing on this low cliff, watching the scenario of everyone being on holiday at the same place is a wonderful idea --
sea meet shore in this balmy eve, and her love was out there, she knew it, and it gives us all a reason for being together despite the variation in our
she was waiting the return...the moons touched the horizon before the sun and backgrounds.
the three spears of reflected light intersected in red and white and bronze, >Vositron and I are establishing character connection -- Alan's daughter and
turning the sea to blue and green and blood... Eady are both first year students, presumably at Oxford...so she would have at
>Eady sat up in bed, her pulse racing hard, her hands coming together least seen Alan once.
over her heart, which threatened to explode from behind her ribs...and she >Oh, this is going to be *Fun!*
flushed crimson, that was the third time this month for that dream...and that
was the worst, because every time she had it, she always had to go looking for >Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-15-2010 10:45 AM: The holiday scenario sounds
her night-gown afterwards, and always, it was folded neatly in her top dresser pretty solid to me.
drawer. I'll be posting more to Eady later, as it occurs to me.
>Posted by: Stormraven On: 05-15-2010 10:51 AM: Since Eiko's from the
>Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-15-2010 07:15 AM: Internet is finally back U.S., holiday would be necessary
up.
>For anyone interested, there's a Player's Guide-only PDF on sale at >Posted by: starkllr On: 05-15-2010 04:50 PM: Just to update...so far, we've
RPGnow/DriveThru as well as the big box, which is cheaper and presumably got: ncc2010 -- Eady Yarbrough Stormraven -- Eiko Martin Robil -- Alfie
contains the chargen rules. Macross -- Blacksheep -- Vostrion -- Alan Walpole Red Herring -- Mr. Sitouh
>I can see a couple of potential links between character pitches so far, -- Matthias Jones Kaiu Keiichi -- Don't think I missed anyone, did I?
and was wondering whether it would be worth thiking about tying them >Couple of questions...
together, or if they should be a band of completely unconnected strangers. -*Robil* -- did Alfie actually fight in the war at all, or did he go MIA before
ever infiltrating the Enemy?
>Posted by: Robil On: 05-15-2010 07:57 AM: If we're all supposed to stumble -*Vostrion* -- from Alan's perspective, how did he first realize the missing
on the TARDIS at the same time, it'd be a little less contrived if there were year? Did he go to sleep on May 1, 2009, and when he woke up, the
links between the characters definitely. calendar said May 2, 2010? Did he notice things like his bank balance
being different, his email password's been changed, etc.? Or does
>Posted by: starkllr On: 05-15-2010 08:29 AM: I'm liking all the characters so everything seem the same, except that he can't remember the past 12
far. Let's take the weekend and see who else posts a character and we can go months?
from there. -*Mr. Sitouh* -- where does Matthias go to school? I presume he's a graduate
>I see the potential links, and that's cool. But all the characters don't student? Ph.D maybe?
have to be connected. Remember, this is the Whoniverse, and nothing is -*ncc2010* -- what's Eady studying at Oxford?
random! -*Stormraven* -- Is Eiko's father still active duty? If so, I think he'll find that
he's been assigned to attend a conference taking place near London. And
>Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-15-2010 08:44 AM: -- Quote (Originally by Eiko would come along for the trip, perhaps?
Robil) -- If we're all supposed to stumble on the TARDIS at the same time, it'd >I like the holiday idea a lot. I'm thinking a walking tour of some Roman
be a little less contrived if there were links between the characters definitely. ruins, run by the hotel, on one fine late Spring morning might find everyone in
--End Quote-- the same group...
>That's a point -- and Starkllr's right as well, happenstance and coincidence
abound, but in a semi-logical fashion...but let's take a look... >Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-15-2010 05:02 PM: Ha, I managed to acquire the
>Eady's from London. Who else is from there? books by other means.
>Recently, Alan Walpole turned 43. A splendid birthday party was
>Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-15-2010 09:20 AM: That's pretty much what thrown, fun was had. By everyone, that is, except Mr. Walpole. This aging
patents clerk and failed sci-fi novelist is having a mid-life crisis of gargantuan >Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-15-2010 06:18 PM: -- Quote (Originally by
proportions. That, and he can't remember the entire year preceding the starkllr) -- *ncc2010* -- what's Eady studying at Oxford? -- End Quote --
mentioned birthday party. Alan Walpole can't remember anything about the >Though she's just started, her goal is a Masters of Science with a
year he was... 42. secondary Masters of Philosophy. She's pretty sure she can do both by twenty.
>All his friends assure him that everything was as it always was, and -- Quote (Originally by Stormraven)--- It's possible that Eiko's dad is
that things went as they always went. Alan, however, suspects that something still active....
strange is going on. Something is missing. He does not remember having this >Having a daughter in similiar circumstance, so long as she's in school,
'thing', but he definitely feels it's absence. There is something very peculiar she may maintain her ID until age 24.
going on, and Alan intends to find out what exactly this thing is.
>Aside from the aforementioned peculiarities, Alan Walpole's life is >Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-15-2010 06:27 PM: Gah, sorry, I'm having
quite uneventful. He lives with his wife Gillian, and his daughter, Lucy, in a trouble nailing a concept down. Will try to get something concrete together
sleepy hamlet in Oxfordshire. Every day he drives his drab Vauxhall Nova to tomorrow.
Oxford, where he works at Bracknell & Callaghan's Patents Firm. He drinks a
little and doesn't smoke. He's balding, he's graying, he wears extremely boring >Posted by: Mr Sitouh On: 05-15-2010 06:27 PM: Matthias is an ASU
sweaters. graduate, about to embark on his graduate work at Cambridge -- part of why
>Once in a while he'll try a half-hearted attempt to finish a novel. His he's vacationing in England, seeing the country he's going to be living in for
only published work to date is the poorly selling "Ordeal at Space-Pen 12". the next several years.
But now, finally, he has a proper goal to work towards. He is going to solve
this midlife-crisis. He is finally going to publish a book (properly, this time). >Posted by: Robil On: 05-15-2010 08:06 PM: --Quote (Originally by starkllr)
He is going to find out just what exactly happened in that missing year. He is -- *Robil* -- did Alfie actually fight in the war at all, or did he go MIA before
going to make sense of his increasingly strange life. Or something that ever infiltrating the Enemy? -- End Quote --
amounts to the same. >I'm imagining he did spend some time in active duty. As one of the
-Story Points: 12 Alpha series, he was one of the first to be deployed, so let's say he spent...
-*Attributes:* Awareness 3 Coordination 3 Ingenuity 3 Presence 3 Resolve 4 nine months behind enemy lines, during which time he sowed fear and
Strength 2 paranoia in the ranks, stole information, and quietly murdered a fair number of
-*Good Traits:* Brave (1) Empathic (1) Face in the Crowd (1) Indomitable (2) people. He didn't do anything really huge or terrible but the things he did do
-*Bad Traits:* Clumsy (1) haunt him and trying to escape those memories is a big part of his current
-*Skills:* Athletics -- 0 Convince -- 4 Craft (writing) -- 3 Fighting -- 0 drifter personality.
Knowledge -- 2 (Area of Expertise: Earth History) Knowledge -- 2 (Area
of Expertise: Earth Law) Knowledge -- 2 (Area of Expertise: Earth >Posted by: starkllr On: 05-16-2010 09:56 AM: I think everything's taking
Literature) Marksman -- 0 Medicine -- 0 Science -- 0 Subterfuge -- 2 shape very nicely. With *Blacksheep's* forhcoming character, we'll have six
Survival -- 0 Technology -- 1 Transport -- 2 players.
-*Technology Level:* 5 >Couple of things to clarify:
-*Personal Goal:* See character history, final paragraph -So, in Alan's mind, he definitely lived through the year, and SOMETHING
-*Equipment:* Small notebook and a pencil happened that was very much out of the ordinary, but his memories of
>Basically, I've tried to engineer an unexceptional everyman, be it a that something, and the whole year with it, are gone.
rather social one with an iron will. -- Quote -- Matthias is an ASU graduate -- End Quote -- Arizona State
University?
>Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-15-2010 05:13 PM: --Quote (Originally by
starkllr)--- *Vostrion* -- from Alan's perspective, how did he first realize the >Posted by: BlackSheep On: 05-16-2010 10:35 AM: Eh, sorry folks, I'm
missing year? Did he go to sleep on May 1, 2009, and when he woke up, the hitting a wall on this one and I have other projects on as well, so I think I'd
calendar said May 2, 2010? Did he notice things like his bank balance being best bow out up-front. Will watch with interest, though.
different, his email password's been changed, etc.? Or does everything seem
the same, except that he can't remember the past 12 months? -- End Quote -- >[G.M.:] No problem. If you want to step in and guest-star at some point, let
>Everything seems very much the same as before to Alan. Obviously he me know, I'm sure we could work that in.
made inquiries after realizing the 'year was gone', and was told by everyone
that he did the same things he always did. Go to work in the morning, come >Posted by: Red Herring On: 05-16-2010 11:00 AM: Hey all, I'm still here.
home at the end of the afternoon. Christmas at his wife's parent's home. No Wanted to take a look at the rules before nailing down a concept. Finalizing
manuscript sold. everything but I should be able to post by tonight. Anyway, my idea is the
>The only thing is, he doesn't remember anything about it. The world's cowardly physician Dr. Montgomery Stirling.
changed, obviously, his bank balance different and those sorts of things, but
his life's more or less the same, as it had been before. Happy, but dull. And >[G.M.:] Sounds good!
now, a bit strange. The last moments of the year before and the first moment
of the current year, when he 'came to', are a bit hazy. Of the time in between, >Posted by: Mr Sitouh On: 05-16-2010 11:09 AM: Yes, ASU is Arizona State.
there is simply not a trace of memory. Sorry, I've lived in Arizona too long, I forget not everybody knows that.

>Posted by: Stormraven On: 05-15-2010 05:24 PM: It's possible that Eiko's
dad is still active -- you can serve up to 30 years -- so sure, he and her mom
could be in England, and she could certainly visit him. She's probably still
officially a dependent, so even has base access.
>Posted by: Stormraven On: 05-16-2010 12:13 PM: I'm planning on a
character sheet for Eiko today. Just FYI.
>Posted by: Vostrion On: 05-16-2010 04:36 PM: -- Quote (Originally by
starkllr)--- So, in Alan's mind, he definitely lived through the year, and
SOMETHING happened that was very much out of the ordinary, but his
memories of that something, and the whole year with it, are gone. ---End
Quote --
>Well, he knows the year happened. He hasn't a clue whether or not
something strange happened during that year. All he knows is that he doesn't
remember a thing about that year. Something might have happened that has
precipitated the memory loss, but as he can't remember anything about that
year, he couldn't remember something like that, even if it did happen.
>Looking forward to the game!
>Posted by: starkllr On: 05-16-2010 07:08 PM: OK, that's how I understood it Montgomery Joshua Abernathy Stirling
too. Just wanted to be sure we were on the same page. I think I know exactly >BACKGROUND: Monty was born during a thunderstorm just after the
what happened in the missing year now...
>So we've got six characters now: ncc2010 -- Eady Yarbrough
Stormraven -- Eiko Martin Robil -- Alfie Vostrion -- Alan Walpole Red
Herring -- Dr. Montgomery Stirling Mr. Sitouh -- Matthias Jones
>If there's any more background you guys want to hash out for your
characters, please feel free. I'll create the IC and OOC threads tomorrow,
unless anybody needs more time. If you don't have a sheet yet, that's OK --
there shouldn't be any dice rolling needed for a little bit.
>I'll say that when we do officially start, the date will be May 15, 2010
in-game. Everyone will be staying at a small hotel about a half hour outside of
London, and there's a group tour scheduled for that day to hike out and visit
some interesting Roman ruins. If any of you arrive early and want to interact
with one another, that's cool.
>Question: do any of the characters have a pet? Did any of them have a
beloved household pet that ran away when they were a child? Just curious...
>Couple of housekeeping notes:
-First, I'm going to say that the events of the David Tennant seasons
didn't/haven't happened. So there was no Dalek vs. Cyberman war on the
streets of London, and the Earth was not transported across the universe
and ravaged by Daleks, and everyone on Earth wasn't briefly turned into
The Master, etc. This isn't a plot point -- I'd just rather have a world
where the characters don't already know about Daleks and so forth.
-Second, how do y'all want to handle dice? We can use one of the dice servers
-- if anyone has a particular favorite, please let me know.
-Third, if there's something I haven't mentioned or hasn't come up that's
important or you need to know, please tell me!
>Posted by: Mr Sitouh On: 05-16-2010 07:26 PM: -- Quote (Originally by
starkllr) -- Question: do any of the characters have a pet? Did any of them
have a beloved household pet that ran away when they were a child? Just
curious... -- End Quote --
>How did you know about Spook? She ran away after Matthias' family
moved to a new house, and he's never found another cat he wasn't allergic to...
(Why yes, I believe in giving the GM plenty of rope to hang me with, why do
you ask?)
>Posted by: Robil On: 05-16-2010 08:07 PM: -- Quote (Originally by starkllr)
-- Second, how do y'all want to handle dice? We can use one of the dice
servers -- if anyone has a particular favorite, please let me know. -- End Quote >TECHNOLOGY LEVEL: 5 STORY POINTS: 12 PERSONAL GOAL: Get
--
>www.invisiblecastle.com is pretty ok, if a little unreliable.
>Posted by: ncc2010 On: 05-16-2010 08:46 PM: Hm. Got to thinking on
it...Winston is the Yarborough's bulldog. He's still hale, healthy and hearty, if
getting on in years.
>Eady has an older sister, Eleanor, who is currently working for some
group dedicated to the defense of England, she doesn't pay any mind to
Eleanor even though her sister works partway across London. >Posted by: Mr Sitouh On: 05-16-2010 11:50 PM: Just a minor note -- it's the
>Something I really got to thinking about is that Eady has those dreams Hippocratic Oath, not Hypocratic (unless he makes it a point to say one thing
two to three times a month, almost always she's older in them, but once or
twice, she's been a child waiting for what she thinks may have been a parent.
What she hasn't made connection to is that these dreams occur in direct
relation to the full and new moon cycles of lunar orbit.
>More to follow as it occurs to me.
>*EDIT*: Oh. Dice-rolling. Whatever trips your trigger, me as a GM, I
like rolling the dice myself so that the players can concentrate on the
important bits.
>Posted by: Red Herring On: 05-16-2010 11:45 PM: NAME: Dr.
power had gone down and before the emergency power had kicked in.
He grew up in a middle class neighborhood at the edges of London,his
parents taught at university and did research for the Government and
private industry. He attended school where his academic prowess
startled his teachers. He was advanced quickly and forwarded to the
most prestigious schools eventually attending University of London and
receiving his MSBS. In school he met the Lady Penelope Regina
Devonshire. They found each other fascinating and began seeing each
other discretely. This outraged Lord Swindlethorne, Pennys expected
suitor. Montys continued academic success and Swindlethornes innate
mediocrity further enraged the noble. This enmity continues to this day,
and Monty and Pennys recently betrothal has only made it worse.
Monty has just completed his time at Unity Hospital and he and Penny
have been on holiday celebrating their coming nuptials. Its been a very
pleasant trip, with an odd footnote just a few days ago they were in a
pub, and this older gentlemen went wide eyed at Monty, exclaiming Its
you! He clasped his son on the shoulder and pointed at Monty,
explaining in great detail how this man had delivered the son. It was, of
course, ludicrous, the son was older than Monty, and none of Montys
family had even been to this part of England. The beer was good and the
man was so insistent, it would have been rude to correct him.
>DESCRIPTION: Montgomery stands just a hair over six feet, slender with
fine features. His eyes are the bluest of blues, his hair is a light brown,
just a shade longer than it should be, stylishly shaggy. Hes dressed well:
white oxford shirt, khaki pants, and good hiking boots.
>ATTRIBUTES: Awareness 3 Coordination 4 Ingenuity 6 Presence 4 Resolve
3 Strength 3
>GOOD TRAITS: Attractive (1) Fast Healing (2) Photographic Memory(2)
Alien(2)
>BAD TRAITS: Coward(1) Adversary (Lord Mortimer James Abernathy
Swindlethorne; in addition to the above he has a thin scar along his jaw a
result of a fencing accident in a match with Monty)(1) Distinctive (Its
the eyes, they are the deepest of blues, almost unearthly)(1) Code of
Conduct (Hippocratic Oath)(1) Dark Secret (2)
>SKILLS: Athletics -- 2 Convince -- 2 Craft -- 0 Fighting 1 (Hes taken
some fencing not an area of expertise, mere fluff) Knowledge 3
Marksman -- 0 Medicine 4 (Area of Expertise: Trauma) Science -- 3
Subterfuge -- 0 Survival -- 0 Technology -- 2 Transport -- 0
himself and everyone else home safely and in time for the wedding
(Yeah, I know time travel)
>EQUIPMENT: Day pack, First aid kit, spare socks, iodine tablets, digital
camera, canteen, compass, trail mix/protein bars, pocket
windbreaker/poncho, matches, Iphone
>PREFERENCES: Im pretty easy, Victorian England or Colonial America
might be nice.
and do another ;)). >After nearly a year, his future self (the player in the current game)
arrives in the TARDIS, and has to figure out how to get rid of the shadow. In
>Posted by: Red Herring On: 05-16-2010 11:56 PM: Damn! They're on to me doing so, it will wipe his memories of the past year. When we start the game,
already! Fixed it, thanks. :) he'll immediately find a note in his pocked in his own writing saying "The
machine must be destroyed." How's that sound?
>Posted by: Stormraven On: 05-17-2010 12:05 AM: Some stuff came up. I'll
post CS tomorrow. >>I like the explanation for the mind wipe, and the "shadow self" is an
appropriate nemesis in a "Doctor Who" setting. Of course, you'll have to
>>Jim, I see from the numerous posts that your "Doctor Who" play-by-post sprinkle clues for each character throughout the scenarios!
game is taking off! Are any of our mutual friends in Virginia or elsewhere
participating? While I'll be following this game, I'm glad I don't have to keep >Oh, and I am taking your advice. The first destination of the party will be
track of as much stuff as you do! Las Vegas, Fall of 1962, where a hot new magician/fortune-teller act is all the
>>In addition to "Adventures in Time and Space," I've got the FASA rage at Caesar's Palace (he's even bumped Dean Martin off the show
version and the "Time Lord" game on PDF, as well as GURPS and D20 schedule!). And coincidentally, there have been a series of utterly inexplicable
netbooks. I'm pleased to see that your role-players have taken the initiative for robberies at the same hotel/casino. It could be there's a connection, somehow,
character creation, and the "everybody taking a holiday coincidence" can be couldn't there?
related to the TARDIS's subtle attempts to find, influence, and gather a new
crew. >>Very cool. While the players who live in the real U.S. Southwest might
>>Perhaps the one Player Character's participation in a war can be tied have an advantage in visualizing the setting, I like the "Mad Men" or
to the Time War (but I wouldn't rush to do so). When I get a chance, I'll reread (original) "Ocean's Eleven" image of nattily dressed men swilling cocktails. It
the background notes so far. Good luck as this game progresses! -Gene looks like you've also got some folks from the U.K.

>Gene, nope, nobody from the Virginia group is playing (unless they're >Hope all's well with you! -Jim
posting under another name on rpg.net!). I thought about it, but I felt like it
would be less pressure in a way to not have anyone I know in the game. >>Thanks. I just got back from my first trip to California, for a work-related
conference. Anyway, it's back to catching up on e-mail, so take it easy! -Gene
>>Jim, my replies are threaded below: True enough. I've tried to limit overlap
between my Sunday night teleconferencing group and my Monday night face- >Gene, I see your point about the Sontarans. But we have seen them use
to-face one for similar reasons. proxies in the original series -- in "The Invasion of Time" they used the
Vardans to open up the way for their invasion of Gallifrey. And in the two-
>I was actually going to tie the one player who fought in a war to the Sontara- parter last season, the ATMOS devices were a pretty sneaky and devious
Rutan war. What I think right now is that he was created by the Rutans for a strategy.
proxy war between client races of the Rutans and the Sontarans. >So I figure a client race isn't totally out of character. Especially if it
were a client race that actively volunteered to be their ally/cannon fodder
>>Although I have a hard time imagining the Sontarans sending in proxies to (perhaps "volunteered"; if a massive Sontaran Battle Fleet is headed your way,
do their fighting for them, the Rutans are more mysterious, since we've seen it might be safer to be their subservient ally than their target. As Beni tells us
less of them in the TV show. (BTW, I have all the reference books for the new in "The Mummy", it's better to be at the Devil's right hand than in his path).
series, some of which cover the old one as well.) Janice and I used to giggle >And I've never watched "Fringe" -- I do know that alternate universes
every time we saw an ad for the Rutan car. are a big part of the story, but I didn't know that they used a device like the
one I came up with. I wanted something that was not obviously evil or
>I also have a plan for the player who's got a missing year. Tell me what you completely mad, but something that the character might reasonably investigate
think of this: since he's a patent clerk, he came across a very odd patent for a and try to use.
device that its inventor called a "Quantum Shadow Projector". It scans a >As for other plotlines, I'm debating whether the players will run across
person and shows you what that person would be like if they made different either Romana (I'm definitely ignoring the novels and saying that she didn't
decisions -- kind of showing you an alternate-Universe version of yourself, return from E-space to become President of Gallifrey -- if she shows up, she
without the trouble of actually going to an alternate Universe. will be newly returned to the real universe and she'll be as shocked as anyone
that the Time Lords are gone), or maybe The Rani -- I think she's a very
>>Have you been watching "Fringe" lately? If not, there's a very similar interesting villain, and I don't want to use the Master. -Jim
device that led to a major plot point this season. I'm not saying that's bad, just
that the players may eventually recognize it. >>Jim, you're right that the Sontarans are clever and not merely fireplugs with
guns. Even a fairly powerful species such as them would need non-time
>He was curious and actually built one himself (or, the inventor died while the traveling allies. The current "Doctor Who" comic has some good scheming by
patent was still in process, and the player went to his workshop and found a them and other aliens.
working model, something like that). And he switched it on, and since the >>As for Romana, it's easy enough to say to players if they ask, "That
character is an aspiring writer with a dull job and boring life, the quantum hasn't happened yet in her timeline, and your characters aren't aware of most
shadow showed the effect of totally committing to the boring job and giving Time Lord history." At the same time, it's worth throwing in allusions to all of
up the science fiction writing. the Doctor's incarnations and allies/adversaries if you have people who'll
>But he never switched it off, and the shadow started living his life for appreciate them!
him. At first, it was great -- he could go off and write full time and do >>I also like the Rani as a villain, although getting to a "classic" feel
interesting things, and his shadow would do the 9-5 job. Butbat some point, (Doctors 3-5 and 9-11) might be a bit trickier. Just remember that the newer
the shadow started becoming more real than him. And that's obviously bad. Doctor _seems_ to be traveling randomly (he usually blames the TARDIS
when he's off-target), while his earlier regenerations were more likely to have
recurring solo villains. That is of course changing as the revived time-travel
franchise builds up its own continuity and continues pulling parts from the
past into the present.... -Gene