I've been having ideas left and right for the Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space RPG, but of course, will never be able to use them all. So I'm passing on the savings to you, gentle reader! In this AITAS series, you are a Time Lord just escaped from the Time War (the Doctor is wrong about being able to "sense" you), desperately trying to catch up to him. Unfortunately, and in a way that can be played for both comic and tragic effect, your TARDIS keeps missing his. You arrive just after he's left, or take off just before he arrives. Or just possibly, you're stuck fighting Cybermen in India while he deals with them in London.This allows fans of the new series to take part in their favorite stories, without retreading the same ground. There are really two types of adventures. The first gives the GameMaster the most freedom, sending the TARDIS crew to places the Doctor says he's been, but that we never see on tv. In Rose, we discover that the 9th Doctor visited the Titanic, Krakatoa and JFK's assassination. In Boom Town, we further hear about Woman Wept and other adventures. What was that planet with the strange flying creatures at the start of Army of Ghosts? Let's find out!
The second type of adventure creates a sequel, prequel or parallel story to one seen on tv. The Doctor notoriously never sticks around to see the consequences of his actions. Your Time Lord is cursed to be stuck with them. You arrive on Midnight just as the native creatures attack the pleasure dome. You destroy the Sontarans' last clone farm, making them head to Earth to build a new one. Car wars on post-Gridlock New Earth. The Unicorn escapes custody. Toclafanes to fight, but no one thinks to tell you the Doctor's been Gulumed aboard the Valiant.Companions: Ever wished a guest character joined the Doctor on his adventures? This is a golden opportunity! Your Time Lord can travel with Sally Sparrow, Tallulah and Nancy! Fudge a little and you might even be able to rescue Lynda with a Y or Jabe.
You could of course intersect the Doctor's path out of order, but let's imagine you don't. What would a first series look like? Here are some ideas:
-5 billion A.D.+1 day, and at the center of the rubble that was once Earth, an ancient Racnoss artifact starts to glow...
-Were you there when the Metaltron Dalek fell from the sky? Or do you visit the States later and discover there's more than one threat to defeat in Van Statten's Goddard's bunker?
-Something's caused a major paradox and you're left to fend for yourself in the Egyptology exhibit as the Reapers fly down...
-The Chula come back to World War II for their missing ambulance. Mauve alert!
-Juvenile delinquent Baby Blon Slitheen causes problems on Raxicoricofallapatorius...
Classic series version: For players whose Whovian lore predates the new series, it could be great fun to try to follow the Doctor, ANY Doctor, through all of his adventures and incarnations. Meet Silurians in Caribbean caves and fight the Dakeks when they first storm 22nd century Earth. Destroy Scaroth's plans for the Roman Empire. Materialize aboard Control's stone spaceship to witness Josiah's next evolution. And you can then do away with the Time War explanation and have your Time Lord just stumble on the Doctor's tracks (maybe the TARDISes are sisters and intimately linked).Anyway, just another structure to hang your AITAS game on.
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Regards,
Jeff Moore