Epiphany
Proverbs 17:9
Doctor Who: The Clockwise Prolixity
Name: The Reliquary
Class: Obsidian Experimental Research Station
Type: Long-term deep space research facility
Commissioned: RY 127, In Moonlight by the Pallushi Calendar
Dimensions:
Crew Complement: 200
Armament: [Redacted]
Defense Systems: [Redacted]
Power Systems: Gulian Vacuum Ground State Conversion Engine
Docking Facilities: Three docking pylons capable of accommodating one vessel each. Internal docking bay capable of holding a small shuttle.
Overall Strength Index: 43 on the Pallushi Index
Diplomatic Capability: No dedicated diplomatic facilities
Science/Research Capability: Three dedicated facilities with independent docking pylons.
Refit Cycle:
Class: Obsidian Experimental Research Station
Type: Long-term deep space research facility
Commissioned: RY 127, In Moonlight by the Pallushi Calendar
Dimensions:
Diameter: 815 meters
Height: 200 meters
Decks: 50
Mass: 451,000 metric tonsHeight: 200 meters
Decks: 50
Crew Complement: 200
Armament: [Redacted]
Defense Systems: [Redacted]
Power Systems: Gulian Vacuum Ground State Conversion Engine
Docking Facilities: Three docking pylons capable of accommodating one vessel each. Internal docking bay capable of holding a small shuttle.
Overall Strength Index: 43 on the Pallushi Index
Diplomatic Capability: No dedicated diplomatic facilities
Science/Research Capability: Three dedicated facilities with independent docking pylons.
Facility Nos: [Classified]
Facility Thule: [Redacted by order of the Racnoss Austerich of the Gander System]
Facility Shanto: Occupied by the Unified Astrometic Alliance, in partnership with the Federated Systems Collegiate Arm and the Gallifreyan Council of the Sciences.
Expected Hull Life: 120 cyclesFacility Thule: [Redacted by order of the Racnoss Austerich of the Gander System]
Facility Shanto: Occupied by the Unified Astrometic Alliance, in partnership with the Federated Systems Collegiate Arm and the Gallifreyan Council of the Sciences.
Refit Cycle:
Minor: 2 cycles
Standard: 2 cycles
Major: 50 cycles
Last Communication: 13 days agoStandard: 2 cycles
Major: 50 cycles
.
There’s always been the Ever-and-Ever Prolixity. A spatio-temporal phenomenon a quarter of a light year in size, it hangs on the edge of Mutter’s Spiral, three hundred light years from the very border of the mighty Pallushi Empire’s farthest frontier. It’s said strange things happen there.
Miracles.
Monstrosities.
Mystery at least comes to those who visit the Prolixity, to study it, chart it or who simply seek secrecy from a greater universe and those afraid of what they might do. For the best laid plans come undone by Prolixity’s light.
The Plot
All player characters will awaken in a room together, with only a few clues and each other to puzzle out what happened to them, where are they and how they arrived. Key information and themes to keep in mind include:
- “You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there's children crying.”: Despite the label on the tin, this adventure does not feature the Doctor. However, this game features the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game for its rules engine and it embraces a multitude of methods for dealing with the unexpected. While violent characters are not discouraged, neither is violence the best method for solving every problem. Like Doctor Who, people die. But like Doctor Who, it’s entirely possible to find a better way and it’s up to the player characters if they’ll rise to the occasion.
- “You know that in nine hundred years of time and space I've never met anybody who wasn't important before”: The Doctor Who Roleplaying Game puts a high premium on player character autonomy. Through use of Story Points, players have the option of contributing to or even making small edits to the story in order to pull off an ingenious plan, discover an escape route or talk down an army. Perhaps more than most Rpgs, this game encourages players to make use of the OOC channel for planning, coordinating and working out with me or other players how they’d like events to go. This is a dice-game where a good or bad roll can spell fantastic success or disastrous failure but as long as you have Story Points left, even the most unfortunate result can be turned around in a way that creates more story.
This is not a free-form roleplay. I’ve planned an overarching adventure and will control NPCs and elements of the settings that players react to (or act upon). That said, neither is this adventure on a railroad. Much as with any episode of Doctor Who, the player characters are a dramatic, destabilizing element in an otherwise predictable series of events. What happens for good or ill will be largely up to you.
The presentation you see here represents the initial setting and adventure. Subsequent adventures can continue in this setting or in other places or times, and where and what you do next will be largely up to you. Again, this doesn’t mean free-form. It means player character decide where (or when) to go and it’ll be my pleasure to come up with an adventure suitably pleasing for the locale. If the out-of-character consensus is no particular preference, I already have a method in mind for setting up future adventures without the player characters having to decide.
The Characters
“All of time and space; everywhere and anywhere; every star that ever was. Where do you want to start?”
Players are invited to play anything they like. Players may choose virtually any (sensible) alien species in Doctor Who canon or make their own. In like manner, humans from any period of history are entirely playable. Bear in mind, the setting for at least the initial adventure lies in an advanced location, though historical characters should find ample opportunities to contribute.
Character Creation will follow the rules outlined in Chapter Two of the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game with the following exceptions.
Disallowed Traits:
Story Points:
- Good Traits:
- Alien. Doesn’t require spending 2 points. I adamantly dislike players having to spend points on something whose sole purpose is to allow you to spend more points. If you want to play an alien, play an alien and pick traits appropriately (seen starting on both page 49 and 165.
- If you’d like to create a custom trait, pitch me and we’ll work together on figuring out the mechanics as well as any cost (or gain).
- Friends. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
- Military Rank. Rank in an organization doesn’t have to be paid for. One’s responsibilities tend to make the advantages a wash. Additionally, the setting for this story means it’s unlikely one’s military will be involved.
- Owed Favor. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
- Alien. Doesn’t require spending 2 points. I adamantly dislike players having to spend points on something whose sole purpose is to allow you to spend more points. If you want to play an alien, play an alien and pick traits appropriately (seen starting on both page 49 and 165.
- Bad Traits:
- Adversary. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
- Argumentative, Selfish. These maladaptive Traits pose significant risk to harming the smooth functioning of the roleplay by distracting from the plot for the sake of drama. I may allow them with an excellent pitch but would advise players to submit characters who function reasonably well with others. You’re all in this together!
- Dependency. While still allowed, the unique setting for this adventure means there is no reliable way to get ahold of anything your character doesn’t have with them. if your character is genuinely dependent on something external and finite, that may be unplayable here. Check with me on feasibility if you have a compelling idea you’d like to do.
- Obligation. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
- Owes Favor. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
- Wanted. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
- Adversary. The setting for this story means this trait will rarely, if ever, come into play.
Story Points:
- Doing Something Remarkable will need discussion. Generally, I don’t like the implication that characters need Story Points to be able to attempt an action (though impossible actions will get high difficulties that can be decreased with Story Points). I also don’t like the notion of just blowing a ton of Story Points and bypassing dice rolls. Will consider any pitch players want to make, though.
- As If I Would Ask Her To Kill is waived. The rules themselves provide plenty of incentive to solve things nonviolently. I don’t want sociopathic characters but soldiers, patriots and those dedicated to a cause could kill in cold blood if it’s in character and for good reason. Doing so won’t gain Story Points but won’t cost any either.
- The nature of play by post means I’m waiving any “only increase after x # of adventure rules”. If you use the attribute or skill enough, we can look at increasing it. Raising an attribute doesn't prevent you from raising a skill. I hate hard mechanical training time rules as a legacy of having played Exalted for so long. The lack of experience points in this system means I’ll be inclined to generosity for those who enjoy improving their characters.
- Build what you want, you don’t need to justify to me how your character spends their time.
Character Types
Players are welcome to play anything from anywhere and anywhen. This amount of freedom may be a bit much for some, though, so I’ve provided the following suggestions on character archetypes to model your character around.
- Explorer/Pilot: Whether you sailed with Christopher Columbus, traveled on the first manned space missions or visited dozens of distant worlds, wanderlust is in your blood. These characters are typically well rounded but tend to have modest investments in Athletics, Convince, Knowledge and either Fighting or Marksman. They tend to shine in Survival and Transport.
- Scientist: The universe of Doctor Who is rife with fantastic phenomena and impossible discovery. Perhaps you first divined the Earth was round, worked out parabolic trajectories for your species or you’re determined to uncover the secrets to time travel. Science is obviously a top Skill but scientists also tend to be excellent with Knowledge and Technology.
- Soldier: Earth has always needed its defenders, from medieval knights to the elite forces of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Other species also share a martial legacy in an often-hostile universe. Soldiers tend to be brilliant at Fighting or Marksman, and moderately good at Athletics, Subterfuge, Survival and Transport.
- Social: Working with people has always been your bread and butter. You may be a leader of men, a priest guiding worship, a business person making a profit or a diplomat negotiating a tense deal. Convince is your strongest skill but strongly social characters often rely on a good deal of Knowledge and Subterfuge.
- Criminal: There’s always a place for outcasts, misfits and ne'er do wells in the great galactic beyond. Their skill set tends to be the most varied but it’s typically centered around the Subterfuge skill. Varying degrees of Athletics, Convince, Fighting or Marksman as well as Survival and Transport can make a successful breaker-of-the-law.
The Roleplay
Doctor Who: The Clockwise Prolixity will run entirely on RPNation, with a supplemental Discord for those who want help with character building or general chatter (don’t worry, anything significant will find its way into the OOC Thread). The ruleset will use Cubicle Seven’s Doctor Who Roleplaying Game. For those lacking the book, I’ll work with you to create your characters and I’ll work up some basic rules reminders for everyone that should be sufficient to enable play. In general, dice only come into play when you’re trying to do something really hard or something that’s contested. I am not playing a character but will instead animate every other non-player character you meet.
There is no strict posting schedule for this roleplay nor posting expectation for players. I’m a professional with a busy job, an adoring spouse and a demanding child so I’m not always up for posting every day either. If you haven’t replied after a week, I’ll usually move the plot along while encouraging absent players to just ‘drop back in’ when they can, on the assumption that their character has basically been quietly along for the ride.
My expectations of player conduct are modest and basically embodied in two principles; Wheaton’s Law and Samus Young’s Philosophy of Moderation. Be aware of both and you’ll have a fantastic time.
If you are interested, even if you are not decided yet, you are invited to join the roleplay's Discord server (link to the side). I usually leave Discord running but with my busy schedule of a job, spouse and kid, I’m not always at my keyboard. Feel free to drop questions there, meet other players who are similarly inclined, and in general have a good time. Participation is entirely optional, however.
Special credit and praise go to
Lyro
for developing the code used to create this interest check and other supporting posts.
Lyro
for developing the code used to create this interest check and other supporting posts.
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