Agents of Who in Time

This was inspired by Berin Kinsman’s SILVERAgents (for news about that go to http://www.unclebear.com). In essence, it is a rules mash up just like its inspiration. In this case it’s a mash up of: Karl Paananen’s Doctor Who Risus and Stacy Allston’s Risus Supers with some quick house rules thrown in. With apologies to Marvel Comics. The reference is… I think obscure and somewhat subtle, but it is there.

Adventure

As our story opens it is the 1990s and the PCs are agents of a highly classified branch of UNIT that recruits and trains individuals with paranormal ability. Lately, they have been fighting drug dealers, neo-Nazis, and the occasional rogue KGB element. You get the idea, fighting the good fight against mad terrestrial geniuses, dictators, and genius dictators.

Once in a while a meta-human is not noticed by the agency, and thus not monitored throughout their youth and recruited as an adult. On occasion these rogue powers take up a life of crime and become what the media call “super villains.” When this occurs it is agents like the PCs that deal with the resulting mess.

(Encounter One: Bank Heist and Hostage Crisis.)

The agents will be soon be approached by a Mr. Masters who claims to be an agent from the future. He seems to be amply able to prove the truth of this claim and insists that the agents help him “neutralize” Dr. David Ross. Ross is a relatively unknown wheel-chair bound robotics and cybernetics specialist who happens to work in the R & D department of their employer. He hasn’t worked there long, but he has proved to be an asset very quickly. Mr. Masters insists that if Dr. Ross is not “neutralized” the Earth will soon be invaded, its people subjugates and sold into interstellar slavery, and its natural resources plundered.

Of course, if the agents accept the challenge there are a number of problems. First, they will become rogue agents immediately. Second, Ross is actually a citizen of the UK. It will become public knowledge that agents were involved creating an international incident. The agents will be on the run when they receive word that Mr. Masters has sold them out. Telling their superiors that they had been planning the hit for some time. Part of a plot to sour relations between the US and Europe by a meta-human terrorist organization.

See the end of this document for some plot points only the GM can decide to ignore or use.

Character Generation.

Have you familiarized yourself with the rules? Good.

Done? Excellent. Each PC in this campaign is made up of three key clichés. The Superhero, The Cover Identity, and The Agent. Of these, only the first may be a Double-Pump Cliché. Some characters might have four Clichés but they must include those three. Here are some examples.

Rushmore - Speedster [2], All-American QB (2), Enthusiastic Rookie Agent (2) Momma’s Boy (2)
Ingénue - Telepath [2], Supermodel (3), Ingénue (3)
Sara Phim - Fallen Angel (4), Librarian’s Assistant (3), CIA Assassin (2) Innocent Catholic School Girl (1)

For Superhero Clichés go to http://www.angelfire.com/tx2/webgamer/supers.html or your favorite comic book source.

For Agent Clichés think of Spycraft, James Bond, Mission: Impossible, 24, Alias, SHIELD, GI Joe, X-Files, Hellboy, or any number of other high octane espionage sources. Or just append to the word “Agent” as in the first example character. This being a campaign inspired by comic book mash ups (thank you Uncle Bear) and Doctor Who https://web.archive.org/web/20120826193523/http://www.guyhoyle.net/risus/ and its Pulp Clichés is a great place to look for that all important Cover Identity.

Rushmore and Ms. Phim both include examples of fourth Clichés.

Credits.

Music by: http://whomix.trilete.net/?wmid=music&d=1

With Essential Rules by: Stacy Allston (http://www.angelfire.com/tx2/webgamer/supers.html) & Guy Hoyle (https://web.archive.org/web/20120826193523/http://www.guyhoyle.net/risus/)

Plot and Mayhem by: S.L. Shirley

GM’s Eyes Only

The Back Story.

Mr. Masters is The Doctor’s arch nemesis, The Master.

Dr. David Ross is Davros. Marooned here since his last encounter with the Doctor, he has disguised himself and spent the past decade worming his way into the only organization on the planet with the resources to get him started again.

How did the Master find him?
Why does he want Davros dead?
When will The Doctor show up?