The news that the Doctor Who wasn’t going to be returning 2019 put a downer on the conclusion of last year’s series. Then again, now it would appear that we might yet get a taster of more Who from Jodie Whittaker and friends toward the end of the year (if not an actual festive episode).
For those who roleplay the adventures of The Doctor (or, at least, a Timelord of some shape or form) that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of inspiration. For one, I always seem to have one book or another from the excellent Cubicle 7 game nearby, wherever I go in my house (there are a lot of books lying around).
On the other hand, it doesn’t have to be RPG reading material necessarily. The Doctor has regular new adventures in fiction, the monthly Doctor Who magazine, on Big Finish audio and in new releases on Blu-Ray or DVD (OK, the last adventures might not be new, but if you’re running games for anyone under of the age of 25, most of the Classic Doctor’s voyages in time and space might as well be considered new material).
Make the most of it—there are very few veins of fictional material so rich in potential background (beyond Star Trek and Star Wars, which themselves have hundreds—if not thousands—of media tie-ins across books, screen, comics, audio and computer games). Take notes—spend what time you can watch or listening to more Who.
Someone asked me how you write an adventure—and there’s probably some science to it if you want to get published. However, for a home campaign, you can be sketchy as heck. Watch a TV procedural drama and make notes of the clues and the scenes—and then make it a bit sci-fi… and throw in an unexpected twist. I mean, if you take the average detective series and replace the murderer with an alien, is it too far off what you need for an evening’s entertainment?
Tune in to any number of other series on TV or online, and you’re certain to find inspiration. I had an idea for an adventure in northern England that involved the Zygons after watching a historical programme about Roman occupation and rituals practiced in honour of their gods. A little reading on Wikipedia, a quick spin in StreetView and a spot of Image searching for ideas found a whole pile of additional twists and turns, including some handy derelict railway tunnels.
Never let the Doctor fade away when you have a glimmer of creative possibility to mine! You can fill the void with your own adventures and keep the flame of Gallifrey burning bright while we wait for 2020 to roll around and more new Who…