Debra (The Gamemaster):
The TARDIS has landed and there is a loud knock on the door.
Vic (as the Doctor):
'Aren't you going to answer it then? Remember the first rule of opening the TARDIS door when someone you don't know is knocking.' I get out the sonic screwdriver, point it at the door. Bzzzzzz
Debra (GM):
What did you want the sonic to do?
Vic:
Can I make it so the door opens a little way, just so we can see who it is?
Debra (GM):
Of course. I won't make you roll anything for that, we'll say the sonic screwdriver does its thing and changes the settings for the TARDIS, making it open about twenty centimetres before it stops.
Vic:
Brilliant. I stop pointing the sonic, and say, 'First rule is: always put the chain on.'
Debra (GM):
(laughs) Great.
Colin:
I head over to the door to see who it is.
Debra (GM):
Outside is a person. Human. You can't tell much about them, they don't look to be more than a teenager. They are wearing a long black coat, and have a scrap of cloth tied around their eyes with rough eye holes cut in it. They point a pistol at you and say, 'Stand and deliver, your food or your life.'
Colin:
What? I put my hands up and look back at the Doctor.
Vic:
Can I see who it is from the console?
Debra (GM):
No, but you see the pistol poking through the gap in the door and you heard what they said. It's not Yaz.
Vic:
'Wait a minute, you don't get to point guns at us. Besides, they won't work in here. The TARDIS is in a state of temporal grace and guns won't fire. Stupid things anyway.' I head over to the door as well, and buzz the sonic to open the door fully.
Debra (GM):
No problem. The door opens, and you see the figure that your passenger has been looking at.
Colin:
'Didn't you see the sign above the door? It says “Police.” And you're trying to rob us?'
Vic:
'Good point. And isn't it “your money or your life”? We don't have any food but I'm sure I've got some custard creams around here somewhere.'
Debra (GM):
The highway-person looks a bit confused, puts the gun into their belt, and then runs away into the city.
Colin:
I'm going to run after them!
Vic:
I will too, after I've made sure the TARDIS is safely locked up.
Debra (GM):
It is. You chase after the bandit. The city you're in seems to be run down. Buildings crammed together, built on top of each other. Off in the distance you can see a huge, gleaming city of spires towering above a wall that keeps it apart from where you are now. The figure runs to a wall and vaults up it. I'm going to need a roll to get over it — a Coordination + Athletics roll, with a Difficulty of 12.
Colin:
Okay. My Coordination is 4, but my Athletics is only 1. So that's 5.
Debra (GM):
Roll two dice, and add 5 to the result. Try to get 12 or more.
Colin:
Here goes. (Rolls dice). I got a 5 and a 3. That's 8, plus the 5, is 13. I did it!
Debra (GM):
Yes. Great! You put one foot on the wall and push yourself up as you run at it, pulling yourself over. How did the Doctor do?
Vic:
My Coordination is 4, and my Athletics is 3. I've rolled 4 and 3. Altogether that's 14.
Debra (GM):
You quickly follow, your coat flapping out behind you, looking very cool. Over the wall you can see the bandit stop for a second to look back. They duck into what looks like a shop.
Colin:
Run after them!
Vic:
'Don't let them get away! I have biscuits!'
Debra (GM):
You approach the shop. It's more like a shed, with an awning at the front with loads of scraps of metal and pipes laid out on boxes. If it is a shop, it's selling scavenged parts of machinery. The shed isn't very big, but looks to be connected to a building behind it.
Colin:
Is there someone looking after the stall?
Debra (GM):
Yes, it's an old lady with tiny glasses. She looks like she's fallen asleep.
Colin:
Can I see the highway-person?
Debra (GM):
You have a look. Give me an Awareness and… as you're looking to see if anyone's hiding, let's say Subterfuge roll. So Awareness + Subterfuge. There's not a lot to the shed, but there's a lot of junk. Let's say Difficulty is 15 as it's so cluttered and dark.
Colin:
Okay, Awareness is 4, my Subterfuge is 2. I roll a 6 and a 2. That's 14. I didn't make it.
Debra (GM):
But you got a 6 on one of the dice, so it's not all bad. It's a no to succeeding the roll, but you do notice there's a door at the back of the shop that they may have gone through.
Vic (as the Doctor):
'You sneak through there, see if you can go after them. I'll stay here in case the shopkeeper wakes up. See if I can find out something about this place.'
Debra (GM):
That's going to be a roll to sneak through without waking the shopkeeper up. It's going to be a Coordination + Subterfuge roll. I'll roll for the shopkeeper to see if she wakes up. You're going to have to beat what I roll…
GM (The Gamemaster):
After exploring for a while. you find yourselves in a large echoing chamber. The walls are lined with what appear to be stone statues, depicting figures in various poses of grief and mourning. It's dimly lit, but you can see long shadows stretching across the floor. The air is cold and still.
David (as the Doctor):
"Right, not exactly a party atmosphere, is it? Catherine, check those consoles! Any readings? These statues... they feel wrong somehow."... I imagine The Doctor walking slowly around the room, looking at the statues, and trying to keep an eye on all of them.
Catherine (as a new companion called Catherine as well):
I am going to check the screens, maybe mess around with the console if it makes any sense to me...
GM:
Sure, roll me a Ingenuity with Technology... you may even add Computer specialisation to that if you have it, but it is going to be tricky, 15 to beat.
Catherine:
Oh, 15... that is a hard one, let's see... Her Ingenuity is 5, Technology is 3 and I do have Computers! Nice... so that is 10 plus... *rolls 2 dice for 3 and 4*... 7! I did it!
GM:
Well done! Looks like most of the data there is about the statues, it is like they are distorting time and space in a way.
Catherine:
I'll warn the Doctor... "The sensors are picking up... strange temporal distortions. Localized pockets of time behaving erratically. And there's a weird energy signature coming from those statues."
David:
"Catherine, did you see that? I think we have a problem. Do you know anything about quantum locked life forms?"... I believe at this point the Doctor has a strong enough suspicion, He'll try to keep eyes on all the statues at once, while also moving slowly towards Catherine.
Catherine:
"Quantum locked? Oh, you mean... Weeping Angels? Yes, I've heard of them. If we look at them, they can't move. But when we look away, they move with lightning speed. We must keep looking at them!"... I'll try and keep my eyes open as much as I can looking at all the statues.
GM:
Okay, this is going to be a test of Awareness with Survival for both of you. I will roll 2 dice, each round you must roll higher to stay aware of the statues.
David:
My Awareness is 5, Survival is 2... *rolls 2 and 3*, 12. Ace!
Catherine:
Okay, my Awareness is 3... oh no, I don't have Survival. What now?
GM:
I'm sorry to say, but you roll with disadvantage. Roll 3 dice and discard the highest number.
Catherine:
Well, here goes nothing... *rolls 3, 3 and 6* Nooooo, I needed that 6 so badly. Guess my total is 9 then.
GM:
You are both keeping an eye on them, kinda. I rolled a 4 and a 6, and that makes 10. You both try your best to look at all the statues, but Catherine, for a split-second there you glance at the Doctor to check what he's doing, and when you look back it feels like some statues are not as far from you as they were just a second ago.
David:
"Don't worry Catherine. As long as we're looking, we're safe. For now. Is there anything else we need to be aware of?"
Catherine:
"I think we need to get out of here. I can try to see if there's another way, but I will need a second to glance at the console. Cover me."
GM:
That's going to be an Okay roll for you Catherine. Let's say a Resolve with Technology roll, add the specialisation, of course. The difficulty is 12.
Catherine:
Okay, my resolve is 4, I roll 6 and 1. Sweet 16!
GM:
Success! Actually even better, with that 6 that's Brilliant! You check the console and in just a couple clicks you find a map of the place. But not only that, as your Bonus that map is not any normal map, but the escape plan someone had devised to be able to run from the statues if necessary. It shows that the door at the end of the hallway serves as a barrier the Angels cannot go through.
Catherine:
As I turn back to help look at the statues, I relay that information to the Doctor. (Notice here how Catherine just decides to say she talked to the Doctor instead of acting it, it is always up to the players to pick and choose how they want to play a scene)
GM:
Now back to you Doctor, let's see how you did trying to cover for Catherine while she checked the console. In this case you have more statues to pay attention to as Catherine was not helping you, so let's say the Angels had Advantage here, I'll roll 3 dice and... *rolls 2, 5 and 6* I'll discard this 2 and 11 is the number to beat now.
David:
No worries, The Doctor is good at this. *rolls 1 and 2* Oh no, I think this is just a 10.
GM:
So unlucky David. That 1 is going to turn this into a Disastrous result, you might wanna burn some Story Points on this one.
David:
Man, but I am almost out of Story Points already... You know what, this situation sounds dangerous, I want to spend 2 points to make this an Almost instead.
GM:
Let's say you managed to keep most of them in check the entire time, but as you were backing up slowly towards Catherine, that distracted you enough that some of them, at the corner of your eyes, escaped your field of view and they advanced even more towards Catherine.
David:
We can do this Kate! hmmm... The Doctor would probably stay calm and try not to alarm her to that... "Excellent, a way out! We need to get to that door, but we cannot blink. Let's move slowly, sideways, and try to keep our eyes on the statues, and that door."
GM:
Good idea. I'll need another check for the statues, with the same roll as before.
Catherine:
Okay, rolled a 5, a 3 and a 1, that's 4. Plus my 3, 7 total... but I rolled a 1.
David:
My total is 13 now, I think that is totally safe for me.
GM:
I roll a 6 and a 5. Things are not looking good for you Catherine, the statues are moving again. As a matter of fact, that Disastrous result is not going to look good, do you have any Story Points left?
Catherine:
No, I've spent them all already. Am I toast?
GM:
Well... The angel on the edge of the chamber makes a grab for you, Catherine. Usually there is no dodging an Angel, but since you were out of Story Points and I feel like you should get a chance, even if small. Let's say in this case, You can try to dodge. But it is going to be an Improbable task, that should be 27 difficulty, the only way you can get out of this is rolling a pair of 6s.
Catherine:
*hands shaking* I appreciate that, man let me slow roll this, my heart is racing... *rolls a die* Woah! That's a 6! Now I just need another one!
David:
Come on Kate! You can do this!
Catherine:
*rolls another die*... 2... no way... what now?
GM:
The statue grabs you, and you feel the energy draining from you. You have been sent back in time.
David:
"Catherine, Noooooo!"... I look back at where she was, and now there is nothing... man... I don't think The Doctor would be able to recover from this fast enough... He'd have probably hundreds of things racing through his mind, dealing with the loss, thinking of ways to get her back, retracing what He could have done differently...
GM:
Yeah... that sounds about right. As you stay there petrified by what just happened... The statues close in, and you feel the grab. You are sent back in time. The room is empty again.
David:
This is so sad... I thought we had this...
Catherine:
Is this the end for Catherine?... and what about The Doctor?
GM:
Well, first of all. David, that reaction was totally in character for your Doctor and it aligns so well with his Focus. You get a Story Point from it! Nicely done!
GM:
But on another note... I think this is the perfect time to end the session, I am starving. But it doesn't mean it has to be the end for you... why don't we go talk about the next story arc over dinner? We can do new characters if you want, but We can also play out this scenario... maybe both of you being stranded in a distant past without a TARDIS and trying to find a way to get back to current time? Maybe you ended up in separate time periods but found some misterious way to communicate with one another... everything is possible and I sure think better on a full stomach!
Catherine:
So Catherine is not gone??? That's so cool! I want to do some distant past.... Oh! Can we do Ancient Rome?... wait, no, maybe Vikings!
David:
I vote for Chinese!... for dinner... but hey, why not also for the story arc? That could be cool...