Table of Contents
Doctor Who
Baron Munchausen Variant
Based on
The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen
by James Wallis, Hogshead Publishing
Adapted by Peter Cobcroft
For the tabletop game, try :-
http://www.hogshead.demon.co.uk/newstyle/ns_baronm.htm
To have a look at the Terry Gilliam movie, try :-
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0096764
Go back to the start page.
Glossary
A Game - a page, linked from the location/setting which contains all the linking text, incidental roleplaying and character introductions for the players involved in the particular game.
A Round - a new storyteller begins a story by creating a page for the story with a link in the game page.
A Turn - a part of the story is written on the page by the current storyteller. If they are logged in, they may also end the story part with their signature.
Wagee - a Player who has made a wager against the current storyteller.
Player - a Reader not currently telling a story, but with a character in the location/setting who is participating in the current game.
Reader - someone browsing the site and not currently telling a story.
Differences from the regular game
Characters
Every player should choose a different regeneration of the Doctor than every other player. Player choice should be based on the physical and mental characteristics, and the personality of their favourite version of the Doctor. If there is no version they prefer, they may make up a version and name him as the Eleventh, Twelth or Thirteenth Doctor.
Players may choose the same regeneration as another player, but it is not recommended. It implies that one of the Doctors is from a different universe or timeline, and as such will not have much in common with any other player (they can't really reference stories told by others).
Wagers
Wagers should be phrased in the form of first person memories if a later version is talking to an earlier version (“I remember I had some problems with the Cybermen then, didn't I?”). Or if wagering with a later version, they should be questions as normal - but in the first person (“Did I encounter any Cybermen in that tomb?”).
Companions
The Doctor rarely has no companions (maybe 1 in 100 episodes). He usually has 1 or 2. Weaker Doctors such as the first and the fifth, sometimes have 3 companions. Just like regular Munchausen, companions have useful skills. These skills are often academic, but can also be physical (Jamie, Leela, Ace).
A Doctor should only use the companions he has listed for his regeneration. If the player uses another companion, they can be wagered on how they managed to get that companion out of their normal timeline and back again.
Death
Companions may die, but shouldn't. The Doctor may use “Time Lord physiology” to escape death if the player can come up with suitable technobabble. Innocent bystanders usually die in small or large amounts.
Nemeses and bad guys can die. This does not prevent other players from using them in stories. If it is a later time period, the player may need to explain how they escaped their deaths - time travel should never be used for this, but other technobabble is fine (clones, escape pods, holograms, etc).
Plot
Time Travel
Time travel can never be used within the story to solve a problem. It is used to get to where the story starts, and leave afterwards. Time travel can be used within a story if it doesn't solve any problems (ie for trivial things).
McGuffins
The TARDIS has infinite space inside it and is invulnerable to damage by any race without time technology. It may never be remotely controlled but can be pre-programmed if given sufficient reason.
The Sonic Screwdriver can open almost anything. If playing the Ninth or Tenth Doctors it can do anything that any other kind of tool can do as well.
Every evil race has some kind of vulnerability that can be opportunely taken advantage of by a clever Doctor. Wagers should take this into account as it is a genre trope.
Bad guys - every story should have one. Either a race, a misguided genius or a regular nemesis.
Capture and Torture
Should only happen at most a couple of times in the story. It's usually the quickest way to meet the bad guy behind the plot and gives a reason for the Doctor to spout about how his ethics and intelligence are better than the bad guy's.