Act II - The Source

Scene 1 – Malcolm Lupus
Now that the spell of the Pasha demons has been cancelled, the Doctor can trace the source of the temporal disruption. It turns out to be coming from a building in a quiet but central part of town. When the group arrive there, they discover it to be a deserted estate agent (or realtor) that used to be called ‘Malcolm Lupus Real Estate’

The name of the estate agents isn’t important, but it is the Bad Wolf reference for the adventure. Mal (short for Malcolm) is bad in Latin. Lupus is the Latin name for wolf.)

The office is locked, but that shouldn’t prove much of a problem to the group. Inside there are a few rooms, all deserted. A few bits of broken office furniture are lying around, but nothing else. However, one room does have signs of habitation. It has a TV/DVD combo unit in one corner and is littered with many fast food wrappers and take-out pizza boxes. However, most interestingly the centre of the room is occupied by a three foot tall metal pillar. It was some form of device but it have melted and fused into little more than modern art.

Inside the TV/DVD unit is the third disc of the complete Season 1 Enterprise series. This with the weird science and take out detritus should give the group the clues they need to se who is behind this: Warren, Jonathan and Andrew.

The Backstory
It is the three geeks have opened the time portal. They decided to play with time as it may enhance their life of crime. However Warren’s primary reason is to bring back Katrina. Katrina was an old girlfriend of Warren’s who he used magic to enslave in the episode (6.13) Dead Things. Things went wrong and Warren killed her by accident, while he tries not to show it, this action has deeply traumatised him. He has convinced the others to work with him on the time technology so he can stop Katrina’s death.

Unfortunately, as Warren doesn’t want to seem like a sissy, he hasn’t told this to the other two. They have their own plans for the time machine. Andrew wants to go into the future to meet Captain Archer (even though he isn’t real). Jonathan wants to go back in time so he can get the limited edition figures he needs to complete his collection. Sadly they didn’t decide which when they opened the portal and programmed their device in different ways. This bad programming sent it out of control and it just punched a hole in time and space and melted. The trio decided it would be a good idea to leave at that pint and are on their way to Mexico by now. When things are calmer, they’ll be back.

Scene 2 – The Hideout
The clues should lead the group to the geek’s hideout, which Willow has visited before in the episode (6.12) Gone. However, it is obvious the trio has made a run for it. The best of their Star Wars figures are gone, as have the sealed comics.

Unfortunately, the trio didn’t leave the place unguarded. The players will find a note caught in the teeth of a caricature ‘Joker’ doll. The doll will laugh as the note is pulled out. The note simply says “We will return! PS- look behind you.”
As soon as the note is pulled out, a cage door opens and several demon monkeys fill the room and attack.

Name: Demon Monkeys
Motivation: Kill the invaders
Critter Type: Low grade Demon animal
Attributes: Str 4, Dex 9, Con 4, Int 1, Per 3, Will 1
Ability Scores: Muscle 8, Combat 14, Brains 2
Lie Points: 30
Drama Points: 0
Special Abilities: Claws and Monkey breath*
Manoeuvres
Claw, Score: 14, Dmg: 10, Type: Slashing
Dodge, Score: 14,
Breath, Score: 14, Dmg: Roll con or start retching for a round
*very nasty breath that makes you want to heave violently. Only useful at very close range.

However the trio hasn’t though of everything. They have left a small video camera lying around. It has a tape in it, and is the tape they used to record their time experiment for posterity. If the characters decide to watch the video, ask (or choose) three volunteers. They can take the parts of Warren, Jonathan and Andrew as they read the following transcript of the tape.

Adventure Script

The camera is being turned on, showing only Jonathan’s face for a few moments

Jonathan
It’s on.

Warren
Point it over here then.

The camera settles onto a scene of Jonathan, Warren and Andrew, standing in the back room of the estate agents. A TV/DVD combo unit sits in one side of the blank room, which is littered with fast food boxes and the wrappers of sugary treats. Tools surround the three geeks, who are standing around a large metal device that stands around 3 feet tall.

Andrew
Do we have to do this now?

Warren
Yes we do

Andrew
But if it like messes with time, don’t we have plenty of time?

Warren
We are doing it now.

Andrew
Well, I was just thinking we could finish watching Enterprise, because we are only one episode away from finishing that disc and…

Jonathan
Enterprise sucks

Andrew
Does not! Captain Archer…

Jonathan
…Is nothing compared to Picard, and anyway, everyone knows Enterprise wasn’t any good until the last season.

Andrew is about to protest but Warren cuts in

Warren
Can we shut the hell up about Enterprise?! We have something just a little bit more important to do. …and anyway, everyone knows that Kirk, is the man.

The others protest but Warren has spoken

Warren (cont)
Jonathan, do the magic, Andrew, fire it up.

Andrew inserts a smaller device into the unit and Jonathan begins to chant and sprinkle herbs around the unit.
The top part of the unit begins to spin and blue energy begins to flow around it.

Warren
It’s working!

Jonathan
God, all this just to bring back your girlfriend.

Warren
Look, we bring her back and everything is ok again. Then we can use this to get rich.

Jonathan
Well, this test run to claim the last limited edition Han Solo is all the riches I need. Soon my set will be complete. He tries a menacing laugh but ends up in a coughing fit

Warren
What are you talking about?

Jonathan
What do you mean?

Warren
We are not going back to get your Han Solo figure.

Jonathan
Yes we are. You said we needed a test, and we decided to go into the past

Andrew (dreamily about Star Wars)
A long time ago…

Warren
…but in a galaxy far away! Yes we had that discussion.

Jonathan
Yes, but you agreed we needed a test.

Andrew
You did.

Warren
Well, that test is going back to stop Katrina getting killed

Jonathan
…by you.

Warren
What was that?

Jonathan
Just saying that doesn’t sound much use to the rest of us. I mean we can all enjoy a limited edition Han Solo figure, which we would be doing right now had someone not forgotten to set his alarm.

Andrew
If you wanted Han Solo you should have queued for him yourself!

Warren
Look, we are going back for Katrina, and that is final.

Andrew and Jonathan together
Aha, no we are not! Eh? What did you do?

Warren
What did you both do?!

Jonathan
I set the temporal phasing spell for the past.

Andrew
I set the time shielding systems for the future.

Warren
Why?

Andrew
Captain Archer isn’t from a Galaxy far, far away.

The machine’s energy has moved from a blue to a green colour and it is starting to vibrate.

Andrew
I don’t think it is going well

Jonathan
I don’t think we should be here

Warren
Out! Now! Get the stuff, it’s going to explode!

The three geeks make a run for it, picking up the camera (which briefly catches Andrew grabbing his Enterprise DVD set without getting the disc out of the TV). The camera is rushed outside in time to catch a powerful energy implosion of sparkly blue and green energy. It makes no sound but seems extremely powerful nevertheless. The camera settles and shakily picks up the three geeks standing outside (Jonathan is holding the camera)

Jonathan
Buffy is going to be so pissed.

Andrew
We need to leave town for a while

Jonathan
I’ve always wanted to see Me-hi-ko

Warren
Look, this is a mess; we get out of here for a while and lie low. Then we try again.

Jonathan
Without another Gem of Sesha it could be a while.

Warren looks up, noticing the camera

Warren
Is that thing still on?! Turn it off idiot!

Jonathan reaches over and the tape goes dark.

Willow or Tara will know a 'Gem of Sesha' is a powerful magical jewel used to manipulate temporal energy. They are extremly rare.

When they have read the script, there is a screaming sound followed by a crash in the direction of the bronze. Something else has arrived in Sunnydale.