Tragedy Day (novel)

Tragedy Day
Doctor:	Seventh Doctor
Companion(s):	Ace, Benny
Main enemy:	Crispin, Friars of Pangloss
Main setting:	Empire City, Olleril
Key crew
Publisher:	Virgin Books
Writer:	Gareth Roberts
Cover by:	Jeff Cummins
Release details
Release number:	24
Release date:	17 March 1994
Format:	Paperback Book; 19 Chapters, 290 Pages
ISBN:	ISBN 0-426-20410-7
Virgin New Adventures
← Previous	No Future
Next →	Legacy
DWM "New Adventures order"
← Previous	No Future
Next →	Uninvited Guest

Tragedy Day was the twenty-fourth New Adventures novel. It was written by Gareth Roberts, who had previously written the New Adventures novel The Highest Science and would write another New Adventure novel and four more Missing Adventure novels. This novel featured the Seventh Doctor, Bernice Summerfield and Ace.

Publisher's summary

Tomorrow, Tragedy Day. Tomorrow, total control.

In Empire City on the planet Olleril, it's time for the annual Tragedy Day — when the privileged few celebrate their generosity to the masses.

But this year, something is different. Hideous creatures infest the waters around an island that doesn't officially exist. Assassins arrive to carry out a killing that may endanger the entire universe. A being known as the Supreme One tests horrific weapons. And a secret order of monks observes the growing chaos.

Five minutes after they arrive on Olleril, the TARDIS crew know they want to leave. But Ace is imprisoned in a sinister refugee camp, and Bernice and the Doctor are in the custody of a brutal police gang. There is no way out.

Plot

to be added

Characters

• Seventh Doctor
• Ace
• Bernice Summerfield
• Crispin
• Friars of Pangloss
• Richard Nemmun
• Ernie "Eight-Legs" McCartney
• Amm Piering
• Anna
• Anonius
• Caphymus
• Charlie
• Danny
• Doris
• Dulcia Joliff
• Ed
• Frinna
• George Lipton
• Linn
• Elena Salcha
• Felder
• Forke
• Gerd
• Gholeria
• Gortlock
• Guralza
• Harry Landis
• Howard Devor
• Markus
• Paul Wilkinson
• Jalone
• Jeff Shrubb
• Joan Cale
• Laude
• Lorrayn
• Luka
• Meredith Morgan
• Metin Kenniter
• Maurice Taylor
• Powla
• Richard Nemmun
• Richud Danner
• Forgwyn
• Wendy Clifton
• Tom Jakovv
• Robert Clifton
• Triss Laughline
• Sal
• Sarul
• Saen
• Streel
• Portellus
• Stillmun
• Olleril (Marshal)
• Urma
• Marsha
• Susan
• Barbara Wright

Worldbuilding

Astronomical objects

• Olleril is located in the Pristatrek Galaxy.

Biology

• The Doctor has experience at delivering babies.

Books

• Forgwyn had read Artificial Intelligences: The Moral Dilemma.

Creatures

• Aaglon sharks and sline lizards are creatures native to Olleril.

Culture

• Mazumas are a form of currency.
• Tragedy Day is a holiday celebrated on Olleril.

The Doctor's items

• The Doctor wears a blue gemstone ring.

Foods and beverages

• Rakki is an alcoholic beverage served on Olleril.

Individuals

• The First Doctor and Susan make an appearance in the prologue of the novel. There, he cures the radiation poisoning that was blighting the inhabitants and their crops. He also takes a red glass with him, as they believed it caused disaster ever since it arrived.
• The Doctor claims that he delivered Genghis Khan.
• The Doctor claims that he has never met Henry VIII, but that he did meet Mary, Queen of Scots.

Locations

• Empire City is Olleril's largest city.
• The Empire Clarion is an Olleril newspaper.
• Empirica is a nation on Olleril.
• Meredith Morgan was hired to kill the Doctor on Frinjel 87.
• The Vijjans are the native people of Olleril.
• Spindizzy's and Yumm's are bars in Empire City.
• Ernie McCartney is the most feared assassin in the Seventh Quadrant.
• Tragedy Day was celebrated in Lerthin Square.
• Luminus is a cult which secretly controls Olleril.
• The shelf containing the Bibles of Pangloss was made from timber carted from the groves of Knassos.

Olleril locations

• Agrave is the home of sline lizards and aaglon sharks.
• Avax is the island home of a Vijjan tribe.
• Daisycombe Park is located on the south side of Empire City.
• Fresta is a nation on Olleril.
• Funland is an amusement park on Olleril.
• Quantern was a group of rebels.
• Vijja is a nation on Olleril.
• Yuvador is the site of guerrilla activity.

Organisations

• The Vijjan Liberation League sympathised with the plight of the Vijjans.
• Riftet Insurance was a business on Olleril.
• Toplex Sanitation was a front for Luminus.
• The Friars of Pangloss were three immortal beings that ruled Pangloss.
• Morgan killed the Prime Motivator of the Rullian Confederacy.
• Tyack's Fittings was a business on Olleril.
• Fancy That was a popular music group.

Plants

• Barjorum and frashels are plants native to Olleril.

Planets

• The Doctor defeated Luminus on Argos.
• Automatic carriers were used in a border conflict on Eferun.
• Pangloss is a galaxy ruled by the Friars of Pangloss.
• Meredith once killed fifty-nine people in two hours on Phlanji.
• Quique and Rexel were visible from Olleril.
• The Celebroid Doctor suggests going to Zeraticus 2 for a holiday.

Science

• A psychotronic generator generates waves of psychic energy.
• The hull of Morgan's ship is made of jauxite.
• Celebroids are robot duplicates.
• The Doctor constructs a Triton T80 to sabotage Crispin's plans.
• Morgan once took an assignment on Kallak 56.
• Slaags are genetically engineered creatures created from sline lizards and aaglon sharks.

Television series

• Television series on Olleril include Whittaker's Harbour, Martha and Arthur, and Captain Millennium.

Time Lords

• Pandorastrumnelliahanfloriana developed a theory regarding the psychic abilities of the Friars of Pangloss.

Vehicles

• Forgwyn was born on the Ganymede.
• The Gargantuan was a submarine used by Luminus as its base.

Notes

• The prelude to this novel was published in DWM 210.
• Gareth Roberts later described the book as "okay".

Continuity

• The Doctor claims that he has never met Henry VIII. However, he has been described or depicted as meeting him on at least three previous occasions in his personal timeline. (TV: The Sensorites, PROSE: God Send Me Well to Keep, AUDIO: Recorded Time)
• Bernice mentions Rhoos, a planet which does not exist. (PROSE: The Playthings of Fo)
• The Luminus was the result of a Faction Paradox plot. (PROSE: Interference - Book Two)

External links

• Prelude to Tragedy Day as published in DWM210
• Tragedy Day at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• The Discontinuity Guide to: Tragedy Day at The Whoniverse
• The Cloister Library: Tragedy Day
• Beyond the Book: Tragedy Day by Paul Scoones (Article) - TSV 43