State of Decay

Join the crew of the TARDIS for Doctor Who’s legendary time-traveling adventure, the E-Space Trilogy.  The TARDIS has been drawn into an alternate universe, thrusting the Doctor and Romana into a weird realm of strange planets, treacherous creatures and bizarre echoes of the universe they left behind.  Escape from E-Space will present the Doctor and friends with their greatest challenge ever-if they can survive long enough to try.

Volume 2 - State of Decay

Searching for a way out of E-Space, the Doctor and Romana, joined by a young stowaway, land on a planet eerily similar to Medieval Earth. Its people live in fear, under the thumb of the Three Who Rule, cruel lords who suppress all learning to keep their subjects ignorant and helpless. The Doctor falls in with a group of rebels and discovers a cache of advanced technology banned by the Three Who Rule. But who are these ruthless monarchs? Meeting the lords and exploring their tower, he and Romana uncover a chilling secret. The Doctor realizes an ancient evil is rising once again. A terrible threat to the universe fought by his own race long ago, and one that only he can destroy now.

 

• "State of Decay" is the second in the 3 story E-Space arc and was written by Doctor Who alumnist Terrance Dicks (the first story being "Full Circle" and the final one "Warriors' Gate").

• It has been rumored that Tom Baker and Lalla Ward's on again/off again relationship was most definitely off during filming of this story.

• The details of the Vampire/Time Lord conflict (originated in this story) have been greatly expanded upon in both the Virgin and later in the BBC line of books made during the past decade.

• Watch for Emrys James' portrayal of Aukon.  It is so over the top it would make William Shatner blush.  It's great fun though!  :)

• The producer at that time (John Nathan-Turner) got into a bit of hot water over the use of bats and vampires.  It seems that some bat group was upset at their negative portrayal.