puppet
TRANSCRIPT
PAGE 1
Panel 1 - MICHAIL and CHANE walk through a forest of dying
trees. They’re both eighteen. They both wear thick brown
cloaks, and they both carry walking staffs. Chane has much
darker skin than Michail. Michail’s hood is up, hiding his
face, but Chane wears hers down. Her long hair flows.
CHANE
Aren’t you curious? I haven’t told
you where we’re going.
Panel 2 - Michail watches a hawk fly overhead. He frowns.
Panel 3 - Chane looks back at Michail, eyebrow raised.
CHANE
You had an argument.
MICHAIL
Don’t ask.
CHANE
I wasn’t asking. I know that look.
What did he do this time?
Panel 4 - Michail doesn’t look like he wants to talk.
MICHAIL
Nothing. Just words.
CHANE
I can talk to your father if he’s
got a problem. He’d like me.
Panel 5 - They come to a clearing. Chane parts some bushes.
Her eyes go wide with excitement. Michail doesn’t notice.
MICHAIL
Worry about your own father. One
day he’s gonna snap and kill us
both. I see it in his eyes.
CHANE
We’re here!
2.
PAGE 2
Panel 1 - Large panel. Michail and Chane peer into the
clearing below: a tribe of KOMODO DRAGONS. Maybe seven or
eight in total. They call themselves RAKSASAS. Most are dark
green, but one is rusty in colour: ARYN.
CHANE
Raksasas.
Panel 2 - A few of them look up to see the intruders. Aryn
included. One of them hisses. Another, possibly the leader,
opens its mouth to speak. Bright-red drool.
HISSSS
LEADER
Do not approach, humans.
ARYN
It is alright. They are friendly.
Panel 3 - The leader turns to snap at Aryn. In the
background, Chane and Michail step down into the clearing.
Chane raises her staff in greeting.
LEADER
Forgive me if I refuse to rely on
your judgement. You have yet to
earn our trust.
CHANE
We’re here to help!
3.
PAGE 3
Panel 1 - Chane and Michail stand still, talking to each
other with unease. Two Raksasa approach. They snarl and
hiss. Aryn and the Leader keep back. The rest of the tribe
doesn’t move. They look sick.
HISSSS
SNAP!
MICHAIL
They’re aggressive ...
CHANE
Well, yeah. They’re sick.
LEADER
What did you say?
Panel 2 - Chane bends down to address the Leader
face-to-face, like one would do with a child.
CHANE
You’re sick, and you need help.
LEADER
Yes, we are sick, but we do not
need help.
ARYN (OS)
Do not believe that.
Panel 3 - Same angle. Aryn presses his snout under Chane’s
arm, affectionately. She smiles at him. In the background,
Michail pokes one of the other Raksasa with his staff.
POKE
SKRREEE!
ARYN
Our matriarch is stubborn. She does
not understand necessity.
LEADER
Do not speak to the human! You are
insubordinate. You have no right.
Panel 4 - Chane turns to berate Michail. Aryn and the Leader
argue in the foreground, snouts pressed up against each
other.
4.
CHANE
Hey! Don’t aggravate them. Be
respectful.
MICHAIL (OS)
Sorry.
LEADER
[unintelligible hissing]
ARYN
[unintelligible hissing]
5.
PAGE 4
Panel 1 - Chane stands up. She towers over the Raksasas like
a giant. They’re the largest lizards in the world but
they’re built low to the ground.
CHANE
Will you accept my offer of help?
LEADER
Explain your offer.
CHANE
My father has a collection of
magical ... doo-hickeys. I think I
know something that could help. It
dispels disease. It stops plague.
It prevents the rot of puppetry.
Panel 2 - The leader spits red. Michail frowns.
LEADER
We are not like you. We do not
return from the dead. We do not
become PUPPETS when we die!
MICHAIL
Do you want help or not?
Panel 3 - Much later. Michail and Chane go into a CAVE. The
entrance is by a beach. The ocean sparkles. It’s dusk.
Panel 4 - The cave is dark. Both Chane and Michail emit a
glowing light each from their hands.
CHANE
He’s already left. Good.
Panel 5 - Not far from the entrance is a campsite, of sorts.
It’s been outfitted with necessary accoutrements -- a
smokeless fire, two hard beds, a stone table, etc -- as if
someone lives here permanently. Which they do.
MICHAIL
You’ve never brought me here
before.
CHANE
I haven’t had the chance! Until
now, at least -- my father’s out
for the night on an "excursion."
6.
Panel 4 - They move past a makeshift shelf bolted into the
rocky wall. There’s a large collection of KNIVES and jagged
metal INSTRUMENTS on display.
CHANE
Hey, we could have our own little
excursion. Right now.
Panel 5 - Chane pulls down on Michail’s cloak, bring his
head closer to hers. She grins mischeivously. Between them,
in the background, TORTURE EQUIPMENT lies bolted to the
opposite wall. Nails and rusty restraints and bloodstains.
CHANE
What do you say?
7.
PAGE 5
Panel 1 - Same angle as Page 4 Panel 5. Michail glances at
the torture equipment.
MICHAIL
Perhaps later.
Panel 2 - They’re deeper in the cave. The light from the
entrance has long since died down. The cave is beautiful in
its own right, littered with stalactites and complex
structures and layers of dripping moisture.
Panel 3 - They come across a large stone shelf filled with
eldritch magical artifacts. The light from their hands is
only barely enough to illuminate it all.
CHANE
Here we are. Start looking for a
bag of seeds, big as your hand.
MICHAIL
Right.
Panel 4 - Michail goes off on his own. Chane investigates
the far end of the shelf. It curls around a corner.
Panel 5 - She rounds the corner. In the far background, a
vaguely human-like figure blends into the wall.
Panel 6 - Same angle. Chane searches the shelves
obliviously. The DARK FIGURE moves.
CREAKKKK
8.
PAGE 6
Panel 1 - Michail grabs a SEED SATCHEL. He grins.
Panel 2 - Michail stuffs it into his shirt as he walks
towards Chane’s position.
MICHAIL
Found it.
Panel 3 - Michail rounds the corner. We can’t see what’s
behind it yet.
Panel 4 - He walks into the end of a BLACK, GNARLED STAFF.
His eyes go wide. It’s MARMON. Marmon is about forty years
old, dark-skinned like Chane. His cloak is light brown and
his staff is jet-black, gnarled like an old tree. There’s an
intensity in his eyes that’s frightening to behold. This is
not a sane man we’re dealing with here. We can only see the
two of them, Michail and Marmon, from the waist up.
MARMON
I knew I’d catch you.
Panel 5 - Same angle, but zoomed out. As he aims his staff
at Michail, Marmon has the palm of his hand on Chane’s head.
She’s catatonic. It looks as though energy is passing from
her to Marmon.
MICHAIL
What are you doing to her?
MARMON
I knew she would bring you. I lied
to her, and she fell for it.
Panel 6 - Michail is LIVID. He knocks away Marmon’s staff
telekinetically, with a gesture from his hand, and in the
same motion he raises his own staff. A beam of pure energy
erupts from the tip.
SWOOOSH
SZZZT
9.
PAGE 7
Panel 1 - The beam fizzes out harmlessly on a force-field
that protects Marmon’s face.
FIZ
Panel 2 - Michail swings his staff, but Marmon blocks it
with ease.
THOCK!
Panel 3 - Marmon swipes his staff and Michail is buffeted to
the side by a blast of wind. He careens into the shelf.
SWIPPP!
WHOOSH!
CRUNCH
Panel 4 - Michail telekinetically tosses the entire contents
of the shelf at Marmon. Magical artifacts shoot everywhere
in a wide arc.
WHOOOSSSSSHH!
CLANG
SMASH
DZZZHH
Panel 5 - Marmon raises both his hands, similar to Gandalf’s
"You Shall Not Pass". All of the magical artifacts hover in
mid-air.
Panel 6 - Marmon separates his hands. The artifacts go
flying in all directions. One of them, a yellow CRYSTAL
SHARD, flies straight for Michail.
Panel 7 - The shard jams itself into Michail’s shoulder.
Yellow arcs of electricity explode through his body. He
arches his back in pain.
SPLUT!
BZZZZT
MICHAIL
!!
10.
PAGE 8
Panel 1 - Black.
MARMON (OS)
Useful things, those crystals.
MARMON (OS)
It’s drained all the magic out of
you. No more tricks. No escape.
Panel 2 - Michail groans. His cloak has been torn to scraps.
He’s physically fit, but he’s a bit thin. Ribs showing. One
arm is locked to his side by restraints bolted into a jagged
rock wall: the torture implements from earlier. His other
arm is spread out, extended. His shoulder has a bloody
puncture wound.
MICHAIL
Nhh ...
Panel 3 - From Michail’s POV, we see that we’re at the
campsite by the entrance. Chane sits on her bed, nearly
catatonic. There’s a visible indication above her head that
she’s being controlled by magic. Marmon stands over her.
MARMUN
He defiled you. He ruined you.
CHANE
Please ...
11.
PAGE 9
Panel 1 - Marmon approaches Michail, drawing a SKINNING
KNIFE. His expression is blank like a shark.
MARMON
My own daughter steals from me, and
befriends those demon-born lizards,
and she allowed you --
Panel 2 - Marmon examines Michail’s face.
MARMON
-- bastard scum --
Panel 3 - Marmon presses the flat of the blade against
Michail’s arm.
MARMON
-- to give her a child.
Panel 4 - Chane raises her head. It takes effort.
CHANE
You don’t have to --
Panel 5 - Marmon sinks the blade through Michail’s skin.
Right to the bone. Blood sprays. Michail screams.
SHLICK
AAGGHHHHHH!!
12.
PAGE 10
Panel 1 - Marmon carefully cuts through more. He’s not using
the skinning knife for its intended purpose -- he’s slicing
a circular cut around the bone, severing all the muscles and
tendons, curling the blade in a full rotation around
Michail’s arm.
SCHLICKKKK
AAAAHHH ...
Panel 2 - Chane tries to get up. It’s almost as if she’s
glued to the bed.
CHANE
Stop. Stop.
Panel 3 - Marmon turns to look at his daughter. His hand
slips. Severs a huge vein.
SLICE
Panel 4 - Michail jerks his whole body. Blood explodes out
the burst vein, spraying all over Marmon. His face and hair
drips with red goo.
PLLLLCCHHH
MARMON
!!
Panel 5 - Marmon screams into Michail’s face.
MARMON
I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!
Panel 6 - The silhouette of a RAKSASA appears at the
entrance to the cave.
13.
PAGE 11
Panel 1 - Marmon looks at the lizard.
MARMON
What --
Panel 2 - It’s Aryn. Smoke curls out his mouth.
Panel 3 - Same angle. Aryn opens his mouth and the entire
panel fills with fire.
FWOOOOOOOOOOSH!!
Panel 4 - Marmon blocks the flames with a force field. It’s
taking all of his energy.
FIZZZZ
Panel 5 - Just as the flames die down, Chane barrels into
Marmon, knocking them both to the floor. The magical
influence over her head is gone.
WHAM!
Panel 6 - Aryn roars. Earth-shattering.
ROOOOAAAARRRR!!
Panel 7 - Michail’s restraints release him. He flops to the
ground. He’s barely conscious.
CLICK
FWUMP
14.
PAGE 12
Panel 1 - Chane shreds her nails through Marmon’s ear. Blood
sprays.
SHHRREDDD
Panel 2 - Marmon throws her off of him.
DOOF
Panel 3 - Chane slams her head into a jagged rock wall.
WHACK
Panel 4 - Aryn leaps for Marmon, jaws wide, red spit flying,
fangs bared.
HISSSS!
Panel 5 - Chane kneels on top of Michail. He watches her,
blurry-eyed. She reaches for his face. Her hand is bloody
and covered in flesh and cartilage.
CHANE
I’m so sorry this happened to you
... he tricked me ... he’s not
alright anymore, he’s not my father
anymore, he’s gone ...
Panel 6 - She touches Michail’s cheek. He smiles weakly.
MICHAIL
It’s okay --
15.
PAGE 13
Panel 1 - Large panel. A beam of energy slices through
Chane’s stomach. Her guts explode outwards, already seared
and charred from the heat.
SZZZEEEEEEEET
Panel 2 - The light from the same beam reflects against
Michail’s face. It courses through a few strands of his
hair, but miraculously misses him.
Panel 3 - Michail and Chane stare at each other.
Panel 4 - Same angle. Chane coughs. Blood spews from her
mouth.
HACKK
16.
PAGE 14
Panel 1 - Wide angle. Chane collapses on Michail. Aryn lies
motionless on the cave floor. Marmon stands far away. He’s
in shock. His staff smokes.
Panel 2 - Closer on Marmon. He has no idea what he’s done.
He literally doesn’t have the capacity to comprehend. He’s
motionless. He’s in shock. It’s like he killed a part of
himself instead.
Panel 3 - Still from a distance, Michail slowly gets up.
Chane’s body is draped around him like a cloak. He’s slick
with blood.
Panel 4 - Michail carries her past Marmon, who can’t do
anything but look straight ahead, blank.
Panel 5 - Marmon falls to his knees.
Panel 6 - Aryn drags himself upright. He follows Michail out
of the cave.
17.
PAGE 15
Panel 1 - Michail sits at the edge of a lake. He’s still
carrying Chane’s body. Aryn rests beside him. It’s morning.
Panel 2 - Chane’s eyes flutter.
CHANE
Ghh ...
Panel 3 - Her eyes snap open. They’re solid white. Her face
contorts into a horrific, animalistic snarl. She thrashes.
CHANE
GGHHRAAAAGGHHH!!
Panel 4 - Michail holds her tighter as she continues to
thrash and yank herself around, snapping at his head and
scraping at his back.
ARYN
She is a puppet.
MICHAIL
I know.
ARYN
She is merely a shell, now. It is
not really her.
MICHAIL
I know.
ARYN
You have to put her down.
Panel 5 - Close up on Michail’s face. He’s steadfastly
determined not to let go.
MICHAIL
I can’t do that.
18.
PAGE 16
Panel 1 - Still covered in dried blood, Michail returns to
the Raksasa camp. He has the SEED SATCHEL. There aren’t as
many Raksasas as there were before. A few have died.
Panel 2 - Michail hands the seeds to the raksasas gathering
around him. Aryn nuzzles heads with the Leader.
LEADER
Thank you.
Panel 3 - The Leader looks around suspiciously.
LEADER
Where is the other human?
Panel 4 - Chane’s reanimated corpse wanders through a forest
of dying trees.
CHANE
Ghhhhhaaahhh ...