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ADVENTURER'S QUEST, PART II by Richard Lovejoy Richard Lovejoy is an award winning writer and an actor. His most recent plays include BrainExplode! – essentially a live action video game – and A Brief History of Murder. You can listen to his sci-fi radio comedy, 1918, at www.1918show.com. Richard is also the creative director of Charred Oak Films. His feature The Widowers will be shot next Spring. For production rights contact Richard Lovejoy at: rich@charredoakfilms.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- CHARACTERS: SCENE 32—LOFT ROW—SCORE 230 OF 320. The scene resets to the HERO outside the loft. His score is down to 230 again. The HERO frantically feels his face and where his wounds were. He pants and his eyes dart about.
HERO He puts the robe back on. Point music. 231 of 320. He walks west to town square.
SCENE 33—TOWN SQUARE—SCORE 231 OF 320. HERO The HERO starts to walk back towards the cathedral. He stops. He turns around and exits in another direction.
SCENE 34—CEMETERY—SCORE 231 OF 320. He walks up to CEMETERY MAN. HERO No response.
HERO He goes to leave.
CEMETERY MAN HERO turns around. CEMETER
MAN looks vacant. HERO No response. The HERO looks intensely weirded out. He exits back to loft space.
SCENE 35—CATHEDRAL—SCORE 231 OF 320. HERO marches to the rope. HERO
SCENE 36—MIN HALL—SCORE 231 OF 320. Again the two cultists are arguing. HERO Point music. 232 of 320.
CONCERNED CULTIST LOYAL CULTIST CONCERNED CULTIST LOYAL CULTIST CONCERNED CULTIST LOYAL CULTIST HERO The HERO takes out his dagger and stabs one of the cultists in the throat.
VOICE The other pulls a knife and stabs the HERO, who dies painfully
CONCERNED CULTIST He goes to kill himself but before he can, the VOICE speaks.
VOICE
SCENE 37—MAIN HALL—SCORE 232 OF 320. The scene resets. HERO VOICE HERO Point music. 233 of 320.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO Point music. 234 of 320. The HERO hurls a stone. It hits the LOYAL CULTIST in the head.
LOYAL CULTIST CONCERNED CULTIST LOYAL CULTIST CONCERNED CULTIST LOYAL CULTIST HERO He just hurls the rock. Point music. 235 of 320. The second rock hits the LOYAL CULTIST, who crumples over, dead.
CONCERNED CULTIST The HERO runs up and stabs the concerned cultist as he says...
HERO He viciously murders the cultist who stays alive through way too many stabs, unable to speak as he is choking on blood or screaming in pain, whichever is more hilarious.
HERO He empties his inventory.
HERO He drinks from the flask.
HERO He walks back to the storage room.
SCENE 38—CATHEDRAL—SCORE 235 OF 320. He walks up to the cultist. He goes to stab him but instead he drops his knife and throws his arm around cultist, sobbing.
HERO He shakes the cultist violently.
HERO He screams a constant note as long as he can while looking straight into the cultist’s eyes.
SCENE 39—TOWN SQUARE—SCORE 235 OF 320 The HERO stops running. He tries to walk in a poorly animated style. He gives up on that.
HERO He looks in his bag.
HERO No response from the VOICE. The HERO jumps.
HERO He is struck with a thought. He walks up to the beggar. He faces away from the audience and lowers his pants.
HERO Peeing sounds.
Point music. 236 of 320. HERO Pause.
HERO He slaps merchant on the shoulder. The MERCHANT does not respond. HERO pulls out knife and slits the MERCHANT’s throat. The MERCHANT silently drips blood from her mouth and falls over dead.
The HERO screams in horror. Then silence. Then the HERO feels his own throat. He hyperventilates for a moment and then calms himself. He turns to the beggar. HERO No response. HERO sits down and takes a deep breath.
HERO There is a long silence.
HERO He looks East.
HERO He walks East to the loft screen.
SCENE 40—FLETCHER’S LOFT—SCORE 236 OF 320. He finds himself in the PEASANT GIRL’s loft again. He walks up o her.
HERO He sings the lullaby to her. Nothing. He dances for her. Nothing. He sings the lullaby in an upbeat and exaggerated fashion. Nothing.
Finally, he kisses her. She surprisingly responds and squeezes him back suddenly, almost violently. The kiss breaks. HERO She looks confused. She goes back to her pose. As he talks to her she reticently follows his instructions.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO She smiles.
HERO PEASANT GIRL She notices her father.
PEASANT GIRL The HERO looks at the vacant father.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO He approaches the FLETCHER.
HERO FLETCHER HERO Pause.
HERO No response.
HERO FLETCHER The HERO turns towards the PEASANT GIRL.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL She starts heaving and retching. The HERO is surprised by her sudden thirst and intense heaving.
Frantically empties his inventory looking for water. HERO He grabs the flask from the FLETCHER, who stops moving and starts screaming. Sheepishly the HERO puts the flask back into the FLETCHER’s hand, silencing him.
HERO The PEASANT GIRL finds a water skin on her person and drinks from it.
PEASANT GIRL The HERO realizes now is not a good time to bring up having drunk the whiskey, pissed on the BEGGAR, and murdered the MERCHANT.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO They both approach each other, slowly. She reaches towards him and places a hand gently on his crotch.
Slight pause. He reaches towards her and lays his hands on her breasts. After a good long moment they slowly pull their hands away in unison. HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO They move to kiss each other and she looks at her father. He looks at her father.
HERO The HERO starts removing his clothes.
PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO She feels the HERO all over his body like he is braille and she is blind.
PEASANT GIRL A slightly different point music. The HERO’s score doesn’t change.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO They smile at each other.
She starts to slide her hands down his pants then hesitates and looks over at her father. PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO He starts to put his shirt and cult robe back on.
PEASANT GIRL She helps him finish getting the robe on.
HERO VOICE The HERO is startled to hear the voice.
PEASANT GIRL HERO VOICE PEASANT GIRL HERO They exit.
SCENE 41—LOFT ROW—SCORE 236 OUT OF 320. They are outside the loft but an old NEIGHBOR sits in front of the door to the other loft.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO VOICE HERO The VOICE sighs.
VOICE The HERO approaches the NEIGHBOR and yells at him.
HERO NEIGHBOR PEASANT GIRL NEIGHBOR PEASANT GIRL NEIGHBOR HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO NEIGHBOR HERO NEIGHBOR PEASANT GIRL NEIGHBOR HERO PEASANT GIRL She escorts HERO to a quiet corner.
PEASANT GIRL HERO He hands the bow over to neighbor.
Point music plays. 237 of 320. PEASANT GIRL The PEASANT GIRL gives the HERO her hammer, both point musics play. 238 of 320.
PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO At this point the NEIGHBOR has armed himself with the bow and arrow.
NEIGHBOR HERO The HERO and the PEASANT GIRL empty their inventories. The neighbor takes their stuff and runs west.
PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL She runs off.
HERO VOICE
SCENE 42—LOFT ROW—SCORE 238 OF 320. The scene resets to the save point.
The PESANT GIRL has returned. HERO PEASANT GIRL She runs off south.
HERO Nothing happens.
HERO Nothing happens.
HERO He runs south after her.
SCENE 43—CEMETERY—SCORE 238 OF 320. The HERO enters. The PEASANT GIRL is weeping at her mother’s grave, which is marked “Fletcher’s Wife.” Point music for her. The HERO slowly approaches. A silent moment before he consoles her.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO He slaps it out of her hand. They talk over each other.
PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL At the same instant the both stop talking and gaze deeply at each other. Suddenly, they passionately kiss, rolling around on the floor. The CEMETERY MAN enters and sees them.
CEMETERY MAN Cemetery point music. The HERO looks around, alarmed.
PEASANT GIRL They resume making love.
Cemetery point music. Repeatedly. The HERO shoots a look in his direction. PEASANT GIRL shrieks and covers herself. PEASANT GIRL The HERO charges CEMETERY MAN and begins repeatedly stabbing him, for far too long.
PEASANT GIRL She runs north, sobbing. The HERO continues to beat and stab the long deceased CEMETERY MAN. In the process of this brutal act he has totally gone vacant—almost like an NPC—himself. He suddenly snaps out of it and absorbs what he has done.
HERO Nothing happens.
HERO He walks north.
SCENE 44—FLETCHER’S LOFT—SCORE 238 OF 320. The PEASANT GIRL is back to her spot. The FLETCHER stands by, absently sipping his trusty hootch.
HERO She does not respond.
HERO A long beat.
HERO PEASANT GIRL The HERO runs over to the FLETCHER.
HERO FLETCHER HERO slumps to the floor and begins rocking back and forth while chewing on his fist.
HERO He hyperventilates. He recovers. As he talks to the PEASANT GIRL, he slowly breaks down. Each line becoming more difficult and painful than the previous.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL He can talk no further. He sings part of the lullaby. No response. He slowly pads away and exits the loft. Silence as PEASANT GIRL and FLETCHER remain onstage.
After a pregnant moment, she finishes the lullaby and sinks to the floor.
SCENE 45—TOWN SQUARE—SCORE 260 OF 320 Lights up HERO and the corpses of the NEOGHBOR and the BEGGAR. The HERO is covered with blood and holding his dagger.
The stolen inventory objects are everywhere. The HERO wakes up. HERO VOICE HERO VOICE He notices the body of the NEAIGHBOR.
HERO Point music. 261 of 320.
HERO Point music. 262 of 320
HERO Point music. 263 of 320.
HERO Point music. 264 of 320.
HERO Point music. 265 of 320.
He heads east.
SCENE 46—LOFT ROW—SCORE 265 OF 320 There is a GYPSEY WOMAN standing in front of the FLETCHER’s loft, which has burned to the ground along with the NEIGHBOR’s loft.
The HERO runs over. HERO VOICE HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO shakes her.
HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO GYPSY WOMAN HERO No response. The HERO considers.
HERO Point music. Score 267 of 320.
GYPSY WOMAN She hands him the tarot deck.
She walks away. HERO She exits.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE The HERO numbly stumbles south.
SCENE 47—CEMETERY—SCORE 267 OF 320 The HERO regards the empty cemetery.
He walks up to a point.
HERO He walks to another point.
HERO He walks to another point.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE The HERO pulls out his dagger and puts it to his throat.
HERO VOICE The HERO kicks a tombstone. He hurts his foot badly. He recovers and uses the hammer to smash the tombstone away. He puts the hammer away. He holds the knife to his own throat again. A tense pause.
VOICE Offstage, the PEASANT GIRL hums the lullaby.
HERO He puts the dagger away. He walks north.
SCENE 48—LOFT ROW—SCORE 267 OF 320 He looks around. He hears the lullaby again. He hurries west.
SCENE 49—TOWN SQUARE—SCORE 267 OF 320 The NEIGHBOR and BEGGAR are still dead in the street.
HERO He walks north.
SCENE 50—TOWER ENTRANCE—SCORE 267 OF 320 The OGRE charges at him.
HERO VOICE The HERO turns around and exits just in the nick of time.
SCENE 51—TOWN SQUARE—SCORE 267 OF 320 HERO VOICE HERO Point music. Score 268 of 320.
HERO He travels north.
SCENE 52—TOWER ENTRANCE—SCORE 268 OF 320 The OGRE charges.
HERO He throws the cards and the OGRE slips on them and falls over.
OGRE The OGRE dies. Point music.
Score 270 of 320. The HERO has an epiphany. HERO VOICE The HERO considers for a short beat, then goes south.
SCENE 53—OUTSIDE PERILTON—SCORE 270 OF 320 The HERO approaches the sleeping GUARD. In a workmanlike fashion he quickly and efficiently slices the GUARD’s throat. Point music. Score 273 of 320. He heads north without batting an eye.
SCENE 54—TOWER ENTRANCE—SCORE 273 OF 320 He hears the lullaby being sung offstage. It appears in the score along with an ambient sound of menace that resembles wind moving through a tunnel. The HERO regards the weather. Something has changed.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE The lullaby is sung offstage again.
HERO He approaches the tower door.
HERO He enters the tower.
SCENE 55—TOWER LOBBY—SCORE 273 OF 320 A RECEPTIONIST sits at a desk. A CONFUSED TROUBADOUR is talking to her while the INNKEEPER and the FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE sit and wait, reading scrolls.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE The HERO approaches him.
HERO VOICE The HERO dashes towards the stairs and is stopped by an invisible force. He keeps trying to move forward but can’t.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO CONFUSED TROUBADOUR RECEPTIONIST CONFUSED TROUBADOUR RECEPTIONIST CONFUSED TROUBADOUR RECEPTIONIST CONFUSED TROUBADOUR HERO Silence. Everyone stares at HERO.
VOICE RECEPTIONIST HERO CONFUSED TROUBADOUR HERO sings the lullaby. Nobody reacts.
HERO CONFUSED TROUBADOUR HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO VOICE HERO Point music. 275 of 320.
CONFUSED TROUBADOUR HERO CONFUSED TROUBADOUR RECEPTIONIST CONFUSED TROUBADOUR He exits. Point music. 277 of 320.
The FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE steps up. He begins miming talking to the receptionist. HERO RECEPTIONIST FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE RECEPTIONIST FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE RECEPTIONIST FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE RECEPTIONIST FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE RECEPTIONIST HERO Point music. 278 of 320.
FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE He drops the hammer.
FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE He falls over, banging his head on the receptionist desk.
FLETCHER’S APPRENTICE He dies dramatically. The INKEEPER steps up, over his body.
HERO RECEPTIONIST INNKEEPER RECEPTIONIST INNKEEPER RECEPTIONIST INNKEEPER RECEPTIONIST HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER HERO Point music. 279 of 320.
INNKEEPER HERO Right on top of the HERO’s line and in an extremely startling fashion the INNKEEPER screams.
INNKEEPER HERO The HERO winces in anticipation of another scream. Point music 280 of 320.
INNKEEPER HERO INNKEEPER Point music 281 of 320.
HERO INNKEEPER Point music 282 of 320.
INNKEEPER point music. RECEPTIONIST point music. PEASANT GIRL point music. HERO The RECEPTIONIST gets up and waves her hand in front of the INNKEEPER’s face. No reaction. She pushes him over.
RECEPTIONIST HERO RECEPTIONIST HERO He heads up the stairs.
SCENE 56—STAIRWAY TO EVILICUS’S LAIR—SCORE 282 OF 320 It’s dark. Menacing, exciting, climactic battle music is playing.
HERO VOICE HERO VOICE HERO
SCENE 57—EVILICUS’S LAIR—SCORE 282 OF 320 The PEASANT GIRL is in Evilicus’s layer.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO embraces her. She bristles.
HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL VOICE HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL VOICE PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL VOICE and PEASANT GIRL talk on top of each other until noted.
VOICE PEASANT GIRL HERO VOICE PEASANT GIRL VOICE PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL & VOICE PEASANT GIRL and VOICE go back to talking one at time.
PEASANT GIRL VOICE HERO The PEASANT GIRL withdraws her hand.
PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL HERO The PEASANT GIRL hums the lullaby. He joins her. The VOICE breathes heavy over the song. PEASANT GIRL regards him and realizes that this lullaby is the last beautiful moment they will ever have together. She fights to hold back tears.
PEASANT GIRL HERO PEASANT GIRL The sound of blood falling like rain.
VOICE PEASANT GIRL The HERO stabs her. Blood drips from her mouth. She starts dying, surprised.
Point music 298 of 320. VOICE PEASANT GIRL She falls, the HERO grabs her into his arms.
PEASANT GIRL HERO She is dead. This realization hits him. Lights fade. Blackout.
SCENE 58—THRONE ROOM—SCORE 298 OF 320. Lights fade up on an award ceremony. The MAYOR’S DAUGHTER is marrying the HERO with the MAYOR presiding. A CROWD of townspeople is gathered, cheering and applauding with mechanical gestures. The HERO is the same pose he ended the last scene in. MAYOR HERO The HERO slowly registers he is no longer in Evilicus’s Lair.
MAYOR’S DAUGHTER HERO The HERO grasps what is about to happen. He is filled with dread.
MAYOR CROWD HERO CROWD HERO The HERO starts choking one member of the crowd. A celebratory smile remains plastered to the poor guy’s face.
CROWD MAYOR HERO MAYOR HERO MAYOR’S DAUGHTER MAYOR She keeps trying to kiss him and “conclude” the wedding.
HERO Relentlessly the MAYOR’S DAUGHTER tries to kiss him.
HERO The HERO throws the MAYOR’S DAUGHTER to the ground and punches the MAYOR in the face.
MAYOR’S DAUGHTER MAYOR HERO The townspeople and the MAYOR wrestle the HERO to the ground as he flails wildly. Eventually the MAYOR’S DAUGHTER pecks him on the lips. Applause breaks out from the crowd.
HERO Lights fade out. Five seconds. Jump to full brightness. The stage is empty.
Hold for twenty seconds. Blackout. END OF PLAY
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