In A Wicked Age - The Story Begins

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Title: In A Wicked Age - The Story Begins

EXT. DAY Vast Wasteland

From high above, we look down on a vast wasteland, a rocky desert with few things growing, save right along the banks of a medium sized river flowing through it. At one point, the green bank widens out, with a couple of buildings and an area obviously used occasionally as a campground. There is a small dock, and up on an overlooking hill about a half mile away to the west, there is a moderately ornate building, a shrine of some sort facing east. Off in the distance, a caravan approaches. It is made up of dozens of camels, mostly carrying packs of belongings, some with riders with fabric enclosures for shade, some even with small wagons. Most of the many dozens of people are walking, however, and there are a couple dozen slaves leashed together behind the most lavishly adorned wagon, the only one large enough to have four camels pulling it.

EXT MORNING Shrine

JESPER, a man in his late 30's with a face and stature that shows a hard life, wearing the nondescript clothes of someone who does not wish to be noticed, and CAPELLA, an old sorceress with a demeanor and dress to impress in an imposing way, rather than with frivolous riches, are talking in the shrine, the morning sun streaming in.

CAPELLA There is a caravan coming. Within is a young girl, wise beyond her years, on her way to Venkala to become the new High Priestess. It will be worth more than you can imagine to bring her to me.

JESPER I can imagine quite a lot, there must be a catch to make her worth that much.

CAPELLA She is well guarded by a Protectoress who takes her job very seriously. It will not be easy.

EXT AFTERNOON CARAVAN

JESPER is making his way through the caravan, however we only see a glimmer of his outline. Occasionally, he stops to gently relieve a wagon of some small item of value, easily carried. Once in a while, someone will glance in his direction, only to brush it off as a trick of the light and forget about it. It is dusty and noisy. Jesper catches a conversation and discreetly loiters to hear.

MERCHANT 1 Port Lhasa can't come too soon for me, a chance to wash off some of this thrice damned dust!

MERCHANT 2 Someone had a fine sense of humor to call Lhasa a "port".

MERCHANT 1 At least we'll be rid of that whiny brat and her guardian. Gives the willies that one does.

JESPER starts making his way past the slaves to the vicinity of the wagon following them. As he gets close, he can hear why people are keeping their distance from the wagon. As the slightly open fabric flaps, we can see RILYN, a 12 year old girl, tall and thin for her age, blonde, pouting as she peers through the front flaps at ADAR, one of the slaves near the rear of the line, one who has managed to retain most of his good looks and only a little gaunt. BAILA, her guardian, sits inscrutably, casually keep an eye out all around.

RILYN I am so tired of being cooped up in here. I feel like one of those poor slaves. Someone needs to take them some water.

BAILA For the thousandth time, that someone doesn't need to be you. It's too risky for someone in your position, and you've already angered too many people coddling the slaves. You're doing them more harm than good with your histrionics.

RILYN slumps in a sulk and resumes staring at ADAR, while JESPER moves away to a more discreet position to await his opportunity.

EXT DAY CARAVAN

RILYN slips away to ADAR, tries to get him to escape with her, gets caught, taken to RATHA BAN. ADAR gets roughed up by ZAIN, who apologizes quietly, then in trouble himself for fraternizing

EXT DAY CARAVAN

ZAIN called to escort RILYN back to her wagon, RILYN convinces ZAIN that slavery is bad, not too hard since ZAIN is after ADAR too.

INT NIGHT RILYN'S WAGON

RILYN and BAILA discuss going to shrine in morning, JESPER overhears

EXT NIGHT PATH TO SHRINE

RATHA BAN heads to shrine, JESPER follows

INT NIGHT SHRINE

RATHA BAN discusses arrangements for handing over RILYN to CAPELLA

INT NIGHT SHRINE

JESPER negotiates his own deal to hand over RILYN

EXT NIGHT PATH TO CAMP FROM SHRINE

BAILA ambushes JESPER on way back to camp, talks him into turning on CAPELLA, JESPER heads back to shrine with POISON DART

EXT NIGHT CAMP

CAPELLA made her own way to camp, overhears ZAIN talk ADAR into running away with him, but ADAR has to first take care of RATHA BAN, which he manages to do, but capella is there and offers to make the new position as caravan leader permanent in exchange for rilyn, adar agrees. RILYN sneaks out early and wants ADAR to run away with her, he sends her to boat to wait

EXT MORNING PATH TO SHRINE

capella heads back up to shrine, followed by baila who thinks rilyn went to the shrine, but is felled by jesper, barely, after baila interferes

EXT MORNING DOCK

ZAIN, ADAR and RILYN take boat downstream to live happily ever after

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