The Lore of Scryer Rodolfo of the Reach
THE SCREEN IS BLACK.
VOICE (O.S.)
Wounded on the river
The water and the blood
And I'm dying with the thirst
But will never give up
EXT. MOUNTAIN RIVER - DAY
An eccentric mountain man with tan skin and a bushy black beard that contrasts with his bright white polar bear hood proudly wears a huge gold belt buckle.
This is SCRYER RODOLFO OF THE REACH who appears to be dancing with a mug of ale that is splashing amber liquid everywhere.
On closer inspection, we see that he is talking to an unusually huge, grape-colored crackerjack crow that’s the size of a large mountain goat. He’s named her…
RODOLFO
Come on Chatty Lilac! I know you can hear me.
I just need you to give me a sign.
CHATTY LILAC
Squak, bop, squawk, pop!
Rodolfo’s shoulders sink and he shakes his head in disappointment.
We see that Rodolfo has an arrow sunken into his right leg. He pours ale from his mug onto his wound in an attempt to sanitize it. Then he reaches down with his large hands with lanky fingers to yank the arrow out.
RODOLFO
I’m done searching for the cure if this is all for nothing.
Are you nothing? Am I losing my mind? 10 years of this.
I can’t keep going.
Chatty Lilac hops forward on the ground, stops, and tilts her head to the side.
Rodolfo gives the crackerjack crow a blank stare and slowly his eyes well up in tears.
He yanks the arrow out of his leg. BLOOD GUSHES OUT like a carnival water balloon popping on his leg.
Rodolfo lets out a scream that sounds like a monstrous bear. His painful voice echoes among the mountains of The Reach.
He lifts up his mug of ale that strangely appears to always be full and brings it to his lips.
Then Chatty Lilac flies towards him and charges right into his face, preventing Rodolfo from taking a sip.
RODOLFO
Was that a sign? Or are you just being a river pest?
The crackerjack crow soars towards the clouds and does a loop, then twirls into a forward summersault.
RODOLFO
I’m done with this crackerjack crow and her games.
Chatty Lilac dives back down towards Rodolfo’s head once again.
Rodolfo pumps his chest forward and tilts his head to the heavens.
RODOLFO
(chants)
The mystic spirits of The Wild
The power of the Polar Bear
Collector of Souls in a pile
Accept prayers from the Scryer
Chatty Lilac spreads her wings as she barrels through the sky to slow down.
Rodolfo’s tan face turns chalk white.
Fur emerges from the spores on his face.
The nasty BLOODY WOUND on Rodolfo’s leg seals itself shut and white fur spreads over it.
Rodolfo’s head has shapeshifted into a POLAR BEAR!
CHATTY LILAC
(unhinged)
Squawk. Squawk, Squawk, Squawk!
Rodolfo the Polar Bear smashes the mug of ale into the side of his mouth and the magical amber liquid pours down his throat rapidly mirroring the wild waterfalls of The Reach.
Chatty Lilac attacks Rodolfo with her razor-sharp talons.
Rodolfo flicks his mug of ale at the crackerjack crow to drench Chatty Lilac with his magic amber liquid.
The crackerjack crow spirals to the ground and lands squarely on its feet.
Chatty Lilac ruffles her feathers, but can’t get the ale off her body. She stumbles forward and plops down into a puddle of amber liquid spilled from Rodolfo’s mug.
RODOLFO (THE POLAR BEAR)
(loud bear voice)
My dear Chatty Lilac, what have I done?
Chatty Lilac is lying on her back in the puddle with her tiny legs in the air.
Drowning in ale, she goes into a trance.
WHOOSH!
EXT. SUNNY GREEN OPEN FIELD - FLASHBACK DAY
PURPLE LILACS are abundant in the field. We see a couple rolling on the ground laughing.
They stop tumbling to lay next to each other and look at the clouds.
Rodolfo is 10 years younger without his bushy black beard and white polar bear hood.
Next to him, is a delicate woman with peach skin and wispy reddish-brown hair. She’s wearing a blue skin-tight bodysuit with an orange hip pouch. This is ENCHANTER ARTIS OF THE WOLD.
RODOLFO
Can the Enchanter handle a new magic trick?
ARTIS
Can the Scryer hold his liquor?
Rodolfo sits up and hovers over Artis.
Artis props herself up too. The golden sunlight illuminates her reddish-brown hair and it now appears PURPLE.
Rodolfo is mesmerized by the Enchanter.
RODOLFO
(chants)
The mystic spirits of The Wild
The power of the Mug of Ale
Collector of Souls in a pile
Accept prayers from the Scryer
WHOOSH!
A mystical Mug of Ale now swings in Rodolfo’s fist.
RODOLFO
(nervous)
I can’t think straight when I’m with you.
Time slows down and all my thoughts
leave my head to float into the clouds.
Artis chuckles.
ARTIS
I can tell you’ve been practicing that speech
for a while, my love.
(pause)
But I’m dazzled by the pictures you paint
with words.
Rodolfo cracks a smile as big as a canyon.
He proceeds to take a huge gulp of ale from his magic mug.
ARTIS
Time speeds up when I’m with you,
never a dull moment. Surprise me!
After pouring down a hefty amount of ale, Rodolfo lets out a monstrous exhale that appears to rustle nearby leaves.
He takes a deep breath.
Closes his eyes.
His heart pumps.
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.
RODOLFO
(nervous)
The magical spirits of The Wizzy Wild
The pictures painted by the Polar Bear
Collector of Prayers in a peculiar pile
Accept wishes from the Super Scryer
Artis straightens up in anticipation of what comes next.
Nothing happens.
Rodolfo and Artis have an awkward silence.
Her purple sunlit hair blows in the wind and seems to emit MUSICAL SOUNDS like the strings of a harp.
Embarrassed, Rodolfo completely flips the mug of ale upside down to sink amber liquid down his throat.
ARTIS
(smiling)
Maybe you should take a break, my dear.
Set the mug of ale down and be with me
right here, right now.
Rodolfo is clearly frustrated.
Artis lifts both of her hands up and connects her top fingers together as well as her bottom thumbs to form a HEART SHAPE.
ARTIS
No magic, just chemistry.
Rodolfo’s brow crunches, his eyes widen, and he opens his mouth as if he were possessed by the spirit of a lion.
His mug is mysteriously FILLED WITH ALE once again.
Rodolfo doesn’t hesitate to violently devour the magic liquid.
RODOLFO
(to himself)
No, no, no, that wasn’t it. I embellished
the spell with a few extra words to impress
my dear Enchantress.
Rodolfo’s body wavers on the grassy field appearing in sync with the many lilacs blowing in the wind.
He is clearly drunk, but his EYES EMIT AN UNNATURAL GLOW.
Legend has it in the Forgotten Runes, that the more power a wizard uses it results in them losing their minds. And as a consequence, they also lose control over their amplified powers.
Artis's hair becomes ELECTRIFIED. It grows fuller and appears to come alive.
She jumps to her feet and is clearly uncomfortable.
RODOLFO
(slurred speech)
The mystic spirits of The Wild
ARTIS
(angry)
Stop it!
RODOLFO
(slurred speech)
The power of the Shapeshifter of Souls
Artis bolts forward towards Rodolfo who is intoxicated with mystical ale and unwieldy magical powers.
ARTIS
(interrupts)
Stop it now, Rodolfo!
He stops.
Rodolfo’s legs stiffen and the top of his body leans forward as if he were an ancient tree swaying the wind.
His eyes are glowing.
RODOLFO
(drunk)
No, you stop!
With his free hand, he rubs his glowing eyes.
Everything is a BLUR to him now. He can’t see clearly.
RODOLFO
(to himself)
My vision is strange. I must be dying of thirst.
He gazes at his mug of ale trying to bring it into focus.
ARTIS
Just stop it right now, Rodolfo.
She grabs Rodolofo’s face with both of her hands to try and shake him free from his altered state.
RODOLFO
You sound like… you sound like a crackerjack crow.
(mocking)
Just stop it! Just stop it!
Artis slaps him across the face with an open hand creating a sound that cracks the wind.
RODOLFO
(altered state)
The mystic spirits of The Wild
The power of the Shapeshifter of Souls
Banish this voice in my head
This crackerjack crow
BOOM!
A burst of SUPERNATURAL ENERGY engulfs both Rodolfo and Artis and they levitate for a brief moment.
Rodolfo’s mind is now as clear as the crystal Rivers of the Reach.
Artis's face is frozen in shock as her body pulsates within the ball of energy that has trapped them in the air.
The supernatural energy bursts like a soapy bubble popping in the sky.
Rodolfo falls to the ground with a thunderous drop and BLACKS OUT.
EXT. MOUNTAIN RIVER - PRESENT DAY
Rodolfo is back to normal and is no longer a Shapeshifted Polar Bear.
He is leaning over Chatty Lilac, his crackerjack crow, with its tiny legs in the air and feathers drenched in magic ale.
RODOLFO
My dear Chatty Lilac, what have I done?
The crackerjack crow BLINKS.
RODOLFO
Chatty, Chatty Lilac. Oh, how I miss our conversations.
He reaches down to pick up his crackerjack crow.
RODOLFO
Chatty, chatty… chatty.
Rodolfo shakes his saddened head and directs his gaze to the heavens in disgust.
Then he focuses his attention back on his delicate crackerjack crow.
RODOLFO
Chatty, chatty… enchanter.
He lifts his crackerjack crow to his face to peer into its eyes that glisten like lavender diamonds.
RODOLFO
I just need any kind of sign
Please tell me to stay alive
Are you in this little body my love?
Enchanter Artis of the Wold
A beam of sunlight on the crackerjack crow’s body lights up her purple feathers.
RODOLFO
I need you to say something.
The crackerjack crow remains silent.
Rodolfo lifts up the mystical mug of ale in the air.
CHATTY LILAC
Squawk!
Downtrodden, Rodolfo’s trembling hand brings the mystical mug of ale directly to his cracked lips.
CHATTY LILAC
Stop!
Rodolfo freezes in place.
The mountain winds whistle.
The lilacs on the field dance with the breeze.
Rodolfo releases the mystical mug of ale from his fist and it drops to the ground.
CLUNK.
Chatty Lilac flies into the sky and does a few loops.
For the first time, Rodolfo sees something new. He’s watched his crackerjack crow maneuver in a peculiar pattern for years.
The crackerjack crow soars towards the clouds and does a loop, then twirls into a forward summersault, before diving back down.
Chatty Lilac has flown into a HEART PATTERN in the Forgotten Runes sky.
RODOLFO
Oh. My my my. The Mystic Spirits of the Wild.
The crackerjack crow drifts toward Rodolfo and gently lands on his right shoulder.
CHATTY LILAC
Squawk!
Rodolfo’s shoulders sink in disappointment.
Was he hearing things?
He looks at her with eyes loaded with eternal thoughts.
Then begins to stumble forward with the sun pulsating on his tan skin.
Rodolfo turns to look at his crackerjack crow still perched on his shoulder waiting for her to speak.
Silence.
TEARS TRICKLE down his beaten face and cracked lips.
RODOLFO
(whispers)
Wounded on the river
The water and the blood
And I'm dying with the thirst
But will never give up
FADE TO BLACK.
Entered by: 0x714E…5d3C and preserved on chain (see transaction)
