PAGE 1 (6 PANELS)
Page 1, Panel 1.
Full bleed background of a a serpent climbing a tree toward a star. Maybe the serpent and the tree themselves are constellations. Among these stars or branches we see 5 small panels and at the bottom right one medium sized one. (Apologies to the artist in advance for writing a page full of hands.)
The Oracle has a distinctive font and style, a prophetic voice that is many voices.
ORACLE CAPTION 1:
You know the story of the serpent who fell in love with a star?
ORACLE CAPTION 2:
It climbed the tallest tree, wrapped it’s tongue around the twinkling light...
Page 1, Panel 2.
Small panel. Close on a young woman’s hand touching a young man’s masquerade mask. This is VELIA and ZEPHYR. We’ll meet them later. In fact all of these panels are glimpses of things to come.
ORACLE CAPTION 3:
...and devoured it from the sky. But the star's seven blades cut the serpent to ribbons...
Page 1, Panel 3.
Small panel. Close on a sword with a seven pointed star on the pommel, plunged into a Water City sailor’s chest. The hand holding it we will learn, belongs to STéFANE.
ORACLE CAPTION 4:
...and the shards emerged broken and orphaned into the mortal world.
Page 1, Panel 4
Small panel. Close on a middle aged woman’s hand placed over a man’s (LESATH AND . They share the same wound in the same spot. Hers is fresher.
ORACLE CAPTION 5:
...mother would say that love is always like that.
Page 1, Panel 5
Small panel. Close on a young woman’s holding her hand over a candle flame as it burns. ADERLYN.
ORACLE CAPTION 6:
It either tears you apart from the inside...
PAGE 1, Panel 6
Mid sized panel. VELIA, a 17 year old beauty. Long dark hair that’s a huge mess, blue and white gown that’s been through hell. We’re behind her as she stares at her reflection in the window of a cathedral tower. Below her, the city burns as her reflection mingles with the stars.
VELIA (ORACLE LETTERING):
...or swallows you whole.
PAGE 2-3 (SPREAD 8 PANELS)
Page 2-3, Panel 1
Small Panel. Velia, earlier that night leans over the edge of a gondola style boat examining her reflection in the canal. Her hair is up and there’s a masquerade mask propped up in it. Her blue and white gown is spotless. A princess on her way to the ball.
LOCATOR CAPTION: Earlier that evening.
VELIA
I don’t understand why I have to get married at all.
Page 2-3. Panel 2
LARGE PANEL: THE WATER CITY. In all it’s glory!
It’s a mix of Venice and New Orleans at the end of the 18th century. A city of iron and glass built on canals, bridges with ships in the lagoon. At the far end a giant cathedral toped with a seven pointed star. We might also see the Palace, or a seedier dock district, but in the foreground is a gondola inspired boat. We don’t have to see them clearly here, but it contains three women and a man rowing.
Page 2-3. Panel 3
In the boat: a maiden, mother and crone.
Velia sits with her mother LESATH next to her and her grandmother URSULA across from them. Lesath is 40, an older and a more restrained version of Velia. Ursula is 60, with the sage look of one who has seen far too much and reacted to none of it. Every bit of skin except her face is covered in white. We don’t need to see all of these details in this panel, but they’re here for when you need them.
Over the next few panels the backgrounds change as they sail into the city via one of the canals.
URSULA
How else are you to produce a daughter to serve he Oracle?
VELIA
Is marriage really necessary for that?
LESATH
Velia!
Page 2-3, Panel 4
Velia faces her mother.
VELIA
Did marriage bring you any happiness? Or my father?
LESATH
It brought me you.
VELIA
And would the Oracle reject me had I been illegitimate?
LESATH
That is an interesting question.
Page 2-3, panel 5
Ursula is not amused. Lesath is annoyed.
URSULA
No, it is not. There will come a time, Velia, when you will need to mask how much you understand but this is not it.
LESATH
We don’t all have the benefit of your vast perspective Mother.
URSULA
Forgive me, Lesath, I can not See clearly tonight and that is worrisome. Fate shows me so little of my own path for fear I’ll stray.
LESATH
And yet, you never have.
Page 2-3, panel 7
Velia, thoughtful, a strand of hair wound round her finger.
VELIA
Do you know him, Nonna? Have you Seen him? As the Oracle?
Page 2-3, panel 7
Ursula her eyes closed. A townhouse in the background.
URSULA (ORACLE LETTERING)
You will be fortunate...
Page 2-3, Panel 3
URSULA (ORACLE BRIDGE CAPTION)
..to be surprised.
Close on Zephyr playing the piano. Whips' of magic spilling from his fingers over the keys.
SFX: TWACK.
PAGE 4 (4 PANELS)
Page 4, panel 1
ZEPHYR, this world’s version of a bad boy teenaged rockstar, looks up from the gorgeous piano, startled.
We SEE his music mingle with his magic had formed of wisps of vines rising up from the piano into the shape of a tree, now dissolving around the book.
Zephyr’s father, FERRO, an academic, stands on a library ladder near the piano with an arm full of books. He dropped one onto the piano to break his son’s concentration.
ZEPHYR
DAD!
FERRO
You have to play the music as written. Your magic and your music are both tied to your emotions. Until you know how to separate them you can’t just--
ZEPHYR
No one wrote a masterpiece by playing what others had written!
Page 4, panel 2
In the doorway stands Zephyr’s mother: PHILOMELA, an artist, stands in the door. The whole family wears their house colors of black and purple. Ferro and Zephyr are dressed for the ball. Philomela is not. The magic tree has fully faded now.
PHILOMELA
But not everyone’s masterpiece has the potential to rewrite reality. I know it’s frustrating--
ZEPHYR
Is that why you stopped playing?
PHILOMELA
No one is asking you to stop. Just...to be careful.
Page 4, panel 3
Zephyr turns back to his father who is putting away the books.
ZEPHYR
It only scares you because you don’t know how it feels! You have no real power of your own. Just potions and petitions--
FERRO
Just because I take a scientific approach doesn’t mean it’s not--
ZEPHYR
Magic?
Page 4, panel 4
Philomela touching the piano now, patient but firm. Ferro, down from the ladder, apologetic.
PHILOMELA
Sometimes magic is science, and sometimes it’s art. Ferro, why don’t you go finish getting ready.
FERRO
It was a beautiful piece of music, son. You tapped into something really quite impressive. Precision will come with practice.
PAGE 5 (6 PANELS)
Page 5, panel 1
Philomela sits with Zephyr at the piano.
ZEPHYR
He doesn’t understand art.
PHILOMELA
But he does understand magic.
ZEPHYR
How could he? He doesn’t have any!
Page 5, panel 2
Philomela touches the keys. A tiny wisp of her own magic, but it’s tightly controlled.
PHILOMELA
I think it’s difficult to understand any talent that comes naturally the way someone who has to work for it does. Your father has studied everything about what magic is and where it came from. Precisely because it isn’t part of him. And he can help you understand. If you’ll let him.
Page 5, panel 3
Zephyr softens, leans his head on his mother’s shoulder.
ZEPHYR
You’re not coming with us tonight?
PHILOMELA
No. The palace, that many people...
ZEPHYR
They might ask you to play!
PHILOMELA
I’m sure they’ve all forgotten I can.
Page 5, panel 4
Zephyr’s hands on the keys.
ZEPHYR
Maybe I’ll play--
PHILOMELA
No!
Page 5, panel 5
Philomela, serious. Her hands over his.
PHILOMELA
You can not play publicly, not until you can be certain to keep your music mundane. It’s too dangerous...there are so few left who believe, you can not risk proving that magic is real.
Page 5, panel 6
Zephyr smirks. Philomela smiles.
ZEPHYR
Then how will I impress the ladies?
PHILOMELA
For that, you have a different sort of charm.
PAGE 6 (6 PANELS)
Page 6, Panel 1
Outside a busy brothel in a seedy part of town. A distinctive window at the top.
Page 6, Panel 2
The room that belongs to that window is a lush bedroom for the brothel’s most beloved courtesan. A full mirror with only a small crack in it reflects:
ADERLYN, 19, her eyes are dark, strawberry hair flows down her back and she’s wearing a red gown. She holds a tapered candle in her right hand, pushing her left palm down into the flame.
ADERLYN
(small balloon)
My hair is light. My eyes are dark. I am me no matter what they see.
CLIENT (OP BALLOON)
You’re nothing like what they said...
Page 6, Panel 3
Her Client stands in the door gaping at her. Aderlyn does not turn toward him.
CLIENT
...but you’re...perfect.
ADERLYN
Am I? Tell me what you see.
CLIENT
Your skin is like coffee with too much cream. Your breasts bounteous and overflowing, Raven hair and emerald eyes.
Page 6, Panel 4
Aderlyn has closed her eyes. Disappointed that none of this is true. No one ever sees her.
ADERLYN
Who do I remind you of?
CLIENT (OP)
The first--the only woman I ever--
PAGE 6, Panel 5
Aderlyn sets the candle on the bedside table, leading him toward the bed by her other hand. Accepting.
ADERLYN
Then that is who I must be.
Page 6, Panel 6
On the bed. Close on their faces as he readies to push into her.
CLIENT
You are worth...every penny.
PAGE 7 (5 PANELS)
Page 7, Panel 1
Aderlyn’s REFLECTION is still in the MIRROR! Watching as he ruts her now empty body.
ADERLYN
I am not what they see. Enjoy my flesh as I walk free.
Page 7, Panel 2
On the mirror as she walks away into whatever lies beyond reflections.
Page 7, Panel 3
BEHIND THE MIRROR: A dark hall of images like stained glass windows, we don’t need to see exactly what they depict, just suggestions of rooms around the city. Aderlyn stands among them, picking a path.
Page 7, Panel 4
BEHIND THE MIRROR: She stands silhouetted before what we can now see is a giant window(mirror) into a MASQUERADE.
PAGE 7, Panel 5
The masquerade as though we passed through the mirror to join it! Beltane meets Carnival. A band plays.
The ballroom is two stories with giant mirrors scattered among the windows on the first floor. A grand staircase leads to a terrace above.
PAGE 8 (5 PANELS)
Page 8, Panel 1
From the terrace, a couple looks down, dressed in green and gold. WYNDEN is the Duke, early 30s, wealthy, important, and completely spoiled by a perfect life. He has his arms around the very pregnant belly of ZOE (20s) his perfect wife. She giggles.
RIGEL (O.P.)
All this excitement seems unwise in your condition, Duchess.
Page 8, Panel 2
Wynden has turned to see RIGEL, a serious priest in his 40s, but his clerical collar is in a seven pointed star shape.
WYNDEN
Aren’t you supposed to be in costume?
RIGEL
I am not here to advertise my allegiances or conceal my genetics. With nothing to buy or sell in this meat market, my daily attire is the single best sign that I’m to be left alone.
Page 8, Panel 3
Zoe has taken Rigel’s hand. Wynden chuckles.
ZOE
Don’t be lonely, love. Come dance with us.
RIGEL
Perhaps some other time.
Page 8, Panel 4
Wynden and Rigel, faces close. Perhaps moments before or after a kiss. Breathing in each other’s words.
WYNDEN
Spoilsport.
RIGEL
Your Serenity.
Page 8, Panel 5
Wynden and Zoe, hand in hand, running for the dance floor. Rigel calls after them.
RIGEL
Be carful with my godson!
PAGE 9 (SPLASH WITH INSETS)
Page 9, Panel 1
A SPLASH PAGE of the first floor of ballroom where the dance is in full swing. Inset panels may highlight the following:
- A man in a long nosed mask bows to Velia asking her to dance
- Ursa seated off to the side seems to be reading a Young Woman’s palm with one of her gloved removed
- Lesath and Ferro spy each other at the drinks table
- Zephyr at the piano
- Aderlyn in the mirror. Watching.
And most prominently, at the center: Wynden and Zoe have taken the dance floor.
(Don’t worry, this is the only full page crowd scene!)
PAGE 10-11 (SPREAD - 7 PANELS)
Page 10-11, Panel 1
Mid shot of Zephyr at the piano. People in the foreground turned toward him.
ZEPHYR
This is a song my mother wrote, she couldn’t be here tonight, so I thought I might play it in her honor.
Page 10-11, Panel 2
Small. Close on Ferro. Suddenly concerned.
Page 10-11, Panel 3
Small. Zephyr’s hands at the piano. A magic music spilling forth. Somehow otherworldly in its color and feel like we saw on page 4.
Page 10-11, Panel 4
The music reaches Rigel on the balcony. He’s turned back toward the dance.
Page 10-11, Panel 5
The music reaches Velia. She’s looking away from her dance partner, toward its source.
Page 10-11, Panel 6
Big Panel. The music wraps around Zoe as she falters in her dance with Wynden. In the background: Ferro is making his way toward Zephyr at the piano. Aderlyn watches from a mirror.
ZOE
*gasp*
WYNDEN
My love--?
Page 10-11, Panel 7
Small panel. Close on Zoe. Clutching her belly in labor pain.
ZOE
He’s coming!