S3E1 - Shield of Faith

SCRIPT:

SFX ENV - a large chamber stone floor foot steps, some carpet.
Zorin
Ah. Here it is. (beat) You there, Zev wasn't it? Do you mind handing me that tin lantern? Yes the one with that small dent in the side. (SFX) Thank you. Heh, it has the flint and steel I left. Lets warm this room up a bit can you bring me some of those logs while I set up the Tinder?
(SFX - starting a fire in Fireplace)
Well (sits down) lets kick our legs up in this den and talk... er a moment. Keldor, do you mind starting us off?
Nar - Keldor
Not at all my friend.
(turning to the audience) Thank you for lending your sword arm to the cause and now with this very important expedition. It will be a few hours before dinner is served in the hall, and Zorin has asked me to give a bit of background here.
(Under the breath) Heh, but my guess he may just want me to tell you a story of how we got here. In this most important of moments. and, well we have a bit of time now. Let’s see here where to begin…
Zorin
Darkovnia. Actually heh, how about AFTER Darkovnia... And of course after we woke up.
Nar - Keldor
ah yes... the road back to Bemil
transition
SFX ENV - The cart wheels down a dirt road and a gentle plodding of the horses hooves along with the walk of the party.
Nar - Keldor
My legs burned slightly from days on the road. My eyes had dust skin had cracks and the smell of the horses and frankly our unbathed bodies followed close behind.
elloveve
Hmm there’s Bemil. (beat) I remember it now.
Nar - Keldor
But all that meant nothing to me at that moment. We were together again. The warmth of that realization mixed with the warm fall sun on my face. Greedily my eyes opened and looked for Benedict. The son and heir to my lord and long time battle brother Lucilius. And his mother Elona the fair, as dear to me as a sister would be. Oh how I wished they could see us now.
My heart truly soared alongside the path that day.
elloveve
Keldor?
Keldor
Yes my love?
elloveve
After Garnet Keep fell we fled to the old country. What became of the order?
Nar - Keldor
I looked at her questioning eyes. Beautiful pools reflecting deep oceans, I remarked. Again nothing would take me from this cloud today.
Keldor
Well the knighthood was already clinging to hope like the sails of a sinking ship when we served it. But you knew that... I headed into Trull serving justice and... Well actually the coin more often honestly.
sophie
(coldly)hmm so Trull...
Keldor
Sophie jumped into the conversation. Didn’t blame her being inquisitive. Smart too. *chuckle* just not the best of decision makers... So impulsive.
sophie
(chuckle) You mean the bloodpits?
Keldor
HA!
(strong) What? Me?
Nar - Keldor
I startled her a bit with my response I could tell. Her eyes though strong couldn’t hide the hint of the chastised puppy in them. Even saw a faint tremble of the lower lip. We had been slowly making amends after I was frankly called out by her for keeping my past a secret. A secret I was still having issues letting go of. But again. (beat) Together. We were all together and this conversation was... actually welcome. And surprisingly needed.
Keldor
No, no. And...
(chuckle) no offense taken dear Sophie. (laugh)
Nar - Keldor
My laughter set her jaw back from the locked tension I had seen on the face of so many other soldiers... Other warriors... Other friends.
Keldor
(continuing) Actually... Sophie, I was helping in small deeds over the last 20 or so years. Living town to town. living by the sword.
Nar - Keldor
I saw Elloveves eyes soften with my words. I feared what she might say so I continued more earnestly.
Nar - Keldor
I had Turned my back on my… vows to the knighthood. After all Garnet Keep was lost as were all of you. (pause apologetically) or so I thought...
Nar - Keldor
Benedict's eyes tore into my heart.
benedict
Did… Did you not want to know if we were still alive? Did you not
(beat) want to seek us out? Did you…
Sophie
Not care?
Nar - Keldor
That voice wasn’t Sophie. The words may have come from her lips but it was clear it was definitely Zane. I could hear him in her voice, they truly had
become one person. I braced for yet another hit to my heart. Another statement designed to take me off my happy mountain today.
sophie
(laugh) No Benedict, I remember Keldor loved us all. He was like an uncle to us.
Keldor
Well…
Nar - Keldor
I felt the blood begin in my veins again, throbbing slowly. My face flushed almost betraying my fear and distrust moments earlier.
Keldor
Thank you Zane, er... I mean Sophie.
sophie
*Sophie Laugh*
Keldor
Whatever, hahaha
Nar - Keldor
I winked with a big smile across my bearded face.
Keldor
Both of you
Nar - Keldor
Benedicts eyes relaxed and he smiled. This rekindled that pleasant fire in my chest. I would protect and serve this young man,
(beat) pledging the same oath I gave his father.
elloveve
*gentle chuckle* Hey.
Nar - Keldor
I felt Elloveve’s gentle touch on my pauldroned shoulder. She smiled and though she seemed to be enjoying the conversation it urged me to continue almost as much as her words.
elloveve
“So you went to Trull.”
Keldor
Yes, yes. I’m sorry.
NAR - KELDOR
A bit embarrassed at the distraction.
Keldor
I heard rumblings. Rumors had it that the Celestine Tower was still as central to operations as before.
Nar - Keldor
I could picture the graceful spire reaching to the heavens itself.
BENEDICT
The Celestine Tower? I always hoped to see it.
Keldor
It’s truly magnificent, son. The pride and joy of the knighthood. The steward was, last I heard of course... Lord Alvar.
elloveve
Alvar? (pause then chuckle)Our mentor is now Knight Commander of the Tower?
Keldor
Yes! Ha. the same. Remember how Erebus used to hide his Sabatons or mismatch them or
elloveve
Hahaha! Or when he swapped them a size…
Keldor
Slightly smaller! hahaha! Yes. hahaha
elloveve
*Laughs with Keldor*
Nar - Keldor
Elloveve and I laughed and I noticed the children laughing too.
SFX - Cordelia, Benedict, Zorin and Sophie Laughing
Well they weren't really children anymore. I had no right to call them that, though my heart wanted to. Dear Cordelia. The youngest. I remembered her mother had just had her not 3 months prior... that fateful night. I thought for sure she perished with everyone else. Hmm, It was so good to see her laugh. The forge fire eyes of Erebus and the raven hair of Lorahana
Shieldheart. It was like they were here with us again too.
Keldor
“Hahaha… *SNIFF* well the Jade Temple and the Obsidian Fortress of course still stood abandoned as much as they did when we served the Knighthood. Not much changed there.
SKOTMIR
I heard they guard the way north into those accursed Shattered Lands
KELDOR
well Skotmir they still guarded the way north, for what good that did. It’s only a wasteland from what I hear though. Uninhabited.
(Grunt as shifting) There’s more life in the ghost stories then actually there.
elloveve
The Jade Temple was always just a ruin to me. But the Obsidian Fortress.
(beat) That was always menacing, empty or not.
Keldor
Elloveve then nodded slowly in thought as she processed what I had just said. She unlike dear Sophie was not impulsive.
Zorin
hmm.. Thats 4 but I always heard reference to 5.
benedict
5?
Zorin
Yeah! You know, 5 bastions of the knights will protect forever more the… wait.
benedict
What.
Zorin
I... just want to... savor this moment.
benedict
*sigh* and what pray tell is...
Zorin
I know something you don’t... about the knights?
Vix
Feels good doesn't it?
Zorin
Actually it really does.
*ALL LAUGH - Benedict joins in after 10 seconds or so*
Nar - Keldor
We all had a good laugh even Benedict once his hurt pride relaxed. Honestly it was good to let Zorin have that victory. After all the poor boy had Lord Pallus as a father... however much of a Father the man dooming the civilized world to enslavement under a dark goddess could be. Hmm..
(beat) Well, when the laughter died I remember Cordelia broke in.
cordelia
actually The 5th bastion is guarded by my order. (beat) The Ivory Library.
Nar - Keldor
Everyone nodded in understanding as we continued to put our feet in front of the other down the dusty northern road.
As we moved south into Bemil… I floated in happiness alongside my restored family.
Door transition
The sounds of a tavern.
Nar - Keldor
That evening we found our first real beds what felt like an eternity at the Slow Match Inn. Not the best place in town but far from the worse. I knew it attracted a younger crowd. And frankly that always helped me to relax a bit.
Zorin
Why is that? (teasing)
Nar - Keldor
Heh. Fine. Because they were unlikely to know me.
(pause before continuing) Everyone had gone to bed pretty early after a dinner of roasted potatoes and flaky baked Fish. the lemon and rosemary lingered on our lips. The minstrel that night was intent on playing old ballads... slow ballads. Not bad mind you but nothing energetic enough to really hold the tired attention of most of our group. One by one they politely retired to their chambers. Well all except Skotmir. hmm.
(beat) He simply belched and just walked away in a drunken stupor I think. Finally just Benedict, Elloveve and I were sitting at the large table all to ourselves.
benedict
so tomorrow we head back to Ellington. What then?
Keldor
well we will meet with the Duke and explain what we found, and I suppose see what's next.
(drinks) hmm.
elloveve
What of the rest of the order or the trade barons? heh, We can't seriously expect to be the only ones who are in this fight?
Keldor
I... I know of no other supporters yet.
elloveve
*sigh* hmm.
benedict
Can we reach them? The order, the knights I mean. Its small but its not empty right?
Keldor
Benedict, we have been hiding far away from the order for so long that..
elloveve
(frustrated and tired) Oh come on...
Nar - Keldor
Elloveve's voice pierced through the calm evening
like one of her arrows.
Keldor
I mean we...
elloveve
You know well enough we can find others in the order. You've just been hiding behind that beard for so long. Hiding who you really are!
Nar - Keldor
Her words found their mark as they ripped into my chest. I felt a wave of anger rise but every retort died on my tongue before escaping my mouth as I realized none of them would bear any fruit.
(beat) she was right. I looked at my blackened armor and faded tunic. My hand went to the beard. A hand bearing the scars of many battles. Proud battles.
elloveve
If you can find him, That man I knew. that Keldor could find an army that believes in this cause.
(drink) ah, I'm sure of that.
SFX Gets up and walks out
elloveve
On that note... good night.
Nar - Keldor
As she left my mind beat itself against those brick walls of guilt and my heart on years of embarrassment and dishonor. The seemingly endless wellspring of anger didn't protect me that night. I looked at Benedict before bowing my head in shame.
SFX - Market sounds
Nar - Keldor
That morning we resupplied basic food provisions and a few luxuries like cured meats and a waxed cheese. Then loading into our cart, continued south towards Ellington. The journey was only 3 days but felt like forever in my mind. I kept thinking about what Elloveve told me and for the majority of that time was silent.
Camping sounds
(Campfire voices in the background with a stream.)
On the last night we camped out off the road in a grove surrounded by a leagues worth of golden Maple trees and rosehip bushes. A small creek ran by not too far away before joining up with the river that
flowed back through Bemil on its way to the sea. Once we finished the bit of hard tack and jerky we were snacking on for a last meal I went to the creek and pondered.
footsteps growing louder in the fall leaves
benedict
Keldor? are you all right?
Keldor
hmm..
(beat) Oh... hello Benedict. Sit with me a moment. my friend.
(SFX Sitting in the leaves BENEDICT groaning).
The knightlord protects us as the maiden holds us... Is... that still true? T... to you I mean?
benedict
Yes that's what is written in...
Keldor
no. not what is written, milord. I mean do you believe it?
benedict
Yes.
keldor
hmmm... that’s my problem...see If you, my young lord... whom I’ve pledged to... believes it so... why do I not?
Nar - Keldor
I remember Benedict paused for a moment thinking. The moonlight reflected off the top of his head reflecting a ring of light like a dim blue crown in his raven black hair.
benedict
But what do you believe you should be doing?
Keldor
to that...Often I wonder... What THEY should be
doing.
Nar - Keldor
This I saw made Benedict raise an eyebrow. A smile crossed his lips.
benedict
Our faith shouldn't be because we believe they will do anything we want Keldor.
Nar - Keldor
He stood up and looked at me his blue eyes resolute and proud.
benedict
It is our belief that they will guide US to do what is right.
(yawn) What do they tell you my friend?
Keldor
(sigh) I... I mean WE need an army. (chuckle)
benedict
(chuckle) Then lets find one. Goodnight.
Nar - Keldor
As he went to bed a wave of realization washed over me. A clear path lay before me now.
Transition
morning birds chirp, the stream babbles
Zorin
well that breakfast was pretty good Elloveve! Ahhhh! I missed those eggs.
elloveve
Ha! there's not much Magic to them Zorin you just have to move them quickly and plate them while they still look creamy.
skotmir
Creamy or not they were better than those beans a few days ago.
vix
that wasn't my fault. They were not soaked like you said they were... and I anticipated you didn't salt
them. How was I supposed to know you were taking it upon yourself to become a world renown Chef with nothing but salted, DRY beans.
skotmir
you always salt the beans while they are dry! Everyone knows that.
cordelia
no they don't.
skotmir
no?
cordelia
nope.
skotmir
oh.
elloveve
Well I think it was...
Nar - Keldor
Elloveve's eyes fell on me. I had just taken a deep breath while bracing myself against the unknown. I was missing from the breakfast that morning having been up early with my new preparations. I now saw everyone else look back at me with their eyes wide in disbelief.
sophie
(surprised)...your beard?
Keldor
yes. Its gone.
elloveve
I... You. You look like you did 25 years ago. and Your armor...
Nar - Keldor
I had shaved the beard off but also polished my armor free of the dull tarnish that I had allowed... to make it appear dark and almost black. As a holy knight of the order I wore a suit of brass to denote the station. It gleamed golden in the morning sun. My cream tunic scrubbed and bleached. I even had brightened up the faded threads of the embroidery to show the crimson sword and crown of our order
prominently over my chest. I looked at my friends in the camp and felt a forgotten fire rekindle in my belly. I saw Benedict smile in silent understanding as we both nodded, excited to see what lay in store for us in Ellington.

Show Notes

SEASON PREMIERE - Keldor and Zorin begin to tell a tale of what happened after the adventurers returned from the twilight world beneath the hills of Darkovnia.
Thanks to Haley Munoz, Daniel Nichols, Joleen Fresquez, Brian Dowling, Colin Holmes, Toni Folmar and Corey Pfautsch for making this episode possible.
*** Support the Show ***  https://www.patreon.com/DiceTowerTheatre
For more information about the show, transcripts and to explore our world visit http://home.dicetowertheatre.com

|CAST|

| SOPHIE - Sarah Jenkins | CORDELIA - Joleen Fresquez | BENEDICT - Brian Dowling | ZORIN - Cody Miller | VIX - Daniel Nichols - The Happy Go Lukky Podcast - https://happygolukky.com/ | SKOTMIR - Colten Jannssen | ELLOVEVE HAWKLIGHT - Jessica Atchley | KELDOR IRONFIST/NARRATOR - Mike Atchley

| CREW |

Music/Production by Mike Atchley
Casting: BrianCover  Cover Art: - TikTok: underratedblobfish/ Instagram: emIllustration - https://www.instagram.com/emillustration.art/