MAGIC: THE GATHERING
Chapter Three
OUTLINE –12 May 2020
EXT. STREETS - RAVNICA – DAY

Raindrops pelt the rooftops of derelict tenements. TITLE CARD SUPERS: “RAVNICA”
We drip down the gutters to street-level, picking up JACE, KAYA, and CHANDRA, as he leads them 
through a seedy neighborhood, en route to the Undercity. Kaya questions the sanity of this course 
of action – it is extremely unwise to venture into the Undercity without an invitation. “Everything 
down there either wants to eat you or turn you into compost.” Jace shrugs her off, saying it’s 
gotten a bad rap. They’ll be fine. “Trust me.” Kaya rolls her eyes – she’s heard that before…
The street abruptly ends into a gaping CHASM. Kaya assumes that Jace lost his way, but he shoots 
her a cocksure grin: “This isn’t a dead-end. It’s a back door.” Jace explains that this is a secret 
way to get into the Undercity undetected. “It’s the safest… and the fastest way down.” He steps off 
into the chasm and falls out of view. Kaya crosses her arms, not believing it for a second. “Very 
funny illusion, Jace. Now what’s the real plan?”

But Jace doesn’t reappear, and the two women rush to the edge as they realize that this wasn’t an 
illusion – Holy shit! He actually fell! Chandra looks into the abyss, which drops off into 
darkness. There’s nothing… until Jace’s voice calls up from somewhere far below. “You guys coming 
or what?” Chandra asks Kaya, “Is he always like this?” Kaya: “Unfortunately.” Chandra takes a deep 
breath, almost smiles, and leaps off into the unknown…
EXT. CHASM – CONTINUOUS

… Chandra falls down, down, down. The walls of the chasm – covered in bioluminescent growths – blur 
into a kaleidoscope of neon colors, which would be beautiful if she wasn’t in freefall. But then, 
THWACK-THWACK-THWACK, she breaks through a series of translucent “nets” that slow her descent until 
she comes to a stop cradled in the strands of a GIANT SPIDER WEB.

Chandra tries to stand, but only becomes more ensnared in the webbing. Jace is already trudging 
toward the edge, which is slow going as he extricates himself from the threads, heading for a SEWER 
TUNNEL that spills brackish drain water into the chasm.

“Ahhhhh!” Kaya plummets down into the center of the web, its elastic threads rippling with her 
impact. Kaya glowers at Jace, “Nice of the Golgari to put this here.” Jace: “Oh, no, it’s not for 
us.” She follows his gaze to see a monstrous ARACHNID CREATURE, the size of a building, emerging at 
the far end of the web. A hundred eyes protrude above its jaws. As it


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skitters toward Chandra, she tries to free her hands from the web in order to blast the creature 
with fire, but the webbing is incredibly sticky, and she can’t bring her hands up in time. As the 
Arachnid bears down, Kaya reaches out, grabs Chandra, and phases them both into spirit-form. The 
spider’s fangs snap into empty space.

As Kaya and Chandra safely spirit-walk across the web, the Arachnid turns on Jace. He speeds up – 
but trips and falls, getting caught amidst the sticky mess. Tries in vain to pull free, as the 
Arachnid bears down. It reaches Jace and chomps its massive jaws down on him… but comes up empty. 
The Arachnid Creature hisses in rage, not sure what happened.
Kaya and Chandra re-materialize in the archway of the Sewer Tunnel just as Jace, pulling webbing 
off his clothes, joins up with them. His illusion was just a diversion to send the spider in one 
direction, while he went the other way. Kaya scowls: “The safest way down, huh?” Jace grins. “What 
good are a hundred eyes if they all see the same thing?”

ROLL TITLES – MAGIC: THE GATHERING INT. RAVNICA UNDERCITY (VARIOUS) – DAY
Our heroes move through the tunnels into a realm of eternal night illuminated by the green glow of 
fungi – crawling with all manner of creatures, scavengers, and insects. Chandra finds the latter 
particularly repulsive. She stops short as one wriggles past, and Jace calls her out on it, “You’re 
scared of bugs?” Chandra sets him straight, “I’m not afraid of bugs. I hate them.” Chandra recounts 
a story from childhood when a swarm of locusts descended on her family’s farm and destroyed the 
year’s harvest. Her parents were devastated… and all they had to survive the winter was fried 
locusts. She still can’t get the taste out of her mouth. But now, the story has turned bittersweet. 
Chandra is homesick/pained; that simple life on the family farm is gone forever.

Chandra’s genuine emotion leaves Jace flummoxed. It’s been so long since he’s had to care about 
anyone else’s feelings, he’s sorely out of practice. He gestures to Kaya (as if Chandra isn’t even 
there), “Uh, can you… You know, with her…?” Kaya raises a brow, “Show a little compassion?” “Yep. 
That’s your department.” Kaya shakes her head. Typical.

Kaya tries to relate to Chandra; she knows what it’s like to miss home and remembers first coming 
into her powers. “It wasn’t easy being the only kid who saw ghosts.” No one believed her until the 
night the spirit of her beloved grandmother visited her – scaring the hell out of Kaya – and her 
ember “sparked.” Kaya leans in, conspiratorially, “No one tells you that you’re gonna *** your 
pants the first time you planeswalk.” Chandra can’t help but smile, beginning to bond with the edgy 
death-chick.

As the group delves deeper into the Undercity, Chandra is curious about Kaya’s ability to see 
spirits. “Can you see any now?” Kaya explains that Ravnica was erected atop the ruins of previous 
civilizations. Layers and layers. Lots of ghosts. As they pass crumbling structures, built by 
countless generations, she reveals: “They’re everywhere.”


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Chandra is spooked… but even more than that, she’s wrestling with her recent tragedy, and the 
questions it brings up about mortality and the afterlife. “Does everyone who dies become a ghost?” 
Kaya tells her that only those who die with unfinished business remain as ghosts, and Chandra 
presses her, “What if you died right after you had a fight… like with someone in your family?” Kaya 
can see the girl’s grief and guilt and tries to reassure her. “I got in some terrible fights with 
my mom, but we still loved each other. I’m sure she knew. Moms always do.” Chandra appreciates the 
sentiment but the question still eats away at her.

Jace pauses at a four-way intersection in the tunnels, stooping to examine a graffiti GLYPH etched 
on the wall of the right fork. The INVERTED A symbol worn by the Ashiok Cultists. Kaya asks if he’s 
ever seen it before, but Jace shakes his head. They take the fork with the glyph, but the 
investigative momentum is interrupted by a LOW HUM. Jace curses their bad luck: “Damn. They never 
patrol these tunnels.” Chandra, on high alert, wonders if they’ve awakened restless spirits, but he 
assures her it’s something much worse.

The sound reaches a fever pitch as a patrol of KRAUL WARRIORS (huge sentient insects with wings) 
swarm through the tunnels and race toward them. Reacting on instinct, Chandra lets loose with a 
blast of fire – and now that her regulator is off, it’s like a massive flamethrower, so powerful it 
spins her around. A few of the Kraul are singed, but the flying soldiers are highly agile and 
nearly impossible to hit. Jace reprimands Chandra, “You’re making it worse.” She tells him to use 
his illusion magic again so they can flee, but Jace shakes his head (he can only conjure illusions 
in a few minds at once; fooling an entire squadron is beyond his ability). “There’s too many of 
them. Nope… we’ll have to charm our way out.” Kaya sighs, “We’re screwed.” The trio is surrounded 
by buzzing soldiers, and the KRAUL CAPTAIN arrests them at halberd-point, “By order of the Golgari 
Queen.”

INT. GOLGARI THRONE ROOM – DAY

The squadron of Kraul, led by their Captain, march the prisoners into a lofty throne room, 
repurposed from the crumbling ruins of an old cathedral. Drifting spores light up vaulted ceilings. 
They pass rows of STONE STATUES contorted in tortured poses, the faces twisted in fear, agony and 
rage. Chandra looks to Jace, “What’s with those?” He says, “Just don’t look her in the eyes, kid.” 
Chandra cocks her head – Hunh?

The prisoners are brought before the Council of the GOLGARI SWARM. Each colony has a representative 
– the DEVKARIN SHADOW ELVES, the ERSTWHILE ZOMBIES, the SPORE DRUIDS, the Kraul – and seated above 
the rest, on a throne fashioned from her petrified victims, is the Queen of the Golgari Swarm. 
VRASKA (40s), the powerful gorgon matriarch, is green-skinned with a snakepit of prehensile 
tendrils for hair. Confident and alluring, she sizes up the intruders with cold reptilian eyes.

The Kraul Captain announces that these prisoners were caught trespassing in Golgari territory, “And 
when we tried to detain them, the young one injured two of my soldiers.” The Council members 
bristle with outrage.




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Keeping his head down to avoid Vraska’s gaze, Jace tries to minimize the transgression, pleading 
his case with a mix of humility and ignorance. “My Queen, I had no idea you’d expanded into the 
southern reaches or I never would’ve set foot there.” Vraska is unimpressed, “So you’re fine 
trespassing so long as you don’t get caught. You haven’t changed, Jace.”

Jace raises his head and a collective gasp runs through the hall as he locks eyes with the Queen 
and asks, “Have you?” Vraska squints, his life hanging in the balance…
A savvy Erstwhile council member, a (female) LICH, steps in to score some political points. “How 
dare you look at the Queen.” The Lich represents the hawkish, militaristic wing of the Golgari and 
calls on Vraska to punish the intruders with their lives.

Vraska considers this as she stares down Jace, then her lips crack into a smile. “I won’t turn you 
to stone. Then, I’d have to see your face every day.” Kaya realizes, “You two had a thing?” Vraska 
assures her it was more than a thing, noting with amusement that Kaya must be the new girlfriend. 
Kaya corrects her: “Just another ex-girlfriend.”

Vraska gets to it and demands to know what unsavory business brought Jace and his gang down into 
the Undercity, warning that if he lies she’ll take the Lich’s advice. Jace explains that they’re 
tracking a powerful Planeswalker who is hunting other Planeswalkers. Then he adds the kicker, “We 
think the killer is operating out of the Undercity.” This news sends a ripple through the Council 
and strikes a chord with Vraska. There have been more intrusions into her territory of late and 
rumors of dark rituals taking place in the deeper recesses; that’s why the Swarm is on high alert, 
patrolling outside their usual domain. “If what you say is true, the threat is larger than we 
thought.”

Jace senses an opening and makes a final, emotional gambit, telling her, “Gideon is dead.” The 
killer’s trail led them here. This news hits Vraska hard, but the gorgon Queen remains stoic, 
covering her emotion with the collective wisdom of the Golgari: “Death comes from life. Life comes 
from death.” She pays tribute to the memory of Gideon Jura, citing him as a rare example of a 
surface dweller with honor. Vraska shifts her gaze back to Jace, “Unlike you.” Vraska calls on the 
Kraul Captain to lock them up while the Council gathers more information to determine the 
prisoners’ fate.

INT. GOLGARI PRISON – DAY

Vraska’s Kraul soldiers haul Jace, Kaya and Chandra into a dank prison cell shaped like honeycomb, 
with bars made from the massive teeth of some long-dead creature. Chandra asks Jace to read the 
Council members’ thoughts, anxious to know what they’re saying. Jace shoots her down. “Doesn’t work 
like that.” His powers are limited by proximity and they are too far away. Chandra turns to Kaya: 
“Can’t you ghost us out of here?“ Kaya reveals that she can only phase one person at a time so she 
would have to leave Jace behind, which is tempting… but not a real solution. Jace: “Guys, I’m right 
here…”
Chandra pitches blasting their way out with fire – “Fine, I’ll do it myself.” Her hands spark with 
flame as she prepares to torch their way out of the cell, but Jace stops her – having

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recently seen how little control Chandra has over her fire-power.  “You’re gonna roast the two of 
us way before you put a dent in those teeth.” And even if they could blast their way out of the 
cell, Jace would rather avoid a huge melee. If they ever want to find what they came for, they’ll 
need Vraska’s help.

Kaya just shakes her head – “I can’t believe you were with her. And what’s with that hair?” Jace 
accuses Kaya of judging a book by its cover, and says that Vraska might have a stony exterior, but 
once you get past that, there’s really no one like her. Jace suggests that Kaya could learn a lot 
from Vraska.

Kaya can’t help but take that personally, given her own romantic past with Jace, and demands to 
know what makes Vraska so special. Jace retorts, “She’s fun. ‘Least she used to be.” Jace sprinkles 
some details of their time together, adventuring as pirates. Vraska could drink anyone under the 
table and commanded respect even among the most ruthless cutthroats. “And when she let her hair 
down…” Jace whistles, reliving the memory of one of their steamiest encounters in his mind’s eye. 
Kaya is disgusted and offended, “If that’s what floats your boat, our relationship was always 
destined to sink.” He’s defensive… and says it might’ve lasted longer if Kaya wasn’t always so 
high-and-mighty. She snaps back that they ended because Jace is so guarded and wouldn’t let her in. 
 “Vraska must’ve been perfect for you. You never want to look a woman in the eyes.” Chandra can’t 
believe she’s trapped in the middle of this old lovers’ quarrel, and just wants out of here ASAP.

The argument is interrupted by commotion in the distance. A Kraul scout hurries in, and our trio 
overhear that the Golgari are under attack. All but one of the Kraul guards rush away to join the 
defense of their community. “NOW can I burn this cell down?” But Kaya takes point. When the Guard 
Isn't looking, she phases into spirit form and passes effortlessly through the bars… then phases 
back into corporeal form behind the Guard. Easily disables him, takes the keys, and lets out 
Chandra and Jace.

INT. UNDERCITY TUNNELS – DAY

Mid-escape, Jace, Kaya, and Chandra encounter Golgari citizens fleeing from a band of 
NIGHTMARE-GOBLINS wielding axes and clubs. The horrific creatures are barely recognizable because 
their ashen skin cracks and oozes as though they’ve been badly burnt.

Chandra recognizes the similarity to the monsters that attacked her and Gideon, relaying the info 
to the rest of the team. Jace is taken aback, “Wait, they START like that?” He saw the expired 
Nightmare-Creature (lying near Gideon’s body) and assumed it had been scorched to death by 
Chandra’s fire magic. Together, they make the connection that whatever is attacking the Golgari 
must be tied to the mysterious Planeswalker they came down here to hunt. Before they can debate a 
proper course of action, Chandra charges off in the direction of the battle. Eager to enact her 
revenge.

INT. DEVKARIN ENCLAVE – DAY

The Devkarin, a race of necromancer Shadow Elves, have built their enclave in an expansive central 
chamber with arched entrances opening outward into a network of curving tunnels,

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where the elves make their homes. The normally-peaceful community is in the throes of a massive 
battle. Blackened NIGHTMARE-CREATURES of all shapes and sizes engage in fierce combat with the 
Shadow Elves. At first, we can’t see Ashiok, but we know it’s there…
Vraska takes position at one end of the chamber, leading the battle, using both her sword and her 
petrifying gaze. Her Kraul Captain wades into the melee, and Vraska freezes a NIGHTMARE-GOBLIN just 
in time to stop its axe-stroke, saving her Captain’s life. He nods back to her in thanks.

When Jace, Kaya, and Chandra rush in, Vraska is not particularly surprised that they’ve escaped 
from their prison, but she can’t imagine that Jace would care about anyone else enough to come 
help.  Vraska looks at Kaya – “Must be your idea.” But as Chandra goes charging headlong into the 
fray, Kaya comments, “Actually it was hers.” Vraska welcomes them to join the fight, and Jace 
references an old memory – “Kinda like when we fought those merfolk on the Belligerent.” Vraska 
shakes her head. “That was a pirate ship. These are my people.”

Chandra enters the fray, hands glowing with flame. She hurls fireballs left and right, unleashing 
her pent-up anger as she scorches manifestations. It feels good, and we see her confidence growing 
as she sweeps a pillar of flame across the battlefield, torching Nightmare-Creatures. The tide of 
the battle turns in favor of the Golgari, and Chandra starts to get a little cocky.

But then (cue epic music), a dark figure emerges from the tunnels – a humanoid with flowy robes, 
the top half of its head missing, and two wicked-looking horns. ASHIOK – horrific yet beautiful, 
with a regal demeanor that matches the finery of its clothing. Jace stares across the chamber, 
seeing the horned, faceless fiend for the first time. Terrified and mesmerized. This is the thing 
that killed Gideon.

Between Ashiok’s horns, a dark mist swirls… and NIGHTMARE-CREATURES erupt forth. Each with 
blackened, burned-looking skin. Instantly the monstrosities charge onto the battlefield, one after 
another. Overwhelming the Golgari. “******* hell…” murmurs Vraska. Even the gorgon queen has never 
seen anything like this before. “The more we kill, the more it conjures.” But Jace has a plan. “If 
I can get in its mind, maybe I can stop it from making more.” Vraska orders her Kraul soldiers to 
protect Jace. They form a barrier around him, fighting off the dark manifestations, buying him 
time.

Jace focuses intently, staring at Ashiok across the open space. Grumbles to himself, “And I’m not 
asking for permission.” Inside Jace’s point of view – all sound drops away as he reaches out 
mentally… and the moment he connects with Ashiok, Jace suddenly finds himself in –
INT. ASHIOK’S MINDSPACE – CONTINUOUS

A dark void. The ground is squishy, rippling with every step, like a bog. Thick mist hangs in the 
air, and through the haze, he sees – Ashiok.  Ashiok turns toward him, unthreatened but curious at 
the intrusion of a mortal. Jace shifts his weight, trying to gain his footing on the undulating 
surface. Speaks to Ashiok, trying to distract it from the battle. “I’ve been inside a

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million minds, but never something like this. What are you?” Ashiok answers in a voice that seems 
to come from all directions at once, simultaneously masculine and feminine and inhuman. “You cannot 
comprehend Ashiok. You can only fear Ashiok.”

Jace composes himself. “And why should I be so afraid?” Ashiok takes a step forward, sending a 
ripple through the bog that knocks Jace off balance. “You believe you can distract Ashiok, but you 
are irrelevant,” (betraying a glimpse of Ashiok’s own greatest fear). “Then why are you still 
talking to me?” Ashiok: “Only you have been able to touch the mind of Ashiok. You can be Ashiok’s 
voice to the world. Submit, and serve.”

Jace shoots back, “I don’t serve anyone. Especially if they’re missing half their head.” Ashiok 
smirks, amused. “You claim to lack fear, but you will learn.” The being stomps its foot into the 
bog-like ground – which launches a massive wave of psychic energy, and Jace is hurled out of the 
mindspace.

INT. DEVKARIN ENCLAVE – CONTINUOUS

Now that Jace has been ejected from Ashiok’s mind, the onslaught of new
Nightmare-Creatures resumes. Chandra is fighting her way through the chaos, when she spots – the 
HELLHOUND. Bounding out onto the battlefield. Chandra’s blood boils at the sight of the creature 
that killed her mother. In a blind rage, she hurls fireballs at it – but it effortlessly dodges 
them, as it comes racing her way. Chandra lets loose a wall of fire to stop the creature… but to 
her surprise, it effortlessly leaps over the wall and ignores her completely, heading off in a 
different direction. What the hell? She turns to see what it’s really after, and watches it go 
running into the tunnels, pursuing some other prey. Fire glows brightly in her palms, as she 
prepares to charge after it…
But she’s stopped by a familiar voice: “Chandra.” She turns around and comes face to face with a 
Nightmare-Creature she never could have imagined: PIA NALAAR, her own mother. Or rather, an Ashiok 
manifestation, a NIGHTMARE-MOTHER that looks just like her own, but with blackened skin, as though 
badly burned. “Mom?”

Across the chamber, Jace collects himself, dazed from Ashiok’s mind-attack. Vraska asks if he’s 
okay, and he tells her, “I just got punched in the brain.” With a deep breath, he focuses on Ashiok 
across the room, and once again reaches out psychically…
INT. ASHIOK’S MINDSPACE – CONTINUOUS

Jace reenters the nightmarish swamp of Ashiok’s mind, but this time the creature is nowhere to be 
seen. Jace calls out but gets no response. He searches for Ashiok amid the haze. Lost, confused. 
DRIP. Something echoes behind him and he turns, but there’s nothing there. DRIP. The echo comes 
from a new direction and he swivels. Nothing. Jace tenses, and it’s the first time we’ve seen real 
fear pierce his hardened exterior. “You can feel it now.” The booming voice comes from all around. 
Jace steadies his voice, “Feel what?”

The mists part behind Jace to reveal Ashiok across the bog. “The blessing of Ashiok.”  Jace turns 
to see the mysterious being through the gloom… but Ashiok disappears, as if

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glitching out of existence, re-appearing in a new location. “You have seen the minds of men, Jace 
Beleren. You know the darkness in their hearts. The perversions in their loins. Left on their own, 
they will tear themselves to pieces.” Ashiok keeps glitching from one spot to the next, 
unpredictable, but drawing closer and closer. “Only fear can bring them together. Only Ashiok.”

INT. DEVKARIN ENCLAVE – CONTINUOUS

The Nightmare-Mother approaches Chandra, slow and menacing. “I always knew you’d be the death of 
me.” Chandra shakes her head, trying to convince herself. “No…” The Nightmare-Mother nods. “This is 
because of you. And your magic. And your lack of
self-control.” Chandra holds back tears. “I’m… I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are.” The Nightmare-Mother softens and opens its arms, beckoning Chandra in for an 
embrace. As Chandra moves toward the creature, the flames sputter and die on her palms, her anger 
melting into sadness and regret. She tells the Nightmare-Mother, “I wish I’d never left…” It wraps 
her up tight, whispering in her ear, “I wish you were never born.” The Nightmare-Creature opens its 
mouth impossibly wide, revealing razor-sharp teeth, about to bite Chandra’s head off –

A glowing dagger slices open the Nightmare-Mother’s throat. It releases Chandra and turns to fight 
off the attacker, but it’s too late. Kaya makes quick work of the Nightmare-Mother, which collapses 
to the ground. Clocking Chandra’s horror, Kaya says, “That’s not really her.” Chandra nods, knows 
it’s true… but the trauma can’t be erased. Kaya supports Chandra, protecting her as they retreat 
back across the battlefield.

INT. DEVKARIN TUNNELS - SAME TIME

The Hellhound races through the tunnels, knocking aside Shadow Elves like rag dolls as it pursues 
its target with singular purpose. We move into the Hellhound’s “heat-sensing” vision, where every 
creature registers faintly… but in the distance, a glowing ball of light (an Ember) is like a 
bright beacon, which the Hellhound zeroes in on.

The Hellhound races into a new tunnel, sending more Shadow Elves running in fear. It slows… sense 
organs rippling… approaches a metal grate built into the floor of the tunnel. Its 3-taloned claw 
grips the bars of the grate and rips it off, revealing – a Shadow Elf child hidden in the 
crawlspace below. An 8-year-old boy, his face smeared with dirt, eyes wide in terror. This is 
GUNGE.

INT. ASHIOK’S MINDSPACE – CONTINUOUS

Ashiok glitches into existence right next to Jace, and its striking lips never part as its voice 
echoes in Jace’s head. “There is a hunger inside you, Jace Beleren. An endless need, for more and 
more… yet you are never satiated.” Jace turns, terrified, and finds Ashiok towering over him. 
“Ashiok can fill that emptiness. Then you will finally know peace.”




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Jace stares up at Ashiok, considering how to answer. “If I serve you… what do I get?” Ashiok 
smiles, “Anything you desire.” Jace sets his shoulders. “Good. ‘Cuz what I want more than anything… 
is for you to die.” Jace lunges at Ashiok – who simply glitches away. Jace shouts into the void, 
“You killed my friend, you faceless ******* freak!” Ashiok reappears behind Jace, haunting him. 
“What kind of friend are you? Gideon died scared and alone. Because you drove him away.” Jace 
stammers, “How do you know that? What are you?”

“You wish to truly know Ashiok? Behold.” Ashiok leans forward, giving Jace a chance to peer inside 
the abyssal cavern of its head… and suddenly Jace is hit with a tidal wave of mental images. A 
mouth screaming. Blood on a sacrificial blade. A feline-looking humanoid creature, weeping. A 
ruined temple. Cloaked worshippers chanting in darkness. Thousands of images, incomprehensible and 
jumbled. A David-Lynchian whirlwind of pain and suffering and terror.

As Jace is overwhelmed by the psychic onslaught, he sinks down into the bog, drowning in darkness…
INT. DEVKARIN ENCLAVE – CONTINUOUS

Jace falls to his knees, clutching his head with balled fists in agony. Fingernails drawing blood 
from his palms.  His eyes open wide as he gasps for air – coming back to reality for only a moment, 
before his eyes roll back and he collapses to the stone floor, unconscious. Kaya gets Chandra back 
to relative safety behind the Kraul defensive line, and rushes to Jace’s side.

Across the chamber, Ashiok grins. Pleased with the damage Jace has suffered. Now that the 
mind-attack has been repelled, Ashiok brings forth a host of new Nightmare-Creatures.

The Hellhound emerges back into the large chamber, carrying Gunge in its mouth toward its master. 
Kaya spots the creature carrying the child and nudges Chandra, pointing at the Hellhound as she 
asks – “Can you hit that thing from here?” Chandra shakes her head numbly, shell-shocked from the 
encounter with the Nightmare-Mother. Kaya turns to Vraska instead.  Vraska tries to use her 
petrification power on the Hellhound, but discovers
– “The damn thing doesn’t have eyes…”
They can’t intercept it in time before it will deliver the child to Ashiok.  But, Vraska has 
another idea. As the Hellhound runs past one of the petrified manifestations – the Nightmare-Goblin 
she froze earlier in the middle of swinging an axe – she uses her magical gaze to un-petrify her 
victim. The Nightmare-Goblin comes to life, completing the
axe-swing, at the perfect moment to bring the blade down onto the Hellhound. The creature howls, 
wounded badly, and drops Gunge.

Ashiok’s mouth curls in anger. With a wave of its arms, Ashiok sends all the other manifestations 
after the child. They converge on the boy, rushing toward him. But Kaya runs toward him as well, 
dodging through the battlefield. She narrowly beats them all, and



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leaps on Gunge, grabbing him – and the instant she does, she phases them both into spirit form – so 
the manifestations come up empty-handed.

Ashiok shrieks in rage. Dark mist swirls again, and a trio of new creatures erupt from Ashiok’s 
head – NIGHTMARE-WRAITHS, which are in spirit-form just like Kaya. The ghostly monstrosities rush 
toward Kaya and Gunge. Seeing that her spectral defenses are useless now, Kaya returns to physical 
form, and rejoins the rest of the team. She hands off Gunge to Vraska, then turns her daggers 
toward the Nightmare-Wraiths.

Chandra tells Vraska, “The child… that’s what it’s after.” As the boy looks fearfully upon the 
violence of the battlefield, the gorgon queen clutches Gunge maternally, reassuring him, “I will 
protect you with my last breath.”

Kaya dispatches the Wraiths, but the army of manifestations is only growing. “We can’t win against 
that thing.” Vraska nods gravely, realizing that the longer they remain, the more creatures Ashiok 
will summon. She gives an order, and the Kraul rally around her. Several of them kneel, offering 
their backs for riders to climb aboard. Vraska holds Gunge as she boards one. Kaya drags Jace’s 
unconscious form up onto another with her. Chandra, still reeling, barely manages to pull herself 
onto another one’s back.

The Kraul take off, flying up toward the surface. But Ashiok is not about to give up. He summons a 
horde of flying black NIGHTMARE-IMPS (winged creatures with long talons), which pursue the Kraul 
and their riders.

INT. UNDERCITY TUNNELS – DAY

The Nightmare-Imps swoop and soar, gaining on the Kraul as they try to get in close enough to grab 
Gunge. A dogfight ensues, with Kraul throwing spears to repel the attackers… but Chandra closes her 
eyes and holds on tight, trying to block it all out. As a Nightmare-Imp dives toward Gunge, Vraska 
petrifies it, and the freshly stone figure crashes into another Nightmare-Imp, taking them both 
out.

The Kraul whip around a few tight corners, and it appears they’ve lost their pursuers. Up ahead, 
they see the light of day, where the tunnel opens out to Ravnica. But suddenly, the path ahead 
darkens. The Nightmare-Imps have gone around and are now blocking the exit, forming a wall. Talons 
clicking in anticipation.

Kaya looks to Vraska – “Should we turn back?” But Vraska gives a knowing look to her Kraul Captain. 
He nods solemnly. “Death comes from life. Life comes from death.” The Captain orders all the Kraul 
without riders into formation, taking the lead. The formation crashes against the wall of 
Nightmare-Imps in a violent swirl of spears and claws and teeth.

EXT. RAVNICA – CONTINUOUS

Vraska, Gunge, Kaya, Jace and Chandra all break through into the light, soaring free from the 
tunnels of the Undercity. When Vraska glances back, she sees the Kraul locked in a


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11
losing battle with the Nightmare-Imps, being devoured alive. Her normally stone-cold demeanor 
slips, showing a rare flash of emotion.

They’ve escaped from Ashiok’s clutches… but at enormous cost to Vraska’s people.
INT. TEZZERET’S NIGHTCLUB - OFFICE – DAY (TAG)

TEZZERET studies the Viewing Table of his Panopticon, watching a live feed from one of his SPY 
DRONE constructs as it glides through the Undercity. The drone pipes back eerie images of hallways 
filled with the bodies of dead Devkarin and Kraul and
Nightmare-Creatures, before it moves into the main chamber of the Devkarin Enclave.

As it perches on an archway, peering down, Tezzeret gets his first glimpse of Ashiok. Instantly 
intrigued by the mysterious dark entity. But Ashiok turns directly toward the construct, as if the 
eyeless nightmare mage were staring through the lens, straight back at Tezzeret. Unnerved, Tezzeret 
immediately shuts down the Viewing Table – and as the holographic image melts away, the unflappable 
gangster shudders with fear.
END OF EPISODE
MTG 103 - OUTLINE 5/12/20