MAGIC: THE GATHERING
Chapter Four
OUTLINE – 5 June 2020
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – DAWN
TEFERI is doing morning meditation/qi gong-esque exercises while KFFNK makes
breakfast. There’s a knock at the door. Teferi ignores it.
TITLE CARD SUPERS: “RAVNICA”
The knock comes again. Teferi continues his motions and grumbles, “I don’t know why I
even have a sign out there.” He nods to Kffnk, and the homunculus answers the door.
CHANDRA steps in. “Forget something?” Teferi asks dryly, but he bites back further
comments when he sees her face, full of grief and shock. Without a word, Chandra moves to
put on her REGULATOR, (which she left behind in 102). Teferi is surprised as GUNGE
scampers in, followed by VRASKA and KAYA, holding up a passed-out JACE. “We need a bed
for him,” Kaya demands. Teferi suggests they go to the Selesnya Conclave healers. “ All of
you,” Teferi adds, spotting Kffnk desperately trying to stop Gunge from climbing a
bookshelf.
Vraska fixes her eyes on Teferi. He looks away from the gorgon’s dangerous gaze as she
muses pointedly, “I’ve always felt Ravnica could use a statue of the great Teferi.” Teferi grits
his teeth at the threat, but asks Kffnk to show his “guests” to the back room. “As charming
as the legends say,” Vraska smirks, as she and Kaya heft Jace and follow the homunculus.
At a crash, Teferi turns to see Gunge has pulled down a potted plant from the top of the
bookshelf. The child happily stuffs the dirt-covered roots in his mouth. Teferi takes the
plant from Gunge and sternly tells the young Devkarin elf not to touch anything . Gunge
makes a point of putting his hands behind his back…And begins licking the wall instead.
Teferi glares. “That thing that attacked me? It came after him this time,” Chandra says. That
gives Teferi pause. She continues, “I don’t know why. It killed his people and destroyed his
home. He’s scared, alone...” Before it gets too obvious that Chandra might be speaking about
herself as well, she finishes, “just let him have the damn plant.”
A hand rests on Chandra’s shoulder, and she’s surprised to see it’s Vraska (back from
helping Jace to bed). The gorgon says she appreciates Chandra’s kindness, but Gunge is not
alone. His parents might have moved forward in the inexorable cycle, but children of the
Golgari are raised by the Swarm and loved by all. When an adult sees a child in need, they
help. Chandra looks wistful – that sounds nice.
2
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BACK BEDROOM – SAME TIME
Meanwhile, Jace grimaces, tossing on his cot. Kaya watches over him, concerned. We PUSH
IN ON JACE through his fevered brow to—
INT. JACE’S MINDSCAPE – CONTINUOUS
Mindscape-Jace struggles in a maelstrom of disturbing colors, sounds, and images, the
remnants of Ashiok’s mind-dump in 103. With gritted teeth, Jace dodges and strikes
defensively at the images spinning around him, struggling to control the torrent of horrors.
A bird picks at a carcass, a child cries, a terrified Leonin girl shrieks, a leviathan stirs in
darkness. And over it all, we hear Ashiok’s eerie voice (reprinted from 103). It’s a sensory
overload of fear. Jace throws back his head and screams.
ROLL MAIN TITLES - MAGIC: THE GATHERING
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BACK BEDROOM – LATER
Chandra carries a tray with mugs of tea toward the open door to the back bedroom,
pausing when she hears voices. Chandra hovers at the door, eavesdropping as Vraska
continues her story to Kaya, Jace sleeping on a bed nearby. “So we’re about to sneak past the
entire enemy crew with the treasure, then this damn fool,” she jerks a thumb to Jace, “says
‘why not take the whole ship?’ We did, too.” Vraska smiles at the memory. Kaya, though,
recognizes a pattern in the story. “That’s Jace. Never happy with what he has. Always looking
for the next, better prize.” Vraska looks knowingly at Kaya and says maybe this time, he’s
found it. Kaya shakes her head – the two of them aren’t happening. She doesn’t have time or
energy for someone who’s emotionally incapable of letting anyone in. Vraksa points out
that Jace did just that when he came to Kaya for help. “And you said yes,” the Gorgon adds.
Kaya changes the subject, calling out Chandra, “If you keep standing out there, our tea’s
going to get cold.” Caught, Chandra enters and hands out the mugs. Seeing no change in
Jace, she asks if he’s going to be okay. Kaya says she thinks so – she’s seen Jace mentally
stunned like this once before, but only for a few minutes. “He tried to con a dragon to get us
into a club.” Apparently he thought it would impress Kaya. “For someone who reads minds,
he can be pretty clueless.”
Vraska raises an eyebrow, “ He’s not the only one.” Kaya bristles, but Vraska continues,
“Admit it. You wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t something worthwhile in him.” Kaya
reluctantly agrees that yes, fine, she’s seen that there’s good deep down inside Jace. A
glimmer of the better person he could be. “But I don’t think he sees that. Or wants to. So he’ll
never change.” “I know you make final judgments on the dead, but maybe give the living a bit
more grace,” Vraska says. Otherwise, Kaya’s just what she accuses Jace of being – stuck with
no hope of growth. Chandra has been watching this exchange like a tennis match,
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wide-eyed. But there’s no return volley. Kaya just turns away from Vraska to put a cool
cloth on Jace’s forehead.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONTINUOUS
Teferi sits at his table, trying to read and drink tea. Gunge runs past in the BG, chased by
Kffnk. There’s an O.S. CRASH. Teferi stoically takes a sip of tea. Gunge and Kffnk run by in
the other direction, followed by an O.S. THUD. Teferi takes another sip of tea. Finally, Gunge
sidles up to the table and reaches for Teferi’s teapot. Teferi time-bubbles it. When Gunge
tries to reach into the bubble, his hands slow to being “frozen” in time. Teferi allows
himself a small, victorious smile. Gunge struggles to get free and finally does, hurling
backward with an O.S. SMASH.
“Kffnk,” Teferi says, straining to remain calm as Gunge sits up and starts chewing a pillow,
spitting out feathers. “Why don’t you take the child up to the bell tower to play? It’ll be safer.
For all of us.” Kffnk doesn’t look thrilled, but nods.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BELL TOWER – SOON
Kffnk puffs at the top of the stairs. Gunge, following, has a finger in an ear. He pulls it out,
admires what he’s excavated, and wipes it on the wall. Kffnk gestures to the bells with a
prideful “ta da” flourish. But Gunge’s attention is elsewhere – he’s found a dazed Ravnican
BUG, and he chases it, jumping to try to catch it, scrambling over scaffolding, and ducking
safety railings, much to Kffnk’s horror.
Gunge finally pounces on the bug, slamming it to the ground with his whole body. But when
he gets up, the bug is on its back, twitching, dying. Gunge looks sad. He scoops up the bug,
cupping his hands around it. When he opens them, the bug’s wings sputter into action, and
it takes off again. Gunge smiles – then reaches out to grab the bug and pop it in his mouth.
He chews happily. Kffnk looks disgusted.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BACK BEDROOM – SAME TIME
Vraska tells Kaya and Chandra they should try to get some sleep. She’ll take the first watch
over Jace. Kaya agrees, and she leaves with Chandra to see if Teferi has any extra blankets.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
But as the two women enter the hallway, the door behind them slams shut. A confused
Kaya turns back to it in surprise. Chandra doesn’t seem to notice; she’s looking forward as
the hallway ahead of her suddenly plunges into darkness. Unnerved, Chandra asks what’s
happening.
Kaya has no chance to answer, as a SCREAMING FACE suddenly presses out from the door’s
surface, like it’s trapped within the wood. Kaya leaps back in fear and surprise.
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“Poltergeist,” she growls, drawing her spirit daggers. But when she stabs the door… It has
no effect.
Meanwhile, eerie skittering footsteps scramble toward Chandra from the blackness.
Chandra raises a hand, a small fire in her palm for light and spots their stalker – a
HALF-SPIDER, HALF-GIRL CREATURE, crawling across the ceiling, a childlike laugh coming
from its unnatural throat. Chandra points her regulator arm at the creature, hand shaking.
Despite the danger, she can’t bring herself to attack with fire.
Kaya backs away from the haunted door and grabs Chandra’s arm, dragging her toward the
spider-creature instead. Chandra fights Kaya’s hold, yelling in fear, “What are you doing?!”
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BELL TOWER – SAME TIME
Kffnk is beckoning for Gunge to step away from the dangerous scaffolding, when suddenly
the bells in the tower begin to ring. Kffnk looks in surprise to see that nobody is pulling the
bell ropes. The bells ring more wildly, until one of them SNAPS FREE and plummets toward
Gunge. Kffnk leaps to protect the boy, throwing his body over the oblivious child…
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – SAME TIME
Oddly, we can’t hear the bells in this part of the tower (a mystery to be solved later). Teferi
reads his book and pours himself a *** of tea (the pouring is O.S.) Instead of liquid, he
hears a strange CLACKING sound. He looks at his teacup to see that TEETH are pouring
from his teapot, pinging into his ***. He stumbles back, unnerved.
There’s a snarl behind him, and Teferi whirls to see a (REUSE) CREATURE spring to attack,
claws and fangs spread wide. Teferi stands his ground and raises his hands, casting a time
bubble at the creature. But it doesn’t work! The creature PASSES THROUGH the magic and
Teferi, completing its pounce on the other side of him. Teferi’s surprise becomes
realization. He hurries toward the back room.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BACK BEDROOM – CONTINUOUS
Vraska isn’t moving, holding her pose as dozens of weapons float in the air, pointing at her
vital organs. “Don’t… Move… ” she warns Teferi. He ignores her and casts a time spell on
Jace, trapping the mage in a time-slowing bubble. With that, the weapons (and all the other
ILLUSIONS – like the bells) FREEZE in place.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BELL TOWER – SAME TIME
Kffnk opens his eyes, body protectively covering Gunge, amazed he and the child weren’t
crushed. The falling bell is still, floating millimeters above them. The other bells are silent,
poised mid-ring. A blissfully unaware Gunge hugs Kffnk back playfully, and the homunculus
wheezes.
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INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BACK BEDROOM – SAME TIME
A wide-eyed Chandra and Kaya enter and take in the scene. Vraska carefully extricates
herself from her sharp prison. “How did you get past the ghost?” Kaya asks Teferi. “ What
ghost?!” Chandra demands, “It was a spider!” Teferi explains that whatever strange things
they saw were illusions. Jace must have been casting them in his sleep. “ He was
broadcasting his nightmares,” Kaya realizes, a different one specific (and only viewable) to
each person. But now, with the mage safely stuck in time, Jace’s magic is frozen too.
Chandra’s just glad the murderer hasn’t returned for revenge. “Yet,” Vraska adds,
reminding them all that they’re on borrowed time. She opines that if Jace is strong enough
to work magic in his sleep, he’s recovered enough to wake up. At her nod, Teferi drops his
time bubble. The weapon illusions reappear as Jace enters normal time again, but
disappear almost immediately as Vraska slaps Jace awake.
Jace jerks back, ready to attack, until he realizes where he is. “Dammit, Vraska! What did you
do that for?” Jace demands. “Payback for the knives,” she scowls, “Since when do you
sleep-cast illusions?” Jace protests that he doesn’t. “Yeah you do,” Chandra says, “And that
spider-thing was messed up!” Teferi dryly observes that it will likely be a while before he
reaches for the teapot. Jace frowns as he asks if he’s getting this right – he cast multiple,
different illusions for each of them? Kaya confirms it, and adds that every one was horrific.
( JACE RULE : Up until now, Jace could cast multiple illusions that one person could see, or
one illusion that a small group could see.) Jace muses to himself in disbelief (and a little
concern) – he’s never done that before. He didn’t know he could.
Worried by this revelation, Kaya asks what happened during his mind-touch with the
monster. Jace winces, remembering. “I got my ass kicked. A lot.” He warns the others that
their enemy is incredibly powerful, like nothing he’s ever encountered before. “It can see
anyone’s deepest fears. It holds millions of them in its mind. What I got was just a taste.”
“You’re not the only one,” Teferi observes archly.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – A LITTLE LATER
Kffnk serves Jace breakfast while the others plan their next move. Gunge sits on Vraska’s
lap, babbling kid-gibberish to himself and not destroying something for once. “ What’s he
saying?” Chandra asks. Vraska shrugs; Gunge doesn’t truly speak yet. “But whatever it is, he
clearly means it,” the gorgon says, smiling maternally.
Jace explains that he managed to catch glimpses of the monster’s memories among the
horrors. It took a while to sort through them and make sense of anything, but he thinks he’s
found another of the killer’s victims. Jace holds up a hand and shares his mental image with
the group as an illusion – a young-adult tiger-like female warrior (this is ELAKSHI).
“Leonin,” Kaya observes. Jace agrees – probably Nacatl, from Naya. Chandra, meanwhile, is
just surprised to learn that cat-people exist. Teferi can’t help but correct Jace – the lack of
religious totems, style of clothing and weapon-craft in the image suggests this is likely an
Oreskos Leonin, from Theros.
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Vraska says that’s all well and good, but did Jace find out anything more useful from his
mind-meld, like how to actually defeat the killer? Because Gunge and likely none of them
will be safe until that abomination is put down. They can’t hide forever, and another frontal
attack like the last would be suicide. Frustrated by their inability to realize the obvious,
Teferi reminds them all that knowledge is power. If they can learn more about what their
nemesis wants and why, perhaps they can figure out how to defeat it. “As I told Gideon,”
Teferi mutters.
Hearing his friend’s name gets Jace’s attention. “Wait – when did you talk to Gideon?” Jace
demands. Teferi explains that Gideon approached him several years ago, with the hopes of
assembling a group of Planeswalkers to defeat an ancient evil. “He said he was trying to
track its movements. He must have discovered a way, since he was there for its attack on
Chandra.” It’s not clear that any of this sinks in with Jace besides the hurt of the realization:
“Gideon came to you for help?” Teferi says it didn’t do any good; he refused the offer. “But
why didn’t you tell us that before?!” Jace demands.
Kaya intercedes to get Jace back on track – so they’ll go to Theros and find out what they
can about the murdered Leonin. But when Kaya asks Chandra if she’s coming, the young
fire mage just shakes her head. It’s clear she’s not in a good mental state.
Vraska says she needs to return to the Undercity to assist and mourn her people. Which
leaves Teferi. “Well, old man? Gideon thought you were worth asking. You coming?” Jace asks.
“He can’t,” says Chandra, “he’s not a Planeswalker.” Vraska and Kaya give her a strange look.
But Jace laughs, “Is that what he told you? He’s a legendary Planeswalker. If he doesn’t want
to go somewhere, it’s not that he can’t. It’s that he can’t be bothered.”
“You lied to me?” Chandra asks, betrayal on her face. Teferi turns away from the accusation
and moves to his bookshelf. “I have research to do here.” With a dismissive breath, Jace
heads for the door, Kaya following.
Vraska kneels and tells Gunge she is returning to the Undercity, but she needs him to stay
here for her, because she has a special job for him. Spotting a Ravnican MOTH battering
against a window, she turns it to stone mid-air and catches it in her hand. She holds the
stonified bug out to Gunge. “Do you think you can keep this safe for me, no matter what?”
Queen Vraska asks seriously. Gunge looks at her wide-eyed and takes the stone, nodding
seriously. “Then go forth and serve your queen as Sir Gunge, Steward of the Stone,” she says
imperiously. Gunge stands straighter, cradling the rock moth carefully.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Chandra volunteers. But Vraska says no, Teferi will protect Gunge.
Chandra, still smarting from Teferi’s lie, snarkily asks how Vraska can be so sure. Teferi
doesn’t seem interested in helping anyone. Vraska corrects her, “There is no more legendary
guardian than Teferi, ‘Defender of Dominaria from the Phyrexian scourge’.” Kffnk nods – it’s
true. Trapped by their belief in him, Teferi reluctantly agrees to watch the child with the
promise Vraska will return soon.
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Vraska turns to Chandra and asks if she’s ready to go to the Undercity. Chandra looks
surprised – she has absolutely no desire to go back to the site of the bloodbath they barely
escaped. But Vraska isn’t taking no for an answer. “You need to mourn,” the gorgon says.
Vraska’s been watching Chandra and can tell she’s stuck in her grief. She saw Chandra
falter on the battlefield, and knows the monster turned her own mother against her. Unless
Chandra faces her emotions and makes peace with the inevitable cycle of life and death, she
will destroy herself. She can find release with the Golgari as they celebrate the passing of
their fallen into nourishment for new life. Chandra bridles at this – Vraska isn’t her queen,
she can’t tell Chandra what to do. Vraska raises an eyebrow and fixes Chandra with a look.
“Come as flesh or come as stone, your choice.” Chandra realizes Vraska isn’t joking, and
finally agrees to go.
As the last of the “company” leaves the clock tower, Teferi crosses his arms and stares at
Gunge. Gunge stares back. “Do you know what a book is?” Teferi asks.
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – GRASSLAND – DAY
Jace and Kaya planeswalk to Theros, appearing in their signature blazes of energy. But this
isn’t a populated area of the Hellenic-inspired plane. Instead, an expanse of trees and
grassland bracket a rocky river valley, with no buildings or inhabitants in sight.
TITLE CARD SUPERS: “THEROS”
“Looked more populated in the monster’s memory,” Jace comments. There’s nobody around
to mind-read or ask for directions. Kaya suggests they follow the river; most settlements
are near water. They walk in silence for a moment, until Kaya asks, “Are you okay? Really?
I’ve never seen you so shaken.” Jace deflects her concern with a joke – he’s been plenty
shaken before. And punched, and kicked. Nearly beheaded once… Kaya is annoyed by his
flippancy. “Nevermind.”
Kaya moves ahead, and they continue walking in silence. “It was the ugliest place I’ve ever
been in,” Jace says, quietly. Kaya stops, looks at him. Jace isn’t making eye-contact, but he’s
still talking. “ I see the bad in people everyday. Lies, cheating, secrets – all their sick thoughts
and perverse cravings. But this thing’s mind… It was worse. All the terrors in the Multiverse
are at its command.”
Kaya is taken aback, amazed by both the answer and Jace opening up to give it. But before
the moment can grow, a FEMALE LEONIN VILLAGER carrying a basket steps out from
behind a tree. She seems shocked to see them. Jace calls a greeting, but the villager drops
her basket, racing into the trees. Jace and Kaya follow, hoping she’ll lead them to the village.
The duo bursts through the trees to see the Leonin disappearing around the bend in a path.
Jace and Kaya race onto the path but don’t travel far before the ground beneath them
suddenly gives way. Both Planeswalkers pitch forward into a deep hole, its bottom bristling
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with sharpened wooden stakes. As they fall, Kaya snaps out a hand to grab Jace and
immediately phases them both into spirit form, ghosting through the deadly points.
“Apparently the locals aren’t big on visitors,” she pants.
They carefully make their way out of the pit, Kaya releasing Jace as they both become
corporeal again. “Good thing you’re here,” Jace says, “I wouldn’t have shrugged that off so
easily.” Kaya smirks, but Jace continues: “Why are you here?” It surprises Kaya, and she
covers, flustered. “Because… That monster has to be stopped. I gotta figure Gunge won’t be
the last kid it goes after. And because it thought it could **** with me.” None of those reasons
are a lie, but they’re also not the entire truth. If Jace knows, he doesn’t let on.
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – LIBRARY – SAME TIME
Teferi leads Gunge, still clutching his rock, down a flight of stairs into a large stone room.
Every wall is covered floor-to-ceiling in bookshelves, stuffed with volumes and scrolls. This
is the library of a man who’s had centuries to collect knowledge.
Teferi moves a chair far away from the walls and points to it. “You sit there.” Gunge does,
squirmily. Teferi selects a book from the shelf and carefully hands it to the young elf. It has
pictures of bugs in it, and Gunge brightens and babbles happily when he sees this. “Thought
that might be your genre,” Teferi says, with the hint of a smile. “Now, stay in your chair, be
quiet, and keep your hands to yourself.” The mage grabs a volume from the shelf and settles
into a seat at a reading desk, ready to begin his research… And a loud CRASH of cascading
books from behind him makes him wince. He turns to see Gunge has just tipped over a
shelf. The boy holds up his moth-rock and points accusatorily at it. Teferi sighs.
INT. RAVNICA UNDERCITY – DEVKARIN ENCLAVE – SAME TIME
Bodies of slain ELVES and KRAUL sprawl where they fell. Some are being prepared for
funerary rites, carried off by Golgari. The enemy dead are present, too; the nightmare
creatures unceremoniously piled in a heap of scorched flesh. Chandra looks around, eyes
avoiding the carnage. The enclave has been destroyed.
TITLE CARD SUPERS: “UNDERCITY OF RAVNICA”
Vraska and the remaining COUNCIL (NIXA, A DEVKARIN SHADOW ELF, ERSTWHILE
ZOMBIE, KRAUL GENERAL, and SPORE DRUID – all from 103) receive an update from a
wounded DEVKARIN SOLDIER, who reports the Kraul Captain is dead. The hellhound beast
escaped, wounded, but other soldiers are tracking its trail. Vraska thanks him for his
briefing, and orders him to set sentries at the boundaries of their territory. Their people
will memorialize the dead and see them to the next turn of the cycle. Once they have been
celebrated, the Golgari will pursue and destroy the enemy that threatened their people.
Nixa, the Lich councilwoman, is furious. It was clear the enemy attack was focused on a
single child. Had Vraska protected her people as her throne demands, and given up the one
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for the good of the many, all of this destruction could’ve been prevented. Vraska shuts Nixa
down with a level gaze, “if I had given up the one for the many, I wouldn’t be worthy of my
throne. All life becomes death. The Golgari do not fear their mortality. We protect our own.”
“And what of our own that died?” Nixa presses her point. “I will avenge them,” Vraska snarls.
Nixa is cowed, but it’s clear she doesn’t approve of Vraska’s leadership.
Vraska notices a spore elf dragging a burned nightmare creature body to the pile, and she
stops him. We see that the body he carries is PIA NALAAR (throat cut), or at least, the
nightmare version of Chandra’s mother. “Take this one to the Putrescence Pit.” Chandra has
to look away. Vraska gently tells her that she will have the chance to mourn and say her
goodbyes soon. “Though she is only a symbol, she will be given the honor due your real
mother.” “With putrescence?” Chandra asks, disgusted by all of it. “The Swarm does not dress
the natural way of things in pretty words for sensitive street dwellers,” Vraska says.
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – GRASSLAND – DAY
Jace carefully climbs down from a tree where he’s been scouting and motions for Kaya to be
quiet. He uses his illusion magic to “whisper” to her (AKA, his mouth doesn’t move, we hear
his voice in V.O.), “There’s a villager up ahead. I don’t think he saw me. If we get close enough,
I can read his mind for directions to their settlement. Might be safer than last time.” The two
Planeswalkers slowly move forward, when the blast of a loud horn shatters the silence.
“Sounds like he saw you,” Kaya observes. Jace races forward in time to see the MALE
LEONIN VILLAGER blow on a curved beast’s horn for a second time. Then loud, stampeding
footsteps rumble from the trees ahead. The villager backs away. Jace slides to a stop. Kaya
joins him, asking, “Did you get directions?” Jace nods, “Yep. RUN!”
At that, an enraged CHIMERA breaks from the trees, lion jaws agape, goat head bleating,
and serpent tail thrashing the air. With a flying leap it pounces toward Jace and Kaya, who
dive to either side at the last second. It snarls, deciding which prey to pursue first. Then
suddenly, ANOTHER slightly-bigger CHIMERA (same model!) steps from behind Jace and
Kaya, roaring a challenge. “Tell me that’s yours,” Kaya asks. Jace nods, “Can’t you tell by the
attitude?” The Jace-chimera charges to attack the other beast, which cedes ground and
whirls to retreat. Jace yells to Kaya to follow it, and the duo chases the REAL chimera
through the brush. Up ahead, the male Leonin villager gapes to see the creature headed his
way. He puts his horn to his lips to control the creature, but as he starts a note, he’s
knocked out of the way by the stampeding chimera. “And now, we have a local guide,” Jace
smiles, tapping his head.
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – VILLAGE – DAY
Jace and Kaya step from the trees into a large, columned courtyard. LEONIN stroll in the
space, which is bordered by small stone dwellings. A large building dominates the end of
the plaza, decorated with regal banners. Kaya approaches one of the Leonin, and asks if
she’ll stop and talk for a moment. The cat creature turns and hurries to shut herself in one
of the houses. Kaya tries again, stepping directly into the path of a male Leonin. Her
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presence is clearly unnerving. The Leonin does an about-face and runs to a building.
Noticing the intruders in their midst, it doesn’t take much time before the courtyard is
completely empty of villagers.
Kaya turns to Jace to see what he’s learned, but he hasn’t been able to get much from the
minds around them either, just the sense that they are very much unwelcome here, and
that the Queen will be furious at their intrusion. Which means she might talk to them.
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – QUEEN’S CHAMBERS – CONTINUOUS
Jace and Kaya enter the building to find QUEEN SHASA, a female Leonin in her sixties,
standing at a table discussing a scroll with two Leonin advisors. When she looks up to see
Jace and Kaya, she startles, then glares, turning her back on them to exit. “Your majesty?
We’ve come about a girl… Elakshi?” Jace tries. The Queen freezes. Her advisors share a look.
Slowly the Queen turns back, hearing that name from a Planeswalker’s tongue is an
indignity she cannot abide. One of their ilk killed Elakshi, our beloved princess. How dare
these interlopers tarnish her memory? “You abominations will get nothing from us.”
Jace shrugs, and reaches out with his mental powers. Then he staggers back as though
struck. Apparently the Queen has her own powers. “Null mage,” Jace whispers in surprise.
The Queen makes to leave, treating Jace and Kaya as if they are invisible.
Jace turns to Kaya – now what? Dealing with a null mage changes everything. Her natural
power to suppress other magic means that illusion and mind-reading are off the table. Not
to mention the Leonin refuse to speak to them, and they’re so outnumbered, force isn’t an
option. So how do they get the Queen to cough up the information they need?! Kaya lays the
situation out for Jace: “You want her to trust you? Show her you’re worthy of it.”
Jace considers this. There’s a beat, and then he calls to the exiting queen, “My friend was
murdered by the monster too.” The Queen pauses as Jace continues, “We’re hunting it to
avenge its victims.” The Queen asks slowly, “You know the Faceless One?” Jace tells her that
they already fought it once. But it was too strong. If they can learn more about the killer –
like what it did when it came for their princess – maybe Jace will gain the knowledge
needed to defeat it.
The Queen faces them, suspicious, but at least speaking. “A human in armor came asking
similar questions a few years ago. We spoke to him, and it seems nothing has changed.”
“ Gideon,” breathes Jace. He explains – that was his friend who was murdered. He must have
already been on the monster’s trail. He died protecting someone from the killer. The Queen
dips her head – she respects Jace’s loss. That one had a pure heart.
“For his memory, and to save others… Can you tell us what happened to your princess?” Jace
asks. The Queen shakes her head. Even after twenty years, the wound is still fresh. “If you
cannot speak it, will you show me?” Jace asks. The Queen hisses – allow a Planeswalker into
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her mind? Never. It seems they are at an impasse, until the Queen asks Jace, “Why do you
seek vengeance?” Jace tells the Queen, “I want to right a wrong and protect the—”
She cuts him off with an impatient wave of her hand. “Why do you seek vengeance? What
was this Gideon to you?”
An uncomfortable Jace looks to Kaya for help. “Tell her why it hurts,” Kaya says gently.
Slowly, Jace reaches in a pocket for the music box coin. He opens it, and its familiar song
begins to play.
INT. RAVNICA UNDERCITY – PUTRESCENCE PIT – SAME TIME
Members of all stripes of the Golgari Swarm are gathered around the rim of a massive
CENOTE, its swampy contents occasionally bubbling with sludge. Queen Vraska stands on a
rocky crest overlooking the pit, the council and Chandra at her side. She addresses her
gathered people. Today they will celebrate the fallen’s transition as they forward in the
inexorable journey of all. “ Rot leads to rebirth. The sorrow of passing is the apotheosis of joy,”
Vraska proclaims. She gives a signal.
Kraul fly overhead, holding the bodies of the dead. They drop their gristly cargo into the
murk below. The corpses slowly sink in the ooze, still visible. Chandra closes her eyes in
revulsion. Vraska moves toward her, dropping what looks like a handful of small SEED
PODS into her hand. “Here. Speak to the spores. Tell your mother what you hold in your heart,
then let them go to bear your sorrow.” Vraska says. Chandra turns on the Gorgon, and lashes
out with all her hurt and rage. “Like that will make a difference! The last thing I told my mom
was that I hated her. My magic put our family in danger every day. I’m the reason she’s dead.”
Vraska touches Chandra’s arm, and tells her fiercely: “If you did not love, then you would not
mourn. And if you loved, your mother knew it. Now you must honor that love. You must live
her memory. And you must celebrate her legacy.”
Chandra’s eyes well with angry tears. She balls her fists and shuts her eyes. Then she hurls
the spores into the cenote, toward Pia’s nightmare-mother carcass. Around her, other
Golgari do the same. When the spores hit the marsh, tendrils of fungus creep from the
darkness, wrapping around the bodies like tentacles. Chandra looks away in disgust.
“Attend,” Vraska hisses, turning Chandra back. The Swarm begins to SING, a funerary hymn
unlike any other – the scraping of vegetation, the thrum of insects, the rasp of dead throats,
and hum of live ones.
The bodies are slowly pulled under… And as they go, glowing, multicolored fungal
fragments break free and float upward, slowly drifting over the cenote like a galaxy of
fireflies. Chandra watches the eerie, oddly beautiful display. “Light from a life lived,” Vraska
tells her, “We must all grow from what has been given. Or we shame the sacrifice.” Chandra
stares at the glowing will-o’-the-wisps. And while she is clearly far from over her grief, we
see her take some comfort in the strange ceremony.
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INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – LIBRARY – SAME TIME
Teferi is slowly making his way through a pile of books and scrolls, pouring over one in
detail. He rubs his chin. Farther down the table, in his chair, Gunge imitates Teferi, reading
his own scroll and rubbing his chin. Teferi moves the scroll and reaches for another one.
Gunge runs to the pile and yanks out another one too… Causing an avalanche of the reading
material. At his wits’ end, Teferi TIME-BUBBLES the child. Then he pauses, looking at the
scroll that frozen Gunge is holding. On it, there’s a familiar image. A face with horns and no
eyes, with a spreading shadow above its brow. “That’s it!” Teferi crows.
Teferi unfreezes Gunge, telling the boy that he was an excellent research assistant. That
scroll is exactly what he’s been searching for! Gunge beams, and immediately sticks the
scroll in his mouth. Horrified, Teferi pounces on the boy and pulls the scroll free. “Not for
eating!”
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – QUEEN’S CHAMBERS – RESUME
Jace stares at the music box as he bares his soul to the Queen. “I owe Gideon vengeance. Our
friendship is stronger than his death; he knew he could depend on me to be there when he
needed me. And he needs me now.” Jace pauses, and when the realization hits, it hurts. He’s
talking to himself now, not the Queen. “But… I guess he didn’t know that. He didn’t come to
me for any of this,” Jace waves his hand at the throne room. “I would’ve done anything for
him. Why didn’t he know that?”
Kaya visibly hurts for Jace as she hears him realize his friendship with Gideon broke years
ago. But Queen Shasa moves to put a hand on Jace’s cheek. “You do not share your true self
often,” she observes. “This was difficult for you.” Jace nods. Shasa makes her decision, “I will
allow you to see what I know.” Kaya looks on as Jace reaches out to Shasa’s mind with his
power…
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – LEONIN VILLAGE – NIGHT – FLASHBACK (SHASA’S POV)
We are in a memory, viewing a time twenty years past, from a younger Shasa’s POINT OF
VIEW. Screams in the darkness, running footsteps. Dead Leonin warriors facedown on the
earth. Shasha yells for her daughter, Elakshi. Suddenly, a NIGHTMARE CREATURE leaps in
front of us, flesh scorched and more terrifying for it. We focus our intent on it, and the
creature winks out of existence, banished by our null magic. Near a pillar, Elakshi is
struggling to escape, held captive by two more of the horrific manifestations. Above the
young Leonin, ASHIOK looms, gliding forward and down toward her face, its maw open
hungrily.
We try to run to Elakshi, null magic eliminating nightmare creatures in our path, when
suddenly the HELLHOUND snarls and blocks our way, circling Ashiok and its victim. We
scream, helpless to stop the grotesque scene as Ashiok leans in and gives the young
princess its kiss of death, drawing forth a bright orange ball of energy from within Elakshi.
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The EMBER glows like a fragile, tiny star as it hovers between the two bodies… And then
Ashiok snaps its jaws over the spark. Elakshi collapses. We scream and run toward her. The
nightmare creatures vanish, and Ashiok and the Hellhound planeswalk away. We cradle
Elakshi’s dead husk, sobbing in the moonlight.
EXT. THEROS – ORESKOS – QUEEN’S CHAMBERS – RESUME
As Jace and Shasa snap out of the memory, a BLUE FILAMENT seems to spin free from
Shasa’s forehead into Jace’s eye, where it disappears. Kaya is surprised to see a TEAR
running down Jace’s face. Shasa is shaken but realizes in wonder that though she just
relived the worst night of her life, she feels… lighter somehow. As though a burden was
lifted. Kaya asks Jace if he’s all right. Jace wipes his face, caught off-guard by the experience.
“I’ve never felt anything like that,” Jace admits to Kaya. He experienced Shasa’s pain like it
was his own.
But personal revelations can wait. Shasa’s memory held an important clue. “The thing the
killer took from your daughter,” Jace tells Shasa, “I’ve seen them before, in the monster’s mind.
It was an Ember. Had Elakshi lived long enough, she would’ve been a Planeswalker.” “Like
Chandra,” Kaya realizes. They have to get back and tell the others what they’ve discovered.
EXT. RAVNICA UNDERCITY – ASHIOK’S TEMPLE – SAME TIME
The wounded Hellhound limps toward the worshipping CULTISTS. The EPARCH welcomes
it into their circle, calling for LEMNO, now a full-fledged cultist, to dress the beast’s wounds
with soothing salves and linen. As Lemno works to treat the Hellhound, the Eparch calls to
Ashiok’s followers: “Servant of the master. Hunter of the planes. By our hands are you
restored.” The Cultists chant a response in reverence, “Servant of the master. Hunter of the
planes. Seek the Ember for our lord!”
As Lemno backs away, the Hellhound shakes itself and unfurls its scent organ, searching
the air for a whiff of its prey. With a howl, it races off, once more on the hunt.
EXT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – SAME TIME
Chandra dismounts from a Kraul, who tells her, “Queen Vraska will return for the boy soon.”
Chandra nods and adds, “Tell her… Thanks.” She moves to knock at the door, but Teferi
opens it before she can touch it and hustles her inside – they have been waiting for her and
have much to discuss!
INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONTINUOUS
Jace catches Teferi and Chandra up on what he and Kaya learned with the Leonin. “ The
killer is hunting Embers .” But Chandra isn’t so sure. “ Then why did it go after Gunge and not
me? ” Teferi explains that once Chandra sparked and became a Planeswalker, she was no
longer an Ember, and thus no longer useful to their enemy.
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“What we are chasing is an ancient evil,” Teferi says, revealing the scroll he discovered in
the library. The trio peers at the parchment, easily recognizing the fearsome visage of the
killer. Teferi explains that this scroll was written by a Planeswalker centuries ago, and it
has made several things very clear. “The monster we seek is no mere Necro-mage. No mere
Planeswalker. It is a god .”
END OF EPISODE
MTG 104 – OUTLINE 6/5/20