The Enemy Within - Death on the Reik Part I

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WARHAMMER THE ENEMY WITHIN 4: DEATH ON THE REIK PART I Written by David Pilling Based on The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game's "Enemy Within" Campaign

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ii.

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EXT. TITLE SEQUENCE Blackness. MYRA (O.S.) (singing) In the dark Of the night Just wait for the light Light comes up on the statue of Sigmar Heldenhammer in the deserted Königplatz square in Altdorf and on its inscription “PRAISE BE TO SIGMAR, 1ST EMPEROR AND FOREVER GOD OF THE EMPIRE”. MYRA (CONT'D) Look to your God Your home and your hearth For your heart For your soul Apparently out of nowhere dark purple tentacles, azure blue on their underside, slither around the base of the statue and begin to wrap themselves around the lower legs of it. MYRA (CONT'D) For the Emperor Will provide Our bread and ale And Sigmar Will protect The tentacles, becoming thicker and more muscular, continue to writhe their way up the statue, encircling its chest and arms. MYRA (CONT'D) So whatever your wares Whatever your cares Eat, drink and be merry Because we all meet our Makers At the End of Times The tentacles tense and squeeze the statue. It shatters into a thousand pieces as the tentacles vanish into the aethyr. The warhammer falls and clatters to the ground. It should also splinter into bits but instead remains intact. It then blurs into an image of a golden warhammer and the titles appear in sequence. FADE TO:

2.

WARHAMMER FADE TO: THE ENEMY WITHIN FADE TO: 4: DEATH ON THE REIK PART I FADE TO: INT. WAREHOUSE 13 - NIGHT Lucia holds the dying Gideon aloft on her staff. LUCIA What have you done? Elsa, Max, Alfie, Myra, Dieter, Josef, Aloisa and Irma all look between Lucia and the octogram, which is now beginning to pulsate with blue and pink light which intensifies in its brightness and speed. GIDEON I have done nothing sweet witch. But the Changer of Ways... Teugen was a fool. All mortals are. He thought he could save himself but he was only needed to open the gate. Despite your interference it seems like it has worked... after a fashion. Gideon has been trying to take off his ring but it is stuck fast on his clawed hand. He seems puzzled by this. LUCIA Tell me. GIDEON Cut my ring off first. LUCIA Why? GIDEON So that I can return. LUCIA No. He tries again to take it off but it won’t come free.

3.

GIDEON (resignedly) Such is the will of Tzeentch. What of it anyway? My work is done. I have failed and will die a mortal’s death. But so will you. The gate leads to my master’s realm. It is I am afraid only partial. But you will still see its many minions if not its champions. A first test of strength before the end. And what an end it will... Myra decapitates Gideon with her sabre. LUCIA Myra?! MYRA Won’t killing him stop it? The stone floor of the octogram suddenly collapses. The blue and pink light now looks like the flames of a large fire which flicker to the level of the floor of the warehouse. LUCIA No. She drops her staff and Gideon’s body slides off it onto the floor. She prises Gideon’s ring off. His body remains on the floor. LUCIA (CONT'D) Odd. MYRA What’s odd? MAX I hate to interrupt but there’s something in the flames. Some of the light is coalescing into pink shapes. DIETER Alfie, go. Go now! ALFIE Go where? DIETER To the square. Raise the alarm!

4.

ALFIE But... I can fight you know... DIETER Do as I say. Alfie looks to Max who nods. MAX Go to the barge first and take Faustus. Run! ELSA Defend yourselves! Alfie races out of the warehouse. The rest form a semi-circle and stand to arms. Aloisa and Irma chant. ALOISA AND IRMA (repeatedly) Sigmar, we beseech you again. Protect us. A lone PINK HORROR OF TZEENTCH emerges from the gate. It is bright pink with a large blue tongue, just short of humansized with muscular bestial legs, four arms and tentacles sprouting from its head. Its head is in its chest, no more than a pair of eyes and a gaping sharp-toothed maw of a mouth. It looks around, screams gleefully and charges. Elsa’s blunderbuss belches black and red smoke as she fires at the Pink Horror. It knocks it off its stride as an arm and tentacle are blasted from its body. Aloisa and Irma complete their spell and the group (save for Lucia) are all swathed in pale, white auras. MAX Now! Max and Josef charge and expertly hack it to bits as it continues to scream and whine. It appears to be dead and they turn back to the group. MAX (CONT'D) Was that it do you think? MYRA No.

5.

The various hacked pieces of the Pink Horror re-form and then split into two BLUE HORRORS OF TZEENTCH, changing colour so that the two new forms are iridescent blue. They are about half the size of the original with only two arms apiece. Their screams and whines are more pitiful but still malevolent. They seem faster than the Pink Horror as they skirt round Max and Josef and leap towards Elsa and Dieter. Elsa is surprised by its speed and is knocked to the ground whilst Dieter fends off the other as Aloisa goes to help him. ELSA Damn it. Get it off!!! Myra races to Elsa as she wrestles with it. As soon as the Blue Horror sees Myra’s sabre it backs away. It doesn’t see Irma whose mace blow stuns it, causing it to stagger back towards Elsa and Myra. Enraged, Elsa steps forward and swings at it hard with her warhammer. That blow knocks it off its feet, sending it sprawling at Myra’s feet. It emits what might be a shriek of pain and rubs its head in an almost comical fashion before Myra drives her sabre deep into its mouth and head, burning its flesh. By this time Dieter and Aloisa have killed the other Blue Horror. The two bodies disappear into the aethyr. MAX Well, was that it then? Lucia looks somewhat disconsolate as she stares into the blue and pink flames. There are now several shapes coalescing. MAX (CONT'D) I’ll take that as a no then. LUCIA The first was just to test our strength. I have to destroy the gate. Lucia concentrates fiercely, intoning quickly and pointing her staff towards the gate. DIETER Quickly, if you can? The shapes take on the form of several Pink Horrors.

6.

Pale blue light spreads from Lucia’s staff to circle and encompass the gate. She looks heavenward, still intoning and strikes her staff hard onto the ground. She looks from the ground to the octogram. The pale blue light just dissipates into nothingness. LUCIA (sinking to her knees exhausted) It’s too powerful. I can’t dispel it. ELSA What now? There are nine Pink Horrors. Three of them advance towards the group. The other six go to the main door of the warehouse. Jabbering and shrieking they begin to lift the wooden bar across the door. ALOISA AND IRMA We kill them or die trying. Stay back. The others back off hesitantly. Aloisa and Irma advance towards the three Pink Horrors. ALOISA AND IRMA (CONT'D) By the fire of Sigmar’s soul begone! Pure white fire streaks from both of their bodies, arcing mainly into the three Pink Horrors coming towards them but also into the six at the gates. The three are riven apart but their bodies re-form into six Blue Horrors. The rest of the group, save for Lucia, charge into a melee with the Blue Horrors. The other six Pink Horrors are blasted away from the main gate but keep their form, go back to the door and manage to open it. They fling aside the wooden bar from the main door. It skids across the floor and comes to rest so that it lies over the edge of the flaming pit. The six Pink Horrors escape into the night howling with the excitement of seeking easier prey as the Blue Horrors keep the others occupied.

7.

Lucia sees that the wooden bar is not being consumed by the gate’s flames. She looks up at the cracked hammerbeam roof as more shapes begin to coalesce in the flames. EXT. GÖTTENPLATZ - NIGHT The Watch and the Ulricans have been forced back into the Temple of Ulric. Goertrin and Father Brandt stand on the battlements of the Temple flanked by Watchmen and three Knights of the White Wolf. In the middle of the square there is still a sizeable Mob, including a number of Flagellants, led by PROPHET OF DOOM SCHADE and Gurney and his Stevedores, several of whom are receiving attention for their wounds. Between them and the Temple the square is strewn with broken weapons and a dozen or so bodies from both sides. The dead include Erik Brandt and Watchman Lassendorf. PRIESTS OF MORR minister to the dead, whilst PRIESTESSES OF SHALLYA, led by Mother Rubenstein, minister to the wounded. They are being assisted by Elvyra Kleinestun and Doktor Heichtdorn, who are bickering over a wounded Flagellant. Goertrin raps his drill stick on the stone battlements. GOERTRIN Followers of Sigmar, people of Bögenhafen! Both sides have sated their righteousness in the other’s blood. The Mob appears confused as to what to do, but most of them listen. GOERTRIN (CONT'D) The Church of Sigmar has lost its High Priest. The Church of Ulric the High Priest’s son. Enough is enough. This must end. There are a few nods and murmurs of agreement from the square and the battlements. GOERTRIN (CONT'D) But we are a town founded on laws. I already have suspects in custody awaiting trial.

8.

There is disquiet in the square again. FLAGELLANT LEADER (shouting to Goertrin) Who? All the Ulricans are here? GOERTRIN (oblivious) There are leaders and there are sheep. To the sheep I say, go home and repent. But, before you do, you must give up your leaders. The townsfolk of Bögenhafen will bring forward three of your number, the flagellants of Sigmar will give up Prophet of Doom Schade and the stevedores will give up Gurney Dumkopf. There are hurried, whispered conversations amongst the Mob. PROPHET SCHADE A true follower of Sigmar will do no such thing. GURNEY And anyone who tries to take me will feel my club first. The whispers rapidly die away as their followers circle them protectively. PROPHET SCHADE It is you who must give way Goertrin. A protector of heretics is a heretic himself and I, in the name of Sigmar himself, denounce you Watch Captain Goertrin as a heretic. Give yourselves up to the one true God of the Empire in this life so you may find rest in the next. FATHER BRANDT You lie Schade. We answer to Ulric and you will taste his bite before this night is through! Open the gates. The two sides shout and holler in support of their leaders. The priests, priestesses, Elvyra and Doktor Heichtdorn begin to flee as the gates to the Temple of Ulric open.

9.

Then, the clattering of horse hooves as Alfie gallops into the square between the two sides hanging onto Faustus’s mane for dear life. STEVEDORE THUG It’s Max... no, it’s mini-Max! Alfie manages to bring Faustus to a skittering stop between the two sides. Goertrin, Father Brandt and the Ulricans are now in front of the gate to the Temple of Ulric. GOERTIN You... you were under arrest! Men, arrest him! GURNEY The hell you will Goertrin. Alfie looks around desperately. ALFIE I speak in the name of Maximillian von Kreigler, people’s Knight Champion of the Schaffenfest. There is evil abroad tonight. The gates of Chaos themselves have been opened. Teugen’s cousin, Gideon, was a Daemon in disguise. Now daemons are walking the streets. You’ll all die unless you unite and fight together. There is a mix of laughter and fear. GOERTRIN Utter rot! Where are the rest of your band of criminals? ALFIE Look at the Chaos moon. Doom is upon us! The now bright green Chaos moon appears to be smiling gleefully. GOERTRIN Conjurer’s tricks and insanity. All of it. Alfie can see beyond the Mob back in the direction he came in. Pink Horrors are emerging into the square, screaming their high-pitched whines. Seeing the crowds they pause.

10.

ALFIE Then what are they then? PROPHET SCHADE Chaos is here. At last! Flagellants, now is the time of our doom! Charge!!! The Pink Horrors counter-charge. FATHER BRANDT (to Goertrin) The halfling is right Goertrin. GOERTRIN Very well. I... er... announce an amnesty. Men, form up and advance! Goertrin and his Watch advance as Father Brandt, his remaining Knights and the other Ulricans charge led by hastily summoned spectral white wolves. A Pink Horror is slain and splits into two Blue Horrors, one of which makes for Elvyra. Alfie draws his shortsword and manages to spur Faustus in its general direction. ALFIE Elvyra!!!! INT. WAREHOUSE 13 - NIGHT Several more Pink Horrors emerge from the pit and make straight for the main gates and into the town as the remaining Blue Horrors are despatched and disappear into the aethyr. The wooden bar from the main gate still straddles the pit. LUCIA Get out! All of you, get out! MAX Why? LUCIA If I can’t dispel the gate I may be able to block it. DIETER How?

11.

LUCIA The roof. Now get out all of you. Before more daemons come. All of them run back past the crates and the dead mutant Guards to the door onto the street. More Pink Horrors begin to emerge from the pit. Lucia intones rapidly but calmly, eyes fixed on the roof. The Pink Horrors sense a new danger. Rather than hurry out of the main gate they advance on Lucia as a tight group. Elsa blasts them with her blunderbuss, Myra fires both pistols and Irma and Aloisa send more white fire into the host of Horrors. Two of them split into Blue Horrors. MYRA Quickly! ELSA Use your sabre. MYRA Maybe I should get rid of this thing. Very well (to the Horrors) Fear the Daemon Slayer!!! Myra stands immediately in front of Lucia as the Horrors advance. They pause and split up to try and outflank her shrieking ever louder. Lucia holds her staff aloft and lightning arcs into and across the roof, blasting shards of wood in all directions. DIETER Has it worked? The main beams creak but don’t appear to give. LUCIA I don’t know. More Horrors emerge from the pit. Just as the advancing Horrors are nearly upon them one of the main beams splinters all along its length and begins to fall. They all look upward hopefully as even the Horrors pause in fear.

12.

The splintered beam has a domino effect across the roof as it all begins to splinter and disintegrate which in turn causes the stone walls to begin to collapse in on themselves. LUCIA (CONT'D) Run! Run for your lives!!! They flee out of the door and into the street as the whole warehouse slowly collapses in on itself trapping and killing the remaining Horrors. As the dust and debris settles there is no obvious sight of the pink and blue flamed pit under the rubble. MYRA You did it!!! Myra embraces Lucia passionately. DIETER Is anyone hurt? They shake their heads. MYRA How? LUCIA Once it was opened it’s a one-way gate. The wooden bar from the gate wasn’t consumed. That’s why I thought... if the roof came down. MAX Then it’s over? LUCIA It’s not closed. Only blocked. ELSA Can they unblock it? LUCIA I don’t know. I doubt those things could. But if they can come through then so might spells, or worse, to blast it clear. She lights her staff and clambers onto the rubble towards where the pit was. DIETER We need to send for help.

13.

LUCIA I’m sure if I had enough time I could dispel it myself. She peers through the rubble. LUCIA (CONT'D) I can see it. It’s still there. Now, if I could just... ELSA I’m with Dieter. ALOISA AND IRMA We agree. Do whatever it takes to wipe out this abomination for good. LUCIA (still reluctantly) Very well. The light on her staff goes out. She intones and looks heavenward. A small cluster of lights forms at the end of her staff which shoot heavenward. The lights disappear only to reappear in the sky as if a small constellation had come into being. LUCIA (CONT'D) It’s done. But it’ll take days for help to come from the College in Altdorf. MYRA What was the message? LUCIA “Chaos Gate open”. The place I put the message in the heavens gives our location. But it’s a sign of failure. We’ve failed here. I’ve failed here. MAX We can discuss that later. Now be on your guard. There’s still dozens that escaped already. And if I were them I’d come back here and try and clear the pit. We’ve seen they’re cunning already. And where’s Alfie? They wearily take up arms and peer into the darkness.

14.

INT. MAGISTER PATRIARCH JULEVNO’S STUDY, ALTDORF - NIGHT Julevno stands by his polished telescope in front of a group of four youthful-looking CANTORS. JULEVNO Now, what do you see in the third quadrant? CANTOR #1 There’s a new star Magister Patriarch. CANTOR #2 I disagree. There are three new stars. CANTOR #3 I agree. There are three. But how? JULEVNO I suggest that you tell me. Perhaps you? CANTOR #4 It’s just as the others said Magister Patriarch. New stars. But that is so rare. JULEVNO If only I had more time to train you myself. But alas, this is your only lesson with me. So learn this. Astromancy is difficult. Why? Because you can be so easily deceived. You wish to believe the amazing and the improbable. You have not even considered that your eyes and your minds are being lied to. May I introduce a friend from the Lore of Shadows? A grey, hooded figure steps forward from a darkened corner of the room. JULEVNO (CONT'D) Shadowmancer Reiner Starke, Magister Patriarch of the Order of Shadows. REINER STARKE walks over to join Julevno.

15.

STARKE Now, if you’d like to take a few paces to one side. The Cantors shuffle a few steps. JULEVNO Now look at your three new stars again. CANTOR #1 They’ve moved in the sky. But how can that be? JULEVNO No, no, no. The sky has not moved, your three stars have not moved, only you have moved. Magister Patriarch? STARKE A simple illusion my friends. Of three new stars impregnated onto that pane of glass. With a wave of his hand the three “stars” disappear. JULEVNO Now, how could we have realised this? CANTOR #2 Our second sight? CANTOR #3 Magical sense? CANTOR #4 Dispelling any magic in the room? JULEVNO In that you are all correct. Any or all of them would have made you alive to the illusion. Now... CANTOR #1 Magister Patriarchs? Begging your pardon? Julevno and Starke eye one another wearily. STARKE Yes?

16.

CANTOR #1 There are new stars. In the first quadrant. JULEVNO (without looking) Don’t be so ridiculous. Now, unless, Magister Patriarch Starke is being particularly mischievous tonight, I really don’t think... The Cantors shuffle a few more steps to be sure. CANTOR #4 She’s right. There’s definitely something there. They’re sort of flashing. Julevno and Starke now do look. Julevno, with surprising speed, dashes over to his telescope and focuses on the new flashing stars. STARKE That’s one of your College’s signs isn’t it? JULEVNO It is. I just need to fix the precise location... that’s it. Bögenhafen. Julevno turns from the telescope, ashen-faced but determined. JULEVNO (CONT'D) Something most serious has occurred. There’s no time to lose. All of you, follow me. I’ll need your help as well Reiner. STARKE What is it? JULEVNO I’ll explain on the way. EXT. WAREHOUSE 13 - DAWN Lucia stands on the mound of rubble transfixed on the buried gate with Irma and Aloisa acting as her guards. Max sits with Alfie who is having a cut on his face tended to by Elvyra. Faustus looks around forlornly for grass to eat as Josef takes over a bucket of water.

17.

The Watch are now posted as guards around the perimeter of the ruined warehouse but most are standing to attention as if on a parade ground as Goertrin marshals and inspects them, drill stick tucked firmly under his arm. The Flagellants and some INITIATES OF SIGMAR are at one side of the rubble and Father Brandt, the Knights of the White Wolf and other Ulricans are on the other. The two groups still eye one another suspiciously. MAX How is my squire? He’s not... you know infected is he? ELVYRA No, it was just a scratch. I’ve cleaned it and... ALFIE (miming his actions) A deep scratch I’ll have you know! That thing almost got me while I was rescuing Elvyra, but I ducked the worst of it and then thwunck! Straight through its brains... well if they have brains where they would be. ELVYRA He’s safe from any physical infection. But as for the other effects of all of this... ALFIE (with genuine affection) I know you’re very good but there will still be a scar won’t there? A proper battle scar? ELVYRA I can sew it roughly if you like. Or you can have close stitches. They’ll hurt more. ALFIE (thinking) Really? Close stitches it is then. I can take it. ELVYRA As I was saying it’s the other scars I worry about.

18.

Elsa, Myra and Dieter emerge from a side street. Lucia sees them and comes across as they join the rest of the group. Dieter carries a small chest. LUCIA What did you find? MYRA Enough to prove our innocence. I swear that Watch Captain still wants our heads. ELSA We went back to Steinhäger’s offices first and took the originals of what we already had. There wasn’t anything else. MYRA Well, except the gold of course. Don’t worry. I paid off his servant. LUCIA Myra?! MYRA Like Bögenhafen is going to pay us? Goertrin, the churches and the merchants will take all the credit for ridding the town of the daemons and we’ll be lucky to get a pat on the back. I wouldn’t be surprised if they give themselves another statue. MAX What about Teugen’s house? DIETER (opening the chest) Teugen knew his house was secure so he appears to have kept a good deal of his correspondence. It’s all in here. LUCIA What about Gideon? ELSA He... or it was more careful. There was nothing.

19.

DIETER Teugen summoned Gideon when he was in Nuln. Like most would be daemonologists he didn’t realise what he had unleashed. Daemons are normally dependent on the sorcerer that summoned them and are all unstable in this world but Teugen was foolish enough to give Gideon the ring that you took from its body. LUCIA I’ve been thinking about that. It could use all of its daemonic powers but tethered it here. That’s why its body didn’t dissipate when it was killed. DIETER Teugen then sold his soul in a ritual for more power. But the seven years he was granted were coming to an end. Gideon convinced him tonight’s ritual would extend his time. LUCIA But as we know, he was deceived. DIETER Exactly. LUCIA And what of this Etelka Herzen and the cult of the Red Crown? DIETER We’ve not been through everything. But as I understand it, the Red Crown was active several years ago. It was thought it had been destroyed. But then, just before I met you all, I found a boy with its mark in Delberz. MAX What? Another tattoo? DIETER No, cruder than that. A branding. But it is another cult of Tzeentch. (MORE)

20.

DIETER (CONT'D) Then they appeared to be trying to unite peasants with mutants and beastmen to create some kind of army under the guise of throwing off the yoke of feudal oppression. MYRA Not a bad aim in principle then? The rest look disapproving. MYRA (CONT'D) I’m not saying the aims justify the means. ALFIE Beastmen? Like the one you killed in the square in Eldenhof? DIETER Yes. But what they are doing now who knows? LUCIA And whether it is linked in some way to the Purple Hand? DIETER Exactly. That’s why we need to track down this Etelka Herzen. It’s the only lead we have. A little way off Faustus rears as Josef struggles to keep control of him. ALFIE Did you feel that? MAX Feel what? ALFIE (putting his hands on the ground) A tremor. I felt a tremor. MAX You’ve just got the shakes. It can happen after combat. So I’ve heard. Lucia also presses her hand to the ground. LUCIA He’s right!

21.

She rushes back towards the top of the pile of rubble, peering through it. LUCIA (CONT'D) (trying to keep her footing) Something is trying to move it out of the way. ELSA What do we do? By now the attention of everyone is on the pile of rubble. Lucia steps away from it. LUCIA I... I don’t know. DIETER (pointing low in the sky) And what are they? Shielding their eyes, they all peer towards the rising sun. ELSA (taking up her blunderbuss) More creatures of Chaos? Well, if so... MAX Griffons. They’re Griffons. ALFIE What, real Griffons? Like the ones from Altdorf Zoo? With incredible speed two Griffons, with the forequarters and wings of an eagle, the hindquarters of a giant cat and the size of an elephant, swoop down and land on the quayside. They are ridden by heavily armoured GRIFFON KNIGHTS. Julevno and two Cantors jump off the back of one Griffon and Starke and the other two Cantors from the other. LUCIA (racing over to Julevno) Magister Patriarch! You came. A gate opened. I managed to smother it but I think... Julevno brushes past her.

22.

JULEVNO I can see for myself Magister Bellengard. Cantors, spread out around the gate. You too Lucia. On my signal, you will all channel your energy to me. But first, we need to disguise our presence. The tremors are more obvious now. Roof tiles begin to fall from the neighbouring warehouses and the rubble over the gate begins to roll off it. Starke begins to intone. As soon as he does a swirling deep, black fog flows from his long ebony staff. STARKE Shadow and darkness protect us. It spreads low, blocking the pale sunlight as it covers the area of the ruined warehouse. The end of Julevno’s staff glows a pale blue. JULEVNO Now. Lucia and the four Cantors stare directly at Julevno, their arms and staffs outstretched as they silently chant. Lightning begins to arc between them and then directly to Julevno, who appears to absorb it all, his entire body becoming a crackling, arcing ball of elemental energy. The gate is fully exposed again, the pink and blue flames visible as they begin to flicker above the black miasma. Julevno then releases all of the pent-up energy at the gate with one hand as Lucia and the Cantors continue to arc their energy to him as he maintains his balance by leaning on his staff with his other hand. The neighbouring warehouses collapse in on themselves as the blue lightning hits the flames causing sparks and arcs of light to fly in all directions. For a moment it appears as though the flames will win out as they shoot straight upwards a hundred feet into the sky, as all but Lucia, the Cantors, Starke and Julevno are thrown off their feet. JULEVNO (CONT'D) (to himself) Not today.

23.

Just as the flames reach their full height, Julevno directs a conjured comet of energy down out of the sky onto them, directing its path with his staff. The flames and the comet meet. For another moment the flames seem to resist the comet, as if they are balancing a ball. Julevno drives the end of his staff into the ground and the comet drives downwards and both it and the flames disappear as if being sucked into the earth as Lucia, the Cantors, Starke and even Julevno are thrown forwards towards where the gate once was, which is now no more than a charred, blackened, shallow bowl. All is then quiet. The black fog dissipates. The pale sun shines again as the Griffons cry. Slowly, almost everyone gets to their feet, dusting themselves down. Three of the four Cantors do not. As they try to raise themselves up, small sparks of lightning flicker across their bodies before dying away and they slump back to the ground, dead themselves. INT. THE CAT AND FIDDLE, ALTDORF - MORNING The back room of the inn is deserted except for three figures. KARL-HEINZ WASMEIER, a Law Lord of Middenheim and a Chaos Sorcerer of the Purple Hand sits at a table. He has cast a spell of illusion on his face which is a swirling eddy of human, Dwarf, Elf and Halfling faces of both sexes. Before him stand ETELKA HERZEN, a Chaos Sorcereress, pale and in her early thirties and Ernst Heidelmann who is her apprentice. WASMEIER The Magister Imperialis sends his apologies. His absence does not diminish the importance of your task. HERZEN It is approved then? WASMEIER It is. I too have heard the stories of the meteorite and what it brought to this world. Warpstone from the Chaos Moon would be most valuable. (MORE)

24.

WASMEIER (CONT'D) Are you sure that the information of its location is accurate? HERZEN The description the Greenskins give cannot but be its crater. WASMEIER Do they know of its potential significance? HERZEN No, they’re Greenskins after all. But they ward off unwanted visitors. WASMEIER I’m sure that’s right. But they are not to be trusted with this and, besides, there are other perils in the Barren Hills Frau Herzen. HERZEN Herr Heidelmann is an accomplished apprentice. HEIDELMANN I am able Magister Magistri. WASMEIER Nevertheless, you will no longer be able to communicate using the skies. They are being watched and we fear our code may one day be deciphered. Our master has decided that you will be accompanied. HERZEN There are other Red Crown cultists besides those in Bögenhafen? WASMEIER No. But yours is not the only cult under the Magister Imperialis’s control. Come. Three men and three women enter. They are PURPLE HAND CULTISTS dressed as Initiates of Sigmar. Panicking, Heidelmann draws a sword whilst Herzen simply looks bemused. HEIDELMANN You bring Initiates of Sigmar here?

25.

WASMEIER You fool. They are cultists of the Purple Hand. The Purple Hand has cells in several places along your journey. They will aid and protect you. You will also be disguised for your journey. You will pose as their physician, a disguise you have used before I understand. HERZEN And I? WASMEIER You will be their zealot priest. They have what you need. You are on a pilgrimage to the World’s Edge Mountains seeking to trace the path of Sigmar’s last journey. Whilst you will proceed with haste, should you find the opportunity to stir animosity with the followers of Ulric then you will do so. HERZEN Why? WASMEIER It is part of a wider plan which need not concern you. Any discord you can create will form part of it. Now, as soon as you gather the rest of your belongings you will depart. We will have no further contact as I must now depart myself for Middenheim to carry out my orders. He stands. HERZEN What of Johannes? WASMEIER Johannes? HERZEN Teugen? WASMEIER Oh, him. I don’t know his fate yet. But rest assured Bögenhafen was just a sideshow to what is planned. To the Changing of Ways.

26.

HERZEN/HEIDELMANN/CULTISTS To the Changing of Ways! EXT. WAREHOUSE 13 - DAY Elvyra and Alfie are talking to one side as Elsa speaks with Aloisa and Irma. Max, Myra, Lucia and Dieter stand in the charred bowl where the Chaos gate was with Julevno and Starke as the Griffon Knights and the remaining Cantors secure the bodies of their companions to the Griffons. JULEVNO Where is the body of this Daemon? LUCIA Buried in the rubble. JULEVNO And you’re absolutely sure about that. Its body didn’t dissipate after it was killed? LUCIA No, that’s what I could not understand Magister Patriarch. STARKE Then we need to recover it. Where did it fall? LUCIA (pointing a little way off) Just there. Starke steps over the rubble to the spot, intoning casually. His eyes turn pure jet black and he peers down into the rubble. STARKE Its body is there and its head is just over there. (shouting) Knights, Cantors, clear this rubble away. (to Max, Dieter and Myra) You three as well. Myra baulks at this whilst Dieter and Max obediently join the Knights and Cantors as they start their work.

27.

Starke walks back to Lucia and Julevno as his eyes return to normal. CUT TO: ELVYRA You will come see me in Weissbruck on your way back to Altdorf won’t you? ALFIE Of course. ELVYRA I am thankful for you saving me from that thing you know. ALFIE All in a day’s work as they say. ELVYRA “They say”? You should think more about yourself. We weren’t made for all this sort of thing. ALFIE Look, I’ll come see you. Okay? ELVYRA Okay. I have to go. There’s a barge leaving this morning and the rest of Schaffenfest is packing up early too. She hesitates for a moment and then gives him a peck on the cheek before hurrying off embarrassed. Alfie is shocked and pleased. He wipes his cheek ruefully, thinks about going after her, but then looks back at the rest of the scene. CUT TO: JULEVNO And you say that it could take some human forms for as long as it wanted to? LUCIA I think it could only do so for any length of time if it had already killed the person whose form it took. But it was a spellcaster and could assume any form for the duration of its spell. (MORE)

28.

LUCIA (CONT'D) It appeared in the form of the Watch Captain to infect Magistrate Richter. JULEVNO Those are qualities, if that is what such could properly be called, which have been seen before. But its body remained. That I cannot understand. Myra has been listening in as she pretends to scavenge in the rubble. MYRA Was it anything to do with... Lucia shoots Myra a warning glance. Myra looks quizzical for the briefest of moments. MYRA (CONT'D) Probably not. What would I know? I’m Myra, just a humble entertainer who... STARKE Has a most interesting magical sabre. May I? Myra looks at Lucia, then reluctantly unsheathes it and hands it to Starke. LUCIA I’ve examined it and seen it used. It does appear to have power to inflict particularly severe damage to both creatures of Chaos and to daemons in particular. Starke passes it gingerly to Julevno who handles it equally carefully. CUT TO: ELSA What will you do now? ALOISA Stay. Sigmar lost many good people last night. They will be hard to replace and the town will need Sigmar’s faith in the weeks ahead.

29.

IRMA There are many Dwarven followers of Sigmar in the Empire. I know you are devoted to your Slayer Oath, but we’ve seen how you wield that hammer of yours. ALOISA And it is Sigmar’s weapon after all. ELSA I... IRMA There’s plenty of trolls and other monsters in the Grey Mountains. When we’ve done what we can here that’s where we’re going. ALOISA To join the armies of the Empire as part of Sigmar’s vanguard. ELSA That’s very kind. But my place is with my friends thank you. IRMA Well, we tried... ALOISA But we are better at serving Sigmar with our deeds not our words. ALOISA AND IRMA Sigmar’s blessing be upon you. They begin to leave. CUT TO: JULEVNO Its magic is old but undoubtedly powerful. In the background the searchers uncover the body and decapitated head of Gideon. One of the Griffon Knights hurries over. Starke takes the sabre back from Julevno.

30.

STARKE The sabre is Elven and so is its original magic. It has then been imbued with magic of my own lore. Finally, and more recently, there’s a faint aura caused by it being in the presence of dark magic but it does not seem to have been directly affected by it at least. Its own magic gives it both material sharpness and shadow which disrupts the dark magic binding and protecting creatures of other worlds. If I’m right it will be equally effective against the Undead as it is against Daemons. JULEVNO How does a humble entertainer come into its possession I wonder? GRIFFON KNIGHT We’ve uncovered its remains Magister Patriarchs. Julevno returns the sabre to Myra. JULEVNO A question for another time. They hasten over. Starke and Julevno examine the remains carefully. JULEVNO (CONT'D) Have you seen its likeness before? STARKE No. JULEVNO Nor me. STARKE Given the powers you say it possessed we can only hope that it was a curiosity of Tzeentch rather than a new form of a common daemon like the Horrors of Tzeentch which came through the gate. JULEVNO As had it had been perhaps more like it would have emerged.

31.

STARKE We will need to examine it further. JULEVNO I agree. Take it away. STARKE We have done all we can here I feel. And don’t you have a duel to fight two days’ time? LUCIA A duel? You mean the duel for Supreme Patriarch? JULEVNO I’m afraid so. So I must rest. But only after mourning the deaths of my Cantors. STARKE The Emperor will also need to be informed personally. JULEVNO That I shall leave to you Reiner. You and I did the duty which the Emperor expects but you and your friends saved us from the worst of it Lucia. What will you do now? LUCIA Rest. And then I will make my way to Middenheim to seek out Karina Brecht as you instructed me to do. JULEVNO Good...good. I wish you the best. LUCIA You too Magister Patriarch. They begin to leave. STARKE And Myra, I should take your sabre as it has been partly fashioned by one of my College in the past. However, as the Emperor is unlikely to reward you for the service that you and your friends have given, I will permit you to keep it.

32.

MYRA Well frankly I should... Lucia kicks her. MYRA (CONT'D) That’s very kind. STARKE I shall be most interested to find out more about its history though. I will have one of my apprentices search our archives. Good day to you all. Starke, Julevno, the Cantors and Knights march off as a group and mount the Griffons. Elsa and Alfie make their way over to join Max, Myra, Lucia and Dieter. ELSA What did we miss? MYRA I was here and I don’t know. DIETER But you were talking to them. ALFIE Tell us! MYRA (to Lucia) Why didn’t you tell them about the daemon’s ring? That’s why its body was still here isn’t it? LUCIA I...I don’t know why. ALFIE What’s wrong? LUCIA Something about how quickly they came. I didn’t expect it. A feeling that’s all. ELSA But you sent the message for them to come?

33.

MAX And they closed the gate didn’t they? LUCIA Yes...but... DIETER They do say the Lore of Shadows is the most mysterious of the Colleges. MYRA That Magister or whatever they’re called let me keep my sabre. And he said it wasn’t evil. LUCIA But it had come from a dark place. I just have a foreboding that there are darker times to come. And we can’t stop it. INT. CASTLE WITTGENSTEIN - NIGHT In a catacomb under the castle sits a lead-lined casket. It is old and decayed. Through rusted holes in its sides a large chunk of roughly hewn, dimly green glowing stone is seen. A spiral staircase leads up many levels to a great hall. Four SERVANTS wait by one of the entrances to the hall, holding plates of food with ancient sliver cloches over them. They wear the same black livery which is dirty and frayed. The livery displays the Wittgenstein coat of arms of a prominent skull, an iron crucifix and a bird trapped in a cage. The SERVANTS are all mutated in different ways. The first is an unusually tall woman in her fifties with a long pencil thin neck. The second is a man in his forties with a fleshy beak for a nose. The third, a man who could otherwise be the second’s twin, has three arms and is picking one of many warty scabs using his free arm.

34.

The fourth is a child-like girl with three eyes and a lizardlike tongue which she uses to flick her tousled and already grey hair back into place. BARONETTE INGRID (O.S.) (sternly) Come. An ancient liveried valet, SLURD, hastens over to the four Servants as best he can and beckons them to enter the hall with a hand that became a single talon many years before. SLURD Be quick about it now. As the Servants enter the hall two MUSICIANS play a slow lament. They are above and behind the Servants on an upstairs gallery. One plays an ancient lyre despite his obvious blindness. The second plays an equally ancient harp with her elongated arms, fingers and nails. Faded tapestries depicting ancient battles hang from the walls. Family portraits of wizened relatives dot the walls with nameplates below them. Amongst them are portraits of Dagmar von Wittgenstein, who combines the look of an ancient noble with that of a mad scientist, and an obviously more recent portrait of Gotthard von Wittgenstein, who is blonde and blue-eyed with cruel, angular features and a sharp nose. A fire splutters fitfully in a huge fireplace. Immediately above the fireplace are two brackets which look like they once held a sword in place. There are four figures sat at a huge oblong mahogany dining table. At its head is BARONETTE INGRID VON WITTGENSTEIN. She is very old, with pasty white skin and frail grey hair, but her eyes are clear and sharp. Sat opposite each other along the length of the table are Baronette Ingrid’s children, LADY MAGRITTE VON WITTGENSTEIN and KURT VON WITTGENSTEIN. Lady Magritte is young and beautiful, but her skin already has a cadaverous appearance not wholly concealed by her extensive make-up. Kurt is in his thirties and he resembles the portrait of Gotthard a little, but he is shabbily dressed and quite mad. His two sets of arms appear to work independently of one another.

35.

The hands of his first pair are clasped behind his head as if relaxing whilst his fingers of his other two arms pensively and rapidly drum on the table. At the other end of the table sits Baronette Ingrid’s husband, LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN. He incongruously continues to sport scholarly spectacles and is well-dressed albeit his ruff is old-fashioned and stained, despite the fact that his body and head have mutated so that he now resembles a humansized cockroach. The Servants place the dishes in front of the four members of the Wittgenstein family. Lady Ingrid rises from her seat and raises a glass by way of a toast. The other three do likewise. The music stops abruptly. BARONETTE INGRID To Gotthard, traitor to the name Wittgenstein, but nevertheless our son and your brother. THE OTHERS To Gotthard. BARONETTE INGRID May he one day return to us. THE OTHERS May he one day return to us. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN (taking off his spectacles and wiping away what might be a tear) And if could see his way to returning my sabre that would be very much appreciated too. THE OTHERS The Wittgenstein sabre. BARONETTE INGRID Indeed. Now, let us feast in his memory as we commemorate the two years since his lamented departure. She and the rest of the family sit. She nods to the Servants who remove the cloches. Save for Ludwig, who has an unnaturally sized black beetle on his plate, they reveal meals of large bloody steaks.

36.

BARONETTE INGRID (CONT'D) Is it to your taste my husband? LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN (devouring it ravenously) The chef has excelled itself again. The hint of truffle is delightful. LADY MAGRITTE I hope the sizing is also to your liking father? If not, I can always... Her fingers crackle with black and dark blue electricity. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN You are so talented Magritte. Dagmar would be so proud of you. KURT VON WITTGENSTEIN And what of me father? LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN Not all of us have the gift my son. And I do regret that no gift can return us to our natural forms. But such is the curse and the blessing of warpstone I suppose. KURT VON WITTGENSTEIN (he rests his chin on two of his hands as if contented whilst his other arms throw themselves up in despair) I’m perfectly happy as I am. I still have a ready supply of villagers for my own experiments. But I don’t see why we are celebrating that turncoat Gotthard at all. LADY MAGRITTE Then it may surprise you to know that I received a letter from him just yesterday. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN How marvellous! What does he say? LADY MAGRITTE (taking out the letter) I won’t bore you with the details, he was always rather... (MORE)

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LADY MAGRITTE (CONT'D) full of himself, but let’s see. Blah, blah, blah, “sorry not written for the best part of a year but things have only finally quietened down after the tragic death of the Graf’s daughter...such an exquisite tragedy... the parties have started again... Slaanesh is really the most fun of the four Ruinous Powers... making more money than you could shake a tentacle at and as such you really wouldn’t believe my luck”. Well, I would. Anyway, “of all things, I have been made Convenor of the Komission for Commerce, Trade and Taxation”. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN Bravo Gotthard! I always thought he had an eye for figures. (standing) To Convening and Gotthard! THE OTHERS To Convening and Gotthard. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN I don’t suppose there’s any mention of my sabre? LADY MAGRITTE No. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN Pity. Oh well. Musicians, play on. Something a little more celebratory I feel. The musicians look at each other bemused for a moment and then begin to play a jaunty ballad. LUDWIG VON WITTGENSTEIN (CONT'D) (clapping along using the now empty halves of the beetle’s carapace) There once was a nun from Nuln, whose poverty made her fume, so she importuned the other side, and grew the most lovely plume.

38.

EXT. WAREHOUSE 13 - DAY A small stage has been erected over the remains of the Chaos gate. Much of the rubble has been cleared away and bunting hangs between the remains of the neighbouring warehouses. On the stage are the remains of the Town Council. Amongst them in a rudimentary wheelchair is Magistrate Richter with Andrea stood behind him. Father Brandt and his Ulricans sit at one end and the Sigmarites at the other. It is obvious that there is still distrust between them. Towards the centre of those on the stage are Watch Captain Goertrin, Jochen Haagen and Heironymus Ruggbroder. A large crowd is listening as Graf von Saponatheim addresses them. He is a powerful-looking man in his early fifties, bald but with a full white forked beard. GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM Today, I, Graf Von Saponatheim, celebrate with you all victory over the powers of darkness and pay tribute to those who made that victory possible. As he continues Max, Myra, Alfie, Elsa, Lucia and Dieter begin to pass by at the back of the crowd. GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM (CONT'D) These heinous acts were perpetrated by two rogue merchants who were understandably deceived by a hidden, malevolent power. That malevolent power has been cast back to the wastes where it belonged. But we should not forget what the Steinhäger and Teugen families have done in the past to create the prosperity that we all enjoy. And what our proud and benevolent merchant houses continue to do for all of us. Herr Haagen and Herr Ruggbroder have kindly and selflessly agreed to take over the financial concerns of Herr Steinhäger and Herr Teugen to ensure our town’s unparalleled commercial success continues unabated. Fellow lords, ladies and townsfolk, Herr Haagen and Herr Ruggbroder.

39.

Haagen and Ruggbroder stand to strained, forelock-tugged applause. CUT TO: The adventurers have stopped to listen to the speech. ALFIE Did Graf Once Upon a Time give us anything except a good story? MAX He was very thankful to us in private. MYRA And he gave Dieter a witch hunter’s licence. DIETER Only for the Barony of Saponatheim. It’ll be no use for where we’re headed. MYRA It will be once we find a decent forger. LUCIA Myra! MYRA Is it or is it not for the greater good? ELSA That would be the same greater good that got us this Dwarven coin from the Merchants’ Guild? MYRA Exactly. That’s the least they could do. It was only one coin and it has great sentimental and historical value. ALFIE Really? Can I see? Elsa takes out a velvet pouch and takes a large, ornate coin from it.

40.

ELSA It’s over two thousand years old. That’s Sigmar and that’s the Dwarven High King Kurgan Ironbeard. It was the High King who have Sigmar the warhammer Ghal Maraz as a symbol of the alliance between Dwarves and humans. ALFIE We’re not selling that then are we? MYRA (casually) No. ELSA (firmly) No. CUT TO: GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM We also give thanks to Watch Captain Goertrin who re-united our proud and brave Sigmarites and Ulricans with his doughty and steadfast Watch drove back the minions of Chaos into the abyss where they belong. Watch Captain Goertrin! He stands and there is more applause. He stands rigidly and looks rather embarrassed. Nevertheless, he begins to unfurl a scroll as if beginning to make a speech, before the Graf taps him on his shoulder and he reluctantly and stiffly sits down again. GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM (CONT'D) I now call upon the heads of the churches of Sigmar and Ulric to publicly bury their unfortunate hatchet. Father Brandt and Prophet Schade. If you please. They both reluctantly stand, eyeing one another with some continuing suspicion, but they meet in the centre of the stage and shake hands very formally. The Graf is unimpressed by this and grasps them both by their shoulders, pushing them into an awkward embrace. GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM (CONT'D) That’s better isn’t it.

41.

He claps and expects the crowd to clap again which they do reluctantly. GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM (CONT'D) Now, whilst the faces of our heroes are well-known to all of us now they must not be allowed to fade in the future. So, I have commissioned a grand statue to sit on this site of infamy. From darkness will spring an eternal memorial to the triumph of humanity! CUT TO: MYRA I told you there’d be a bloody statue. MAX We should get going, Josef will be ready to cast off by now. They begin to leave. CUT TO: GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM And finally my friends and subjects, our already Empire famous week-long Schaffenfest will begin next year on the anniversary of our triumph as a two week-long event and with a new name. My fellow Bogenhäfeners, I give you the Grand Exhibitung Von Bogenhäfen. Two HERALDS unfurl the banner proclaiming it. There is disquiet in the crowd over the name. GRAF VON SAPONATHEIM (CONT'D) (trying to win them back) With free beer?! There is raucous applause. EXT. A SMALL FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT Etelka Herzen sits at a travelling desk in an open tent studying. Ernst Heidelmann sits around a small fire along with the six CULTISTS. Two horses and a mule are tethered to a tree.

42.

The Cultists are PEER and HOLDA BECKER, brother and sister in their late teens dressed in plain Initiate of Sigmar robes, WAIDA ROTH and ROCHA METZ, in their early twenties and dressed as Warrior Priestesses of Sigmar, and FULKE MAIER and VOLK BELTZ, tough-looking men in their early thirties, dressed as flagellants of Sigmar. They are all armed. CUT TO: Several OUTLAWS, some armed with shortbows and all with hand weapons are prowling in the shadows in the woods. OUTLAW #1 (whispering) Do yer think they’ve got money? OUTLAW #2 They’ve got horses. They’ll do. OUTLAW #1 Who do you reckon they are? OUTLAW #2 Sigmarites by the look of ‘em. I hate Sigmarites. OUTLAW #1 Why’s that then? OUTLAW #2 The God of the Empire wasn’t there when the Skaven took our families as slaves was he? Now, get the rest to fan out and I’ll give the signal. Go! CUT TO: MAIER I wish we was on the river, Volk. Imagine the fun we could have on the way. BELTZ Be like the old days eh? I miss the wrecking days. Remember that old bastard who screamed for his mother as we drowned him Fulke? Mama, mama! MAIER You what? It was Manaan he was asking for. Really? (MORE)

43.

MAIER (CONT'D) Well, he saw the God of Rivers soon as he could weighed down with them rocks? BELTZ Why aren’t we going down the river anyway Heidelmann? You’re meant to be in the know ain’t you? HEIDELMANN It’d attract too much attention. Though for what it’s worth, I agree with you. The sooner we get this stone the better. PEER BECKER What is this stone anyway? HEIDELMANN It’s warpstone Peer. From Morrslieb apparently. The very stuff of the Ruinous Powers. What I could do with that... HOLDA BECKER You don’t like Herzen do you? HEIDELMANN Holda, she associates with the Greenskins and their trolls. Tries to learn their inferior magic from them as well. I prefer my own researches. ROTH Typical man. Always knows better eh Rocha? METZ I’ve heard she can change her shape into a Daemon. That I’d like to see Waida. Can you do that? HEIDELMANN I could if I wanted to... Herzen is walking over to the group around the fire. ROTH Let’s see it then. There’s no-one around. HEIDELMANN Very well then. Prepare to be...

44.

HERZEN You’re wrong. We are not alone. Prepare yourselves but give no sign of it. A wolf-like howl. The Outlaws break cover from all sides. OUTLAW #1 Prepare to loose! HERZEN Defend yourselves! Herzen intones in a bitter, hateful language. A torrent of pink and blue magical fire leaps up out of the campfire. OUTLAW #1 Loose! Arrows fly towards the group of Cultists. They appear to fly true until they veer away from hitting the Cultists at the very last minute. One flies straight across the clearing and hits one of the Outlaws in the chest and he falls. HERZEN Well, now’s your chance Heidelmann! Heidelmann intones in a similar fashion to Herzen. He produces a small pinkish magical dart of energy. It flies towards one of the Outlaws hitting him in the shoulder. It knocks him off balance a little but he continues charging towards the Cultists. Herzen fires off a much more powerful pink and blue bolt that streaks towards Outlaw #2 striking him full in the chest and he falls to the ground motionless. The five remaining Outlaws except Outlaw #1 stop in their tracks. Outlaw #1 then sees this and stops too, but only a couple of paces away from the Cultists who have formed a protective circle around Herzen. Herzen intones again and her form changes to become halfhuman, half Herald of Tzeentch. Her voice also changes to become half her own and half-Daemon. HERZEN (CONT'D) Foolish mortals! Do you dare to challenge the Changer of Ways? Flee now or face me! Herzen stares intently at Outlaw #1 who is transfixed to the spot. The rest of the Outlaws run for their lives into the woods.

45.

HERZEN (CONT'D) You four, pursue them! Maier, Beltz and the Beckers give chase to the edge of the woods. Herzen’s appearance returns to normal. HERZEN (CONT'D) This one will make a worthy sacrifice. Take him and tie him down! Roth and Metz take hold of Outlaw #1 and pin him to the ground. Heidelmann goes to get rope and stakes to tie him to the ground as Herzen takes out a sacrificial knife, smiling as her eyes look semi-Daemonic again. EXT. THE BEREBELI BARGE - NIGHT Glowing lamps hang on the prow and stern. Faustus sleeps tethered to the mast. Max and Elsa are on deck. ELSA I think you’re a fool not to stay in touch with your family. MAX How can I when my father has officially disowned me? ELSA What about your mother and brother? MAX My brother’s a pompous ass. ELSA (quietly to herself) Who’d have thought? MAX What? Never mind. Well, he is. He spends his time parading around the estate pretending to be a soldier while father serves away. ELSA And your mother? MAX We’re not close.

46.

ELSA Why? MAX She... put it this way. Father is away more than he is home. ELSA Why should that mean anything? She still... Suddenly, Alfie runs on deck in his nightclothes screaming and wild-eyed. Faustus wakes with a start, snorting and stamping his hooves. ALFIE How far is it? ELSA To where Alfie? What’s the matter? ALFIE To Weissbruck of course! MAX We’ll be there in the morning. But we aren’t planning to stop there. ALFIE We have to. It’s Elvyra. She’s in trouble. I dreamt that she had been taken. MAX It’s just another of your dreams. You dreamed the whole world collapsed in on itself last night. Are you an astromancer rather than a squire now? ELSA (scoldingly) Listen to him at least! Who took her? ALFIE Men... and a woman. There was fire and fear and death and everything! ELSA Did you see their faces or recognise any of them?

47.

ALFIE One had only one leg. They said she had it coming as it was her fault. Can the boat not go any faster? He desperately starts fiddling with sail ropes. ALFIE (CONT'D) We need to be there now! Lucia, she could summon the Griffons again? MAX (soothingly) That isn’t going to happen Alfie. None of what you saw is happening. Go back to bed. Everything’ll be fine in the morning. You’ll see. ELSA We’ll talk to the others. It can’t do any harm to stop for an hour or so. ALFIE (tearfully) I promised I would go see her. Take care of her. Say we’ll stop? Please? Elsa and Max exchange looks as Max is calming Faustus down. Max throws most of the remains of the contents of Faustus’s nosebag into the river. MAX Okay, okay we’ll stop. I’ll tell Josef that we need more feed for Faustus. It’s okay boy. We’ll get more in the morning. He goes to give Faustus a carrot from the bottom of the nosebag but Alfie tries to take it for himself. Max grabs his arm. ALFIE Sorry... sorry for everything. I’m such a burden I know. Max lets go of his arm and Alfie goes back below still distracted. MAX Well, let’s hope Elvyra is still there. He needs help.

48.

ELSA I think we all might before the end. EXT. A SMALL FOREST CLEARING - MIDNIGHT The six Cultists are gathered, with lit torches burning magical pink and blue flames, in a makeshift circle with a pentagram marked in the dirt, with the tied and bound Outlaw #1 at its centre. Herzen stands over him with Heidelmann next to her. They are all chanting excitedly. The chanting stops suddenly. HERZEN Now see the transformative power of Tzeentch! She plunges and twists the knife into the Outlaw’s heart. Blood spurts red. She takes the knife out with the still beating heart attached and licks it. HERZEN (CONT'D) Take this soul as our offering to our greater enterprise and return it anew in your likeness. The heart turns a much darker red with purple blood running through it. Herzen returns it to the Outlaw’s body. She places her hand over the open wound. Her hand is engulfed in pink and blue flame burns and sears the Outlaw’s flesh but which cauterizes the wound leaving a mark in the shape of a red crown. HERZEN (CONT'D) Come closer and observe his exalted transmutation. The Cultists peer over the Outlaw’s body, their faces a mix of fear, curiosity and awe. The Outlaw’s eyes open first, now a milky pale blue and pink, more animal than human, the irises filling the whole of the eyeballs. A thin smile broadens across his lips as his skin begins to change from almost white to a vivid mix of pink and blue and his face, although still recognisably his, becomes more malevolent and beast-like. The Outlaw begins to feel the strength in his arms and legs as his hands and feet also become half-beast and half-man, his nails transforming into razor-sharp claws.

49.

HERZEN (CONT'D) Now rise and join our ranks! Herzen and the Cultists take a couple of steps back. With his new strength the Outlaw breaks his bindings and stands, admiring his new physique. HERZEN (CONT'D) Welcome friend. They embrace. OUTLAW #1 What is my service sorceress? HERZEN Go back to those who remain of your band. Show them your power. Tell them it was Tzeentch who bestowed these gifts. Tell them that they too can aspire to such power. Lead them to the many others like you in our forests. You are to prey on those who travel the Weissbruck canal. Change their ways and greater gifts will follow. Go! The Outlaw lets out a maniacal, gleeful shout of triumph and disappears into the night. HERZEN (CONT'D) See what our God can provide. Once our task is complete imagine the gifts you too will be given. But for now, be patient as we pass amongst the poverty of humanity in our present forms. For Tzeentch! CULTISTS/HEIDELMANN For Tzeentch! INT. THE HALL OF DUELS, ALTDORF - DAY The Halls of Duels is a huge, octagonal building made entirely of obsidian. Julevno, THYRUS GORMANN and BALTHASAR GELT are on the floor of the hall. The floor is divided into eight segments, representing the eight lores of magic of Light, Shadow, Beasts, Death, Life, Fire, Heavens and Metal. Gormann has wild bright red hair and beard, is dressed in vivid yellow, orange and red robes and carries a glowing dark red staff and a flaming sword.

50.

Gelt is dressed in gold and sulphur robes with a gold breastplate and, save for narrow eye slits, his face is wholly obscured by a golden mask. He carries a thin golden quarterstaff. Julevno is in his full ceremonial robes and carries his Magister’s staff. In the middle of Levitating a few ornate dull gold one end with the in its mouth.

the octagon is a plain, obsidian plinth. feet above it is the Staff of Volans, an quarterstaff which sharpens to a point at other ending in a head of Griffon with a key

In a gallery sits YORRI, dressed in his full regalia as the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar. He is a small, gaunt looking man in his early fifties with a long drooping moustache. He sits in a chair immediately next to the Emperor’s throne. There is one other empty chair next to Yorri’s. On the other side of the Emperor’s throne sits KURT HELBORG, the Reiksmarshal, armed with a sheathed sword and wearing his full ceremonial armour. He is tall, strong, in his late forties but with a greying and a very full handlebar moustache. Behind them stand the Magister Patriarchs of the other five Colleges of Magic. VERSPASIAN KANT (Light) is an ancient-looking man dressed in pure white robes and carries an ornate white staff. TOCHTER GRUNFELD (Life), is a youthful looking woman but white-haired, dressed in plain robes of various shades of green and carries a rough-hewn wooden staff. VIGGO HEXENSOHN (Death) is a pallid, bald-headed man, dressed in darkest purple and black robes and carrying a large scythe. SETANTA LOBAS (Beasts) is a wild looking man, part-dressed in animal furs, carrying a staff of wood and animal bones, and accompanied by a black and white wolf. Finally, his face part-concealed by his cowl, stands Reiner Starke. REIKSGUARD KNIGHTS stand to, to either side of them. They are led by CAPTAIN MANSTEIN VON KREIGLER, a proud but slightly haunted looking man in his early fifties.

51.

The EMPEROR’S HERALD motions to a trio of TRUMPETERS who sound the arrival of the Emperor himself. The Knights stand to attention and the others rise. EMPEROR’S HERALD All hail Karl Franz the First, Protector of the Empire, Defier of the Dark, Emperor himself and the Son of Emperors, Elector Count of Reikland and Prince of Altdorf! The Emperor makes his way to his throne. He is richly dressed, carries a sword in an ornate sheath and wears a polished metal breastplate burnished with gold with a deep red sash. On his head is a plain gold crown. He is in his early forties and appears to wear his power and responsibility easily although he looks like he has not slept. He sits on the throne and Yorri and Helborg follow suit. EMPEROR’S HERALD (CONT'D) Magister Patriarchs of the Colleges of Fire, Thyrus Gormann, of Metal, Balthasar Gelt and of the Heavens, Raphael Julevno. Today you compete for the title of Supreme Patriarch, the glory of the Empire and a seat by the Emperor’s side. She indicates the empty chair. The Herald continues but inaudibly. Karl Franz turns his head away and is inspecting his guards. KARL FRANZ I (to Helborg) Is it a new rotation again, Reiksmarshal? HELBORG It is Emperor. I like to keep them on their mettle. KARL FRANZ I Hmmm... very good Helborg. What’s your name Captain? Captain Von Kreigler looks startled, before composing himself. CAPTAIN VON KREIGLER Von Kreigler, mighty Emperor. Manstein Von Kreigler.

52.

KARL FRANZ I Excellent. Your men are... are well turned out. Yorri has been looking agitated since we first saw him. YORRI (in a tense whisper) I must speak with you later. KARL FRANZ I About what Yorri? YORRI Emperor, I implore you to reconsider the Mutant Decree. KARL FRANZ I You are wasting your words. I signed the Decree earlier today and it will be proclaimed tomorrow morning. That is an end of it. YORRI (in a more ferocious whisper) But it is a charter of Chaos! Karl Franz simply stares at Yorri intently. With a flicker of his eyes he indicates that Yorri should move to the currently empty chair. Yorri bows his head slightly and obeys. EMPEROR’S HERALD The first of you to take possession of the Staff of Volans, the staff of the Empire’s first Supreme Patriarch, will be proclaimed the victor. Only spells of deadly force are prohibited. The competition shall begin on the Emperor’s command. She bows her head in deference to Karl Franz, who stands and raises his right arm. KARL FRANZ I Magister Patriarchs. The Colleges of Magic provide an invaluable service to the Empire and therefore to me. Whoever of you who succeeds will deserve their place by my side. Let the competition begin! He drops his right arm and the duel begins.

53.

The three of them circle around the edges of the octagon, eyeing one another warily as they wait for one of them to make the first move. Then, as if it was pre-orchestrated Gormann and Gelt point their staffs at Julevno and streaks of red and gold light fly towards him. EXT. WEISSBRUCK - DAY A street with various inns, shops, tradespeople and market stalls on it. Alfie runs ahead of Myra, Max, Elsa, Lucia and Dieter who follow with varying degrees of enthusiasm. DIETER (to Lucia) Do you think there’s anything to this nightmare premonition of his? LUCIA I’ve heard stories of nonCelestials and non-seers having accurate premonitions but that’s usually due to talents that haven’t been picked up yet. DIETER I thought as much. Does Alfie have any such talent? LUCIA He has many virtues but that isn’t one of them I’m afraid. DIETER Then could it be something more malevolent at work? LUCIA Look, it’s most likely nothing at all. DIETER But’s it’s a possibility isn’t it? LUCIA It’s possible. But then so are most things.

54.

MAX What? You’re not going to be burning my squire at the stake next are you? DIETER No, I’m just concerned about him. Alfie stops outside a shop with a slightly faded sign “ELVYRA’S APOTHECARY”. ALFIE It’s here. He dives into the entrance. ELSA Wait for us! INT. ELVYRA’S APOTHECARY - CONTINUOUS A small shop with a multitude of bottles of ointments, tinctures and herbal remedies. Prominently displayed are clear bottles with clear liquid in them with a sign saying “HANGOVER CURES -- THE WONDER OF WORLD’S EDGE MOUNTAIN WATER - PROVEN THE OLD WORLD OVER!”. A grey-haired halfling with half her face burnt stands behind the counter. It is Sofia the Flint. Behind the counter is a small door which is slightly ajar. ALFIE Er... hello. SOFIA Is there anything I can help with dear sir? ALFIE I was expecting to see Elvyra. Is she here? SOFIA (sternly) No. No she isn’t. ALFIE Do you know when she’ll be back? I must see her. Myra and Elsa enter. Dieter, Max and Lucia can be seen through the small, dirty windows milling about outside. Sofia looks worried and kicks the door behind her shut.

55.

SOFIA A couple of days. She’ll be back in a couple of days. MYRA Where is she? SOFIA She’s gone into the mountains. ELSA The mountains? SOFIA To pick herbs. We’re er... running short. MYRA Of what exactly? SOFIA Of... of everything. Now I was about to close up for the day, so if you wouldn’t mind... She comes out from behind the counter and tries to shoo them out. Myra pushes Sofia back towards the counter. MYRA Not until you start telling the truth. The back door then opens and Nudri Grimmonson enters. He immediately closes it firmly behind him. He now has a peg-leg which appears to be weeping blood and pus and he still bears the scars from his blunderbuss wounds. NUDRI Didn’t I tell you to shut the place up? SOFIA I... I was just about to... It suddenly dawns on both Nudri, Myra, Elsa and Alfie that they have met before. They all begin to draw weapons. NUDRI Sofia, you half-minded halfling. Rugnar, we got trouble. Bring her out with you and fetch my flail. Myra has both pistols drawn, Alfie draws his shortsword and Elsa unlimbers her warhammer.

56.

Rugnar barges through the back door using a bound, gagged, bleeding and bruised Elvyra as a shield. He passes a flail to Nudri, takes out a knife and puts it to Elvyra’s throat. Sofia hastily picks up a bottle and takes out her dagger. NUDRI (CONT'D) Now you three are going to leave nice and quiet. SOFIA (showing the bottle) This is pure acid this is. And this is poisoned. RUGNAR We mean business. Don’t we Elvy? He removes the gag. ELVYRA Alfie. Is that you? ALFIE I’m going to save you. ELVYRA Bless you but no, no you’re not. Just leave. RUGNAR You heard her. Scram! No-one moves. ELVYRA (to Rugnar) Look, I’ll give you whatever you want. But I can’t stop his infection. He’s got gangrene. Only another amputation can save him. ALFIE I’ll amputate his head first. NUDRI I’d like to see you try. RUGNAR Now, you’re going to let us walk out of here and we’ll let her go at the end of the street. How about that? You’ve got until I count three. One...

57.

ALFIE (to Myra) Are they lying? RUGNAR Two... MYRA I’m afraid so. RUGNAR Three! INT. THE HALL OF DUELS, ALTDORF - DAY Julevno is imprisoned in swirling red and gold flames halfway between the edge of the octagon and its centre, his staff lying a little way beyond the flames. GORMANN Now, as it should be Balthasar, it’s just me and you! GELT Well good luck old friend, as you will be needing it. Gelt points his staff towards the plinth and the staff of Volans. A circular gold cage, with bars six inches apart, rises from the ground to encompass the whole of the plinth and the staff as Gormann strides towards it. GORMANN How very defensive of you. He turns to face Gelt. He intones briefly and his head becomes a crown of flame and his sword flames even brighter. They close on one another warily. GORMANN (CONT'D) Whereas I prefer to take the initiative. GELT And how very... showy of you. But even your fire needs oxygen my friend. He closes his eyes briefly, intones, then spreads his arms and Gormann’s face is wreathed in pure gold, suffocating him. The flames about his head and sword are extinguished as Gelt closes on him.

58.

Gormann manages to dispel Gelt’s transmutation spell and his face returns to normal. GELT (CONT'D) Oh well done Thyrus. Well done. He intones again and his robes shimmer brightly as golden light flurries around him wildly. He then conjures an oversized golden gauntlet which floats in front of him as he advances on Gormann. Gormann intones in turn and he sprouts wings of fire. He flies in a circle around Gelt and Gelt tries to keep facing Gormann, jabbing with his magical gauntlet. Suddenly, bypassing the jabbing gauntlet, Gormann flies at Gelt in a blaze of flame, knocking him to the ground. They roll over together towards the edge of the octagon. They both get to their feet and lunge at one another with their staffs. As this is happening, on the opposite side of the octagon, Julevno is gently intoning to himself. Slowly but surely his body changes into a pale blue and gold miniature griffon, no more than the size of a pigeon. As the miniature Griffon, Julevno flies up and out of his otherwise magical bindings. The griffon appears to sniff the air and spies Gelt and Gormann locked in single combat. He flies straight for the plinth and the staff to the oh’s and ah’s of the spectators. Gormann and Gelt suddenly realise their problem. They break off their combat but only in time to see Julevno fly between the bars and perch on the plinth. Before Gormann or Gelt can stop him he emits a triumphant little squawk, transforms back into his usual form and seizes the staff. There is rapturous applause from the Emperor. KARL FRANZ I (to Helborg) A griffon! How perfect! And I thought for all the world it was between Gelt and Gormann. Gelt dusts himself off, dismissively waves his hand and the golden cage disappears.

59.

KARL FRANZ I (CONT'D) (getting to his feet) Marvellous! Marvellous! What a show, what class! There is general applause. KARL FRANZ I (CONT'D) I hereby proclaim Raphael Julevno, of the Lore of the Heavens and the Celestial College, the 20th Supreme Patriarch of the eight Colleges of Magic and of the Empire. May you continue to be of service to me and my family. Supreme Patriarch Julevno! THE REST Supreme Patriarch Julevno! Julevno looks tired but relieved. He gently raises his new staff and looks up appreciatively as Gormann and Gelt glower at him. He then rests on the staff as he speaks. JULEVNO Mighty Emperor, Reiksmarshal of the Empire, Grand Theogonist of Sigmar, fellow Magisters. I take up my post with the same humility with which I accepted alms as a beggar on the streets of Altdorf before I was taken into my College. Over two hundred years ago our separate Colleges were founded based on the eight Winds of Magic. The time has come to find, as I have found in my own studies and as you have seen me perform today, ways to bring those Winds together and thereby to further the greater good of the Emperor and through him, his people. Thank you all. He bows his head respectfully. There is more applause. STARKE (to Setanta Lobas) That was a Lore of Beasts spell. How could he have known it? Did you... The wolf yowls.

60.

LOBAS You heard him. He appears to have found a method to transcend his lore. For myself, I am happy with my beast and my companion is becoming impatient. Sounds to me like you wish you’d had the courage to enter yourself Reiner? STARKE You know I have no love of Imperial politics. LOBAS Then you chose your College well my friend. You return to your shadows and I shall return to my wilds? Come Jägerin. Lobas leaves with his wolf. Starke takes a step back and eyes the scene suspiciously. Julevno catches his gaze, pauses for a fraction of a moment, looking a little quizzical then resumes acknowledging the applause. Starke pulls his cowl further over his face and departs. INT. ELVYRA'S APOTHECARY - DAY As before. RUGNAR Three! Myra fires both pistols as Rugnar counts three. The first shot hits Sofia square in the forehead, killing her instantly. The second hits Rugnar in the mouth. RUGNAR (CONT'D) Uhhhh... uck you! He gurgles, choking on his own blood, but still manages to slit Elvyra’s throat before slumping to the ground. ALFIE No!!!!!! Before Elsa can swing at Nudri, Alfie surges forward catching him by surprise. He thrusts his shortsword up into his chest and lodges there. He drops his flail and holds onto the counter for support. NUDRI You little piece of...

61.

Alfie takes out his dagger. He savagely and manically stabs the dying and defenceless Nudri a dozen or more times, his eyes blazing as we see the merest flicker of pale blue and pink flame in them, before Myra and Elsa can pull him off and he slumps to the ground. ALFIE Noooooo!!!!!!! MYRA Dieter, get in here! Dieter, Max and Lucia enter. DIETER What the... MYRA She’s had her throat slit. Over there! Dieter kneels beside Elvyra and tries to stop the bleeding from her throat. DIETER (quietly, fearfully) There’s nothing I can do. MAX Can’t you just pray or something? DIETER Not even Shallya herself could save her. ELVYRA (trying to smile) I know. I thought he would come. I... I worried about him. I prepared something for him to take. It was in that bottle... She sees the bottle smashed on the floor that Sofia had picked up. DIETER Was it... that one? ELVYRA Thanks be no... the green one there. Dieter picks up a green bottle.

62.

DIETER This? ELVYRA Yes... I wrote down the ingredients... in my pocket. Her hand fumbles in a pocket and a piece of paper falls to the floor. Her arm falls limp by her side. ELVYRA (CONT'D) Take care of him. Her eyes close as Alfie scrambles over to her. He goes to scream again. But, suddenly remembering he is exhausted, he collapses to the floor, his hand gently stroking Elvyra’s hair as she dies in his arms.