THE TRAITOR
SUMMARY
The kids are moving through a very dark, frightening Moon Forest, and are forced to sleep the night in the open, even though Dungeonmaster had told them to meet him on the other side.
Hank takes first watch, and he is started out of a doze by Dungeonmaster. He tells Hank that things have changed, and he came to warn them. His friends will face “great jeopardy” but you will face the most difficult trial of your life. “be strong and listen to your heart”.
In the camp, there are shadows are looming over the kids. But these are inept thieves; they are little bear-like creatures, who try to take the weapons! They are caught quite easily, and explain that that they were just defending themselves. They are Cloud Bears, and they needed the weapons to defend themselves against the “Green Ones”.
The description of the Green Ones sound familiar – “the green ones, ugly flat noses, and tusks that stick up, and mean eyes”. As Presto is trying to work it out, he comes face to face with one: an Orc soldier!
Though caught off-guard, the kids fight well, but both Bobby and Hank are captured.
Sheila pulls on her Cloak and follows the Orcs while Diana, Presto and Eric go wit the Cloud Bears to their homes in the tree-top.
There they are greeted by King Kamala, chief of the Cloud Bears, but te Orcs are still attacking, trying to cut down the tree. The kids help the Bears, throwing fruit at the Orcs to buy them some time.
Meantime, Sheila has followed the Orcs to their camp, and hides as the captain comes close so she can eavesdrop. To her horror, he is talking to Hank, and Hank is agreeing to the Orc’s plan to capture their friends! He is to fire a signal arrow when he has managed to get the others weapons! Sheila rushes off in tears.
At the tree, the Orcs retreat and seem to be waiting for something, which is fortunate as the kids and bears are out of weapons! Kamala sees something, and orders the lift lowered. It’s Hank.
When asked, Hank is very evasive about what happened, and where Bobby is. But things get even worse as Sheila suddenly reappears, that she heard him at the Orc camp, planning their capture!
Hank tries to talk his way out of it, but Sheila knows about the signal arrow, and eventually, he is forced to fire one. But, as Sheila predicted, the Orcs attack.
The others are devastated, and the Orcs start climbing the tree. The Bears have one final trick; they call apon their protector sprit; the Cloud Spirit and it sends lightning and rain to drive away the Orcs.
But the kids still do not feel safe; Hank is seen as a traitor, and the others can’t decide what to do. But Hank can’t explain.
Shadow Demon has been spying on the proceedings, and returns to Venger to report what happened, explaining that the Bears used their glowing charms to bring a storm. Venger is furious the Orcs were defeated; and especially that the Bears used their “Heartstones”. The Cloud Bears don’t know it, but those stones are the only element in the Realm that Venger is powerless against. He is also angry at the failure of the Ranger. But he still has the Barbarian as a hostage!
At the Cloud Bear city, the kids are still questioning Hank. He refuses to explain himself and eventually his friends decide that he must have betrayed them, and walk away.
Hank is taken to the elevator, where he is given heartstone as a Cloud Bear custom to “bring luck”. The others say a cold goodbye, and he leaves.
In the forest, Hank is taunted by the Orcs, then walks alone trying to reason out what he could have done differently. Dungeonmaster appears nearby, and Hank admits he’s being blackmailed by Venger, but Dungeonmaster reminds him that he knows what will happen if he does continue along this path. He tells Hank that there is an old saying in these parts – “He who has the answer and doesn’t know it, is just as lost as he who never knew”.
Depressed, and still as confused as before, Hank returns to Venger’s Castle. Trying to explain to Venger does no good, and he is told that he must help capture the Cloud Bear city. At the door, despondent, Hank looks at the Heartstone and thinking all his luck has run out, he throws it away. It lands near Venger, and he cries out for Shadow demon to remove it, quickly! “I wont rest until I have destroyed all of the stones” Venger tells his servant, but Hank overhears as well!
Back at the tree, the Orcs have brought machines to climb up the tree next door. Presto tries his Hat, it sneezes and grows to huge size. And the kids decided they can use it as a balloon! They get everything ready very quickly, and fly off just before the Orcs reach them. But the Orcs have flaming arrows, and one punctures the balloon, making it loose height.
As they are attacked, Hank appears, and drives off the Orcs nearby with some arrows. He grabs a rope and jumps in. He takes charge, telling Diana to throw the Javelin and plug the leak. Then he starts to steer.
Sheila argues with him, accusing him of faking the escape. But Hank says that if they don’t do exactly what he says they might never see Bobby again. He’s taking them to Venger’s castle and when they demand an explanation, and Hank tells them about Bobby being captured, and how he thought he had to obey Venger to protect Bobby.
Hank has a plan to save Bobby and the Cloud Bears. They go to Venger’s castle, and Hank frees Bobby.
When Venger appears, instead of firing his arrows at him, Hank fires at the locked wondow. Behind them are Cloud Bear with lots and lots of Heartstones that they throw at Venger.
Venger can’t get away, and disintegrates! They are all safe!
Back at the Cloud Bear city, Hank is offer the last Heartstone as thanks, but tells them they need it more than he does; they need the stone to live in peace. The gang make up properly, and Eric apologises for calling Hank a traitor. Hank accepts it, and says he shouldn’t have kept silent.
Dungeonmaster then appears, congratulating Hank, and telling them of a possible way home in the Land of Blue Fire (which is only three days journey through the Bottomless Swamps!).
Eric is not impressed, until he catches sight of the balloon-Hat which will be a perfect way to travel across a swamp!
Dungeonmaster vanishes before Presto can ask him how to make the Hat normal sized, and just as he says it, the Hat does suddenly shrink. Unfortunately, Eric was in the basket at the time. He almost falls, but the others help him up.
= = =
INTERESTING INFORMATION
Scatter Count -
Presto Hat produces – transforms into a balloon; and it can sneeze, too!
Goodies – Cloud Bears – King Kamala
Baddies –
Walk-ons – Bombam the Cloudbear
Monsters –
Groovy Objects – The Heartstones
Named Places – Cloud Bear City, Moon Forest, Land of Blue Fire, Bottomless Swamp
Starwars References – Just one word – Ewoks.
Other References –
= = =
The Moon Forest is very dark and very windy – too windy for a torch.
Dungeonmaster hastold them to meet him on the other side
Eric insists they stop for the night and Hank caves in to Eric’s complaining.
Sheila give Bobby the cloak to help keep him warm.
Presto makes “something to keep us warm” an electric blanket (with no power suppy) for him and Eric to share.
Dungeonmaster appears with news that “things have changed” – what was he expecting?
Cloud Bears are “Living teddy bears!” Bobby
There are 3 Cloud Bears here, 2 male, one female. Bombam is the male Bear that nicks the Shield and gets caught under the hat
Hat expands to grab one Bear (showing it’s extendable!!)
“We take weapons so you not harm us. We need them to defend ourselves.”
“From who? The forest ranger?” Eric
Bobby’s Club is saved from the Orcs and kept by Diana.
“We’re out numbered 10 to one!” Eric
“You take two I’ll take 18!” Diana
The leader tells the other two bears off for bringing “these creatures” back instead of weapons.
The head Cloud Bear is King Kamala. And while we are on the subject of Cloud Bears, where are all the rest of them!! A city should have more than 4!
Officially welcomed by the King, who gets a lick on the nose from Uni.
The Cloud Bears have no weapons, only fruit and nuts. How did they survive before those kids came along??
That is a BIG axe!
“Tell Venger not to worry, I’ll take care of everything!” Hank to Orc
“He betrayed us! His best friends.” Sheila
How did Kamala recognise Hank?
Diana sounds very pleased to see him!
Presto is the one who takes most convincing that Hank is a traitor. “Hank wouldn’t betray us!”; “you’ve gotta be wrong, Sheila!” He’s the one who says Innocent until proven guilty, even when Eric seems to have made up his mind.
Cloud bears call on their protector spirit - “Cloud Bears call, to clouds so high, help us save their home in sky!”
“Again they use the Heartstones to defeat me!” Venger. So they used them before??
“Those foolish bears possess the only element in this world that I am powerless against, and they don’t even know it!”
Bobby says that hank would never do anything to hurt his friends, never!
Eric turns away first.
“Ill never trust anyone again as long as I live,” Presto. Ouch!
Heartstones bring luck, according to a Cloud Bear custom.
Sheila is not there to say goodbye, and Uni waits at the top.
“You are a traitor to your own courage and instinct.” Dungeonmaster to Hank.
Old saying in these parts – “He who has the answer and doesn’t know it, is just as lost as he who never knew.” I think Dungeonmaster made that up!
I like Venger Castle!
“Go and bring me the cloud bears.” Venger to Hank. But he must know what’s happened, and know that it’s impossible!
Shadow Demon can pick up things occasionally, and is not affected by the Heartstone. He drops it down the drain.
Where did the Orcs get those tree-climbing machines from. And why didn’t they use them earlier!
The kids seem to have found more ammunition now.
Presto tries his Hat (he says again, but this is the first time he’s used it in the episode) “Blow those bums away!” It sneezes. It does it again, and grows to huge size.
Diana kisses Presto for being a genius!!!
Sheila has been missing, until the Blimp-Hat is ready.
When Hank appears to help them in the balloon, only Presto helps him and Sheila refuses. Eric is just looking morose in the background.
Serious H/S moment!!!!
Hank’s plan is really very simple – throw Heartstones at Venger!
Horrible ripping noise as he disintegrates. That’s a great way to zap him!
They go off to get rid of the Orcs for the Cloud Bear city. How?
It’s a colony. Does that mean there are others?? Where?
Hank is offer the last Heartstone, but tells them they need it more than he does – they need the stone to live in peace.
Eric apologises for calling Hank a traitor.
There is a a possible way home, and they will “find a clue in th land of blue fire”, which is three days journey way, through the bottomless swamps.
Eric’s plan to float over the swamp is fab! Pity about the Hat, though!
After he falls, Diana calls out to see if he’s ok, and Hank throws the rope, but only after they’ve all had a good laugh. That’s not the only time he’s faced a sudden drop!
= = =
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives
Dungeonmaster appears with news that “things have changed” – what was he expecting?
The obvious one – what if it had been Eric rather than Hank that had been captured with Bobby? (The Traitor – Alternate Version by Sealgirl)
What if this episode had taken place later in the series, after CotFD, perhaps? How would the others have reacted then?
There are 4 Cloud Bear in the city, but it’s called a colony. Does that mean there are others?? Where?
“Again they use the Heartstone to defeat me!” Venger. So they used them before?? Surely Venger could think of a better way of getting rid of them!
“Those foolish bears possess the only element in this world that I am powerless against, and they don’t even know it!” I think that needs a bit of explanation, too!
What if Hank’s plan had backfired, because the Heartstones did something odd to Venger?
They go off to get rid of the Orcs for the Cloud Bear city. How?
And what about the Land of Blue Fire?
And the Bottomless Swamp?
= = =
FANWORKS
= = =
Cloudbear Chib with Fairie Dragon by Tann
(Originally for the DDCC06)
=
Cloudbear City (photomanip) by Sealgirl
Venger's Castle (photomanip) by Sealgirl
= = =
What if it had been Eric rather than Hank that had been captured with Bobby?
The Traitor – Alternate Version by Sealgirl
=
Hank and Eric have an unexpected conversation in their final night in Cloudbear City.
All Fall Down by Sealgirl (Episode Coda)
=
Set as yet another Alt Versions of the episode “The Traitor”, where Sheila doesn’t get back to Cloudbear City in time to warn the others.
Downhill All the Way (PG-13 - Character Death) by Sealgirl (Alt Ending)
= = =
Previous Episode - The City at the Edge of Midnight
Next Episode - The Day of the Dungeonmaster
= = =