CHILD OF THE STARGAZER
SUMMARY
For once, the kids are resting next to a stream. Though they are relaxed, they are still alert, and when there is a strange noise, they are at the ready in an instant.
But instead of the expected Orcs, a bedraggled young man appears and collapses into Diana’s arms.
In a city nearby, old King Traevar sits, frightened, on his throne. His queen, Queen Syrith, appears and demands an explanation; the prisoner managed to escape, and she is not happy: “On the very day of Starfall, the only one who can fulfil the prophecy and end my reign as queen, escapes from YOUR dungeon!”
He must be recaptured, at any cost!
Meantime, the Young Ones give the stranger help, and food. He seems to have taken a shine to Diana, and she to him, and she asks him to explain what happened. His is called Kosar, and he has just escaped from the dungeon in the city of Turad. The Queen locked him in the dungeon ten years ago, just because of what he might do tonight!
Dungeonmaster appears and urges him to tell the full story. There are a hundred thousand souls living in terror, hoping tonight, they will be free: The people of Turad.
Their only hope of freedom is a chance that and old, old prophecy might come true tonight - “and on the night of Starfall, the Child of the Stargazer shall come from a faraway land to stand in the temple of light. The Demon shall be banished, and the child shall journey home”.
Kosar says he is the child of the stargazer. He was born in a faraway land, his father was an astrologer – a stargazer. The kids must help him do what must be done, and they will see the way home! Everyone, especially Eric, is confident that there will be no problem, until they discover that the Queen is the Demon! And to make matters worse, just then they are attacked by men on flying bats!
Diana is in athlete-mode, and dodging bolts, she vaults over to ride a bat. She falls off, and Kosar rushes to help, unaware of how good an acrobat she really is. She swings down from the tree and lands on top of him. Kosar is amazed at Diana’s skill, and all the kids bravery. Once the bats are defeated, they head off towards Turad.
Meanwhile Queen Syrith is busy punishing the guards who failed to capture him. In secret, King Traevar and his son Droga let Kosar escape, and are now waiting in desperate hope that he will return and free the people of the city. But the Temple of Light is still impenetrable, however Traevar shows his son a secret entrance to it.
The gang are still walking to Turad, and are wondering how far it is. Kosar is lagging behind, with Diana and they are having a wonderful, romantic time. But they are unaware that Syrith is planning another way to get Kosar; she is preparing a spell to bring him there.
As the kids walk through a narrow valley, and Kosar is nervous. Diana tells him they have somethings in common; they are both from far away places, she is about to continue when a whirlwind-storm suddenly appears. Diana and Kosar run, but Kosar tripa and they are both sucked up by the whirlwind.
The two of them are transported through the vortex, and end up back in the city, in the presence of Syrith. The queen is surprised there are two of them as the spell was only for the Child of the Stargazer. Diana acts quickly, and they manage to escape by jumping out of the window; it’s Diana’s skill that ensures they land safely.
Meantime, the others are still in the narrow valley, waiting to see if Diana and Kosar re-appear. Eric, very reasonably suggests that they need to find Turad to fins them, but that’s impossible since they don’t know the way.
Dungeonmaster appears next to them, telling them that Kosar must reach the Temple of Light, or the Demon Queen will rule for another thousand years! Eric teels him they know that part, but the just don’t know how to get there! Dungeonmaster’s advice is to follow the first star of evening, but warns them that “one among you will have to choose between home and the heart”.
Back in the city, Diana and Kosar are hiding. Kosar tells her how much he cares about her and wants her to leave, but she refuses, telling him that she is also the child of a stargazer, as her Dad is an astronomer.
Droga finds them, and shows them the secret way into the Temple of Light, but they have to hurry as the time of Starfall is starting.
The Young Ones have also reached Turad, and they run to the Temple to try and find Kosar and Diana. It’s well guarded on the outside, and Syrith is there too. She guesses they are in league with Kosar, and attacks them. Eric charges towards the door, and the others take care of the guards. Syrith fires magic at Eric, and he ducks out of he way. But the door breaks open.
Just at that moment, Diana and Kosar are entering the temple through the secret passage, and running to the centre, where there is a pyramid. Syrith sees what’s happening, as the star begins to fall.
Syrith runs to attack Kosar, just as a cone oflight appears at the top of the pyramid, next to Kosar.
As Kosar steps forward, Diana takes his hand asking him to “remember me”. But as he enters the cone of light, Syrith attacks him with magic, critically injuring him. He falls into Diana’s arms. As Syrith laughs at her triumph, Diana runs forward into the cone, crying “I too am the child of the stargazer, let the prophecy be fulfilled!”
In the cone on light, she transforms into a giant, glowing version of herself, and destroys the Demon Queen with a single blast of magic. Then she opens a portal to their home.
But Sheila has gone to Kosar’s side, and she tells Diana that he is mortally wounded. If they go home, he’ll die. She tells Diana about Dungeonmaster’s riddle, and that she’s gotta choose between home and the heart.
Diana doesn’t hesitate, the portal immediately starts to close and she casts magic at Kosar, swapping their places. He is in the cone of light, and she is beside Sheila.
She opens her eyes and knows what he’s about to do.
She calls out to him, he tells her he loves her, but doesn’t stay. Instead he fulfils the prophecy and vanishes into the night.
Back in Turad, the others try and comfort a distraught Diana. Though King Traevar thanks her, she is still broken hearted.
Dungeonmaster appears as well, and tells her that though Kosar has gone, “he will remember you! And you shall meet him again”.
Across the city, the bells are ringing out in celebration. The people of Turad are free!
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INTERESTING INFORMATION
Scatter Count - 1
Presto Hat produces – a razor (and some new clothes?); a mirror; a map of Pittsburgh, a 6ft white rabbit (sadly off-screen!),
Goodies – King Traevar, Prince Droga
Baddies – Queen Syrith the Demon
Walk-ons –
Monsters –
Groovy Objects –
Named Places – Turad, Temple of Light
Starwars References –
Other References –
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(Spellings - the 2nd draft of the Scrpit has the spellings - Kosar, Queen Syrith, King Travar, the City of Torad - Thanks Kimmy)
You don’t see down time very often - Diana is washing by in a stream
Hank and Sheila are sitting together, Eric is on his own behind them. Presto is lying around in a field of flowers!
King Traevar rules Turad; Syrith is his Queen, but she is half demon.
Kosar shaves with an electric razor from Presto’s Hat. He has new clothes too (presumably also from the Hat)
Have any of the others started shaving? The way Presto rubs his face is really odd.
The Queen locked him in the dungeons 10 years ago, when he was 8 years old.
He been alone for most./all the time - or is he hinting at Diana?
“Dungeonmaster knows everything” Sheila
“Let’s not go overboard!” Eric
Dungeonmaster sitting cooling his feet in the river.
A hundred thousand souls live in terror, hoping tonight, they will be free – there is the chance that and old, old prophecy might come true tonight.
A legend a thousand years old!!
“And on the night of Starfall, the Child of the Stargazer shall come from a faraway land to stand in the temple of light. The demon shall be banished, and the child shall journey home.
Kosar says he is the Child of the Stargazer. He was born in a faraway land, his father was an astrologer.
“You’re looking at guys who defeat wicked queens for breakfast!” Eric – and is that a ref to Zinn?!?
Hank helps Diana up.
“Diana’s made first place in the state gymnastic finals two years straight.”
King Traevar deliberately let Kopsar escape.
Droga is his son.
There is a secret way into the Temple of Light.
“Where’s Kosar?” Bobby
“Back there, with Diana, in love” Eric
“Where’s Uni” Bobby
“Back there, with Kosar, in love” Eric.
Eric seems to be scathing of the whole thing, and it sounds like Eric is just winding Bobby up about Uni. “She’s run off you for another guy!”
Eric is protecting Sheila in the magic storm.
Hank shouts for Diana.
The vortex is pretty cool!
Jumping out of the window – how fortunate was that!
Eric is being very reasonable about Hank’s method of finding Diana and Kosar.
Presto gets a a road map of Pittsburgh!
“I’ve found better stuff in the bottom of a cereal box than in that dumb Hat!” Eric
“Why you bugging me! Ask him!” he points before he turns to look, and Dungeonmaster is there!
Dungeonmaster specifically says that Kosar must reach the Temple of Light, or the demon queen will rule for another thousand years!
“Follow the first star of evening” Dungeonmaster.
The Demon is “not of this world”.
Diana’s dad is an astronomer.
Fortunate in finding Droga!
The others got past the guards with a 6ft rabbit from Prestos Hat!
“You are in league with the child of the stargazer, and you will be share his fate!” how did she know, again??
Syrith reveals that she is half demon – literally!
This time Eric does a stylish roll out of the way, and charges for the door!
She destroys Syrith with a single blast of magic and opens a portal.
See Eric’s face as it closes!!
“Kosar, don’t leave me!” Diana
“Fear not, my love. For you are my life. You shall live in my heart forever, for all the Starfalls to come.” Kosar
“I’ve lost him! I’ve lost Kosar!” Diana
“That is not so, my child, you knew him a long, long time ago, and you shall know him again in times to come.” Dungeonmaster.
“What do you mean? Where has he gone?”
“To a place among the stars, a place beyond your understanding. He has gone home. But he will remember you! And you shall meet him again.” Dungeonmaster.
(Your guess is as good as mine as to the “meaning”)
The bells are ringing out in celebration.
Dungeonmaster calls her Diana.
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ALTERNATIVES
How did Traevar end up “married” to Syrith in the first place??
What if Diana and Kosar hadn’t liked each other!!
What else could Diana and Kosar do in Turad while they wait for Starfall.
What IS Starfall?
Of course, if Eric hadn’t charged at the door, the Temple would have remained sealed…!
As Diana runs forward into the light-cone, Hank fires at Syrith. Where were they when Kosar was there??
What about if Shiela hadn’t told Diana that Kosar was dying, and they had all gone home?
And what DID Dungeonmaster mean!
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FANWORKS
Eric Posing (photmanip) by Sealgirl
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Turad Street Scene (photomanip) by Sealgirl
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Missing scene with the giant rabbit
from Out of the Hat by Sealgirl
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Presto pulls something unexpected out of the Hat.
Out of the Hat by Sealgirl (Missing Scene)
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At a reunion eight years later, Sheila looks back at what it cost to get home and how everything changed.
Home and the Heart by Sealgirl (Alt Ending)
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Eric had though Diana didn’t know what happened. He was wrong!
Human Chains by Sealgirl (Episode Coda)
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Kosar's gone. And Diana has no one else to turn to.
Rebound (R - Adult Situations) by Sealgirl (Episode Coda)
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After the events in Turad, Diana wants to have some peace to think, and Eric tries to "help", in his own unique way.
The Smallest Smile by Sealgirl (Episode Coda)
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Diana and Presto have a heart to heart
about what they have lost.
Lovesick by Charlene (Episode Coda - with The Last Illusion)
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Previous Episode - The Dragon's Graveyard
Next Episode - The Dungeon at the Heart of Dawn
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