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Torn Apart From Within
by Lendren Starfall
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Cast (in order of appearance)

Jhoana Laroune
Methleshen d'Rekknet
Wenden
Rathlann y'Evesten

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Produced in association with the Seeds of Change Repertory Company.

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Scene the First
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SCENE Outdoors: The stage is mostly bare. A broad cloth drop hangs at the back
of the stage in three large panels, depicting in abstract shapes a landscape,
distant mountains and sky that could be almost anywhere in the Basin of Life.
Scattered around the stage are a few similarly abstract props vaguely
resembling piles of rocks which might be a natural formations or ruins, trees
or low bushes, and a flowing sheet of azure cloth which might represent a pond,
a stream, or just a puddle.

EFFECT S1E1: (8) The parting curtains reveal a sparsely-decorated stage. A few
abstract shapes convey an impression of an unknown outdoor location, peppered
with cover in the form of piled rocks, a stream or pond or perhaps only a
puddle, and some low foliage. A cloth drop suggests mountains in the distance
and an azure sky.

ROLE Jhoana: (F) Jhoana Laroune

COSTUME JhoanaRobes: (Jhoana) Jhoana Laroune is a human woman of middling
years, showing a hint of her age in the sun-roughened tone of her tanned skin
and the wise glint in her eyes, yet still bearing the energy and mirth of youth
in her light step and easy smile. Her hair is a blonde that is turning silver,
tied off in a long ponytail, though a few stray wisps frame her face and
constantly tease at her eyes and forehead. Small scars on her arms suggest
some experience in battle, and there is something in her step that hints at
readiness, but this is no soldier: she moves about with the casual confidence
of one for whom preparedness is merely a habit, not a way of life. Her simple
robes of pale blue are unadorned, but their pockets bulge with many things,
unseen. An elaborate but tasteful necklace of platinum is the only hint of
wealth in her modest accoutrement.

Jhoana: ENTER walks in slowly from stage right, her eyes roving over the
ground, in the middle of a cheerful folk tune as she explores.

Jhoana: sings, "...you naughty girl, you impudent girl, thrice-cursed, never
true..."

Jhoana: crouches and examines something unseen on the ground before her more
carefully for a moment.

Jhoana: sings, "...if some idle rogue in the Paladins has your maidenhead taken
from you..."

Jhoana: straightens up and continues for a moment, then pauses, her song
falling silent for a moment as she tilts her head, straining to listen.

PAUSE

Jhoana: makes a gesture, causing a brief shimmer in the air around her, then
resumes her leisurely stride.

Jhoana: sings, "So the girl, she's off to the Aegis Keep, as fast as go can
she..."

ROLE Methleshen: (M) Methleshen d'Rekknet

COSTUME MethleshenArmour: (Methleshen) Completely encased in blackened steel
decorated with blood-red streaks and harsh spikes, this tall, hulking man is
completely unseen apart from his hideous red eyes, which radiate loathing and
fury with unrelenting intensity. He moves with a stiff stride, every step an
angry stomp, and his posture radiates menace, arrogance, and anger in every
movement. He wears a brooch of jagged blackened iron.

Methleshen: ENTER springs up with a menacing growl from his hiding place behind
a pile of tumbled rocks, hefting bloody maces over his head with a bellow.

Methleshen: charges at Jhoana and brings his maces down in a swift ambush,
lunging almost instantly across the open space between them.

EFFECT S1E2: (0) A reflection of Jhoana blinks out of existence.

Jhoana, to Methleshen: (with a weary groan) "Don't you ever get tired of this,
Methleshen?"

Methleshen: roars in fury and draws back his maces for another blow.

Jhoana: presses her hands together before her and bows her head. A surge of
rainbow energy flows from her skull and surrounds her in a prismatic aura.

Methleshen: pummels the aura with his maces to no effect, his anger growing
more palpable, reflected in his glowing red eyes.

Jhoana: (with a yawn) "You have no grounds to hunt me. I've never attacked
your city. Nor even you, save while defending my own home from your attacks."

Methleshen: (snarling) "You will pay with blood, Jhoana! You cannot avoid me
forever! Soon, I will strike you down like the worthless cur you are!"

Jhoana: searches the air in front of her, then tugs upon an invisible strand of
force.

Jhoana: "And will that sate this pathetic rage? No, it will not. Fury is an
emptiness which consumes you from within. No matter how thin are your excuses
for hatred, and no matter how often you act on on them in rage, it always
leaves you more empty inside."

Methleshen: (his hands shaking with impotent fury) "You know nothing of
honour!"

Jhoana: EXIT turns translucent and then vanishes, leaving behind a cloud of
sparkling motes of light.

Methleshen: stalks around, fuming, occasionally stopping to kick ineffectually
at large rocks.

Methleshen: "There is no greater satisfaction than striking down the weak!
It's not my fault they're weak. They should have stayed home until they were
stronger!"

Methleshen: stops pacing and lowers his maces, momentarily thoughtful.

Methleshen: "Wait, who's that approaching? Wenden, hmm, never heard of him.
He seems weak though. I will say I was hunting here first. That's a good
reason!"

ROLE Wenden: (M) Wenden

COSTUME WendenTunic: (Wenden) Dressed only in a plain grey tunic and trousers,
this young trill looks around with the wonder of youthfulness. His eyes are
bright and his disheveled yellowish feathers are in a state of disarray. A
simple backpack of crystal blue on his back rides high between his wings, its
contents a light burden. He walks with practiced steps, keeping his hands up
in a ready position, even as his eyes dart from sight to sight.

Wenden: ENTER strides in from stage left, his youthful eyes darting from place
to place, drinking in the unfamiliar sights.

Wenden, to Methleshen: "Hi! My name is Wenden. Maybe you can help me?"

Methleshen: stares ahead, stony-faced, his hands clenching around the handles
of his maces.

Wenden, to Methleshen: "I'm not allowed in Newton Caverns anymore, and I'm
looking for another place to hunt. Someone told me this was a good place for
young folk like me but I can't find anything to hunt! Except I saw a cute
little stoat. Is that something to hunt?"

Methleshen, to Wenden: (through clenched teeth) "I was hunting here first."

Wenden: "Oh, sorry. Maybe I'm not where I thought I was, then, if someone as
big as you hunts here. Can you tell me which way to--"

Methleshen: brings his maces down with a resounding crunch, crushing Wenden's
frail body between them.

Wenden: collapses to the ground, the life drained out of him.

COSTUME WendenDead: (Wenden) Crumpled on the ground, this young trill is little
more than a bloody pulp. His gray tunic and trousers are spattered with blood
and his own viscera, and his crystal blue backpack is partially torn, a few
broken vials and pipes falling out of it.

Methleshen: (stretching) "Better. But I still need to find a way to trap that
wench."

Methleshen: paces back and forth, beginning again to fume, his eyes growing a
brighter red.

Methleshen: "I need to find a new approach. Some trick she's not familiar
with. Something she won't be expecting."

Methleshen: EXIT turns and stomps away to stage left, kicking at a few rocks
along the way.

EFFECT S1E3: (8) The curtain falls, concealing the scurrying of stagehands now
audible behind the heavy fabric.

Wenden: EXIT silent

PAUSE

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Scene the Second
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SCENE City: Though the stage remains largely bare, a handful of props standing
arrayed at angles give it a cluttered look. Each prop is a simple wall,
painted to resemble the side of some soot-covered, grimy building.
Collectively, they form a sort of maze of winding streets. A broad cloth drop
in three large panels hangs at stage rear, adding more of the jumble of a noisy
city choked with smoke and fumes, covered with filth, under a bleak, grey sky.

EFFECT S2E1: (8) The parting curtains reveal a grimy cityscape, created
minimalistically with a number of partitions each depicting a grimy,
soot-covered building, arrayed on the stage to form a sort of maze of twisting
city streets. A broad cloth drop in three panels adds more of the jumble of a
noisy city choked with smoke and fumes, under a bleak, grey sky.

ROLE Rathlann: (F) Rathlann y'Evesten

COSTUME RathlannRobes: (Rathlann) Unlike most of her dracnari brethren, this
tall woman is gaunt and emaciated, hardly any muscle or bulk beneath her scaled
skin which is stretched tight over angular bones. The green of her scales is
besmirched with grime, soot, and dust, appearing more of a green-tinted
charcoal grey than the normal green. She wears dark brown robes with a heavy
cowl which is currently drawn up, mostly obscuring her face, apart from her
slithering tongue which darts out occasionally when she speaks. A jagged shard
of volcanic glass hangs on a necklace over her chest, swaying slightly.

Rathlann: ENTER slinks in from stage right, wending her way through the maze of
streets and stopping at a corner near the center of the stage.

Rathlann: (looking around warily) "Thisssss is where he sssaid to meet."

ROLE Methleshen
COSTUME MethleshenArmour

Methleshen: ENTER stomps in from stage left and brusquely marches through the
streets, stopping before Rathlann.

Methleshen, to Rathlann: "You are Rathlann? The geomancer researching that new
spell?"

Rathlann: (shaking her head) "I am Rathlann, but it is not a ssspell. The
transsssmutation of mineral to mineral is no mere trickery! It is the
massstery of the very--"

Methleshen: (curtly) "Whatever."

Rathlann: nods her head slightly, her expression unreadable.

Methleshen: "I have a use for your... transmutation. You will use it to--"

Rathlann: "What benefit is there to me to help you?"

Methleshen: stops in surprise, taken aback and at a loss for words.

Rathlann: "Anyway, the transsssmutation is not yet refined. More research is
necessssary."

Methleshen: (impatiently) "How long will that take?"

Rathlann: "It can be difficult to find... ssssubjects on which to make my
testsss. One can only do so much with animalsss. The effect is altered by the
power of the target's divine ssspark, the presence of metal, and many other
variablesss which I--"

Methleshen: (brusquely, his anger brimming over) "Then I will help you find
test subjects from amongst the young and weak."

Rathlann: (considering this) "That will be better than the zoo, but I will need
a more powerful sssubject to perfect it."

Methleshen: "That also will I provide. But in exchange, you must keep your
research a secret, tell absolutely no one. Jhoana must be taken completely by
surprise, unprepared."

Rathlann: (with a dismissive wave of her hand) "I would not reveal my work
until it was complete anyway. This Jhoana, she is powerful, a mighty warrior?"

Methleshen: (glowering and fuming) "Let's just say she's been unusually lucky.
So far."

Rathlann: thoughtfully fingers the jagged shard of volcanic glass hanging
around her neck.

Methleshen: "She will be your final test subject, but you must allow me the
killing blow."

Rathlann: considers this a moment, then nods.

Methleshen: "That is assuming the transmutation is as effective as you say.
Can you really affect a person's bones within their body?"

Rathlann: "A bone is just mineral. With the proper method of focussss, one can
exert the same power of transssmutation on it as on any other mineral."

Methleshen: "But, all of the bones at once?"

Rathlann: winces as a razor-sharp edge of the volcanic glass cuts her finger.

Rathlann: (sucking the blood from her fingertip) "It does take... preparation.
You will need to keep the target from essscaping."

Methleshen: (thoughtfully) "I'll have to delay the kill a few moments, but it
will be worth it. Let us begin. I sense a child newly come from the Portal of
Fate who shall be your first test subject."

Rathlann: (tilting her head) "Will not there be those who will defend the
child?"

Methleshen: (with a snarl of rage) "Let them come. Gives me more reasons to
kill more people."

Rathlann: bows her head, a little more deeply.

Rathlann: "Then bring the child, alive, to my chamber. He will not sssurvive
the exsssperiment, so I will need more. Many more."

Rathlann: EXIT slinks swiftly back through the maze of alleys and disappears
off stage right the way she came.

Methleshen: "Soon, Jhoana, you shall taste fury as you have never known!"

Methleshen: EXIT turns and stomps purposefully through the city streets,
disappearing off stage left.

EFFECT S2E2: (8) The curtain falls, concealing the scurrying of stagehands now
audible behind the heavy fabric.

PAUSE

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Scene the Third
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SCENE Outdoors

EFFECT S3E1: (8) The curtain again parts, once more showing an abstract outdoor
scene, depicted only with a few crude bushes and piles of rocks, and a snaking
stream of blue fabric. As in an earlier scene, a cloth drop depicting
mountains and an azure sky suggests an outdoor location, but the layout of
rocks, bushes, and stream differs, implying the location to be a different
place.

ROLE Jhoana

COSTUME JhoanaDress: (Jhoana) Jhoana Laroune is a human woman of about middle
age, showing a hint of her years in the sun-roughened tone of her tanned skin
and the wise glint in her eyes, yet still bearing the energy and mirth of youth
in her light step and easy smile. Her hair is a blonde that is turning silver,
tied off in a long ponytail, though a few stray wisps frame her face and
constantly tease at her eyes and forehead. A few small scars on her arms
suggest a life of experience in battle, and there is something in her step that
hints at readiness, but this is no soldier: she moves about with the casual
confidence of one who doesn't need to think of struggle, because readiness is a
habit. She wears a bright yellow sundress patterned with simple daisies. An
elaborate but tasteful necklace of platinum is the only hint of wealth in her
modest accoutrement.

Jhoana: ENTER steps cheerfully in from stage right, singing to herself.

Jhoana: sings, "...so he kissed me, and undressed me, and he laid me on the
bed..."

ROLE Methleshen
COSTUME MethleshenArmour

ROLE Rathlann
COSTUME RathlannRobes

Methleshen: ENTER storms in from stage left, trailed by Rathlann.

Rathlann: ENTER silent

Methleshen: rubs a jagged brooch of blackened iron, and sticky strands of
webbing spray out to cover Jhoana.

Jhoana: begins to struggle free of her entanglement.

Rathlann: gazes at Jhoana and begins tracing a fingertip in the air, whispering
something in a sibilant chant.

EFFECT S3E2: (0) A colourless energy shapes itself around Rathlann's fingertip,
pulsing in time with the chanting, leaving its trace in a grey aura, parallel
lines floating in the air.

Jhoana, to Methleshen: (exasperated) "By the Nine, Methleshen, don't you have
anything better to do?"

Methleshen: (while knocking Jhoana's legs out from under her) "You've escaped
my wrath for the last time!"

Jhoana, to Rathlann: (ignoring Methleshen's rage) "What sorcery is this?"

Rathlann: (still tracing lines in the air, which take the shape of a rib cage)
"A new transssmutation, of incalculable power and cruelty. The victim's
ssskeleton is transssformed entirely into volcanic glassss. It only requires a
final tessst, on a sssubject with a ssspark of sssufficient power."

Jhoana, to Rathlann: (standing up) "Power? I'm not powerful at all, just
smarter than your friend here. Then again, he is nothing but fury consuming
itself. There are rocks smarter than him."

Rathlann: smirks, hissing a silent chuckle.

Methleshen: (growling menacingly) "You should be more worried about the
agonizingly painful end you're about to finally meet than your little jibes."

Methleshen: rubs a jagged brooch of blackened iron, and sticky strands of
webbing spray out to cover Jhoana.

Jhoana: (not bothering to writhe free of the webs) "Of course, while he may be
dumb, he is very powerful..."

Jhoana: turns slowly to Rathlann, understanding dawning brightly in her
expression.

Jhoana, to Rathlann: "Oh, very clever, very clever indeed."

Rathlann: nods incrementally to Jhoana, now adding limbs to the skeleton-shaped
aura in the air.

Methleshen: (sweeping Jhoana's feet out from under her again) "What?"

Jhoana: (shaking her head sadly at Methleshen) "Should I spoil the surprise?
You are the one who lives in a culture of betrayal and it never occurred to
you? You really are as dumb than I thought."

Methleshen: growls in rage, his hands shaking and his eyes glowing fierce and
bright.

Jhoana, to Methleshen: (standing up slowly) "I'm not powerful enough for this
test. But your companion knew that. She only needed someone of sufficient
power to stand in one place long enough for her test."

Rathlann: (adding the final element, a skull, to the aura) "No, I need more.
Sssomeone to finish it. The sssubject must not sssurvive to tell of my
betrayal."

EFFECT S3E3: (0) With an abrupt gesture, Rathlann flings the aura at
Methleshen. As it sinks into his body and vanishes, there is a tinkling sound,
as of glass chimes.

Jhoana, to Rathlann: (writhing free of the webbing) "You underestimate
yourself. Methinks a few boulders would make quick work of him, and then your
triumph will be complete."

Methleshen, to Jhoana: (howling in rage) "Who do you think you're fooling?
None would dare to betray me thus. She only toys with you before the kill to
add salt to the wounds!"

Methleshen: lunges towards Jhoana, then falls, his right leg splintering with a
wet tear.

EFFECT S3E4: (0) Shards of volcanic glass burst horribly through Methleshen's
leg armour, covered in shredded flesh and dripping with blood.

Methleshen: opens his mouth wide in stunned agony, a silent howl.

Rathlann: watches silently, her eyes calculating and unconcerned.

Jhoana: winces in sympathy and averts her eyes.

Methleshen, to Rathlann: (turning the inferno of his rage on her) "You will pay
for this treason!"

Methleshen: drags himself with slower, more careful steps towards Rathlann,
even as his right leg tears itself apart from within with every movement, his
jaw set in determination driven on by rage.

Jhoana, to Rathlann: (edging away towards stage right) "You'll have to finish
it or he'll finish you."

Rathlann: shrugs dismissively, then raises her staff with a negligent gesture
and hurls a blast of boulders at Methleshen.

EFFECT S3E5: (0) Methleshen's chest bursts in a veritable explosion of flesh
and blood, jagged chunks of razor-sharp volcanic glass tearing his torso to
shreds and breaking away pieces of his armour still affixed to gobbets of
tortured flesh.

Methleshen: (feebly gasping, plunging forward at Rathlann as his body is torn
apart from within) "Revenge!"

Methleshen: raises his maces and falls upon Rathlann, the last bits of his body
tearing themselves apart as his ineffectual blow showers her in the spray of his
rent body, incidentally skewering her with dozens of spears of volcanic glass --
his rib cage, pinning her to the ground as it falls.

COSTUME MethleshenRent: (Methleshen) Little remains of this once-proud shape to
identify it. From the largest muscled limbs to the tiniest parts of his body,
everything has been rent piece from piece by jagged shards of volcanic glass,
once his skeleton, now turned to the weapon of his demise. Gobbets of flesh
quiver where they fell, in many cases still strapped to pieces of his plate
armor, which was itself punctured many times and which has now come apart along
with the body to which it was once affixed.

Rathlann: (gasping as blood wells up in her mouth) "But my resssearch will die
with me..."

Rathlann: slumps silently below the rent remains of Methleshen's eviscerated
carcass.

COSTUME RathlannDead: (Rathlann) Though mostly still intact, this dracnari
woman lies insensate, pinned to the ground by a dozen skewers of sharp volcanic
glass, a cage that has punctured her organs and left her to slowly bleed to
death. Indeed, blood wells from her mouth, her many wounds, and even her eyes,
and her grimy grey-green scales are dark with the crimson flow. Her final
expression, frozen in a rictus of pain on her face, is one of surprise and,
perhaps, regret.

Jhoana: (looking away from the grisly remains) "How sad. A culture of betrayal
must always tear itself apart from within, eventually, but it is still sad to
see it do so."

Jhoana: (with a dismissive shrug, as she turns back towards stage left) "Oh,
well."

Jhoana: resumes both her stride and her song from where she left off.

Jhoana: sings, "...but he put my head where my feet were before, and so gave
back my maidenhead..."

Jhoana: EXIT strides merrily off stage left, still singing cheerfully.

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