Screen 1
ONE:
THE SMOKE lowers his massive head, so that one EYE is level with FARROW – this is as close as he can manage to looking someone in the eye. We should see all the power and sinister purpose we can manage in SMOKE’s eye, here.
FARROW dare not look away.
1. THE SMOKE/effect: It’s those manners that have kept your heart beating in your breast.
TWO:
New angle, FARROW relaxing, as THE SMOKE shifts away, his head pulling back into the DARKNESS and the wisps of smoke.
2. THE SMOKE/effect: You know why you’re here, Farrow?
3. FARROW: Because you command it, sire.
THREE:
FARROW reacting, almost wincing, as THE SMOKE laughs.
4. THE SMOKE/effect: HAH!
5. THE SMOKE/effect: No, Farrow, you’re here because you’re a coward.
FOUR:
FARROW taking a half-step back as THE SMOKE comes in close again, head higher, so we’re seeing the slope of that long, scaled and knotted neck. Wisps of Aether-smoke drip from THE SMOKE’S nostrils.
6. THE SMOKE/effect: …servile does not mean obsequious, meat.
7. THE SMOKE/effect: At least Agent Payne has his dignity…
Screen 2
ONE:
FARROW, stung by what the Smoke is saying. It stings because it’s true; the Smoke is reading him like a book. Farrow is, thoroughly, craven.
1. THE SMOKE/effect/off: …you don’t even have that.
TWO:
New angle, larger shot. FARROW standing, ashamed, as THE SMOKE stretches his neck, so that he’s looking at him from the side.
We can see a very, very small DRAGON – about the size of an eagle – flitting through the air to alight on THE SMOKE’S head.
2. THE SMOKE: I shall ask again, and expect a better answer.
3. THE SMOKE: You know why you’re here?
THREE:
On FARROW. He’s very, very worried, now.
4. FARROW: No, sire.
There is a dragon. In this comic.
I would be completely and utterly jealous, because ours is a swords and sorcery fantasy webcomic, and we haven’t even come close to debuting a dragon…
…except that we played D&D tonight, and my character leapt onto one and grappled with it in mid-air tonight, sort of fulfilling one of my dorkiest roleplaying dreams.
Still and all…I wish I was writing a dragon right now.
Do Sabre and Drake know the Smoke is a dragon? Or the public in general?
I had gotten the impression that his true nature is unknown…?
Don’t be silly. Dragons don’t exist!
That’s what Dragons want humans to believe.
The Book Loving Dragon.
The acting on this page is amazing!
Remind me to make sure my resume is up to date and being, er well circulated, should a dragon ever call me “meat”. It does make one’s standing rather clear.
PS Steampunk dragons–awesome idea. And I expect that the meeting of firearms–works out about as well for dragons in the long run–as it did for the armored knight. (Though I expect the process will be rather more drawn out.)
I am sure a dragon of this apparent intelligence is aware of the damage a broadside would do. Human civilization leads to aetherships. If the humans can be kept primitive then the dragon(s) rule. Likely the reason the dragon would act for “chaos” and the loss of general knowledge.
The big questions are, how old is the dragon and how far is his span? How many civilizations has he plundered and sent down? What wonders of clockwork and magic has The Smoke acquired that are beyond the current technology of the Empire etal.
This story got way more interesting.
OK, Richard…
STOP LOOKING AT MY NOTES!
Makes the connection to the Terramyyd kickstarter campagin much stronger.
Wonder what the Kobolos victory condition would be if it was playable.
On the other hand, the firearms–or war machines–a dragon could wield would boast a rather impressive amount of dakka compared to the ones us tiny furless apes possess. We’ve just been shown that “the Smoke” is not the only dragon. He might not be someone to whom a hero or heroine ought to say, “Oh yeah? You and what army?”
If silly dragons don’t exist, then Farrow is cowardly dead meat on a stick! (I’m just sayin’!) 🙂
I’m suddenly having flashbacks to David Gerrold’s ‘Chess With a Dragon’…
Love the color scheme in these scenes!
This is brilliant!! I thought I was excited on Monday, now I know I am.
I’m guessing its not to get a promotion.
I’m truly frightened by that dragon
Awesome, meat!
Please tell me milady Sabre and her crew happen to have a steampunk howitzer available to deal with The Smoke.
I don’t know about a howitzer, but they do have a steam powered Gatling gun that is operated by Erich.
They have cannonballs.
I also like the sense of The Smoke circling Farrow. Great predator prey action.
#1,#2 infront to left, #3 behind right. #4 back infront, #6 back behind again