Major Charactres: Doubar, Sinbad, Bryn, Firouz, Rongar, Dermott, Orlock, Marisa, Kalilah
Minor Charactres: Townspeople, Delia, Revada, Bats, Nectou, Barada, Guards, Dogs
(The crew is walking with a horse and cart through the woods)
Doubar: Sinbad!
(Doubar catches up with Sinbad)
Doubar: Is this castle much farther?
Sinbad: Well, we should be reaching a village pretty soon. From there, it doesn’t appear too far.
Doubar: I don’t know who’s in worse shape. Me or the horse.
Sinbad: We’re getting paid fifty gold pieces to deliver these goods, Doubar.
Doubar: It’s gonna cost me a hundred to get a new pair of boots.
Bryn: This place gives me the willies.
Firouz: Point of fact, these trees are really quite fascinating…and eerie.
(In a nearby village, there is a very worried woman)
Woman #1: Have you seen Delia?
Woman #2: No I haven’t. I’m sorry.
Woman #1: I can’t find them anywhere.
(Sinbad and crew comes through the town)
Man: My friend. Come in, quickly. Darkness is almost upon us.
Sinbad: We’re just passing through. We have goods for delivery at Castle Orlock.
Man: You’ll never get back by nightfall. Why don’t you spend the night right here.
Sinbad: Thanks, but we have a tide to catch. How far away is the castle?
Man: It’s two miles!
Sinbad: (turns to others) We’re almost there!
Man: No, wait! Please.
(The crew leaves for the castle)
Man: It’s the longest two miles in the world.
(A woman comes up to the man)
Man: What’s the matter?
Woman: Delia and Revada aren’t back yet?
Man: Don’t worry. They’re young, and they’re in love. Give them a little time. You know they’ll be back by nightfall. Don’t worry.
(The crew is passing through the forest when they see two young lovers, Delia and Revada, playing around in the trees)
Bryn: (laughs) Look at them. Not a care in the world.
Sinbad: Wait ‘til they get married.
(Delia and Revada are walking quickly home through the woods in the dark)
Delia: Mother will be worried sick!
Revada: I’ll tell her it was all my fault.
Delia: Do you hear something?
Revada: Just my teeth chattering from the cold.
Delia: No. I heard something. There.
(Then some bats come flying out at them)
Revada: Run, Delia! Run!
(They take off running; Orlock soon appears)
Delia: Leave us alone! We have nothing you want!
Orlock: (laughs) Oh, on the contrary! You have everything I want! (laughs)
(Orlock grabs Revada and sucks the life-force out of him, then does the same to Delia)
(The crew is still walking through the forest; they stop when Bryn feels a pain and almost collapses)
Sinbad: What is it?
Bryn: I don’t know. I felt pain.
Doubar: So do my feet. We’ll never get there tonight. We might as well make camp.
Sinbad: Nectou, Barada, unhitch the horse. Firouz, why don’t you and Rongar gather some firewood? Doubar? You’re cook tonight.
(Sinbad and Bryn walk away from the others)
Sinbad: Are you all right? Feeling any better?
Bryn: Yeah. The pain’s gone.
Sinbad: It’s probably just hunger pains.
Bryn: No. It wasn’t my pain I was feeling. It came from…from out there.
(Opening Credits)
(The crew is sleeping; Sinbad hears the howl of a wolf; he gets up to find the owner of the sound; Bryn wakes up and Dermott chirps; she sits up)
Bryn: You stay here. (follows Sinbad)
(A wolf comes out, and Sinbad is ready to kill it)
Sinbad: (whispers) Come on.
Bryn: (comes up behind Sinbad) Don’t make a move. He’s not alone.
(A pack of dogs come out, but then stop)
Sinbad: They’ve stopped. What’s going on?
Bryn: Their sentries.
Sinbad: Whose sentries?
(A neighing of a horse is heard)
Bryn: We’re about to find out.
Sinbad: Get out of sight! Go!
(They go back to the cart)
Doubar: Sinbad. This is Orlock. I was telling him how you’re in charge of the caravan, and you decide when we move the cargo.
Sinbad: Do you always ride at night?
Orlock: Actually, yes. It’s a lovely time to rid one’s mind of the stresses of the day. Tonight I had a purpose.
Sinbad: Which would be—?
Orlock: To find you and your crew, of course. These mountain roads can be quite treacherous at night.
Sinbad: We’ve noticed.
Orlock: Marisa will take you to my castle. My cargo. I trust it’s in good shape.
Sinbad: There’s not a scratch on the crate.
Orlock: Excellent. My wife, Kalilah, will see to your needs when you arrive at the castle.
Sinbad: So you won’t be joining us?
Orlock: Unfortunately, business takes me elsewhere. I will, however, dine with you tomorrow night.
Sinbad: We sail on the next tide. About our payment.
Orlock: Ah, my wife will take care of that.
(He leaves them)
Marisa: Let’s go.
Doubar: Not exactly a people-person, is she?
Bryn: Strange.
Sinbad: What?
Bryn: It’s as if he wasn’t even here.
(The crew follows Marisa to the castle)
(Marisa shows the crew into a dining room)
Maria: The mistress set up wine and a late-night past. Enjoy. (leaves)
Firouz: This could all be quite harmless.
Sinbad: Right. And a dragon makes a good house pet.
(They walk into the room; a band is playing in the corner)
Sinbad: (looks around the room) Orlock’s got an interesting taste in art.
Doubar: As long as his wine tastes good. (laughs)
Bryn: There’s death all around.
Sinbad: We’re going to be out of here in the morning…with our gold.
(Doubar is drinking some wine)
Sinbad: Hey! Go easy on the wine. We may have to make a quick exit.
Firouz: Why do you say that?
Sinbad: This place looks like a bad dream. Those musicians are scared out of their wits.
Doubar: I’d be too, if I played like that.
(They all laugh)
(The door opens and Marisa enters with some guards, who are carrying the crate)
Marisa: Move it! Over there, in the corner!
(The guards put it down, and the crate flies open, revealing its contents)
Marisa: Idiots!
(Marisa takes out her sword and swings at one of the guards; Sinbad draws his sword and goes to them)
Sinbad: (points sword at Marisa) Leave him be!
Marisa: This isn’t your concern.
Sinbad: Until I’m paid, that crate is my responsibility. Now, back off! Now!
Marisa: Your cargo belongs to the master. And as for payment, try cold steel!
(Sinbad and Marisa fight)
Doubar: There’s no such thing as a free meal.
Marisa: Guards! Tend to our guests!
(The guards and Sinbad’s crew fight)
Sinbad: My mother told me never to hit a lady…but you’re no lady.
(They keep fighting; Sinbad flips onto the table)
Doubar: Sinbad, we may be thirsty later!
Sinbad: You still here?
(Sinbad flips off the other end of the table; he and Marisa continue fighting)
Doubar: No more Mr. Nice Guy!
(More fighting)
Sinbad: Come on, party’s over.
(More fighting; Marisa picks up a mason)
Sinbad: Now, there’s a trick to using one of those things.
(Marisa swings it around, but it goes over the balcony and she goes with it, falling on the floor)
Sinbad: I guess you don’t know it.
Doubar: It’ll be the last thing you see in this lifetime!
(Sinbad sees a guard go up behind Firouz)
Sinbad: Firouz! (jumps onto a chandelier and swings to the guard, knocking him off his feet)
(Fighting is over)
Firouz: These are real bodies.
(Kalilah enters the room)
Kalilah: Enough of this nonsense! Marisa, I assume this is your doing.
Marisa: Not at all. These vagabonds started it.
Doubar: Liar!
Kalilah: Take your men out of here. Throw the dead into the pit out back and let the dogs have them.
Firouz: I’m a physician, madam, I can tend to the wounded.
Kalilah: That won’t be necessary.
Firouz: But—
Kalilah: That won’t be necessary. Will it, Marisa?
Marisa: No, mistress.
(Kalilah walks down the stairs and goes up to Sinbad)
Kalilah: Now you must be Sinbad. I’ve heard very interesting things about you.
Sinbad: Nothing as interesting as your husband’s taste in art.
Kalilah: Okay. He does have a rather dark nature, doesn’t he? I suppose he’ll have to return to Pompey for another knick-knack.
Firouz: Pompey? So this is real lava?
Kalilah: Fast lava, slow citizens. Now please. Don’t put up with Marisa’s guards. We import our guards, and some shipments are less advanced than others.
Sinbad: Why would someone as enchanting as yourself need so many armed men?
Kalilah: We are not exactly beloved by the locals, Captain, as I’m sure you may have noticed. Now please, sit, eat, drink! We have much to discuss.
Sinbad: Our payment.
Kalilah: On the table. The sack on the tray.
(Doubar picks up the bag of gold)
Kalilah: Now, you must tell me all about the world outside, Captain. I don’t get to travel much.
Sinbad: It’s pretty much the way you remember it.
Kalilah: I doubt that.
(The crew goes to eat, but Kalilah doesn’t)
Sinbad: You’re not joining us?
Kalilah: Oh, Captain! Your suspicious nature is beginning to bore me, so I will dismiss the small talk. I need to employ you on a matter of life and death.
Sinbad: No. We sail on the next tide.
Kalilah: Perhaps I could change your mind. (pauses) Do you find me attractive, Captain? Alluring, bewitching, perhaps?
Nectou: I know I do!
(Nectou and Barada laugh and bang glasses)
Sinbad: Yes. You are all that.
Kalilah: You might, my admiring sailor. Would you like to kiss me?
Barada: Go ahead, Loverboy.
(Nectou gets up; when he passes Doubar, Doubar pushes him back, but Nectou still goes ahead to Kalilah; they kiss, and she drains the life-force out of him, and he is dead)
Kalilah: (turns to Sinbad) For me, he was a mere appetizer. Now, shall we talk?
(Sinbad draws sword and stands up, just as Kalilah uses magic to bind the other crewmembers’ wrists to the chairs they are sitting in)
Sinbad: You heartless—
Kalilah: Exactly, dear Captain! I am heartless. Now, are you going to use that sword? Too much of a gentleman? Well, let me help you.
(Kalilah takes the sword and shoves it into her stomach)
Kalilah: As you can see, Captain, heartless. Now, please sit down. I need your help.
(Sinbad doesn’t sit down)
Kalilah: The life of your crew depends on it.
(Sinbad sits down)
Kalilah: I was young and ambitious when I met Orlock. I wanted money, power, and he said he could give them all to me. He promised me that I could be beautiful for all time. Never age, never die.
Sinbad: You didn’t ask any questions?
Kalilah: In truth, I didn’t care. I agreed to marry him, and then he stole my heart.
Sinbad: You loved him.
Kalilah: Anything but. He stole my heart, literally. He made me immortal, nothing can kill me. This body you see before you is filled with black magic. Not a beating, human heart. That was two hundred years ago. I’m a monster, Captain. I feed off the living in order to survive.
Bryn: You’re a vampire.
Kalilah: If it were only that simple, sister witch. Oh yes, you do have the essence of other worldly powers.
Sinbad: So you’re not a vampire.
Kalilah: A vampire can be killed with a stake through the heart.
Sinbad: And you have no heart.
Kalilah: So I’m cursed to feed off the living. Well, I fought the urge as best as I could, but the hunger forbids me to gorge from the blood and souls of humans.
Sinbad: What do you want from me?
Kalilah: Release. I want to be able to die. Rest in peace.
Sinbad: But you said you’re immortal.
Kalilah: I must have my heart back. If I can destroy it, I can end this curse.
Sinbad: (pauses) I’ll help you. But first, release my crew.
Kalilah: Oh, that I cannot do. For if you fail in your task, I must consume them in order to continue my existence.
Doubar: Surely you’d die if you let me loose, you godless creature!
Kalilah: Captain?
Sinbad: (pauses) I agree.
Kalilah: The task will be permittable. My husband has stored my heart in a small jewel chest in his mocking hideaway. Find it, and bring it to me by tomorrow night.
Sinbad: Or?
Kalilah: Or my craving will grow too strong. Your crew won’t stand a chance.
Sinbad: Where is the baron now?
Kalilah: He’s gone out for a ride. He keeps my heart near his coffin.
Bryn: Where he sleeps, during the daylight hours.
Kalilah: I will give you a map to aid you in your journey. You may choose one crewmember as your choice who goes, and who remains.
Sinbad: Doubar? I’ll need you here, to watch over our friends.
Doubar: Consider it done.
Sinbad: Rongar the Moor will come with me.
Firouz: An excellent decision.
Barada: No. Why him? We’re all gonna die here. All of us! Take me!
Doubar: Shut up, Barada! Stop acting like a galley rat! Sinbad will return.
Bryn: May I kiss you before you go?
(Sinbad looks back at Kalilah, who nods; he gets up and goes over to Bryn; Bryn whispers in his ear)
Bryn: Orlock has returned. He’s aware. (kisses Sinbad’s cheek)
Sinbad: (turns around) Release the Moor!
(Kalilah releases Rongar, and he and Sinbad head out on their journey)
Doubar: Get speed, my brothers!