Major Charactres: Nomad Crew, Talia, Kratos
Minor Charactres: Linopians, Guards, Lermon, High Priest, Temple Virgin, Prisoner
(The crew is walking through the Kingdom of Linopia)
Doubar: Why is everyone acting like they owe us money?
Sinbad: (walks up to a Linopian) Pardon me. Good morning. Can you tell us— (the Linopian doesn’t stop) I don’t understand this. Linopians are supposed to welcome people with open arms.
Firouz: They must have changed their policy.
Sinbad: (catches a man) What’s going on here?
Man: It is the day of punishment. (walks away)
Sinbad: Punishment? Strange.
Maeve: And getting stranger.
(Talia is tied to a stake, and Lermon and four guards are ready to shoot her with arrows)
Lermon: (opens scroll) For stealing the sacred map, the priest demands punishment! Demands that this lisle interloper, who attempted to lay hands on the Eye of Kratos, must die!
Talia: So give me your best shot!
(The guards and Lermon turn around)
Talia: Oh. Make that your four best shots!
Lermon: Silence!
Talia: What’s the matter with you people? What’s happened to the Linopians? Join with me in throwing off this yoke of the tyrants! Listen to me! Look at you people! You’re nothing but puppets! And these priests are pulling your strings!
(Sinbad and his crew walk up to where the crowd was gathered)
Doubar: It couldn’t be, could it?
(Lermon goes up to Talia)
Talia: You keep that pig’s paw away from me.
(She kicks him)
Sinbad: It’s her, all right.
Doubar: That’s Talia. The black rose of Oman. The pirate queen, whose tongue is as quick as her sword.
Sinbad: Looks like she’s relying on her tongue today.
Lermon: Archers! On three! One! Two! Three!
(The archers can’t shoot, because Rongar, Maeve, Doubar, and Firouz are holding their swords up to them)
Talia: Surprise!
(More guards come up to Sinbad and his crew)
Lermon: Surprise.
Sinbad: Crew?
(Sinbad and his crew quickly run behind the guards that came up to them, and start fighting; Sinbad goes to Talia and fights Lermon)
Sinbad: I wish we had more time, but…
(They continue to fight, until Sinbad defeats Lermon)
Sinbad: (cutting Talia free) Well, well, Talia. Long time no see.
Talia: Any more time, and I’d be dead, you sea slug!
Sinbad: A simple thank you would suffice.
Talia: (sees guard) He looks a little tired.
(Talia kicks him, and grabs his sword)
Sinbad: Still the fastest feet on the high seas.
Talia: I’ll bet you say that to all the wenches.
(Sinbad and Talia run off to help the others with the other guards)
Talia: (sees Maeve) She one of yours?
Sinbad: Yes.
Talia: Figures.
(They continue fighting, until they defeat the rest of them)
Doubar: I guess we haven’t lost our touch.
Talia: Doubar! (runs to Doubar and hugs him) And as for you…
(Talia goes up to Sinbad and kisses him; Maeve watches; when Talia pulls away and leaves, Sinbad looks over at Maeve, who quickly looks away)
(Opening Credits)
(The crew and Talia are at a table, talking)
Talia: So, where’s your ship?
Sinbad: A harbour not far from here.
Talia: Do you still have the Nomad?
Doubar: Still do.
Talia: Oh.
Maeve: Maybe we should be getting back to it. Those guards aren’t going to be staying away for long.
Talia: Oh, calm down, sweetheart, we’ve been in worst spots than this, haven’t we, Sinbad? Oh, remember valucusand?
(Talia, Sinbad, and Doubar laugh at the memory)
Firouz: Valucusand?
Sinbad: We were prisoners on the Sultan’s war galley. No water. No food.
Doubar: Unless you count the rats.
Talia: Oh, that’s right. You always said that the grey ones tasted best.
(Everyone laughs, except for Maeve)
Firouz: How did you ever manage to escape?
Doubar: Well, by then, Talia had the First Mate wrapped around her little finger. She stole his heart…then she stole his keys!
(They all laugh again, except for Maeve)
Talia: Hey, loosen up there, sweetheart. Have a little fun.
(Dermott chirps)
Talia: Hey there, cutie. (pets Dermott) Oh, aren’t you cute! So beautiful. (laughs)
Maeve: Oh, not you, too!
Talia: So, let’s say we all throw in together. Like the old days.
Sinbad: I’m not so sure that’s such a good idea.
Talia: Don’t tell me you lost your sense of adventure!
Sinbad: Oh, I wouldn’t even suggest that.
Talia: Well, how about your sense of justice? And moral duty to correct the horrid acts of intolerant persecution?
Sinbad: Wait. You’ve turned moral?
Talia: Hey, you wanna help me right the wrong that has become Linopia? Here (she pulls out a map from her shirt) is the means.
Maeve: So, you did steal the map.
Talia: Yes I did. But this map displays every treacherous in a working of every temple that houses the Eye of Kratos. The Temple that is run by this fanatical religious stuff that is keeps the lives of these peasants in utter misery.
Sinbad: You’ve honestly turned moral?
Talia: Let’s just say that I’m making amends for past sins.
(Everyone laughs at her, except for Maeve)
Talia: What? Well, are you going to help me or not?
Sinbad: Doubar?
Doubar: Tally me with Talia.
Sinbad: Firouz?
Firouz: I’m always up for the right crusade.
Sinbad: Rongar?
(Rongar nods)
Sinbad: (looks at Maeve) Hmmm?
Maeve: As long as you’re not giving the orders.
Talia: Oh, no, no, no! The courageous Captain Sinbad will be our leader. Won’t you, handsome?
(Everyone laughs, except Maeve; Sinbad laughs, embarrassed)
(Sinbad, Firouz, and Talia are looking at the Temple of the Eye of Kratos with the magniscope)
Talia: What is that?
Firouz: I call it a magniscope. It magnifies the images of distant objects.
Talia: Nothing like a clever man.
Firouz: Oh, you can also (reaches into bag and brings out something else) place one of these pieces of smoked glass over the opening (he does this while speaking) to eliminate the glare.
Talia: Sinbad, Where do you find such valuable crewmembers?
Sinbad: It’s just my good fortune.
Talia: That you’ve always had.
Sinbad: So, how do we get in?
Talia: Well, we’ll enter as all enter. As poor peasants bearing gifts. Now, if only we could find a pilgrim caravan.
Firouz: (sees a group of peasants going towards the Temple) There.
Talia: Just like that one.
Sinbad: Looks like it’s time to join the pilgrimage.
(Sinbad, his crew, and Talia joined the pilgrimage; all of them are walking, except for Maeve, who is riding an elephant; they are all wearing robes)
Firouz: How’d you get these so fast?
Doubar: Who can say no to the black rose of Oman? (chuckles)
Maeve: Have you seen some of the offerings some of these pilgrims are taking to the Temple? Look at this stuff. There’s a King’s ransom in here!
(They make it to the Temple)
Talia: The Temple of Kratos. The place of cruelty, ignorance, and oppression.
Doubar: And well guarded.
Sinbad: What exactly did you have in mind, Talia?
(They hear a gong)
Talia: Come on. We’re just in time for the tour.
(They walk up the steps; a guard stops Maeve, and she lets Dermott fly off)
(They walk through the Temple, until they get to a room, where a man is hanging in a cage)
Prisoner: Save me! Won’t someone save me? Please! Do gods believe in mercy? Mercy!
High Priest: Attend all faithful wants. This thief violated the sacred Temple in an attempt to steal the holiest of holies. The all seeing, all knowing Eye of Kratos, an evil child of darkness. Let this fate be a lesson to the world. The Eye of Kratos forgives nothing!
Sinbad: There really is an eye?
Talia: Ssh.
High Priest: Awake to the Guardian of the Temple! Tomorrow at sunrise, the priests of Kratos will except your offerings. In return, you shall be allowed to look upon, and to worship, the Eye.
Prisoner: No! No!
(A gigantic spider begins to appear)
Prisoner: No! No! No, please, no!
High Priest: Each of you to Kratos, generate these priests and obey laws. You shall be protected and rewarded. But anger him, and torment without end will await you.
Prisoner: No! Don’t let them do this to me! Don’t let them! No! No! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh!
(Sinbad goes to help him, but Doubar holds him back)
Doubar: It’ll kill us all!
Prisoner: Ahhhhh! Nooooo! Ahhhhh! No, please! No! No! No! No! Ahhhhh!
(The spider eats him)
High Priest: Let this be a lesson to all who disagree the Eye of Kratos.
(Everyone is outside of the Temple; Dermott lands on Maeve’s arm)
Firouz: It’s horrible. Horrible!
Doubar: It will be a long time dying, if I know that monster’s ways.
Talia: The Priests are the real monsters.
Sinbad: Talia, this Eye of Kratos, I always thought of it as a figure of speech. Like the Headless Guard. It actually exists?
Talia: Yes. So it can seem to the source of men. But it’s the fear of the Eye that keeps them Priests in power, and turns these people into cowering sheep.
Maeve: It’s gotta be destroyed.
Sinbad: (sighs) Come tomorrow, it will be.
(The crew is talking; they are at a pilgrim camp)
Doubar: Everything they have is in those bundles. And they just hand it over. Talia was right. These people are like sheep.
Sinbad: You can’t really blame them. It’s the Priests. They know if you grab hold of a man by his fears, his heart, and mind, and money will soon follow.
(Rongar and Talia come up to them and drop a bag that smelled funny)
Doubar: What is that?
(Rongar points to Talia to explain)
Talia: Well, we’re supposed to be pilgrims, right? So during the night, Rongar and I went around camp and collected our own offering to Kratos.
Sinbad: Elephant dung?
Talia: Correct. It is elephant dung. But, by the time they open it, we’re gonna be long gone. Ready for the sunrise service? Let’s go.
(Talia and Rongar go ahead; Firouz goes to follow them, but Sinbad stops him)
Sinbad: Maybe we should give them a little head start.
(They leave)
(The crew, Talia, and the other pilgrims enter the Temple; Talia bends down and examines the walls; she gets up and goes to Sinbad)
Talia: Booby traps. The Temple is rotten with them. Don’t think these hooded clowns can guard the place, do you?
(Firouz sneezes, his hood falls off, and all the pilgrims turn around to stare at him)
Firouz: Sorry, sorry. I’m allergic to incense. (puts hood back up)
(They continue walking; when walking past the guards collecting the offerings, Rongar throws down the bag of elephant dung, and the guard smells it, and looks down)
High Priest: Herein resides the Eye of Kratos. Even I, High Priest of the Temple, don’t have powers in unlocking these last portals. They will open only to one who is perfectly pure in heart and spirit. Make way for the Vestal Virgin.
(The Temple Virgin enters the room; she opens the door)
High Priest: A warning. Unworthy as you are, you must not look directly upon the Eye. If you do, it’ll be the last thing you ever look upon.
(Everyone enters the room; the Eye of Kratos is so bright, it’s hard to look at)
High Preist: Give yourself to they Eye, and all will be well. But resist it, and you will be ashes in the wind.
(A pilgrim looks right at the Eye, his eyes hurt, and he falls; Sinbad helps him up, then continues on; the pilgrims continue walking around the Eye; Sinbad is squinting at the jewel)
Firouz: Psst. Sinbad.
(Firouz hands Sinbad the smoked glass used with the magniscope; Sinbad looks through it, and can see the Eye)
Sinbad: Wow. Magnificent.
Firouz: It captures the rising sun through that window, creating a blinding light. A jewel obscured by its own brilliance.
Sinbad: Have you ever seen anything like it?
Doubar: What is it? A sapphire?
Talia: A diamond. So beautiful. So evil.
Maeve: Impressive. What do you reckon a stone like that would fetch on the black market?
Talia: Oh, more than you could spend in a dozen lifetimes.
Maeve: But we’re not here to steal it. We’re here to destroy it. Aren’t we?
High Priest: Silence in the sanctuary! The time of worship’s at an end. Know and know that the Eye of Kratos is upon you, all seeing, all knowing, now and forever.
(Everyone leaves the room; Talia leaves the pilgrims)