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RAYA E3 - Talon

Episode 3 - Kumandra’s Faces

Theme: Kumandra’s repeat interactions

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Ideas

  • switcheroo fake artefacts, how to trust the real one?
  • Boun and Sisu on the hunt for a ship component fix part, that broke by the Druun because Raya doubted Boun was going offshore to memoralize parents
  • dragon-fruit
  • remember to show off Raya’s spasm PTSD once
  • Heart refugees undercover in Talon
    • Raya is excited to meet her own people, trusting them!
    • but they betray her — you can’t even trust your own
    • foreshadowing Raya’s betrayal?
  • masks, costumes, disguises
    • oh it’s a Mask Festival
      • the idea is that the real dragons/help are the friends we make along the way(?)
    • a chase scene where everyone looks the same
    • Sisu doesn’t want/need to wear a mask
    • would be cool if she turns into a dragon, people think she’s a costume
      • people are just so numb with lies that they don’t know the truth
  • Every trust can be broken for a price
    • Raya bargains to buy off Talon’s Gem shard by betrayal
  • “Everyone’s a fake, anyways. A dishonest man, you can trust to be dishonest.”
    • A greedy man, you can trust to win as the highest bidder
  • Namaari’s scout as an agent
    • the scout steals Raya’s whip-sword artefact and returns to Namaari
    • Raya is more angry at Namaari — it’s her last attachment to her father, as well as a Gem shard
    • Naamari actually hadn’t commanded it. She sighs and makes plans to make use of it. She’s still upset with her scout, and decommissions him. Her true motives are still murky.
    • now the gang ends the story down with one gem shard in the hands of the enemy.
    • they will encounter Namaari in Spine.
  • two Talon locals: one child, one cynical parent figure
  • Raya’s stuck — she sacrifices(?) herself, resigns to die (water? Druun?)
    • she tells Boun and Talons: follow Sisu. She trusts them with the artefacts (she’s been stingy with them all this while). It’s really her last moment. She echoes her father’s One Kumandra.
    • The parent figure believes Raya.The parent figure switches places, so that the parent figure gets turned to stone, trusting that Raya will really turn all the stone people back.
      • maybe the parent figure lost someone to stone
    • the Talon kid now joins them on their journey, having to revive parent figure
    • maybe it’s the kid who believes
    • maybe the Fang scout imposter is here too, still taking an artefact for themselves
  • Namaari subplot
    • early scene showing dispatching of scout?
    • talk with one of her party, an older guy who remembers before the Great Division
    • they have to shortcut through Heart to get to Fang early
      • Namaari’s also PTSD’d at Heart
      • maybe she got the mentor’s brother petrified at Heart
      • they don’t know the full truth? Virana pushed the false narrative that Raya shot first after leading Namaari into a trap?
    • They get to Fang by the end of the episode — they need to be in Spine by the next
  • Sisu gets captured
  • Raya says she doesn’t trust friends
    • but Raya actually has one Talon contact/confidante from long ago
    • that person had been assembling a team
  • fourth guy who trains the Ongi monkeys
    • but after the failure, the monkey trainer gets petrified — the monkeys follow the gang
    • maybe he spends more time with Sisu, since he’s not a major suspect

Character Profiles

  • Noi
    • princess faker — nephew/niece?
    • brings Raya directly into palace
    • maybe they gotta “try to locate her” in the Mask Festival
      • but Ngang is engineering this whole intro quest
    • while avoiding the actual Talon people
  • Nom
  • Ngang/Ngyet
    • recruiter
      • maybe: unsolicited recruiting? Raya doesn’t know they’re recruited
    • longtime Raya confidant
      • knows Raya’s water phobia?
      • knows Gem mission?
    • ex-guard / off-duty guard official
      • actually. so he’s gotta flee Talon with the gang at the end?
      • plan reveal
        • shows reverence for Sisu earlier
        • scoffs at human!Sisu. That can’t be Sisu.
  • Muong
  • Phu
  • Vien
    • the monkey whisperer
    • steals the satchel at the start?
      • recognised the GEMS, didn’t know that was the Raya — stole just to be safe
      • Raya assumes she recruited Vien, but it’s all planned by recruiter
        • recruiter stationed VIen at the package for Raya
        • means really knew it was Raya
  • actually the Talon family-backstabber from E1?

Plot Outline

all this while, Raya struggles to work with a team — Team Talon is such a failure, that endgame Raya Gang would show such an improvement

  • E1 (comfort zone):
    • Raya + Sisu skills to get Gem
  • E2 (world lacking):
    • inciting incident set piece
    • The gang – Raya needs them, forms a plan
  • E3 (threshold unfamiliar):
    • Raya goes, depending on the gang
    • Mask festival execution
      • failure
    • there’s a Fang spy/scout
  • E4: (adapt to win):
    • risk shown
      • why should we trust you?
      • everyone confesses a secret
    • Kidnapping Dang Hai
    • Fang spy has been in Talon a long time
    • getting gem shard
    • Everyone knows Raya is in town for the gem
      • Think: Boun spilled the beans?
  • E5: (claim the prize):
    • Talon on lockdown
    • Tuk-Tuk comes out,
    • missing Sisu? Noi?
  • E6: (pay the price):
    • someone tries to bribe the spy — the spy reveals! disaster!
    • parent-figure betrays child-figure!
      • child-figure realises this isn’t the world he wants to live in
      • child self-sacrifices, in hope in Sisu
      • Later, parent joins Raya with that guilt.
    • monkey man gets petrified!
    • team scrambles
    • Raya/Sisu gets caught to retrieve the Gem.
  • E7: (clashing worlds):
    • She betrays others?
  • E8: (battling changes):
    • child-figure double-double cross sacrifice
    • Raya finds out whipsword was stolen

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E1 - Comfort

Namaari/Khaang Hook

EXT. MOUNTAINTOP - DUSK

  • Namaari and her crew are surveying from a lookout point, making camp
  • A glow appears, just on the horizon, along a river
    • Junior Soldier: “Khaang could’ve arrived sooner at Talon.”
    • her Serlot roars a yawn.
    • Namaari, “Raya will know Khaang is our scout, barging in on a large noisy Serlot.”
  • Namaari turns back to an older soldier
    • “Admiral Thaanh, can’t we find another route back home to Fang?”
    • “Princess, if you want to arrive home in three days, without meeting any Druun, then we need to go through Heart.”
    • Namaari’s reluctant.
    • “I know how much that night hurt you, fifteen years go. I was there, too. But if Raya is out to steal the Gem shards from every tribe, then your mother needs to make plans.”
    • (What? Namaari, hurt? Wasn’t she the one who backstabbed Raya?) #payme
  • “Okay, Admiral. Let’s hope Khaang succeeds in…”

Goodbye Boun

EXT. TALON - NIGHT

  • Chyron: TALON
    • (five days later), but it’s ambiguous
  • some establishing shots: the floating platforms, the merchant boats, lanterns, noisy crowds

EXT. DOCKS, TALON - NIGHT

  • The battle-torn Steamboat pulls into Talon docks. The gang steps out and takes a walk.
  • Sisu ogles: I didn’t know Talon became so beautiful…
    • Raya: After the Druun returned fifteen years ago, Talon fully moved their whole tribe onto their lake.
    • Boun: If only the families in Tail could’ve banded together like this…
    • Raya: Like a band of scammers and frauds? Watch out for fake parts.
  • Raya: Reminds me, the payment for your past week of delicacies on the Steamboat. And for saving my life. (gesturing to her wound that Boun bandaged)
    • Boun’s eyes widen as a bunch of coins drop into his hand
    • Raya: Double what was promised. I’m sorry I assumed the worst of you. Purchase your ship repairs and go crazy with cooking ingredients.
  • “Thank you, Raya. And good luck with stealing Talon’s Gem artefact.”
    • Raya double-takes, sternly: “What?! Shhhh! How—? Nevermind. Don’t you tell anyone about this.”
      • #payme the whole of Talon finds out. Raya blames Boun, but it’s the spy.
    • “But… can’t I know about it?”
    • “Nobody can know.”
    • “…Okay.”
    • “…Boun? Tell your parents, that Raya of the tribe of Heart says, their son was very noble.”
    • Boun nods, shrugs. They part ways.

%%

  • Boun reaches out his hand at the first stall for a fruit.
    • Raya catches his hand and leads him away. She whispers, “That’s fake.”
    • Sisu: “Fake?” They regroup away and look around at the stalls.
    • Raya: “They’re almost all fake. They’re banded together alright, a band of scammers and frauds.”
    • “Why do people still work with them?”
    • “Because like it or not. Without Talon, the tribes wouldn’t trade with each other.
    • Kumandra would’ve fallen. But you still have to keep your guard up.”
  • Boun: Is that why you have those glowing weapons?
    • Raya defensively hides her satchel.
    • Sisu stares through Raya.
    • Raya analytically confesses. “I am not from Tail. Yes, I am collecting glowing weapons from each tribe. I have an important mission to make things right, for everyone. I’m sorry I’m not telling the whole story, but this is the truth.”
    • “Okay.” “Okay?”
    • “Yeah. I didn’t tell you about my parents, either. Like it or not, I guess I have to trust you just enough to win together. Like the people of Talon.”
  • “Gus-gus. Stay safe, Boun.”
    • “Take care, Raya, Sisu!” %%

Hello, Talon

  • Raya heel-turns, but grabs onto Sisu (for fear of water)
  • She monologues: Our schedule is three days late because the boat got damaged. Tuk-Tuk is swimming nearby. I’ve got my whistle to call him when we need to escape. Now Sisu, you—
  • Sisu’s exasperated: Boun already knows. Let him in!
    • Raya: He’s… too young.
    • Sisu: We need to travel by boat if you want to avoid the Druun and be faster than Namaari.
    • Raya: Fine. We’ll get another sailor. Boun knows too much.
  • Raya: we need to get new clothes to blend in. Follow close.

EXT. MARKET STREET, TALON - NIGHT

  • Raya leads Sisu down a street
    • crowds jostle, vendors haggle prices
    • the oddly-dressed pair are singled out by the vendors, hard to move
    • vendors:
      • Aha! This headscarf goes beautifully with your traditional Tail wear!
      • first purchase, half price!
      • hello ladies, I’m from Tail too! Let me show you around!
    • Sisu: Wow, everyone’s so friendly!
      • Sisu gets caught by a lotion salesperson lol
      • With free lotion, Sisu’s obligated to purchase

EXT. ALLEY, TALON - NIGHT

  • Raya pulls Sisu around into an alley
    • Raya comforts herself: Soon, we’ll be at Spine. On solid ground. With saner people.
  • Raya prostrates herself on the boardwalk and reaches under. She retrieves a bundled package.
    • Raya: I’ve prepared this last time I was here. There’s local clothes and supplies.
    • The pair put on the local clothing outerwear (Raya backpacks the rest)
  • Sisu picks up a note attached to the package.
    • Sisu: Hey, what’s this? “Guard up. Fang spy in Talon. Arrived few days ago.” You wrote this to yourself?

The Plan

…

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  • Khaang or Noi attempts to steal the bag? plays it off as a petty thief?

    • Khaang already recommended by Nan. Noi suss’ed for going straight for the bag
    • Noi takes the bag because:
      • Noi says she’s secretly Talon princess
        • she knows Raya is here for the gems?
        • she knows Raya from before?
      • but she really knows about Raya because Nan set her up to impress Raya
        • to get an extra cut of the coin reward from Raya?
      • Raya needs more backup — she needs “Noi” %%

  • Sisu: You have a friend?!

  • Raya: I have an accomplice.

  • Raya: Sisu, this is Nan.

  • masks

%%

  • Sisu: Okay. My dragon-senses are telling me the… thing we want… is that way.
    • Raya: That’s the Talon Palace, just as I guessed. It’s heavily guarded.
  • Sisu: Okay, so I was thinking you let me go first.
    • Huh?
    • With the Talon Chief. Hang Dai?
    • “Dang Hai. And no, you can’t come”
    • I’ve been asleep for 500 years, the Druun monsters are back, and I’m the only dragon who isn’t stone.
    • if he finds out you’re really Sisu, then he’ll imprison you and use you. Easier: I’ll just dip in, get the gem, and get out.”
    • We don’t need to steal, we can work together.
    • Things are different now, Sisu. The chiefs may have worked together 500 years ago, but nowadays, every chief just works for their own tribe. %%

E2 – Need

Meet Noi, Nan and Ner

  • three Talon locals
    • we find out later that one of them is definitely a Fang spy
    • all three are frauds in some way, though
    • who’s the spy?
  • Noi pretends to be the chieftan’s daughter
    • only during Mask Festival can Noi go around anonymously
    • Noi helps to get Raya to the palace
    • “Dang Hai only has sons…”

Getting to Dang Hai

Disaster

  • Midpoint: realising there’s a Fang spy
    • only one of the gang knew about the plan
Namaari in Heart

False Victory with The Gem

  • reveal Nan is Noi’s parent figure

The Trap

Sacrifice

  • one of them sells Raya out to the local Talon authorities
  • Raya looks back; there isn’t much time.
    • “My real name is Raya, daughter of Chief Benja of the tribe of Heart. The land of Kumandra fell apart because I made a mistake. Sisudatu is the Last Dragon. If you re-assemble the Gem, she will revive everyone who was turned to stone. Don’t trust anyone. Or do. I don’t know, I just know that I trust you. I have to.”
    • She throws over the satchel containing the Gem weapons.
    • She looks away. “I’m sorry bá, I couldn’t do it.”
  • Noi takes Raya’s place
    • “Noi, she’s just another liar!”
    • “No! For the first time in my life, I’m hearing the truth.”
    • Noi exchanges places with Raya: she gets petrified.

Resolution

  • The Steamboat sails off
  • Raya files through the satchel
    • She double-takes. Ruffles it again. Turns its contents out.
    • The Kujang. The Karambit.
    • Heart’s Whip-Keris is missing.
  • Raya freaks out. Wails. Angry.