Family Secrets

Thoughts about Nell's books

This is a work in progress.

Book I, Family Secrets, Diary entries 1-42
Book II, Giants, Diary entries 43-80
Book III, Ancient Threats Awake, Diary entries 81+

Dramatis personæ

Sandeli - Mischievous comedic main character
Honeypot - Wine, women and song...
Nathaniel - Noble knight-like figther
Velicia - Mystic wizard, knowledgeable
Dorothea - Weird
Gloriana - Dangerous

A small taste of how Nell's book might be...

Family Secrets

by Sandeli Foxglove

Act I

Prologue

Enter Chorus

Chorus

Old forces of great strength, long forgotten,
In fair Perrenland, where we lay our scene,
From ancient halls beneath the ground, begotten,
Awful monsters with intentions unclean.
Opposed only by heroes by chance,
Sandeli, a lady lost at young age,
Honeypot the faun, who loves to dance,
Velicia of the eladrin, a swordmage,
Dorothea star-touched and strange of mind,
Last of them, but foremost in battle,
Nathaniel Deverin the fighter refined,
But on characters, lets not prattle.
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest in little place a giant;
A few men, green in face, may portray
A whole hoard of goblins, defiant.
Suppose within the girdle of these walls
Are now confined, cities and halls below ground,
Where our heroes' struggles and their calls,
bouncing from wall to wall, loudly sound.
Think when we talk of horses, that you see the steeds,
Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving dirt;
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our heroes' needs,
Carry them here and there; jumping o'er time, overt,
Turning the accomplishment of years
Into an hour-glass, solving many a mystery.
So now my audience, you may without fears
Admit me Chorus to this history;
Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play.

Exit

Scene I. Sandpoint. A square in front of cathedral.

Sandeli, Nathaniel Deverin, Dorothea Caiphon, Mayor Deverin and Attendants

Mayor

Holds speech of feast for new cathedral ...

Enter Velicia.

Velicia

Dear Sandeli, I find thee here at the food tables. Have you not eaten yet? or is the question more correctly put thus; Is there still food left?

Sandeli

Velicia, friend and teacher, you know me and so do I you. It is no mere coincidence that we meet here. There are many dishes left and now that you are here we will this amend.

Enter Honeypot dancing and playing flute.

Velicia

Look! I know this faun. Honeypot! Over here!

Sandlei

A faun? Known for their drink as well as their music. Though I know of them I have yet to meet one. I shall keep my purse close.

Velicia

This one is of exceptional virtue. She has none of the treachery that stain their reputation. Here she comes now.
My most dear Honeypot! What's the news with you?

Honeypot

My excellent good friend! How dost thou, Velicia? and who is your friend?

Velicia

I fare well indeed. And this is Sandeli, a student of mine in matters of scribing.

Sandeli

Aye! I fill papers with ink and have yet to write, not to the fault of my teacher.

Honeypot

...

Velicia

But, what is this I hear stirring? Look! Goblins!

Enter Goblins.

Nathaniel

To Arms! To Arms! Citizens, defend yourselves or flee!

Goblins

Goblin song...

Sandeli

'Tis rude to interrupt my meal in this way. That deed shall not go unpunished.

Attendants flee.
They fight.

Dorothea

Something weird

They fight.
The goblins die or flee.

Mayor

Well have you done, but all's not done. The foul creatures came from the direction of the gate. It must be held. Make haste, go hence and look to it, brave heroes.

Exeunt

Scene II. The gate and nearby graveyard.

Enter Sandeli, Nathaniel, Honeypot, Velicia, Dorothea

Velicia

The gate is safe. We were not too late.

Nathaniel

This is good news. Without this gate the town lays open for attack. There are several goblin tribes in forests about this town, and though they have not attacked, it is but a real threat that hangs upon our shoulders, like the ???

Sandeli

Joke ??? But be still! All is not well. Something's stirring. There are goblins in the graveyard!

Enter goblins.

Nathaniel

Alas! The goblins do dark deeds, indeed. They do not even leave the dead alone in their eternal sleep.

They fight.

Velicia

Casting magic

Sandeli

I will challenge thee big foul goblin. As big as you are among your people, You are still less than me.

They fight.
Sandeli kills Goblin but is wounded.

Honeypot

Let me dress your wounds and cheer you up with music.

Nathaniel

The goblins are trying to steal something. Nay! I shall thwart their unsavory plans.

They fight.
Goblins drop bag.

Honeypot

There are great many goblins outside. A whole tribe in the least. I think we need a trick.

Nathaniel

Be cunning in the working this, and we will be saved. Else we are in great peril.

Honeypot

Sandeli, hand me that sack hanging by the shovel. Dorothea, give me some of those

Exeunt

Scene III. In front of an Inn.

Sandeli, Nathaniel, Honeypot, Velicia, Dorothea

Enter Aldern hard pressed fighting goblins.

Sandeli

Stand back noble man. We will save you!

Honeypot

Oh. How handsome.

They fight.
The goblins die or flee.

Mayor

Thanking the heroes. You have saved the day.

Aldern

Thanking the heroes. Invite to hunt.

Scene IV. In a forest.

Sandeli, Nathaniel, Honeypot, Velicia, Dorothea, Aldern

Act II

Beneath Sandpoint

Act III

Thistletop

Act IV

Aldern

Sandeli

[to Nathaniel]There he lay on the floor of the wretched cave, his expensive clothes torn, soaked in his own blood. He was all but dead, when words left his broken lips. Words of woe and of sorrow and of angst. He cried for help to flee the Huntsman. His strength left him but also a few last words. He told that he had been fooled by the Skinsaw Cult, and that he regretted that his family was ended with him. One sister had married in the Great Kingdoms and the other...

Nathaniel

The other?

Sandeli

The other was taken to Magnimar by Ironbriar.

or

Aldern

My hour is almost come, When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself.

Honeypot

Alas, poor lover.

Aldern

Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold.

Sandeli

Speak; We are bound to hear.

Aldern

So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.

Sandeli

What?

Aldern

I am thy brother's spirit, Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, Revenge my foul and most unnatural murder.

Sandeli

Murder!

Aldern

Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange and unnatural.

Sandeli

Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift As meditation may sweep to my revenge.

Aldern

I find thee apt; And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear: 'Tis given out that, my fathers friend me recruited for his murderous ways.

sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his crown.

HAMLET O my prophetic soul! My uncle!

Act V

Ironbriar