Formatting is a bit dodgy here because of all the tabs in the original document, so apologies for that - the blog post accompanying this script can be found here.
The True Adventures of Lady Guinevine Strathmore
Volume 1: Blood and Gold
(Throughout one panel is one eighth of a page unless stated otherwise)
Page 1
Panel 1: Full page
Art: An English country manor in the twilight, windows downstairs blaze with light and the moon is high in a clear night sky. In the foreground a dark figure is cloaked in shadow.
Page 2
Panel 1: Two panels across
Art: Early evening. SIR HENRY, an old man with a bushy beard and moustache and a kindly face sits opposite LADY GUINEVINE in an ornate carriage. He wears an expensive black coat and fairly ornate frilly shirt. She wears a simple yet elegant dress. (‘simple’ meaning not quite as much lace work and trimmings and petticoats)
Text: [top left corner box] Earlier that dayGuinevine: This was a most unexpected invitation, sir Henry. Do you not think so?Henry: In what way, Guinevine?Guinevine: That it addressed me specifically as an explorer and not as a lady of society.
Panel 2:
Art: The face of sir Henry from the front.
Text: Henry: Charles Wrathbone has always been a friend of the Explorers. He evidently holds your membership in higher regard than he does your pedigree.
Panel 3:
Art: A front view of Guinevine’s face.
Text: Guinevine: How refreshing.He has never been a member though, has he?
Panel 4: Half of a normal panel split vertically
Art: Sir Henry facing slightly right and looking slightly sad.
Text: Henry: No, but by the look of him he’s had a few adventures.Guinevine: How so? I’ve seen his broken nose -
Panel 5: Half of a normal panel split vertically
Art: Guinevine, facing slightly left. Looking scornful.
Text: Guinevine: - but he’s an aristocrat, I’d assumed he’d gone out hunting one day and fallen off his horse.Or been in a drunken fight.
Panel 6: Directly below 5/6
Art: Sir Henry, portrait front, eye’s lighting up.
Text: Henry: My child, my high born child! No, he’s been through the wars that one. His chest is a map of scars.
Panel 7: Two panels vertically.
Art: Guinevine, front, full body so we see the dress in full and the background of the wood of the carriage. She looks shocked and somewhat taken aback, hands in lap, but with a slight smile.
Text: Guinevine: Sir Henry! I’ll have you know I have never seen him in a state of undress.
page 3
Panel 1:
Art: Henry’s face, front, looking jolly and with one eyebrow raised.
Text: Henry: Of course dear, I forget sometimes. I have watched him fence with young Julian.Guinevine: Indeed?
Panel 2:
Art: Guinevine looking wistful, profile looking down somewhat.
Text: Henry: The man fights like a devil. Quite underhand, but a model swordsman nonetheless.Julian was quite overwhelmed.Guinevine: *sigh*
Panel 3: Rest of the page.
Art: An elevated somewhat sidelong view of the driveway, immediate grounds and manor house itself from panel 1. It’s full grandeur can be seen in the evening light. a few black garbed servants stand ready to welcome guests upon the wide steps that lead up to the entrance. A covered carriage drawn by four horses travels up the path. Inside are Guinevine and Henry (though we cannot see them). On top the driver waves to a servant to have his approach acknowledged. the servant waves back.
Text: Henry: Ahh - we are here.
Page 4
Panel 1:
Art: Lady Guinevine steps from the carriage. A SERVANT (1) bows to her. He wears livery and a wig.
Text: Servant 1: Good evening m’am, sir. May I see your invitation?Guinevine: Certainly.
Panel 2:
Art: Guinevine stands facing the servant before the carriage, she hands him the ornate invitation.
Text: Guinevine: Sir Henry will need some help with his chair.
Panel 3:
Art: Sideways view of sir Henry’s head looking out of the carriage window.
Text: Henry: Yes thank you, a man to push is what I need.
Panel 4:
Art: Servant 1’s face, as he beckons to someone behind him.
Text: Servant 1: As you wish, sir. Williams will escort you to the hall -
Panel 5:
Art: Two servants half lift and half roll sir Henry’s wheelchair down a ramp from the carriage. It is a strange contraption, baroque yet primitive, with lots of shiny and apparently pointless brass bits. Servant 1 stands facing them, straight backed.
Text: Servant 1: - where you will be announced. The dance has already started.
Panel 6: Directly below panel 16.
Art: A servant pushes sir Henry up a wooden ramp on the steps, Guinevine walks alongside sir Henry. A few boys can be seen laying the ramp.
Panel 7: Two panels vertically.
Art: The grouping walks down a plush carpeted hallway with a large window at the end. To their right a pair of servants stand either side of a door.
Page 5
Panel 1: Half a panel cut vertically.
Art: Sir Henry’s face. Looking dark.
Text: Henry: I hate these country mansions, far too many stairs.
Panel 2: Half a panel cut vertically
Art: Guinevine’s face, looking reproachful.
Text: Guinevine: Hush now and stop complaining. I intend to enjoy this evening to the fullest.
Panel 3:
Art: The servant at the door looks over to lady Guinevine.
Text: Servant: Your names, please.
Panel 4: Half a page (four panels square)
Art: Looking down on a large hall with a feast around the edge and many exquisitely dressed figures engaged in a complicated dance. At the left of the hall, upon a raised balcony with a carpet that continues down a set of stairs to the main hall, are sir Henry, the man pushing his chair and lady Guinevine. Another SERVANT stands at the top of the stairs, calling out to below.
Text: Servant calling: Sir Henry Laughton and Lady Guinevine Strathmore of the Explorer’s society, Bond Street.
Henry: For heavens sake.
Panel 5:
Art: A maid (call her MAID 1) youngish. In a stone kitchen.
Text: [top left corner box] Meanwhile...
Panel 6:
Art: Cooks preparing food. Maid 1 travels past them.
Text: [bottom right corner box] ...down below...
Page 6
Panel 1: Two panels across.
Art: View of kitchens, full of activity. There is maid 1, a very austere looking SERVANT and in the shadows at the right corner a skulking figure by some steps leading down.
Text: [Top left corner box] ...where no-one goes...[bottom right corner box] ...no-one important that is...
Panel 2:
Art: The austere looking servant.
Text: Austere servant: We need more wine.
Panel 3:
Art: Maid 1 at the top of the stairs from panel 25, which lead down to the wine cellars.
Text: [top right corner box] ...dastardly deeds...
Panel 4:
Art: Maid 1 walks down the flickeringly lit stone stairwell.
Text: [bottom left corner box] ...haunt the shadows.
Panel 5: Half a panel cut vertical
Art: A knife in the dark.
Panel 6: Half a panel cut vertical.
Art: Maid 1’s face bright in the dark, a woman’s hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with fear.
Text: Maid 1: -mmpff-
Panel 7:
Art: A cloaked figure holds maid 1, her head pulled back, crouched over a water butt in the flickering torchlight of the cellar. Blood swirls into the clear water and the figure holds a knife in her free hand.
Panel 8:
Art: The figure - ALESIA Brentuo - leans over the dead maid face up in her arms, her not unattractive features can be seen poking out from below the hood. She sees that despite her efforts a few drops of blood have made it onto the girl’s uniform.
Text: Alesia: -Damn-
Page 7
Panel 1: Two panels vertical
Art: Alesia stands above the body of the maid and starts to take off her robe - revealing dark hair held back by a band of material.
Panel 2:
Art: The face of SIR CHARLES WRATHBONE. He is ruggedly handsome, but with a crooked broken nose. His hair is short and he wears a dangly earring form his right lobe. His clothes are smart and fashionable. He is in the hall.
Text: Charles: My lady Guinevine, it is a pleasure to see you again.
Panel 3: Directly below 34
Art: Face of Guinevine, smiling.
Text: Guinevine: Sir Charles. You are so very kind, to both sir Henry and myself.
Panel 4:
Art: Sir Charles gestures expansively with one arm, displaying a measure of the opulence behind him.
Text: Charles: It is nothing.
Panel 5:
Art: Lady Guinevine just in front of a throng of party goers.
Text: Guinevine: May I ask, though, why you invited me over all the other explorers.
Panel 6: Two panels across.
Art: In the hall, surrounded by other party goers, but the space between them clear, sir Charles bows to lady Guinevine, who holds a hand against her chest.
Text: Charles: Because you are the only one I have ever desired to ask for a dance.
May I?Guinevine: Certainly.
Page 8
Panel 1:
Art: Sir Charles takes Lady Guinevine’s hand.
Panel 2:
Art: Musicians in hall.
Panel 3:
Art: Alesia, in the cellar, putting on the maid’s clothes, her robe covering the corpse.
Panel 4:
Art: Sir Charles and Guinevine, faces, enjoying the dance, possibly in a whirl.
Panel 5:
Art: A high up view of the dance and the formations of people.
Panel 6:
Art: Alesia dumps the maid’s body behind the water butt.
Panel 7:
Art: Alesia grabs some bottles of wine at the foot of the stair-well.
Panel 8:
Art: The kitchen. Alesia comes out of the cellar.
Text: Austere servant: What took you so long girl?
Page 9
Panel 1:
Art: The austere servant clocks a repentant, unassuming Alesia round the head.
Text: Austere Servant: And is that wine on your uniform?Were you drinking down there?Alesia: No sir.
Panel 2:
Art: Alesia looking at the floor.
Text: Alesia: It was a guest-Austere Servant: WHAT?Alesia: It - I spilled it... sir.
Panel 3: Two panels across
Art: Alesia slinks off across the crowded kitchen as the austere servant shouts after her.
Text: Austere servant: Well cover it up and get back to work then.
Panel 4: Bottom half of page.
Art: In the hall. Through the great windows masked and black garbed figures come smashing, cutlasses and rapiers drawn or in their teeth, the guests look shocked and start to scatter.
Text: From the crowd: Ahhh!Help!Arrgh!From the pirates: Grrrr!
Pages 10-12
A fight scene with the four pirates, includes; one pirate attacks Guinevine, she catches the cutlass in a candelabra she has grabbed from a table and then smashes him over the head with a bottle she finds reaching back. Two pirates attacks sir Charles, who quite brutally breaks the arm of one, steals his sword and stabs the other, before killing the first. Also, sir Henry, pulling ornate bits from his wheelchair quite calmly assembles a flintlock rifle and shoots one of the pirates.
Page 13
Panel 1:
Art: A tray with a glass of wine, and a bottle of poison being emptied into it.
Panel 2:
Art: That same tray being carried by Alesia into the hall.
Panel 3: Four panels square.
Art: The hall in all its devastation, with Guinevine looking a bit saddened but sir Charles standing in the middle of it all looking very pleased and reaching out for a glass of wine that is being offered to him on a tray by Alesia, dressed as a maid and with head bowed.
Text: Charles: Ahh
Panel 4:
Art: Sir Charles knocks back the drink, but out of the corner of his eye notices Alesia, whose head is up for a moment.
Panel 5:
Art: Sir Charles looks at Alesia directly, who has her head down again now.
Text: Charles: -you...
Page 14
Panel 1: Two panels across
Art: Sir Charles falls down clutching at his throat, Guinevine starts to rush toward him, Alesia is nowhere to be seen.
Text: Charles: *ggng*
Panel 2: Two panels across
Art: In the cellar another serving girl discovers the body.
Text: Serving Girl: Aaahhh!
Panel 3: Bottom half of page.
Art: Guinevine kneels over the body of sir Charles, fingers at his pulse, the rest of the guests stand and look on in shock and amazement. The great hall of sir Charles is now a scene of destruction and chaos, with dead bodies and broken furniture lying all about. Several ladies lie fainted in gentlemen’s arms.
Text: Guinevine: He’s dead... But why?Small inset panel somewhere near the bottom left of the page
The shape and last flapping bit of cloak of Alesia disappear through a door and up some stairs.
Page 15
Panel 1: Two panels vertically
Sir Henry Loughton sits in his wheelchair, slotting bits of weaponry back into concealment – he is shouting and looks slightly angry, or at least impatient. There are both servants and guests around him.
Henry: Somebody call the constabulary – get a move on will you.
Panel 2
Henry’s face, looking to the side slightly and smiling somewhat ruefully. We can see the body of Charles, but Guinevine is nowhere near it.
Henry: What a mess this is, eh my dear?Guinevine?
Panel 3: Directly below panel 2
Guinevine peaks around an ornate panelled doorway. She is scowling somewhat.
Panel 4: Two panels together horizontally
This long panel is of a long and richly furnished corridor. At the right end of the panel Alesia half sneaks and half runs, she is currently caught momentarily undecided as she tries to make her way through the maze of corridors toward the specific room she seeks.
Panel 5
Alesia stands in the doorway to a room which has much in the way of nautical accoutrements upon its walls. She smiles grimly.
Panel 6
Alesia roots through the papers in a great big bureau desk, in the background Guinevine can be seen standing in the doorway. Upon the desk are again many instruments and paperweights.
Guinevine: And what, may I ask, do you think you are doing, girl?
Page 16
Panel 1
Alesia faces Guinevine, she hides a roll of paper behind her back. She is surprised, and feigns a look of servility. Guinevine has adopted a haughty air.
Alesia: I was ... The master ... Miss I –Guinevine: You were stealing – no doubt something you hoped would not be missed.
Panel 2
Alesia smiles, like a cat. Her free hand grasps a lethal looking paperweight. (This could be done in two panels, each half size).
Alesia: You could say that – miss.
Rest of the page
Alesia throws the paperweight at Guinevine, who dodges, but before she has a chance to recover Alesia is on top of her brandishing a knife. Guinevine dodges again and pulls a dagger from a coat of arms on the wall. The two square off against one another.
Alesia: You move fast for a pampered lady – I should have killed you already.Guinevine: And you are no mere serving girl.Alesia: As stupid as the rest, I see. You are not even worthy of my blade.
Page 17
Panel 1
Guinevine lunges at Alesia, who is starting backwards.
Guinevine: By my honour!
Panel 2
Alesia steps on to the bureau and pivots toward a large window that lies behind it.
Alesia: Aha! You’ll have to better than that my dear.
Panel 3: Half the page
Alesia jumps through the window with Guinevine lunging after her. Guinevine just manages to grab the edge of the piece of paper that Alesia is holding as it trails out behind her. The paper rips into two halves, so that each will get one.
Panel 4
A collection of servants and the more hardy of the guests crowd in at the doorway of the room to see...
Panel 5
Guinevine stands in the room, which is somewhat wrecked at this point, and puzzles over the piece of paper she has.
Guinevine: It’s a map...
Page 18
Panel 1:
Overhead view of Jim the grubby urchin boy walking though the streets of London. He’s going through a fairly grubby back street, maybe a pub or some other poor people in the picture.
Panel 2
The same alleyway, Jim is leaving it and entering a main street. The picture looks down the length of the alleyway at Jim’s back.
Panel 3: Four panels square
Jim stands before the explorer’s society building in Bond Street, a big brick townhouse of a building. It has a set of large steps, is detached and has some impressive railings, but otherwise is unmarked. Lots of posh people walk past it along the road wearing their laced up dresses and frilly shirts and hats with all sorts of brims.
Jim: Here we are.
Panel 4
Jim goes round to the side of the building and knocks on the servants entrance.
Panel 5
An old looking servant opens the door and lets Jim in.
Jim: I’m here to see-Servant: Yes, come in boy.
page 19
Panel 1
The old servant closes the door and nods to Jim who is inside now. They are in a bare and unfurnished hallway/corridor.
Servant: You know where you’re going, I suppose? Just don’t forget-Jim: You’re watching every move I make, right?
Panel 2
Jim climbs some stairs looking back over his shoulder and smiling at the old servant who scowls back at him and wags his finger.
Servant: Exactly.
Panel 3
Jim emerges at the top of the stairs into a richly furnished area, somewhere between a gentleman’s club and a library (although more of the surroundings later). Just passing the entrance as Jim arrives is a young man called JULIAN. Julian is passing attractive, a fairly slight man with a boyish exuberance about him. He is today beardless, but with his medium length hair hanging loose. He carries an apple, and waves a greeting to Jim.
Julian: Oh, hello lad. Off on another exciting adventure?Jim: Could be, could be.
Panel 4
The two stand, Julian fairly awkwardly and Jim all very deferential. Julian is holding out the apple to Jim to take.
Julian: Well, Guinevine is er... Lady Guinevine is certainly up to something, she’s been-Guinevine (off panel): Is that you boy?Julian: Oh, I guess you’d better get going, eh?Here, take this.
Panel 5: Bottom half of page
A nice inclusive high up view of the inside of the society. A balcony on the left overhangs a large central hall-cum-library. At the centre of this hall is a clear open space where a guild crest is rendered in mosaic form. Leading up to the balcony across the top of the panel is a large wide staircase. The balcony itself is the home of many a large and plush leather seat and numerous coffee tables and so on and so forth. Jim and Julian are in a corner of the lower hall and Guinevine is at the rail of the balcony calling down to them.
The Crest: I’m thinking here some kind of compass, with mythical creatures at each of its four points; a sea serpent, a mermaid, a unicorn and a griffon, at north, south, east and west respectively. With a motto underneath ‘agere quattuora angula terra’. I’m not altogether too sure about this, it might be worth discussing. Also, it would be nice to have this crest in and of itself for the website and so on.
Guinevine: Stop dawdling then and make your way up here.Jim: Cheers guv’, but I gotta’ go. You know how it is.Julian: Yes. Well, good-bye, and do take care of yourselves.
Page 20
Panel 1
Jim walking up the grand staircase, having just bitten into the apple.
Jim: Can’t tell what she sees in him.
Panel 2
Jim reaches the top of the staircase, Guinevine stands a bit back from there, back to us, with her hands on her hips.
Jim: But then, what do I-Guinevine: Come on then.
Panel 3
Guinevine’s face, looking, for once, open. Jim has walked past her and we can see him just in the background biting into his apple.
Guinevine: Was that Julian you were talking to?
Jim: Ungh-hgn.
Panel 4
Guinevine rounds on Jim.
Guinevine: Don’t talk with your mouth full. That’s terribly bad mannersJim: Sorry.
Panel 5
Guinevine has walked with Jim over to where she has some maps and papers laid out on one of the coffee tables. She leans on the back of a big plush leather armchair.
Guinevine: Well, go on then. Tell me all the things that you’ve found out.
Panel 6
Jim’s face as he stands with his hands behind his back and begins to recount.
Jim: You see, I thought about it a bit, and that bit of Kent you were talking about, well-
Panel 7: Two panels along horizontally
This is a scene of a dark and dingy old bar. To the left of the panel is a bar wench with some tankards and to the right is a group of pissed up pirates quaffing ale and wearing cutlasses and bandannas and so on and so forth.Captions that range across the page: -my Uncle’s wife’s sister, she’s from down that way and she works as a bargirl. And about the time you’re talking about there was a bunch of sailors that got pissed up in her tavern.
Page 21
Panel 1: Two panels across horizontally
This scene is a moonlit river Thames quite near to the sea. In a secret cove on the southern bank a pirate ship lies moored up. All is still.
In captions: And everyone local was saying that there was a ship holed up in skulls cove at the time, though no-one would’ve said anything by it or would admit to having looked. The cove being haunted and all.
Panel 2
Guinevine’s face, frowning.
Guinevine: That’s quite enough local flavour, boy. What did you actually find out?
Panel 3
Jim looking fairly sheepish.
Jim: Well, not much really. The sailors looked like they might be up to no good, but then they went, and so did the boat.
Panel 4
The two of them standing looking at each other. Guinevine looks thoughtful.
Jim: Then everyone heard about what happened at your party.
Panel 5: Immediately below panel 4
Jim’s face, he holds up the apple core.
Jim: Where shall I put this core?
Panel 6: Two panels vertical
Guinevine has come around from behind the plush armchair and is bending over to look at the papers that are strewn upon the table.
Guinevine: That is very interesting all the same.And I have found out an awful lot about sir Charles Wrathbone.
Page 22
Panel 1: Half of the page
Guinevine sits down in a big armchair and expounds. This should be a view that takes in a lot of the balcony bit, other explorer types sitting about and having afternoon tea and cakes or standing around chatting and so forth. In the corner, heading toward where Guinevine and Jim talk is sir Henry Laughton being pushed in his wheelchair.
Guinevine: It seems that our lord is not a lord at all, but a lowly born scoundrel who bought his way into land and title.
I know. I too am shocked, but it is all here in the records for all to see. I suddenly find myself not knowing who to trust.
It seems he started life as no more than Charlie Waters, although who Charlie Waters was is as yet a mystery
Panel 2
Guinevine close up again. She has the piece of paper that she tore from the hands of Alesia.
Guinevine: And our first and greatest clue is this map.
Panel 3
Guinevine looks as if she is laughing lightly as she speaks, sir Henry can be seen approaching behind her.
Guinevine: All we need is a ship to go exploring with.
Panel 4
Sir Henry’s face, bristling somewhat.
Henry: Lady Guinevine. The Explorer’s society exists to fund and resource expeditions for the betterment of humanity. Not to bankroll our member’s private quests.
panel 5
Guinevine turns to face sir Henry.
Guinevine: Ah, sir Henry. I was just about to explain to the boy a theory of mine.
Page 23
Panel 1
Dark shapes sit huddled together in a badly lit tavern, conferring in hushed voices. There are drinks on the table.
Pirate 1: We lost four men at it and not a drop of loot.Pirate 2: Charlie’s dead, and with ‘im all ‘opes of any.Pirate 3: This whole scheme is on a hiding to nowhere.
Panel 2
At the head of the table there is a deeper shadow still, enfolded in this darkness is an unidentifiable figure.
Alesia: I would have thought that the death of that scum was reward enough for you.
Panel 3
Alesia leans forward out of the darkness.
Alesia: And as for the others.It’s all the more for the rest of us when we get to that traitor’s stash.
Panel 4
One of the dark shapes, a pirate type, which they all are, in a close up side on view. He wears an earring and a bandanna and has all crookedy teeth as you might expect. He is sneering.
Sneering Pirate: You used them as bait, you knew they would die. Why should we trust you any more?
Panel 5: Two panels across
Quick as a flash Alesia has reached across the table and holds a very sharp knife-point to the sneering pirates throat. Some of the drink has spilled and the other pirates are somewhat taken aback.
Alesia: Are you so afraid of death? Why then should we trust you?They were drunkards and braggarts and they got what they deserved.Don’t you think?Sneering Pirate: y- yes.
Panel 6
The sneering pirate slumps back into his chair, feeling gingerly at his throat and sneering no longer. He scowls traitorously.Panel 7
Alesia sinks back into the shadows of her seat, smiling like a cat.
Alesia: Now, if you want to get back the wealth that is rightfully ours, then I suggest that you listen to me.
Page 24
Panel 1
The top view of a fairly lowly village tavern, it is quite large with a thatched roof and a fenced off back bit where some people can be seen doing chores.
Alesia (in caption): Charlie didn’t leave all his money for the toffs to get their hands on.
Panel 2: Directly below panel 1
A close up of one of the people outside, a kitchen hand emptying a bucket of suds. It is the beginnings of night.
Alesia (in caption): A lot of it he kept hidden somewhere – he couldn’t stop himself being a pirate at heart.
Panel 3: Two panels vertical down top right
Down the left side of the panel is a darkened strip of coast, with the tavern a little bit down from a small village. The waters of the sea are calm on the right of the page. The village should probably nestle into the banks of a small river-mouth.
Alesia (in caption): We’ve got half of the map, the half which shows us what island it’s buried on – but not which sea its in.
Panel 4: Bottom half of the page
All the pirates raise their mugs and knock them together in a toast to success.
Alesia (in caption): But I know who it is that’s got the other half, and I know exactly what she’s going to do with it.
Alesia (in caption, bottom right): So here’s what we’re going to do with her.
Page 25
Panel 1
Close up of Guinevine’s face, she has her hair tied back in a loose ponytail and is wearing a big sailors hat (like an admirals hat or something) at a rakish angle. She is looking about her.
Guinevine: Where is that boy? I told him to meet me early.
Panel 2: Directly below panel 1
Jim emerges from out of a throng of people. He is wearing clothes that for him are quite smart.
Jim: I’m here – I had a bit of trouble getting away.
Panel 3: Two panels vertical
To a backdrop of docks and burly sailor types and quayside taverns Guinevine stands with hands on hips. The panel takes in her costume head to toe. As well as the aforementioned hat she is wearing an admiralty type sailors jacket -17th/18th century era, the ones which go down to your thigh - over a loose fitting shirt. She wears pantaloons (not overly big though) and those open topped calf length leather boots of all the best swashbucklers. At her side dangles a sheathed rapier and in her belt she has tucked a knife. Also attached to her belt is a sextant which dangles from a loop and maybe somehow she carries a small extendable telescope.
Guinevine: Good. I trust you are prepared for our voyage.
Panel 4: Two panels horizontally
Guinevine turns on her heel and marches off, Jim scrambling to follow, he picks up a little satchel of his things from the floor.
Guinevine: Anything we will need has already been stowed in my quarters.You will be sleeping with the men.
Panel 5
Guinevine looking over her shoulder as she strides towards the quay.
Guinevine: You do realise that this will not be consisting a holiday?
Panel 6
Jim jostles through the dockside throngs, he looks distracted and is not having that great a time of it. Guinevine continues her lecture from off panel.
Guinevine: I, with my knowledge of mathematics and astronomy, have been hired on as a navigator.Jim: I can see what’s coming a mile off.
Page 26
Panel 1: Half a page
A full scene of the quay-side on the river Thames in London where the last page has been happening. Guinevine and Jim are visible, her un-crowded, him pushing through those that are filling up her wake. Also visible at the bottom of the panel is the prow of a ship.
Guinevine: For you, I’ve got a job as a deck hand.Jim: I hope these guys have some decent grog. And I hope she doesn’t know about it.
Panel 2
Guinevine’s face as she walks, Jim in the background.
Guinevine: Have you got any questions?
Panel 3: Directly below panel 3
Jim catches up with her at the edge of the quay with the large wooden ship in the background, close up so that all that can be seen of it is wooden panels.
Jim: Just the one.
Panel 4: Two panels vertical
Guinevine, followed by Jim, ascend a wide and long gangplank.
Jim: If we’re going to the place on the map, and that woman is going there as well, and as you say, she’ll know that we are going there, won’t we be walking into a trap?
Page 27
Panel 1: Full page
A fairly large ship, a brigantine or so, with sails furled and crew milling about is docked in the quay. Guinevine and Jim have just boarded. It flies a union jack flag, and one with the explorer’s crest upon it.
Guinevine: Of course we will.Jim: Doesn’t that worry you?Guinevine: Not at all.Jim: Oh.
Panel 2: Inset at the bottom left.
A fog wreathed out cropping cliff, behind it in the distance can be seen a ship flying the jolly roger.
Page 28
It’s that pirate classic, the map page! Panel 1 is the top three quarters of the page, and it shows half a map, torn down its left hand edge, resting on a table, although the map takes up most of the panel. Behind/underneath this crude map, maybe we can see the edges of other, better maps, star charts and compasses. the map displays, simply drawn and without embellishments, the west coast’s of Spain and North Africa, maybe leading up into France. Lady Guinevine’s hand can be seen adjusting the corner of the map.
Panel 2:
Pull back to show more of the table, and all the things that are on it. We see more of Lady Guinevine’s arm, and we also see a couple of fine china tea cups, saucers and all, one on either side of the maritime detritus.
Panel 3:
Pull back even further. The table is set before a set of open French windows, looking out onto a well kept garden. Lady Guinevine, in a demure but stylish dress, sits on one side of the table looking out to the garden, a lady friend of hers sits on the other.
Page 29
Page is split into four equal panels, each full width and a quarter of the vertical.
Each panel shows the same shot, of Guinevine and her friend, JANE, sitting at the table before the French windows looking out over the garden. In panel 1 Guinevine has a hand up ringing a little bell. In panel 2 we see a servant walking toward them from the garden, he carries a nice silver tray, with swanky tumblers, lime and a knife as well as a really grotty looking cloth swathed bottle of rum. In Panel 3 the servant places the tray upon their table as Guinevine leans in towards her friend to talk with some conspiracy. In panel 4 Jane and Guinevine hold glasses aloft and lean back against their chairs, laughing girlishly together as the servant disappears again.
Guinevine: I know that I invited you over for a spot of sherry, Jane, and I do still have a bottle or two of that rather wonderful Manzanilla that we picked up in Sanlúcar in June. However, I was wondering if you might find it interesting to try something rather different.’
Jane: Has this got anything to do with your recent expedition by any chance Guinevine dear? What were you doing anyway? You still haven’t let on.
Guinevine: Well, I shall tell all, naturally.How is Marcus, by the way?
Jane: The great oaf is his usual oafish self. There is not a great amount to report if you must know. But tell me, what is this mystery drink of yours? I’m dying to try a glass.
Guinevine: Its a rum, from the islands surrounding America, I believe. The spoils of a pirate’s treasure. It’s rather rough when drunk on it’s own but with a slice of lime involved it becomes a rather different beast, wonderfully refreshing...
Jane: It has a definite pirate charm to it.
Guinevine: That’s the best bit, of course. You’ll never guess who’s this was in the first place.
Jane: Go on, surprise me.
Guinevine: None other than our late friend, sir Charles Wrathbone’s.
Jane: He certainly kept that quiet.
Pages 30-31
Caption: [top left] I know. But I wasn’t the only person after his treasure you know.
It’s a double page of montage mayhem! On the ship we have:
Guinevine fighting sea monsters!Guinevine in the storm!Guinevine in the crow’s-nest, looking through her telescope!Guinevine helping batten down the hatches and pulling on ropes and stuff!Jim swabbing the decks!Sailors helping out in the fight! With the monsters!
Caption: [bottom right] I see what you mean. It has a definite kick to it that’s not all bad.
Page 32
Panel 1: Large panel takes up top three quarters of the page.
Guinevine’s ship has made land at a natural bay on an island in the Azores. Sailors unload all sorts of tents and equipment bundles under Guinevine’s watchful eye.
Guinevine: Come on, come on. We want all of this set up by nightfall, don’t we?
Panel 2
Close up of Guinevine, one foot on the gangplank as she is about to descend. One hand rests upon her rapier, the other holds the telescope loosely by her side. Jim approaches from behind.
Jim: I thought that we didn’t have any idea which island the loot is actually buried on.Guinevine: Well, we have to start somewhere, don’t we boy?Haven’t you been paying any attention at all?Jim: Evidently not...
Panel 3
Low angle distance shot of the pirate ship ploughing through open waters, we see the wake it makes, but not where it is headed.
Caption: ...seen as I wasn’t ever allowed into the captain’s quarters with you.
Page 33
Panel 1: two panels across
Calm night seas, the moon obscured by a cloud and the sky pierced with stars. In the distance we can see the outline of a moored ship, but we cannot tell which ship.
Panel 2
A rowing boat silently cuts the dark waters. Its occupant’s are wreathed in cloaks and shadows.
Panel 3: Directly below panel 2
The sneaky rowing boat sneaks up to the hull of the dark encrusted ship. Again with the darkness. Again with the shadows. Again with the not being able to tell who is who.
Panel 4: Two panels vertical, next to panels 2 and 3
In the darkness, dark shapes swarm up the stern of the ship. But which ship? Which dark shapes? Well, we won’t know until the next page, although – let’s face it. They’re probably pirates.
Panel 5: two panels across
We see a female shape, from behind and in silhouette. She wears a cloak and a sword and stares out across the dark and midnight seas from the prow of a moored ship, seeing nothing untoward.
Page 34
Panel 1
The dark figures swarm over the ship’s railings.
Panel 2
In the rigging, other dark figures secure daggers between their teeth. But what’s this? This figure is one of the pirates from earlier in the story. The pirates who were conspiring with Alesia earlier on in part two.
Panel 3: four panels square, so half of the page, in the middle.
The deck of the ship, and lets stop pretending here, although hopefully the readers won’t twig straight away, this is the pirate ship. And so, the woman still standing at the railing looking out to sea, the shadows of the boarding party reaching greedily across the battered wood for her cloak-obscured form, would be:
Alesia: I should have known that you would try something like this.
Alesia: Oh wait. I did.
Panel 4:
Guinevine, at the head of the boarding party stands tall and whips off her dark cowl. Alesia turns to face her, hatred and contempt upon her features.
Guinevine: Well, I had to. I need that treasure, if only to pay for that boat I hired to get me here.Alesia: You stuck up, arrogant, idiot.
Panel 5: half panel, split vertically
In the rigging, the pirates get ready to jump on the boarders and slit their throats.
Alesia: Do you still think that this is just a game? Some kind of party?
Panel 6: half panel, split vertically
The boarding party ready a pair of pistols each beneath their cloaks.
Guinevine: No.
Pages 35-37
Fight!
The pirates jump down from the rigging and attack, but the first wave is destroyed by pistol fire from the boarding party. Guinevine pulls a gun on Alesia, but has to shoot down a pirate who runs at her with a dagger instead. ‘Damn,’ she says as she throws the gun away. Guinevine and Alesia square off as the fight develops around them. Feel free to kill sailors as well as pirates.
Guinevine: You didn’t think that I was coming over here to ask you nicely, did you?That’s such a shame.
Alesia looks very angry. They draw swords, stepping into exaggerated fencing poses.
Guinevine: Let’s finish this off. This thing we started back at Charlie Water’s place. Hey?Alesia: Do you really value your life that little?
And then they fight, with all of the other fighting going on around them. The fight is close, and could go either way, lots of fancy footwork and clever fencing moves on both sides until Guinevine gets in under Alesia’s guard and runs her through. She follows the blade in close and grabs the other half of the map from where it is secured in Alesia’s belt before pushing the other woman off her sword with her boot. Alesia staggers back and falls over the ship’s rail and the pirates look on, stunned.
Page 38
Splash page, Guinevine and Jane sitting before the French windows, slightly pissed, but still holding themselves with ladylike decorum and suchlike. The sun is beginning to lower in the sky.
Guinevine: I think that it was good for the boy, as well. He needs to see the world a little bit. Stretch his legs.
Jane: I could say the same for Marcus, sometimes.
Guinevine: Hah!
Jane: It’s true, though.
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