Old Part 1 Outline

Outline

Magnus makes a surprise visit (Guy)

• Guy drinking at a bar, jovial conversation with the bartender

• Wants him to make a specific drink but the bartender thinks he’s weak and it’ll eat right through his stomach

• Guy tries to show that he’s good for the money by taking out out silver penny and steele dagger, cuts coin into quarters like knife through butter, bartender comments on dagger, Guy low key brags about ripping off guy for money (Magnus)

• Pack of knights come in, Guy admires them, bartender is sus

  • “What do you mean? Every knight I’ve ever talked to is a right proper bloke.” “You weren’t here during the war.”

• Guy offers to try and get assaulted by the knights within the next minute if the bartender will make the drink. Agreed.

  • Working out the details. “So what are we calling ‘assaulted’ here?” “They lay a hand on me intending to hit me” “So we’re not counting them grabbing you?” “Not unless they follow it up with a big whack” “What you say has to be incindiary, though. Gotta give them an actual reason to break your nose.” “Easy.”

• Confidently strolls over and tries doing what he does with no tact or grace

  • Interrupting a stimulating conversation about how many dogs they could take on in a battle

• A thud is heard outside to punctuate the moment

• The knights very politely tells Guy that he really doesn’t like knights that much

• He agrees and says that only a complete misanthrope would dislike knights nowadays

• Brief back and forth before the minute’s up

  • Other knights throw in a few comments to help their fellow knight but stay calm

• Guy arguing about the prosperity and peace of the empire with the bartender, walks out

• Makes a half-sarcastic comment about peace and prosperity in the empire

• The usually Crimson day sky was fading into a darker teal, like a fire was being frozen over. A peasant walks by with a hover cart in tow, and a sobbing drunk in the cart. He finds another passed out woman and scoops them up. The side reads “Drunke Vagrant Taxi Service”

  • Keep discription to a minimum before Guy gets whacked to make irony of the peace comment more punchy

• EXIT: Guy rounds corner, gets knocked out cold

Gallant heeds the call (Gallant)

• Gallant and his battlemaster. All the audience sees is Gallant saying “Again” “Again” and her beating him over and over again.

• She keeps saying “Sir?” in a gruff voice and urging Gallant to stop

  • “Those who keep going before the fire is out of their opponent’s eyes is doing their foe a disservice.”

• Page pops in to inform Gallant that Lord Commodus is requesting his audience along with the other knights, and that Commodus’ personal knights will be there including Sir Folkes.

  • “Ah, there goes the fire. Do I win?” “Enjoy your victory for the day it shall last.”

• Page takes a look at the steele armour in all its grandeur as Gallant explains it’s the stuff that “killed the laser pistol dead.”

• Pass by a noisy mess hall, newly minted knight on Gallant’s turret bragging loudly about getting land

  • “Nineteen BILLION acres of land, and counting. How’d you all like that, baby! Sir, get in here. Come celebrate with your peer.”

• Page inquires, but before Gallant can answer she bounds over and asks if Gallant heard the news

  • “By the Sovereign, did you hear about the news?” “Uh, yes. Ivetta, or I should say Dame Ivetta, has been made a full member of The Royal Knights’ Society.”

• Once she’s gone Page asks what land, and Gallant tells them a rocky planet on the outskirt territories

  • “How much land?” “The totality of one rocky planet at the outskirt territory somewhere.” “That’s cool.” “Indeed.”

• Walk off the ship and onto the dock, a golden sign above Gallant’s dock reads “SIR GALLANT OF LORD COMMODUS’ POLITY”

• Above the outpost promenade, a giant round sequence of windows showing the nebula outside

• Walking through a castle town, that looks like a castle town from a medieval town planted onto the promenade of a space station trees and all

  • Full of activity and life, peasants carrying hovercarts full of bountiful harvests as if they were touched by The Sovereign Themself

• On the train, knights all transiting with their equipment and pages, Page argues with Gallant why energy weapons of all kinds disappeared

  • “If there was a good chance you were going to fight someone and they shrugged off your weaponry without a moment’s hesitation, why even take the chance? Especially when steele is so easy to come by, and isn’t outlawed.”

• Up the million lordly steps, the scaffolding of the station promenade far above the town is much more visible

• Glared at by Faulkes, who nods a hello to Gallant

• Enter the hall with a million knights, some sitting at this long table and some surrounding and jabbering with Gallant off to the side wishing Page was here

• Sir Faulkes walks out, heralding the arrival of Lord Commodus

• Thunderous applause, Gallant jostled around, the noble emerges and awkwardly revels in it all, clearly uncomfortable with the rapturous reverence

• Lord Commodus announces that it is a great time of peace, but there is a shadow on the horizon and civilian reports of skirmishes on the Neo-Saracen Empire border are coming in

• Commodus insists that we can’t yet blame the Neo-Saracens, but not even they will interrupt the peace and prosperity everyone is enjoying

• Commodus is responding to Lady Hope’s request for assistance from a knight

• Commodus is sending Faulkes, a show of good faith as he is the greatest they have, to repell this menace and ensure nobody can touch The Glorious Empire ever again

• A messenger bursts in with an urgent message to Commodus.

• He lets the messenger speak and, after a little hemming and hawing, says that Lady Hope is explicitly requesting Gallant

• Everyone looks at Gallant in utter shock

• Commodus is quick to tell everyone that Gallant is a superbly qualified knight who will ensure the safety and security of the empire

• Gallant looks to the door where Page is behind for some semblance of emotional support

• Gallant grandly agrees to assist Lady Hope in whatever way he can

• Lord Commodus restarts the chant again after a little effort, with “For Gallant, for Lady Hope, for The Glorious Empire,” being the chant

• Commodus, smiling, leans over and whispers something to Sir Faulkes who carves through the crowd like a steele dagger through iron

• Lord Commodus requests an audience

• Chapter break

• Inner chamber is far more stripped down and utilitarian, but has a single window facing out that seems to cut through from the heart of the outpost to the outside

• Lord Commodus talks about the window, and how he made it specially because he loves that view, his only indulgence, Gallant is still in shock

• Lord Commodus asks, almost as a completely different person, that now that they’re out of the social pressure cooker of the hall, how Gallant feels about it all but cuts him off and ascribes feelings he’s “sure” Gallant is feeling right now, overbearing

  • “Sorry, just had to get you out of there.”

• Lord Commodus politely asks if Gallant sent a messenger

  • “Did you have any idea Lady Hope was going to ask for you in particular?” “Not in the slightest. I’ve never made her acquaintence in my life.”

• Lord Commodus asks if Gallant would like Faulkes or any of Commodus’ personal protection knights to assist, Gallant says no but seems to notice Commodus peppering him with questions

• Silence…Commodus looks out the window

• Gallant asks to leave as he needs to prepare his ship for flight, Commodus, of course, agrees

  • “May I leave, my lord? With all due respect, my ship and crew will need to be made spaceworthy” “Mm? Oh, of course. I shouldn’t be keeping you.”

• EXIT: Gallant leaves a contemplative Commodus who has gone back to his window view

Interrogating the lil shit who stole my money (Magnus)

• Magnus waiting outside, other POV from prologue but not immediately obvious

• Drunkard says hi and strikes up conversation with barely responsive Magnus about how people call HIM the town drunk!? Outrageous

• Magnus snatches yelled dialogue from Guy inside inn that distracts him

• Drunkard complains that Magnus isn’t concentrating on their “conversation” and that’s rude

• Drunkard picks up that Magnus isn’t responding and chides him for his “tough guy” act, saying that he’s gonna hit him

  • “I’m gonna suggest that you calm down” “What if I get ANGRIER, huh? What if I hit you for being so rude?” “I’d really rather you didn’t”
  • “If you try to hit me I’ll break your arm and skull in that order. Please just leave.”

• Drunkard grumbles, makes moves to leave, Magnus looks away momentarily and the drunkard takes an inept swing, Magnus counters and swings him into the wall, the thud from the prologue chapter

• Pedestrian sobs off, Guy leaves, Magnus unsheathes his sword and readies next to the corner, cracks Guy’s skull with the back of his sword

• Chapter break

• Guy wakes up in his house. Sitting on a high chair with a noose on. Chair is just high enough that if kicked, would lead to a nasty death.

• Guy thinks he’s being robbed, Magnus wants him to finish the job he paid for a month ago.

  • “Who are you?” “I’m one of about four people by my count in the last month who’s money you took to change their identity, and who’s money you subsequently pissed up the walls of inns and gambling dens.”

• Guy protests this accusation, Magnus has been tailing him for a week where he did nothing but drink and gamble.

  • “How did you find out where I live?” “You’re not exactly a master of covering your tracks.”

• Guy admits he doesn’t actually do anything himself and is a middleman for a woman in the city centre (slums)

• Magnus thinks for a moment, then rifles through

  • “Hey, you said you weren’t taking back your money.” “It’s not for me.”

• EXIT: Magnus leaves the guy behind for his husband to find tomorrow

  • “You got a wife?” “Husband, please leave him out of this.” “What time he coming back?” “I don’t know—” “Is it by tomorrow?” “Don’t hurt him.” “I won’t if you answer the question.” “Yes, he’s coming back tomorrow.” “Great, you have until tomorrow to think about if this is really the line of work you want to be in.”

Lady Hope meeting (Gallant) (To be redone and much of this scrapped)

• Associate knight , the turret is about to arrive, Gallant leaves and walks down the stone halls

  • People passing by calling Gallant “Sir” and bowing, establish that he’s the big boy
  • Describe the stone halls and how pretty they be

• Gallant comments on a milk cow being brought through

  • “Is there any reason there is livestock being led through my castle?” “Some peasantry in the town have been talking about wanting to take their farm animals for more walks. Did you want me to tell them to knock it off?” “No, let him be. Fetch me if it starts biting people.”

• Peek at the training grounds, soldiers using practice swords, the one-eyed mentor looking on, peeking back at Gallant and nodding

• Open the lordly wooden double doors to two archers on either side and shouts of “KNIGHT IN THE KEEP”

• Zoom out, the crew are on a ship in the middle of deep space towards the noble’s station

  • The noble’s station is this magnificent steele structure with faux stone on the outside
  • There is a perfect slot for where the turret can dock to this noble’s castle

• Gallant contacts station and requests docking

  • “This is turret Gallant-1 requesting to dock at the castle” “Who might I inquire is making the request?” “Sir Gallant of Lord Commodus’ polity.” “Really? You’re a long way out. Nobody told us you would be coming.” “Lady Hope didn’t inform you?” “No…You can use Sir Robin’s space for now, I suppose.”

• Chapter break

• ?- “I know that a lot of nobles are on edge after the murder of the previous Sovereign, but what kind of message am I sending if my chambers are protected by ten yards of knights?”

• The spymaster was expecting Sir Faulkes, so this is surprising
  ?- “I read up about you. For everything you did in the war you should have been awarded land by now. I never saw Commodus as the stingy kind. I admire that humility about you.” “I rejected the land because it was a swamp. The day I accept land is the day I retire, and I want that land to reflect my effort.”

?- “It’s a great thing. We have children being born who don’t know anything about the war. Who, if it wasn’t for a massive fuck off border, wouldn’t know the Neo-Saracens even exist.”

• EXIT:

Changing his identity (Magnus)

?- Describe the city centre

• Veterans litter the streets, with one even walking around shouting “I WAS A KNIGHT.”
  ?- Describe room
• The room is cramped and stuffed with steele and basic electronics that are all splayed everywhere. Someone has a hobby
  ?- “Why does somebody with your specialised services live in an area like this?” “I restore junk electronics, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “That’s not the service I’m talking about.” The woman smirked. “My clientele are scumbags, I want to be amongst my people. Now why are you here, I wonder?”
  ?- Magnus tries employing the services of identity changer, identity changer doesn’t do non-referrals
  ?- Magnus hides when the baliff arrives to execute the search warrant,
  ?- “‘High treason,’ huh? Fascinating. They wouldn’t be sending a baliff for a simple Sovereign blashphemer rap. And I doubt someone as sad as you would be committing adultery with the Sovereign’s spouse without their permission. Which means…well well well. Looks like I found The Glorious Empire’s most wanted.”
  ?- Should Magnus’ regicide be revealed here?

Aboard a civilian ship that gets attacked (Magnus)

?- Use this chapter to introduce ship combat in this universe

• Magnus boarding the civilian ship, …
• While Magnus is hiding behind a wall, he hears the invaders demanding the survivors to give up Magnus

Recovering the destroyed civilian ship (Gallant)

Assassination of the noble (Gallant)

• The noble says “I’ve got something to share with you”

  • BING, that’s enough evidence that that noble’s gonna rat on The Sons, kill em
  • He was actually referring to Madeleine

• Shit, Gallant forgot to return the …

• ZAP, a shot from a blaster cleaves clean through the noble’s skull

• Gallant trips over the discarded Steele armour

  • It’s what the assassin used as a confidence trick to get past the guards?

Interrogated by knight cops (Gallant)

• The knights want Gallant to run through it one more time

  • “One more time” “Really? This good knight, bad knight routine is getting rather tiring.”

The speech and catching a spy (Gallant)

• Speech blames Neo-Saracens for the civilian ship attack/the noble’s assassination?
• Gallant leaves posthaste, starting to find it hard to breathe
• Gallant offers to escort Madeleine back to her quarters, as the knights are pretty fired up right now and could start causing trouble
• Madeleine rabbits as soon as Gallant’s back is turned

Being caught as a spy (Medeleine)

Sneaking out of the outpost, picking up Madeleine along the way (Gallant)

On the ship with Magnus (Gallant)

• “See my armour and the ship’s armour,” He said, banging on the hull, “We’re protected by the same material.”

Talking to Lord Commodus about the attack (Gallant)

• Gallant hurriedly enters Lord Commodus’ chambers

• Commodus and two other nobles finish up their conversation, Gallant snatches the end of the conversation

  • “Were those Lord Elbert and Lord Patrick?” “Yes they were. What did you come here to talk about? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

• Gallant talks about the assassination of the noble

  • “Did you hear about what happened to Lady Hope?” “I did indeed. I think the whole Empire knows about it at this point.”

Assault on Lord Commodus

Gallant duels Lord Commodus (Gallant)

Gallant refuses the call of sovereignty (Gallant)