Jason thompson

(NOTE: I think this page is okay as-is, in terms of the number of panels. See my notes about potentially turning page 43 into a spread, though.)
Panel 1. Real world. Large panel, like the bottom of minicomic page 12. A slight worm's eye view. Theodore has assembled a huge tent around the entire table and the players, covering them with a dome. The walls of the tent look sort of slimy and water is subtly dripping from them and running down the sides. It's dark inside the tent, so flickering candles now sit on top of the table, providing light (meanwhile, Theodore has a flashlight behind the DM's screen, which he uses to look at his books…he's also underlit by his laptop). The smell synthesizer is also visible, producing fumes; a light labeled "dungeon" on the side of the synthesizer is lit up. Bill and Callie look unsurprised as usual -- both are reading gaming books -- but Mike, Jen and Shesh are all flabbergasted. Theodore is busy doing more stuff behind the DM's screen.
FX (for drama)

DOOM
Panel 2. Real world. Medium shot of the gaming table from above. Theodore reaches down to the floor and flips a switch to turn on an air conditioner, which starts to produce cool air (wavy lines, perhaps). The dry ice buckets are also visible in this panel and the fog is still floating across the floor.
THEODORE:

THE DUNGEON IS COLD AND DAMP! A CHILL BREEZE DRIFTS ACROSS THE FLOOR!
FX:

WRRRR
Panel 3. Game world. Medium shot. Aerfen, Kamiko and Grathkamog are on the top steps of the dark dungeon, with fog roiling around them, and water dripping from above. Kamiko is awed. Aefren (out of character for once) is a little boggled but speaks dryly. Grathkamog recoils as a drop of water splashes his neck.
JEN/AERFEN:

OKAY, THIS IS WEIRD.
SHESH/GRATHKAMOG:

AGH! THERE'S SOMETHING WET ON MY NECK!
Panel 4. Real world. Long shot of the outside of the tent, with a bit of fumes pouring out from under the edges, and some puddles of water forming outside the base. At a nearby table, some of the other gamers look on in puzzlement.
THEODORE (OS, INSIDE THE TENT):

THAT'S THE DRIP SYSTEM! IT SIMULATES MOISTURE COMING OFF THE DUNGEON WALLS!
Panel 5. Real world. In the foreground, Theodore, with a serious professional expression, slathers his hands with lotion from a bottle. In the background, Shesh and Mike look on with abject horror, expecting at best a sensual back massage.
THEODORE:

I BELIEVE GAMING SHOULD BE AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE AFFECTING ALL FIVE SENSES! EXCUSE ME FOR A SECOND WHILE I RUB THIS COCONUT OIL ALL OVER MY HANDS!
Panel 6. Real world. In the background, Theodore blithely reaches into a jar behind the DM's screen and flings silverfish/roach-like insects all around the inside of the tent. In the foreground, Mike and Shesh have a total cartoon "WHAAA" boggle-eyed expression.
THEODORE:

I NEED THE OIL TO HANDLE THESE SRI LANKAN CAVE ROACHES!

PAGE 45

(NOTE: For this page I removed the unnecessary panel 5.)
Panel 1. Big panel. Game world. The player characters descend the steps into a dark dungeon corridor lined with several closed doors and dark passages. There's fog along the ground, there's stalactites of moisture hanging from the ceiling and limestone formations on the walls, rubble everywhere, and weird-looking roaches climbing all over the place. Light is coming from torches held by Grathkamog and Sophonisba.
MIKE/KAMIKO:

THE TUNNEL SPLITS UP…WHICH WAY SHOULD WE GO?
JEN/AERFEN:

BE CAREFUL, YOU GUYS…
Panel 2. Real world. Closeup of a graph-lined miniatures mat board. Five figures representing the characters (which don't look exactly like them) are placed on the board, while the walls and doors around them are drawn with a marker pen. In fact, Theodore's hand is visible in the panel, as he finishes drawing the walls with the marker. A compass pointing the way "North" is also drawn on the mat.
THEODORE (OS):

WE'LL USE THIS MAP TO REPRESENT YOUR POSITION IN THE DUNGEON!
Panel 3. Real world. Medium shot of the gaming table, with the miniatures board now in the middle, held down at the edges by tables and books. Jen makes a pragmatic observation about the location of the figures on the miniatures mat, as much out of a desire to be helpful as anything else, while Theodore (who still has the marker in hand) has a cartoony startled expression as he realizes that he messed up. (The first room of the dungeon is drawn in the corner of the mat, so that the 'west' and 'south' exits are only a few squares from the mat's edge.) There's a few roaches crawling on the walls.
JEN:

WELL, AT THE RISK OF USING OUT-OF-CHARACTER KNOWLEDGE, THE WEST AND SOUTH DOORS WOULD LEAD OFF THE TABLE…
SHESH (looking at the board, but not quite understanding):

"OUT-OF-CHARACTER"?
THEODORE:

! (just a word balloon with a big exclamation point in it)
Panel 4. Game world. Medium shot. In the foreground, Sophonisba, getting bored with all this hesitation, kicks one of the dungeon doors off its hinges. We see this from inside the dark room on the other side of the door.
CALLIE/SOPHONISBA (gleefully):

ENOUGH TALK! I KICK OPEN THE DOOR!
MIKE/KAMIKO:

NOOOO!
PAGE 46
Panel 1. Game world. Big panel, a sort of bird's eye semi-isometric view. Monsters who are part snake, part human are pouring into the room from several corridors, attacking the player characters with spears, swords and teeth. Most look like big adders and cobras with arms and legs, but a few have incongruous mixtures of snake and human features. Sophonisba, who looks totally pleased to be in combat again, readies a fireball (Dragon Ball Z-style). Kamiko looks freaked out, as does the child on her back. Grathkamog is incongruously checking his watch, while Bill is being stabbed by a snake man's spear while in the middle of reading his RPG book. Aerfen is right in the front lines with her sword out and, along with Sophonisba, is sort of managing a decent defense against the snake men. The roaches, etc., are still around.
JEN/AERFEN:

SNAKE MEN!
Panel 2. Real world. Fairly big panel. Everyone is sitting around the gaming table as Theodore supervises the action from behind his GM's screen. Things are getting a little hard to manage with the roaches and dripping water, however. There's also an accumulation of junk food and soft drink cans on the table at this point.
THEODORE:

INITIATIVE ROLLS, EVERYBODY!
MIKE (really into it):

I PROTECT THE LITTLE GIRL! WITH MY OWN BODY!
SHESH (irritated):

MY CHARACTER SHEET GOT WATER ON IT!
JEN (also annoyed):

CAN I REROLL? THIS TREE ROACH ATE MY DIE!
Panel 3. Game world. Smaller panel. While the others fight, Grathkamog rushes for an unopened door, looking pissed off.
SHESH/GRATHKAMOG:

SCREW IT! I'M OUTTA HERE!
SHESH/GRATHKAMOG (second balloon):

I CAN'T FIGHT ANYWAY!
Panel 4. Real world. Theodore blithely reads to Shesh from behind the GM's screen. Shesh is exasperated.
THEODORE (totally straight-faced):

THE DOOR IS ACID TRAPPED! GRATHKAMOG TAKES 42 POINTS OF DAMAGE AS SULPHURIC ACID BLASTS HIM IN THE FACE!
SHESH:

WTF?!!
THEODORE (second balloon):

SORRY, I MISCOUNTED! I MEANT 52 POINTS!
PAGE 47
Panel 1. Game world. Big panel. Everyone's fighting the snake men. Kamiko (still with the little girl on her back) kneels down to cast a healing spell upon Grathkamog, who is lying bleary-eyed in the puddle of acid. Aerfen, Bill and Sophonisba are deep in combat, fighting the snake men as best they can; Sophonisba is doing the best, as usual.
MIKE/KAMIKO:

DON'T WORRY, SHESH! I'LL HEAL YOU!
FLOATING CAPTION (near Grathkamog):

+30 HIT POINTS
JEN/AEFREN (triumphantly):

I GOT A 20! CRITICAL HIT!
Panel 2. Real world. Behind the GM's screen and the miniatures mat, Theodore melodramatically overacts the death throes of the snake man. Clutching his neck, he flails back and forth, his head appearing in two different positions, his eyes boggling, mouth agape. It's totally over-the-top and a little pathetic. In the foreground, we see the backs of the heads of Mike and Jen as they watch, but not their expressions.
THEODORE:

GLRRKK! AEFREN'S SWORD IMPALES THE SNAKE MAN! HE FLAILS IN HIS DEATH THROES!
THEODORE (second balloon, could be handlettered or done as FX):

AGGGGH! HISSSS! GLLKK…
Panel 3. Real world. Closeup of Mike looking shocked. As he hears Theodore's words, he suddenly recognizes where he has seen all this gaming stuff before…
THEODORE (OS):

"YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE THE ISLE OF DOOM ALIVE!" THE OTHER SNAKE MEN HISS IN FURY! AND THEN, THROUGH THE GREAT DOORWAY CRAWLS…
MIKE (with a little light bulb next to his head indicating realization):

"THE ISLE OF DOOM"…? OH GOD! NO!
Panel 4. Real world. From behind the GM's screen, Theodore lifts up a huge cage (he's stronger than he looks) and, with one hand, opens up the wire-screen door to release a Burmese Python upon the table. It's the same one Mike saw on page 8. It's like he's dumping it on the table more than anything else: the snake topples out onto the miniatures mat, landing among the figurines. In the foreground, Mike falls out of his chair -- perhaps just his feet are visible in this panel , cartoon-style -- and Jen and Shesh continue to freak out. Even Bill Harminc looks a little surprised.
THEODORE (continuing his balloon and speech from the previous panel):

…A GIANT SNAAAAKE!
PAGE 48
Panel 1. Game world. The characters are still surrounded by hostile snake men, but the combat is sort of on hold for a second as everyone looks at the giant snake (big enough to swallow a person whole) which has emerged from a nearby archway. The snake doesn't look too hot, though; it's lying down rather than doing anything aggressive (see panel 2). Kamiko is lying on the floor, stunned.
JEN/AERFEN:

BY TROGOOL! A MASSIVE SERPENT!
BILL/BILL (looking at the snake):

IN GAME TERMS, IS THIS SNAKE "HUGE" OR "GARGANTUAN"?
Panel 2. Game world. A closeup on the giant snake and the characters standing next to it, from the previous panel. It's clear now, though, that something is wrong with the snake -- its mouth is open and its eyes are shut, perhaps it's lying on its side and drooling. The characters, too, have noticed this fact.
JEN/AERFEN (suddenly skeptical):

JUST A SECOND -- ON CLOSER INSPECTION, IT APPEARS TO BE UNCONSCIOUS!
SHESH/GRATHKAMOG:

AND BREATHING SHALLOWLY!
Panel 3. Real world. The gaming table, with everyone looking at the rather pitiable, immobile python, which is lying sprawled unconscious across the miniatures mat. Fog and mist drifts around the characters, and moisture drips from the tent walls. Theodore has a startled, freaked-out expression as he realizes what's wrong.
THEODORE:

O-OH MY GOD! IT PASSED OUT DUE TO THE COLD TEMPERATURES AND FUMES! I-I HAVE TO GET TO THE HEALTH CENTER!
Panel 4. Real world. Exterior of the tent, gaming room. In the foreground, Theodore runs out of the tent, with the python draped over his shoulders as he carries it. He shouts back to the players, who are watching him go from inside the tent.
THEODORE:

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK! THE GAME'S NOT OVER! STAY IN CHARACTER WHILE I'M GONE!


THEODORE (second smaller balloon):

OH, AND THE SNAKE'S STILL ALIVE IN THE GAME!
Panel 6. Real world. Closeup of Dudek's heaps of gaming equipment in the corner of the tent: the now-empty cage, tubs of miniatures and dice, the air conditioner, dry ice buckets, smell synthesizer, a bunch of power strips, a fan, the speakers, etc.
SHESH (OS):

WHAT…THE…
PAGE 49
Panel 1. Real world (as is the rest of this page). Medium shot of the gaming table and the remaining players. Everyone is totally freaked out, with the possible exception of Callie. Theodore's laptop, behind his GM's screen, should be visible in this panel.
SHESH (annoyed, continued from previous page):

…HECK?
JEN:

GUYS, MOST ROLE-PLAYING GAMES ARE NOT LIKE THIS…
MIKE:

I…I…
Panel 2. Large panel. Closeup of Mike, who is sweating and freaking out as he remembers the traumatic events of page 7-8.
MIKE:

I THINK I KNOW HIM…!
MIKE (second balloon):

THIS GUY'S IN OUR DORM! HE'S SOME KIND OF ROLEPLAY MANIAC! I SAW HIS ROOM-- IT'S THE ROOM OF A MADMAN!
Panel 3. Medium panel. Jen makes a sudden realization too, while Shesh reacts.
JEN:

THAT'S RIGHT! HE MUST BE THE GUY I HEARD ABOUT! THE ONE WHO HURT PEOPLE OVER A RPG!
SHESH:

WHOA! WHAT A FREAK!
Panel 4. Everyone except Callie goes behind the GM's screen and looks at his laptop (although they aren't actually touching his stuff or rifling through his books in this panel…they're just standing there looking). Jen is not quite behind the GM's screen, she's looking from her seat. Mike recognizes the laptop.
MIKE:

IT'S TRUE! THIS IS HIS LAPTOP!
Panel 5. Inset close-up of laptop screen, from the same angle as panel 1. We see the text file for "The Isle of Doom," just like on page 7:
DOCUMENT HEADERS:

The Isle of Doom

A Mages & Monsters Adventure by Theodore Dudek

For Tournament Play

(the remaining text is too small and blurry to read)
PAGE 50
Panel 1. Real world (as is this entire page). An over-the-shoulder shot of Mike and Shesh looking at Theodore's laptop. The onscreen text is too small to see, but we can see some application windows and part of the dungeon map image file.
SHESH:

LOOK AT THIS STUFF! THIS MAP'S HUGE!
MIKE:

AN EXCEL FILE OF WANDERING MONSTERS!
SHESH:

AN ITUNES PLAYLIST OF SNAKE MEN SCREAMS!
Panel 2. Jen, in the foreground, criticizes Bill, Mike and Shesh, who are all standing behind the GM's screen in the background, looking at stuff.
JEN:

HEY, YOU GUYS SHOULDN'T LOOK AT THAT, YOU'RE GONNA SPOIL THE ADVENTURE!
Panel 3. Closeup of Bill, stubbly mustache, acne, sleepy eyes, vaguely snobby attitude and all.
BILL:

ACCORDING TO THE ROLE-PLAYER'S ASSOCIATION GUIDEBOOK PAGE 173, USING LIVE ANIMALS IN A GAME IS PROHIBITED! THAT MEANS THE PLAYER-G.M. CONTRACT IS BROKEN!
Panel 4. Shesh, in the foreground, looks down at the laptop and, thinking deeply, makes a cunning realization in terms he understands. Bill is visible in the background getting out a notepad and pencil.
SHESH:

I GET IT! IT’S LIKE AN “INSTANCED” DUNGEON…THE BASIC FLOOR PLAN STAYS THE SAME! WE CAN USE THIS!
Panel 5. Jen complains again about where Shesh and Bill are going with this. Callie also complains, but more casually.
JEN:

I'M SERIOUS! THAT'S OUT-OF-CHARACTER KNOWLEDGE! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ACT ON THINGS YOUR CHARACTERS DON'T KNOW!
CALLIE:

YEAH, YOU GUYS.
PAGE 51
Panel 1. Real world (as is this entire page). Large panel. The whole table, with a focus on Shesh, who is justifying his behavior to Jen. He's trying to look unconcerned and genuinely justified in his behavior. Meanwhile, behind him, Bill Harminc is taking notes from Theodore's laptop, while Mike looks at a printout of the map.
SHESH:

I'M SORRY, JEN.
SHESH (second balloon):

THIS GAME SUCKS. THIS GUY'S CRAZY! ALL I WANT TO DO IS WIN "DEAD SEA SCROLLS IV" AND GET OUT OF HERE!
Panel 2. Closeup of Mike.
MIKE (trying to convince himself):

YEAH! I'LL STILL BE IN CHARACTER! IT'S JUST LIKE USING A FAQ OR A VIDEO GAME WALKTHROUGH!
Panel 3. Long shot. The game room, outside the tent; there’s some nerd playing some board game with little castles and parapets in the foreground, and in the background some people are playing Jenga. The tent, as always, is leaking bits of fog and a puddle of water, due to all the climate control stuff inside. We see word balloons coming from the tent.
JEN (OS):

DUDE! THAT'S CHEATING! THAT’S EVEN RUDER THAN WALKING OUT OF THE GAME!
SHESH (OS):

NO WAY, NOT UNTIL WE WIN!
CALLIE (OS) (small text, unheard by everybody):

WELL, I GET PAID EITHER WAY…
Panel 4. Closeup of Jen, who is exasperated with Shesh.
JEN:

LOOK, YOU -- THERE ARE NO WINNERS IN TABLETOP RPGS!
Panel 5. Closeup of Shesh, who loses his temper a bit and snaps at Jen in turn.
SHESH:

YEAH, THAT'S BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S A LOSER!
Panel 6. Medium shot. In the background, Theodore unzips the tent flap and is about to step inside. In the foreground, Shesh and Jen glare at eachother, but Theodore is oblivious to the tension. Shesh has finished his skullduggery and is sitting at the table again, he’s not behind the Game Master’s Screen like he was in panel one. (Bill and Mike are presumably back at their seats too, but there’s no room for them to show up in this panel.)